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Ashwagandha is a medicinal supplement derived from the Withania somniferum plant, a member of the pepper family commonly found in Africa and India. Ashwagandha contains a class compounds called withanolides, which may help reduce stress and inflammation while boosting immune system activity in the body. Despite these purported health benefits, there are some people who should not take ashwagandha. If you have questions about ashwagandha contraindications, seek additional guidance from your primary medical provider....

Your bloating after eating carbs may have to do with the amount of fiber in your meal or an underlying medical condition. Image Credit: SolStock/E+/GettyImages Digging into that delicious plate of pasta felt amazing — but the bloating afterward? Not so much. Bloating after eating carbs can stem from a few underlying problems — sometimes it’s as simple as making a too-rapid change to your diet, while in other cases it might signal a serious underlying medical issue....

Drinking plenty of water can help keep blood sugar spikes at bay. Image Credit: MixMedia/E+/GettyImages Diabetes affects your body’s ability to use glucose, aka sugar. That’s why, if you have the condition — or its precursor, prediabetes — it’s important to keep your blood sugar levels in check to avoid complications. Advertisement Watching your diet, getting regular exercise and sticking to your medication routine are all crucial ways to manage diabetes and stabilize blood sugars, per the Mayo Clinic....

Boiled potatoes are a good way to get healthy carbs in, but oxidation often causes unsightly dark potatoes. Image Credit: margouillatphotos/iStock/GettyImages Potatoes are an excellent source of healthy, complex carbohydrates and can be included in just about any dish. Although it’s one of the healthiest ways to prepare this starchy vegetable, boiling can cause the potatoes to turn dark after they’re peeled. Advertisement But don't fret: Darkening potatoes is just a side effect of oxidation and isn't anything you need to worry about where safety is concerned....

Flexible hip flexors are the key to keeping legs straight during splits. Image Credit: Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images Doing splits with one leg in front of you and one leg behind you requires flexibility in two major muscle groups. For the front leg, the hamstrings on the back of the leg are stretched in the splits. For the back leg, the splits challenge the hip flexors on the front of the hip....

A small jar of ginger jam. Image Credit: Oliver Hoffmann/iStock/Getty Images Ginger has a strong, distinct flavor that is often highlighted in Asian dishes and complements sweet salads and fruit dishes. Ginger jam can be served on bread, spooned onto meat or added to rice or salads. Unless you dilute the ginger or sweeten it with fruit, ginger jam may be too spicy or overwhelming for some people, especially children. Experiment with ingredients until you find a jam recipe that works for your entire family....

Protein shakes are often the "meal" of choice for everyone from bodybuilders to people trying to lose weight to those who are looking for an easy way to get some nutrients in. Image Credit: a_namenko/iStock/GettyImages Protein shakes are often the “meal” of choice for everyone from bodybuilders to people trying to lose weight to those who are looking for an easy way to get some nutrients in. There are many pre-made shakes out there, but if you want to make your own, adding egg to a shake is one way to get protein....

The codes on canned goods help reveal their freshness. Image Credit: d3sign/Moment/GettyImages While there is no standard system for coding canned foods, many companies use similar codes to track their products. Learning to read the most commonly used codes that refer to dates helps ensure your canned foods are fresh and safe to eat. Some canned foods include a noncoded “use by” date stamped on the can or label. For those that don’t, you can often find a coded date stamped on the top or bottom of the can....

A fish filet with capers sauteing in a skillet. Image Credit: Monkey Business Images/Monkey Business/Getty Images Seafood makes for a delicious and healthy meal, and cooking enough for leftovers ensures you can enjoy your dish without having to make it from scratch. Eat leftovers within four days of when the meal was prepared to prevent food poisoning or other food-borne illnesses. The key when reheating seafood is to prevent it from becoming too dry while ensuring it tastes as good as it did initially....

Light exercises such as a stationary bike is good after a neck fusion surgery. Image Credit: Eugenio Marongiu/Cultura/GettyImages If you’re eager to get back to the gym after spinal or neck fusion, be aware that there are certain cervical fusion exercises to avoid, especially during the recovery period. While some of your favorite exercises might be off-limits, it’s only a matter of time before you can resume regular activity. Advertisement What Is Spinal Fusion?...

How to Set Up a Home Kickboxing Gym Image Credit: VlaDee/iStock/GettyImages Kickboxing can be a fun, effective workout, but heading to a kickboxing class — whether at a gym or a local boxing studio — can be tiresome. Whether the class is too full, the gym is too expensive or the instructor just isn’t your cup of tea, sometimes it can be better to take up your studies at home....

Ground turkey is a healthy alternative to ground beef that is usually lower in fat and calories, but supplies just as much protein. Often ground turkey is browned in a skillet before adding to recipes or formed into patties to make a turkey burger. But your slow cooker can create a tender and juicy pot of ground turkey that can be added to any number of recipes. A few seasonings and several hours of cooking are all it takes to successfully prepare ground turkey in your slow cooker....

Hidden Valley Ranch isn’t only sold as a dressing or dip; premade mix packets are also available. Image Credit: Amber Halt/iStock/GettyImages Hidden Valley sells a wide variety of ranch-dressing products. Hidden Valley Ranch isn’t only sold as a dressing or dip; premade mix packets are also available. If you prefer making homemade ranch dip, these flavoring packets can help you prepare healthy alternatives to store-bought products. Advertisement Hidden Valley Ranch Ingredients Hidden Valley sells many different ranch sauces and seasonings....

A close-up of a person riding a bicycle down a trail. Image Credit: m-imagephotography/iStock/Getty Images The Achilles tendon is a long band of tissue that runs down the back of your calf and connects to your heel bone. It can be damaged or stressed from various exercises, particularly running. Achilles tendonitis typically results from overuse of the calves, which can occur during cycling, but is more common in high-impact activities....

references Whole Grains Council: "Wheat July Grain of the Month" Celiac Disease Foundation: "What is Gluten?" Gluten Intolerance Group: "Getting Started on a Gluten-Free Diet" Whole Grains Council: "Buckwheat — December Grain of the Month" Mayo Clinic: "Cauliflower: The New Nutrition Superstar" Although it may look like rice or quinoa, couscous is not gluten-free. Image Credit: Anjelika Gretskaia/Moment/GettyImages Image Credit: Anjelika Gretskaia/Moment/GettyImages Want more healthy recipes? Download the MyPlate app and get simple, tasty meals and snacks tailored to your nutrition goals....

The fermented soybeans used to make miso are what gives miso soup its health benefits. Image Credit: bit245/iStock/GettyImages Miso is a type of soybean paste that has been fermented. Although this paste has many uses, its most commonly used to make miso soup, a quintessential part of Japanese cuisine. Miso soup is known for its umami flavor and is associated with a wide variety of health benefits. Advertisement Read more: 7 Surprising Benefits of Fermented Foods Video of the Day Tip Miso soup is a healthy soup made with fermented soybean paste, fish stock and seaweed....

Japanese diet and stomach cancer Japan has an extremely high stomach cancer rate, with Korea following close behind. On average, the Japanese prevalence is about 60 per 100,000 residents. Japan Cancer Society reports that in 2007, one in every three deaths were attributed to stomach cancer. Following World War II, as many as 50 to 60,000 Japanese died from some form of cancer each year. With prevalence so high for stomach cancer in Japan, researchers aimed to find the epidemiological cause noting similarities among Asian cuisines....

Thanksgiving can still be keto-friendly! Image Credit: @Fancycrave via Twenty20 Thanksgiving is all about friends, family — and, of course, food! If you’re a devotee of the popular high-fat, low-carb keto diet but don’t want to miss out on all your favorite holiday foods, rest assured that you can whip up plenty of keto-friendly dishes, sides and even desserts. Advertisement Foods that would seem off-limits for the keto diet due to their high carb count (hello, pumpkin pie and stuffing) can easily be made keto-friendly with a few simple tweaks....

Pick your favorite low-carb veggies to use in soup. Image Credit: Zoonar RF/Zoonar/Getty Images Eating vegetable soup is a great way to get your daily veggies, but to keep it low in carbs, don’t randomly grab any old can of soup off the shelf. Commercially prepared soups have more carbs than a homemade soup made with fresh vegetables. Don’t worry though, a basic vegetable soup is quick and simple to make....

Miracle berries on a branch. Image Credit: tang90246/iStock/Getty Images The Miracle Berry, Synsepalum dulcificum, is a fruit that possesses a strikingly unusual property: when the pulp from the red berries coat a person’s tongue, everything they subsequently consume tastes sweet. The mechanism by which this occurs is highly unique, but is generally considered safe, with only minimal side effects. Advertisement Mechanism of Action The primary side effect of miracle berries are the main reason people go out of their way to eat them - they make everything consumed taste sweet for hours....