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references National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: "Treatment for Constipation" Mayo Clinic: "Hemorrhoids" American Journal of Gastroenterology: "Exploratory Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Green Kiwifruit, Psyllium, or Prunes in US Patients With Chronic Constipation" Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911. Your bowels may get backed up post-operation, but there are ways to relieve constipation after surgery naturally....

Lack of certain minerals can cause ridges in your fingernails. Image Credit: Toa55/iStock/GettyImages Your fingernails can say a lot about you, including whether or not you’re consuming enough vitamins and minerals. Getting insufficient amounts of certain B-complex vitamins can cause ridges in your fingernails. However, lack of certain minerals and protein, as well as various health conditions, can cause these lines in fingernails too. Advertisement Read more: 11 Nutrients Americans Aren't Getting Enough Of Video of the Day Tip Deficiencies in zinc, folic acid, iron and protein may cause fingernail ridges....

Woman drinking a diet soda through a straw. Image Credit: SurkovDimitri/iStock/Getty Images Diet sodas, typically prepared with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame, give you a low-calorie alternative to traditional sodas made with sugar. Unless you choose a caffeine-free variety, however, you still risk dehydration if you consume the drink in large amounts. While it may be hard to think of a fluid being dehydrating, diet sodas with caffeine can have diuretic effects....

Drinking water can help treat chest congestion. Image Credit: BraunS/iStock/GettyImages Nobody likes to wake up in the morning to find themselves hindered by a cold with an awful combination of congested nasal passages, a phlegmy cough and mucus in the chest that won’t come up. You’re desperate to make all the symptoms go away and get back to feeling like yourself. Advertisement One of the best ways to fight a cold is a simple health strategy that is necessary to every function of every system of your body: staying hydrated....

High cholesterol presents a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over 70 million Americans had high LDL or “bad cholesterol” levels. Over two-thirds of those individuals did not have their cholesterol under control. Diet plays a significant role in cholesterol, and some foods such as bread can offer healthy and unhealthy choices, depending upon the type and the ingredients....

While losing fat and gaining muscle while pregnant shouldn't be your goal, there are plenty of benefits to keeping up a healthy exercise and diet regimen. Image Credit: RichLegg/E+/GettyImages Pregnancy: It’s miraculous, beautiful and inevitably full of change. Some of those changes are glorious — like glowy skin, comfy maternity clothes and baby kicks. And some are, well, not so glorious — like nausea, fatigue and weight gain. Advertisement As your body changes, so too will your exercise regimen....

Green Smoothies & Constipation Image Credit: SherSor/iStock/GettyImages A good recipe for constipation can include a green smoothie made with any type of greens, combined with fruit for sweetness and flavor. Water is normally incorporated and other ingredients such as flaxseed, chia or hemp seeds, or even protein powder can be added as well. After drinking a green smoothie, bowel movements may initially change as your digestive system adapts. Some people experience looser stools, while others may experience constipation....

Teen girls roller blading Image Credit: Doug Menuez/Photodisc/Getty Images Social pressure can make being overweight even more difficult for teens than it is for adults. For 13 year-old girls just entering high school it can make everyday life downright daunting. If you’d like to lose your belly fat, you have to lose weight all over. The good news is that it’s the perfect time to learn healthy habits that can stick with you for a lifetime....

A couple laughing while looking at a laptop together in the living room. Image Credit: Jupiterimages, Brand X Pictures/Stockbyte/Getty Images Running, walking, bowling and eating and sleeping are all activities that burn calories. Everything you do, in fact, burns calories. A major factor in losing, or gaining, weight involves balancing the number of calories you consume with the number of calories you burn — even if you burn them sitting in a chair or walking around the house....

Add some strength training to your jogging in place to help. Image Credit: Matthew Leete/DigitalVision/GettyImages Working out doesn’t always have to be an elaborate activity that requires you to sign up for classes at the gym or go outdoors. Advertisement Tip The number of calories you burn jogging in place depends on a variety of factors. A person's weight, time spent jogging in place and intensity of the workout all play a role in the overall amount of calories burned....

Knowing how many calories you should be eating at each meal is a helpful step in planning out your meals. Image Credit: Rawpixel/iStock/GettyImages Knowing how many calories you should be eating at each meal is a helpful step in planning out your meals. This knowledge will also assist you in not overeating and may help you to lose weight. Advertisement Daily Calories To figure out how many calories per day you should eat, use an online calorie calculator, such as the one provided on the American Cancer Society website....

Too much caffeine can interrupt your sleep. Image Credit: Alexander Spatari/Moment/GettyImages If you’re one of the many people who rely on caffeine to keep them awake during the day, you may also turn into a person who has trouble falling asleep at night. Your afternoon coffee may ultimately affect your lifestyle. Advertisement Tip Avoid coffee after 3 p.m. if you want to get a good night's sleep. This energy-boosting beverage can stay up to six hours in your body....

A woman is stirring sugar into her coffee. Image Credit: psphotograph/iStock/Getty Images Sugar does not have an established recommended daily value, but the FDA recommends that you limit your daily consumption of it. This can be difficult to do, especially if you aren’t sure how much sugar is in the foods you are eating. While most packaged foods come with a nutrition label that indicates how many grams of sugar are in that food, other foods you eat may not have this label....

Cooking a whole chicken in a NuWave oven is fast and simple. Image Credit: LanaSweet/iStock/GettyImages If you can’t keep up with the latest and greatest kitchen gadgets, you’re not alone. With countless new products hitting the scene daily, it can be challenging to know which ones to buy and how to use them once you get them home. Case in point: How do you cook a whole chicken in NuWave oven?...

Preparing lobster that's been pre-cooked and frozen can be done in a few ways. Image Credit: EzumeImages/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Pre-Cooking and Freezing Preparing Other Methods How to Crack Open a Lobster A pre-cooked frozen lobster takes minutes to prepare if you remember to thaw it first. The easiest way to cook frozen lobster is to boil it, but there are other methods, like steaming or grilling. Advertisement Lobster tastes great on its own, so any pre-cooked lobster recipe served with a little butter and some lemon juice will be just enough to please the seafood lovers in your life....

Venison refers to meat of antlered animals. Image Credit: stsvirkun/iStock/GettyImages If you want to make Crock-Pot venison steak, it’s important to know which cut of meat you’re dealing with. Michigan State University indicates that while venison is a lean source of protein compared to beef, it is a dry meat and only certain cuts should be cooked with dry heat. Advertisement What Is Venison? According to the University of Minnesota, venison refers to meat of antlered animals....

Yellowfin tuna, also known as ahi tuna, is a type of tuna often used in sushi. Image Credit: Vagengeym_Elena/iStock/GettyImages Yellowfin tuna, also known as ahi tuna, is a type of tuna often used in sushi. If you don’t like eating raw fish, you may choose to make baked ahi tuna as an alternative. Baked ahi tuna is best when it’s marinated first and served alongside a salad or stir-fried greens....

A woman preparing a meal using a food scale at home. Image Credit: amanaimagesRF/amana images/Getty Images Keeping track of the number of calories in a home-cooked meal can help you to meet your dietary requirements. Whether a meal consists of one or two items, or several dishes with multiple ingredients, the calories of every ingredient eaten counts toward your daily total calorie count. If the meal was prepared using prepackaged foods, you can find a report of the number of calories per serving on the food labels....

Yes, you can eat strawberry leaves — they're actually nutritious and have a subtle taste. Image Credit: Muratani/iStock/GettyImages How many times have you eaten a strawberry whole, leaves and all? Advertisement Most people are used to enjoying the red fruit, which can be prepared in a variety of ways: in salads, jams, cakes, sauces and more. But research suggests that strawberry leaves are nutritious, so the fruit itself is not the only way to reap a strawberry's health benefits....

Woman jogging on the side of the road Image Credit: fatchoi/iStock/Getty Images Cardiovascular activities such as jogging or using an elliptical machine offer a variety of health benefits. Which activity is most beneficial for you depends on a few factors, including your fitness goals and any injuries or physical conditions you have. Your doctor can also help you decide on a proper fitness regimen. Whether it’s jogging, the elliptical or another cardiovascular activity, medical experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week for good health....