Healthy Eating Archive

Products that encourage healthy eating or exercise can make good holiday gifts for family and friends. Examples include cooking gadgets (such as a food chopper or high-quality knife), a gift basket of fresh fruit or Mediterranean-inspired treats, or home workout equipment (such as dumbbells, resistance bands, or sports-related gear).

Despite statements like "promotes heart health" on the labels of fish oil supplements, multiple randomized trials show no evidence of heart-related benefits from using these products. In addition, manufacturing methods might make the products either useless or even harmful. The supplements do provide omega-3 fatty acids, but people can get these essential fats by eating two servings of fatty fish weekly or following a vegetarian diet rich in healthy oils, nuts, and seeds.

Formula companies claim that toddler formulas, also known as "follow-up formulas," "transition formulas," or "growing-up milks" offer nutritional benefits to toddlers. But are these products necessary and healthy?

A heart-healthy dietary pattern emphasizes minimally processed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. Learn how you can adopt a heart-healthy eating style to boost your cardiovascular health.

According to a 2023 study, people who consumed 25% or more of their daily calories from added sugars had an 88% higher risk of developing kidney stones compared with those who kept their added sugar intake to less than 5% of their daily calories.

"Regular" bowel movements can mean something different for each person. Some people have a bowel movement once or twice daily; for others, it's once or twice weekly. People should see a doctor if they notice a dramatic change in bowel habits or other symptoms, including fatigue, pain, unintended weight loss, bloody stool, or a change in stool consistency. People can promote digestion by maintaining a toileting schedule, heeding their body's signals, and using a toilet stool.

Many common wellness myths contain a grain of truth but are misleading over all. One wellness myth holds that being thin equates to being healthy, but people who are think can still be unhealthy. Another myth posits that detoxes and cleanses can help people be healthier, but these products don't help and can even be dangerous for some people. Another myth is that eating before bedtime leads to weight gain, but food choice matters more than timing.

A 2023 study of about 110,000 people in the United Kingdom suggested that those who most adhered to a Mediterranean lifestyle had a 28% lower risk of dying from cancer and a 29% lower risk of dying prematurely from any cause, compared with those who least adhered to the lifestyle.