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An overactive sympathetic nervous system can cause anxiety. Image Credit: Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images Your metabolism, temperature, heart action and digestion are all controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, or SNS, and the parasympathetic nervous system. Ideally, these two systems are balanced, but either system can become overactive and cause problems. An overactive SNS can increase anxiety and cause other symptoms. Although there is no specific diet for the SNS, what you eat and drink can increase or decrease its activity....

Stool softeners relieve you of constipation. Medication stool softeners docusate sodium and docusate calcium, help relieve your bowel constipation. Each medication softens your stool creating easier evacuation from your rectum. Both stool softeners should not be used long term. By adding roughage and increased fluids to your diet, you will experience therapeutic effects of bowel movements. Before beginning a laxative or stool softener talk to your physician and obtain advice. Advertisement Rectal Laxatives Rectal laxatives remain used in conjunction with oral stool softeners....

A bowl of pasta with fresh tomato sauce. Image Credit: Magone/iStock/Getty Images Versatile and quick to prepare, pasta is a healthy convenience food. Combine it with vegetables and a protein source like meat or beans and you’ll have a nutrient-rich meal in a bowl. As a high-carbohydrate food, pasta is a rich source of relatively quick, yet long-lasting energy. Whether you need energy for weight lifting, a cardiovascular workout or just getting through the day, pasta can help you meet your energy needs....

Epsom salt and olive oil can help with a liver detox. Image Credit: Dimijana/iStock/GettyImages Does it feel like your liver needs a break? In this case, you might consider doing an olive oil cleanse. Perhaps you’re also thinking about adding Epsom salt to make it more effective. While it’s true that some foods promote liver health, detox programs and cleanses are mostly hype, however. Advertisement What Does Your Liver Do? Liver cleanses have emerged as a safe, natural way to flush out toxins....

It's important to monitor and understand your blood pressure numbers. Image Credit: Antonio_Diaz/iStock/GettyImages While nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, many have no idea they have the condition, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). However, knowing your blood pressure numbers could help save your life. Advertisement That's because high blood pressure, which the AHA calls a "silent killer," usually occurs without any telltale symptoms....

A spoonful of froot loops. Image Credit: Lewis Wright/iStock/Getty Images Kellogg’s Froot Loops is a multicolored, sugar-filled processed breakfast cereal marketed to children by the cartoon character Toucan Sam. The front of Froot Loop’s colorful packaging boasts fiber and whole grains, but not the high sugar content. Froot Loops does not have the nutritional value of a healthy cereal. Advertisement Ingredients and Nutrition Sugar is the first ingredient on the list in Kellogg’s Froot Loops....

Green tea may slightly increase your weight-loss results. Image Credit: Nungning20/iStock/Getty Images Green tea’s reputation as a health food is well-deserved – it’s hydrating, low in calories and packed with antioxidants. Because it’s minimally processed, it’s higher in beneficial catechins than oolong or black teas, with about 240 to 320 milligrams per cup of tea. The combination of these catechins and caffeine may slightly increase weight loss, but it’s not likely to make a significant difference or compensate for a high-calorie diet or sedentary lifestyle....

Leg workouts are a very important part of an overall workout routine. Image Credit: recep-bg/E+/GettyImages If your backside spends more time on the bench press than it does working the lower body, you’re missing out on the benefits of a leg workout. By training the powerful muscles in your lower half, you not only increase overall strength, but you also create a more balanced physique. Advertisement Tip Leg workouts are an essential part of an overall workout routine....

Taking regular walks can support weight loss and heart health. Image Credit: Dmytro Rudakov/iStock/GettyImages Taking long strolls can be time-consuming. But the payoff is often worth it: Walking 5 miles a day, for instance, has many benefits, including high calorie burn and possible weight loss. Advertisement Here's everything you need to know about how walking 5 miles a day can affect your weight and overall wellbeing. Video of the Day Calorie Burn From Walking Walking long distances can take considerable time....

Mackerel is a small, oily ocean fish that is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury, making it a popular choice among health aficionados. Image Credit: JackF/iStock/GettyImages Mackerel is a small, oily ocean fish that is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury, making it a popular choice among health aficionados. Easy to find in shelf-stable tins, canned mackerel is a versatile staple in a healthy pantry....

You don't need a culinary degree to cook delicious, healthy meals. Image Credit: Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision/GettyImages Despite our love for food porn, many Americans don’t make their own meals. Plenty of people say they just don’t have the time to cook, let alone also grocery shop and clean up after the meal. Others say they don’t have the equipment to make a meal or that cooking at home is expensive. Another common excuse is that people don’t know how to cook....

Two women drinking glasses of milk. Image Credit: Barry Austin/Digital Vision/Getty Images People have used warm milk and honey for centuries to help them sleep. How this drink encourages sleep is not fully understood, and there is little scientific evidence to support milk and honey’s use as a sleep aid. Regardless, those who find that warm milk and honey helps them sleep may be reacting to the comfort of a drink they enjoyed as a child, the relaxation of sitting quietly before heading to bed, or the amino acid L-tryotophan, which encourages sleep and is present in milk....

When you are carrying excess weight, your skin stretches to accommodate it. While the skin is very elastic, it can lose its bounce and sag in loose folds if it is stretched too far and too quickly, says the All Women Stalk health and lifestyle website. It is important for general health as well as skin condition to lose weight gradually. However, if you do end up with excess flesh on your thighs, there are ways to firm your skin to ensure you can flaunt your new, firm legs with confidence....

You can bake crispy tortillas and use them as nacho chips, or even substitute them for soft tortillas in some dishes. Image Credit: KucherAV/iStock/GettyImages You can bake crispy tortillas and use them as nacho chips, or even substitute them for soft tortillas in some dishes. Here’s a tortilla recipe that can help you bake your own wheat tortillas from scratch, as well as some tips to help you make ready-made corn tortillas crunchy....

Canned light tuna is lower in mercury than other types of tuna yet provides the same vital nutrients. Image Credit: Noemi Toscano/iStock/GettyImages Canned foods are incredibly convenient: They’re shelf-stable, budget-friendly and (often) ready-to-eat (read: They make mealtime a breeze). And contrary to popular belief, many kinds of canned foods, such as beans and veggies, are very nutritious. Advertisement But of all the good-for-you canned foods available, there's one you should always have on hand: We're talking canned light tuna, people....

You don’t have to rely on the treadmill for all (or any!) of your cardio workouts. Image Credit: Tone It Up Cardio is essential for keeping your heart strong. Plus, it can give your energy levels a boost and keep your metabolism revved all day long. Advertisement At Tone It Up, we like to get in some form of cardio four to six days a week. We love the treadmill, but it's also fun to switch it up....

references CDC NY Times Today.com 1 of 9 Overview There are very few places left in modern society where we voluntarily remove all of our clothing in front of perfect strangers without a second thought -- and then go on to sweat, bathe, rinse, dry and preen alongside them, sharing the same intimate facilities as if they were our own family members. Needless to say, your fellow gym members may not share the exact same background, culture, orientation, generation, personal values or hygienic standards as yourself, so let's get on the same page about what to do and what not to do in the locker room....

Sculpt sexy arms and shoulders with this boxing workout. Image Credit: Travis McCoy/LIVESTRONG.COM Welcome to the most amazing boxing workout for your arms that you’ll ever do! It combines the benefits of boxing, cardiovascular conditioning, skill and speed in a fresh, circuit-style workout. Advertisement But before you jump in, let's highlight why you should add boxing to your workout regimen. Here are five benefits of boxing: Video of the Day 1....

If your SI joint is inflamed, take a break from running and see your doctor. Image Credit: Tony Anderson/DigitalVision/GettyImages With the lower back taking much of the body’s weight, it’s not unusual to sustain a strain or other injury of the sacroiliac (SI) joint by stepping off a curb wrong, overstriding on a downhill or taking a tumble on your buttocks. The resulting inflammation can cause misalignment or mild rotation of the affected side of the pelvis and a difference in leg length, setting the stage for additional injury....

How long caffeine withdrawal lasts depends on how much coffee you typically drink. Image Credit: Aleksandr Zubkov/Moment/GettyImages Weaning off of caffeine can be unpleasant. Before you go ahead and give up your daily java, you’re probably wondering what kind of coffee withdrawal timeline you can expect — when will you start to feel symptoms? When will they be at their worst? How long does caffeine withdrawal last? Advertisement Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the world, and many people who use it become dependent on it, according to a September 2013 comprehensive review in the ​Journal of Caffeine Research​....