I picked up a plastic honey container that was in a pot of boiling water, and the honey squirted over my hand. I ran it under cold water, then ran to get your book because I knew there was something natural I could put on burns: mustard.

Now's a good time to exercise frugality and check out the many deals available. Strike up the nerve to ask for extras. Fitness centers are slashing fees for current and new members, and even former members, for 2009.

A study measuring the intensity of activities such as walking, bending and weeding shows an increase in activity that could be beneficial for seniors. Does gardening count as a moderate workout? In the fitness world, it's an ongoing debate. Yes, say some: The walking, bending, digging and pruning is strenuous enough to gain fitness benefits. No, say others: More vigorous movement is needed.

Whether it's good times or bad, I'm fond of saying, fitness is a bargain. But for this column, you can take that literally -- and I'm not talking about scrounging up a dusty old Jane Fonda workout tape and a beat-up barbell set from EBay. Purchased new, the four products below will give you all-body, high-heart-rate aerobics, stretching/flexibility, and muscle toning and strength for a grand total as low as $117. You might even have

Jane Fonda and Billy Blanks, the Ab Roller and the Step. Ah, memories. And some should stay that way. So you've canceled your gym membership. Could it be time to resurrect some old fitness gadget you bought years ago -- one of those hot, miracle products from infomercials or drugstore checkout lines promising great abs, buns and thighs? We looked at a few of the more popular workout products from yesteryear and asked experts whether

No gym gear? No problem. Get fit the natural way. Hike local trails, scale buildings, exercise on the beach. It's inexpensive -- and scenic. Gym memberships are something of a luxury these days. But without the usual suspects -- treadmills, elliptical trainers, cable machines and free weights -- is it easy to get a decent workout?

A common mistake when performing this exercise, referred to as a plank, is to drop the hips too low and sag in the lower back area. This compresses the spine and makes the exercise less effective. When you practice this move, think of using your abdominal muscles to hold the pelvis up.

Many gyms are offering discounts. Here's how to take advantage. Fitness centers are slashing fees for current and new members, and even former members, for 2009.

Four-part series spells out the keys to exercise success for a healthier 2009. The best-laid resolutions to get fit can quickly crumble with no plan in place and no budget for a personal trainer. Don't worry -- we asked fitness experts to map out monthlong strategies to jump-start running, cycling, swimming and strength-training programs designed to remove the confusion and intimidation many feel. We kick off this four-week series with a running program courtesy of

Twisting is a part of everyday movement, but if your body is not used to doing it correctly, you could easily get injured by twisting the wrong way. Here are two seated twists that will help stretch and strengthen the muscles of your back, abdomen, hips and legs. Once you feel comfortable with twists done safely on the floor, you can progress to standing twists. Always approach twists with caution, especially if you have a

I've always had low cholesterol, but it has been rising for the past few years. First it went from 180 to 233, and then to 363. I tried to figure out what might be responsible and realized I had started taking glucosamine and chondroitin for sore knee joints in 2005. My doctor is skeptical, and he'd like me to take Crestor to lower my cholesterol.

The possible discovery of a 'morality center' prompts experimentation and foul play. But one expert says inducing good and evil responses is highly unlikely. "The Mentalist," "Red Brick and Ivy" episode, CBS, Dec. 16

The closer teens live to where alcohol is sold, the greater the seeming risk of binge drinking and driving under the influence.

Circumstances and personalities shaped how writers Joan Didion and Eleanor Clift coped with the deaths of loved ones. Five days after her adult daughter was placed in a drug-induced coma in order to treat a raging infection, Joan Didion lost her husband. John Gregory Dunne, the writer with whom she had spent nearly every day of 39 years, died at the dinner table in the living room of their New York City apartment.

At popular swimming holes such as Hot Creek near Mammoth, the water can unexpectedly heat up, scalding or killing people. Perhaps a greater health risk in hot springs is the danger of extreme temperature changes, from tepid to scalding in minutes.

Caution is advised when soaking in natural hot springs or a lake. The hike is long and dusty, across two miles of shrub-strewn desert, south of Apple Valley.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS

Balancing your budget shouldn't mean your health pays the price. Here are smart ways to manage both. Amber Eyerly, 32, says she's never been much good at saving money. But with only minimal raises, at best, expected for 2009 at the Los Angeles public relations firm where she works, Eyerly carefully studied her health insurance benefits package this year to see where she could trim costs.

If you're the proud owner of tight quads (the muscles in the front of your thighs), this is a great move for you. The first position will stretch the hip flexors of your rear leg and strengthen around the knee on your front leg. The second position will deeply stretch the quadriceps in your rear leg. -- Karen Voight

If the holidays are eating into your workout time, just speed things up. Trainers show how. Between parties and shopping, time is short these days. But that doesn't mean your exercise routine has to be second-rate. A 20- to 30-minute workout done at a high intensity can increase the heart rate and tone muscles equally as well as a longer workout done at a lower intensity.

Statins are available only by prescription in the U.S. -- in contrast to the United Kingdom, where in 2004 a low dose (10 milligrams) of simvastatin, sold as Zocor Heart Pro by Merck & Co., was approved for sale without a prescription, although still not exactly over the counter. Patients must consult with a pharmacist to determine whether they qualify for statin treatment.

Since the current guidelines on fish consumption were issued, Dr. Emily Oken, a physician and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, has led studies to examine the sum effect of eating fish.

Environmentalists fear that guidelines about seafood will be eased. Agency says it just wants input. News reports last week about a Food and Drug Administration report have environmentalists and public health officials worried that the agency wants to relax warnings about eating mercury-contaminated fish. A leaked draft report, obtained by the Washington Post, suggests that the benefits of eating fish may outweigh the risks of ingesting mercury even for pregnant women and children.

A new study appears to shed some light on why holiday gift-giving may be such a touchy matter and why your mother-in-law is still angry that you missed last year's holiday get-together.