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Image Credit: dolgachov/iStock/GettyImages Processed food tends to be cheap, tasty and filling. However, it's been associated with a variety of issues, like diabetes, heart problems and obesity. If the effects of processed food on your health are so negative, why are fast foods and processed foods so popular? In short, there are four main reasons why gas stations are paired with convenience marts and people step up to counters on a regular basis for their fix of burgers and fries: availability, convenience, cost and flavor....

Quinoa is categorized as a grain, but it's actually the fruit. Image Credit: WildLivingArts/iStock/GettyImages Although many types of quinoa exist in the Andes where it originates, only a few types are available on grocery store shelves, including red, white and black quinoa. White and red quinoa are very similar in nutritional value, but red quinoa may have an edge due to its antioxidant capacity. Advertisement What Is Quinoa? Quinoa has been eaten for thousands of years by Andean indigenous cultures, but it’s only recently become popular in the West....

You should work with your doctor to determine what's causing your scalloped tongue and how to treat it. Image Credit: AnnaStills/iStock/GettyImages You might not think about it much, but your tongue can give you some serious clues about the state of your health. In fact, a swollen, scalloped tongue can often be one of the first signs of certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies. And sometimes, it could signal there’s something more serious going on....

Adding more animal protein to your diet can help you build and maintain muscle. Image Credit: margouillatphotos/iStock/GettyImages Protein helps keep us feeling full, so it’s no wonder it’s a diet mainstay, especially for anyone trying to lose weight or gain muscle. And while protein is the most satiating macronutrient, per a July 2016 paper in ​Annual Reviews,​ not all proteins are created equal. Advertisement When choosing protein from animals, there are many factors to consider, including how the protein was sourced, what part of the animal the cut was taken from and what the proper serving size is for smart nutrition....

Choosing the best cookware set means assessing your household's unique needs. Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com/Creative Image Credit: LIVESTRONG.com/Creative How We Chose Best Overall Best for Aesthetics Best Oven-Friendly Best Stainless Steel Best Non-Toxic Best Heavy-Duty Best Titanium Best Lightweight: NutriChef Nonstick Cookware Set Best Nonstick Best Cast Iron Best Ceramic Best Carbon Steel Consider Before Buying Visit Page https://www.amazon.com Buying this granite nonstick cookware set with wooden handles makes for safe, easy cooking....

Explosive strength exercises can help you improve performance while also reducing your risk of injury. Image Credit: dusanpetkovic/iStock/GettyImages When you think of explosive strength exercises, your mind likely goes straight to body-weight plyometric moves like box jumps and burpees. Advertisement And while these exercises are sure to work your body, if you have a dumbbell handy, using it can be even more beneficial. Advertisement Explosive strength training with an external load like a dumbbell is a highly effective way to maximize how much force your muscles can quickly produce, says Anthony Crouchelli, CPT, founding trainer of Grit Bxing in New York City....

Doing just five minutes of gentle exercise per day can help keep your joints strong and mobile. Image Credit: FG Trade/E+/GettyImages Most people tend to focus only on building strength and creating muscle definition when working out, but it’s important to prioritize your joints, too. After all, your joints are the support system behind your muscles; you aren’t able to move your muscles at a full range of motion if your joint mobility is off....

references Shoshana Marmon, MD, PhD, assistant professor and director of clinical research, department of dermatology, New York Medical College Michele S. Green, MD, dermatologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City Cleveland Clinic: “Do Caffeinated Skin Care Products Work?” Skin Pharmacology and Physiology: “Caffeine's mechanisms of action and its cosmetic use” Nutrients: “The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health” Annie Christenson, medical aesthetician, Houston Methodist Hospital Harvard Medical School: “The hype on hyaluronic acid” Harvard Medical School: "Collagen" Is this an emergency?...

A blister pack of dietary pills. Image Credit: Thanmano/iStock/Getty Images Phentermine (duromine) is a prescription dietary aid intended for short term use by people who have overweight or obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic. Duromine is meant to be used in combination with physical activity and a medically supervised weight loss plan. Phentermine curbs hunger by directly impacting the part of the brain that’s in charge of your appetite. Advertisement Duration According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) duromine is generally taken for about one month but the length of treatment can vary....

Breathing through your mouth can lead to stinky breath, dry mouth, respiratory infections and other issues. 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. In This Article Why It Happens Effects Benefits of Nose-Breathing How to Stop Bottom Line We've all gone a day or two where a stuffy nose forces us to breathe with our mouth wide open....

A close-up of roasted and salted soy beans. Image Credit: BWFolsom/iStock/Getty Images Soybeans are a unique type of vegetable because they are one of only a few types that provide a complete protein, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids. You can eat soybeans in a variety of ways including cooked, as part of tofu, or dry roasted. Dry roasted soybeans, also known as soy nuts, are highly calorie-dense, but offer a variety of nutritional benefits....

Parmesan cheese has a strong flavor that goes a long way -- and has only 21 calories per tablespoon. Image Credit: silviacrisman/iStock/Getty Images Cheese is a staple in diets across the planet – but in the dieting world – it’s often pegged as off limits. This is partly because of cheese’s saturated fat content. Growing evidence shows, however, that even though cheese has a moderate amount of saturated fat, it provides a variety of health benefits that make it worth including in a diet....

Eating plenty of iron-rich foods — like oysters — can help you deal with low iron levels. Image Credit: JuliaMikhaylova/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Diet Malabsorption Blood Loss Age Pregnancy Medication Iron is a mineral that makes up your red blood cells and delivers oxygen to your body — in other words, it's a key part of optimal cell and tissue function. But it's possible to develop a deficiency of the nutrient, so knowing what depletes iron can help you avoid potential health problems....

Close-up of a freshly baked potato on a cutting board. Image Credit: Iamthatiam/iStock/Getty Images You might count calories as part of a weight-loss diet without fully understanding what a calorie is and how it works. A calorie is a unit of energy. It takes 1 “large calorie” to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of pure water by 1 degree Celsius. Food calories are measured in large calories. Each calorie you eat has energy-producing potential for your body....

If you experience bruising after lifting weights, your technique might be to blame. Image Credit: Hirurg/E+/GettyImages If you’re often black and blue after lifting weights, the problem could be your technique. But that’s not the only cause of bruising. Supplements, medications or a health condition may be to blame. Advertisement Compared with contact sports, weight lifting actually causes relatively few bruises, says Lee A. Mancini, MD, a sports medicine physician at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center in Worcester and an assistant professor at UMass Medical School....

A group of friends is exercising in the park. Image Credit: Kane Skennar/Digital Vision/Getty Images Some people have chunky thighs while others are stuck with fat hands. Fat-deposit spots on the body are preordained from birth. Although most people wish there was an instant magic solution, such as spot reduction, losing fat in any part of your body takes time and effort. Set some short-term goals and stick to them – you’ll be dropping a ring size soon....

A young man is doing squatting exercises in a studio room. Image Credit: LUNAMARINA/iStock/Getty Images The journal “Yale Scientific” reveals that the phenomenon of targeted weight loss, while intuitively appealing, is essentially a myth. Focusing your exercises on your thighs can help improve muscle tone, but it won’t necessarily help you lose thigh fat in a hurry. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fat loss occurs across the body in response to a calorie deficit....

A woman is strength training in the studio. Image Credit: Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images Catabolism – or the wasting of lean muscle tissue – should be avoided at all costs. Not only do you get weaker and more prone to injury, your metabolism will slow, decreasing how many calories you burn at rest. Lean muscle requires energy and effort to maintain; you accomplish this with a balanced diet and heavy resistance training. You do not need to spend hours in the gym....

Seafood is high in zinc, so it's important to be aware of your intake if you're eating lots of seafood and also taking zinc supplements. Image Credit: Photo of Seafood Plate by Terje Sollie Zinc is largely a beneficial and inoffensive dietary component. Christine Rosenbloom, Ph.D., advises that it’s an important contributor to the strengthening of the immune system and even aids the body’s ability to heal wounds. It’s important to note, though, that having too much or too little zinc in your diet can result in nasty consequences....

One of people’s biggest complaints about being on a “diet” — there’s that terrible four-letter word again — is that they are always hungry! But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can eat healthy meals in sensible portions that contain the right balance of macronutrients and feel full and satisfied all day long. If you’ve been joining us for The 4-Week Portion Control Challenge, you already know just how easy measuring your portions can be....