You already know drinking water is good for your overall health, but fitness expert, celebrity trainer, and star of “Personal Training with Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start” Jackie Warner has a tip to take it up a notch in the weight-loss department. She recommends drinking 3 liters of water with lemon each and every day.

“Adding the lemon helps to detoxify the liver and metabolizes fat, so this can speed up metabolism by about 33 percent,” Warner says. “That burns about 100 extra calories per day!”

Even if you can’t fully change your diet for the better, one simple way to lose weight is to eat just a little less. And the easiest way to do that is by listening to your hunger. Kathy Smith, creator of the “Ageless with Kathy Smith” DVD line, says to eat slowly, savor every bite, and pay attention to when you begin to feel full-otherwise you can consume more calories than your body needs at each meal.

“When you get the signal that you’ve had enough, sprinkle salt on the rest of your plate to avoid nibbling on the leftovers, ” Smith says. “Those little bits of calories can add up quickly over the week.”

Jennifer Cohen, Weight Watchers’ spokeswoman and author of No Gym Required, warns to not just choose foods because they’re marketed as “good for weight loss.” Instead, choose what foods you’re going to eat based on their nutritional value and health benefits. By eating healthy foods that are rich in nutrients, you’re sure to lose weight pretty effortlessly.

“Before you plan a shopping trip or order out, look up the nutritional value of the foods you’re considering and ask yourself if your list matches up with your needs and goals,” Cohen says.

Can losing weight be as simple as eating a salad for lunch every day? Mandy Ingber, the creator of Yogalosophy and celebrity yoga instructor to Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale, Ricki Lake, Brooke Shields, and Helen Hunt, thinks so.

“Replace your lunchtime meal with a large salad loaded with healthy greens,” Ingber says. “If you are a meat-eater, add some lean protein. Load your salad with avocado, nuts, and all sorts of veggies that add color to your meal.”

In order to lose weight, you should never let yourself get too hungry, says Nicole Nichols, fitness expert and editor for SparkPeople.com, who was recently named America’s “Top Personal Trainer to Watch” by ACE and Life Fitness. In fact, waiting too long between meals can encourage overeating later.

“So plan for one to two snacks a day as needed, and you’ll likely eat less and avoid binges later,” Nichols says.

Start juicing: And by juicing, we mean drinking fresh vegetable juice! Tara Stiles, the founder and owner of Strala yoga studio, personal yoga instructor to Deepak Chopra, and author of the best-selling book Slim Calm Sexy Yoga, says that juicing is the best thing she ever did for her health.

“Cucumber, kale, carrot, ginger…it is so good for you, gives you so much energy, and actually tastes good!” Stiles says. “The coolest side effect is that I stopped craving sugar and salts! Just like that, without trying. Amazing!”

Always keep almonds on hand: We all know what it’s like to be out on-the-go, totally hungry with no healthy options in sight. That’s why Kristin McGee, a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor whose clients include Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Christine Taylor Stiller, LeAnn Rimes, and Bethenny Frankel, recommends packing an Altoids-sized container of raw almonds with you at all times. A small portion of any raw nut helps to keep your blood sugar stable.

“The perfect portion size of about 22 almonds, 15 cashews, or eight walnut halves will fit in one, and studies have proven that people who eat nuts weigh less and eat less overall,” McGee says. “The belly-slimming monounsaturated fats are excellent, and each type of nut has great benefits-walnuts have omega-3s and almonds are high in vitamin E. Plus, a little Altoids tin can fit in a purse pocket anywhere, so there’s no excuse!”

Add psyllium and flaxseed to your diet: Very rarely do you get advice to add to your diet, but that’s exactly what star of the new “Get Extremely Ripped: Revved to the Max” DVD, Jari Love’s easy diet secret is. She swears by psyllium seed husks, which are high in belly-filling fiber, and flaxseeds, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, for helping her stay at a healthy weight.

“Take your psyllium husks and flaxseeds, put them both into a Ziploc bag, and shake it up,” Love says. “Keep this mixture in the fridge and add a tablespoon to each protein shake you drink throughout the day. This will help to keep you regular and give you those extra nutrients

Add protein to every meal: Whether it’s meat or a vegetarian protein like tofu or beans, Andrea Metcalf, a healthy lifestyle expert and author of Naked Fitness: The Proven 28 Day Weight Loss Program for a Slimmer, Fitter, Pain-Free Body, says that protein at every meal is a must for keeping away those hunger pangs. “Eat protein with each meal to stave off cravings,” she says.

Don’t drink alcohol standing up: Here’s a simple rule to follow whenever you’re at a party or a happy hour: don’t stand and sip! That’s the advice of Fit Chef Katy Clark from season 7 of Food Network Star. Calories really add up when you’re drinking alcohol, so be extra mindful of each drink, she says.

“I found that I grab a drink because that is the expected party behavior, and I use my drink as a buffer and will just take sips to look busy, even though I’m not really enjoying it,” she says. “Instead, I drink cocktails and wine during great sit-down, relaxed moments. And at the party, I stand with bubbly water or nothing in my hand so that I can give out better hugs!”

Watch your carb serving sizes: While carbohydrates are great for energy, it’s easy to eat way too many if you’re paying attention. Fitness expert and creator of the total-body core training system The Core Transformer Linda LaRue recommends to keep portions in check-especially when you’re eating out.

“Remember that a recommended carbohydrate serving-such as pasta, pizza, bread, or rice-is 1/3 to 1/2 cup. That’s the size of a golf ball or mouse,” she says. “Most restaurants give you three cups of pasta. That’s the equivalent of six carb servings!”

Choose Greek Yogurt: Everyone thinks of yogurt as a pretty healthy snack choice, but all yogurts are not created equal, say the creators of the “Supreme 90 Day” system John Dull and Michele Collier. In fact, many yogurts-including low-fat varieties-are loaded with sugar.

“A better choice is Greek-style yogurt,” they say. “They have more protein per serving and very little sugar. Try adding fresh fruit for an added treat!”

Swap mustard for mayo: Swapping mustard for mayo is a no-brainer. But using spicy mustard is even better, says Dr. Lynn Anderson. This is because hot spicy mustard amps up the metabolism by creating a heat effect in the body, she says.

“To increase metabolism and curb appetite, drink a glass of water mixed with a tablespoon of hot spicy mustard just before dinner. Not only will you increase your metabolism, but mustard seeds are a good source of antioxidants and omega-3s!”

Ditch sugary drinks and sodas: Fred DeVito, co-creator of the “Exhale: Core Fusion” DVD series recommends ditching sugary drinks of all kinds-including regular sodas, diet sodas, and high-calorie coffee drinks.

“Eliminate sugary drinks and diet soda, which can trigger your craving for sweets,” he says. “These beverages are loaded with unwanted calories.”

Try new recipes: Who said healthy eating has to be boring or bland? Lisa Hubbard, star of the “Element: Total Body Pilates with Mini Ball” kit, recommends firing up your creative juices in the kitchen by investing in a new cookbook and trying new healthy recipes!

“Pick-up a new cookbook and experiment,” Hubbard recommends. “Gear towards weight-loss types of recipes.”

words by: Artie

The Argentine researchers blame electromagnetic radiation from the wireless Internet. Without WiFi, there was no significant change in the sperm. But an expert warns not to get too worked up over the findings. “This is not real-life biology. This is a completely artificial setting,” he says. “It is scientifically interesting, but to me it doesn’t have any human biological relevance.” No studies have actually examined the effect of laptop use on fertility and pregnancy, he notes.

Still, despite the numerous negative effects that have been associated with incarceration, could prison also be associated with a positive life outcome for black men?

A research study published by Vanderbilt University sociologist Evelyn Patterson in 2010 shows state prisons are having a positive effect on the mortality rates of black men. Her study estimates the rates of working-age prisoners and non-prisoners by gender and race, and finds that while prison has a “detrimental health impact on most groups,” incarcerated black males at every age experience death rates that are lower than for black males outside of prison.

Between 1996 and 1998, black men not in prison lost almost twice as many years of life between the ages of 18 and 65 as incarcerated black men. In contrast, there was only a slight difference in the mortality rates of incarcerated white men when compared to their non-incarcerated white counterparts.

The study finds that while female prisoners lost 76 percent more years of life than women in the general population, the same is not true for black men, even when researchers control for deaths related to handguns and car accidents, factors that uniquely contribute to the deaths of non-incarcerated populations.

While the disparity can be partially explained by the fact that in prison, black men have access to immediate health care and nutrition if they are in need of medical care, the mortality rates for black men in the general society remain alarming.

“By no means is it true that health care in prison is even up to minimal standards. Across the country, states are facing lawsuits because of prison-related health care crises,” said Dr. Barry Krisberg, Director of the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at UC Berkeley Law School. “This is really an indictment of the type of care available to African-American males in the community. They’re reflecting the condition and quality of health care that is available at the intersection between poverty and race.”

The illusion that prison can fix our health policy crisis is spreading. Last week, James Verone (who happens to be white) robbed a bank in North Carolina of one dollar just so that he could have access to health care. Of course, he probably should have thought that through, as the offense was too minor to likely result in a prison sentence. Still, he made his point.

Some inheritances are a curse. I don’t mean your grandmother’s cabinet of porcelain fawns, nor your uncle’s portfolio of watercolor still lifes, nor the 40 years of Model Railroader magazines stowed in the rafters of your dad’s garage. Worse than any of these is the hand-me-down that could be hiding in your genes. No one wants to wind up with the family’s hereditary disease.

Whether it’s diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or heart disease, having a family history of a hereditary disease can cast a shadow over your life. Some folks try to ignore it, others become obsessed with their family’s medical history and genetics. There’s always that uneasy feeling: Will it get me too?

“A history of hereditary disease can cause a lot of anxiety and worry,” says Adel Gilbert, MS, CGC, a genetic counselor at Johns Hopkins University. “It can really affect your quality of life, or even how you live your life.”

I’ve spent most of my life in this gloom. My father died at 43, unexpectedly, of a stroke. And his father died at 64 (heart attack), and his father at 57 (heart attack), and his father at 61 (stroke). So the average age of death for the past four patriarchs of my family is 56 — a lifespan that would be above average for a 19th century coal miner and superb for a Neanderthal. But it’s not so hot for a man of the 20th century, let alone the 21st.

I’d like to beat the odds. I’m 34 now. I’d like to forestall or avoid the cardiovascular disease that felled my forefathers. Not only would I like to surpass the current record of 64 years — I’d like to exceed that life span by decades.

But is that a foolish hope for a guy with my family history? Is an early expiration date already written indelibly in my genes? Are my chances of getting to 80 any better than a mayfly’s? Under the cover of medical journalism, I turned to genetic experts to find out.

Can Genetic Testing Trump Family History?

“I see lots of people who are convinced they’re genetically doomed,” says Carrie Zabel. She’s a genetic counselor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, whose job is to help people better understand their hereditary risks.

It’s no wonder people can feel so hopeless about their DNA. We view genes and genetic testing with superstitious awe. A news report about the discovery of a gene can sound as ominous as the prophecy of an ancient oracle. Genes seem to control everything — our intelligence, our risk for disease, whether we like anchovies. Each breakthrough in genetic medicine seems to erode a bit more of the tiny allotment of free will that we thought we had.

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Via: MedicineNet.Com

Research shows that there is an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease among men with erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels. The study, conducted by Dr. Giovanni Corona, observed the testosterone levels of men who were seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Many of those men suffered from heart attacks or other major heart problems. A few men that participated in the study died. Corona found that men who had low testosterone levels were more likely to die of heart problems.

“Our work shows that screening for testosterone deficiency in men with erectile dysfunction may help clinicians identify those at higher risk from cardiovascular events,” Corona said in a news release from the European Society of Endocrinology. “However, at the moment we can’t say whether low testosterone levels are the cause or the consequence of this higher risk.”

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Big little stressor No. 1: Insecurity

Not surprisingly, paying bills, managing debt and sticking to a budget scored highest of all the stressors in our survey. But guess what? It’s not about the money, says Thomas Miller, Ph.D., a University of Kentucky psychologist and the author of Handbook of Stressful Life Transitions Across the Lifespan. “Much financial stress actually has to do with uncertainty—about your money situation, yes, but that really means your job. Not knowing specifics about where you stand eats at you like acid.”

Defuse it: Go on a fact-finding mission, Miller says. Demand answers to those elephant-in-the-room questions at work. Ask your boss how you fit into the company’s plans, or what you can do to make yourself more valuable. If he pauses or doesn’t appear truthful, push him with “Can you be more specific?” or even “So do you think I should be concerned?” “The more answers you’re given about your situation, the more clarity you’ll have—and clarity equals control,” Miller says.

Bonus tip: Worried about your job? Relieve your stress by using these 6 tricks to prevent being laid off.

Big little stressor No. 2: Hair loss

More than half the men in our poll felt stressed about their images, and many specified hair loss as the mane, er, main culprit. They’re not alone: A 2005 Mayo Clinic Proceedings review cites multiple studies showing that male pattern baldness negatively affects men’s feelings of attractiveness and body image. “For those guys who are feeling judged by their hair loss, the stress is very real,” Good says.

Defuse it: Reframe the problem as a medical issue, Good suggests. Treating hair loss with transplants costs $4,500 on average, while drug treatments can cost as much as $60 a month, for decades. Then run the numbers and decide if the expense is truly worth it to you, Good says. If it is, then go for it. But if you think you can deal with it as a mere medical inconvenience, you’ll be more easily able to snuff out this stressor.

Bonus tip: Find out which hair-loss treatments work best—and which you shouldn’t waste your money on—here.

Big little stressor No. 3: Exercise

How’s this for a bitter irony: Exercise is a well-known stress buster, yet nearly a third of the men in our poll rated sticking to an exercise program a 7 or higher on a 10-point stress scale. First, you stress about missing a workout or not exercising at all. Second, as you attempt to carve out time to exercise, your stress skyrockets as you cram in all the other things you need to accomplish that day. “That struggle may affect how and what you’re eating,” Miller says, “and now your food intake becomes a stressor.”

Defuse it: Miller suggests portion control—for your workout schedule. Shrink your exercise “portions” by boosting intensity: Turn your cardio routine into a shorter interval workout that alternates sprints with your normal pace. (You’ll also boost fat-burning this way.) If you’re lifting weights, cut your between-set rest in half—go from a minute to 30 seconds between each of 12 sets, and you’ll save six minutes. Then look for ways to condense other activities: showering, cooking, surfing the Web, and so forth. You have the time. You simply have to own it.

Bonus tip: Always have a workout on hand with the upgraded Men’s Health iPhone app. It’s like having your own personal trainer, 24/7, wherever you go.

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The smartest plan for attacking a heart attack is, of course, preventing one from ever happening. Choose three of the following strategies and make them a habit. The closer to the beginning of the list, the more you reduce your risk of heart disease.

1. Drink Five Glasses of Water a Day
Men who drink that many 8-ounce glasses are 54 percent less likely to have a fatal heart attack than those who drink two or fewer. Researchers say the water dilutes the blood, making it less likely to clot.

2. Convince Your Wife to Stop Smoking
Nonsmoking husbands of smoking wives face a 92 percent increase in their risk of heart attack. Breathing secondhand smoke boosts bad cholesterol levels, decreases good cholesterol, and increases your blood’s tendency to clot.

3. Work Out for 30 Minutes, Four Times a Week
Middle-aged men who exercise vigorously for 2 or more hours cumulatively per week have 60 percent less risk of heart attack than inactive men do.

4. Lose 10 to 20 Pounds
If you’re overweight, dropping 10 to 20 pounds lowers your risk of dying from a heart attack. A 10-year study found that overweight people had heart attacks 8.2 years earlier than normal-weight victims.

5. Drink Five Glasses of Water a Day
Men who drink that many 8-ounce glasses are 54 percent less likely to have a fatal heart attack than those who drink two or fewer. Researchers say the water dilutes the blood, making it less likely to clot.

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VIA:  AOLHealth.Com

Colonoscopy:

This procedure is really effective in detecting colon cancer and should be at the top of your list of tests to have.

Heart Tests:

Keeping a close eye on your heart health is essential.  Having your blood pressure checked should be a yearly event.  Blood sugar and blood fats are also important indicators of heart disease.

Testicular Exam:

There are no standard exams to detect testicular cancer, but young men should be aware that they are at risk for this type of cancer.

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