FITNESS ON A BUDGET

Turn the world into your gym

By Jeannine Stein

No gym gear? No problem. Get fit the natural way. Hike local trails, scale buildings, exercise on the beach. It's inexpensive -- and scenic. »

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Booster Shots Oddities, musings and some news from the world of health.

Booster Shots

Oddities, musings and some news from the world of health.

Smoke does not get in their eyes (or their lungs)

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 3:50:08

Three years after Pueblo, Colo., passed a law banning smoking in private...

Rodent of the week: Food additive tied to lung cancer

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 1:00:00

A food additive that is becoming more common in a variety of products has been...

Mustard might soothe burns, but use water first

I picked up a plastic honey container that was in a pot of...

Gardening can help older people stay fit

A study measuring the intensity of activities such as...

Gyms are slashing prices

Now's a good time to exercise frugality and check out the...

GETTING GOOD

A running program that fits your stride

By Jeannine Stein | Fri, 2 Jan 2009 5:24:15 PM

Four-part series spells out the keys to exercise success for a healthier 2009.

GOOD FORM

In plank exercise, keep spine straight

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 4:15:00 PM

A common mistake when performing this exercise, referred to as a plank, is to drop the hips too low and...

more | photo

Working out old school: Is it time to pull out the ThighMaster?

By Whitney Friedlander | Fri, 2 Jan 2009 4:30:18 PM

Jane Fonda and Billy Blanks, the Ab Roller and the Step. Ah, memories. And...

GEAR

Pump up without slimming your wallet

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 4:30:18 PM

Whether it's good times or bad, I'm fond of saying, fitness is a bargain. But...

PERSONAL FITNESS

Amid financial crunch, health clubs get in shape to keep members

By Mark Medina | Fri, 2 Jan 2009 10:08:13 PM

Discounts and increased marketing budgets are among the strategies to attract and retain customers beyond...

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Apple shares drop as Jobs health rumors resurface

By Tom Petruno | Wed, 31 Dec 2008 2:19:09 PM

The company refuses to comment on Web report. The stock is down 56% for the year.

Many California health workers not checked for criminal pasts

By Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber | Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:27:14 PM

The Department of Consumer Affairs estimates that nearly a third of the state's 937,100 licensed...

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Cut health costs, not your care

By Francesca Lunzer Kritz | Wed, 31 Dec 2008 2:07:23 PM

Balancing your budget shouldn't mean your health pays the price. Here are...

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Arsenic levels too high in Kern Valley State Prison's drinking water

By Michael Rothfeld | Mon, 29 Dec 2008 3:15:15 PM

Three years past deadline, California has no solid plan to reduce the arsenic,...

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Full section, Nov. 24: The science of turkey

Full section, Nov. 17: Memory loss - What's normal, what's not

Full section, Nov. 10: No quick fix for treating addiction

Deadly amoeba threatens warm-water spots

By Hugo Martín | Tue, 30 Dec 2008 6:34:35 AM

Caution is advised when soaking in natural hot springs or a lake.

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DSM psychiatry manual's secrecy criticized

By Ron Grossman | Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:23:27 PM

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is being revised under a cloak of...

CAPSULE

Living near alcohol sellers may affect youth drinking

By Jeannine Stein | Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:34:22 PM

The closer teens live to where alcohol is sold, the greater the seeming risk...

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PEOPLE'S PHARMACY

Cause sought for rising cholesterol

Joe Graedon | Fri, 2 Jan 2009 4:10:18 PM

I've always had low cholesterol, but it has been rising for the past few years. First it went from 180 to...

ESSAY

Coping with grief through Joan Didion's and Eleanor Clift's eyes

By Charles Zanor | Sat, 27 Dec 2008 4:42:24 PM

Circumstances and personalities shaped how writers Joan Didion and Eleanor Clift...

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THE UNREAL WORLD

A plausible poisoning, but 'Mentalist' tampers with brain science

Marc Siegel | Sat, 27 Dec 2008 4:28:24 PM

The possible discovery of a 'morality center' prompts experimentation and foul...

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Hot springs' extreme temperature changes can be deadly

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 4:15:38 PM

At popular swimming holes such as Hot Creek near Mammoth, the water can unexpectedly heat up, scalding or...

Workouts with Good Form