05/16/2008

Trail etiquette at White Rock Lake: Courtesy first

DMN/FILE

The construction at White Rock Lakes makes it especially important for runners, bikers and walkers to be cognizant and wary of each other's presence. Here is some advice from lake regulars.
Fitness Blog: Add your opinion

05/12/2008

5 advances that make a trip to the dentist easier

JUAN GARCIA/DMN

Easier orthodontics and longer-lasting titanium implants are making a trip to the dentist feel more rewarding. And spa-quality amenities including ice masks and paraffin hand treatments make patients calmer.

05/15/2008

Study links rise in mastectomies to MRI detection
New techniques for detecting breast cancer may be leading more women to have their entire breast removed, researchers said Thursday.

05/13/2008

Lean Plate Club: New benefits from vitamin D
Imagine a nutrient that could help prevent cancer, heart disease and tuberculosis, preserve bones and thwart autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile diabetes.

05/15/2008

Shingles shots urged for those 60 and up, U.S. officials say
People 60 and older should get a one-time shingles shot that can help prevent the painful rash, U.S. health officials are recommending.

05/13/2008

5 questions to test your job satisfaction
Do you hate your job? Maybe these questions can help you decide whether it's worth staying.

Teen exercise protects against breast cancer later in life, study says
Get your daughters off the couch: New research shows exercise during the teen years – starting as young as age 12 – can help protect girls from breast cancer when they're grown.

Quiz: What do you really know about fruit?
Find out if you are making the best choices when it comes to fruit.

Some mouths more prone to dental problems
Even siblings, with the same parents, same diet and same general home care can wind up with completely different chompers – some prone to cavities, some steadfastly resistant. A host of factors, even factors that remain unrecognized, contribute to the development and health of teeth as an infant.

Health Calendar: Talking and living better
Talking and pampering

One in 12 U.S. teens report suffering from depression
One in 12 teenagers in the U.S. has suffered from depression, according to survey results released by a federal health agency that are similar to past findings.

Does it have real fruit juice in it?
This is for all of us who are a bit blindsided by the plethora of healthy-sounding "fruit" (fruit? are you sure ?) beverages on the shelves.

Book review: Crosswords for brain health
It's not only your body that needs to be put through its paces. Your brain does, too. The New York Times Crosswords to Keep Your Brain Young, a book by aging expert Dr. Majid Fotuhi of the LifeBridge Health Brain & Spine Institute in Baltimore, takes you through a six-step program to stretch and to rejuvenate the aging brain. Dr. Fotuhi says that with regular exercise – and a diet rich in antioxidants – your brain can grow and become more agile.

Study: Exercise benefits arthritis sufferers
Exercise may seem like the worst thing for stiff, aching joints. But it is just what most people with arthritis need. Completing an eight-week program designed for arthritis sufferers improved range of motion and reduced pain and fatigue, according to a study of 346 patients conducted by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

05/12/2008

Minyard, Carnival, Sack 'n Save supermarkets offer free prenatal vitamins
Prenatal vitamins packed with the extra folic acid, calcium and iron that are essential to the health of mothers and babies have just become more affordable (free, in fact) thanks to an initiative from Minyard Food Stores Inc.

05/05/2008

Younger people getting joint replacements to restore active lifestyles

MATT NAGER/Special to DMN

Dallas County Constable Kevin Schloch had arthritic bone removed from one knee to relieve joint pain.

Here are six stories of how shoulder, knee, hip and ankle procedures helped people return to more active lives, plus what you need to know to see if one's right for you.
Special aging focus: News and tips on living a better, heathier life
Video: One woman's knee replacement story

05/11/2008

Memory helpers for your overloaded mind
Who couldn’t use a friendly reminder every now and then? An array of products does the remembering for you — for everything from keeping doctor’s appointments to getting out the door with everything you need. Here’s a look at what’s out there to help you keep your mind on what really matters.

05/08/2008

More than half of U.S. diabetics have arthritis
More than half of U.S. adults with diabetes also have arthritis, raising a serious obstacle for diabetic patients urged to exercise, according to a government study.

05/09/2008

Parents warned that pot increases depression risk in teens
The White House drug czar said in a warning to parents Friday that depressed teens are medicating themselves with marijuana, running risks of even deeper depression.

05/08/2008

Study encourages quick response to stroke symptoms
Quick quiz. Which of the following are warning signs of a stroke: Sudden confusion, numbness, headache, blurred vision or chest pain?

05/11/2008

Spring greens are loaded with nutrition and flavor
Spring greens, usually a combination of mizuna, tatsoi, red oakleaf, sorrel, arugula and frisee, used to show up only at high-end restaurants but recently has become a year-round staple in supermarket produce aisles.

05/07/2008

Too much, too little sleep tied to obesity, ill health, study finds
People who sleep fewer than six hours a night – or more than nine – are more likely to be obese, according to a new government study that is one of the largest to show a link between irregular sleep and big bellies.

05/03/2008

30 ways to live to be 100
So you want to live to be 100? Join the party. And quite a party it's getting to be. An estimated 73,674 Americans were 100 or older in 2004, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

05/06/2008

Women who quit smoking cut most risks in 5 years, study says
Women who quit smoking cut the biggest risks of death from heart disease "significantly" within five years and have a 20 percent lower chance of dying from related cancers in that time, a study said.

Yoga may improve fitness for women 65 and older

05/03/2008

Elderly: Eat less but better
Good nutrition is important throughout life, but it takes on special significance through your later years.

Studies: Diet and eye health are connected
There are many connections between our eyes and our appetite.

05/05/2008

New skin creams claim stem-cell technology
'Restore and renew." "Significantly reduces the loss of cells in the epidermis." "Regenerate cells and repair tissue."

05/06/2008

Aging really does mellow us, scientists show
For centuries, sages have alluded to a richness in life's later years that is lost on the young. But only in the last decade have researchers begun to measure happiness across the life span and try to understand why older people tend to be so content.

Novelists look at men's virility through the years
Where are role models in popular culture for the aging man? Health statistics are improving for men: They're living longer, and older men are more numerous. But as they come to this unexplored territory of expanded life spans, they confront a new challenge of identity: Who am I now that my role as the bull male is over?

Book: Forgetting is normal
If you're out of your 20s, it's happened to you: Moving from one room of your home to another, you completely forget why you went to the second room. Or you put down your glasses, and now you can't find them ... because you can't see without your glasses. Or, and this one really hurts, you start to introduce your fiancé to a friend you've known for 30 years, only you suddenly can't remember her name.

Book review, 'For Keeps': Growing older through a woman's eyes
You won't find For Keeps on the same bookstore shelf as most books aimed at middle-age and older women – you know, the books about anti-aging techniques, the latest in tummy tucks and collagen creams, or how to dress "appropriately for one's age."

Fitness calendar: Benbrook Kids Triathlon and more

Health Calendar: Skin cancer screenings
Skin cancer screening

Book review: 5 things anyone can do to combat aging
Positively Ageless, huh? Well, the author is the nutritionist for The Biggest Loser . And while, admittedly, we have never seen that show, most everyone else in the world has. Plus, the book is published by Rodale, which puts out such faves as Prevention and Men's Health.

Why does our hair turn gray?
As we age, the pigment cells die and the hair becomes transparent.

GeezerJock.com is an online community for older athletes
Senior exercisers aren't just active and athletic, they're Web-savvy. Masters Athlete magazine realizes that and recently launched GeezerJock.com.

05/05/2008

Essay: Aging - it's best that we live through it
When I was thirtysomething, I had no stomach for aging. I looked at women 50, 60, 70, sexy as bath-powder puffs, and shuddered. Then I looked back in the mirror at my own youthful skin and hair and shut out the possibility that I was peering into my future.

04/29/2008

Dallas-area resources for beginning cyclists

MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMN

Michael Dearman, 9, rides a trail with his father, Bill.

Looking to cut your gas bills by bicycling more? Adding a bike ride to your workout routine? Here's our A-to-Z primer for people who are thinking of taking up cycling.

Texas Flyers cycling club offers companionship on rides

VERNON BRYANT/DMN

Scott Witherell (left), and his father, Dale Witherell, ride with other members of the Texas Flyers Cycling Club.

The Texas Flyers started as a race group that sponsored competitive riders. But a few years ago, the club switched its focus to recreational riding. Now, they meet every Saturday to encourage friendship and fitness

Cut the calories in Bruschetta Chicken but keep the flavor
Bruschetta Chicken is fast, easy to fix and great to serve company. But it could be more nutritious.

Eat for Life: Banana bread recipe gets flaxseeds' omega-3s on the table

Is there a drinking and breast cancer link?
Women drinkers, note this: There's mounting evidence that drinking alcoholic beverages increases the risk of breast cancer.

Hurdles remain to e-mailing your doctor
Suzanne Kreuziger is a registered nurse who uses e-mail almost exclusively to communicate with friends. But when it comes to reaching her doctor, there's a frustrating firewall.

Health Calendar: Living with cancer

Research: Nobody knows how much water we need
We have a quiz for you of the everyday-person ilk:

CDC keeping an eye on mumps
Mumps, once common, was on track to be eliminated in the U.S. by the year 2010, thanks to widespread use of two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in early childhood. Then the largest U.S. mumps epidemic in two decades occurred in 2006.

It may not be a plus to multitask

Bone up on osteoporosis and injury risks
Denton Cruse had no idea what he was in for when he attempted to wrestle a 250-pound television set out of an entertainment center last April. "I felt something pop," the Atlanta marketing consultant recalls. "There was incredible pain. It was extremely difficult sleeping, getting out of bed ... sitting."

Book: Nude women's photos, self-images in contrast
Butt too big. Breasts too small. Hips too full. Too skinny. Wrinkles too visible. Legs too short. Breasts too large.

04/21/2008

When kids cook, they learn healthy habits

G.J. McCARTHY/DMN

Hannah Weeks, 8, works on her Hannah Banana Smoothie, which promotes healthy eating.

With all due respect to the Pillsbury Bake-off, where peanut butter cookies won the $1 million prize last week in Dallas, there is more to after-school snacks than milk and cookies. Find out how one kids' cooking competition may change how participants look at food and how you can help your child eat better.
Kids in the Kitchen winning recipes

6 ways to keep your hands pain-free
We are sooo attached to our fingers. It's too bad we don't think much about them until they start to hurt. For example, 30 percent of computer users gripe about hand paresthesias (numbness or stinging sensations). Still, studies show that only After undergoing studies on nerve conduction, only three percent of Americans are found to actually suffer from the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome. Something else must be bothering the stressed-out hands of computer users everywhere.

04/23/2008

Low-carbon food rolled out for conscientious consumers
Not every student in line at the University of Redlands cafeteria was ready for self-sacrifice to save the planet. "No hamburger patties?" asked an incredulous football player at the Southern California school, repeating the words of the grill cook. He glowered at the posted sign: "Cows or cars? Worldwide, livestock emits 18 % of greenhouse gases, more than the transportation sector! Today we're offering great-tasting vegetarian choices."

04/22/2008

Study: Feel of a container can alter taste perception
A morning shot of espresso probably tastes better in an Italian, thick-walled cup than in a burn-your-fingers paper one, according to an April study in the Journal of Consumer Research .

Try slow lifting for fast slimming
Fitness author Jorge Cruise believes that a few minutes per week of properly applied resistance exercise can firm muscles, build lean muscle tissue and trim inches off the waist.

Book review: An updated 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'
That woman on the cover of America's best-known pregnancy advice book is only a sketch. But countless women have come to know this expectant mom over the years, sitting in a rocking chair with her dowdy clothes.

Health Calendar: Prostate and colon cancer seminar

04/21/2008

Stay fit with this jump rope workout
You learned to do it as a child, but it's not just child's play. Jumping rope increases balance, coordination, agility, endurance and strength. And it's one of the least expensive ways to get fit. So, grab a rope and start jumping. Here are moves to try.

Modified versions of salad dressings add flavor without excess fat
Dressings are the draw for many restaurant salads, but the sweet and tangy mixtures can toss lots of extra calories and fat grams into bowls.

Weeknight Paella goes together like a stir-fry
Like a stir-fry, which is made in a wok, paella typically is made in a special wide, flat, two-handled pan. But, unlike a stir-fry, paella is not a quick dish. Weeknight Paella uses quick-cooking brown rice to speed things up.

04/19/2008

Building fitness, friendships through exercise program

REX C. CURRY/Special to DMN

Physical therapist Patsy Shropshire, who's also a certified fitness trainer, leads a women's exercise class with stability balls.

In the aftermath of thyroid cancer, 47-year-old Kristin Githens wanted nothing more than to climb a flight of stairs without feeling winded. So she joined Women With Balls, an early-morning exercise group in her North Dallas neighborhood.

04/21/2008

Study: Blood pressure diet helps prevent heart attack, stroke

A large study offers the strongest evidence yet that a diet the government recommends for lowering blood pressure can save people from heart attack and stroke. Researchers followed more than 88,000 healthy women for almost 25 years. They examined their food choices and looked at how many had heart attacks and strokes. Those who fared best had eating habits similar to those recommended by the government to stop high blood pressure.

Study: A normal BMI doesn't mean you aren't fat
Do you have a "normal" body-mass index? You still may be fat.

5 sports bras that stop the bounce

EVANS CAGALAGE/DMN

Finding the right sports bra can be almost more of a pain than wearing the wrong one. Our readers helped us out with these suggestions for bras that really work.

04/18/2008

CDC: Mounting illness reports tied to Total Body formulas
Health officials are investigating more than 180 reports of illness in people who took dietary supplements containing toxic levels of the mineral selenium.

Tech review: The StressEraser deepens meditation

StressEraser

The full-page magazine ads say the StressEraser can calm the tensest user. In reality, the little machine won't work any miracles. It won't even erase any stress. It will help you erase your own stress, though – if you put in some time and effort.

Oldest Americans are also the happiest, study finds
It turns out the golden years really are golden. Eye-opening new research finds the happiest Americans are the oldest, and older adults are more socially active than the stereotype of the lonely senior suggests. The two go hand-in-hand: Being social can help keep away the blues.

Program gives disabled kids a place to play
The mission a decade ago was simple: Build "one beautiful playground" for kids with disabilities so they too could soar on swings, frolic in sandboxes and traverse bridges.

03/14/2008

5 exercises for fitter feet

EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Standing with your toes up builds arches for your feet.

A few simple exercises will help your feet stay strong and keep you feeling good. Alice Ann Dailey, an exercise physiologist and owner of Oasis Mind-Body Conditioning Center, offers these ideas that can be done almost anywhere.

03/10/2008

5 sources for shoes of all sizes
Here are resources for shoes in hard-to-find sizes.

01/29/2008

Stress can influence heart disease

Courtesy

Mandy Howell (left, with her sister and mom) had a heart attack after her stress level went "off the charts."

Even if you're doing your best to take care of yourself, stress can hurt your heart. Whatever the trigger, there's no doubt that women are suffering from heart disease, the gender's leading cause of death. Find out if you're likely to be a victim.
• More on heart health

12/17/2007

Dallas-area hospitals that routinely offer free and low-cost screenings, vaccinations and care
Save money on your health costs by checking out these local services.

Prepared produce takes the work out of eating fresh
The next time you pass the precut and prewashed vegetables at the grocery realize that you might balk at their prices, but if it gets you to eat more produce, it might be worth the cost. Also consider trying this recipe for Shredded Broccoli with Indian Spices.

12/10/2007

With right setup and equipment, home gyms make working out easier

SONYA N. HEBERT/DMN

Cheryl Van Duyne turned a closet into a workout room for herself and her husband.

Why wait until the New Year to get going on your home fitness resolutions? Here's what you need to know.
Beer belly workout: Exercises for a flatter stomach
A home yoga workout
More Fitness

11/19/2007

Gratitude: A healthy virtue that improves your life

SHARON KILDAY

This time of year, the 11th Healthy Virtue flows like gravy. It is on our lips, our hearts, our sleeves. Purely and unabashedly, we savor it and we share it with others. Gratitude. Here's how you can be more thankful in everyday life.
More Healthy Virtues

10/29/2007

Maple-pumpkin dinner rolls are naturally low-fat
Warm, fresh rolls improve nearly any meal, which can make it awfully tempting to grab some at the supermarket.

10/16/2007

Baby care special report

10/24/2007

Women's Health Special Section
H ealth is often the biggest part of being beautiful on the inside and the outside.

09/24/2007

Pain management: Looking at long-term solutions
Got a headache? Take a pill. Sinus pressure?

05/01/2007

Healthy Aging Focus

DEAN HOLLINGSWORTH/ DMN

Every time you wake up, choices loom like twists and turns on a map. What you eat, how much you exercise, how well you control stress now can build, or break, the health of your body and your spirit later.

This guide will help you make those choices better, to help you live a longer life.

04/24/2007

Flexibility: It makes you a survivor

SHARON KILDAY/DMN

As part of our "12 Healthy Virtues" series, this month we examine flexibility, an element we need to live a healthy and balanced life. Flexibility can be an asset both mentally and through exercise. Here's how.

02/12/2007

Courage: A healthy virtue everyone can have

SHARON KILDAY/DMN

In the magic of beginnings, the freshness of a new year, we have been granted a special honor: to bestow, upon anyone who wishes to accept its responsibilities and privileges, a gift. Courage. Courage not necessarily to rescue babies from burning buildings, nor to search for mountaineers in the blizzards of Oregon mountains.

Instead, courage to do what scares you, frightens you, makes you uneasy or uncomfortable.

03/06/2006

Here's what to ask when you're looking for counseling, therapy
You feel helpless and sad. Overwhelmed. Your job isn't going well, nor is your marriage. Despite your best efforts, you can't seem to feel better. So what do you do? Family and friends have done everything they can, but even they conclude it's time you saw an expert. The question is: Who?

04/10/2006

Cancer resources
Here are some online sites for further exploration and information.

05/08/2006

Parkinson's disease resources

05/09/2006

Caregivers links

05/11/2006

Postpartum depression resources