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Always weigh yourself under the same circumstances and at the same time of day. Image Credit: Peter Dazeley/Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images Scales measure much more than just your fat weight. They also measure water retention, muscle, bone, feces, urine, food and beverages, and swelling from inflammation or hormones. The number on the scale can fluctuate about three to five pounds day to day and even hour to hour – even if you haven’t consumed any food or drink....

The sodium in ranch dressing can cause water retention. Image Credit: BWFolsom/iStock/GettyImages A veggie platter just isn’t complete without a dish of creamy ranch dressing. However, there are a lot of calories in most ranch dressings, as well as fat, sodium and sometimes added sugar. Ranch is only healthy if the ingredients used to make it are also healthy. Advertisement Tip Ranch dressing can be healthy if consumed in moderation and made with healthy ingredients....

Many people wonder if shredded wheat cereal is healthy, but it depends on the type you buy. Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Nutrition Benefits Risks Tips It may not always be the most eye-catching box on the supermarket shelf, but shredded wheat cereal is one of the most nutritious options for a quick breakfast. Not only does it provide an impressive amount of fiber, protein and several vitamins and minerals, but plain shredded wheat doesn't have the added sugar found in many other cereals....

If your knees are hot after working out it could be due to several reasons. Image Credit: blyjak/iStock/GettyImages When the knees feel hot after exercising, it could indicate a variety of problems. The increased temperature is often a sign of inflammation — the body’s response to tissue injury or infection. Advertisement Underlying disorders that cause inflammation — like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout — can lead to a hot knee after exercise....

Taking magnesium supplements may ease your aching muscles and joints. Image Credit: sasimoto/iStock/GettyImages Your doctor may prescribe magnesium for muscle pain, which can be a symptom of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium, a mineral, is essential to many functions in the body, including the metabolism, the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert and use energy. Advertisement Magnesium Benefits Magnesium is essential to many functions in the body, including the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert and use energy....

A woman running outside. Image Credit: anyaberkut/iStock/Getty Images Intense exercise is good for you. It strengthens your muscles, endurance and will. If ear popping accompanies your intense exercise, you may need a change in workout technique. Typically a simple change in ear pressure, ear popping is not a life-threatening condition, just an uncomfortable one. Advertisement Up High The most common scenario in which you experience ear popping is when you fly in a plane....

Why do your teeth hurt when you walk and exercise? It can be due to gum disease, cavities or clenching or grinding your teeth during hard efforts. Image Credit: South_agency/E+/GettyImages Everyone’s heard the saying ‌no pain, no gain.‌ But your teeth should never hurt when you exercise. Advertisement If your teeth have a habit of hurting when you work out, don't just grin and bear it. There's usually an underlying health issue that needs to be addressed....

If you can't manage to pretzel yourself into pigeon, there are a few pigeon pose modifications you can try. Image Credit: FatCamera/E+/GettyImages There’s no end to yoga’s stellar hip-opening stretches, but pigeon pose is MVP-level. Advertisement Pigeon is a deep, challenging stretch that lengthens the hip flexors, a group of muscles that tends to tighten after sitting for too long. Advertisement It also loosens your glutes and piriformis, a small muscle behind your gluteus maximus that tends to get irritated when your glutes are tight....

You might have heard that a trace minerals supplement could be key to improving your health, but you should proceed with caution. Image Credit: baibaz/iStock/GettyImages You might have heard that a trace minerals supplement could be key to improving your health, but you should proceed with caution. Just because it’s hailed as healthy doesn’t mean you need it — or that it’s even safe. Advertisement Remember back when you were a kid and you took fruit-flavored multivitamins in the shape of cartoon characters....

The 90-Day Fitness Challenge encourages more fiber and less sugar. Image Credit: MAIKA 777/Moment/GettyImages Although you’ll find many variations on 90-day challenge diets, one of the most prominent is meant to accompany the 90-Day Fitness Challenge. The 90-Day Fitness Challenge is a book — and accompanying eating program — from The Biggest Loser alums Amy and Phil Parham. Advertisement The 90-Day Fitness Challenge The Parhams’ book, The 90-Day Fitness Challenge, is inspired by what they learned during their time on The Biggest Loser....

The average number of miles a person can walk a day depends on the person. Image Credit: kali9/E+/GettyImages Want to know how many miles you can log on daily walks? The average miles walked per day really depend on the individual. An average means the person will have the ability to walk this distance every day without pushing too hard. Advertisement Everyone Is Different The number of miles should be based on capability from the perspective of consistency to ensure the distance is possible as a daily average....

Combining a lower-body and upper-body exercise is a great way to get a full-body workout in less time. Image Credit: PeopleImages/E+/GettyImages We know you’re busy! And you probably don’t have the time to separately work your chest, arms, abs, back, and legs twice a week. What do you do? The answer lies in two words: combination exercises. Combining an upper-body and lower-body exercise into one charged-up, full-body exercise. Advertisement Not only will you engage more muscles simultaneously, you'll also be saving a lot of time you would have spent working those muscles one by one....

Energy drinks with caution tape on them. Image Credit: Anjanette Cathey/iStock/Getty Images The Zipfizz liquid shot is a low-calorie energy drink that is purported to provide up to six hours of energy. This low-carbohydrate, sugar-free drink contains caffeine as well as B vitamins and other nutrients that may help enhance your alertness and energy levels. The Zipfizz liquid shot is available in two flavors, grape and fruit punch. While the product may have benefits, some Zipfizz ingredients can also promote some dangers....

Paella is a popular Spanish rice dish that originated in Valencia. Image Credit: 4kodiak/iStock/GettyImages When looking at diets from around the globe, it’s always interesting to see how the American diet compares with other cuisines. One diet that comes up often when discussing health and mortality rates is the Spanish diet, especially as Spain just received the title of the world’s healthiest country. Advertisement Spanish Dietary Habits Could the Spanish diet contribute to better health?...

The trap bar deadlift works the quads harder than the conventional deadlift, while reducing the load on the hamstrings and erector spinae in the back Image Credit: SolStock/E+/GettyImages In This Article Instructions Benefits Muscles Trap Bar vs. Conventional Tips One of the beautiful things about deadlifts is that you can do them with so many different types of equipment. The trap bar deadlift is one of those variations that's particularly good for people who are just learning to deadlift ​and​ a legit option for experienced lifters — especially tall ones....

Feet on scale Image Credit: elif Anal/iStock/Getty Images Although unplanned weight loss is a potential side effect of getting too little zinc in your diet, your body requires plenty of zinc every day to function properly. Furthermore, if you have overweight or obesity and are trying to lose weight, boosting your dietary zinc intake may improve your chance for weight-loss success. Advertisement Zinc Basics Zinc is an essential mineral necessary for proper immune function, protein building, wound healing and maintaining a proper sense of taste and smell....

DMAE is thought to increase neurotransmitters in the brain that can help with memory and mental function. Image Credit: Artfully79/iStock/GettyImages DMAE goes by several other names, including dimethylaminoethanol, dimethylethanolamine and deaner. The National Library of Medicine describes DMAE as a clear, odorless liquid that is often used in products such as: Advertisement Skin care serums Cognitive-function supplements Mood-enhancing pills Video of the Day Tip DMAE promises to give you younger-looking skin and a sharper mind....

While the purported benefits of chamomile tea are plenty, it can interact with medications or cause allergic reactions. Image Credit: TasiPas/iStock/GettyImages If you enjoy a cup of chamomile tea, you are not alone. Many people enjoy the herbal tea’s purported benefits for insomnia, anxiety and indigestion. However, chamomile tea side effects can be negative. Advertisement If you have difficulty with chamomile, note that it is also used in liquid extracts, capsules, tablets, creams and mouth rinses....

Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar and is manufactured in bulk by factories. Exposure to industrial compounds that contain acetic acid, which is used in paint, pesticides, plastics, and textiles, is hazardous to your health. However, acetic acid is generally recognized as safe for use in foods. Acetic acid has been a staple of folk medicine for centuries all over the world. Whether acetic acid acts harmfully depends on the process of manufacture, the other chemicals making up the compound and the degree of dilution....

What Is a List of Foods Vegetarians Cannot Eat? Image Credit: puhimec/iStock/GettyImages There are many reasons to pursue a vegetarian diet. Some do it for health reasons; others do it because of religious or ethical convictions, including concerns about the treatment of animals and addition of hormones and antibiotics into the food supply, largely through meat sources. Regardless of your motivations, there are at least three types of vegetarians, each coming with its own short list of foods to avoid, along with a few subcategories that exist on the fringe of vegetarian dietary rules....