What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

You probably have a vague sense that exercise is good for you—and you’ve probably heard that it’s “healthy for the heart.” But if you’re like most people, that’s not enough motivation to get you to break a sweat with any regularity. As I report in the TIME cover story, “The Exercise Cure,” only 20% of Americans get the recommended 150 minutes of strength and cardiovascular physical activity per week, more than half of all baby boomers report doing no exercise whatsoever, and 80.2 million Americans over age 6 are entirely inactive.

Cholesterol is a solid, waxy substance that occurs naturally in our body. Do we need it? Absolutely! Cholesterol has various functions in our body such as supporting new cell growth and regeneration, hormone production, and helping our body digest fat. Cholesterol comes from animal products like red meat, cheese, full fat dairy, egg yolks, and shellfish. But our body also produces cholesterol. So when we combine the cholesterol we get from our diet with what our body makes, that can be harmful. How?

You’ve heard the advice–eat more salmon and tuna. But why? It’s all about the fat. The Omega-3 fat, in particular. Omega-3 fatty acids are an unsaturated fat, and a significant part in our diet because they are essential, meaning we must obtain these fats from the foods we eat. These fats are responsible for making the hormones that regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of the artery walls in the heart, and inflammation. One of the most prevalent components of disease in our body is inflammation (our body’s response to pain or injury), and by including these essential omega-3 fatty acids into the diet, inflammation can be reduced.

One interesting idea in exercise and rehabilitation divides exercises into closed chain and open chain. Chains are links of body parts, such as foot, ankle, knee, and hip during walking. In a closed chain the end of the chain farthest from the body is fixed, such as a squat where your feet are fixed and the rest of the leg chain moves. In open chains the end is free, such as in a seated leg extension.

Getting a strong core means moving beyond a simple ab and back routine and incorporating exercises that develop a strong core, and a stable power center. Your core is your engine of control through life. A strong base of support at the core of the body allows for better transfer of forces to the extremities when we are lifting, throwing, kicking, swinging, running, etc.. To truly train the core, a deeper understanding of core essentials including both the inner and outer musculature is necessary.

New UCLA research suggests that the more muscle mass older adults have, the less likely they are to die prematurely. The findings add to the growing evidence that overall body composition — and not the widely used body mass index, or BMI — isa better predictor of all-cause mortality.

Common Sense Nutrition Common sense nutrition is the secret behind a healthy, strong, sexy and sound body and mind. Not a “magic pill”, a high protein, no-carb, low fat, no-fat diet, or strict adherence to the glycemic index. No, it is common sense nutrition, balanced with activity, work, play and