Regular Use of High-Heeled Shoes Changes Mechanics of Walking

March 5, 2012 | by

High-heeled shoes are a fashion statement for many women. They define the calf muscle, make legs appear longer, and cause the buttocks to protrude slightly. While most women who wear high-heeled shoes know that they’re not the most supportive footwear option, a new study shows that they have a much more profound effect than previously thought. Published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, a recent study shows that high-heeled shoes change the mechanics of walking in a habitual user, even when the user is walking barefoot [1].

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Q&A: What Do My Cholesterol Levels Mean?

March 2, 2012 | by

Question: I had my cholesterol checked, and I got four numbers back. Which one is most important, and what do the numbers mean with regard to my health?

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Q&A: Should I Take a Prenatal Vitamin Even If I’m Not Pregnant?

February 29, 2012 | by

Question: I’ve heard that prenatal vitamins can help improve hair quality, balance hormones, prevent acne and make fingernails stronger. Should I consider taking them even though I’m not pregnant?

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Food Allergies: Nature or Nurture?

February 27, 2012 | by

The emerging field of epigenetics has added a new dimension to the “nature versus nurture” debate, by which researchers have historically attempted to determine whether a characteristic was influenced by genes or environment. Increasingly, it appears that environmental influences can affect gene expression, meaning that “nature” and “nurture” are inextricable from one another to an even greater extent than previously understood.

DNA structureImage credit: DNA structure via Shutterstock

Ultrasound Offers Painless Contraception For Men

February 16, 2012 | by

While ultrasound technology is familiar to most people as a diagnostic imaging technique — it’s what obstetricians use to monitor the health of a developing fetus, for example — the technology has been making recent headlines for an entirely different reason.

Ultrasound