Protein is key to good health -- it's involved in immune function, oxygen transport and maintaining strong muscle tissue. "Crude protein" is a measure of how much protein is in food, based on laboratory tests studying the food's chemical composition.
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Your body naturally maintains a balance of acid and alkaline – measured by pH – and this healthy pH level lets your cells function properly. Proponents of the alkaline diet claim that eating a diet high in fruits and veggies and lower in meat and dairy helps prevent excess acidity that negatively affects your health.
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Your sense of smell, called olfaction, plays a role in your health and your quality of life. Olfaction can alert you to the presence of dangerous and toxic material nearby to help you avoid disease, or can allow you to enjoy the flavors in the foods you eat.
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Grains are essential in a healthy diet -- ChooseMyPlate guidelines released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend 6 to 8 ounces daily for men and 5 to 6 ounces for women. Flatbread and wheat bread both contribute toward these intake goals.
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When you're trying to lose weight, a chicken-and-brown-rice meal offers a one-two punch for burning fat. You'll get the relatively low-calorie, lean protein of chicken and the filling fiber and healthy carbs from rice.
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Toning your back not only helps your posture -- as stronger back and posterior shoulder muscles pull your shoulders back and avoid that dreaded forward slump -- a toned back also eliminates a bulge that can appear above the top of a strapless dress.
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Soy's bad health reputation comes primarily from compounds called isoflavones, whose chemical structure resembles estrogen. However, studies into both the positive and negative effects have yielded mixed or inconclusive results, and humans have been eating soy-containing foods for years without confirmed side effects.
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With compounds roughly 300 times as sweet as sugar and virtually no calories, stevia offers a more natural -- but still processed -- alternative to artificial no- and low-calorie sweeteners.
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In addition to serving as a window to the soul, your eyes and sense of sight likely play a major role in your daily life.
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Once they enter your body, vitamins and minerals in the foods and supplements you consume can interact with each other, and these interactions can alter the absorption of these nutrients in your digestive tract. One such interaction occurs between magnesium and zinc. Too much magnesium does not cause a zinc deficiency.
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Cracked skin on your hands can prove uncomfortable and painful, and it detracts from the appearance of your hands. In addition, chronically cracked skin can pose a health risk, offering an entry point for bacteria, viruses or fungi to go into your body.
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Your heart beats several thousand times each day, and these heart muscle contractions help to pump oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.
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With a dense, meaty texture and mildly sweet flavor, swordfish makes for a hearty meal. It offers an impressive nutritional profile that includes protein, minerals and vitamins.
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Healthy hair and regular hair growth relies on a number of factors, including vitamins, minerals, and the presence of other nutrients. Medications, genetics, nutritional deficiencies, and underlying diseases and disorders can all negatively affect your hair.
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Vitamins C and E make up essential parts of your diet and promote tissue function -- for example, vitamin C aids in brain communication, while vitamin E helps control blood vessel constriction.
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The hormone vitamin D aids in the maintenance of several tissues: it maintains strong bones, helps maintain your body's electrolyte balance and aids in nerve function. Abnormally high or low levels of vitamin D can affect your health, leading to a number of side effects.
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While it's always best to get your nutrients from food, vitamin supplements, taken under the supervision of a doctor, can fill in any gaps. B-complex vitamin supplements and calcium, zinc and magnesium supplements each have several health benefits that make them worthwhile additions to your routine.
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Your skin contains a rich supply of blood vessels that nourish your skin, as well as sensory nerve endings that support your sense of touch. Constriction or dilation of these blood vessels can affect your nerves; dilated blood vessels can activate warmth-sensing nerves, while constriction can lead to a cold sensation.
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Thanks to its affordability and versatility in the kitchen, pasta makes up a staple in the average American diet. In fact, the average American consumes 20 pounds of it annually, according to North Dakota State University.
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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.
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