Vincent C.W. Chen, B.S. High fat and high cholesterol foods are delicious, but generally, they are not healthy. When we enjoy delicious meals that are high in fat and cholesterol, we are increasing the risks of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. However, does it really mean that we should not eat this kind of food at all? Fat and cholesterol, although they have such a bad reputation, are actually essential to life. The real problem is overconsumption, and too much of anything i...

Steve Bui, M.S.A much more popular part of the diet in East Asian countries, soy has been slowly increasing in popularity in the western diet as well. The soy bean is part of the legume family and can be grown in many different environments. Once mature, soy beans can be converted into a wide variety of other forms including: tofu, miso, oil, flour, meat substitute, and milk.Soy beans are considered to be one of the most nutritionally dense foods available. The Food and Drug Administration has o...

Majid Koozehchian, M.S. Childhood and adolescence are critical periods in the formation of cardiovascular risk factors. Many cardiovascular diseases are related to such risk factors as high levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides (TG), as well as low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The causes of cardiovascular risk factors are manifold, involving environment, lifestyle, and genetics. In adolescents, higher levels of exercise training are inver...

Deanna Kennedy, M.S. The ability to coordinate movements between the limbs is important for many activities of daily living and sport specific skills. For example, tying your shoes, slicing bread, driving your car, and serving a tennis ball are tasks that involve some type of coordination between the limbs. However, the role of each limb may vary with different task requirements. Some tasks, such as clapping your hands, require the limbs to produce mirror movements in both time and space. O...

Wendy Gapinski, M.S.You may have heard a lot about omega-3 in the news recently. But, what really is omega-3? Well, omega-3 is a category of fatty acids that are most commonly found in marine and plant oils. Fats often get bad press but this type actually provides health benefits. Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3s, are often easily identified by their ability to stay a liquid at room temperature. Saturated, unhealthy fats typically stay solid at room temperature.  While some of the mec...

Steve Bui, M.S.I think it is safe to say we have all heard it at some point in our lives. I remember as a child, my mother telling me on several occasions. In fact, whenever I had the slightest cough, she would squeeze lime juice into everything I ate. Whether it is your loving family, friend, television advertisement, or newspaper, the general consensus has always been that if you are feeling sick, or have flu-like symptoms, increasing your vitamin C intake will help you recover faster and prev...

Dustin Joubert, M.A.Changes in the normal structure and size of the heart and its various chambers can indicate exercise training adaptations or disease. Of particular concern is the size and shape of the left ventricle, the hardest working chamber of the heart, which is responsible for ejecting blood through the entire body. It is generally accepted that the type of exercise training causes specific changes in characteristics of the left ventricle. Endurance exercise tends to increase the volum...

John Seawright, B.S.Heart disease is a cruel ailment that befalls many Americans. It is a life threatening disease that does not strike only a single individual; the suffering proliferates through the patient’s entire family. Understanding the causes of heart disease can elucidate avenues of treatment, as well as provide pre-emptive strategies to prevent the disease in the first place.      Heart disease is a complex malady resulting from a poorly functioning ...

Majid Koozehchian, M.S.The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a modified form of essential amino acid cysteine, which is both consumed in high-protein food and synthesized in the body, does not receive much attention but has important, positive impacts in the body (1). This antioxidant is a precursor to glutathione (the master antioxidant) in the body, and is readily metabolized into intracellular glutathione.   Following are some benefits reported for NAC:  NAC protects th...

Kwame J.A. Agyemang, Ph.D  For those in the workforce, you may remember completing some type of training or orientation before you actually started your duties. Thinking back, how would you rate the usefulness of that training? As the days, months, and years went by, did it help you deal with your day-to-day responsibilities you faced on the job? Or better yet, do you surmise that it helped you uphold the mission and values of your organization? Believe it or not, these same questions ...