Eat This, Heal.... Morning Sickness

Fight queasiness with Popsicles, dry toast, ginger ale and citrus flavored water. Choose bland dishes without strong odors which can trigger nausea. Opt for nutritious unheated foods (they are less odorous than hot ones) such as sandwiches, salads, applesauce, yogurt and bananas. Fight fatigue by pairing complex carbohydrates with protein such as whole-wheat bread and hummus, or apple slices and string cheese.

Hormones and Your Weight

You can't blame hormones for pounds you might pack on as a result of eating more and moving less, but you could retain one to five pounds of water during the two weeks before your period. Some unlucky women may gain 10 pounds of water weight, says Steven J. Ory, M.D., president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. "But it's temporary," he adds. "Normal fluctuations in the menstrual cycle aren't responsible for permanent pounds." To minimize water-weight gain, eat less salt and take 1,000 milligrams of calcium the week before your period, both of which reduce bloating, says Marcelle Cedars, M.D., an endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco. For severe cases of bloat a doctor might prescribe a mild diuretic to flush it out.

Another hormone-weight connection: When estrogen and progesterone fall before your period, you may experience food cravings--and gain weight if you indulge. "If a woman consistently gives in and binges on high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar foods, she may in fact, gain actual fat pounds that won't go away once her period starts," says Dr. Ory. "Anything you can do to lower stress levels and boost mood during that time, whether that's yoga, marathon running or stock-car racing, can help cut cravings," he notes. ...Numerous studies have shown that we reach for less-healthy choices and eat more calories when we're sleep deprived.

Eat This, Heal... Shin Splints

Rock on, Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D.!

Your body needs: Bromelain (from pineapple), anthlocyanins, and omega-3 fats to fight inflammation.

Your body needs: a tuna sandwich on whole wheat, a bowl of cherries, and 8 ounces of pineapple juice.

Eat This, Heal... A Wound

We've heard it so many times before: food is fuel. But besides calories (energy), what we eat contains other helpful nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and compounds necessary to keep our body up and running efficiently and effectively. The Eat This, Heal That series written by Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., for Men's Health will help you see the impact your food choices makes on how your body functions. It might make you rethink whether or not junk food is worth it.

So, you've injured yourself and broken skin.

Your body needs: Protein to produce skin cells; vitamin C and zinc for collagen production; iron to oxygenate blood; plus whole grains to calm inflamed tissue.

Eat this: A burger made from 95% lean beef (leaner meat has more protein and iron) on a whole-grain bun, plus a kiwi for dessert.

If possible, get grass fed beef, which contains inflammation-fighting omega-3s.

Eat This, Heal....A Bruise

Bruises and being active go hand-in-hand.

Your body needs: Vitamin C to shore up blood vessels; Vitamin K for blood clotting; plus oleocanthal, a natural substance in olive oil that mimics over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.

Eat this: Raw spinach and sliced strawberries tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and top off the salad with sunflower seeds or pine nuts.

Props to the Publications

I'm a proud subscriber to a number of magazines including Men's Fitness, Men's Health and Fitness, Hers Muscle and Fitness, Women's Health, Women's Fitness, Self, Shape, Runner's World, as well as fitness and nutrition books and professional publications. They help me break up the tedium of cardio and keep me in touch with the hot news and trends in the fitness world. They also bring certain training moves back into the spotlight: oh, yeah! I totally forgot the quadruped extension-rotation. I give credit where credit is due, so if you find that you're always impressed with posts that come from one particular publication, consider subscribing or buy a whole issue and see if you enjoy it. They often have inspirational stories and other useful information. Just remember, reading about working out is not the same as working out.

Another Reason to Avoid Trans Fats

Belt size increasing? It may be the kind of fat you're eating--and not the total amount you consume each day--that contributes to weight gain. Researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina found that monkeys that ate trans fats gained four times the weight as monkeys eating the same amount of unsaturated fats.