Posts

Leg machines can help you build up the muscles in your lower body and hone in on your form to improve your lifts. Image Credit: Sjale/iStock/GettyImages Whether you’re looking to improve your deadlift or hip thrust technique, working out with weights isn’t the only way you can hone in on your form and become more powerful in your lifts. Advertisement Using popular lower body–focused exercise machines, like the rower and leg press, will help you emphasize proper form while helping you build strength, endurance and explosiveness....

Who knew eating could be so dangerous? Image Credit: Bobex-73/iStock/GettyImages Running with the bulls, base jumping, riding a motorcycle — all things you know are dangerous. But biting into a burger? Seems like you should be able to manage that without ending up in the emergency room. Advertisement Unfortunately, hundreds of people have learned otherwise. And it's not just burgers that pose a risk to your health. From margarita burns to steakhouse syndrome, here are eight unexpected — and often gruesome — injuries you can get from eating and drinking....

Doing dumbbell exercises seated takes the pressure off your joints while helping you build strength. Image Credit: alvarez/E+/GettyImages If you have limited mobility, low-impact workouts are a great way to build muscle without putting additional stress on your joints. Using a chair to sit down is a safe and effective way to strength train multiple muscle groups while improving posture and range of motion and reducing the risk of injury....

The lower legs are a part of the body often forgotten in strength training, and less popular than calf workouts, is shin strengthening. Your tibialis anterior runs along the front of your lower legs, and strengthening this muscle can make the difference between skinny lower legs and strong, shapely lower legs. Perform three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of each shin muscle-strengthening exercise. Resistance Band Flexes Resistance bands are an effective tool for strengthening many muscles in your body, including your tibialis anterior....

Colostrum is the milk after birth filled with antibodies. Image Credit: AkayArda/iStock/GettyImages Colostrum is the milk mammals secrete just after giving birth, and it’s loaded with antibodies that offer immune protections to the newborn. You can buy bovine colostrum — which comes from cows in the days after calving — as a health food supplement. Advertisement Benefits of Colostrum Colostrum is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, meant to give newborn mammals a good start in life, says an August 2013 article in Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science....

references National Cancer Institute: "Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk" Today's Dietitian: "How Cooking Techniques Affect the Nutritional Qualities of Food" Mayo Clinic: "Healthy-Cooking Techniques Boost Flavor and Cut Calories" American Heart Association: "Healthier Preparation Methods for Cooking" American Meat Association: "Methods of Cooking Meat" Maytag: "How to Broil in the Oven for Fast Flavor" EatFresh: "Broiling cooks meat quickly without drying it out." The Ohio State University: "Steam, roast vegetables to retain nutrients" American Institute for Cancer Research: "Five Steps for Cancer-Safe Grilling" Sometimes it can be hard to know if you should bake or broil chicken and other foods....

SAMe &ampamp; 5-HTP are used to treat depression and other illnesses. Image Credit: Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images SAMe and 5-HTP are chemicals produced naturally within the human body. Both have been studied for use in depression for many decades; however, currently available trials are inconclusive. Although there is little evidence that the combination of 5-HTP and SAM-e is harmful, it is important to talk to your physician before undertaking any new course of therapy....

Running is a great cardio workout, but that alone isn't enough to reshape your body. Image Credit: Martin Novak/Moment/GettyImages Running is a great cardio exercise to get your body in shape, but that’s not all you need. Your body requires three aspects to become fit: cardio, strength training and a healthy diet. While running will help burn calories, it won’t get you in shape if you’re strictly burning the unhealthy food you’re eating and nothing more....

A throidectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of all or a portion of the thyroid gland. The surgery may be performed if a person has goiter, thyroid cancer or hyperthyroidism. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate your metabolism, so its removal can make it difficult to lose weight. You may actually gain weight as a side effect of the procedure. You should speak to your doctor if you wish to lose weight following a thyroidectomy....

references Nutrition Research: "Cinnamon Extract Improves Fasting Blood Glucose and Glycosylated Hemoglobin Level in Chinese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes" Journal of Medicinal Food: "Cinnamon Intake Lowers Fasting Blood Glucose: Meta-Analysis" Nutrition: "Effect of Short-Term Administration of Cinnamon on Blood Pressure in Patients With Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes" Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine: "Cinnamon Effects on Blood Pressure and Metabolic Profile: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Pacebo-Controlled Trial in Patients With Stage 1 Hypertension" Food Science & Nutrition: "Ginger in Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials" Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture: "Beneficial Effects of Green Cardamom on Serum SIRT1, Glycemic Indices and Triglyceride Levels in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial" Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Ginger Benefits" Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology: "A Comparative Study of Antiplaque and Antigingivitis Effects of Herbal Mouthrinse Containing Tea Tree Oil, Clove, and Basil With Commercially Available Essential Oil Mouthrinse" Chai tea is loaded with anti-inflammatory spices that can be beneficial for your health....

bowl of sesame chicken Image Credit: phreakanature/iStock/Getty Images Chinese dishes are often high in protein because they include protein-rich foods such as chicken, beef, pork, duck and seafood. Tofu, commonly used in vegetarian Chinese cooking, provides protein from non-animal sources. Chinese dishes also contain large amounts of carbohydrates in the form of thickening starches, noodles or rice. Some dishes contain large amounts of fat, particularly those that are breaded and deep fried; however, other dishes are simply stir fried and contain lesser amounts of fat....

Your diet may exacerbate your gastritis symptoms. Image Credit: Prostock-Studio/iStock/GettyImages Some types of gastritis are particularly damaging to the stomach lining, causing irritation and possibly ulcers if not treated. Your diet may worsen gastritis symptoms such as heartburn, bloating and nausea. Here’s what you need to know about what to eat and what to avoid when you have gastritis. Advertisement Read more: Breakfast Diet for Gastritis Video of the Day What Is Acute Gastritis?...

Unlike table salt, which has the mineral added to it during processing, sea salt doesn't contain any iodine. Image Credit: chictype/iStock/GettyImages On average, Americans consume approximately 1.5 teaspoons of salt, which provides 3,400 milligrams of sodium, per day, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Most of this salt comes from processed foods and foods eaten at restaurants, but some of it comes from the salt that’s added to food during or after cooking....

woman working out in gym Image Credit: Minerva Studio/iStock/Getty Images Ah, the fresh air, the solitude, the relative quiet of early morning. If you are a morning person, there is nothing like getting a jump-start on the day by revving up your body’s engine. But if you’re a night-owl, the idea of getting up before the crack of dawn and lacing up your running shoes may sound like sheer insanity. Yet some fitness experts insist that an early-morning workout will boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories....

If your stomach hurts every time you drink alcohol or coffee, you may have an underlying GI condition. Image Credit: LaylaBird/E+/GettyImages In This Article Drinking on an Empty Stomach GERD Stomach Ulcer IBS Gastritis Pernicious Anemia Management When to See a Doctor Many of us consume coffee or alcohol for their feel-good effects. But what happens when your sip seems to mess with your stomach? Advertisement Both caffeine and booze can affect the stomach's production of digestive acids, explains Max Pitman, MD, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Hospital and medical director at Salvo Health....

Whether you're new to CrossFit or a veteran, these are the essential CrossFit moves you need to master before your next WOD. Image Credit: Cate Norian Whether you are a newbie CrossFitter or a seasoned veteran, there are foundational movements that everyone should master prior to completing a WOD (Workout of the Day). Advertisement These 16 essential CrossFit moves will increase your strength, build your lung capacity and make you the best athlete you can be....

These healthy, filling morning meals can help you avoid overeating at holiday parties and happy hours. Image Credit: Image Credit: skynesher/E+/GettyImages When you’re pressed for time in the morning, you might grab a quick banana on your way out the door and call it a breakfast. But fast forward half an hour: You already have the stomach grumbles and you’re eyeing a chocolate croissant through a bakery window. A hearty, well-balanced breakfast can keep your hunger pangs — and your unhealthy cravings — at bay....

Ab exercises can make your hernia worse if they're too intense. Image Credit: Patrik Giardino/Corbis/GettyImages Hernias aren’t very dangerous or life-threatening, but they’re an extremely common injury. Around 600,000 hernia surgeries are performed every year in the United States, according to the Asia Pacific Hernia Society. Whether you have surgery or not, the rehab process takes weeks. If you try to progress too quickly, you can injure yourself again. Advertisement Inguinal Hernias Inguinal hernias are the most common form of hernia....

Peeing after sex can potentially help prevent future infections. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative How Bad Is It Really? sets the record straight on all the habits and behaviors you’ve heard might be unhealthy. So, you’ve just had sex. Now, you’re kinda tired — or maybe just totally relaxed — do you really need to get up and go to the bathroom? Advertisement Short answer: You should. Video of the Day "As a general rule, I'd say that peeing after sex is important to do," ob-gyn Taraneh Shirazian, MD, founder of Mommy Matters, tells LIVESTRONG....

Thermogenic fat burners purportedly work by increasing your metabolism. Image Credit: AndreaObzerova/iStock/GettyImages Want to burn more calories without spending hours in the gym? In this case, you might consider using a thermogenic fat burner to boost your metabolism. Unfortunately, these supplements carry serious side effects and may not be worth the risk, however. Advertisement If you do decide to take fat burners, first make sure your diet is in check. No diet pill can offset the damage caused by poor nutrition....