Wellness

Feature

• Fight the Winter Blues

  A panel of experts gives us their single best piece of advice on how to escape feeling blue when the cold, dark days of winter are upon us.

• The Ultimate Summer Hygiene Guide

  Heat, activity and sweat can all take a toll on your hygiene. Herewith, our guide to staying fresh and clean all summer long.

• Keeping Bedbugs at Bay

  Media hysteria notwithstanding, bedbugs are not the end of the world. Our expert entomologists tell you how to live and let live in these bedbug times.

• Get a Jump on Your Fitness with Plyometrics

  Want to be quicker, more explosive, stronger, and more balanced? Here's a plyometrics program that will get you there.

• Plan to Ski or Snowboard? Strengthen up Now!

  Get physically prepared to hit the slopes by doing this winter-sports workout now, and be ready to rip it up when those first flakes fall.

• How to Make First Pick at the Team Tryout

  Whether you're going out for a school or amateur team, a squad for football or bowling, here's how to make the cut.

• The Best Fall Sport for Cardio

  Which fall sport gives you the best cardio workout -- and thus, the greatest heart fitness? We declare a winner.

• Meet Women at the Gym Now!

  The health club can be a great place to meet the ladies -- if you know how. We'll walk you through five common gym scenarios and arm you with the best plans of action.

• Return to Work Way Ahead of the Game

  You need a vacation -- without phone and email interruptions. Here’s how to enable your office to function without you and look like a hero when you return relaxed.

• Winning Water-sport Workouts

  Want to be the best surfer, boogie boarder, windsurfer or water skier out there? Try these three easy strength- and endurance-building workouts.

• Triumph With Your Own Beach Olympics

  Don’t just lie there in the sun: Set up these summer contests, which will keep you fit and having fun.

• Conquer the Biggest Mud Runs

  Take an obstacle course, add earthly sludge, and you've got the hottest new fitness challenge. Here's the 411 on the biggest mud runs and how to prep for them.

• Find Your Best Softball Field Position

  You're playing league softball but aren't sure which position to go out for? This softball aptitude test will tell you which softball field position is best for you (and your team!).

• How to Throw a Ball Farther

  It's softball season! Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Mike LaLuna reveals how to add distance and velocity to your throws.

• Play These Video Games to Perform Better … in Life

  The proof is in: Video games improve physical and mental skills that come in handy in the real world. Here's what to play to get an edge.

• Fit Your Bike For the Perfect Ride

  Want to get more out of cycling? You’ll need to make your bike an extension of you. Here’s how.

• Get Strong With Olympic Lifts

  Looking to achieve tremendous gains in strength, speed and agility … like an Olympian? Try Olympic lifts, weight training techniques sure to chisel you into a gym warrior.

• 25 Ways to Have the Best 2010

  Here’s the only article you need to read to be fit and healthy in the new year -- and beyond.

• From Frat Brothers to Fat Brothers

  If staying lean is a struggle, you just might be hanging out with the wrong crowd. Here’s how to stop your friends from making you fat.

• Be Your Alpha Best

  Want to be your team’s alpha male? The leader out in the field? Just remember: The climb to the top all starts in your head.

• 6 Ways to Fight the Flu for Real

  You don’t have to let the cold and flu season have its way with you. Boost your immune system now.

• The Ready-for-anything Workout

  Want to be fit enough to conquer Tibet’s highest mountains? Or maybe “just” pass a fireman’s fitness test? All you have to do is master this exercise regimen.

• Go From Stick to Thick

  It's tough to bulk up. But even “hard gainers” can add muscle if they follow these crucial tips.

• Don’t Brave the Summer Sun Till You Read This!

  Think it’s wimpy to slather on sunscreen, wear hats and avoid the brightest outdoor rays? Then you better be man enough to stare down melanoma, the most common form of cancer for young adults.

• Live Healthy Now -- Have More Sex Later

  Think what you do today has no bearing on your sex life tomorrow, or the day after? Think again.

• Alert: You’re Pushing Yourself Too Hard

  Taxing your body to its limits: Cool. Suffering cardiac arrest and heatstroke: Not so much. Here, the top four warning signs.

ExpertQA

• Is there anything I can do to make my mind sharper, faster? My gray matter appears to be working fine, but I want to be even faster on my feet. Any exercises I can do to get the mental edge?

• Does stretching really help prevent athletic injuries?

• I've never given a speech before in my life -- and now I have to for work. How do I get through it?

• How often should I change a razor blade? And is there anything else I need to know about keeping a razor in prime shape for a great shave?

• My nipples are feeling sensitive. I'm a guy! Is this weird?

• I'm a smoker, which is a huge turnoff to a lot of girls. I'm going to quit on my birthday in September but want all the help I can get. What's the latest research?

• What should I do when I get a sports injury? Apply ice? Heat? Ice and then heat? I'm totally confused.

• A bunch of my coworkers are doing a juice cleanse. What's with this trend? Are there any real benefits?

• I'm starting to see "green" dry cleaners everywhere. What does that mean? Am I really damaging the earth (or myself) if I dry-clean my shirts the old-fashioned way?

• I've been seeing ads for shoes that will help me build muscle just by walking in them. Sounds too good to be true. Is it?

• Is there any way to prevent the flu when the seasons change?

• I want to strengthen my core, but I'm just not a yoga or Pilates kind of guy ... and there's no way I can afford a personal trainer. What can I do at home or at the gym that will give me the same benefits?

• After dieting and exercising for two months, I'm starting to notice real results. I know how to get through the holidays -- choose the healthy items on the table, eat sensible portions, etc. -- but it's a lot easier said than done. How do I make myself actually do it?

• My girlfriend practically passes out whenever I take off my shoes. Is there any way to fix this problem short of wearing my shoes to bed?

• I'm often under a lot of stress at work. How can I prevent the pressure from affecting my performance?

• When should I let people "work in" while I'm on a machine? And in a work-in situation, should everyone keep changing the weight and seat settings back for the other person?

• Now that the vernal equinox is arriving, is there some kind of grooming equivalent to "spring cleaning"? Maybe some way to give my skin and hair some extra attention?

• I have a lean bone structure. Does this mean my muscles will also be on the small side? Will I never be able to build bulk that competes with big-boned men?

• I use my MP3 player so often that I’m surprised the earbuds haven’t become permanently attached to my ears. Should I worry about hearing loss? How much music can you listen to before you start going deaf?

• My company just gave me a cell phone -- and I’m not happy about it. I don’t want to be expected to check email and be accessible by phone at all hours of the night, on weekends and vacations. How do I set limits or at least find out what kind of limits I’ll be able to set?

• I’m trying to stay in shape by participating in cardio activities (running and cycling). The problem is, afterward, not only do I want to eat more, I want to eat stuff that’s bad for me (usually food filled with fat or sugar). This seems counterproductive. How can I avoid this syndrome?

• I want to run faster to improve my sports performance, but some of my friends say you're born with a maximum running speed. Is that true, and if not, what can I do to get quicker?

• I want to make sure I'm operating at optimum physical performance. Can my doctor help me get there? If so, what kinds of tests should I ask him to perform to make sure my body is perfectly "calibrated?"