Daily exercise does wonders for kids' health

In an after-school exercise programme that included 70 minutes of physical activity five times per week kids lost body fat and improved their heart and lung health.

A nine-month after-school exercise programme helped young kids lose body fat and improve heart and lung strength compared to kids who didn't do the programme, according to a new trial.

It's clear that activity is good for kids, lead author Naiman A. Khan told Reuters Health. But he was surprised at just how much of a difference this programme made.

"We saw their overall body fat, abdominal fat go down, and in the absence of the programme kids actually increased in overall body fat," said Khan, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Moderate to vigorous physical activity

For their study, the researchers randomly divided 220 kids ages eight and nine into two groups. One group participated in the FITKids programme, which includes 70 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity five times per week for nine months, and the other group did not.

In the exercise group, kids did 20 to 25 minutes of health-related fitness activities plus 50 minutes of organised non-competitive games meant to keep their hearts beating at 55 to 80% of their maximum heart rate. That's higher than most previous exercise studies have aimed for, which may be why this study got such good results, according to Dianne Stanton Ward of the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health in Chapel Hill.

Ward studies obesity prevention in children. She was not involved in the new research. During exercise, kids wore heart rate watches so the researchers could monitor their activity levels.

After nine months, the kids in the exercise group had lost an average of close to one percent of their total body fat and more than one percent of the fat around their belly area, as reported in Paediatrics. Both kids who were a healthy weight and overweight or obese kids lost fat mass, but overweight or obese kids tended to lose a bit more relative to their starting size.

Staying active

Kids in the comparison group gained a small amount of fat over the nine-month period, and didn't get any more or less fit. The researchers "did a lot of things right in this study", including measuring physical fitness as well as body composition, Ward told Reuters Health.

The results indicate that staying active at this age influences the development of body fat and produces measurable changes in physical fitness. "And the kids must have had fun, because they didn't have to do this," she said, noting that few kids skipped days of the programme.

"It doesn't really matter the particulars of what the kids are doing as long as they get up to a moderate or vigorous heart rate," Ward said. Better fitness means a healthier heart and increased bone density, too, she said.

"As kids move up from the pre-pubertal age, sedentary pursuits often take over and their willingness to be involved in active pursuits is reduced," she said. That can lead to greater weight gain later on.

Less and less activity in school

It would be reasonable for policymakers to put more emphasis on physical education (PE) classes or for more after-school programmes to make time for physical activity, she said. "The recommendation is that children get at least 60 minutes of activity per day, but those don't have to occur at the same time," Khan said. "It could be incorporated throughout the school day."

The curriculum used to develop the FITKids program was originally designed for use in PE classes, Ward noted. FITKids has been available for kids in Illinois for six years and is still an option for kids in that area.

There are likely similar after-school options in other areas of the country, Khan said. "We know children are getting less and less activity in school," he said. But no matter where it happens, he added, "Providing children with opportunities to be physically active is beneficial to their health."

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What You Can Expect From Health Tips

You have a right to define your expectations on whatever aspect of life you are researching on. So, it is the case when you are trying to get the best way you can deal with the pressures of health in your general life. There are several resources that promise you better health and you will be able to have this kind of health.

The various tips that are available on health would help you in almost all aspects of health that you would think of. You can be sure that you would find them very real and up to date.

Health tips for beauty

If you are not sick and all you are interested in is to enhance your looks or beauty, you would have to find the best tips that would help you have the ideal beauty that you want. The tips are still available for free. They will help you in terms of shape and even facial and skin and hair beauty.

Health tips for weight loss

When you need to lose weight, the kind of tips that you would get would also be termed as health tips. When you have the ideal weight, you would be healthy and that is why, you need to consider the tips keenly. If possible, it is best that you make use of all of them.

Health tips for disease prevention

Diseases can really weigh you down and make you lose hope in life. Even when some of them have treatment that works, the pain is not worth it. the tips can help you forget about the pain and prevent diseases from getting into you completely.

Health tips for fitness

Some of the tips that you would come across are those of regular body exercise. Sometimes you would even see how you can burn the fat and build muscles. This would contribute to fitness which is best for you. So, it is true that the tips can help you get fit and on shape.

Health tips for nutrition

Nutrition is a very crucial aspect of our health. You can be sure that when you take the tips seriously, you would never miss out on the best nutrition that you actually should be keen on.

Health tips during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a very delicate period both for the mother and the unborn child. There are tips that would help this mother know what she needs to do so that they are both healthy and go through the period without any stress. She will be able to find this very important for her health and her baby's.

Health tips on drugs

Drugs are good because they cure disease and keep us well. They can be poisonous when they are taken for granted. There are tips that would help you know what you need to do especially when you are on drugs or on any kind of treatment.

So, the many health tips that you can see are important for various aspects of our lives. You can be sure that when you take the weight loss tips as part of your general health awareness routine, you would be happy in life.

There is no health care without applicable tips. You need to find out how you can make the best use of the health information to promote your health and life. Visit health-niche.com to know more.

Home Remedies and Yoga Can Be a Source of Natural Health Tips

Health is invaluable and there are certain things that money can't buy at all. Health comes without price tag. Changing lifestyle has changed our living and eating habits. Consequently, it has augmented the health related issues and problems among human beings. Medicines might not be suitable for everyone and it might cause side-effects. But natural remedies and yoga are bound to compromise a good source of health tips. In the coming sections, we would discuss how home remedies and yoga can be beneficial in providing you necessary health tips.

As a matter of fact, there is an increasing excitement among the researchers and scientists too regarding the evolution of home remedies and yoga in curing a number of health related issues. It is estimated that there is a strong influence of 'sense of smell' over physiological and psychological health. Certain vegetables and herbs can be best for the body and its good health.

A number of studies, though in their initial stages, have also unveiled that natural and home remedies can provide health tips for a number of issues. For instance, it is revealed that fragrances of vanilla, peppermint and coffee have the capacity to cure certain health related issues and have therapeutic effects. Another study also reveals that inhalation of certain chemicals such as those found in linalool, flowers and spices helps in reducing stress, especially in rats. Certain other such home remedies helps in making people calmer.

Yoga has been providing health tips since years and it was developed in Hindu culture. But now, its benefits are evident all over the world. Yoga possesses health tips for depression and is powerful in curing a number of health related problems. There are many exercises that help in curing breath-related, throat, nose, anxiety and other such health related problems.

Bikram Yoga which is started by Bikram Choudhury can help in providing health tips for asthma, arthritis and other such issues. Yoga can in fact, help in creating a balance in the flow of energy of life, it can provide peace to mind and soul as well. It is the most holistic approach for the mental, physical and spiritual good health of human beings. It can provide health tips and can be very useful for relaxation, stress relief, clarity, concentration, memory, and stamina, zeal for life, motivation, will power, self confidence, awareness, creative insight and inner peace as well as happiness.

Treatments, therapies and medicines might cause side-effects to your health but natural, home made remedies and yoga are a source of a number of health tips. These are a few natural treatments that can prove beneficial in your health menaces and nuisances. If you do not wish to go for medicines, then do not worry because nature has in store a number of tips for your health. Health and wellness are one of the most important aspects of your life and you can find solutions to a number of issues within your home. So adopt the home made remedies and yoga and stay healthy always!

Health is usually a prime concern and people must be careful about their wellness. It is not mandatory that medicines provide you utmost satisfaction. Sometimes home remedies and Bikram yoga can have in store a number of health tips that can prove beneficial.

Some Tip-Top Health Tips

A healthy lifestyle begins with a healthy body. Americans have becoming increasingly unhealthy, sedentary, and unhappy in the last decade and rank relatively lower on the scale than other nations for overall healthiness and happiness. The two do often go hand in hand. Obesity is on the rise, closely correlated with a sedentary lifestyle and is one of the leading reasons for depression. The famous line "a healthy mind leads to a healthy body" also applies when talking about overall healthiness. This is a list of the top health tips for leading a happy and healthy lifestyle.

· Don't diet. Eat healthier all of the time and it will be better in the long run. Losing weight gradually is generally better than losing it quickly and is more likely to stay off.

· Eat a high fiber diet. This is an important top health tip. This includes whole grains, brown bread, and cereals. Fiber regulates the digestive system and reduces the risk of bowel cancer. Average about 13-18 grams of fiber a day.

· Stay away from hazardous artificial sweeteners, and try to substitute sugar with the likes of natural sweetening alternatives such as agave nectar or better yet stevia artificial sweetener that is safe and sweet.

· Reduce the amount of saturated fat consumed daily. Only 35% of daily calorie intake should be fat calories and only 10% of those should be from saturated fats.

· Drink less alcohol. Men and women have different requirements - women should have less than 14 units per week and men should have less than 21 units of alcohol. That is equivalent to one glass of one or half a pint of beer. As usual, moderation wins out - a small amount of alcohol helps the heart while a large amount is bad.

· Try to eat the recommended five fruits and vegetable servings a day. It helps to vary the daily diet with different colored fruits and vegetables and also gives a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

· Consume more fish. Omega three fatty acids in the oils are very protective against heart disease and raised cholesterol levels. The recommended weekly serving of fish is two to three - because it provides 1.5 grams of fatty acids.

· Reduce the amount of salt consumed. No more than 5-6 grams of salt should be consumed daily and too much salt can cause heart complications later on.

· Drink about eight ounces of liquid a day. This is not limited to water and can be fruit juices. This helps the kidneys to flush and stay healthy and reduces urinary tract infections.

· Take vitamin and mineral supplements as a back up only. It is much easier to consume the proper foods and meet the minimum nutrient requirements.

· One of the most important top health tips is to exercise! Exercise thirty minutes a day at least to lower the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and most of all, to combat obesity.

These top health tips covered overall health, but it is important to remember that there are other ways to help our bodies stay healthy. For females, we should look to reduce our risk of osteoporosis. For males, prostate health and heart health are very important. These are the top health tips for bone health:

· Weight control. The bones are the shock absorbers of the body. If the body weighs more than is recommended the bones are under undue stress and can lead to osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and increased blood pressure. Avoid junk foods that are high in fat and cholesterol and have little nutritional value.

· Movement is another important top health tip. This will keep the body from gaining weight and the joints stiffening up from disuse. Low impact for at risk people is best.

· Do weight bearing exercises. As a person ages their bones become less dense and more brittle. Strengthening joints and bones with low impact exercise is optimal; not only does it keep the bones and joints moving, it also keeps the heart and other body systems in shape.

· Flexibility exercises are a top health tip as well; range of motion improves joint health by lubricating the joints and keeping them from becoming stiff.

· Dietary aids that are rich in calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus naturally fortify bones.

These top health tips will help anyone achieve a healthy life style and improve overall health. An active person is happier than a sedentary one. This list provided the top health tips for achieving a lower overall body weight, a healthier heart, and helps to prolonging the effects of aging. Reading this list of top health tips can assist with leading a better lifestyle.

Neglected Health Tips

There are many places to find a good health tip, whether it is on the internet or in a book. I am going to go over a few different tips that are important, but sometimes neglected. As I say in most of my health and fitness articles, the tips I give are not hard or boring. They will make getting healthy and fit an easy thing to do. You will be surprised.

Something that will help you out is adding some kind of fitness into your life. It does not have to be strenuous or tiring by any means. It can be as simple as taking a walk around your block. Adding this into your schedule helps out on so many levels. It gives you a chance to get outside and breathe some fresh air. It helps keep your body active, many different muscle will keep stimulated. Walking outside also gives you a chance to open up your chest and breathe deep. A lot of people that I talk too, that use walking in their daily routine, tell me it not only does wonders for their body, but also for their mind. They say that being outside alone gives them time to think and really clear their mind of stress. Give it a try; with this simple good health tip you will notice a great difference.

A pretty self-explanatory good health tip is to stop eating out. I'm not saying that every place that you eat out is unhealthy, but chances are that the majority of them are not good for your health. Usually 'eat out' places tend to use a lot of processed foods and contain tons of salts. If you do find yourself at a fast food place, try and eat one of their healthy alternatives. Now, even the most unhealthy food restaurants will have a couple of healthy choices on their menu.

Another tip comes with one simple and common word, water. Yes water; the majority of people, young and old, don't get their daily water requirements. Again, a very simple good health tip that works wonders. Start drinking more water instead of the regular sugary drinks. Examples are coffee, soda, and juice. Of course it is unrealistic to cut these things out of your diet completely but instead try to exchange some of them for water. Somewhere around 8 cups of water a day is a healthy amount. Get in the routine of having water with you. If you have water with you, there is no need to go and buy a liter of soda from the corner store.

My last good health tip comes with little explanation. When you eat, please eat slowly. Most people eat like wild animals. Enjoy your food and let your body take it with ease, don't force it all down and let your body have to suffer. You'll notice when you eat slower that you won't be eating as much. Eating slow will give your body a chance to tell you when it is full, instead of eating it all up quickly and your body not having a chance to tell you to stop. Eat slowly, your food will taste better!!

Brett Nordin is the proud owner of the blog 'Health and Fitness For Anyone' and is dedicated to revealing his knowledge and information to you. To find out more please view his blog site http://healthfitnessforall.blogspot.com/

Health Tips From Your Own Body?

While going about our lives, especially as we get older, we think of our mortality and focus more emphasis on health tips. We read glossy magazine articles which advise us what to eat, what to drink, and how much of it should we consume. Morning and evening news broadcasts exhibit daily or weekly health tips informing us of the latest in nutritional information.

Visually dazzling websites blog about cutting edge wonder mechanisms which will help us burn fat and achieve ideal abs. Mass media outlets have shaped our philosophy involving what's good for us. They've inculcated in our heads what we should do for our bodies based on countless laboratory experiments sponsored by corporate conglomerates.

But what about taking a more holistic approach to health tips? How about using common sense to listen to your body and learn what it specifically needs, or doesn't need, to be at its best? Sounds strange? Not if you put it in the right light.

Ever realize how specifically eating fried chicken livers gave you heartburn? Notice when you specifically ate white rice instead of the healthier brown rice, you felt sickeningly bloated? Remember specifically eating a couple of oysters that sent you scampering nervously for the nearest bathroom?

In each of these instances, you've specifically identified what your body does not like. You listened to your body because it was wildly protesting the foods you fed it. Now, recall the last time you ate an apple, or chomped on a celery stick. Even though it may have happened a long while back, you don't remember feeling anything, did you? You just kept right on going with your day, thinking nothing of how your body greatly appreciated a nutritious snack. Your body kept quiet because it was contented. You provided your body with your own health tips without even realizing it!

It turns out, for a growing number of people, you don't have to spend lots of dollars to buy lots of magazines to get lots of health. You don't have to spend hours clicking through websites, one after the other, staring at your monitor, trying to absorb every health tidbit you come across. You just have to listen to your body and use common sense. There's no need to join a trendy gym. Cut out the perpetual beatings mass media provides despite their good intentions, and be your own source of health tips.

Each day brings a whole slew of new tips or old ones viewed from a different angle. You'd go crazy trying to read and absorb them all. Then what usually happens? You get fed up and reach for a donut, tired of the incessant media barrage and wander off, seeking solace in sugars.

Take a moment and simply remember your body is your individuality. Those articles you see and hear about are for the masses. Yes, they're there to help you, but take them only as a guide. When it comes right down to it, the best health tips are those which you've gained over the years living your life.

Look, your body will give you your own fitness tips, it will tell you what you should be eating and what you should be steering clear of. You just have to listen for those health tips!

You'll love this valuable online health tips [http://hallehealthtips.com] resource. Stay healthy with the following heart health tips [http://hallehealthtips.com/6-heart-health-tips/] to keep your body functioning the way it's supposed to!

Heart Health Tips

The first and foremost among heart health tips is that better lifestyle habits can help you reduce your risk for heart attack. You are what you eat. Better food habits can help you reduce your risk for heart attack. A healthy eating plan means choosing the right foods to eat and preparing foods in a healthy way.

Follow the Ten easy heart health tips to a healthier heart. You can reduce the chances of a heart attack by 90 percent.

To begin with, walk 30 minutes a day everyday, no matter what. Find a person who's supportive and will not nag and will call you if you haven't called him/her. It is crucial to call someone everyday. That's the real commitment.

The next in the line of heart health tips is to know your blood pressure and do whatever it takes to get it down to 115/75.You can have the blood pressure down to 115/75 with just weight loss, walking and decreasing sugar and saturated fat in your diet.

Include 30 grams of nuts a day in your diet. Nuts raise HDL good cholesterol and decrease inflammation. But they have a heart benefit independent of those too. Nuts have healthy omega-3 fatty acids, healthy protein and some fiber. And this is one of the heart health tips is easy to do. Nuts that are raw, fresh and unsalted have the most benefit.

The fourth of the heart health tips is to learn your HDL (Good Cholesterol) number and do what you can to raise it to 50.For women; some believe a high HDL is more important than a lower LDL (Bad Cholesterol). The easy ways to increase it: exercise; have one drink a day; eat healthy fats such as safflower oil and nuts.

Eat 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce a week. This is one of my favorite heart health tips. Tomato sauce is loaded with blood pressure slashing potassium.

Floss the teeth regularly to avoid periodontal disease. It prevents inflammation in the arteries, which helps us head off heart disease. Many of us are unaware that our oral health affects all our arterial health, and that includes blood flow to the heart and sexual organs, and may be even wrinkles on our skin.

Eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat a day and as little trans fat as possible to avoid inflammation in the arteries.

Don't be fooled by foods that are low in fat but high in sugar. Read labels and throw out all food that has sugar as an important ingredient. The sugar causes inflammation and if you use more sugar than you need, it gets morphed into omentum fat, that dangerous fat around the belly.

One of the welcome heart health tips is to have a glass of wine or beer. It is a consistent finding that teetotalers have a higher risk of heart disease than people who drink a little, and people who drink a lot have little heart disease but tend to die of cancer. Though there are serious dangers to drinking, any kind of alcohol in moderation is good for arteries.

Finally, eat several servings of colorful fruits and vegetables a day. Include a lot of fiber, and do not increase to that amount all at once. Make sure the produce is fresh and wash it carefully and thoroughly.

Even if the first seven of the tips is followed (Make sure you don't smoke), you will reduce the chance of a heart attack by 90 percent compared to a typical person your age.

Hope you will make the most and benefit from the above said heart health tips to live a long,hearty and healthy life.

The Author, Mary Rose has authored several books including books related to health and fitness. For more information log on to http://www.casanads.com/bm/hf.htm

Private health care must become cheaper

The price of private health care needs to be reduced to help the National Health Insurance scheme work, according to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

The price of private health care needs to be reduced to help the National Health Insurance scheme work, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in Johannesburg on Thursday.

"Two things are needed to make the NHI flourish – the public health care system must work and pricing in private health must be tamed."

The private health sector was resisting this change, he said.

"Court cases are being prepared. I'm aware of people who follow me to meetings... taking notes to prepare a court case.

"They want to make people believe that health care is expensive."

Motsoaledi said he could not be neutral on the matter.

"I want health care to be affordable."

Quality standards needed to be high and consistent, and monitoring and evaluation systems were being developed to help ensure the NHI could realise this ideal.

The NHI pilot project was started in April 2012 across 11 districts in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and the Free State.

The scheme will be phased in across the country over 14 years.

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Foods That Reduce Cholesterol Infographic

Gardening, Housework May Help Boost Your Heart Health

Study of Swedish seniors found a reduced death risk of up to 30 percent

 

Activities such as gardening, do-it-yourself projects and housework may be as good as formal exercise when it comes to reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke, Swedish researchers say.

For people 60 and older, just keeping busy with daily activities can reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems by nearly 30 percent and even prolong life, they added.

Being on your feet and active cuts the time spent sitting around, pointed out lead researcher Elin Ekblom-Bak, of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm.

"Sitting is mainly replacing time you spend in daily activity and vice versa," Ekblom-Bak said. A recent study found long periods of sitting actually increased the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death, she noted.

"The results of this study showed that activities of daily life are as important as regular intentional exercise for older adults for cardiovascular health and longevity," she said.

But that doesn't mean formal exercise isn't important. "We saw that those who exercised regularly and that also had a daily physically active life had the lowest risk of all," Ekblom-Bak explained.

The time people spend exercising, however, is only a small part of the day, which leaves a lot of time for daily activities or sitting, she added.

For the new study, researchers collected data on more than 3,800 men and women in Sweden who were born in 1937 and 1938. Participants were asked about their lifestyle, which included information on their diet, whether they smoked or drank alcohol, and how physically active they were.

The participants were also asked how often they took part in activities, such as gardening, do-it-yourself projects, car maintenance and blackberry picking over the past year. They were also asked about any exercise they did.

To see how heart-healthy they were, the researchers examined the participants and took blood samples to assess levels of fat and sugar. They also checked for high levels of blood-clotting factor, which is linked to a raised heart attack and stroke risk.

During more than 12 years of follow-up, 476 of the participants died from or experienced a first heart attack or stroke, and 383 died from other various causes.

People whose daily activities kept them moving reduced their risk of a heart attack or stroke by 27 percent and the risk of dying from any cause by 30 percent, compared to people who spent the least amount of time on their feet.

"Promoting daily life activities is as important as recommending regular exercise for older adults for cardiovascular health and longevity," Ekblom-Bak said.

"This is particularly important for older adults as they tend to spend a greater portion of their active day performing non-exercise physical activity, as they often find it difficult to achieve recommended exercise intensity levels," she said.

The report was published online Oct. 28 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Traditional notions of retirement often don't support continued physical activity at this stage of life, a U.S. expert said.

"It is almost expected that as we age, we move less," said Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist and exercise physiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City.

"Retirement, a patient told me, is for sitting around, resting and watching TV," she said. "Unfortunately, sedentary lifestyles now range across all ages with the same unhealthy results: increased risk for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and certain cancers."

The human body is designed to be moving a good portion of the day, Heller said. "The less one physically moves, the less they are able to move," she said.

Regular physical activities such as house cleaning, gardening, lawn care and climbing stairs help keep the body mobile and strong, Heller said.

Continue reading below...

"You can burn up to six times as much energy per minute when house cleaning as you do when you are sitting still. People of all ages need to be encouraged to get up off the couch and turn off the computer and TV and move," she said.

Heller said there are simple ways to add more physical activity into the day, such as the following:

• Standing up when talking on the phone.


• Marching in place when watching TV -- at least during the commercials.


• Getting up from your desk every hour and doing jumping jacks, knee lifts or knee bends for three to five minutes.


• Climbing a flight of stairs every few hours.


• Vacuuming the house.


• Mopping the floor.

Another expert described the physical fallout of being sedentary.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said sitting for too long may have adverse effects including burning fewer calories, and increasing insulin resistance and fats in the blood.

"Greater time spent in non-exercise physical activities can potentially counter these effects," Fonarow said. "These findings further emphasize the importance of decreasing sedentary time and encouraging everyday regular non-exercise physical activity to improve cardiovascular health."

Although the study found an association between being active around the house and reduced heart risk, it did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

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Health Agency Chief Apologizes for Federal Website Woes

The head of the federal agency responsible for HealthCare.gov issued a public apology Tuesday for problems that have plagued the health insurance website since its Oct. 1 launch.

"I want to apologize to you that the website has not worked as well as it should," Marilyn Tavenner, administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told members of the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee at a hearing on the Affordable Care Act.

Tavenner told the committee that the website problems were being fixed.

"We are seeing improvements each week, and as we've said publicly, by the end of November, the experience on the site will be smooth for the vast majority of users," she said.

Last week, the Obama administration announced that a "punch list" of website fixes have been identified and were being implemented to eliminate the bugs in the system and improve the consumer shopping experience.

Tavenner's apology comes one day before the Obama administration's top health official, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, is scheduled to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Sebelius is expected to face tough questioning from committee members about the troubled rollout of the federal marketplace, a key component of the historic and controversial Affordable Care Act that is intended to bring health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.

The law requires most Americans to have health insurance or pay tax penalties. But in light of the HealthCare.gov website foul-up, many Republicans and some Democrats are seeking a one-year delay of the penalties.

Tavenner admitted that the website's "initial experience has not lived up to our expectations or the expectations of the American people, and it is not acceptable."

"We are committed to improving the performance and have already made progress," she said, citing efforts to debug the site, add capacity and improve the consumer shopping experience.

Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the committee, repeatedly asked Tavenner for the number of people who have actually enrolled in health plans through the federal and state marketplaces. HealthCare.gov handles insurance registration for 36 states; the remaining 14 states and the District of Columbia operate their own sites.

"We will not have those numbers until mid-November," Tavenner said, noting that the initial number is expected to be small.

Camp expressed concern about preventing a spike in premiums if not enough young adults enroll in coverage. Tavenner said health-plan rates for 2014 are "very competitive."

The successful enrollment of younger, healthier adults is considered vital to the success of the Affordable Care Act -- sometimes called Obamacare -- because their premiums are expected to help offset the cost of care required by older, sicker Americans.

During the question-and-answer period, Democrats on the panel urged their colleagues -- Democrats and Republicans -- to be patient and work together.

"We can't get caught up in the glitches and technical difficulties and lose our perspective," said Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.).

But Republicans pressed Tavenner for assurances that the website would be ready in plenty of time for people to enroll for coverage, especially those whose health insurance policies have been cancelled because their health plans don't meet new criteria under the Affordable Care Act.

Dec. 15 is the deadline for enrolling for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1.

"Can you guarantee no American will experience a gap in their health care?" Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) asked the Medicare and Medicaid chief.

Those individuals can transfer to new coverage through their insurer or go on the federal exchange, Tavenner explained. Anyone facing a gap in coverage in January "can go to the call center today and we can help them," she said.

During a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Julie Bataille, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said, "We are confident that consumers will be able to enroll in coverage by December 15th for coverage in January."

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Promising Scientific Studies On Yoga And Health Infographic

Researchers have shown that yoga could be better than other forms of exercise for depression

The study compared the brain GABA levels of individuals doing yoga with those of individuals who walked.

Those who had done yoga had a greater reduction in anxiety and also better improvement in mood than individuals that walked.

More Good News About Nuts

Eating about an oz. of nuts – particularly walnuts – a minimum of 3 times per week might lower your risk of dying from cancer or cardiovascular disease compared with folks that don’t eat dotty. the most recent study comes from Espana, wherever researchers checked out the results of feeding Mediterranean diets and either vegetable oil or dotty vs. the results of a coffee fat diet among over seven,000 participants ages fifty five to ninety. those that ate nuts had lower BMIs, smaller waists, were additional physically active, were less probably to smoke and ate additional vegetables, fruits and fish than those that seldom or ne'er ate dotty, researchers rumored. Rates of sort a pair of diabetes were lower among the nut eaters and fewer of them were on medicine for prime force per unit area. Overall, study participants who rumored feeding dotty had thirty-nine p.c lower risk of dying throughout the study than non-nut-eaters, whereas the chance of death for those that ate walnuts was forty five p.c lower, investigators wrote. the chance of death as a result of disorder was fifty five p.c lower and their risk of dying from cancer was forty p.c lower among those that ate nuts.

Power Breakfast for Your Heart

Eating breakfast might facilitate defend you from heart condition...and late night snacking might does one in. These findings come back from a 16-year study that examined the lifestyles of twenty six,902 male health professionals, and illustrate the ability ingestion habits will have over our health. It showed that participants World Health Organization skipped breakfast had a 27 % higher risk of attack or death from coronary heart condition than people who same they'd morning meals. The study, from the Harvard faculty of Public Health, checked out information from questionnaires the lads completed that delved into such problems as what proportion time they spent looking TV, what proportion they exercised and slept, the standard of their diets, the quantity of alcohol they drank, whether or not they smoke-cured, their anamnesis, BMI, whether or not they worked full-time , were married and if had regular physical exams. Late night ingestion – once reaching to bed – raised the chance of heart condition by 55 %, however the researchers noted that not several of the lads within the study reported  obtaining up within the wee hours to eat. The study was printed within the July twenty three, 2012 issue of Circulation.

Can’t Sleep? Blame the Moon

It may sound far-fetched, however Swiss researchers have revealed a study demonstrating that the standard of sleep will modification with satellite cycles. Investigators at the University of Basel analyzed the sleep of over thirty volunteers in 2 age teams within the sleep research lab. whereas study participants were asleep, the analysis team monitored brain patterns, eye movements and measured internal secretion secretions. once reviewing all the information, the study team complete that each the subjective and objective perception of sleep quality modified with the section of the moon. Of note, they found that round the time of a full-of-the-moon, brain activity in areas associated with deep sleep reduced by thirty p.c which participants took 5 minutes longer to go to sleep, and slept for twenty minutes but usual. Tests additionally showed lower blood levels of the sleep regulation internal secretion endocrine once the moon was full. trendy life and electrical lights might habitually mask the moon’s influence on US, however within the controlled surroundings of the laboratory, the results of the moon come into sight and measurable, the investigators complete.

Why Walk to Work?

If you walk, ride a bike or take public transportation to work, you’re less likely to be overweight compared to people who drive to work or take a taxi. You’re also 17 percent less likely to have high blood pressure. And walkers are 40 percent less likely to have diabetes. These findings come from a British survey of 20,000 people across the UK. Researchers at Imperial College London and University College London determined that 19 percent of working age adults who drove, taxied or rode a motorbike to work were obese compared to 15 percent of those who walked and 13 percent of those who rode their bikes. The survey showed that cyclists were about half as likely to have diabetes as drivers, and that transport to work varied widely with location within the UK. For example, in London 52 percent of those surveyed used public transportation, while only five percent did in Northern Ireland.

Why Exercise Isn’t a Sleeping Pill

Regular exercise will contribute to sound sleep, however if you begin associate degree exercise program don’t expect immediate results. A study at Northwestern University found that initially aerobic exercise could also be no facilitate the least bit for individuals with sleep disorder. In fact, if you exercise throughout the day so don’t sleep that night, you’re seemingly to feel too exhausted to get on the treadmill following day, the investigators rumored. The analysis team analyzed knowledge from a 2010 test showing that exercise improved sleep, mood and vitality over sixteen weeks in middle-age to older adults with sleep disorder. They conjointly checked out daily sleep knowledge from eleven ladies ages fifty seven to seventy. They found that regular long exercise promotes sound sleep, however that a poor night’s sleep discourages exercise. The researchers noted that earlier studies showing that exercise promotes sound sleep were through with those who had no hassle sleeping. Bottom line: the analysis disclosed that individuals with sleep disorder sleep higher if they exercise, however they need to persist through the initial phases rather than yield just because the exercise result didn’t kick in directly.

My take? Studies clearly show that individuals who square measure physically active sleep higher than those that square measure inactive. The a lot of energy you expend throughout the day, the sleepier you'll feel at hour. whereas you watch for the exercise result to kick in, I counsel making an attempt respiratory exercises, meditation and yoga. These practices don't seem to be sleep disorder cures, however do result in a state of mind causative to sleep. I conjointly suggest establishing a regular hour routine. this can be one among the foremost vital factors in addressing sleep disorder and maintaining smart sleeping habits. hour activities might embrace taking a heat tub or a soothing go in the evening, or active meditation/relaxation exercises as a part of your regular nighttime routine.

What Eating Grapes Says About Your Diet

If you or your kids snack on grapes or raisins and sip 100 percent grape juice, your diet is likely to be healthier than most. A new analysis of the diets of more than 21,800 children and adults suggests that grape eaters have a pretty healthy all-around diet – in general they eat more vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds than those who don’t eat grapes, and they consume less added sugar, total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. The report was based on data gathered from the 2003 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It showed that grape consumers had increased intake of vitamins A, C and B6, fiber, calcium and potassium. In other news about grapes, an animal study at the University of Michigan showed that eating grapes can reduce heart failure associated with chronic high blood pressure by increasing the activity of several genes responsible for antioxidant defense in the heart tissue.

My take? The only downside to the news that eating grapes is a marker for good nutrition is the fact that grapes perennially make the Environmental Working Group’s list of the “Dirty Dozen Plus” - a ranking of fruits and vegetables that have high pesticide loads. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat grapes – they are good for you - but it does mean that they’re one of the fresh produce items you should always buy organic.

Prescription Sleep Drugs: What You Need to Know Now

When used properly, prescription sleep medications could offer fast relief of the symptoms of insomnia—and could also be safer and more practical than over-the-counter medicines that do not need a doctor's permission to get.

But not all prescription choices are shown to be effective for semipermanent treatment of sleep disorder. and plenty of of those medicines will cause facet effects like low pressure, anxiety, and nausea. proof suggests that these medicines additionally could diminish effective once your body gets accustomed them.

Sleep-Deprived Americans Can't Get Any Shut-Eye

Whether they blame it on the kids, stress, or the lure of the Internet, most Americans feel like theyre not getting enough sleep.

And people in the eastern United States—particularly West Virginians—have it the worst, according to the first survey to take a state-by-state look at peoples perceptions of sleep—or lack of. (People in California and North Dakota seem to get the best rest.)The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey found that overall, more than 1 in 10 people, or 11.1%, did not get enough sleep or rest on any night in the past 30 days. A lucky 30.7% said they got enough rest or sleep every night for the past month.

The rest fell somewhere in the middle, according to the 2008 survey of 403,981 adults.

As people got older, they tended to report better sleep. Hispanics slept better than whites or blacks, while men slept better than women. A whopping 25.8% of people who were unable to work said they had not gotten a single nights good rest in the previous month, while 13.9% of unemployed people fell into this category, compared to 9.9% of people with jobs and 11.1% of students and homemakers.

There were big differences among states, with 19.3% of West Virginians reporting no nights of adequate rest for the past 30 days, compared to 7.4% of North Dakotans and 8% of Californians. Other bad-sleep states included Tennessee, with 14.8% having been sleep deprived for the past month; Kentucky, with 14.4%; and Oklahoma, with 14.3%.

The study suggests that people out West really may be more relaxed than Easterners: in fact, 12 of the 14 best-sleeping states were west of the Mississippi.

The authors of the CDC report suggest that the higher prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and other chronic disease in the southeastern U.S. could be a factor in why people there arent getting a good nights rest.