Nutritional health is achieved through the therapeutic use of whole foods, safe culinary preparation, and understanding the metabolic impacts of specific dietary frameworks and ingredients.
Alcohol in any form -- beer, wine or hard liquor -- can cause fluid retention in your hands and feet, also known as peripheral or dependent edema. Fluid tends to accumulate in your hands and feet because fluid travels downhill. Alcohol initially acts as a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration.
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Protein tablets are a type of dietary supplement that provides supplemental protein. According to “Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine,” you should consume 0.36 g of protein daily for every pound of your body weight.
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Prunes are marketed as a fruit snack, but you can use them in a variety of recipes ranging from soufflés and puddings to cakes and muffins. This unique-tasting fruit is well known as being an excellent source of fiber; however, prunes also provide other essential nutrients.
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Wrapped around your windpipe on all three sides is a butterfly-shaped gland called the thyroid. This tiny gland has huge responsibilities such as controlling your body temperature, metabolism and the production of vital hormones.
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If you suffer from infrequent bowel movements that are difficult to pass, your diet may be to blame. Constipation can be caused by dehydration or a diet too low in fiber. A lack of physical activity, illness and certain medications can also cause constipation.
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Potassium cocoate is a potassium salt that originates from the fatty acids present in coconut oil. While coconut oil is edible, potassium cocoate is not. The substance, also known as potassium coco soap, is a translucent pale-yellow liquid that contains glycerine, a moisturizer.
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Imagine a platter of warm crusty bread or fresh-baked cookies. Are you hungry yet? The availability of flavorful breads and sweets in today's culture can make occasional cravings a given. Often, however, dietary and lifestyle factors underlie such cravings, making frequent and excessive indulgence likely.
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Vitamin B12 is found primarily in animal product foods like shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs and milk. Adequate intake and absorption of this vitamin is important for maintaining your red blood cell supply and promoting healthy nerve function. Except in strict vegetarian diets, inadequate intake is rare.
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In most cases, the negative effects of alcohol consumption are directly associated with the amount of alcohol consumed and apply regardless of the form of the alcohol.
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Gluten is a protein found in certain grains like wheat, barely and rye. People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity have to be careful to avoid all gluten in foods, especially those with "hidden" gluten.
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Sugar includes two main types: added sugar and naturally occurring sugar. Sugar is often added to processed foods such as baked goods, desserts, breakfast cereals, condiments, salad dressings and marinades. In contrast, sugar occurs naturally in fruit, vegetables and milk.
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The calcium in yogurt and other dairy products may affect your body's ability to absorb iron. This is a problem because iron is needed to make hemoglobin, a protein that allows your red blood cells to carry oxygen.
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Boiled peanuts are a snack most commonly consumed in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and northern Florida. Boiled peanuts are made from green or raw peanuts that have been boiled in salty water, creating a legume flavor.
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If you're like most people, your gallbladder goes unnoticed until problems arise. It's a small sac situated beneath your liver that collects bile, or juice necessary to digest fat from your diet. Bile contains a mixture of cholesterol, salt and other substances.
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You may know it better as adrenaline, but epinephrine is a hormone produced in your brain in response to strong emotions such as fear or anger.
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With their thin, gray-brown to black color and rubbery texture, wood ear mushrooms are not like your standard white or brown mushrooms. With no caps or stems, the wood ear mushroom, which is sometimes called cloud ear, tree ear or black fungus, is most commonly sold dried and is popular in Asian cooking.
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Constipation is one of the most common digestive complaints in the United States, affecting approximately 15 percent of the population. Each year, Americans spend more than $700 million on laxative products -- the most common form of self-treatment -- to try to get things moving.
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Eating nuts supplies you with protein, fiber and healthy fats and also helps you meet your daily needs for magnesium and potassium. However, most nuts are a better source of magnesium than potassium.
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Like other fish, tilapia is a high-protein, low-calorie food. Consumers like it for its reasonable price and lack of “fishy” flavor.
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Coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides, such as lauric acid, capric acid, caprylic acid and myristic acid, that have unique properties to promote your health and reduce your risk of disease. You can use coconut oil in recipes for many types of dishes, since it adds a unique flavor and provides health benefits.
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