Dangerous Stretching? Potentially Dangerous Stretches. Performing stretches before and after your workout is a great way to increase your flexibility and range of motion. It greatly improves your training and overall quality of life. However, performing stretches when you lack proper flexibility can result in injury. Before your next workout, make sure you know these potentially dangerous stretches and how to avoid them. Full Neck Rotations If you have ever suffered from a neck injury, then avoid doing neck rotations.
Yoga Plough A general yoga practice with slightly different variations, the yoga plough requires you to lie on your back and stretch your legs over your head. A better alternative to stretch your lower back is the cat stretch. Yoga Bridge Though it is a sign of advancement in yoga class, the bridge compresses your spinal disks and can leave you with pinched nerves. To achieve a great abdominal stretch without putting pressure on your spine, try this safer approach. Hurdle Stretches Static Stretches before Training. 10 Surprising Facts about Calories. The latest scientific word is that it doesn’t matter which diet you choose: What counts is calories and if you eat too many of them—in whatever form—you’ll gain weight.
If that notion sounds a bit old-fashioned or runs counter to your latest weight-loss strategy, think again. A study published on Jan. 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows what happens when you consume too many calories. Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center randomly assigned 25 healthy young men and women an extra 1,000 calories a day on a low-protein diet, a high-protein diet or a normal-protein diet for eight weeks. The volunteers all gained about the same amount of body fat, regardless of which eating plan they followed. The moral of the story? If you’re trying to slim down, remember that calories still count. Learn about the 7 dieting myths that may be dangerous to your health. Here are 10 surprising facts about calories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Not you? 7. Which has more calories? 8. 7 Fitness Myths, Busted. Did you make a New Year’s resolution to get fit in 2012? The fitness resolution is a perennial on the top 10 list of the annual promises we make to ourselves, just after the all-time winner “lose weight”).
If you haven’t moved many muscles since high school gym class, you might not be up to speed on fitness myths, a stubborn bunch that just won’t die. A dose of reality right about now might strengthen your resolve. Here’s a rundown on the seven top evergreen exercise myths that you’ll probably hear but can safely ignore: Build a home gym for under $150 No Pain, No Gain Maybe this one took on a life of its own because it rhymes and is so easy to remember. Figure out what to eat and when to eat Stretching Before Exercise The idea here is that stretching before and after you exercise can prevent injury while you’re working out and muscle soreness afterward. Exercise Speeds Metabolism for Hours Use these 10 creative tips to burn calories Crunches Lead to Sixpack Abs Ice Eases Muscle Pain. Heart Attack Symptoms You Are Most Likely to Ignore. Heart attacks in older adults (especially those in their 80s and beyond, or in those who have dementia or multiple health conditions), can mimic many other conditions.
But an overall theme heard from those whose loved ones suffered heart attacks is that in the days leading up to and after a cardiac event, they "just didn't seem like themselves. " A good rule of thumb, experts say, is to watch for clusters of symptoms that come on all at once and aren't typical of your normal experience. For example, a normally alert, energetic person suddenly begins to have muddled thinking, memory loss, deep fatigue, and a sense of being "out of it.
" The underlying cause could be something as simple as a urinary tract infection, but it could also be a heart attack. If your body is doing unusual things and you just don't feel "right," don't wait. 10 Surprising Clues You'll Live to 100. Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore. One of Men’s Health’s top experts, T.E. Holt, M.D., a physician in North Carolina, tells this story about one of his patients: A man came in, dragged by his daughter because, she explained, he had been steadily losing weight and was covered in big lumps.
The lumps had been growing for 2 years, maybe more, she said. I had no doubt, from the moment I saw him, that this man was dying. He had lumps as big as my fist on his forehead and his back, and as I came closer and moved around him, more came into view. When I pressed deeply into his belly, I felt a solid rock where there should have been yielding space. It was metastatic sarcoma, a rare cancer of the connective tissue. When it comes to their health, says Dr. And why not? Here’s the problem: Things kill us all the time. Most of us, I'd hope, would call a doctor if we were struck by blinding head pain, suddenly couldn't feel one side of our body, or, frankly, noticed fist-size bumps emerging from our foreheads. 1. NO FLU FOR YOU! 14 Little Changes for a Healthier Life. “Is that you, Daddy?” It was a good question, from my six-year-old, who stumbled across the corporate I.D. card in my wallet the other day.
The picture was taken in 2003, right after I started at Men’s Health. My daughter was asking the question not because I looked 8 years younger, but because I looked 20 pounds heavier. “It’s me, sweetie,” I said. She looked at the picture inquisitively. That too was a good question, especially in the figurative sense. I wear contacts instead of glasses.I don’t put sugar in my coffee.I don’t drink soda very often.I exercise about an hour a week.
That’s pretty much it. Aim to drink the leftover milk in your cereal bowl each morning to get more vitamins, or hold your fork in your non-dominant hand to slow your eating, or "forget" your glasses the next time you're at the gym so you won't get distracted. To that end, here are 14 more small changes you can make today that will make you fitter, healthier, and happier tomorrow. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Billboard Near Brickyard Warns NASCAR Fans of Cancer-Hot Dog Link. Billboard Near Brickyard Warns NASCAR Fans of Cancer-Hot Dog Link Image of Hot Dogs in Cigarette Pack Highlights Health Risks of Processed Meats WASHINGTON—A huge billboard near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway warns NASCAR Sprint Cup fans that chowing down on hot dogs could seriously damage their health. The billboard is sponsored by the Cancer Project of the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Located at 3612 W. 16th St., the billboard features an image of hot dogs sticking out of a cigarette pack emblazoned with the skull and crossbones. It reads: “Warning: Hot dogs can wreck your health,” and directs race fans to www.CancerProject.org. Last year, at the Indianapolis 500 race, concession stands at the speedway served more than 1.1 million hot dogs. “A hot dog a day could send you to an early grave,” says PCRM nutrition education director Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.
Studies also show a strong link between other types of cancer and processed meats. Easy Ways to Add 20 Years to Your Life. If you think that how long you’ll live is based on how long your grandparents and parents live, you’re only partly right. While genetics certainly have an impact, you have more control than you might assume.
“By the time you turn 55, only about 30% of how quickly you age is based on your genes, as compared to 50% when you’re younger—the rest is due to your lifestyle choices,” says Michael Roizen, MD, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic. To figure out about how many years certain habits can add to your life, Dr. Roizen created the RealAge test, which uses data from hundreds of studies by groups including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics. With his help, we’ve gathered the most important habits and estimated how much longer each one may extend your life.
Four Ways to Get a Workout While Watching TV. Why not get a workout while you watch TV? After a hard day at work many people, including myself, want to relax and watch television. Break the habit of eating while watching your favorite show and create a new custom. Get into a new routine by working out while watching your favorite program. #1 Pedal during the program With a mini pedal exerciser you can pedal during your favorite television program. . #2 Lift hand weights while you watch Hand weights can be used in a seated position while watching TV. . #3 Gain flexibility while watching TV It is easy to stretch your muscles while watching TV. . #4 Intervals of high intensity during commercial breaks Enjoy pedaling, hand weights, or yoga during the television show. Why not accomplish two things at the same time?
More from Rebecca Bardelli: Four Wild Ways to Get an Eerie Workout All Year Long How to Burn 200 Calories in a Half Hour Playing the Wii A Look Inside the Brain After Two Players of the Cleveland Browns Leave with Concussions. 6 Signs You Need a New Dentist. 9 Things You Didn't Know About Your Ears. 5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke. Few things feel more terrifying and random than a stroke, which can strike without warning.
And fear of stroke -- when a blood vessel in or leading to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients -- is well founded. After all, stroke is the number-three killer in the U.S., affecting more than 700,000 people each year. Here are five foods that cause the damage that leads to stroke. 1. Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration. Why it's bad For years scientists have known trans fats are dangerous artery-blockers, upping the concentrations of lipids and bad cholesterol in the blood and lowering good cholesterol.
What to do 2. How to Tell if Someone Is Having a Stroke 3. 4. 5. 5 Nutrients You're Not Getting Enough Of. After a long hard day at the office, I crave a manly dinner. Something that will sharpen my mind, feed my muscles, and infuse me with energy to keep up with two young kids till bedtime. So, often, I have a bowl of cereal. With bananas and whole milk. Mmm. Do I feel like I’m depriving my body of key nutrients? Here's the good news: These nutrients are readily available in the foods you know and love. 1. The shortfall: Vitamin D is created in your body when the sun's ultraviolet B rays penetrate your skin. Hit the mark: First, ask your doctor to test your blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. YOU, IMPROVED: If you have a problem, we have your solution. 2. The shortfall: Nutrition surveys reveal that men consume only about 80 percent of the recommended 400 milligrams (mg) of magnesium a day. Hit the mark: Fortify your diet with more magnesium-rich foods, such as halibut, navy beans, and spinach.
DID YOU KNOW? 3. 4. 5. THIS WEEK'S MEN'S HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS! 20 Habits That Make You Fat. Decades ago, around the time of Steven Tyler's last haircut, a completely wrong-headed idea started being passed around America's dinner tables: Eating fat makes you fat. Wrong. Eating fat won’t make you fat, any more than eating money will make you rich. Calories make you fat, and most “low-fat” or “fat-free” foods actually have just as many calories as their full-fat versions, because of added sugar and chemicals. And there’s no debate on this one: Since we made “cut down on fat” our favorite food craze roughly 30 years ago, the U.S. obesity rate has doubled.
Among children, it has tripled. That’s a failed food policy if ever there was one. But it’s just one of many “get fat” habits that can be turned into a “slim-down” habit, starting today. FAT HABIT #1: Eating "low-fat"It sounds crazy, but I want you to stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. FAT HABIT #3: Sleeping too little or too much DID YOU KNOW? FAT HABIT #5: Drinking soda—even diet! FAT HABIT #8: Watching too much TV. 10-Year-Old 'Workout Kid' Has Grade Schoolers Sweating And Football Coaches Drooling.
How to relieve eye fatigue caused by your computer screen | Technology News Blog. Go easy on your eyes with these tips for reducing eye strain After finishing up a hard day's work, many of us come home bleary-eyed with a raging headache — but we don't have to. In this digitally-inclined era, most people spend the lion's share of a work day online, parked in front of a computer. And all of that online activity — from digging through a bloated inbox to tinkering around in a spreadsheet — means staring at a bright, back-lit screen for hours on end. Common complaints like red, irritated eyes, headaches, neck pain, and blurred vision are all underlying symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome, a widespread medical condition common in these high tech times. Unfortunately, going home doesn't exactly spell relief; odds are you unwind in front of a screen too.
If you're willing to buy an accessory to tackle your ailing eyes head-on, there are a few products worth considering, all with different approaches. Antec LED Halo 3M Glare Reducing Task LightPrice: $97 on Amazon. Dr. Oz's Essential Health Tips: Men. The Top 5 Killers of Men. It was a sunny September day in the Pacific Northwest, and Jeff Hale had just closed a $1.5 million deal. To celebrate, he was taking the afternoon off, relaxing on his patio lounge, and playing ball with his dog. That's when he began feeling compression high in his chest, some pain in his left shoulder, and an unsettling sense of dread. At 44, he was in relatively good shape, although 15 pounds overweight and under a lot of stress from work. At first, he thought it was an asthma attack and took a hit off his inhaler.
"There were two things from that article I recalled," he recounted to our reporter a few years ago. Heart disease is the number one killer of men, claiming the lives of nearly 400,000 fathers, friends, brothers, and sons every year. To raise the awareness of the health threats uniquely facing men, we’ve put together a list of the most popular ways to die as a man in America. But, as Jeff Hale learned, our fates are not sealed. What’s that? But fine, let’s say it’s true. 5 Diet Rules It's OK to Break. 10 diet and exercise myths that pack on pounds - Healthy Living on Shine. Believing popular misconceptions can keep you from taking the right course of action to reach your goals, says Julia Valentour, MS, program coordinator and media spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. Blaming a plateau (or a gain) on any of these half-truths will keep you stuck in your rut and derail your motivation.
Here, 10 of the most pervasive diet-related rumors and the real scoop on how to hit your goal weight for good. Get dozens of ideas that make weight loss easy here! 1. It's important to incorporate strength training into your routine so you burn calories at an optimal rate all day long-and using heavier weights could help maximize your efforts. Drop 11 pounds in one month! "You can outeat your workout," says Valentour. How many calories do you really need? 3. Another biological challenge women face is that we generally have more body fat than men do, and our bodies are more inclined to store it.
How to stop overeating for good 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 8 Sneaky ways to burn calories without sweating - Healthy Living on Shine. 7 Secrets of Slim People. 5 Reasons Men Shouldn't Blow Off Going to the Doctor.