Matthew Solan

Attempting to stand up from a seated position on the floor is a good way to assess your overall fitness. No problem? Do it regularly to track your physical health. Having difficulty? Try these exercises to help you improve your fitness.

Not a fan of running? Good news: You don’t need to run fast, far, or that often to reap benefits. And you can ease into running by doing a run/walk program, where you alternate periods of running and walking and gradually increase the time spent running.

As people get older, the complex system that helps them maintain balance does not work as effectively, increasing the risk of a fall. A study found that specific exercises can improve balance in older adults.

Your core muscles are your body’s foundation, and the plank pose is a great exercise to do to help build core strength—it’s challenging but not complicated. Here’s everything you need to know to plank correctly.

Intestinal gas can be embarrassing, but is a normal part of digestion. Only rarely is excess gas cause for concern. Which foods you eat –– and how you digest them –– can make a difference.

Have a headache? Learn about different kinds of headaches –– including tension, migraine, and cluster headaches –– ways to prevent or ease the pain, and when to get medical help.

The stresses of daily life can keep us in a state of constant tension. Learning to belly breathe can help ease your body’s response to anxiety and stress.

Basic push-ups engage your body from top to bottom. They work several muscle groups at once including the arms, chest, abdomen (core), hips, and legs. How many you can do at one time offers a simple way to evaluate your strength and muscular endurance and is an easy tool to help you improve. To find your starting point, perform as many push-ups as you can with good form.

Are dairy products good for us, or not? There’s a lot of conflicting information. Dairy products are good sources of calcium, protein, and vitamin D, but choosing lower-fat versions is still probably better for overall health.

An annual health self-assessment—a full analysis of your well-being—is a way to evaluate your status, taking into account both what you have accomplished and where you may be able to improve.