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Image Credit: yulkapopkova If your relationship with fiber starts and ends with thinking, "yeah it's good for you... I think," this one's for you. National consumption surveys suggest that 95 percent of Americans fall short on getting the recommended amount of fiber daily, usually hitting just 16 of the requisite 25 to 38 grams, according to the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Considering fiber comes with health benefits ranging from keeping you regular to supporting a healthy microbiome, the odds are pretty high that your fiber intake could use some self reflection....

A bowl of Thai red curry. Image Credit: Arayabandit/iStock/Getty Images Creamy, spicy red curry sauce is a staple of Thai cuisine, and you’ll often find it mixed with vegetables, fish or tofu and served atop a steaming bed of rice. While red curry sauce is healthy in moderate portions, it can be high in fat and calories thanks to the addition of coconut milk. At home, use light coconut milk to keep calories to a minimum....

Acid reflux is a painful condition that occurs when the lower part of the esophagus allows stomach contents to rise. When refluxed stomach acid touches the lining of the esophagus, it may cause heartburn, a burning sensation in the chest or throat or acid indigestion. You may also taste the food or fluid in the back of your mouth. Certain foods, including bagels and cream cheese, can trigger this condition. Although some individuals may have to give up eating bagels or cream cheese products completely, others may be able to make a few simple modifications so they can continue to have this treat....

A woman is on a long distance run. Image Credit: Dirima/iStock/Getty Images Your monthly period is a signal that you’re not pregnant, since bleeding occurs as a result of you shedding your uterine lining. You don’t need your uterine lining if a fertilized egg has not implanted on the wall of your uterus. A skipped period can cause you to feel angst if you suspect that you might have an unplanned pregnancy....

Jumping rope can help strengthen your lower body, including your calves, hamstrings, quads and glutes. Image Credit: jacoblund/iStock/GettyImages Jumping rope helps to burn calories and keeps the lower body, arms and legs in shape. It uses many of the body’s muscles, so it doesn’t take long to build lean muscle. Jumping rope burns the same amount of calories as 30 minutes of running. Advertisement Significance One of the main advantages of jumping rope for exercise is that a jump rope is portable....

A healthy diet is a better way to lose weight. Image Credit: Arx0nt/Moment/GettyImages It might be tempting to cinch yourself into a waist sweat belt that promises to slim fat away from your midsection. Unfortunately, weight loss doesn’t work that way. But you can lose excess body fat from your waist — and everywhere else — by making certain lifestyle changes. Advertisement Tip Although waist belts can't make you lose weight, a few strategic lifestyle changes can prompt you to lose extra body fat....

Two tall glasses of lemonade. Image Credit: rez-art/iStock/Getty Images Diarrhea is caused by a variety of factors including poor digestion, dietary allergies, high-sugar diets, lactose intolerance, influenza, gastritis and intestinal parasites and infections, among others. If your diarrhea is caused by pathogenic microorganisms, drinking lemonade may be beneficial because of its antimicrobial properties. However, if your diarrhea is caused from consuming too much fructose or is a reaction to the Lemonade Diet, then you should avoid further lemonade consumption....

Chest pain can stem from lifting weights, but see a physician to make sure it's not your heart. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images If you’ve been lifting weights and working out, it’s fairly likely that those workouts have caused the chest pain you’re experiencing. Strain and inflammation in your muscles or connective tissue can result in pain that feels like it’s centered in your chest. However, don’t assume that your chest pain doesn’t represent a serious health problem – there’s also a chance that it’s the first warning sign of heart disease or a heart attack....

No amount of cardio is going to directly reduce your muscle. Image Credit: shapecharge/E+/GettyImages If you use heart rate zones to track your exercise intensity, here’s good news: No amount of cardio is going to directly reduce your muscle. After all, the heart is a muscle too. But if you’re not eating appropriately, too much cardio may indirectly create a calorie deficit that costs you muscle. Advertisement Burning Fat or Muscle?...

Creatine supplementation may not be safe for people with high blood pressure. Image Credit: Eugeniusz Dudzinski/iStock/GettyImages A popular supplement among athletes, creatine is considered relatively safe and may also help with neurodegenerative diseases like muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, according to the Cleveland Clinic. But if you have high blood pressure, be careful: Creatine may not be safe. Advertisement ​Read more:​ The Effect of Protein Shakes on Your Blood Pressure Video of the Day Understanding Creatine Creatine is a natural source of energy in the body, produced by your kidneys, liver and pancreas and stored primarily in your skeletal muscles, per the Cleveland Clinic....

Boiled rice should help with symptoms of erosive esophagitis. Image Credit: KOMKRIT MUANGCHAN/iStock/Getty Images Erosive esophagitis results from reflux of stomach acid up into the esophagus. The lining of the esophagus becomes inflamed and irritated. You may feel abdominal pain and burning that extends up into the mid-chest area. Following a bland diet can help minimize symptoms. During acute episodes you may need medication along with diet and lifestyle modifications. Erosive esophagitis is often painful and leads to complications such as Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition....

A raw whole chicken sits on a wooden cutting board. Image Credit: vetas/iStock/Getty Images Crock-Pot slow cookers may take all day, but they make quick work of meal preparation. With most recipes, all you do is assemble the ingredients, add them to the Crock-Pot, turn it on, and walk away. Using a method known as braising, slow cookers employ low, steady heat over a long period of time to work magic on food....

People are eating hamburgers. Image Credit: oneinchpunch/iStock/Getty Images Fat malabsorption is a condition that results in a very limited ability of the body to absorb fats in the gastrointestinal tract. It can be caused by a number of underlying conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, chronic liver disease, pancreatic cancer, AIDS and HIV. Fat malabsorption results in weight loss, chronic diarrhea, fatty stools and deficiency symptoms of nutrients, particularly the fat-soluble vitamins....

Fiber-rich foods like yams and lentils are among the best to eat if you're aiming to shrink fibroids. Image Credit: haoliang/E+/GettyImages In This Article Diet and Fibroids Best Foods Worst Foods What About Dairy? Bottom Line Uterine fibroids can cause severe pain and discomfort for many people. Food certainly isn't the ​only​ factor that contributes to fibroids, but experts say it does play a part in the condition. Advertisement "While we don't fully understand the causes of fibroids, studies have shown that dietary patterns and foods may be associated with higher or lower risk for developing fibroids," says Melissa Groves, RD, LD, an integrative and functional medicine dietitian specializing in women's health and hormones, and the founder of The Hormone Dietitian....

Close-up of carbonated soda in a glass. Image Credit: hemeroskopion/iStock/Getty Images Sodium bicarbonate has many uses. Medicinally, it reduces stomach acid and can be taken after meals as an antacid to prevent heartburn and indigestion. It’s a fizzy tablet dissolved in water, commonly known as Alka Seltzer. In food, it’s simply called baking soda and makes dough rise, soda fizzy and beans easier to digest. It does contain sodium, so if you are following a low sodium diet, you may need to limit the sodium bicarbonate in your diet....

Dairy products can be difficult to digest. Image Credit: Anna Kurzaeva/Moment/GettyImages Some foods can be good for you, but there are foods your body cannot digest. Many hard to digest foods contain carbohydrates that are not properly broken down during digestion, often due to a common deficiency of an enzyme. High-fiber foods can also be difficult to digest. Advertisement Tip Vegetables, grains and dairy products contain carbohydrates that can be difficult to digest....

Frequent urination is defined by the need to urinate more often than usual and can be caused by urinary tract infection, pregnancy, overactive bladder, medication, neurological conditions, diabetes and prostate issues. Diet is a major contributor to frequent urination, but when under control, a proper diet can help remedy the condition. It may be difficult at first to determine exactly which foods are causing the frequent urination; therefore, keeping a daily journal of foods and beverages will assist in identifying what foods are causing the problem....

The novel coronavirus pandemic may have worsened an existing loneliness epidemic. Image Credit: LumiNola/E+/GettyImages Mental health professionals were concerned about loneliness well before we all started social distancing to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Advertisement "We were in the middle of a loneliness epidemic before COVID-19, and having to further distance from the world ultimately can be detrimental to our overall mental health and wellbeing," says Nina Vasan, MD, MBA, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Stanford University and chief medical officer of Real, an on-demand therapy platform....

A man is strength training. Image Credit: takoburito/iStock/Getty Images Building muscle requires you to train with intensity, lift progressively heavier weights, and eat a diet rich in protein and calories. While everyone is able to gain muscle naturally, people will differ in the rate they gain muscle. And the amount of muscle you can gain in a year will be influenced by several factors such as genetics, intensity, consistency and diet....

Weightlifting workouts getting easy? Time to lift heavier! Image Credit: Pexels / The Lazy Artist Gallery Nothing worth having ever came easily. That goes for your weightlifting and muscle-building goals, too. If your workouts have become too easy, it’s time to challenge yourself so that you progressing toward your goals. Advertisement One of the ways you can do that is going up couple of pounds with your dumbbells, kettlebells or barbells, so that each rep feels harder and more uncomfortable....