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Take care of your body requires getting enough sleep. The human body is amazing. It is always working and growing, changing food to fuel and fighting illness and germs. Parents take care of children's bodies by making sure that children have everything they need to grow and maintain good health. As kids get older and become more mature, they take over some of the responsibility for taking care of their bodies, and they learn that bodies need several different kinds of care to function well....

Pre-slicing your fruits and veggies is a simple kitchen hack that can help you eat healthier. Image Credit: Stígur Már Karlsson /Heimsmyndir/E+/GettyImages Making healthier eating choices in the kitchen can be a challenge. If only you had an invisible cheerleader by your side, guiding you to choose carrot sticks over chips or oatmeal over Frosted Flakes. Advertisement But believe it or not, you can trick yourself into eating healthier. Indeed, a few small changes to your daily routine have the power to nudge you into making better decisions around your food, according to a January 2019 study in Marketing Science....

Salmon filet on a cutting boatd Image Credit: ValentynVolkov/iStock/Getty Images A man who performs hard physical work on a regular basis is directly affected by what he eats. His strength and energy go hand in hand with the kind of food he puts into his body, making his meal plan just as important as showing up for work on time. A healthy, smart, all-inclusive meal plan can turn a workday slouch into a workhorse leader....

Tracking your heart rate after determining your MHR can help you gauge exercise intensity. Image Credit: m-gucci/iStock/GettyImages A good high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout can really get your heart racing — but tracking your heart rate can help you make sure you’re getting the most out of your exercise routine. Advertisement In order to gauge your target heart rate to make sure you're logging a solid workout, you first need to know your maximum heart rate or MHR, which is the fastest rate at which your heart can safely beat each minute during exercise....

Taking supplements to boost the nitric oxide in your body may be risky. Image Credit: Boris Jovanovic/iStock/GettyImages According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nitric oxide is a molecule made in your body that provides key benefits, such as improved blood flow and increased energy. Sounds good right? But NIH also says that it’s unlikely you’ll get much benefit from nitric oxide supplements. Advertisement "We know that nitric oxide has lots of important functions in the body....

You might have a fast heartbeat after eating carbs, which may cause heart palpitations. Image Credit: gbh007/iStock/GettyImages You might have a fast heartbeat after eating carbs, which may cause heart palpitations. There’s a difference between experiencing heart palpitations and having a serious problem like an arrhythmia. Advertisement How the Heart Contracts The heart beats an average of 100,000 times per day. With all those beats, it pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood through your circulatory system....

Pool Exercises to Strengthen the Legs Image Credit: GeorgeRudy/iStock/GettyImages Strong legs stem from working the muscles until the fibers break down and repair themselves to become bigger. On land, that might be done through weight-training or leg-focused cardio, such as biking or running. If those exercises hurt your joints, though, or if you’re just a fish at heart, you can also strengthen your leg muscles in the pool. Advertisement Before you hop in the water, prep yourself by donning water shoes to help with traction on the pool floor and have a pool noodle or floatation belt nearby to keep you upright in the deeper water....

If you're looking to improve your heart health, consider the saturated fat in cheese. Image Credit: lechatnoir/E+/GettyImages Eating too much saturated fat can raise levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). But you already knew that, so you’ve given up your daily buttered toast breakfast and you started eating a little bit less meat. Advertisement However, if you're still frying grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner or sneaking slices of cheddar between meals, you may be thwarting your efforts of cutting saturated fat....

Turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, is responsible for the spice’s many health benefits. Image Credit: S847/iStock/Getty Images Derived from the Curcuma longa plant’s root, turmeric is commercially available as fresh root nodes, a spice powder for use in cooking, or in the form of turmeric capsules for medical use. Turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, is responsible for the spice’s many health benefits. Advertisement Although this golden colored spice has been used for centuries by Asian communities to treat inflammation and combat infections, it is only just starting to gain recognition in the West....

If you think of yourself as skinny with belly fat, your diet may be to blame. Image Credit: Alexander Spatari/Moment/GettyImages In This Article Causes Risks How to Lose It Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and there's no "ideal" body type or shape. But if you consider yourself to be skinny with extra belly fat, there are some health risks you should know about. Advertisement Many people simply look at their body mass index (BMI) or the number on the scale to determine if they're at a healthy body weight....

Sliced red apples. Image Credit: zukanowa13/iStock/Getty Images Tannins may be helpful for their antiviral, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, according to an article published in “Molecular Nutrition & Food Research” in September 2009. However, these plant compounds may also trigger migraines in some people for whom a tannin-free diet may be beneficial. It may be difficult to totally avoid tannins, as these polyphenols are found in so many different nutritious plant foods and beverages, but you can minimize your intake once you understand the main sources of this antioxidant....

references & resources Today Health: Need a Quick Meal? Don’t’ Freeze Out Frozen Food; Elizabeth Somer; June 8, 2005 “Fitness”; The Fitness 2010 Healthy Food Awards – The Best Frozen Foods; July/August, 2010 Library of Congress: Who “Invented” the TV Dinner? Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: "Vitamin Retention in Eight Fruits and Vegetables: A Comparison of Refrigerated and Frozen Storage" Dietitians share the healthiest frozen foods that make meal prep a breeze....

references American Academy of Pediatrics: "Knee Pain: How to Choose the Right Knee Brace for Your Child" American Academy of Family Physicians: "Knee Bracing: What Works?" The right knee sleeve can help prevent injury and reduce knee pain. Image Credit: rukawajung/iStock/GettyImages Image Credit: rukawajung/iStock/GettyImages Knee sleeves can provide extra support to the joint and give you a sense of security if your knees feel unstable, potentially helping to prevent further injury....

Image Credit: JerryB7/iStock/Getty Images Water is both the most abundant nutrient on Earth and in the human body. The world has about 333 million cubic miles of water, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS, and the human body is about 60 percent water. The United States withdraws about 410,000 million gallons, or Mgal, of water per day. That water has a number of uses, including power, irrigation for farming and industrial use, and public consumption....

Exercise helps strengthen your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Image Credit: Todor Tsvetkov/E+/GettyImages You probably know that exercise is healthy, but you might not know exactly why. Staying active does more than just improve your physique, and the long-term effects of exercise on the circulatory system can significantly improve your health. Your heart, lungs and blood vessels all benefit from regular workouts. Advertisement How the Circulatory System Works Your circulatory system is comprised of your heart and all the blood vessels in your body, including the lungs....

Sulfur dioxide helps keeps food fresh and is considered safe for most people. Image Credit: from_my_point_of_view/iStock/GettyImages Sulfur dioxide is used as a preservative found in many foods, including shrimp, pickled foods and, in particular, dried fruit. For people who are sensitive to the preservative or have asthma, the health risks of sulfur dioxide in dried fruit can range from mild to severe. Advertisement Tip Sulfur dioxide helps keeps food fresh and is considered safe for most people....

This 20-minute resistance band workout includes compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups at the same time. Image Credit: recep-bg/E+/GettyImages Resistance bands might look flimsy and small compared to larger fitness equipment, like dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells, but these space-efficient exercise tools are pretty powerful. Advertisement Unlike conventional weights, resistance bands maintain constant tension throughout the entire exercise, and therefore, create more muscle growth. When used correctly, resistance bands help improve strength and balance, as well as promote flexibility and good posture....

Science isn't quite sure why, but the internet agrees that pooping can make you cry. Image Credit: spukkato/iStock/GettyImages File this under things you didn’t think you’d read about today: Poop crying. Because, apparently, it’s a real phenomenon. Advertisement There's no research on the connection, but there's enough people asking: Why do I cry when I poop? Especially when you dive into the archives of Reddit. As one brave soul dared to ask: Is it strange that tears stream down my face every time I poop?...

A morning walking workout can help prepare you to face the day. Image Credit: Corina Marie Howell/Image Source/GettyImages When you think of HIIT workouts, low-impact walking may not be the first exercise that comes to mind. But incorporating a brisk stroll between body-weight exercises can be a surprisingly challenging cardio activity with a bunch of bonuses for your health, especially when you do it in the morning. Advertisement Health Benefits of Walking A swift stride can indeed ramp up your heart rate and torch calories — anywhere between 120 and 222 calories in 30 minutes, depending on your weight and pace, according to Harvard Health Publishing....

Master the standard push-up before attempting pseudo planches. Image Credit: nicoletaionescu/iStock/Getty Images Do you like a challenge? Add planche push-ups to your list of exercise goals. You’ll see martial artists and gymnasts perform this incredibly challenging that requires a ton of core and upper-body strength. Advertisement The full planche push-up requires you to balance just on your hands with your legs extended straight behind you. You bend your elbows to push up and down, carrying all your body weight on just your palms....