I'm bad. I don't stretch. Well, I rarely stretch. I don't know why I'm a rebel when it comes to this practice, I just am. Funny for someone like me, a by-the-books girl, because experts have long recommended stretching before and after exercise. Even in the face of recent controversy over whether stretching has any real benefits, many believe it's a no-brainer. Here's why.

One of the leading causes of injury is limited flexibility. And stretching increases flexibility, reduces tension and tightness, and can help prevent soreness and injury. It prepares the body for physical activity, says one guru.

Stretch whenever you can, says the same guru. Stretch before and after exercise, at the end of a long day, while you're watching TV, when you feel stressed, after sitting for an extended period of time. Warm up first, though. Try walking or jogging in place for three to five minutes.

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I've been swimming every day. I'm doing laps, jumping jacks, push-ups, dips, bunny hops, and a little running too. Like I usually get with exercise, I'm starting to become a bit addicted to my new sport. It's because the water feels great on hot Florida days, I feel so many of my muscles at work, and I feel an ever-so-slight soreness the day after I swim. It's a good sore, a WOW-that-really-worked sore.

Water workouts have long been considered a good form of exercise. They're good for muscle tension and soreness too, says a recent European study suggesting that working out in warm water for three hours a week for eight months may help easy fibromyalgia -- a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points. All exercise can help this condition, but swimming takes away the pain and fatigue land workouts often impose. Water therapy is less stressful on the body, there's no need to support the weight of your body since the water does it for you, and heated water can actually relax muscles.

Nowadays, I swear by swimming. Give it a try and see if you do too.

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Go ahead. Eat when you're stressed. Just make sure you don't grab anything sweet, salty, crunchy, or greasy. I know, stress drives you toward diet-dangerous comfort foods but when you're overwhelmed and anxious, mellow food is what you need -- like meals and snacks to clear your head and ease your tensions. Try these.

• Prepare mini-bags of carrots and almonds. Aim for 15 carrots and 15 nuts per bag. The bottom line: 165 calories and 10 g healthy fat.

• Mix up snack packs of sunflower seeds and dried cherries. Loaded with soothing complex carbs, antioxidants, and vitamin E, this treat with its 165 calories and 4 g fat will both satisfy and heal.

• Top a whole wheat bagel with two teaspoons honey mustard, two slices tomato, and two ounces of smoked salmon -- all for the price of 410 calories, 8 g fat, and 1 g saturated fat.
  
  

For more real simple snack ideas -- these intended to hold you over until dinner's ready -- click here.

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Tension and stress can manifest itself in your body in many ways, one of the more unpleasant being as physical pain. Stress and emotionally induced discomforts aren't concrete in the same way a physical injury is, so sometimes a unique cure is needed for a unique problem. Rolfing, which is a form of tissue manipulation (massage?), can help people get rid of pain by helping them to find relief from pent-up emotions.

It may have a strange name but many of those who have tried it swear by rolfing's beneficial effects -- it was even featured on the Oprah show last year. Interested? Find a rolfer near you on rolf.org.

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Massages make life so much brighter, if you ask me. I carry a lot of stress in my shoulders and having someone knead it out is pretty awesome. If you love massages as much as I do, Mark's Daily Apple has some tips on how you can get the most bang for your massage buck:

• Be on time. Tardiness will only cut into your massage time.
  
• Speak up: If it's too intense or not intense enough, saying so will make the experience more enjoyable. Speak up if it feels weird or uncomfortable.
  
• But don't talk too much. Spending the entire time chatting will just distract you both and take away from the actual massage.
  
• Do what you're comfortable with. Don't strip down to the nude if it makes you feel weird. And don't be afraid to ask for a male or female masseuse.

Want to know more? Read the original article.

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Tension headaches are generally a complete pain in the, well, head. But, do you know the difference between a headache, a tension headache and a migraine headache? There are different treatments for each, according to some.

If you have a tension headache, you may experience a painful pressure across the forehead instead of to the sides of the head. Feel that sharp pain instead of gradual, consistent pain? That's a sign of a tension headache.

Poor posture, stress and even eyestrain can cause tension headaches, so a reminder here is prudent since so many of us work at a computer all day long: sit straight up (looking at your computer monitor), take visual breaks frequently and move during the day (don't sit in one place). If you still have a tension headache, I've found ibuprofen to work great, but other painkillers may do just as well (like acetaminophen).

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Nothing will ruin a good day like a terrible headache -- it's especially annoying to wake up and have to start your day with a throbbing skull. Often these types of headaches are the result of muscle strain from sleeping in a funny position. This very common type of head pain, which occurs because of muscle-or eye-strain, stress or being overly tired, is called a tension headache.

There are other varieties of headaches though, and these include sinus headaches, which usually accompany a cold and can be felt at the front of the head, the ice-pick headache, which comes on fast, is localized to one area and only lasts 20 or 30 minutes and the granddaddy of them all -- the migraine. Migraine pain can be severe and affect work and home life. Lasting from a few hours to a few days, those who suffer from migraines may also experience nausea and blurred vision.

If you suffer from any of these headache varieties learn ways to prevent and treat them here.

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I know so many people who will do anything to avoid exercise, whether they're losing weight or not. I don't really understand it -- I love exercise and I'd rather work out lots than have to cut out certain foods, but to each their own, right? I'm glad I love exercise because it is so, so good for you. Here are just some highlights of the ways exercise can improve your life:

• It increases your energy level
• It helps you sleep better
• It reduces tension in both your mind and body
• It improves concentration and decision-making skills
• It boosts self-confidence
• It helps clean waste from your body
• It reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety
• It improves your sex life

It sounds like some sort of snake-oil 'miracle' drug that's being marketed on late-night TV but exercise does all this and more. Since I established a regular routine, I've experienced all of these benefits. For example, I used to be an insomniac, but since I started working out, I haven't had a sleepless night in a year at least. I feel better than ever and I know you will too if you get off the couch and start getting active. So what are you waiting for?

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We all get tension headaches from time to time, but do you really know how and why they happen?

Generally tension headaches are caused when the muscles of your neck, shoulders, and back become tense and tight -- but what causes your muscles get so wound up? Usually it's the strain of poor posture, or sometimes it's a trauma or injury like a car accident. Dealing with the occasional tension headache is unfortunately a part of life, but making sure they don't become a chronic problem is something well worth your while. The switch from 'once in awhile' to 'chronic issue' basically happens when a person continues on a regular basis to do whatever it is that's causing the headaches in the first place, like hunching over your desk at work everyday. Over time this can wreak havoc on your body and your muscles, compiling and getting worse as time goes by. And nobody wants that!

So stand up straight, try to control stress levels in your life, and take care of yourself before you're dealing with more than just an occasional headache.

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Maybe it's a bad day at work, combined with a frustrating commute home, followed by a burnt dinner, all resulting in a guilty binge on take-out and a couch potato session in front of the TV (or maybe it's something else altogether), but all-too-often tension and stress build up one small way at a time all throughout the day. You may not even realize just how tight and uncomfortable you are until you take the time to do some stretches and relax.

So if this sounds like you take a look at these stretching exercises, some with fun names like "paint the ceiling" and "shoulder blade slide," and see if you don't feel happier and looser in minutes.

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Stress is an extremely subjective term, and an extremely subjective feeling. It doesn't mean the same thing to different people, as everybody reacts to life in their own way. So since there's no across the board "cure," the best tool you have for dealing with stress is learning how to relax, for yourself, and the faster you can do that the better.

Try these 3 simple steps the next time you feel the tension creeping up:

• Don't just "do something relaxing" like watching TV or listening to music (although these may help also) -- make a conscious effort to calm down.
• Exercise. Not only will this relax you, but it will relieve guilt from not working out, and relieving guilt is the same as relieving stress.
• Have fun. Do something you enjoy, everyday. Happiness and fun are natural relaxers -- use them!

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There are a lot of afflictions that carry the label as "The Silent Killer." But hypertension is something that can affect any person you may know; even yourself.

In a hit-and-run 58-second Health Minute from CNN, Judy Fortin talks about the "symptomless disease" that can affect so many people. Not familiar with what hypertension is? Well, it is high blood pressure, and if you get a reading of 140 over 90 or higher, you may want to seek some medical help. Otherwise stroke, kidney failure or other nasty things could follow.

The video talks about how a watchful eye must be used when on the look-out for high blood pressure. And ,of course, exercise, not smoking and eating healthy were some things they suggested to do in an effort to combat the disease.

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One of my favourite sounds is the dull crunch of my running shoes on earth, the purity of cool air rushing past my ears against the sound of measured breathing.

Running is my escape from the tension and loudness of life: the one time of day that I concentrate solely on the blood rushing through my body and of focusing solely on what I am doing in the moment. Though I am a lifelong runner and profess to love it, I think that it's a difficult, laboured love. Running -- hard, stealthy running - -- requires pain. Pushing through the pain of tiredness and stitches and sore muscles brings the reward of low body fat and strong muscles, but it also provides an immediate reward, sometimes known as "runner's high."

Though recent research suggests that the feeling of peaceful relief that some runners get after a hard run may be "all in your head", I'll take it. Part of the reason I enjoy my runs so much is the soft, satisfied feeling I have because I've done something good for my body and spirit. Whether or not that's endorphin-related, to me, is irrelevant.

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