Today!Register to Do the 2 for 2! It’s 14 days worth of fun challenges to test your nutrition and fitness knowledge and begin making small behavioral changes to improve your wellbeing. If you miss a few days in-between each challenge, that’s ok. Just come back for the next challenge. We’ll even send you email reminders. You don’t have to be a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana member to participate, so let’s get started.
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The more you know about health topics, the better prepared you'll be to do the 2. Learn tips on snacking, diet and exercise, and read health news relevant to Louisianians. Select any of the articles below to learn more.
Pennington Biomedical Research Center offers numerous newsletters on health topics. You can view diet and exercise guides, food component expanations and health information for men, women and children.
Use this map to compare The Top 15 Causes Of Death in the USA down to the county level. Note the changes as you click on cause buttons and mouse over the map for data. The legend is directly above the maps. Use the navigation on the left… READ MORE
PLAY HARD YOUR WAY
The benefits of physical activity include:
Here's a handy list for creating a quick convenient stock of fast, healthy meals for two.
Refrigerator Basics
* Low-fat milk or soymilk
* Low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt and/or vanilla yogurt
* Reduced-fat sour cream
* Good-quality Parmesan cheese and/or Romano cheese
* Sharp… READ MORE
Resistance training (also called strength training or weight training) is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles.
Resistance training is based on the principle that muscles of the body will work to overcome a resistance force… READ MORE
If losing pounds is as easy as journaling about what you put in your mouth, can you use the same technique to help you stick to a fitness routine?
Dieters who keep a food diary lose twice as much weight as those who kept no records, according to a recent… READ MORE
Some calories weigh more than others and can stall weight loss.
If you’ve been trying to lose weight, you’ve probably heard this rule: It’s just a matter of calories in, calories out. That is, simply burn more calories than you consume, and the pounds will melt off. Right? Well, not… READ MORE
Fats and oils are part of a healthy diet and play many important roles in the body. Fat provides energy and is a carrier of essential nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids. But, fat can impact the health of your heart and arteries in a positive… READ MORE
There are ways you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers:
Researchers are trying to learn more about the link between type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
What About My Risk?
Type 2 diabetes and certain… READ MORE
If tighter jeans aren’t the kind of holiday leftover you had in mind, read on. We asked 13 of the nation’s top chefs and wellness experts to name the 13 -healthiest foods right now. Here, their picks
Farro
This ancient strain of hard wheat, also known as emmer wheat,… READ MORE
Use circuit training to shed unwanted pounds and look leaner.
Building muscle tone through resistance training is about the most efficient way to shed unwanted pounds. Add cardio and you're buff! Here's how it works.
The myth of spot training
Contrary to popular belief, it is hard to target muscle… READ MORE
The food you eat does more than provide energy. It can have a dramatic effect on your body’s ability to fight off heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and weak bones.
With remarkable consistency, recent research has found that a diet high in plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables,… READ MORE
What comes to your mind when I say whole grain? Do you think of bread? What about other grains?
Whole grains are brown rice, whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, maybe barley, whole-wheat pita breads and whole-wheat couscous if you are adventurous. But many people are buying whole-wheat versions of savory… READ MORE
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Anti-Aging Workouts
Fear not, "facercise" isn't having a comeback—the latest workouts are truly effective at slowing the effects of growing older. And as more people become aware of hormone replacement therapy, they will start to realize that high-intensity exercise produces hormones that are the fountain of… READ MORE
Summer is here. We now have longer days and warmer weather. What a perfect time to lighten up your diet. Time to pick up more foods that make your body feel great and put down the things that are not so good.
Summer is the time to do away with… READ MORE
With rising childhood and teen obesity rates, instilling healthy snacking habits at a young age is more important now than ever.
Research suggests children primarily choose what to eat for breakfast, while lunch and dinner meals are controlled by moms. During the summer months, this dynamic shifts… READ MORE
So you’re looking to lose weight and need some easy places to cut calories. What about skipping breakfast?
Bad idea.
It turns out that eating a healthy breakfast and achieving sustained weight loss are inextricably linked.
The National Weight Control Registry… READ MORE
Increases in blood pressure increases your risk for heart disease. People at any age can take steps each day to keep blood pressure levels normal.
Lifestyle
Eat a healthy diet. Eating healthfully can help keep your blood pressure down. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, which provide nutrients such… READ MORE
Regular exercise, of course, helps with weight control because of the calories you burn working out. It's also been theorized that changes in appetite contribute to the weight loss associated with regular exercise. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise looked at the effects of regular… READ MORE
It’s no news flash that soda — diet or otherwise — is bad for health; even those who happily indulge in a can-a-day (or more) habit can rattle off at least two or three negative effects of soda consumption. But when it comes to the effects of soft drink consumption… READ MORE
Let's face it: Sometimes it's how much, not what, you eat that causes you to blame the dry cleaner for shrinking your clothing. So often clients come to me frustrated and puzzled about why their pounds aren't pouring off, even though they've slashed carbs and ditched fats. What they don't… READ MORE
Help your family move more each day and have fun with it. Think about what your family can do to be active together. Here are some ideas.
Make Time
In the midst of the heated gun control debate permeating over the country like a foul odor, we are led to believe that gun violence, suicides, and accidents are a major cause of death in the United States. However, gun related murder is extremely rare, accounting for about .005% of… READ MORE
Eating out can be such a pleasure: Someone else chops the veggies, cooks the entree and brings it steaming hot to your table, while you enjoy time with friends or family.
But when we eat out, we tend to overdo it. While an occasional splurge is OK, if we're not… READ MORE
Frustrated because that cupcake you ate went straight to your thighs but pastry seems to have no effect on the next guy? A new University of California Los Angeles study says you probably gained weight, and he didn't, because of a difference in your genes.
While diet and exercise are… READ MORE
Learning how to read and understand food labels can help you make healthier choices.
Here are some tips for making the most of the information on the Nutrition Facts label:
[NC-Nutrtion Facts label]
Start here. Note the size of a single serving and how many servings are in the package.
… READ MORE
Cholesterol can't dissolve in the blood. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as "bad" cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as "good" cholesterol. These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up… READ MORE
Dedicate yourself to a healthy lifestyle in 2013 with these food, nutrition and exercise tips.
Eat Breakfast
There's no better way to start your morning—and the year—than with a healthy breakfast. The key to a good breakfast is balance. Include lean protein, whole grains and fruits and vegetables. Try… READ MORE
