If you take supplements such as Vitamin E or fish oil, you've probably encountered soft gel capsules. Usually oblong and translucent, these capsules have an appealing look and a smooth finish that makes them easier to swallow. But what are they, exactly?
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If you have limited space or a short growing season, you may be considering growing food in small containers. "Container gardening" is a fairly common practice, and plastic buckets are the medium of choice. However, with new information about plastic safety, you may be worried about chemicals leaching into your food.
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The U.S. National Institutes of Health classify magnesium as "an essential mineral for human nutrition." Many people, however, don't get enough of it. Research shows that a magnesium deficiency can have serious consequences, including low serotonin. That's right: a lack of magnesium can make you sad.
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If you think healthy eating can't include brownies, you've got another think coming. Brownies may not be the ideal health food, but they have a few surprising health benefits. In addition, simple recipe substitutions can cut down on the amount of fat and calories, making your dessert somewhat less sinful.
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The Pink Lady is quite a catch. Sweet, rosy, plump and smooth-skinned, she's popular with men, women and children, too. Pink Lady apples are a modern breed, developed in the 1970s in Australia. They require a hot climate, and are mostly grown in the southern U.S., southern Europe, South Africa and Australia.
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Iron is one of the most abundant minerals on earth, and we depend on it to live. Nonetheless, as much as 80 percent of the world's population may have an iron deficiency. Slow-release iron supplements are a viable solution to low blood iron, but iron supplements can also be dangerous.
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The common cold has no cure, and its symptoms can last for one to two weeks. If you catch a cold, you can't do much about it but stay comfortable and hydrated. That's where honey and lemon come in. Prepared with warm water, they make a soothing drink that can ease your discomfort.
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Fresh, raw broccoli is full of nutrition, but it can taste plain or even dry. Steaming it softens the cell structure, unlocking the flavor of broccoli and making it more enjoyable.
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If you avoid eating dried fruit with added sugar, you're making a smart choice because you'll avoid the excess calories from all that fructose. Still, you may wonder whether dried fruit is really a healthy choice at all.
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Third shift workers can develop a condition known as "shift worker disorder." The main symptoms are sleepiness and insomnia. A sufferer will feel tired during his work shift when he is trying to stay alert, and he will be unable to fall asleep once it is time to go to bed.
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Working out is healthy, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommending 75 to150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise each week and twice-weekly strength-training sessions. You might feel like throwing up after a workout, depending on what you do and how hard you exert yourself.
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Tuna is a versatile food item, used in sandwiches, salads, snacks and recipes like tuna noodle casserole. Initially the fish was only available in cans, but stores now sell tuna packed in pouches as well as the canned variety.
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Probiotic bacteria supports a healthy digestive system, which helps problems such as belching and indigestion. Many common foods naturally contain probiotics or are enhanced with these healthful microorganisms.
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Canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers, appear as small, painful sores in your mouth. These lesions usually go away without treatment within two weeks, according to McKinley Health Center, but certain foods can make them worse.
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"Flat feet" is a popular reference term for the medical condition describing feet with collapsed arches. Flat-footedness is caused either by the body’s inability to develop arches or by weak muscles that fail to maintain arches.
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Irregular heartbeat during exercise, known also as a heart arrhythmia, premature heart contractions or colloquially as skipping a beat, can result from a variety of causes. Some of these causes relate to permanent conditions or diseases, while others are temporary conditions.
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The Environmental Protection Agency, also known as the EPA, states that drinking water contaminants include giardia, cryptosporidium, arsenic, lead, nitrates, pesticides and radium. Bacteria and viruses also contribute significantly to water pollution, according to the EPA.
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Sodium benzoate is added to soft drinks as a preservative and a bacteria-destroying agent. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America states that significant numbers of people report allergic reactions to the compound.
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Dictionaries define "hamburger" as ground beef or a patty of ground beef. The popular usage of the word hamburger comes from the use of ground beef grilled as a patty, surrounded by a bun and served at fast-food restaurants.
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Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, helps with the regulation of healthy bones, muscle, immune system, insulin and metabolism. Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin that is available in some of the foods that you consume and in supplement form.
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