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Polylactic acid is a compostable type of safe plastic planter for vegetables. Image Credit: moodboard/moodboard/Getty Images Gardening outdoors may not be an option if you have limited space or a short growing season. Enter “container gardening,” where you sow seeds in containers rather than the ground. And using safe plastic planters for vegetables and other sprouts can help you make the most of your little garden. Advertisement So, why exactly is it important to know which plastics are safe for gardening?...

Image Credit: foxline/RooM/Getty Images Cold sores — or fever blisters — are fluid-filled lesions found on the mouth, nose, chin and fingers that are caused as the result of the herpes simplex type one infection. These lesions are contagious and generally take two to three weeks to heal. During this time, you can feel free to engage in your normal activities — including exercise — with minimal modifications. Advertisement Exercise Engaging in exercise will not cause cold sores....

Soft drinks don't have a lot of sodium. Image Credit: Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images Excessive amounts of sodium in your diet will most likely send your blood pressure up, increasing your risk of heart disease over time. No matter which soft drink you turn to, though, regular or diet, you won’t get a lot of sodium. Just because sodas are low in sodium, however, doesn’t mean you should drink them regularly. Often they’re still full of empty calories from sugar, which eventually causes weight gain that can add stress on your heart....

Some teas are natural diuretics. Image Credit: photoguns/iStock/GettyImages If you think to yourself, “Tea makes me pee,” well, you’re not alone. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are some foods that may irritate the bladder, including teas. Not only does tea irritate the bladder, but many teas even contain diuretic compounds that are likely to make you urinate more. Advertisement Foods That Irritate the Bladder Tea is one of a group of foods and drinks that contain a chemical or ingredient known to irritate the bladder....

The 80/20 diet is a modern form of dieting that is far more flexible than many of its peers. Image Credit: Olha_Afanasieva/iStock/GettyImages The 80/20 diet, also known as the Pareto principle diet, is a modern form of dieting that is far more flexible than many of its peers. It is based on the theory that 80 percent of results are from 20 percent of causes, and is potentially much easier to adapt to than more stringent eating plans....

The Advantages of Eating Cow Tongue. Image Credit: alpaksoy/iStock/GettyImages If you have a daring palate, cow tongue might be featured on your dinner table. However, like other organ meats, cow tongue should make only occasional appearances in your diet; consuming organ meats on a regular basis is unhealthy because of their cholesterol content. Cholesterol aside, cow tongue does offer some advantages, providing protein, vitamins and minerals. Advertisement Iron and Zinc Cow tongue offers some health advantages by increasing your iron and zinc consumption....

The pool is the perfect place for a low-impact cardio workout that can also help you burn belly fat. Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/GettyImages Looking to burn belly fat without stressing your joints? If you have access to a pool, you can craft a low-impact routine with swimming strokes and traditionally land-based exercises like squats. Advertisement Before you get started, though, keep a couple things in mind. First, belly fat can't be spot-reduced (sorry!...

These resistance band back stretches will loosen up tight muscles and improve your range of motion. Image Credit: Justin Paget/DigitalVision/GettyImages Image Credit: Justin Paget/DigitalVision/GettyImages “If performing ​before​ a workout, these stretches should be more dynamic in nature and held for shorter periods of time to help increase blood flow to the working muscles and temporarily improve range of motion,” Becourtney says. “On the contrary, if you’re performing them ​after​ working out, these stretches can be held for longer periods (upwards of 30 seconds) to promote a state of relaxation and recovery via an increase in parasympathetic activity....

Dark chocolate contains chemical properties that may reduce the severity of symptoms associated with arthritis. Arthritis is a term that refers to a host of conditions that cause inflammation and pain in the joints. Two of the more common types include osteoarthritis, which is characterized by the breakdown of cartilage between the joints, and rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease that causes severe inflammation in the joints. Approximately 28 million Americans have either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation....

There are a bunch of ways to use your end-of-summer tomatoes, from a zesty homemade salsa to a beloved breakfast sandwich. Image Credit: pilipphoto/iStock/GettyImages You can find tomatoes any time of year but there’s nothing like biting into a juicy, in-season tomato fresh off the vine during the summer. Advertisement Plum, cherry, beefsteak, Roma — there's a tomato for every need whether you're looking for a thick slice on a sandwich or small cherry tomatoes for kebabs....

A hearty bowl of chili. Image Credit: OlgaMiltsova/iStock/Getty Images Fast food gives you a convenient option for meals, but many of the menu options at a fast food restaurant don’t fit into an eating plan that restricts calories or carbohydrates. A small serving of Wendy’s chili contains 17 g of protein and 6 g of fiber in each yellow cup. The restaurant’s chili is also notable for what it lacks: a hefty dose of fat....

Consult your physician before starting supplements. Image Credit: Purestock/Purestock/Getty Images Vitamins are needed to support a healthy body. In large amounts, however, certain vitamins can be toxic, leading to a condition called vitamin toxicity or vitamin poisoning. The dosage at which toxicity occurs, and the symptoms of toxicity, depend on the vitamin. Water-soluble vitamins, such as the B vitamins, are excreted from the body daily in urine, so excess consumption of these is generally not toxic....

Pistol squats are a challenging lower-body and balancing exercise. Image Credit: BraunS/E+/GettyImages Performing squats as a part of your weekly exercise routine can help keep your lower-body muscles strong. And doing them on one leg (aka pistol squats) can build better balance, coordination and speed for running and other athletic activities. Advertisement Single-leg squats work most major muscle groups in the lower body and encourage greater core strength. Advertisement Muscles Used for Single-Leg Squats One-legged squats work the same primary muscle groups used for running, including:...

Discuss all concerns with doctor. Image Credit: Jochen Sands/Digital Vision/Getty Images While it may be possible to get too much vitamin B-12, overdosing on the vitamin is very rare. Becoming deficient in B-12 is a much more common health problem. It is important to carefully monitor how much vitamin B-12 you take to ensure that you do not take too much or too little. If you think your vitamin B-12 level is too high, discuss your concerns with a physician....

Lifting weights causes a hormonal response that can lead to feeling sick. Image Credit: Eternity in an Instant/The Image Bank/GettyImages Resistance training is one of the fastest ways to get in shape, increasing lean muscle mass and improving bone mineral density. But early on, lifting weights can literally make you vomit. Advertisement A nausea response is most common in novice weight lifters, or in those who have not lifted weights for an extended period of time....

Exercise can awaken primal survival instincts. Image Credit: John Howard/Digital Vision/Getty Images Mental health statistics show 19 percent of U.S. adults live with an anxiety disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Although it’s less common to experience anxiety after working out, it could happen. Exercise may cause an acute increase in anxiety, but it benefits mental health in the long run. Advertisement Tip Exercise triggers the body's fight-or-flight response, which can cause acute stress....

Physical therapist working on a woman's wrist Image Credit: Wavebreakmedia/iStock/Getty Images A wrist ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled sac under the skin that can compress the nerves in the wrist to cause pain. The cause of ganglions is unknown, but women get them more frequently than men according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Resting the wrist and massaging the ganglion can bring relief, but surgery or injecting anti-inflammatory drugs is sometimes needed....

A woman is sitting in a yoga pose. Image Credit: xalanx/iStock/Getty Images Kegel exercises are designed to strengthen pelvic floor muscles in both men and women. One of the primary benefits of doing these exercises is that it can help improve urinary or fecal incontinence. It can also help women restore strength to muscles stretched during childbirth. If you don’t do Kegel exercises correctly, you can actually do more harm than good....

Mixing an acid, such as lemon juice, with baking soda helps replicate baking powder's functions in baking. Image Credit: fotostorm/E+/GettyImages Imagine you’re in the middle of a baking extravaganza, making cake, cookies or other delicious treats; you head to the cabinet to grab the baking powder and realize that there’s none to be found. If this scenario sounds familiar, don’t fret — you have options besides running to the store last minute....

Bulk your legs by performing lower body exercises. Image Credit: South_agency/E+/GettyImages Most people with weight concerns are trying to shed pounds. But if you’re naturally skinny with a fast metabolism, it can be just as much of a struggle to keep weight on your frame. Advertisement If you're looking for weight gain in your legs and calves, you'll need to pair a weight-gain diet with an exercise program that promotes leg muscle growth....