Samantha Harris

Fat took a major hit in the 1950s when one pioneering study linked the consumption of saturated fat to heart disease, which is still the leading cause of death in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That study didn’t use a statistically significant sample, however, and it found a link between saturated fats and heart disease only in certain preselected countries. In the 1960s, the Sugar Research Foundation paid Harvard University scientists big bucks to write a review of studies about sugar, heart disease, and fat—studies that, of course, the Sugar Research Foundation hand- picked. Here’s a cheat sheet for eating fats – what to keep and what to watch out for in your diet: Found in veggies, nuts, seeds, and fish, mono- and polyunsaturated (aka good fats) help raise good cholesterol and fight heart disease. Trans fats are human-made monsters They’re found in processed foods linked to spikes in bad cholesterol and an increased risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart disease Research from the Harvard School of Public Health found that for every 2 percent of calories from trans fats you consume daily, your risk of heart disease rises by a whopping 23 percent.

What to Do When Your Best Friend Has A Health Crisis Tell them exactly what you’re going to do to help out without asking then give them options within that: “I’m going to call the dogwalker for you, so what time is best today to have him walk Dottie? Or “I’m picking you up this week to take you for a pedicure, since I know you can’t reach your toes right now. Keeping that in mind, now you know that every conversation you have with her doesn’t need to be about her Continue to send funny dog photos if that’s what you normally do on a day-to-day basis.

I’m one of those people who occasionally drifts off in yoga class during savasana, the few minutes in corpse pose at the end of a practice where my fellow yogis and I get the chance to rest and recover. By the time the instructor tells the class to come back from savasana, I wake up feeling like I’ve slept for hours instead of the few minutes it was in real time. If it’s done right, it should help calm your mind and help you focus on the present and how your body feels. In for 6 counts, hold at the top for 4 counts, exhale for 6 counts then hold for 4 counts.

Even if you don’t live in the Aloha state, it’s worth checking your sandy bottle of sunscreen to see if you can protect your skin with options that are better for the ocean and your own health. Many sunscreens, including some of the most common brands like Coppertone, Banana Boat, and Neutrogena, contain the oxybenzone and octinoxate chemicals that Hawaii has banned. The Environmental Working Group publishes a handy annual guide to sunscreens and it cites several studies that have found oxybenzone and octinoxate can disrupt hormones and cause skin allergies. Thankfully, a few power players in D. C. are trying to do something about updating the legislation that governs what can legally be included in the ingredients in our body products, called the Personal Care Products Safety Act.