Hit the trail on these iconic and under-the-radar hikes through unforgettable desert, mountain, and coastal terrain.

Williams Lake
Williams Lake, Taos, NM
Get an alpine start to your day on the gradual 2-mile hike to Williams Lake, at 11,300 feet in the high country above Taos Ski Valley. The trail parallels the Rio Hondo upstream to the lake. From there you can look up at New Mexico's highest point, Wheeler Peak; if you're feeling ambitious, follow the faint goat path that scrambles up the scree field on the north side of the tarn to the summit above, with views 60 miles north to Colorado.


Half Dome
Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, CA
It's on a lot of people's life list of adventures--the demanding hike/climb up 8,800-foot Half Dome. Allow at least 10 hours, and know that the last 900 feet of trail is a steep climb up the dome, with you clinging to cables for the final 400-foot ascent.

More on Yosemite hiking


Haleakala
Haleakala National Park, Maui, HI
Ranger-led morning hikes often travel through volcanic

1-H2OJunkie-flickrWe always hear that nuts and mono-unsaturated fatty acids can help reduce our cholesterol and chances of a stroke, help improve cardiovascular health, and even help keep cancer at bay. But a new study from JAMA Internal Medicine is touting nuts and olive oil as factors that can help men survive prostate cancer, according to NPR.

See also: Love Your Heart with 5 New Almond Recipes

Out of 4,500 men with cancer that had not spread from the prostate, researchers found that men who "replaced 10 percent of their total daily calories from carbohydrates […] with vegetable fats (such as olive oil and canola)," after they had been diagnosed, resulted in a 29 percent lower risk of developing the more deadly form of prostate cancer. Also when added, a daily ounce of nuts showed "an 18 percent lower risk of developing metastatic prostate cancer."

Recipe: Olive Oil Poached Salmon

The data needs further research, but preliminary results are showing some promising things. Erin Richman, scholar at

by Lexi Novak


Getty ImagesYou don't need to max out your credit card on a makeover or binge on self-help books to feel better about yourself. Turns out, all you have to do is check Facebook. A new study out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports thatvisiting the website may actually trigger positive psychological effects. After viewing their own profiles for just five minutes, participants scored higher on a test that measured their levels of self-esteem.

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Generally speaking, I'm full of haterade when it comes to Facebook. What's to love about a public forum devoted to self-obsession and one-upmanship? But these new findings do make sense. We post carefully curated information about ourselves, we flood our newsfeeds with reminders of fun times, and we publish pictures that we want 937 of our closest friends to see. Visiting our profile for a few minutes is probably the same as thumbing through an old photo album: It just makes us feel good.

See

Patricia Garcia

I realized how much my relationship with the sun had changed a few weeks ago, when spring finally hit New York after a long, gray winter and everyone in the city flocked to the nearest park or rooftop. Instead of joining them, I found myself grabbing my Panama hat and heading straight to the pharmacy to stock up on some sunscreen.

Last November, after going through what I thought was my standard annual exam at the dermatologist's office-submit to a mole check, have one or two spots removed, receive a letter in the mail saying everything was fine-I got a call while at work informing me that my tests were in. One of the biopsies, a small patch of skin taken from between my shoulder blades, had tested positive for melanoma.

The nurse on the phone recommended a surgical dermatologist and asked me to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. I needed to move fast, she explained, as I hung up the phone and struggled to hold back my tears. Needless to say, I was

ShutterstockIn the summer of 1975 in Berkley, California, Alice Waters began her infamous Garlic Festival, a festival celebrating the flavors of natural garlic and the history of Chez Panisse, has continued for almost forty years since. While people still love garlic, it's known for its famous festivals and delicious taste these days-recent studies have revealed that garlic's health benefits are astounding.


Related: Fish Oils May Aid Weight Loss, Study Finds

Along with all of its homeopathic qualities, garlic can also aid in weight loss. Yes that's right, garlic can aid in weight loss and helplower risks of high blood pressure at the same time. Garlic is said to release adrenaline, which increases the metabolism rate andhelps you burn calories and lose weight.

Helpful hints: 11 Science-based Weight Loss Tips

Garlic is also said to have over 200 chemical compounds including allicin, which has bacteria-fighting properties that help reduce fats and cholesterol. Seeing as garlic's elements are

Father's Day is less than a week away and you haven't figured out what you're going to get your man yet? (It's okay! Neither have I!) The good news is that there is still time to get that perfect Father's Day gift. The better news is that I have some great ideas. The best news is that with these gifts you'll know that not only will you be able to give him something he can really use, you'll also be helping him stay healthy, fit, and active. There's something here for every budget and every fitness level - whether he's just getting started or he's a dedicated gym rat.- By Lizzie Heiselt

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Rainbeau Mars, vegan dictator. Photo: Getty ImagesBridezilla-mania has officially gotten out of control.

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It’s no longer enough for certain brides to demand that guests spend wads of money on presents, new outfits, and plane tickets to far-flung destination weddings. Nope, they now feel A-OK dictating to guests exactly what they should be eating—for three weeks prior to their big day.

Well, at least one betrothed lady does, anyway.

Rainbeau Mars, the actor and yoga- and holistic-health guru with “an irresistible glow,” according to her website, has requested that her guests “try out a vegan, and subsequently live food diet for 21 days” before her upcoming Kauai wedding to Hollywood business manager Michael Karlin, according to the Huffington Post. That way, Mars’s publicist explained in the piece, “everyone will look and feel their best for HER big day.”

More on Yahoo!: The Terrifying Wedding Diets That are All the Rage

Mars, though, responding to a Cosmopolitan story about

DANIEL ELIAS, 31
Security Guard
Woodbridge, Virginia

HOW I GOT GOING: Every two years I'd have to go for a physical for work. It seemed like every time I went there was a problem--first it was high blood pressure, then sleep apnea, and then in 2012, they told me I had high blood sugar and potentially had type 2 diabetes. That really shocked me. The other signs were there, but once I heard "diabetes"--it runs in my family--I realized "I'm killing myself…I've got to stop this." I was 380 pounds at the time. The doctor gave me guidance on what to eat, and he told me to do at least 30 minutes of cardio each day.

RELATED: How You Can Start Walking, Too

SECRET OF MY SUCCESS: Since I was so heavy, I knew I couldn't run, so I started with the elliptical until I felt like I could get on the treadmill. A few months later my in-laws entered me in a 5-K. At that point I'd lost 30 pounds. I finished in under 50 minutes. It felt hard and my knees hurt, but I was so proud of myself. At that point