Healthy Eating

Your diet impacts your cholesterol levels in a big way. "The research is rock solid," says Mark Drucker, MD, medical director of the Center for Advanced Medicine. "Eating too many calories and too much unhealthy saturated fats along with too much sugar and starch will cause elevated unbalanced cholesterol levels in most people." (Read more: Popular Foods Proven to Cause High Cholesterol, According to Science.) Let's say, however, that you've already tried eating oatmeal and other high-fiber foods, plus fish and flaxseeds for…

When you think of getting more fiber in, what food do you think about eating? Oatmeal is likely a top contender, given that it's always being pushed as a heart-healthy, fiber-rich breakfast option. And while both of these facts are true (and oatmeal is still considered the best breakfast for longevity), there are some foods on grocery shelves that actually have more fiber than oatmeal does! According to the American Heart Association (AHA), you should be consuming around 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day in order to keep your…

If you're new to the vegan diet and you miss comfort foods like mac and cheese, lasagna, and cheesy dips, it sounds like you're in desperate need of some new plant-based recipes. Contrary to what you may have been conditioned to believe, it is possible to recreate the salty, fatty, creamy goodness of cheese without dairy. By using ingredients like tofu, cashews, nutritional yeast, and cauliflower, you can add a smooth and silky texture to recipes without altering the flavor or character of the original dish. Our friends at…

Jennifer Aniston is one of the most timelessly glowing stars of our time. Jen is open about her commitment to self-care, feeling great, and staying in shape… but, at 52, exactly how does she stay looking so good? For years, word had it that Aniston banned one particular food from her diet and practiced serious willpower. But, she recently revealed something you might be able to relate to: She's finally letting herself enjoy it again. Keep reading to learn which food Jennifer Aniston has started allowing back on her plate.…

It's a rare moment when you're on social media without seeing something about CBD supplements, or when you can listen to a podcast without the hosts pitching the benefits of the gummies or other supplements. In the past few years, CBD supplements have become all the rage, with their ever-growing popularity being marketed all over the internet. But is it worth the hype? CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is a chemical found in the cannabis sativa plant, but the chemical can also be taken from hemp plants. Unlike smoking pot,…

Lately, it seems like study after study has confirmed the health benefits of coffee. (One of the latest? Coffee is even good for your immunity.) However, a group of public health and psychiatry researchers in Australia have just discovered something important when it comes to coffee's effects on the brain—including dementia. Their findings also highlighted something important for non-coffee drinkers. Keep reading…and check out One Major Side Effect of Drinking Your Coffee Before Breakfast, Expert Says. They set…

It's safe to say that drinking soda on a regular basis may not be the best choice for our overall health. Soft drinks have been known to increase risk of certain cancers, negatively affect our liver, and lead to weight gain from excess sugar. According to the CDC, excessive sugar intake can not only lead to obesity and weight gain, but can also lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If that's not enough to convince us that slowing down on the sodas may be a good idea, what about the not-so-well-known downsides of…

Whether you find yourself having trouble keeping your mind on a task at work or struggle to stay engaged when you're participating in your favorite leisure activities, practically everyone has found themselves wishing they were more focused from time to time. (And it might not be your fault—you could also look to these 7 Foods That Kill Your Focus.) Fortunately, you don't need to completely revamp your daily habits to enjoy better attention and productivity. With the help of registered dietitians, we've rounded up the best…

More whole grains, smaller waist? That's one of the findings in a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, which looked at how consumption of both whole grains and highly refined grains influenced five major risk factors of heart disease: Waist size Blood pressure Blood sugar Triglyceride level HDL ("good") cholesterol amount Researchers used data from a major heart study that's been in progress since the 1970s and looked at 3,100 participants who supplied nutritional info and heart-related health markers for…

If you think your metabolism is only responsible for how much you weigh, you're selling it short. It actually encompasses the entire process of converting food into energy to keep you functioning—and it operates 24/7, even when you're sleeping. For that reason, you can't exclusively blame a slow metabolism for weight gain. How much you eat and drink, how physically active you are, as well as what you're consuming are key factors. That said, according to the Mayo Clinic, some factors outside of your control (like genetic…