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Row of elliptical trainers Image Credit: ER09/iStock/Getty Images With obesity on the rise in America, engaging in regular physical activity, including some form of cardiovascular exercise, is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Cardiovascular exercise can help you control your weight, lower your risk of disease and can improve your mental health. When choosing a cardiovascular activity, there are a number of options to consider – including which type of cardio exercise is right for you....

It's natural for your vagina to have some odor — in fact, using scented soaps, sprays and wipes can do more harm than good. Image Credit: Aliaksandra Ivanova / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages There’s no shortage of vaginal hygiene sprays, douches, wipes, soaps and cleansers that claim to balance pH levels and make your vagina smell like something other than, well, a vagina. But if you’re wondering how to wash your vagina safely, your best bet is to skip these products altogether....

Your should is very mobile, making it susceptible to getting sprained. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages Your shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body, but it’s also more likely to be injured. A sprained shoulder can take several weeks to improve, but there are shoulder sprain exercises you can do to maintain movement and strength while you are waiting for it to heal. Advertisement Physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain are best performed under the supervision of a medical professional....

Slices of homemade pizza with olives and peppers. Image Credit: blackboard1965/iStock/Getty Images When getting ready to undergo a thyroid uptake scan, special dietary restrictions need to be followed in order to yield effective outcomes of the test. Radioactive iodine is injected or swallowed in a pill form to identify disorders of the thyroid gland. Iodine needs to be avoided in the diet to allow the radioactive iodine to be effectively utilized in the thyroid gland....

Avoid jalapenos if you have fissures. Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages Anal fissures can be unpleasant; there’s really no other way to put it. They can cause burning, stinging, bleeding and itching that can decrease your quality of life, at least for a short while. The good news is that, if you have an anal fissure, diet changes can help bring you some relief. Advertisement The other good news is that most anal fissures heal on their own within six weeks and, once they're gone, you can make several dietary and lifestyle changes for anal fissure prevention....

Increased protein leads to increased urine output. Image Credit: thesomegirl/iStock/GettyImages You have high hopes that your new diet will help you lose fat or build muscle, or both. What you didn’t wish for is the frequent urination during a high-protein diet. Unfortunately, increased protein does lead to increased urine output, and it’s not always safe in the long term. Advertisement High-Protein Diet and Urine Protein and is made up of long chains of amino acids, which your body must break down in order to reassemble them into the proteins that make up the body’s tissues and also circulate in the blood and other fluids....

You can make several drinks at home to help suppress your appetite. Image Credit: evgenyatamanenko/iStock/Getty Images Hundreds of different appetite-suppressant pills are available on the market to help people who are having a hard time curbing their appetite. Some of these pills contain stimulants that might be harmful to your health, but you don’t have to rely on these supplements if you’re looking to suppress your appetite to lose weight. In fact, you can make your own appetite-suppressing drinks at home with just a couple of natural ingredients....

Teenage boy jogging Image Credit: filrom/iStock/Getty Images Teenage boys who want to achieve a defined, well-sculpted abdomen must perform abdominal-strengthening and aerobic exercises to build muscle and burn fat from the abdomen. Perform ab-strengthening exercises that target the central and side abdominal muscles to develop six-pack abs. Complete an ab-strengthening workout three days a week, allowing a day of rest from abdominal exercises between workouts, to give your muscles time to recuperate....

Shrimp are nutritious, delicious and quick to prepare. Image Credit: Elena Rui/iStock/GettyImages Shrimp are nutritious, delicious and quick to prepare. Having them in your freezer markedly increases your dinner options — they can enhance dishes such as scampi, paella, fried rice and gumbo. But if your frozen shrimp smells fishy or has freezer burn, it has spoiled and should be discarded. Advertisement Selecting and Storing Frozen Shrimp You can either buy shrimp frozen, raw or alive....

Baking soda is the leavening agent of choice in quickbreads like banana bread, but you can also use other leavening agents, such as baking powder or yeast. Image Credit: A_Lein/iStock/GettyImages You’ve got a bunch of browning bananas, flour, sugar, eggs and butter but no baking soda. Don’t get downhearted. A couple other common baking ingredients can help you make moist and delicious banana bread without baking soda and without a trip to the store....

You might lose up to 2 additional pounds per week by burning 1,000 calories a day. Image Credit: lzf/iStock/GettyImages Burning a 1,000 calories a day can lead to weight loss in less than a week’s time. You could lose up to two pounds if you burn 1,000 calories in seven days. However, you need to stick to a workout regime and follow a healthy diet for long-term weight loss to occur....

Young woman working out feeling jittery. Image Credit: Denis Raev/iStock/Getty Images To reap the most benefits from exercise, you must listen to your body. If you begin feeling jittery during or after your workout, several factors could be to blame. You could be experiencing hypoglycemia, which occurs when there is a drop in blood glucose levels, or dehydration. Jitters may also be caused by working too hard or increasing your intensity level without the proper warmup....

If your steak smells like cheese, is sticky to the touch or has darkened in color, it may be time to toss it out. Image Credit: Lisovskaya/iStock/Getty Images If your steak smells like cheese, is sticky to the touch or has darkened in color, it may be time to toss it out. Make sure to avoid food spoilage, as failing to do so can lead to serious foodborne illness. Advertisement What Indicates Spoiled Steak?...

A boneless pork sirloin roast is lower in fat than other cuts of pork, but still full of flavor. Image Credit: from_my_point_of_view/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Recipe Other Tips If you're looking to shave some fat and calories from your favorite pork recipe, you can use a pork sirloin roast rather than a pork shoulder roast. Advertisement Although fattier cuts of meat like pork shoulder add a bit more flavor, you can save more than 8 grams of total fat and 50 calories for every 3-ounce portion of meat by using a lean sirloin roast instead, according to the USDA....

Close-up of a piece of cobia fish on a plate. Image Credit: Fudio/iStock/Getty Images Sport fishermen know that cobia is a fish that is notoriously difficult to catch. The fish can weigh up to 100 lbs. and they put up such a fight that they break lines or burst through nets. If you do manage to catch one, you are in for a real treat, because the sweet, almost nutty, flavor of cobia is unrivaled....

Steamed rice on a plate. Image Credit: myibean/iStock/Getty Images Proctor Silex rice cookers take the guess work out of cooking rice. You don’t have to worry about maintaining the correct temperature or cook times because the machine does it automatically. Proctor Silex has two models of rice cooker: the 10-cup 34733Y and the 8-cup 34734Y. Save for the difference in size, both models function similarly. You can purchase Proctor Silex rice cookers online or from brick-and-mortar retailers....

Sweet potatoes are mighty vegetables packed with a lot of nutrition. Image Credit: margouillatphotos/iStock/GettyImages Sweet potatoes are mighty vegetables packed with a lot of nutrition. If that weren’t reason enough to eat them, here’s one more — a simple baked sweet potato in foil is an easy-to-make single-serving snack or side dish you can pop in the oven to enjoy pretty much any time of day. Advertisement Read more: 7 Toppings That Will Make Your Baked Sweet Potato Amazeballs Video of the Day Snacking on Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse food because they’re rich in complex carbohydrates and lots of nutrients your body needs....

Calculating calories burned for one pound of weight loss. Weight loss is basically about numbers. In a given day, to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. Over the course of weeks, this daily caloric deficit adds up into pounds lost. A calorie is simply a unit of energy. If you eat less food than you need, your body will burn body fat to supply the energy....

A spoon scooping peanut butter from a jar. Image Credit: JPphoto1992/iStock/Getty Images Peanut butter no-bake cookies are an ideal recipe on a hot summer day when you’re craving that sweet treat taste, but dare not turn on the oven. No-bake cookies require accurately measured ingredients and exact timing. If your cookies come out too soft or too hard, consider adjusting the boiling time. Factors such as stove temperature, humidity and even stirring speed can all affect the outcome of your cookies....

Watch your form on these 10 popular exercises. Image Credit: Griffin Nash/NashPictures.com Back pain is a big problem for many people: According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 75 to 85 percent of Americans will experience back pain during their lifetimes. Many cases are because of stress and strain, says Gunnar Andersson, M.D., professor and chairman emeritus of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago....