The dog days of summer are upon us, but you don’t have to put your workout routine on the back burner just because it feels too hot to exercise.

Instead of using the heat as another excuse to skip my workout, I get creative with my summertime activities so I can keep up my fitness goals.

Stretch With the Sun
On days when I know it’s going to be a scorcher, I set my alarm for an early morning yoga session. It’s a win-win for me: I get my workout done before it gets too hot and I start my day on the right foot.

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In her quest to become the world’s fattest woman, Donna Simpson is already profiting from her challenge – by earning $90,000 (£55,000) a year from fans who pay to watch her eat online.

The American mother-of-two, who already holds the dubious honour of being the world’s fattest woman to give birth, makes money from people hungry to watch her eat more than 15,000 calories a day.

Single Donna, 44, weighs 50st, but is determined to pile on yet more weight so she can reach her dream goal of being 72st and crowned the world’s fattest woman.

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If you have Type 2 diabetes – i.e. your blood glucose (sugar) is higher than it should be – consider replacing some of the carbohydrates in your diet with a handful or two of nuts.

According to a new study, eating about half a cup of nuts each day can help people with diabetes lower their blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

These new findings add to mounting evidence that nuts confer important health benefits. Numerous studies have linked nuts with protection from heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. Despite nuts’ high fat content, studies – including this one – haven’t linked them with weight gain.

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It’s a beverage that’s touted to boost metabolism, prevent cancer, ease arthritis pain, even fight dental cavities. Now, new study findings suggest there’s one more reason to drink green tea: It lowers blood cholesterol.

An estimated 40 per cent of Canadians have an unhealthy cholesterol level, a risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Excess LDL (bad) cholesterol in the bloodstream can lead to the development of fatty plaques in blood vessel walls, making it difficult for oxygen-rich blood to flow through them.

According to the new study, antioxidants called catechins – found in high concentrations in green tea – may inhibit the absorption of cholesterol from the intestinal tract and interfere with cholesterol synthesis in the liver.

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Adding a serving of yogurt to your daily diet may do more than help keep your bones strong. A new study suggests it could also lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.

We’ve long been advised to limit our intake of cholesterol and saturated fat from dairy products to cut heart-disease risk. Yet several studies have found that regular consumption of dairy – in particular fermented milk products – benefit the heart.

Fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir contain friendly probiotic bacteria that may help guard against disease.

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Parents need to vacuum and wet mop their homes regularly to protect their children from toxic substances, researchers warned today.

Dusting topped a list of the five best ways to limit the dangers of exposure to chemicals at home.

‘House dust is a major source of children’s exposures to toxic substances including lead which, even at very low levels, is known to be harmful to the developing brain,’ said Professor Bruce Lanphear from Simon Fraser University, Canada.

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This article is for the busy, yet sedentary, individual. Being a writer myself, I know the demands of the professional world and that it keeps your butt in the chair for hour upon hour. Couple that with the 9-5 to pay the bills, obligations to family and friends — even kids (God bless you moms and dads!) — and something tends to fall to the wayside. Usually that becomes: “I don’t have time to workout.” There’s 24 hours in a day — you can make time … and I’ll show you how.

Who am I? How can I make these claims? I’m a certified personal trainer and I’ve been a fitness competitor for more than five years. I’ve trained under some of the best in the world (including 10 time world medalist Buddy Lee). So to you sedentary folk … authors, accountants, graphic designers and computer hackers, let me give you a little encouragement, fast facts and tips to keep your body and mind healthy and strong.

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For years they’ve been a no-no — but now a diet taking America by storm says bread, pasta and potatoes can help you drop half a stone in a week…

Low-carbohydrate diets have been all the rage for some time. And with an estimated 15 per cent of the UK population following a reduced-carb diet at any one time, they’re certainly popular.

But, as anyone who has tried one can testify, there is something about carbohydrate denial that seems extraordinarily punishing.

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QUESTION: Is it true that our cognitive powers take a sharp drop right after we retire from the work force?

ANSWER: Although there is a relationship between retirement and cognitive skills, there is no evidence of an immediate or precipitous decline right after retirement, and there is plenty of reason to believe that being pro-active can minimize any potential negative effects.

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Lately, I’ve been bombarded by questions about fruit. Is fruit good for me? What about the sugar? Am I eating too much? What’s the best type of fruit to eat?

I thought the crash of the low-carb diet – Atkins, South Beach and the like – meant we were over our fear of healthy carbohydrates like fruit and whole grains. Apparently not.

Many new diet books are banning fruit or limiting how much of it can be eaten and when it should be eaten. The reason: Too much carbohydrate from fruit can prevent weight loss, or worse, make you fat.

That may be true if you eat a dozen apples every day (which would add 1,140 calories to your diet). But who does that? As a dietitian in private practice, I assess people’s diets every day. For many people, fruit just isn’t a regular part of their diet. Instead of giving strategies to cut down on fruit, most often I give tips to increase fruit intake.

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