Health Briefs TV Reports on Sleep and Its Benefits

This is the time of year when many people find their lives are more hectic than usual. It is also a time when some oversleep to compensate for the lack of rest during the week. Health Briefs TV reports on the benefits (and lack of) sleep.

Sleep is needed every night to keep our bodies and brains working optimally. Lack of sleep and sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on almost every part of our bodies. It impairs cognitive function, diminishes memory, increases cardio-related medical problems and weakens immune systems.  In addition, the US Department of Transportation estimate that 1,550 fatalities and 40,000 non-fatal injuries result from drowsy driving every year.

The holidays bring additional stressors into people lives. Monthly budgets are forgotten and finances take a hit. Out of town visitors arrive and expect to be catered to. In addition, people have to go to work, get gas, buy groceries, cook, bake, decorate and entertain. When do we get a break? When we go to bed.

Adults are recommended to get between six to eight hours of sleep every night, including weekends. Sleeping in late on weekends, unless we are sick, toys with our internal body clocks. Eventually, we get up too early for work the following week. The Health Briefs TV show suggests setting a regular time to prepare for bed every night and stick with it. There will be some adjustments made as company arrives, and with what we eat and drink throughout the month. As long as we take it easy on our bodies.

Health Briefs TV Weighs In on Dietary Supplements

There are hundreds of bottles and jars of dietary supplements on store shelves. It is a $40 billion industry in the United States. How effective are they to our everyday health and wellness? Health Briefs TV weighs in.

 Dietary supplements come in several formulations such as pills, powders and other oral types. They are most commonly marketing as weight loss supplements, body building products and formulations that increase sexual performance.  Most of the time, there will be claims about the products that promise fantastic results like rapid weight loss, works in a short amount of time, and other hard to believe tales. There are also numerous businesses around the country that market and sell online dietary supplements for humans and animals. Many of these companies also claim to have their own health magazines.  It can hard to tell which supplements and companies have the real deal.

The Health Briefs TV show suggests consumers look for the USP label on the bottle or jar. The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention is a scientific non-profit organization which sets standards for quality and purity of medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements made, distributed and consumed worldwide. It is also a good idea to ask the doctor if a dietary supplement is needed. Most often, we can get enough of what we need in what we eat. Exceptions to this might be with calcium and vitamin D. If wanting to take dietary supplements, read the label on the bottle first and compare it with others. Look for the USP label on the packaging. Don’t be fooled into taking a supplement not needed. Eat healthy every day and go for a walk at least twice a day – weather permitting. This is all we basically need to do in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Health Briefs TV Reports on Healthier Foods for Kids

Healthy eating is one of the most important ways kids can get a start on the day and stayed fueled into the evening. Health Briefs TV reports on updates in this area.

Animal meat which has been injected with antibiotics to prevent disease is harmful to children and some adults. A North American Academy of Pediatrics report found that food with added antimicrobial drugs and antibiotics can leave the drugs used to treat terminally ill children and adults ineffective. Bacteria in the animals becomes used to the preventative drugs given and renders the drugs ineffective. Children and adults with compromised immune systems are more likely to be affected from the practice. Instead, choose more organic products and be sure it is thoroughly cooked. Also, organic produce, whole grains and proteins are good food choices.

The Health Briefs TV show reminds readers there are several grocery store options available in most cities: regular grocery stores which offer some organic products, fresh markets where the food does not sit in freezers, coolers or on shelves too long, and organic food stores such as Trader Joes and Whole Foods. Natural foods are better options for everyone. But children particularly need all the nutrients and vitamins they can get from the food they eat. There are plenty of healthy food options for adults and children with compromised immune systems also. When grocery shopping, take time to read the food labels on packages. The more you know, the healthier you may eat. 

Health Briefs TV Reviews Tips to Kick the Habit

One of the hardest habits to kick is to stop smoking. Even though there are many products and programs to help quell the nicotine addiction, quitting smoking is personal challenge to overcome. Health Briefs TV reviews some tips to help kick the habit.

We know. Easier said than done. Commercials on TV remind smokers of the health and medical problems it causes. The ads also remind viewers that it can take several attempts to quit before the habit is kicked for good.  But it can be done. Here’s the good news:

The US Centers for Disease Control reports that number of smokers in the US has declined by 20 percent in the last decade. A significant one percent drop in the last year alone is reason to health officials to remain optimistic that there will be no more smokers in America by 2050. We want to help with that with some tips for quitting:

• Try to not smoke for one hour. Then two hours. Slowly ease off smoking one hour at a time. 
• Replace the cigarette with chewing gum, mints, nicotine replacement products, bottles of water, exercise or whatever is needed.
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• Reward yourself for each cigarette not smoked with something healthy such as an apple, low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
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• Save the money from each pack of cigarettes not bought in a jar. At the end of the month, deposit that money in a savings account.
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• Instead of lighting up after a meal, take a walk instead.

The Health Briefs TV show believes that even the most addicted smokers can eventually quit. It takes steely determination and a strong support network to help the smoker not want to light up. Pick a day and make that your quit forever day. Then throw out every single thing that pertains to smoking like ashtrays and lighters and toss that garbage in a Dumpster.  When is your quit forever day?

Health Briefs TV Relays Weight Loss Tips for the Holiday Season

The holiday season wreaks havoc on the best weight loss successes, and throws a wrench into healthy lifestyle changes. Health Briefs TV relays weight loss tips during the holiday season.

It can be a major challenge to maneuver the many holiday parties, gatherings and the food and drinks offered at them. The numerous Christmas and other holiday cookies and sweets, the big family meals, the cocktail parties with sugar-laden drinks and fattening appetizers all lead to one big nosedive off of the weight loss plan. But there are ways to counter these hazards and, at the very least, maintain weight.

Before heading out to a party or food gathering, drink plenty of water. Snack on fruits and vegetables. If planning to drink alcohol, eat some bread or crackers to soak the alcohol in your stomach.

Take the smallest plate on the buffet table. Walk around the table before getting line to get something to eat to see what’s being served. Look for the healthiest options such as lean chicken and fish, vegetables, salads and sides. Take a little bit of the food you want to eat. If it is a heavier, fattier food, consider taking about two tablespoons worth of the item.

Health Briefs TV suggests taking a brisk walk after the meal if possible. Party goers should stay up for a little while once home and re-hydrate with water or lemon water before bed.

Holiday parties and family gatherings will soon begin. Don’t let one happy reunion get in the way of weight loss success. Keep the momentum going throughout the festive season and start the new year ahead of everyone who is just beginning their healthy lifestyle change. 

Health Briefs TV Digests the Latest News on Junk Food

Junk food is some of the best comfort food. Yet it is often blamed on the rise of obesity in America. According to a recent study, this is not true.

The report which was published by the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York found that underweight Americans consumed more soda, sweets and junk food than people who were of average weight. Obese and morbidly obese people actually ate less junk food than underweight people, Health Briefs TV learns. A rather odd fact from the study notes that morbidly obese people tend to eat more French fries than the other groups.

Once again, medical professionals say that becoming overweight or obese is not related to the amount of food, healthy or not, that we eat. It is the lack of exercise that produces excess body weight and a higher body mass index. Diet and lifestyle change programs suggest participants not deprive themselves of the occasional junk food meal, container of salty fries or satisfying soda.  The deprivation can lead to overeating of junk food which is not healthy, and more so when there is a lack of exercise.  Instead, the Health Briefs TV show suggests having one delicious fast food meal per month. For those who don’t like going to a gym or health club, try taking a 30 minute walk after a meal. Fall is the perfect season to get outside when the air is cooler to walk around the neighborhood, greet neighbors and devour the fantastic fall colors. 

Health Briefs TV Reviews the Common Health Questions

This is the time of the year when the clocks are rolled back one hour. It is also the time of year when the common cold makes people miserable. So we want to ask and answer some common health questions readers might have.

According to a recent study, Americans spend $8 billion a year on over-the-counter medicines. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice found that the active ingredient in decongestants we take for a cold works no better than a placebo. The effectiveness of phenylephrine hydrochloride (PE HCl), which is common in OTC meds for nasal congestion, works no better than a sugar pill. Consumers who want to buy cold medicine with this ingredient have to ask a store clerk for it since it is no longer on open shelves. The main ingredient, PE HC1, in bulk, can be used to make meth which is illegal. Any OTC cold medicine with nasal decongestant will not contain this ingredient. Health Briefs TV encourages readers to find ways to stay healthy during cold and flu season. If medication is needed, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Milk – it does a body good. It does and in so many ways. But milk tends to get bad rep from people who are lactose intolerant, and for its fat (or fat-free) versions. While there are alternatives for the people who cannot digest lactose-laden ingredients, milk, in its regular form, is still a healthy choice. The division among people who say that fat-free or skim milk is healthier than whole or 2 percent fat milk rages on. Analysis of the European Journal of Nutrition found that whole milk fills people up more than fat-free milk, therefore leading to feeling satiated sooner and lowering the risk of obesity and diabetes. The Health Briefs television show also reminds readers that we don’t consume enough milk in one day to do any harm to our health. Pour a little whole of 2 percent milk in coffee, tea, and cereals to gain a little more calcium in the daily diet.