Get the most out of your glute workout with these supersets. Image Credit: AzmanJaka/E+/GettyImages Image Credit: AzmanJaka/E+/GettyImages Sets 4 Reps 20 Body Part Butt and Legs Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Extend your arms out in front of you for balance as you bend your knees and push your hips back to squat down. Focus on lowering your body as if you were going to sit on a chair....
The benefits of dark chocolate are far and wide, ranging from improving heart health to lowering your risk of depression. Image Credit: Lauri Patterson/E+/GettyImages When it comes to matters of the heart and the mind, the two tend to clash — except when it comes to chocolate. Advertisement While we all cheered when we found out dark chocolate is good for the heart, your favorite sweet treat may help with depression and other ailments too....
Psyllium is a soluble fiber produced from the Plantago ovata shrub. When exposed to fluids, the husk — from the outer portion of the seeds of the plant — swells up to create a gel. The powder has a finer texture than the husk, and is more commonly used in capsules. Both the husk and the powder provide a number of health benefits because of their high fiber content. What's the Difference?...
Exercise and bowel movement frequency can increase at the same time. Image Credit: swissmediavision/E+/GettyImages Exercise helps your body look better, feel better and function better. While that might not be surprising news, you might be surprised to find out that regular exercise even impacts your bowel function. Advertisement Exercise keeps you fit, maintains your weight and wards off several diseases, but regular exercise is an important way to help ward off and treat constipation as it can promote activity in the digestive tract....
If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may recommend changes to your diet, exercise regimen and other lifestyle-related factors. Image Credit: LightFieldStudios/iStock/GettyImages High cholesterol means that the level of bad fats in your blood is too high. Though typically the result of a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors, such as a bad diet, it can also be caused by certain medical conditions and medications, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)....
Iron-deficiency anemia is a common condition that can be diagnosed by a physician and managed with dietary changes, supplements or intravenous iron therapy. Image Credit: morisfoto/iStock/GettyImages Physicians diagnose around 2.8 million cases of anemia per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In other words, low iron is a pretty common condition. Its symptoms range from fatigue and anemia to mental disorders. Advertisement Tip If left untreated, low iron levels can be dangerous enough to lead to death....
If you're trying to ease out of a diet soda habit, try drinking unsweetened iced tea instead. Image Credit: jenifoto/iStock/GettyImages Aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in diet soda, non-sugar sweetener packets and some foods. If you’ve given up drinking diet soda, you may wonder if any diet soda withdrawal symptoms you’ve been having — like headaches or trouble focusing — are actually from giving up aspartame. Advertisement The jury is still out on whether you need to worry about aspartame withdrawal, but there may actually be another reason for your symptoms....
A glass of buttermilk doesn't serve as a magical weight-loss elixir, but this tart beverage can play a role in your effort to shed a few pounds. Image Credit: alpaksoy/iStock/GettyImages A glass of buttermilk doesn’t serve as a magical weight-loss elixir, but this tart beverage can play a role in your effort to shed a few pounds. Don’t expect that adding buttermilk to your diet will automatically cause you to smile at your bathroom scale....
Three apples resting on a scale. Image Credit: bach005/iStock/Getty Images While there are many theories behind weight loss, the bottom line is that you must consume fewer calories than you burn to lose weight. While the average diet has about 2,000 calories, this number can vary substantially based on your age, gender, weight, activity level and other factors. Therefore, to create a calorie deficit large enough to lose a substantial amount of body weight, you will first need a good idea of how many calories your body burns each day....
Both the "fat burn" and "cardio" settings on the treadmill burn calories. Image Credit: nd3000/iStock/Getty Images When starting a treadmill weight loss plan, it is important to know your target heart rate to achieve your cardio and fat loss goals. A treadmill fat burn workout keeps your heart rate in lower ranges and involves low-intensity, steady-state exercise while the cardio zone is a higher intensity workout. Advertisement Tip A cardio workout on a treadmill is higher intensity and helps you achieve metabolic conditioning....
Red chili flakes make for a great cayenne pepper substitute that brings the heat. Recipes that want to add some heat often call for cayenne pepper — it's common in Cajun, Creole, Mexican and Asian dishes, and has been used as an ingredient (and also for medical treatment) for thousands of years, according to Mount Sinai. The spice gets its heat from capsaicin, a substance that acts as a pain reliever....
Coconut Oil vs. Rice Bran Oil for Health Image Credit: SherSor/iStock/GettyImages Rice bran oil or coconut oil — is one healthier? There are some differences, especially when it comes to fat and vitamin content, but both are healthy dietary oils that may contribute to the health of your heart. Advertisement What Is Rice Bran Oil? Rice oil, or rice bran oil, is a byproduct from milling the rice bran kernel. Popular in Asian countries, rice bran oil has a nutty, delicate taste....
Bell peppers on a cutting board with a knife. Image Credit: anna1311/iStock/Getty Images Onions and bell peppers hold a flavorful presence in many everyday dishes, but they may be a trigger food for heartburn. To directly answer whether or not they cause heartburn, it truly depends on the individual. Heartburn occurs when refluxed acid comes in contact with the esophagus and causes an uncomfortable burning sensation in the chest. The American College of Gastroenterology estimates that more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn once a month, and 15 million have daily symptoms of heartburn....
Although rowing isn't a magic bullet for belly fat, it can be an very effective component of a fat-loss plan. Image Credit: svetikd/E+/GettyImages A rowing machine provides the next best thing to gliding effortlessly through a river in a sweep rowing boat, drawing your oar smoothly through the water as you pull with the team. The rowing machine lets you enjoy a great full-body workout with almost identical body mechanics, without the need to live within commuting distance of a river or assemble an entire team to row....
Try doing dumbbell lunges to substitute leg press. Image Credit: martin-dm/E+/GettyImages If you’re looking for a good all-around lower-body workout in one gym machine, the leg press is a good choice. Leg press machine benefits include stronger thighs, healthier knees and little upper-body involvement. Advertisement But if you don't have access to the heavy-duty gym equipment needed to perform this exercise home, you can set up a leg press alternative using dumbbells....
Beets for sale at a market. Image Credit: kaarsten/iStock/Getty Images Irritated bowels – more commonly known as irritable bowel syndrome – are considered a functional gastrointestinal disorder. This means the symptoms of IBS affect how your GI tract works, but there’s no intestinal damage. Certain foods, namely those high in dietary fiber, can help relieve the symptoms of IBS and, with long-term dietary changes, can provide consistent relief from the pain and difficulty of the disorder....
Meatloaf is a classic comfort food, and there are many ways to make it healthier. Image Credit: VeselovaElena/iStock/GettyImages Meatloaf, aka meat loaf, is a classic homestyle main dish traditionally made with ground beef or a mix of ground beef and pork, held together with eggs, ketchup and oatmeal or breadcrumbs. Advertisement Frozen, store-bought meatloaf and the meatloaf that's served in restaurants are usually too high in sodium and saturated fat to be considered healthy....
You got hurt while working out — now what? Image Credit: praetorianphoto/E+/GettyImages Whether you’re a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, workout injuries can happen to anyone. And if you’ve ever experienced a sprain, strain or other kind of pain from physical activity, you’ve likely heard the acronym RICE. Advertisement It stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (sometimes there's also an S for Stability), and it's the most popular recommendation for treating acute sports injuries....
Two St. John's Wort plants. Image Credit: maximult/iStock/Getty Images Dietary supplements and herbs provide alternative treatments to several disorders, and can complement conventional medical techniques. However, the active ingredients in some herbs can interact with specific pharmaceuticals, increasing or decreasing the drugs’ efficacy and potentially leading to side effects. If you take Zoloft, also called sertraline, a medication prescribed for depression and other neurological disorders, you should stay away from certain herbs to avoid harmful herb-drug interactions....
Hot weather, cold weather and other types of weather changes can affect your blood pressure. Image Credit: stefanamer/iStock/GettyImages When it comes to blood pressure, we are to some degree creatures of our environment. Hot weather, cold weather and other types of weather changes can affect your blood pressure. Advertisement Read more: What Is Normal for Blood Pressure? Video of the Day How Cold Increases Blood Pressure During the winter months, blood pressure tends to rise, notes the Mayo Clinic....
