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Repeated bouts of vomiting can damage your throat. Image Credit: Kittiphan Teerawattanakul / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Throwing up is a complex bodily reaction that forces the contents of your stomach to leave the body. You might vomit because your digestive system detects something bad in your food. Or you might throw up in response to signals from your brain, balancing systems in your ears or bloodstream, which can contain medicines or infections that spur nausea....

Handstands require a lot of strength. Kicking up to a handstand and coming right back down is different than holding the handstand position, but handstands definitely make you stronger. Correct handstand position requires many of your muscles to engage in an isometric muscle contraction, while keeping your body perfectly balanced. Handstand Muscles A long list of muscles are strengthened while holding a handstand position. Your shoulders, back, arms and chest muscles bear most of your weight while you are upside down, but your entire body must be very tight while stretching your toes toward the ceiling....

Healthy food and exercise help you lose pounds and inches. Image Credit: PeopleImages/DigitalVision/Getty Images Reality weight-loss television shows lead you to believe that dropping 60 pounds in four months is a doable goal. Unless you have a massive amount of weight to lose, though, a 60-pound loss isn’t a safe goal to achieve in a scant 16-week period. To lose 60 pounds in 4 months, you’d need to lose an average of 3 3/4 pounds per week – a rate that’s not readily attainable even with medically supervised very-low-calorie plans....

You can substitute almond milk for milk in baked goods. Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/Getty Images Going vegan or suffering from lactose intolerance or a dairy protein allergy doesn’t mean you can’t bake your favorite treats — you just have to get creative with some plant-based alternatives, like almond milk. As well as touting some health benefits, almond milk is a dairy- and gluten-free alternative that’s simple to bake with. Advertisement Find out the best ways to substitute in almond milk in dessert recipes, the benefits of doing so and how to make your own almond milk at home....

Stick to snacking on one ounce of cashews to avoid taking in too many calories. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Fun fact: Cashews are technically seeds, not nuts. They grow on small, pumpkin-shaped fruits called cashew apples in a number of subtropical and tropical regions around the world, including Brazil and India, and boast a rich, buttery taste. Advertisement They're commonly referred to as tree nuts because their nutrition and culinary profiles resemble that of nuts....

A woman is laying in bed with a stomach ache. Image Credit: gmast3r/iStock/Getty Images Zinc is an essential mineral in your diet responsible for providing structure to proteins and to help enzymes in your body speed up chemical reactions. If you do not have enough zinc in your body, you may experience adverse side effects like slow wound healing, impaired immune system, loss of appetite or loss of taste sensation. Having trouble getting enough zinc in your daily diet may cause your physician to suggest zinc supplementation....

Even if you've cut out junk food, getting too many liquid calories may sabotage your weight loss. Image Credit: Rawpixel/iStock/GettyImages You’ve said sayonara to cookies, chips and virtually anything that comes in a bag or a box, so why haven’t the pounds magically flown off your tummy, butt and hips? Alas, cutting out — or cutting back — on junky or processed foods in your diet doesn’t automatically translate into weight loss....

Plank exercises can be done virtually anywhere. Image Credit: PeopleImages/E+/GettyImages The plank exercise is a core strengthening move that works the transversus abdominis muscle. Because you cannot spot reduce body fat, you must work to lose fat throughout your entire body. The most effective way to do this is through diet, aerobic exercise and strength training. Advertisement Tip Plank exercises strengthen core muscles, but do not spot reduce belly fat. Read more: The 3 Secrets to Losing Belly Fat...

You may want to remove soda from your diet if you are experiencing bloating and water retention. Image Credit: sirichai_raksue/iStock/Getty Images While not life-threatening, bloating is often uncomfortable – and even painful – and water retention can compound the situation, making you feel worse. If you suspect your habit of drinking diet soda is the potential cause of your bloating and water retention, you may be on to something. Try removing diet soda from your meal plan for a week or two to see if you find relief from your symptoms....

There is a difference between isotonic and isometric exercises. Image Credit: svetikd/E+/GettyImages Exercises can be classified based on the engaged muscle’s length and tension. Isotonic exercises involve an eccentric or lowering phase, and a concentric or lifting phase. Isometric exercises are those that do not produce joint movement but have tension developed within the muscle to support a load. Advertisement Isotonic and isometric exercises can both be used to develop stability and muscle endurance, while isotonic exercises are generally better for increasing functional strength....

Image Credit: dolgachov/iStock/Getty Images Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin. It starts with a break in the skin and spreads into the layers of connective tissue beneath the skin and even the lymph nodes if left untreated. Treatment usually consists of bandaging and a prescribed antibiotic regimen. Exercise may prevent cellulitis, and in some cases, may be part of treatment. If you have cellulitis, or suspect you do, check with your doctor about any treatments you are considering....

A male skiier wearing goggles in the mountains. Image Credit: Digital Vision/Valueline/Getty Images From time to time, everyone sees small dark specks moving in their vision. These “floaters” are actually condensations of vitreous humor – the gel that fills the inside of the eye. The more movement a person makes, such as during exercise, the more floaters that can be seen moving. Most of the time, floaters are harmless. However, sometimes floaters indicate the development of a retinal tear....

Fenugreek spouts can be a fun addition to stir-fries, as long as you wash and cook them thoroughly. Image Credit: Madeleine_Steinbach/iStock/GettyImages Sprouts — alfalfa, lentil, pea, fenugreek, etc. — have a nutritional advantage, as the sprouting process enhances their nutritional content and digestibility. Fenugreek seeds, which are actually legumes, sprout when they’re soaked in warm water. Advertisement They make a nutritious addition to salads, soups and other meals. A typical serving is 1 to 2 cups depending on the meal....

Fiber does help heartburn, which is why eating foods like greens and beans may help you manage the condition. Image Credit: Natalia Gdovskaia/Moment/GettyImages Burning chest pain, throat irritation, a weird taste in your mouth…these are all symptoms of acid reflux. Certain foods — like greasy, spicy, fatty or acidic snacks — can trigger the condition. But other foods can help prevent it. Enter fiber, an acid reflux-fighting nutrient to add to your diet....

Smoothies can be a tool for both weight loss and weight gain. Image Credit: kirin_photo/iStock/GettyImages The vast majority of the health market focuses on weight loss, forgetting about the people who want to gain weight. Whether you want to put on extra muscle or get to a healthy weight for your sex and age, weight gain can be just as challenging as weight loss, but weight gain smoothies can help....

Drinking water doesn't cause permanent weight gain. Image Credit: Image Source RF/Zero Creatives/Image Source/Getty Images If you notice your weight has gone up right after you’ve had a glass of water or a fiber-rich snack, don’t worry. Water and fiber don’t cause permanent weight gain; in fact, they’re often linked to weight loss. If you’re experiencing unexplained weight gain, however, check with your doctor to make sure an underlying health issue isn’t causing the problem....

A ginkgo biloba tree. Image Credit: ooaco/iStock/Getty Images Ginkgo biloba, used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, has gained modern attention as a weight loss supplement. Although ginkbo biloba contains properties known to boost dieting efforts, no studies confirm its use for shedding pounds. Consult a physician before taking ginkbo biloba or beginning any weight loss program. Advertisement Traditional Uses Among the oldest living tree species, ginkgo biloba is also among the most extensively studied plants by modern scientists, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center....

Grapefruit juice is rich in vitamin C. Image Credit: tesdei/iStock/Getty Images The infamous grapefruit diet promises weight loss if you incorporate the fruit into every meal, which is why grapefruit and its juice are often touted for their ability to help you shed pounds. But is there really a connection between grapefruit juice and weight loss? Advertisement First off, using grapefruit juice as your chief tool for weight loss can be dangerous and unsustainable, according to the Cleveland Clinic....

Thanks to this handy cold brew coffee kit, I can make my own java at home in a flash. Image Credit: Grounds & Hounds/LIVESTRONG.com Like 70 percent of Americans, I love my coffee. But I go through phases: I either drink it every day for a week straight or go without a cup for a stretch of time. When I do drink coffee, I tend to treat it as, well, a treat....

A large bowl of maca root powder. Image Credit: baibaz/iStock/Getty Images Dehydroepiandrosterone is a hormone naturally synthesized by your body. Manufacturers can also synthetically produce DHEA from chemicals found in wild yam and soy. This does not, however, mean that your body can make DHEA from wild yam or soy. Therefore, eating these foods will not increase your DHEA levels. Some herbs can, however, indirectly increase or boost your DHEA levels....