Smart Exercise Modifications for Knee Pain

For many of us, exercise is the part of the day we look forward to. But for those who struggle with chronic pain, working out isn't enjoyable. It hurts.
 
Knees are particularly vulnerable to pain during exercise (and afterwards).  There are several common exercises (from lunges to those performed in kneeling positions) that are known to cause knee discomfort. But rather than skip some of these very effective moves, you can modify your workouts and still get great results—minus the pain.  
 
Here are four exercises that can cause knee pain, along with some simple tips to modify the exercise so that you can perform it safely and effectively.

6 Lessons from Motherhood That Will Spark Your Fitness

Hi! I’m Tina, the face behind the healthy living blog Faith Fitness Fun, where I discuss a variety of topics related to health and fitness. Join me as I share some ways I used motherhood to actually help me get fitter than I ever have before!
When it comes to being a fit mommy, popular media like to focus on celebrities who drop all their baby weight and have six pack abs within six weeks of delivery. The messages that weight loss and fitness progress should happen in the blink of an eye can discourage those of us without access to personal chefs and hours to spend with trainers. I want to tell you not to get discouraged!

I know from personal experience that, with a little consistency, persistence, and balance, changes can happen and you can have a fit, healthy, and strong body. After my son’s arrival in January of this year (in an ice storm, no less), I had 30 plus pounds I needed to lose to reach my happy weight.

I achieved my Body After Baby goals with the help of some lessons from motherhood. And that’s what I want to share today because I know you can do it. Whether or not you’re a parent, these six lessons I learned from motherhood can help your goals too!

10 Things You Should Know About Heartburn

Heartburn is a serious condition, and living with it takes a toll on you. But staying informed about what causes it, how to treat it and when it may be more than just indigestion can be helpful when it comes to managing discomfort.

1. Heartburn isn’t the only symptom. That uncomfortable burning sensation in your chest is the most common sign of acid reflux, but some people don’t experience it. Instead, they may have trouble swallowing or even cough up blood. Acid reflux happens when your sphincter muscle (which connects the esophagus to the stomach) relaxes at the wrong time and stays open too long (it normally only opens for a few seconds when you swallow), allowing stomach acid to flow back up into the esophagus, explains Lauren Gerson, MD, associate professor of medicine and gastroenterology at Stanford University.

2. Antacids may not be enough. For occasional heartburn, antacids like Maalox or Tums work well. But if you’re experiencing symptoms at least twice a week, or if it’s so bad that it’s interfering with your daily life (it’s keeping you up at night, for example), see your doctor. You might be one of the 10 percent of Americans who have chronic acid reflux, which is known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). This condition needs to be treated by cutting off acid at the source, and drugs like Prilosec and Nexium can help by turning off the acid pumps in the stomach. Many of these meds are now available over the counter, but talk to your doc first to confirm your diagnosis. She may also suggest a higher, prescription-only dose.

Yoga 101: Poses for Beginners

New to yoga? Try these basic yoga poses to get stronger and more flexible.
 
Mountain Pose

• Stand tall with feet together, shoulders relaxed, weight evenly distributed through your soles, arms at sides.
• Take a deep breath and raise your hands overhead, palms facing each other with arms straight. Reach up toward the sky with your fingertips.

6 Tips to Transition Workouts from Summer to Fall

Days get shorter, temperatures dip, and the leaves fall from the trees. Fall brings many changes, but that doesn't mean your workouts have to suffer. Instead of letting these autumnal changes bring upon excuses for exercising, look for the opportunity in each of them to renew and revamp your workout routine.

To make your workouts work with the season change rather than against it, try one of these excuse-proof tactics.

Change it up. No matter what the season, it's important to switch up your workouts. Don't let your body expect and adapt to the same mode of exercise. So, the change of seasons is an excellent time to "trick" the body and try some new twists to your workouts.   Listen for cues from your body to tell if it's time for a workout changeup: are you bored, are your workouts inconsistent, and are you not motivated?  If so, it's time to switch things up. If you've been running all summer long, try adding in some strength training. If you've been a cardio machine queen, try some new group classes instead or personal training sessions instead. You could also add in different kinds of workouts, like metabolic work or tabata workouts.

Easy Afternoon Energizers

Do you get that afternoon slump even on plenty of sleep? It’s normal. “Natural circadian rhythms cause your core temperature to drop between 1 and 3 o’clock, making your brain think it’s bedtime,” says Michael Breus, PhD, author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan. Stay alert by:

1. Taking A Nap/Caffeine Break Combo

If you’re home during the day or have an office door you can close, quickly drink a cup of cool coffee or black tea, then take a 20-minute nap. (Set a timer on your phone or computer so you don’t oversleep.) After 20 minutes, the caffeine should start kicking in and you will have gotten some rest while waiting, says Dr. Breus.

2. Doing Jumping Jacks

Vigorous exercise (the kind that really boosts your heart rate quickly) is the next best thing to a nap in terms of making you feel refreshed, says Ann Romaker, MD, medical director of St. Luke’s Sleep Disorder Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Even short bursts of activity can increase levels of adrenalin and cortisol, two body chemicals that give a shot of energy to your system.

Live to 100: 10 Diet Tips to Live Longer

Longevity is the new buzzword. You can't walk into a bookstore without tripping over a best seller about extending your life. With good reason: Centenarians are one of the country's fastest-growing demographic groups; in fact, the U.S. Census Bureau projects they'll increase almost sixfold by 2050. So what's the secret to living longer and healthier? "Good nutrition can extend your life by not just years but decades," says Richard Flanigan, MD, assistant clinical professor of cardiology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Aurora and author of Longevity Made Simple. We've uncovered 10 strategies to help you tap the culinary fountain of youth.
 
1. Snack on Watermelon

Tomatoes steal the spotlight for being antioxidant powerhouses, but watermelon actually packs more cancer- and heart-disease-fighting lycopene, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Age-Proof Your Body. Eating the juicy fruit also helps increase amounts of arginine, an amino acid that helps keep arteries healthy, a key factor in preventing heart disease, the number one killer of women.

Boost the benefits: Store uncut melons on the counter. "Watermelons produce more lycopene at room temperature than when chilled, probably because they continue to ripen," Somer says. Lycopene levels in unrefrigerated watermelons rose about 20 percent in two weeks (they didn't change at all in melons that were refrigerated) in a recent USDA study. 

Are You in Control of Your Worrying?

Test your knowledge about the causes and effects of worrying so you can learn how to better cope with everyday stress.

1. Men tend to worry more than women.

• True
• False

How to Keep a Long Commute from Wrecking Your Healthy Habits

"I don’t have enough time to get in a good work out." "I’m too tired when I get home to cook dinner." I am guilty of these statements. I have a full-time job, a long commute, a personal blog, a house that needs cleaning, and a boyfriend who needs attention. Most importantly, I have a healthy lifestyle. That’s right – I have found a way to balance it all even with a demanding job and a 75-minute commute to and from work. I’ve adapted to the long commute and workday, and will reveal some helpful tips to keep your diet and workouts on track.
 
Once I landed my first job and was thrown into the real world, I realized that people were not kidding when they said, "There are not enough hours in the day". Sometimes, you can’t control the amount of hours you put in at work each day. Traffic and train delays will slow you down, too. Not everything is in your control, but leading a healthy lifestyle definitely is.
 
I recommend working out in the morning. Not only do you feel energized for the long day ahead, but also you are guaranteed to fit it into your day. If you end up having to stay late at work, you’ve already completed your workout for the day.
 
Even though sometimes I feel like crying when my alarm goes off at 4:45 AM, I always feel so much better after a workout. Exercising in the morning will give you the energy you need to get through the day. Thinking about the long commute and workday ahead can be stressful. Exercise will help relieve that feeling before it even starts! Below are some tips that can help you stay motivated.

The Metabolism-Boosting Workout

It's one of our most flab-melting routines ever: Eight of the best lab-tested toners mixed together to boost your metabolism, with no sweaty cardio required. You'll get up to three times more firming per rep as you torch a third more calories each minute -- during and after your workout -- compared with typical strength training. The skinny secret? Supersets! Cutting out downtime between sets, as with these alternating pairings of moves that work opposing muscles, "increases your metabolism not only because your heart rate stays higher throughout but also because the body works harder afterward to recover," says Mark Schuenke, PhD, assistant anatomy professor at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine. Schuenke's research suggests that the bonus after-burn for a 140-pound woman can be up to 306 calories in the 24 hours postworkout. All you'll need is a set of five- to eight-pound dumbbells and a sturdy chair to net this slimming side benefit. Go on -- turn up the burn! 

7 Things You Didn't Know About Your Taste Buds

You probably already know that your taste buds have something to do with your food preferences, but you’ll likely be surprised to learn how deeply those preferences are rooted in your body's survival instincts. We spoke to the experts to learn more about taste buds, and uncovered loads of surprising information, from how pregnancy can affect taste to why some people have more sensitive palates. Read on to learn seven surprising facts about taste buds.

1. You can’t see your taste buds.
Those bumps you see on your tongue when you say “ahh”? They aren’t taste buds. “Those round projections are called fungiform papillae and each has an average of six taste buds buried inside its surface tissue,” says Linda Bartoshuk, PhD, director of human research at the University of Florida Center for Smell and Taste. Specialized taste receptors inside the taste buds allow us to distinguish sweet, salty, sour and bitter—and a possible fifth taste called umami, which has a savory element––by sending a message to the brain. And you don’t just have taste buds on your tongue—they’re everywhere, from the roof of your mouth to your throat and stomach.

2. Not everyone has the same amount of taste buds.
According to Nicholas Bower, MD, district medical director at MedExpress, the average adult has between 2,000 and 10,000 taste buds. People who have more than 10,000 are considered to be "supertasters" because they taste things more intensely. “Research has shown that supertasters don’t like vegetables very much because they taste bitterness so intensely,” says Dr. Bartoshuk. “They also may find very sweet desserts, like crème brûlée, to be over-the-top sugary.” To find out where you fall on the taste spectrum, Dr. Bartoshuk recommends an easy at-home test: Apply a couple of drops of blue food color to your tongue and swallow a few times. Then examine your tongue's surface; fungiform papillae won’t pick up the dye, so they’ll look like pink polka dots on a blue background. If your tongue appears to be almost solid pink, then you have tons of fungiform papillae and may be a supertaster.

3. Taste and flavor are not the same thing.
Taste is what your taste buds pick up: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and potentially umami (the fifth savory taste). Flavor is a combination of taste plus smell, specifically "retronasal olfaction," which is how your brain registers scent when you eat something. For example, sniffing a chocolate doughnut will send a scent message through your nostrils to one part of your brain, and eating it will send a different type of scent signal to a different part of your brain. It is the scent message from eating that combines with taste to create flavor. However, according to Dr. Bartoshuk, the scent message from smelling with your nose is not involved with flavor at all (your brain knows the difference between the two).

Five Solutions for Serious Sweating

The last few days of summer are rapidly approaching, and we’re all trying to get in as many warm-weather workouts as possible. But with the rare day of scorching temperatures still popping up, outdoor exercisers can experience dehydration and excessive sweating. We spoke with experts from the International Hyperhydrosis Society to find out how to keep cool, stay dry and recognize when sweating becomes serious. 

Staying on Track When Life Changes Drastically

A lot of changes have occurred in my life in the past two months.

I quit my full-time job to become a freelance writer and healthy living blogger at Peanut Butter Fingers. Then my husband accepted a new job and we moved--into a hotel. We couldn’t find a house to rent in our new hometown right away, which led us to living in a hotel on weekdays and living at my parents’ house (two hours away) on the weekends.

Needless to say, all of these big life changes affected my normal eating habits.
I no longer had access to a real kitchen. No stove. No oven.

In the beginning I was tempted to throw in the towel and rely solely on microwaveable meals to get me though the transitional time until we moved into our rental home.  

Three days of frozen burritos later, I felt lethargic and knew I needed to introduce fresh produce, whole grains and unprocessed foods back into my diet.

I made an action plan.

The first obstacle?

10 Things Your Daughter-in-Law Wants to Tell You

It’s so true that when you get married, you marry your spouse’s family as well. No matter what, you'll see your in-laws time and again at family gatherings, holidays, and birthdays--and even more regularly if you live close. Your relationship with your spouse's family can be wonderful, but even the best relationships can have tension.

Take the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship: You’ve got two women who love the same person fiercely (albeit differently), and it can lead to weird, unnecessary competition. Add in the fact that you (a younger generation) are figuring out how to do things your own way, and comments from your mother-in-law can seem judgmental, even if they come from a good place. Likewise, she (an older generation) can feel like her experience and knowledge isn’t taken seriously when you want to do things your own way or act against her sage advice.

A little open communication and understanding can go a long way when it comes to this relationship. So can remembering what brought you into that relationship in the first place: love. In that vein, mothers-in-law, here are just a few of the things your daughters-in-law want to tell you.

What to Expect in a Barre Workout Class

Editor's Note (Nicole Nichols): I've been getting bored with my usual strength-training workouts lately, so I started experimenting with barre workout DVDs. I truly love the new challenge and variety that they provide. Barre workouts are super trendy and don't appear to be going away any time soon, so I asked Andrea Rogers, creator of the Xtend Barre workouts (and the Xtend Barre DVD I recently reviewed) to share her insight with you. Here's a little more info about barre exercises and what you can expect when trying your first class.
 
By Andrea Rogers, Xtend Barre workout creator

If you are staying on top of fitness trends you know that "barre workouts," which are designed to give you a long, lean dancer-like physique, are all the rage these days. Barre studios are popping up in every major city across the globe, along with a variety of DVDs you can do at home. While all barre workouts differ slightly in structure, most methods incorporate exercises done at a ballet barre (you can use the back of a chair at home) combined with elements of ballet, Pilates, and yoga.  Barre exercises rely mainly upon one's bodyweight for resistance, and the moves challenge your core stability and balance. Barre workouts are designed to help an individual achieve a “dancer’s body” — strong, sleek, and streamlined.
 
So why are barre workouts so popular among celebrities (think Madonna and Kelly Ripa) and regular folks alike?