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Carbohydrates' simple definition: Carbs are made up of sugars and serve as the body's main source of energy. Image Credit: fcafotodigital/E+/GettyImages Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients, along with protein and fat, that you need in fairly large quantities to maintain your life and important body functions. Advertisement They provide the most desirable form of energy for your body in the form of glucose and provide 4 calories per gram. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose, which enters your bloodstream and provides energy to your cells....

Cold-pressed olive oil may help lower your blood pressure. Image Credit: -lvinst-/iStock/Getty Images Cold-pressed olive oil is extracted from fresh olives by mechanical means at a temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Olive Oil Source. Cold-pressed virgin olive oil contains high amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols and antioxidants that provide many health benefits. Advertisement Heart Healthy High content of monounsaturated fatty acids in cold-pressed olive oil lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics....

Natural yogurt. Image Credit: Magone/iStock/Getty Images Commercials featuring smiling women digging into yogurt containers can give the mistaken impression that men have no reason to seek out the tangy treat. Actually, men can gain a wide variety of health benefits from making yogurt a regular fixture of their diets, ranging from improved digestion to better sexual health. Advertisement Combat Obesity Some scientists suspect that certain dairy products, including yogurt, can help men with obesity lose weight....

Ulcers usually aren't dangerous, but if they bleed, they can become a problem. Image Credit: LightFieldStudios/iStock/GettyImages Ulcers are usually not life-threatening. However, a bleeding ulcer or the more advanced peptic ulcer hemorrhage can be dangerous, so learning how to spot the warning signs is important to protect your well-being. Advertisement Origins of a Bleeding Ulcer Ulcers are sores that can occur in the lining of your stomach, in which case they’re called gastric ulcers, or at the top of your small intestine, in which case they’re called duodenal ulcers, according to the American College of Gastroenterology....

Thin, fragile hair and brittle, breakage-prone nails are often part of the normal aging process. Overdoing cosmetic treatments like chemical hair processes and manicures with artificial nails or dark polish can also damage your hair and nails over time. Less commonly, the combination of thin hair and brittle nails signifies a more serious medical problem, such as thyroid disease, eating disorders or biotin deficiency. Hypothyroidism Thin, fragile hair and brittle nails are two of the key signs of hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce a sufficient amount of thyroid hormone....

Running 5 kilometers (or 3.1 miles) every day can improve your endurance and may even help you lose weight, but "no days off" isn't the best mantra for everyone. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative What Really Happens to Your Body When examines the head-to-toe effects of common behaviors, actions and habits in your everyday life. In This Article What Running a 5K Every Day Does to Your Body Your Muscles Your Joints Your Heart Your Weight Your Mood Your Sleep Bottom Line: Running Every Day With sedentary lifestyles and self-isolation the new norm, it's more important than ever to take care of your health with regular exercise....

Building a solid running foundation and doing speed workouts and can help you increase speed in cross-country running. Image Credit: simonkr/E+/GettyImages Some would argue that the number one goal of running is to be faster. Get that new personal record (PR). Break the tape at the finish line. Smash a course record. Advertisement While running has so many natural benefits, including improving heart health, mental health, and even making new friends, when it comes to racing a cross-country race — especially in high school or college — speed does play a factor in success....

If you have questions or concerns about your heart rate, check in with your doctor. Image Credit: PeopleImages/E+/GettyImages Your sleeping heart rate may be lower than your resting heart rate, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It may drop below 60 beats per minute. For most people, that is not a problem. However, bradycardia is a heart rate below 60 while you’re awake and active, and that could be a problem....

Pudding can be thickened with tapioca, cornstarch, flour, arrowroot or sago. Image Credit: marilyna/iStock/Getty Images Tapioca is a starch extracted from the roots of the cassava plant. It is used to thicken sauces, pies and puddings. It is sold in small pearls, usually used in puddings and pies, or as tapioca starch, which is used to coat foods that will be fried or to thicken sauces. If you find you don’t have any tapioca when you need it, there are several other starches that can replace it....

You can exercise with a mild cough. Image Credit: Matthew Leete/DigitalVision/GettyImages A cough — especially when accompanied by other cold symptoms such as sneezing, muscle aches, a sore throat or a runny nose — can often be used as an excuse not to work out. However, depending on the severity of your cough, exercising may help you to feel better and take your mind off your cough or feeling sick. You need to take a number of factors into consideration when exercising with a cough....

Whole-grain carbohydrates are especially nutritious because they provide dietary fiber, which can help to keep your cholesterol in check. Image Credit: nehopelon/iStock/GettyImages Our bodies rely on carbohydrates for energy. The body uses carbohydrates — which are found in plant-based foods — as its main source of fuel for all activities. Advertisement Plain and simple: We need carbs to function. Video of the Day Protein, carbohydrates and fats are the three macronutrients....

Drinking milk may temporarily relieve your upset stomach if too much acid is the problem. Image Credit: www.one-fotoagentur.de/iStock/GettyImages Soothing an upset stomach can be tricky. Eat or drink the wrong thing thinking it could help, and you could upset your stomach even more. With that in mind, you may have heard about drinking milk for upset stomach relief, but does it ease symptoms? The answer depends on why your stomach is aching....

Exercising with a pinched nerve may be painful and cause further damage to the nerve. Image Credit: mheim3011/iStock/GettyImages If you’ve been told you have a pinched nerve, first of all, ouch! And second, know this: The term covers a lot of ground, but in general, a pinched nerve occurs when a nerve is compressed and causes pain, numbness and a feeling of weakness in the affected limb. Advertisement Keep in mind, too, that a pinched nerve can occur anywhere along your spine due to a bone spur or herniated disk, but may also occur in your arms or legs if nerves are compressed by a tendon or ligament....

A vegetarian quiche with tomatoes and basil. Image Credit: fridazhang/iStock/Getty Images Eggs are a healthy source of food packed with nutrients such as vitamins, iron and protein, for only 70 calories each. However, egg is a trigger for allergies in about 2.5 percent of infants and young children. For some of these children, eating or touching eggs can be life-threatening. Therefore, knowing what foods contain eggs is beneficial, whether a person wants a source of nutrient-dense food, or to completely avoid it as a trigger for allergies....

It's normal for newborns to have stomach sensitivities. They will naturally grow out of them within a few months. Image Credit: Thanasis Zovoilis/The Image Bank/GettyImages Seeing your 2-week-old newborn bloated and feeling her hard abdomen can be scary. Usually, however, these symptoms result from stomach sensitivities that most babies outgrow naturally within the first several months of life. Consult your pediatrician before trying different treatments if you doubt the cause of your infant’s abdominal discomfort, or don’t know how to alleviate it....

Pair dark leafy greens with citrus fruit to get crucial nutrients for low hemoglobin from chemotherapy. Image Credit: Whitestorm/iStock/GettyImages A common — and potentially serious — complication of cancer treatment with chemotherapy is a drop in blood cell counts, according to the Mayo Clinic. Depending on your treatment, your doctor might check your levels of white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. Advertisement When your red blood cell count is low, you have a condition called anemia....

Pork roast on a cutting board next to glasses of red wine. Image Credit: whitetag/iStock/Getty Images Cuts of pork carry a variety of names intended to describe which part of the animal the meat comes from as well as the type of cut and the size of the meat. Pork loin describes a cut of meat, while pork roast is all about the size. You can buy several different types of pork loin roasts, all of which provide protein, B vitamins and zinc....

A pile of dried red beans. Image Credit: SvetlanaK/iStock/Getty Images Red beans are favored by many Southwestern, Caribbean and Cajun cooks for their firmness and smooth texture. Red beans are a good source of soluble dietary fiber and are high in protein. Like most hard dried beans, red beans need to be soaked for several hours before cooking. While soaking red beans overnight in the refrigerator requires some planning, it’s a simple process and well worth the effort for their nutritional and culinary benefits....

Sore abs the day after a Pilates workout are common. Image Credit: andresr/E+/GettyImages Whether you went to a mat class or had a session on the Reformer, chances are every muscle in your body got a good workout. That’s reason enough for your muscles to be sore after Pilates. Advertisement If you're a beginner or you've taken some time off from Pilates, you can expect to have more soreness than if you've been doing it for a while....

Medicine ball tea is made up of different types of teas along with lemonade and honey. Image Credit: d3sign/Moment/GettyImages In This Article Medicine Ball Tea 101 Health Benefits Recipe The Bottom Line It's that time of year, folks. Cold and flu season is upon us and the germs are busy making the rounds. While there's no one-step solution for immunity, a balanced diet full of nutrients, such as vitamin C, zinc and fiber is critical for keeping our systems healthy....