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Lentils are a good source of protein. Image Credit: ConstantinosZ/iStock/Getty Images Lentils belong to the legumes class of vegetables that also includes peas and beans. Lentils, like their cousins, are low in fat, contain no cholesterol and offer high amounts of potassium, magnesium and folate, according to the Mayo Clinic. Legumes are often left out of typical American diets, even though they are a high source of protein and can substitute for proteins obtained through eating meats....

To cook uncured smoked ham, try smoking it on a charcoal grill using a low temperature (300-325 degrees), a block of hickory wood, and a honey mustard glaze. Image Credit: Shaiith/iStock/Getty Images The holidays come with many traditions — from charitable donations and religious ceremonies — to decorative holiday cookies and white elephant gifts. The type of food served can also be a tradition for many families and uncured ham continues to be a popular choice — but how the heck do you cook it?...

Doing deep breathing exercises before bed may help you relax your body and fall asleep faster. Image Credit: shironosov/iStock/GettyImages You’ve got your PJs on, teeth brushed and lights out. But then you get under the covers and…you can’t fall asleep, no matter how hard you try. Whether it’s stress, caffeine or noise, there are plenty of things that can keep you up at night. Luckily, though, there are also a few tricks to help you fall asleep fast....

Freshly made cabbage rolls. Image Credit: violleta/iStock/Getty Images Cabbage consists mainly of delicate, thin-walled cells that rupture when the moisture they contain freezes rapidly. You can freeze cooked cabbage rolls, but it is likely they will fall apart into a soupy puddle when reheating them. You have to start the freezing process slowly in the refrigerator, just like you have to thaw cabbage rolls slowly for best results. Advertisement Freezing the Cabbage Rolls Step 1 Place the cooked cabbage rolls seam-side down on a wire rack set inside a shallow dish or on a pan and let them cool to room temperature....

Yes, it is possible to lose weight at home — here's how. Image Credit: franckreporter/E+/GettyImages Whether you’re nursing a nagging cold, snowed in during a Nor’easter or practicing social distancing, odds are being stuck at home is disrupting your daily diet and gym routines. Advertisement As part of a June 2020 study in ​Clinical Obesity​, people with obesity filled out online surveys about how COVID‐19 stay‐at‐home orders have been influencing their health....

Can't focus? Maybe it's time to quit multitasking. Image Credit: Prostock-Studio/iStock/GettyImages We all have days when we feel a smidge spacy and scatterbrained. But a head full of fog is no fun, especially if it interferes with your ability to concentrate on important things like work, family or school. Advertisement Here, performance psychologist Haley Perlus, PhD, explains why you can't focus and offers tips on how to fix each possible cause....

Lifting heavy weights may cause straining, the main culprit of hemorrhoids. Image Credit: Neustockimages/iStock/GettyImages Maybe we don’t talk about them a lot, but they’re not all that uncommon. Advertisement Hemorrhoids — swollen veins around the anus — affect one in 20 adults in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). And they're something else, leaving you with uncomfortable or painful lumps around your anus or intrusive itchiness (and it's not exactly polite to scratch in public)....

Single-limb exercises — such as single-leg deadlifts and lunges — are key to improving balance and coordination. Image Credit: Morsa Images/E+/GettyImages You’ve probably heard the saying “life is about balance” — and it’s true. Life is also about coordination. Focusing on both will help you be able to do everyday tasks, such as standing and walking, as well as activities like running, kicking or throwing a ball, riding a bike and more....

Berries are fat-free. Image Credit: TShum/iStock/GettyImages While low fat or fat-free foods are an alternative for a healthy diet, they are not the cure-all for weight loss. In a lot of these types of products added sugars, starches and salts are used to replace the flavoring of the missing fats. Advertisement One gram of fat equals nine calories, while protein and carbohydrates contain four calories per gram, which is why low-fat foods can provide lower-calorie eating options....

Dates act as a natural sweetener and can benefit gut health, relieving stomach pain. Image Credit: inakiantonana/E+/GettyImages A delicious treat dating back to antiquity, dates are high in fiber and contain a number of vitamins and minerals and even a trace of protein. But for some, they may cause trouble like gas, bloating or stomach pain due to added preservatives and their high fiber content. Advertisement Isn’t Fiber Good for You?...

Tight hips or knee pain? Could be your IT band acting up. Image Credit: Maridav/iStock/GettyImages As any runner knows, their sport can be brutal on the IT band, and unless you stretch it thoroughly and avoid overtraining when it’s acting up, it can lead to painful injuries that are a nightmare to treat and deal with. (Not trying to scare you, but yeah, it’s true!) And while IT band complications can happen from any strenuous activity, it’s super common in the running crowd....

Whole wheat pasta can be eaten on a low carb diet. Image Credit: Lilechka75/iStock/GettyImages Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that a low-carbohydrate diet may help people lose weight more quickly than a low-fat diet, and effectively maintain that loss. So it’s only natural to be curious about whole wheat pasta’s carb content if you’re a pasta fan on the low-carb train. Advertisement Tip Whole-wheat pasta can quickly fill up a low-carb diet's daily carb allotment....

Close up of a corset Image Credit: AndreyDubinin/iStock/Getty Images Compression garments can give the illusion of weight loss. Borrowing from the whalebone corsets of old, they shape your body into a thinner shape by restraining your fat. Some brands of compression garments claim they help with actual weight loss, but those claims are dubious. Advertisement How They Work A compression garment, as the name implies, exerts pressure on your body to give it a different form....

Speak to your doctor if you're concerned about your COVID-19 risk due to your prescription medications. Image Credit: JohnMurrayPhoto/iStock/GettyImages Your prescribed meds are supposed to improve your health, not imperil it. But since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the medical community has at times inquired whether certain drugs might have an adverse effect. Advertisement Experts thought that might happen for two reasons: Medications could potentially elevate your risk of getting infected with COVID-19, or meds could result in a more severe course of illness if you did get sick....

Having to urinate frequently after drinking water might be annoying, but it's a perfectly healthy response to consuming more fluids. Image Credit: Kentaroo Tryman/Maskot/GettyImages So, you’ve finally started following the advice to drink more water, but now you have to pee all the time. Having to urinate frequently after drinking water might be annoying, but it’s a perfectly healthy response to consuming more fluids, so don’t worry. The best thing you can do is embrace it....

Vegan generally do not need carnitine from diet. Image Credit: altrendo images/Stockbyte/Getty Images Carnitine is a compound that your body makes to help you burn fat and remove cellular toxin. Your body maintains a fairly constant level of carnitine with the production in the liver and kidneys balanced with the excretion and reuptake by the kidneys. Generally your body makes sufficient carnitine to meet your daily needs, and your kidneys are quite efficient in conserving carnitine when the level falls....

There isn't a lot of scientific evidence to show the effects of weighted blankets, but they can be comforting and there's little risk in trying one out. Image Credit: Catherine McQueen/Moment/GettyImages In This Article Anxiety Insomnia Autism ADHD Chronic Pain Restless Legs Syndrome The Best Weighted Blankets to Buy The Takeaway Weighted blankets are trendy because of their supposed ability to offer relief from conditions like insomnia and anxiety. But do weighted blankets work?...

Drinks High in Potassium Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/GettyImages The mineral potassium is needed in your body to maintain proper heart function and fluid balance. advises Medical News Today. It also plays a part in muscle contraction, regulating blood pressure and maintaining healthy bones. Advertisement According to the NA of Dietary Reference Intake, adult men and women need at least 4,700 milligrams of potassium daily. Your body is unable to make or store potassium, so it must come from your daily diet....

Foam rollers are great for working your shoulders. Image Credit: YekoPhotoStudio/iStock/GettyImages You might associate the foam roller with recovery, but it can also be used during your workouts to strengthen your muscles. Foam rollers are frequently used to loosen up your hips, thighs and calves, but your shoulders also benefit from these cylinders of polyethylene foam that range in size from 1 foot to 4 feet in length and 4 inches to 6 inches in diameter....

Apply heat. Image Credit: BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images Costochondritis is best described as inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and the breastbone. Most people with this condition suffer a sharp pain near the sternum, which sometimes mimics the pain associated with a heart attack. Since this condition usually clears on its own, treatment isn’t often necessary. Changes in diet aren’t likely to improve – or worsen, for that matter – your condition....