Pop Quiz: What's your waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)?
If you don't know, then take out a soft measuring tape and measure the circumference of your waist at your belly button and the circumference of your hips at the widest part around your buttocks. Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. If you're a woman and your WHR is greater than 0.8 or if you're a man and your WHR is greater than 1.0, then we need to talk. If you don't like to do division, you can just measure your waist for some perspective, too. A waist circumference greater than 35 for a woman and 40 for a man also means you need to keep reading.

Carrying extra weight around your middle, or being "apple shaped," is a risk factor for several health conditions, including high blood pressure, high LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, and high blood sugar. These conditions can in turn develop into heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and breast, cervical, and prostate cancers. People who carry their extra weight around their hips and thighs are called "pear shaped" and, though they may dislike the way it looks, it's actually a healthier type of fat than the type around the abdomen. Experts believe that the presence of subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) at the waist indicates that visceral fat (internal fat around the organs) is present, too. This type of fat is not always visible since it's inside the body in the spaces surrounding our organs. But it is one of the most dangerous types of fat since it can actively release fatty acids and inflammatory and other reproductive hormones that contribute to heart disease and cancers. These substances may also directly affect the liver and its role in blood sugar control and cholesterol production.

Most people associate "apple shape" with men and "pear shape" with women and it's probably true that hormones can influence body shape. However, women can be "apple shaped" and therefore have the same amount of health risk associated with that shape as men do. Some post-menopausal women may also find that their formerly "pear-shaped" bodies are now "apple shaped," an indication that their "pear-shaped" protection has been lost.

Being "apple shaped" may be a more important indicator of health risk than Body Mass Index (BMI) or weight and, while you can't change your genes, there's plenty you can do to improve your shape. Exercise physiologists have still not found a way to "spot reduce" your problem areas, but exercise and diet can make a big difference. It seems that the midsection is the easiest place to lose fat once an effort is made to cut calories and increase cardiovascular exercise. Take a look at your diet and try to remove extra calories from larger portions, caloric beverages, and highly processed foods. Replace some of the volume with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Make a concerted effort to cut out trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils since they can actually encourage the accumulation of visceral fat. Find a physical activity you enjoy and do it on a regular basis. Even if you can't devote as much time as you'd like to your exercise routine, remember that doing a little bit of something will burn more calories than doing nothing at all. The same goes for your diet. I always like to remind people that while you can't always eat well, you can always eat less.

hen get milk. Researchers in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study have found that low-fat dairy products can offer protection against gout by reducing levels of uric acid in the blood.

Gout is caused by the deposit of uric acid in the joints, especially in the feet and ankles. High consumption of beef, pork, lamb, and seafood appears to substantially increase the risk of gout. For every additional daily serving of meat, gout risk increased by 21% in the subjects and, for each additional weekly serving of seafood, gout risk increased by 7%. Surprisingly, purine-rich vegetables, including spinach, beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, and peas, did not contribute to gout risk. Gout sufferers were advised to avoid these foods in the past.

If you have gout or believe you may be at risk for developing it, try to keep your meat and seafood consumption down to no more than two 3-ounce servings per day. Eat the aforementioned purine-rich vegetables in moderation and try to eat at least two servings of nonfat milk or yogurt daily. Also, make an effort to eliminate alcohol, coffee, or other caffeinated beverages and replace them with water.