Search results for "healthy"

A national telephone company advertises a long-distance telephone slogan, "Reach out and touch someone." Each day, we need to reach out and touch those who are close to us. All of us - young and old, single and in relationship - need touch. Actions, in many cases, communicate more than words. Physical contact is a prerequisite both for a healthy individual, and for a fulfilling, mature, loving relationship with a partner.

How do you define contentment? Do the family relationships in your life need to meet a specific set of criteria: a romantic husband; well-behaved children; parents and in-laws who respect your boundaries? As important as healthy family relationships are and as hard as we work to nurture them, they simply can’t replace the one source of genuine and lasting contentment: a growing relationship with God. The Bible defines contentment much differently from our society. These steps will guide you as you search for contentment in your life and family.

The nutrition facts label on your favorite breakfast cereal tells you it's full of vitamins and minerals. So it must be healthy, right? Just because a food is high in vitamins doesn't mean it's healthy overall. Sure, it's great that your favorite cereal gives you a shot of vitamins and minerals. But what if it's also loaded with sugar? Eating healthy means choosing lots of different types of food throughout the day to get all the nutrients you need, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fiber, and — yes — even fat. So how do you figure all this out? Thank goodness f...

Many more children in the United States are being diagnosed with high cholesterol (also called hypercholesterolemia), or as overweight or obese. High cholesterol, overweight and obesity can cause many problems with your child's health now and as he or she moves into adulthood

Your doctor will use a chart to find out if your child might be overweight. If your child is heavier than 85% of other children who are the same age and height, he or she is probably considered to be overweight.

Part of your responsibility as a parent is to teach your children how to lead healthy lives now and when they are adults. The best time to start teaching these lessons to children is when they’re young, before unhealthy choices become bad habits. When you pass on healthy habits to your kids, it’s important to practice what you preach. Just telling your kids what to do won’t work—they need to see you choosing healthy behaviors too. The following are some ways to help your kids avoid unhealthy behaviors.

It's time to start thinking about your resolutions for the new year. If losing weight is on your list, now might be the right time to make healthy changes to help you achieve your goals. Exercising and eating a well-balanced diet can help you shed pounds and, at the same time, reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke. Check the Web sites below for tips on how to get started

This is a tough question to answer. Even though many people talk about weight, what really matters is how much of your body weight is fat. The body mass index (BMI) is an approximate measure of body fat. It is based on your height and weight. A BMI between 19 and 25 is considered a normal amount of body fat. If someone's BMI is 25 to 29.9, that person is said to be overweight. A person is said to be obese if his or her BMI is 30 or higher. The higher your BMI, the greater your risk for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and certain cancers

Eating healthy foods doesn't mean losing flavor. You can choose and prepare low-fat foods that your family will enjoy by following the tips below. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid offers specific information about how much of your daily diet should come from each of the following food groups.

Many diets can help you lose weight. However, "going on a diet" is not the best answer to losing weight. Usually you gain the weight back after you "go off" the diet. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to change much more than just what you eat. You have to change how and when you eat, and you have to start exercising or exercise more often. Most people who lose weight and keep it off do 3 things. First, they find out why they are overweight. Second, they follow a healthy eating plan. Third, they exercise regularly.

This section of familydoctor.org offers a range of practical ideas for dealing with overweight and obesity. You'll find advice about healthy eating and physical activity for adults and children, as well as suggestions on how to set realistic, achievable personal goals. The information in this section is based on a recent publication of the American Association of Family Physicians (AAFP): "Practical Advice for Family Physicians to Help Overweight Patients." This publication was prepared by the AAFP Panel on Obesity, a group made up of experts in the fields of family medicine, nutrition, ep...

How does what I eat affect my heart? The food you eat can affect the way blood flows through your heart and arteries. A diet high in fat and cholesterol can gradually cause a buildup (called "plaque") in your arteries. That buildup slows down the blood flow and blocks small arteries. If the blockage happens in an artery that carries blood to the heart muscle, a heart attack can occur. If the blockage happens in an artery that carries blood to the brain, a stroke can occur. The right diet helps keep your arteries clear and reduces the risk of heart problems and stroke

Caring for your reproductive health is an important part of growing up. If you notice body changes that you are not sure are normal, ask one of your parents or a trusted adult to make an appointment for you with a doctor or nurse. You can see:

Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done. It is tempting to turn to less healthy food choices because they might be easy to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving. Between family and work or school, you are probably balancing a hundred things at once. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal sometimes falls last on your list. But you should know that it isn’t hard to make simple changes to improve your diet. And you can make sense of the mounds of nutrition information out there. A little learning and planning can help you find a diet to fit your lif...

What do Wellesley student's have to say about body image? "I think it comes down to the really fundamental questions about our self-worth. Discussing and promoting healthy views of our bodies is important because it reassures--or in some cases establishes--that we are useful, valuable human beings." -Julie H.

The information was made possible by a grant from PepsiCo and was published as part of the AAFP's Americans In Motion (AIM) initiative

When combined with exercise, a healthy diet can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol level and improve the way your body functions on a daily basis

Does what I do really affect my health? Very much so. All of the major causes of death--cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease and injury--can be prevented by things you do