Ever notice that some people seem to have a metabolism that burns hotter and brighter 24/7 while you often feel that your metabolism has gone on auto shut-off?

There are ways to boost your metabolism and an article at WebMD explores some of those ways. Surprisingly, the more weight you carry, the faster your metabolism. That’s why you often lose weight quickly at the start of a diet but plateau out after you reach a certain weight.

Not surprisingly, the best way to rev up your metabolism is exercise. And weight training can make metabolism higher by building muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat and aids in weight loss by burning calories even when you are at rest.

Red pepper and Green Tea have both been touted as metabolism-raising foods but the evidence for any long-lasting effect is scant. Eating a high-protein diet, on the other hand, has been shown effective for weight loss.

Maybe there is no magic bullet, but through changes in diet and exercise, you can put your metabolism into high gear.

Make The Most of Your Metabolism

Day three of Daylight Savings Time and I’m still groggy. It’s only one hour and you wouldn’t think I would miss it that much. Besides, there was that extra hour we got last fall when we went to Standard Time. Somehow it just doesn’t even out.

According to Dr. Maha Alattar, assistant professor of neurology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, most people will adjust within a few days but we can use this time to establish good sleeping habits.

Atattar has some suggestions for getting through the transition and for setting healthy sleep patterns for the whole year. Here are just a few:

– Most importantly, don’t resort to medications just to adjust to daylight-saving time. “This is a transitory period. Most people adjust within a few days.”

– Wake up at your regular time, according to the clock. Even though 6 a.m. will be 7 a.m., stay on your schedule.

– Get a dose of sunshine in the morning to quickly reset circadian rhythms. Sunlight is most the powerful regulator.

– Don’t drink caffeine after 10 a.m. or lunchtime.

– Don’t take a nap; work through the sluggishness until bedtime.

– Avoid a heavy meal three hours before bed.

– End your exercise routine at least three to four hours before bedtime.

– Take a warm shower or bath before bed.

Use Daylight-Saving Change To Practice Healthy Sleep Habits For Adults, Children

In this weight-conscious world, we are beset with numbers and formulas for optimum weight and health. Body Mass Index, or BMI, has been held as a standard for determining if you are overweight and face health risks from increased body fat. But calculating your BMI (body mass index) does not always give you a true measurement of your amount of body fat.

Research done by a team from Michigan State University and Saginaw Valley State University measured the BMI of 400 college students and found that in many cases, it was an inaccurate measurement of total body fat.

BMI doesn’t distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass. It is simply a mathematical equation using height and weight. A bodybuilder, for example, carries a lot of pounds in the form of muscle but according to BMI measurments would be overweight.

Of course, I would love to have that excuse - “It’s not fat, it’s muscle” - but alas, my doctor is unlikely to be convinced. They both bulge, but muscle doesn’t spill out over the waist of your slacks. It’s worth a shot, though. I mean, the research is out there…

Read the article at MSU

BMI calculator from National Institutes of Health

There are some things we just don’t think about too often nor do they come up in everyday conversation. You probably discuss your latest diet with your friends or that nasty cold that lasted three weeks but it’s very rare that the conversation at lunch turns to the health of your colon.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month and experts at the M D Anderson Cancer Center want you to think about colon health. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men and women.

Reducing your risk of developing colorectal cancer means maintaining a healthy weight and a healthy diet as well as getting screening exams at recommended ages.

Lifestyle recommendations from M D Anderson:

* Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
* Limit fat intake to no more than 30 percent of your total daily calories.
* Exercise regularly.
* Maintain an ideal weight.

In addition M D Anderson recommends the following screening exams for men and women 50 and over:

* Colonoscopy - Every 10 years (preferred by M. D. Anderson).
* Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) - Every year a take-home multiple sample FOBT or fecal immunochemical test (FIT, which also is a take-home test) should be taken.
* Flexible sigmoidoscopy - Every five years.
* Annual FOBT or FIT and flexible sigmoidoscopy - Every five years. Having both of these tests is recommended over either test alone.
* Double-contrast barium enema - Every five years.
* All positive tests (FOBT, FIT, flexible sigmoidoscopy, barium enema) should be followed up with colonoscopy.

Regular screenings can detect and remove colorectal polyps before they have a chance to progress to cancer.

M D Anderson Cancer Center