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references Environmental Protection Agency: “The Danger of Using Tap Water with Contact Lenses” American Optometric Association: “Contact Lens Care” 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. Can't remember the last time you changed your contact lens case? It's time. Image Credit: Carol Yepes/Moment/GettyImages Image Credit: Carol Yepes/Moment/GettyImages...

Woman jogging by the ocean Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images As women age, their metabolism slows down, which means fat tends to accumulate unless they are extremely active and eat a very low-calorie diet. After menopause, fat tends to accumulate around the middle, as opposed to the legs or arms. However, you can take preventive steps with diet and exercise to minimize or avoid middle-age spread. Advertisement Two Types of Fat When you think of belly fat, you probably think of a roll of fat you can squeeze with your hand....

A close-up of sliced jalapenos. Image Credit: chorboon_photo/iStock/Getty Images Diced jalapeno peppers add a burst of heat to soups, salads and salsas, but handling this innocent-looking, dark green pepper isn’t child’s play. Although jalapenos can range in temperature depending on when they’re picked, they often contain enough heat in their flesh to severely irritate your skin when you touch them without adequate protection. Advertisement Jalapenos and Heat Jalapeno peppers get their heat from capsaicin, an active chemical prevalent in several varieties of hot peppers....

Different push up variations can target your lower chest. Image Credit: rez-art/iStock/GettyImages While decline bench presses are ideal for developing your lower chest, you might not always have access to a gym with an adjustable bench and Olympic bar. Don’t despair — you can do a chest workout at home without equipment to develop this sternal region of your pectoralis major. Advertisement Although this area can be slow to respond to strength training, you can add lower chest workouts at home anytime to help build your physique and develop a full, buff appearance....

While a trapezius knot can be painful, home remedies can help. Image Credit: PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou/PhotoAlto Agency RF Collections/GettyImages If you’ve got a lump on top of your shoulder muscle, there’s a good chance it’s a trapezius knot. In fact, according to a study published in June 2017 by Medicine, these lumps in the trapezius muscle — called myofascial trigger points — are among the most common causes of musculoskeletal shoulder pain....

Natural Ways to Raise Norepinephrine Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter which affects mood, attention and motivation. According to an article "Norepinephrine: From Arousal to Panic," by Joseph M. Carver, Ph.D., norepinephrine is related to the "fight or flight" response, and high norepinephrine levels cause anxiety, aggressiveness, irritability and muscle tension. Low levels of norepinephrine cause loss of alertness, depression and memory difficulties. Norepinephrine levels are naturally increased through exercise, diet and supplements found at your local health food store....

Oatmeal and fruit are great low-calorie foods that make for a nutrient-dense breakfast Image Credit: Robyn Mackenzie/iStock/Getty Images Did you know that an entire bowl of oatmeal has the caloric equivalent of a small granola bar? Even more shockingly, a piece of salmon often has fewer calories than a protein bar. Advertisement Whether you're looking to lose weight or simply get more bang for your calorie buck, nutrient-dense, whole foods provide more volume per calorie — filling your plate without causing you to pack on the pounds!...

A slice of bread will offer a similar number of calories whether it’s made from refined white flour or whole grain flour, but the other nutrient components can be quite different. Image Credit: serezniy/iStock/GettyImages There are few comfort foods more soothing than a hot slice of buttered toast, which can liven up any breakfast or simply serve as a snack at any time during the day. But not all types of toast nutrition facts are the same....

Bending sideways stretches your obliques. Image Credit: fizkes/iStock/GettyImages When you think of stretching, your abs might not be the first muscles that come to mind. However, tight abs can increase risk of injury. The muscles that run along the sides of your waist, the obliques, allow you to bend sideways and rotate your trunk. Advertisement When these muscles are tight, it can inhibit your performance in sports requiring overhead hitting as well as cause a misalignment of the spine to the right or left....

A bowl of chicken salad. Image Credit: Shaiith/iStock/Getty Images Ultimately, a healthy diet helps maintain or improve your health. Many fad diets can help you lose weight in the short-term, but a truly healthy diet is a long-term strategy that involves consuming appropriate amounts of all nutrients, including clean water. A healthy, well-balanced diet can prevent or reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, according to the World Health Organization....

If you have diarrhea when eating potatoes it might mean you are allergic. Image Credit: Igor Golovniov / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Potatoes and diarrhea have two possible connections. The first is that potatoes may cause diarrhea if you eat lots of them with the skin or you’re allergic or intolerant to them. The second is that potatoes without skin can actually help you get over a bout of diarrhea caused by something else....

Most adults should be getting a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 weekly minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise. Image Credit: g-stockstudio/iStock/GettyImages Not sure where to start with your fitness plan? It may help to know what the health experts’ current recommended cardio per week is. It’s up to you whether you’ll work out vigorously a few days a week, or spend a little more time working out by following some moderate exercise examples....

Eating a few saltine crackers may relieve your heartburn symptoms. Image Credit: AnSyvanych/iStock/GettyImages When you get that telltale burning feeling after a meal, or maybe it’s an acid taste at the back of your throat, you may reach for saltine crackers in hopes they’ll bring relief. But is it a folk remedy or a medical fact that saltines can help you feel better? Advertisement Read more: Are Saltine Crackers Healthy? Video of the Day The Lowdown on Saltines “Yes, that is true; they can neutralize acid,” says C....

StairMasters may be recommended to stregthen the muscles of the legs. Knee pain has many different causes, and the recommendations of allowed activities vary with each problem. If the knee pain is related to overuse injury, arthritis, or a mechanical problem, a StairMaster may not be recommended and may irritate the problem further. Some knee problems that benefit from strengthening of the muscles will benefit from using a StairMaster for strengthening....

MRI Xray of human sinuses. Sinus issues may be stemming from excessive sugar intake. Image Credit: Photoprofi30/iStock/Getty Images Sugar is found in a wide variety of foods ranging from breakfast cereals to salad dressings. In fact, the average American consumes over 30 tsps. of refined sugar daily, according to registered dietitian Sandra Woodruff in her book, “The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan.” This is on top of the large consumption of high carbohydrate foods such as white bread, rice and baked goods....

A glute stretch can help with your tailbone. Image Credit: Michael Heffernan/Stone/GettyImages You probably don’t think about your tailbone — that is, until you’ve injured it. Injury to the tailbone, also known as the coccyx, can cause significant pain. Tailbone exercises can help reduce your symptoms and improve function. Advertisement According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, most tailbone injuries affect supporting structures rather than actually breaking the bone. Coccyx problems can cause pain in your buttocks, particularly when sitting....

references Annual Reviews: "The Macronutrients, Appetite, and Energy Intake" American Heart Association: "Added Sugars" Some protein bars fit right into a healthy diet, but others are basically candy in disguise. Image Credit: Dannko/iStock/GettyImages Image Credit: Dannko/iStock/GettyImages How We Chose Healthy Protein Bars Protein Bars to Avoid What to Look For What to Avoid Visit Page https://www.amazon.com The ingredient list here is fairly simple. Image Credit: 88 Acres Image Credit: 88 Acres...

Mental health podcasts can expose you to new resources and coping techniques. Image Credit: Maca and Naca/E+/GettyImages There’s a podcast on almost every topic: News, true crime, comedy…you name it, there’s probably a pod about it. And mental health is no exception. Advertisement More than 50 percent of people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder in their lifetime, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

references Marisa Garshick, MD, dermatologist at Medical Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery (MDCS) in New York. Dendy Engelman, MD, cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic in New York City Stephen Light, certified sleep science coach and CMO and co-owner of Nolah Mattress, Sunjya Schweig, MD, an expert in complex chronic illnesses and founder and president of the California Center for Functional Medicine. 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....

Drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet, including nuts, shellfish and complex carbs, to get pumped. Image Credit: Vera_Petrunina/iStock/GettyImages If you’re a bodybuilder or a heavy lifter, you may seek a “pumped-up” look and feeling when lifting weights at the gym. When your muscles become engorged with blood, they stretch to accommodate the extra fluid, so they feel tight and you look bigger. The “pump” improves your muscle-building efforts, too....