In this issue: Bruising and aging, testosterone therapy, heart-healthy menu ideas, fitness, and more

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Vol. 13, Issue 16
April 18, 2012 Dear Subscriber, Beginning a fitness program can be one of the best choices you'll make for a healthy life. Find out from Mayo Clinic experts what works best in a good routine and how fit you are, and see a guide to 10 basic stretches. Also this week, get tips on heart-healthy eating, join the conversation on helping veterans, check out a weight loss-tip and more. Thanks for subscribing. Sincerely, The team at MayoClinic.com
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Featured Topic Get Fit, Stay Fit Fitness training: Elements of a well-rounded routine Creating a balanced fitness routine is easier than you think. Understand the essentials. How fit are you? See how you measure up Do you know how fit you are? Find out today. All you need is a few simple tools, such as a stopwatch and a yardstick. Slide show: A guide to 10 basic stretches Stretching may help improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury. Follow this guide to safe stretching. Books & Newsletters Great news! Start a healthier you with a trial issue of "Mayo Clinic Health Letter." As an added bonus, we'll send you two complimentary special reports on arthritis and weight control. Get started now! Highlights Breast-feeding vs. formula-feeding: What's best? Wondering about the differences between breast milk and formula? Find out the basics. Easy bruising: Common as you age Wonder why you're bruising more often than before? Understand the connection between easy bruising and aging. Menus for heart-healthy eating: Cut the fat and salt Heart-healthy eating doesn't have to be difficult. Use these menus to get started on a heart-healthy diet. Morgellons disease: Managing a mysterious skin condition Though little is known about Morgellons disease, research is under way. And you can take positive steps to manage the symptoms. Testosterone therapy: Key to male vitality? For a man, it's a fact of life — as you get older, your testosterone level decreases. What's less clear is whether this decline requires treatment. Featured Tools Symptom Checker Foot pain? Headache? Sore throat? Skin rash? Use the Symptom Checker to find out what's causing your symptom. Did You Know? Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution dedicated to patient care, education and medical research. Proceeds from advertising and the sale of Mayo Clinic books and newsletters support Mayo Clinic's mission. Share our passion for science and health. Please consider a gift to Mayo Clinic. Click here to donate. Now Playing: Slide Show Breast-feeding positions Some breast-feeding positions might be more comfortable than others. Experiment until you find the positions that work best for you. Healthy Recipes Creamy asparagus soup Lemon custards with fresh blueberry sauce Seared scallops with new potatoes and field greens Vermicelli tossed with pan-roasted asparagus and fresh tomatoes Now Blogging Living with cancer: Health literacy — What are you missing when talking with your provider? Living with diabetes: Coping with the ups and downs of managing diabetes Nutrition-wise: Go green for the planet Stress: Helping veterans heal Books & Newsletters If you or someone you know provides care to a person with Alzheimer's disease or you have an interest in Alzheimer's disease in general, then Mayo Clinic's "Alzheimer's Caregiving" newsletter may be of interest to you. In each issue, you'll hear from medical experts and experienced caregivers who share their insights on how to help those in need of caregiving and how caregivers can achieve a better balance in their lives. Sign up today; it's FREE. Expert Answers with Mayo Clinic specialists Heart cancer: Is there such a thing? HER2-positive breast cancer: What is it? Gallbladder cleanse: A 'natural' remedy for gallstones? Polypill: Does it treat heart disease? Testosterone therapy in women: Does it boost sex drive? Health Tip Of The Week Get SMART about weight loss When setting goals, think about process and outcome. Process goals are most important because changing your habits (processes) is key to success. 'Exercise regularly' is an example of a process goal, while 'Lose 30 pounds' is an example of an outcome goal. Also make sure your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited. An example of a SMART goal is aiming to walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for the next month, and logging your results. Need practical advice on diet and exercise? Want creative solutions for stress and other lifestyle issues? Try a daily dose of healthy lifestyle tips from MayoClinic.com. Receive the tips through your favorite RSS reader. Health Digest A wrap-up of this week's other new and updated information Common warts GERD Impacted wisdom teeth Pancreatic cancer Parvovirus infection Now Playing: Video CT scan Computerized tomography (CT) is a safe, painless way to obtain detailed images of the brain. For more of our reliable health information and tools, visit us at MayoClinic.com. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. For questions or comments, please contact Customer Service. If you no longer wish to receive Mayo Clinic Housecall, click here to unsubscribe: Unsubscribe. Or you may visit the Housecall subscription services page to SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your email address. Visit the Housecall archive to read past issues. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to a friend.
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