Health Expert Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. 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/8534/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/8534/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/8534/index http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160799/food-lessons-tedmed Tue, 14 May 2013 15:39:00 -0400 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. I attended a really interesting conference this spring: TEDMED 2013. There was a lot going on at TEDMED but for me, as it often does, it ultimately came down to the food. It began with a crouton: Not just any crouton, but perhaps the best crouton I've ever had. I don't know why or how it was so good, but I do know that this crouton was selected with care, adhering to a food strategy that would help a sea of health and health care devotees view... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160799/food-lessons-tedmed http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160246/balance-wellness Fri, 10 May 2013 12:21:00 -0400 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. "Whole" is such a health buzz word right now. As in Whole Foods, Wholesome…   But if you stop and think about what "Whole Health" really means, consider this: A healthy body, in and of itself, does not equal whole health. A healthy mind doesn't either. Healthy emotions do not provide the whole of health; a healthy spiritual life - alone, this also does not.   But together? We just might have it.   I've often read and heard... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160246/balance-wellness http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160798/fattest-fittest-mayoral Fri, 10 May 2013 12:17:00 -0400 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. TEDMED 2013 is a conference unlike any other, featuring 50+ speakers/performers and nearly 2,000 participants known as delegates, as well as 50 innovative start-ups housed in a place known as The Hive. It's a conference for health and wellness devotees to explore new ways of thinking about and approaching old and new health challenges alike.   But what's really interesting to me is that a lot of what we dive into is stuff that anyone and... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160798/fattest-fittest-mayoral http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160797/tale-yogurts Thu, 09 May 2013 17:18:00 -0400 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. I've been writing a lot lately about my concept of "tweaking it up." This is the notion of taking what you do in your everyday life, things we all have to do as matter of survival, and making small choices to move things into a healthier direction.   Examples of such things that we all have to do are: Eating, drinking fluids, moving our bodies, and sleeping. For all of these "everyday activities," there are numerous opportunities to tweak... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160797/tale-yogurts http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160245/40-personal-revolution Thu, 02 May 2013 15:50:00 -0400 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. My mom had major surgery to save her life this year. I was fortunate to be able to be by her and my dad's side. That's a true gift - I was able to experience moments of love and grace with my mother and father that I will cherish and keep with me forever. Other gifts were given to me through the experience, as well.   One was through a yoga session with the owner of the new yoga studio across the street from my parents' building. It was a... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160245/40-personal-revolution http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160244/exercise-medication Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:44:00 -0400 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. I am increasingly noticing that too much of a "healthy" diet and exercise regime can become a way of self-medicating. Much like excessive alcohol, sex addiction, or even striving for ever-more success and riches (as a socially acceptable and even lauded example) can be ways of self-medicating.   I am wondering: Are we in a never-ending race for the title of "The Winner" - the richest, the thinnest, the fittest, the fastest...on and on the... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160244/exercise-medication http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160243/diet-exercise-point Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:44:00 -0400 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. All this talk about diet and exercise - It's got me thinking about the point of it all.   As an American female, of course I know all too well what the perceived priority is: Be as thin and beautiful as possible. Food and exercise are tools that must be mastered to help us achieve that ever-moving target.   What we pick up as the priorities of society tend to become what overtakes us: For us girls, that translates into the ceaseless... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/160243/diet-exercise-point http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/159470/salt-crazy-world-live Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:46:00 -0500 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. If you’re concerned about the allure of the snack foods surrounding you and your kids, this New York Times Magazine cover story – “The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food” – will give you a lot to chew on.   It details how food manufacturers deploy teams of PhDs to devise and market processed foods with the type of scientific vigor that goes into curing diseases.   Salt, sugar, and flavorings are... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/159470/salt-crazy-world-live http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/159469/jane-addiction Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:34:00 -0500 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. I am in training again. This time, for a couple of half-marathons coming up in April. Always seem to be pushing myself  - striving to be better. But, I tell myself, at least it's in "healthy" ways.   I mean, I could be in training for a chicken-wings-eating contest. But, I'm not.   It was in this latest bout of training when I went for my "long run" over the weekend. It gave me a chance to catch up on some really good old... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/159469/jane-addiction http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/159264/exercise Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:38:00 -0500 Dr. Cynthia D. Haines, M.D. Some people find that getting lots and lots of exercise -- ultramarathoners and Ironmen/women, I'm talking to you -- works for them. But for the majority of us, extreme activity may be counterproductive.    Recent research suggests that excessive endurance exercise over the long term may cause harmful changes in the heart. Extreme fitness programs like P90X and Crossfit, which have been rising in popularity, can inflict musculoskeletal... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/8534/159264/exercise