Going on a restrictive diet can help you lose weight, but, like many other dieters, you may regain that weight as soon as you go back to eating normally. Making more permanent dietary and lifestyle changes can help keep this from happening.

Carbohydrates serve as your body's preferred fuel source for everything from exercising to completing mental tasks. When you follow a low-carbohydrate diet, the goal is to control your carb intake to encourage your body to utilize stored fat for energy.

The popularity of low-carb diets might leave you thinking that starches are pure evil, at least when it comes to weight loss.

When you're trying to lose weight, lunchtime might feel as if you're in a war zone, especially if the only options are cafeteria fare or fast food. Watch your portions to control calories, and opt for whole, unprocessed foods as often as possible.

Nutrition is paramount for the professional cyclist, as well as for those looking to up their speed, stamina or overall athletic ability on the bike. The food you eat is used to fuel your performance on the bike, so you need to make sure your nutrition is on point to get to the top.

All salts share a similar chemical makeup -- they're made primarily from sodium chloride and serve as a concentrated source of sodium in your diet. Specialty salts, such as pink or grey sea salts, also contain trace amounts of minerals that affect the appearance and flavor of the salt.

By the time a child is 5 years old, he should be regularly be eating a well-balanced diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat and grains. Five-year-olds can sometimes be finicky eaters, refusing to eat certain healthy foods while preferring to eat junk food.

When you have excessive mucus, or phlegm, in the sinuses from a cold virus or allergies, the last thing you want to do is make your condition worse.

Grape leaves provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Several studies indicate that grape leaves might help combat memory loss, inflammation and fluid retention, while their antioxidant levels can keep the body young.

Pomegranates, the ruby red fruits with the jewel-like, juice-filled seeds, can be used fresh in salads and as a garnish, or they can be juiced to make a dark red drink. Both methods of consumption allow you to get the nutritional and antioxidant benefit of this “superfood.

Individuals with GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, experience discomfort when stomach acid rises upward and enters the esophagus. It may also be referred to as heartburn or acid reflux. Ranging from mildly irritating to painful, the burning feeling associated with GERD is often triggered by certain foods.

Eating in the middle of the night increases your total calories for the day, making it more difficult to maintain or lose weight. You also increase your risk for tooth decay, according to the American Diabetes Association.