Nutrition Corner

This One Simple Diet Change Could Transform Your Blood Pressure: Research reveals that a low-sodium diet significantly lowers blood pressure, benefiting individuals with or without hypertension and those on blood pressure medications.

11 Best Pastas on Grocery Shelves, According to a Dietitian: An expert dietitian shares her picks for the healthiest pastas you can find at the store based on protein, fiber, and more.

Recipe for The Day

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup: This creamy chicken and broccoli soup is delicious and easy, perfect for a busy weeknight! It’s satisfying, loaded with vegetables and full of flavor!

Lifestyle & Fitness Focus

4 Back Stretches: Exercises for Less Pain, More Flexibility

• Knees-to-Chest Back Stretch: To perform the knees-to-chest back stretch: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the back of your thighs or below your knees and pull your legs toward your chest. Pull until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 15 seconds. Return to the starting position.

• Supine Twist Back Stretch: To do the supine twist back stretch: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your back flat on the floor, rotate your hips to the left, lowering your legs down to the floor until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 15 seconds. Return to the starting position. Next, rotate your hips to the right, lowering your legs down to the floor until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 15 seconds. Return to the starting position.

• Prone Bridging Back Stretch: To perform the prone bridging back stretch: Lie on your stomach. Prop yourself up on your elbows, extending your back. Start straightening your elbows, further extending your back. Continue straightening your elbows until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 15 seconds. Return to the starting position.

• Supine Abdominal Draw-In Back Stretch: You can do the supine abdominal draw-in back stretch by: Lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Pushing the small of your back down and into the floor by tightening your lower abdominal muscles. Holding for a count of 10. Returning to starting position.

4 Worst Eating Habits For Your Metabolism

• Eating too many refined carbohydrates and added sugars: Consuming excessive refined carbohydrates, such as sugary cereals and white bread, can cause rapid spikes in your blood sugar levels, followed by blood sugar crashes. These fluctuations can disrupt your metabolism, making it harder for your body to regulate energy and fat storage effectively.

• Not getting enough healthy fats: Not having healthy fats in your diet can disrupt metabolism because fats play a crucial role in hormone regulation and overall metabolic function.

• Crash dietiting: Extreme calorie restriction and crash diets can slow down your metabolism as your body adapts to the reduced calorie intake by conserving energy. This adaptation often results in muscle loss, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight once normal eating resumes.

• Eating a diet low in vitamins and minerals: Eating a diet low in vitamins and minerals can disrupt metabolism because these micronutrients play vital roles in various metabolic processes.

3 Breakfast Ideas for People with Acid Reflux

• Tropical Oatmeal: Oatmeal is not only heart-healthy but also absorbs stomach acid, making it a great choice for managing symptoms of GERD. You can liven up oatmeal with tropical flavors such as papaya, which contains enzymes called papain that have been touted as a natural treatment for heartburn.

• Whole Grain English Muffin: While many people with GERD find soft foods like oatmeal comforting, but often crave foods with a crunchy texture. If this is you, try a toasted whole-grain English muffin topped with nut butter or non-fat cottage cheese. You can cap the meal with a low-acid fruit like peaches.

• Nutty Breakfast Cereal: One of the keys to managing GERD is eating small meals so you can avoid putting pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter. A small bowl of cereal is a good way to manage this in the morning (as long as you choose a low-sugar, whole-grain option).

4 Best Ab Exercises for Visible Results

• Modified V Sit-ups: To perform it, begin on your back. Your hands should be on the ground, and your feet should also be on the floor or in the air a few inches above the ground (which is the more challenging of the two). "Next, drive your upper half off the floor (with your arms assisting in the drive). Simultaneously bring [both] knees up and in toward the chest. Keeping the core braced and abs tight, hold the finish position briefly, and return to the floor with control. Your abdominals will start to burn after a few reps!"

• Stability Ball Crunches: Performing a concentrated abdominal crunch on a stability ball provides the lower back with a soft surface to press into as we crunch, forcing the core to stabilize so that you don't fall off the ball.

• Active Planks: By performing active planks consistently, you'll reap plenty of body benefits, including a strong core, a tight stomach, and the alleviation of lower back pain.

• Dead Bugs: Begin by lying flat on your back, keeping your arms reaching toward the ceiling, over your head. Bring your legs up to a 90-degree angle. Next, lower your left arm to the back of your head, and at the same time, extend your right leg as close to the floor as you can. Return to the floor position, and repeat the move with your other arm and leg.

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