The Messages are aimed at those who want a little practical guidance on the road to optimal health and fitness—a little information with a little motivation a little bit at a time. I'm not perfect. I’m still working on it so I’m right there with you, but I want you to know there’s hope for better health. I'll email messages on Monday to start the week right and on Wednesday to get over the hump, both readable in 90 seconds or less; Saturday's message will be a little longer. Click here to sign up, or click below for PDFs or MP3s.

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July 2010
		July 28 — 18 Inches
		July 26 — Seatbelt Extender
		July 24 — Supplement Safety
		July 21 — Sports Bras
		July 19 — Weight Training
		July 17 — Back Pain and Your Piriformis
		July 14 — Ready for a Famine
		July 12 — White Squirrel
		July 10 — Fish Fat and Cancer
		July 7 — Sauntering
		July 5 — Black Squirrels
		July 3 — Exercise and Your Weight
June 2010
		June 30 — Halfway
		June 28 — Not Tomorrow
		June 26 — B6 and Lung Cancer
		June 23 — One Percent
		June 21 — Candida
		June 19 — Seasonal Allergies
		June 16 — Summer Produce
		June 14 — Hydrate
		June 12 — Protect Your Skin
		June 9 — Rocks
		June 7 — Summer Sun
		June 5 — Type III Error
		June 3 — A Day Off
May 2010
		May 31 — Happy Memorial Day!
		May 29 — School Lunch
		May 26 — Stats Rule
		May 24 — Diversions
		May 22 — Give Me the Beef
		May 19 — Construction Zone
		May 17 — Prime Numbers
		May 15 — Cleanse Your Colon
		May 12 — Vitamin Dumb
		May 10 — I’m Alive V2.41
		May 8 — Adherence
		May 5 — Plan to Party
		May 3 — Procrastinate
		May 1 — Health Behaviors and Lifespan
April 2010
		April 28 — Challenge
		April 26 — Be Smart
		April 24 — Sugar and Salt
		April 21 — Be Safe Out There
		April 19 — No “Tomorrow”
		April 17 — What Should You Eat?
		April 14 — Payment
		April 12 — Why
		April 10 — Recent Research
		April 7 — Veggies 101, Part 2
		April 5 — Veggies 101
		April 3 — Vitamin Scam
March 2010
		March 31 — First Quarter
		March 29 — What Would You Do?
		March 27 — Vitamins A and D
		March 24 — Medal Contention
		March 22 — Inspire
		March 20 — A License to Overeat
		March 17 — Luggage
		March 15 — Love Affair
		March 13 — Vegetarian
		March 10 — 3:27 a.m.
		March 8 — Whose Fault?
		March 6 — Balanced Diet
		March 3 — Low-Carb, High-Protein Diet
		March 1 — Low-Fat Diet
February 2010
		February 27 — Genetics and Weight Loss: Part 3
		February 24 — Energy Later
		February 22 — Energy Now
		February 20 — Genetics and Weight Loss: Part 2
		February 17 — Overcome
		February 15 — Improvise
		February 14 — Genetics and Weight Loss: Part 1
		February 10 — Innovate
		February 8 — Adapt
		February 6 — BMI and Mortality
		February 3 — Force It
		February 1 — Mindset
January 2010
		January 30 — Omega-3s
		January 27 — Write It Down
		January 25 — Disease
		January 23 — Chromium
		January 18 — Pre-Load
		January 16 — Bit Fills
		January 13 — Fast Start
		January 11 — Bits
		January 9 — When Should You Have a Mammogram?
		January 6 — Exercise
		January 4 — Partners
		January 2 — Weight Loss Month
		January 1 — Welcome, 2010!
2009
December 2009
		December 30 — What I Wish I’d Said
		December 28 — What You Have to Do
		December 26 — Time to Plan
		December 23 — Three Strategies
		December 21 — Socks
		December 19 — Nutrition Funding
		December 16 — Retire?
		December 14 — The Biggest Loser
		December 12 — Folic Acid and Cancer
		December 9 — Mechanical Issues
		December 7 — Instructions
		December 5 — Holiday Special
		December 2 — Reality—America’s Next Top Model
November 2009
		November 30 — Reality—Dancing with the Stars
		November 29 — Buck the Trend
		November 25 — Reality—The Biggest Loser, Part 2
		November 23 — Reality—The Biggest Loser
		November 21 — Inbox Legends
		November 18 — Reality—Gene Simmons Family Jewels
		November 16 — Reality—Survivor
		November 14 — Too Much
		November 11 — Veterans Day
		November 9 — Smokin'
		November 7 — Vitamin C
		November 4 — Fun
		November 2 — Fall
October 2009
		October 31 — Happy Halloween!
		October 28 — How Many?
		October 26 — Intimidated
		October 24 — Vitamin Strategy
		October 21 — Three Down
		October 19 — Youth Sports
		October 17 — Indoor Allergy Season
		October 14 — Now
		October 12 — Friends
		October 10 — Roulette
		October 5 — No Rules
		October 3 — Shortcuts
September 2009
		September 30 — No Excuses
		September 28 — 100 Calories
		September 26 — More on Omega-3s
		September 23 — New Again
		September 21 — Download
		September 19 — Vitamin D
		September 16 — It’s Never Over
		September 14 — Gall Bladder
		September 12 — Aspirin and Heart Attacks
		September 9 — School Days
		September 7 — Labor Day
		September 5 — Organic Food – Part 3
		September 3 — Safe
August 2009
		August 31 — Reasonable Advice
		August 29 — Organic Food – Part 2
		August 26 — Adapt
		August 24 — FM
		August 22 — Organic Food – Part 1
		August 19 — Cleanse or Detox?
		August 17 — Three Pounds
		August 15 — Exercise Makes You Fat?
		August 12 — High Hopes
		August 10 — Drink Up
		August 8 — Preventing Diabetes
		August 5 — Patience
		August 3 — For Your Kids
		August 1 — Short Takes
July 2009
In all the following pdfs, the information on Straight Talk on Health is outdated. Dr. Chet's radio show on the Grand Rapids NPR affiliate can now be heard on WGVU-FM 88.5 or 95.3 at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Eastern Time Zone, or listen live via the Internet by going to www.wgvu.org and clicking on "Listen Live" in the gray bar at the top.
		July 29 — Play
		July 27 — Chill
		July 25 — The Perfect Omelet
		July 22 — See Spot Run
		July 20 — Reality
		July 18 — Regulators
		July 15 — I Swear
		July 13 — Inner Dog
		July 12 — Research News
		July 8 — The Real Cost
		July 6 — Bad News, Worse News, and Hope
		July 4 — Independence Day
		July 1 — Consistency
June 2009
		June 29 — Wellness
		June 27 — Diabetes Prevention
		June 24 — Functional Foods
		June 22 — Quality
		June 21 — Father’s Day
		June 17 — Healthcare
		June 15 — Memory
		June 13 — Half-Marathon
		June 10 — Today
		June 8 — Live
		June 6 — Nutrition Research
		June 3 — Fatty Tendons
		June 1 — Possibilities
May 2009
		May 30 — Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled
		May 27 — Health Claims
		May 26 — Experts
		May 23 — Spirals
		May 20 — Better When?
		May 18 — Reality
		May 16 — Biggest Loser Finale
		May 13 — Start Having Fun
		May 11 — Seatbelt Extension
		May 10 — I’m Alive V2.40
		May 6 — Least Damaging
		May 4 — Calories In
		May 2 — Swine Flu
April 2009
		April 29 — Quarters
		April 27 — Another Reason
		April 25 — Dance
		April 22 — Eat Your Veggies
		April 20 — Domesticated
		April 18 — Who’s in Charge?
		April 15 — Time to Pay
		April 13 — Live Longer
		April 11 — Metabolism 6
		April 8 — Metabolism 5
		April 6 — Metabolism 4
		April 4 — Metabolism 3
		April 1 — Metabolism 2
March 2009
		March 30 — Metabolism 1
		March 28 — Save the Planet
		March 25 — Calories In
		March 23 — Direction
		March 22 — The Right Diet
		March 18 — Closer
		March 16 — Research Updates
		March 15 — Enough!
		March 11 — Youth
		March 9 — The Rules
		March 7 — Supplementation
		March 4 — Muchas Smooches
		March 2 — Spring
February 2009
		February 28 — Love Your Heart
		February 25 — Cholesterol
		February 23 — Arrhythmia
		February 21 — Blood Pressure Health
		February 18 — Diastolic
		February 16 — Systolic
		February 14 — Valentine’s Day
		February 11 — Special Properties
		February 9 — Muscle
		February 7 — American Heart Month
		February 4 — Lesson
		February 2 — Super Bowl XLIII
January 2009
		January 31 — Weight Loss Guidelines
		January 28 — Confining
		January 26 — Earn It
		January 24 — Metabolism
		January 21 — Hope
		January 19 — Break It Up
		January 17 — Question
		January 14 — Radical
		January 12 — Metabolism
		January 10 — Biggest
		January 7 — Best Diet
		January 5 — Too Much
		January 3 — Today
2008
December 2008
		December 31 — Almost 2009
		December 27 — Script
		December 24 — Christmas Wish
		December 22 — Scrooge
		December 21 — Snow
		December 17 — Just Do It
		December 16 — Seabiscuit and Bob
		December 13 — Stand Up Straight
		December 10 — Pick It Up
		December 8 — Downsize
		December 6 — Sleep
		December 3 — Winners, Not Whiners
		December 1 — You Can Do It!
November 2008
		November 28 — What Could You Do
		November 26 — Dance!
		November 24 — Pay as You Go
		November 22 — Waist Not
		November 19 — Learning
		November 17 — It’s Our Choice
		November 15 — Research Update: Statins
		November 12 — Not So Sweet
		November 10 — Drip
		November 9 — Planning
		November 5 — Baggage
		November 3 — Vote
		November 1 — Report
October 2008
		October 29 — Research Alert
		October 27 — Home Stretch
		October 26 — Learning to Win
		October 22 — Bottom Line
		October 20 — Mellow
		October 18 — Consistency, Part 3
		October 15 — Consistency, Part 2
		October 13 — Consistency, Part 1
		October 11 — Travel Story 3
		October 8 — Travel Story 2
		October 6 — Travel Story 1
		October 4 — Sucralose
		October 1 — Exercise Infomercials
September 2008
		September 29 — Keeping Score
		September 27 — Challenge Update
		September 24 — Who’s That?
		September 22 — Earn It
		September 20 — Someone
		September 17 — Waiting
		September 15 — Begin
		September 13 — Challenge
		September 10 — Painless
		September 8 — XL
		September 6 — One Moment
		September 4 — Angel Oak
		September 1 — Labor Day
August 2008
		August 30 — 65 Years
		August 27 — Spiral
		August 25 — What Are We Doing?
		August 23 — Super Juice
		August 20 — Overnights
		August 18 — Eight
		August 16 — Fat and Fit?
		August 13 — Flashback
		August 11 — Never-Ending Story
		August 9 — Eating Out with Kids
		August 6 — Arrive Alive
		August 5 — The Gut of Death
		August 3 — Changes
July 2008
		July 30 — Pruning
		July 28 — Map
		July 26 — Stuck
		July 23 — What You Don’t Have to Do
		July 21 — Time Warp
		July 19 — Not So Fast
		July 16 — Pushing Yourself
		July 14 — Push Yourself
		July 12 — Where’s Your Weakness?
		July 9 — Parents
		July 7 — Age Less
		July 5 — Why?
		July 2 — Finally!
June 2008
		June 30 — What’s It Going to Take?
		June 28 — Blue Zone, Parts 3 & 4
		June 25 — Blue Zone, Part 2
		June 23 — Blue Zone, Part 1
		June 21 — When in Doubt
		June 18 — Irony
		June 16 — Never Quit
		June 15 — A Fatherless Father’s Day
		June 11 — The Once-Over
		June 9 — Animals
		June 7 — Disease
		June 4 — Compete
		June 2 — What If
May 2008
		May 31 — The Will To Prepare
		May 28 — Comfort Zone
		May 26 — Memorial Day
		May 24 — Energy Crisis
		May 22 — Wow
		May 19 — Walking
		May 17 — The Slimming Mirror
		May 14 — Patience
		May 12 — Fun
		May 10 — I’m Alive--Version 2.39
		May 7 — Another Perspective
		May 5 — Flame Out
		May 3 — Signs