Physical Health
The Benefits of Silk Pillowcases and Accessories for Your Hair
Silk pillowcases and other silk accessories such as wraps, scarves and bonnets have become increasingly popular for their benefits for hair and skin. These silk head accessories have been a cornerstone of Black hair experiences to protect natural and braided hairstyles long before they were more widely adopted as a healthy hair technique. Now the use of silk material has become more popular regardless of hair type.
Is a Gluten-Free Diet Right for You?
Whether it's for health reasons or a curiosity, you might be wondering if a gluten-free diet is right for you. Going gluten-free is a commitment and requires both dietary and lifestyle changes. For some, consuming gluten can lead to serious health concerns, while others may choose to avoid it in hopes of better health.
What To Know About Powdered Greens
Powdered greens have become a popular trend to add fruits and vegetables into your diet through a blend of freeze-dried and ground fruits, vegetables and greens mixed with water or a smoothie. Are they a good substitute for eating fruits and vegetables? Learn more about powdered greens and their benefits and drawbacks.
“I Had to Get Comfortable with the New Me.” Michigan Woman Reflects on Breast Cancer Battle
Rebecca Adams’ HER2-positive, stage 3A breast cancer diagnosis came as a shock. Extensive research and lifestyle changes helped her persevere.
Easy Ways to Introduce Yoga to Your Kids
Yoga is known for its health benefits, including increased flexibility, increased strength, improved sleep and the ability to help with chronic pain and inflammation. Many of these benefits apply to kids as well. Learn how to introduce yoga to kids with these tips and yoga poses.
Is Running Marathons Healthy for Your Heart?
Regular running and exercise are associated with better overall heart health and other health benefits. Americans who follow the American Heart Association guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week have healthier hearts and avoid diseases at higher rates than those who don’t, and those who get 3-5 times that amount of exercise have the best health outcomes.
Which Foods Promote Gut Health?
Gut health is connected to all other areas of personal health, including physical and mental health. Maintaining a healthy gut biome is important to support your body and the way it functions. There are foods that promote gut health in the way they are broken down and absorbed in the digestive system.
5 Homemade Salad Dressings to Try at Home
It can be easy to make a habit of buying storebought dressing to save time, but they are often highly processed and contain excess sugar, preservatives and unhealthy fats. Making your own salad dressing is not only healthier, but it’s easy, inexpensive and you can put your own spin on it.
Add More Fiber to Your Diet with These High-Fiber Snack Ideas
The recommended amount of daily fiber is between 25 and 38 grams, but most Americans eat only 10-15 grams daily. A diet high in fiber can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and help you to feel fuller for longer and more energized compared to refined carbohydrates.
Balance Exercises for Falls Prevention
The risk of falls and injuries from falls increases as we age due to loss of bone mass, muscle mass and balance. Balance exercises can lower the risk of falling as well as the risk of injuries. Here are some balance exercises that are helpful for balance training and preventing falls and related injuries.
Common Food Safety Issues
There are more than 30 million cases of illness cause by food contamination annually in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many of these cases are preventable with proper cooking, handling and storing practices. Learning proper food preparation practices and getting rid of unhealthy habits in the kitchen can prevent food poisoning and safety issues.
Self-Care Habits I Adopted in the Last Year
In the hustle of everyday life, it's easy to overlook the importance of self-care. I know when my schedule picks up, I have a habit of prioritizing my responsibilities over my own wellness. However, I’ve made the conscious decision to incorporate self-care habits into my routine.
Workouts That Work for Me as a College Student
I’ve found that college is a great time to create healthy habits through regular practice of physical activity. While every person is different, here are some workouts that work for me as a college student.
Could Nutrition Help Fight Acne?
Topical treatments and medications are available and can be very effective for some, but acne can be persistent and hard to deal with.
Signs and Risk Factors of Malnutrition
If there is an imbalance between the nutrients your body needs and the nutrients you are able to eat and absorb it can cause malnutrition. Undernutrition is most common condition associated with malnutrition but there can be other causes as well. Malnutrition includes undernutrition as well as overnutrition, or an imbalance of nutrients
Easy Ways to Fit In-Season Fruits and Veggies into Your Diet This Fall
You are probably aware that eating more fruits and veggies is good for your health. When it comes time to prepare a meal, it can be difficult to know the best way to include and serve the proper amount of fresh fruits and vegetables or to break long-standing habits tied to food.
How to Train Like an Olympic Athlete
If you watched the Paris Olympic or Paralympic Games this summer, you might have gotten swept away seeing your favorite athlete compete. While they seem to perform with such ease, you know there are hours of work put into their physical training. Let the inspiring efforts of these athletes motivate you to achieve your workout goals this year.
5 Ways I Rely on my Smartwatch
A smartwatch does much more than tell you the time. Using a smartwatch makes it so that you don’t need to always have your phone on you. You can make calls, send texts, and use a GPS from your watch.
Women’s Health: Workouts to do on your period
It can be easy to ignore your workout goals when on your period, but the physical and mental benefits of exercise can help. Although it feels counterintuitive, avoiding exercise isn’t going to save energy or make you feel better.
Go-to Dinner Recipes for Busy College Students
Developing a routine in college that works for you is a significant task on its own, but having to weave in time for healthy meals can be intimidating. For college students, newfound independence can feel exciting and refreshing but sometimes daunting.
5 Creative Ways to Support Someone with Cancer
It can be difficult to know how to respond when a friend or loved one is diagnosed with cancer. Emotional support and encouragement can be helpful to cancer patients, but often, cancer patients have logistical, physical and financial needs that you can help them with. Here are five creative ways to help someone with cancer.
Surprising Health Benefits of Labor Day
You may associate Labor Day with barbecues, fun and the end of summer, but Labor Day has long been tied to public health. The origins of Labor Day include movements for better workplace health protections and improved quality of life for workers. Here are some health benefits from Labor Day that may surprise you.
Is Activated Charcoal Healthy?
Activated charcoal has been showing up all over in recent years, from toothpaste to hamburger buns to supplements. The substance has a history of medical use as an antitoxin for ingested poisons, but more recently it’s become a social phenomenon for “detoxing.”
Shed Calories and Build Friendships: POUND Fitness Combines Cardio, Pilates and Drumming
POUND is a cardio-based workout that incorporates Pilates, core strengthening and arm and leg movements. But you won't just burn calories; instructor and Grass Lake resident Crystal Scott can attest to POUND's mental benefits.
Your Phone Screen Is Dirty: Here’s How to Clean It
People with weaker immune systems may find themselves getting sick from common bacteria found on their cell phones. To avoid contracting those germs, get in the habit of cleaning your device on a regular basis.
Do Prebiotic Sodas Benefit Gut Health?
Low-calorie prebiotic sodas have burst onto the scene in recent years. They claim to promote good gut health, but how credible are those claims?
The Pros and Cons of Running on Different Surfaces
Running is one of the only sports that can be done nearly anywhere, on any surface. The key is finding a route and a terrain that best suits your physical needs. While running is a great form of exercise, there are advantages and disadvantages to running on different surfaces.
Do Babies and Infants Need Sunglasses?
Putting sunglasses on a baby or infant is sure to be cute – but it’s also an important preventive choice to protect the child from sun damage. Learn when kids start to need sunglasses and how to pick out the right set of sunglasses for a baby or infant.
Benefits of Sharing Meals
Sharing meals is a great way to spend more time with your family and friends. It turns out there are multiple benefits to health and well-being from sharing meals, including improved eating habits, reduces stress and tension, improved self-image in kids, and improved family relationships.
10 Health Benefits of Tai Chi
Are you looking for an activity that is good for all aspects of your health like physical, mental, and social? We have just the activity. Originating as a mixed martial art from China, tai chi is an activity that involves a series of gentle and slow movements, a meditative state of mind, and physical postures.
Everything You Should Have in Your Beach Bag
Going to the beach is not only fun, but a great way to spend time outside and connect to the natural sights and sounds of an inland lake or one of the Great Lakes. The best way to make sure your beach day is a success is to be prepared. We’ve compiled a list of must-haves to include in your beach bag.
Does Heat Affect Blood Pressure?
As temperatures increase, people might notice that their blood pressure is increasing as well. High heat causes blood pressure to increase. It is important to focus on your blood pressure during the summertime because Midwest summers present high temperatures and high humidity.
How to Treat Bee and Wasp Stings
Summer is in full swing, which means people are spending more time outside. It also means that more insects are outside, including bees and wasps. Being stung by a bee or wasp is scary for many people, but it can cause more than pain in some situations.
Tips to Prevent Tick Bites this Summer – 2024 Season
Lyme disease is an emerging disease transmitted by the blacklegged tick in Michigan. In 2024, It has been reported in nearly every county in the state, according to the State of Michigan. Taking prevention measures is one of the smartest ways to avoid tick bites and tick-borne diseases.
The Science Behind the Perfect Workout Playlist
If you listen to music when you work out, you've got to read this post to design the perfect playlist to pump you up.
How Much Water Should You Drink in the Summer?
As temperatures continue to rise this summer, it's important to concentrate on how much water you consume daily. It is estimated that 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration and that issue is especially apparent in the warm summer months.
Foot Safety Tips for Adults and Children
Summertime comes with unique challenges or environments that can harm or endanger foot health and foot safety. With increased time spent active outdoors, in the sun, and barefoot or in open-toed shoes, more care and attention is needed prevent injuries or burns to the feet.
Tips to Successfully Set Screen Limits
Grabbing your phone or switching on the TV or YouTube is second nature for many people. When there is a lull in the day or a moment of silence, it can be easy to fill that space with social media, entertainment or news that are always available at our fingertips. It’s important to set screen time limits for yourself.
‘It’s Not Something That Has to Stop Them:’ Grand Rapids Mother Discusses Daughter’s Tumultuous Journey with Juvenile Arthritis, Offers Advice to Others
Paisley Taylor of Grand Rapids was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis a few years ago. The diagnosis has sparked a passion for advocacy in Paisley's mother, Taylor, who knows the condition does not define her daughter.
Shoo Fly: How to Keep Flies Away & Protect Your Health
Most of the time, houseflies are merely annoying, and their bites can be briefly painful. However, these insects can spread bacteria and viruses through their bites.
The One Thing You Aren’t Doing to Protect Your Skin From the Sun
While the sun can be healing, it can also be harmful. Make sure to protect your skin with sunscreen but remember skin protection from sunlight doesn’t stop there.
What is Social Wellness?
Social wellness, just like another area of personal health, requires care and attention. Your social health, just like physical or mental health, cannot be ignored until something is going wrong.
What is Self-Care & How Does it Benefit Health?
Self-care can help build and maintain mental health and resilience. Mental health is not something that can be ignored until something goes wrong. Just like any other area of your personal health, it needs to be maintained and checked up on.
Tips to Prevent Shin Splints
Shin splints are a common and painful overuse injury or condition usually caused by running, tennis, pickleball, dancing, or other standing exercises for extended periods of time. With some preparation, there are self-treatment tips for preventing shin splints or minimizing the pain from shin splints.
Societal Expectations and the Impact on Men’s Health Attitudes
When it comes to health care, men tend to be much more reluctant than women to obtain preventive care or seek out medical care when there’s an issue. And this reluctance can increase their risk for health consequences.
Did You Know: The Connection Between Vision Health and Diabetes
Diabetes can lead to conditions that affect your vision, such as glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Equip yourself with the knowledge needed to prevent these conditions by reading these tips.
Is My Water Bottle Straw Clean?
Water bottles are traveling everywhere with you and collecting the germs from places you go. From errands to work to an outdoor soccer game on the weekends, your water bottle straw is picking up bacteria in those areas.
Health Benefits of Yoga
Next time you strike a pose and hold it, know that you’re improving your health in lots of ways.
Signs of Alzheimer’s and Dementia in Aging Parents
Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die, and it worsens with time. The disease is the leading cause of dementia, a decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills.
What Causes Migraines?
A migraine is a headache that causes throbbing pain that is often on one side of your head.
5 Healthy Summer Fruit and Veggie Snacks for Kids
It can be a hassle finding healthy snacks your kids will eat and enjoy. These quick, easy, and nutritious snack options are perfect for your active kids this summer.
Tips to Manage a Skin Breakout
Breakouts on the skin can be frustrating and uncomfortable. When a breakout happens, there are ways to manage the discomfort and the affected areas. There are also some products, behaviors, and foods to avoid for managing breakouts.
Ways to Salvage Your Day After a Bad Night’s Sleep
Chronic loss of sleep can lead to anxiety, depression, more illnesses, and cardiovascular events. Practice good sleep habits to prevent one bad day from becoming many bad days.
Easy Ways to Reduce Indoor Allergens and Improve Air Quality
Allergens can easily find their way into your home and wreak havoc on your allergies or immune system. Learn how to identify how allergens are entering your home and some easy steps to take to avoid indoor allergens and improve the quality of the air inside.
Warning Signs to Look for in Children After a Concussion
When a child suffers a fall or a blow to the head, concussion is a concern. It’s important to know the signs of a concussion, warning signs that need immediate care, and what to do for a child who may be concussed.
Could your Laundry be Making your Allergies Worse?
Many triggers or allergies or allergens are found in the home or brought into the home from outside and continue to aggravate and trigger allergy symptoms in the supposed comfort of your own home. One of the most common culprits of allergens in the home is laundry and the laundry room.
What is Wild Swimming?
Wild swimming, or open-water swimming, refers to swimming in natural waters, open water, or generally swimming outside and in natural waters. Wild swimming and open-water swimming has become more popular in recent years, especially with Americans looking for a mental health boost, since it ties together exercise and connection with nature.
Why Is My Skin Breaking Out All of a Sudden?
Skin breaking out in acne or a rash can be scary, irritating and confusing especially if you are not sure what the cause is. Acne most commonly occurs during puberty, but up to 15% of adult women develop acne as well.
Skincare Routine Essentials for Chronic Skin Conditions
It is important to know about your skin, allergies or sensitivities, and skin type whether or not you have a chronic condition. Depending on the severity and extent of chronic skin conditions, certain products or medications may need to be added to a skincare routine.
The Importance of Exercise Variety for Seniors
Exercise is extremely important for building and maintaining a good level of personal fitness and physical health. Regular physical activity – including a mix of aerobic exercise, strength training and balance training – can help seniors live independently longer and with a better quality of life. It can also help in managing chronic diseases.
Precocious Puberty in Children and How it Impacts the Mental Health of Young Girls
Early puberty, also called precocious puberty, refers to the premature onset of puberty in children. The stages of puberty include body and hormone changes that allow the body to reproduce. Early onset puberty can have negative effects on the mental health of children.
5 Tips for Surviving Allergy Season
While it’s exciting to head outside and enjoy nature, the change in season also means allergies. Here’s how to nip symptoms in the bud.
Can You Have Pets with a Pet Allergy?
While no furry friend can truly be hypoallergenic, there are some dog breeds or types of pets are better choices for hopeful pet owners who have pet allergies. The cause of most pet allergies is not the pet itself, but the dust and dander that gets trapped in their fur, or allergens they carry inside on their fur.
Are Allergies Affecting My Skin?
When the body encounters allergens or foreign substances that trigger an immune response, it is known as an allergic reaction. The immune response that is triggered affects the skin, manifesting as irritation, redness, scaliness, hives, swelling, and more symptoms of an allergic reaction on the skin.
What are Awe Walks?
An awe walk is a hike or walk focused on enjoying and taking part in the natural world around you. To take part in awe walking, all that is needed is to focus on the world around you and awe-inspiring aspects of nature while you walk.
How Do Skin Allergy Tests Work?
Skin allergy tests can help care teams determine what allergies or sensitivities a patient may or may not have, based on the reactions and results to the test. There are three main types of skin allergy tests given: skin prick tests, intradermal skin tests, and patch tests.
How Do I Get My Kids to Eat Healthier Meals?
It can feel like a constant effort to keep your kids eating healthy meals. Kids can also be notoriously picky, for a variety of reasons. Read on for some ideas for creating healthy meals for your kids and tips on getting kids to eat healthier.
Michigan Bucket List: Public Golf Courses
Ready to break out your clubs? You’re not alone. Here are some popular public golf courses to check out across the state.
Does Ginger Beer Have Alcohol?
Most commercially available and mass marketed ginger beers are simply ginger drinks or fermented ginger drinks without alcohol. Ginger beers that contain alcohol are labeled as alcoholic ginger beers.
How Long Does It Take the Body to Recover from Drinking
The long-term effects of alcohol use do not go away as soon as you stop drinking or alter your drinking habits. Some noticeable changes and markers of recovery may show up as soon as days or weeks after beginning abstinence from alcohol.
How to Stop a Panic Attack
When a panic attack hits, one can feel out of control or in extreme danger. Anxiety over the panic attack or attempts to avoid or prevent an oncoming panic attack can add to the feelings of urgency and panic.
What is Silent Walking?
Silent walking is the idea of a focused, silent walk without listening to music, podcasts, conversation, or other activities often used during runs or walks. The goal of silent walking is to focus your mind and body on the walk, on the world around you, and to use the walk as a meditative experience.
Top 5 Reasons You Should Walk at Lunch
National Walk at Lunch Day is the perfect excuse to get outside after lunch and rack up some steps. Do it every day and the health benefits will rack up, too.
How Taking a Break from Alcohol Benefits Your Health
Alcohol negatively affects physical and mental health in many ways, especially if consumed in excess, routinely or habitually. The reverse is also true, however – sobriety or cutting alcohol out of a lifestyle can have significant, positive effects on overall health and wellness.
The Link Between Stress and Nutrition
The link between stress and nutrition is bi-directional, meaning they both affect each other. Stress can affect our eating habits, especially the chances of unhealthy choices or overeating. Additionally, poor nutrition and diet choices can exacerbate or increase levels of stress.
How Gen Z Uses Karaoke as Exercise
Karaoke fits the bill when it comes to many of the preferences Gen Z has for exercise. Karaoke can be a great group workout or exercise, it is a social and communal activity, and it can easily be done at home, at work or in social settings.
Easy Ways to Reduce Exposure to Microplastics
Microplastics are a concern to the environment and for human health. Americans on average consume between 75,000 and 120,000 microplastic particles a year. Read on for some suggestions on how to reduce your microplastic exposures through some lifestyle and consumption changes.
Is Coloring a Good Way for Adults to Relieve Stress?
Coloring has been found to be a therapeutic or meditative activity for many and can have multifold benefits, especially for adults with high levels of stress or anxiety.
What Are the Basics of Safe Sleep for Infants?
The primary dangers related to sleep for infants, and risk factors for sleep-related infant deaths, involve the positioning of the child while sleeping, the materials and environment the child sleeps in, temperature, respiratory inhibitors and choking hazards. There are a few basic standards or rules to go by when setting up a safe sleep environment for your baby.
What Are Exercise Snacks?
Exercise snacks are short periods of intense workouts, usually only two to minutes. The idea behind energy snacking is to have a few of these brief, intense workouts interspersed throughout your day.
How Caffeine Impacts Your Body
From morning coffee to snacking on chocolate bars or grabbing an energy drink, caffeine is a big part of people’s daily diet in the United States.
When Should I Eat My Biggest Meal of the Day?
What you eat certainly is directly tied to your health and wellness, but so is the time of day you eat. This is true especially when it comes to timing the largest meal of your day. How food affects your body can depend on the time of day it’s digested.
Why Walking Isn’t Enough Exercise to Stay Fit While Aging
Adults 65 and older need at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, such as walking, but also at least two sessions of strength training a week. Besides moderate exercise and strength training, balance training and exercises are also recommended routinely for older adults.
Seven Ways to Keep Kidneys Healthy
Chronic kidney disease is a public health crisis that's serious but also preventable. Managing blood pressure and blood sugar are two of the seven ways recommended to keep the kidneys healthy.
Is Biological Age Real?
Yes, biological age is real, but understanding the term and what is meant in comparison to chronological age is important. It's impossible to stop or slow time; as the years go by, you chronologically age.
5 Ways Alcohol Can Affect Your Health and Fitness Progress
The use and overuse of alcohol limits and inhibits your overall level of health and fitness. Alcohol suppresses many of your body’s main functions to different extents and can affect your ability to recover from illness and injury.
Seven Eye-Opening Ways to Save Your Vision
It’s easy to take good vision for granted – until it’s no longer there. Bad lifestyle habits can jeopardize good vision and negatively impact quality of life.
5 Common Household Poisons to Avoid
Someone in the U.S. is exposed to poison every 15 seconds, according to statistics from the National Capital Poison Center. In 2021, more than two million people called Poison Control for help. Children are the most at risk for poisoning, especially those six years and under.
What Color Noise is Best for Sleep
There is not one color of noise that has proven best for sleep. Rather, each color of noise has unique qualities and affects different listeners in various ways. To better understand how color noises can help you with sleep or other activities, it’s best to understand how color noises got their names.
Does Running Destroy Your Knees?
For a long time, there has been sentiment among runners and doctors that long-distance running, especially long-term and regular running, would predispose runners to arthritis or joint issues as they age. However, there's evidencethat challenges this long-held belief.
Planning for a Healthy, Sustainable Spring
Make spring your healthiest, most sustainable season yet with these easy tips for your home and outdoor areas.
How Daylight Saving Time Can Affect Your Body
It might seem as simple as updating a few clocks in your home, but Daylight Saving Time can take a toll on some people’s overall health.
How To Adjust Baby Sleep Hours for Daylight Savings
It will likely be easier to go through the time change with your baby if you take some steps ahead of time to prepare you both for Daylight Savings Time. These methods work to both “Spring Forward” and “Fall Back” for Daylight Savings Time if you adjust the sleep schedule in the right way each time.
The Real Scoop on Colonoscopies
It’s one of those topics people avoid talking about. But the fact is, colonoscopies save lives and it's important to debunk these four common misconceptions surrounding them.
Self-Checks to Do at Home
Breast self-exams, temperature checks and even measuring heart rate are all things that can be indicators of how healthy a person is.
Best Ways to Make Your Diet Heart Healthy
Want to make some heart-healthy changes to your diet? It’s easier than you might think and it starts with some basic meal-planning tips.
Which Cooking Oils Are Best for Heart Health?
Grocery aisles are filled with choices. All oils are a type of fat, so they should be used sparingly compared to other ingredients in your diet. But there are some easy ways to tell which oils are better for your health.
5 Ways to Get Moving with Meditation
Who says meditation has to be solitary, still and boring? Get active in your practice with these five moves. Meditation takes many forms, and these five can be a boon for your physical and mental health.
Why Walking Your Dog is Healthy for You, Too
Did you know dog owners are 34% more likely to fit 150 minutes of walking into a week than non-dog owners? The benefits only begin there.
Melting Away Winter Health Myths
Not everything you hear about how the winter affects your health is true. As the dead of winter approaches, it's important to be as informed as possible.