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Don’t make these three mistakes. Image Credit: theevening/iStock/GettyImages Sure, your diet is full of whole-food sources of vitamins and minerals, but your body might not be getting the full benefits. If the micronutrients you’re consuming aren’t being absorbed into the rest of your system properly, you may actually become micronutrient deficient even though you’re eating all the right things. Advertisement First, let's clarify what micronutrients are. It's the term used to encompass all the vitamins and minerals you need in trace amounts through consumption of food or supplements because your body doesn't produce them naturally....

Mashing, shredding or blending your food can help it pass through the GI tract more easily when you're dealing with bowel adhesion symptoms. Image Credit: towfiqu ahamed/iStock/GettyImages In This Article What Are Bowel Adhesions? Symptoms Diet Changes Emergency Care Bowel adhesions (aka abdominal adhesions) are a type of scar tissue in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that can lead to potentially dangerous bowel obstructions. When these adhesions cause symptoms, you may be asked to take measures to ease the digestion process....

Bodybuilders often drink Muscle Milk to help them gain muscle mass. Image Credit: iprogressman/iStock/GettyImages Cytosport makes a line of dietary aids called Muscle Milk. This manufacturer originally wanted to simulate the nutritional benefits of a mother’s natural milk. To reach this goal, they mixed several types of muscle-building ingredients into a ready-to-consume beverage. These products offer you many health benefits, but they also have some side effects. Advertisement Tip You will gain the most weight when you drink Muscle Milk and do resistance exercise....

Not feeding your metabolism may cause it to slow down. Image Credit: leisuretime70/iStock/Getty Images To lose weight you need to eat less, so skipping meals or eating little or nothing for a day may seem like a good idea. But not eating intensifies your hunger, and regularly eating too little or skipping meals can slow your metabolism. The key to losing weight is to find the right balance of calories and exercise to keep you and your metabolism going....

Most Americans get too much sodium in their diet, so they are usually trying to decrease their sodium intake to limit their risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. People who participate in high-intensity exercise for longer than an hour or two, however, sweat out enough sodium that a drink containing this mineral is important for rehydration. There are plenty of high-sodium beverage options to choose from. Sports Drinks Sports drinks are especially formulated for rehydration, with between 108 and 271 milligrams of sodium per 8 ounces of liquid....

Food poisoning-related vomiting can cause sore throat. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Improperly prepared, stored and/or served food products can attract bacteria or germs that can lead you to a very unpleasant condition: food poisoning. While vomiting is one of the most common food poisoning symptoms, certain bacteria known to cause food poisoning can lead to sore throat and flu-like symptoms. If you experience a sore throat during or following food poisoning, there are treatments to minimize your symptoms....

Enzymes play an essential role in the digestion of the foods. Enzymes are made up of proteins that help with many events within the body, including the breakdown of nutrients for absorption. Some enzymes are made within the body for use during these processes, others come from foods. Some fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of enzymes. These enzymes can also help to prevent diseases. Pineapple Pineapple is high in the enzyme bromelain....

In general, most leftovers last 3 to 4 days, but different types of food have different lifespans. Image Credit: wmaster890/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Fruits and Vegetables Dairy and Eggs Baked Dishes Meat and Poultry Fish and Shellfish Bread Deli Salads Cooked Rice Soups and Stews Desserts Potential Risks Freezing Leftovers The holiday season, time spent meal-prepping and ordering too much takeout can all lead to having delicious leftovers for days. But how long are leftovers good for?...

How Much Brown Rice Should I Eat? Image Credit: Karisssa/iStock/GettyImages Brown rice offers you nutrients in greater quantities than those present in refined white rice or other refined grains. Determining exactly how much brown rice you should eat is a highly individualized process. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s current Dietary Guidelines offers you general guidance on healthy quantities of whole grain consumption. Advertisement Tip The amount of brown rice you should eat depends on your daily calorie needs and food preferences....

A week or two of intensive daily cardio might be enough for a flat stomach. You've already figured out that the path to getting a flatter stomach lies not in doing loads of situps, but in cranking out the cardio -- so you're already well ahead of the pack when it comes to your approach to fitness. Since there's no such thing as "spot reduction," there are really no shortcuts to getting a slimmer body, including a smaller waist....

Puncture vitamin E capsules and mix the liquid with other ingredients before applying to skin. Image Credit: amnad/iStock/GettyImages Vitamin E is often used to promote smooth, hydrated skin, it can help soothe burns, and it even be smoothed onto stretch marks and scars to diminish their appearance. Use vitamin E oil daily to smooth your skin and keep it looking healthy and young. It just might be a better treatment than pricey department store anti-aging creams....

Slices of pork tenderloin on a plate with plum sauce and lamb's lettuce. Image Credit: palomadelosrios/iStock/Getty Images Classic flavor pairings for pork tenderloin include Chef Bobby Flay’s Greek tenderloin marinated in garlic, lemon and oregano and Chef Emeril Lagasse’s German pork tenderloin with red cabbage. Often called pork medallions, pork tenderloin slices cook quickly and lend themselves to a variety of sauces, and marinades. Try a mustard cream sauce or an apple port sauce to add an elegant touch, or serve with chile peppers, lime juice and maple for a more casual dish....

Baked yellow squash makes a hearty and healthy meal at a low calorie cost. Image Credit: Christine Wolf Gagne/iStock/GettyImages Baked yellow squash makes a hearty and healthy meal at a low calorie cost. You can accentuate the mild flavor of baked yellow squash by adding your choice of tasty toppings such as low-fat cheese, crispy bread crumbs and savory seasonings. Here are some ways to prepare healthy yellow squash recipes....

Focus on lower body compound movements. Image Credit: jacoblund/iStock/GettyImages When you look in the mirror, what body shape do you see? If your body looks broader on top and slimmer on bottom, you may need an inverted triangle body shape workout. Choosing exercises with a specific focus on the lower body can help increase muscle mass and shape your hips, glutes and thighs. Advertisement What Is Your Body Type? Your body type is based on body composition and skeletal frame....

Jogger on a trail Image Credit: lzf/iStock/Getty Images Low-density lipids are known as bad cholesterol to many who suffer high cholesterol. Also known as LDL, these lipids are transported through the blood stream, increasing risk of cardiovascular disease when levels are high. LDL is easily recognized in plasma as a cloudy formation. Plasma is left after red blood cells and white blood cells are removed from blood serum samples. It is the liquid portion of the blood that aids in proper clotting and blood flow....

How to Get Protein Levels Up for Plasma Donations Image Credit: istetiana/Moment/GettyImages Plasma donation is a simple procedure, but the results have the potential to save lives. Blood plasma contains three important proteins, including albumins, globulins and fibrinogen, that help treat clotting disorders and immune deficiency disorders. According to donatingplasma.org, plasma proteins also help treat patients who have been burned, have undergone organ transplant or are undergoing dialysis. Advertisement Plasma Donation Process Plasma donation is similar to giving blood....

Beef shoulder fillet is valued for its flavor and has very little excess fat. Image Credit: VankaD/iStock/Getty Images The beef shoulder fillet, better known as the petite tender steak, is not one of the most common cuts of beef found in meat markets, but its flavor and value make it an economical cut. The steak is taken from the shoulder of the cow and usually weighs between 8 and 10 oz....

Your arms might not be doing the running but they're still working. Image Credit: twinsterphoto/iStock/GettyImages During strength-training sessions, runners tend to solely focus on the legs, glutes and core. After all, they’re doing the majority of the work as you pound the pavement. However, you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice if you didn’t also make sure to work your arms. Advertisement A lot of runners — especially newbies — assume arm strength isn't important for runners, says Michele Yates, founder and director of coaching at Rugged Running....

1 of 9 Overview You've probably heard of bacteria in fish that can cause food poisoning within a couple of days of eating the contaminated seafood. But there are more reasons to be cautious about the fish you eat. Some can host nasty parasites that can also make you very sick by using you as their new living quarters, destroying tissue, diverting nutrients and leading to secondary infections. And while most of the time the effects are similar to food poisoning, some parasites can migrate to organs, where they wreak havoc....

You might be familiar with one or two, but there are many different varieties of sweet potatoes. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients like fiber and vitamin A, according to the USDA. The best part is that they are easy to find at your local grocery store, farmers’ market and on many restaurant menus. Advertisement But there are several different types of sweet potatoes grown worldwide. They are generally starchy and slightly sweet, but range in shape, color and texture, each with its own unique taste profile....