How to get off the couch and into the gym, heal heel spurs, and more … Discover the best advice readers had to share - Your Community Health Forum

Find Energy to Exercise

CORAL PULEVSKY from Chicago asked how she could get motivated to exercise after work.

BONNIE CLANCY from Sanibel, Fla., responded: Motivation is a form of energy so it's natural to have very little left after a long day at work. What works for me is exercising in the morning. I wake up a half-hour earlier than I need to and take a quick shower. Then I dry myself briskly and start to exercise. This routine gives me extra energy all day long.

DENA JOHNSTON from Bradford, Pa., responded: I have a few easy suggestions: Go straight to the gym after work; find a partner to work out with; pick an exercise routine you enjoy; and keep thinking about how much better you'll feel and look without those 20 pounds.

Relief for Painful Heel Spurs

DAVID KAHANA from Brooklyn, N.Y., needs a natural remedy for his heel spur.

NIKKI CHURA from Homewood, Ill., responded: My heel spur was so bad that for several hours after awakening I couldn't put any weight on that foot. Ice, heat, and massage didn't help. Then my chiropractor told me that flat feet are a major cause of this condition, and after he fitted me for a custom shoe insert, the pain disappeared.

ROSEMARY ANN OGILVIE from Tasmania, Australia, responded: My husband and I both suffered from heel spurs and were helped by acupuncture. To prevent their recurrence, we use this ancient Chinese remedy weekly: Cover the peel from one organic or well-scrubbed orange with one liter of filtered water; bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool slightly; then soak your foot in the solution until the water is cold.

CONSTANCE SIMONE from New York City responded: I bought a stick-on rubber heel insert and cut out a small hole where the heel spur was so that there would be no pressure on that heel when I walked. After a few weeks of wearing the insert, my heel spur totally disappeared.

Can You Help?

These Readers Are Seeking Advice

Grinding My Teeth

I'm looking for a way to stop grinding my teeth. Neither relaxation nor meditation has helped me.

Heather Ristow

Truckee, Calif.

Fed Up with Acid Reflux

Does anyone have a good natural remedy for gastric acid reflux? I gave up caffeine and fried foods and raised the head of my bed, but the relief lasted only a few months.

Kristin Lowery

Columbus, Ohio

Note: Please don't substitute advice on this page for medical care. See a doctor if you're sick.

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