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A healthy diet is an important part of a weight loss program. Image Credit: Boris SV/Moment/GettyImages You can accomplish a lot in three months — including serious progress toward your weight loss goals. A healthy three-month weight loss plan includes a nutrient-rich, calorie-controlled diet, plenty of invigorating physical activity and forgiveness for the days when things don’t go as planned. Advertisement Take the Long View It may be tempting to head straight for “crash diets” that promise quick and dramatic results....

Build strength, stamina, balance and mobility with body-weight exercises like the hollow hold and push-up. Image Credit: Prostock-Studio/iStock/GettyImages Starting an exercise routine for the first time or coming back from a long break can be tough. But body-weight exercises are an excellent choice for anyone — but especially older adults — to build all-around strength, stamina, balance and mobility Advertisement Body-weight moves use your own body's weight to provide the ideal resistance you need, all while protecting your bones and joints, which is particularly beneficial for older adults because as you age, you tend to lose bone mass and cartilage, according to Mount Sinai Health System....

A Soft Diet After a Diverticulitis Attack Image Credit: Claudia Totir/Moment/GettyImages A diverticulitis attack can be a very painful experience. This illness occurs when diverticuli pockets in the lining of your colon become infected. You may experience symptoms of stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and bloody stools. Advertisement Until your symptoms improve, your doctor may recommend bowel rest, intravenous fluids and medications. When your doctor allows you to start eating solid foods again, a soft diet is often encouraged initially to allow your body to heal....

Banana milkshakes are great for post workout recovery. Image Credit: villagemoon/iStock/GettyImages Milkshakes aren’t usually on the “healthy” list, but if you make your own with quality ingredients, there are some health benefits of a banana milkshake. You’ll have to forgo ice cream, but you can use milk, frozen bananas and Greek yogurt to mimic the consistency while upping the nutritional value. Advertisement The end result will be a protein-rich banana milkshake that's also filled with probiotics, healthy fats, potassium, antioxidants and several other vitamins and minerals....

Use beans for extra calories. Image Credit: dmetalfinch/iStock/Getty Images It seems like gaining weight should be a breeze – and it is, if you don’t worry about nutrition – but increasing calories and eating healthy foods means you can’t rely on sugar-rich foods. Beans can support your efforts in this. They have enough calories to make a difference on their own, and you can multiply their impact by mixing them with other high-calorie foods....

Can Taking Magnesium Supplements Give You Gas? Image Credit: Aamulya/iStock/GettyImages Most Americans don’t meet their daily magnesium needs through diet alone, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. If you’re considering adding magnesium supplements to your daily routine, make sure you choose the right kind. Some magnesium supplements are not absorbed as well as others and may cause gas pain or other side effects. Consult your doctor before adding any vitamin or mineral supplements to your daily routine....

One week is simply not enough time to get in great shape. Image Credit: EmirMemedovski/E+/GettyImages Getting in shape is a dedicated process that requires time and consistent workouts alongside a healthy diet. You simply cannot get in shape in a week, but you can use a week to make strides toward a healthy lifestyle. Advertisement Tip Build a long-term training program to create a healthy lifestyle. One week is simply not enough time to get in great shape....

Discuss your diet with your doctor if you have diverticulitis — you may be able to eat coconut. Image Credit: bdspn/iStock/Getty Images One out of every 10 Americans over 40 has diverticulosis, a chronic digestive disorder that creates small pouches, or diverticula, in the lining of the colon, or large intestine. If these pouches become inflamed, this acute attack is known as diverticulitis. Your health care provider will advise you to follow specific diets for different phases of your diverticular disease....

When consumed in moderation, peanuts can make weight loss easier and improve your health. Image Credit: Creativ Studio Heinemann/Westend61/GettyImages Few things are more enjoyable than snacking on peanuts while watching a good movie. But did you know that peanuts may help you live longer and ward off chronic diseases? This functional food was linked to reduced heart disease mortality rates and better overall health. Peanuts and peanut butter might even help you lose weight, as long as you don’t go overboard....

Creatine supplements are designed to help build muscle. Image Credit: Tatiana/iStock/GettyImages Creatine is a natural substance found in certain meats and fish and also produced by the human body. It is also consumed in supplement form, most often by strength-training athletes and bodybuilders. A misconception of creatine is that it burns fat directly when in fact that’s not its purpose at all. However, creatine can help to burn fat in an indirect way as part of a consistent resistance training program....

Image Credit: Beo88/iStock/GettyImages Diarrhea is a condition characterized by the production of at least three loose, watery stools in the span of a single day. Depending on the cause and severity of your diarrhea, you can potentially ease your symptoms by taking preparations of a fiber-containing plant called psyllium. Psyllium is the active ingredient in the commercial product Metamucil. Advertisement Diarrhea Basics Most adults in the United States experience one bout of acute, or short-term, diarrhea in a single year, while most children experience two bouts, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NDDIC....

The dosage of astragalus root is different for adults and children. Astragalus is an herb known scientifically as Astragalus membranaceus, and commonly as milk vetch and locoweed. It has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, being known as Huang Qi. Native to parts of China and a member of the pea family, this bushy perennial plant grows from a hairy stem that produces clusters of small flowers. The large yellow taproot of the plant is the part used in herbal preparations....

Drinking espresso may reduce your hunger. Image Credit: Steve Mason/Photodisc/Getty Images Drinking espresso may help you to lose weight by increasing your energy level and temporarily reducing your hunger. These effects come from the caffeine content of espresso, a strong black coffee made by forcing stream through ground coffee beans. Espresso is also a low-calorie beverage, as long you’re not adding sugar or cream to the espresso, and contributes roughly 3 calories per ounce....

People with oral lichen planus may need to avoid drinking coffee. Oral lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the mouth interior. It usually appears as patches of white streaks and spots that are not painful. More severe cases can involve episodes of sore areas and mouth ulcers. A tissue biopsy may be necessary for diagnosing this condition. Avoiding certain foods and beverages can help lessen or prevent painful symptoms....

Get ready to get into the best shape of your life and have fun while doing it! Image Credit: diego_cervo/iStock/GettyImages Just because the gym is closed, your schedule is packed or you just can’t muster the motivation to head to your favorite studio doesn’t mean you have to put your fitness routine on pause. Working out at home is the perfect solution to getting your sweat on while avoiding everyone else’s germs....

Watermelons have a lot of iron. Image Credit: sveta_zarzamora/iStock/GettyImages Fruit might not be the food group that comes to mind when searching for iron-rich foods for pregnancy, or anytime you need more iron, but interestingly, there are some fruits high in iron. Here are a few to add to your iron-rich foods list. Advertisement The Best Sources of Iron Iron is a mineral that’s essential for making hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen through your body....

1 of 10 Overview While nuts are high in (healthy) fat and calories, research shows that people who eat nuts tend to be leaner and have a lower risk of many diseases compared to people who don't eat nuts. In fact, snacking on raw nuts at least twice a week is associated with a 17 percent lower risk of death from heart disease, according to preliminary August 2019 research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2019 together with the World Congress of Cardiology....

Students may turn to Adderall to help them cram for exams as well. A drug's potential side effects are usually considered carefully by both patients and physicians. Yet for some individuals, those side effects may be considered beneficial. That's certainly the case with Adderall, a drug used to treat certain mental health issues. This medication may be abused by those wanting to lose weight or stay alert for long periods of time....

Adding a little cheese can add calories, fat and sodium to your sub. Image Credit: badmanproduction/iStock/Getty Images Subway’s numerous options for diet-friendly sandwiches, complete with fresh vegetables. But when building your low-cal meal, calculate how many calories and how much fat the cheese and dressing add to your cold cut sub. Advertisement Calorie Content A 6-inch Subway cold cut combo on wheat bread contains 410 calories. Adding two triangles of processed American cheese brings the count up by 40 calories....

A donut with candy sprinkles. Image Credit: Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images Whether you’re paleo or vegan, following Atkins or Dukan, or eating like women in France, you’ll probably lose weight if you follow the pre-set meal plans presented by these diets’ advocates. The authors of these plans may go into detail about why their specific approach to eating is superior to others, but really, they just offer different ways to cut calories. When you burn more calories than you consume, weight loss occurs....