For their safety, always use cool-mist humidifiers for children. Hot water or steam from a warm-mist humidifier or steam vaporizer can burn a child if he or she gets too close. In the event of a spill, hot water might also burn.

Humidifiers add moisture to the air. Cool-mist humidifiers may help ease coughing and congestion due to a cold. But more research is needed. Some research has found that heated humidifiers haven't helped cold symptoms.

Warm-mist and cool-mist humidifiers are equally effective in humidifying the air. By the time the water vapor reaches your child's lower airways, it's the same temperature regardless of whether it started out warm or cool.

If you use a humidifier, be sure to keep it clean to prevent mineral buildup and the growth of bacteria and molds. Humidifiers that hold standing water, particularly cool-mist humidifiers, can disperse these materials into the air. Warm-mist humidifiers generally disperse less, if any, of these materials into the air.

Emptying the tank and drying all surfaces of the humidifier daily is one way to safely keep it clean. Also, consider refilling the tank with bottled water that is labeled "distilled" or "purified," both of which contain lower mineral content than most tap water.

There's no concern that water will dilute the digestive juices or interfere with digestion. In fact, drinking water during or after a meal actually aids digestion.

Water is essential for good health. Water and other liquids help break down food so that your body can absorb the nutrients. Water also softens stool, which helps prevent constipation.

Looking for other ways to promote good digestion? Focus on a healthy lifestyle. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Maintain a healthy weight. Include physical activity in your daily routine.

The answer depends on your age and the type of water exercise you're doing. Small children and older people typically prefer pool temperatures to be a little warmer. Swimmers training for competitions may need cooler water, so they won't overheat.

In general, pool temperatures between 83 F (28.3 C) and 88 F (31.1 C) are usually comfortable for most types of water exercise. Pools that are used for physical therapy typically have warmer water to help relax muscles and make stretching exercises easier.

Water exercise is a good choice for people who have arthritis because the buoyancy of the water helps protect joints from weight-bearing impacts.

Some herbs and dietary supplements may help you excrete water (diuretic) and help with sodium and water retention. Examples include dandelion, ginger, parsley, hawthorn and juniper. But proceed with caution before taking any products that have a diuretic effect.

Fluid retention can be caused by a number of medical conditions and some medications. So it's important to talk to your doctor about possible causes of fluid retention before you try to treat it yourself. Also, some herbs and supplements can worsen medical problems you have or interact with medications you take.

In theory, natural diuretics may help relieve fluid retention by making you urinate more. But there's little — if any — scientific evidence to prove that these herbs or supplements have diuretic effects, so you may not find them effective.

Whether you're hoping to lose water weight as part of a weight-loss goal or you're concerned about water retention related to menstruation, focus on eating a healthier diet, cutting back the salt in your diet, and getting plenty of exercise and activity — instead of taking diuretics.

Always let your doctor know about any dietary or herbal supplements you're considering taking.

Cutting calories appears to promote weight loss more effectively than does increasing exercise.

The key to weight loss is to consume fewer calories than you burn. For most people, it's possible to lower calorie intake to a greater degree than it is to burn more calories through increased exercise.

That's the reason cutting calories through dietary changes is generally more effective for weight loss. But doing both — cutting calories through diet and burning calories through exercise — can help give you the weight-loss edge.

If you lose weight by crash dieting or by drastically restricting yourself to 400 to 800 calories a day, you're more likely to regain weight quickly, often within six months after you stop dieting.

Exercise can help you maintain your weight loss. Studies show that people who lose weight and keep it off over the long term get regular physical activity.

Dieting can be tough when celebrations and treats abound. You may find it's more manageable to shift your focus from weight loss to weight management during the holidays. Use this mantra: "Maintain, don't gain."

Here are some ways to make it work for you:

• Make small changes. Look for healthier food and beverage choices. For example, replace sugar-sweetened beverages with sparkling water, and replace some high-calorie foods with fruits and vegetables. Walk at least 7,000 steps daily.
• Hold yourself accountable. Keep track of your progress and check in with someone who will keep you accountable. That person could be someone who supports your goal.
• Keep it interesting. Try new ways of tracking food intake, sign up for a nutrition newsletter, or read about healthier lifestyle choices.

When you focus on maintaining, not gaining, you can enjoy the season and avoid the post-holiday regret that comes from having overindulged.

No single piece of weight training equipment is best for everyone. Both free weights and machine weights can help you increase your strength. Other types of resistance, such as using resistance bands or body weight, also can help increase your strength.

The choice of using free weights or machine weights is based on your personal preference, your physical fitness level, your fitness goals and your access to equipment.

Free weights are versatile and inexpensive. They also simulate real-life lifting situations and promote whole-body stabilization. Free weights are generally safe when used with the proper technique. But it may take some practice to get used to lifting with free weights, and it's essential to use proper technique.

Machine weights also can be effective weight training tools, as long as you use machines that adjust to your body dimensions and allow your joints to move through their natural motion paths. Machine weights are generally safe when used with the proper technique. Many people can learn to use them quickly.

The bottom line? Choose a weight training system that you enjoy and that fits into your lifestyle. Aim to do weight training exercises of all the major muscle groups at least two days a week, keeping at least one day between strength training sessions.

And whatever type of resistance you choose, remember that proper form and technique is more important than the specific type of equipment.

Weight-loss hypnosis may help you shed an extra few pounds when it's part of a weight-loss plan that includes diet, exercise and counseling. But it's hard to say definitively because there isn't enough solid scientific evidence about weight-loss hypnosis alone.

Hypnosis is a state of inner absorption and concentration, like being in a trance. Hypnosis is usually done with the help of a hypnotherapist using verbal repetition and mental images.

When you're under hypnosis, your attention is highly focused, and you're more responsive to suggestions, including behavior changes that can help you lose weight.

A few studies have evaluated the use of weight-loss hypnosis. Most studies showed only slight weight loss, with an average loss of about 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) over 18 months. But the quality of some of these studies has been questioned, making it hard to determine the true effectiveness of weight-loss hypnosis.

However, a recent study, which only showed modest weight loss results, did find that patients receiving hypnosis had lower rates of inflammation, better satiety and better quality of life. These might be mechanisms whereby hypnosis could influence weight. Further studies are needed to fully understand the potential role of hypnosis in weight management.

Weight loss is usually best achieved with diet and exercise. If you've tried diet and exercise but are still struggling to meet your weight-loss goal, talk to your health care provider about other options or lifestyle changes that you can make.

Relying on weight-loss hypnosis alone is unlikely to lead to significant weight loss, but using it as an adjunct to an overall lifestyle approach may be worth exploring for some people.

Weighted hula hoops can be a good addition to your exercise program, especially if you're able to hula hoop for at least 10 minutes at a time. In fact, any type of hula hooping, using a weighted hula hoop or a regular hula hoop, can help you meet your exercise goals and provide aerobic activity. And it can be fun!

Weighted hula hoops are bigger and heavier than are traditional hula hoops. You can use a weighted hula hoop as part of an overall fitness program to add variety to your workouts or simply as a fun way to get more active.

Hula hooping can provide similar results to other types of aerobic activities, such as dancing — including salsa, hula, belly and swing dancing. On average, women can burn about 165 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping, and men can burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping.

Keep in mind that for most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Aim to do muscle-training activities at least twice a week.

If you try a weighted hula hoop, use a hula hoop that's the right size for you. The hoop should reach somewhere between your waist and midchest when it's resting vertically on the ground.

The weight of the hoop is up to you. The smaller and lighter the hoop, the more energy it takes to keep the hoop going. But the bigger and heavier the hoop, the easier it is to keep going, which means you may be able to do it for a longer period of time. You can experiment with different hoops to see which kind and size you prefer.

Weighted hula hoops are available at many sporting goods stores and online retailers and even at some fitness clubs.

Check with your doctor before using any kind of hula hoop if you have medical concerns, especially a history of back problems. And as with any physical activity, stop hula hooping and consult your doctor if you develop pain or other symptoms.

For most people, wearing a weightlifting belt does little to improve performance or protect the spine — especially during exercises that don't stress the back or place only minimal stress on the back.

You might consider wearing a weightlifting belt if you're doing powerlifting or dead lifts. A weightlifting belt can be a reminder to keep your spine in the correct position and can help maintain abdominal pressure to stabilize the spine during heavy lifting.

When you're lifting free weights, safety precautions are a must:

• Learn proper form and technique. The better your form, the better your results — and the less likely you are to hurt yourself.
• Spare your back. When you're lifting weights, keep your spine in a stable, neutral position. When you're picking up weights or putting them down, lift with your legs — not your back.
• Ask for help. If you're lifting heavy weights, ask a training partner to spot you.