Growing Bolder Community

The medical delivery system is under pressure to provide quality health care despite these dire trends: reduced access because of the closing of community hospitals and low-cost clinics staggering increases in the cost of drugs, medical treatment and insurance, an increasing reluctance of HMO’s to refer patients to specialists, and a dramatic increase in the number of uninsured, now...

If you try to stay current on the latest insights on weight loss, you quickly realize how multifaceted the issue is. Like a three-dimensional kaleidoscope, the picture is constantly changing. The following items provide insight into obesity as the new social norm, the impact of yo-yo dieting, one person’s 300-pound weight loss and the surprising success of virtual weight-loss programs:Is Obesity...

If you think I am talking about tidiness, you’re wrong. NEAT refers to Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis.That’s a mouthful. To understand the concept, think about it this way. You’re sitting in a chair, watching television—a sedentary state. The effort of sitting upright burns about five extra calories an hour compared to the calories you would burn if you were sleeping. Or you walk...

Researchers have defined five dietary patterns that are influenced by age, race, region, gender, income and education in a presentation at the American Heart Association’s 2012 scientific session. The study was based on a detailed questionnaire completed by 21,636 black and white adults age 45 and over. The five dietary patterns are as follows: Alcohol—proteins, alcohol (wine, beer and...

On any given day, reading the newspaper can lead one to believe that the fate of humankind is doomed. With the advent of global communications, we learn instantly of bad news anywhere on the planet on a 24/7 basis. This unending stream of threatening bulletins makes it important to note positive trends. Here are five positive developments in fitness and weight loss to counter the otherwise...

That the earth is flat was an idea whose time came—and went! Copernicus and Galileo argued otherwise in the 16th and 17th centuries, and their ideas eventually prevailed. Yet in the 21st century, economic ideas, promulgated by Thomas Friedman in The World Is Flat, resurrected the earlier notion. Friedman did not dispute scientific evidence; rather, he argued that remarkable advances in...

World-famous futurist Alvin Toffler said that “the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Our evolving understanding of the impact of certain foods on our health underscores his statement. Here are four new discoveries: Decaffeinated Coffee May Improve Memory and Prevent Diabetes: Drinking decaffeinated...

Are you familiar with the term clean eating? The editors of Clean Eating magazine state that the basic idea is "consuming food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible." Clean eating "is not a diet; it's a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation." Clean Eating's slogan is "improving your life one meal at a time." I find that the philosophy of clean eating resonates with me....

Given the research of hundreds of scientists around the world, we should have seen the breakthrough development coming. In 2021, scientists found a fat gene that could be switched off with a safe, inexpensive medical procedure. Millions rushed to solve their lifelong battle with surplus pounds, thereby adding years to their lives and reducing their risks for chronic or even fatal medical problems....

Given the alarming rise in the incidence of diabetes (or diabesity, a recently coined term suggesting the link between obesity and diabetes), researchers and health educators are struggling to come up with solutions to treat—or reverse—the trend. From early intervention to severe diets that cure diabetes, here are the latest reports:Diabetes Epidemic Affects 300 Million Adults Worldwide: An...