Proper posture can prevent pain and injury, says Mayo Clinic. To check if you have proper posture, Mayo suggests the “wall test.” Here’s what it involves: Stand so the back of your head, shoulder blades and buttocks touch the wall. Your heels should be 2 to 4 inches apart. Place a flat hand behind the… read on >
You probably already realize that adding zucchini or carrots to a cake won’t magically make it low calorie or healthy. But you might not realize that there are many foods that sound healthy but really aren’t. It might seem as though bran muffins are the perfect way to get needed fiber, but the 3 grams… read on >
If you’ve been told that your blood glucose is higher than normal and that you have prediabetes, your doctor is likely to first suggest lifestyle steps to stop it from progressing to diabetes. The steps that can have the most benefit are losing weight and improving your diet, which obviously go hand in hand. But… read on >
Some widely used drugs alter the population of microbes in the gut, and a number raise the risk of antibiotic resistance, a new Dutch study shows. The gut microbiome includes at least 1,000 species of bacteria and is influenced by a number of different factors, including medication. Research suggests that changes in the gut microbiome… read on >
Pain relievers like ibuprofen, naproxen and celecoxib are popular anti-inflammatory drugs for back pain, headache and other aches and pains. Though these drugs have a good safety history, the risk of serious side effects rises when the medications are taken for long periods or in high doses, says Harvard Medical School. To ensure you’re taking… read on >
The shoulder normally has a wide range of motion. But swelling, damage or bone changes can cause pain, restrict the shoulder’s use and significantly impact daily activities, says MedlinePlus. To care for shoulder pain, MedlinePlus suggests: Put ice on the shoulder for 15 minutes on and off. Rest your shoulder for a few days. Slowly… read on >
The range of motion of the human thumb makes so many everyday hand movements possible. Whether you’re an athlete gripping sports equipment, a baker whisking egg whites or a do-it-yourselfer hammering a nail, you’d be at a total loss without your thumbs. Yet most people do little to protect these overlooked but essential digits. First,… read on >
Love your chicken parm but not the crazy calorie overload you get at a restaurant? Try this lighter version that’s easy to make at home. Most of the unwanted calories in chicken parmesan come from heavy breading plus the typical big side of pasta. Both bring down the nutrition profile since the breading is made… read on >
Many U.S. parents are selective about their children’s play dates, with nearly one-quarter refusing invitations because they’re not comfortable leaving their child in the other parent’s care, a new survey finds. Their main concerns about play dates include children being unwatched, hearing inappropriate language, getting into medications and harmful substances, and getting injured, according to… read on >
While fewer straight teens suffer depression than did two decades ago, the same cannot be said for lesbian, gay and bisexual teens. For those teens, depression risk remains much higher than among their straight peers, new research shows, and it is not following a similar downward trend. Each year between 1999 and 2017, Massachusetts-based teens… read on >
