Yoga can help tone your muscles, but it might not be the most efficient way to do so. Image Credit: Jacob Ammentorp Lund/iStock/Getty Images You want that chiseled-muscle look, but you don’t want to spend hours lifting weights in the gym. If you’re more of a Zen type of fitness enthusiast, you might wonder if you can gain lean muscle mass simply by doing yoga. The answer? A little, but it can’t be your only source of strength-training....
Yogurt parfaits on a table. Image Credit: Yulia_Davidovich/iStock/Getty Images Yogurt’s touted health benefits typically refer to active probiotic cultures, low fat and high calcium, but if you’re a bodybuilder, yogurt’s high protein content might hold the most appeal. Protein minimizes muscle mass loss when you diet, maximizes muscle growth when you work out and helps your muscles repair themselves when you rest between workouts. Because it’s a compact snack, yogurt also is effective as a preworkout or post-workout food that won’t leave you feeling stuffed....
A woman with good abdominal muscles in a gym holding a side plank. Image Credit: Ibrakovic/iStock/Getty Images Trading stomach fat for a six-pack is more of a two-step process than just launching into a series of crunches, twists and other exercises that target the abs. Ab exercises can strengthen and tone the core, but there’s no way of spot-reducing belly fat. Instead, you must reduce your total body fat through diet and exercise if you ever hope to see that toned tummy....
Ahi tuna steaks can be grilled like a beef steak. Image Credit: Karin Lau/iStock/Getty Images Ahi, or yellowfin, tuna steaks can make a delicious meal. Often compared to traditional beef steaks, this fish has a mild taste and a light texture. While ahi tuna can be prepared in the oven or fried on the stove top, grilling the steaks is a preferred cooking method because it highlights the fish’s subtle flavors....
Image Credit: Yelizaveta Tomashevska/iStock/GettyImages If you want to change your weight, there's good news: your metabolic rate isn't fixed for life. Metabolism can and does change over time, and you can take steps to speed it up or slow it down. If you intend to start gaining weight, see your doctor before you begin to hammer out details of a healthy plan to follow. Advertisement Age Gracefully As you get older, your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, naturally slows down (see Ref 2)....
The onion family includes onions, shallots, garlic, and leeks. Image Credit: Lynne317/iStock/Getty Images Shallots have a distinctive taste that might best be described as a garlic-onion hybrid, although this bulb isn’t a genetic mix of the two. Shallots have an onion-like flavor with a bite that approximates garlic’s, but with a sweeter and milder taste. Shallots readily take onion’s place as an aromatic in just about any preparation. The results are a more tempered taste and – because shallots have a finer texture – less prominent chunks in the finished product, a particularly appealing quality in delicate or subtle dishes....
Raw chicken breasts on a plate. Image Credit: Wiktory/iStock/Getty Images The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline receives thousands of calls each year regarding the safety of frozen foods, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. The issue of refreezing thawed foods can be confusing and largely depends on safe food-handling practices to ensure quality and safety. Advertisement Thawed Cooked Meat You can refreeze previously frozen and cooked meat, as long as you cooked it to a safe temperature and safely handled the leftovers, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Safety website....
Coconut water is high in carbohydrates and electrolytes, including potassium. Image Credit: Napapat Kunnatham-eak/iStock/GettyImages Sipping from a coconut may evoke magical thoughts of warm, sandy beaches, but is coconut water good for blood pressure if yours is high? It’s true that high BP can be managed with diet, exercise and medication. And when it comes to your diet, coconut water might help — just don’t go too nuts. Advertisement Coconut water is made from the liquid inside young coconuts, unlike coconut milk, which is made from the meat inside mature coconuts....
Eating cod or other fish twice a week can lower your risk for chronic diseases. Image Credit: gbh007/iStock/GettyImages Codfish is a low-fat, nutrient-dense food that can provide you with many health benefits. In addition to being a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, the omega-3 fatty acid content has been proven to help prevent common chronic diseases. Wonder no longer whether cod is a healthy addition to your diet; the overall nutritional advantages of eating cod definitely outweigh any potential food safety risks....
Miso soup may not always be gluten-free. Image Credit: MirageC/Moment/GettyImages Miso soup is a Japanese comfort food — similar to chicken noodle soup in the U.S. Eaten at breakfast, lunch or dinner, this savory soup is made with fermented soy beans and some type of grain, meaning miso soup isn’t gluten free. Advertisement If you need to avoid gluten, you can find — or make — miso soup made with gluten-free grains....
A dietitian explains why sipping coffee in the afternoon is a bad idea for your sleep. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative How Bad Is It Really? sets the record straight on all the habits and behaviors you’ve heard might be unhealthy. In This Article How Coffee Affects Sleep When to Stop Drinking It Tips for Energy The Bottom Line When 3 p.m. rolls around and your energy levels dip, you might reach for a cup of coffee to get you over the hump....
Shop these Labor Day deals on workout clothes, including shirts, leggings, shorts and shoes. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Tops Bottoms Shoes Prices are subject to change, as some companies will not update their prices until Labor Day on September 5. We’ll update this article regularly as more information becomes available. We make deliberate choices about the language we use when it comes to gender. While more brands now carry gender-neutral workout clothes, you’ll still typically see clothing brands market their products to men or women....
A woman is talking to her doctor about test results. Image Credit: KatarzynaBialasiewicz/iStock/Getty Images Triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins are both found in your bloodstream. Along with high-density lipoproteins, these particles make up your cholesterol profile. According to the American Heart Association, high levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of coronary diseases. Optimally, triglyceride levels should be below 150 mg/dl, and LDL should be below 100 mg/dl....
Nearly 36 percent of Black infants are born via C-section, compared to 31 percent of white infants, an inequity that concerns doctors. Image Credit: Ridofranz/iStock/GettyImages Cesarean sections are increasing worldwide. Currently about 21 percent of all births are C-sections, up from 7 percent in 1990. And that number is expected to grow to 29 percent by 2030, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Advertisement But who exactly gets a C-section isn't always equal....
Jazz up your lunch with these fresh sandwich recipes that will actually keep you full. Image Credit: istetiana/Moment/GettyImages Quick, easy and portable, there’s no doubt that sandwiches are convenient (and perfect for when we’ve got cooking fatigue). But while you can stack a PB&J or a turkey club in five minutes flat, let’s be honest — these sandwich staples don’t always satisfy your hunger. Advertisement To stave off the stomach rumbles, a sandwich must be robust enough to stand alone as a proper meal....
Slimy chicken, raw chicken that smells like eggs, grey-colored chicken: these are all signs that your chicken has gone bad. Image Credit: Nirut Saelim / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Slimy chicken, raw chicken that smells like eggs, grey-colored chicken: These are all signs that your chicken has gone bad. Avoid chicken spoilage by taking the proper safety precautions. Advertisement Raw Chicken Gone Bad There are plenty of ways to spot spoiled raw chicken. According to Ask USDA, one way of determining whether chicken has gone bad is its color; spoilage can cause chicken to turn a dark shade....
As yummy as they look, these chocolates are probably full of additives. Image Credit: Adobe Stock Chocolate that is actually good for you? Yes, please! Advertisement The artisanal chocolate industry has exploded in recent years, and with good reason: The purest types boast both health benefits and delectable taste. Not all chocolates are created equally, however, so you'll want to ensure you're choosing a chocolate that's of the highest quality. Video of the Day What About Cacao's So-Called Health Benefits?...
references National Institutes of Health: “Hemorrhoids” Mayo Clinic: “Hemorrhoids” Michigan Medicine. “magnesium sulfate (epsom salt)” Mayo Clinic: “Chart of high-fiber foods” European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences: “Effects of Aloe vera cream on chronic anal fissure pain, wound healing and hemorrhaging upon defection: a prospective double blind clinical trial” Cleveland Clinic: "7 Best and Worst Home Remedies for Your Hemorrhoids" 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....
Garlic pearls may be odorless. Image Credit: Victor Burnside/iStock/Getty Images Garlic’s characteristic odor – and its health benefits – come from sulfur-containing compounds naturally produced in the plant. These potent compounds are credited with preventing or treating a range of medical problems. Some of these benefits are backed by the latest research, while others, such as garlic’s ability to prevent cancer, show promise but still need solid research to determine their effectiveness in people....
Get your blood flowing and your muscles loose after sitting watching baseball. Image Credit: Halfpoint Images/Moment/GettyImages We all love to lounge on the couch during a baseball game — especially during the World Series when the stakes are the highest — but the seventh inning stretch is the perfect opportunity to, well, stretch! Instead of sitting through the commercial break, channel your inner baseball player with these mobility drills and stretches....
