Americans Are Among the Fattest People on Earth

According to recent statistics from national and international health organizations, Americans are among the fattest people on earth. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in the United States, obesity has risen at an epidemic rate during the past 20 years. Dr. Jennifer Zebrack, Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin, reports that 34% of all Americans are overweight – defined as having a Body Mass Index of 25.0 to 29.9 – and 30.5% are obese, defined as having a Body Mass Index of 30.0 or higher. Dr. Zebrack points out that it’s not just adults who are becoming problematically heavy, but children and adolescents as well; about 13% of children and adolescents in the US are now seriously overweight.
Continue Reading @ healthlink.mcw.edu

Prevent Your Allergies Spending $0

Medicines help treat allergy symptoms once they strike, but there are several steps you can take to prevent allergy symptoms altogether. The following recommendations can help you avoid allergy triggers whether you're at home, outdoors, or out on the town.
Allergy-Proof Your At Home

* Keep windows closed and use air conditioning if you're allergic to pollen. Don't use fans since they can stir up dust.
* Filter the air. Cover air conditioning vents with cheesecloth to filter pollen and use high efficiency particulate air filters. Clean air filters frequently and air ducts at least once a year.
* Keep the humidity in your house below 50% to prevent mold growth.
* If you have pets, consider keeping them outside or perhaps ask someone else to take care of them. Animal dander and saliva are common allergens for many people. If you must keep your pets indoors, do not allow them in the bedroom and be sure to bathe them often.
* Avoid areas where molds may collect, including basements, garages, crawl spaces, barns, and compost heaps. Have someone else clean these areas often.
Keep reading at webmd.com

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Addicted to Chocolate? You Might Have Bacteria

Oct. 12, 2007 — If that craving for chocolate sometimes feels like it is coming from deep in your gut, that's because maybe it is.
A small study links the type of bacteria living in people's digestive system to a desire for chocolate. Everyone has a vast community of microbes in their guts. But people who crave daily chocolate show signs of having different colonies of bacteria than people who are immune to chocolate's allure.
That may be the case for other foods, too. The idea could eventually lead to treating some types of obesity by changing the composition of the trillions of bacteria occupying the intestines and stomach, said Sunil Kochhar, co-author of the study. It appears Friday in the peer-reviewed Journal of Proteome Research.