You’re eating healthier than ever, but your muscles feel flabby, your energy is sapped and your jeans feel increasingly snug, particularly in the belly, hips and rear.
The sad truth: Metabolic rate (the number of calories we burn in a day) plummets as we age, decreasing about 1 percent each year after we hit 30. But research shows there are things you can do to help combat metabolic slowdown.

“When our metabolisms slow down isn’t just age-related,” explains Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “Body composition, which is determined by genetics, diet and activity, also plays a major role.”

Read on for five ways to keep your fat-burning furnace humming.

1. Build muscle. Since fat is burned in your muscle, you want to activate as many muscle fibers as possible. Weight training increases lean muscle mass, which raises the amount of calories your body uses, even when you’re at rest. What’s more, since there’s less fat in your body (and your muscles), blood moves better so you have more energy — without eating more food. So if you haven’t been incorporating strength training into your fitness routine, now is the time to start!

2. Start eating! “Your body is a ‘refuel as it goes machine,’ which simply means it needs to be consistently fed to provide energy to live,” explains Mark MacDonald, author of the bestselling book Body Confidence. “This type of consistent feeding stabilizes your blood sugar levels and creates internal hormonal balance” — and that keeps you from packing on the pounds. His advice: Eat within an hour of waking to kick-start your metabolism. Then keep eating every three to four hours ending an hour before bedtime.
3. Nosh on protein at every meal and snack. Protein has a greater metabolic boost than fat or carbohydrates. Biting, chewing, swallowing and digesting food takes energy — it’s known as the thermic effect of food and it can burn up to 30 percent of the calories on your plate. The more complex the food (think steak, legumes and fibrous vegetables), the more calories you burn as it travels through the digestive tract. Protein also contains leucine, an amino acid that prevents muscle loss when you’re dieting. A simple strategy: For a quick and easy snack, keep peanuts in your pocketbook, trail mix in your desk drawer and hard-boiled eggs in the fridge.

4. Get moving. Interval training with bursts of high intensity cardio will stoke your metabolic rate and keep it humming for hours. So instead of logging in your regular half-hour on the treadmill at a steady 4.5 mph pace, try the interval option or hit the road and take advantage of changes in the terrain. Run in the sand or up hills and use landmarks to signify a change of pace. And squeeze in extra calorie burning whenever you get the chance, advises Gerbstadt.
5. Drink water. Studies show that people who drink 8-ounce glasses of water eight to 12 times a day have higher metabolic rates than those who drink four. Want to lose an extra 6.6 pounds a year? Drink half a liter of water before breakfast. According to researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., people who downed water before their first meal of the day consumed an average of 75 fewer calories at breakfast than those who didn’t drink up first.

We’ve all read the signs of a heart attack listed on posters in the hospital waiting room. But what if there were other, earlier signs that could alert you ahead of time that your heart was in trouble?

It turns out there are. Researchers have done a lot of work in recent years looking at the signs and symptoms patients experienced in the months or even years leading up to a heart attack. “The heart, together with the arteries that feed it, is one big muscle, and when it starts to fail the symptoms can show up in many parts of the body,” says cardiologist Jonathan Goldstein of St. Michael’s Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Here are five surprising clues that your heart needs checking out. Any of these signs — and particularly two or more together — is reason to call your doctor for a workup, says Goldstein.

1. Neck pain

Feel like you pulled a muscle in the side of your neck? Think again, especially if it doesn’t go away. Post-heart attack, some patients remember noticing that their neck hurt and felt tight, a symptom they attributed at the time to muscle strain. People commonly miss this symptom because they expect the more dramatic acute pain and numbness in the chest, shoulder, and arm. Women in particular are less likely to experience heart pain that way, and more likely to feel twinges of pain and a sensation of tightness running along the shoulder and down the neck, says Margie Latrella, an advanced practice nurse in the Women’s Cardiology Center in New Jersey and coauthor of Take Charge: A Woman’s Guide to a Healthier Heart (Dog Ear, 2009). The pain might also extend down the left side of the body, into the left shoulder and arm.
Why it happens:

Nerves from damaged heart tissue send pain signals up and down the spinal cord to junctures with nerves that extend out into the neck and shoulder.
What distinguishes it:

The pain feels like it’s radiating out in a line, rather than located in one very specific spot. And it doesn’t go away with ice, heat, or muscle massage.

2. Sexual problems

Having trouble achieving or keeping erections is common in men with coronary artery disease, but they may not make the connection. One survey of European men being treated for cardiovascular disease found that two out of three had suffered from erectile dysfunction for months or years before they were diagnosed with heart trouble. Recent studies on the connection between ED and cardiovascular disease have been so convincing that doctors now consider it the standard of care to do a full cardiovascular workup when a man comes in complaining of ED, according to cardiologist Goldstein says. “In recent years there’s been pretty clear evidence that there’s a substantially increased risk of heart attack and death in patients with erectile dysfunction,” Goldstein says.
Why it happens:

Just as arteries around the heart can narrow and harden, so can those that supply the penis. And because those arteries are smaller, they tend to show damage much sooner — as much as three to four years before the disease would otherwise be detected.
What distinguishes it:

In this case, the cause isn’t going to be immediately distinguishable. If you or your partner has problems getting or maintaining an erection, that’s reason enough to visit your doctor to investigate cardiovascular disease as an underlying cause. “Today, any patient who comes in with ED is considered a cardiovascular patient until proven otherwise,” says Goldstein.

3. Dizziness, faintness, or shortness of breath

More than 40 percent of women in one study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, reported having experienced shortness of breath in the days before a heart attack. You might feel like you can’t breathe, or you might feel dizzy or faint, as you would at high altitude. If you can’t catch your breath while walking upstairs, vacuuming, weeding the garden, or doing other activities that previously caused you no trouble, this is a reason to be on the alert.
Why it happens:

Not enough blood is getting through the arteries to carry sufficient oxygen to the heart. The heart muscle pain of angina may also make it hurt to draw a deep breath. Coronary artery disease (CAD), in which plaque builds up and blocks the arteries that feed the heart, prevents the heart from getting enough oxygen. The sudden sensation of not being able to take a deep breath is often the first sign of angina, a type of heart muscle pain.
What distinguishes it:

If shortness of breath is caused by lung disease, it usually comes on gradually as lung tissue is damaged by smoking or environmental factors. If heart or cardiovascular disease is the cause, the shortness of breath may come on much more suddenly with exertion and will go away when you rest.

4. Indigestion, nausea, or heartburn

Although most of us expect pain from any condition related to the heart to occur in the chest, it may actually occur in the abdomen instead. Some people, particularly women, experience the pain as heartburn or a sensation of over-fullness and choking. A bout of severe indigestion and nausea can be an early sign of heart attack, or myocardial infarction, particularly in women. In one study, women were more than twice as likely as men to experience vomiting, nausea, and indigestion for several months leading up to a heart attack.
Why it happens:

Blockages of fatty deposits in an artery can reduce or cut off the blood supply to the heart, causing what feels like tightness, squeezing, or pain — most typically in the chest but sometimes in the abdomen instead. Depending on which part of your heart is affected, it sends pain signals lower into the body. Nausea and light-headedness can also be signs that a heart attack is in progress, so call your doctor right away if the feeling persists.
What distinguishes it:

Like all types of angina, the abdominal pain associated with a heart problem is likely to worsen with exertion and get better with rest. Also, you’re likely to experience repeated episodes, rather than one prolonged episode as you would with normal indigestion or food poisoning.

5. Jaw and ear pain

Ongoing jaw pain is one of those mysterious and nagging symptoms that can have several causes but can sometimes be a clue to coronary artery disease (CAD) and impending heart attack. The pain may travel along the jaw all the way to the ear, and it can be hard to determine which it’s coming from, says cardiovascular nurse Margie Latrella. This is a symptom doctors have only recently begun to focus on, because many patients surveyed post-heart attack report that this is one of the only symptoms they noticed in the days and weeks leading up to the attack.
Why it happens:

Damaged heart tissue sends pain signals up and down the spinal cord to junctures with nerves that radiate from the cervical vertebrae out along the jaw and up to the ear.
What distinguishes it:

Unlike the jaw pain caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), tooth pain, or ear infection, the pain doesn’t feel like it’s in one isolated spot but rather like it’s radiating outward in a line. The pain may extend down to the shoulder and arm — particularly on the left side, and treatments such as massage, ice, and heat don’t affect it.

FAT HABIT #1: Eating “low-fat”

It sounds crazy, but I want you to stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.

FAT HABIT #2: Not seeking nutrition advice

Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn’t budge.

FAT HABIT #3: Sleeping too little or too much

According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.

FAT HABIT #4: Eating free restaurant foods

Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden’s free breadsticks or Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you’re adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that’s 450 calories. That’s also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What’s worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.

FAT HABIT #5: Drinking soda—even diet!

The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.

FAT HABIT #6: Skipping meals

In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal.

FAT HABIT #7: Eating too quickly

If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What’s 66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you’ll lose more than 20 pounds a year!

FAT HABIT #8: Watching too much TV

A University of Vermont study found that overweight participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an additional 119 calories a day on average. That’s an automatic 12-pound annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you’ll be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard associated with tube time.

FAT HABIT #9: Ordering the combo meal

A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal.” Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you’re likely to buy more food than you want. You’re better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won’t be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.

FAT HABIT #10: Facing the buffet

Cornell researchers found that when eating at a buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid fixating on the food.

FAT HABIT #11: Eating off larger plates

One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6 percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for seconds.

FAT HABIT #12: Putting serving dishes on the table

Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.

FAT HABIT #13: Choosing white bread

A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts.

FAT HABIT #14: Taking big bites

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller your bites, the thinner your waistline.

FAT HABIT #15: Not drinking enough water

Adequate water intake is essential for all your body’s functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories. That’s enough to shed five pounds a year!

FAT HABIT #16: Having overweight friends

Research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms that you’re exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal (“Let’s split the cheesecake!”)

FAT HABIT #17: Eating too late

Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn’t too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal Obesity looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days, and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily calories and had the highest BMIs.

FAT HABIT #18: Not using a scale

Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less frequently. Avoid being thrown of by natural fluctuations in body weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day.

FAT HABIT #19: Drinking fruity beverages

Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.

FAT HABIT #20: Eating when emotional

A study from the University of Alabama found that emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum, chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an automatic response that doesn’t involve food and you’ll prevent yourself from overloading on calories.

You’ve stuck your toes in the sand and fired up the grill. The burgers are sizzling. An ice-cold Corona and a panoply of toppings awaits. Sounds like the recipe for a perfect summer afternoon.

And the formula for a killer headache, it turns out.

Mind-numbing headaches are more likely to strike as the mercury rises, a recent Harvard University study says. The researchers found that for every 5°C increase in temperature, the risk of severe headache jumped by 7.5 percent. That’s bad news for the more than 8 percent of American men who suffer from migraines or severe headaches—an ailment inversely correlated with age, according to a 2008 Centers for Disease Control report.

But the heat may not be the only perpetrator at play. Even the pickle on your burger—which contains headache-inducing nitrates—could be the source of your summertime brain pain. “Migraines are often triggered by a combination of things—whether it’s food or alcohol or weather,” says Alexander Mauskop, M.D., neurologist and director of the New York Headache Center. And these factors may spark more diffuse headaches in those who aren’t migraine-prone, he says.

You shouldn’t have to sacrifice summer fun for relief. Skipping meals can also trigger headaches, so when you sense an oncoming ‘ache, make these simple food swaps instead.

The trigger: Diet soda

The sugar substitute aspartame lurks in diet soda, yogurts, and the tabletop sweeteners Equal and Nutrasweet. While some research says its innocent, the FDA has received thousands of complaints about aspartame-induced headaches and dizziness, among other maladies.

Your move: Switch to Splenda. “It’s chemically closely related to sugar, so we think it’s less likely to give you a headache,” says Dr. Mauskop.

The trigger: Barbecue sauce

“We call it Chinese restaurant syndrome—the effect of too much MSG,” Dr. Mauskop says. “It’s a food enhancer, which is why restaurant food often tastes so much better.” While it may please your palate, it beats up your brain, potentially—and painfully—tightening it’s blood vessels. Soups are the most common culprit, but MSG also hides in barbecue sauce, potato chips, and processed meats.

Your move: Manufacturers rarely refer to it as MSG. So check food labels for its sneaky pseudonyms: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, sodium caseinate, yeast extract, hydrolyzed oat flour, texturized protein, and calcium casinate. Or, simply purchase packaged foods that say “MSG-free.”

The trigger: Hot dogs

“Nitrates and nitrites affect the nitric oxide system in the brain,” says Dr. Mauskop. “Nitric oxide is released during a migraine attack.” The resulting headache may hit within minutes or hours after eating smoked and cured foods.

Your move: It’s simple: Skip the summer sausage and hot dogs, and throw fresh meats on the grill. And don’t top your food with sauerkraut, which also contains the compounds.

The trigger: Alcohol

You likely know a thing or two about hangovers. But in migraine-prone people, the wine-induced throbbing may strike almost immediately, says Dr. Mauskop. That’s because it contains tyramine, sulfites, and histamine, all of which may trigger migraines. Red wine and other dark drinks like bourbon and whiskey are more likely to cause morning-after headache, too, thanks to certain pigments thought to trigger inflammation. Alcohol can also deplete your magnesium stores, a possible cause of headache.

Your move: Opt for clear beverages, such as gin or vodka, which are less likely to trigger a migraine, Dr. Mauskop says. Your perfect drink: The Bloody Mary—it contains vodka and tomato juice, which is rich in alcohol-metabolizing fructose.
The trigger: Cheese

Tyramine is a byproduct of fermentation found in beer and wine, but also in certain cheeses and pickled food. It’s thought to signal release of the excitatory neurotransmitter norepinephrine, resulting in blood vessel constriction and increased heart rate. And for migraine-prone guys, this may equal a head pounder.

Your move: Rethink your burger toppings. Trade tyramine-rich aged cheeses (like Swiss, blue, and parmesan) for American or cottage cheese, and ditch the pickles entirely. If you crave a little crunch, top your patty with fresh cucumbers instead.

The trigger: Dark chocolate

The amino acid phenylethylamine isn’t innately evil—it’s the substance in chocolate responsible for your post-Snickers euphoria. The cocoa-dwelling compound triggers the release of serotonin and catecholamine, brain chemicals that help regulate mood, but also make the blood vessels in your brain constrict. This, or a resulting chemical reaction in the brain, may start the throbbing, says Dr. Mauskop.

Your move: “The better the chocolate, the darker it is, the more likely it’s going to give you a headache,” Dr. Mauskop says. That’s not an excuse to inhale a milk chocolate bar, though. Satisfy your sweet tooth with chocolate pudding—it’s less concentrated with cocoa and provides a shot of magnesium, which can help alleviate migraines, he says.

They say that abs are made in the kitchen. If you’re working hard toward a six-pack, why not start stocking up on these foods today?

1. Plain or Greek yogurt: We all know that yogurt is good for us, but did you know it’s also good for maintaining your flat abs? For a nice mid-section, nutritionist and owner of Essential Nutrition For You Rania Batayneh says to reach for the kind that’s plain flavored or Greek. “The probiotic bacteria in most yogurts help keep your digestive system healthy, which translates into a lower incidence of gas, bloating, and constipation, which can keep your tummy looking flat.”

2. Whole grains: Set aside the white bread and rice and swap them in for whole grains such as 100-percent whole wheat bread, lentils, and brown rice. “A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains trimmed extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects,” registered dietitian Erin Palinski says. “This may be due to the decreased insulin response to whole grains versus refined carbohydrates, making it easier to mobilize fat storage.”

3. Cruciferous vegetables: That means, broccoli, brussels sprouts, asparagus, peppers, and yellow beans, which contain vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, and fiber, Batayneh says.

4. Monounsaturated fats: New research indicates that a diet high in monounsaturated fats like olive oil can help us lose some of that belly fat, even without changing calorie intake or adding in additional exercise, Palinski says.

5. Vinegar: A Japanese study found that the substance that gives vinegar its sour taste and strong odor might fight fat. “The study found that in overweight individuals who consumed 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily for 12 weeks had significantly lower body weight, BMI, visceral (belly) fat, and waist circumference than the control group that didn’t consume any vinegar,” Palinski says. “Researchers feel this may be due to vinegar’s acetic acid, which may switch on genes that pump out proteins that break down fat.”

Worst Habits That Hurt Your Back
Back pain isn’t just about heavy lifting or sleeping the wrong way. Here, 14 surprising everyday habits that cause aches and pains—and how to feel better.
Get to the Bottom of Your Back Pain
Back pain sends more patients to doctors than any condition other than the common cold.

It’s the fifth most common reason for hospitalizations and third most common cause of surgery. And 56% of people with lower backaches say symptoms disrupt their daily routines, including sleep and sex. Talk about a pain in the…back.

There are many possible causes of back pain, which means there are also many non-invasive solutions, according to Todd Sinett, a chiropractor and co-author of The Truth about Back Pain. “Back pain is rarely one catastrophic event,” he says in the book, “but several situations combining to create pain.” And it turns out that some seemingly insignificant everyday habits can take a big toll on your back over time. Here, the top 14 mistakes that may be causing your aches and how to correct them.

1. You’re Chained to Your Desk
Did you know that sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing?

Let’s be honest: Maintaining proper posture is probably the last thing you’re thinking about when under a major work deadline. And on a jam-packed day, regular stretching breaks may not seem like a wise way to spend your time. But skipping these habits may cause your back to suffer. That’s because back muscles will weaken if you don’t use them; inactive joints lose lubrication and age more quickly.

Fix it: Sitting at a 135-degree angle can reduce compression of the discs in the spine, so lean back slightly every now and then. Do it when you take a phone call or a co-worker stops by to chat, Sinett recommends. Make sure your office chair supports the curve of your spine, he says: Your lower back should be supported, and your head should be straight—not lurching forward—when you look at your computer screen. Get up and walk around for a couple of minutes every half hour—take trips to get water, use the bathroom, or grab papers off the printer.

2. You Have a Long Commute
Just like at your desk, hunching over a steering wheel can tighten chest muscles and cause your shoulders to round.

Slumping posture can zap energy and make you look heavier, not to mention cause back and neck problems. Back pain is the number one complaint of the patients of Darran W. Marlow, DC, director of the chiropractic division at the Texas Back Institute, and he advises them to first think about their driving posture.

Fix it: “Be sure you sit at a 90-degree angle, close to the wheel so you don’t have to stretch,” he says. “Extending your leg puts your back in a compromised position, but many people don’t even realize they’re doing it.”

3. You’ve Been Ditching the Gym
Get moving to alleviate aches and pains and fix back pain faster.

New research shows that 40% of people become less active after back pain strikes—a strategy that’s likely to delay healing or even make their condition worse.

Fix it: In fact, most sufferers would benefit from more exercise—particularly frequent walks, which ease stiffness, says spine surgeon Raj Rao, MD. For instant relief, he recommends stretching your hamstrings and hips. Moves like these will take some strain off your back.

4. You Don’t Do Yoga
By improving circulation and lowering stress, just about any kind of exercise promotes back pain recovery. But yoga may be best.

University of Washington researchers say yoga eases lower-back pain faster than conventional exercises. In a different study, 101 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The first group took weekly yoga classes and practiced at home; the second group participated in weekly exercise sessions developed by a physical therapist, plus practiced at home; and the third group received a self-help back care book. After 3 months, the yoga group had better back-related functioning, compared with the other two groups. And after 6 months, patients who took yoga reported less back pain and better back-related functioning. Because it promotes deep breathing and relaxation, as well as stretching and strength, yoga may help with both emotional and structural triggers of back pain.

Fix it: You can find yoga classes everywhere—at gyms, YMCAs, and local studios. Make sure to tell the instructor about your pain so she can help modify certain moves for you.

5. You’re Addicted to Crunches
Sit-ups and crunches may actually cause more back pain than they prevent, according to Sinett.

We hear all the time how a strong core protects your back, which is true. But crunches don’t work the ab muscles that stabilize your back. In fact, they can contribute to pain by causing what Sinett calls core imbalance, “a condition of excessive compression, which results in the spine curving forward in a C-like shape.”

Fix it: You don’t have to ditch crunches entirely, but you should do them slowly and use proper form. Include them as part of a broader core workout that also strengthens your transverse abdominus. This muscle is particularly important for a strong, steady core that supports your back, and the best way to strengthen it is with (noncrunch!) exercises like these. Added bonus: You’ll whittle your middle and beat hard-to-torch belly fat while improving posture and relieving back pain.

6. You’re Not the Healthiest Eater
Research shows that eating habits that are good for your heart, weight, and blood sugar are also good for your back.

Finnish research found that people who suffered from back pain were more likely to have clogged arteries to the spine than healthy control subjects. Healthy circulation brings nutrients to the spine and removes waste, says Sinett. If this doesn’t happen, inflammation can result, and inflammatory chemicals in the back can trigger nerves to send pain signals to the brain.

Fix it: A back-healthy diet is one that reduces inflammation, according to The Truth about Back Pain. The book’s plan advises avoiding excess caffeine and processed foods (read ingredient labels for the following: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, enriched wheat flour, words ending in –ose, and additives that end in –ates or -ites), and eating more whole grains, soy, nuts and seeds, protein (chicken, fish, lean meat), vegetables, and fruit.

7. You Carry Your Entire Life in Your Purse
A stuffed-to-the-gills handbag may cause back damage that’s comparable to a sports injury!

When you tote a heavy bag, your shoulders become imbalanced, says Sinett. Your body elevates the shoulder carrying the bag, which throws your spine off-kilter. Doing this every day can cause back muscles to ache over time.

Fix it: First, carry the lightest bag possible. (Some of today’s styles—with chains, studs, and other hardware—are heavy even when empty!) The American Chiropractic Association recommends that your bag—when fully loaded—weighs no more than 10% of your body weight. Alternate which shoulder you carry the bag with from day to day, and consider splitting your stuff between two bags (one for each arm), which will painproof your load by distributing it more evenly.

8. Your Mattress Is from Another Decade
Can’t remember the last time you replaced it? Your back may be in trouble.

A good mattress lasts 9 to 10 years, according to the National Sleep Foundation, but consider replacing yours every 5 to 7 years if you don’t sleep well or your back throbs. A study at Oklahoma State University found that most people who switched to new bedding after 5 years slept significantly better and had less back pain.

Fix it: When you do replace your mattress, take a Goldilocks approach: Pick one that’s not too squishy or too hard. Very firm mattresses can increase pressure on the spine and worsen pain, say Spanish researchers. A study of 313 people revealed that those who caught Zzzs on medium-firm mattresses were more likely to report pain improvement than those on firmer ones. To help ease nighttime discomfort even more, tuck a pillow under your knees if you sleep on your back, between your knees if you’re a side sleeper, or beneath your stomach and hips if you snooze on your belly.

9. Your Bike Isn’t Adjusted Quite Right
Do you routinely get a sore back after even a leisurely bike ride? You may need to adjust your equipment.

Anywhere from 30 to 70% of bike riders experience some form of back pain, according to Jennifer Chu, MD, an associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and a chronic pain expert blogger for Wellsphere. You don’t need to give up on this great form of exercise, but you should make sure your bike is properly fitted for you, advises former US Olympic cycling coach Ed Burke, PhD, of Colorado Springs, CO.

Fix it: Try this quick test: When you straddle a road bike or hybrid, the bar should be about 1 to 2 inches from your crotch. On mountain bikes, allow 3 to 6 inches. As for your seat height, your down leg should be fully extended when the heel of that foot is on the pedal in the 6 o’clock position. Now put the ball of that foot on the pedal; there should be a slight bend in your knee in the down position. You should be able to keep a slight bend in your elbows and not feel stretched out when holding the handlebars. If your bike isn’t adjusted properly, check with a local bike shop or bike club to find someone who can properly fit it for you.

Another tweak that can help: Tilt the front tip of your saddle down about 10 to 15 degrees. This simple adjustment takes pressure off your lower spine and pelvis, research shows. When researchers made this adjustment for 40 recreational cyclists who had back pain, the pain went away in 72% of the group—and another 20% reported significant reduction in pain.

10. You Have a Thing for High Heels
Or flip-flops. Both lead to foot instability, which can in turn affect your back.

High heels force you to arch your back, making your spinal muscles work harder. Backless shoes like sandals cause your feet to move from side to side, according to Sinett, which distributes your body weight unevenly and can cause pain.

Fix it: You don’t have to forgo trendy footwear—just don’t walk long distances in them. Commute in comfy flats or supportive sneakers, and consider adding cushioning inserts to uncomfy shoes. When Lehigh University researchers gave back-pain sufferers lightweight, flexible shoes with simple cushions, 80% reported significant relief within a year.

11. You Ignore the Pain
Trying to block out pain could make it worse, finds research from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

A better approach: Let yourself consciously experience the hurt. In a standard pain test, psychologists had 68 back-pain sufferers plunge their hands or feet into ice water. When the volunteers were instructed to suppress the shock of the icy water, a key muscle in the back clenched. In contrast, the muscle didn’t tense up when volunteers thought only about the shock. Over time, an increase in muscle tension intensifies pain, says lead researcher John W. Burns, PhD.

Fix it: Accepting pain may be the best way to mentally cope. “Try thinking about the sensory details of the experience, not the negative emotions,” says Burns. “If you have a back spasm, describe the pain to yourself—if it’s burning or throbbing—and remind yourself that it will pass.”

12. You Hold a Grudge
To err is human. To forgive could make your aching back feel simply divine.

When researchers at Duke University Medical Center studied 58 women and men with chronic lower-back pain, they found that those who practiced forgiveness experienced less anger, resentment, depression—and aches. “Our emotions, muscle tension, and thoughts can directly influence the strength of our pain signals,” says researcher James W. Carson, PhD.

Fix it: Forgiveness isn’t a once-and-done act; it involves choosing, again and again, to replace anger and resentment with understanding toward someone who has done you wrong. Try this: First imagine someone you love. Think, May this person be at ease, happy, healthy, safe, and secure. Repeat, imagining yourself, then someone you don’t know personally. Finally, bring to mind someone for whom you don’t have good feelings.

13. You Don’t Veg Out Enough
It’s not all in your head—chronic or acute stress can directly trigger back pain.

When you’re under the gun, your whole body clenches up, including the muscles in your neck and back. But muscles that contract need to relax eventually, says Sinett. If you’re stressed all the time and those muscles stay tight, it can eventually cause major pain.

Fix it: Sometimes even just realizing that stress may be at the root of your pain can help, says Sinett. Then you can prioritize ways to calm down each day, be it through exercise, laughing with a friend or partner, reading a good book, etc. One particularly helpful therapy, research shows, is listening to music.

In an older Austrian study of 65 people who had herniated disks, researchers found that a combination of music and relaxation imagery significantly reduced lower-back pain. Everyone got standard medical care (painkillers, physical therapy), but half also listened to music and performed relaxation exercises every day. After 10 days, the music group reported less pain while climbing stairs, getting out of bed, and even sleeping. After 21 days, the music group’s overall pain was more than 40% less than the nonmusic group. “Music helps reduce stress hormones and muscular tension,” says researcher Franz Wendtner, a psychologist at the General Hospital of Salzburg.

14. You Watch Too Much TV
Parking yourself in front of the tube for hours and hours a day doesn’t make your back very happy.

For one thing, excess TV time is probably cutting into exercise time, and we’ve already explained how important exercise is to prevent/reduce back pain. In one Norwegian study of teens, those who sat in front of TV or computer for 15 hours a week or more were 3 times as likely to have lower-back pain as their more active counterparts (the average American teen watches 3 hours of telly a day). “They sit with the low back flexed—really hunched over—for hours,” explains lead researcher Astrid Noreng Sjolie, PhD, a physiotherapist at Hedmark University College in Norway.

Fix it: Limit TV to shows you really want to watch, instead of idly channel surfing. And instead of fast-forwarding through commercials, do some stretches or strength moves during the breaks, which will prevent muscle strain from sitting still too long. If you have a kid complaining of back pain, make sure he walks at least 1 mile daily; this can cut back pain in half and give his still-developing spine a chance to stretch out.