Most of us know that sodium is bad for us but because of our mass consumption of fast and processed foods we're eating more than double the recommended amount we should. Sodium has become the new trans fat; it's the ugly word that's stealing headlines in the news.

Certified nutritionist, Meghan Ford, gives us the lowdown on the sodium situation.

Q: According to an article co-written by Dr. Kevin Willis, of the Canadian Stroke Network, cutting Canada's dangerously high salt levels is of urgent public concern. Is salt intake at a crisis level?

A: I think sodium has always been an issue but as soon as a study comes out from a reputable source it sets off alarm bells. It gives people an excuse to change their diet.

Q: Research shows about a quarter of all Canadian adults have high blood pressure and 30 per cent of all cases can be traced back to salt. What is all this salt doing to us? What sorts of diseases can it cause?

A: Water retention is one of the bigger ones because it's disrupting the sodium-potassium balance in the body. When there's an imbalance it puts a lot of stress on the kidneys, causing water retention. High sodium also causes hypertension (high blood pressure), migraines, dehydration and other conditions. In a worst-case-scenario, this imbalance can lead to heart disease and stroke. There is concern that such worst-case-scenarios will continue to rise if we don't curb our sodium intake.

Q: What are the highest and lowest sodium foods? I know that pizzas, burgers, soups and sandwiches are some of the worst contenders.

Apparently you can weight train just by wearing your shoes. Well, not any shoes, but these athletic numbers from NGR (No Gym Required), which are fitted with weighted midsoles. Why should you be interested in a gimicky pair of sneakers? Well, the claim is that this fitness product will help wearers burn 50 percent more calories than they normally would doing every day activities or running and walking all the while improving their core and toning leg muscles.

Here, Winnipeg-native Jennifer Cohen, who is the founder of NGR, explains her "2 in 1" sneakers.

Q: You've essentially invented a shoe that allows people to lift weights while they walk. Tell me about them.

A: I launched them because [I thought] it would be easy for people to incorporate them into their lives as all you need to do is walk and you'll not only get a cardiovascular workout, but also the weight resistance that's necessary for a full fitness program. Whatever you do normally when you're wearing the shoes is intensified. There's also a booklet that comes with the shoes that gives you a few different exercises -- I put together some leg work and floor movements.

Aside from not being very attractive, bad posture can also cause health problems such as injuries and back pain. It seems there are very few fitness activities that focus on maintaining posture. But, Pilates, if done properly, is all about posture and inner strength building.

Margot McKinnon, owner and director of Body Harmonics Pilates talks about Pilates and the importance of posture for a healthier, fitter you.

Q: What is the connection between Pilates and posture?

A: Pilates helps you come closer to a more ideal posture by building the body from the inside out by getting your joints and muscles to work better. When you go the gym, you're only training outside muscles. Outside muscles only work as well as the inside muscles. Pilates trains both inside and outside muscles. The key to Pilates is to work with your structure and your skeleton to make yourself move in a way that works best for you. Pilates is also very focused on your core muscles. It's the core that supports the spine and the whole body. If you don't have a strong core, that's when you develop postural problems.

According to UK newspaper the Daily Mail, supermodel Kate Moss was rather horrified at how haggard she appeared in photos of her sunbathing on a yacht in Saint Tropez. We don't know if the photos are real or if the story is true, but apparently, in an effort to turn back the clock, she has recently started the "10 years younger" diet plan.

Of course, no diet can turn back the clock entirely but given that you are what you eat, the right foods can certainly help you age more gracefully.

Here are our top 10 picks:

Food: Wild Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Helps: Keep skin firm and preserve elasticity
How?: Omega-3 fatty acids contain valuable oils that help impede wrinkles and moisturize dry aging skin. Omega-3 helps improve the structure of the skin, calming inflammation and protecting collagen Alan Logan a naturopathic doctor and author of The Clear Skin Diet (Cumberland, 2008) told Chatelaine magazine.

Food: Spinach
Helps: Keep eyes sparkling and clear
How? Years of exposure to harmful sunlight can damage the retina of your eyes. Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian notes that spinach is high in zeaxanthin and lutein, nutrients that are essential for the retina. These nutrients absorb harmful sun light preventing it from causing long term damage. Spinach also contains vitamin K which is excellent for the bones.

Fall is all about the jeans and jeans are all about the butt. Case in point, nobody buys a pair of jeans without first giving their behind a thorough examination in the mirror.

But if you want a firm round butt that is jeans-worthy (like our role model Jennifer Aniston's), it's not going to happen magically.

Check out the following 10 exercises for a better bum. Be sure to alternate between exercises and work your way up to 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps every other day.

1. Squats: This is the go to exercise for buns perfectly done. Add some weights, for an extra challenge. To do a basic squat, stand with feet hip width apart, bend your knees, lean into your heels and squat down making sure that your knees don't go past your toes. Meanwhile, you should stick your chest out and keep you abs firm. As you come up, squeeze your butt and inner thighs.

2. Lunges: These not only work magic on the butt, they also work the entire leg in the process. For the standard lunge, begin with feet together. Keep your back straight and your core firm. Take a large step forward. Bend the back knee slightly. Bend the front knee without allowing it to go past your toes. Push up lunging forward to return to standing position.
You can do this exercise with your hands at your side or using a medicine ball by raising the ball every time you lunge forward and lowering it when returning to standing position.

Many of us grew up in a waste not, want not, clean-your-plate culture. We were made to feel guilty if we didn't want all that was offered and were told we couldn't leave the table until we finished our meal.

This sort of thinking doesn't pay off when it comes to a sizable steak or a large piece of chocolate cake. In fact, that dining philosophy is a recipe for inevitable obesity. Ask a few skinny folks and they'll tell you they eat whatever they want. Of course, this could in part be genetics, but it also has to do with listening to the voice in your head that tells you when you're full. It's OK to have ice cream, but why not go for a kiddie cone as opposed to a double scoop.

Here are 10 tips on how to keep your portions under control:

1. Use smaller plates: Instead of dinner plates use side plates; instead of bowls use ramekins. The larger the plate the more food you'll try to fit on it. Studies show that using a smaller plate tricks the brain into thinking you have more food than you do.

2. Eat with chopsticks: This works particularly well at slowing you down if you've yet to master the skill of eating with chopsticks. Taking smaller bites, not only makes it easier to chew and digest, it also makes it more likely you'll eat less.

Become a vegan for five days and have better sex. That's just one of the many advantages suggested by Meghan Telpner, certified nutritionist and author of 'Making Love in the Kitchen', a column on the National Post's The Appetizer blog.

Telpner is encouraging readers to take up that aforementioned challenge and try out her online vegan program from September 15th to September 19th. It may or may not make you skinnier but Telpner believes it will make you healthier and educate you on how to improve your lifestyle by making better food choices. Below, she discusses the benefits of eating whole foods and how you can join her program.

Q: Why are you encouraging people to go vegan for five days?

A: For one, it's better for their health and the environment. It's not to convert anyone; it's just about incorporating more vegetables into their lives. Five days is a manageable amount of time. It's not too little, but it's enough so you get to experience how to be a vegan at work and when you go to a restaurant.

Q: Basically, vegan means not only a meatless diet but no animal by-products either like dairy and eggs. Are you asking people to essentially eat like a rabbit for a week minus the pellets?

A: It's not salad for every meal as some might imagine, it's really satisfying food and it's food that's high in protein. You eat things like beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains. I also encourage people to use lots of spices.

Q: How does this five-day vegan program work?

Your hair may be just a bunch of dead cells, your scalp, on the other hand is very much alive. That's why you can't feel touch on the ends of your hair, but you can near the roots.

A healthy scalp makes for a good head of hair. How your tresses appear can indicate your state of health and the nature of your diet. For instance, thinning hair can sometimes spell a deficiency in iron and or anemia. So, if your locks are lacking in lustre, this could be an indicator that you may also be lacking in a number of essential vitamins found in the hair superfoods below.

1. Salmon: These fish are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which give your locks a lustrous shine. Naturally, a serious lack of omega-3 can cause the scalp to become dry making your hair appear dull and lifeless.

2. Spinach: The dark, leafy greens your parents made you eat contain large amounts of vitamin A and C, which the body uses to make sebum. This oily substance secreted by your hair follicles acts as a natural conditioner and a treatment for dandruff.

We live in an absurd world where people are willing to permanently freeze their faces with Botox just so they can look 10 years younger.

Also ridiculous, but less so than Botox are facial exercises.

These exercises won't stop you from conveying emotion ever again and yet they can help maintain a younger appearance by toning muscles and improving skin elasticity.

It does require the dedication of a few minutes every day in order to see results. You should apply a moisturizer or mineral oil to the face and neck before doing the following workout.

1. Eye winks: Partially wink one eye at a time, hold the wink for a second and then repeat the movement 50 times for each eye. While this will not stop you from getting crow's feat, it may help make the lines around your face less apparent.

Stretching before you exercise has become one of those automatic habits almost like brushing your teeth before bed. But studies show that stretching may not have the positive benefits we think it does, particularly if you are doing static stretching where you hold a position for 20 to 30 seconds. This may actually weaken your muscles making them more susceptible to injury.

The question remains, what should you be doing before you exercise?

Matt Bennett, a Toronto athletic therapist whose clients include the Maple Leafs, clarifies the stretching dilemma.

Q: Do you agree that stretching before exercise is bad? If so why?