Daily Health News Blog

The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It's called Black Friday because by this date, retailers were traditionally "in the black" for the year. Black Friday is now known as the beginning of Christmas shopping. Of course, people do buy gifts prior to this date. But on Black Friday, there are huge sales. Our question this month is: Did you shop for great bargains on Black Friday, or do you think the big crowds make shopping too difficult? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for sharing.

It's the holiday season, a time to eat, drink and be merry. But with a strategy of your own, you could avoid having to loosen your belt mid-way through and wondering how you will lose the typical 6 or 7 pounds you could gain this year.  These common-sense tips can help.  * Don't go there hungry. Eat before you leave home so you won't overload your plate because you feel starved.  * Watch the alcohol. It's high-calorie and impairs judgment. The more you drink, the more you'll eat.  * Check the table or buffet line to determine what you really like and what you can skip. Focus on fruit and vegetables, unless the vegetables are swimming in cheese. Look for good foods that aren't high in fat. Skip the bread at first so you have more room for the good stuff.  * At a buffet, fill your own dish so you can choose what you want and your dish won't be overloaded.  * For baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, avoid the butter, cheese and bacon. Look for low-fa

Do you find your belly wiggling like a bowl full of jelly every January? It can be hard to keep from overindulging when you are faced with a December full of buffets, cookies, and holiday dinners. But there are ways to battle the holiday bulge. Exercise is an important part of anyone’s healthy lifestyle. During the holidays it is even more important to include exercise in your busy day. There is a stronger tendency to skip your daily walk, aerobics workout, or swim during winter. There are fewer daylight hours, and there are additional activities that demand your time. Taking time for yourself every day, however, will reduce stress and help you to stay fit and trim. As for the eating, remember that the key to success is moderation. You don’t have to deprive yourself of all those holiday goodies. Just keep portions reasonable and opt for some healthy substitutes. If you are invited to a holiday gathering, try to eat something healthy before you go. You won’t be starving and

Parades, football, turkey and thankfulness define November 22, the fourth Thursday of the month, a national holiday by federal decree. Family members, often from great distances, come "to break bread together." It's Thanksgiving Day. Traditions are observed. Everyone is eager to kick back, laugh, catch up on what everyone is doing and comment on how the kids have grown. TVs are turned on early in the morning to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Football games are available for the rest of the day. This year, the networks give fans an NFL triple-header; no station switching necessary. Local stations may broadcast Turkey Bowls, high school games held on Thanksgiving or the day before; every state has them and thousands are in attendance. Many gatherings hold their own backyard games, and rivalries enhance the fun. The need to connect with loved ones and to express gratitude is at the heart of this day of feasting. It may be over a dining roo

 5 Great Ways to Express Thankfulness Year-Round - By Loren Meier What are the biggest parts of positive thinking and the law of attraction? Can you guess? Appreciation and gratitude! The title may have given it away, huh? Start appreciating what you have right now!  I am challenging you to start getting the "attitude of gratitude"! Start by appreciating what and whom you already have in your life. Be thankful! Celebrate Thanksgiving everyday (minus the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and crazy Aunt Sally!). Here are a few steps you can follow to get in the mood of appreciation. Step one: Appreciate what you have right now! You may not have the car, home, money or clothes that you want right now. Even so, be thankful for what you do have. Appreciating what you have right now will create a feeling of abundance. If you focus on wanting or on being discontent, those negative thoughts will attract even more negative feelings. I am thankful for

Happy, Feel-Good Holiday Seasons Start With Healthy Choices at Thanksgiving, Nutrition Experts Say While most people only gain about a pound of weight during the holiday season, that pound may never come off, increasing the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese and the risk of related health problems, according to a National Institutes of Health study. University of Missouri dietitians recommend families maintain healthy diet and exercise habits during the holiday season beginning with Thanksgiving. Donna Mehrle, registered dietitian and extension associate in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, reminds people to consider how they feel when they eat healthy foods and are physically active, so they're more likely to continue those behaviors when holiday stress and cold weather offer convenient excuses. Feeling better is a great motivator, she says. "People can continue their healthy habits by being aware of their food choices at the Thanksgiving

Californians are about to experience the biggest change in the health care system since the 1960s By  Daniel Weintraub Special to The Bee JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Do you think that you or your employer will benefit from the federal health care reform law? Add your comment below. To write a letter, go to sacbee.com/sendletter . If this year's election was a referendum on President Barack Obama's first term, then it was also a test of the voters' support for his biggest legislative achievement: federal health care reform. And while polls continue to show widespread public skepticism about the Affordable Care Act, Obama's re-election means the law is probably here to stay. That prospect should cheer Californians, who support the federal health care reform in greater numbers than voters in most other states. Not coincidentally, California has also done more to implement the law than other states, where officials were holding back to see if the reforms w