Benefits of Physical Activity During Pregnancy


Pregnant women attending a fitness class

From what you put into your body to what you do with it, just about anything can impact your health when you’re pregnant.   It can also impact the health of the unborn child.  That’s why it’s important to take the steps necessary to ensure the health and safety of both the expectant mother and baby.  The best way to start is to ensure you get the recommended amount of physical activity each week. The truth is that Moving Matters!  Let’s review the physical activity guidelines for pregnant and postpartum women and learn about the benefits of movement before and after pregnancy.   Physical Activity Recommendations  Like anyone at any stage of life, physical activity is vital to maintaining good health leading to a better quality of life.   For pregnant ...

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Obesity Care Week: Commit To Care!


Obesity Care Week healthy food market grocery fresh vegetables

Obesity Care Week 2025 (#ObesityCareWeek) is here! From March 3-7, 2025, Obesity Care Week is an annual public awareness effort to end weight stigma. It promotes education for a better world for people living with obesity. Also, World Obesity Day is March 4, 2025. Our Salud America! health team is happy to serve as an Obesity Care Week Champion to help raise awareness. "We need to continue to address the state of obesity care among Latinos and all people," said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! and the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. Salud America! research has found that many people face health issues due to the non-medical drivers of health, from poverty and support to affordable housing and transit. This contributes to ...

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The Good, The Bad, and The Artificially Sweetened: Drink Recommendations for Children


Children drinking water.

The beverages we drink are important for our hydration and health. That’s why experts have made recommendations for healthy drink choices for children ages 5 to 18 based on evidence from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association. Healthy Eating Research (HER) has published these main recommendations: Beverages to drink: Plain drinking water and plain pasteurized milk. Beverages to limit: 100% juice, plant-based milk alternatives, and sweetened flavored milk. Beverages to avoid: Sugary drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and caffeinated beverages. Let’s dive deeper into these recommendations and how they can impact your ...

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3 Surprising Diabetes Studies and Their Substantial Impact


diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the country, impacting 38 million adults in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   The long-lasting condition also contributes to heart disease and cancer.   That is why it’s important to address the non-medical drivers of health – such as access to transportation, healthy foods, and green spaces for safe play and exercise – which can influence risk for diabetes, especially for those genetically predisposed to it.   Let’s dive into some new studies that explore diabetes and its impact on all people.   1. Issues with Diabetes for Those in Tough Financial Situations Poverty can be a huge factor in the development of diabetes, especially in early childhood with those who ...

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Too Much Rest After Exercise Could Impact Cognitive Decline


senior couple jogging in the summer park

Physical activity is an important key to overall health. For example, studies have shown that dance can improve memory retention and even 10 minutes of physical activity can help destroy cancer cells. But what happens after you are physically active? Studies also found that increased physical activity was often followed by extended rest, which may reduce long-term benefits. Now, a recent research study has found that replacing rest between exercise sessions with additional ecologically relevant physical activities may help improve cognitive decline among Spanish-speaking Latino adults. Let’s dig deeper into this study and how it impacts older people. What is Ecological Momentary Intervention? Dr. Ulf G. Bronas at the Columbia School of Nursing and his research team ...

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Over 4,000 Speak Up to Reduce Nicotine Levels in Cigarettes


Smoking and society smoker death and smoke health danger concept as a cigarette burning with people falling in hot burning ash as a metaphor causing lung cancer risks with 3D illustration elements.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing a new rule that, if finalized, would make cigarettes and certain other combusted tobacco products minimally or nonaddictive by limiting the level of nicotine in those products.  Smoking cigarettes, which contain nicotine, an addictive chemical, is estimated to kill nearly half a million people in the U.S. each year.  The proposed rule aims to make cigarettes less addictive, prevent young people from starting smoking, and promote quitting smoking among all groups.  The FDA wants your comment on the proposed rule.  You can submit a model comment created by Salud America! urging the FDA to make cigarettes and other tobacco products less addictive.   This comment period closed Sept. 15, 2025.   November 2025 ...

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13,250 People Commented on the Proposed Front-of-Package Nutrition Label Requirement


Nutrition facts, added sugar, healthy lifestyle, balance of ingredients in daily ration, food product label, groceries

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new proposal to require front-of-package nutrition labels on most foods that have a Nutrition Facts label on back. The proposal would require a compact informational box, also referred to as the “Nutrition Info Box,” with nutrient information on the front (or principal display panel) of products. The box would also contain information on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars content in a simple format showing whether the food has “Low,” “Med,” or “High” levels of these nutrients. The aim is to give consumers nutrition information to help them quickly, easily identify how foods and drinks can be part of a healthy diet. “Nearly everyone knows or cares for someone with a chronic disease that is due, in part, to the ...

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103 People Commented to Prioritize Plant-Based Proteins in 2025 Dietary Guidelines


Colorful vegan bowl with quinoa, sweet potato, avocado, hummus and variety of veggies

Scientists are recommending more plant-based protein sources – beans, peas, and lentils – in the upcoming 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines, which provide national nutrition recommendations, will be updated this year. A big contributor to the update is the Scientific Report from the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which was submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Dec. 10, 2024. The scientific report proposes to remove beans, peas, and lentils from the “vegetable” category, leave them solely in the “protein” category, and list them as prioritized proteins. “The protein section has pretty much always said lean meat, then chicken, fish, eggs, beans, ...

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Make Increasing Physical Activity One of Your New Year’s Resolutions


Woman wearing sport shoes physical activity

What is your New Year’s Resolution?  One of the most popular resolutions is engaging in more physical activity.   Moving matters for your health in many ways, so it’s no wonder that increasing physical activity makes it to the top of the goal list for many people every year.   However, being more physically active is easier said than done.   Let’s explore some of the health benefits of physical activity and go over some ways to keep you motivated throughout the year.   Physical Activity Benefits Against Cancer  There is a slew of reasons that exercise is good for ... well, everything.   Countless studies have shown that getting your recommended weekly exercise can greatly reduce your risk for at least eight types of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon, ...

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