No matter how much moola you dropped on your yoga mat, you want it to last and offer you a smooth and injury-free yoga practice. There’s not a whole lot that goes into caring for your mat, but here are three things you should never do. Lather up: New mats often come with a rubbery or plastic-y odor, so of course your first instinct is to give it a thorough cleaning. Using too much soap can leave a slippery film, so the next time you hop on your mat, it might be dangerously slick, putting you at risk for falling on your asana injury. Use this technique instead: dip a washcloth in a solution of two cups of warm water and four drops of dish soap, and lightly rub the mat. Don’t scrub it with a rough sponge as this can cause nicks in the smooth surface and lead to holes. Then hang the wet mat over your shower rod to air dry. Leave it rolled up: After a sweaty yoga class, you wouldn’t ball up your wet outfit, store it in your yoga bag, and then slip it on for your next class, so why is it any different with your yoga mat? It’s never a good idea to keep your mat rolled up after a sweat session. The moist, dark environment is bacteria and mold’s favorite hangout spot and I doubt you want to practice on a mat covered in that kind of unhealthy growth. It’s OK to roll it up right after class, but as soon as you get home, hang it over a door or banister and allow it to fully dry out before rolling it up again. Lend it out: You’re such a kind and thoughtful yogi, you’re even willing to let someone borrow your mat. Stop right there. While it’s good karma to share with others, I’m sure sharing germs isn’t what you had in mind. Even your dearest friend can give you a cold, so it’s best to encourage others to buy their own mat to ensure everyone keeps their germs to themselves. Source: Flickr User mikecpeck

If you’ve ever panicked in the dressing room trying on swimsuits, you are not alone. A new study published in the journal Sex Roles says that for some women, even just imagining trying on swimsuits causes a bad mood. But the real surprise from the study? While it may seem like wearing a swimsuit in a public setting would stir up more negative feelings, women are most likely to pick apart their appearance in the dressing room. I’m definitely no stranger to the stresses of trying on bathing suits, and if you’ve ever felt the same, here are ways to make the process as easy and light as possible! Prep before you go : Get your body beach-ready before you hit the stores. Shave your legs, add some makeup or self-tanner, and spend a little extra time putting yourself together. The extra effort will go a long way when you’re trying on suits. If you go into the store already feeling a little messy, it’s going to make the whole process harder. Focus on the right things : Chances are, you’re buying a bathing suit because you’ve got some fun planned in your future! Whether you’re heading to a tropical locale with your family or hanging out by a pool with some friends, concentrate and try to visualize the positive parts of what’s to come. Buying the suit and hanging in the dressing room is just a means to an end. Keep reading for two more ways to making bathing suit shopping easier.

Need a little spice in your life? Try this recipe for gluten-free cinnamon quinoa bake from reader Gabysgfree . She shared the recipe in our Healthy Recipe group . This sweet take on quinoa is perfect for breakfast or a midmorning snack. It’s even better with a dollop of nut butter and a cup of tea! Learn how to make this protein-packed treat after the break!

Editor's Note: Rick Morris is one of 7 CNN viewers selected to be part of the Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge program. Each participant receives all of the gear and training necessary to compete in a triathlon, and will finish his or her journey at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in September.  Rick's biggest challenge, he says, is kicking "the cancer stick." Two o'clock in the morning.  A couple bottles of my strong pale ale Belgium style home brew.  Got the '80s rocking on Sirius Radio.  What better time to write about my smoking cessation progress? Perhaps it's a corny way to start a blog, but I don't care.  I'm in the mood for reflecting on the “good ol' days” when I was a non-smoker.   You know, the younger years… the energetic era.  Those were the days when responsibilities were minimal and my poison was nothing more than sweets. Sure, I had to do my homework, mow the grass and clean my room.  But, generally speaking, I didn't have the slightest concern for personal health.  I was cut like a knife – all 126 pounds, a member of the great Pisgah High School wrestling team, and didn't think twice about running 2 miles to the store for a pack of gob-stoppers and various “junk food." I could bench press twice my body weight, run full-court b-ball at the Canton, North Carolina, YMCA all day long, and still have enough energy left to make some football card money by hunting nightcrawlers (worms) until the wee hours in the morning. If you ever wondered where your fishing bait comes from, it arrives via “head-lamp-wearing” teenage fools like me. But for some reason, I ruined my pristine health when I was 29 years old by choosing to “be cool” with my motorcycle friends and lighting up.  I mean, what's one lousy cigarette going to do?  I'm still young.  I have self-control.  I can smoke only when I'm around the biker boys.  Right!  It was only a matter of days before I rationalized buying a pack so I wouldn't have to bum off my friends.  Pretty soon, I was smoking a pack a day. Since 1998, the cigarette has had an iron-clad grip on my soul.  I couldn't eat a meal without “rewarding” myself with a nice after-dinner toke.  I couldn't hang out with the guys, enjoy a football game, or even drive without a smoke. I started thinking about quitting perhaps five years into the habit.  It seemed everywhere I turned, people were telling me how unhealthy smoking had become – as if it wasn't unhealthy in the past and only recently became dangerous! I noticed the social changes, too.  Airlines quit asking if I wanted smoking or non-smoking.  Restaurants, where there were smoking and non-smoking sections, soon became entirely smoke-free.  Prices went from $1 a pack to $5 a pack within a few years.  Even tobacco companies were publishing campaigns on smoking cessation. So, I thought, I'll give it a whirl… I'll stop smoking.  How hard can it be? I started with the patch.  You know, a trans-dermal method for injecting just the nicotine and “not all the other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes."  I dealt with the vivid dreams and headaches and was able to stay smoke-free for a couple months. But at the first sign of stress I was back at it.  The trigger?  Nothing more than a friend who lit up in front of me.  “Hey, can I get one of those?” I asked.  That one cigarette was all it took.  Within a week I was back up to a pack a day. Next, I thought I'd try it “cold turkey."  That was a complete waste of time.  I think I made it through 2 days before I wanted to squeeze someone's neck.  It didn't matter to me… wife, son, daughter, friend, pet… any neck would do! How about some tasty nicotine gum?  Sure, if you like freshly-cut rubber from a gum tree with a delightful feet-juice additive, then this is probably the best route a smoker can take towards their smoke-free life.  That idea lasted about two pieces of gum. After another year of feeling like I was breathing through a box of grits, my new quitting scheme became a calculated science.  I opened up Microsoft Word and looked at the calendar for a stop date.  1 month from today.  If I smoke 16 today, and hold myself accountable for those 16 cigarettes, I can smoke 15 tomorrow.  My plan had me outlining what I call the “draw-down." I mean, hey, if I built up my physical dependence on this crap, then I can forgo all the gimmicks of gum and patches and cleanse my body the natural way. This, I rationalized, would reduce my daily dependence and I would be able to call it quits at the end of the month.  So, I created a chart.  Day 1: 16 smokes.  Day 2: 15 smokes.  Day 3: 14 smokes. I calculated the exact time  I would smoke based on the day's allowance, divided by the number of “awake” hours I had in my typical day (for some reason, I had no trouble being smoke-free while I was asleep!).  This actually worked for me.  I would place my initials on one of the allowable spaces each time I had a smoke.  I finally had commitment.  I had viewable control.  I drew down and kicked the habit.  For 4 months.  Then, I relapsed.  I don't recall why, but I did. So, I continued moving right along with my happy self.  Life was good.  I had my tobacco security blanket.  It solved any problems I encountered. But as I neared my 40s, I started noticing subtle changes in my health.  It took longer to fall asleep.  Coughing became a constant nuisance.  My $50 cologne was overshadowed by “Eau De La Forest Fire."  There was never enough flavor in my food.  The term “renewable energy” made me laugh.  And, I found myself becoming lazy. Ten years into my habit, I saw the next big “quit-smoking” tool on late night television.  It was amazing!  An electronic cigarette! This thing gave you the nicotine, produced the “smoke," and even lit up with a glow when you puffed.  I could smoke it anywhere – the restaurant, on an airplane – without repercussion. What a complete waste of money.  While the e-cig addressed my habit of toking, I really didn't find it useful in actually quitting.  Probably the best thing that happened with this approach is my wife accidentally washed it, and I had an excuse to buy a pack of real smokes. So there you have it – five ways I tried, and failed, to kick the cancer stick. But since being chosen as one of the Lucky 7 in the CNN 2012 Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge, I've been shown a completely new approach in becoming smoke-free: I've finally admitted that I'm unable to go it alone. My personal trainer, Bill Wilkins, enrolled me in a Freedom from Smoking class at the MedWest Fitness Center in Waynesville, North Carolina.  Today was my second weekly class. Our “teach” and Dr. Sanjay Gupta fan, Kathy, has a sincere approach in seeing us succeed, and has already enlightened me concerning some very interesting smoking facts and alternative methods for cessation.  In two weeks, we are scheduled for our quit day.  For some reason, I'm buying into what Kathy is teaching us and truly expect to succeed this time around. I feel somewhat embarrassed that for the first time in my life I require outside assistance in accomplishing something important. However, I have a confident outlook on this humbling endeavor in becoming smoke-free forever. Unlike my younger years, today I have far greater responsibilities.  People rely on me.  Plus, I'm still young, and I'm not going to allow tobacco to rob me of my prime any longer. Who's with me? Filed under: 2012 Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge , Cancer , Rick Morris Tagged: Rick Morris – Fit Nation Participant

The autopsy isn’t dead, but it’s certainly on the decline. New government stats show that in 2007, an autopsy was performed for just 8.5% of deaths. That’s down from 19.3% in 1972. (The low was in 2003, with just 8.1% of deaths involving an autopsy.) An autopsy, as CSI and NCIS junkies know, is the medical examination of a deceased person. In suspected criminal cases, its value is obvious. (Was death caused by a blow from Col. Mustard’s pipe or a subsequent heart attack?) In the case of disease, autopsies can not only pinpoint the cause of death, but also reveal “clinically significant diagnoses that were missed before death,” as well as “generate more accurate vital statistics, provide pathological descriptions of new diseases, and offer powerful tools for education and quality assurance,” according to a 2008 Perspective piece in the New England Journal of Medicine. Most (91%) of deaths in the U.S. were due to diseases in 2007, and those are the cases where autopsies are dropping. That year, autopsies were performed for only 4.3% of illness-related deaths, compared to 55.4% for deaths from external causes like assault or poisoning and 29.1% of ill-defined or unknown causes. The decline in autopsy rates corresponds with a change in policy by the Joint Commission to drop a hospital accreditation standard requiring a 20% to 25% autopsy rate for deaths occurring in the institution, the report says. But Donna Hoyert, the author of the report and a health scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tells us that isn’t the only factor, since autopsy rates have been declining in other countries, too. “There’s a general perception that it’s less needed because we have more diagnostic techniques,” she tells the Health Blog. With sophisticated imaging, for example, the cause of death may seem obvious. Not always so, according to a recent column by Kaiser Health News and the Washington Post, which noted that imaging isn’t perfect. Elizabeth Burton, deputy director of the autopsy service at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, told KHN that she has autopsied an alcoholic patient and the apparent cirrhosis turned out to be liver cancer. Autopsies also may allow families to gain information about hereditary conditions, she said. The cost of an autopsy is also a factor in its decline , as we noted a few years back. Photo: iStockphoto

I’ve got wavy, long, and thick wild tresses, which, needless to say, isn’t the easiest to manage post-workout. I try my best to skip washing my hair every day to prevent damage, but I love the feeling of squeaky clean hair. Even when I attempt to just rinse my hair with water, I may throw in a bit of conditioner to make my hair smell like a bouquet of fresh flowers. For those of you like me who want that clean fresh feeling (minus any oil) and hair that smells so good you want to eat it, I turn your attention to dry shampoo. We’ve already talked about Oscar Blandi’s Dry Shampoo and now I’d like to introduce you to my latest pick -  skinnyskinny’s Organic Rose and Black Pepper Dry Shampoo ($32). What I love about this dry shampoo is the fact that it goes with all hair colors - brown, black, blond, you name it. Unlike other dry shampoos that don’t blend very well into your hair, with skinnyskinny’s version, a little on the scalp goes a long way. Although the color is white, all you have to do is run your fingers through your hair a few times and it will easily blend in. Other pros include its spicy/floral scent and the fact that it actually adds texture and volume to your hair. I kid you not, my hair sometimes looks better after using this product than if I were to wash and blow-dry it – go figure!

Early this week, we learned that Japanese health officials had temporarily suspended the use of two common childhood vaccines while authorities investigated the deaths of five children. Sanofi-Aventis SA, maker of the ActHIB vaccine caught up in the suspension, now says it’s recalling 200,000 doses distributed in Japan –  but not because of the investigation. Sanofi took action after finding that two syringes used to dispense the vaccine contained an undetermined “foreign matter,” a spokeswoman tells the Health Blog. The move is precautionary only, and the recalled ActHIB vaccine doses don’t present a safety risk, she says. The ActHIB vaccine is administered using syringes — which contain a solution that renders the powdered vaccine ready for injection –  in Japan, but not in the U.S. Sanofi is still investigating, but believes the syringes, made in 2009, were contaminated somewhere during the manufacturing process.  The foreign matter didn’t affect the sterility of the vaccine, and “parents of children who were vaccinated with these lots have no reason for concern and do not need to take any action,” the company spokeswoman says. Image: Bloomberg News

Full disclosure: I am not a huge armband fan; I much prefer clipping a smaller iPod Nano or Shuffle to my shoulder during a run or other workout. But, after becoming addicted to music-streaming service Rdio , which requires a 3G or Internet connection to work, I decided to hit the treadmill with my new Nike+Armband for the iPhone ($34). The arm band itself is extremely lightweight and made from nylon and spandex. It fits your phone very snugly; the only openings are for inserting the phone and attaching headphones. Volume and power buttons are covered by material but labeled appropriately. The front is made of a thin layer of plastic for access to the phone’s screen and home button. The armband is thin and lined with velcro. Find out what I thought about it after the break.

Ellen and Glee actor Cory Montieth have a little fun at the expense of a yoga instructor. With the help of an earpiece, Ellen feeds the actor some downright kooky lines to say to the instructor - watch as Cory “throws his energy” across the room. Smile, you’re on candid camera!

If you are like many, you may have resolved to lose weight this year and have changed your lifestyle in order to meet your goals. But focusing only on that magic number on the scale can actually lead to weight gain, not weight loss, according to a new study . The study’s authors researched over 200 other studies and found that the emphasis on losing weight in lieu of other healthy goals had a detrimental effect on dieters; they ended up depressed, guilty, and dissatisfied with their bodies, which led to weight gain. The authors also debate on whether fat is as harmful as many claim, saying that their findings do not support commonly accepted ideas about losing weight , including that it will prolong your life, that obesity is an economic burden , and that weight loss is the only way that obese people can improve their health. Keep reading for tips on balancing weight loss goals with healthy habits.