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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The Salt

Is Eating Too Little Salt Risky? New Report Raises Questions

Eat less salt, but not too much less.

May 15, 2013 A low-sodium diet may cause more health problems than a medium-sodium diet, a new report found. But some health advocates say focusing on the potential risks of a low-sodium diet distracts from the more important conversation about how to get Americans to start consuming less salt.

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Friday, May 03, 2013

Shots - Health News

Paleo Diet Echoes Physical Culture Movement Of Yesteryear

Bernarr Macfadden, who brought the physical culture movement to the U.S., leads six members of the Senate in exercise in 1924.

May 3, 2013 New ideas about health, like physical culture and the paleo approach, appear at times of massive cultural change. The Industrial Revolution and current digital revolution represent fertile ground, a historian says. Both movements look to the past for inspiration on how to eat, exercise and get back to a more natural way of life.

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Monday, April 15, 2013

Shots - Health News

How Exercise And Other Activities Beat Back Dementia

An older man performs exercises in Mumbai, India. Research suggests that moderate physical exercise may be the best way to keep our brains healthy as we age.

April 15, 2013 "What's good for the heart is good for the brain," one neuroscientist says. In addition to physical exercise, researchers say that mental exercise, socializing and a good diet can also help preserve memory in older brains.

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Monday, March 04, 2013

Shots - Health News

Your Child's Fat, Mine's Fine: Rose-Colored Glasses And The Obesity Epidemic

A promo image depicting a parent's perception of his child's weight.

March 4, 2013 Despite current trends, most parents assume their own kids won't grow up to be overweight adults. That 'optimism bias' has neurological roots, brain scientists say.

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Friday, March 01, 2013

The Salt

Sugar's Role In Rise Of Diabetes Gets Clearer

A performer drinks a soda in Ahmedabad, India in 2010. A study found that rising diabetes prevalence in countries like India is strongly tied to sugar consumption.

March 1, 2013 Robert Lustig, a physician and anti-sugar crusader, found in a new study that countries where people have easy access to sugar are more likely to see a rise in diabetes. But skeptics say that sugar's not the only culprit.

Summary

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Salt

Do Parents Really Know What Their Kids Are Eating?

Donta Jackson's snack of choice is a bag of Skittles.

February 27, 2013 Most parents think that their kids eat healthfully. But in reality, they may not know much about their kids' eating habits, especially as their children get older. Many kids don't talk to their parents about what they eat, and sneak unhealthy snacks after school.

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Shots - Health News

In Many Families, Exercise Is By Appointment Only

Yvonne Condes helps her son Alec get ready for baseball practice.

February 27, 2013 Many parents struggle to find the time to get their kids the exercise they need. Hectic lives are often filled with shuttling children from one sports activity to the next. But some parents are trying to make walking and biking part of their daily lives, not something they have to schedule.

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Shots - Health News

How 'Crunch Time' Between School And Sleep Shapes Kids' Health

A new poll explores what happens in American households during the hours between school and bedtime.

February 25, 2013 A new poll explores how crucial everyday decisions are made in American households about food and exercise. Many parents say that their families don't always have time to eat the healthiest meal or exercise.

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Salt

More Antioxidants In Your Diet May Not Mean Better Health

The flavonoids in coffee may have health benefits, but preventing stroke may not be one of them.

February 21, 2013 Antioxidants in foods may have health benefits, but it's not one size fits all. Having a diet high in overall antioxidant levels didn't prevent stroke and dementia in one recent study, although eating more vitamin C and E specifically did seem to help.

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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Shots - Health News

Money Replaces Willpower In Programs Promoting Weight Loss

Peggy Renzi (middle) talks with her teammates Erika Hersey (left) and Erica Webster. The three are part of a team of nurses in the Bowie Health Center emergency room in Bowie, Md., who are working together to lose weight.

February 20, 2013 A group of nurses is competing for $10,000 in a weight-loss contest. A New York man motivated himself by pledging to donate to a cause he hated. Both approaches use money to reach a target weight. But which is better — the carrot or the stick?

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Monday, January 28, 2013

Shots - Health News

What's Wrong With Calling Obesity A Medical Problem?

Fat, fit or both?

January 28, 2013 A sociologist argues in a new book that framing obesity as a public health crisis takes a heavy social toll. She says big bodies should be embraced as a form of human diversity, and not seen automatically as a sign of sickness.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

Shots - Health News

Walk While You Talk: The Meeting Goes Mobile

This meeting will now come to order.

January 25, 2013 To stay in shape, many people stand while they work, or even use a treadmill desk. The latest advice might get you out of the building altogether. Ditch the boardroom and walk while you meet.

Summary

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Salt

Cutting Sugar Consumption Helps Keep Extra Weight Off

Adults who upped their intake of sugary foods or drank sugar-sweetened drinks gained about a pound a year, a study found.

January 16, 2013 Adults who upped their intake of sugary foods or drinks gained about a pound a year, a study found. But the researchers say it's impossible to say how much cutting back sugar would reduce obesity because sugar's not the only problem.

Summary

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Shots - Health News

Research: A Little Extra Fat May Help You Live Longer

An analysis of many studies finds a small spare tire may be associated with longer life. But skeptics say that conclusion is rubbish.

January 2, 2013 An analysis from the Centers For Disease Control and Research finds that being overweight, but not obese, is associated with lower risk of death. But no one is suggesting you ditch your exercise or diet goals.

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Monday, November 19, 2012

Shots - Health News

Can You Move It And Work It On A Treadmill Desk?

Employees at at Salo, a Minneapolis-based financial consulting firm, walk while working on treadmill desks. The firm offers treadmill desks for employee use and encourages an active workplace environment.

November 19, 2012 Researchers and companies are bringing movement back into the office with treadmill desks, walking meetings and games. Employees say it has helped them lose weight and be more productive.

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