Q: Jumping jacks, walking lunges, heel kickbacks, and marching are great activities to warm you up. Warming up will help prevent injury as you stretch. You should have your left knee on the floor and your right knee pointing in front of you, with both of your legs bent at right angles. Put your hands on your hips and keep your back straight. Keep the toes of your left foot pointed so that your shin is lying flat on the ground. This will stretch your left hip and thigh by pulling your knee backwards. Go slowly and be careful not to stretch beyond what is comfortable. Hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds, keeping your hips as square as possible. Stretch your arms over your head, shoulder width apart, with your palms facing each other. Keep your face pointing forward and gently arch your upper back. Move back to your original position, then bring your right knee down to the ground and bend your left leg in front of you. Repeat the stretch and hold for at least 30 seconds. If you want to stretch your hips further, you can repeat the lunge and this time lift your back knee off the ground to straighten your leg. This will give you a more intense stretch and also build strength in your hips.
A: Warm up with light cardio for 10-15 minutes. Kneel on the floor with your right leg bent in front of you. Bend your right knee to pull your hips forward. Lift your arms up straight above you and arch your back slightly. Switch legs and repeat the stretch. Try the pose again with your back leg straight for a deeper stretch.

Q: Once you’ve found speakers, don’t buy them blind if you can help it. First rap your knuckles against the speakers. The speaker should feel solid and give you back a solid sound. If it sounds hollow now, it’ll sound hollow when you try using it to play your entertainment at home. If you’re buying speakers online, you can search for reviews or tests of the speakers, but to some degree you’re shopping blind. Check that all the plugs work, then listen to the sound. Stand close enough, about ear-level to the front of the speakers. Judge if the internal components give you the sound you desire. The tightness of the covering over the speaker as well as the material of the speaker cone change the sound. Listen for any distortion, fuzziness, or crackling.  If the outer enclosure is wide or loose, the sound reverberates too much inside the speaker. If the enclosure is too tight, the speaker rattles and the sound distorts.  Cones are made of varying materials such as aluminum and polypropylene and push out air to make sound. Turn the settings up to volumes and frequencies you’ll use at home in order to judge the speaker’s sound range. If possible, give the sound quality a personal test. Good test songs are ones you know well that you have available on a CD or other format where the song’s quality hasn’t been compromised. Queue up the tracks. Listen for sound quality as well as the problems, such as if the vocals and instruments sound off.  Test different features by using a variety of songs, such as ones that include a strong bass, quiet vocals, or instruments. Quality speakers may help you experience parts of the songs you’ve never heard, including small details like fingers sliding on strings or covered-up instruments. You may be able to use a music device such as an iPod, but transferring the song file to the iPod lessens the quality and doesn’t give you the most accurate speaker test. A home test puts the speakers in the environment you want. Set the speakers up where you intend on having them. Play your music, movies, TV shows, or whatever else you intend on listening to with them. This is a good time to play your music too if you didn’t do it before.  Relax. Even if the speaker seems impressive at first, stay attentive. Is this one you can listen to for a while, or does the sound quality make you want to turn it off? Test it with your amplifier if you can. Speakers and amplifiers all have their own sound characteristics. The best combinations usually come from complementary qualities. For example, a mellow sound balances a bright sound. Remember that sound quality is personal and objective. Your needs influence what speaker is right for you, so don’t let any salesperson pressure you into a decision. Before you buy the speakers, make sure the store has a friendly return policy. This is even more important if you’re shopping online, since you don’t get a chance to test the speakers in person and have to wait through shipping. Many companies will let you return the product for full price two weeks to a month after the purchase date.  Keep your receipt and original boxing on hand until you’re sure that you’re keeping the speakers. Always keep and refer to the warranty information. The warranty gives you the right to quality assurance and a refund for a faulty product. Most companies accept returns for manufacturing flaws and dissatisfaction, not damage related from installation, use, or wear and tear.
A: Knock on the frame. Turn on the speakers. Play your music. Listen at home. Return bad speakers.

Q: A high-fiber diet can prevent gallstones and aid weight loss. Foods high in fiber include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Some easy ways to include more fiber in your diet include:  Switching from white bread to whole wheat bread. Eating oatmeal in the morning instead of cereal. Snacking on raw vegetables like carrots or broccoli. Replacing white rice with brown rice. Eating fresh fruit as a dessert. Healthy fats include unsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acids. These can be found in fish, olive oil, and nuts. Avoid unhealthy fats, however, like saturated and trans fats. These are found in fried foods, fatty meats, and baked goods. These types of fats can actually increase your risk of gallstones.  Nuts, such as peanuts or cashews, may be able to help reduce gallstone attacks. Try eating 1 ounce (28 g) of nuts several times a week. Try replacing solid fats, like butter and margarine, with liquid fats, like olive oil and flaxseed oil. Other foods high in healthy fats include avocados, natural peanut butter, and pumpkin seeds. Magnesium deficiency may be a cause of gallstones in men. The best way to get magnesium is from food, such as almonds, bananas, peas, or milk. You can also use magnesium supplements, but be careful not to take too high of a dose. Take no more than 350 mg a day. Always talk to your doctor before starting supplements. Some vitamin and mineral supplements may reduce the effectiveness of medication or cause side effects. Vitamin C may reduce the frequency of gallstones. You can get Vitamin C from a variety of foods, including citrus, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, and fortified grains. You can also take a daily supplement or multivitamin containing Vitamin C.
A:
Increase the fiber in your diet. Choose healthy fats instead of saturated or trans fats. Consume foods high in magnesium. Increase your Vitamin C intake.