While supplements and meal-replacement shakes aren't required for weight-loss success, you may find them helpful if you're not an experienced dieter. Two meal replacement shake options are GNC's Lean Shake and Medifast's diet shakes.

Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, occurs when the thyroid gland makes more than the needed amounts of thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Too much of the hormones can lead to fatigue, goiter, heat intolerance, sweating, increased appetite, restlessness and weight loss.

Vinegar has been used by natural health care advocates for generations to treat health conditions such as high blood pressure, weight gain and blood sugar control. Diuretics likewise have several uses, including as a treatment for swelling of the limbs not due to injury, high blood pressure and kidney disorders.

Mustard powder is finely ground mustard seed, which comes from three species of mustard plants, including yellow mustard, brown mustard and black mustard. Mustard powder contains the same nutrients that are found in the whole mustard seed and has several nutritional benefits.

Immunoglobulins play a critical role in immune function: they act as antibodies that prevent you from becoming ill. Your B cells produce immunoglobulin, and sometimes your body can slow the manufacturing process.

Meat of any kind is one of the richest protein sources you can find, and even thinly sliced cold cuts provide a healthy dose with every serving.

Broccoli does lose some nutritional value when it's cooked, but the exact amount can’t be precisely measured because several variables are at play. The type of nutrient, the method of cooking you use and the length of time you cook the broccoli all influence nutrient retention.

Fiddleheads, the immature fern fronds of the ostrich fern, are the only edible ferns. People consider them a delicacy, with the flavor described as being earthy or similar to asparagus or green beans. They are low in calories, with 35 per serving, and are fat-free.

It's no secret that Americans are fighting the battle of the bulge, but you can even carry too much body fat if you're skinny. This phenomenon, sometimes called "skinny fat" or normal weight obesity, usually occurs in thin people who aren't physically active.

A 1-cup serving of canned, ready-to-eat split pea soup may contain as much as 965 milligrams of sodium, or over 40 percent of the 2,300-milligram daily sodium limit recommended for healthy adults. By preparing split pea soup at home, you can significantly decrease the amount of sodium per serving.

Fermentable carbohydrates are the sugars that are easily fermented in your digestive system, which include oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. They are composed of short chains of sugar molecules, making them easy to break down.

Malnutrition occurs when the body does not get the nutrients it needs to sustain health and normal development. Nearly one billion people worldwide suffer from malnutrition, according to the United Nations World Food Program. Many of the malnourished are children.