The L.A. Times would like to remind readers everywhere that even in March, there are large swathes of the country in which the weather is positively balmy, and southern Californial is one of them.  Consequently, people who are lucky enough to live there, or visit there, leaving less balmy places […]

Is it better to give than to receive? When you’re talking about a cold virus (one of 200 cold viruses that routinely enjoy the hospitality of our bodies) both transactions have their problems. So it’s nice to know how long a virus infected person is contagious. This down and dirty […]

In the East, at least, it seems that every ski resort markets its instructors’ “unique” method of making turms. Yet skiers who play in the East and West know that matter is more important than method, and that each different kind of terrain requires a slightly different effort. That’s why […]

Anxious? Join the crowd. A new book by Dr. Peter C. Whybrow, the director of the Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles, reports that 30 percent of the population is anxious, double the percentage of a decade ago, and that depression is […]

If climbing rocks, like those described in the link below, comes up short in the degrees of freedom department, try something cooler, like climbing ice. This short piece can help you understand just how crazy one has to be to enjoy this particular outdoor activity. Once you’ve figured that part […]

For most rock climbers, tackling one of the great towers outside of Moab is a serious day’s work. Climbing guide Noah Bigwood thought one was not enough. Neither was two. Or three. Writing for Climbing magazine, amateur climber Kennan Harvey tells us what happened after his phone rang one morning […]

Sounds fishy, but it’s true. As this story in the Boston Globe reports, evidence from several very different studies suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon, sardines and tuna can help prevent and treat depression. One the global level, researchers have known for a while […]

How tough is knee replacement? It depends on who you ask, and according to this first person account by New York Times science writer Jane Brody, the least reliable person to ask might just be your surgeon. Brody presents several very different experiences of knee replacements, as well as her […]

BACKPACKER magazine gives us a quick low down on the highest points in 50 states, from Florida’s 345-foot Britton Hill to Alaska’s 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley.  We recommend something in the middle, like Colorado’s 14,433-foot Mt. Elbert.

When we exercise in the cold, it’s harder to know when to rehydrate. In fact, as this story in the Los Angeles Times warns, the natural tendency of our bodies to retain heat in cold weather can stifle our thirst, and trick us into believing that we don’t need fluids. […]