More than 6 million Americans have swallowing difficulties, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. If you have been diagnosed with dysphagia, a swallowing disorder, you may need to alter the texture of your diet to swallow safely.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2008 as many as 19.8 percent of adolescents younger than 19 were considered obese.

Even if you are not a fan of collard greens, sprouts or salads, it is still possible to lose weight and stay fit. The best weight loss plan is a healthy balance of daily exercise and a diet consisting of a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains.

Most adults easily burn 1,000 calories per day even without movement. Your body is constantly working behind the scenes -- pumping blood, running internal organs and taking in oxygen. These necessary functions use energy or calories; the calories burned through them are known as your basal metabolic rate, or BMR.

Amino acids in the diet either come from protein or from amino acid supplements. Amino acids are important for the health of the body, but consuming too much protein or amino acids can put a strain on your kidneys, because amino acids can be metabolized and have potentially toxic byproducts.

As the main daily meal in dozens of countries around the world, lunch holds a place of primary cultural importance. In 9-to-5 environments, the midday meal isn’t always such a big deal, but making time for a healthy lunch can pay off both mentally and physically.

Although you can burn calories and lose weight with any cardiovascular exercise machine, such as the treadmill or stationary bike, elliptical machines offer a number of advantages.

Your average hiking speed will vary according to your fitness level, the steepness of the terrain, weather and whether your route requires crossing streams or other obstacles. Paul Tawrell, author of "Wilderness Camping & Hiking," cites an average pace of 2.5 to 4 mph over flat ground.

It isn't likely that drinking hard alcohol is going to help with weight loss. In fact, there's some evidence that links it to weight gain instead. A number of factors may influence the effects of alcohol on weight, however, including how much you drink and how often you drink.

Weight loss is a difficult process, especially if you are used to a sedentary lifestyle that doesn’t typically include much exercise. However, being overweight increases your risk of developing dangerous health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke.

In the past, weight management in obese people relied solely on low-calorie or hypocaloric diets. Through research and scientific breakthroughs, it is apparent that weigh loss in obese people can be better achieved through a combination of hypocaloric dieting, lifestyle modification and exercise.

Kissing is good for your relationship, but you may wonder if it does your body any good. Stop wondering. Giving your lips a good workout apparently is okay for the rest of you as well: Kissing burns calories.