A while back we learned that soda, both diet and regular, was bad for the heart, and now it looks like more organs are at risk: the kidneys. This time it's diet sodas, or more specifically, the artificial sweeteners, that seem to be the culprit. A study published recently of over 3,500 women found that those who drank two or more diet sodas daily had decreased kidney function by about 30 percent. Read more

Modern Family's Sarah Hyland reveals she had a kidney transplant Inside Sofia Vergara and Nick Loeb's split What are the most memorable moments from Desperate Housewives' finale? Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley to perform at the CMT Awards Fergie and Josh snacked on sweets at a friend's birthday bash Read more

Photo: Camilla Salem When building salads, it's far too easy to get stuck in a rut. You know what works, buy the same ingredients, and inevitably eat green leaf lettuce with black olives, sliced tomatoes, and shredded carrots everyday. However, with a little creativity and an open mind at the grocery store, you can enjoy a fabulous variety of healthful and scrumptious salads on a regular basis. Read more

Consumers have a tendency of falling for the next big health gimmick. Save your money on health duds with these Business Insider tips. No matter how many times we're told otherwise, Americans' obsession with get-healthy-quick schemes will likely never die. Too bad most of these fads aren't worth their weight in salt — or your hard-earned dollars. We've put together a list of some of the worst Read more

You've heard how meatless Mondays are good for the planet. Now, look to Cooking in Pajamas for a fast and easy vegan chili recipe. Meatless Monday is back baby!  It never actually went anywhere, I just kept forgetting to blog about it. In my quest to get healthy and lose a few pounds before my 20th anniversary trip in April, I have been testing out a plant based diet. I keep going back and Read more

I hit the first barbecue of the season over the weekend and wanted to bring a healthy dessert that was low in sugar and easy to grab (without making much of a mess), since there were going to be tons of kids there. This is a twist on the classic oatmeal raisin cookie recipe — it has cannellini (white kidney) beans and peanut butter added for protein. This subtly sweet cookie with a soft and Read more

Last week's controversial report linking soda consumption to cancer is more evidence indicating that the popular fizzy drink may not be the best choice for a healthy lifestyle. Even if you go the healthier route by choosing sugar-free diet soda, you're still not off the hook. Here are reasons to kick (or at least cut back) your daily diet-soda habit. Weight gain: While researchers have yet to Read more

Joke all you want, but since they offer so many health benefits, beans really are the magical fruit (or legume, really). If you shy away from them, here are three reasons to start eating beans today. Encourage Weight Loss Thanks to their high fiber and water content, beans are extremely filling; it doesn't take much to feel satisfied. Taking a long time to digest, beans help keep hunger at bay Read more