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Common in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines, eating aloe vera, either cooked or raw, is another one of the uses of aloe vera. Image Credit: Sundaemorning/iStock/GettyImages Aloe vera has been used for centuries as a topical skin treatment. Common in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines, eating aloe vera, either cooked or raw, is another one of the uses of aloe vera. Advertisement The pale green "skin" of the stalks hides the clear "meat" inside the leaves, as well as the natural gel the plant produces, both of which are edible....

You can eat zucchini skin. Image Credit: Aniko Hobel/Moment/GettyImages Unlike winter squash, zucchini gets harvested before it matures on the vine, while its skin is still thin and tender. When cooking or eating the fruit, you don’t need to peel zucchini — the skin, flowers and seeds are all edible. You’ll also find this summer squash full of nutritional benefits. Advertisement Tip You can eat zucchini skin. The roughage from the skin can help improve digestion and provide your body necessary minerals....

White blood cells are measured using a blood test called the CBC or complete blood count. Image Credit: Svitlana Hulko/iStock/GettyImages White blood cells are measured with a blood test called the complete blood count, or CBC, as part of a routine physical or when your doctor suspects you have an illness or infection. There’s not much you can do to increase white blood cells, but you can protect your immune system by taking certain steps....

A serving of corn tortillas is lower in calories than a serving of white flour tortillas or bread. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Are you team corn or team flour when it comes to your tortillas? Maybe you play both sides — nothing wrong with that, but corn tortillas have more good things going for them than many of us realize. Advertisement Corn tortillas are made with only three ingredients: masa harina (corn flour), water and salt....

references Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "The Nutrition Source: Oats" Current Obesity Reports: "Is There a Place for Dietary Fiber Supplements in Weight Management?" Nutrients: "Short- and Long-Term Effects of Wholegrain Oat Intake on Weight Management and Glucolipid Metabolism in Overweight Type-2 Diabetics: A Randomized Control Trial" Mayo Clinic: "Dietary Fiber: Essential For a Healthy Diet" Vanderbilt University: "Low Fiber, Low Bulk Diet" Cream of Wheat: "About" My Food Data: "Whole Foods Market Inc....

A glass of whiskey on a wooden table. Image Credit: Alexlukin/iStock/Getty Images Having diabetes means you must be vigilant about closely monitoring your diet, but if you find yourself at a bar with friends, don’t throw caution to the wind. Although people with diabetes can safely consume spirits because they’re low in calories, be careful about enjoying whiskey in a mixed drink. Many types of mixers are high in calories, but by switching your mixer for a diet version – using diet ginger ale instead of regular ginger ale, for example – you can safely avoid consuming too many calories....

Although veiny hands might be annoying, they typically aren't dangerous. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images Both exercise and aging can cause the veins in your hands to bulge, but for different reasons. In either circumstance, the bulging veins are probably normal. If the appearance of the veins bothers you, you can seek treatment to diminish the protrusion of the veins. In some circumstances, however, bulging veins are caused by vascular disease, and you will need to seek medical treatment to treat the cause of the bulging veins....

Seafood medley on a white plate. Image Credit: MackoFlower/iStock/Getty Images Seafood allergies include any allergic reaction to foods from salt or fresh water. This includes shelled and finned fish; crab, oysters, shrimp, trout and salmon. If you are allergic to seafood, you should not consume or come into contact with any seafood product. A common symptom that develops after eating seafood, if you’re allergic, is stomach cramps. Other gastric symptoms will accompany the cramping and can lead to vomiting and diarrhea in severe cases....

Maintain a diet that supports your level of physical activity. Image Credit: TongRo Images/TongRo Images/Getty Images The relationship between weight and menstruation goes two ways. Polycystic ovary syndrome – PCOS – is a condition that can cause irregular cycles. Researchers consider weight gain among the possible precursors of the medical problem, according to the WomensHealth.gov website. On the other hand, weight loss can also lead to inconsistent periods. Only your doctor can determine whether losing weight might regularize your periods....

Caffeine and other substances in tea can potentially skew your blood test results. Image Credit: Irina Beloglazova /iStock/GettyImages Some common blood tests require you to fast beforehand to help make sure the test results are as accurate as possible. You can typically still drink water during this period, but does tea break a fast for blood work? Advertisement If you're not sure what you can drink when fasting for blood work, you're not alone: An October 2013 study in ​Biochemia Medica​ found that more than half of 150 people who were surveyed on preparation for laboratory testing said they were not told how to fast for blood work, and nearly half of them showed up for their fasting tests inadequately prepared....

The calcium in yogurt can impair iron absorption. Image Credit: Michele Piacquadio/Hemera/Getty Images The calcium in yogurt and other dairy products may affect your body’s ability to absorb iron. This is a problem because iron is needed to make hemoglobin, a protein that allows your red blood cells to carry oxygen. If you are trying to maximize your iron absorption, you may need to avoid consuming yogurt or other calcium-rich foods at the same time you take iron supplements or eat high-iron foods, such as meats and leafy green vegetables....

Just say the words “sugar” and “caffeine” to a mother of a child who is sensitive to one or the other, or even both, and you will most likely get the education of a lifetime. By looking at the components of sugar and caffeine and understanding how each affect the body, individuals will most likely form their own opinions on the intake of caffeine and sugar. Sugar The average American eats as much as 3 pounds of sugar a week....

The row machine is a great way to get rid of love handles. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages Let’s face it — those love handles hanging out from the top of your jeans are not your best look. Making a commitment to change it is a big step toward meeting your goals, and since you already know that gym machines are going to help you meet your goals, you’re even further along....

Close-up of a caesar salad. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images Herschel Walker is a former professional football player who spent 12 seasons in the NFL before retiring in 1997. He also won the Heisman Trophy in 1982 while playing football for the University of Georgia. Walker is well-known for being a vegetarian athlete with an extreme diet, despite his very active training schedule. He currently runs a wholesale food company and competes in mixed martial arts....

Lentil soup has 159 calories per cup. Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/GettyImages Lentil soup makes for an easy lunch or soothing dinner. Luckily, it’s also low in calories, making it a smart choice for your healthy diet. However, if you choose to eat canned lentil soup rather than making it yourself, be aware of the amount of sodium it contains. Advertisement Tip Lentil soup has 159 calories per cup, according to USDA's FoodData Central, but that number will vary based on how the soup is made or what brand it is....

Stick to the style of reps that work best for you. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages It can be tough to figure out the best method for building big muscles. Just like asking, “How many sets and reps should I do to lose weight?” the answer depends on a lot of variables. A few different approaches will work. Whether you want to use low or high reps to build muscle, you should stick to the style you like best....

Any 9-inch cheesecake recipe can be adjusted for a 10-inch pan. Image Credit: Dave King/Dorling Kindersley RF/Getty Images Because dense, creamy cheesecakes can be easily damaged by inverting them onto cooling racks or plates, they require special two-piece springform pans with removable sides. If, like many amateur bakers, you don’t regularly make cheesecakes, flourless cakes, ice cream cakes or pudding tortes, you may not own springform pans in a variety of sizes....

An assortment of winter squash. Image Credit: marekuliasz/iStock/Getty Images A convection oven functions much the same way as a regular oven, except that a convection oven contains a fan that constantly circulates the heat evenly throughout the oven. Winter squash varieties such as pumpkin, butternut, acorn and Hubbard are good candidates for convection oven cooking. Baking winter squash in a convection oven is essentially the same as baking the squash in a regular oven....

references PNAS: “Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “How to Wash Cloth Face Coverings.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "How COVID-19 Spreads." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "How to Protect Yourself & Others" World Health Organization: "Advice on the Use of Masks in the Context of COVID-19" World Health Organization: "Q&A: Masks and COVID-19" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "How to Wear Cloth Face Coverings" Physics of Fluid: "Visualizing the effectiveness of face masks in obstructing respiratory jets" The Journal of Hospital Infection: "COVID-19 and non-traditional mask use: How do various materials compare in reducing the infection risk for mask wearers?...

There is nothing wrong with baking frozen burger patties in the oven. Image Credit: Claudia Totir/Moment/GettyImages There is nothing wrong with baking frozen burger patties in the oven. Although putting frozen hamburger meat in the oven increases the cooking time, it is still a quicker option than properly defrosting the patties first. Advertisement However, rather than bake frozen hamburger patties, there are shortcut defrosting methods that are faster than this if you're pressed for time....