HaveHealthNow Blog by Wellness Mike

These foods can give your heart a better chance  (BPT) - What's the biggest threat to our health? It isn't cancer or even accidents, but heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, one in four deaths in the U.S. is caused by heart disease, which includes heart attack and stroke. This statistic is scary, but the good news is, there is something powerful we can do to prevent us from becoming a victim to this disease. Even if you are one of the 47 percent of Americans living with a major risk factor, there are preventive measures you can take for a healthier heart, says registered dietitian nutritionist, Dawn Jackson Blatner. All you have to do is embrace some simple lifestyle changes starting with your diet. "Food is quite literally one of the best medicines out there when it comes to improving our health," says Blatner. "Studies show us repeatedly that a balanced diet including heart-healthy unsaturated fats, along with multiple servings of f...

Every year in the U.S., there are more colds than people. Annually, nearly 320 million Americans catch 1 billion colds, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Seven in 10 people will turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to help them feel better - and many of these medicines may contain acetaminophen. In fact, acetaminophen is one of the most commonly used drug ingredients to reduce pain and fever, found in more than 600 OTC and prescription (Rx) medicines. When used as directed, it is safe and effective. However, taking more than the maximum daily dose (4,000 milligrams) is an overdose, and can lead to liver damage. "Family members play an important role as caregivers when administering medicines safely," says Mark Gibbons, director of programs and operations at Caregiver Action Network, a member of the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition (AAC). "It's important to double check all medicine labels to be sure you're not accidentally doubling up o...

You want to be healthier, right? But try as you might, it always seems like something's standing in your way. Time and money are two of the largest obstacles, and you may think it's impossible to improve your health without a significant time or financial investment. The good news is, however, that's not true. Even the smallest changes can have a big impact on your health, and you can start improving your wellness today with these six simple steps. 1. Take a stand while so many others are having a seat. Did you know the average person sits about 13 hours a day? Whether eating, working, driving or relaxing, that's a lot of sitting. Stand up for your health by resolving to get up at least once an hour. Walk to the bathroom, the water fountain or to ask your question in person instead of via email - you'll be healthier for it. 2. Run in place....any place . Effective exercise can happen without the gym membership. Blue Cross and Blue Shield surprised customers at...

I know it is sometimes confusing to figure out how much exercise we, as adults, really need.  So I pulled some good information from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) that I thought would be good to share. Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving. According to the  2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans , you need to do two types of physical activity each week to improve your health–aerobic and muscle-strengthening. For Important Health Benefits Adults need at least: 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of   moderate-intensity aerobic activity  (i.e., brisk walking) every week  and muscle-strengthening activities  on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).  1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of  vigorous-intensity aerobic activity  (i.e., jogging or running) every week  and   muscle-strengthening activities ...

Plants contain more than  100,000 phytonutrients , one of the reasons  nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day  are recommended. Some phytonutrients are fat soluble and, thus, need  fat  to be properly absorbed. Certain phytonutrients are also better absorbed from  cooked , rather than raw, food. Phytonutrients may in part account for the benefits of whole plant foods in  cancer prevention . These nutrients are an important part of the diet, particularly because they cannot be made by the body or obtained from animal products. Phytonutrients are often distinct from other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. One of the few, well-documented instances that points to the health benefits of phytonutrients is the cancer reducing properties of some fruits and vegetables. Extensive research indicates that those with diets rich in fruits and vegetables have a significantly lower incidence of multiple types of cancers....

Much of the following facts are from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).  Daily fluid intake (total water) is defined as the amount of water consumed from foods, plain drinking water, and other beverages. Daily fluid intake recommendations vary by age, sex, pregnancy, and breastfeeding status. Although there is no recommendation for how much plain water adults and youth should drink daily, there are recommendations  for daily total water intake that can be obtained from a variety of beverages and foods.   Although daily fluid intake can come from food and beverages, plain drinking water is one good way of getting fluids as it has zero calories.   The following recommendations come from The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine : The Food and Nutrition Board released the sixth in a series of reports presenting dietary reference values for the intake of nutrients by Americans and Canadians. This new report establ...

     Everyone knows aerobic exercise gets the heart pumping and lifting weights keeps muscles strong. But when it comes to keeping the brain healthy, most people are unsure what to do. As you age, brain health and maintaining memory functions becomes a top concern. Turns out, these issues may begin sooner than you think. "We tend to think about memory decline as an older person's issue, but that's not the case at all," says Dr. Aimee Gould Shunney, a licensed naturopathic doctor specializing in women's health and family medicine. "There was a study published in 2012 in the British Medical Journal that examined cognitive function in people age 45 to 70. The researchers did not expect it, but they found evidence of cognitive decline in the 45-year-old participants as well as the older participants." She notes there are two basic pathological processes that cause degeneration of the brain: oxidative stress and inflammation. Basically, the standard Am...

     Did you dance in delight the first time you heard that dark chocolate is good for you? Did you think that your favorite indulgence just became an official "health food?" Popular culture often makes too much of health benefit claims, especially when it comes to food and drink that many people consider guilty pleasures. It's important to understand it's not always the item itself, but certain components in it that have potential health benefits. Here is the truth behind two common pop-culture myths: Dark chocolate is good for you Wouldn't it be great if every time you bit into your favorite chocolate treat or candy bar you were actually doing something healthful? Unfortunately, it's not the chocolate itself that's healthy. It's the cocoa flavanols that are found in cocoa beans that are actually thought to be healthful. Numerous studies have demonstrated that cocoa flavanols help to support your health by promoting healthy blood flow. Consu...

Want to make 2017 the year you focus on your health? Wellness goals are admirable throughout the year, but too often well-meaning people make a common mistake that sabotages their efforts: they skip breakfast. It's a daily choice that millions of people shrug off as no big deal, but research proves breakfast is an important component in how you feel throughout the day. Fueling up solely on java may perk you up momentarily, but it doesn't do the trick long-term. Consider these five reasons why breakfast boosts your health and should not be ignored. Awakens your metabolism When you eat breakfast, you "break the fast" from your sleep periods and give your metabolism a wake-up call. When you sleep, your metabolism slows and you burn fewer calories while you rest. By eating a nutritious breakfast, you are sparking your internal engine so it burns calories and gives you more energy throughout the day. Helps you focus Hunger can make people irritable and it's...

     On the path to good health, it pays to follow your heart - literally. A healthy heart is essential to supporting good overall health, yet many people ignore the warning signs that their heart is not as healthy as it could be. A 2016 survey from the American Academy of Family Physicians, conducted by Harris Poll, found that nearly three in 10 men and women reported they had been diagnosed with high blood pressure. This result mirrors the findings of research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings translate to an estimated 75 million people with high blood pressure, and just slightly more than half have the condition under control. "This finding is concerning because we know that high blood pressure and heart attacks or chronic heart failure are so closely related," said John Meigs, Jr., MD, president of the AAFP. "According to the CDC, seven out of 10 people who have a first heart attack have high blood pressure. Seven out of 10 people...

5 simple steps to boost your immune system now (BPT) - Whether it's battling the rampant germs of cold and flu season or maintaining wellness throughout the year, the immune system is your main line of defense. In order to feel good as often as possible - and recover quickly when you don't - it's important to keep your immune system strong. "The immune system is the part of the body that monitors both internal and external environments," says Dr. Chris Oswald, certified nutrition specialist and chiropractor in Hudson, Wisconsin. "It's important to understand that both too much immune response and too little immune response, including inflammation, is not good, so maintaining that happy medium is the name of the game." To achieve that "happy medium," Dr. Oswald recommends incorporating five simple steps into your daily routine: Support natural sleep cycles "Sleep is the time when our bodies repair and rejuvenate, so it is somethin...

No one wakes up in the morning hoping to be sick. Yet despite the angst people have about becoming ill, many forgo one of the easiest, most effective ways to protect themselves and their loved ones from common and even severe illnesses - they choose not to get vaccinated. There are many reasons people choose not to get vaccinated. Often, the decision is caused by incorrect information one may read or hear about vaccinations. Mayo Clinic seeks to eliminate these mistruths and offer correct information about vaccinations so people can make safe, healthy choices for themselves and their families. 1. Are vaccines safe? Safety concerns are the most common question people have regarding vaccines, and it's also the question where there is the most misinformation. The truth is vaccines are safe and people who receive them enjoy numerous health benefits, including illness prevention. Each vaccine undergoes rigorous testing before being released to the general public to ensure it not only...

Well in my opinion the main thing that keeps us tossing and turning at night is worrying about not going to sleep. Sure there might be other reasons for sleeplessness; chronic pain, restless legs syndrome, partner disturbance, too much coffee... But at the end of the day you're lying there worrying about how you're going to get through the next day if you don't get to sleep *right now!* Worry and the stress it causes, are by far the main causes of sleeplessness, and the sad part is, the more we worry, the more wide awake we feel. But what can we do about it? We have to empty our conscious minds of worrying and stressful thoughts (yeah right! Easier said than done!) Stress and worry can affect your sleep quite dramatically. It can be an isolated stressful incident which keeps you awake for a few nights, or the stress and worry may be chronic. Once they becomes a habit, certain situations will then always cause you to become stressed. Worry in particular ...