Blog Posts by Tips on Healthy Living

By Kristin Sidorov
It's big, bulky, and a little bit scary (after all, isn't leaving a hot appliance on all day a fire hazard?), but trust us, your slow cooker can and will be your new best friend this winter. These miraculous machines have come a long way since your grandma's crock-pot days, and are an easy, fail-proof way to make thousands of amazing and healthy recipes, from classic pulled pork to perfect, fluffy banana bread.

Your slow cooker is designed to do pretty much all of the work for you, so don't overthink things. It knows how hot to get, how to keep things safe, and, these days, how long to cook and how to turn itself off. Just be sure to keep these basic tips and how-to's in mind before you get started:

1. Give your slow cooker enough counter space to do its job of getting hot correctly-a few inches on all sides should do.
2. Your slow cooker should be between half and two-thirds full for best results.
3. Know your temperatures. You need to

By Kristy Ojala
It was just after New Year's party hats had been crumpled and candy stashes purged, the unsavory holiday excess pushed aside for fervent detox. My yoga class was full, and the master teacher began his now-nightly speech following the explosive yoga expose posted by The Science of Yoga author William J. Broad in the New York Times. It quickly became the most e-mailed story on the paper's website.

"Yoga is a tool," my teacher noted. Everyone solemnly nodded. "If you use any tool the wrong way, you can break something." We then began a slow, torturous class in that every pose was careful, calmly illustrated, and very, very safe. Is all this worry about yoga actually wrecking yoga?

As Broad-a yoga devotee since 1970 and a science writer for the Times-notes in his forthcoming book (out Feb. 7), "Yoga has produced waves of injuries... Overall, the risks and benefits turned out to be far greater than anything I ever imagined." In his article, he not only

When Nightline reporter Bill Weir set out to interview his latest subject, The End of Illness author David B. Agus, M.D., he thought he'd learn a few things about himself. But as the reporter joked on Twitter, " I used to think my job was killing me, until the assignment that saved my life."

During his interview, Weir-a healthy 44-year-old who works out every day and enjoys the occasional slice of cheesecake-went through a battery of standard tests with Dr. Agus, who was Steve Jobs' doctor and a champion of preventive medicine. It turned out, Weir had a potentially life-threatening condition: A heart lesion that put him at major risk for a heart attack.

Knowing your family history and being armed with the right physician are of course key, but you have an important role in your own health and longevity. You'll need to have a list of questions, and you should keep track of your test results over time.

In The End of Illness, Dr. Agus shares some very important advice for

This is a popular time to start a diet, and a common question is "How do I lose weight?" Here are some guidelines from the 17 Day Diet to help you shed pounds and keep them off.

Pick a target weight. As you begin the 17 Day Diet, it's good to have a goal of how much you want to lose and what your target weight should be. Even if you don't make your ideal weight, remember: Every pound you take off is a pound your hips, knees, and heart do not have to carry around; even a 10-lb. loss is good for your body.

How to figure out your target weight:
If you're a woman, take 100 pounds for the first 5 feet of your height. From here, add 5 pounds for every extra inch. This number represents the midpoint of your weight range. Depending on your frame, you can either add or subtract 15 percent from this number. For men, begin with 5 feet and 110 pounds. For every inch you exceed 5 feet, add 6 pounds. Again, you can add or subtract 15 percent depending on the size of your frame.

By Kristin Sidorov
Resolving to eat healthier this year shouldn't mean resigning to boring foods. Adding spices to your dishes is the best way to add amazing flavor without extra calories. And no spice is better this time of year than warm, sweet, and zesty curry. With its bold flavors and dozens of varieties to chose from, it's anything but boring.

Try these curry-rific recipes to add more heat to your winter diet:
-Hot Curried Shrimp with Mango Red Pepper Salsa (Will Cook for Friends)
-Vegetarian Thai Quinoa Chili (Back to Her Roots)
-Curried Eggplant Soup (Eats Well With Others)
-Curried Butternut Squash Fries (Healthy Food for Living)
-Curried Chickpea Salad (A Couple Cooks)
-Grilled Pork Tenderloins with Vegetable Curry (Delish)
-Fish Curry from Kerala (The Patterned Plate)
-Mixed Vegetable and Coconut Curry (Ambika's Kitchen)

Tell Us: What's your favorite way to spice up your diet?

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The best way to keep adolescents from smoking is to focus on issues close to their hearts-how it affects their looks, their popularity, and their physical performance-says Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D., author of You and Your Adolescent: The Essential Guide for Ages 10-25. These six smoking myths summarize what they need to know-and may help remind adults who are trying to quit, too.

Myth: Smoking is sexy.
Facts: Smoking causes bad breath, yellow teeth, gum disease, hacking coughs, excess phlegm, smelly hair, stained fingers, and burn holes in your favorite clothes. Surveys show that most teenagers do not want to go out with, much less kiss, someone who smokes.

Myth: Cigarettes are relaxing.
Facts: In reality, the opposite is true. Just one puff on a cigarette causes heart rate and blood pressure to increase. The reason smokers feel that cigarettes are relaxing is that they are addicted to nicotine. When the nicotine from their last cigarette wears off (about a half hour

If you've done your budget and are still coming up short each month, you need to cut expenses. But how? These short-term sacrifices will get you in a better long-term financial standing. From The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine.

If you are in a real bind, here are ten ways to significantly cut your expenses:
1. Downsize Your Home. If you are renting, do the math to see if moving to a smaller house or apartment might be worth the effort. If you're bursting at the seams as it is, streamline your life and get rid of clutter. Maybe you'll find you can actually get by with a smaller living space, or at least you'll figure out that you don't necessarily need to get a bigger place. The less stuff you have, the less space you need to comfortably live.
Possible savings: $150 or more each month.

2. Become a Single-Car Family. This won't work for everyone, but it's worth considering long and hard if there's a way you can eliminate all but one vehicle for at least a short time

Ready to make 2012 your best year yet for your body, your health, and your life? Many people are familiar with the Atkins Diet, which has helped millions of people lose weight and improve their health. Here's how to use the plan to achieve your weight-loss resolutions, plus two delicious, low-carb comfort food recipes to keep you satisfied.

Small changes lead to big results. When you try to change too many things at once, you may be sabotaging yourself. For example, instead of resolving to lose 50 pounds, set a more realistic goal of 10 pounds. This simple change sets you up for success instead of likely failure. Once you lost that first 10 pounds, set a new goal to lose another 10 or 15 pounds. In addition, if you are a diehard couch potato, resolving to work out seven days a week for hours at a time is unrealistic, and could lead to burnout or even injury. Start slowly to make exercise a part of your routine by walking a couple of miles five days a week. Once this becomes a