How to Combat Chronic Inflammation

Naturopathic doctor Aimee Shunney

Chronic inflammation is strongly correlated with a myriad of health problems, from allergies and depression to the three main killers of Western society: cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It may sound overwhelming, but according to licensed naturopathic doctor Aimee Shunney, there’s a lot we can do about the chronic inflammation problem.

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The Joy of Zumba

Santa Cruz Dance Company founder Joy Smith, the only trainer and licenser of Zumba instructors in Northern California, leads a class. (Photo by Chip Scheuer)

It all started by accident. Alberto “Beto” Perez showed up to teach an aerobics class in Cali, Columbia, and forgot his traditional aerobics music. So he improvised with some mix tapes of salsa and merengue music he had in his backpack. The class went wild for the resulting workout, and Zumba was born.

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Going Gluten-Free

Dietician Jocelyn Dubin of Nourish in Santa Cruz. Photo by Chip Scheuer.

I’ve never been one to ignore the bread basket. On the contrary, I’m usually the first to dive, shamelessly, to uncover the warm and satisfying lumps swaddled inside. The height of irresistibility, for me, lies in the chewy, dark-crusted loaves of New York City’s East Village restaurants—sliced, steaming, into thick and spongey slabs to be dabbed with butter or pushed through a drizzle of olive oil.

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Standing Desks Improve Health & Life Expectancy

Alternatives to the traditional sitting desk, like this stand-up model from Anthro, are catching on.

Sitting. It seems as innocent and natural as breathing or sipping a cup of tea. And yet, some health experts warn that too much of it could be deadly. Most people understand the connection between obesity and poor health, and the importance of being physically active every day. But public health guidelines rarely mention the importance of reducing sitting time—even if you’re active—and they probably should.

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