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Flaxseeds provide essential nutrients, including omega-3 fats. Image Credit: AndreyGorulko/iStock/Getty Images Flaxseeds can be a nutritious addition to your diet, providing significant amounts of fiber, thiamine, magnesium, manganese and omega-3 fats. Proponents of a raw food diet recommend soaking grains, nuts and seeds before use to improve their digestion. Soaking ground flaxseeds will have a different result than soaking whole flaxseeds, however. Advertisement Whole Flaxseeds Nuts and seeds, including flaxseeds, contain enzyme inhibitors....

Massage can help reduce pain from a trapezius injury. Image Credit: microgen/iStock/GettyImages The trapezius, the large muscle of the back, is responsible for moving the shoulders and neck and supporting the arms. Overuse — through weightlifting or carrying heavy objects — may lead to muscle strain or a partial tear of the trapezius muscle, which may be mild — first-degree — or moderate — second-degree. Symptoms include pain and difficulty moving the shoulders and neck....

Getting plenty of vegetables can help with inflammation of many types, including pleurisy. Image Credit: Elena_Danileiko/iStock/Getty Images Inflammation of pleurisy is an inflammation of the membrane around the lungs, called the pleura. This membrane is two layers thick and lines the chest cavity, thereby protecting the lungs. In healthy individuals, there is a thick layer of fluid between the two pleura. In pleurisy, however, these two layers become inflamed; in the case of wet pleurisy, they fill up with liquid which can become infected....

Fatigue and lagging energy can be signs you're getting too much exercise and not enough rest and recovery. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com Creative What Really Happens to Your Body When examines the head-to-toe effects of common behaviors, actions and habits in your everyday life. Whether you’re shopping for new clothes or adding a spicy seasoning to your meal, a little goes a long way. And when exercise is concerned, that’s usually the case, too....

A woman is applying makeup in the bathroom. Image Credit: Voyagerix/iStock/Getty Images If you have had an illness, or successfully lost weight on a diet, it is possible you have lost weight from your face. Unfortunately, losing facial fat can sometimes result in an aging appearance, because plump cheeks and a firm facial contour are sometimes considered synonymous with youth. A cosmetic surgeon can insert facial implants to give the appearance of a more youthful fuller face, or you can practice exercises to help regain a more healthy, youthful appearance....

Are you getting enough choline on your plant-based diet? Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages If you eat a plant-based diet or have ever considered giving it a try, you’ve probably heard about the potential for nutritional shortfalls — specifically, protein, iron, vitamin D, calcium, omega-3s and vitamin B12. Advertisement But one nutrient deficiency you probably haven't heard a lot about is choline. But in its August 2019 issue, the ​British Journal of Medicine​ featured an article authored by a nutrition researcher warning of the potential for a "choline crisis," due to the recent interest and societal shift toward a more plant-based diet....

Walking barefooted in the sand helps strengthen your feet for yoga. Image Credit: Joan Vicent Cantó Roig/iStock/Getty Images Several styles of yoga are popular in the United States, including Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Anusara, Kundalini and others. Some yoga styles incorporate a vigorous sequence of linked poses called the Sun Salutation, which requires stepping or jumping back and landing on the pads of the toes. This action can create foot pain. You can reduce and eliminate foot pain by changing your style of yoga....

The removal of the gallbladder is a common procedure in which the organ is extracted from the abdominal cavity through a small incision, under general anesthesia. Although the surgery itself is relatively routine, the removal of the gallbladder takes away a part of the digestive process of the body. The role of the gallbladder is to provide bile acids for the digestion of fats. When the gallbladder has been removed, some people might have to make dietary changes in order to lose weight....

Fat that accumulates around your abdomen isn’t like other kinds of fat on your body. Excess abdominal fat, according to Harvard Medical School, increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. Many methods are available to help you lose belly fat, including stomach wraps. There are several different kinds of stomach wraps including plain plastic wrap and herbal wraps. The wrap is placed around your midsection and, depending on the kind you are using, causes fat to be released from your abdominal area and detoxifies your body....

Using vegetable oil in place of butter is a heart-healthy substitution. Image Credit: dusanpetkovic/iStock/GettyImages Vegetable oil is often a blend of different types of oils including soybean, sunflower, corn, soy and/or safflower oil. And using vegetable oil in place of some — or all — of the butter you typically eat can be a heart-healthy change to your diet, per the American Heart Association. Advertisement Making this easy swap can reduce your intake of saturated fat, therefore potentially improving your cholesterol levels and reducing your risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions....

Apple juice is not the same as apple cider, which is more acidic than apple juice. Image Credit: MartinFredy/iStock/Getty Images Forget the kind you drank in kindergarten – for grown ups, apple juice is a secret flavor weapon, flavoring everything from pork chops to smoothies. But it can be confusing to distinguish between the myriad varieties of juice and cider that look and taste like apples. Understanding the basic differences between apple juice and apple cider will help you make appropriate substitutions....

Cranberry juice can help you manage ulcers or gastritis. Image Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages Cranberry juice benefits your health due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. This natural remedy may protect against gastritis and peptic ulcers by preventing the adhesion of Helicobacter pylori to the stomach wall. H. pylori is a major contributor to these digestive disorders. Advertisement Tip Cranberry juice may have beneficial effects for those with gastritis and peptic ulcers. This antioxidant-rich beverage prevents the bacterium H....

Is Monster Energy Drink Good for You? Image Credit: HandmadePictures/iStock/GettyImages Monster Energy is a brand of caffeinated beverages found in just about any grocery or convenience store. Produced since 2002, the line has expanded into a powerhouse list of different types and flavors. There are currently 43 different types of Monster Energy drinks on the market. They’re safe to drink as long as you consume them in moderation. Advertisement Tip Monster Energy drinks are safe to drink in moderation....

Is Seaweed Salad Healthy? Image Credit: KarpenkovDenis/iStock/GettyImages Seaweed salad is a tasty dish that has a lot of important nutrients. Typically made with a type of seaweed called wakame, it contains multiple vitamins and minerals, as well as healthy fatty acids. The only negative is the high sodium content, which is typical of marine plants. Advertisement Tip Seaweed salad is typically made with wakame, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and sesame seeds....

A man and woman are blending food in their kitchen. Image Credit: shironosov/iStock/Getty Images The limitations of a liquid diet pose both nutritional and culinary challenges. Fruit and vegetable juices will provide some key vitamins and minerals but are not likely to fill you up for long because they consist primarily of carbohydrate. To make liquid meals more filling, include liquid foods rich in protein, fiber or fat, such as avocado, nut butters, beans and dairy or dairy substitutes....

Scapular squeezes can help with whiplash. Image Credit: Inside Creative House/iStock/GettyImages A whiplash injury can affect every aspect of your life, from driving and sleeping to having a conversation. Adding whiplash exercises to your daily routine is an important part of treating the resulting neck pain. Try these techniques to recover faster and relieve your symptoms. Advertisement Know the Causes Before you attempt to heal your neck, it’s important to understand what is causing your symptoms....

Nicotine Chemistry Step 1 3DChem.com explains that nicotine is an organic compound. This alkaloid has a molecular weight of 162.26 g/mol. It is synthesized in the roots of the tobacco plant and found concentrated in the leaves. Nicotine constitutes 0.3 to 5.0 percent of the dry weight of the plant. Chemically, it contains a pyridine ring bound to a five-membered heterocycle containing four carbon atoms and one nitrogen atom. Advertisement Effects of Nicotine Step 1 Although most of the nicotine is destroyed as the cigarette burns, a significant amount makes it through to the body intact....

You shouldn't feel pain when bench pressing. Image Credit: South_agency/E+/GettyImages It’s normal for weight training to put a strain on your muscles, which at times, can feel uncomfortable. That said, you should not feel pain, especially acute pain during or immediately after an exercise such as the bench press. If this happens, you may be dealing with a bench press shoulder injury. Advertisement Bench Press Shoulder Injury Exercises like the bench press, when done incorrectly, can cause shoulder instability....

Earing dead mussels can be dangerous to your health. Mussels are a shellfish that contain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B-12. You can eat mussels raw, steamed, boiled or fried as an appetizer or entrée. No matter how you prepare them, you should always start with fresh mussels. Mussels that do not open during cooking or that have chips or cracks on the shell may be dead. The meat of dead mussels deteriorates, increasing your risk of microorganism contamination, food poisoning, infectious disease and other health problems....

Black coffee has no carbohydrates. Image Credit: Thanakorn Phanthura / EyeEm/EyeEm/GettyImages Low-carbohydrate diets, especially ketogenic diets, can be fairly restrictive. Many beverages, even ones that would typically be considered healthy, aren’t considered to be suitable keto drinks. Fortunately, most coffee-based beverages can be consumed freely, regardless of how strict your low-carb diet is. Advertisement Read more: 8 Ways You've Been Doing Coffee All Wrong and How to Get It Right Video of the Day Tip There’s no need to avoid drinking coffee while you're on a low-carb diet since black coffee has no carbohydrates....