In recent years, countless warnings about refined grains have led many people to make the switch to whole grain foods. Whole grains contain far more fiber and nutrients than refined grains that have been stripped of their natural goodness.

Weighing 25 stone and depressed by her size, Natalie Cox never planned to celebrate her 18th birthday. But now she is – thanks to an operation that halved her weight. She speaks to SARAH JONES.

WEIGHING 25 stone and a dress size 32, there was no way that Natalie Cox was going to attend her school prom.

The playground bullies who labelled her ‘Fat Nats’ had already ruined what were supposed to be the best years of her life. And she wasn’t about to endure a whole night of yet more humiliation.

Maggie Holtschlag felt fine. She had energy and was walking her dogs daily. She especially remembers not having any chest pain. “They say that heart attacks are the silent killer among women,? states Margaret “Maggie? Holtschlag of Quincy. Her physician, Dr. Dana Altman, had recommended that she get a stress test done because of Maggie’s shortness of breath. “I came real close to not going to my stress test; I didn’t think anything was wrong, but I was wrong!? Maggie’s heart had two blockages that required three stents to be put in.
February is recognized as American Heart Month. More than 2,500 Americans die from heart disease each day and one in three women will die from heart disease. Heart attacks tend to behave differently in women.

A skinny midsection, unfortunately, doesn't guarantee a healthy heart, just as wearing an inner tube around the waist doesn't mean we're a cardiac case-in-waiting. But the best thing we can do to keep our tickers ticking well into old age is to eat less and exercise more.

   Right ... yawn. Heard it a million times, haven't we? Well, make that a million and one because that's where this story is going.

   Costly surgeries and cholesterol-controlling pills may be helpful options and, in some cases, essential ones — but ultimately the heart muscle is no different from any of the body's other muscles: Use it or lose it.

We have all experienced a night or two of interrupted sleep. The following day you find yourself nodding off at your desk or feeling out of sorts. Getting a good night's rest will usually get things back to normal. But what if sleep was interrupted every night, hundreds of times each night? Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea know all too well the consequences of poor quality sleep.

There are messages a-plenty when it comes to optimizing peri-workout nutrition with supplement companies, sports nutrition authorities and body building forums all offering opinions. The result is a lot of confusion. My aim is to try and deliver a back-to-basics approach to pre, during and post workout nutrition.

Diet is probably the most important factor in maintaining your child’s immune system.

Whether you have a toddler or are raising a young adult, life is about living in balance, and everyone is different. However, good nutrition is the foundation of good health, and our nutrient needs change daily. These nutrient needs are usually dependent upon our genetics, physical activity, body size, gender, and growth rate.

With spring around the corner, kids, tweens and teens across the country will doff sweaters for tank tops and jeans for shorts. And as a parent, you may feel more conscious than ever of our society's preoccupation with body image and how it affects your child.

Just as concerning as the rise in childhood obesity is the rising number of children -- even very young children -- who are obsessed with being thin.

One of the most common themes I often write about is how livin’ la vida low-carb is such a life changing experience for people who try it. My own experience has shown this to be true after losing a large amount of weight while simultaneously getting my health back from the brink of destruction. While this way of eating will always have people who oppose it for whatever reasons they rationalize in their minds, the fact remains that the power to take back control of your weight and health is in YOUR hands to do something about it.

A skinny midsection, unfortunately, doesn’t guarantee a healthy heart, just as wearing an inner tube around the waist doesn’t mean we’re a cardiac case-in-waiting. But the best thing we can do to keep our tickers ticking well into old age is to eat less and exercise more.