That's Fit

It's a cruel joke that the man upstairs plays on teenage boys. During these early years -- when hormones are in overdrive and thoughts of sex occupy almost every second of the day -- boys sometimes just about the worst they ever will in their entire lives. A major part of this grossly unjust twist of fate is the development of troublesome acne.

Natural hormonal changes are mostly to blame, but diet also plays a crucial role. In particular, high sugar foods and drinks -- which seem to be the food and drinks of choice of many teens -- can contribute to the development of pimples. According to an article in a recent edition of Muscle & Body magazine, high-sugar diets are to blame for depleting zinc in the body. And, since this trace mineral is responsible for skin health, having an insufficient amount is clearly a problem.

The article suggests two things to help teens with their acne problem, the first of which being rather obvious: 1 - stop consuming high-sugar foods and drinks, and 2 - replenish zinc supplies by eating foods such as almonds, oysters, beef, pork, and yogurt. While this may not keep a teenager completely acne free, it will at least help stave off some flare ups.

This Mother's Day, be sure to thank your mom for everything she has given you. All the love, all the affection, all the attention one person could ever ask for. But, there may be one thing your mom has given you that, if you had a say in the matter, you may have respectfully declined: her overweight genes.

Well, mom isn't completely to blame for this; dad's weight factors in equally. An article in Muscle & Body magazine points to a British study suggesting that you have a 75 percent chance of being overweight if both of your parents are. Specifically, it seems that the accumulation of body fat and waist circumference are very hereditary, whereas environmental factors played a far more limited role.

Does this mean you're doomed to be heavy if your parents are? I wouldn't say doomed. Not at all, actually. Predisposed? Perhaps. But that doesn't mean that you can't do anything to change what would appear to be your fitness fate. Regular exercise and eating a healthy diet will work just as well for you to stay fit as it will for someone whose parents are quite lean, so don't even think about counting yourself out before the race even starts.