Health Fit

What is malaria? Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected  Anopheles  mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the  Plasmodium  parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream. Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells. Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open. The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time. Malaria is typically found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites can live. The  World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source  states that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries. I...

Navigating the world of skin care can be confusing — even for more seasoned beauty pros. It’s too easy to get lost in the flurry of trendy, promise-filled ingredients coming at you left and right, and it definitely doesn’t simplify shopping. Do you need those sheet masks dipped in snail juice, or maybe that exotic serum with foreign fruit extracts that sounds absolutely delicious? And real talk: Is it just me or does it become more tempting the more insane it sounds? I’d be lying if I said I never succumbed to a placenta mask or indulged in lush face oils. I’m human, after all… a human guinea pig/skincare junkie who needs her fix. I know I’m not alone here! Returning to our senses, we know beauty trends come and go. But there are classics that never go out of style — tried and true ingredients that support our skin in all the right ways. Nothing gimmicky or harsh — just skin-loving goodies that work hard to get our skin to the best possible version of itself. As an esthet...

I’m no marathoner, but I do try to run 3 miles at least a couple of times a week. For me, running is a no-brainer cardio activity. Equipment? Nope. Driving to the gym? Nope. Squeeze it in pretty easily on any given day? Yep! But living in Phoenix, where I do, can present some major challenges for outdoor jogging. In the summer, morning slogs — er, jogs — are really affected by the heat and humidity. We’re legit talking about 90 degrees in the early a.m. — temperatures that have inspired the words “This city should not exist. It’s a monument to man’s arrogance,” from Bobby Hill of “King of the Hill.” And this summer I’d been feeling rather defeated by the heat and humidity. My times had slowed, and I consistently took the last mile at a panting, dripping walk. Should I just take a break?  I wondered.  Come back when opening my front door doesn’t feel like unleashing the fires of hell? While I knew I needed to be safe about preventing heat exhaustion, I realized ...

Ever wonder why some nights you can’t make it 10 minutes into your latest Netflix obsession without falling asleep, while other nights, you fall down a rabbit hole of cute puppy pictures at 2 a.m? (We’ve all been there.) Sure, there are a number of psychological conditions associated with sleep disruption, but it could also be linked to what you eat. Before we dive into the unsettling truth on how your diet impacts your sleep, let’s tackle some of the most common assumptions about sleepy-time food. 1. Do I need to eat Thanksgiving-level amounts of turkey to get better rest? It’s reasonable to assume that passing out after your favorite large meal is linked to the generous portion of overcooked meat you just inhaled, but  research  suggests this might not be the case. We’ve all heard about tryptophan—the magical amino acid found in abundance in so-called sleep-aids like turkey. Tryptophan is known to increase the feel-good brain chemical, serotonin, which in turn is co...

Picture this: You wake up exhausted after a night of tossing and turning and nearly throw the alarm clock out the window when it goes off. We’ve all been there. Instead of reaching for that fourth cup of coffee or sugary energy drink, consider some better options for staying hydrated  and  awake. Here’s what you can be sipping on all day — a one-day drink menu so to speak — to boost your energy after a bad night of sleep. 1. Green smoothie first thing in the morning After a crummy night of sleep, start your day with a smoothie. Just make sure it’s green. Smoothies chock-full of greens and veggies are lower in sugar and higher in fiber than their all-fruit counterparts. Leafy greens like kale and spinach are loaded with energy-promoting nutrients. These greens are a good source of iron, which promotes oxygen delivery to your cells to fight fatigue head-on. Try this recipe, which includes creamy avocado, fruity pineapple, spinach, banana, an...