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Polycythemia vera is a disease of the bone marrow and leads to an increased number of red blood cells. Vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin, is needed for red blood cell production. Correcting a vitamin B-12 deficiency can unmask the symptoms of polycythemia vera. Polycythemia Vera Polycythemia vera is more common in men than women and usually occurs after age 40. It’s a genetic disease of the bone marrow that causes your body to make too many red blood cells and also increases production of white blood cells and platelets....

What Is VLDL Cholesterol? Image Credit: gradyreese/E+/GettyImages Rarely even mentioned during an annual physical, very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) is the cholesterol you’ve probably never heard of. But it’s certainly one you’d be better off without. Advertisement Cholesterol comes in several guises. The U.S. National Library of Medicine points out that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) is the "good" cousin. You want more HDL, not less. That's because the higher your HDL, the lower your risk for coronary heart disease....

Side neck stretches can help relieve thoracic outlet pain. Thoracic outlet syndrome is a painful condition that occurs when your collarbone slides forward due to poor muscle control, putting pressure on the nerves between your collarbone and your top rib. Injury, illness and genetics could cause you to develop thoracic outlet syndrome. The main symptoms of the condition are an aching pain in the shoulder, arm or neck; swelling or redness in one of your arms; and a limited range of motion in your affected arm....

A woman is pouring a cup of tea. Image Credit: 30eight/iStock/Getty Images Sencha tea makes up nearly 80 percent of the total tea manufactured in Japan, according to the website The Nibble. Farmers harvest sencha tea from the top leaves and buds of plants grown in full sunlight. It is regarded as a high quality tea, with a golden color and crisp, grassy flavor. Advertisement Sencha Green Tea Black tea is created when tea leaves undergo a fermentation process....

Close-up of a young woman stretching on a plane. Image Credit: David De Lossy/Photodisc/Getty Images Stretching requires temporary lengthening of your muscle fibers. It is best to partake in flexibility training after a light warmup; this allows increased blood flow to the muscles which in turn increases mobility. Take a minute to imagine your muscles as a rubber band – a cold and brittle rubber band will snap, whereas a rubber band that is warm and flexible will stretch and return to its original shape....

Committing to a 6-month weight-loss plan is ambitious. Image Credit: Szepy/iStock/Getty Images Achieving and managing a healthy weight takes time and patience. A six-month plan allows you to pursue a safe rate of weight loss without feeling overly deprived or burdened by your efforts. Over six months, many of your dieting strategies may become lifelong habits that can help you manage your weight even after you have achieved your goal....

Sweat also creates odor based off of a wide range of variables from what you eat to the presence of bacteria on your skin. Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/GettyImages Sweating and physical activity are inseparable when it comes to exercise, because sweating is needed to help keep your body temperature under control. However, sweat also creates odor based off of a wide range of variables from what you eat to the presence of bacteria on your skin....

Sugar intolerance is best managed by avoiding fructose-rich foods. Image Credit: sasimoto/iStock/Getty Images Sugar intolerance, also known as dietary fructose intolerance or sugar malabsorption, is a digestive disorder that affects nearly one-third of all adults, according to the website Food Intolerance Diagnostics. Because the primary symptoms of sugar intolerance – including gas, bloating, belching, abdominal pain and diarrhea – are similar to those of irritable bowl syndrome, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance and other digestive conditions, it’s important to seek a proper diagnosis before making any major changes to your diet....

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. It's not just people with allergies or asthma who might want to use an air purifier — anyone who lives in a region with wildfires will also benefit. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative How We Chose Best for Allergies Best for Mold Best for Pets Best for Smoke Best for Large Rooms Best for COVID-19 What to Look For Visit Page https://www....

references Practical Management of Pain (Fifth Edition): “Minor and Short-Acting Analgesics, Including Opioid Combination Products.” British Journal of Anaesthesia: Topical capsaicin for pain management: therapeutic potential and mechanisms of action of the new high-concentration capsaicin 8% patch Medicines: “Clinical Trials, Potential Mechanisms, and Adverse Effects of Arnica as an Adjunct Medication for Pain Management.” Journal of the American Pharmacists Association: "CBD for the treatment of pain: What is the evidence?...

The worst foods for gut health cause the proliferation of bad bacteria in your digestive tract. Image Credit: Sharon Pruitt / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages If you’re trying to improve (or at least look after) your gut health, your daily diet will play an important role. Advertisement Certain foods help fuel the gut and promote the growth of good bacteria, while others can cause digestive distress and meddle with the health of your microbiome — or the bacterial environment in the gut....

You can mix creatine with a variety of healthy liquids — including juices, protein shakes and smoothies — to make the experience tastier and more well-balanced. Image Credit: Eugeniusz Dudzinski/iStock/GettyImages Creatine, a supplement taken to help boost muscle growth and enhance athletic performance, often comes in the form of tasteless powder. But you’ll find the best way to mix creatine with water, juice or smoothies can turn it into a nutritious snack....

Powerlifters move some serious weight. Image Credit: Anpet2000/iStock/Getty Images Even if you don’t compete in the sport of powerlifting, you can learn a thing or two about how to improve your bench press from competitors’ training routines. Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three lifts: the bench press, squat and deadlift. You get three tries to lift the most combined weight possible to beat out your competitors. Advertisement Because the amount of weight you bench is intrinsic to powerlifting success, your obvious goal during powerlifting training routines is to develop the muscle, power and form to enable you to lift the most weight you can....

Avoid drinking alcohol during a diverticulitis symptom flare to prevent gastric irritation. Image Credit: Natdanai Pankong / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Diverticulitis, the inflammation and infection of small pouches called diverticula that infiltrate the lining of your colon, is a complication of diverticular disease, which generally begins as diverticulosis. These small pouches can develop anywhere along your digestive tract but generally form in the colon. A diverticulitis diet does not treat or prevent the condition but it does help during symptom flares....

The glycemic index of a banana depends on its ripeness. Image Credit: Sergey Ovchinnikov/iStock/GettyImages People watch their blood sugar for many different reasons, and while the glycemic index can be helpful in this regard, it’s not always infallible. Making matters a little more complicated is the fact that the banana glycemic index ranking changes as it ripens. Advertisement Don't be so quick as to think this means that you can't count on the glycemic index to help you with your eating habits, or that bananas need to be automatically removed from your diet....

The Korean diet remains largely untouched by unhealthy eating patterns. Image Credit: 4kodiak/E+/GettyImages The lure of fast food and Western eating habits has affected different cultures around the world. However, the Korean diet remains largely untouched by unhealthy eating patterns. Advertisement About 30 percent of the adult population is overweight in Korea, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Of those people, 4 percent have obesity, and the OECD predicts that overweight rates in Korea will increase by 5 percent within 10 years....

Ideally you should trim away all the visible fat before cooking top sirloin steak. Image Credit: Tatiana Volgutova/iStock/GettyImages Top sirloin steak can certainly be lean and low in calories, but if you’re one who prefers a lot of marbling — or ribbons of fat — in your steak, you’ll get way more fat and calories than you may realize. However, sirloin steak nutrition also includes protein and several vitamins and minerals....

While walking lunges aren’t the most glamorous exercise to perform, they’re excellent for strengthening and shaping the legs. Not only will you improve the look of your legs with walking lunges, you’ll also firm your lower body muscles, which in turn can improve your speed and athletic performance. Walking lunges can be performed in your local gym or in the comfort of your own home. Adding weights can increase the intensity of the exercise, but this isn’t absolutely necessary to see results....

Stress balls are a great way to relieve stress. Image Credit: vkbhat/iStock/GettyImages Stress balls are small balls or objects filled with a malleable gel or clay that are held in the palm of your hand. The act of repeatedly squeezing the ball may help to release tension and relieve stress. Advertisement The balls can also be used as a physical therapy tool to help strengthen the muscles of the hand and wrist....

Muscular man doing a deadlift indoors. Neither the deadlift nor the power clean have inherent qualities that make one exercise better than the other. You may choose to incorporate one, both or neither exercise into your workout routine. Several factors, including fitness level and experience, determine the exercises you choose to do, but the deciding factor for choosing deadlifts or power cleans is your training goal. Advertisement Slow and Steady The deadlift, a full-body exercise, works muscles in your legs, buttocks and back, as well as the gripping muscles of your forearms....