You Are What You Eat… the Importance of Rethinking Your Food Purchases

To get a clue of what’s in your body, take a look in your refrigerator and pantry. If what you see is not as healthy as you’d like, it’s up to you to fix it. There is no way you are going to be healthy with nothing but chips and cheese dips living in your pantry.

Preferably, shop at the farmers market. The produce is fresher, which also means it’s healthier and tastier, especially if it’s grown locally.

At the supermarket, shop the perimeters for your food. That’s where you’ll find “real” food, such as fruits, veggies, dairy, baked goods, and meats (opt for lean cuts).

If fruits and vegetables are foreign to your diet, try a new one each week until you’re familiar with them. Be sure to include dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and arugula. If you’re like me and have a hard time getting used to eating fruits, try making them into a smoothie. Combine berries, pineapple and bananas with ice and a little bit of yogurt. A delicious and nutritious way to start the day while boosting your immune system!

Your Personal Guide to Adding Super Foods to Your Holiday Meal

Many of us have heard about ‘super foods’, foods that can significantly improve your health and well-being due to their high vitamin and mineral content.

Guess what? The holidays are a great time to incorporate super foods into the meal plan and give your family and friends the gift of health!

Low fat yogurt:  Yogurt is considered a super food due to its numerous health benefits. The probiotics in yogurt help regulate the digestive system and promote immune system health. Yogurt is also an excellent source of calcium, iodine, riboflivan Vitamin B12 and phosphorus. It’s also a healthy source of protein.

Your Happiness: What's Your Favorite Season? (What It May Say About You!)

Do you feel most content bundled up in a sweater during the winter months? Or is being in a bikini on the beach during summer your thing? I've always wondered what our favorite season says about our personalities, so I consulted with an expert to get the really interesting scoop...

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I love fall (and winter, too). The season takes my breath away with its crimson and orange leaves and clear cold days (at least in my part of the country). Also, as corny as it may sound, I love getting reacquainted with my sweaters, Uggs, fireplace, and apple cider. But most of all, I crave the "change" that fall brings--when everything seems to go through dramatic changes. Best of all, fall signals new beginnings for me (remember the thrill of a new school year and the scent of freshly sharpened pencils?).

Your Food Is Alive! And That's a Good Thing

You've probably heard a lot lately, about the "good bacteria" in certain foods. They're called probiotics, and as the pro prefix indicates, they are indeed good for you. (This doesn't mean that antibiotics are bad for you-but more on that later.) "Probiotics are microorganisms found in food or supplements that are health-promoting," explains dietician Amy Campbell, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., education program manager for the Disease Management Division at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. These tiny bacterial organisms are alive can be seen only under a microscope.

Don't say "yuck" just yet, though! Trillions of bacteria already live in your body--many of which protect you from disease. When the balancing act between the good and the bad gets thrown off, your health and well-being can suffer. There are two chief ways this upset occurs: antibiotic use, which kills off the friendly along with the unfriendly bacteria and causes gas, cramping and diarrhea; and exposure to disease-causing organisms. The reason the health community is so "pro" on probiotic foods is because they help replace the good bacteria in your body that have been destroyed by medications or illness.

Yoga for Weight Loss

Did you make a resolution this year to lose weight? Did you know that yoga can help you do that?

Yoga has so many benefits, such as reducing stress, building strong muscles and increasing flexibility.

Yoga can actually help you lose weight, too! However, some poses do not raise your heart rate enough to help you slim down.

If you want yoga to be your major source of exercise, there are some specific poses you need to include in your practice to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Yoga poses that help you lose weight include warrior, boat, hover and chair. Most instructors, whether teaching through a gym, studio or even a DVD, include these postures in their routines. These yoga poses help you lose weight by invigorating and restoring balance in the body.

Write Your Way to Good Health!

This year, along with your to-do lists, maybe it’s time to start keeping track of your health as well. Starting a health journal can help you remember any past surgeries, allergies you may have and medications you could and couldn’t take.

This is especially important for people who were prescribed a particular medication and unable to continue the dosage due to an allergic reaction.

Also, year after year, sometimes around the same time of the year we seem to feel ill or even exhibit symptoms of depression. Keeping a health journal can help you deter from those old behaviors and steer clear of feelings of sadness or illness. Just think, the next time you feel ill or depressed it could be due to seasonal changes.

Would You Like to Make Your Booty, Uh, Pop?

I admire women with plump rumps as much as the next girl-and sometimes wish mine had a little more, shall we say, oomph to it. But do I care or feel badly enough about it to wear the latest body-altering underthings with built in fake buns? No way. Read on to see the hilarious infomercial- and weigh in.

The body image blogosphere is abuzz about these new undies.

What do you think about them: sexist, man-pandering and sad? Or just another useful fashion tool for womankind?

Winter Health Care – Save Your Pennies and Prevent Winter-Related Health Issues Naturally!

Let’s face it: it’s not uncommon to suffer from common cold, flu and ear infection symptoms like a runny nose, scratchy throat, earache and even sinus pressure during the winter months. Some families spend hundreds of dollars on doctor visits in the winter time, but learning how to prevent viruses and heal the body naturally can save you time and money this season.

Colds

Most adults tend to catch the common cold 3-4 times a year, and unfortunately for children, those numbers are even higher. With statistics like these, it is important to know what you can do naturally for you and your loved ones to prevent recurring colds.