Choosing the proper fitness attire is important for both comfort and safety. Whether you prefer loose t-shirts and shorts or tighter tees and spandex, make sure it feels good to you and that it’s appropriate for the activity you are doing. The most important thing to remember when dressing for…
Hungry for Chinese food? Wok this way. When most people think of healthy cuisine, Chinese food isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, which is ironic. Traditional Asian fare actually is chock-full of vegetables, and meat and chicken are treated almost like condiments. Asian cuisine draws upon rice, beans,…
Women have been taking oral contraceptives, aka The Pill, for almost 50 years to prevent pregnancy. But there are a lot of misconceptions about taking the pill, particularly those about weight gain. Most side effects of taking oral contraceptives are mild and include breast tenderness, nausea, headache and breakthrough bleeding….
For a long time, coffee and particularly caffeine have been on the list of “don’ts” for people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle. But close to 20,000 studies in the past 30 years have tried to determine caffeine’s effect on the body, and the results are promising. The stimulant…
Does your diet prohibit all of your favorites? Then take a trip to the Mediterranean. Dieting doesn’t have to be about deprivation, especially when you follow a Mediterranean-style way of eating. There’s not one “particular” Mediterranean diet, but they all emphasize fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, bread, dairy, fish, poultry…
If you’re watching what you eat, then one of the biggest pitfalls can be eating in a restaurant, especially with friends or significant others. When dining out, call the restaurant or get a menu online ahead of time. Many restaurants publish their entire menu online or have copies available for…
Fish and shellfish have always been practical diet staples because of their health benefits. Canned options fit well with the “recessionista” trend of spending less and getting more bang for your buck. Canned fish offer health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and reducing total blood fats. But be careful when…
They taste great shelled, boiled or smashed up into peanut butter, but peanuts tend to get a bad health rap. In reality, nuts are a healthful and sensible snack in moderation. They contain about 15 percent of your daily protein needs, plus folate, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin B6, and many…
When you’re on the go and thirsty, it’s always convenient to grab a soda or an energy drink. However, most of the time you’re sucking down an abundance of caffeine and sugar. A 32-ounce soda from McDonald’s has 310 calories and 86 grams of sugar. Surprisingly, a 12-ounce serving of…
Want to kill two birds with one stone? Then get to work — yard work, that is. We’re talking about taking your exercise regimen outside and getting back to the basics. It is possible to whittle your waistline while doing your daily household chores, especially in the great outdoors. Doing…