Low-carb diets are mostly safe as long as you do them well. Image Credit: fermate/iStock/GettyImages Popular diets are constantly changing, and it’s not unusual for two diets to directly oppose each other. Low-fat and low-carb diets have been extremely popular over the years with no clear favorite emerging. If you decide to try a low-carb diet, you can make it work for you, but you have to know the side effects....
Jump squats not only require strong lower-body muscles, but stable lower-body joints as well. Image Credit: supersizer/iStock/GettyImages Squats can get stale. Adding a jump is a great way to inject a little spice, build speed and power and get your heart rate up with minimal floor space required. Advertisement But it's easy to get jump squats wrong. Some people feel like their legs are made of lead, causing every rep to feel slow and awkward....
references Environmental Protection Agency: "Using Insect Repellents Safely and Effectively" Environmental Protection Agency: "DEET" National Pesticide Information Center: "Picaridin" Merck MGaA: "IR3535" 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. Image Credit: Repel/Cutter/OFF!/LIVESTRONG.com Image Credit: Repel/Cutter/OFF!/LIVESTRONG.com How We Choose What to Look For Best Spray Best Botanical Best Lightweight Best Lantern Best Candle Best for Kids Best Wipe Best Lotion Tips COVID and Mosquitoes Visit Page https://www....
Foods like canned beans can help you lose weight and save you time during meal prep. Image Credit: Studio-Annika/iStock/GettyImages One popular weight-loss strategy these days is to eat “clean,” meaning that you cut out all processed foods. This is simple in theory, yes, but pretty tough in the real world. Fortunately, there may be an easier and more effective approach. Advertisement The truth is, some processed foods are good for you and can actually help you lose weight....
Jump rope is a great cardio workout for abs. Image Credit: dolgachov/iStock/GettyImages There are plenty of cardio workouts that engage your ab muscles, giving you the dual benefit of increasing both your endurance and core strength. Especially if your goal is visible ab muscles, you’ll want to engage in regular cardio. Advertisement That's because cardiovascular workouts, by nature, burn calories, which (along with a healthy, reduced-calorie diet) can help you shed body fat, and in order to see the results of your ab workouts, you must reduce the amount excess body fat....
Three girls eating lunch in a school cafeteria. Image Credit: Comstock Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images The federal government has a variety of rules and regulations that apply to school lunches. These mandates are designed to make sure that healthy lunches are available in school, but in reality, what ends up on a child’s plate isn’t always nutritious. A junk meal or two won’t have a permanent impact on a child, but eating unhealthy lunches for years can take a seriously negative toll on both mental and physical health....
Eating coffee beans provides the same benefits as drinking coffee. Image Credit: Kannika Suwan / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages The caffeine fix from coffee may be an integral part of your morning routine. But it turns out you can still get a caffeine boost, and some other health effects, from the drink’s original form — coffee beans. Advertisement Coffee beans serve the same purpose as the beverage in many ways, though the way you ingest the caffeine is a bit different....
Losing weight after pregnancy meant dropping 100 pounds for Maranda Boiter. Image Credit: Maranda Boiter/LIVESTRONG.com Creative For most of her life, Maranda Boiter, 41, of South Carolina, never worried about her weight, holding steady at a size 8. But once she reached her early 30s, the pounds began to creep up. Advertisement Part of the problem was due to her metabolism slowing down with age, but her diet was also a factor....
Supersets build super strength. Image Credit: MoMo Productions/Stone/GettyImages Three sets of 10 reps, 30 seconds on with 15 seconds of rest, back-to-back circuit-style exercises — there are more ways to format your workout than there are dumbbells in a hotel gym! But burnt out as you might be on trainer speak, there’s one term you gotta know: superset. Advertisement "A superset is when a workout programs movements — traditionally only two — back-to-back, with little or minimal rest in between" says physical therapist Grayson Wickham, CSCS, founder of Movement Vault, a digital platform to help you decrease pain, prevent injury and increase your flexibility and mobility....
To optimize your treadmill workout, adjust the speed and incline for an hour. Image Credit: izusek/E+/GettyImages When it comes to exercise, walking is one of the most accessible activities for people of all ages and fitness levels. Gentle on your body, walking at a brisk enough pace to raise your heart rate has numerous benefits for both physical and mental health. The best part? It’s one of the few workouts you can do every day!...
Invert sugar is added to desserts to maintain moisture. Image Credit: Farknot_Architect/iStock/GettyImages Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly memorize one more name for sugar, there’s another to add to your vocabulary: invert sugar. Advertisement Making the occasional appearance on nutrition labels, invert sugar is a liquid sweetener used to maintain moisture in processed foods. But invert sugar isn't all that different than the sugar you have in your cabinet. Video of the Day Read more: 5 Easy Ways to Cut Down on Sugar What Is Invert Sugar?...
The Stairmaster challenges the butt and leg muscles. Image Credit: Joseph C. Justice Jr./iStock/Getty Images The Stairmaster provides a cardio workout, while building muscular endurance and toning lower-body muscles. Doing three Stairmaster sessions a week helps tone and slim the legs, reports “Fitness” magazine. While the handrails help you balance, make sure that you are not leaning on them and shifting the focus away from your lower body. If you have knee problems, talk to your doctor before using the Stairmaster....
Image Credit: mick20/iStock/Getty Images Although menstruation doesn't happen during pregnancy, some people do experience vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy and it can often be mistaken for a period. In fact, approximately one-quarter of pregnant people experience bleeding in the first trimester, according to Marjorie Greenfield, M.D., contributor to DrSpock.com. This can make determining whether or not you're pregnant very difficult if you're used to having a very short period. But there are some ways to differentiate between implantation bleeding and a period, even if your period is usually only a couple days long....
Marinating Cornish hen improves the flavor and texture of the meat. Image Credit: Ali Majdfar/Moment/GettyImages Marinating Cornish hens before cooking them improves their flavor and tenderizes the meat. You can mix a simple batch of marinade with ingredients you probably have on hand or make a bigger batch and use the extra for basting or for seasoning potatoes or vegetables. Advertisement Any herb, spice or marinade appropriate for chicken also will work well with Cornish hens....
Stretch an egg casserole by adding broccoli, peppers and diced potatoes. Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages An egg casserole is light and fluffy, with a flavor and texture reminiscent of a well-prepared omelet. Adding meat and vegetables to the casserole complements the eggs and makes the dish more filling with the extra protein and fiber. Advertisement If you're short on time, opt for a make-ahead egg casserole. You can prepare the casserole up to two days in advance, cutting out all the work except for placing it in the oven when mealtime is near....
Soak kidney beans ready for making chili. Image Credit: martinrlee/iStock/GettyImages One of the great parts about making a big pot of chili is all the experimentation you can undertake with the chili recipe. Unusual vegetables or turkey instead of beef? Your recipe is limited only by your imagination. Advertisement If you decide to go the route of a vegetarian chili recipe, or you just want to make chili with the emphasis on the beans, you need to make sure you're preparing those beans correctly....
Stretching the hips, including the ITB, feels good and increases joint mobility. Hip replacement surgery usually results in a joint that will last for 15 years or more. Around 200,000 surgeries occur annually with the main goal to reduce pain from hip disease, according to the Georgetown University Hospital Joint Reconstruction Center. Stretching the iliotibial band is a small but important part of rehabilitation from surgery, though iliotibial band exercises are not part of the initial phases of rehab....
Jar of peanut butter and bag of peanuts Image Credit: HandmadePictures/iStock/Getty Images Your body needs sufficient amounts of dietary iron to produce oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Peanut butter provides a moderate amount of iron. It can be a significant source of iron for people who follow a vegetarian diet or who eat modest amounts of meat. However, if plant foods are your only source of iron, you will need to consume almost twice as much food compared to people who eat meat....
Soy yogurt has many health benefits. Eating soy foods, such as soy yogurt, provides many health benefits. Soy yogurt is made from soybeans, a legume that contains a complete protein of all essential amino acids; healthy fats' vitamins; minerals, particularly calcium; and antioxidants, such as isoflavones. People eat soy yogurt for its nutritional value and as a healthy, cholesterol-free alternative to yogurt made from dairy products. Consult your doctor about the benefits of eating soy yogurt to improve your health....
Sunflower oil can be healthy — so long as you choose the right type. Image Credit: Cunaplus_M.Faba/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Nutrition Types of Sunflower Oil Benefits Risks Sunflower oil is a good choice when you're reaching for oil in the kitchen: It's naturally high in healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats and is an excellent source of vitamin E. Advertisement But not all forms of this oil are the same — both the nutrition facts and health benefits differ based on one variety to another....
