Ever been caught with remnants of food stuck smack dab in between two teeth? Not so bad if you're alone and make this discovery. But when caught with a pal, in public, or while trying to make an good impression, a chunk of lodged spinach, while a healthy adornment, can be quite embarrassing. So, what should you do about this sticky situation? Good Housekeeping offers these options. Try to pick the correct solution -- then check your answer after the break.

1) Use a fingernail, a toothpick, a fork, or a matchbook to pry it out.
2) Cover your mouth with your napkin, then use your fingernail to work it out inconspicuously.
3) Politely excuse yourself to go to the bathroom.
4) Leave it until after the meal -- after all, you'll survive.

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Though nobody wants to own up to it, a lot of us women have a little bit of flab to our arms. Right? RIGHT? (Please tell me I'm right.) In my family we joke that it's genetic. Heck, even my cousin who is tiny, thin, and runs marathons in her spare time has them.

If you're also an unwilling member of the flabby arm club, check out these exercises from Good Housekeeping. They've compiled a series of arm and shoulder exercises including butterfly curls, shoulder raises, and more. Better yet, there are "core charger" exercises in between each arm move. I tried it this morning and it's a great little routine -- the whole thing took less than 15 minutes. Give it a shot and, in time, you might be able to wave goodbye to that unwanted wave in your arms!

Check out AOL Health for more arm exercise ideas.

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I visited my niece this weekend and she was complaining about a few pounds she can't seem to shed. She has a health condition that prevents her from doing more than walking, swimming, stretching, and using light weights, but she remains very active. She said that it used to be so easy for her to lose 5-10 pounds when necessary. But now that she's getting older it seems to be harder. I hated to break it to her, but she should just wait until she hits her late 30's!

According to a Good Housekeeping article, our metabolism decreases by about 5% each decade. So, at age 35 you may burn up to 100 calories less per day than you did when you were 25. (Assuming your fitness level is roughly the same.) But there are things you can do to ward off middle-age pounds:

• Get a body-fat reading. Muscle burns more calories than fat. If your muscle mass is low, you're more susceptible to gaining weight (even if your BMI is right on target). Start incorporating more strength exercises into your fitness routine. You may want to book a session (or two or three...) with a personal trainer for some custom advice.

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Deadlines, work, overbooked schedules ... we all have stress in our lives. Finding ways to cope with and release stress is essential to a pleasant and happy life. Goodness knows the things that are creating stress probably aren't going away anytime soon.

Good Housekeeping has a list of 52 ways to reduce stress. What I love about these ideas is that they're reasonable and easy to accomplish. After all, you don't want to add more stress in your effort to release stress. Some of my favorite ideas from their list include:

• Uncork a Bottle of Whine. Call up a friend or get together just to vent. Be sure to listen to your friend's issues as well.
• Bless Their Hearts. My maternal grandmother always said this, so maybe that's why I love this tip so much. Whenever someone annoys you -- a driver cutting you off in traffic, a rude sales clerk -- just think or say "Bless their hearts." Three simple words to remind you to be compassionate even in the face of annoyance.
• Demi De-Clutter. Instead of trying to declutter your whole home, just pick one small area at a time... a drawer, a desk, the top shelf of your closet. When you break the job down to small portions, it's more manageable.

Check out the full list for more doable stress relievers. Also, visit AOL Health to check your stress level.

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Picking a doctor isn't just as simple as thumbing through the yellow pages. You want to make sure that your doctor is well qualified to meet your medical needs and that he or she has a personality that suits yours. If you're the type of person who has a lot of medical questions, you'll want to make sure you find a doctor who spends a little more time with patients and is willing to field Q & A sessions.

I know that I've had doctors in the past who were distressing for one reason or another. I've also had doctors who were wonderful and I knew, with complete confidence, that either my or my son's medical needs were being met with thoughtful, educated, wise, and caring decisions.

To start your search, check with your insurance company to see what physicians in your area carry your insurance. Also, check with friends, family, and/or neighbors for personal references -- but be sure to take their personal experiences with a grain of salt. Then, follow these tips from Good Housekeeping for selecting a great doctor:

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Need some extra motivation this week? Check out this article from Good Housekeeping about 7 women who collectively lost over 1,000 pounds. Some lost up to 200 themselves and all of them have great stories to share, including their own real-life weight loss tips. What strikes me the most is not how much thinner they look in their "after" pictures, but how much younger they look as well. The article includes a few great tips for long-term weight loss, including:

• Keep tempting treats out of sight. Better yet, keep them out of your cupboard altogether.
• Keep a journal to find out what triggers your diet blunders.
• Even moderate exercise will aid weight loss.
• Choose foods that force you to eat at a slower pace.

Hang it on your fridge for a little extra inspiration this week!

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Have you heard of the Supermarket Diet? Me neither, but it's out there and apparently it works. The Supermarket Diet is based on the premise that if you learn how to shop healthfully at the supermarket and prepare your own food, you should be able to drop pounds -- and save money.

Developed by Good Housekeeping Magazine, the plan is not a quick-fix, as it doesn't promise rapid weight-loss in the first week. Rather, it's a plan designed to create healthy habits in people, which is something I like about the plan, although I haven't tried it. The plan has three phases: Boot camp, Keep on losin', and maintenance. People on the plan are offered tips for shopping and a plethora of easy, quick recipes that allow dieters to create homemade healthy meals with ease. It works by restricting calorie consumption and controlling ratios of fats, carbs and proteins. Like with every other healthy plan, activity is also an important component. See this for more information.

Have you tried it? What did you think?

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