Losing weight is hard, and keeping it off may be even harder. Local experts share information and tips to help sustain a healthy weight after taking off some pounds.
CTS contamination has poisoned more than drinking water
For nearly 30 years, the CTS of Asheville Superfund site has been a source of physical and social toxicity for the surrounding community. With remedial efforts to address the source of contamination finally underway, residents, activists and others reflect on the triumphs and tribulations of the decades-long battle for a clean-up and accountability.
Support groups help retired men find new purpose
Retired men are refashioning their lives with the support of other men who share their travails.
Local advocates for size acceptance work to abolish fat shaming
Asheville professionals are part of a growing movement to promote acceptance of a greater diversity in body size and shape.
Power to the people: Best of WNC 2018 voting begins
With a far out feeling, voting has begun for the beloved annual Best of WNC awards. Only you can decide who’ll be feelin’ it in the new summer of love, when winners are announced this August. You have until 11:59 p.m. on the night of Saturday, April 28 to complete your ballot and make sure your voice is heard. […]
Carolina Beer Guy: Brewery yoga catching fire
At least five Asheville area breweries and one cidery host regular yoga classes.
Superfoods provide health benefits — with a side of confusion
Superfoods are nutrient dense, rich with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and polyphenols. Some superfoods are found in Western North Carolina, such as blueberries, sweet potatoes and wild nettles.
Asheville City Council, Buncombe Commissioners discuss racial equity, development in joint meeting
2018’s annual joint meeting of Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners highlighted issues of racial equity, police use-of-force and zoning conflicts affecting Buncombe residents.
Local experts explore the truth about fat
Here’s the first thing you need to know about fat: It’s complicated. “Fat is confusing for everybody because we don’t agree,” says Taft Draper, a Hendersonville-based registered dietitian. “The body is very complex, and everyone is different.” On the surface, it seems fairly simple. There are three main types of fat — unsaturated, saturated and […]
How healthy is a plant-based diet?
As plant-based diets grow in popularity, vegans still field misconceptions on such topics as protein intake, athletic capacity and eating disorders. But what do local nutritionists say about a lifestyle that avoids animal products? In late January, Asheville internist Dr. Carly Brown hosted a public panel alongside Stepfanie Romine, Hendersonville health coach and co-author of The […]
How Four Seasons encourages employees and volunteers to maintain a healthy lifestyle
The regional nonprofit Four Seasons Compassion for Life is transforming its workplace into a healthier environment — which its leaders believe benefits both employees and the organization.
Caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients face challenges in caring for themselves
The Alzheimer’s Association — Western Carolina Chapter connects caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients with a variety of resources through its Direct Connect Referral Program. In Asheville, Memory Care also offers support services for people who have dementia and their families. Both organizations advise caregivers to seek help rather than go it alone.
Future transit efforts, concerns mirror Asheville’s past
Asheville as we know it today was built upon the back of its electric streetcar system, one of the largest networks of its time. As the city finds itself in a growth spurt once again, could its defunct trolley system provide some clues to Asheville’s transit future?
Conscious Party: Conscious Brews
The annual fundraiser for the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina takes place March 4 at Highland Brewing Co.
Parental leave policies can assist parents in caring for newborns
Although the U.S. is the only industrialized country in the world that doesn’t have a paid parental leave policy, two local companies are leading the way in ensuring that working families get the support they need to take care of their newest family member.
Conscious Party: NEDAwareness Week
The music-filled benefit for T.H.E. Center for Disordered Eating takes place Feb. 26 at Oskar Blues Brewery.
Urgent care growing in WNC
Urgent care centers are a hot health care trend nationwide and in Western North Carolina. With the recent arrival of new urgent care facilities and more in the works, Xpress looks at where these facilities are and what needs they serve.
Local experts laud hidden power of the kiss
This Valentine’s Day, don’t blow off the kiss — it’s more important than you think. Jeanne and Hal Butts of Black Mountain shared their first kisses in July 1957 during a “supervised” weekend on a friend’s ranch. “She was going to Stanford for her graduate degree, and I was a Navy pilot,” Hal Butts says. They […]
Health care documentary in Flat Rock looks to heal a broken system
Dr. Marsha Fretwell addressed a crowd of 25 in blunt terms Monday in Flat Rock: “We need to get for-profit health insurance out of the marketplace.” Fretwell, a former geriatric physician and a member of Healthcare for All Western North Carolina, crystallized the thesis of the documentary Fix It: Health Care at the Tipping Point, which had […]
How the Paleo diet changed the way some Ashevilleans eat
The paleo diet — with its focus on eating as our Paleolithic ancestors did — has its share of Asheville-area fans. But not everyone is on board with the regimen.
How much is too much?
Salt can be good for you, even necessary for health, in certain quantities. But how do you decide whether and how much salt to shake on your food?