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A little rounding of the upper back is natural. Image Credit: Wavebreakmedia/iStock/Getty Images A healthy spine naturally rounds at the top and arches at the bottom. But too much rounding signals that something is off. If you’re older and female, osteoporosis may be to blame. If you’re younger, it could be your posture. Too much slouching – for example, sitting hunched over a desk all day – can cause the shoulders to pull forward and the thoracic curve to become more pronounced....

Image Credit: jovan_epn/iStock/GettyImages Planet Fitness is an international gym chain that prides itself on being a place where anyone will feel comfortable working out. Members of all fitness levels can get in shape with the use of brand-name equipment and with the help of certified personal trainers. To be a personal trainer at Planet Fitness, you will need a nationally recognized personal training certification, current CPR/AED certification and a passion for helping people reach their fitness goals....

Prune Juice & Diarrhea Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/GettyImages One of the first things you’ll notice about prune juice is that it’s far thicker than the average fruit juice. This is because there’s no juice to extract from prunes — instead, the dried fruit is pulverized into a thick paste that’s dissolved in hot water. Although the highly concentrated juice is often used to alleviate constipation or maintain regularity, getting too much of a good thing can lead to diarrhea....

If you experience consistent stomach pain after eating, consider the following tricks and potential causes. Image Credit: Nenad Cavoski/iStock/GettyImages Your meal was delicious — great food, fun drinks. But then all of a sudden stomach pain strikes, and you’re not sure why. What could it mean? Advertisement There are many reasons why stomach pain may develop after eating, explains Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, food and nutrition consultant, former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and author of The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book....

Rosehip oil's popularity is on the rise, but is the hype too good to be true? Image Credit: Madeleine_Steinbach/iStock/GettyImages Ever since Victoria’s Secret supermodel Miranda Kerr revealed that rosehip oil is a staple in her self-care routine, beauty junkies around the world have been snapping up this fruit seed extract, derived from wild rose plants grown in the southern Andean Mountains. Fans tout rosehip oil’s medicinal healing properties for wrinkles, age spots, acne and even scarring, but that doesn’t mean the skincare ingredient isn’t without potential side effects....

Vegetarian diets abound in colorful fruits and vegetables, crunchy nuts, whole grains and other delicious, healthy foods. Image Credit: fcafotodigital/E+/GettyImages Switching to a vegetarian diet might one of the best things you can do for your health. In fact, more than 5 percent of Americans are vegetarians, according to a study published in the journal Nutrition in April 2014. Vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular problems compared to meat eaters....

Glass of dark cola with ice. Image Credit: Hyunho Song/iStock/GettyImages Funny thing about those tall glasses of cola people love to guzzle. For some, soda stops migraines or can ease them faster when they do strike. For others, those same soft drinks could be the cause of their migraines. How can they do both? It likely has to do with the caffeine content. Advertisement Using Caffeine for Migraine Relief The U....

Spaghetti squash is low in calories yet provides an array of nutrients, deeming it a great go-to lunch or dinner meal starter. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative In This Article Spaghetti Squash Nutrition Facts Health Benefits of Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Squash Preparation and Useful Tips Alternatives to Spaghetti Squash How to Replace Pasta With Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti squash is part of the winter squash family (known as Curcurbitaceae) along with butternut, Hubbard and turban squash....

PMS may cause a lack of motivation to exercise. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Losing weight is challenging enough without having to deal with your period at the same time. Common menstrual and premenstrual symptoms include food cravings, cramping and water retention, all of which can affect your weight-loss motivation. Despite how you feel, the changes you’re experiencing are minor and temporary. None of them should interfere with long-term weight loss. Maintain your motivation to lose weight during your period with a combination of healthful eating and regular activity....

The Subway meatball sub is a simple, Italian-style sandwich that features meatballs, marinara sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Image Credit: ALLEKO/iStock/GettyImages The Subway meatball sub, or as it’s officially called, the Meatball Marinara, is a simple, Italian-style sandwich that features meatballs, marinara sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese all piled on top of an Italian sub roll. Advertisement The nutrition facts and meatball sub calories listed on Subway's website are for a standard 6-inch Meatball Marinara with no substitutions or additions....

When you're sick of oatmeal, sweet potatoes make a fiber-rich base for your breakfast. Image Credit: The Bojon Gourmet Every so often, an artist must switch their medium. After all, where’s the fun in reproducing the same thing over and over when you can paint on canvas one day, sculpt with clay the next and sketch on paper the third? Advertisement Whether you're an artist or not, your breakfast is no exception to this rule....

references Mayo Clinic Health System: "Are you getting too much protein?" Cleveland Clinic: "13 of the Best Vegetarian and Vegan Protein Sources" American Academy of Family Physicians: "Nutrition for Weight Loss: Is a Low-Carbohydrate Diet Right for Me?" Harvard Health Publishing: "How much protein do you need every day?" Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition: "International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise" USDA: "Protein Foods" My Food Data: "16 Nuts and Seeds High in Protein" USDA FoodData Central: "Sausage, smoked link sausage, pork and beef" My Food Data: "Dates (Deglet Noor)" USDA: "Organic 101: What the USDA Organic Label Means" A high-protein gift basket just makes it a little more exciting to meet your daily protein requirements....

Doing strength-based yoga poses, like Chair and Warrior II, can help you build and maintain muscle mass. Image Credit: Zinkevych/iStock/GettyImages If you’re not too familiar with yoga, you might think it only makes you more flexible, but the truth is, incorporating yoga into your daily routine can increase your strength too. Advertisement "Mostly yoga is better known for its flexibility and balance," says registered yoga teacher Ashish Painuly. "But incorporating strengthening poses in [your] yoga practice tones muscles, connective tissues and hypermobile joints all over the body, which in turn, reduces the risk of injury [when practicing] advanced yoga poses....

Not only are legumes and grains affordable, accessible, comforting and delicious, they are also packed with nutrients and health benefits. Image Credit: Design Pics/Design Pics/Getty Images Beans and rice are staples across the world. Not only are legumes and grains affordable, accessible, comforting and delicious, they are also packed with nutrients and health benefits. In fact, you can lose weight eating beans and rice every day. Advertisement Due to their protein content and nutrient density, the USDA Dietary Guidelines recommends that Americans increase their consumption of beans and legumes....

As boxing grows in popularity, proper protection and form will help prevent injuries to your hands, wrists, and knuckles. Image Credit: Viktor_Gladkov/iStock/GettyImages Boxing a great cardiovascular workout — you can also burn up to 900 calories in just 30 minutes of intense boxing, turning you into a fat-burning, muscle-gaining machine. And it also happens to be a fantastic stress-relieving workout. There’s just something so therapeutic about punching something to release pent-up aggression....

Beet juice is a good sources of folate, manganese, potassium, vitamin C and other antioxidants. Image Credit: olgakr/iStock/GettyImages Drinking a glass of fresh beet juice can provide the nutritional benefits of beets and important antioxidants, naturally occurring nitrates and anti-inflammatory betacyanins. Advertisement There are many health benefits of beet juice: The vibrant, red liquid has been linked to increased energy, decreased blood pressure, heart health and more. Video of the Day Beets can be enjoyed in so many ways, and they boast plenty of nutrition whether they're raw, cooked or juiced....

Potato skins have several benefits. Image Credit: Fudio/iStock/GettyImages Potatoes are a wildly popular root vegetable, but did you know that eating the potato skin will provide more fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals than eating just the flesh? As long as you don’t load up a potato skin appetizer with butter, sour cream, cheese or bacon, potato skins are low in calories and provide health benefits that include helping digestion, managing your blood pressure, keeping your bones strong and warding off disease....

A happy woman hanging on a lap swimming lane. Image Credit: SerrNovik/iStock/Getty Images Unlike most sports, swimming doesn’t require much in the way of equipment. Swimmers typically take to the pool for competitions in a swimsuit, goggles and a swim cap. Yet during practice, swimmers often wear extra accessories, like swimming gloves, to assist with their training. Wearing gloves can provide swimmers with a number of benefits, improving overall health, fitness and performance....

Fast food shouldn't be a go-to, but when there are no other choices, stick with these healthier fast-food options. Image Credit: Ziga Plahutar/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Best Options Meals to Avoid Tips For Eating Out Finding healthy fast-food options will require some creativity and pickiness; but, you can definitely find and craft healthier meals at even the most burger-and-bacon-heavy fast-food chains when you're road-tripping or spending the day at the airport....

The volumetrics diet includes foods that are high in volume but low in calories. Image Credit: VioletaStoimenova/E+/GettyImages Even if you’ve never heard of the volumetrics diet, you might already be familiar with the philosophy behind it. Popularized by nutrition science professor and researcher Barbara Rolls, PhD, the diet is based on a pretty straightforward idea: Eat a large volume of low-calorie foods that will help fill you up without weighing you down....