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Use weights to increase instability during a push-up. Image Credit: takoburito/iStock/Getty Images When it comes to push-ups versus pull-ups, it shouldn’t be an either/or prospect. Both of the body-weight strength-training moves effectively works your upper body and core to create wide shoulders, a thick chest and ripped back. Each exercise targets a different area to provide a balanced look to your body. Advertisement Pull-Ups Your latissimus dorsi, a broad, long muscle that covers the backs of the ribs, middle back, rear shoulders, biceps, core and forearms, get a workout when you perform pull-ups....

Quad Stretches for Bad Knees Image Credit: Dirima/iStock/GettyImages If your knees are banged up and in pain, stretching your quads out can give you some relief. The only problem is that a lot of quad stretches put pressure on your knees, because the muscles are connected to your knee cap. Gentle stretches are the smarter option if your knees are bothering you, and can make your knee move and feel better....

Pregnant woman holding papers Image Credit: Nick Daly/Photodisc/Getty Images Rectal pressure during exercise can cause considerable discomfort and pain and can interfere with the type and duration of your workout. Feelings of pressure in the rectum may indicate a digestive problem or may result after childbirth or a pelvic injury. Fortunately, most cases of rectal pressure during exercise are preventable with dietary and lifestyle changes and are also treatable with medical care....

Eating rice may cause bloating, gas or even diarrhea. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages In This Article Brown Rice vs. White Rice Causes Prevention Rice is typically right at the top of the list of healthy diet staples. Unfortunately, depending on the kind you eat and how your body handles it, rice can cause a flare-up of bloating, gas or even diarrhea — especially if you have irritable bowel syndrome or another gastrointestinal issue....

Using grapeseed oil on the face may improve the skin's hydration and elasticity, among other benefits. Image Credit: joannawnuk/iStock/Getty Images In This Article Grapeseed Oil Grape Seed Extract Grape Juice Unlikely as it may sound, a specific byproduct of winemaking may offer some beauty benefits. Grapeseed oil, which is extracted from grape seeds after the fruit has been pressed, is rich in antioxidants, which may help support skin health. Advertisement Likewise, grape seed extract and grape juice have been studied for their skin benefits....

Knees to chest is a great stretch for a locked SI joint. Image Credit: fizkes/iStock/GettyImages With age and certain conditions, sacroiliac (SI) joint problems may arise. Stuck SI joint exercises can help alleviate pain and stiffness, and help you stretch your way to recovery. Advertisement What Is the SI Joint? The SI joint, according to MedlinePlus, is the sacroiliac joint that connects your sacrum and ilium bones. The sacrum, which is positioned at the base of your spine, is composed of five vertebrae that are joined together....

Performing exercises back-to-back helps you become more efficient with your workout session. Image Credit: SelectStock/Vetta/GettyImages You’ll be hard-pressed to find a weightlifting program that doesn’t include supersets, tri-sets or giant sets. Some contain all three — for good reason! But are they right for you and your fitness goals? First, let’s start with some basic definitions: Advertisement Supersets: doing two exercises back to back with little to no rest in between Tri-sets: doing three exercises back to back with little to no rest in between Giant sets: doing four or more exercises back to back with little to no rest in between...

Leg swelling after exercise can be alarming. Image Credit: KatarzynaBialasiewicz/iStock/GettyImages You exercise to slim down and shape up — so it’s no wonder you’re alarmed when you end a tough workout and your legs appear larger and more swollen then when you started. Swelling can be a result of micro-trauma to your muscles that occurs during exercise, but can also be a sign of a serious condition that needs medical attention....

Tazo tea brings you a blend of unusual ingredients, many of which have healthy long-term effects. Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/Getty Images Tea drinkers rejoice: Tazo tea brings you a blend of unusual ingredients, many of which have healthy long-term effects. Tazo tea health benefits, particularly in Tazo passion tea contain ingredients that contain essential vitamins and minerals. Advertisement Tazo Passion Tea Ingredients Tazo passion tea is a commercially produced herbal tea blend that consists of hibiscus flowers, natural tropical flavors, citric acid, licorice root, orange peel, rose hips, cinnamon and fruit juice extract, according to the official TAZO website....

Juice fasting works different for everyone. Image Credit: Dean Mitchell/iStock/GettyImages Juice fasting is one of the most popular yet controversial practices. On one hand, experts say that juices are healthy and nutritious. On the other hand, research shows that they’re just as harmful as soda. The truth is that a juice detox plan will work differently for everyone. Advertisement Tip Juice fasting is different for everyone. Some dieters experience increased energy and stamina, better sleep, weight loss and enhanced mental focus from the first few days....

references Peter Polos, MD, PhD, sleep medicine specialist and Sleep Number sleep expert naturopathic doctor, clinical nutritionist and sleep specialist David Friedman, ND, DC Sunjya Schweig, MD, an expert in complex chronic illnesses and founder and president of the California Center for Functional Medicine Smita Patel, DO, MD, integrative neurologist, sleep medicine physician and founder of the iNeuro Institute. Stephen Light, certified sleep science coach and CMO and co-owner of Nolah Mattress Is this an emergency?...

Make tea from silica-rich horsetail. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images Horsetail, an ancient herb that goes back to the time of the dinosaurs, often haunts gardeners plagued with boggy or shady areas. But this “weed,” Equisetum arvense, contains potential health benefits. Horsetail tea’s high silica content may help strengthen bones, hair and nails, fight fungal infections, relieve bloating and even cure black spot on your roses. Use 1 to 3 tsps. of fresh or dried horsetail for every cup of water....

Yet another reason to maintain healthy blood sugar levels: Hypoglycemia can lead to weight gain. Image Credit: Cavan Images/Cavan/GettyImages Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is most common in people with diabetes, particularly if they are taking blood sugar-lowering medications such as insulin, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s important to prevent and manage low blood sugar, because uncontrolled blood sugar can have a number of adverse health effects — including unintended weight changes....

Green tea provides less caffeine than coffee but has similar health benefits. Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/GettyImages Coffee and green tea have different flavors but similar health benefits. Insomnia, jitters, anxiety and other green tea side effects resemble those of coffee as both beverages contain caffeine. Tea, however, is significantly lower in caffeine and gentler on the digestive system. Advertisement Tip Green tea provides less caffeine than coffee but has similar health benefits....

If bloating is a persistent symptom, talk to your doctor about the possibility of a food allergy or intolerance. Image Credit: Nopphon Pattanasri/iStock/GettyImages Bloating at the beginning of a diet is common, as are other gastrointestinal issues like gas, constipation and diarrhea. When you alter what you’re regularly eating and drinking, your body may need some time to adjust. There are ways, though, to help stop the bloating. Advertisement Read more: The 9 Worst Foods for Bloating Video of the Day Bloating and Diet Changes Johns Hopkins Medicine describes bloating as when “your belly feels full and tight, often due to gas....

A cyclist relaxes his feet after a ride. Image Credit: BigshotD3/iStock/Getty Images After a long ride, you may expect some soreness in your arms and legs as the result of supporting your upper body and cranking the pedals. What you don’t expect is pain in your toes. Soreness in the toes may be caused by the wrong type of equipment, but it could be a sign of an injury. Evaluating the type of pain will help you pinpoint the source....

Open doors and windows are the most obvious sign that a space is well-ventilated. Image Credit: urbazon/E+/GettyImages Months into the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still many unknowns about the virus, including all the ways it can be contracted. And as the colder weather crops up, there’s understandably more concern about the ways the novel coronavirus can spread indoors. Advertisement While the major mode of infection appears to be through close contact between people and exposure to respiratory droplets when a sick person coughs, sneezes or speaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently revised their guidelines to include airborne transmission....

You don't have to kill yourself to burn calories. Image Credit: bernardbodo/iStock/GettyImages When you don’t feel like going all out but don’t want to phone in your workout, either, there’s always moderate-intensity cardio. So what qualifies? Any physical activity that keeps your heart rate at 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate (which varies by age) for the duration of the workout. Advertisement Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get 150 minutes of exercise a week (or 30 minutes a day most days) and that children and teens get 60 minutes each day, it's daunting to think that all has to be lifting weights or running a 5k....

There are different types of 10-day fasting diets, but most involve forgoing food entirely. Image Credit: dusanpetkovic/iStock/GettyImages Google the “10-Day Fasting Diet” or a “10-day fast” and chances are you won’t find one way to follow this so-called diet plan. Fasting, of course, inherently means abstaining from eating and drinking calories — but you can find countless tweaks and adaptations in modern fad diets. Advertisement Lately, one modern adaptation called intermittent fasting (which itself has many versions) has grown in popularity....

If you get a stomach ache after eating fruit, you may have a food intolerance. Image Credit: Liudmila Chernetska/iStock/GettyImages Fruit is nature’s sweet treat that’s both nutritious and delicious. But if you get stomach pain when you eat it, that’s not so sweet. So why do you feel sick after eating fruit? Advertisement We've all heard that we should eat more servings of fruits and veggies. That's because a diet rich in assorted plants can help lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer, per the Harvard T....