Straight leg raises

Lie flat on your back with your arms at your sides and legs straight. Lift both of your legs up to a 90-degree angle, then slowly lower it down. Do 2 sets of 10 reps.

Marching hip raises

Lie on your back, knees bent, and heels under your buttocks. Raise your hips to form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Then, as you lift your bent foot up and over your hip, squeeze your buttocks and engage your core. Replace the foot and do the same thing on the other side.

Kneeling roundhouse kick

Stand on all fours, wrists under your shoulders, and knees hip-width apart. Lift your leg up and out to the side until it’s on the same level as your hip. Kick your foot out to the side and slowly place it back down. Do the same thing on the other side.

Forearm plank

Place your forearms under your shoulders, palms down. Position your legs as wide as your hips and make sure your body forms a straight line. Then slowly lift your core up, engage your abs, and return to the initial position. You can repeat it quickly or hold each position for 10 seconds.

Roll-ups

Lie on your back, stretching your arms above your head. Inhale and slowly lift and bend your body into a 90-degree angle. Then slowly come back down. Do 3-5 sets of 15 reps.

Half cobra push-up

Lie down on your stomach with your arms bent at your sides. Push yourself up until your lower abdomen is slightly above the bed. Return to the initial position. Repeat 15 times.

Laying spinal twist

Lie down on your back, legs straight. Spread your arms out and press them into the bed for support. Raise one leg toward the ceiling and lower it across the body to the opposite side’s floor. Hold the position, then raise the leg back to the center and lower it down.

Rep the process on the other side.

Frog bend

Lie on your back and extend your legs over your hips. Flex your feet, keep your heels together, and turn out your toes. Bend your knees and straighten them back, controlling the movement with your inner thighs. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Side-lying double leg lifts

Lie on one side, extend your bottom arm for support, and stack your feet. Squeeze your inner thighs and legs together and slowly lift them. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then lower your legs down without touching the bed. Do 2 sets of 15 reps on each side.

 Inner-thigh circles

Lie on one side and use your bottom arm to support your head. Bend your top leg and place it firmly on the bed. Point the bottom foot and lift the leg up. Draw several circles with the lifted leg. Repeat the same thing on the other side.

Add Some Sparkle

The popularity of bubbly water has skyrocketed in recent years—42% since 2012, according to NPR. The price of popularity, however, is an increase in waste in the form of glass and plastic bottles, and aluminum cans. SodaStream water carbonators offer a solution that reduces the junk in your recycling bin and saves you money at the grocery store. With a recyclable CO2 cylinder and the push of the button, you can turn tap water into sparkling water to enjoy plain, with a splash of lime, or a dose of flavored syrup. No trash here!

Go Package-Free

Just how much of your trash is made up of food packaging—from plastic wrappers to cardboard boxes? A quick glance at your garbage bin will reveal the answer. But you may be surprised at how easy it is to reduce the bulk of this waste. Individually packaged fruits and veggies and single portions of snacks or cereals may be convenient but they often cost more than bulk or family-size foods. Next time you browse the aisles, try to steer clear of processed foods, which often come with lots of packaging, or buy nonperishable foods in the largest packages available. Shopping smarter means you’ll save money and eat healthier, too.

Reuse Your Wraps

Plastic wrap can help you keep leftover foods fresher longer, but it’s not the most sustainable solution. Instead of loading up on plastic wrap every month, try an alternative solution like these reusable wraps made of cloth and food-grade beeswax, or a set of silicone lids that can conform to fit any container in your kitchen—or even a cross-cut watermelon!

Ditch Plastic Bags

A whopping 1 trillion plastic bags are used around the world every year, according to the Earth Policy Institute, and those plastic bags take 1000 years to decompose and all too often pollute our city parks, beaches, and even the fish we eat. Opt-out of producing plastic bag waste by carrying your own reusable shopping bags. Want to go the extra mile? Pick up a set of reusable produce bags to contain fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, or staples from the bulk bin at your local grocery store or farmer’s market.

Waste Not, Want Not

Did you know the average American family of four throws away 25% of the food sitting in their fridge, pantry, and freezer? All that rubbish costs the average family more than $2000 in grocery money every year. Save your hard-earned cash and reduce your waste by halving big-batch recipes to feed your brood, or freezing a portion of leftovers to thaw later for a quick midweek meal. Lengthen the life of your produce by storing it properly—green onions, broccoli, herbs, asparagus, and celery can be kept upright in a glass tumbler with an inch or two of water at the bottom. The plants take up water through their stalks, keeping them crisp and tasty for a few days longer than if they’d been stored horizontally.

Party Responsibly

Paper plates, plastic silverware, disposable cups: They’re mainstays of the modern picnic and barbecue. But that wasn’t always the case. The switch to single-use dinnerware has been slow and steady, and expensive—both financially and environmentally. Next time you head for the backyard or the beach, opt for a reusable set of dishes

Tastes Better in Glass

Time was, Americans would receive a regular delivery of fresh milk right to their doorstep. Farm fresh milk was packaged in glass bottles that consumers returned to be reused again and again. Today, you can still get the taste of the good old days (and reduce your waste) by picking up a bottle of milk at your local grocery store or market. These glass bottles often contain local milk that’s fresher than the other stuff, and may even come in a variety flavors from chocolate to strawberry. Return the glass bottles to the store to receive a cash deposit, and they’ll send the glass to the dairy to be sterilized and reused.

Compost Your Toothbrush

Here’s the good news: Based on the number of toothbrushes Americans use every year, they seem to be practicing good dental hygiene. Now the bad news: That good hygiene results in 1 billion toothbrushes being thrown out every year. If you’re ready to ditch plastic toothbrushes, which most municipalities won’t recycle, you can switch to biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes. These antimicrobial brushes can be tossed in the compost pile when you’re done with them, and will gradually break down in a well-kept compost pile over the course of a few months.

Skip the Straw

Half a billion: That’s the number of plastic straws used by Americans each and every day. Those little pieces of plastic are not recyclable, and when they’re not sent to the landfill, they’re often blown into city parks, streams, beaches, and oceans where they’re consumed by wildlife. If you’re not ready to ditch the straw completely, try a reusable option like these reusable silicone and metal alternatives. Use them at home or the coffee shop, then give them a quick scrub with the included straw cleaner, or pop them in the dishwasher.

Work with Real Towels

How did Americans ever live without paper towels? Well, quite easily, in fact. If you want to spend less and waste less, switch to cloth towels in the kitchen for drying dishes, hands, and other surfaces. On cleaning day, instead of wiping windows, mirrors, and fixtures with paper towels, try microfiber cloths instead. Not only are they effective and waste-free, but they don’t leave paper fibers or streaks behind.

Stick to Bar Soap

You may love the scent of your liquid body wash but that luscious soap comes at a cost. Although the plastic containers that hold your cleansers can be recycled, there’s a limit to how much waste municipal recycling centers can handle. Here’s a dirty secret about recycling: Due to contamination, only 60 to 80% of recycling center waste is actually recycled, according to a paper published by Columbia University. So, reduce your waste and switch to package-free (or minimally packaged) bar soap—it cleans just as well as liquid soap.

Recycle

Just because some recyclables are thrown away at municipal recycling centers, doesn’t mean you should stop recycling. Practice good recycling hygiene by rinsing containers, separating materials, and keeping unrecyclables off the curb. Different municipalities have different guidelines about how to clean, separate, and recycle your waste, so check with your local office to get the facts.

Move Waste-Free

While you can’t take the sting out of an inconvenient move, you can remove the plastic. Next time you’re faced with the reality of packing up your entire life, skip the bubble wrap and instead cushion fragile items with old newspaper or cloth towels. These materials work just as well as plastic wrap and won’t cost you a penny. Plus, it’s one less thing you have to toss when you get to your new digs.

Compost It

If you’re not reusing your food scraps, you might want to start now. It’s the kind of resourceful activity that can actually save you money—and keep more waste out of your trash. The Kitchn recommends turning potato peels into crispy chips, and vegetable peels and scraps can be boiled into a rich stock for soups, and citrus peels can be mixed with vinegar to make a powerful DIY cleaning solution. If you can’t reuse your food scraps, you can send them to the compost pile. You’ll be rewarded with nutrient-rich soil to use in your garden beds—and you’ll quickly notice that your trash can will smell a lot less foul when it’s not packed with food waste.

Get a Smaller Trash Can

Are you resolved to create less trash? Then you might want to make a symbolic gesture of your commitment by buying a smaller trash can. Keep larger bins nearby to hold recyclables and reserve the smaller can for items that can’t be reused, donated, recycled, or composted. You’re well on your way to a greener and healthier life!

Switch to a Safety Razor

Two billion razors are sent to American landfills every year, according to the EPA. Plastic razors aren’t recyclable, which is why environmentally-minded shavers are switching to safety razors. Both economical and environmentally sound, safety razors can be reused indefinitely, and the razor blades, which can be swapped when dull, are fully recyclable.

Brush before going to sleep

Brushing 2 times a day is important, but in case you can only do it once, do it before you go to sleep. Sleeping is when you’re not swallowing and flushing out your mouth, and your saliva production is slow, so plaque buildup on your teeth stays stagnant and causes trouble. It can lead to dry mouth and an increased risk of cavities.

As a side note, a lot of people who brush regularly don’t do it long enough. 2 minutes is the recommended time. Spit out any excess toothpaste. If you want to rinse, do it at any time other than brushing. Otherwise, it’ll wash away the toothpaste fluoride you’ve just applied, sabotaging the whole deal and leaving your teeth unprotected.

Don’t whiten your teeth

Contrary to what the beauty industry would make you believe, your teeth aren’t supposed to be white. Naturally, they’re going to look more ivory-colored over time. Also, not all teeth have the same color. They weren’t put in your mouth to look pretty, after all.

Whitening your teeth weakens your enamel. And once the enamel’s gone, it isn’t coming back. So it’s better to avoid charcoal and whitening toothpaste — it’s too abrasive and will wear away your teeth. Instead, use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is one of the most impactful components in our oral hygiene, and in the past 30 years, it’s reduced the number of cases in people, preventing tooth decay.

Add milk to your coffee and tea

To keep your teeth looking bright, you should first and foremost pay attention to what you’re putting in your mouth. Enamel staining comes from the foods’ chemical properties. Acidic foods stain because it damages enamel, and foods with high levels of tannins, like coffee or tea, stain because it changes the pH of the mouth.

Balance your mouth’s pH by eating something neutral and rich in calcium after eating acidic foods. Pour milk into your coffee or tea to weaken its acidity, and add more cheese to meals with tomato sauce. Casein, a protein contained in milk, particularly reduces teeth discoloration.

Eat some pineapple

Pineapples are the only foods that contain the compound, bromelain, which is excellent at protecting enamel and degrading stains on teeth. It also reduces pain and swelling of the gums because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Keep your spit flowing

Saliva helps you to protect your teeth by constantly washing them, clearing off bad bacteria, and strengthening the enamel with calcium and phosphorus. If your mouth stops making sufficient saliva, the teeth dry out, the mouth’s pH changes, and the bacteria destroying the enamel go wild. Drink as much plain water as you can throughout the day and chew sugarless gum to encourage saliva production.

Dry mouth is also a major side effect of a lot of drugs, like anti-depressants, and they can decrease the efficiency of the salivary glands. If you’re taking medications, it can be helpful to always have water on hand.

Use a straw when drinking

As it turns out, not only what you drink affects your teeth, but also how you drink it. Your method of consuming drinks can also affect your oral health. Taking long sips and holding the liquid in your mouth can contribute to staining and enamel erosion because they expose teeth to sugar and acids in the drink. This way, sugary drinks in cans are the worst in terms of both what and how.

Gulping and using straws (if you position it correctly, without touching the teeth), on the other hand, are safer and healthier ways to drink. It helps to prevent discoloration and decay.

Don’t forget to floss

Flossing gets the biofilm out from between your teeth and promotes good gum health. It can clean food particles and plaque where the toothbrush cannot reach. 40% of plaque is in between the teeth! Pay special attention to your molars. Don’t just run the floss between the teeth — you need to floss beneath the gum line to clean out plaque.

Don’t press too hard while brushing

Keep in mind the amount of pressure you’re using when you brush — you don’t need a lot, otherwise, you’ll traumatize your gums and your teeth will become too sensitive. An electric toothbrush can be helpful with timing and pressure sensing. Also, always opt for a soft toothbrush. Over-brushing is when you brush your teeth too much, which is also a thing.

Get a nightguard to work against tooth grinding

Grinding and clenching is serious business. If you grind your teeth, get yourself a nightguard. Grinding your teeth can cause major jaw alignment problems that are hard to fix, or you can fracture your teeth, and if it gets worse, you’ll need crowns on them. But with a mouthguard, you just bite the silicone instead. Also, talk to a therapist if you can because grinding can be a result of stress or anxiety.

Scrape your tongue

The tongue is a reservoir of bacteria, and when left unchecked, it can lead to bad breath and more serious issues. A healthy tongue is evenly pink, without red, white, or yellow parts. The white discoloration is no reason to panic — it’s just a mix of dead cells and food debris, and it can be easily removed with brushing and flossing.

Use a brush or get yourself a tongue scraper and start cleaning from the back of the tongue. Don’t skip the edges and sides. Rinse afterward to remove the leftover bacteria — both the tongue and the device you’ve used.

How do you take care of your teeth?

Not only will these foods help protect your gut—they all happen to be delicious and nutritious additions to your diet. Check out these wonderful foods that cleanse your colon.

What does your colon do, anyway?

Though your small intestine does the heavy lifting when it comes to digesting food, the colon’s function is to suck all the moisture out of that food, says Michael A. Valente, DO, a colorectal surgeon at Cleveland Clinic. “Your colon draws the water back into your system to hydrate you,” he adds. And yes, it also stores and helps eliminate waste—a good reason to seek out these foods to cleanse your colon.

Your diet matters

Just like your food choices impact your heart, brain, and muscles, they also affect your colon. “In order for your colon to be healthy, you need to put the right foods in,” says Dr. Valente

Fill up on salmon, sardines, and trout

For people who have colorectal cancer, those who increased their intake of omega 3s from fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and trout had a lower risk of mortality compared to those who avoided fish, finds research published in the journal Gut. Omega 3 fats may stop cancer cell growth and even promote the death of colon cancer cells.  

Load up on quinoa and brown rice

Your focus should be on whole foods as close to the state in which Mother Nature made them as possible. Minimally processed whole grains like brown rice, oats, and quinoa, are a great place to start, says Dr. Valente. These are packed with fiber, which is why they’re among the top foods that cleanse your colon; eating three servings daily lowers colorectal cancer risk by 17 percent, per a 2017 report from the Harvard T Chan School of Public Health.

Add beans and lentils

Legumes like beans and lentils are also loaded with fiber. People who eat the most fiber from vegetable sources like legumes are 35 percent less likely to have colon polyps—a small clump of cells in the lining of the colon that can develop into cancer—compared to those who eat the least. These legumes may also contain cancer-protective phytochemicals, researchers say.

Load up on broccoli, cauliflower, and kale

Talk about foods that cleanse your colon: Some of the best sources of fiber come in the veggie form. One study found that eating a serving of cooked green veggies lowered colon cancer risk by 24 percent compared to those who ate less than that. Since it’s not always practical to track fiber grams, an easier method is to make sure two-thirds of your plate comes from fiber-rich veggie sources like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, says Dr. Valente.

Dish up yogurt

Fermented dairy products like yogurt pack gut-healthy probiotics. Eating plenty of yogurts may cut your risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 38 percent, suggests research published in the International Journal of Cancer. Bonus: The probiotics—healthy bacteria—can also help decrease some of the gas associated with eating beans and cruciferous veggies, says Dr. Valente.

Avoid these foods

The things you cut from your diet will help protect your colon as well: Avoid processed meat (like bacon and hot dogs)—the World Health Organization has classified it as a carcinogen. Also, limit red meat; if you want animal protein, stick to poultry and fish. And cut back on alcohol—stick to a drink a day, recommends Dr. Valente.

Go slow

If you’ve decided to eat more fiber, add it to your diet gradually, warns Dr. Valente. “The breakdown of food in your colon produces bacteria that release gas,” he says. That can translate to uncomfortable gas and bloating and frequent bowel movements. The experience can be so unpleasant that some people give up on their healthy choices altogether. Start by adding a high-fiber serving of, say, veggies a day for a week; then go up to two a day. Note that you’ll also need to drink more water as you eat more fiber, warns the Cleveland Clinic. If you’re adding a fiber supplement, start with one teaspoon daily; after two weeks, take two teaspoons daily; after a month, you can take the entire suggested serving. Your gut will thank you. 

Eat more walnuts

Not only do walnuts supply a couple grams of fiber per ounce (14 halves), but they also contain omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, which is why Dr. Valente recommends them among the foods that cleanse your colon. Animal research suggests that walnut consumption breeds a healthier gut environment and may reduce the development of cancerous colon tumors. 

Supplement with chia

Eating just 2 tablespoons chia seeds will give you a whopping 10 grams of fiber, as much as 40 percent of your daily needs. (Aim for 25 to 35 grams daily, advises Dr. Valente.) There’s a reason why you want to hit this mark: “Fiber moves stool through your colon and brings toxic chemicals and other substances like cholesterol out of your system,” he explains. Nutrients within fiber may also affect the colon on a cellular level to guard against disease.

It’s OK to supplement

Don’t expect a fiber supplement to make up for a lousy diet, but the truth is that doctors know how tough it can be to maximize your fiber intake from food alone. Dr. Valente says that it’s OK to take a fiber supplement—just check in with your doctor and make sure you’re also eating vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.