Health Tips

Focus on the middle

Your middle, that is. You don't have to be super-thin to get the benefits of a smaller waistline, but according to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, carrying too much weight around the middle raises blood pressure, affects blood lipids, and does other damage to the heart. Abdominal exercises are good, but it's calories in (what you eat) and calories out (how you exercise) that will make a difference.

Keep your room dark if you want a good night’s sleep. Leaving the TV or your reading light on lowers melatonin production, which, in turn, disrupts your sleep cycle.

Be future focused:   Most young people are pretty healthy- the problem isn't usually your current situation, but where your lifestyle will lead you as you age. Make healthy changes now, like eating better and exercising more.  It's like putting money in the bank.

Eating berries can lower your risk of heart disease significantly. A study of nearly 94,000 women found that those who ate three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries a week had a 32 percent lower risk of heart attack.