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The standing calf stretch is a great one to hit the outside of the muscle. Image Credit: White Packert/The Image Bank/GettyImages If you have pain on the outside of the lower leg, above the ankle, you might have a calf strain. Whenever you lift your heel to step forward or walk on your tip-toes, the calves flex. Because of this, the calves become well-developed if an exercise routine contains lots of walking and running, even if there aren’t any particular calf exercises being performed....

references Celiac Disease Foundation: "Gluten-Free Foods" Whole Grains Council: "Whole Grains A to Z" Celiac Disease Foundation: "Sources of Gluten" Food & Drug Administration: "Gluten and Food Labeling" GFCO: "About Us" Rice makes for a great gluten-free side dish. Image Credit: © eleonora galli/Moment/GettyImages Image Credit: © eleonora galli/Moment/GettyImages White rice Basmati rice Brown rice Jasmine rice Sushi rice (not from a restaurant) Red rice Black rice Sprouted rice...

If you're looking for an alkaline diet plan, however, you're better off focusing on a healthy, well-rounded diet. Image Credit: istetiana/Moment/GettyImages Knowing which foods are acidic and which ones are basic will come in handy when you’re canning. If you’re looking for an alkaline diet plan, however, you’re better off focusing on a healthy, well-rounded diet. Advertisement Are Basic Foods Best? Proponents of the alkaline diet say it helps to lose weight and possibly fight cancer....

Small matzo crackers. Image Credit: PicturePartners/iStock/Getty Images Leavened and unleavened bread are nutritionally similar. Leavened bread contains baking yeast, baking powder or baking soda – ingredients that cause the dough to bubble and rise and create a light, airy product. Unleavened bread is a flatbread, often resembling a cracker. Other than the leavening agent, the ingredients in the two kinds of bread are similar. Reasons for choosing unleavened bread over leavened bread include religious observance and treatment for candidiasis....

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created the Food Guide Pyramid over 15 years ago. The current dietary guidelines still emphasize the importance of controlling weight and continue to stress the importance of physical activity. Carbs and Proteins The percentage of carbohydrates, the largest source of energy in our diet, is recommended to stay between 45 to 60 percent of your total calorie intake. It is important that the sugary, refined grain portion of this group is limited and the majority of this percentage comes from whole grains, fruits and vegetables....

Seniors can benefit from strength training. Image Credit: Lordn/iStock/GettyImages Staying physically active is crucial for good health, regardless of age. But what’s the best age to build muscle? Starting at a peak age can have some advantages, but children and seniors can benefit from strength training just as much as adults. Advertisement Bodybuilding vs. Strength Training New Mexico State University defines strength training as a form of exercise that uses resistance to improve muscular fitness....

Make sure to use proper push-up form during your upper-body workouts. Image Credit: Halfpoint/iStock/GettyImages/LIVESTRONG.com Creative The 30-Day Push-Up Challenge helps you perfect your form, discover new variations and build up to doing 60 push-ups in one day. Click here for all the details on the challenge. In This Article Starting Position Plank Mistakes Performing a Push-Up Push-Up Mistakes Push-Up Modifications How Low Should You Go? How Many Push-Ups? Push-ups are a fantastic exercise for your chest, arms, shoulders and core — but only if you take the time to learn proper push-up form....

It is important to properly train for long distance running. Image Credit: LuckyBusiness/iStock/GettyImages When you picture a runner training for a marathon, you might picture them running down a road or logging miles on the treadmill. However, there’s much more to long-distance running training than lacing up your shoes and hitting the pavement. Advertisement Understanding Long-Distance Running Training There’s no set definition for “long-distance running.” For some, it could mean a half-marathon....

Keep your core muscles tight by performing the abdominal draw in to support your lower back. Image Credit: undrey/iStock/GettyImages Get ready to reveal your strong, sculpted, gorgeous abs. This body toning workout plan is a fast and highly effective ab-toning routine you can do anytime and anywhere. All you need is 10 minutes! Advertisement Read more: 12 Moves for Washboard Abs — We Show You How! Video of the Day Keep It Tight Keep your core muscles tight by performing the abdominal draw in to support your lower back during these exercises....

Too much cream of tartar is harmful. Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages Used as a common leavening agent, cream of tartar is sometimes promoted online as a powerful purgative that can do everything from detoxifying your system to helping you quit smoking. But beware: This powder comes with significant side effects. Advertisement Understand Cream of Tartar Benefits Cream of tartar is potassium — also known as potassium hydrogen tartrate and potassium bitartrate — and is a byproduct of the wine fermentation process, according to the U....

It's a smart move to have tilapia on your grocery shopping list, as the fish is good value when it comes to making nutritious and easy-to-cook family meals. Image Credit: 4kodiak/iStock/GettyImages It’s a smart move to have tilapia on your grocery shopping list, as the fish is good value when it comes to making nutritious and easy-to-cook family meals. But having some go-to tilapia recipes up your sleeve is one thing; what to serve with the fish can be harder to determine....

Breathing consciously and strengthening your core muscles can help prevent stomach soreness following a swim. Image Credit: Tempura/E+/GettyImages Whether you swim for recreation, fitness or sport, you want to feel good after your workout. The last thing you want is stomach pain after swimming. Post-swim stomach aches, pains and cramps can result from water-borne illness, ingesting air while swimming, or swimming with weak abs and poor conditioning. Understanding how these factors lead to stomach pain can help you relieve that sore stomach and enjoy swimming again....

Oftentimes when someone complains of (literal) pain in the butt, sciatica is the first thing that comes to mind. Image Credit: puhhha/iStock/GettyImages Oftentimes when someone complains of (literal) pain in the butt, sciatica is the first thing that comes to mind. While sciatic nerve pain is readily identifiable, its underlying cause might not be apparent. If you have sciatica, you might want to avoid squats until your symptoms improve. Advertisement Symptoms of sciatica include low back pain that radiates into your buttocks, pain along the back of your thigh and lower leg, numbness or tingling and, with prolonged nerve compression, muscle weakness....

You can't sculpt six-pack abs without a solid foundation from the McGill Big 3. Image Credit: yacobchuk/iStock/GettyImages Not all ab exercises are created equal. Three, called the McGill Big 3, set the foundation for not only a toned midsection but also a strong core that protects and prevents your back from injury. Spoiler alert: No traditional crunches in this program! Advertisement Why is a strong core important? "Your core is the glue that holds you together," says certified personal trainer and nutrition coach Jonathan Jordan, CPT....

Image Credit: WW International/LIVESTRONG.com "Snacking" and "dieting" don't usually go together, which can make it tough to stick with a weight-loss plan. But sticking to the best snacks on Weight Watchers (now called WW) can allow you to graze all day and lose weight too — as long as you keep to your allotted points. Advertisement Here's how WW's SmartPoints work, how to choose a snack that fits with your goals and 10 of the best Weight Watchers snacks to buy or make at home....

This 5-minute body-weight workout is filled with compound movements to help you target multiple muscle groups in a short amount of time. Image Credit: Halfpoint Images/Moment/GettyImages Life can be complicated, but luckily your workout doesn’t have to be. Advertisement You can reap the benefits of exercise with just 5 minutes of high-intensity interval training. All you have to do is be strategic. The key to making the best use of your time is focusing on compound movements, good form and the mind-muscle connection....

references National Eczema Association Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Eczema: Overview JAMA Pediatrics: Cost-effectiveness of Prophylactic Moisturization for Atopic Dermatitis Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911. The best eczema creams have ingredients that moisturize, soothe and repair the skin barrier. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG....

A woman is using an exercise bike at the gym. Image Credit: Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images A recumbent bike offers a more comfortable workout than other cardio equipment, such as a treadmill or upright bike. Because you sit back in a semireclined position, some users feel that a recumbent bike doesn’t provide an intense, effective workout. But you can get an efficient workout on a recumbent bike using interval training. Advertisement Interval Training Interval training is a short, intense form of cardio exercise....

The Best Way to Quickly Tighten the Abdominals Image Credit: lolostock/iStock/Getty Images You know that months of eating right and hitting the gym daily trims your stomach, but who has time for that? Well, you should find time — at least, if you want to tighten your abs for the long term — but if you need a quick pick-me-up for your abs because of an upcoming beach vacation or high school reunion, there are quick steps you can take....

Most sports require strength, power and muscular endurance. Image Credit: Edwin Tan /E+/GettyImages In This Article Muscular Strength Muscular Power Muscular Endurance Is One More Important? How to Train Sets and Reps The Bottom Line Strength and power are two types of muscular abilities that are sometimes used interchangeably. But though they're similar, there are distinctions when you say someone is strong versus powerful. Advertisement Strength is the ability to move heavy weight and power is the ability to move weight with speed....