If you think of the body as a structure, the feet are the foundation on which everything else rests. Pounds of force are placed upon the feet with every step we take. The delicate bones, tendons and tissues usually bear this load cheerfully enough, but the condition of your feet can provide clues to overall health and affect the condition of the rest of the musculoskeletal system.

Spring is finally here! And when the weather gets warm, people run outside. Then they fall down. Or twist their ankle. Or throw the ball just a little too hard for their own good.

Dr. Rajiv Patel is an enthusiast. Yet, though he enjoys a nice glass of red wine, Patel is careful to emphasize that any advice he has to offer is based solely on the data.

Smiling and giggling babies are a common sight at a Baby Boot Camp session in St. Louis. That’s because their moms are thrusting them into the air for shoulder presses, balancing them during yoga poses and swiftly pushing them in strollers through the park.

With hit TV show, The Biggest Loser, bestselling books and 1.6 million people visiting her weight loss website each month, Jillian Michaels has become one of the nation’s most popular experts on healthy eating, exercise and leading an exceptional life. Now, she is sharing her success secrets with audiences across the country through her Maximize Your Life tour, a live show coming May 11 to the Fox Theatre. LN recently spoke with Michaels about her personal health journey and her upcoming show, which aims to help people kickstart their life and fitness goals and achieve health and happiness.

GREAT NEW PRICE! 15% REDUCTION FROM ORIGINAL LIST PRICE! THIS IS THE MOST HOUSE & PROPERTY FOR THE PRICE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN LADUE! Spacious home in great Ladue neighborhood. Approx. 7,000 sq. ft. of living space on 1.8 acre property. Updated kitchen with center island, family room plus hearth room-open floor plan. Main lever master bedroom suite plus upper level master suite and 3 additional second floor bedrooms. Updated baths. Walkout lower level with bar/kitchen area, exercise, game/family room, sixth bedroom and full bath. Rear deck, patio and pool. 3-car garage.

Any time blood flow to the brain is interrupted, you have a serious problem. In many cases, this is known as a stroke, and it can have life-threatening and long-term consequences. In some cases, the body’s natural anti-clotting properties are able to break up the clot that is blocking blood flow. This is known as a ‘transient ischemic attack’ or TIA.

Belching is a sign of appreciation for a fine meal in some cultures. But it’s not such a positive thing when it’s accompanied by heartburn, coughing and throat irritation—the classic symptoms of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

A Mari de Villa resident recently celebrated her 90th birthday with a large group of family and friends in the new Waterford Room private party suite, overlooking the same sparkling lake her mother did 30 years ago.

For such a little gland, it can cause some big problems. The thyroid is a small gland in the neck that secretes hormones needed to regulate metabolism. Everything from body temperature to weight to energy are metabolically modulated, so an imbalance in thyroid function can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms.

Physical inactivity literally is killing America. Data indicates that 11 percent of children ages 6 to 11, and 14 percent of those ages 11 to 16, are obese. In addition, more than one-half of adults don’t meet recommended levels of activity, and half of them have no regular physical activity. Sedentary lifestyles lead to increased health risks and higher health care costs. Since this habit of inactivity begins early in life, the promotion of physical activity among children is imperative for their health and for the future of our nation.

It’s a common sentiment: You want to be healthy and you want your children to be healthy. Exercising with your children provides benefits outside the realm of fitness.

Among the most common orthopedic injuries, rotator cuff tears cause shoulder pain and temporary disability for millions of people each year. And while we associate rotator cuff injuries with baseball pitchers who are constantly putting strain on the shoulder, this problem is most often diagnosed in adults age 60 and older.

Are you ready? Spring is here, and we’ll soon be revealing more skin as we switch to lighter clothing and spend more time lounging by the pool. If you have problem areas that could use a little improvement, you’re in luck. A panel of local experts offers advice from head to toe to help you welcome warm weather by looking your best.

We may not think of them as life-threatening illnesses, but eating disorders are just that. Millions of people are affected by eating disorders, and they can cause permanent health problems—even death. That’s why recognizing the signs and symptoms early can save lives.

A story-and-a-half home in Town & Country with 13 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 5 full- and 2 half-baths is listed for $1.965 million.

A one-and-a-half story home in Ladue with 15 rooms, 4 bedrooms and 2 half- and 5 full baths is listed for $2.995 million.

How are you faring during this cold and flu season? The answer depends, at least in part, on how your body’s immune system is protecting you from the many viral and bacterial illnesses that gets passed around every winter.

A house cannot stand without a firm foundation. Similarly, we cannot stand—at least not straight and tall—without a strong musculoskeletal system. Our bones are the infrastructure that supports our body, and it’s important to keep that infrastructure strong.

A two-story home in Ladue with 14 rooms, 5 bedrooms, and 4 full- and 3 half-baths is listed for $3.6 million.

Eight days after giving birth to her son, Cameron, in April 2011, Rachel D'Souza-Siebert’s heart was aglow with love. It also was about to break.

There is more than one way to flatten your tummy. Diet and exercise works for those who need to reduce fat in general. Liposuction removes fat cells from targeted areas. Noninvasive procedures freeze fat and cause it to disappear over time. But the only thing that addresses the abdominal muscles, fat and excess skin is abdominoplasty—a tummy tuck.

A story-and-a-half home in St. Albans with 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 4 full- and 1 half-bath is listed for $1.2 million.