Lifelong Reading, Hobbies May Help Fend Off Dementia Stimulating activities may encourage brain to adapt and create 'work-arounds,' study suggests WebMD News from HealthDay By Barbara Bronson Gray HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Use it or lose it: Doing brain-stimulating activities from childhood -- like reading books, writing letters and solving everyday problems -- through old age may help prevent clinical signs of dementia such as memory loss, a new study finds.

High blood pressure is linked to many different conditions. But prediabetes may be the cause when it appears in tandem with excess weight gain (especially around the middle), fatigue, and other negative numbers on a medical workup (abnormal cholesterol levels and high triglycerides).

10 Ways to Reset Your Sleep Cycle By Camille PeriWebMD Feature Travel, shift work, or even a few nights up worrying can upset your sleep. They can throw off your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that controls when you sleep and wake. You don't have to take sleep problems lying down.

Pharmacist-Guided Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Study found combination led to better control of hypertension WebMD News from HealthDay By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Using home blood pressure monitoring and partnering with a pharmacist for lifestyle advice and medication changes led to better control of hypertension, a new study shows.

It's not easy to talk about performance with employees. It can be awkward and downright tough to focus on someone's weaknesses. But every leader has the opportunity and responsibility to be a catalyst for change within his or her organization, and that starts with knowing how to motivate and inspire employees.

The American Medical Association recently declared obesity a disease that requires a wide range of treatments. The decision generated a lot of controversy, but on one point everyone agrees: With more than 35 percent of U.S. adults and 17 percent of children and teens struggling with weight, the burgeoning statistics have troubling implications for America's health care system.

James Steinberg Most people know that obesity can result in serious health problems, yet many of us continue to focus on its cosmetic consequences rather than its risks to health. This distorted view may change now that the American Medical Association has finally labeled obesity a disease, not just a risk factor for other disorders.

LAST Tuesday, Connor Moran, a limit-the-red-meat, increase-the-greens, eat-salad-for-lunch kind of guy, stopped into a Bronx Dunkin' Donuts for his usual black coffee, no sugar, no cream. He walked out with a sandwich of egg and bacon between two halves of a glazed doughnut.

Night Owls May Pack on More Pounds Study found they ate worst foods late at night, long after sound sleepers had hit the sack WebMD News from HealthDay By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- Night owls are more likely to gain weight than people who get good sleep because they tend to graze the kitchen for junk food in the wee hours of the morning, a new study suggests.

Brain Scans Suggest 'Food Addiction' Might Be Real Certain carbohydrates seemed to activate neurological centers focused on reward, study found WebMD News from HealthDay By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- New brain scan research supports the notion that some people have a food "addiction," with foods like white bread or potatoes helping to spur their craving to eat.

Exercise Alone May Help Those With Type 2 Diabetes Small study found it helped even if no other lifestyle changes were made WebMD News from HealthDay By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, June 25 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise benefits people with type 2 diabetes even if they don't make any other lifestyle or diet changes, a new study says.

Focus on Health, Not Fat, in Food Talks With Kids Teens whose parents harped about weight gain tended to have more unhealthy eating behaviors, study shows WebMD News from HealthDay By Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- There's a right way and a wrong way to persuade your adolescent to eat healthy and help avoid obesity, a new study suggests.

I'm a terrible singer, but at this time last year, I signed up for singing lessons-mostly because as poorly as I sing, I really like doing it. Belting out pop songs and show tunes makes me happy, and I thought taking a few lessons might build a bit of confidence (not to mention help me with my pitch) and make it even more fun.

Life is full of negotiations, big and small. We negotiate for raises, we negotiate with clients and providers over prices, and we negotiate for more staff, the best projects, and flex time. (Then we go home and negotiate with our kids about how old you have to be to get your own smartphone.)