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The best kinds of exercise get your entire body involved in a sustained activity. Playing tennis can keep you physically and mentally active for hours. To minimize the risk of injury from overexertion, try to compete against someone with a similar skill level. Even if you aren't a superstar on the court, just chasing the ball offers plenty of health benefits. Due to the unpredictability and variability of the game, tennis involves a full range of upper-and-lower-body movements. It also provides a solid cardio workout. Playing regularly improves aerobic fitness, lowers body fat and reduces the risk of heart disease. As a weight-loss solution, tennis can help you shed more than a pound a week from just a few hours of court time. There are mental benefits too. Split-second decisions required on the court strengthen connections in the brain. These neural pathways help improve motor skills and memory. The sport also helps older players maintain bone density, muscle strength and agility. Ideally, the social aspect of tennis also relieves stress and anxiety. Just don't try to jump the net unless you're sure of your stride! * Singles or doubles, there's nothing like a game of tennis to blast the fat.
An often-debilitating irritation of the sciatic nerve -- the longest and widest nerve in the body -- sciatica is characterized by pain stretching from the lower end of the spinal cord down the back to the leg to the knee. It's typically caused by a herniated disk, which pushes on a lumbar or sacral nerve root. SEEK HELP FOR THESE SYMPTOMS * Chronic pain in one leg or buttock * Pain that increases while sitting * Sharp pain that makes standing or walking difficult * Intense pain when anything even brushes the outside of the leg * Tingling in the foot or toes TREATMENT For acute sciatica, over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen are helpful. Activities like slow walking and easy stretching will also help, as will hot or cold compresses. For chronic sciatica, physical therapy and painkillers may be required. In the worst cases, surgery may be needed -- either a laminectomy, which reduces nerve pressure by widening the spine, or a lumbar diskectomy, the partial or complete removal of a slipped disk. * A ruptured spinal disk can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, which runs along the base of the spine, causing severe, stabbing pain.
To keep the body running efficiently, the average adult should consume between 1,500 and 2,000 calories daily. Eating a classic breakfast of eggs, sausage, buttered toast and juice supplies the body with enough calories for the entire day. That means you won't burn all the calories consumed for lunch, dinner and in between -- and they'll get stored as fat. Every 3,500 calories stored by the body adds a pound of fat. Instead of a heavy breakfast, consider hard-boiled eggs the night before and eating only the whites, which have a mere 17 calories. Fresh fruit salad, topped with yogurt for protein, is another excellent breakfast option. Lunch should be the biggest meal of the day. At that point, the body needs to refuel. A large, greens-heavy salad -- minus the cheese and creamy dressing -- is best. Since leafy greens aren't meant to sit sluggishly in the intestinal tract, it's important to give your system plenty of time to digest them before bed. For dinner, lentil soup and lightly grilled fish are healthy, lean choices. The nourishing dose of protein -- and the lack of greasy fare -- will make it easier to greet the morning.
This popular full-body workout is a series of movements designed to improve flexibility, balance and coordination. It also strengthens crucial muscles in your stomach, lower back and hips. Named for Joseph Pilates (1883-1967), the German physical trainer who invented it, the dynamic system can be performed on an exercise mat at home or at a studio with special equipment. Focusing on precision and control, concentration and breathing, it results in longer, leaner, more sculpted muscles as well as improved flexibility and posture. BONUS: Just one hour in a beginner's Pilates class can burn up to 300 calories!
Most insect bites and stings result in little more than redness, itching or swelling. In a few cases, though, bites and stings from bees, wasps, fire ants, scorpions and other creatures can cause severe, sometimes fatal, reactions. Some insects such as ticks and mosquitoes can also carry disease. SEEK HELP FOR THESE SYMPTOMS: * Difficulty breathing, or swelling in the throat * Facial swelling or hives anywhere on the body * Confusion, dizziness or light-headedness * Increased heartbeat * Cramps, nausea or vomiting * Any scorpion sting to a child TREATMENT: If the reaction to a sting is mild, remove the stinger, then wash the area with soap and water. Apply a cold cloth or ice, or hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion or a baking soda paste. An antihistamine such as Benadryl may reduce itching. If the reaction is more severe, call emergency services. If the victim has a known condition, an epinephrine auto-injector, or EpiPen, may be required. Do not provide anything to drink, as it may cause choking. If the person starts vomiting, position him or her on their side to avoid choking. In the rare event the sufferer no longer has a pulse, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In the case of a tick bite, remove the bug with tweezers, making sure to get the mouth parts out, and clean the area with alcohol. If a fever develops days or even weeks later, see a physician. * Bee and wasp stings are no fun -- but for people allergic to their venom, they can be deadly.
Everybody needs a little fat in their diet. Organs like the brain require it. And while all types of fat can cause weight gain, some fats are better than others. Avocados, for example, contain loads of healthy, monounsaturated fat, which boosts the body's production of acetylcholine, a chemical that helps the brain learn and remember. It also allows the brain to absorb the fruit's numerous vitamins, including B, C, E and K. Avocados also have large amounts of tyrosine, an amino acid that aids focus and motivation. Walnuts, salmon and soybeans are packed with the fatty acid omega-3, which has anti-inflammatory properties that aid heart health. Just don't overdo the good fat. As with all food, moderation is essential.
Regardless of age, body type or fitness level, people who swim regularly have more energy and remain more active later in life. They also cut their mortality risk in half compared to those who engage in less-intensive exercise like walking. A daily routine significantly reduces heart-related medical issues, tension and chronic fatigue. A water-based workout has built-in advantages. An essentially weightless, zero-impact workout prevents the kind of wear and tear on joints inherent in running and biking. Swimmers also avoid the back strain that can come with hunching over a bike. Additionally, swimming enables people with physical restrictions -- such as those recovering from a bone injury or suffering from a musculoskeletal illness such as fibromyalgia or rheumatism -- to stay active. Because it's impact free, the body doesn't need a day off to recover and rebound.
Also called sun stroke, this condition occurs when the body reaches a dangerously high temperature, of 104 degrees or over. Caused by a combination of factors -- including prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in high temperatures -- it can cause damage to the brain, heart, kidney and muscles, and result in serious complications and even death if untreated. Heat stroke can occur over a period of weeks... or just hours. SEEK HELP FOR THESE SYMPTOMS: * Chronic, severe headache * Nausea and vomiting * Dry, red or hot skin * Absence of sweat in the heat * Dizziness or faintness * Fast, shallow breathing * Muscle fatigue and cramps * Seizures * Loss of consciousness TREATMENT: Call 911. Immediately move the overheated person to a shaded or air-conditioned area. Remove any excess clothing and cool them by immersing them in a cool bath or shower. Apply ice packs or cold compresses on the head, neck, armpits and groin. * For heat stroke, it's fine to drink cool water to rehydrate, but avoid iced drinks, which can cause stomach cramps.
Prep time:10 minutes | Serves: 2 | Per Serving: calories 113, carbs 19.7g, fat 3.6g, protein 2.4g INGREDIENTS: * Fresh watermelon -- 1 1/2 C. seeded and cubed * Frozen strawberries -- 1 1/2 C. * Hemp seeds -- 1 tbsp. * Fresh lime juice -- 2 tbsp. * Unsweetened almond milk -- 1 C. DIRECTIONS: 1) Add all the ingredients in a high-power blender and pulse until creamy. 2) Pour the smoothie into two glasses and serve immediately.
If you've decided to get fit, working with a personal trainer can help you get started. And if you're already in shape, you can still likely benefit. But how do you find a personal trainer who can make sure your workouts are both effective and safe? After all, not all trainers are qualified or skilled enough to design an appropriate fitness program that matches your needs. A good way to find a personal trainer is to ask someone you trust -- a friend, relative, coworker, or health care provider. And if you are considering a particular trainer, don't be shy about getting references. Though some gyms give some free initial lessons, personal trainers don't come cheap: Sessions range from about $50 to well more than $100 in some areas. Here's what to ask a potential personal trainer before picking up the dumbbells: 1) What is your educational and training background, and are you certified? Whether employed at fitness and health club facilities or in private practice, personal trainers in the U.S. often have a fitness-related bachelor's degree and some sort of certification. But more than 100 different organizations certify personal trainers, and there are no national standards. The level of knowledge needed to get certified varies widely among the organizations -- from having a degree in exercise physiology and passing a comprehensive exam to simply laying out the cash and taking an online open-book test. According to a survey of trainers, done by researchers at Brown University and published in Orthopedic Reviews in 2016, "personal trainer fitness related knowledge improves with a bachelor's degree and a more rigorous certification." 2) What organization is the certification from? Among the most respected certifying organizations are the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), which require personal trainers to pass an extensive exam, maintain continuing education credits once certified, and be certified in CPR. While many certifications, like NSCA, require a bachelor's degree, others like ACSM and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) require only a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; some have no education prerequisites at all. Whatever certification the trainer has, it should be accredited by a third-party agency, such as the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA, which is the most reputable) or the Distance Education Accrediting Commision (DEAC). 3) Do you have a specialty area? Does the trainer mostly work with hardcore athletes (such as marathoners and bodybuilders), seniors, pregnant women, or people with biomechanical issues (such as knee and back problems)? If you have a medical condition that can affect your ability to exercise safely, such as osteoporosis, severe scoliosis, asthma, or a prior heart attack, make sure to tell the trainer and find out if he or she has experience in that area. Some certifying organizations give trainers the opportunity to attain a specialty certification or more education in a specialty area. For example, an ACSM trainer may become a "Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer," while under ACE, a trainer may be further trained in such areas as fitness nutrition, senior fitness, and sports conditioning (which focuses on building speed, agility, balance, and strength). 4) How long have you been a trainer? Look for a trainer who has at least a couple of years of hands-on experience (or at least someone not brand new to the job). But other important factors to consider are if the trainer communicates well, is supportive and motivating, suits your personality, and can help you meet your fitness goals. Final note: Personal trainers are sometimes confused with athletic trainers, who specialize in the evaluation, prevention, and rehabilitation of acute and chronic injuries and illnesses, and often provide emergency care at sports events. Working in health care settings or with sports teams (and not typically at gyms), athletic trainers have a minimum of a bachelor's degree (though master's degrees are common) and are certified through the national Board of Certification, a nonprofit credentialing agency established for this profession. In all states except California, athletic trainers must also be licensed.