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Crunchy, fresh cucumbers are a good choice for a healthy snack and a nice, fat-free addition to salads. Crunchy, fresh cucumbers are a good choice for a healthy snack and a nice, fat-free addition to salads. According to the USDA, 1 cup of sliced cucumbers has only 14 calories. Prepping your veggies ahead of time, such as storing cut cucumbers in the fridge, makes for an easy grab-and-go snack option. Advertisement Because cucumbers are generally sold whole and their high water content means that they deteriorate quickly after being cut, you may avoid purchasing them due to concerns about waste....

references Institute of Culinary Education: "How to Choose the Right Chocolate" University of Illinois Extension: “Getting Fancy with Custard” Le Cordon Bleu: “The best way to temper chocolate” Heating couverture chocolate using a bain-marie is ideal for melting chocolate into the thin consistency ideal for dipping foods. Image Credit: yasuhiroamano/iStock/Getty Images Image Credit: yasuhiroamano/iStock/Getty Images When choosing the size of your bowl in relation to the saucepan, Awa recommends that the bowl should sit snuggly on the saucepan to avoid steam escaping from the sides....

Exercise improves your body composition, relieves stress and enhances self-esteem. Photo retouching creates idealized images in the media, and stylists work to downplay flaws and play up assets of models and performers. Some people aren't symmetrical from one side to the other; others may seem asymmetrical when comparing the bottom half of the body to the top half. During weight loss, variations in your body's symmetry may seem more visible or pronounced....

Avocados contribute healthy fats to your diet. Image Credit: beats3/iStock/GettyImages You need dietary fat for your body to function properly. Not only is fat a source of energy, but it’s necessary for many vital biological and physiological processes in your body, including growth and development. It’s important to manage the types of fat you consume, because not all fat is created equal. By eating 10 grams of fat, you may be contributing to optimal health or consuming more empty calories than necessary....

Moderate serving sizes of some cheeses can be high in potassium. Image Credit: oksix/iStock/Getty Images The National Kidney Foundation reports that milk and yogurt are high potassium foods. Accordingly, the Foundation recommends that kidney patients whose serum potassium is more than 5.0 mg/dl consume no more than one cup of milk or a 1/2 cup of yogurt a day. Since cheese is also made from milk, it is reasonable to suspect that cheese is a high potassium food as well....

Drinking charcoal may have some benefits. Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages An activated charcoal drink contains a black, odorless powder typically used in emergency rooms for people who overdose. There is minimal evidence to suggest its efficacy for uses other than overdose, so some folk use a charcoal detox drink for their reported health and beauty benefits. Advertisement Tip Drinking charcoal for anything other than an emergency overdose situation may have some health benefits....

From healthy blueberry muffins to savory muffins, these recipes will keep you full. Image Credit: mphillips007/iStock/GettyImages After hitting snooze one last time, you rush out of bed, get ready for work and grab whatever food you can find as you fly out the door. Instead of resorting to that sad granola bar stash again, start your day with a healthy and tasty homemade muffin. Advertisement While the muffins you'll find at the bakery down the street aren't exactly the best for your body (hello, truckloads of sugar), using the right ingredients can make them a dietitian-approved choice....

references 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: "Underconsumed Nutrients and Nutrients of Public Health Concern" Hypertension: "Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Blood Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials" National Institutes of Health: Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: " Harvard Medical School: "Key Minerals to Help Control Blood Pressure" Plos One: "The Relationship Between Hypomagnesemia, Metformin Therapy and Cardiovascular Disease Complicating Type 2 Diabetes: The Fremantle Diabetes Study" Nutrients: "Magnesium in Prevention and Therapy" Cleveland Clinic: "Heart Block" Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism: "Clinically and Pharmacologically Relevant Interactions of Antidiabetic Drugs" Michigan Medicine: "Magnesium Citrate" U....

Dumbbells are an efficient strengthening tool for multiple muscle groups in your body. Image Credit: opolja/iStock/GettyImages When many women want to get in good physical shape, they want their bodies to have a toned, sleek look instead of a muscular look. To develop long, lean muscle, strength train consistently with a low amount of weight. Advertisement Use free weights and strength-training machines to strengthen muscle groups in your chest, arms, shoulders, back, abdomen and legs....

Properly warming up can prevent muscle strains and leg pain after running. Image Credit: Julien McRoberts/Tetra images/GettyImages Running has a lot of benefits like improved fitness and heart health, weight loss and maintenance, increased immune function and relief from stress and depression. But for all its positive aspects, it can also be hard on the body. Advertisement If your thighs hurt after running, you're not alone. Thigh pain is a common complaint in runners, and it can be a stubborn problem to solve....

Peanut butter oil packs in healthy fats you'd be missing out on if you poured it out. Image Credit: vvmich/iStock/GettyImages You love peanut butter. It’s smooth, creamy and makes everything decadent. You know that it’s your best bet to buy a jar without added sugars, oils or additives, which is why you opt for a natural PB. The problem is, when you open the jar for the first time, there’s a pool of oil sitting on top, waiting to be stirred in....

Peanuts have a lot of purine, an ingredient that helps people with gout. Image Credit: loveallyson/iStock/GettyImages Gout is a complex type of arthritis. Consuming foods with high concentrations of purine compounds can exacerbate its symptoms. Health professionals recommend that gout sufferers follow a diet emphasizing plant-based foods that contain either low or moderate amounts of purines. Nuts – particularly peanuts – are one of the best low-to-moderate purine sources of protein for people with gout....

Pro-Form is just one of the many treadmill manufacturers in the fitness equipment market. Pro-Form is a popular manufacturer of in-home fitness equipment, including ellipticals, bikes and treadmills. The CS line by Pro-Form has existed for several years. The latest model is the 980CS. The 740CS is an older model in the CS line of treadmills. As of September 2010, it is no longer available on the Pro-Form website, although you can find used models....

references Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Pulse Oximetry" American Thoracic Society: "Pulse Oximetry" U.S. Food & Drug Administration: "Pulse Oximeters and Oxygen Concentrators: What to Know About At-Home Oxygen Therapy" Minnesota Department of Health: "Oxygen Levels, Pulse Oximeters, and COVID-19" Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911. A pulse oximeter can't diagnose COVID-19, but it can help you monitor your symptoms....

A PVC mat may run counter to your healthy living intentions. Image Credit: nicoletaionescu/iStock/Getty Images A sticky mat is pretty much a must for yoga, but it’s safety is in question. Yes, the mat will keep you from slipping and falling — but it contains chemicals that may linger in your system for years. Advertisement Many mainstream yoga mats are made from PVC, polyvinyl chloride, which is basically vinyl. It's 57 percent chlorine and 43 percent carbon making it extremely durable, spongy and easy to clean, but not so great for the environment....

Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images Calories are to your body what gasoline is to a car -- fuel. Calories are important to keep your organs functioning, muscles moving and metabolism blazing. If you eat too many calories, then you may increase your risk of certain health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. If you eat too few calories, then you may increase your risk of certain other health conditions such as anorexia, anemia and bone loss....

Abdominal pain is a common complaint among runners. Image Credit: champja/iStock/Getty Images You’re about halfway through your run, and right when the endorphins are kicking in, you feel a stabbing pain in your upper abdomen. Something like this happens to most runners at one time or another, but when it becomes a common occurrence, it’s probably time for a closer look. Advertisement Abdominal pain is a common problem for runners. There are several possible causes, some of them preventable, and some may signal a more serious underlying issue....

Mother and daughters baking Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images Sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate have similar-sounding names and many chemical similarities, but they’re used very differently. Sodium carbonate has household and industrial applications but is used very rarely in food and cooking. Sodium bicarbonate, on the other hand, is common household baking soda – it has a variety of uses, including baking and cleaning. Advertisement Sodium Carbonate Sodium carbonate is a relatively basic salt, where “basic” is the chemical opposite of acidic....

Scoop of spirulina powder Image Credit: marekuliasz/iStock/Getty Images Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae widely available in health-food stores as a dietary supplement. With a mineral-rich content, spirulina is high in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. It contains varying levels of iodine also. Some manufacturers market spirulina for thyroid support due to its iodine content. If you’re considering taking spirulina specifically to benefit from its iodine content, there are some safety concerns for you to consider....

Ordering vegetarian options at Subway is a great way to consume more veggies and get more fiber. Image Credit: etorres69/iStock/GettyImages More fast food and casual dining restaurants are introducing vegetarian, vegan and plant-based menu items to meet the demand for meatless entrees. Subway is one example, but you may be wondering, “What’s on the Veggie Delite at Subway?” Similarly, you may wonder, “Is the Veggie Patty at Subway vegan?” Advertisement Ordering vegetarian options at Subway is a great way to consume more veggies and get more fiber....