The Best Athletic Shoes for Your Workout

The Best Athletic Shoes for Your Workout

• By Diana Rodriguez | Medically reviewed by Kevin O. Hwang, MD, MPH

Choosing the right workout shoes is as important for your foot health as for your performance.

While the clothes you choose for a workout are important, the sneakers you select can make a huge difference in how you perform your fitness activity, while the wrong athletic shoes can hurt your feet and even cause injury to other parts of your body.

Athletic Shoes Tailored to Your Activity

Before determining which athletic shoes will be best for your feet, consider what type of exercise you'll be doing. The exercise will help determine which athletic shoes offer the best features for your needs.

• Running. If running is your main form of exercise, look for running shoes that provide plenty of cushioning, traction, and stability. They should also be lightweight and flexible.
• Walking. Walking shoes should offer a comfortable cushion that absorbs shock, and a sole designed to support the natural walking movement of the foot.
• Court shoes. If you play tennis, volleyball, basketball, racquetball, or other court sports, find a shoe with a sturdy, stable sole that can support your feet during constant back-and-forth movement.
• Outdoor field sport shoes. If you're looking for footwear for baseball, soccer, golf, or football, you'll want shoes with cleats, spikes, or studs for better traction.

A quick tip to check a shoe's stability before you buy: Bend the shoe, holding it at both ends. It should bend naturally behind where the ball of the foot would be, since that's where your foot naturally bends. Also, make sure the heel counter is sturdy. The heel counter is a stiff cup that surrounds the heel part of the shoe. Squeeze the heel counter and make sure it doesn't cave in when you apply pressure.

Athletic Shoes: Fitting and Testing

• Shop in the afternoon. If you try on athletic shoes toward the end of the day, when your feet are more swollen, you'll get a better idea of how they fit.
• Shop in socks. When you look for athletic shoes, wear the socks that you use during a workout. You want to make sure the shoes fit properly with your athletic socks.
• Go large in the toes. Make sure that your shoes have about half an inch of wiggle room between the end of the shoe and your longest toe. If your feet are different sizes, opt for the larger shoes for better comfort.
• Snug fit in the heel. New athletic shoes shouldn't slip on your heels, but they shouldn't be too snug in the toes, either. Make sure that the ball of your foot fits easily in the widest part of the athletic shoe.
• Try them out. Test out the shoes for at least 10 minutes in the store, or even outside if the store will allow it, before you decide to buy.

If you have problem feet, talk to the sales representative at the store about what types of sneakers are best for you. If you have high arches, for example, you'll need a different style of shoe than someone with flat arches.

Remember, every athletic shoe is different, as is every foot, so don't rely on a style you find attractive or a shoe that you like on someone else. Be clear about your needs and any special foot problems you have, try on lots of different styles, and test them out in the store. 

Copyright © 2016 Everyday Health Media, LLC

The material on this web site is provided for educational

purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Top 10 Home Remedies for the Common Cold

• By Sara Calabro 
• Reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

The best cold remedies are often the easiest and the most reliable, chicken soup included.

It turns out that your grandma was on to something. Soothing the common cold can be as easy as gargling with salt water and spooning down the chicken soup. Here are the 10 best cold remedies to try at home that will have you feeling better before you know it.

1. Drink lots of fluids. The American Lung Association recommends drinking eight glasses of water or juice per day when trying to get rid of a common cold. Staying hydrated helps moisturize the lining of the nose and throat, which makes mucus easier to clear. But be sure to avoid caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, as they can cause dehydration.

2. Use an air humidifier. You can also help keep nasal and throat passages moist by using an air humidifier, particularly in the winter months when heating makes the air inside your home very dry.

3. Try a neti pot. Another way to prevent nasal dryness is with a neti pot, a nose-rinsing device found in drug and health-food stores. These pots are filled with a saline (salt water) solution and are inserted into one nostril while the user tilts his or her head to the side to allow the solution to flow up the nasal passage and out the other nostril.

4. Eat chicken soup. The old adage about chicken soup being good for a cold is practically as old as the common cold itself. But it turns out there's some truth to what your grandmother has been telling you all these years. "Chicken soup is nice for the common cold because it loosens up your mucus," says Norman Edelman, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association.

5. Take echinacea. Evidence is mixed on the effects of echinacea on the common cold, but some experts say it can be helpful. "Echinacea does not prevent infection, but trials for the treatment of upper respiratory conditions have shown a reduction in duration of symptoms with echinacea," says Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD, associate professor at Georgetown University's Complementary and Alternative Medicine Master's Program in Washington, D.C.

6. Reach for some zinc lozenges. Like echinacea, the mineral zinc gets mixed marks when being assessed for its effectiveness against the common cold. "I have not seen any evidence for prevention," says Dr. Fugh-Berman, "but there is some evidence that intranasal zinc [zinc nasal sprays] or zinc in the form of lozenges can decrease the symptoms of a common cold."

7. Take vitamin C. It's up there with chicken soup as far as legendary cold remedies go, and there might be some truth to vitamin C being helpful as well. Some evidence shows that it can reduce the duration and severity of a common cold.

8. Give your nose a massage. Research shows that massaging an acupuncture point known as yingxiang, located at the lower border of the nostril, can provide relief from nasal congestion.

9. Gargle with water. A recent study in which participants gargled with water three times a day found that the ritual can help prevent upper respiratory tract infections. So gargle away, before that common cold gets any worse.

10. Stock your medicine cabinet. Not exactly a home remedy in the traditional sense, but there's no denying that over-the-counter (OTC) cold remedies can provide temporary relief. The American Lung Association recommends that these medications be taken as soon as common cold symptoms arise. If you have high blood pressure, though, talk to your doctor about any OTC cold medications you should avoid.

And of course, there's no substitute for eating right and getting plenty of rest to keep your immune system strong so that you're in prime shape to keep those colds at bay!

Copyright © 2015 Everyday Health Media, LLC

The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

5 Steps to Effective Hand-Washing

You know that washing your hands is the best way to keep from spreading germs. Now learn how and when!

By Linda Melone

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH and Robert Jasmer, MD

We’ve all heard that washing your hands several times a day can help you avoid getting sick during cold and flu season. Follow these simple tips to make it a habit and keep the germs away.

The simple act of hand-washing can help stop the spread of germs that can cause a cold or flu (or even swine flu). While we now take for granted the importance of hand-washing to prevent colds, the importance of hand-washing was discovered only 150 years ago.

"Hand-washing is still the best way to prevent colds and other respiratory and infectious diseases that are transmitted by hand to mouth or hand to nose/eye contact," says Samuel N. Grief, MD, medical director of campus care at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "Soap acts as a vehicle to trap the germs (i.e. viruses, bacteria) that are loosened by the act of rubbing your hands together under water. These germs can then be rinsed away by the water."

Contact with other people throughout the day, touching contaminated surfaces, and even petting animals can cause a variety of cold-causing germs to accumulate on your hands. Then by touching your eyes, nose, and mouth you can infect yourself if you don't wash your hands often enough. Touching someone else or touching a doorknob or other surface can then spread cold germs to others.

The Best Way to Wash Your Hands

Hand-washing to prevent colds includes using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, a cleanser you can use without water. "There is no one best water temperature to wash one's hands," says Dr. Grief. "If your hands are really dirty and greasy, use of warm to hot water will do a better job of trapping dirt and grease within the soap, allowing for a more thorough cleaning."

The type of soap also does not typically matter, according to Grief, "as long as it lathers and spreads over the hands sufficiently to trap the germs."

10 Times to Wash Hands

To prevent colds from spreading to others, practice regular hand-washing. Most importantly, wash hands:

• Before and after preparing or handling food, especially when handling uncooked poultry and meat
• Before eating
• After changing diapers
• After using the bathroom
• After sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose
• Before and after inserting contact lenses
• After touching an animal or animal waste
• After handling garbage
• Before and after treating wounds
• Before and after touching a sick or injured person

5 Steps to Proper Hand-Washing

If using soap and water for hand-washing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following five steps to prevent the spread of colds:

• Wet your hands with clean water — warm, if available — and apply soap.
• Lather by rubbing hands together; be sure to cover all surfaces.
• Continue rubbing hands together for 15 to 20 seconds — sing "Happy Birthday" twice in your head.
• Thoroughly rinse hands under running water to ensure removal of residual germs.
• Use paper towels or an air dryer to dry hands and then, if possible, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers make a good substitute for hand-washing when soap and water is not available. A recent study from the University of Chicago showed that while soap-and-water hand-washing was most effective in removing influenza virus from the hands, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer was a close second. If you're using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, apply product to one palm, rub your two hands together, making sure to reach all surfaces, and continue rubbing until hands are dry.

Preventing a week or two of misery from the common cold or flu will be well worth those 20 seconds spent with soap and water.

This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.Copyright © 2015 Everyday Health Media, LLC

Eating Carbs and Fats Before a Workout? Read This

By Tiffany Ayuda

The New York Times published an article “Should Athletes Eat Fat or Carbs?” last week which was based on a study that shows a diet comprised of 85 percent fat can help improve overall performance for ultra-endurance athletes more than the traditional high-carbohydrate diet considered best for athletes. And by fat, they mean good fats that come from foods like nuts, avocados, and extra-virgin olive oil — not your cheeseburgers and French fries. But before you throw all your healthy eating rules out the window, it’s important to note that this recommendation is not for most of us — these recommendations for real athletes. We’re talking about people who exercise for a living — think NBA players, Olympic swimmers, or professional marathoners.

Let’s be honest: Most of us don’t run more than two marathons a week or work out at all hours of the day, so this way of eating is not recommended, even for high school and college players and people who exercise regularly. However, this information certainly brings into question traditional thinking and, as so often with these studies, leaves us wondering if this type of eating could benefit other types of athletes or moderately active people. We’ll need to continue to watch the research for more answers.

It’s important to remember that carbohydrates are an essential part of a healthy, well-balanced diet and provide fuel for your workouts in the form of glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscles. Fat, however, must be broken down into fatty acids before it can be used as fuel, and only endurance athletes who vigorously exercise throughout the day are able to use up all their glycogen stores before their bodies start using fat. A ketogenic diet, like the ones the article reviews with 85 percent of the diet from fat, forces your body to use fat more readily as an energy source. This is referred to as a ‘ketoadaption’ and takes several weeks to achieve.

Still, it’s not a good idea to overdo it on carbohydrates or fat for all your meals. Fats should only comprise 20 to 30 percent of your total daily calorie intake per meal (think two slices of avocado). Carbohydrates should make up 40 to 50 percent of your meal, and sources of good carbohydrates include vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Government experts have offered suggestions for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines, (due to be published in the fall) which encourage Americans to cut down on meat, added sugars, and starchy, high-carb foods and include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats into their diets.

“The move toward reducing the amount of carbohydrates recommended for the general public is because most of us are not active. We sit too much! When we don’t move, or if we move for only an hour a day, we’re not utilizing all the carbohydrates we are eating, and therefore we continue to gain weight and increase our risk for chronic diseases. For the most part, we are moving too little and eating too much and especially carbohydrates because they are easy, available, and taste good,” says Maureen Namkoong, MS, RD nutrition and fitness director at Everyday Health.

There’s a place for good carbohydrates and fats in a balanced diet. Good carbohydrates and fats give you energy, may help you lose weight, and promote cardiovascular health. But too much of a good thing can be bad — and this is true for fats and carbs, too.

Copyright © 2015 Everyday Health Media, LLC

The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Pool and Beach Tips: What to Know Before You Go

It's time for your summer vacation. Follow these pool safety and beach tips to make it a fun and healthy one.

By Denise Mann

Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

Towels? Check.

Cooler? Check.

Flip-flops and bathing suits? Check.

Whether you’re taking a trip to the beach or the lake, or traveling to a spot where you can chill by the pool, there’s a lot to do before your family’s annual summer vacation.

As everyone knows, a “day at the beach” can be anything but if you’re unprepared, says Debra Best, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Duke Medicine in Durham, N.C. A little forethought and preparation can go a long way toward a safe and healthy summer vacation on the water.

Swimming: Practicing Beach and Pool Safety

Most kids can’t wait to go for a dip, Dr. Best says. Swimming is good exercise and great fun as long as your child is well supervised, she adds. “Teach your child to swim, and never leave a child alone by the beach or the pool, not even for a moment.” Floaties or other flotation devices aren’t substitutes for swimming lessons or adult supervision.

These other tips can help keep your family safe near the water:

• Pool access: If you’re renting a house with a pool this summer, make sure it’s gated in. “There needs to be a fence around the pool that kids can’t get through,” Best says.
• Lifeguard on duty: “Swim at a beach with a lifeguard,” advises B. Chris Brewster, the president of the United States Lifesaving Association, based in San Diego, Calif. Studies have shown that people are much less likely to die in a drowning-related incident if there’s a lifeguard on duty — that's the number-one pool safety and beach tip.
• Water currents: The greatest risk at surf beaches or great lakes are rip tides, currents, or channels. “If you’re caught in a rip tide, swim parallel to the shore or tread water,” Brewster advises. Whatever you do, don’t fight the current, he stresses.

Watch out for sea creatures as well. A jellyfish or stingray can certainly put a damper on a fun day. The good news is they don’t usually cause serious injuries. However, stings are painful, Brewster says. Before you plunge into the sea, ask the lifeguard on duty if there are any unusual problems with jellyfish or stingrays, he suggests.

Try the “Stingray shuffle” as you go for a stroll by the surfside. “Don’t pick your feet up and down,” he says. “Shuffle forward because stingrays only sting when they are stepped on.”

If you're stung by a jellyfish, submerge the injured area in water that’s as hot as you can stand or use a cold-pack to deaden the pain. “Other approaches, like urinating on the sting, haven’t been proven to be effective,” Brewster says.

Keeping Cool for Sun Safety

Overheating and dehydration can happen quickly, especially for kids in high heat and humidity, Best says. “If kids are thirsty, they’re not well hydrated,” she adds. Avoid this by making sure kids take a sip from a water bottle every 15 to 20 minutes. “Wear light-colored clothing, too,” she recommends. Adults can also get dehydrated, especially if you consume too much alcohol.

Packing Healthy Snacks

Anyone who’s ever visited a boardwalk or pool snack shop knows healthy foods and beverages can be hard to come by. Most pool and beach vendors sell fried dough, fried oysters, pizza, and chicken fingers, and host ice cream stands by the dozen. While these might be treats for travelers, packing healthier, more nutritious snacks for your family makes better sense, Best says. “Fruit is always good because it’s hydrating," she explains. Other healthy snacks include trail mix, granola bars, pretzels, and low-fat cheese sticks.

Practicing Smart Sun Protection

Skin cancer rates are increasing, and this includes melanoma, the deadly form of skin cancer, which is being seen in increasing numbers in children and teens. Protect skin by choosing a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 that has a physical blocker such as zinc oxide or titanium, advises Amy Forman Taub, MD, a dermatologist in Lincolnshire, Ill.

You want to reapply sunscreen every 90 minutes and, if it's not water-resistant, immediately after you go for a dip, too. “Use the appropriate dose of sunscreen,” Dr. Adigun says. Don’t be stingy. It takes about a shot glass of sunscreen to cover an adult body.

Convenience aside, lotions are better than sprays. “It’s easier to tell if you missed a spot with cream or lotion," she says. “If you use a spray, make sure it’s sprayed close to your skin and then rubbed in.”

When it comes to SPF, higher isn’t necessarily better, says Chris G. Adigun, MD, an assistant professor in the Ronald O. Perelman department of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. In fact, a higher SPF product could give you a false sense of security, meaning you won’t reapply it as frequently as you should.

Even with sunscreen, it’s better to avoid the sun when it’s strongest and seek shade. “Hats with wide brims and sun-protective clothing can also keep your skin safe,” Dr. Taub adds.

Taking Extra Precautions

Importantly, if you have kids who have special health needs, “touch base with your child’s doctor before leaving in order to know what might make your trip more fun and in the best interest of your child’s health,” Best says. This may include packing extra medication, including allergy medications. Be sure to keep everyone's prescription medication in your carry-on bag when flying in case the airline loses your luggage.

Following these water and sun safety precautions, whether you’re at the lake, on the ocean, or poolside, can help ensure that your family enjoys a healthy vacation this summer.

This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2015 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.

10 Home Cures for Mosquito Bite Itch By Sharon Tanenbaum

1 / 11   What to Do When the Bugs Bite 

When it comes to enjoying the great outdoors, mosquito bites seem to be an unavoidable evil. While bees and wasps inject venom when they sting, mosquitoes simply bite to feed on your blood. The bumps and itchiness that follow come from an anticoagulant that the mosquito injects to prevent your blood from clotting, which triggers a mild allergic reaction that includes the typical round, red bumps.

2 / 11   Cure the Bug-Bite Blues

For immediate relief, try an antihistamine cream or stick to help the itch and swelling. Don’t have any in stock? Hit the kitchen, and hold a refrigerated, dampened green tea bag on the bite, recommends skin and beauty expert Jessica Wu, MD. The cold helps soothe the itch and compounds in the tea help with inflammation.” Another option: Take a soak in a soothing oatmeal bath.

For more creative ways to cope with bug bites, we asked Everyday Health Facebook fans for their out-of-the-medicine cabinet ideas, then vetted them with Dr. Wu. Try one next time mosquitoes strike.

3 / 11   A Dab of Honey

“[I use] honey because it has an antiseptic ingredient.” — Atm Shahidul Hoque

Dr. Wu says: “Honey has an antibacterial ingredient, so theoretically it could help prevent a bite from getting infected. But the sweetness could attract more bites!”

4 / 11   Sticky Solution

“[I use] Scotch tape.” — Tammy Mah Ung

Dr. Wu says: “Putting Scotch tape (or a bandage) on the bite will help remind you not to scratch, especially at night. If you scratch too hard, you could break the skin and introduce an infection.”

5 / 11   Ever-Popular Aloe Vera

“Aloe vera will draw the sting out.” — Tonya Jenkins

Dr. Wu says: “Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties, so this could help the itch. For even more relief, stash your aloe vera gel in the fridge, since the cold will also help with the itchiness.”

6 / 11   Try Preparation H

“Preparation H takes care of swelling and itching.” — Patricia McKinney

Dr. Wu says: “This topical treatment can help reduce inflammation and may help with itching.”

7 / 11   Alcohol, Witch Hazel, and Hand Sanitizer — Oh My!

“Rubbing alcohol takes the itch away and the bite, too.” — Lori Carley

“[I use] rubbing alcohol (and also witch hazel and tea tree oil). If it burns, I just tell my boys that the alcohol is killing the ‘bug poison!’” — Kit Bowden Powers

“Hand sanitizers work pretty well, and you don't need a lot.” — Robin Kirk Heizyk

Dr. Wu says: “Rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, and tea tree oil have antiseptic properties, so they could help prevent bites from getting infected. And their stinging sensation helps distract you from the itch. Hand sanitizers with alcohol will act in the same way.”

8 / 11   X Marks the Spot

“A good remedy of my grandma's was putting an X in the middle of the bite [with your fingernails]. It always seemed to work.” — Sherri Jeffries

Dr. Wu says: “Pressing down on a bite — and causing some pain — helps distract from the itching. But don’t press too hard, since breaking the skin could lead to infection.”

9 / 11   Soothing Basil

“I just learned that if I rub a basil leaf on my mosquito bites, it stops itching. I wish I had known this when my daughter was little because I am amazed how much this works.” — Debora Ann Miller

Dr. Wu says: “Basil has been shown to repel mosquitoes. It does have anti-inflammatory properties, which could help the swelling.”

10 / 11   Try an Aspirin Paste

“For stings, I use crushed aspirin mixed with a smidge of water to make a paste that I dab right on. It takes the sting right away.” — Kris Ruff Brock

Dr. Wu says: “Aspirin contains acetyl salicylic acid, which is anti-inflammatory. It doesn’t hurt to try.”

11 / 11   A Swish of Listerine

“I use regular Listerine for itchy bug bites.” — Brenda Black

Dr. Wu says: “It has menthol, which cools the skin to help relieve itch.”

This article was brought to by Everyday Health Media, LLC - Copyright © 2015

Is it a Cold or Allergies?

It’s that time of year again and with our unpredictable Texas weather it can be hard to determine a cold from allergies. Your nose is runny or stuffy, your throat is sore with a cough and that unavoidable fatigue begins to set in. So is it a cold or allergies? With their overlapping symptoms its often hard to tell the difference between the two, even for health care professionals. One main clue in determining what you may be suffering from is the length of time associated with your symptoms. A cold typically sticks around for three to fourteen days as where allergies can linger on for weeks even months, as long as the allergen is present. So with the holiday season bringing a swarm of fresh cut trees into our homes, what we may believe to be a cold could just be an overactive immune system responding to the presences of mold and pollen carried in by the tree. In conclusion, whether its a cold or allergies it is recommended to see a health care professional at the first sign of symptoms, to monitor your situation and ensure its not something worse.