Healthy Living Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Stanford Center on Longevity

Are Night Owls Better Off Changing Their Sleep Patterns to be Healthier?

April 11, 2017/in Healthy Living, sleep /by admin

More than a third of American adults routinely fail to get the seven or more hours of nightly sleep that’s generally recommended for optimal health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last year. In some cases, biology may be to blame. Everyone has an internal clock, or circadian rhythm, that regulates feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness over a 24-hour cycle. These patterns vary from person to person, however, which is why some people function best in the morning and others seem to have more energy late at night. Those who fall into the “night owl” category—almost 20% of Americans, by some estimates—have a problem in that their internal clocks are out of sync with society’s external ones, which generally favor early start times for school and work.

How does nutrition affect children’s school performance?

March 21, 2017/in Diet, Healthy Living /by admin

From before birth and through the school years, there are decades-old food programs designed to make sure children won’t go hungry. Experts agree that the nutrition provided to millions of children through school meal programs is invaluable for their health.

The Sleep Cure: The Fountain of Youth May Be Closer Than You Ever Thought

February 16, 2017/in Healthy Living, Sleep /by admin

Scientists are learning that shortchanging sleep can compromise nearly every major body system, from the brain to the heart to the immune system, making our inability–or unwillingness–to sleep enough one of the unhealthiest things we can do.

Obesity: Self-stigma may raise risk of metabolic syndrome

February 13, 2017/in BMI, Healthy Living /by admin

A number of studies have shown that individuals who are obese are often stereotyped as “lazy,” “lacking in willpower,” or “unattractive.” New research finds that internalizing such negative perceptions may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome for people who are obese, independent of weight.

Poll Reveals Sleep Differences Among Ethnic Groups

February 13, 2017/in Healthy Living /by admin

The 2010 Sleep in America poll released by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) revealed significant differences in the sleep habits and attitudes of Asians, Blacks/African-Americans, Hispanics and Whites. It is the first poll to examine sleep among these four ethnic groups.

Steak with carrots, baked plantain and stuffed grape leaves with salad: What school lunches look like around the world (and the UK and US are the most unhealthy)

January 31, 2017/in Diet, Healthy Living /by admin

Fish soup with tofu and rice, stir-fried pork with vegetables and baked chicken with stuffed grape leaves… these are just some of the exotic lunches school children from around the world tuck into.

But in stark contrast, the UK and US lunch trays feature processed foods such as popcorn chicken, frankfurters, cookies, and beans from a tin.

This is What it Actually Means to Get a ‘Good Night’s Sleep’

January 27, 2017/in Healthy Living, sleep /by admin

A good night’s sleep is about way more than just clocking seven to nine hours in bed each night. And now, experts in sleep medicine and other health care fields have issued new metrics that spell out exactly what high-quality slumber means. The National Sleep Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group, for the first time defined key indicators of good sleep quality in a recent report.

Exercise Can Be a Boon to People With Parkinson’s Disease

January 23, 2017/in Healthy Living, Physical Activity /by admin

“The earlier people begin exercising after a Parkinson’s diagnosis, and the higher the intensity of exercise they achieve, the better they are,” Marilyn Moffat, a physical therapist on the faculty of New York University, said. “Many different activities have been shown to be beneficial, including cycling, boxing, dancing and walking forward and backward on a treadmill. If someone doesn’t like one activity, there are others that can have equally good results.”

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Early Childhood Obesity: Growth Trajectories in Body Mass Index

January 12, 2017/in BMI, Diet, Healthy Living /by admin

Significant racial and ethnic differences are discernible in BMI trajectories among young children. Raising parents’ and health practitioners’ awareness of how fast food and sweetened-beverage consumption contributes to early obesity and growth in BMI—especially for Blacks and Latinos—could improve the health status of young children.

Why You Don’t Have to Exercise Every Day

January 9, 2017/in Healthy Living, Physical Activity, Siightlines /by admin

Since daily exercise isn’t realistic for everyone, researchers decided to study whether people who tend to cram their weekly exercise into one or two days on the weekend (so-called “weekend warriors”) get the same benefits as those who exercise daily. In the new research published in JAMA Internal Medicine, they found that how often a person exercises might not make a difference in determining how long a person lives.