ALBERT STUMM

Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street

A man takes an early morning walk along Long Island Sound in Westchester County, N.Y. on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Rubin)

A 6-hour morning routine? First, try a few simple habits to start your day

A viral video of a social media influencer’s five-hour morning routine has gotten people talking about how best to start your day. But experts say you don’t have to swim, meditate, journal and lift weights before breakfast.

A woman checks social media on her phone in Barcelona Spain on March 25, 2025. (Albert Stumm via AP)

Infidelity for the social media age: What is microcheating, and is it a big deal?

If you’re in a relationship and you like a co-worker’s photo on social media, are you microcheating? That’s a term couples therapists say they’ve heard more in recent years as more people work remotely.

This combination of photos shows cover art for the cookbook "Pakistan," by Maryam Jillani, left, and a dessert recipe from the book called seviyan. (Hardie Grant Publishing via AP, left, and Sonny Thakur via AP)

As Ramadan ends, a new cookbook sheds light on Pakistan’s varied cuisine

The last day of Ramadan ends a month-long fast. Food writer Maryam Jillani says Eid al-Fitr is a joyous holiday when people wear new clothes and give gifts.

(AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin)

When should you eat? Before, after — or even while — exercising?

If you’re about to go to the gym, should you eat something beforehand? Or is it better to wait till after? Well, it depends. Abby Langer is a dietitian in Toronto. She says you should wait two to three hours after a full meal before working out.

This cover image released by Simon Element shows "Eat Better, Sleep Better: 75 Recipes and A 28-Day Meal Plan That Unlock the Food-Sleep Connection" by Dr Marie-Pierre St-Onge and Kat Craddock. (Simon Element via AP)

A new cookbook ties healthy eating to good sleep

Eating greasy food can keep you awake at night. But does good food help you sleep? The answer is yes, according to Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a professor and sleep researcher at Columbia University.

This image released by Simon Element shows a recipe for green spring gumbo with chicken andouille, from the cookbook "Eat Better, Sleep Better: 75 Recipes and A 28-Day Meal Plan That Unlock the Food-Sleep Connection" by Dr Marie-Pierre St-Onge and Kat Craddock. (David Malosh/Simon Element via AP)

This Mardi Gras gumbo comes from a new cookbook linking healthy eating to good sleep

A book called “Eat Better, Sleep Better” includes a nutrient-rich, vegetable-forward recipe for Mardi Gras gumbo. Authors Marie-Pierre St-Onge and Kat Craddock developed the book’s recipes based on research at Columbia University’s sleep center.

This combination of photos shows photo Omid Roustaei, left, and his cookbook "Bitter & Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen." (Richard J Wardell via AP, left, and Weldon Owen International via AP)

An Iranian-American chef sets out to demystify the cuisine of his youth in a cookbook

Omid Roustaei is an Iranian-American chef who’s on a mission to demystify Iranian cooking. His new cookbook, “Bitter and Sweet,” is a collection of recipes and stories from his childhood summers at the Caspian Sea.

(AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin)

No pain, no gain? Hardly. This year’s fitness buzzword is ‘recovery’

There was a time not long ago that the exercise mantra in gyms was “no pain, no gain.” Now, the buzzword in fitness is “recovery.” Tony Horton created the intense P90X exercise routine that was promoted in infomercials in the 2000s.

A plate of sauteed green beans is displayed in Lincoln, Neb., on Oct. 16, 2024. (Amber Pankonin via AP)

What’s the healthiest way to prepare vegetables? The way that makes you eat them.

What’s the healthiest way to prepare vegetables? Dietitians say some cooking methods affect nutritional content more than others. That’s because prolonged exposure to heat degrades some nutrients.

This image taken from video shows yoga instructor Tim Senesi in Orange County, Calif. in 2023. (Tim Senesi via AP)

Which style of yoga is right for me? Here’s a primer, with a caveat

With so many styles of yoga out there, which one is right for you? Yoga teachers say there is no one type of class that’s best for beginners. It depends on your activity level and intentions.

This cover image released by Knopf shows "Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style," a cookbook by Sonoko Sakai. (Knopf via AP)

Centuries of fusion predate the marriage of ingredients in this Japanese Italian Wedding Soup

Many Americans think Japanese fusion is a dining craze from the 1980s. But much of Japanese cuisine itself is a fusion of other ingredients and cultures. Gyoza dumplings, for instance, came from China and tonkatsu came from French pork cutlets.

A couple walk on a sidewalk in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday on May 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)

Maintaining good balance is crucial as you age. Asking these questions can help

To age well, geriatricians say one underappreciated key is maintaining good balance. In the U.S., 3 million older people seek medical care for fall-related injuries each year. But geriatricians say falls aren’t inevitable.

This image shows a recipe for khao soi Thai soup from “You Gotta Eat,” by Margaret Reby, in Barcelona, Spain on Dec. 16, 2024. (Albert Stumm via AP)

She’s here for ‘a kitchen pep talk’ during the holiday whirlwind

If you’re feeling too overwhelmed to cook during the holidays, maybe a new book by Margaret Eby can help. It’s called “You Gotta Eat: Real-Life Strategies for Feeding Yourself When Cooking Feels Impossible.”

Members of the November Project fitness group run up and down the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on May 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

The November Project gets people outside to exercise and socialize together all winter long

There’s one exercise group that says you really can keep up with outdoor workouts through the winter. It’s called November Project.

This image released by Hardie Grant shows a recipe titled Gajar Ka Halwa Blondies, from the cookbook "Desi Bakes" by Hetal Vasavada. (Hetal Vasavada via AP)

For a Diwali treat with an American twist, a new cookbook serves up cardamom-spiced carrot blondies

Desserts and sweets are a traditional part of the South Asian holiday Diwali. For some, it marks the start of the Hindu New Year, and cooking blogger Hetal Vasavada says everyone wants to start the year with something sweet.

This photo shows a recipe for Gai Tom Kamin from the cookbook “Kalaya’s Southern Thai Kitchen” by Nok Suntaranon, with Natalie Jesionka.Suntaranon's turmeric chicken soup is herbaceous and heavy on aromatics, with a handful of cilantro. (Michael Persico via AP)

A recipe for turmeric chicken soup is a window into a Southern Thai family

When she was growing up in Southern Thailand, chef Nok Suntaranon spent most days after school helping her mother sell homemade curry pastes in the market. Decades later, Suntaranon named her restaurant in Philadelphia after her mom, Kalaya.

Jenna Braddock, co-author of "The High-Protein Vegan Cookbook for Athletes: 70 Whole-Foods Recipes to Fuel Your Body," poses in her kitchen on Aug. 17, 2024 in St, Augustine, Fla. (Jenna Braddock via AP)

Cutting back on meat doesn’t have to mean going without protein. Tips and two recipes

Many people consider cutting down on meat for health, environmental or animal welfare reasons. But many also worry about where they will get their protein.

(AP Illustration/Annie Ng)

‘I love you but I hate you.’ What to do when you can’t stand your long-term partner

It’s often said there is a thin line between love and hate. But is it OK to sometimes hate your long-term partner? Relationship experts say it’s perfectly normal for couples to experience moments of what feels like genuine hatred.

Lindsey Kee poses with her dog Teddy Ruffsavel at her home in Portland, Oregon, on Aug. 3, 2024. Kee created an exercise routine around walking her dog, (Lindsey Kee via AP)

Doing lunges while brushing your teeth, and other ways to stack healthy habits

Care to do lunges while you brush your teeth? Fitness experts say that’s an example of habit stacking, a concept that can lead to better fitness. The term was coined by author S.J. Scott in his 2014 book of the same name. The premise is intuitive.

This mage released by Workman Publishing Group shows a recipe for grilled wedge salad with smoky ranch dressing from the cookbook "How to Grill Vegetables" by Steven Raichlen. (Steven Randazzo/Workman Publishing Group via AP)

Embrace the smoke, and other tips for grilling vegetables at a Labor Day barbecue

Barbecue guru Steven Raichlen is best known for grilled meat. But his book “How to Grill Vegetables” has also become a go-to guide. He recommends first considering the structure of the vegetable, and then select the appropriate method.

Kendra King sits on her sofa in her home in Philadelphia on July 26, 2024. (Deena J. Leh via AP)

Feeling groggy in the afternoon? Here’s how to nap the right way

An afternoon nap can be refreshing, but experts say it also can help you at work or with other activities. Research shows that so-called power naps lasting less than 30 minutes allow the brain to rest in a way that makes you more alert.

This undated image shows ophthalmologist Megan Collins at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. (Christopher Myers via AP)

Make eye exams part of the back-to-school checklist. Your kids and their teachers will thank you

Now that it’s back-to-school season, parents should add one more crucial item to the checklist. An eye exam. The American Optometric Association says 1 in 4 children start school with some sort of vision problem.

FILE - A couple kisses while on the Seine in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. Can kissing for six seconds a day lead to a more intimate relationship? That’s what couples therapists John and Julie Gottman say. They have taught thousands of couples therapists that an elongated kiss can help their clients. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

Can a 6-second kiss each day lead to a more intimate relationship?

Can a six-second kiss each day lead to a more intimate relationship? That’s what couples therapists John and Julie Gottman say. They’ve taught thousands of couples therapists that an elongated kiss can help their clients.

FILE - Panamanian gymnast Hillary Heron stretches as she trains for the Olympics at the No Limits Gymnastics Center in Panama City, Saturday, June 15, 2024, ahead of the Games in Paris. Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)

Should you stretch before exercise? After? Never? Here’s what to know

Should you stretch before exercising or after? And what’s the best way to do it? Stretching guidance has changed over the years. Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good.

Jeff Kellert stands in his garden at his home in Albany, N.Y. on June 20, 2024. Kellert began volunteering as a tutor and helped with monthly dinners at his synagogue. The experience keeps him active, but just as important, he said, it has led to new friendships and a sense of purpose he never expected in retirement. (Robert Piechota via AP)

Volunteering would feel good even if it didn’t have health benefits. But it does

When helping others, volunteers also help themselves. They might even live longer. Jacquelyn Stephens is a psychologist at the nonprofit Mather Institute who researches how to age well.

Jackson, left, and Owen Pezalla, both 4, appear on balance bicycles in Seattle on July 1, 2017. Experts recommend starting with those so-called balance bikes at a younger-than-expected age, possibly even less than a year old. (Annie Pezalla via AP)

When should a kid start riding a bike? If it’s a balance bike, you might be surprised how young

Those miniature bikes with no pedals seem to be everywhere these days, and the kids riding them are getting younger and younger. So it begs the question, at what age should children learn to ride a bike?

FILE - Hamburgers appear on a grill in Washington on Aug. 4, 2011. Most grillers recommend a mixture of 80% beef to 20% fat, but Craig “Meathead” Goldwyn, author of “Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling,” prefers even more fat, up to a 70:30 ratio. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

For an exceptional grilled burger, Meathead Goldwyn offers these five tips

Any backyard burger tastes good on a sunny day. But a truly exceptional grilled burger is hard to pull off. Meathead Goldwyn, author of “Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling,” has spent a lifetime perfecting grilled burgers.

This undated image shows a variety of homemade popsicles made with natural sweeteners by Jessica Gavin, a certified culinary scientist. (Jessica Gavin via AP)

Orange creamsicle or minty watermelon? Homemade popsicles are healthier than in the freezer aisle

Do you want orange creamsicle or minty watermelon? Homemade popsicles are not only easy to make, they’re healthier than anything you’ll find in the freezer aisle. Food science expert Jessica Gavin has been making them for years with her two kids.

A plate of green beans picked from a home garden is prepared in a saute pan in Chatham, Mass. on July 28, 2021. Nutrition experts say you can improve your health anywhere by mimicking at least one aspect of the diet — eat whatever fruits and vegetables are in season. (AP Photo/Carolyn Lessard)

Mediterranean diet or not, eating seasonally can be good for you

It’s been years since scientists established that the Mediterranean diet really is good for you. But nutrition experts say you can improve your health anywhere by mimicking at least one aspect of the diet — eat whatever fruits and vegetables are in season.

Prince Bhojwani sits on Charlies Bunion mountain along the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee on April 17, 2022. (Nita Bhojwani via AP)

Here’s how you can improve your health by stopping negativity and embracing optimism

Do you tend to see things as glass half full or glass half empty? Numerous studies over the years have demonstrated a link between a positive outlook and good health outcomes. But what if you’re just too negative?