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You can — and should — make mashed potatoes with the skin on when you use Yukon Gold potatoes. Image Credit: Plateresca/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Key Ingredients Recipe Serve Them With Yukon Gold potatoes are the perfect type to use for a healthy mashed potato side dish. They're super moist and have a naturally buttery flavor, and you don't even need to peel these yellow potatoes. Advertisement Cooking Yukon Gold potatoes with the skins on will give you more nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C and fiber....

Natural remedies can let you quickly heal from muscle exhaustion after a hard workout. Image Credit: Yelizaveta Tomashevska/iStock/GettyImages It’s theoretically possible to exercise — at a low level — indefinitely. In practice, though, your muscles fatigue rather quickly. Several mechanisms work in unison to cause muscle exhaustion. Understanding and employing these processes will help you prevent fatigue and recover quickly. Advertisement Read more: What Causes Muscular Fatigue? Video of the Day Understand Muscle Fatigue Using your muscles gradually causes your strength to decline....

Too little sleep can up the risk of making mistakes or losing focus, neither of which help with a workout. Image Credit: martin-dm/iStock/GettyImages We’ve all been there: The morning after a particularly rough night of tossing and turning, you’re barely a functional human being. But you had promised yourself you’d get up early to sweat. Advertisement When you're overtired, it's important to proceed with caution with everything you do — including exercise....

Cycling is a great low impact form of exercise. Image Credit: gbh007/iStock/GettyImages A biking exercise routine might be exactly what you need to lose those pesky pounds. Like other types of cardiovascular training, cycling burns massive calories. It’s also a great way to boost your endurance and build lower body strength. Advertisement Tip Cycling at a fast pace is a good way to burn calories and raise your metabolism. Even shorter rides can help you keep fit, build stronger bones and improve your overall fitness....

The answer is slightly different if you're at home versus out in public. 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. It’s a lesson that has been drummed into our brains since potty training: “Always wash your hands after you go to the bathroom.” But a January 2020 YouGov poll found that 42 percent of Americans don’t consistently soap up after a trip to the toilet at home....

Elliptical workouts can cause knee pain. Image Credit: 12963734/iStock/GettyImages The elliptical is seen as a panacea if you require low-impact cardiovascular exercise during recovery from a knee injury or as a good way to cross-train to give your knees a break from higher-impact workouts. Advertisement In some cases, such as when you suffer cartilage breakdown under your kneecap, the elliptical works well for this purpose. However, the biomechanics of these machines mean they are not ideal for your knees in every situation....

Lactulose is a medication that contains lactose. Image Credit: milosducati/iStock/Getty Images Lactulose is a man-made sugar, commonly used as a stool softener to treat constipation. Lactulose contains lactose and is not recommended for use by people who have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Taking this medication to treat constipation if you’re lactose intolerant can cause cramping, diarrhea, bloating and stomach pain. Talk with your doctor before you use this stool softer or any other medication to treat a medical condition....

Many of these low-cal foods can be mixed into a big, healthful salad that's full of nutrients. Image Credit: kate_sept2004/E+/GettyImages Contrary to popular belief, many low-calorie foods have a lot of nutritional value and can make up a rich and balanced diet. Advertisement "It's important to note that low-calorie foods do not necessarily translate to a food item being lower in nutrients," dietitian Tiffany Ma, RD, tells LIVESTRONG.com. "In fact, many of these diet staples are high in important nutrients that keep us healthy....

The low-carb diet is a popular choice among many older women, as it's easy to follow and keeps you full! Image Credit: Getty Images/Stigur Mar Karlsson Heimsmyndir The combination of changing hormone levels and loss of muscle mass can make it more difficult for women over 45 to lose weight. While low-carb eating is a popular weight-loss tool, it also comes with some other health benefits, including knee pain reduction, according to a 2019 study published in the journal Pain Medicine....

A glass of milk on the table. Image Credit: DAJ/amana images/Getty Images Maltose and lactose are both types of sugar that occur in some foods. They’re both carbohydrates, and even though maltose is sweeter than lactose, they both provide you with the same amount of energy. Just as you can use table sugar and starch to fuel your cells, you can also use maltose and lactose. Advertisement Maltose Maltose is a disaccharide, meaning it’s a carbohydrate made up of two smaller sugar units called monosaccharides....

Woman jogging on a road. Image Credit: Comstock Images/Stockbyte/Getty Images As a distance runner, you carefully plot a training plan to improve your time, speed and endurance. Plot a nutritious meal plan in the same way to keep your body healthy, as well as fuel your training throughout the week. The last thing you want to feel on one of your distance runs is the impact of ‘‘hitting a wall,’’ the phrase used when you can’t go any further because of a lack of muscle glycogen....

Talk to your doctor before you start taking N.O.-XPLODE or any other dietary supplement. Image Credit: flukyfluky/iStock/GettyImages Marketed as a means to help jump-start athletic performance and muscle-building, N.O.-XPLODE is a powdered drink containing caffeine, amino acids, vitamins, creatine and herbs meant to be taken before a workout. But does it work, and is it safe? The answers are, at best, unclear. Advertisement What the Experts Say “I think these supplements are safe if used in moderation,” says Michael B....

Foods made with whole grains and oats can make you bloated and gassy. Image Credit: serezniy/iStock/GettyImages Oats and whole grains are good sources of fiber, which is essential for heart and digestive health and aids in weight loss. However, sometimes whole grains and steel cut oats cause gas. Advertisement Fiber is an important nutrient, but it can make you feel bloated; it's as if your stomach is heavy and full of air....

A young man is stretching. Image Credit: XiXinXing/XiXinXing/Getty Images Sharp pains in your abdomen can be as minor as gastrointestinal gas, or as serious as appendicitis. Movements such as stretching or twisting of your torso and abdomen may aggravate your symptoms. Treatment varies based on the cause, but may include rest, over-the-counter medications and in some cases surgery. Consult your doctor for worsening or persistent pain. Advertisement Muscle Strain A forceful contraction of your abdominal muscles like during sneezing or coughing can result in an abdominal strain....

The Smith machine makes heavy lifts easier because you're not enlisting your stabilizing muscles. Image Credit: PRImageFactory/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Smith Machine vs. Free Weights Bench Press Squat Overhead Press Deadlift The Smith machine gets a lot of flack for making lifts easier, but there's a time and place for it, especially for strength-training newbies and those looking to really hone in on certain muscles. Advertisement "One of the biggest differences between free weights and the Smith machine is that on top of working your prime movers — larger muscles like quads, hamstrings, glutes, pecs, lats, delts, etc....

After crunches, you may experience abdominal muscle cramping. Image Credit: gradyreese/E+/GettyImages You may have had that experience of waking up the day after an intense ab workout with aching stomach muscles. The good news is that it may mean you’re getting stronger and are on your way to achieving a fetching six-pack. The bad news is that, well, you’re feeling discomfort. Advertisement Stomach cramps after crunches may simply be the result of working out rigorously or working out after a period of little exercise....

Keep your feet dry to prevent athlete's foot. Candida albicans can cause a myriad of problems -- oral thrush, canker sores, skin rashes and even athlete's foot. Bacteria such as candida can thrive in dark moist areas such as locker rooms and inside your shoes. A combination of dietary changes and conventional antifungal medication should treat your current infection. Replenishing beneficial bacteria that can keep candida in check should prevent future outbreaks....

Broiled salmon. Image Credit: DAJ/amana images/Getty Images To a trained chef, recognizing the differences between cooking methods is second nature. They’re categorized as “wet” or “dry,” depending on whether water or other liquids are involved, and each of those broad categories includes several specific cooking methods. Broiling, baking and grilling, for example, are all dry heat cooking methods. Yet, each uses heat in a different way. Advertisement Dry Heat Cooking Methods Dry heat cooking methods are defined by culinary textbook author Wayne Gisslen as “…those in which the heat is conducted without moisture....

Eating moderate amounts of chocolate can improve your health and well-being. Image Credit: solidcolours/iStock/GettyImages Scientists have shown the many advantages of dark chocolate, but consumers prefer the taste of milk chocolate. Fortunately, everyone wins in this rivalry, because all chocolate provides you with some health benefits. Advertisement ​Read more:​ 4 Things to Avoid in Chocolate -- And 3 Things to Look For Video of the Day Understand Chocolate Processing A 2016 paper in the journal Geography gives a detailed description of the steps used to make chocolate....

Stay active and accountable during one of the busiest times of the year with a fun, quick video workout to do every day this month. Get all the details on the challenge here. Your typical upper-body routine with all the usual arm exercises — like biceps curls, shoulder presses and maybe some push-ups — has a well-earned place in a balanced fitness plan, but it's not necessarily the most exciting workout of the week....