Iodine is a trace mineral that's usually found in the form of iodide. It's needed for your thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones called thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Iodine is also needed for your immune system and might help treat fibrocystic breast disease.
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A muscle spasm is a painful, sudden tightening of muscles that occurs during physical activity. You're more likely to have muscle spasms if your diet is deficient in calcium and potassium or if you're dehydrated. Magnesium is also important for muscle relaxation.
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Moles and blackheads are common skin conditions, but have distinctly different characteristics. Blackheads, or open comedones, are a form of acne. They arise in skin pores. Moles are raised or flat areas that appear different from the surrounding skin. A blackhead might resemble a tiny, dark mole and vice versa.
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To lose weight, you need to burn more calories with physical activity than you take in by eating and drinking. The total number of calories you consume minus the total number of calories burned is your net calories. The lower your net calories are every day, the more weight you will lose.
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Red meats contain protein, zinc and iron, which are nutrients needed by pregnant women, but eating improperly prepared red meats may increase the risk of bacterial food-borne infections. Red meats include beef, pork and lamb products. If you're pregnant, speak to your doctor about eating red meat during your pregnancy.
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Agua de Jamaica is a nonalcoholic Mexican beverage made from the flowers of the jamaica plant, which is a type of hibiscus, sugar and water. Hibiscus contains natural compounds that might reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol.
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Polycythemia vera is a disease of the bone marrow and leads to an increased number of red blood cells. Vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin, is needed for red blood cell production. Correcting a vitamin B-12 deficiency can unmask the symptoms of polycythemia vera.
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Milk thistle supplements are made from silybum marianum, a plant that has been used historically to treat liver and gall bladder disorders. It's also known as holy thistle, Marian thistle, Mary thistle, Our Lady’s thistle, St. Mary thistle, and wild artichoke.
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Eggs can be part of a healthy diet even though they're high in saturated fat and cholesterol. In fact, according to a summary of literature published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2013, eating eggs isn't associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Your body needs sodium to maintain blood pressure and for normal nerve and muscle function. Getting too much sodium might cause blood pressure problems that can lead to health problems. It's easy to get enough sodium from the foods you eat and, in fact, it's more likely that you're getting more sodium than you need.
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Receiving the news that your blood test for protein is too high can be scary. Total protein is a lab test health care providers may order as part of a group of tests to measure liver and kidney function.
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Processed food manufacturers often use additives to preserve flavor and freshness in products that are meant to be stored for long periods. Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, and sodium benzoate are both preservatives you may find together in soft drinks and canned vegetables, such as olives and capers.
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If you've eaten a green vegetable, you've gotten some chlorophyll in your diet. Chlorophyll is the substance that makes plants green. Some people take chlorophyll supplements in the hopes of losing weight, lowering their risk or cancer or eliminating internal odors that cause bad breath or smelly gas.
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