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.
Without your feet, you wouldn't be able to get around. Sometime during your life you may suffer with athlete's foot or a weeping skin condition affecting your feet. Potassium permanganate is harsh chemical with antiseptic properties than can be used as a soak to treat certain skin and nail problems on your feet.
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If you have a sluggish thyroid gland, you may be diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Your thyroid gland oversees your metabolism. If it doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone, you can end up feeling fatigued, depressed, constipated and sensitive to cold, and may have a tendency to gain weight.
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If you are a frequent dieter, you may be deficient in certain trace minerals. If the minerals are involved with glucose metabolism and insulin production the deficiency may cause you to crave sugar.
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Chlorella and spirulina are different species of algae that you can find in a number of dietary supplements. In Japan, chlorella, a single-celled phytoplankton, is also used as a food source.
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CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, is another form of the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid found in trace amounts in some meat and dairy products. CLA is formed within the digestive systems of grazing animals, such as grass-fed cows and sheep, according to Health Services at Columbia University.
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Horsetail, a relative of the fern, is a perennial herb whose relatives populated the forests over 270 million years ago. Modern-day horsetail has been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years, dating back to the ancient Romans and Greeks.
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Many people turn to herbs for medicinal use as an alternative to commercially produced medications. Goldenseal and echinacea are two of the most commonly purchased herbs in the United States, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
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Although celery has been used as an herbal remedy for thousands of years, it is not well-known for its medicinal purposes in the Western world. In the past, celery was used to treat a host of ailments, including the flu, liver disease, water retention and arthritis.
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Chasteberry, a perennial shrub, is a member of the verbena family. It is also known by its botanical name Vitex agnus castus, as well as vitex, monk's pepper and chaste tree. Chasteberry is native to parts of Asia and the Mediterranean.
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Hematocrit is a type of blood test that determines how many red blood cells there are in your blood and what size they are. Hematocrit is part of a complete blood count, which also includes hemoglobin, white blood cell count and platelet count.
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Good nutrition is key to keeping your body healthy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has compiled and published a list of recommended daily intakes for all important nutrients based on a typical diet of 2,000 calories per day for adults and children over 4.
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Astragalus is an herb known scientifically as Astragalus membranaceus, and commonly as milk vetch and locoweed. It has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, being known as Huang Qi.
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Brahmi and gotu kola are popular herbal supplements used to treat Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. However, there is some confusion because some herbalists also refer to gotu kola as "brahmi."
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Like the tomato, chayote squash is actually a fruit that is used as a vegetable. Pronounced "chi-OH-tay," it is small and pale green, resembling a large pear. In fact, it is also called vegetable pear, alligator pear and mango squash.
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