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We quizzed Lorna Kleidman, three-time kettlebell sport world champion, kettlebell instructor in New York City, author of Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Women, and creator of two upcoming kettlebell workout DVDs, on the ins and outs of shaping up with kettlebells. A former gym rat who spent as much as 2 hours a day going to different fitness classes, Kleidman discovered kettlebell workouts 6 years ago and was able to cut her workout time by nearly two-thirds even as her body became leaner than ever....

If you’ve been avoiding sex because of pain or fear of aggravating your knee further, follow these recommendations from doctors and physical therapists so your sex life has more ooh and less ouch. (The 21-day plan in Love Your Age is the life-changing reset every 40+ woman needs!) Exercise regularly. “Strengthening your quads and hamstrings can help stabilize and protect the knees,” says Claudette Lajam, MD, and assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center....

And if you’re new to strength training, stability balls have an edge on identifying breaks in form. Think about how you would do a push-up: Are you keeping your pelvis tucked? Are your shoulders above your wrists? “It can help you make sure your form is okay, if you’re a beginner or intermediate, and the added stimulation of an unstable object can help your coordination and balance,” says Gilna....

Whether you want to clean up your diet or you’re trying to nip a potential issue in the bud, giving up alcohol can be tough—but the benefits make it worth the effort, says Damon Raskin, MD, a Los Angeles–based physician who is board certified in addiction medicine. MORE: 5 Eye Symptoms You Should Never Ever Ignore (Prevention Premium) “Taking a break from drinking alcohol—even if it’s just for a couple of weeks—is a good idea, especially if you’re regularly consuming more than the recommended daily limit,” Raskin says....

And that, according to Larissa Hall Carlson, an expert in Ayurveda—the five-thousand-year-old Indian medicinal practice—is because what you put in your body is only half the story. “In Ayurveda, the mindfulness of eating is more important than what we eat,” she says. “Changing the way people approach food really affects gas, bloating, and indigestion.” As a teacher at the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, Carlson spends her days opening her students’ eyes to the principle that how you eat matters....

If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection, you know the unique agony of a terrible burning feeling and relentless need to pee all wrapped up in one nightmare scenario. Up to 60 percent of women will have a UTI at some point in their lifetime, and 1 in 4 will experience recurring infections, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). While men can get them, too, women are much more likely to contract one....

A recent American Institute of Cancer Research survey found that 1 in 6 Americans faithfully downs a daily cup (or more) of green tea, which is jam-packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that help ward off cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Just don’t forget other disease-fighting powerhouses. One cup of green tea a day can never replace the variety of protective nutrients provided by fruits and vegetables. The antioxidant-rich foods in this chart all rank higher than green tea on the USDA’s antioxidant scorecard....

The research: Researchers from the University of Copenhagen questioned nearly 10,000 men and women between the ages of 36 to 52 about their everyday social relationships with their partners, their children, other family members, friends, and neighbors, and then tracked their health from 2000 to 2011. They found that people who “always” or “often” reported having conflicts with anyone in their social scene were two to three times more likely to die during the study period compared to those who experienced conflicts “sometimes, seldom, or never....

Staying steady on your feet requires more diligence as the years go by, thanks in part to age-related muscle loss. “Muscle holds your joints and bones in place, so if you’re not fighting that battle to keep your muscle mass, you’re looking at a decrease in stability,” says Perkins. But luckily, there are plenty of exercises you can do to work on your balance. Balance involves your core muscles—the ones surrounding your trunk....

In a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Washington University researchers increased the blood sugar of mice that had been bred to develop a condition much like Alzheimer’s disease. Doubling the blood sugar of the mice increased the levels of something called “amyloid beta” in their brains—essentially pieces of proteins thought to clump together and form plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s—by 20%. When the researchers doubled the blood sugar levels of older mice who had already developed such plaques, amyloid beta levels rose by 40%....

In their study, researchers looked at the post-traumatic growth (PTG), or positive life changes, that occurred in 653 women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. In the two years they surveyed patients, researchers found that PTG increased over time. Specifically, patients developed a stronger relationship with both themselves and others, as well as increased their appreciation for life, spirituality, and even homemade cooking, according to responses that patients gave in their questionnaires....

snack. Eaten alone or alongside your favorite barbeque dishes, it is a warm weather staple. This recipe, from Dannii of the blog , offers a refreshing and healthy new take on traditional coleslaw, introducing shaved broccoli into the cabbage-carrot mix and replacing heavy mayonnaise with a lightened up fat free Greek yogurt. To top it off, this recipe couldn’t be simpler to prepare! All you have to do is throw the three veggies into a food processor and finally mix the slaw with the yogurt dressing....

Constantly changing pace sculpts stronger legs, helps you break through plateaus, and beats boredom, says Lee Scott, a walking coach in Oakville, Ontario, who developed this workout that ups your calories burned walking. The Plan: After a 3-minute warm-up, follow the pyramid routine below, which builds to a peak intensity. Repeat 4 times; cool down for 3 minutes. Time: 2 min Intensity: 5-6 Speed (mph): 3.5-4.0 What it feels like: Late to meet a friend Time: 2 min Intensity: 7-8 Speed (mph): 4....

Ashley’s answer: Sleep better knowing that while calcium intake is important for healthy bones, there are plenty of non-dairy sources of calcium (and plenty of other nutrients the body needs for healthy bones). For the days when you don’t get in these nutrients, and for those people with increased risk factors or an existing diagnosis, there are also bone-building supplemental options. When it comes to getting your calcium from foods naturally, some non-dairy favorites include organic tofu, sardines, greens (collard, turnip), and sesame seeds....

Of course, there are real and important reasons why couples stop having sex, often temporarily: after the birth of a baby, while caring for aging or sick parents, acute job stress, or a diagnosis or treatment for cancer or another condition—anything that throws you off your rhythm. And that’s totally normal and should be expected. But when it continues to just not happen, and you find yourself looking for excuses to rationalize it rather than make a change, then it’s an issue you must face or risk damaging your marriage....