URBANA – A new University of Illinois study touts the benefits of soluble fiber—found in oats, apples, and nuts, for starters—saying that it reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system.

5 things you should know about probiotic products.

The business of beneficial bacteria seems to be booming, with the word "probiotics" showing up on labels of everything from supplements to yogurt to granola bars.
Probiotics are "friendly bacteria" that are similar to organisms that occur naturally in the digestive tract. Certain strains or types of probiotics have been linked to all sorts of health benefits, from helping with irritable bowel syndrome and traveler’s diarrhea to boosting the immune system. They're sometimes used with antibiotics to combat the diarrhea that may result from taking antibiotics.

It's difficult not to gush about green tea.
More than a decade's worth of research about green tea's health benefits -- particularly its potential to fight cancer and heart disease -- has been more than intriguing, as have limited studies about green tea's role in lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia.

Tea is brimming with antioxidants, the disease-fighting compounds that help your body stave off illness.

At the risk of sounding like a certain 20-something socialite, HDL is hot! Advances in research have brought more attention to the blood lipid (or fat) we often call "good" cholesterol.

"Good" cholesterol doesn't refer to the cholesterol we eat in food, but to the high density lipoprotein cholesterol circulating in our blood. It's one of the blood fats measured in the lipid panel blood test doctors perform. And it's the component you want more of, because increasing HDL helps lower your risk of heart disease.

The right type of carbohydrates can boost your health!

What’s the difference between a sandwich made on white bread and one made with 100% whole grain bread?
Or, the difference between French fries and side salad made with spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and kidney beans?

All the foods above are carbohydrates. But the second option in both questions includes good carbohydrate foods (whole grains and vegetables).

               Six Supernutrients: That Can Transform Your Health

Imagine sustained energy… a flawless memory… perfect vision and hearing… and the physical endurance of someone half your age—all as you reach fifty, sixty, seventy and beyond.

Written by: Reyana Ewing, MPH, RD, CLE

Low vitamin D levels are very likely limiting your running performance, and may compromise your heal
As runners we want to do everything possible to perform well and have a great season.  We are meticulous about our training schedules, hydration, sleeping habits, etc.  Yet many times we fall short when it comes to nutrition.

Most of us know that vitamin D is crucial to bone health, but now it's been shown that insufficient levels can cause or increase the risk of developing a number of health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). Recent studies report that about 70% kids in the United States have low vitamin D levels.

Portion sizes began to increase in the 1980s and have been skyrocketing ever since. Our perception of portions has become so distorted over time that, research shows, it's hard for us to recognize what a normal portion looks like.

Take bagels, for example. Twenty years ago, the average bagel had a 3-inch diameter and 140 calories. Today, bagels have a 6-inch diameter and 350 calories. Eat one and you've just consumed three servings of grains — that's half the recommended number of grain servings for the entire day.

In fact, we've become so desensitized to "big food" that we don't bat an eye when restaurants offer us things like neverending pasta bowls, bottomless fries, or 52-ounce mugs of soda. And we don't think it's strange that, in some cafes, we can't even order a "small" anymore — just variations of big, bigger, and biggest. No wonder car manufacturers had to start building bigger cup holders!