Tag Archives: healthy living

Health and Wellness

Go green! And, we don’t mean juice!


In today’s hectic, fast-paced world, pretty much anything can contribute to raising your stress levels. It is important to take steps to reduce stress as much as possible in order to improve overall health and wellness. Rx: go green! Yes, outside into the great green yonder, and here’s what will happen:

If you only have 5 minutes to spare: Exercising outdoors will not only elevate your mood, but your self-esteem as well, according to a report in Environmental Science and Technology.

Can you make it 10? Simply being outside will help you become more focused according to a study from the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago.

20 minutes is all it takes: According to researchers at the University of Rochester, if you spend 20 minutes outside daily, you will see your energy levels skyrocket.

A well-deserved 30. Spend 30 magical minutes outdoors and say good bye to depressing thoughts. Your blood pressure will drop and you’ll feel happier as well, according to research in Scientific Reports.

Health and Wellness

A Diet to Live Longer

A Diet to Live Longer?

Maybe! According to research being done at Harvard University, the “Mediterranean diet” has received even more accolades. Having already been linked to a decreased risk of chronic disease and cancer, this diet is now being associated with longer “telomeres,” – biomarkers of aging.

Telomere-shortening is linked to shorter lives. Shortening is accelerated by stress and inflammation, and the Mediterranean diet has been proven to reduce inflammation, thus possibly lengthening telomeres.

Although all healthy eating helped lengthen telomeres, the Mediterranean diet showed the best results. It is a simple diet based off of healthy oils, fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Considering it tastes good as well, why not give it a shot?

Health and Wellness, Myth or Medical Miracle

Chewing Gum Enhances Concentration

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Myth or Medical Miracle?

Medical miracle! Chewing gum can serve as a quick breath freshener and some types can even clean your teeth. However, you may be surprised to learn that chewing gum can boost your concentration and improve memory. According to a new study published in the British Journal of Psychology, chewing gum can help you focus on tasks that require continuous monitoring over a long period of time

Researchers conducted a health-related memory test that involved listening to a list of numbers read aloud in random order. Participants were scored on how accurately and quickly they were able to recall a specific number sequence. One group chewed gum during this test. Results indicated that the participants who chewed gum had a faster reaction time and a better recall of the numbers compared to those who did not chew gum.

Health and Wellness

Researchers Raise Their Glasses to the ‘Red wine pill’

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In European countries like France, red wine consumption is much higher than in many other parts of the world. The phenomenon known as the ‘French Paradox’ has astounded the medical world, because despite having diets high in fat, the French have a 42% lower occurrence of heart disease compared to Americans. For years, scientists studied this phenomenon and found that the secret behind this paradox lies in the antioxidant resveratrol, which is most commonly found in grapes and red wine.

Although red wine’s antioxidants may have anti-cancer properties, scientists say that you would likely need to drink 100 glasses a day to see a clinical benefit. Understandably, that is not possible. But what if you could reap the benefits of red wine by simply taking a pill?

According to a recent study, researchers say they have figured out that resveratrol functions to activate an anti-aging enzyme, which could trigger proteins that regenerate cells. Can a pill be taken as preventive medicine to improve the body’s defense system against aging and disease? Or is this the newest anti-aging hype?

Health and Wellness

Make the Right Decision By (Sometimes) Tapping Into Your Intuition

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When should you follow your intuition? That inner voice that nudges you when you’re torn between two choices can help in some cases, but in certain situations deliberation has proven to be more effective. To make the best decision, when should you tap into your intuition and when should you apply logic to make a decision?

According to some scientists, intuition is a series of cognitive processes that happens very quickly, enabling you to come up with a decision instantly. In a matter of seconds, your brain takes in all of the information about the present situation, compares it to similar situations in the past, and uses that to make the decision. Essentially, that “gut feeling” is typically a fast heartbeat or a knot in your stomach, as opposed to a conscious thought. Intuition can be a valuable tool when you are already knowledgeable about the present situation. For instance, your immediate judgment about a sports game is more likely to be accurate if you’ve spent some time on the court or field.

So in which situations is deliberation more effective than intuition? Researchers found that when it comes to activities, such as playing chess, deliberation may be a more useful approach. Chess players normally take a few minutes to make a decision and the players who think longer about their decision end up making stronger moves compared to ones they were initially going to choose.

Despite the strategy a person uses to make a decision, many experts agree it is not necessarily about whether our gut feelings are “right” or “wrong,” but rather how to consider all of our thoughts and emotions when making an important decision. While you may not be able to make the right decision in every situation, you can always learn from these experiences and use that knowledge to make better decisions going forward.

Dr. Yagoda’s intuition has been regularly praised by patients and peers. She is a warm, caring detail-oriented doctor who provides her patients with a full spectrum of treatment options to ensure optimal health and wellness.

Health and Wellness

Should the “Eat at Your Own Risk of Addiction and Obesity” Attitude Still Prevail with Junk Food?

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Junk food is undoubtedly linked to childhood obesity, yet big corporations market to children who are least aware of and least able to control the components of a healthy diet.  These children, are most susceptible to junk food addiction and its inherent medical risks.

Because we are in the midst of an increasing worldwide obesity health epidemic, and decreasing available funds for healthcare spending, some suggest that the government step in to regulate the junk food industry.   Should major companies should be required to stop advertising to children and to place warning labels on junk food, similar to the regulations imposed in the tobacco industry?  Or, should the “buyer beware/eat at your own risk” attitude still prevail?  What do you think?  We want to know!

Health and Wellness

Did you know…a healthy diet likely promotes restful sleep?

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© Radius Images/Corbis

Want to increase your odds of a peaceful slumber? According to a recent study, the food you eat is linked to how well you sleep.

Researchers found that poor sleep affects the hormones that control hunger and appetite, which can lead to unhealthy food choices. Interestingly, the people who slept 7-8 hours each night ate the largest variety of food and nutrients, and the people who slept 6 hours or less consumed the lowest variety of food and nutrients. So the next time you go grocery store, you may want to consider adding “super foods” to your shopping cart.

Dr. Yagoda can diagnosis the causes of restless sleep and sleep disorders. Cure your sleeping troubles and call our NYC office today for a consultation!

Health and Wellness

Have you lost that loving feeling?

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© Tetra Images/Corbis

According to a recent study, the boost of happiness that occurs with marriage lasts for only for approximately two years, after which people go back their former level of happiness. Many people become “habituated” to positive circumstances and don’t sustain the same level of happiness over an extended period of time. Take time to hone your compassion skills to maintain and champion a rewarding long- term relationship.

 

ENT, Health and Wellness

Junk Food Linked to Asthma and Eczema in Children

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As many of you know, eating processed food can lead to obesity, heart disease and diabetes in adults. But you may be surprised to learn the harmful effects of junk food on children. A recent study revealed that kids who eat junk food three times a week have a higher risk of developing asthma and eczema.

Researchers studied 50 countries and found that teenagers who ate fast food such as burgers three times a week or more were 39 percent more likely to get severe asthma. Younger kids were 27 percent more at risk. It is believed that the high saturated fat levels in food such as burgers lower children’s immune systems.

Want to know what foods can protect against these diseases? Read this article to find out more.

Health and Wellness

Did You Know…Not All Low Paying Jobs Are Low Stress

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Is your job stressing you out? If you’re looking for a career change, you may want to consider checking out this list.

After reviewing 200 careers, CareerCast.com>, compiled a list of the most and least stressful jobs based on 11 stress factors (i.e. environmental conditions, physical demands, travel, own life at risk, etc.) Researchers found that people with the least stressful careers were often provided with positive feedback. Under such conditions, these people were generally content. Interestingly, the opposite is true for the most stressful careers. While people with stressful jobs are typically not content, the chances are much higher that they’ll get paid more.

Would you guess a photojournalist made the least stressful or most stressful list? How about a public relations executive? What you read may surprise you.