It’s hardly news that exercise is good for you. It can help keep weight off, build a bigger brain, improve mood, and lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. Many people are put off by the idea of exercise because of time constraints. But research continues to demonstrate that you don’t have to spend an hour in the gym or on the track to get the significant health benefits.

Case in point: A new study out of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland found that high-intensity exercise for brief periods of time may help reduce the risk of diabetes.

In the study, published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, researchers had young healthy male volunteers use exercise bikes to perform rigorous 30-second sprints. Over the course of two weeks, the subjects performed 30 of these sprints (about two or three a day) for a grand total of 15 minutes of exercise.

You read that right – 15 minutes. Over the course of two weeks.

And this low-volume, high-intensity training substantially improved both insulin action and blood sugar control.

“Doing a few intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds each, dramatically improves your metabolism in just two weeks,” said James Timmons, a professor at the University and one of the researchers.

I’ve been an advocate of short, high-intensity training for years. Now, in addition to the many studies showing that this kind of exercise improves cardiovascular fitness and is an effective way to burn fat, the Heriot-Watt study shows that it may be an effective weapon in the fight against diabetes.

This finding is important, because it helps make the case that there’s a lot you can do for your health in very little time. If, that is, you train smart. While walking 30 minutes a day is terrific, and weight training and spin classes and all the other ways to exercise still have their place, it’s nice to know that you can still get a lot accomplished even if you have only a few minutes a day to work out.

[Ed. Note: If 15 minutes over the course of two weeks can help improve your health, there's no excuse to avoid exercise. For more advice about staying fit and healthy, check out health expert Jonny Bowden's site, JonnyBowden.com.
Exercise is only half the battle when it comes to staying fit and healthy. For a free source of expert advice about what you should and shouldn't be eating, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.]

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If you’ve been reading ETR for any length of time, you probably already know at least a half-dozen reasons why you should be taking a vitamin D supplement. Bone health. Mood improvement. Physical performance. Vitamin D’s demonstrated anti-cancer effects. And if all that weren’t enough, a new study adds another benefit: cognitive performance.

In the study, to be published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychology and Neurology, researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan report an association between the risk of cognitive impairment in older folks and low levels of vitamin D.

More than 1,750 men and women 65 years or older were given neurocognitive tests. The testing revealed that 212 of the participants had cognitive impairment. The researchers then compared the vitamin D levels of those without cognitive impairment to those with cognitive impairment – and found that the risk of impairment significantly increased as vitamin D levels declined.

In fact, participants whose vitamin D levels were in the lowest 25 percent of the group had a whopping 2.28 times greater risk of cognitive impairment than those whose levels were in the top 25 percent. Since cognitive impairment is a major risk factor for developing dementia, anything you can do to lower your risk can help protect your brain for the long haul.

The best way to get adequate levels of vitamin D is through sun exposure. That means getting outside for about 10 to 20 minutes a day, three times a week – more often in the winter. I also personally recommend vitamin D supplements, about 1,000 to 2,000 IU daily. You can find vitamin D supplements at any health food store, even at Walmart.

[Ed. Note: For more information about natural methods that can improve your health - and help keep your weight down - check out nutrition expert Jonny Bowden's website, JonnyBowden.com.

Sunshine and vitamin D not only contribute to keeping your brain young, they can have a positive effect on everything from cancer and diabetes to athletic performance and neonatal health. To learn more about the vital connection between sun exposure, vitamin D, and your health, click here.]

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Ever wonder why you’re hungry for more after you eat a high-carb snack or meal? 

New research from Monash University has identified appetite control cells in the human brain. The cells are attacked by free radicals after you eat, but the attack is bigger and stronger following a meal rich in sugar and carbohydrates. 

“The more carbs and sugars you eat, the more your appetite-control cells are damaged,” said Zane Andrews, MD, the lead researcher on the study. The result? You eat more. 

According to Andrews, people aged 25 to 50 are most at risk. “The neurons that tell people in that crucial age range not to over-eat are being killed off.” 

Yet another reason to limit your sugar and processed carbs if you don’t want to be the victim of constant cravings. 

[Ed. Note: Sugar and carbs can devastate your weight-loss plans. So following health expert Jonny Bowden's suggestions to steer clear of these diet-defeaters could help you slim down. For more easy-to-follow health enhancers, check out Jonny's book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth.

And for more simple methods that can help you feel better and live longer, read all about our Healing Prescription service.]

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If you’re contemplating gastric-bypass surgery – or you’ve already had it – you’d be wise to bone up on your nutritional supplements.

A recent review of the literature on bariatric surgery found that of all the surgical procedures used to reduce weight, gastric bypass resulted in the most serious post-surgical nutritional deficiencies. The micronutrients most commonly found to be deficient were: vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, thiamine (vitamin B1), folic acid, iron, zinc, and magnesium. The authors of the review concluded that nutritional supplementation is absolutely necessary for every gastric-bypass patient.

Gastric bypass is the most popular weight-loss surgery in America. But it is a double-edged sword. While it can reduce some of the risks associated with obesity, it also presents a whole new set of health challenges. And it is hardly without side effects or complications, including blood clots, leaking, hernia, and a fairly high rate of death (1 per 200-300 surgeries). It’s not a decision that should be made lightly.

Since you’d have to eat very differently after the surgery, why not try eating that way before you make the commitment to go under the knife? Reduce calories, trim your nutritional budget of all “non-essentials” (like processed carbs, sugar, soda, and junk foods), and fill your plate with protein and vegetables. You might be surprised at the results!

And if you do have the surgery – or you’ve already had it – make sure you’re supplementing with vitamins and omega-3 fats… and that every calorie you consume gives you the most nutritional bang for the buck.

[Ed. Note: Natural methods - including eating more fruits and veggies and supplementing with vitamins - can have a powerful effect on your health... and your weight. For more natural ways to feel better and live longer, check out nutrition expert Jonny Bowden's book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth.

Surgery may be the answer if you are morbidly obese. But you can lose weight on your own by eating right and exercising. For ideas about which foods you should be eating and which foods to avoid - and recipes for delicious, healthy meals - sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]

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We all know how great vitamin C is for the immune system – and even for general health. But did you know it may help lower your risk for diabetes?

That’s the finding of University of Cambridge researchers writing in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study revealed an association between higher levels of vitamin C in the bloodstream and a lower risk of developing Type II diabetes.

The researchers looked at over 21,000 men and women who did not have diabetes when the study started. Their vitamin C levels were tested, and they were given dietary questionnaires to fill out. The researchers then followed these people for 12 years. During that time, 423 of the men and 312 of the women developed diabetes. But the men and women who were in the top 20 percent of vitamin C levels had a whopping 62 percent lower risk of developing the disease compared with those in the bottom 20 percent.

Moral of the story: 90 percent of our vitamin C comes from eating fruits and vegetables, so make sure you include plenty of them in your diet. But to be on the safe side, take a vitamin C supplement as well. I recommend 1,000 mg a day.

[Ed. Note: Natural methods - including eating more fruits and veggies and supplementing with vitamin C - can have a powerful effect on your health. For more natural ways to feel better and live longer, check out nutrition expert Jonny Bowden's book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth.

Increasing your vitamin C intake can help protect you from diabetes. But you should be eating right and exercising to get the best results. For ideas about which foods you should be eating and which foods to avoid - and recipes for delicious, healthy meals - sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]

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For years, conventional dietitians have wrongly told us that the only thing that matters in weight loss is calories. While calories count, they are far from the whole picture.

In a new study published in the International Journal of Obesity, researchers divided 152 men and women into four groups. Groups One and Two were given standard weight-loss instructions: Reduce calories by 1,000 and eat a “low-fat” diet. Group One was told to eat a breakfast built around two eggs. Group Two was told to eat a breakfast built around bagels. Everything else was the same, including the total calories both groups consumed at breakfast.

Group One (The Egg Diet) had a 61 percent greater reduction in BMI (body mass index), a 65 percent greater weight loss overall, and a 34 percent greater reduction in waist circumference compared to Group Two (The Bagel Diet). All measures were statistically significant.

Groups Three and Four were not given any weight-loss instructions. The researchers told them not to change anything about their diets, except for breakfast. Group Three added eggs to their breakfast, and Group Four added bagels. Neither of these groups showed any significant changes.

What this study ingeniously shows is that, in certain contexts, the choice of foods can make a huge difference in a weight-loss program – even when the number of calories is kept the same. Unfortunately, as Groups Three and Four showed, merely eating eggs rather than bagels won’t cause you to lose weight if you continue to eat too many calories. But as part of an overall fat-loss program, those eggs may make a huge difference.

[Ed. Note: Add eggs to your low-calorie breakfast, lose more weight. Who knew good health could be that simple? Natural methods - including the foods you eat and the supplements you take - can have a powerful effect on your health. For more health enhancers, check out nutrition expert Jonny Bowden's book, The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth.

And for more simple methods that can help you feel better and live longer, check this out.]