Vitamins and supplements like melatonin and fish oil offer health benefits but can cause side effects if misused. Learn about the impact of saw palmetto on blood pressure and find the best multivitamins for young women and adults over 50.
Potassium chloride is one of the most versatile chemical compounds available. It is the ingredient used in most salt substitutes. Medically, the National Institutes of Health writes that it is used as a supplement for people who are potassium-deficient, or intravenously for people who may be dehydrated.
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Teasing, coloring, blow drying, curling—women put their hair through a lot in the process of styling their hair. However, these processes can take a definite toll on hair and negate all the effort put into looking good. Hot oil treatments provide a number of benefits to deal with different hair care and styling issues.
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Potassium is a mineral that is essential for the beating of the heart, as well as other important functions within the body.
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Lavender flowers are spike-like flowers composed of multiple, tiny purple florets on a slender, elegant stem. They are valued for their soothing, herbaceous fragrance, their healing properties, their multitude of uses and their physical beauty.
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Horsetail, an ancient herb that goes back to the time of the dinosaurs, often haunts gardeners plagued with boggy or shady areas. But this “weed,” Equisetum arvense, contains potential health benefits.
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Of the several types of elder or elderberry tree, the one people typically use as an herbal health remedy is Sambucus nigra, commonly known as European elder or black elderberry.
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Coconut oil contains a unique form of saturated fats known as medium-chain triglycerides. Unlike other saturated fats, MCTs provide an energy source for the body, rather than being stored, according to “Supplements 101” by Jim Stoppani.
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Approach weight loss supplements that make unsupported claims with caution. Certain amino acids, particularly phenylalanine and branched-chain amino acids, are widely marketed for losing weight. However, upon closer look, it appears the evidence to support these claims is very limited and outdated.
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The Miracle Berry, Synsepalum dulcificum, is a fruit that possesses a strikingly unusual property: when the pulp from the red berries coat a person's tongue, everything they subsequently consume tastes sweet.
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More commonly known as holy basil, tulsi has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Holy basil, or Ocimum sanctum and O. tenuiflorum, is closely related to the common basil herb used in cooking.
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Physicians prescribe iron supplements for the prevention and treatment of iron-deficiency anemia. There are three types of over-the-counter iron supplements in tablet form: Fergon (ferruous gluconate), Ferro-Sequels (ferrous fumarate) and Feosol (ferrous sulfate). Each contains different amounts of iron.
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Starflower oil, also known as borage seed oil, is a good source of gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA. In fact, it has even more than the popular evening primrose oil.
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Acerola is a shrub in the Malpighia family of plants and is also known as Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry and wild crapemyrtle.
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The apple is one of the healthiest fruits available and it is the main ingredient in Bragg apple cider vinegar. The vinegar is rich in potassium and supports a healthy immune system. Claims say this product helps control weight, eases digestion and muscle pain, keeps skin healthy, and soothes sore throats.
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Papaya and pineapple enzymes are both classified as proteolytic enzymes, meaning that they digest proteins. Papaya enzymes are extracted from the leaves and fruit of the papaya plant and are collectively known as papain.
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Despite its name, ringworm is not a worm. It's a condition caused by a fungal infection under the surface of the skin, and it's highly treatable with antiseptics such as topical iodine. Iodine applied to a ringworm site kills the fungus through skin absorption.
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Zinc oxide is a mineral used in many creams and ointments to prevent or treat sunburn and other skin irritations like diaper rash. It’s also available in oral formulations to promote wound healing.
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We have all heard of drinking lots of cranberry juice when you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), right? Well, the sugars in D-mannose are the specific components in cranberry juice that act as antibacterial agents.
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Colloidal metal supplements are used to treat deficiencies of metals in the body and boost its immune system. Colloidal copper is actually small flecks of copper mixed with purified water. The water acts as a vehicle for delivering the metal to the digestive system.
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Phosphorus is a poisonous and volatile non-metallic chemical element that when exposed to sunlight or heat in its white form creates red phosphorus. Red phosphorus is less volatile than white phosphorus as its tendency to combust spontaneously is much less than white phosphorus.
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