Historically, dietary fats wore a scarlet letter for being "unhealthy." Although overconsuming certain types of fat can negatively affect your lipid levels, fat plays an essential role in your health. The Institute of Medicine recommends getting 20 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories from fat.
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Dining out provides an opportunity to socialize with friends and family and enjoy the food of your choosing. Being health-conscious doesn't mean you have to avoid restaurants altogether.
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Many health-conscious people dread dining out. Restaurant food is meant to please your palate, so it commonly contains excess sodium, fat, sugar or all three. The good news is that eating out doesn't have to cause anxiety.
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When choosing a vitamin supplement, it's natural to want to buy a trusted brand, but how do you know which one to pick? Watchdogs of the supplement industry independently test products to help provide guidance on which brands consistently produce high-quality products.
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High cholesterol poses a health risk to men and women. Your health care provider may recommend restricting your cholesterol intake if you've been diagnosed with elevated blood cholesterol. Knowing how much cholesterol is in food items plays a crucial role in meal planning.
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Potassium is an essential mineral necessary for proper nerve function. For some individuals, too much potassium can cause problems. The potassium in your blood can rise to dangerous levels if you take certain medications or if your kidneys aren't working well.
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Almonds provide healthy fat, fiber and protein, making them a good snack option. Researchers examined the health effects of consuming almonds with meals or as snacks and published the results in the October 2013 edition of the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
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Your gastroenterologist may recommend following a three-day protocol in preparation for your colonoscopy. Following a low-residue diet before your colonoscopy improves bowel cleansing, allowing a more thorough exam, according to Gastroenterology Associates of Tidewater.
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Checking labels and paying close attention to ingredients is a way of life if you have a sensitivity to food ingredients or additives. Monosodium glutamate reportedly causes a cluster of symptoms in sensitive individuals, although it has not been proven that MSG is the cause.
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While it may sound strange if you're unfamiliar with the practice, consuming baking soda may have benefits. People following an alkaline diet sometimes add baking soda to their regimen to boost alkalinity. There is evidence to support the use of baking soda for this purpose.
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Soft drink consumption is a growing health concern. If you are a habitual soda drinker, consider that one 32-ounce soda contains about 26 teaspoons of sugar, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The excess calories and sugar that soft drinks contain are linked to a number of adverse health effects.
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The calories in the foods you eat and the beverages you drink each day play a role in your weight and health status. The calories you consume each day help your body produce energy. While it's difficult to choose perfectly healthy foods 100 percent of the time, it's crucial that you eat nutritiously most of the time.
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The glycemic index, or GI, is a ranking of carbohydrate foods on a scale of 0 to 100 based on how rapidly and dramatically each food raises your blood glucose. The GI scale has a variety of uses. Someone with diabetes may use the GI for meal planning to help manage his blood sugar.
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Your blood type serves as a blueprint for the type of diet you inherently thrive best on, according to Dr. Peter D'Adamo, author of "Eat Right for Your Type." A naturopathic physician, D'Adamo developed a dietary planned based on the A, B, AB and O blood types.
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PGX, or PolyGlycopleX, supplement is a trademarked blend made from three water-soluble fibers: konjac powder, sodium alginate and xanthan gum.
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Lowering uric acid levels plays a role in managing gout symptoms. Your body produces uric acid as a byproduct of breaking down substances in food called purines. In addition to consuming a low-purine diet, getting enough of certain nutrients may help lower uric acid levels.
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It's common to feel concerned about your what foods you can eat following gallbladder surgery. Your gallbladder is a small sack that stores bile -- a substance that aids in fat digestion. If you develop a serious gallstone or other blockage, your doctor may recommend gallbladder removal surgery.
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The charcoal detox diet is one of several detox plans that claim you can lose weight and keep it off by ridding your body of stored toxins. The program calls for you to ingest activated charcoal -- which is different than barbecue charcoal bricks -- to detox, which supporters say results in weight loss.
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Vitamin K refers to a group of fat-soluble vitamins that play a crucial role in blood clotting. They act as a co-factor for seven vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, because without vitamin K, your blood is unable to clot. You get vitamin K from a variety of foods in your diet.
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Kelp supplements are commonly marketed for their rich mineral content and are particularly rich in iodine -- a trace mineral that your body needs in small amounts to function properly. As with all such aids, consult your physician before taking kelp supplements; they have the potential to cause unwanted side effects.
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