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A bowl of chocolate ice cream on a wooden table. Image Credit: mikafotostok/iStock/Getty Images Sugar cravings often strike after a meal, despite feelings of fullness. Habits, brain chemistry and your diet’s makeup cause you to crave sweets. You can learn to fight the cravings, but only after you understand why they occur. Advertisement Significance Adam Drewnowski and Allen S. Levine write in the “Journal of Nutrition” in March 2003 that added sugar and fat make up more than 50 percent of the typical American diet and contributes to the obesity epidemic....

Sodium lauryl sulfate allows shampoos and other body products to foam. Image Credit: Vita-lina/iStock/Getty Images A common ingredient in personal care products, sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS, is an additive that allows cleansing products to foam. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, SLS is a “moderate hazard” that has been linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin irritation and endocrine disruption. Advertisement Definition SLS is an emulsifier and foaming agent commonly used in cosmetic products and industrial cleaners....

The carbohydrates in an apple give you energy after your workout. Image Credit: Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images During your workout, your body’s metabolism functions at a higher rate, burning calories to fuel this burst of activity. Eating a post-workout meal refuels your body after its calorie expenditure. If you’re trying to lose excess pounds or maintain a healthy weight, choose foods that are high in nutritive value and low in calories. Apples make a smart post-workout snack....

Oatmeal with blueberries Image Credit: Sally Scott/iStock/Getty Images Incorporating oatmeal as part of a nutritious diet plan is vital for overall health and well-being. The American Heart Association explains that oatmeal may help to lower cholesterol levels. Furthermore, the fiber content of oatmeal may also help to promote digestive health. Health experts recommend oatmeal to diabetics as treatment for elevated blood-glucose levels as it regulates the production of insulin. Consult with your healthcare adviser or nutritionist before implementing dietary changes....

Does Taking Iron Supplements Turn Your Stool Black? Image Credit: Roman Larin / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Iron supplements are generally safe for consumption, but may have unpleasant side effects. Iron tablets invariably affect stools. Some level of color change in the stool is normal, but there are certain variations in feces that are cause for alarm. If you are concerned about any changes to your stool color, consult your doctor immediately. Advertisement Tip Yes....

Cook a large batch of brown rice to eat after workouts. Image Credit: peangdao/iStock/Getty Images Eating right after a workout or training session is essential in maximizing your recovery. For high-intensity, long-lasting cardio workout, such as a long cycling training session or a 10-mile run, post-exercise carbohydrates are critical. You might be tempted to go for the convenience of a meal-replacement bar or drink, but opting for a whole food, such as brown rice, after a workout provides you with fiber and naturally occurring vitamins and minerals – compounds that could be missing in processed products....

Elevating your legs may relieve pain from varicose veins and lymphedema. Image Credit: I am a female photographer from Thailand I love create an artworks with my camera/iStock/GettyImages You may notice that your legs swell and, when they do, it’s painful. A number of different health conditions can cause your legs — or leg — to swell. Advertisement Causes of Painful Leg Swelling A common cause of painful leg swelling is peripheral vascular disease, which occurs when cholesterol plaque builds up in the walls of your arteries, says Melissa Baldwin, MD, an assistant professor of surgery at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City....

Corn is the most common GMO plant. Image Credit: Yasonya/iStock/GettyImages Genetically modified foods — known as GMs or GMOs — are produced from plants whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory to create combinations that do not naturally occur. GMO examples include corn, soybeans and sugar beets that are then used in many foods as oils or sweeteners. Advertisement The FDA considers "genetic engineering" to be a more precise term for describing the process of creating these modified plants and their subsequent foods, although "GMO" is the more recognized term....

Exercise and poop are definitely connected, and tweaking your workouts might help keep you regular. Image Credit: pepifoto/iStock/GettyImages A healthy breakfast, a strong coffee and, well, a trip to the bathroom are just a few ingredients you need for a successful morning. But if you’re not getting enough exercise (or too much), it could be affecting that last part. Advertisement In fact, your workout schedule can have a pretty big effect on your digestive health, and it goes beyond your regularity....

To prevent further irritation of your stomach, skip the hot sauce. Image Credit: rudisill/iStock/GettyImages Eating a lot of spicy, greasy or acidic foods can give anyone an upset stomach. If you have gastritis, eating these foods can cause severe pain, nausea and vomiting. Knowing which foods to avoid for gastritis can help to provide relief and lessen the damage to the lining of your stomach. A diet rich in foods that promote healing may also be beneficial....

A bowl of yogurt with fresh raspberries. Image Credit: margouillatphotos/iStock/Getty Images If you’re experiencing upper-abdominal discomfort that includes nausea or vomiting, you may have a digestive condition known as gastritis. While a bland diet is often recommended to help someone with gastritis manage symptoms, some research indicates that including yogurt with friendly bacteria may also help. Consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet. Advertisement About Gastritis Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach, which causes a decrease in the production of digestive enzymes, acid and mucus....

Resistance training helps tone muscles. Image Credit: svetikd/E+/GettyImages If you’re working on getting a toned body, you’re probably anxious to see results. Both men and women can tone and build their muscles by participating in weight training. How long it takes you to see improved muscle definition from your weight training depends on several factors. Advertisement Although the rate varies among individuals, it takes time to see muscle definition. Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen, particularly if you have been sedentary or have any health issues....

How much weight you will lose by stopping drinking alcohol depends on how much you are currently drinking. Image Credit: istetiana/Moment/GettyImages The idea of giving up so many things you enjoy in order to lose weight seems cosmically unfair, but few things worth achieving are ever easy. Advertisement Cutting alcohol from your diet, or at least cutting back on the amount you drink, has many health benefits, including a positive effect on weight loss — though it is impossible to estimate exactly how much weight any one person will lose if he or she stops drinking....

You can see some results right away from lifting weights. Image Credit: Mireya Acierto/DigitalVision/GettyImages You can get some weightlifting results right away, and others in just a few days. That’s because weightlifting affects your body in two ways — immediate and delayed. Understanding these two effects will help you reap the many benefits of resistance exercise. Advertisement Tip Resistance exercises like weightlifting have an immediate effect on your muscle protein synthesis, according to June 2015 paper in Sports Medicine....

A plate of lunch meat next to slices of brown bread. Image Credit: MSPhotographic/iStock/Getty Images Cold lunch meat is just one more thing on a long list of things you’re told to avoid during pregnancy. Processed meats such as hot dogs and lunchmeat pose the threat of introducing harmful bacteria to your already compromised system and can possibly result in an infection known as Listeriosis. Listeria monocytogenes are a common bacteria found almost everywhere in nature and is easily killed with heat....

As the cliché goes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Image Credit: SherSor/iStock/GettyImages As the cliché goes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you need to dazzle your cooking skills for a large family and the two-slice toaster won’t work fast enough, you can cook basic toast or even cinnamon toast in the oven — and you won’t need to skip everyone’s morning meal....

They key to good bird dog form is keeping your back flat and creating a long, straight line from your fingertips to heel. Image Credit: fizkes/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Instructions Tips Benefits and Muscles Worked Modifications Progressions A dog may be a human's best friend, but the bird dog exercise is your core's best friend. Advertisement The aptly-named move (the position resembles a pointing hunting dog) is probably one of the most underrated ab exercises, considering its benefits go far beyond core strength....

Having your signature desserts on hand in the freezer helps to give you an edge when you have unexpected guests or need dessert fast. You can make any type of cheesecake in advance and store it in the freezer or freeze leftover pieces. A no-bake cheesecake contains softened cheeses and should be kept cool to prevent it from spoiling. Although cheese is made by adding bacterial cultures to fresh milk, some types of bacteria can spoil this dairy product....

Swordfish is a large predator that's high in mercury. It's usually a safer bet to go with smaller fish like sardines, scallops and anchovies, which are lower in mercury. Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages It’s not just for planets in retrograde — mercury is a naturally occurring heavy metal that you want to avoid getting too much of. Advertisement Mercury is found in the Earth's crust but we can be exposed to it, often by eating fish and shellfish with high levels of a very toxic form of mercury called methylmercury in their tissues, per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)....

Setting small, attainable goals for the coming year can be the key to achieving them. Image Credit: The Good Brigade/DigitalVision/GettyImages There are two types of people: Those who religiously set New Year’s resolutions and those who cannot stand the ritual. If you fall into the second camp, consider reframing resolutions. Advertisement This January, try swapping "resolutions" for "intentions." "Resolutions tend to focus on hard and fast goals that are strict and fixated on something negative," says Alix Schram, RD, a registered dietitian at Kara Lydon Nutrition....