For parents of kids who are picky eaters, introducing any new food item into their diets can be a challenge. That challenge gets even more complicated when parents try to introduce kids to vegan or vegetarian diets—especially when they’re doing it at older ages The good news? There are a lot more options now than in the past. Carolyn Scott-Hamilton, a holistic nutritionist, vegan chef, cookbook author, and television personality, points out that plant-based food products have improved in...

After almost a year in quarantine — and experimenting with those living room workouts — chances are you’ve gotten into some sort of workout groove. But even when you enjoy your workout routine, doing the same thing for months on end (alone in your house) is bound to get stale. Although getting into a routine with your workouts saves time and mitigates the mental effort required to motivate yourself, it’s normal to get bored by something you’re doing over and over again. That’s why ...

If running is hard, this is for you—especially if you’re a new runner, or if you’ve been running for a while but you just can’t seem to get any faster. The most important thing you need to learn is this: you get faster by running more, and you run more by running slower. Everybody starts out too fast. You’re not alone. This was me once: running three miles every time I went out, always hoping to beat my time from the previous run. Never actually beating it. When you start, you have two speeds....

What if one of the best ways to feel healthy and confident in our bodies is to shift eating habits in a way that betters the world around us? In 2019, a global group of experts formed the EAT-Lancet Commission and released the planetary health diet as a science-based, accessible solution to the growing population in a struggling environment. For three years, an international team of 37 scientists studied and researched practices around the world and developed a well-rounded ...

If you're the kind of person who preps for a walk by throwing your shoes on and heading out the door, it may be time to rethink your routine. "Many people often skip stretching before walking because they consider walking to be a light or minimal intensity workout," physical therapist Chanha Hwang, PT, DPT, CHC, founder and owner of Fatherly Health and Wellness LLC, told POPSUGAR. "The reality is that stretching before walking allows muscles to warm up, which increases range of mo...

There’s a lot to love about jumping rope—and many benefits of jumping rope that’ll make you want to add it to your routine. This old-school workout tool delivers a cheap, portable form of cardio and total-body strengthening. And it may help you get in an intense, sweaty workout without having to leave your home, which makes it a great choice during these pandemic times. Beyond that, jumping rope can provide a host of serious athletic benefits, from coordination to explosive power...

One of the reasons yoga is so valuable for stress relief is that it incorporates dynamic, or moving, stretches. Moving stretches activate your range of motion, circulating blood and oxygen and delivering nutrients to tissues. This powerful combination is incredible for melting away muscle tension. What's more, Harvard University research has found that activities like yoga that combine deep breathing and active stretching can help reduce stress, tension, and inflammation in the body. Here are...

At last count, 121.5 million adults in the United States have cardiovascular disease. That's very nearly half of the population. Eating a heart-healthy diet can make a significant impact on those numbers, though. People who ate mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes and less red or processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages had up to 20% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, per a 2020 study. In fact, consistent research backs the benefit...

Let’s talk about doing yoga at home. I don’t know about you, but for me the sheltering-in-place and social distancing we’re practicing because of the coronavirus pandemic makes me feel like we’ve dropped into an alternate reality. In some ways it feels like this global crisis is shining a spotlight on all of our cracks and fissures, both in society and within ourselves. But the general chaos of the world is why, to me, this whole situation is kind of an ideal time ...

If you think bacteria are synonymous with “germs,” think again. Probiotics, or the live “good” bacteria that hang out in your gut, are the buzziest new word on the block. In fact, about 4 million people used some form of probiotic products in 2012, according to survey data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But what exactly are probiotics, anyway? While it’s true that certain types of microorganisms can wreak havoc on your immune system, probiotics can actually help ...