What Kind of a Lawn Do You Have? (Poll)

A recent Q&A discussed artificial grass: Is Artificial Grass Toxic? Check out the article and let us know what type of landscape you have at home!

Starch and Breast Cancer Recurrence

Too many starchy carbs seem to be associated with breast cancer recurrence. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego divided 2,651 breast cancer survivors into four groups based on their daily carbohydrate intake. Over the course of a year, the study revealed an average daily increase of 2.3 grams of carbohydrates among the women whose breast cancer recurred compared to an average decrease of 2.7 grams among the women whose cancer did not recur. The researchers found that changes in starch consumption accounted for 48 percent of the differences in carbohydrate intake. Among the women whose cancer did not recur, starch intake dropped by 8.7 grams a day compared to a decline of only 4.1 grams a day among the women whose cancer did return. Overall, the rate of breast cancer recurrence over one year was 9.7 percent among women whose starch intake dropped the most compared to a 14.2 percent recurrence rate among those whose starch intake increased the most. The investigators suggested one possible explanation for this effect: starchy foods boost insulin levels and elevated insulin levels have been associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.

The Depression Epidemic (Video)

What's really behind the depression epidemic? Dr. Weil discusses what he thinks is the cause of the skyrocketing number of diagnosed cases of depression in the United States.

The Healthiest Places to Live

If you want to live in a really healthy place, move to Vermont. Once again, the Green Mountain State ranks number one in overall health in the U.S. Other New England states are in the top five: New Hampshire came in second, Connecticut, third, and Massachusetts, fifth (fourth was Hawaii) in the annual health-ranking of the 50 states by the United Health Foundation. At the bottom of the list: Mississippi. Rankings are fun to read, but the overall conclusions of this year’s report are pretty dismal: too many of us still smoke: 17.3 percent of the U.S. population, down just slightly from 17.9 percent last year. And while there were fewer preventable hospitalizations and cardiovascular deaths nationwide, the health assessment that underlies the rankings found that 27.5 percent of the population is obese, up 37.5 percent since 2001 (for the first time, the prevalence of obesity topped 20 percent in all 50 states). Diabetes prevalence was up, too - a 42.6 percent increase since 2001, and the number of children living in poverty continued to rise, 21.5 percent in 2011, a 33.5 percent increase since 2001.

My take? Clearly, as a nation we have urgent health problems, but on an individual level, where you live doesn’t matter as much as how you live. It's up to you to protect and maintain your body's innate capacity for health and healing. If you’re in the habit of making New Year’s resolutions, consider adding one (or all) of these to your list: adopt an anti-inflammatory diet to help head off the chronic inflammation that underlies so many serious diseases; plan snacks ahead of time; relax and reduce stress by learning breathing exercises; consider a personal trainer to get your 2012 fitness program off to a good start; take tea breaks to lower stress and improve your health; and volunteer - it’s more satisfying than donating money. Happy New Year!

Amazing Stone on Coast of Japan (Photos)

In May of 2010, Dr. Weil spent several wonderful days along the coast of the Izu Peninsula, about 90 miles southwest of Tokyo. The highlight was the "Eye of Kannon," one of the most extraordinary natural wonders he has ever seen.

How Do You Like Your Water Flavored? (Poll)

A recent Q&A discussed the benefits of adding cucumber slices to water: Cool Cucumber Water? Check out the article and let us know how your flavor you water!

Running Over 60: Big Plus, Few Minuses

If you’re a runner pushing 60, there’s mostly good news from a new study comparing 51 strong runners ranging in age from 18 to 60 plus. The up side is that the body continues to use oxygen as efficiently as it did decades earlier. The bad news is that you’re probably running slower than you once did. This is due to loss of strength, muscle power and flexibility, according to University of New Hampshire researchers. The big difference in strength turned out to be in the upper body - particularly in the arms, which are used to help propel you when running uphill. The study found that upper body strength in the 60 plus runners was about half that of the younger ones, as was flexibility (it affects your stride) while muscle power, responsible for how fast strength is generated, was also lower. But the investigators said that the age-related deficits can be addressed with strength training and exercises called plyometrics, which involve skipping, jumping jacks and prancing with knees high. The study was published in the November issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Physical Activity and Breathing (Video)

There is more to being healthy than eating right. Here Dr. Weil gives his thoughts on physical activity and stress management practices; in each case the emphasis is on repetition.