4 Secrets to Boost Your Energy

Snacks that rev you up

It’s 3 p.m., and you’re nodding off. What to do? Trya glass of water first, experts say, because fatigue can be a sign of dehydration. If that doesn’t work, fuel up on one of these high-energy snacks:

•Oatmeal: Its fiber keeps you full until dinner.
•Celery: Top it with a little peanut butter, and you’ve got a pick-me-up for pennies.
•Dark chocolate: Just a couple of bites may increase blood flow to the brain




Perk up your a.m. coffee

A big splash of nonfat milk turns your morning java into a protein drink, giving you more stamina and a bone boost. Try the Starbucks Grande Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte, a 130-calorie treat with 12 grams of pro-tein and 40 percent of your daily calcium.

Ready, set, revive!

You can increase your energy level 20% just by doing a low-intensity exercise like walking, according to a recent University of Georgia study. Researchers think such light workouts stimulate your body and mind, decreasing fatigue by 65%

Get more zip with Zen

Meditation and gentle yoga do more than just relax you. Reducing stress with these simple Eastern practices is a surprisingly useful way to make you feel more alert and active, according to studies from the University of New Mexico and Ohio State.

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General heart health tips for heart valve problems

Since people with heart valve problems may have other heart problems, it is wise to take steps to improve overall heart health. These steps include:

• Drinking plenty of fluids (especially after exercise) to preventdehydration, which may increase symptoms of lightheadedness and palpitations.
• Keeping your weight within the normal range for your height. Being overweight creates additional stress on the heart.
• Cutting back on or eliminating caffeine (including coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate). Some nonprescription pain medications (such as Excedrin) also contain caffeine. Caffeine increases heart rate and may increase episodes of irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
• Cutting back or eliminating other substances that make the heart beat faster, including alcohol, tobacco, and any medicines that contain pseudoephedrine, epinephrine, or ephedrine, such as cold remedies and allergy medications.
• Preventing fatigue. Get plenty of sleep and rest. If you become overtired, your symptoms may be more noticeable or more severe or may occur more often.
• Using relaxation methods or an exercise program to reduce stress.

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6 Dietary Changes That May Help Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain

Is there an arthritis diet?
Anywhere from 33% to 75% of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) feel that there are some foods that make symptoms, such as stiff and painful joints, better or worse.
However, the scientific evidence is spotty. 

“There’s no compelling data that generalizes all patients,” says Nortin M. Hadler, MD, professor of medicine and microbiology-immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of Worried Sick. 

“There are multiple trials, but the effects are minimal.” Even if some foods do alleviate RA symptoms, it would be hard to sort out individual diet factors, Dr. Hadler adds.

That said, here are six dietary changes that may be worth trying if you have rheumatoid arthritis.

Shed extra pounds

If you’re overweight, losing those excess pounds may take some of the pressure off of your joints.

“If I have a patient with RA who’s overweight and loses 10 pounds, every time he takes a forceful step forward, that’s 30 pounds less on weight-bearing joints [such as the hips and knees],” says Dr. Hadler.

What’s more, it may also improve quality of life. A 2006 study found that overweight and normal weight people with RA had a higher quality of life than those who were obese.

Eat omega-3’s

Several studies suggest that people with RA may benefit from fish oil supplements, which contain inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids.
RA patients are also at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, and fish oil is thought to be good for the heart too.

However, studies suggest that you need to get 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day (a 4-ounce piece of salmon has a little over 2 grams) for 12 weeks, which could get pricey or the diet hard to maintain.

Make it Mediterranean

In a 2003 Swedish study, people with RA who ate a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetable, cereals, legumes, and olive oil for three months experienced improved physical functioning and vitality when compared to RA patients who did not.

The effects of the Mediterranean diet on rheumatoid arthritis long-term are still unclear, but including more fruits and vegetables in your diet isn’t a bad idea.

Consider a vegetarian diet

At least one study found that people who ate a vegetarian or vegan diet reported an improvement in RA symptoms, including pain score, morning stiffness, and grip strength compared to those who didn’t.

However, because these diets are restrictive, many of the participants were unable to maintain them for the yearlong study period.

If you can’t give up meat, then at least try to get a few more greens on your plate. The antioxidants, such as those found in green peas, bell peppers, and broccoli, may protect against tissue damage around the joints caused by free radicals.

Check your vitamins

Some evidence suggests certain nutrients may help patients with RA. For example, some studies showed that vitamin E supplements reduce RA joint destruction and pain, while others do not.

Selenium levels are also thought to be too low in some people with RA. However, only one study has found that selenium reduced swollen joints and stiffness, and it also involved fish oil supplementation, so it’s difficult to determine if selenium can help reduce RA symptoms.

In addition, some RA patients take methotrexate to slow disease progression. But the drug also inhibits folic acid metabolism and causes a range of side effects, including mouth sores, says Dr. Hadler. He suggests folic acid supplements to decrease these adverse effects.

Find out about allergies

Food allergies, especially to dairy and shrimp, may aggravate rheumatoid arthritis. Some people try elimination diets, which involves removing all potential allergens from the diet and slowly adding these foods back to see if they trigger symptoms.

Studies have tested whether exposing patients to foods that had previously upset their RA consistently worsened their symptoms. “You get a smidgen of a hint that food aggravates symptoms,” says Dr. Hadler.

But he explains that there’s tremendous variation within any individual’s symptoms in a given time period, making it difficult to study the effects of elimination diets.

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5 Health Conditions That Can Cause Heartburn

What's causing your heartburn?

When the valve that separates the stomach from the esophagus—the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES—isn’t closed tightly, it can lead to heartburn.
"The LES has to relax to allow the meal to go down," says Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, professor of gastroenterology and chair of the department of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, in Jacksonville, Fla. "But when those relaxations become too many or occur at the wrong time, that allows acid to reflux."
These 5 conditions can affect the LES, boosting your heartburn risk.

Hiatal hernia

Normally, pressure from the diaphragm—the large muscle separating the stomach and the chest—helps hold the LES valve closed. 

In a hiatal hernia, part of the stomach bulges through the diaphragm into the chest. "This causes acid to essentially be pulled up into the chest and keeps the LES from working appropriately," says Dr. DeVault.

You could have a hiatal hernia and never know it; chronic acid reflux may be your only symptom.

Pregnancy

The hormonal changes during the first trimester of pregnancy seem to weaken and relax the LES, says Dr. DeVault. But during the later stages of pregnancy, pressure is the big problem.
The pressure on a woman’s abdomen during pregnancy may be enough to throw the valve out of its proper position.
"There is simply so much pressure that it overcomes even a normal LES, forcing food and acid to come back up the wrong way," he says.

Weakened valve

About one in four people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition characterized by two or more bouts of heartburn a week, have a weakened LES valve.
This allows for more frequent reflux, but little is known about how or why it occurs.
"The best we can tell, it’s just a weakness in that muscle," says Dr. DeVault, adding that it is more common in older people and is often associated with obesity.

Slow digestion

A small group of people with chronic heartburn may have what is called delayed gastric emptying, where “the stomach simply doesn’t empty in the right direction," says Dr. DeVault. "Instead of going the appropriate forward way, it goes the wrong way and reflux occurs."
While it is an unusual cause of heartburn, it appears to be more common in people with diabetes, he adds.
When blood sugar is too high for too long, as can occur in diabetes, it can damage the nerves that help move food through the digestive tract.

Obesity

"There’s been studies that show eating too much, eating too fast, and eating the wrong things—high-fat foods, carbonated beverages—are the things that tend to promote reflux," says Dr. DeVault. 

Stuffing your stomach to the brim with a big meal increases your chances of heartburn by placing added pressure on the abdomen, basically mimicking the effects of pregnancy. 

Obesity in general may do the same, and weight loss can often help.

Quick Cures for Tummy Troubles

Acupressure, tea, and probiotics can really work. Here's how.

By Josh Rutledge
From Health magazine

Tummy troubles—whether it’s gas, constipation, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—often plague women. But experts say new remedies can provide quick and easy relief. Try these five.

Walk it off

Exercise might be the last thing on your mind when your tummy hurts, but “a brisk walk, maybe 10 to 15 minutes, can do wonders,” says gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan, MD, founder of the Digestive Center for Women in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Without exercise, the intestines become sluggish, leading to cramping and constipation.

Press here

“Stress is a common cause of stomachaches, and acupressure can release feel-good endorphins and help you relax,” Dr. Chutkan says. Try this simple trick: For 5 minutes, gently apply pressure in a circular motion with your fingers to the area that’s four finger-widths above your navel.

Don't stuff
Overeating can trigger a stomachache, so when it happens give your body a good, long break from food. “If you had a muscle injury, you wouldn’t push it even harder. You’d rest it. The same is true of a stomachache,” Dr. Chutkan says. Try a liquid diet for a day—broth, water, or fresh juice will do—and then make a habit of eating smaller portions.

Try probiotics

There’s new hope for the 20 percent of the population suffering from IBS, most of whom are women. Research suggests that Align, a probiotic supplement containing Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, can bring real relief for all of the major IBS symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Make time for tea

A warm cup of peppermint tea may help your stomach muscles relax. Repeated studies suggest that oils from the peppermint plant may work as well as drug treatments for IBS symptoms.

30-Minute Workout, No Gym Required

Jumping jacks

Do jumping jacks for 2 minutes.

Side lunge

Stand holding 5- to 8-pound dumbbells. Step right leg out to side and bend knee to 90 degrees, reaching hands down on either side of right foot. Push off right foot to return to standing with right foot directly in front of left foot, arms sweeping up with palms facing in. Repeat on left side with left foot stepping behind right as you return to center; that’s 1 rep. Do 24 reps, then switch lead legs and repeat.

Dancing squat

Stand with right foot forward, a 5- to 8-pound weight in left hand. Squat; touch weight to floor as right hand lifts. Stand, lift left knee, touch right hand to right left in front of you. Squat then stand; touch right hand to left foot behind you; that’s 1 rep. Do 24 reps; switch sides and repeat.

Line hops

Step or hop sideways over a stretched-out jump rope for 2 minutes.

Tipsy bridge and lift

Lie on your back, feet hip-width apart, flexed left foot on a yoga block or telephone book, right foot on the floor. Keeping shoulders and head neutral and abs tight, lift hips so your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower down, then lift right foot, bringing knee in toward chest. Return foot to floor; that’s 1 rep. Do 24 reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Biceps and arm circles

Stand with legs slightly wider than hip-width, a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand, elbows bent and palms up. Keeping spine straight, squat and circle left hand up and in toward your shoulder in a circular motion (as if beckoning someone toward you); reverse to lower hand. Do 16 reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Fast feet

Step quickly forward and backward over a stretched-out jump rope for 2 minutes.

Triceps with a twist

Lie on back with knees bent, a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in right hand lifted so weight is over shoulder. Let knees fall left while bending right elbow until end of weight touches floor near ear. Straighten right arm while lifting hips, legs, head, and shoulders. Lower gently down. Do 24 reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Roll over and sit up

Start lying on stomach, chest lifted, arms stretched overhead, legs straight. Roll to right onto your back, bending knees slightly and bringing arms halfway down; curl up to sitting position as arms move back overhead. Curl back down, and roll back over onto stomach. Do 16 reps, then switch directions and repeat.

Cross crawl

Raise your arms, then lift left knee and bring right elbow down to meet it. Repeat on opposite side; alternate for 2 minutes, moving as quickly as possible. You’re done!

Blast it Off with Yoga

Blast it off!

Want a fat-burning workout that’s fast and blasts away your stress, too? Don’t bother Santa—this is one fabulous gift you can give yourself.

Use this flowing, yoga-with-dumbbells routine from Health’s own yoga guru Kristin McGee to build strength, double your calorie-burn, and decompress. “Concentrating on the movements gets your mind off all of the distractions around you, leaving you feeling peaceful and relaxed,” McGee explains. 

The result? A calm, fit, and incredibly gorgeous you!

Get firm fast

Hold a 2 1/2- to 8-pound weight in each hand and go through the sequence 3 times, flowing smoothly from pose to pose, for a 30-minute, full-body routine. Do it 3 times a week, and you’ll look firmer all over in as little as 3 weeks.

For a firm butt

Targets butt, hips, thighs, abs
Stand with feet together and arms by your sides, shoulders down. Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths; open them, draw in your lower abs, and begin Chair Pose squats: Inhale as you bend your knees, and push your butt back as if sitting in an imaginary chair; exhale and return to standing while squeezing your butt and thigh muscles. Do 20 reps.

For a strong chest

Targets chest, mid-back, obliques, core, thighs (inner and outer), butt, hips

Wrap your left leg over your right leg, touching your left toes to the outside of your right foot (or crossing them behind your right calf, if possible); lower into a squat for Eagle Pose. Inhale as you raise your arms out to the sides to shoulder height, and bend your elbows to 90 degrees for chest flys. (Keep your thighs squeezed and abs engaged throughout the move.)

Exhale and contract your chest muscles as you bring your bent arms together in front of you, then inhale as you contract your shoulder blades to open them back out to the sides. Do 8–10 reps, then return to standing and repeat on the other side.

For a beautiful back

Targets back, triceps, shoulders, waist, thighs, hips, butt

With arms down by your sides and palms facing in, step your left foot back, and turn it out to 45 degrees, pressing the outer edge into the floor (both hips should face forward). Bend your front knee to 90 degrees to come into Warrior 1 Pose, then hinge forward from the hips, keeping your abs engaged. Exhale as you bend your elbows to pull the weights up to hip level, squeezing your shoulder blades together for back rows; inhale as you lower the weights. Do 8–10 reps, then return to standing and repeat on the opposite side.

For shapely shoulders

Targets tops of shoulders, back, arms, inner thighs, butt

Turn your left foot in to come into a wide straddle stance. Walk your feet a little closer together, then turn both feet out to 45 degrees. Push your butt back, and lower into a sumo-type Yogi Squat (keep knees over ankles); let your hands hang down in front of your body, palms facing backward. Inhale as you straighten your legs and lift your elbows up toward the ceiling, raising the weights to shoulder height for bent-arm shoulder raises. Exhale, lowering your arms and returning to squat position. Do 12–15 reps, then rise up with your arms lowered.

For toned thighs

Targets legs, butt, shoulders, arms, abs

Turn your right foot forward, and slide your left leg back; bend your right knee (keep it over your ankle) to come into a long High Lunge Pose. Bend your elbows to bring the weights up to shoulder height, palms facing in; tighten your abs. Inhale and straighten right leg as you press the weights up toward the ceiling for an overhead shoulder press. Exhale as you bend your right leg again to come back into a lunge; at the same time, lower the weights back down to shoulder height. Do 8–10 reps, then step your left foot forward and repeat on the opposite side. After the last rep, step your right foot forward.

Targets waist, abs, butt, back, hamstrings, triceps

Take a step back with your left foot. Engage your abs, and hinge forward at the waist as you lift your left leg straight up behind you until your foot, torso, and head are all in one straight line and parallel to the floor for Warrior 3 Pose. Bend your elbows to pull the weights up to hip level, palms facing in.

Exhale; keeping your upper arms still, straighten your elbows to reach the weights straight out behind you for triceps kickbacks. Inhale as you bend your elbows to bring weights forward again. Do 8–10 reps, then return to standing with feet together; repeat on the opposite side. After the last rep, lower your right foot, and step both feet together.

For gorgeous arms

Targets biceps, triceps, legs, abs, hips

Holding both weights in your right hand, use your left hand to help lift your bent left leg and place it in Tree Pose with your left foot on the inner thigh, knee, or calf of your right leg. Transfer one weight back to your left hand, and tighten your abs. Extend your right hand toward the ceiling, then bend your elbow to bring the weight behind your head so it rests near your upper-right shoulder blade.

At the same time, slightly bend your left elbow to bring the weight alongside your thigh, palm facing up. Exhale as you extend your right arm back overhead in a triceps overhead press; at the same time, curl your left hand up to your shoulder in a biceps curl. Inhale as you return your arms to the previous position. Do 8–10 reps, then return to standing with arms down and repeat on the opposite side.

For awesome abs

Targets entire core region (especially lower abs and inner abs) and legs (particularly inner thighs)

Set weights down, sink back onto your heels, and drop your hips to one side. Swing legs in front of you and set feet on the floor, knees bent; hold one weight between your feet. Engage your abs and lift your bent legs so your lower legs are parallel to the floor; hold the other weight between your hands at chest level in Half Boat Pose. Inhale, hinge torso back, and allow thighs to lower slightly for Extended Half Boat Pose. Exhale and tighten abs to lift back up. Do 6–8 reps, rest for a moment, then do 1 more rep. Return to standing.