The researchers didn’t stop there, though, according to an article in Medical News Today. A recent follow-up study published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology indicates that even once memory and cognitive function begin to decrease, a change in diet can improve symptoms of the disease. The results indicated that, at least in mice, a positive improvement in diet–in this case, a change from a diet high in the amino acid methionine to one lower in methionine–can slow or reverse changes in memory and cognitive abilities caused by Alzheimer’s.

The take-away message here is that our brains are clearly influenced by our diets. Not only that, but positive changes in our diets can have a positive influence on our brain’s function. Remember, a healthy diet isn’t just about what our body looks like. It is also about how well our mind works. For a healthy mind and body, strive to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet now and in the future.

The study showed that young people fall as much as older people, and for those people who fall while walking (about 15% of those studied), increased fitness may decrease the chance of a fall. This fitness influence only seemed to apply for men, however. Physical fitness did not seem to decrease the risk of falls for women.

The researchers suggest that two hours of physical activity a week can decrease the risk of a fall. Those who exercised less or didn’t exercise at all did not seem to have any decreased risk of a fall.

While the study didn’t show any decrease in falls for women who exercise regularly, that doesn’t mean exercise doesn’t help balance and strength. Whether you’re a man or woman, younger or older, if you’re already exercising, keep it up. And if you don’t have a regular exercise routine yet, consider this just another reason to get started.

A recent study presented at this year’s annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine suggested that people who walked a dog on a regular basis sat less during the day, had a lower body mass index (BMI), smoked less, had fewer chronic illnesses, and were less depressed. Like having a workout buddy who motivates you to get (and keep) moving, having a dog encourages you to take more frequent walks. And as we all know, walking is a great form of exercise, and walking for a total of just 30 each day (or three 10-minute walks with Fido) can have a positive effect on your health and well-being.

If you’ve considered getting a new pet, you might want to think about making it a dog. Turns out man’s best friend is also a great workout partner.

The findings of this study clearly contradict much of the evidence that has come before it, which generally links obesity with chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. While there are certainly cases of overweight and obese people who do not develop chronic illnesses and live a relatively healthy life, past research strongly suggests that being obese or overweight is a serious risk factor for developing chronic health problems at some point in one’s life.

It might be nice to believe that we can eat as much as we like and exercise as little as we choose and still live a healthy, happy life. But the overwhelming evidence just doesn’t indicate that this is the case. And one study that suggests it might be won’t change what so many studies before it point to: being overweight is bad for your health.

The study, published in the 14 June online issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests that eating whole grains like brown rice can slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream, making it easier to control blood sugar levels. If you’re at risk for developing diabetes or if you have diabetes now, you may want to consider switching your grains. Try these four simple switches to get more whole grains in your diet:

• Replace white rice with brown rice.
• Try whole wheat pastas.
• Buy bread made from whole wheat flour.
• Replace your morning cereal with oatmeal.

If you’re even more adventurous, you might want to give other whole grains a try:

• Quinoa (pronounced: keen-wah) – A whole grain that is high in protein. Use wherever you might use rice or other grains.
• Sorghum (or milo) – A cereal grain that is gluten-free, sorghum flour can be used in baked goods. You can also make a delicious salad using the whole grain.
• Bulgur – A parboiled grain that is often found in Middle Eastern dishes. Try this tabbouleh recipe for a refreshing summer dish.
• Barley – A very versitile whole grain. Use it in soups or salads, use barley flour in baked goods, or eat it for breakfast like you would oatmeal.

You may need to look in specialty or health food stores to find some of these grains, but more and more grocery stores are beginning to carry a variety of grains. Look in the organic sections or where you would find rice and other grains. Enjoy exploring and experimenting with whole grains. You might find you’re pleasantly surprised by the flavor and texture variety.

First, let’s talk about your nighttime snacking. A case of the munchies could mean your blood sugar is low. To address that, try eating smaller, balanced meals throughout the day to keep your blood sugar levels stable. If you find you’re still hungry in the evenings, choose a snack that has a mix of protein, fat and carbohydrates to keep you satisfied. You should also watch portion sizes and eat your snack mindfully so you don’t spend the whole evening munching on empty calories.

Second, while you may be snacking too much, several of your choices are perfect evening snacks if you only choose one and make sure to limit yourself to a single serving. Some good choices are nuts and seeds (their carb content is perfectly acceptable), low-fat cheese with a few whole grain crackers, or vegetables with hummus dip. You should try to avoid snacks that are almost all carbohydrate (like your popcorn), though, and watch out for snacks that might seem like a good balance but are usually full of hidden sugar, like trail mix.

What is Intuitive Eating?

Basically, intuitive eating is the practice of paying close attention to your body’s hunger signals and giving it what it needs. According to the Intuitive Eating website:

Intuitive eating is an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind, and body–where you ultimately become the expert of your own body. You learn how  to distinguish between physical and emotional feelings, and gain a sense of body wisdom. It’s also a process of making peace with food—so that you no longer have constant “food worry” thoughts. It’s knowing that your health and your worth as a person does not change because you ate a so-called “bad” or “fattening” food.

For more information, you can check out the 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating or read Intuitive Eating, by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD, FADA.

What are the benefits?

Intuitive eating allows you to break the cycle of yo-yo dieting, silence the food judges (in your head and in your life), and teach you new ways to approach food and eating. Practiced regularly, it can improve your relationship with food, allow you to ditch your food scales and calorie counters, and still help you to lose weight.

Unlike diets, intuitive eating focuses on connecting with your body and its signals. It takes time to learn to trust what your body is telling you, but eventually, with practice, you can learn to eat when you’re physically hungry and stop when you’re satisfied. Intuitive eating can help you separate emotional eating from eating for physical nourishment.

How can you eat more intuitively?

Learning to eat intuitively will take time and conscious effort, but it will be worth it. To practice eating intuitively, try some of these basic strategies:

• Before eating anything, check in with your body and ask yourself if you are really hungry.
• Use a hunger scale (try this one from MIT) to gauge how hungry you really are before and after you eat.
• Eat mindfully. Put your food on a plate and sit at a table. Look at your food and pay attention to its colors, texture and smell. Chew slowly and really taste each bite.

If you really want to try eating intuitively or learn more about the process, pick up the Intuitive Eating book. Remember, it will take time to overcome your current eating mindset and habits, but learning to eat intuitively will mean saying good-bye to diets. Forever.

What is the Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index rates foods based on how they affect a person’s blood sugar levels. Foods are rated as High (70 or above), Medium (56 to 69) or Low (55 or below) on the index. The lower a food’s GI rating, the less fluctuation in blood sugar and insulin levels it causes.

What are the benefits of eating according to the Glycemic Index?

Some studies have shown that eating a diet that includes mostly low-GI foods and limits high GI foods as well as foods high in saturated fat can decrease the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and possibly even heart disease. The basic tenets of GI-based diets (eat more whole grains, high-fiber fruits and vegetables and limit sweet treats, refined grains and high-fat foods) are good healthy living guidelines, whether your aware of the GI value of your foods or not.

And now for the question:

Do steel-cut oats have a lower glycemic impact than old-fashioned rolled oats?

It turns out that the GI rating for steel-cut oats and old-fashioned rolled oats is very similar. Both types of oats fall into the Low to Low-Medium range (about 45-59) on the Glycemic Index, depending on the brand and how they’re prepared. So no matter which type of oats you choose to eat, they’ll probably have a very similar affect on your blood sugar and insulin levels.

What is HFCS then?

As it’s name suggests, HFCS a sweetener made from corn. Because it is much cheaper to produce than cane sugar, it is extremely common and is used in almost all of the processed foods available today. In fact, HFCS is so common that it’s in foods that you might not even suspect, like salad dressings, breads, processed meats and fast food.

But what’s the big deal?

Sugar is sugar, whether it’s table sugar you put in your coffee or the HFCS in the cereal you eat for breakfast. But because HFCS is often “hiding” in foods you might not suspect, you may be eating more sugar than you think. Whether it’s HFCS or another form of sugar, limiting your sugar intake should be your goal if you want to live a healthy life. And added sugar, no matter where it comes from, can mean added calories–which can mean added pounds in the long run.

So what should you do?

To decrease you HFCS and overall sugar consumption, try to center your diet around natural, whole foods and limit the processed and packaged foods you eat. If you do choose processed or packaged foods, look for products that have fewer total grams of sugar. Read nutrition labels. Check the ingredients for HFCS and note how early it appears in the list. The higher on the list it appears, the more of it is in the product.

Knowing what foods have HFCS in them is important in helping you figure out where your sugar intake is coming from, an positive step toward maintaining or losing weight. And watching HFCS intake is especially important for people who are at risk for or already diagnosed with diabetes, because just like any other sugar, HFCS can seriously impact blood sugar levels.

While HFCS isn’t an evil ingredient, you shoud do your best to be aware of what foods contain it and limit how much of those foods you eat. Just like everything else, moderation is key.

It sounds like a great day to pamper yourself with a little fitness, beauty and fun. Tickets are still available, but they’re limited so get them now. For $20 you’ll get access to all the activities and will also receive a one-year subscription to SELF Magazine (a $10 value). Proceeds benefit women’s health charities including Susan G. Komen for the Cure.