Posts

Coffee and hair may be connected: For instance, caffeine could stimulate hair growth. Image Credit: Farknot_Architect/iStock/GettyImages You probably associate your morning cup of joe with a much-needed jolt of alertness. But the effects of caffeine aren’t limited to your energy levels — it can also influence your entire body, all the way up to the hair on top of your head. But how exactly do coffee and hair connect? Advertisement For context, your genetics, diet, underlying conditions and the medications you take can all play a role in the health of your hair, per the Mayo Clinic....

For one to three days before the half-marathon, your goal is to store as much glycogen, or energy, in your muscles as possible. Image Credit: luchezar/E+/GettyImages You’ve been training for months for your half-marathon and are excited and eager for the big day. You’ve even been paying close attention to your half-marathon diet to improve your workouts and your race. Advertisement You've been eating right all along, but if you want to perform your best on race day, you need to make a few modifications to your usual diet a few days before the race so that your muscles have the energy they need to run those 13....

If your doctor hates when you ask questions, it might be time to find a new one. Image Credit: Marko Geber/DigitalVision/GettyImages Let’s face it: Breaking up with anyone, whether it’s your boyfriend, hairdresser or dog walker, is no fun. So even if you constantly dread your annual physical or always leave your doctor’s office unsatisfied with your care, you may still feel stressed about breaking up with your physician and finding a new one....

Your body begins breaking down proteins once your available fat stores have been consumed. Image Credit: Lisa5201/iStock/GettyImages Whether you’re training for an event, trying to increase your muscle mass or just want to get in better shape, your body relies on three main nutrients for fuel. Advertisement Because your body can break down carbohydrates, fat and muscle for energy, understanding the order of nutrient breakdown can help you save or build muscle mass and increase fat loss....

Your earbuds can cause skin irritation that makes your ears itchy. Image Credit: Wavebreakmedia/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Over-Cleaning Wax Buildup Skin Condition Infection Skin Allergy Seasonal Allergies Hearing Aid Irritation There are few things more maddening than an insistent itch. Especially when said itch occurs in an unreachable place, like the inside of your ear. But why are your ears itchy, exactly? Advertisement While most cases of itchy ears aren't a cause for concern, the scratchy sensation can still be insanely annoying and distracting....

Diners eating lunch in an office complex food court. Image Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images News/Getty Images Obesity is an epidemic in America, with nearly 60 percent of men and women diagnosed as having overweight or obesity. This is one of many nutrition related conditions that can result in cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, people realize the need for healthy lifestyle is significant. However, the USDA concluded in a 2000 survey that regardless of what people know about health, they choose not to improve their diets....

Whey protein can help you gain mass. Image Credit: Eugeniusz Dudzinski/iStock/GettyImages Stop by the protein powder section in virtually any health food store, and you’re likely to find a variety of whey protein options. And while you don’t need protein supplements for good health — even if you’re trying to change your weight — adding whey protein to your diet can help you reach your goals. Whey doesn’t have to make you gain weight; in fact, it offers some benefits for weight loss diets, but it can help you gain mass if that’s your fitness goal....

Quad stretches can help reduce knee problems. Image Credit: Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images Your knees are complex machines that contain many tendons, ligaments and cartilage. They work to connect the bones and muscles in your lower and upper legs. Your knees may get sore and sustain injuries if you use them a lot but don’t take steps to maintain them. Stretching and strengthening the structures and muscles that support your knees will help reduce your risk of developing long-term problems in those joints....

Chocolate can be tricky to work with. Image Credit: serezniy/iStock/GettyImages Keeping chocolate melted is a great way to make a luscious topping for ice cream or an irresistible dip for strawberries, sugar cookies, marshmallows and chunks of pound cake. But if the chocolate hardens, you can no longer dip into it or pour it — and the magic is lost. Advertisement Add a few additional ingredients for keeping chocolate melted, so it's dippable and pourable even when it returns to room temperature....

Having overweight is linked to a higher risk of getting the flu, but there are things you can do to stay healthy. Image Credit: Ridofranz/iStock/GettyImages Every winter like clockwork, temperatures start to drop and the flu starts to spread — and this year’s flu season is no different. Between October 1 and November 30 alone, preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the flu has been responsible for up to 29,000 hospitalizations and as many as 2,400 deaths....

Eating only or mostly grapes isn't likely to detoxify your body and may cause side effects. Image Credit: Yulia-Images/Moment/GettyImages A “grape detox diet” may include eating only or mostly grapes for a short period, with the goal of “detoxifying” your body. This is based on the mistaken idea that we must cleanse our bodies of toxins using special diets or products, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)....

Coffee on an empty stomach can have side effects that some people want to avoid. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com 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 Negative Effects The Best Time to Drink Coffee The Bottom Line For so many of us, coffee is an integral part of our daily ritual and often the first thing we put to our lips in the morning....

You can add whey protein to your diet whether you're trying to gain or lose weight. Image Credit: jirkaejc/iStock/GettyImages Few supplements are as popular as whey protein. It doesn’t promise massive changes, but it can help you build muscle. Unlike many supplements, whey protein has been heavily researched and there’s plenty of evidence to show how it helps and how it may hurt. It’s often promoted as a supplement for serious bodybuilders, but it’s actually relatively harmless....

A bowl of dried Israeli couscous. Image Credit: Fiery_Phoenix/iStock/Getty Images Israeli couscous, also sometimes called pearl couscous, is a pasta. The Israeli company Osem lays claim to inventing it in the 1950s, but it in fact existed long before then, in North Africa, Palestine, Jordan, Syrian and Lebanon. Made from a blend of semolina and wheat flour, Israeli couscous is larger than the small-grained yellow couscous of North Africa. Israeli couscous is toasted to give it a nutty flavor, which also makes it a sturdier pasta, so it withstands liquids and longer cooking times better....

An intrauterine device or IUD Image Credit: JPC-PROD/iStock/Getty Images IUD’s, or intrauterine devices, are a form of contraception available with or without hormone-releasing properties. The Mirena, the hormonal IUD, and the ParaGard, the copper IUD, each come with their own side effects and risks. While weight gain is a side effect that may occur, it is difficult to determine if removal of the IUD might aid in weight loss. Advertisement IUD Information The IUD is a T-shaped device with two strings attached....

White pills spilling out of a brown bottle Image Credit: kudou/iStock/Getty Images Lysine is an amino acid essential to human life. It can be obtained by eating animal protein, eggs, dairy products and beans. If you do not eat much of these foods, you may need to take supplemental lysine, which is often available in the form of L-lysine. L-lysine is generally thought to be safe, but it can be dangerous if you have certain conditions....

Eating salmon and other fish can help raise HDL cholesterol. HDL, or high-density lipoproteins, are the "good" cholesterol your body that help to transport excess cholesterol in the blood back to the liver to be broken down. A healthy HDL level in the blood is 60 milligrams per deciliter or higher, with a higher HDL level decreasing risk of heart disease. Consuming certain foods, along with regular exercise, can aid in keeping HDL at a healthy level in the body....

Stretch before and after your workout and stay hydrated to help prevent muscle spasms. Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/GettyImages After you finish a tough workout, you should feel sore and a little worn out — as if you have challenged your muscles but will recover with time. While muscle spasms or twitching may be normal, severe spasms that make you feel like your muscles are about to jump out of your skin are not....

Stitches usually cease to occur once you have built up your endurance. There aren't too many runners who haven't felt an ache under their ribs when running. The medical term for the phenomenon is exercise related transient abdominal pain, but the more common name is "side stitches" or just "stitches." What causes stitches is not entirely clear, but several factors have been identified as possible culprits, particularly overeating before running. Taking preventive measures will get rid of most stitches, but if the problem persists, consult a doctor to rule out an underlying medical disorder....

Peppermint oil can be good for you in small doses, but if you’ve got something of a peppermint candy addiction, excess consumption of the treats may carry health risks. Image Credit: Michelle Patrick / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages “Everything in moderation” is advice as good for innocuous treats, like peppermint candy, as it is cocktails and steak. Peppermint oil can be good for you in small doses, but if you’ve got something of a peppermint candy addiction, excess consumption of the treats may carry health risks....