You may not think about your feet that often, way down there at the ends of your legs, but they’re an essential part of almost everything you do. Whether you are walking, running, exercising, or just standing, having feet that are comfortable and well-cared for (rather than aching or in pain) makes your healthy living experience much more enjoyable. Therefore, knowing how to care for your feet is key.

Circulation problems are often associated with older feet, but the fact is that anyone can have such problems. When there’s not enough blood flowing to your feet, you may experience tingling, numbness, cramping, and discoloration of the skin and toenails.

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February is heart health month and a good time to check in on the health of you and your family’s ticker. Below are a few easy tips to help treat your heart right this month and beyond;

Break bad habits: We have learned that cigarettes are extremely detrimental to your heart; try to stay away. With many public areas going smoke free, now is as good of a time as any to try to kick the habit. Once you do quit, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce. Also, try to cut down on adding salt to your meals. This common habit can lead to high blood pressure. A quick tip, always try your food before deciding if it needs more salt, you might surprise yourself how much less you will need when you find food tastes good without it!

Get moving: The heart, just like any other muscle of the body, is healthier when it gets regular activity. Try to commit to 30 minutes a day of activity. Remember, activity can be disguised as many different things, wash your car by hand instead of sending it through the car wash, or take your dog out for one more walk around the block, he will love you for it!

Take a deep breath: Stress can be a huge culprit to heart issues. As you feel overwhelmed, you may fall back in to bad habits; you are more likely to eat unhealthy foods, consume more alcohol, get less sleep, all that can be tough on your ticker. Try to keep stress at bay to give your heart a little break.

How healthy of an eater do you consider yourself? Do you take the time to read labels while at the market? Do you to stay away from starches and focus on healthy foods such as fruits and whole grains? Then you are probably making many wise food choices…Here are a few more tips you can add to your routine to take your eating healthy habits to the next level.

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The 2012/2013 flu season has been gaining attention as people all over the country are at home with aches, pains, and sniffles. Luckily, the virus seems to be slowing its spread but there are still plenty of people that will be staying home over the next few weeks to mend their immune system.

The flu is certainly no picnic but sometimes the boredom of quarantine can be overwhelming. So why not make the best of it? Whether or not you have someone around to help you grab a tissue, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of your time off.

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We all remember the best part of the holidays when we were kids: the gifts! For most children, the best part about the holidays is anticipation of unwrapping all of their new toys.

However, even with the best of intentions, some of the toys we gift our little ones can be hazardous. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2005 more than 200,000 toy-related injuries were reported, and nearly 8,000 of these injuries were eye injuries. Because of this, the national group, Prevent Blindness, chose December as “Safe Toys and Gifts Month.”

To make sure the gift you give is both age appropriate and safe for the special child in your life, here are some questions to keep in mind.

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As 2012 comes to a close, there are plenty of tasks on our plates before the year’s end. However, there is one priority that usually escapes our to-do lists: taking advantage of your health benefits before they expire!

Health plans increasingly have design features that are tied to a 12-month cycle, including annual deductibles, free yearly preventive checkups and flexible-spending accounts. Those who don’t pay attention to the calendar risk wasting fully covered benefits and paying more than they have to for medical procedures and delayed until next year.

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