Despite the bad rap that saturated fats have, there’s a lot of evidence indicating that saturated fat is essentially good for you. The real harmful and unhealthy fats include trans fats, hydrogenated fats and vegetable oils.

If you’re just a casual swimmer, you probably don’t have to adjust your diet before jumping in. But that’s not the case with competitive swimmers, who must constantly watch what they eat and drink. You can learn a lot from swimmers’ consumption patterns — particularly if you’re an investor.

It’s been three years since she was paralyzed from the waist down after a soccer incident injured her spinal cord.

If your goal is to lose weight, look and feel your best and live a healthy, vibrant life, be aware of the damaging additives and synthetic chemicals in the foods you buy and eat. Seventy-five percent of the average American diet is from processed and packaged foods, which equates to approximately 10 pounds of additives eaten annually.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the Phoenix Fire Department are already working to get kids ready for summer with reminders about staying safe around water.

From the moment chocolate was discovered it was considered a valuable, divine and decadent treat. The first chocolate candies were invented in the 1860s by Cadbury, who was also the first to market them in a heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day that same decade.

It seems that every culture has a probiotic food that has been made for centuries. The Koreans have Kimchi. The Japanese have Miso Soup and Kombucha. The Africans have Amasi and the list goes on and on. Our history and ancestors have fermented and preserved many types of foods. This actually benefited our health and well being. Meanwhile, in our generation we have gone away from these traditions and have added antibiotics to our bodies. These antibiotics can be found in both our medicine and our food. This has caused a great imbalance in the beneficial bacteria that belongs in our bodies. This imbalance has contributed to a wide variety of diseases. Today, we are seeing a great come back with both probiotic supplements and foods.

Wes Anderson’s delightful “Moonrise Kingdom” became the indie smash of 2012 thanks to its blend of top-notch talent, clever writing and irresistible charm – a seemingly simple combination but a surprising rarity in Hollywood’s current landscape. It’s no wonder that it nabbed a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, an honor that Anderson and co-writer Roman Coppola share.

We are all familiar with the fact that chemicals, particularly pesticides and herbicides, have negative side effects. The United States and international government agencies have acknowledged that different pesticides have been linked to a variety of health problems including hormonal disruption, skin, eye and lung irritation, birth defects, weight gain, nervous system toxicity and cancer. Many times, the negative effects of pesticides can take a long time to show, and by the time symptoms are clear, a lot of damage may have already been done.

My family has always insisted that the centerpiece of our Christmas feast be some kind of show-stopping roast. We’re talking a standing rib roast or whole beef tenderloin. And, as if these prizes were not already rich enough in themselves, we tend to pair them with an extravagant sauce, usually bearnaise. Hey, it’s Christmas.

The headache, sometimes handy as an excuse, more often than not, a very real, annoying discomfort. For some, it is a pain that is debilitating and in some rare instances a headache could signal an emergency medical situation.

With flu season upon us, many people question whether or not they should get a flu shot. Instead of putting your health at great risk by getting a flu shot, a healthier option is to boost your immune system naturally and limit immune suppressors.

The holiday season is upon us. Over the next few weeks, schedules will be filled with shopping, holiday parties, relatives, plenty of food and spirits and obligations. Socializing during the holidays can be stressful and challenging for some people, especially if your friends and family are not as health-conscious as you. The abundance of holiday treats and homemade goodies can be hard to resist. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to avoid holiday weight gain.

Insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and obesity (diabesity) are global epidemics that continue to rise and come with major health consequences. Type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with poor diet and inactivity. However, there is now evidence of autoimmunity in Type 2 diabetes.

Are you constantly struggling to reach or maintain healthy weight? Do you experience cravings for specific foods? What about unexplained joint pain, skin problems or headaches? If so, the cause is highly probably related to the food(s) you’re eating.

Lately I have been hearing people claim that they are a “foody.” Initially, I had thought that term meant they are a fan of food. To me that was kind of funny because should we not all be fans of food? Our bodies need it and we all seem to be a fan of it from infancy and beyond. Ask any mother. Although the term “foody” according to the dictionary is, “a person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food.” Now that I can get on board with.

As criticism of sugary sodas intensifies, Coke, Pepsi and Dr Pepper are rolling out new vending machines that will put calorie counts right at your fingertips.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and current health statistics indicate that asthma is the most chronic childhood disease in Arizona, affecting 9.4 percent of children and being a leading cause of absences from school.

Despite the bad rap that saturated fats have, there’s a lot of evidence indicating that saturated fat is essentially good for you. The real harmful, unhealthy fats are trans fats, hydrogenated fats and vegetable oils.

Ever meandered through the pharmacy aisles of Whole Foods, Sprouts, or even Trader Joe’s and wished you knew more about the various supplements and which ones could possibly benefit you? Herbal/dietary supplements (also called botanicals) are plants used for their therapeutic properties, and the roots of herbalism go back to the beginning of humanity. The following list contains some of the more popular herbs that are generally accepted to have psychoactive and/or medicinal properties with positive effects in humans:

Water is one of the most important nutrients and often overlooked for detoxification, losing body fat, and optimal health. Your body is approximately 70 percent water, your brain tissue approximately 75 percent water, and your blood is 83 percent water.

It sounds like an unfolding epidemic: A decade ago, virtually no one in the U.S. seemed to have a problem eating gluten in bread and other foods. Now, millions do.

Let’s say you just finished an intense workout, or you have a child that plays an outdoor sport. Maybe you’re a construction worker with a physically demanding job or a salesperson in and out of your vehicle during the hot, summer months.

Phoenix police said another money scam has reached the Ahwatukee Foothills area, this time posing as a sweepstakes winning from Reader’s Digest.

Summers are great for getting new seasonal produce. I get really excited about all the new fruits that come into season and go on sale. Recently, my husband and I went to Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek to pick peaches. We ended up with about 5 pounds for $2 a pound. I planned on freezing some for summer smoothies and a healthy cobbler. We ended up eating all of the fruit instead.