Insulin is the pancreatic hormone responsible for distributing the carbohydrates you eat in the form of glucose, whose job is to get inside each cell to provide the fuel you need for energy. If the glucose inside a cell is not burned because of inactivity, that which is floating around has no place to go, so it gets into trouble.

No. Not really. At least, not everybody. But which of us? It has been known for the last hundred years that the mouth—the oral cavity—is the site of many infectious and inflammatory pathogens. The connection to system-wide infections isn’t that old, though.

Do you remember, “Nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven”? Reportedly, Pillsbury says it best. How many brands of refrigerated dough can there be? Regardless of what comes from the oven, we want it to taste good. Sometimes that means throwing discretion to the wind and eating stuff we otherwise would avoid.

The potential for vitamin toxicity is real. Most Americans believe that vitamins and other supplements are safe. That’s true if they are used correctly. Too many people still think that if one is good, ten is better. Especially alarming is the scenario in which a well-meaning mother tells her youngster to chew his daily animal-shaped gummy vitamin because it’s good for him and will make him grow to be big and strong, like Daddy.

For years it was held that salt intake has a distinct influence on blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In fact, in 2011 the American Heart Association issued a sweeping call for salt restriction (Appel, 2011), limiting intake of sodium to less than 1500 milligrams a day, which translates to approximately 3750 milligrams of sodium chloride.

Merely because something is hereditary doesn’t mean it has to be inherited unless it’s a defined, overt physical characteristic, such as eye color or hairline. Disease or propensity for disease does not have to telegraph itself through gene expression. In the belief that genetic activity can be turned on and off, more than a handful of scientists are convinced that arthritis, in this case, does not have to pass from seed to seed along the family tree.

Being a kid doesn’t necessarily mean having a carefree life, yet that’s how most adults view childhood. Because kids don’t have jobs, bills to pay, and children to raise what could they possibly have to worry about? More than we realize. Even the very young among us have stressors, slight though they may be. Stress is a function of the demands we face and our ability to handle them.

When you’re in a good mood, it’s almost amazing what you can accomplish. This has little to do with emotions and even less with temperament. The former are short-lived and specific, and may be turned on by a single stimulus. The latter are characteristics that are seemingly innate rather than learned. Moods may be disarrayed, as in depression and bipolar disorder, and are subjective, although they may be inferred by conduct or body language.

Talk about linking sugar to cancer can be confusing. The “facts” are often presented in a misleading manner that can cause anxiety in those who have the disease. Yet, learning about the science behind the connection can help us make educated decisions about nutrition choices for better health. Sugar, or rather glucose, feeds every cell in the body. We need it to produce energy.