Nutritional planning involves balancing macronutrients, understanding calorie formulas, and identifying the functional properties of whole foods to manage weight and chronic conditions effectively.
Lithium is a naturally occurring alkali metal found in numerous foods and drinking water, especially that which comes from river basins and other fresh sources. Doctors prescribe high doses of lithium in drug form to stabilize the mood of patients with psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder.
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Regular coffee contains caffeine, which not only stimulates your nervous system, but also acts as a diuretic. While consuming coffee in moderate amounts is likely safe for most people, drinking too much can have negative repercussions.
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The cutting phase is a term bodybuilders use to describe the period of dieting leading up to a competition. While bodybuilders spend most of the year eating excess calories to build muscle, when a competition is looming, cutting calories is vital to help shed body fat and get as lean as possible for the stage.
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Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin stored in the liver. Its main purpose is to promote the absorption of calcium and strengthen bones. Only recently are experts discovering far-reaching effects of a vitamin D deficiency, including higher risk for cancer, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and more.
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Vegetable glycerin, also called glycerol, is sometimes used as a food additive in baked goods, candy, fudge, dairy products, meat, pasta, cereals, processed fruits and vegetables, condiments, soups, sauces, egg products and fish products.
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Tempura can be vegetables, tofu or seafood, but it's always battered and deep-fried to a pale golden color. Depending on the style and desired result, the tempura coating can be quite light and delicate or much thicker. Tempura is traditionally served with soup, pickles and hot rice, as well as a daikon dipping sauce.
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A tasty bite of tomato contains more than 10 different types of acids, but two account for a large percentage of the total: citric acid and malic acid. Tomatoes also contain another essential acid, ascorbic acid, which is better known by its common name: vitamin C.
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Not all teenagers may have the same nutritional requirements. The United States Department of Agriculture provides age ranges on which to base teen nutritional requirements.
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Butter, oils, fried foods and fatty meats all have varying amounts of fat, and surprisingly, so do some vegetables.
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The American Heart Association recommends eating omega-3-rich fish, such as tuna, twice a week for good health. It's wise, however, to vary what you choose. Because tuna is a source of mercury, you should avoid eating it daily, especially higher-mercury varieties like albacore tuna.
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Coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate and some medications contain varying amounts of caffeine. While a small amount of this chemical increases your alertness with few noticeable side effects, even a little too much can cause discomfort.
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Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil promote healthy cholesterol, which helps protect your heart. The best way to get fish oil in your diet is to consume at least two servings of fatty fish each week. Fish oil supplements can become rancid and must be stored properly.
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Grapefruit seed extract is reputed to help with a host of issues including fungal yeast infections, bacterial infections and viruses. It also may reduce risk for cervical dysplasia, or abnormal cell growth on your cervix surface.
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Energy drinks have been successfully marketed as providing a burst of energy and focus for athletes, students and tired office workers. While many of the active ingredients in energy drinks occur naturally in other foods, the high concentration found in energy drinks may be associated with kidney damage.
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Kidney stones are small, hard, sharp crystals that can lodge in the kidneys or the ureter, which is the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder, and are potentially very painful. The most commonly occurring stones are made of calcium combined with either phosphate or oxalate.
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Bupropion is a prescription antidepressant medication available as the brand Wellbutrin. In contrast, 5-hydroxytryptophan is an over-the-counter supplement used for a variety of health conditions, including for relieving depression. Known as 5-HTP, the supplement raises serotonin levels in the brain.
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Soy-based foods like tofu and soy milk contain chemicals known as isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen. They are compounds only present in plants, and they perform functions in the human body similar to the hormone estrogen.
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Unless you eat eggs as part of a large meal right before bed, they aren't likely to keep you awake at night. In fact, eating eggs at night may actually help you sleep better, according to an article published on the "Daily Mail" website.
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Your body requires a variety of micronutrients to maintain optimum health. They help build and strengthen connective tissue, prevent disease and convert food into energy. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can impair body processes and seriously compromise your immune system.
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Your body naturally maintains a balance of acid and alkaline – measured by pH – and this healthy pH level lets your cells function properly. Proponents of the alkaline diet claim that eating a diet high in fruits and veggies and lower in meat and dairy helps prevent excess acidity that negatively affects your health.
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