Video: How to Get to Sleep Fast Tips

Sleeping is not as easy as it should be!

Keeping track of the non-stop 24-hour "buzz cycle" keeps us from getting to sleep as easily as we would like. If you have the same problem, BuzzFeed recently created a "How to Fall Asleep Fast" tips video you might want to watch.

Check it out...




Learn some mo': How Can I Fall Asleep Faster?

What do you think? Leave your comments below!

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Being Cold CAN Make You Sick (Possibly)

It turns out that cold winter temperatures do make it more likely you'll get sick from a cold or flu virus... kind of...

Watch this video:



We say: Time to get a heavy duty humidifier and bump up the thermostat a few degrees.

Learn some mo': Myth Busters: Does Cold Weather Make You Sick?

What do you think?

FDA: Say Bye Bye to Trans Fats

After many years of expert warnings and massive amounts of evidence proving their dangers, trans fats are finally being banned by the Food and Drug Administration. It's not the first time the FDA has cracked down on these dangerous fats but this action is obviously a lot bigger!

More in the video below:




Learn some mo': F.D.A. Ruling Would All but Eliminate Trans Fats

Study: Beer Is Good for Your Heart!

According to a new study from Greece, drinking some beer may provide serious heart health benefits. Researchers from Harokopio University compared cardiovascular health signals in a group of young men who had drank beer, non-alcoholic beer, and vodka. All experienced some heart benefits but the beer drinkers experienced significantly more than the others.

Endothelial function -- the measure of how easily blood passes through arteries -- improved in the beer drinkers but not in the vodka or near-beer consumers. The researchers believe that beer's high antioxidant content was responsible for the heart health boost.

We say: It's about time another "health" study came out re-affirming our commitment to heavy beer (and wine and whisky) drinking!

Learn some mo': Beer can be good for your heart

The Marlboro E-Cigarette Is Here

It was only a matter of time. The owner of the world-famous cigarette brand Marlboro has decided to launch its own electronic cigarette product. Altria Group Inc hopes to take advantage of a recent consumer trend -- "smokeless" cigarettes -- in order to try to offset the sales slump of regular cigarettes.

More smoking bans, health worries, and increasing taxes on tobacco products have moved millions of Americans to try e-cigarettes, which provide the nicotine boost of regular tobacco products without the burning smoke. Basically they vaporize liquid nicotine from disposable cartridges and, at least in theory, greatly reduce the health risks (although some doctors disagree) and inconvenience of regular old smoking. Some of the products are promoted as ways to quit smoking gradually, or at least limit the damage it does.

The new e-cigs will be sold under the "MarkTen" brand and priced around $10 each, with new nicotine cartridges sold in packs. Many industry experts expect all the other major tobacco companies to follow Altria's lead and come out with their own electronic cigarettes within the next couple of years.

We say: This is kinda cool but we're still worried about the toxic nano-sized metal particles found in some e-cigarette products.

Learn some mo': Marlboro maker Altria to sell e-cigarettes

Study: Being a Little Fat May Help You Live Longer

A giant new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed a surprising fact: being a little overweight may actually extend a person's life span. In fact, the people who live the longest, more often than not, aren't of "normal weight" according to the CDC researchers.

The study looked at over a hundred research papers related to mortality risk and body weight (measured as body mass index/BMI) in nearly 3 million participants all over the world. They found strong evidence showing that people who are overweight -- but not obese -- tend to live longer than people of clinically normal body weight.

Still, the new study confirmed one important thing: obese people -- and especially the extremely obese -- live much shorter lives on average.

According to CDC senior research scientist Katherine Flegal:

"We published an article in 2005 that showed, among other things, that overweight was associated with lower mortality — and we got an awful lot of negative feedback from that... I think there’s a lot of under reporting of this finding... and so people are sort of repeatedly surprised by it."

We say: What the so-called experts really need to be looking at is the whole BMI measurement and just how accurate it is (spoiler: it's not very accurate at all). Many bodybuilders and heavily-muscled athletes with single-digit body fat levels are considered "obese" under the BMI guidelines.

Learn some mo': Being Overweight Is Linked to Lower Risk of Mortality

Low-Carb Diets: Effective for Fast Weight Loss & Better Health

Low-carb diets really may have some big health benefits, according to new research from Duke University. A clinical review of 17 studies, involving over 1100 obese patients, found that most low-carb dieters lost a very significant amount of weight -- about 18 pounds in 6 months to a year!

Besides losing pounds and several inches in their waists, most study participants experienced lower blood pressure, lower C-reactive protein levels, better triglycerides numbers, and an increase in good "HDL" cholesterol... among other benefits.

According to researcher William Yancy:

"These improvements occurred during weight loss which is known to lead to some of these changes."

This new research ads to several years' worth of evidence showing that low-carb diets like the Atkins diet are almost definitely effective for rapid weight loss, body fat reduction, and overall health/fitness. Since the late 90's several studies, as well as a ton of anecdotal evidence, has pointed to the fact that cutting carbohydrate consumption (especially sugar consumption!) leads to fast, healthy weight loss and a reduced risk of heart disease.

We say: It's time many doctors and "health experts" stop lying to the public, saying that Atkins and other low-carb diets are very unhealthy  They may not be the "best diets" in the world, but for many overweight and obese people they are viable options for losing body fat and improving overall health!

Learn some mo': Low-carb diet gets more support from new analysis

Belly Fat: Not As Bad As We Thought

Here's a little good news for those of us with big bellies: belly fat may not be as bad for our health as we thought. A new study from Chicago's Loyola University found that abdominal fat appears to help regulate the immune system and also help heal damaged tissue in other parts of the body.

Researchers looked at the unique cells of the omentum -- the network of fatty tissue surrounding vital internal organs -- and found some interesting things that may lead to more effective immunosuppressive drugs and even treatments for autoimmune disorders like Crohn's disease.

Loyola's researchers found that belly fat even contains special types of stem cells called mesenchymal cells. They're able to turn themselves into other important body cells such as lung cells and bone cells. They're also important because they can move to injured areas of the body and help repair damaged tissue by generating fresh cells.

According to study author Makio Iwashima:

"We now have evidence that the omentum is not just fat sitting in the belly."

Still, experts do not suggest trying to increase your stomach fat levels. Most healthy people will have enough (or way more than enough) to get the immune-regulating and tissue-healing benefits of the belly's cells. And with all the known risks of having too much, it's definitely worth the effort to lose belly fat if you have too much of the stuff!

Learn some mo': Belly Fat's Still Bad, but Maybe Not All Bad

Belviq: New Weight Loss Drug Approved in US

Need to lose some bodyfat? For the first time in 13 years, the FDA has approved a new weight loss drug -- one it initially rejected a couple years ago. Experts believe the move is part of the government's attempts to help control the skyrocketing obesity epidemic in North America.

According to Cowen & Co analyst Simos Simeonidis:

"It appears that the agency's view has officially shifted towards 'not treating obesity is a risk in and of itself, so we're willing to put drugs in the market in order to help people lose weight, even if there's risk associated'."

Belviq is the brand name for lorcaserin and it's expected to become a billion-dollar product within a short amount of time. The new diet drug works by altering "hunger" signals in the brain, so users feel full on significantly less calories. In clinical studies, users lost five percent of their bodyweight (about 12 lbs) on average -- not a huge amount of weight but enough to make a big difference in the health of obese patients.

Belviq is only approved for use in obese adults with a BMI of 30 or more or in those with a BMI of 27 or more who have at least one health problem related to their weight. So if you're overweight and have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc you can qualify for a Belviq prescription from your doctor.

We say: These weight loss drugs almost always have side-effects that make them a dangerous way to lose weight. Clean eating and regular exercise is a MUCH better option for those of use who need to lose a few pounds!

Learn some mo': FDA OKs first obesity drug in 13 years

Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements Might Help You Live Longer

Taking vitamin D and calcium supplement may help you live longer, according to new research from Denmark. Researchers found that vitamin D by itself did not lead to longer life, but when combined with calcium the supplements caused a 9% decrease in overall mortality.

According to the researchers, the vitamin D/calcium combo did more than just protect the bones from osteoporosis and fractures. They appear to help protect health in the elderly in other ways that aren't completely clear.

Some experts believe that calcium and vitamin D supplements may help to improve cardiovascular health while also improving overall cell function. In regards to the recent studies showing no benefit taking D+calcium supplements, many claim those studies to be flawed because participants didn't take high enough levels of the nutrients.

According to study author Dr. Lars Rejnmark:

"Our study provides evidence of a cause-effect relationship -- that calcium and vitamin D causes beneficial effects to general health... Calcium with vitamin D has now been proven to reduce risk of osteoporotic fractures and death in the elderly."

Experts recommend that adults take up to 2,000 IU of vitamin D and about 1200 mg of calcium each and every day. Try to get it from both food and supplements if possible. According to Dr. Michael Holick, a professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine:

"[By taking vitamin D and calcium supplements] you will preserve your bone health, you will improve muscle strength and you may have additional health benefits including [lowering the] risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes and infectious diseases... There is no downside to increasing your vitamin D intake."

Learn some mo': Vitamin D Plus Calcium May Extend Life

Optimism Leads to Healthier Heart, Fewer Strokes

Being happy, upbeat, and optimistic can help protect you from heart attacks and strokes, according to new research from Harvard. Optimism has an especially powerful effect on the heart -- according to the study the most optimistic people have half the risk of suffering a heart attack as compared to the least optimistic.

People with "type A" personalities -- and anyone who is often anxious, depressed, angry, or pessimistic -- are at a much greater risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. Chronic stress seems to be the primary factor. High stress levels may lead to elevated levels of certain "bad" hormones (like cortisol) which may damage the arteries and/or the heart muscle.

According to the Harvard researchers, having a better sense of well-being leads to a significant increase in several important health factors -- including weight, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. Also, optimistic people are much more likely to exercise regularly, eat a healthier diet, get more sleep, not smoke, and drink less alcohol. Experts warn though that healthy lifestyle habits may lead to more feeling more optimistic and happy, not the other way around.

The bottom line: do your best to be optimistic and upbeat -- and don't stress out too much -- and you might protect your heart and brain!

Learn some mo': Optimism protects against heart attack and stroke, study shows

The Best Way to Lose Weight According to Harvard

According to a large new study from Harvard Medical School, obese people are losing lots of weight by sticking to the basics and avoiding diet pills, fad diets, special "diet" foods, and other diet/weight loss products. In fact, the research showed that the best way to lose weight is by eating less, exercising more, swapping high-calorie foods for lower-calorie alternatives, and eating less fat.

This isn't exactly new or surprising info but it does highlight the fact that millions of people are wasting billions of dollars looking for easy weight loss solutions that simply don't work very well. Obese Americans who are actually losing significant amounts of weight are doing it the old-fashioned way: moving more and eating less.

In the study, a small percentage of participants used popular commercial weight loss programs (and some even used prescription weight loss pills) and had success. But those who used the simpler (and much cheaper) traditional weight loss methods lost nearly as much weight without spending a lot of money or risking their health. According to study author Dr. Christina Wee:

"It's reassuring that patients are using the less costly strategies that have been shown to be effective and the more ‘tried and true’ strategies... I think what is also reassuring is that when they try, in general, they lose weight."

Experts say that, especially for obese and overweight people, losing pounds is only part of the fight. Keeping them off over the long-term can often prove to be an even tougher challenge for many people. The good news is that people who develop healthy lifestyle habits (like daily workouts, healthy eating, drinking lots of water, etc.) almost always have a much better chance of keeping the weight off than people who used crash dieting or OTC diet pills to lose the weight!

Learn some mo': For Successful Weight Loss, Forget Fad Diets and Pills

Best Diets of 2012 Chosen by U.S. News & World Report

According to a new report from U.S. News & World Report the best weight loss diet for 2012 is the Weight Watchers diet. The next best is the "Biggest Loser" diet followed up by the Jenny Craig diet plan. According to the people who put the report together, data shows that Weight Watchers dieters have the most success with both short term weight loss and long term weight loss/weight maintenance. They also say that Weight Watchers is one of the easier diets to follow, making it more likely that a client will stick to the plan over time.

The Jenny Craig program, another top commercial diet plan, can be effective but, according to researchers, relies too much on pre-packaged meals and is significantly more expensive than other options. It's interesting to note that, not very long ago, research from the Journal of the American Medical Association as well as ratings from Consumer Reports magazine showed Jenny Craig to be the best weight loss diet on the market.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was chosen has the best overall diet for 2012, for the 2nd time in two years. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet and the Mayo Clinic diet took the 2nd and 3rd spots in that category. The rankings were created by a panel of 22 diet, nutrition, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and "food psychology" experts who voted on things like how easy a diet is to follow, nutritional completeness, safety, and a diet's ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss results.

We say: US News & World Report has already shown their love for both Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig in the past. Could it be that they're being paid off by these billion-dollar diet companies? We'd give it 50/50 odds that that could be the case!

Learn some mo': Best Diets of 2012 -- New Rankings

Blowfish Hangover Pill: The Next Big Thing?

A new FDA-approved hangover "cure" has hit the market and some think it could be a bestseller for 2012. It's called "Blowfish" and it's basically an alka seltzer with big doses of caffeine, aspirin, and a "stomach-soothing" antacid formula designed to reduce hangover-related discomfort. The supplement is taken the morning after a night of drinking and it claims to be able to remedy a severe hangover within 30 minutes.

The people behind Blowfish say it's the perfect solution for dealing with crazy happy hours and out-of-control holiday parties. According to its creator: "This gets you functioning again quickly!"

A dose of Blowfish currently costs about 3 dollars. 6-packs can be had for about 12 bucks. Some experts say that, if it really works, it could catch on the way energy drink did and sell millions of units within just the first year.

We say: Sound cool but why wouldn't we just drink a Rockstar, take a couple big aspirins, and pop a couple of Tums like we normally do after a long night on Fremont Street??

 Learn some mo': Hangover pill approved by FDA

Weight Watchers Diet Works! (According to Weight Watchers-Funded Study)

According to a new study, people following the super-popular Weight Watchers dieting program for a year were able to lose 15 pounds -- two times as much as people who followed normal medical weight loss advice from a doctor or nurse. The research was funded by the Weight Watchers corporation. But it was published in a very well-respected medical journal called the Lancet... so it's probably not total BS!

Researchers followed nearly 800 obese and overweight people for 12 months. Half of them followed the Weight Watchers program and half attended special 1-on-1 "weight management" meetings with their doctor every month. About 60% of the Weight Watchers group stuck with the program for the entire year and lost 15 lbs. Even those who dropped out lost weight, about 11 pounds on average.

Experts believe that the social/group support/accountability aspect of Weight Watchers -- which includes weekly weight-ins to track progress -- is what makes it more effective than typical medical weight loss approaches. According to Dr. Michael Jensen from the Mayo Clinic:

"It's not terribly surprising that a group whose whole career is basically helping people with weight management would do a better job than a primary-care group that has a lot more responsibilities on top of that."

Other commercial weight loss programs -- like Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and other pre-packaged diet food programs -- have provided similar results in other studies. In fact, a 2010 study funded by Jenny Craig found that women were able to lose about 20 pounds in a year while using the program.

We say: We think weight loss and fitness programs that involve healthy amounts of social peer pressure are going to become more and more popular -- because they work. There's nothing worse than being the only person in a social support group who's actually getting fatter!

Learn some mo': Dieters in Weight Watchers study drop up to 15 pounds in a year

Corn Subsidies = More Obese Americans

According to a new USDA report, the United States government is spending billions of dollars subsidizing things that increase obesity and health problems while spending only a fraction on healthy food subsidies. Corn subsidies especially have led to lots of cheap, low-quality foods -- everything from high-fructose corn syrup, to chips, to the high-sugar sodas Americans (kids especially) consume in huge volume.

Subsidies for corn, wheat, rice, soybeans, and cotton totaled over $15 billion in 2009. Subsidies for fresh fruits an vegetables were only $825 million in the same year. So in effect, Americans are paying double -- through federal taxes and then again at the grocery store -- to get fat and unhealthy. Some experts believe that corn and grain subsidies are a major reason for the obesity epidemic in the US.

On the other end of the spectrum, a new USDA report (created for Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity) showed that when prices of healthy foods -- like green veggies and lowfat milk -- fall kids lose weight. When the price of candy, soda, and sweets fall kids gain weight (as measured using BMI or body mass index).

We think: The US is the only major country where poorer people tend to be fatter. That's because we subsidize cheap junk foods filled with empty calories but little-to-no real nutrition. Until healthy foods is just as affordable as unhealthy packaged junk food the obesity problem is only going to increase!

Learn some mo': Surprise! Subsidizing Healthy Food Helps Kids Lose Weight

Vitamin D Studies: "Super Vitamin" Protects Against Heart Attacks, Stroke, Melanoma, and Diabetes!

More research has confirmed that Vitamin D really is a "super-nutrient" capable of protecting against MANY different diseases and health problems. One recent study found that men who take in the recommended amount of vitamin D (at least 600 IU per day) are less likely to suffer a stroke or a heart attack than men with low levels of the vitamin.

Another study found that people with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood have less chance of developing diabetes, even if they are part of the "high risk" group (such as obese people). Experts believe that the vitamin may help to improve insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in the pancreas.

Taking vitamin D in combination with calcium may also help protect you against melanoma cancer. A new study showed that high-risk women could reduce their risk of developing the deadly skin disease by 50% simply by maintaining proper vitamin D and calcium blood levels -- about 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D per day. Other research has shown that high vitamin D intake is associated with reduced risks of many common cancers, including breast, prostate, and colon cancers!

The bottom line: It is totally obvious that getting enough vitamin D through sunlight exposure, diet, and supplements is a REALLY good idea if you want to enjoy good health and avoid LOTS of serious diseases!!

Learn some mo':

Vitamin D Slashes Diabetes Risk

Heart & stroke risks lower in men who get enough vitamin D-study

Calcium plus vitamin D may reduce melanoma risks in women

Yo-Yo Dieting Not So Bad After All

Losing a significant amount of weight and then gaining it back soon after -- aka "yo-yo" dieting or weight cycling -- appears to be better than remaining overweight/obese, according to a new study. The research, done on mice, shows that yo-yo dieting may not be as bad for your health as previously thought... at least not when compared just being fat and doing nothing!

Experts say that maintaining a healthy weight is still ideal. But, if you're overweight, it's definitely a good idea to try to lose the extra pounds, even if it's only temporary. That's important advice considering hundreds of millions of Americanas -- or about 2/3 of the total population -- are currently overweight.

The bottom line is that even a little bit of weight loss, maintained over only a relatively short amount of time, is better than no weight loss at all. You don't have to be totally skinny before you start seeing health benefits.

We say: Focusing on dieting only is what causes most "yo yo" weight gain/weight loss cycles. Regular exercise combined with a healthy diet is the real key to losing weight and keeping it off over time!

Learn some mo': Yo-yo dieting better than staying obese

Whey Protein Fights Liver Fat & Helps Obese People

Whey protein supplements may improve your blood lipid (fats) profile and even reduce your liver fat levels by up to 20%, according to new research from Switzerland. A study showed that just 4 weeks of regular whey supplementation significantly lowered key markers of "fatty liver disease" in obese subjects. It appears to do that by reducing the total amount of fat inside of liver cells, a big benefit to overweight people and those with heart disease!

According to head researcher Murielle Bortolotti:

"This preliminary, uncontrolled study therefore suggests that a high-protein diet may, in the long term, reduce the risk of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis [fatty liver disease] and of cardiovascular disease in obese patients."

Experts say that fatty liver disease is a major problem in obese patients and is considered the major liver-associated component of metabolic syndrome. It's believed to be closely associated with several other obesity-relate problems, including insulin resistance, lowered glucose tolerance, and dyslipidemia or abnormally high levels of blood lipids.

So there you have it: more evidence that whey protein powder is one of the BEST diet supplements in the world. And it's not just for bodybuilders and fitness nuts... overweight people can benefit from whey too!

Learn some mo': Whey protein holds fat fighting potential, suggests study

Velvet Antler: The Best Natural "Steroid?"

A natural supplement that has been used for hundreds of years is getting some fresh attention lately. That's because "velvet antler" -- a soft, nutrient-rich coating that covers new deer and elk antlers -- appears to be one of the best natural "steroids" on the planet. In fact it's so good that elite professional athletes, including many NFL players, are using it to boost athletic performance and recovery without failing their routine blood tests!

Asian peoples have use velvet antler for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. In fact it's one of the most popular natural remedies in traditional Chinese medicine. Experts say it is a very effective anti-inflammatory, immune system stimulant, and natural muscle-growth and repair booster. There is scientific evidence that it can in fact enhance athletic performance, probably by boosting human growth hormone levels in the body.

Velvet antler can be harvested from deer and elk antlers safely and without hurting the animals. It is then freeze-dried and ground in a powder, usually ending up in capsules or liquid extracts. Oral velvet antler sprays have become popular sports and bodybuilding supplements in recent years.

With a primary active ingredient of IGF-1, velvet antler supplements are basically natural steroids. With a very long track record of safety it's easy to see why many consider them to be the best alternative to synthetic testosterone and other risky performance enhancing drugs!

Do you have a review or question related to velvet antler supplements? Please leave your feedback below!

Learn some mo': Deer antlers: the hot new PED