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Child's pose is a great position to work on reverse kegels. Image Credit: Cultura RM Exclusive/Hugh Whitaker/Cultura Exclusive/GettyImages You may have heard of kegels, but do you know about reverse kegels? The reverse kegel relaxes the pelvic floor. When done correctly, the exercise has a few noteworthy benefits. Advertisement What Are Kegels? According to Mayo Clinic, kegels are exercises that work to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder, uterus, small intestine and rectum....

Add natural heartburn relief to your list of reasons for getting regular exercise. Image Credit: Oscar Wong/Moment/GettyImages In This Article Smaller Portions Staying Upright Weight Management Quit Drinking and Smoking Exercise Triggers Diet Milk Licorice Logging Symptoms Baking Soda Pickle Juice Certain Herbs When to See a Doctor You enjoyed that spicy burrito for dinner, but then it hits you — that uncomfortable feeling in your chest that can only mean one thing: Heartburn....

Cholesterol-rich meals like buttery shrimp scampi are OK in moderation, but you want to focus your diet on heart-healthy foods. Image Credit: LauriPatterson/E+/GettyImages In This Article Foods to Eat Foods to Limit Cholesterol in Veggies One day, foods high in cholesterol are dietary culprits — the next day, they're superfoods. (Eggs are a perfect example of this phenomenon.) Advertisement Let's break down the reason behind the confusion. First of all, cholesterol is a waxy type of fat that is produced in your body and found in food....

A bowl of granola and fresh fruit on a breakfast table. Image Credit: martince2/iStock/Getty Images While most diets are geared towards weight loss, some people struggle to keep the weight on. A 3,000-calorie diet is a high-calorie diet that can help those that need to add pounds to their frame. It is also a weight maintenance diet for active men between the ages of 19 to 50. Like any good diet plan – even a high-calorie diet plan – it is always important to eat a variety of foods from all the food groups to ensure you get all the nutrients you need for good health....

Left-side stomach pain could be a sign of constipation, or it may be something more serious. Image Credit: 5432action/iStock/GettyImages When you’re struck with left-side abdominal pain, it’s easy to assume there’s something really wrong. After all, it hurts, and the location feels a little too specific to be “nothing.” Advertisement "There's a lot of variability from person to person when they describe lower left abdomen pain," Monica Borkar, MD, a gastroenterologist with NorthShore University HealthSystem in Glenview, Illinois, tells LIVESTRONG....

Doing half-kneeling exercises helps keep your back safe while working your upper body and core. Image Credit: Hirurg/E+/GettyImages While you’ve probably never thought much about it, most of the exercises you do are usually performed one of three ways: standing, seated or lying on your back. But when it comes to training your arms and abs, there’s another option that’s equally as challenging but safer for your back: the half-kneeling position....

A glass of watermelon juice. Image Credit: utah778/iStock/Getty Images Watermelon has been used for ages in folk medicine, and now current research shows it can also protect the liver, heal muscles and provide other health benefits. When you juice watermelon or drink store-bought watermelon water such as WTRMLN WTR, you get a concentrated source of its beneficial properties. Advertisement 1. Increased Nutrient Consumption Elson Haas, M.D., author of “The Detox Diet” notes fresh juices are an excellent delivery system for many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients....

Avocados are more than a passing nutrition fad — the creamy fruit is both delicious and good for your heart, thanks to its monounsaturated fat content. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages Avocados are more than a passing nutrition fad — the creamy fruit is both delicious and good for your heart, thanks to its monounsaturated fat content. However, because of the number of calories in half an avocado, they should be consumed in moderation....

If you have a history of bladder infections, it’s a good idea to steer clear of soda until your condition improves. While soda does not cause bladder infections, it can aggravate your symptoms. Bladder infections occur when bacteria migrate into the bladder, causing symptoms such as discomfort in the lower abdomen and increased urinary frequency. Talk to your doctor about changes you can make to reduce your risk and relieve symptoms....

When you have acute diarrhea, you may feel like you're constantly running to the restroom. Image Credit: AbeSnap23/iStock/GettyImages Diarrhea has a way of ruining your day, doesn’t it? Running to the bathroom every few minutes is definitely not the way anyone wants to spend their time. Plus, it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly why you are experiencing this condition. Advertisement While an occasional bout of diarrhea can be considered completely normal and chalked up to something you ate, a change in your routine or even stress, diarrhea lasting for five days or more is most likely linked to a more serious cause, such as a viral or bacterial infection....

A small bottle of sesame oil sits on a mound of black sesame seeds. Image Credit: pandemin/iStock/Getty Images Sesame oil, also known as gingelly or til oil, is obtained from sesame seeds. It plays a prominent role in Asian cuisine and also alternative medicine. Oil is expressed from sesame seeds either by simply crushing or toasting over heat. The first method provides cold-pressed sesame oil. While cold-pressed sesame oil is pale yellow, hot-processed sesame oils have darker shades and markedly different flavor....

Strong legs help you jump high enough to make a slam dunk. Image Credit: Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images If you want to improve your vertical leap, skip the ankle weights. Jumping with ankle weights only makes you better at jumping while wearing ankle weights. This practice won’t help you jump higher without them. To become a higher jumper, you have to practice raising your body up against resistance and strengthen the muscles you use to jump, specifically the thighs, glutes and calves....

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by the formation of small crystals in the joints, which result in intense inflammation, swelling and pain. Fish oil capsules contain omega-3 fatty acids; these fats can help relieve some of the symptoms of gout and do not usually make gout worse. What Is in Fish Oil? Fish oil is extracted from fish whose fat contains omega-3 fatty acids. The body needs three main omega-3 fatty acids to function properly: alpha-linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are also known as ALA, EPA and DHA....

Push-ups will help contour pectoral muscles but they won't burn fat. Image Credit: Matthew Leete/DigitalVision/GettyImages Push-ups are a superb all-around exercise for tightening and building the chest muscles, as well as the shoulders and upper arms. In fact, some trainers call it “the perfect exercise.” But do push-ups burn fat in the chest region? Advertisement The short answer is "no," but that doesn't mean that push-ups can't contribute toward acquiring a flatter, firmer chest....

It is important to plan if you want to lose weight on your diet. Image Credit: Yulia Gusterina/iStock/GettyImages According to the National Institutes of Health, most men and active women can lose weight eating 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day. If you’ve determined that an 1,800-calorie diet is the right target for you, the next step is planning. Without a plan, it’s difficult to stay within your calorie budget. Advertisement 1,800-Calorie Diet Details There are many ways to distribute your calories throughout the day....

A nurse helping to stretch a young male patient's leg. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Imagine your hip joint as a cup that fits over a ball on a stick. The ball can rotate around the cup to facilitate movement – in the case of your hip joint, movements like walking and kicking. If you experience hip dysplasia, your hip socket – the cup – does not completely cover the ball-like attachment of your leg....

Boxers use shadowboxing to wake up their neuromuscular systems. Image Credit: John Howard/Photodisc/Getty Images The winner in a boxing match is often the competitor with the fastest punching speed. How quickly you can deliver a punch increases your chances of landing it and improves the force behind it. While punching speed is partly dependent on genetics, anyone can make significant improvements with consistent training. Regularly incorporate these five exercises into your training regimen....

Image Credit: paisan191/iStock/Getty Images When you think about food allergies, shoulder and knee joint pain is not a symptom that typically comes to mind. For people who have arthritis or other inflammatory joint conditions, food allergies can cause a flare-up of pain caused by inflammation. According to the Center for Food Allergies, anything that causes a reaction of the immune system can trigger joint pain in various parts of the body, including the shoulders or knees....

Potassium is a mineral that is very important for your body’s functions. It promotes nerve and muscle function and it may also help control blood pressure. There are various dietary sources of potassium, including chard, Lima beans and spinach. In addition, you can bolster your potassium levels by avoiding foods known to deplete potassium levels. Salty Foods One type of food that competes with potassium in the body is one of its fellow electrolytes, sodium....

Black sesame seeds are excellent sources of dietary fiber. Image Credit: Gabriel Vergani / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages White and black sesame seeds come from the herb ​Sesamum indicum​, which belongs to the Pedaliaceae family. It is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, grown for culinary use as well as in traditional medicines. Each seed pod contains hundreds of seeds that vary in color from creamy white to charcoal black depending on the cultivator....