Six ways to feel your best this month

Take your stride outside

Turns out you can run faster on "solar power" and get a big workout boost with the sunshine vitamin. A new British study shows vitamin D (absorbed from the sun's rays) stimulates energy-producing components of our cells, helping muscles feel stronger. Extra D also improves endurance levels, fights fatigue and speeds up recovery time. Talk about a multivitamin! The best part? If you're D-deficient, a dose from a daily supplement (1,000 to 2,000 IU a day) over a period of 10 to 12 weeks can also help your muscles work more efficiently while exercising. 

Try it today: Take your workout outside, and pack your lunch with vitamin-D-rich foods like salmon, lentils and egg yolks. —Jillian Bell

Exercise harder (without knowing it)

Looking for a more efficient workout? Jump in the pool! Researchers at the Montreal Heart Institute found exercising in water offers a better cardio boost than working out on land. Apparently the pressure of the water helps your heart pump oxygen-rich blood to your muscles more effectively. As a result, you can stay strong until the end of your workout — and burn more calories! 

Dive in today: Head to the community pool to swim some laps or try a water-aerobics class.  

Calorie counter
Swimming vs. walking: Swimming burns up to 317 more cals per hour
Swimming vs. running: Swimming burns up to 141 more cals per hour
Swimming vs. cycling: Swimming burns up to 71 more cals per hour 

—Dominique Lamberton

Run or walk and feel better than ever

Which is the better form of cardio: walking or running? The answer will surprise you! New research out of California proves walking and running have similar health benefits. Both exercises help lower the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease. And since the same muscle groups are being worked, you can improve your cardio stamina no matter your fitness level. 

Get the gear: "You wouldn't play basketball with a soccer ball," says walking expert and Reebok ambassador Amy Dixon, "so I recommend walking shoes for walking and running shoes for running." —Kari Pritchard 

Find our top shoe picks here

Fill up with a dash of fragrant olive oil

You may want to swap your table centrepiece for a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil: New research from the Technical University Munich suggests there could be benefits in just the aroma of the Mediterranean staple. One group of people ate yogurt mixed with olive oil, while the others had theirs mixed with other types of fat and oil, like canola. The first group were more likely to feel full after the snack. In a follow-up experiment researchers added an aromatic olive oil extract to the yogurt and discovered it also reduced the amount of calories people consumed.

Try It Today: Drizzle some olive oil in your smoothies, soups or salads and inhale the aroma with every bite. —Lora Grady

Soothe sore muscles with music

We know you've got the perfect playlist to power through tough workouts, but did you know that uptempo songs help you recover faster afterwards? Israeli researchers had runners listen to music with fast tempos (140 beats per minute) during their cool-down or go tuneless. The fast-paced music revved up recovery time, reducing lactic acid (which makes muscles feel heavy).  

Try it today: Get jamming for your health. Find songs with the best BPM at pacedj.com. —Alanna Glassman

Make it meatless

Barbecuers beware: A new study by Cleveland Clinic researchers reveals exactly why red meat hurts our hearts, and the reason isn't just saturated fats. Turns out the way we digest a certain nutrient found in red meat messes with gut bacteria, causing our bodies to produce more TMAO, an artery-hardening compound linked to heart attack and stroke. Too much red meat can actually shift gut-microbe composition, making our bodies produce artery-clogging compounds. 

Bottom line: The less meat we eat, the less TMAO we'll produce, even if we occasionally order a steak. —Jenna Wallace
 
Get some great vegetarian meal ideas here