Health Expert Melanie Thomassian shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/7291/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/7291/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/7291/index http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/148787/detox-diets Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:28:59 -0500 Melanie Thomassian With the start of 2012, you may have made a pledge to shed the extra pounds you've gain over the last year.Recently, I've heard a lot of people saying they intend to go on a "detox diet," as soon as the New Year begins. But, is that a wise move? For the most part, the only thing detox products help you to lose is your hard earned cash. And, in fact, many are dangerous to your health.No doubt you've already encountered marketing hype for these... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/148787/detox-diets http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/148411/6-holiday Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:02:37 -0500 Melanie Thomassian Christmas and New Year brings lots of opportunity to get together with friends and loved ones, which usually means plenty of eating opportunities.   When food is constantly within reach, it can be difficult to say no, and very often it's the snacking, which causes us to take in way too many calories at this time of year.    So, rather than serving up the usual potato chips and chocolate, here are some healthy holiday... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/148411/6-holiday http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/148106/ways-holiday Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:13:51 -0500 Melanie Thomassian Perhaps you're already bracing yourself for the inevitable weight gain of the holiday season.   It's true most of us will spend a lot of our Christmas holidays eating too much food, and sitting around more than we should.   If this is a regular cycle for you, why not challenge yourself to break that bad habit?   Let's be clear, a diet of deprivation is not heart-healthy. However, there should be a few limits in place, to... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/148106/ways-holiday http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/147938/7-questions Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:45:29 -0500 Melanie Thomassian   We can all get a bit carried away at this time of year, with the hectic preparations to be made in time for Christmas. As a result, looking after our health can take a backseat.   If you have heart disease, it's wise to keep a check on your health year-round. Simply taking time to notice if you just don't feel right really pays off.   Remember, early intervention could save your life.   Your Annual Heart Health... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/147938/7-questions http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/147009/importance Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:22:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian It's wonderful to wake up after a great night's rest, isn't it? You feel so much more energized, refreshed, and ready for the day ahead.   Unfortunately, many of us aren't getting the required amount of sleep due to our busy lives, or simply as a result of bad habits.   The CDC state that more than one-quarter of the U.S. population report occasionally not getting enough sleep.    Unfortunately, this could be hurting... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/147009/importance http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/147344/affective Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:57:57 -0500 Melanie Thomassian The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and happiness, where we spend quality time with friends and family members. However, this isn't the case for everyone.    For some people, the lack of sunlight and the reduced hours of daylight, can lead to a form of depression, called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.    This condition is most common in parts of the world which have long winter nights. It's... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/147344/affective http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/146757/heart-health Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian To keep the heart in tip top shape we all know we should eat well, get some exercise, and quite smoking.    But, there are also little things you should be doing every day, which can have a big impact on your overall heart health.   Here are 4 of those seemingly innocent things, which can be damaging over time, and what to do about them:   1. Losing It! If you find yourself having regular outbursts of anger at work, home, or... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/146757/heart-health http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/146306/7-symptoms Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:59:00 -0500 Melanie Thomassian A heart attack doesn't always strike out of the blue. Often, there are unusual symptoms in the days and weeks leading up to an attack.    It's not surprising that many people don't recognize these symptoms, however, since some of them may not be ones you expect, in fact, some are actually quite strange indeed.   So, what are some of these strange symptoms, which you should be aware of?   1. Jaw, Ear, Neck, or... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/146306/7-symptoms http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/146115/nutritional Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:37:00 -0400 Melanie Thomassian You may have turned to using nutritional supplements for some perfectly good reasons.    When you've been diagnosed with a condition, such as heart disease, it's normal to want to do all you can to ease your symptoms.   Sometimes you may even feel medical science doesn't have the answers you need, so supplements seem like a very viable solution   There is certainly research to suggest that supplements can be helpful.... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/146115/nutritional http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/140072/boosting Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:44:00 -0400 Melanie Thomassian Over the last few weeks we've been looking at the importance of vitamin D to our health, and how you can work out if you are deficient.   If you missed these articles, I urge you to check them out. You can find them here and here.   Today, I'd like to focus on increasing your vitamin D levels. So, here are 3 natural ways to boost your vitamin D levels...   1. Sunshine Despite much talk about skin cancer these days, the sun is... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/7291/140072/boosting