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Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can increase cholesterol-lowering compounds. Image Credit: monticelllo/iStock/GettyImages High cholesterol — especially the “bad” LDL, or low-density lipoprotein type — is a major risk factor for heart disease, and it’s a problem for many Americans. While much of your cholesterol is determined by heredity and age, diet can play a key role. But how quickly can changes in your diet help? Advertisement ​Read more:​ The 3 Major Causes of High Cholesterol Levels Are All Preventable Video of the Day Understanding Cholesterol Cholesterol circulates in your bloodstream, carried in packages called lipoproteins, explains the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute....

How long an acorn squash stays fresh depends on whether it's cooke or not. Image Credit: DebbiSmirnoff/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Whole and Raw Cooked and Peeled Mashed and Frozen Acorn squash, like other winter squash varieties, keeps far longer than most fresh produce. But because this thick-skinned vegetable can sit on your kitchen counter for weeks without showing the slightest sign of decay, it can be hard to tell when it's past its prime....

Situps are beneficial for strengthening your abdominal muscles. Image Credit: Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images Situps are a simple exercise to add to any workout regimen. This exercise strengthens your core and plays a role in your overall fitness, but it isn’t a quick way to burn calories. Unlike cardio exercises, strength-training exercises burn calories slowly and their chief purpose is to strengthen your muscles. Even if you’re able to perform 200 situps, the calorie burn will be lower than other activities....

Walking is great exercise but prioritize your diet for weight loss. Image Credit: BAaAej Ayjak/iStock/Getty Images Simply putting one foot in front of the other is an excellent way to improve your cardiovascular health and increase your daily calorie burn. Advertisement But if you want to create a realistic, long-term weight-loss plan, you'll need to take your diet and overall exercise regimen into account. Instead of spending tons of time walking, build healthy habits that you can comfortably (and happily) sustain....

If your ham is moist, it'll be easy to cut through. Image Credit: jenifoto/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Fully Cooked Ham Uncooked Ham Air Fry Ham Tips for Moist Ham Even with a ready-to-eat ham, you'll still need to heat it up if you want a warm centerpiece. But doing so can lead to a dried-out cut of meat. Advertisement There are two main reasons why ham can get dried out in the oven, says Shawn Matijevich, lead chef for online culinary arts and food operations at the Institute of Culinary Education....

Corned beef is best prepared in a slow cooker, but you can roast it in the oven as well. Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Recipe Tips Juicy, tender corned beef comes out best when slow-roasted for several hours. And while you can stick it in your electric slow cooker, you can also opt to cook corned beef in the oven. Advertisement The process of cooking corned beef in the oven isn't all that complicated, it just takes time....

L-citrulline is a type of nonessential amino acid that’s made in the gut from two other amino acids, arginine and glutamine. L-citrulline benefits the body by boosting nitric oxide production, per a July 2018 review in ​Nutrients​. Nitric oxide is a type of gas that helps regulate blood flow, which has protective effects on things like blood pressure and breathing. That’s why nitric oxide may help prevent and treat both heart and lung disorders, per a June 2004 study in the American Heart Association’s journal ​Circulation​....

references Celiac Disease Foundation: "Sources of Gluten" Food & Drug Administration: "Gluten and Food Labeling" Gluten-Free Certification Organization: "About Us" Although they're free of meat, veggie burgers may not be gluten-free. Image Credit: RHJ/iStock/GettyImages Image Credit: RHJ/iStock/GettyImages Veggie Burgers and Gluten How to Buy Impossible Neat Gardein Beyond Dr. Praeger’s Hilary’s Amy’s The Impossible Burger looks and cooks like a real beef burger, so you won't even miss the meat....

Supplements and vitamins are meant to promote health, but when you're experiencing GI problems, it's worth investigating if the booster could be the problem. Image Credit: fizkes/iStock/GettyImages If you take a vitamin or mineral supplement as part of your wellness routine, making healthy lifestyle choices is likely a priority for you. Advertisement But when it comes to certain supplements, what you're putting into your body might actually stir up your gastrointestinal tract, leading to diarrhea....

All you need is a pair of dumbbells to build muscle all over. Image Credit: Mireya Acierto/DigitalVision/GettyImages From helping to manage weight to building strong bones to reducing back pain, resistance workouts can do wonders for your body. If you’re an exercise newbie — or a longtime cardio lover who’s looking to add strength training into the mix — a new challenge can feel a bit intimidating. Where the heck to begin?...

Fruit is a great alkaline breakfast choice. Image Credit: Rocky89/E+/GettyImages What you eat matters to your waistline and to your health. An alkaline diet menu promises to improve your health by reducing your acid load and decreasing the amount of metabolic waste you produce. Advertisement Research even suggests that an alkaline diet may have value in reducing morbidity and mortality from chronic disease. A comprehensive paper that analyzed the literature on alkaline eating published in the October 2012 issue of the_ Journal of Environmental and Public Health_ concluded that an alkaline diet may have positive effects on your health....

When eaten in moderation, bacon and eggs can be a healthy part of a balanced diet. Image Credit: SherSor/iStock/GettyImages Bacon and eggs are a classic old-school breakfast — and for good reason. Starting your day off with protein helps regulate your blood sugar after your long night’s fast and keeps you full for longer, while the protein helps feed and maintain your lean muscle tissue. The calories and saturated fat in bacon might give you pause, but indulging in bacon and eggs for breakfast a few times a week can definitely be part of a healthy, hearty diet....

Chickpeas on a wooden spoon. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley and related grains, such as spelt and farro. It may also be added to processed foods as a thickening agent. When you have celiac disease, your body reacts negatively to gluten, resulting in damage to your small intestine. This disease affects about 3 million people in the United States, but as many as 18 million additional people may have a nonceliac sensitivity to gluten, reports the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness....

Make your bread with baking soda instead of yeast. Image Credit: Brand X Pictures/Stockbyte/Getty Images If you enjoy baked goods but have a yeast allergy do not despair – you can substitute a formulation that contains baking soda instead when making breads, rolls and other baked goods. Also seek “quickbread” recipes that call for baking soda and eschew the use of yeast. Avoid consuming yeast if you are allergic because food allergy reactions can be life-threatening, advise the experts at the Mayo Clinic....

Hand wraps help protect a boxer's hands. Image Credit: Hello Lovely/DigitalVision/GettyImages If boxing is your workout of choice, you will enjoy plenty of health advantages: cardiovascular endurance, body strength, hand-eye coordination and reduced stress. But boxing and hand pain can frequently go (if you’ll pardon the pun) hand-in-hand. Advertisement According to a March 2017 study published by ​Hand​, boxing causes hand injuries more frequently than injuries in any other part of the body, even more frequently than head injuries....

Porridge can be helpful for weight loss. Image Credit: serezniy/iStock/GettyImages Eating healthy is key for weight loss, and while there’s no porridge diet, including the hearty cereal in your meal plan can help you reach your weight-loss goals. Oatmeal — the most common type of porridge — is directly linked to weight loss, and other types of porridge offer weight-loss benefits too. Advertisement Just stick to homemade porridge instead of sugary-flavored instant varieties, which are higher in calories and less beneficial for weight loss....

A basket of white bread rolls sits next to sliced wholegrain bread. Image Credit: thodonal/iStock/Getty Images Different types of breads are made from different types of flours. It is the type of flour that determines the quantity and quality of the carbohydrates in the resulting bread. Both white and whole wheat breads offer nutrients, including essential vitamins and minerals, but wheat bread contains a different combination of carbohydrates than white bread, so it has a different effect on your health....

Inverted rows and pull-ups share benefits, but the devil's in the details. Image Credit: DeRepente/iStock/Getty Images Fun fact: Everything in Australia is not upside down, and toilets don’t actually flush in the opposite direction in the land down under. But the myth that everything is upside-down in Oz is where the “Australian push-up” — more formally known as the inverted row, body row, incline pull-up or supine row — gets its name....

If your blood sugar rises beyond 140 mg/dL, your doctor may want to test you for pre-diabetes. Image Credit: verve231/iStock/Getty Images Eating big meals can cause your blood sugar levels to increase dramatically. If you are otherwise healthy, your body has a system to quickly usher the blood sugar out of your blood and into the cells where it belongs. However, if you have a condition like insulin resistance or diabetes, the consequences of big meals on blood sugar levels are more dire....

Sticking to soft foods and liquids can help lessen the pain. Image Credit: Povareshka/iStock/GettyImages Ulcers can be painful and frustrating, but sticking to a strict esophageal ulcer diet can help you through the healing process. Ulcers can develop throughout the gastrointestinal tract, so it’s important to follow the diet and exercise tips that are specific to your condition. Advertisement Read more: 4 Ways to Exercise With a Stomach Ulcer and Tips to Avoid Getting Them Video of the Day Esophageal Ulcer Diagnosis Esophageal ulcers occur in the esophagus, which is the part of the body that ushers food and liquid to the stomach....