Your kidneys filter water and other substances from your blood to produce urine. Urine production enables your body to rid itself of waste products and other potentially harmful substances, while also regulating water balance.
Read more →
Staph infections are caused by several species of bacteria that belong to the genus Staphylococcus. Most staph infections arise on the skin, although they may occasionally spread into the bloodstream to affect internal organs.
Read more →
Your body needs dietary protein to keep all your cells functioning normally and is especially important for your nervous system.
Read more →
Your thyroid gland is small structure in the front of your neck, just above your collarbone. Its importance for your health and well-being is far out of proportion to its size. The thyroid makes hormones that regulate the rate at which your cells burn nutrients and perform various functions.
Read more →
A monthly period is just part of life for women of child-bearing age. The amount and type of menstrual blood can vary from one woman to another and, in some cases, the flow can include blood clots. This can be normal, especially when it only occurs on and off for a few days.
Read more →
Diet is important for both diabetes and gout, two chronic metabolic diseases. In diabetes, the body has a problem managing blood glucose because insulin is too low or cells respond abnormally to insulin. As a result, blood sugar may become too high, compromising the body's energy supply.
Read more →
Although you probably think of dandelion (Tarazacum officinale) as a weed, the plant is also medicinal and has been used as a traditional herbal remedy for centuries.
Read more →
If you're pregnant or hope to become pregnant, you might be concerned about a possible complication -- gestational diabetes. This temporary condition develops when a woman's body becomes resistant to insulin produced by her pancreas, causing her blood-sugar levels to rise above healthy levels.
Read more →
Sugars such as lactose and fructose are simple carbohydrates that your body can use as a quick source of energy. But some people are unable to consume these sugars because they lack the specific enzymes that break them down in the digestive tract or have other problems digesting the sugars.
Read more →
Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Indian and Asian cuisines. It is produced from the dried underground stem, or rhizome, of the Curcuma longa plant, a relative of the ginger plant. Turmeric is bright yellow and gives color to traditional Indian dishes.
Read more →
Several different conditions can lead to arthritis, or painful inflammation of your joints. In gout, a metabolic problem can cause joint pain because the body has difficulty getting rid of a waste product in blood called uric acid.
Read more →
Eating a healthy diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is crucial for staying healthy and fit. But sometimes you might need an extra boost, especially if your situation prevents you from eating the recommended amounts of these healthy foods.
Read more →
When you were a child, your mother might have told you that carrots are a healthy food -- she was right. Packed with vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, carrots make a perfect low-calorie snack, add color and flavor to salads and are a good side dish at dinner.
Read more →
The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system. It surrounds a portion of the urethra and makes some components of semen. As a man ages, the prostate sometimes enlarges in a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, a noncancerous condition.
Read more →
Although you wouldn't normally add grass to your diet, one form of grass produced by sprouting wheat seeds has been part of traditional herbal medicine for many years. Wheatgrass, as it's generally called, contains several vitamins and minerals, along with chlorophyll and several phytonutrients.
Read more →
The thymus gland is a small gland in your upper chest that has importance for your health far out of proportion to its size. It starts functioning during fetal life, manufacturing millions of immune cells called T cells.
Read more →
You add hot, spicy foods to your diet because you enjoy the flavor, but you might be unaware of the possible health benefits of capsaicin, one of the natural compounds in these foods.
Read more →
Herbal medicine has been around for centuries, and despite the success of modern medicine, plants are still frequently used in the home treatment of a variety of ailments. Flowers from the linden tree, commonly known as the lime or basswood tree, is one such traditional folk medicine.
Read more →
Carbohydrates are the main source of calories for most Americans, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which recommends that adults consume 45 to 65 percent of their nutrition from carbohydrate sources. But some carbohydrates -- such as sucrose -- aren't the best choices for a healthy diet.
Read more →
Your body uses amino acids from food to manufacture hundreds of proteins and to fuel many biochemical reactions in your cells. Essential amino acids are those you can't make and need to obtain from your diet.
Read more →