Nutritional planning involves balancing macronutrients, understanding calorie formulas, and identifying the functional properties of whole foods to manage weight and chronic conditions effectively.
Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in your brain that controls your circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle. When light decreases in the evening, you produce more melatonin, causing you to feel sleepy. After you sleep, and it becomes light outside, melatonin levels decrease.
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Flax seed flour, also called ground flax seed, offers some benefits over whole flax seed. Whole flax passes through your system undigested, causing your body to miss out on the health benefits.
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If you've eaten pineapple and experienced burning in your mouth or chest, it may make you think that pineapple isn't the right fruit for you. Although it's a good source of essential nutrients, pineapple is also an acidic fruit that contains an enzyme commonly used as a meat tenderizer.
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Instant ramen noodles originated in Japan in 1958. Created by an entrepreneur from Osaka for workers with limited lunch breaks, ramen quickly gained a foothold in Japan, according to “Time-Asia.
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Most people don't think twice about the gelatin used to coat vitamin capsules and other medications. Gelatin is an ideal vessel for encapsulating vitamins, since it has no smell or taste and is easy to digest. Gelatin has no known side effects, unless you are allergic to the animal parts used to make it.
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Eating anything shortly before going to bed can lead to difficulties falling asleep and may disturb your sleep throughout the night. While this is true of most foods, rich, heavy, spicy and fatty foods may be more detrimental to your sleep than others.
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Want to quit drinking Coke? Face the facts: Coca-Cola has no nutritional value. Quitting can be tough, but with our guide, you'll learn how to control your urges, replace Coke's refreshment with healthier options, and overcome sugar addiction.
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Don't ditch the fresh fruits and vegetables because you've been diagnosed with Oral Allergy Syndrome. The itchy mouth is a miserable side effect of eating some produce, however it is not life-threatening nor is it an indication of a real food allergy.
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Ginger is a type of root and spice that has been used as a culinary ingredient and traditional medicine for thousands of years.
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Ginger chews are made from pieces of real ginger root, which means they contain its natural active ingredients. At least 14 bioactive substances have been identified in ginger root. The most abundant essential oils in fresh ginger -- called gingerols -- have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities.
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A bag of frozen vegetables makes a simple side dish, but choosing the wrong cooking method can significantly reduce the nutrients in your vegetables.
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Breastfeeding is exciting for many new mothers who want to ensure that their infant is getting proper nutrition. Breastfeeding women need to increase their food and fluid intake by about 500 calories more than a woman who is neither pregnant nor breastfeeding.
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Among fast food connoisseurs, KFC cole slaw occupies an honored spot. It is considered by some to be the finest offering on the KFC menu, and copycat recipes abound. KFC publishes ingredients and nutritional information about all of its products, including cole slaw.
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Your body is able to make L-arginine, but during times of illness and stress, you may not be able to make enough to support needs, which makes this amino acid a conditionally essential one (see reference 1 under Conditional amino acids).
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Turmeric or Curcuma longa has been used for 4,000 years to treat a plethora of diseases and conditions ranging from inflammation to indigestion to infections. Curcumin, a substance found in turmeric, is a potent antioxidant, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
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L-arginine and L-ornithine, or simply arginine and ornithine, are two amino acids that share a lot in common in spite of one significant difference. Like most amino acids, arginine helps build proteins. Ornithine, on the other hand, doesn’t participate in protein synthesis.
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Ginger, the root of the Zingiber officinale plant, originated in Asia and has been used as a spice and herbal medicine for thousands of years. Ginger water, or ginger tea, is made by boiling fresh ginger root in water, then cooling and straining the liquid.
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Originally, vitamin B was thought to be a single compound found in liver, rice and yeast extracts. Further research revealed that the these extracts actually contained multiple B vitamins that were then named and assigned a number.
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Sesame oil and olive oil each have about the same number of calories -- 120 per tablespoon -- and they are both loaded with healthy fats. But they do have different flavor profiles, which can change the outcome of your entree. Sesame oil has an earthy, nutty flavor, while olive oil is somewhat buttery.
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Forcible gallbladder flushes are a fad among adherents of alternative medicine, holistic cures and home doctoring. Apple cider vinegar and olive oil do have proven health benefits, and when used in moderation, can certainly support a healthy diet.
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