You may experience some swelling in your calves. Image Credit: Halfpoint/iStock/Getty Images Exercise often puts your calves to work. This can sometimes lead to swelling in your calves, especially if you strain the muscles or injure them in some way. You can treat your calf muscle and even prevent swelling from returning with diligent care. Talk with your doctor if swelling doesn’t go away on its own quickly or is painful....
Too much metamucil can have negative side effects. Image Credit: HandmadePictures/iStock/GettyImages Metamucil is a brand name for a psyllium fiber supplement. Like other psyllium fiber supplements, Metamucil has some health benefits. However, taking too much Metamucil could cause negative side effects. Advertisement Tip Adding Metamucil to your diet is a good way to meet your fiber goals. It's important to use it correctly, though, because you can have some side effects from taking too much Metamucil....
Chrysanthemum tea with breakfast Image Credit: olgna/iStock/Getty Images Chrysanthemum tea is a warm, herbal beverage prepared from dried chrysanthemum flowers. This tea has a delicate, slightly floral aroma and a light, refreshing taste. Chrysanthemum tea has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various internal and external health issues. Chrysanthemums can cause side effects in some people, so consult your doctor before consuming chrysanthemum tea. Avoid any type of chrysanthemum supplements if you are allergic to ragweed....
Nuts have a lot to offer nutritionally, but they may be the culprits behind your heartburn symptoms. Image Credit: Diana Taliun/iStock/GettyImages You keep peanuts and pistachios in your desk as a way to snack smarter. Or maybe you add a dollop of almond butter to your smoothie every morning. Nuts have a lot of nutrition to offer — but can they also cause heartburn? It’s possible, but it depends on which nuts and how many you eat....
Stretches help reduce ankle stiffness. Image Credit: martin-dm/E+/GettyImages Feelings of stiffness and tightness are common following an ankle sprain. Swelling and pain often limit movement in the early days after the injury. As well, your doctor may advise against moving the ankle to allow the sprain to heal. Advertisement The lack of movement, or the sprain itself, can lead to the development of scar tissue and loss of mobility in the ankle joint....
A registered dietitian can help you with your diet if you take diuretics. Image Credit: Zinkevych/iStock/Getty Images Your doctor may prescribe a diuretic if you have high blood pressure or a disease involving your heart, kidneys or liver. Diuretics cause your kidneys to eliminate excess water and sodium through your urine. In addition to water and sodium, some diuretics can affect your body’s level of potassium, calcium and magnesium, according to MyOptumHealth....
Bake cookies with benefits with these easy and smart tricks from RDs. Image Credit: Przemyslaw Klos / EyeEm/EyeEm Premium/GettyImages Satisfying your sweet tooth with a cookie or two (or three) doesn’t have to sabotage your healthy-eating goals. Advertisement Top dietitians share clever baking tips to cram more vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber into your cookies — all while cutting calories and unhealthy saturated fat. Try these smart strategies next time you bake a batch....
Thyroid stimulating hormone, usually abbreviated TSH, is manufactured by the pituitary gland. Release of TSH stimulates the thyroid to make T3 and T4, the hormones responsible for thyroid function. If the thyroid stops functioning, TSH levels rise as the body attempts to "force" the thyroid to produce hormones. This reaction, known as a feedback loop, causes TSH levels to rise above their normal range. High blood levels of TSH indicate an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroid, a condition that affects as many as 10 percent of women and six percent of men older than age 65 years, the Merck Manual states, and causes a variety of symptoms....
Opt for a low volume, comfortable earpieces and something restful playing if you're going to wear headphones to sleep. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG Creative How Bad Is It Really? sets the record straight on all the habits and behaviors you’ve heard might be unhealthy. In This Article Effects on Hearing Effects on Sleep Safety Tips So, How Bad Is It Really? If you can't get to sleep — maybe your partner is snoring up a storm or thoughts are racing around your head — one option is to pop on some headphones, then turn on music, a podcast or (if you're really going after it) a meditation....
Mowing your lawn is a bit of a workout. Image Credit: MariuszBlach/iStock/GettyImages Want to keep fit but you’re short on time? Then you might want to take a look at the number of calories burned mowing the lawn or doing gardening work in general. These activities may reduce stress, boost your endurance and help you get leaner. Advertisement Tip The number of calories burned mowing the lawn depends on your weight and the type of mower....
Most healthy adults get all the iron they need from the food they eat and don't need supplementation. Image Credit: sasimoto/iStock/GettyImages Iron-deficiency anemia can leave you feeling drained, headachy and cold. When your body is low on iron, it can’t form red blood cells to carry oxygen to different tissues and organs, so some people might need to take iron supplements for anemia. Advertisement But proceed with caution. You should talk to your doctor to figure out exactly why your body is depleting your iron stores faster than you can replenish them with your diet....
Starving yourself is a frustrating and ineffective way to lose weight. Image Credit: Bine Å edivy/iStock/Getty Images Starvation mode refers to the tendency of the human body to conserve energy stores in times when it is not receiving enough nutrients to fuel basic metabolic functions. The two primary changes that your body makes during times of starvation are slowing down your metabolism and conserving fat stored in adipose tissue. Instead of burning stored fat for energy during starvation mode, your body actually prefers the protein stored in your muscle tissue....
A woman is calculating something on her iPhone. Image Credit: adrian825/iStock/Getty Images To calculate your recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for carbohydrates, protein and fats, the first thing you must do is determine your daily caloric needs, based on your body. Once that is established, you must determine your individual carbohydrate, protein, and fat needs based on the recommended amounts the body needs. According to the American Council on Exercise, your daily diet should consist of at least 55 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein, and 30 percent from fat....
Carrots, celery and onions Image Credit: fpwing/iStock/Getty Images Some of the toughest cuts of beef, such as the bony neck neck, are also the most richly flavored. They require long, slow cooking to tenderize the dense muscles and stringy connective tissues, but that’s a good thing. It gives plenty of time for the bones to lend flavor to the sauce and for the collagen from the connective tissues to melt, imparting body and a rich mouth feel....
Cabbage can give you gas because it's a high-fiber cruciferous vegetable. Image Credit: wmaster890/iStock/GettyImages Cabbage is delicious and full of nutrients, but those who steer clear of the vegetable usually have a shared reason — it can cause gas. Advertisement Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The fiber in cruciferous veggies like cabbage helps you to feel full and keep your digestive system moving along, but high-fiber foods can cause symptoms like gas and bloating, per Michigan State University....
The triceps pushdown is one of the best exercises to work this muscle group and is a great option for both beginners and experienced lifters. Image Credit: Bojan89/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Instructions Benefits and Muscles Worked Tips for Better Results Straight Bar vs. Rope Variations and Alternatives If you're looking to build arm strength and muscle size, don't sleep on the triceps pushdown. This arm exercise really hammers the triceps muscle in the upper arm, and is a great option for both beginners and experienced lifters alike....
references Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness: "A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Comparing Changes in Muscle Size, Strength, and Power" Bioengineering (Basel): "Influence of Different Load Conditions on Lower Extremity Biomechanics during the Lunge Squat in Novice Men" National Institutes of Health: "Osteoporosis Overview" Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise: "Strength Training and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease" PLOS One: "Comparative effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and combined training on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A randomized controlled trial" Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Harvard Health Publishing: "Strength Training Builds More Than Muscles" Dumbbells are the unsung heroes of effective workouts....
You need carbohydrates for energy to fuel your everyday physical activity, but the quality of carbohydrates you choose is most important. Foods high in healthy carbs are unprocessed or minimally processed whole foods that also have fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Video of the Day How Many Carbs Do You Need? About 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates, according to the U....
Diseases that affect the ascending colon include inflammatory bowel diseases and colon cancer. Image Credit: seb_ra/iStock/GettyImages Bet you haven’t given your ascending colon much thought lately, right? (That’s the first part of your large intestine, by the way.) Advertisement But a lifestyle that promotes colon health is smart — and it's the same lifestyle that's good for your entire body, Yamini Natarajan, MD, assistant professor of gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, tells LIVESTRONG....
references Merck Manual: “Plantar Fasciosis” U.S. National Library of Medicine: “Ankylosing Spondylitis” Mayo Clinic: "Achilles Tendonitis" Cleveland Clinic: "Plantar Fasciitis" 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. Do your heels hurt first thing in the morning? Here's how to tell if it warrants a trip to the doctor....
