January 1-7, 2009 - Original Health Articles

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Exercise is as old as the ancient Greeks...and popular as ever. Probably one of the best examples is the marathon (which is derived from Pheidippides' supposed 40-kilometer run from Marathon to Athens): In 1977, more than 4,000 people signed up to run the first Chicago Marathon; in 1995, 9,000 did.

The front doorknob, the staircase banister, the microwave door. What do these three areas have in common? They're in your home, you touch them every day, and they're likely infested with microorganisms. Or, in layman's terms, germs. By nature, germs spread through the air, but they can linger on surfaces for 2 hours or longer.

Being stressed is an awful feeling. It can toy with your mental state ("I'll never get my work done") and can affect your physical well-being: according to a recent study, being stressed can actually make you itchy. But the secret to stress management may lie in an activity that involves fundamental human actions: stretching, breathing, and relaxation.

Think fatty foods are bad for diabetics? A new study suggests that the opposite may be true: that extra fat in the buttocks and thighs may actually help prevent type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that injecting subcutaneous fat (fat just below the skin) into the abdomens of mice helped improve sensitivity to insulin.

Hollywood has always had its quirky-looking stars. And although their ranks may be thinning in this age of nose jobs and Photoshop, we've rounded up eight celebs who've stuck to their guns — and refuse to shy away from their individuality. Tyra Banks.

It's undeniable that most of us have made New Year's resolutions that we didn't keep. Along with requiring extra time and scheduling changes, resolutions also frequently entail forking over extra cash-something that is far from easy in our current economical climate.

Everyone makes them, few keep them. That's right, it's the New Year Resolution, so popular that it has its own Wikipedia entry and a page on the government's Web site. Come January 1, everyone wants to lose weight, pay off debts, and quit smoking. But we're not interested in which resolution you're making or which one is most popular.

In the movies, traumatic news is enough to trigger a heart attack. On TV shows, a dramatic mother tells her rebellious teen son that he's going to give her a heart attack. As it turns out, these situations may not be too far from the truth. Research shows a direct link between stress and an unhealthy heart.

By now, you probably know that salmon and blueberries are good for your heart. In fact, you're probably sick of hearing that salmon and blueberries are good for you. Fortunately, you can keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels low and still enjoy a more varied diet.