Healthy Links

Categories: Healthy Links

> Artichokes are packed with nutrition. Here’s the best way to eat them.

> Are you chronically fatigued? Here are some foods to start eating and ones to eliminate from your diet completely.

> Psoriatic arthritis: 4 tips for taking care of yourself and your joints

> What you can do to ease queasy feelings

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Try it Tuesday: Be more tender (for your heart’s sake)

You’ve probably heard all the well-worn advice for keeping your heart healthy - eat a nutritious diet, exercise regularly, don’t smoke. A new addition to the modifiable risk factor list: “Be more agreeable”.

In a population study, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) looked at the health and personality traits of nearly 6,000 Italians in four villages. To examine their health, the thickness of each person’s neck arteries was measured. A personality test revealed their traits, graded on 6 factors of “agreeableness” - trust, straightforwardness, altruism, compliance, modesty, and tender mindedness.

Those who scored high for antagonism, especially those who were deemed aggressive and competitive, also had the thickest neck arteries. And thicker neck arteries are a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

The study’s lead author suggested that doctors should consider personality traits along with a patient’s other cardiovascular risk factors, and that coping strategies and anger management training could be tools to boost heart health.

If you’re prone to anger, competitiveness, or other less-than-tender traits, you don’t have to make over your entire personality. Just try to find ways to relax more often and round off those sharp edges that could be putting your heart in harm’s way.

Related: Does hostility predispose a risk of heart attack?, Ha! Laughing is good for you!, How can high cholesterol harm me?, A quit-smoking ally who’s right around the corner, Carotid artery disease

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Healthy Links

Categories: Healthy Links

> Did you know that you can get relief from allergies by boosting your immunity? Try these top vitamins and supplements to beat the sneezes.

> Don’t have time for breakfast? Bake these healthy breakfast muffins on Sunday for snacks Monday to Friday.

> Find out why many people with diabetes must deal with skin complications.

> Visiting the washroom too often? How do you know if overactive bladder is to blame?

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Myth Monday: There’s only 1 way to #2

Categories: Fact or Fiction?

Depending on the part of the world where you grew up, you may think your way of going to number 2 is the only way there is. After all, our bowel movement habits aren’t really topics for casual conversation. But is there really only one best way to defecate, poop, drop deuce, etc., etc.? [Read more →]

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Weekend Wellness Wisdom

It’s back-to-school time again! Make the transition from summer to school smooth and stress-free.

> New school supplies? Check! Spiffy new clothes for the first week? Check! Independent kids ready to tackle the challenges ahead? Let’s work on that one.

> Parents who want to improve their children’s nutrition will also want to know the safest way to pack a sack lunch.

> Kids find all sorts of ways to injure themselves at school. Here are a few playground pointers and safety tips to pass along to your children.

> What to do if child has a medical condition that the school needs to know about

> See Emma run, watch Jacob catch: teaching your kids play skills

> 5 healthy back-to-school habits (from the Heart and Stroke Foundation)

> If you feel that your child’s school is not as healthy as you would like, here are some ways you can work toward improvement.

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Healthy Links

Categories: Healthy Links

> Scary news about calcium supplements

> Bulimia: 10 ways to heal with better nutrition and holistic solutions

> Rolfing: Wait, wasn’t that the dog from the Muppets? What’s the real story behind this oddly-named alternative therapy?

> A pouch? Ouch! Learn more about this common digestive condition characterized by pouching in the intestines.

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