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A small bowl of yogurt on tabletop. Image Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/Getty Images Marketed as a health related product by Dannon, in the United States, and Danone elsewhere, Activia yogurt, a probiotic dairy product, can be found in your grocer’s dairy section. Activia or yogurt in general, is considered a “functional food,” meaning the food item provides health benefits beyond its basic nutritional value. Advertisement Activia Products Original Activia is available in seven flavors, Activia Fiber in three flavors, Activia Light in eight flavors, Activia Dessert in four flavors and Activia Parfait Crunch is available in four flavors....

Leg Lifts vs. Crunches Image Credit: Kikovic/iStock/Getty Images Leg-lefts and crunches are often mistakenly thought to be exercises that work the lower abdominal muscles. Both can definitely help you in your quest for a flatter stomach, but each has its own function, and they might work differently than you think. Understanding the different muscle groups that leg-lifts and crunches target is important for getting the best abdominal workout. Advertisement Abs in a Crunch?...

Grapefruit is a good low sugar choice. Image Credit: Ferumov/iStock/Getty Images Including more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet is an easy way to improve your health. The naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables is buffered by the important vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber that benefit your health. But there are low-sugar fruits and veggies. Advertisement Read more: The 10 Healthiest Fruits and Vegetables Video of the Day Try Low-Sugar Fruits According to the USDA, some citrus fruits, including lemons and limes, are good low-sugar fruit choices with between 1....

Yogurt is a non acidic food. Image Credit: Julia_Sudnitskaya/iStock/GettyImages For some people, eating highly acidic foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, onions, chocolate, coffee and peppermint causes heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), says Cedars Sinai. Eating a diet of non-acidic foods may be helpful for managing such conditions. Advertisement If you have a burning sensation in the chest or throat upon eating, it may be an indication that stomach acid is backing up in the esophagus....

Get the healthy benefits from the omega fatty acids from food or from fish oil supplements. Image Credit: Elena_Danileiko/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Omega-3 Omega-6 Omega-9 Omega-3-6-9 Side Effects Recommended Daily Intake Should You Take Fish Oil? Omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids are essential components for keeping your body healthy. Each fat is linked to lower rates of chronic degenerative diseases. Advertisement While you can get these fats from foods, some diets may be lower in them than others, which is where supplements can help....

Papaya trees growing on a farm. Image Credit: Idiaphoto/iStock/Getty Images The papaya, a tropical tree-like plant, was originally cultivated in Mexico and can grow more than 30 feet tall. The papaya plant bears a versatile fruit that is eaten both ripe and unripe. According to “Papaya the Medicine Tree,” the entire papaya plant – roots, leaves and fruit – offers medicinal value. Young papaya leaves are eaten like a vegetable in some cuisines, and papaya leaf tea has a variety of purported medicinal effects....

Too much coconut can be bad for you because it is a high-fat food. Image Credit: Creativ Studio Heinemann/Westend61/GettyImages It can be easy to add a lot of coconut milk or cream to foods like curries or stews. You might also enjoy cooking with coconut oil or adding dried coconut to desserts. However, coconut should be consumed in moderation, since it’s high in fat. Any side effects related to too much coconut are likely related to its fat content....

Strengthening exercises for a hyperextended knee will help improve your leg stability. Image Credit: trumzz/iStock/GettyImages Knee injuries are no fun, leaving you sidelined from athletic activities or your usual workout routine. If you have injured yourself or if you want to avoid injury, then you can try a few hyperextended knee exercises and stretches to help build or rebuild strength. Advertisement It's important to note that any hyperextended knee exercises you do, as with any exercise or rehabilitation program, should be done under the guidance of a doctor or physical therapist, who can show you how to do the exercises correctly....

Try these natural menopause treatments that really work. Image Credit: yacobchuk/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Rule Out Other Causes Cold Water Mindfulness Deep Breathing Iced Drinks B Vitamins Herbal Supplements Sleep Weight Loss Avoiding Booze and Sweets Detoxing Your Environment What About Apple Cider Vinegar? What About Turmeric? What About Vitamin E? You're going about your day when all of a sudden, it feels like you've been transported to the Sahara: Your heart starts racing and your skin might redden, as an intense warmth radiates from your chest out to your arms, neck and face....

Kiwi seeds have some nutritional value. Image Credit: Design Pics/Ray Laskowitz/Design Pics/Getty Images Those little black seeds found in kiwi fruits do more than just get stuck in your teeth – they also provide a number of essential nutrients. The amounts of these nutrients are relatively small because they make up only a small portion of each kiwi, but they can still contribute to your overall nutritional status. Advertisement Provide Omega-3 Fats Kiwi seeds provide a small amount of omega-3 fats, with each medium kiwi fruit containing about 29 milligrams of these essential fats in the form of alpha-linolenic acid out of the recommended intake of 1,300 to 2,700 milligrams per 2,000 calories eaten each day....

Running up and down the basketball court builds endurance while burning about 544 calories per hour. Image Credit: Hinterhaus Productions/DigitalVision/GettyImages The best sport to lose weight offers a fun way to increase physical activity to markedly move down the number on the scale. Chose a sport that keeps you moving for at least four hours a week so you burn enough calories to make an impact on your size. Advertisement How Does Weight Loss Occur?...

The best meal replacement bars will fill you up. Image Credit: Dubravina/iStock/GettyImages If you’re struggling to lose weight, don’t be afraid to use aids like meal replacement bars to regulate your diet. Meal replacement bars are a useful tool if you want to shed extra pounds. The best bar will give you a balanced mix of nutrients and ​fill you up​. Advertisement Lose Weight With Protein Bars To lose weight you have to consume fewer calories than you burn....

A tape measure is coiled around the prongs of a fork on a white counter. Image Credit: mark wragg/iStock/Getty Images Weight Watchers does not consider itself to be a diet. According to its website, Weight Watchers is a plan or approach designed to help you live a healthier life while continuing to eat whatever you like. It may sound too good to be true to you, but it can work. The problem with Weight Watchers is that maintaining proper nutrition is a distant second to shedding pounds....

You can get stronger at home with dumbbells or a variety of creative substitutions. Image Credit: SerhiiBobyk/iStock/GettyImages There’s a reason the lat pulldown machine always seems to be occupied at your gym: It’s easy to use and effective. But you don’t need elaborate equipment to challenge your back strength. In fact, you don’t even need dumbbells. Advertisement If you don't have dumbbells at home, you can do all of these grueling back exercises with a pair of water bottles or cans, says New York-based certified personal trainer Mathew Forzaglia, CPT....

Apples are a good source of vitamin C Image Credit: adisa/iStock/Getty Images An apple a day may not keep any physicians at bay, but apples are very nutritious. They are high in fiber, important for digestive health, and boron, which promotes bone growth. Apples are also rich sources of phytochemicals, an anti-oxidant found in plants, fruits and vegetables. They also deliver a healthy dose of vitamin C. Advertisement Content One apple provides roughly 10 percent of your daily recommended allowance for vitamin C....

A woman is running up stadium stairs. Image Credit: lzf/iStock/Getty Images The movements that take place during activities such a running are due to the contraction of skeletal muscles pulling on bones which move at flexible pivot points, or joints. The several types of contractions that occur within skeletal muscles during running include isotonic concentric and isotonic eccentric contractions. Contractions also occur within your slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers....

Stuffed french bread. Image Credit: Eising/Photodisc/Getty Images Salt and carbohydrates can both lead to water retention, but their methods – and their impact on your health – are different. Salt exerts its influence throughout your body and can lead to serious health consequences. Carbs have a more limited effect that may cause slight weight gain, yet can help boost performance. Advertisement Different Roles in Water Retention Sodium helps regulate the levels of water in your body....

Sudden loss of appetite may stem from infections, diseases, medications or stress. While a healthy appetite can reflect positive health, reduced or sudden loss of appetite may be a sign of any number or problems, with causes ranging from infection to stress. Additional potential causes include medications and emotional stress. If an underlying illness is present, symptoms may diminish once the illness is treated. In other cases, symptoms dissipate on their own or persist long-term....

In a world obsessed with thinness, losing weight without even trying sounds wonderful. However, although it’s normal for body weight to fluctuate, losing 10 lbs. or 5 percent of your body weight without a change in your eating or exercise habits is a cause for concern, according to MayoClinic.com. Be alert to the symptoms of digestive disorders to decide whether unexplained weight loss merits a visit to your doctor. Diabetes Diabetes is one of the most common causes of unexplained or involuntary weight loss....

Vegetables like broccoli and carrots, seafood like fish fillets and crab legs, and even rice can be cooked in a steamer. Image Credit: lucentius/iStock/GettyImages Using a steamer for cooking is a healthy method that results in minimal nutrient loss from vegetables, explains Tufts University. Recipes using the steaming method also do not require the use of fat, and are recommended for anyone following a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. Advertisement Tip Vegetables like broccoli and carrots, seafood like fish fillets and crab legs, and even rice can be cooked in a steamer....