DIET FOR VAGINAL HEALTH

Perhaps you or some one you know is prone to yeast infections or UTIs. Maybe you're entering menopause and are concerned about how your changing hormones may affect your vaginal health. Or maybe you're just interested in making some lifestyle adjustments to promote your general sexual well-being. Whatever the reason, just a few simple dietary adjustments can help support your vagina's general health by preventing infections and maintaining the proper pH balance. PROBIOTICS   Your body is a host to all sorts of bacteria, good and bad. Body-friendly bacteria are known as probiotics. A healthy population of probiotics can help keep the bad microorganisms that cause vaginal infections, such as yeast and the Gardnerella bacteria,...

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SQUAT WORKOUTS

If you are looking for a way to tone and tighten your lower body, consider squats. Performing squats engages the muscles in your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Squats can be executed with little to no equipment or space. They can also be modified to target different areas of the legs or to add intensity to the exercise.         PRISONER SQUATS   Performing prisoner squats stimulates all of the muscles in the lower body and core. Begin with your arms extended straight in front of you. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest lifted and sit your hips back like you're about to sit in a chair. Continue the movement until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Squeeze your...

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What Are the Benefits of Doing a Basic Squat?

The squat is a strength-building lower body exercise. It is executed by placing a weighted barbell across your shoulders, then using your legs to lower and raise your body. The movement resembles the act of repeatedly sitting in and standing from a chair. There are many physiological benefits to performing squats regularly. In fact, many athletes view this movement as the most effective exercise for developing total-body strength. MUSCLE GROWTH   The muscles in your thigh are the biggest and strongest of your body. These are also stressed most during the execution of your squat routines. Muscles, when placed under great opposition, release a hormone called testosterone. This biochemical is an essential element to the process...

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Why Real Food is Not Enough Anymore

Supporters of the real food movement cry, "Just eat real food!" They believe that a back to the basics eating philosophy will go a long way towards preventing and reversing many of the health conditions and lifestyle-related diseases that currently afflict Americans. But, is it really just as simple as eating real whole foods? While many of us may think that a diet filled with natural proteins, fresh fruits, and colorful vegetables would be a foolproof prescription for good health, here in the 21st century, these real whole foods may not provide us with the same health benefits as they did for our ancestors. Consider an apple, for example: - It's a real, whole food, right? What is it about the modern apple that makes it any less...

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Tips to Avoid Toxins in Packaged Foods

Have you ever seen Bisphenol-A (BPA) listed in the ingredients of a can of tuna or a can chicken noodle soup? Most likely not. That doesn't mean you're not consuming it. BPA is a synthetic estrogen that has been used to package consumer goods since the 1950s. It can be found in reusable drink containers, DVDs, cell phones, eyeglass lenses and automobile parts. In the grocery store, you are most likely to come into contact with BPA in polycarbonate plastics used for water bottles and in the lining of food cans. It is even in the thermal paper used for cash register receipts. The BPA used in cans and bottles can seep into your food and beverages, and it is especially good at leaching into canned foods that...

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A BUSY WOMAN'S DIET

Trying to fit a complicated diet in with the demands of family, work and social time may seem impossible. Healthy food does not have to take a lot of time to prepare. Nor does it mean that you avoid all conveniences. By learning how to make better choices and with a little planning, even a busy woman can enjoy a diet that helps to manage her weight.       WEIGHT MANAGEMENT   Achieving a healthy weight requires you to manage your calorie intake and physical activity. Eating more calories than you burn in a day results in weight gain, while consuming fewer leads to weight loss. These fundamental basics of weight loss apply whether or not you feel you have enough time to count calories or exercise. advertisement PORTION...

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