Anika Nayak

Whether you have been planning a Dry January or are just coming to the idea that a month without booze might be a good idea, the notion of giving up alcohol for New Year's is catching on around the globe. Dry January was started in 2013 in the UK with 4,000 participants, and now more than 4 million people are participating in the pledge. Compared to the alternative, D...

If drinking alcohol is a part of your weekly routine, moderation is your safest bet. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this is defined as having up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks for men. Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to numerous illnesses, such as heart disease and liver disease in addition to mental health disorders, according to Collman. However, you

Ruth Heidrich is an athlete, author, and breast cancer survivor who has adopted a vegan lifestyle for over thirty years now. While on a plant-based diet, Heidrich saw her breast cancer go into remission, and she progressed from running marathons to doing triathlons, becoming the first known vegan to run the prestigious Kona Ironman Triathlon. Nam...

Seasonal allergies are still causing itchy eyes or runny nose? With the current state of climate change, seasonal allergies can now irritate you all summer long, or in fact any season when your immune system comes into contact with an allergen like pollen, dust, or pet dander. ...

A diet of largely plant-based foods is optimal not only for human health but also for the fact that plants have a far lesser negative impact on our environment compared to animal farming, especially the greenhouse gases emitted during the raising of animals for meat and dairy. In looking to a fu...

Despite vegan and plant-based diets soaring in popularity among parents who are raising their children on these dietary approaches, some pediatricians are critical of the practice of a vegan diet for children. Their biggest concerns with the vegan diet have to do with nutritional inadequacy since they believe a plant-based diet without dairy or meat does not provide enough vitamins and minerals ch

It may only be the beginning of Spring, but our allergies jumped an early flight. If you're sniffling, sneezing, or blinking itchy eyes, you're one of the unlucky 8 percent of Americans with pollen allergies – when flowers start to blossom, so does your tissue use. Besides turnin...

If it’s difficult for you to get a restful night of sleep every night, you're not alone: According to the CDC, one in three adults in the United States sleep less than the recommended seven hours per night. Insomnia is linked to a variety of causes, including ill health, aging, and stress, according to Columbia University’s Neurology Department. But good sleep also has a lot to do with what... Rea

There’s no doubt that when you think of cactus, deserts and tumbleweed come to mind, not "health food." But the prickly pear – technically known as Nopal cactus –has been used as a natural medicine for thousands of years in Mexico and the United States and now cactus is enjoying a resurgence in the wellness world, making its way into nutritious recipes and beauty products. The reason: Th

Lotus, also known as water lily, has a root that is cooked in many different Asian cuisines. Planted in the soil of river bottoms, lotus root is brown in color and can grow up to four feet long. This vegetable is crispy and crunchy, resembling a texture like water chestnuts...