Meet guest blogger Cynthia Parrott, a busy working woman who manages to find the time for fitness, diet and the writing of great advice for health-conscious women like you. We all suffer from minor aches, pains and upsets now and then.An afternoon of weeding and gardening, tag football in the park, snow shoveling, and other activities can cause even the most active person a bit of discomfort.When you exercise muscles you don't use every day you should expect to be stiff and sore.But overindulging in food and drink can also cause pain by sending your digestive system into a tailspin....

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- achieving total wellness means you've found peace for the body, peace for the mind and, ultimately, peace for the spirit.Want something more concrete?My favorite definition of wellness comes from Charles B. Corbin of Arizona State University. Corbin once said, "Wellness is a multi-dimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a sense of well-being."So achieving wellness is really achieving health, but I also maintain that achieving wellness is the turning point from which fitness evolves from a chore...

Phill Connell is back again with another insightful look at living with diabetes. Today Phill Tackles the topic "Dining Out with Diabetes."Waiter... we're ready to order!Dining Out with DiabetesMy long-running theme with Living With Diabetes is that it's the habits that kill you, not the treats. Eating out is always a great pleasure, but if you overdo things, drowsiness can spoil a great evening then rushing to the restroom all night can make things even worse!If you go to restaurants every night, of course you have to be very careful. But if you're like me, eating out is a treat....

I first met Phill Connell just a few short weeks ago when he retweeted something I posted for Diet-to-Go on Twitter. Phill and I began to chat via email and I soon learned the Englishman shared something with millions of Americans -- and that something was diabetes.I am not the shy type so I quickly asked Phill if he'd like to blog about what it's like to live with diabetes. Phill told me he loved to write and he readily agreed to take up the task at hand.So today we welcome Phill Connell to our ever-growing Diet-to-Go family. Please feel...

Special for DiettoGo.comby Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D.,Author of The Whole-Food Guide to Strong BonesLet me make very clear what the best foods are for the bones -- in this order:1. Vegetables, especially leafy greens, and also roots and stalks (for the iron and calcium, and for vitamins K and C, which, together with protein, help deposit the collagen matrix)2. Protein, such as animal foods, beans, and soy foods (for the collagen matrix)3. Stock (for the minerals)4. Whole grains (for the magnesium)5. Foods rich in trace minerals, such as seaweeds, nuts, and seeds6. Edible bones (for the calcium and other minerals)7. Healthy...

Jack LaLanne, Susan Powter, Richard Simmons, Jazzercise, Dwight Eisenhower, Pilates, Billy Blanks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John F. Kennedy...What am I getting exactly? Well, they are all part of the history of fitness.Fitness, for Americans per se, became popular in the 1950's, when Eisenhower was president. In sum, an exercise fitness test was conducted on America children to then be compared against children in European countries. It was during the Cold War so competition was everything.Unfortunately, we did not fare well. Subsequently, President Eisenhower took the first steps toward gaining national attention for the failing fitness levels of our country. Later...

DiettoGo.com reader Sally K. recently asked me this interesting question: Are there gender differences with regard to food cravings?YES Sally... there are important differences regarding our biological needs, which create different cravings.Estrogen causes cravings for fat/sugar combinations to create our beautiful breasts, hips and thighs, which aid us during pregnancy. Testosterone creates cravings for fat/protein combinations to build strong muscles for the "hunt."Doesn't it ring true that women want their sweets but men want their steaks?See, it's not our fault; it's hormonal!Additionally, women have lower levels of serotonin, the brain chemical which regulates calmness, wellbeing and depression. Precursors of serotonin...

You have undoubtedly heard that childhood obesity is rapidly on the rise. It now outranks all other health problems as the #1 concern for children in the United States. Equally disturbing is the fact that stress now ranks among the top 10 child health problems in America. I'd be willing to bet that the rise in childhood obesity and stress directly corresponds with three things:1. The decline in physical activity − the once obligatory recess and P.E. class − in schools.2. The invasion of technology.3. Fast empty calories.Kids today are simply not moving like they used to. Of course neither...

This week's blog focuses on how whole fitness can impact diabetes.It seems you can't pick up a newspaper or magazine without seeing a feature on the diabetes epidemic overwhelming the U.S. and other westernized nations.Although 8% of the population has this disease, there's still a lot of confusion as to what is diabetes.There are three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational. All are caused by the body's inability to make or utilize insulin. Without enough insulin glucose stays in the blood and can subsequently cause damage to the kidneys, heart, eyes, nerves and other organs.Type 2 diabetes...

School's back in session and there's no better time to enroll your family in a healthier lifestyle. What's that... you say you don't have time to fit in fitness for you and your family? NONSENSE! That kind of talk could earn you a dunce cap and a seat in the corner. Seriously, all it takes is a few minutes here and there to come up with a fitness plan that'll both entertain and energize your children -- and set them on the path to a healthier lifestyle. It really is as easy as ABC. I'm Ms. Havey and I'm...

Special for DiettoGo.comby Monica Reinagel, host of Nutrition DivaPerhaps you saw the headlines a few weeks ago: British researchers announced that organic vegetables were no more nutritious than regular ones.I think a lot of people were shocked and disappointed to hear this. If you've been shelling out the extra dough to buy organic produce, you might wonder whether you've been wasting your money.This week, I'd like to talk about why organic vegetables may still be worth the extra money, as well as some tips on how to get the most nutritious produce.To hear the Nutrition Diva's podcast, Are Organic Vegetables...

Much of the news on the benefits of diet, fitness and attitude -- what I like to group together under the Whole Fitness umbrella -- focuses on prevention. I am among the first to jump on the wellness benefits bandwagon.However, many of my clients, as well as much of the general population, don't come to wellness as prevention first. They often come to the idea of wellness only after a diagnosis of some scary medical condition.One of the things I focus on with my clients is the benefits of whole fitness even after there has been a diagnosis of disease....

Can you believe the CDC recently reported that the life expectancy in the U.S. is up? So much for an obesity crisis!What about data suggesting that we will be the first generation to outlive our kids? Or facts proclaiming that childhood diabetes is approaching epidemic proportions?It's all B.S. according to the CDC, which is actually based on research -- instead of hysteria and discrimination against people of size.U.S. life expectancy has risen to a new high: 80.4 years for females and 75.3 years for males!Fewer deaths were reported from almost all leading causes of death, and for every race...

Special for DiettoGo.com by Linda Miner RNC, CHN, CMTAA few weeks ago my best friend's mother died suddenly at the age of 83. She got up in the middle of the night, seemingly to use the washroom, and dropped dead of a heart attack. There was no warning, no obvious signs and no history of heart disease and, luckily, no pain.After the initial shock of her mother's death wore off, my friend suddenly realized that perhaps she too was at risk of developing heart disease. Based on current statistics, she has reason to be concerned.Here are some thoughts to consider...

Slow and steady wins the race. It's a very true and important phrase... especially in the wellness arena.I know there are many grandiose advertisements out there -- catchy come-ons that promise you will "get healthy, lose weight, and drop 5 sizes in 30 days!" The reality is that in order to achieve such a drastic change a drastic change has to be made by you.For example, if you have never exercised before and commit to 2 hours in the gym every day for 30 days, you will see big differences. However, once the novelty wears off (and it typically...

As we age our metabolism unfortunately slows down. That's the plain ugly truth.But what is metabolism? Simply put, metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to yield the energy your body needs to maintain itself.The rate of your metabolism depends on the interaction between the number of calories you consume, the number of calories you burn while eating and exercising, and the calories you burn based on your individual genetic makeup.That being said we like to equate metabolism with weight loss. Although we can't turn back the clock -- and believe me I have tried --...

When I was in my late teens I naively thought that in a few short years I'd enjoy spot-free skin. Here I am on the threshold of 50 and I still find myself scrubbing and squeezing away facial flaws on an almost daily basis. What's with that?Noted dermatologist Dr. Herbert Goodheart has the skinny on clear skin at almost any age. We've got Dr. Goodheart and today he's here with a look at a skin condition that mirrors acne but won't be cleared with common zit creams or pimple preparations.It's a condition known as rosacea. Check it out and see...

In my 10-year role as editor for several top online diet 'n fitness websites, I've had the pleasure of working with many insightful experts. Case in point: Wendy Chant, author of the bestselling books Crack the Fat-Loss Code and Conquer the Fat-Loss Code (both McGraw-Hill).Wendy is here to help you conquer your personal problem with extra pounds. Her common-sense, science-backed approach to weight loss includes the mantra slow and steady wins the race.You didn't gain all your extra pounds overnight, so you shouldn't expect to shed them in a flash.Get started on the road to a healthy new you with...