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There's no direct relationship between lactose intolerance and weight gain. Image Credit: chameleonseye/iStock/GettyImages If you are lactose intolerant, you likely avoid lactose-containing foods. But if you’ve gained weight since making those adjustments, you might wonder if those extra pounds are due to your diet modifications. Advertisement (Un)Linking Lactose Intolerance and Weight Lactose is a naturally occurring sugar in milk. According to the Mayo Clinic, for those who are lactose intolerant, symptoms when lactose is consumed can include bloating, diarrhea and gas....

Vitamin D probably isn't linked to heartburn. Image Credit: Grace Cary/Moment/GettyImages In This Article What Causes Heartburn? Can Vitamin D Cause Heartburn? Can Vitamin D Prevent Heartburn? Too much or too little vitamin D may not be linked to heartburn, but very high or very low doses may cause other issues. When it comes to vitamin D side effects, unless you've talked with your doctor, go with the Goldilocks approach and aim to get the dose just right....

A middle-aged woman has her blood pressure checked by a home nurse. Image Credit: Comstock Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images Obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure, but choosing the wrong weight loss path can worsen your condition rather than improve it. The manufacturers of diet pills market their products wisely, leading an obese person to believe he can lose 20 pounds in one month by taking a magic pill alone. These manufacturers fail to mention the possible dangers these pills pose to a person with a preexisting condition such as high blood pressure....

Make pizza low-carb with a cauliflower crust. Image Credit: Proformabooks/iStock/GettyImages Carbs aren’t the friend you call for comfort when you’re on the keto diet. After all, the low-carb, high-fat eating plan requires you to limit your total carbs to just 5 to 10 percent of your total calories, which leaves the bulk of your daily calories to come from dietary fats. Advertisement Psst… Before you start a low-carb, high-fat eating plan, find out if the keto diet is right for you....

A man gives his wife a kiss in bed. Image Credit: Purestock/Purestock/Getty Images The copper IUD sold in the United States under the name Paragard is a highly-effective, hormone-free method of birth control. An IUD is a plastic, T-shaped device that is inserted into and removed from the uterus by a health care provider. Paragard works to prevent pregnancy by releasing copper ions in the uterus; the copper prevents sperm from reaching the ovaries....

You can use your own body weight to sculpt stronger shoulders. Image Credit: Saksit Kuson / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Nothing says “confidence” like strong shoulders. Though you may not think of them often, your shoulders can actually improve your posture and make your waist look slimmer. That is, if you train them properly. Advertisement In order to prevent injury, be sure to always incorporate all three parts of the deltoid — anterior, lateral and posterior — and focus on your form when exercising....

Diet soda may cause various types of damage to the liver. Image Credit: MiroTrifonov/iStock/Getty Images Most people love the chance to enjoy favorite a soft drink minus the calories, and diet soda is a very popular beverage for dieters, diabetics and people who simply want to avoid extra weight. However, recent research has indicated that soda in general may pose various health risks to consumers. In particular, diet soda is reported to be a risk to the liver....

Drinking caffeine can sometimes cause dizziness, among other negative side effects. Image Credit: The Good Brigade/DigitalVision/GettyImages Caffeine is a chemical substance found in nature in such plants as coffee beans, tea leaves and kola nuts. It can also be artificially created and is sometimes added to food products, including many sodas. Caffeine is the main ingredient in over-the-counter stimulants such as NoDoz and Caffedrine and in most energy drinks, such as Red Bull....

A woman hitting a punching bag. Image Credit: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images From the look of professional fighters and martial artists, you might think that a workout on a punching bag melts pounds off your body. However, a punching bag workout is much like any other kind of exercise when it comes to weight loss. If you do it right, and regularly, it may help. If not, your results are likely to disappoint....

Cranberry juice is typically just as effective as cranberry tablets. Native Americans used cranberries as a food and natural remedy to treat bladder or kidney problems. Today, you might take cranberry remedies for the same purposes. You can take cranberry medicinally in the form of juice or tablets, but you should consult with your doctor before taking any cranberry remedy to discuss the proper dosage and potential health risks. Advertisement Benefits Cranberry can help prevent or treat bladder infections, periodontal disease and ulcers, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center....

Stretching your neck is a great way to relieve neck muscle spasms. Image Credit: manusapon kasosod/Moment/GettyImages Muscle spasms are commonly felt as a physiological response to overexertion, fatigue or pain and can be treated with neck spasm exercises. However, sometimes muscle spasms are indicative of a more severe condition. Advertisement The Causes of Muscle Spasms Muscle spasms are defined as a sudden involuntary contraction of one or multiple muscles. These muscle spasms are often painful and can result from unnaturally continuous muscle contraction, according to the North American Spine Society....

The foam roller is a good rehab tool for your neck. Image Credit: alvarez/E+/GettyImages Foam rollers are an effective rehab and training tool, available in a variety of sizes, materials and densities. Daily foam roller neck exercises facilitate postural alignment of the neck and provide pain relief by focusing on tight knots or bands within neck muscles. Advertisement Some foam roller neck exercises you can try incorporate cervical stretching, strengthening and stability exercises, as well as self-massage and myofascial release....

Cereal, coffee and juice. Image Credit: Robert Anthony/iStock/Getty Images You should avoid certain foods and dietary supplements before surgery. Some foods leave a residue in your digestive tract that may complicate intestinal surgeries or cause diarrhea. In addition to this, having food in your system may cause nausea and vomiting. Various types of vitamins may also cause complications during surgery. Your doctor or surgeon will give you diet advice prior to surgery....

Lentils are a great low glycemic food to promote HGH. Image Credit: OksanaKiian/iStock/GettyImages Human growth hormone (HGH) is often touted as the key to slowing down the aging process, which may have you searching for natural HGH foods to increase your levels. Unfortunately, despite the claims on the internet, there’s no evidence to support that any food can increase your production of HGH. Advertisement What Is HGH? Human growth hormone (HGH) is protein-based hormone produced by a pea-sized gland found at the base of your brain called the pituitary gland....

Avoid foods such as desserts when you have bronchitis. Image Credit: istetiana/Moment/GettyImages When you’re sick with bronchitis, it’s tempting to overindulge in fatty, salty or sweet comfort foods to help soothe the coughing, wheezing and throat congestion that accompany this illness. Alternatively, you might not want to eat anything at all. Advertisement Be cautious: Both nutritional excess ⁠— particularly of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats ⁠— and nutritional deficiency increase inflammation in the body and might slow down your recovery....

A jar of honey, honeycomb and a honey dipper. Image Credit: tashka2000/iStock/Getty Images Both honey and sugar are simple sugars. Once they enter your body, they absorb quickly and work quickly to elevate your blood sugar. While you may assume that sugar and honey are high on the glycemic index, they’re actually both in the moderate, and in some cases, even low on the range. Advertisement Details on the GI Foods with a high glycemic index rating – above 70 – generally make your blood sugar quickly go up and then rapidly drop back down in a short period of time....

Plastic water pipes have been used since the 1950s. Image Credit: koosen/iStock/Getty Images Since the 1950s, plastic water pipes have been the material of choice for plumbers and home builders. Easy to install and economical, plastic plumbing pipes are commonly made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) and polybutylene (PB). Safety concerns surrounding these materials have lead to the development of alternative materials such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and cross-linked polyethylene (PEX)....

Cream adds fat and calories. Image Credit: martinturzak/iStock/GettyImages Although traditional tomato soup is low in calories, creamy soup contains cream, which adds volume, flavor, fat and calories. However, creamy tomato soup is not extremely high in calories, so you should be able to fit it into your diet if you assess the nutrition facts beforehand. Advertisement Calories LIVESTRONG’s food database MyPlate notes that a one cup serving of creamy tomato soup contains between 80 and 240 calories....

A mug of yellow tea. Image Credit: clark_fang/iStock/Getty Images Yorkshire Gold Tea is a brand of black tea manufactured by the English company Taylors of Harrogate. Aside from tea, Taylors of Harrogate also provides consumers with a variety of products for tea time, such as sweet cakes and collectible items. Although the exact amount of caffeine in the Yorkshire Gold Tea blend varies, the decaffeinated version is a viable option for individuals wishing to monitor their caffeine intake....

A close up a woman's midsection on an elliptical machine. Image Credit: lekcej/iStock/Getty Images Elliptical machines are some of the most popular cardio machines found in a gym. A variety of ellipticals exist on the market, including some that incorporate an arm workout along with the typical striding movement of the legs. These ellipticals have movable arms, rather than the stationary hand grips found on other elliptical machines. You must use an elliptical machine properly to avoid foot pain caused by the repetitive stepping motion....