Weight loss. At this time of year, those two words are a gold-medal-like goal for many people. But sometimes, weight loss isn't necessarily a good thing.

Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, has lost massive amounts of weight recently ... and not because he wanted to. In recent months, he's been so thin, many people were afraid for his health. Jobs recently sent out an open letter to the Apple community that explains his dramatic weight loss. Jobs is suffering from a hormone imbalance. Jobs said, "The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment."

Unexplained weight loss can be a sign of many medical issues, such as Jobs' hormone imbalance. If you're experiencing unexplained weight loss, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor ASAP. If, on the other hand, you're on the flip side of the coin and struggling to lose unwanted pounds, check out the America Takes It Off: Shrink a Size program.

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Here's a tongue twister for you. Say N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines. Can't pronounce it? Yeah, neither can I. But this unpronounceable family of hormones -- which, thankfully, are nicknamed NAPEs -- might prove to be a good friend in fighting obesity.

NAPEs are natural substances released in the body which help us to feel full. New research indicates that varieties of this hormone might one day be effective in controlling appetite, which would make it an important soldier in the fight against obesity.

Research is still in its early stages -- tests have only been conducted on rats and mice at this point -- but researchers are cautiously optimistic. In the study, rats who were given NAPEs consistently ate less and lost weight. Though results aren't firm, research indicates that some people may have abnormal releases of NAPEs in their systems, which could potentially contribute to obesity.

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Some people might think we're a little nutty about our kids' early bedtime. I mean, we can be flexible. This summer, our boys enjoyed many a late night since they could sleep late in the morning. But mostly, and definitely when school is in session, Joey and Danny head for bed around 8 PM. That gives them 10.5 hours of sleep before we start the day with a rousing wake-up call.

Research says we're not so nutty after all, because getting too little sleep or not spending enough time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is associated with overweight tendencies among children and teens.

Compared to normal-weight children, one study found that overweight kids slept about 22 minutes less per night and had lower sleep efficiency, shorter REM sleep, less eye activity during REM sleep, and a longer wait before the first REM period. One hour less of total sleep was associated with a twofold increased risk of being overweight. One hour less of REM sleep was associated with a threefold increased risk.

What's the deal? It seems sleep loss causes changes in hormone levels that may affect hunger. Less sleep also allows for more waking hours in which to eat. In addition, sleep loss leads to fatigue, less physical activity, and fewer calories burned. A vicious cycle for sure. And one I plan to avoid for my kiddos. Bedtime tonight: 8 PM. On the dot.

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Gaining weight at any age and stage of life boosts a woman's risk of developing breast cancer after menopause, says research from the National Cancer Institute. This may come as a surprise to some who think lifestyle plays no role in the development of cancer. But as many as 20% of cancer deaths are due to being overweight or obese. Clearly, weight does matter. If you're tipping the scales in a dangerous direction, then, you'd be wise to drop a few pounds in the name of cancer prevention.

Other lifestyle factors that deserve your attention are as follows.

Hormone Replacement Therapy. It slightly increases a woman's breast cancer risk, according to the large Women's Health Initiative. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends the smallest effective HRT dose for the shortest period of time.

Exercise. Women who exercise more than six hours a week cut their risk of invasive breast cancer by 23 percent. It's never to late to start. So lace up your athletic shoes today.

Alcohol. Even small amounts of alcohol spike breast cancer risk. Taking folic acid in addition to consuming alcohol helps, but cutting down on drinking is your best bet. An equivalent of one glass of wine per day is all you should drink. Less is better, if you can manage it.

Vitamin D. A supplement with at least 1,000 IU of the vitamin is recommended.

Five easy steps -- lose weight (OK, maybe this one's not so easy), limit HRT, exercise, cut down on drinking, and supplement with vitamin D -- and you'll be on your way to good breast health.

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Go to the grocery store hungry and you're bound to crave everything in sight. Blame your "Mmm" hormone, says new research that names the natural molecule ghrelin the responsible party.

Why ghrelin? Because it improves perception and memory when it comes to food. When hunger strikes, watch out, because ghrelin makes the brain find just about every food appealing, sending us on a path to diet destruction.

Researchers have long known that ghrelin, a hormone secreted in the gut, rises and falls before and after meals. Now they're learning that this "Mmm" hormone has even more power -- it causes hunger and encourages eating.

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It's not the latest French perfume. It's not an after-bath body splash. It's not a fake tan. So what is this spray on substance that can give your sex life a jump start? Hormones.

Researchers have conducted a study with a hormone that's administered as a spray. The testosterone spray was given to women who hadn't reached menopause, had low natural testosterone levels, and had little interest in sex. On an intermediate dosage, the women realized a significant increase in their interest in sexual activity.

Though testosterone is considered a "male" hormone, all females have low levels of testosterone in their bodies. Even after administering the testosterone spray, 95% of the women in the study still had normal ranges of the hormone in their system.

There is one notable side effect, however. Women who used the spray developed an excess of body hair. Not exactly the turn-on their partner might need now, is it?

Ladies, hop on over to this AOL Body site for more on women's sexual health. Guys, here's an AOL Body site for you.

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Thyroid conditions affect as many as 25 million Americans, oftentimes making daily life very arduous. With that being the case, you can probably imagine how tough it sometimes can be for these same people to endure a workout. All of this can be extremely frustrating, as the best of intentions to be healthier can sometimes be thwarted by your own body. Thankfully, if you have a thyroid condition, there are some easy lifestyle changes that may help get you through your day.

Avoid the Tap. Unless your tap water is filtered, you may be ingesting too much fluoride, which can hinder thyroid function. Opt instead for bottled water.

Get Your Selenium. Since your body needs this mineral to produce thyroid hormones, it's vital that you are taking in adequate amounts. Selenium can be found in abundance in rice, Brazil nuts, and tuna.

Get your Iodine, Too. This trace mineral is also required for thyroid hormone production. Get your fill of it easily from table salt and seafood.

Cut Back on Soy. Isoflavones in soy can interfere with the production and use of thyroid hormones, so you would do well to keep your soy intake to a minimum.

If any of you suffer from a thyroid condition and have any additional tips or comments, please feel free leave them in the section below.

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I don't know about everyone else out there but I think that the amount of factors that can potentially lead to breast cancer are pretty scary. Things like genetics, radiation exposure, early onset of menstruation, having a first child later in life, using the birth control pill, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can all increase your chances of getting the disease.

Being overweight or obese is also a risk factor and, according to this, women who maintain a healthy weight after menopause have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who start out at a normal weight, but steadily put on pounds as they get older. Apparently, this increased risk was not a factor for women who took hormone replacement therapy after menopause. As the piece points out, the study helps show why it is so important to work to maintain a healthy weight as we age.

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I was intrigued when I read this post at ParentDish by Kristin Darguzas, which reports on a study with results that seem to show that stressed out moms-to-be are more likely, 5% more likely in fact, to give birth to baby girls. Darguzas was looking at this article that discusses the results of the study conducted by a university in Denmark.

Apparently women who reported higher levels of stress at the beginning of their pregnancies ended up giving birth to girls, while women who generally felt relaxed were more likely to have boys. I know it sounds odd since the x or y chromosome in male sperm determines the sex of a child. The report mentions that it may be difficult for male embryos to implant when stress hormone levels are high or that stressed women may be more likely to miscarry male babies.

Perhaps the most important point made in the piece is that babies born to stressed-out moms are more likely to have a range of problems later in life, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. So if you're hoping to have a baby but just can't relax it may be a good idea to talk to your doctor about ways to relieve some stress.

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The trend in society has always been toward the bolder and less inhibited, from the changes in swimsuits to what's now allowed on TV -- from generation to generation we're definitely not getting any more conservative! It's a delicate subject for some, as opinions on whether it's good or bad for society as a whole vary wildly.

That being said, menopause happens to all women at some point in their lives, and it's not always a simple or easy change to go through. Of course there's a time and a place for everything, but nowadays it's getting much easier for women to find the support and understanding they need because it's more acceptable to talk about things like hot flashes and mood swings. It used to be so "hush hush" that women were stuck suffering in silence.

I'm still pretty shy when it comes to blurting out personal issues in a public setting (and I'm not going through menopause), but it's nice to know that when I do want to talk about something it's not going to be a big deal or make for some broken social rule. And for those of you who do enjoy announcing "hot flash!" loudly over dinner? More power to you!

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Osteoporosis and weak bones are generally thought of as a women's issue, and although women are 4 times more likely to suffer from "brittle bones," with 1 in 12 men getting the disease it's a serious issue for them too.

A common culprit for women who have weak bones is the decline in estrogen after menopause, but what about for men? Surprisingly, most men have higher levels of estrogen than most post-menopausal women, which may be why they generally have lower risk. But those men who have a lower number of active estrogen metabolites also have a correspondingly higher risk of developing lower bone density (low -- high -- low -- did that make sense?).

But don't worry guys, there are no plans yet to start generally prescribing estrogen hormone replacement for men. Not yet anyway...

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When you hear that lifting weights helps people look younger you probably think along the lines of exercise and toning equals weight loss and a younger physique. And while that's obviously true, it's not the whole story. Strength training in particular can actually help you look younger from the inside out by encouraging your body to produce more of a particular growth hormone that is linked with age-related muscle loss and bone density changes.

As we age our bodies slowly decrease the amount of growth hormone produced, but strength training is a natural and healthy way to counteract this process. Just one more reason not to skip the gym!

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Good news for women seeking help with their menopause symptoms, but are leery of all the risks associated with taking pills: the French recently published a study that shows hormone patches and hormones gels are less likely than oral medications to cause blood clots.

This comes after scary news back in 2002 that many hormone replacements for women drastically increased the risk of stroke and clots. This latest information not only shows that the method of delivery may play a factor in side-effects, but most likely the dosage as well.

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The symptoms of multiple sclerosis have been noted to ease for women during pregnancy, and scientists believe it's due to the hormone prolactin. In MS the human body attacks the myelin that surrounds nerves, and it's been thought that during pregnancy the immune system no longer attacks the myelin. Now, though, according to data published in the Journal of Neuroscience, it seems the body could be repairing myelin as well. This means that prolactin could be used in the future as an official treatment for MS -- although it does have a tendency to increase inflammation, so that would need to be addressed somehow.

So far the theory has only been tested in mice, but researchers are optimistic.

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During the 1994 World Cup Finals George State University researchers were busy collecting spit from guys in sports bars all over town (that had to be a fun job) because it's a good way to measure hormone levels. It has already been established that men (and animals) experience significant surges of testosterone after winning an important competition, like a sporting event or (for the animals, haha) a fight over a female. But what's interesting about this newest research was that the hormone surge also occurs for spectators of an important competition, like for fans all over the world during the 1994 World Cup Finals.

What does this mean? Not a whole lot, unless you're prone to aggressive behavior or have an active anger management problem. In those cases, though, beware the Super Bowl!

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