We at That's Fit and AOL Health know you've got a lot going on in your lives besides staying in great shape, and we realize that more than just diet and exercise goes into feeling your best every day. That's why we're sharing some of the exciting reporting going on at AOL Health.

Prayer -- the latest weight-loss weapon? From the "Hallelujah Diet" to "Body By God," we review the religious variety of slimming down on AOL Health.

You know when her next soccer match is and when her last tooth cleaning was, but do you know her ideal body mass index? Give our BMI calculator for kids a try.

Fatigue, weight loss and feeling full may be your body's way of telling you something is seriously wrong. Check out these cancer warning signs women typically ignore.

Some say being religious improves your health. Others say it can make you fat, thus hurting your health.

One 2006 study found that Southern Baptists were the most likely of religious folks to be obese. Don't blame the southern cooking, though. The study found that that outlook on life is one culprit -- serious believers tend to see God's will defining their lives, and not personal choice. Perhaps groups that frown on smoking and drinking tend to go overboard when it comes to restricting food choices. And of course, there's the issue of eating at church functions. Doughnuts, coffee, potlucks, ice cream socials -- high-fat foods are part of the culture.

There's a flip side to this argument. Men who turn to religion, rather than food, for comfort tend to keep extra pounds off. And in some circles, health is the newest form of ministry. Some churches include in their missions goals for sports and fitness. Several churches in my city even have gymnasiums and offer fitness classes and athletic programs.

What's your belief. Does church make you fat? Fit? Or somewhere in between?

Source

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

My mother-in-law just had her third hip replacement surgery. She's 82. She's a breast cancer survivor. She was always in great shape when her hips cooperated. I remember her hiking with us in her 70s and keeping up better than some folks half her age.

But lately, being religious about the regular walk schedule she should be keeping to ensure ongoing mobility and recovery hasn't been a strength of hers. Adding a religious element just might change that. My sister-in-law recently wrote to us about such a strategy when it comes to Mom's roadblocks with walking:

"She doesn't like walking alone and needs to push herself to just do it or to call some friends ... She mentioned that walking seemed like a 'chore.' I suggested she offer the walk as a prayer of gratitude for the gift of mobility and use of her senses to enjoy the day."

My mother-in-law is also a devout Catholic. And so, when I read about my sister-in-law's suggestion of exercise as an offering of prayer, I found myself thinking of her as an ingenius saint. Nothing like Catholic guilt to get Mom to do something. And, I thought, that just might be the answer for the rest of us, too. Rather than taking our working bodies for granted and blowing off exercise for some sedentary activity, maybe we should all be a little more grateful for our working bodies and get moving more often.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

A few years ago, I was in a grief support group for people who'd lost their parents. The discussion naturally weaved in and out of the topics of spirituality and religion. My father's religion was running, said one girl. His church was the outdoors: a wooded path on a cool morning, a open field bathed in warm sunlight. I've never forgotten it.

I'm a spiritual person, but organized religion hasn't taken a big role in my life. This is a religion I can see myself being a part of. Running is the cure for what ails me: A heavy heart, a nagging conscience, a gut feeling that doesn't sit well. When I have a problem I can't figure out, I run. When something's stressing me out, I run. When I feel tired or lethargic, I run. And it's never let me down: I always feel better afterwards. No exceptions. It's not that I've found God in pounding my feet on the treadmill, but it helps me find balance, and it helps me find peace.

What activity helps you find your spiritual side?

Are you supportive of chapels inside those high-tech hospitals? Millions of patients and family members are, and it gives them a place to find some semblance of pece in those difficult hours.

There are some religious leaders, however, than want to take religion out of the health care arena, and they have started to take on the Catholic Church, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Bush administration to do just that.

Are religious beliefs interfering with personal rights? How about when it comes to health care in this country in general? With the outlawing of certain types of abortions by the U.S. Supreme Court last week, this kind of movement was bound to happen soon. And, it did.

What is your position?

Source

Where's the line between religion and medical science? While there's passionate opinions on both sides of this debate, a recent survey finds that -- at least in some way -- most doctors include their faith in their practice.

For better or for worse, "This is yet more evidence that doctors are not just objective, neutral scientists. Their religious or secular commitments influence the way they respond to patients and the way they interpret data," Dr. Farr Curlin, the study's author, told Reuters.

Very few doctors seem to think religion has any effect on "hard" medical outcomes, like miraculous healing, but those who are most religious are significantly more likely to report patients bringing up issues of religion and spirituality, and many feel it has a positive effect on their patients.

Researchers say this indicates that doctors should keep a close eye of their own views, and how that might bias their decisions.

Source

New research from a study conducted in Rome suggests that the power of prayer and faith helps stroke victims recover faster.

Of course, scientists aren't going to claim to have proven the existence of a higher power. Instead, researchers speculate that a patient's spirituality can help to reduce emotional stress during recovery, and help patients feel that they are not alone, which reduces stress regardless of whether the patient feels they're not alone because of their faith or because of social support.

While the research was conducted in Rome where most residents are Catholic, the results are expected to be similar for other denominations and religions as well.

Source

It seems everyone these days come up with new premises for a 'diet'. Here's another one to add to the list: The Hallelujah Diet. The diet consists of strictly plant-based raw food -- that and a lot of praying -- all in an attempt to take dieters back to the heyday of when man (and woman) first lived in the Garden of Eden. No word on whether apples are forbidden.

Ok, I shouldn't joke -- the people following this way of life are completely serious, and have embarked on the journey to help with a multitude of health problems, including MS, cancer and obesity. The lac of meat is made up for in vegetable proteins and vitamins. Vegan diets, as we know, have been shown to have amazing health benefits, with or without prayer. I'm not religious but I say kudos to the diets followers for taking their health seriously enough to embark on a path of both physical and spiritual wellness.

Source

As first reported on Blogging Baby, some Christian parents in British Columbia are fighting to get yoga taken out of schools because they don't want their children to be exposed to other religions, including Yoga. I wasn't aware that yoga was a religion -- I thought it was a practice designed to increase flexibility, strength and body-mind awareness. Though I wonder if the parents mentioned are dealing with a full deck, as one says equates teaching yoga to kids with letting the Devil in to their life. Huh?

I don't think anything that promotes compassion, healthy living and calmness of mind can be a bad thing. I practice yoga and I don't consider myself partial to any religion, be it Buddhism or Christianity. In terms of schools, I think yoga is used more as a fitness technique than a religion, and taking that away from kids in the wake of an obesity epidemic might be doing them a disservice.

What do you think?

Source