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A diet high in fruits, vegetables, fiber and whole grains helps prevent obesity. Eating a diet high in fiber and whole grains helps your body maintain a healthy blood pressure. Oatmeal satisfies both of those dietary requirements. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, 100 grams of fortified oats has 10 grams of fiber, as well as 352 milligrams of calcium and 359 grams of potassium. In some studies, both calcium and potassium supplementation have effectively lowered blood pressure numbers....

Bunches of bananas Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Potassium citrate and potassium chloride are forms of the mineral potassium prepared in two different ways. Potassium is an essential mineral found in various foods. Your body uses potassium to help your heart, muscles, kidneys, nerves and digestive system work properly. As medications, potassium citrate and potassium chloride treat different conditions. Advertisement Identification Potassium is an electrolyte, which means that it disconnects into ions and can conduct electricity....

The key to stronger workouts isn't just training more often — recovery plays a major role. Image Credit: DigitalVision/Getty Images If your mind automatically goes to stretching and foam rolling when you think “workout recovery,” that’s great — stretching pre- and post-workout are a key part of any fitness routine for maintaining mobility and preventing injury. Advertisement However, if your goal is to work out harder in order to get stronger, there are a few other elements to workout recovery you won't want to skip out on....

A man is running on a track. Image Credit: Ingram Publishing/Ingram Publishing/Getty Images Running parachutes are an effective tool for improving both running speed and strength. Chutes are most often used by sprinters, although runners of all types can utilize them in their training. Most chutes are made of cloth and are attached by cords to a harness system that is worn by the runner. As the runner picks up speed, the chute fills with air and provides resistance that makes the runner work harder....

Ellipticals, captain's chairs, rowers and cable systems are among the best gym machines for your abs. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Cardio Machines Strength Machines The Ab Roller Benefits Your Core, Upper Body and Glutes (if You Follow This Guide) The Best and Worst Machines to Use at the Gym, According to Trainers Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Echelon Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill (EchelonFit.com, $1,000.99) Sunny Health and Fitness Foldable Walking Treadmill (SunnyHealthFitness....

Almost everyone has belly fat rolls when they sit. Image Credit: iprogressman/iStock/GettyImages Almost everybody has a few stomach rolls when sitting down — even the supermodels who appear flawlessly airbrushed on glossy magazine pages. So, if you can pinch an inch or two when you’re sitting, that’s normal. But if you have ​too​ ​much​ stomach fat, it can signal increased risk of some serious health problems. There are a couple of inexpensive, easy tools you can use to determine if your level of stomach fat is perfectly normal or something you should take steps to remedy....

Proceed with caution when stretching sore muscles. Image Credit: grinvalds/iStock/GettyImages Stretching is supposed to protect you from injury, right? Well, not always — especially if you don’t take precautions. If you’ve recently had a painful flexibility-training session, pushing too hard while you’re still sore from stretching can actually make things worse. Advertisement Read more: 10 Stretches That Will Make You Feel Like a New Person Video of the Day Tip Slightly tight muscles may loosen after additional, gentle stretching....

It's common to wake up with stiff knees in the morning, but doing knee stretches can help ease the tension and improve your range of motion. Image Credit: recep-bg/E+/GettyImages Feel like the Tin Man in the morning with your rusty, rigid joints? You’re not alone. Many people wake up with stiff joints, and the knees are among the hardest hit. Advertisement "The knees are typically stiffer than other joints when waking up because we sleep in a fixed position [without any active bending or straightening]," says Sam Becourtney, DPT, CSCS, a New York-based physical therapist and certified sports and conditioning specialist at Bespoke Treatments....

Eating pasta can cause some people to have stomach pain Image Credit: skynesher/E+/GettyImages Pasta may contain some ingredients that can trigger certain medical conditions, leading to stomach pain. If you have a known food allergy, you may experience an allergic reaction after eating pasta. Some pasta is made from eggs, wheat and soy, which can cause your stomach to hurt from increased intestinal inflammation. Stomach pain after eating pasta can also be the result of gluten intolerance, or celiac disease....

Structure & Functions of the Cardiovascular System Image Credit: yodiyim/iStock/GettyImages Your cardiovascular system consists of your heart, blood vessels and blood, which function together as a liquid transport network. This system delivers oxygen and nutrients to your body and picks up waste products to be eliminated. It also distributes important proteins, hormones and other chemicals to different parts of your body and helps control your body temperature. Your heart serves as the pump that propels blood through your cardiovascular system....

Though one of the most common, a heavy punching bag is not the only way to practice your martial arts or boxing. Heavy punching bags provide a cardio workout, resistance training and a means for developing good form in your punches and kicks. However, they can be tough to install and may be inappropriate entirely in some living or training situations. If you're in such a fix, you're not out of luck....

While you may experience an immediate boost of energy, the ingredients in sugar free Red Bull also come with some unpleasant side effects. Image Credit: Thomas Marx/iStock/GettyImages When the mid-day slump strikes, it can be tempting to reach for a caffeinated beverage like sugar-free Red Bull to help power you through the rest of the day. And while you may experience an immediate boost of energy, the ingredients in these drinks also come with some unpleasant side effects....

Pay attention to your body to avoid exercise overexertion. Image Credit: alvarez/E+/GettyImages You can easily experience work or exercise overexertion. Dealing with an extreme form of this condition — exertional rhabdomyolysis — can threaten your life. Learning about ergonomic injury statistics and exercise overexertion can help you stay safe both at work and in the gym. Advertisement Overexertion Signs and Symptoms The symptoms of excessive body exertion will likely appear soon after an intense bout of exercise....

A soldier working out in a military recreational center. Image Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images News/Getty Images When a member of the United States Army weighs more than the Army’s acceptable weight standards, a tape test is administered to determine body fat percentage. Occasionally, the test might also be given if a unit commander or supervisor feels that an individual’s appearance suggests excessive body fat. According to the official Army Weight Control Program, members of the United States Army are “encouraged to achieve the more stringent Department of Defense goal, which is 18 percent body fat for males and 25 percent body fat for females....

Ride your bike in comfort (and style) with one of the best bike bags or pannier. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative How We Chose Best Large Storage Best Waterproof Best Insulated Best Crossbody Best Trunk Bag Best Saddle Pack Shopping Tips Visit Page https://www.amazon.com Image Credit: ROCKBROS/LIVESTRONG.com Image Credit: ROCKBROS/LIVESTRONG.com Visit Page https://go.skimresources.com Image Credit: Moosejaw/LIVESTRONG.com Image Credit: Moosejaw/LIVESTRONG.com ‌Buy it: ‌Backkcountry.com; ‌Price:‌ $189.95 Image Credit: ERRLANER/LIVESTRONG.com...

references American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology: "Allergy Symptoms" American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: "Hay Fever (Rhinitis)" Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: “Saline Irrigation for Allergic Rhinitis” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: "Dust Mite Allergy" U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Cetirizine" FDA: "Is Rinsing Your Sinuses With Neti Pots Safe?" 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....

Cooking at home benefits your wallet, your waistline and some important aspects of your health. Image Credit: Peopleimages/E+/GettyImages After a long day at work, the last thing you probably want to do is slave over a stove. And when hunger strikes, the convenience of pulling into a fast food drive-thru or ordering takeout can be terribly tempting. Advertisement Relying on food away from home is totally acceptable once in a blue, but when it becomes a routine, your waistline, your wallet and your health can take a hit....

You don't need any weights to work your upper body — just these body-weight shoulder exercises. Image Credit: Kilito Chan/Moment/GettyImages Some muscles, like your legs, are easy to train even if you don’t have equipment. There are plenty of exercises you can perform with just your body weight (think: squats, lunges, glute bridges). Advertisement Body-weight shoulder exercises, on the other hand, aren't as well-known and require a little creativity. The options range from simple exercises like arm circles to the more complex handstand walk-up....

Losing weight may be harder for women over 50, but it's definitely doable with these expert tips. Image Credit: Inti St Clair/Tetra images/GettyImages If you feel like all you have to do is ‌_think_‌ about your favorite snack food or dessert to gain weight, you might be a woman over 50. Around this age, you might notice that your body doesn’t quite behave the way it did in your 20s or 30s....

Composite siding looks like wood, but offers superior rot and mildew resistance. Image Credit: Andy Piatt/iStock/Getty Images Composite materials include any products made from a blend of two or more base materials, according to the University of Delaware’s Center for Composite Materials. By mixing multiple materials together, manufacturers can combine the best properties of each base component. Composite materials typically offer enhanced strength or durability over many other products and may provide additional benefits like resistance to moisture or corrosion....