Daily Health Tips: Trusted Medical Information, Health Tips and Advices

Do you work with people who are cranky, antsy, or fed up to the point of negatively acting out toward you and others? If so, you're not alone. A recent survey says 43% of Americans have been targets of workplace rudeness no thanks to a shaky economy. Here are three great reasons you shouldn't put up with it: It infects your home life. Rudeness has a ripple effect. Bringing home bad vibes can make things tense there. Rinse off tension with a stress-relieving walk at the end of the day. It's a health threat. Negativity and chronic stress boost your blood pressure and the threat of heart disease and lung problems. Being positive and polite does just the opposite. Give stress the pink slip and avoid these chronic diseases. It's bad for business. Half of all workers who've been targets of a nasty work situation waste work time dodging or worrying about the next attack. One in five doesn't work as hard, and one in 10 finds ways to spend less ti...

Got a few minutes, but not a few bucks? In less time than it takes to eat a sandwich, you can give stress the pink slip -- and reduce your risk for everything from heart disease, diabetes, and snapping at your spouse to high blood pressure, sleep problems, and less-than-stellar immunity. And it won't cost you a dime. That's good news, because escaping to a fabulous tropical resort sounds like a good idea, but it becomes a source of high anxiety when you get the bill. Not so when you try these three fast, free tension tamers: Close your eyes and follow your breath. Regularly meditating (at your desk, before you start your commute, even before you get out of bed in the morning) counteracts the toxic effects of stress. Pay attention to your breath as you slowly inhale and exhale. Try putting your fingers over your belly button to help stay focused. Yes, your mind will wander. Just invite it to listen to your breath again.  Read the comics, or call your funniest...

Here's one walk that can help you unwind and unload some of the stress that may be weighing you -- and your looks -- down: Step outside and leave your stresses -- and your iPod -- behind. Take in the details of your surroundings -- the buzz of traffic, the chirp of a bird, the curvature of plants and trees, the precise color of the sky, the shape of moving clouds. You will find yourself becoming hyperaware and in the moment. At this point, think about what you are thankful for in your life. It can be general or specific: your health, your family, your experiences at work, your life partner, your children, your last birthday party, and so on. Let your mind and memory run free. Becoming very present like this gets you thinking in a whole new light and connecting in ways you never imagined. You also get inspired by thinking more broadly rather than focusing on your own inner world and trivial frustrations. It's a great way to beat down stress while at the same time...

We all need a good night's sleep -- regularly -- to keep us on our physical, mental, and emotional game, but is it possible to get  too much  sleep? It seems so. Too many ZZZs might actually shorten your life, according to some research. What counts as enough, but not too much, sleep? That's tricky, because sleep -- like underwear -- isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition. Your ideal sleep prescription depends somewhat on how much you're sleeping now, according to a study of more than 10,000 people. Here's the breakdown: When people who usually slept 5 or 6 hours a night bumped up their nightly ZZZs to 7 or 8 hours, they added years to their lives.  Use this bedtime checklist of do's and don'ts to boost your time between the sheets. When people who normally slept 7 to 8 hours got more sleep, their risk of dying early rose 75%. When people who were comfortable sleeping 6 to 8 hours a night cut their sleep short, they didn't do well, and raised their m...

Paper or plastic? That is the question. But either one you choose has a negative impact on the environment. Here are some facts about paper and plastic shopping bags: In the U.S. 40 billion grocery bags are used each year; 30 billion are plastic, 10 billion are paper. Worldwide, between 500 billion and one trillion plastic bags are consumed annually. A family of four uses five to ten plastic or paper grocery bags per week. That equals between 600 and 1,200 bags per shopper each year. Because plastic bags are lighter than paper bags, it takes four or five bags to hold the same amount of groceries as one standard size paper bag. Plastic bags are expected to take between 20 and 1000 years to break down in the environment and in the process release toxins into the water and soil, whereas in the open environment paper bags take about a month to decompose. Plastic bags have been seen as far north as the Arctic Ocean, as far south as the southern end of South America, and one ex...

Can't decide whether to order wine with dinner? Here's a little tidbit to help you make up your mind: Deciding "yes" might protect you from dementia down the road. A review of the findingsas suggests older adults who indulge in a daily glass (one if you're a woman, two if you're a man) of their favorite alcoholic beverage (wine, beer, or cocktails) are significantly less likely to develop age-related cognitive decline or dementia compared to folks who don't drink at all. Booze for the Brain How does imbibing do this? Researchers think the daily habit may protect against inflammation-inducing proteins in the brain, including B-amyloid -- a toxic protein linked to Alzheimer's disease. Other findings suggest that moderate drinking can boost cerebral blood flow by dilating vessels in the brain. One part of alcohol's brain-protective equation: It's thought that moderate social drinking may have a cumulative effect over many years ...

When was your last eye exam? It's possible your answer could affect your risk of Alzheimer's. In a new study, people with vision problems who failed to visit the eye doctor -- or who left their vision problems untreated -- were nine times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Time for a checkup? The Vision/Cognition Connection To be clear, researchers don't think vision problems are a direct cause of Alzheimer's disease. But untreated eye problems could keep people from engaging in the types of activities that are good for your brain -- like reading, playing games, and even walking and socializing.    Prioritize Your Eyes Regardless of the connection between untreated eye problems and cognitive decline, there are lots of other good reasons to see your eye-care specialist regularly. The most important? Sight-robbing eye conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy typically don't have any early warning signs. R...

Whether you've scheduled a routine eye exam or have a special appointment with an eye doctor because of new symptoms, you'll get more out of your visit if you come prepared. Step one: Think about the information you want to share, and write it down beforehand. Step two: Know what questions to ask. A good dialogue with your doctor is key to understanding your own risk factors for eye disease as well as to determining the best course of action to take. Not sure what to ask? We've prepared a printable list of questions to help you get the conversation going in the right direction. 15 Questions to Ask On Risk Factors Do I have any risk factors for eye disease (age, ethnicity, family history, etc.)? If I'm at risk for certain eye conditions, what can I do to lower or manage that risk? On Symptoms What's causing my vision changes or symptoms? Are my vision changes a normal part of aging, or could they be a sign of something more serious? Wil...

Want a guilt-free way to feast on holiday fare without loading up on all the button-popping, belly-bulging calories? No problem. Just use this 5-step holiday action plan. Replace temptations. Piling up holiday "goodies" (think pumpkin pie, cookies, and fudge) in plain sight can prompt you to eat twice as much, twice as fast. Instead, keep alternate goodies, such as walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon-spice tea, juicy oranges, and ruby-red pomegranates, within easy reach. For your holiday table, try tossing together this recipe from EatingWell: Winter Salad with Roasted Squash & Pomegranate Vinaigrette . Don't skip exercise. Just make it short and sweet. Sticking with your routine during the busy holidays can be tougher than finding a radio station not playing Jingle Bells. Go for three 10-minute walks each day for a total of 30 minutes, and you're good. Too cold out for a walk? Choose libations wisely. Beer and red wine both raise your appetite-...

Could your morning cup of Joe beat back skin cancer? It might. And it seems you may get equal protection from your java whether you sip it or slather it. It's the caffeine in coffee that seems to do the trick. Numerous animal studies have already found that ingesting caffeine protects against certain types of skin cancer. Now, a new study suggests that caffeine-based lotions may prevent the sun's UV radiation from sparking skin cancer in humans, too. Cancer-Curbing Coffee? In the study, human skin cells were first bathed in caffeine in a lab dish and then exposed to UVB radiation. The caffeine not only blocked two key mechanisms that trigger the birth of skin tumors, it also caused the death of UVB-damaged skin cells that could otherwise turn cancerous. More research is needed to confirm whether caffeine in sunscreen will protect as well as it did in a petri dish, but it can't hurt to ask your dermatologist or pharmacist about available caffeine-containing ...

If tough economic times have turned zipping up your jeans into Mission Impossible , you're not alone. New data is more revealing than most celebs' Oscar-night outfits: Financial worries prompt 1 in 10 to snack more and have made 48% of women and 39% of men gain weight. Worse, that weight is in the wrong place: the waist. We're not talking 1 or 2 ounces: One-quarter of us packed on more than 10 pounds, and 1 in 16 gained more than 20 pounds. It gives the pain of tightening your belt a whole new meaning.    Sound familiar? If your waistline is enlarging faster than the latest unemployment statistics, do this before you grab the celery sticks: Head for a hot bubble bath . . . or a brisk walk . . . or a cup of coffee with a friend. Truth is, you need a crash course in cortisol reduction more urgently than you need a "diet" right now. The reason? Stressful events cause you to release cortisol, the "high anxiety hormone," and that triggers indus...

  Teenage is the time one requires more nutrition as the body is subjected to a lot of changes. But are teens aware of this? Size zero, fad diets and food supplements are some of the terms frequented by most teens today. Teenage is the time one requires more nutrition as the body is subjected to a lot of changes. But are teens aware of this? Snacking on junk, skipping meals and ignoring exercise will not only let you lose your shape, but your health as well. Nutritionist Ashwini Sukumar, engages in a conversation with Vaishnavi Venkataraman, educating teens on tips to cut down those extra pounds with no crash diets. Why is a diet important? Teenage is a period when most of them would want to experiment. Be it clothes or food, teens prefer innovative stuff rather than the traditional ones. Adding to this, a nutritious diet is most essential during teenage. Can diet have an impact on students’ performance? Of course yes! Diet plays a vital role in any students’ acade...

Remember how you resolved to make healthy habits a permanent part of your life on December 31 last year? It all went really well for the first week or so. You were a regular in the gym, desserts had simply vanished from your everyday meals, and you used to go to sleep and get up at appropriate times. But then, one fine day, your friend asked you to come over. And as soon as he popped open a beer can, you resolution went down the drain. Let us not kid ourselves. New Year resolutions are always easy to make but hard to stick to, mostly, because either they are way too unrealistic and people lack the required will. If you want to live a healthy life, there’s no need to wait for one long year to make a resolution. It’s never too late to start, provided you do make a start. Just as you didn’t develop you bad habits overnight, you won’t be able to kick them out on the New Year’s Day. Here are top 5 very manageable health resolutions all men must take: Less Stressing Out M...

You know how you're always told to fill your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables? Count white as a color. It could cut your risk of stroke in half . When you think "white," think under the skin (e.g., apples and pears). Bananas, too. Also: cauliflower, onions, garlic, and cucumbers. In an impressive new stroke study, apples and pears were all-stars because they accounted for more than half of the white produce people ate, and the white stuff is what slashed stroke risk.    While eating lots of fruit and vegetables has long been linked to fewer strokes, this is the first effort to pinpoint which produce gets the credit. (Cut out this stroke-prevention list and stick it on your fridge.) An Apple a Day Keeps the Doc Away Keep that old rhyme in your head! The people in this big, long study (10 years, 20,000 men and women) cut their stroke risk 9% for every 25 grams of white produce they ate. Here's how apples size up (approximately) to some other...

Grab a banana and say bye-bye to Parkinson's disease? Researchers say it could be so. Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 -- and very early research suggests that high levels of B6 may protect against Parkinson's. Still, the news is not something to go bananas over just yet. The benefit applied only to smokers in the most recent study. But bananas and B6 do your body good in many other ways. Vitamin B6 -- along with folate and B12 -- helps reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid. That's good for your ticker, because too much homocysteine in the blood appears to up heart disease risk. Homocysteine also appears to be toxic to nerve cells, and elevated levels have been linked to Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder that causes muscles to become rigid and shake uncontrollably. Could B vitamins be the answer? Among nearly 5,000 people studied recently, smokers whose B6 intake was highest were 50 percent less likely to develop the brain...

Riddle: What could your credit card airline miles and your hard-earned vacation days possibly have in common with stopping a stroke? Answer: A strict "use it or lose it" policy applies to all three. Getting your brain cells into gear now can prevent a brain attack later. Strokes are so scary, most of us don't even want to think about them -- one big survey found you're three times more likely to worry about burglaries than this threat to your most important organ. (No, not that one. We mean your brain.) But a boatload of do-it-now recent research proves that knowledge = brain-saving power. Here's the stroke news YOU need to know: Little choices help you sidestep big brain trouble. Turns out that plenty of "no big deal" decisions are a big deal -- like moving your hand 2 inches to the left when picking out canned beans in the supermarket, so you grab the type not soaked in salt. Or ordering the broiled trout instead of the fried. Or hoppi...

  Researchers Report Some Success Against Advanced Lung Cancer With Epigenetic Drugs A new approach to treating cancer appears to help certain patients with advanced lung cancer, and researchers say they think they may have a way of spotting those who will benefit. The small study is generating big excitement in the world of cancer treatment because it demonstrates that so-called epigenetic drugs may work when traditional chemotherapy has failed. Epigenetic drugs work by controlling gene expression -- the way information from genes is used to create products such as proteins. The study is published in Cancer Discovery . "This is a ... groundbreaking study, showing that by modifying the epigenetics of a cancer cell we can get real responses in lung cancer," said Jeffrey A. Engleman, MD, PhD, director of thoracic oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, in a news briefing. "And getting real responses in lung cancer is actually quite dif...

  Study Suggests Double Risk of Childhood Obesity for Kids With Fastest Weight Gain by Age 2 Babies who gain weight most quickly are at highest risk of obesity later in childhood, a Harvard study finds. Infants who gain the most weight at age 1-6 months are most likely to be obese at ages 5 and 10 years. The risk goes up with the child's starting weight-for-length percentile obtained from standard growth charts, find Elsie M. Taveras, MD, MPH, and colleagues. The researchers analyzed health records for 44,622 kids aged 1 month to 11 years from 1980 through 2008. They collected height and weight measurements made during the children's first 24 months, as well as their height and weight at ages 5 and 10. Pediatricians usually monitor a child's growth by measuring weight and length and comparing it to CDC normal growth charts. The child's weight for length will typically fall within percentile lines: 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95. Especially in t...

Alzheimer's Association Says Insufficient Funding and Inadequate Treatment Are Among the Challenges The Alzheimer's Association in a new report has identified 10 "critical challenges" that need to be addressed by the nation to combat the growth and devastating impact of Alzheimer's disease. The challenges include lack of funding and problems with diagnosing Alzheimer's. An estimated 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's now, and that number is expected to grow to 16 million by the year 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Because of this looming health crisis, President Obama signed into law the National Alzheimer's Project Act on Jan. 4, with the aim of creating a national strategic plan to address what the Alzheimer's Association described as an "escalating crisis." The Alzheimer's Association's report, "Alzheimer's from the Frontlines: Challenges a National Alzheimer's ...

Need to get your LDL cholesterol down (maybe way down) but your low-fat diet just isn't doing it? Try upping your intake of nuts, including soy nuts. Add a bowl of oatmeal (these are the best fast food choices) or barley soup, some soy milk, and a little cholesterol-fighting bread spread. Done. In a new study, people who ate a diet rich in these foods lowered their LDL cholesterol by at least 13% in just 6 months. The shocker: A comparison group that ate a diet low in saturated fat got only a 3% LDL reduction. Talk about surprises. (Another surprise: Oatmeal and walnuts make you feel happy, too.) A One-Two Punch Lesson learned: Cutting back on saturated fat, while a healthy idea in general, isn't enough to get your LDL where you want it. It's stubborn stuff. To smack it down, you need drugs (here's a 101 on which) or foods rich in three specific ingredients: plant sterols (phytosterols), soy protein, and sticky (viscous) fiber. These ingredients may n...

A handful of walnuts, a cup of oatmeal, a few sips of tea . . . what do all of these things have in common? They may help turn you into Susie Sunshine. To feel better through food, you need to seek out nutrients known for boosting the production of feel-good brain chemicals and fighting off the effects of stress in the body. And walnuts, oatmeal, and tea fit the bill, according to Roberta Lee, MD, author of The SuperStress Solution . Good-Mood Comfort Food Here's why Lee feels these three options are so outrageously good for your disposition: Oatmeal: This happy grain is rich in tryptophan, a building block for the feel-good chemical serotonin. And you won't feel hungry and grouchy an hour later, thanks to the filling fiber.    Tea: A spot of tea may give you just the mood and performance boost you crave, thanks to the caffeine. Plus, research links tea drinking to lower rates of depression. And studies show that the very act of preparing tea may soothe n...

Not that you need another reason to indulge in chocolate (you probably already know it's good for your blood pressure), but isn't it delightful, delicious, and delectable that there is one? Eating chocolate shaves your risk of "cardiometabolic disorders," a cluster of conditions that nobody wants, including heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. (Taking this vitamin also helps protect you from this nasty threesome.) Here's the big surprise: We're talking all kinds of chocolate, not just the dark types. Even milk chocolate and cups of hot cocoa have benefits. We're also not talking slight improvements. Research reveals that consuming a healthy amount of chocolate reduces your risk of heart disease by 37% and stroke by 29% versus eating little or none. (Not coincidentally, it also lowers your bad LDL cholesterol.) In addition, it shrinks your risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 31%. These impressive numbers emerged from an analysis of ...

It wasn't too long ago that chocolate was considered about as healthy as a stick of butter. Not anymore. Chocolate has acquired quite a reputation as a not-so-sinful sweet indulgence. And though it may seem too good to be true, research does show that one type of chocolate is rich not only in flavor but also in the same protective antioxidants found in apples, grapes, green tea, and red wine. So is chocolate the new superfood? Not quite. But a growing body of evidence suggests chocolate may have more to offer than guilty pleasure. A Treat from Trees Most of us don't think of chocolate as a plant-based food, but it is. Chocolate is made from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree. These seeds, also known as cocoa beans, are exceptionally rich in flavonoids, which are natural antioxidants thought to help protect against cardiovascular disease. Once harvested, cocoa beans are left to ferment before being dried, roasted, and processed into the chocolate products we k...

Your heart disease risk could probably be lower with a little more of this nutrient on board: vitamin D. Older adults who had the highest blood levels of vitamin D enjoyed a 33 percent lower risk of developing heart disease in a recent study. And supplements are a fine source. You can also look to sunshine and fortified dairy products to get your fill of D. Beyond Bone Health Vitamin D has long been touted for its benefits to bone health. But more and more research is showing a bigger role in health. In a study, adults who had the highest levels of D had the lowest level of "cardiometabolic disorders" -- the family of conditions that includes heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Delight Your Heart Exactly how high levels of vitamin D protect against cardiometabolic problems isn't entirely understood. Vitamin D may protect the heart and blood vessels by acting on genes or vitamin D receptors or by regulating calcium levels in the body. Vitam...

  Research shows infection by the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii , found in 10-20 per cent of the UK's population, directly affects the production of dopamine, a key chemical messenger in the brain.  Findings from the University of Leeds research group are the first to demonstrate that a parasite found in the brain of mammals can affect dopamine levels. Whilst the work has been carried out with rodents, lead investigator Dr Glenn McConkey of the University's Faculty of Biological Sciences, believes that the findings could ultimately shed new light on treating human neurological disorders that are dopamine-related such as schizophrenia , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , and Parkinson's disease . This research may explain how these parasites, remarkably, manipulate rodents' behaviour for their own advantage. Infected mice and rats lose their innate fear of cats, increasing the chances of being caught and eaten, which enables the pa...

If you think cleansing your face is a super-simple step that requires no thought, guess again. Beyond selecting the correct cleanser for you skin type, these dos and don’ts can give your skin a helping hand. 1. Cleansing wipes are wonderful when you’re on the go, but one isn’t enough to get rid of all the makeup, dirt and post-workout sweat. Be sure to use two or three and do multiple passes. 2. Never, ever wash your face with shampoo, shower gel or body wash. The detergents are too harsh for facial skin. 3. Don’t leave your bottle or tube of cleanser open. Exposure to air can reduce the effectiveness of the ingredients and allow bacteria in. 4. If you use a cleanser with glycolic acid, leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing. This acts like a great mini-peel. 5. There’s no need to buy cleansers with antioxidants or other extra ingredients, since cleansers aren’t left on the skin long enough for these ingredients to penetrate. (However, if you have acne or...

Prunes, or dried plums, are full of healthy surprises. Once mainly known as a laxative in a box, the wrinkly fruit recently rose to diet stardom thanks to evidence that it boosts fat loss and heart health. Now it turns out that, in the world of fruits and vegetables, prunes are all-stars at building bone density. This became evident when a team of state university researchers from Florida and Oklahoma gave one group of postmenopausal women 10 dried plums every day for a year, while a second group ate 3.5 ounces of dried apples. All the women in both groups took daily doses of calcium (500 mg) and vitamin D (400 IU). The prune eaters wound up with significantly denser bones in their forearms and spines than the apple eaters. Why? The prunes slowed the rate of bone breakdown, which starts outpacing the rate of new bone growth as you age. A related lab study on animals found that eating dried plums could restore bone mass after the loss had already occurred . Yes, as ...

After months of anticipation and the rigors of labor and delivery, your attention shifts to caring for your new baby — but you also need to take care of yourself. Postpartum care may involve managing vaginal tears or a C-section wound, sore breasts, leaking milk, urination problems and hair loss. And postpartum care isn't limited to your physical health. Postpartum care also includes your mental well-being, such as managing mood swings, irritability, sadness and anxiety. For the smoothest recovery, share any concerns you may have about postpartum care with your health care provider. Chances are, what you're feeling or wondering about is entirely normal. Count on your health care provider for assurance as you handle postpartum care and adjust to life with a newborn.

Every woman's labor and delivery experience is unique. Still, understanding what's typical can help you know what to expect as your due date approaches. Labor and delivery generally follows a fairly predictable pattern — the cervix softening and opening, the amniotic sac rupturing, the contractions getting stronger and closer together. Sometimes, however, labor and delivery takes surprising twists and turns. You may reconsider your wishes about pain medication, or you may need an unexpected C-section. However your labor and delivery unfolds, remember that your health and your baby's health are what's most important. Discuss your labor and delivery preferences with your health care provider, including options for pain medication and thoughts about episiotomy and other procedures. Then look forward to welcoming your baby into the world.

Healthy pregnancy When you learn that you're pregnant, you might begin planning your pregnancy week by week. Every day you might have more questions about healthy pregnancy. What should you eat? Can you exercise? What type of prenatal tests should you consider? If you're carrying twins or other multiples, you might have even more questions about your pregnancy week by week. How much weight should you gain? How can you prevent preterm labor? Will you need bed rest? Whatever your questions, understanding your pregnancy week by week can help you make good decisions throughout your pregnancy. Learn nutrition do's and don'ts, and get the basics on other healthy pregnancy issues — from exercise to back pain and sex. The more you know about your pregnancy week by week, the more prepared you'll be to face what lies ahead. First trimester The first few months of pregnancy — the first trimester — are marked by rapid changes for both you and your baby. For y...

If you're experiencing pregnancy symptoms, you're probably eager to know if you're actually pregnant — whether you've been trying to get pregnant for months or your pregnancy symptoms came as a surprise. Early pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue, tender breasts and mood swings sometimes indicate pregnancy. In other cases, these classic pregnancy symptoms may be something else — such as an illness or the start of your period. Often, the easiest way to know what's behind pregnancy symptoms is to take a home pregnancy test. If your home pregnancy test is positive, make an appointment with your health care provider. You may also want to try a pregnancy due date calculator. If you're pregnant, estimating your due date is an important part of your prenatal care.

Parental health is key to a healthy pregnancy. After all, healthy parents are more likely to have healthy babies. Start with parental health basics, such as updating your vaccines, eating healthy foods, taking prenatal vitamins and exercising regularly. Parental health takes on additional significance if you have a chronic medical condition that may affect your pregnancy. Work with your health care provider to manage your condition both before and during pregnancy. Remember, taking good care of yourself is the best way to take care of your baby. Parental health includes considerations about age, too. If you're older than 35 and hoping to get pregnant, understand the issues older mothers face — and know what it takes to have a healthy pregnancy.

Getting pregnant can be an exciting time. For some, getting pregnant seems to happen simply by talking about it. For others, getting pregnant takes plenty of patience and perhaps a bit of luck. Understanding when you're most fertile can make getting pregnant easier. It's also important to consider simple do's and don'ts of conception. For example, maintain a healthy weight, eat a healthy diet and have sex regularly — especially near the time of ovulation. Don't smoke or drink alcohol. Of course, healthy sperm counts, too. With frequent unprotected sex, most healthy couples conceive within one year. If you have trouble getting pregnant, don't go it alone. A fertility specialist or other health care provider may be able to help. Infertility affects men and women equally — and treatment is available.

Study Suggests a Connection Between a Child's Weight, Sleep Problems, and Learning Ability Children who are overweight and don't get enough sleep may have a harder time learning, and those with learning difficulties may be at higher risk for obesity and sleep problems, new research suggests. The study found that a child's weight, sleep problems, and ability to learn are all connected, with each influencing the other. Although one expert says the study raises some interesting questions about the relationship of obesity, sleep, and intelligence, it's far too soon to even suggest that intelligence levels alone play a role in obesity or sleep problems. It is widely recognized that obesity increases the risk for sleep apnea and related conditions, known collectively as sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Chronic lack of sleep has also been shown to have a negative impact on learning. But the new study is among the first to examine the interaction of obesit...

Feel like you've been looking for love in all the wrong places? Head for a yoga class, because another benefit of this ancient exercise has just come to light: Yoga can improve your love life. Ladies, start smiling. You'll see results fast. After just 12 weeks of practicing yoga, you'll enjoy more sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction. Over 45? You'll feel the boost even more than the "kids" in your class (who cares if they're better at Downward Facing Dog?). Good for Guys, Too Men, yoga will deliver in spades for you, too. Twelve weeks is all it should take for you to see marked improvements in desire, satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm. Whew! That's not all. Yoga can be even more effective than a top drug (fluoxetine) in treating premature ejaculation. What Makes Yoga Such an Aphrodisiac? The combo of stretching, toning, and deep breath...

We know weight loss isn't as simple as "eat less and exercise more." (If it were, you wouldn't be reading this, and we wouldn't have written YOU: On a Diet , which is about dieting smart, not dieting hard.) You need ways to get over the humps, around the cravings, and through the temptation to binge. Coming up! How to Give Temptation the Slip Practice mindful meditation. Spend just 7 minutes a day focusing on recognizing, accepting, and experiencing your cravings rather than trying to ignore or suppress them. Dieters who do have far fewer food cravings, and resist them better. Here's the trick to eating mindfully so you'll eat less.   Get on your feet. Especially if you're craving chocolate. A quick walk will curb even major chocoholic cravings in just 15 minutes. It works by stimulating feel-good brain chemicals and feeding your spirit.   Hit the mute button and do sit-ups -- or this -- when commercials come on. You'll switch ...