Information and opinions on health from SSuchy 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/795915/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/795915/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/795915/index http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/160399/affects-wellness Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:17:00 -0400 SSuchy (flickr, somegeekintn) There is no shortage of articles, books, blogs and websites dedicated to instructing us on how to live healthier lives. But even the most dedicated person can face significant obstacles to health that has nothing to do with their commitment.   Cost of medications   A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that roughly one in eight working-aged adults in the United States skip... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/160399/affects-wellness http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/795915/159616/choices-healthcentral Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:06:00 -0400 SSuchy (flickr, starbooze) There’s been a small, steady and troubling increase in breast cancer rates among a specific demographic of women for the last 37 years. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association uncovered, to the surprise of many breast cancer experts, that the number of young women – women between 25 and 39 years old – developing advanced breast cancer has increased by 2 percent every year since... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/795915/159616/choices-healthcentral http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/159292/health-healthcentral Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:21:00 -0500 SSuchy (Flickr, Lululemon Athletica) Let’s start by stating the obvious: An active lifestyle is better than a sedentary one, and exercise, no matter how you do it or how often you do it, is good for you. To put some authority behind this statement, a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine said, “regardless of body weight…an increased level of exercise increases health.”   Exercise is good for you.   If a... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/159292/health-healthcentral http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/159063/probiotics Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:39:00 -0500 SSuchy (flickr, Nathan Reading) Probiotics has been a buzzword in the health market just long enough that consumers recognize the name but don’t quite understand what they are or what they do. Allow us to shed some light on the subject.   Nobel laureate Elie Metchnikoff introduced the idea of probiotics at the start of the 20th century. A century’s worth of research later, probiotics now corner a significant part of the natural... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/159063/probiotics http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/158965/cereals Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:17:00 -0500 SSuchy For health writers, a typical day can find us writing about things like Botox injections to the stomach or even about space travel possibly causing Alzheimer’s disease . But every once in a while we get a chance to review new foods on the market.   Last week, Van’s Natural Foods sent the HealthCentral Editorial Team a box full of their new gluten free cereals, crackers and snacks.    No one on our team has a gluten... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/158965/cereals http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/795915/158832/healthcentral Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:27:29 -0500 SSuchy (flickr, Daquella manera)   Where did all the babies go?   Last year the Pew Research Center reported that U.S. birth rates hit the lowest the country has seen since reliable data on the subject has been recorded.   Between 2007 and 2010, according to the report, the overall birth rate in the U.S. decreased by about 8 percent, and the birth rate among immigrant women, in particular, decreased by 14 percent.  And... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/795915/158832/healthcentral http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/158706/stretching Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:24:00 -0500 SSuchy (flickr, hey mr glen) For many of us, stretching seems like a necessary annoyance before and after a workout, but one that we would never, ever skip. (Read: We skip it all the time).    It is true that the benefits of stretching are in constant debate, but there are some beliefs that are myths and others that should be taken to heart.   Myth: Stretching can prevent injuries.   Fact: Believe it or not, the jury is still... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/158706/stretching http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/795915/158545/healthcentral Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:54:00 -0500 SSuchy (Flickr, ShellyS)   A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) – just in time for New Year’s resolutions – suggested that the sugar fructose may actual lead to more weight gain than its sister monosaccharide glucose.  Which prompted us to as ask: What exactly is the different between fructose and glucose? And, more importantly, what do those differences have to do with your... http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/795915/158545/healthcentral http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/157768/guidelines Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:11:00 -0500 SSuchy The upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy has become the go-to diagnostic tool for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD among people with persistent heartburn.  But earlier this week, the American College of Physicians (ACP) released new guidelines for upper GI endoscopy screening that significantly scales back the number of people who should receive the test when they complain of persistent heartburn.    Why the... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/157768/guidelines http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/157696/explainer Tue, 04 Dec 2012 11:11:00 -0500 SSuchy (flickr, jypsygen) About one third of Americans take a daily multivitamin. The reasons vary. Some people want to supplement their already healthy diet. Pregnant women are often advised to take them, as are vegetarians.  Some people have chronic illnesses that require them.  But no matter the reason, most people take multivitamins as a quick way to supplement vitamins and minerals that they may not get from their daily... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/157696/explainer