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

You could turn fuzzy thinking into a killer memory with this brilliant little habit: power napping. In a study, people who took a power nap after learning a new task performed 50 percent better than the non-nappers when they were later given a test on the task. Total Recall The process of making memories is complicated. And new memories are the most fragile. But in the recent study, researchers discovered that nappers who got quality deep sleep (slow-wave sleep) during their naps learned new material much better compared with the sleep-deprived participants. Scientists think something about deep sleep helps new memories encode into higher brain regions where memories become more permanent.    Something About Sleep Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night is a good health goal. It boosts your immune system, helps control stress levels, and may even be essential in keeping your heart and other body parts healthy. And a power nap now and then can be a good wa...

Generally, what's harmful to your heart also is also harmful to your brain. Make no mistake about it: While fried potato skins are busting your buttons, there's also a portion that gets shuttled up through your arteries to your gray matter. Saturated fats, for example, clog arteries that lead to your brain, putting you at risk of stroke, while omega-3 fatty acids -- the good fats found in fish -- are helpful for your brain because they help keep your arteries clear. They also alter your neurotransmitters and reduce depression. These are the best foods to keep your brain and your RealAge young: Food Why Recommended Amount RealAge Difference Nuts Nuts contain monounsaturated fats to keep your arteries clear, as well as levels of precursors of serotonin to boost mood. 1 ounce of nuts a day is just right. (More is fine, but be careful of calorie overload.) An ounce is about 12 walnuts or 24 almonds. Men: 3.3 years younger. Women: 4.4 years younger. ...

Study Shows Patients Treated With Injections Have a Reduction in Symptoms It is a common, life-altering medical condition, but you aren't likely to see a celebrity taking up the cause or a telethon devoted to finding a cure. More than 5 million Americans have some degree of fecal incontinence. And many suffer in silence because they are too embarrassed to seek medical help. As is the case with urinary incontinence, injections of a bulking agent are sometimes used to treat patients with moderate to severe bowel leakage, but the benefits of this therapy have not been proven. Now a new study, to be published Friday in The Lancet , does appear to show a benefit for the therapy when compared to sham treatment. But an expert who spoke to WebMD is not so certain. Christine Norton, PhD, RN, who founded the UK Continence Foundation, was the lead author of a recent analysis concluding that there is not enough clinical evidence to recommend bulking agent injections for th...

Is a box of plastic sandwich bags all you need to easily shave 120 calories from each day? Research suggests it may be so. As long as you use those bags to divide up your snacks -- be they nuts, pretzels, crackers, or popcorn -- into small servings. About 100 calories per bag. In a recent study, people whose snacks came prepackaged in low-calorie portions ate about 120 fewer calories each day compared with folks who munched from larger packages. Mini-Snack Strategy More and more research has shown that when people are presented with large servings of food, they typically don't know when to say when. The larger the serving size offered, the more people tend to eat, going so far as to completely empty an overloaded plate or jumbo snack bag even though they'd feel satisfied with a smaller portion. So when you make an effort to eat less and slim down, keep in mind that it really starts with your serving spoon, not your dinner fork. (Here's another important way ...

You know how information overload can wilt your decision-making powers? Well, the same principle applies to your diet. Too much information -- in the form of snacks peeking out of the pantry, breads sitting on the kitchen counter, platters overflowing with plenty of extra helpings, and scoops of this, that, and everything else crowding your dinner plate -- makes it difficult for your brain to make rational, self-controlled choices. Just as cityscapes can trigger the urge to explore, and gardenscapes can help your mind unwind, "kitchenscapes" can set the mood for food. Here are some suggestions about how to make your kitchenscape -- and tablescape and platescape -- trigger healthy eating choices: Kitchenscapes : The foods on the counter, ready to grab, are going to make it into your mouth most often. So hide the candy in the cupboard and set out a bowl of fresh fruit. In your fridge, bring the produce out of hiding and package and freeze large portions of lefto...

Every house needs fire-extinguisher foods -- good-for-you snacks that will put out three-alarm starvation fires. Ideally, you'll want to always be satisfied and not hungry, meaning you can go much longer without food. But sometimes, we know, it feels as if you haven't eaten since junior year of high school. Here's our list of foods to reach for when that happens: Cut-up vegetables. Cut them, bag them, eat them. Nothing wrong with baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and broccoli florets, but if you prefer jicama, sugar snaps, and orange pepper strips, go for it. Sauteed vegetables. Saute them in olive oil with chopped garlic, red pepper flakes, or a good dash of turmeric. Refrigerate, and then reheat when you need a snack. Nuts. A handful of almonds, peanuts, or walnuts. (But just a handful; as healthy as they are, they're still high-calorie foods.) Edamame. Another name for soybeans; look for microwave bags in the frozen food section. Soups. Once a week...

Our brains tend to shrink as we age, just like a piece of fruit on the counter. But you could help keep your brain plump and young just by walking about a mile a day. That's right. In a 9-year study, people who walked just 6 to 9 miles each week preserved significantly more gray matter as they aged, compared with their more sedentary peers. Steps Worth Taking What's so great about a big brain? It likely means more mental power. In the study, not only did the walkers have less brain shrinkage, but also that translated into a twofold reduction in their risk for cognitive impairment. What's more, the researchers also looked at the benefits of physical activity in people already suffering from cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease and found that a mere 5 miles a week of walking seemed to slow progression of the condition. So when it comes to brains, bigger really is better. (Here's another nifty way to minimize age-related brain drain.)  Nurtur...

Want to keep your brain razor sharp for years to come? Just say no to middle-age spread. When it comes to memory and concentration, it may pay to practice waist control. Packing on extra pounds can slow not only your time in the 50-yard dash but also your ability to remember things and stay focused. Need help shedding weight? Find a diet buddy . Obesity and declines in both memory and attention span have long been linked in older people, but new research has found the same relationship in 30-somethings, too. And the slowdown only gets worse over time. A large study tested 2,223 adults, ranging in age from 32 to 62, to see how their weight affected four different measures of cognitive function. Five years later, the researchers tested them again. Those who were seriously overweight -- meaning they had a body mass index (BMI) over 30 -- did poorly on the first round of testing. Worse, their mental abilities had declined even more at the 5-year mark. Why? One theory faul...

The Shoe Check The toe should be wide enough that toes aren't pinched. This is extra important if you have any foot issues like bunions or Morton's neuroma (a pinched nerve between your third and fourth toe). The shoe should be long enough that your big toe doesn't touch the end. Many walkers buy walking shoes a size larger than regular ones. The heel should be flat and relatively straight. You don't need that big, wide, flared heel that some running shoes have for stability, since walkers land with less force. Flexibility is key because walking is a rolling motion, and your shoes need to work with you. That means they shouldn't be stiff. Bend the shoe in half and twist it a bit to test its flex. It should give easily. The shape should be a natural curve to facilitate walking's heel-to-toe motion. If you push the shoe's toe down on a flat surface, the heel should rise slightly. The cushioning depends on your foot type. More cushion...

There are several types of detox diets . There are those in which you can only eat fruits and vegetables, those in which you can only eat "clean" foods, those in which you can only drink fruit and vegetable juice , and the most extreme type where you can only drink water . You can also do specialized cleanses designed specifically for certain area of the body, for instance the liver, kidneys, blood or lungs. However, most detox diets just involve cleansing the entire body. Below, there is a sample of a seven day detox diet that you can try. First of all, it is important that you have regular bowel movements during a detox because this will lessen the likelihood of toxins being reabsorbed by the body. A good way to make sure you will eliminate regularly is to take 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds in lemon water in the morning, and drink lemon water throughout the day. Flax seeds provide the body with fiber and lemon water has a slightly laxative effect. It...