The Bottom Line for Beginning Spinners

It’s clear that spinning, the latest exercise trend in health clubs from Pasadena to Pittsburgh, benefits the body. Muscles tone. Lungs improve. The heart beats stronger. But there’s another side effect the spin doctors have left out: a sore butt.

Health club owners report that beginning spinners complain of a tender rump for about three weeks. Thereafter, the posterior adjusts to the narrow cycle seat, they say. In the meantime, spin veterans recommend padded bicycle pants.

Sports Drinks May Be Hazardous to Your Teeth

That winning smile might run into trouble if its wearer relies too heavily on sports drinks.

According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, regular consumption of sports drinks--which are generally high in sugar and acids--can cause tooth decay. The same is true of fruit juices and carbonated drinks. If you must go for the sports drink--and if you cool-conscious athletes can stand it--there is a way to minimize the tooth decay when imbibing: Use a straw because there’s less saturation of your teeth.

At 20 Pounds-Plus, They’re Heavyweights

Face it: Your little bundle of joy is starting to feel like a sack of cement. The days of lifting the little one up to the heavens should cease when the tyke hits about 20 pounds, doctors say. Otherwise, parents risk back strain, a common complaint from first-time moms and dads. For closeness, doctors recommend using a baby backpack, cuddling in a chair or lying down side by side with the youngster.