The health of our skin can often shed light onto the status of our general health. Like if we’re
dehydrated or lacking certain nutrients in our diets.

When it comes to warm, sunny weather, it’s important to take the proper precautions.
Otherwise, the sun can do damage by accelerating the aging process of our skin as well as
contribute to various skin issues.

Here are a few ways to protect your skin without ruining your fun in the sun.

If it’s too late and you’re already suffering through a sunburn, not to worry! Check out these 9
ways to soothe sunburns.

Cold and flu season is an inevitable drawback of the changing seasons, but it doesn’t have to
be if you play it smart and take some necessary precautions.

Although the common cold and the flu can be extremely troublesome, both illnesses are
typically not as serious as they are considered self-limiting, which means they eventually fizzle
out on their own in 7-10 days.

However, you may need to seek treatment depending on the duration and severity of your
symptoms as complications, like bronchitis and pneumonia, are possible.
Thankfully, there are ways to avoid catching the cold or flu!

Check out the articles below for more information:

• Vitamin C and the Immune System: Hype or Healthy?
• The 6 Easiest Ways to Avoid the Flu and Cold

• Why do my joints crack and pop?
  Joint cracking and popping can be alarming at times but in most cases it’s a natural sign of aging. The
  sounds are usually made by normal tendon movements, fluid pressure changes, or soft tissue changes
  that occur over time. However, keep in mind if your joint popping and cracking is associated with other
  troubling symptoms a visit to your healthcare provider may be warranted.
• Why do my joints hurt?
  Joint pain can really put a damper on your day to day activities. Pinpointing the cause of your joint pain,
  i.e., injury (muscle strain or ligament sprain), immune response, infection, illness, muscle weakness, or
  weather-related changes can put you on the road to recovery faster.
• My joints start to ache when it rains…why does that happen?
  Cold, snowy, and rainy weather causing achy bones and joints is not a new phenomenon. The definitive
  how and why continues to be a mystery however. Barometric pressure changes that occur with storms
  are thought to be the leading cause because atmospheric pressure changes can alter the amount of fluid
  and pressure contained within the joint and make sensory nerves and nerve endings contained in the
  joints more sensitive. Cold temperatures are also blamed for increased joint and muscle stiffness, which
  makes sense given how hot packs are often used to help alleviate these symptoms.
• What can I do to gain some joint relief when it’s cold?
• My joints tend to be stiff in the mornings. What can I do to loosen them up?

Scales can be useful in maintaining a healthy weight but they may not tell you the whole story. Body
composition in terms of fat and/or muscle percentages can make a huge difference in how the numbers
look.

Taking girth measurements and simply being cognizant of how your clothes fit may also be a better
indicator.

Plus, keep in mind excess water weight can make the scale’s numbers move sporadically. Ultimately,
getting the scale to move in the desired direction depends on a simple formula: calories in vs. calories
out. In order for the scale to trend downward, calories consumed must be less than the calories a person
burns every day.

Do you need to change what you eat?

Changing what you eat is often one of the first things people do when they want to lose or
manage their weight. We’re big proponents of eating healthy foods, for sure! However,
changing how you eat can be a huge benefit, too.

Here are two simple ways you can work to manage your weight without changing what you eat:

• Eat slowly
• Stop eating BEFORE you’re full

Keep reading to learn more about these two behavioral habits.

Looking for ways to stick to your weight management plan? Check out this article for some
motivation. (It’s a New Year’s resolutions post…but can be applied at any time during the year!)

Hype or Healthy?

Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs)
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are a type of saturated fat that our bodies metabolize a bit
differently than long-chain triglycerides. "Triglyceride" is just a technical name for fat, and fats
are used for two purposes in the body: they can be transported into your cells and used for
energy, or your body can store them as fat.

As their name implies, MCTs have a shorter chain length than other types of fatty acids you
eat.  Specifically, they have more carbons in their molecular structure than long-chain
triglycerides. Since they are shorter, they are broken down quickly and absorbed by your body
faster.

They go directly to your liver where they can be turned into fast energy, or they are converted
into ketones. When the liver breaks down fat, ketones are produced.  Our brains usually use
glucose (i.e., sugar) for energy, but when ample amounts of ketones are available, they are an
easy-to-absorb, alternative form of energy.

Since your body can quickly and efficiently turn these types of fats into energy, your body is less
likely to store them as fat. Interested in learning more? Keep reading about MCTs here.

Omega-3 fatty acids support heart health by lowering triglycerides, boosting your body’s immune system,
lowering blood pressure, reducing your risk of suffering sudden cardiac death, and may even prevent the
development of various harmful cardiac arrhythmias.

Triglycerides and cholesterol are commonly mistaken as the same thing. While both are lipids
found in the bloodstream, triglycerides supply the body with energy while cholesterol is used to
build cells and hormones. Indeed, high triglyceride levels often coexist with high cholesterol,
because foods high in saturated fat and/or simple carbohydrates tend to also be high in
cholesterol.

Consider increasing your Omega 3 intake by adding a variety of fatty fish to your diet or a supplement to
your daily routine to achieve these heart healthy benefits.

By now, most people are well aware of the health benefits Omega-3 fatty acids afford the body ranging
from heart to joint health. Several lesser known benefits of essential Omega 3 fatty acids have to deal
specifically with the brain and include playing a major role in brain development from conception to early
childhood, helping prevent cognitive decline as we age, maintaining brain volume over time, and
numerous mental health benefits including regulating mood and emotions.