Julie's Health Club

EWG's best and worst sunscreens

Tempo — 2009-07-03T00:01:00-05:00

The Environmental Working Group's dogged campaign for safer, more effective sunscreen seems to be having an impact on the industry. The 2009 investigation of 1,571 products shows that 70 percent of sunscreens now contain strong UVA filters, compared to 29...

Just say 'no!' to cankles

Tempo — 2009-07-02T22:44:43-05:00

Another body part to worry about While you were busy working on your muffin top, a related malady might have been blossoming south of the knees: Cankles. You’ve seen cankles--a calf that blends seamlessly into an obese or swollen ankle....

Canes, walkers--and pets--cause falls

Tempo — 2009-06-30T11:59:46-05:00

Watch out for Fido and Fluffy Canes and walkers--the very things used to prevent falls--are associated with more than 47,000 serious injuries each year among older adults, according to this study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. But...

Consumers misled by greenwash

Tempo — 2009-06-26T00:01:00-05:00

The perils of the green marketplace A study showing 98 percent of supposedly environmentally friendly products make false or confusing claims was presented to Congress earlier this month by the environmental consulting firm Terra Choice, Suzanne Goldenberg reported in the...

High fructose corn syrup vs. sugar

Tempo — 2009-06-25T10:35:52-05:00

We know that processed sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup lack any meaningful nutritional value. But as reporter Steve Mills writes in today's Chicago Tribune, the natural ones are no better. Read his whole story.

Monsanto and Dole form partnership

Tempo — 2009-06-24T21:33:43-05:00

Seeking a pretty head of lettuce. But what about nutritive value? Monsanto Co., which controls over 30 percent of the North American vegetable seed market, and Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. are formalizing a partnership to breed vegetables that are more...

Can bicycling to work save money?

Tempo — 2009-06-24T00:01:00-05:00

The benefits of biking to work just keep adding up, reports Kiplinger.com. With a new IRS bicycle commuting transportation reimbursement, combined with the money you’ll save in gas costs, parking fees, tolls, and vehicle maintenance costs, switching from a four-wheeler...

Should kids run marathons?

Tempo — 2009-06-23T00:01:00-05:00

Like many runners, 14-year-old Dan Anderson felt his body disintegrating around mile 17 of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon. But fueled by a cheering crowd, the Wisconsin teenager completed the grueling 26.2-mile race to join an elite and controversial club:...

Navigating your probiotic label

Tempo — 2009-06-22T11:52:50-05:00

Just because a food product says “probiotic” doesn’t mean it’s a probiotic, as I wrote in "The truth about probiotic claims." Even more aggravating, manufacturers often leave important information off the label, such as whether the product contains live organisms...

The truth about 'probiotic' claims

Tempo — 2009-06-22T11:49:38-05:00

Just how friendly are those probiotics in your food? Ready for some live, active cultures in your chocolate-- How about your breakfast cereal-- Probiotics, the so-called friendly bacteria with health benefits, have broken out of the dairy case and are...

Top 10 reasons for biking in the rain

Tempo — 2009-06-18T10:44:15-05:00

Life isn't about avoiding the storms... It's about learning to dance in the rain. Given the amount of rain we’ve had for this week's Bike Commuter Challenge, which ends tomorrow, I wanted to offer my "Top 10 reasons for riding...

Meet Illinois' dietitian of the year

Tempo — 2009-06-13T07:15:57-05:00

Dietitian Toby Smithson spends the majority of her day counseling people about nutrition and healthful weight-loss habits. But ask her what food products make her cringe and she draws a blank. "What's important is what you can have, not what...

Food, Inc.: 10 simple ways to change your eating habits

Tempo — 2009-06-12T16:36:39-05:00

The best part about the riveting new documentary "Food, Inc.," which opens in Chicago on June 19, is that it sends us all home with something important to do: Think about where your food comes from. Then, the film urges,...

Food, Inc.: How factory farming affects you

Tempo — 2009-06-12T16:20:44-05:00

Important food for thought The sobering new documentary Food, Inc. which opens in Chicago on June 19, shows the enormous hidden costs we all pay for eating cheap, factory-farmed food. Most of us don't think much about how the food...

The bike-to-work commuter challenge

Tempo — 2009-06-11T21:41:29-05:00

We're in! Are you? Employees from more than 300 Chicago-area businesses, including the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Reader, will be pedaling for bragging rights in "The Bike Commuter Challenge" from Saturday, June 13 through Friday,...

Four detox diets for health

Tempo — 2009-06-08T10:44:23-05:00

Detox diets range from intense liquid fasts to whole-foods diets that include sleep, exercise and whole foods. Here's how four popular plans shake out: Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs Claim: Eliminate toxins and cleanse the kidneys and digestive system. You...

Should you detox with Master Cleanser?

Tempo — 2009-06-08T10:16:01-05:00

Probably not, experts say Every three months, Pamela Bryant, 50, stops eating food for at least 10 days to clean the gunk out of her body. When she's hungry, she drinks a concoction of lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple...

Recycled tires a playground hazard?

Tempo — 2009-06-05T10:32:30-05:00

EPA rethinks playground, sports field padding Artificial turf, which could expose children to lead dust, isn't the only playing surface than can cause health problems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is having second thoughts about letting kids play on ground...

10 superfoods for allergy sufferers

Tempo — 2009-06-05T10:14:51-05:00

Any food can cause an allergic reaction. But some are more hypoallergenic than others. Christine Doherty's body won't tolerate wheat gluten. She's allergic to corn and eggs. And her daughter has soy allergies. They still eat. The Doherty family simply...

Starbucks drops high fructose corn syrup

Tempo — 2009-06-03T16:13:27-05:00

Starbucks' notoriously bland baked goods are getting a healthy overhaul. At the end of this month, food products will be free of high-fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors and dyes, according to Reuters. "Food has been the Achilles' heel of...