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By: Maria Masters menshealth.com You hear the advice constantly: You need fiber. It's crucial to your health. Fine, but how much fiber, and how crucial is it? Maybe you're wondering, What is fiber, exactly? Let's start with the basics. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that makes up the structural material in the leaves, stems, and roots of plants. But unlike sugar and starch—the other two kinds of carbs—fiber stays intact until it nears the end of your digestive system. This, it seems, is what makes fiber beneficial, and why you've probably heard you can't eat enough of it. Now read on to separate the facts from the fiction. All Fiber is Created Equal FALSE: There are two basic types of fiber, with different functions. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, nuts, and many vegetables. Its structure is thick and rough, and it won't dissolve in water, so it zips through your digestive tract and increases stool bulk. Soluble fiber is found in oats, beans, barley, a...

Thu Jul 29, 5:35 PM PDT After only one year behind the judges' table on "American Idol," Ellen DeGeneres is leaving the show. "A couple months ago, I let FOX and the 'American Idol' producers know that this didn't feel like the right fit for me," Ellen said in a statement issued to Access Hollywood on Thursday. "I told them I wouldn't leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next." The talk show host and comedienne revealed that she didn't come to the decision lightly. "It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for," her statement continued. "I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings." Although she is leaving, Ellen said she is thankful for the experien...

Men's Health News Good oral hygiene might protect you from more than just cavities. People who brush their teeth less than twice a day are 70 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those who take better care of their smiles, according to a new study in the British Medical Journal. And the researchers found that this was true regardless of age, smoking history, dentists’ visits, and diabetes, among others. So how is oral health is linked to heart health? Researchers suspect that inflammation plays a role. The scientists found that the subjects who brushed their teeth less often also had more levels of C-reactive protein in their blood. This protein is associated with inflammation, and is also linked to atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries.

Men's Health News Older men who take drugs for erectile dysfunction may be at an increased risk of having a sexually transmitted disease, according to a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers found that men over the age of 40 who take meds like Viagra, Levitra and Cialis may be three times more likely to have an STD than men who don’t request a prescription. These men may be more likely to practice unsafe sex or have more partners, says the lead study author Anupam Jena, Ph.D., M.D. Although people in their late teens or early adulthood are more likely to have STDs—including Chlamydia and gonorrhea—the rates of these diseases have been growing in the elderly over the past decade, according to previous research. “[One theory we had was that] the introduction of erectile dysfunction drugs were leading to higher rates of STDs among older folks,” says Jena. “If a drug comes out that allows men to have sex—when they formerly couldn’t, or had difficulty doing so—there ...

www.menshealth.com Leadership is one tough-to-figure art. That's why the Constitution devotes only a few hundred words to describing the president's job, and fewer still—not one—to the kind of person the chief exec ought to be. But take heart. We've figured out what makes a fellow worth following. Our leader-of-the-free-world specs come without reference to public policy. Great presidents can believe in big government or in small, and they can be born on Park Avenue or among the amber waves. We're fed up with the sneers, with the divisive polemics about who's a slacker because he didn't serve and who's a hero because he did. Mostly, we're impatient with insinuations that liberals don't believe in family and conservatives don't believe in civil rights. Our studies show that millions of people in Massachusetts have values and millions more in Texas have brains. Here are some qualities of mind and heart that will serve our republic well from either ...

By: Heather Loeb menshealth.com Is there a more potent symbol of purity than the fluffy white snowflake, wafting from heaven and landing—ping!—on the tip of your tongue? Well, along comes the journal Science to spoil the fun, noting that bacteria called Pseudomonas syringae are lurking at the dark heart of many an earthbound crystal of frozen water. And if Frosty the Snowman is a target, what chance do the rest of us have? A pretty good one, actually—if you make note of the places where the bugs lie and swat them before they can do harm. Here's an updated to-disinfect list for all the surprising places (and people) contagion clings to. Your Vacuum Cleaner The threat: Researchers at the University of Arizona recently found that 50 percent of the vacuum brushes they tested contained fecal bacteria, including 13 percent with E. coli, and all were packing mold. Vacuuming can transfer the germs from contaminated surfaces to uncontaminated ones (think kitchen to living room). The solut...

menshealth.com What to eat and when to eat it to boost your metabolism and fight fatigue all day long Energy management should be one of the principal concerns of the working man, and yet the average guy fuels his body the way he gases up his vehicle: when it's running on fumes. It's a red-warning-light response, and it usually triggers a pit stop for a café au lait and a croissant. Why we eat like the French when there's work to be done, we'll never know. But there's a better way to wake up that doesn't involve overpriced coffee: Eat smart. And eat often. More specifically, snack often. By snacking on the right foods at strategic times, you'll keep your energy levels stoked all day, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, R.D. Here's what to eat when, with the prep time you've got. 7 a.m.: Jump-Start Your Body They call it breakfast for a reason: You haven't eaten for at least 8 hours. Your blood-sugar level is at its lowest ebb, and now it's ...