Q: The holiday season is upon us. It can be a happy and joyous time, but it can also be a frenetic, anxious, or depressing time. What are some tips to help individuals manage the season? A: The holiday season can be wonderful and yet challenging time. Below are some tips to make the season [...]
Q: Numerous Stump the Staff answers cite the importance of fruits and vegetables in a healthy diet. A client asked the follow up question; “Does the color of the fruit or vegetables impact its health benefits?” A: Fruit and vegetables are always a great choice to improve your diet. The color of the fruit or [...]
Q: “Farm-to-Table” is a current food trend. What should you consider when deciding to purchase “Farm-to-Table” food? A: Farm-to-Table is generally regarded as a social movement that promotes serving/consuming locally grown food at restaurants through direct procurement from the producer. It often incorporates a form of food traceability allowing consumers to know where the food [...]
Q: Recently, on a health radio show, the host commented that ~75% of all forms of cancer are preventable. What can you tell me about this statement? A: There is debate about recent cancer prevention studies. 2008 research suggested that 5 to 10% of all cancer cases were attributed to genetic defects and the remaining [...]
Q: What are the differences between veins, arteries, and capillaries? What are varicose veins and what are the causes? A: The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. The blood vessels transport oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and cellular waste products throughout the body. The three main blood vessels are arteries, veins, and capillaries. [...]
Q: With summer upon us, I have started to apply sunscreen. What does the SPF rating mean (e.g. SPF 30)? A: Not only are we well into summer, but May was also Skin Cancer Awareness Month. So, it is a great time to understand the sunscreen ratings. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It refers [...]
Q: Too much sodium in your diet is bad. Can you have too little sodium in your diet? What are the side effects? A: A low blood sodium level is called Hyponatremia. Common reasons for Hyponatremia: Excess water in the body which dilutes the normal sodium concentration From consuming large amounts of water during strenuous [...]
Research increasingly suggests and supports that strength training is a significant component of a comprehensive fitness program. When appropriately prescribed and supervised, strength training has many favorable effects on overall health. Here is a list of ten reasons why strength training should be included in your fitness program. Fitness first can develop a customized exercise [...]
How do you spend a typical 24-hour day? How many hours do you spend sleeping or sitting? How many hours during a typical day do you spend being physically active? Now think of how many hours you spend being active and think more specifically about what type of activity you are doing. The World Health [...]
Q: Are some vegetables healthier when they are cooked vs. when they are raw? A: Depending on the vegetable and cooking method, cooked vegetables can result in enhanced nutritional benefits that are not found in the raw state. Benefits of cooked vegetables Cooking vegetables breaks down fibrous cell walls which makes it easier to absorb [...]