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Washing your back for a few seconds in the shower every day can make a big difference in your shoulder and spine mobility as you age. Image Credit: Stocksy/Guille Faingold Washing your back in the shower — and we’re talking about that hard-to-reach area right in the middle of your spine — might seem like a mundane task, but it’s an excellent way to improve your shoulder health, upper-back mobility and even relieve neck pain as you age....

Track your calories for a few days to see if you're eating enough. Image Credit: AndreyPopov/iStock/GettyImages Fatigue is one of the main symptoms of not eating enough. You get energy from the foods you eat in the form of calories. When your calorie intake is too low, your body can’t carry out physiological functions and support daily activity. In addition, not eating enough of certain types of foods can leave you low on energy....

Running can be less efficient than trampolining in some ways. Image Credit: Thinkstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images Staying active is an important facet of a healthy lifestyle, so choosing the most effective mode of exercise can be essential to planning your routine. If you have narrowed your choices down to jogging and trampolining, it may be wise to keep both options open for a cross-training program. But overall, if you have to choose one, using the mini-trampoline – or rebounding – may be your most effective choice....

references U.S. Dairy Export Council: “Ultrafiltered(UF)Milk Ingredients” USDA FoodData Central: "ULTRA-FILTERED NONFAT MILK" USDA FoodData Central: "NONFAT MILK" National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Definition & Facts for Lactose Intolerance” Nutrients: “The Importance of Lactose in the Human Diet: Outcomes of a Mexican Consensus Meeting” Ultra-filtered milk can add more satiating protein to your breakfast cereal and morning coffee. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative...

Eating too much refined grain is not good for your health. Image Credit: Yulia Naumenko/Moment/GettyImages When baking or reading packaged food labels, ingredients such as “enriched wheat flour” or “unbleached enriched flour” can make you pause and wonder if you’re making the healthiest choices. Unbleached enriched wheat flour is a refined grain that can have negative effects on your health. Advertisement Tip Unbleached enriched wheat flour is a refined grain. Eating too many refined grains is not good for you and may have an adverse effect on your health....

Milk, cheese and yogurt on a cutting board in front of a kitchen window. Image Credit: olgakr/iStock/Getty Images A trace element that’s essential for thyroid function, iodine is present in few foods, but dairy foods are one nutritious source of iodine. In fact, dairy foods are among your best choices for getting the 150 micrograms of iodine you need each day because the mammary glands tend to concentrate iodine, according to Jim Mann and Stewart Truswell, authors of “Essentials of Human Nutrition....

Try these recipes to get the most out of your non-perishable foods. Image Credit: Valeriy_G/iStock/GettyImages A can of tuna, box of oatmeal and bag of beans don’t seem like the most exciting ingredients, but when combines with other non-perishable foods, they can make some pretty awesome dishes. Plus, they’re inexpensive and stay fresh for long. Advertisement Making canned and other non-perishable foods taste (and look) decadent takes some creativity. Luckily, registered dietitians Shena Jaramillo, RD and Maryann Walsh, RD have taken all the brainpower out of cooking a delicious non-perishable-ingredient meal....

Macaroons are a delicious treat. Image Credit: Luiza S/iStock/GettyImages Coconut macaroons are a type of cookie consisting of a mound of shredded coconut held together by egg whites, cream of tartar, sweetened condensed milk and almond extract. You can find these cookies ready-made in your grocery store or make them at home. They impart a sweet taste and have a chewy texture. Advertisement Calories A two-cookie serving of coconut macaroons contains 100 to 150 calories, according to LIVESTRONG’s food database MyPlate....

A spoonful of paprika spice. Image Credit: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images Paprika, a spice ground from bell peppers, is commonly used to add flavor and a vibrant red color to various dishes. However, some concern over paprika toxicity exists, since the spice is also added to many foods to provide red coloring and flavor in place of chemicals. You might obtain large amounts of paprika in your diet without realizing it, since it is an ingredient in ice cream, candy, baked goods, drinks, meat, soup and condiments....

Water treatment process steps include several measures to filter out large and small debris. Image Credit: VectorMine/iStock/GettyImages Access to clean drinking water is crucial for your health. That’s why municipalities take steps to purify water and weed out any contaminants that can lead to disease. Advertisement Pathogens like Cryptosporidium, E. coli, hepatitis A and Giardia intestinalis can get into water. And if you drink these microorganisms, they can cause illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....

A family eating lunch together outside. Image Credit: Maria Teijeiro/Photodisc/Getty Images A rise in the daily consumption of calories can be blamed for America’s obesity epidemic. When you take in more calories than you burn, you gain weight. By 2010, Americans consumed 20 percent more calories compared to 1970, according to “The New York Times.” The added calories expand America’s waistline and increase the health-related costs associated with obesity. Advertisement How Much You Need The average American adult woman needs between 1,800 and 2,400 calories per day, while the average American adult man needs between 2,400 and 3,000, according to the U....

A balanced grain bowl can be just as nutritious as a salad, and our formula will give you endless grain bowl ideas and combos. Image Credit: Anna Puzatykh You shouldn’t have to fit into a diet and fitness plan. The plan should have to fit you. Click here for all the details on our January challenge. Salads are ​fine —​ but they aren’t exactly cozy. Which is why we love grain bowls: They’re just as customizable and nutritious as salads, but offer a whole lot more comfort and satisfaction....

The Best Vitamins for the Lungs Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages What you eat on a daily basis impacts every system in your body, including your lungs. Citrus fruits, leafy greens, fatty fish, walnuts and other whole foods provide the nutrients needed for optimal lung health. Some may lower your risk of respiratory infections. Others improve your breathing and keep your airways clean. A balanced diet should include vitamins for the lungs, especially during the cold winter months....

Blood samples in test tubes on a lab sheet. Image Credit: dina2001/iStock/Getty Images An A1C test is commonly used to diagnose diabetes. It measures your blood sugar levels over a three-month period by showing the amount of glucose that is attached to your red blood cells. The glucose sticks to the cells until they die which is typically two to three months, reports Utah.gov. Having too much blood sugar can cause an excess amount of glucose to attach to the cells which will give you a higher A1C and increase your risk of diabetes....

Pistol squats require a ton of strength, balance and stability. Image Credit: Pollyana Ventura/iStock/GettyImages Ace one of the most effective exercises for a stronger lower body and work up to doing 250 reps in a single day with the 30-Day Squat Challenge. Get all the details on the challenge here. Squats are one of the most natural movements for humans — just look at a toddler squat down to pick up a toy....

Gizzards are rich in protein and have less than one gram of fat per serving, making them ideal for dieters. Image Credit: hqrloveq/iStock/GettyImages Have you ever tried chicken gizzards stewed in sour cream, curry chicken gizzards or pickled gizzards? If not, you’re missing out on key nutrients that support health and well-being. Also known as the gigerium or ventriculus, the gizzard is a small muscular organ found in the digestive tract of some birds and fish....

references Office of Dietary Supplements: “Vitamin K Health Professional Fact Sheet” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: “Vitamin K” Oregon State University: “Vitamin K” Blood: “Functional Study of the Vitamin K Cycle in Mammalian Cells” U.S. National Library of Medicine: “Prothrombin Time Test and INR (PT/INR)” Medicine: “Vitamin K Intake and the Risk of Fractures” Current Medicinal Research: “The Role of Matrix Gla Protein (MGP) in Vascular Calcification” U....

Prengnacy can cause permanant changes to your belly's shape. Approach weight loss after breast-feeding the same way you would have approached it prior to becoming pregnant, advises Dr. Abaz Sosic, a gynecologist and obstetrician in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Most women naturally lose weight throughout the breastfeeding process. However, some women either do not lose enough weight, fail to lose any weight or gain weight while breastfeeding. Make sure you actually need to lose weight before embarking on a weight loss program....

Primary exertional headaches may occur during or after strenuous exercise. Image Credit: piranka/E+/GettyImages Once in a while, if you don’t drink enough water before you exercise, you might get a headache caused by dehydration. However, if you start having headaches during or after exercise more often, it could mean something else. Advertisement If your head starts pounding after you work out, climb a flight of stairs or even have sex, you could be experiencing what's called an exertional headache....

GERD pain feels like heartburn for some people, but for others, it's a more subtle feeling, like you have a lump in your throat that you can't swallow. Image Credit: dragana991/iStock/GettyImages In This Article What It Is Symptoms Causes Diagnosing GERD Treatments Foods to Avoid How to Manage It Many of us have had heartburn, aka acid reflux, at one point or another, perhaps as a pregnancy side effect or after eating a bowl of spicy chili....