Experience Life : Health and Wellness

Creak, Crackle, Pop!

By Kelle Walsh — 2008-08-01

What is that sound coming from your joints, and should you be concerned? Find out what's normal, and what you might want to get checked out.

Life, Interrupted

By Erin Peterson — 2008-08-01

A dozen years ago, Jodi Ring suffered two brain aneurysms that could easily have left her dead. Instead, they led her to get on her bike and ride.

Functional Wellness, Part 2: Hormones and Inflammation

By Mark Hyman, MD — 2008-08-01

Hormonal imbalances can lead to a host of serious health problems, including inflammation, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia and more. Here's how to get your body back in balance.

Fitter Than You: Three 50-plus Athletes Who Can Kick Your Butt

By Sheila Mulrooney Eldred — 2008-08-01

The passing of a few measly decades needn't bring one's fitness pursuits to an untimely end. Indeed, for these three athletes, getting older means getting better.

Functional Wellness, Part 1: Genes and the Environment

By Mark Hyman, MD — 2008-06-01

Learn how your genes interact with your habits, lifestyle and surroundings to create a healthy body - or an unhealthy one.

Gut Feelings

By Alyssa Ford — 2008-06-01

By cultivating your intuitive skills, you'll be able to listen more closely to what your body is trying to tell you.

Break the Fast-Food Habit

By Kristin Ohlson — 2008-05-01

Not only does fast food tend to be unhealthy, but some of its ingredients are downright addictive. Here's how to kick the habit.

Day-to-Day Detox

By Erin Peterson — 2008-05-01

Because our bodies are exposed to a constant barrage of harmful toxins, the best detoxification regimen is a daily one. Here are some simple steps to keep your body running clean.

Head Case

By Susan Gaines — 2008-04-01

When the source of your pain escapes you - and your doctor - it could be psychogenic.

No-Vacation Nation

By John de Graaf — 2008-03-01

Americans are getting fewer and fewer days off. This lack of paid vacation, say many experts, doesn't just translate into less time spent at the beach. An unhealthy work-life balance affects not only our health and well-being, but our families and our society as a whole. Here's what we can do about it.

The Simple Way to Slim

By Catherine Guthrie — 2008-02-01

Subsisting on low-calorie foods and skipping meals is no way to lose weight - and no way to live. Instead, we should rid our diets of toxins and inflammatory irritants. As a byproduct of cleaning up our bodies, we'll shed extra pounds.

Take Care of Yourself

By Courtney E. Martin — 2008-02-01

Overcoming barriers to self-care can be difficult, especially for women. But making time and space for ourselves - and getting over any residual emotional guilt - is critical to our well-being and happiness. In the long run, it's better for those around us, too.

A Study in Confusion

By Catherine Guthrie — 2007-12-01

For years, sophisticated consumers have relied on the latest clinical trials to guide their health choices, but exactly how reliable are these studies? If you're depending solely on scientific evidence for your health solutions, your assumptions about what's right might well be wrong.

How to Hydrate

By Sarah Tuff — 2007-12-01

Too much? Too little? What to drink and when? Staying hydrated doesn't have to be confusing - especially once you're armed with these slick tips from sports-nutrition experts.

How Exercise Heals

By Susan Gaines — 2007-11-01

Regular physical activity can help us recover more quickly, heal more easily, and get an edge over all kinds of disease and injury. In fact, exercise may just be nature's best medicine.

Living Strong With Cancer

By Catherine Guthrie — 2007-11-01

When an otherwise healthy, fit person who has “done everything right” receives a cancer diagnosis, it can feel unfair on many levels. Still, experts say, don't ditch your healthy habits now - they may be some of your strongest allies in recovery.

Help Wanted: Health Coach

By Joseph Hart — 2007-11-01

Trained to listen and support, rather than simply dole out advice, health coaches are attracting more attention than ever - from patients and from a healthcare industry desperate for solutions.

Build a Better Brain

By Sandra Kettle — 2007-10-01

Fitness is more than just losing weight and toning up - it's a whole-body pursuit, one that includes tending to the health of one of your most important organs: the brain.

Band Practice

By Gina DeMillo Wagner — 2007-10-01

It doesn't take pumping iron or fancy weight machines to get a body of steel. Resistance bands let you do a wide array of safe, effective exercises that making building strength and sinew simple.

Your Parents, Yourself

By Patrick Downes — 2007-10-01

When your aging parents aren't living as healthfully as you'd like, it can create a stressful situation – for them and you. Here's how to cope.

The Best Defense

By Alyssa Ford — 2007-10-01

Your immune system works to keep you healthy 24 hours a day. Here's how to help it operate at peak efficiency.

A Better Birth

By Kara Douglass Thom — 2007-09-01

Medical interventions have their place. But simpler, healthier birthing options abound – and they're becoming more popular. Want to make your pregnancy and labor as safe and empowering as possible? Consider your choices, including the birthing partners, plans and environments that suit you best.

Apples

By Cary Neff — 2007-09-01

Any way you slice them, they're healthy and delicious!

Good Bacteria Welcome

By Catherine Guthrie — 2007-08-01

Find out why some internal bacteria are our pals – and why providing a happy, well-balanced home for them is essential to our vitality and well-being.

Vitality!

By Catherine Guthrie — 2007-06-01

Has modern life depleted your vitality? Here's how to reclaim it.

Start Seeing Toxins

By Alyssa Ford — 2007-05-01

Toxic chemicals surround us –often in the places we'd least suspect. Want to protect your body, your home and your world from harmful pollutants? Start by knowing where to look.

Little Bugs, Big Trouble

By Catherine Guthrie — 2007-05-01

Parasitic infections are on the rise, but there are plenty of ways to keep the beasts from taking over.

The New View of Health

By Experience Life with reporting by Kelly Grace — 2007-04-01

Once perceived as the domain of medical experts tasked with keeping our symptoms at bay, the realm of personal healthcare has expanded. It now includes broader definitions, more integrated, preventive approaches – and, perhaps most important, us.

The Shoe for You

By Victoria L. Freeman, PhD — 2007-04-01

Your choice of athletic footwear can make or break your fitness game. It can also influence your risks of injury. Here, some tips on finding the right shoe for the job – and for your bod.

What I Learned at the Spa

By Kelle Walsh — 2007-03-01

Today's destination spas don't just pamper your body. They expand your horizons – and change your life.

A Change for the Better

By Eliza Thomas — 2007-02-01

Meet three people who took on their health and fitness goals - and changed their lives as a result.

Health: the New Sex Symbol

By Pilar Gerasimo — 2006-12-01

From the biological basis for attraction to the underpinnings of head-turning good looks - an exploration into the compelling connections between vitality and sex appeal.

The Food-Mood Connection

By Jack Challem — 2006-12-01

Yes, your eating habits play a big role in determining your disease risks. But did you know that they also have a huge effect on your state of mind?

To the Best of Our Ability

By Joseph Hart — 2006-12-01

From wheelchair marathoners and amputee cyclists to powerfully competitive quadriplegic rugby players, physically challenged athletes are teaching the rest of us some valuable lessons about doing what we think can't be done.

Anatomy of a Potbelly

By Anjula Razdan — 2006-11-01

Lurking under all that unwanted abdominal fat are hidden dangers that can hurt us to the core.

The Healing Power of Sound

By Karen Olson — 2006-11-01

From humming to drumming to Tibetan singing bowls – recent research suggests that the influences of certain rhythms, sounds and vibrations can help us resist and recover from a wide variety of ailments.

Feed Your Genes

By Jack Challem — 2006-11-01

You know that your genes are central to your health. But did you know that they have their own nutritional needs? Discover how the emerging field of nutrigenomics may help us nourish our DNA - and lower our risk of certain diseases.

Weight-Loss Rules to Rethink

By Virgil McDill — 2006-10-01

Forget what you've been told. Forget what you think you know. Start breaking the rules, and you might just start making some headway.

More Than One Way Out

By Courtney Helgoe — 2006-10-01

Looking for a way out of depression? Antidepressant drugs are not your only option. And the relief offered by natural alternatives just might surprise you.

Health: A Family Value

By Kermit Pattison — 2006-09-01

Raising a healthy family requires wisdom, determination – and a willingness to take the high road when convenience and convention beckon. Start with these healthy habits and you'll be well on your way.

Fertile Ground

By Sheila Mulrooney Eldred — 2006-09-01

If you want a baby, take note: making one may require a more cultivated effort than you thought.

Cardio Crisis

By Anjula Razdan — 2006-09-01

So much for fun and games ... Youth activity is at an all-time low, and the statistics on childhood obesity and cardiovascular-health problems are staggering. Our kids are in trouble. Now, what are we going to do about it?

Fitness Redefined

By Anjula Razdan — 2006-08-01

A generation of convention busters and iconoclasts, baby boomers are reshaping expectations when it comes to their personal health and fitness, too.

The Mouth-Body Connection

By Bonnie Blodgett — 2006-08-01

Discover why good dental health depends on more than brushing and flossing – and why a clean, happy mouth gives your whole body something to smile about.

Forever Young

By Eliza Thomas — 2006-08-01

Extreme adventurer and educator Dan Buettner has broken world records, cycled the globe and sought answers to some of humankind's greatest mysteries. Now he sets his sights on a new frontier: unearthing the secrets of healthy longevity.

Ageless Vitality

By Eliza Thomas — 2006-08-01

With age comes wisdom. And if you make wise choices, it can also come with robust health and fitness, great energy, and a generous dose of satisfaction. Discover the variables that play the biggest role in determining your vitality for a lifetime - and why it pays to start focusing on them now.

Skin Deep

By Eliza Thomas — 2006-06-01

In our obsessive quest to improve its superficial traits, we often forget that our skin is our body's largest organ – and an incredibly hard worker. Discover how your skin reflects and affects the state of your health, and what you can do to keep your skin looking and feeling its best.

The Nonvacationer's Vacation

By Cathy Madison — 2006-06-01

Think time off is a waste of time? For the sake of your health and happiness, you just might want to reconsider.

Maximize Your Metabolism

By Victoria Freeman, PhD — 2006-05-01

If you want to take off – and keep off – unwanted pounds, a healthy metabolism is your body's best fat-burning friend. Find out which habits can make or break your body's ability to produce energy from would-be pudge.

The Promise of Integrative Medicine

By Betsy Noxon — 2006-05-01

Disillusioned by decades of disease-focused medicine, more doctors and patients are now shifting their focus to whole-person health. Ancient practices (yoga), alternative therapies (acupuncture) and commonsense strategies (nutritional counseling) are complementing conventional treatments, expanding our notions of healing – and leading the way to greater well-being and vitality.

See the Connection

By Experience Life Staff — 2006-04-01

Your health depends on a complex, connect-the-dots network of variables that make up your ecosystem and the systems that sustain it. Discover the keys to keeping both you and your planet healthy – by following nature's models, and honoring life's connections.

Coming Home to Health

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence — 2006-04-01

Eco-friendly home furnishings and building materials can help make your home a healthy one.

Healthy Returns

By Eileen P. Gunn — 2006-03-01

Rising healthcare costs have made employee well-being a big bottom-line concern for many companies. That explains why some of the smartest money in business is being spent on programs designed to keep people working well.

The Way of the Healthy Person

By Experience Life staff — 2006-02-01

Good health, at core, is less a destination than life-enhancing journey. But if there is any clear path toward the promised land of healthy living, it begins not on any treadmill or diet plan, but on the fertile ground of our own thoughts, assumptions and beliefs.

Resolutions Workshop 2006

By Elizabeth L. Lane — 2006-02-01

Gearing up to write another mega-list of ways to make yourself better? Don't! Instead, choose what matters most, then chart your course toward real goal mastery.

Active Planning

By Karen Asp — 2006-02-01

The success of your fitness goals depends, in large part, on the soundness of your fitness strategy. You do have a fitness plan, don't you? Here's how to get one, fast – or how to make your current plan even better.

Grant Yourself Immunity

By Elson M. Haas, MD — 2005-12-01

Your body's rapid-response defenses protect you from millions of would-be invaders daily. Here's how you can help your immune system do its job.

The Big 10

By Experience Life Staff — 2005-12-01

Well, we've done it. We've corralled massive piles of health and fitness information from a variety of leading health books, magazines and Web sites, then squeezed out the most essential bits and massaged them into just 10 basic tips.

Breakthrough!

By Mike Fillon with Experience Life staff — 2005-10-01

Think science news is just for nerds in white lab coats? Think again. Health-related scientific research has come a long way in the past decade or so. And it's telling us astonishing things about our own bodies and minds. Collected here: Eight important insights that are changing the way we think about living well.

Measuring Meditation

By Leyla Kokmen — 2005-10-01

For centuries, proponents of meditation have hailed its potential for healing body and mind. Now, science is backing a growing number of those claims.

Positive Feedback

By Donna Raskin — 2005-10-01

Biofeedback is an innovative and proven way to manage stress and optimize mind-body healing. Now, new technologies are making biofeedback more accessible.

Youth Movement

By Helen Cordes — 2005-09-01

Gym classes a vanishing. Passive entertainments are multiplying. The country has an out-of-control obesity problem. How can we stop the next generation from getting lost in the shuffle.

Fitness For 2

By Sheila Mulrooney Eldred — 2005-09-01

You want to stay fit, and you want your baby to be healthy. Here's what's known (and not yet known) about the potential risks and rewards of staying seriously active - and even competing - while you're expecting.

Building a Better Body Image

By Helen Cordes — 2005-08-01

Neurotic about your body? For your kids' sake, deal with it. The body burdens of parents are easily passed along – and lived out by their children.

Happy Lessons

By Erika Rasmusson Janes — 2005-08-01

Tired of feeling blue, or just so-so? Positive psychology pioneer Martin Seligman, PhD, believes you can mentally exercise your way to greater happiness.

Good Stress/Bad Stress

By Victoria L. Freeman, PhD — 2005-06-01

Not all stress is bad for you. But the response system that was designed to save your life can also do some serious harm. You can take steps to see that it doesn't.

I Can See Clearly Now

By Gary Legwold — 2005-05-01

Most of us take our eyesight for granted. But without proper care, nutrition and protection, our eyes are vulnerable to damage and degeneration. Find out what you can do to keep your vision crisp, even as you age.

Picking Your Way Through Plastics

Alice Lesch Kelly — 2005-04-01

For storing food and toting beverages, plastics are hard to beat. But not all plastics are right - or safe - for all jobs.

Going Green

Kim Carlson — 2005-04-01

Clear air. Clean water. Clean Earth. What's good for the planet is good for you! Here's how to make your life a little more eco-friendly.

Weighing Heavy Metals

By Catherine Guthrie — 2005-04-01

Mercury in fish and dental fillings. Lead in old paint. Cadmium and arsenic in industrial wastes. There's a lot of talk about heavy-metal toxins these days. But how worried should you be, really? And what can you do to protect yourself?

Road Warrior

By Dimity McDowell — 2005-03-01

Don't leave your healthy habits behind when you travel. Here are some strategies for keeping your fitness moving while you are on the move.

Resolution Workshop: Life Launch

Experience Life Staff — 2005-02-01

Ready to have your best year ever? Two of the country's top coaches weigh in with advice on getting liftoff for the next phase of your life.

Your Structure, Your Self

By Marcia Jedd — 2005-02-01

Structural Integration techniques like Rolfing can improve your posture, your athletic performance and your sense of well-being. But are you ready to be Rolfed?

Energy Crisis

By Jennifer Barrett — 2004-12-01

Is your body experiencing an energy shortage? Learn how your system creates and uses energy and you'll have a better shot at ramping up production to meet demand.

Emotion in Motion

By Sally Edwards and Bev Robinson — 2004-12-01

Tracking your emotional heart rate is just as crucial as monitoring your physical pulse.

Getting to Sleep

By Catherine Guthrie — 2004-11-01

It's the first thing to go when we're stressed. It's the last thing we get when we're busy. But not sleeping enough can lead our bodies into big trouble. Want to be fit and healthy? Find out why your shuteye should be a top priority.

Laugh, Cry, Lift

By Victoria L. Freeman, PhD — 2004-10-01

Have you ever had a profound emotional experience during your workout and not understood why? Here's a scientific look at what's behind exercise-induced emotional release and what it may be telling you.

Power Aging

By Dimity McDowell — 2004-08-01

Who says you can't get better with age? All you need is a little foresight, the right attitude and the will to do the work.

Fighting Inflammation

By Catherine Guthrie — 2004-08-01

Some aging factors are beyond our control, but one of the biggest - inflammation - needn't be. Here's how you can extinguish the flames of chronic inflammation before they ignite.

Finding Your Focus

By Michael Gerrish, MS — 2004-06-01

Are your efforts to get in shape being distracted by Attention Deficit Disorder?

Refresh Your Feet

2004-06-01

Rub them, buff them, slather them in cream: When your feet are healthy and strong, your entire body stands to benefit.

On the Bright Side

By Jennifer Barrett — 2004-06-01

We know that excessive sun exposure is unhealthy, but there's increasing evidence that blocking out all the sun's rays can be equally dangerous. Find out why many health experts now see moderate sun exposure as essential to maintaining a healthy body and mind.

Demystifying Detox

By Jane Alexander — 2004-05-01

Detoxing is all the rage these days. But what's the right way to approach it? Here's everything you need to know to lose your toxins without losing your mind.

Worth Its Weight? The Debate About Birth Control and Weight Gain

By Susan Perry — 2004-05-01

If you use a hormonal method of birth control, you may gain weight. Then again, you may not. Your doctor can't tell you. In fact, you could be the best expert on this weighty matter.

Little Gland, Big Trouble

By Elizabeth Larsen — 2004-04-01

Meet your thyroid, a delicate little gland located at the front of your throat. It controls how every cell in your body turns food and oxygen into energy – and that can mean big trouble if your thyroid goes on the fritz.

Health Hazards

By Jacquelyn B. Fletcher — 2004-03-01

Terry Enright has battled all of the biggies - smoking, drinking and overeating. And he's won.

Action Plan 2004: Resolutions Reconsidered

by Pilar Gerasimo — 2004-02-01

For this year's Resolutions Workshop, we gathered up four of our favorite personal-development experts and asked them to weigh in with how – and how not – to go about crafting New Year's resolutions. They wound up recasting the whole resolutions process and sketching out a more successful, sustainable course for personal change.

Weight Loss 101

By Eric Neuhaus — 2004-02-01

Feel like you're failing at weight loss? Forever stuck in the remedial class? Don't despair! Here's the study guide you need to make the weight-loss honor roll once and for all.

Kicking Candida

By Elizabeth Larsen — 2004-02-01

Some see it as a fad diagnosis. Others see it as the culprit behind a vast array of common, sometimes debilitating, health woes. Just about everyone wishes it would go away. Here's what you need to know about successfully tackling the "yeast beast."

Grant Yourself Immunity

By Dr. Elson Haas — 2003-12-01

Your body's rapid-response defenses protect you from millions of would-be invaders daily. Here's how you can help your immune system do its job.

Emotional Biochemistry

By Clara Beacon — 2003-12-01

Like it or not, emotions share some very real biochemical links with your nervous, endocrine, immune and digestive systems. Isn't it time you learned something about how your body responds to what you feel – and vice versa?

Tackling Childhood Obesity

By Helen Cordes — 2003-10-01

A generation at risk. An epidemic in full swing. A parent's call to action.

Message from Your Prostate: Remember Me?

By Elson M. Haas, MD — 2003-10-01

Most men take their health - and their prostate - entirely for granted. Until things take a turn for the worse.

Overhaul Your Stress Machine

By Elson Haas, MD — 2003-08-01

Are you revving too high, running on fumes and sputtering at stops? Get yourself into the fix-it shop for diagnostics and a 10-point tune-up.

Emerging from the Gene Pool

By Gary Legwold — 2003-06-01

Insight gleaned from the Human Genome Project may have many of us looking deeper into the mysteries of our own DNA - and how our own diet and lifestyle choices can impact it.

Delving into Digestion

By Elson Haas, MD — 2003-06-01

They say you are what you eat. But what happens after you eat it counts every bit as much. Here's why what you don't know about your digestive system can hurt you.

Fresh Start

By Jane Alexander — 2003-04-01

Say goodbye to internal grime and grunge. Your body is begging you to take out the trash!

A Good Long Look

By Kim Erickson — 2003-04-01

Take a moment to scrutinize your bath and beauty products. Their ingredient labels may reveal some ugly truths.

Owning Your Health

By Catherine Guthrie — 2003-02-01

Your body is your most valuable piece of personal property. Shouldn't you be the one in charge of keeping it safe and sound?

Glutamine

By daniel Larraya — 2002-12-01

This amino acid promises much – for mind, muscle and immunity. Can taking glutamine really help you?

Instant Healing

By Clara Beacon — 2002-12-01

Don't believe in miraculous cures? Go ahead and roll your eyes. It's actually part of this highly effective technique for getting over cravings, phobias, pain, and more.

The Big 10

By Experience Life Staff — 2002-10-01

Catching Some Rays

By Kelly James-Enger — 2002-08-01

Healing or harmful? When it comes to both your health and appearance, the sun may play a bigger role than you thought.

Look After Your Lymph!

By Harvey Diamond — 2002-08-01

Why what you don't clean out can kill you, and how optimizing your body's gunk-removal system may save your life.

Full Circuit

By Susan Hawthorne and Clara Beacon — 2002-08-01

Most of us fail to appreciate the complexity of our body's cardiovascular/circulatory system. Do you know many ways this amazing apparatus keeps you ticking?

Ageless Vitality

By Pilar Gerasimo — 2002-08-01

Want to live longer, healthier and happier? Forget about acting your age. Instead, set out to change it.

Diagnosis: Affluenza

By Jeremy Hunter, PhD — 2002-02-01

Are you winning the accumulation game, but losing your shirt? Working so hard to pay the bills that you can't find time to exercise, sleep or eat properly?

Metabolic Mystery Tour

By Ori Hofmekler — 2001-11-01

How much do you really know about the magic of your body's inner workings?