Your health: Timing your coffee for best advantage

Timing your coffee for best advantage

That first cup of coffee in the morning can help you get motivated to head out for your workday.

But your cup of java can do more for you if you time it right, Health magazine reports.

Drinking coffee an hour before a workout can increase muscle strength, according to a new study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Pitching an idea to your boss?

Enjoy a cup or two as you prepare and you'll have better recall for up to 24 hours, one study found.

Finally, don't down your morning coffee right after you crawl out of bed. When you wake up, you experience a natural spike in cortisol, which boosts your alertness, one 2009 study concludes. You'll benefit more from your coffee's kick if you sip later in the morning when cortisol levels dip. Health reports.

Illinois 28th highest for adult obesity rate

At 29.3 percent, Illinois now has the 28th highest adult obesity rate in the nation, according to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, a report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Across the country, rates increased in five states (Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Utah) and remained stable in the rest. Arkansas had the highest rate of obesity at 35.9 percent, while Colorado had the lowest at 21.3 percent. In 1980, no state had a rate above 15 percent, and in 1991, no state had a rate above 20.

The State of Obesity finds that significant racial and ethnic disparities persist. In Illinois, obesity rates are 40.2 percent for blacks; 33 percent for Latinos; and 27.5 percent for whites.

"Efforts to prevent and reduce obesity over the past decade have made a difference. Stabilizing rates is an accomplishment. However, given the continued high rates, it isn't time to celebrate," said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH. "We've learned that if we invest in effective programs, we can see signs of progress. But, we still haven't invested enough to really tip the scales yet."