While all vitamins are essential for a healthy life, three of the most important vitamins for women are the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. Antioxidant vitamins help reduce cellular damage from free radicals, thus supporting the immune system and...
Including healthy, high-potassium foods in your diet is the best way to reap the heart-healthy benefits of this electrolyte. Potassium plays an important role in the maintenance of a healthy heart rate, and it protects against the development of...
Sleep is an important component of a healthy lifestyle because it allows the body to restore lost energy and helps with stress management. According to the Better Sleep Council, 32 percent of Americans have a restless sleep at least one night each...
Monounsaturated fats are one of the "good fats". In other words they provide many healthy benefits to the body. Some of the benefits of consuming monounsaturated fats include: reduced bad cholesterol levels, breast cancer risk reduction, reduced...
The average number of times your heart beats in one minute is known as the heart rate, or HR. HR is determined and monitored before, during and after exercise to ensure maintenance of a healthy heart, weight loss zones, or to gauge stamina and...
Omega-3 is a healthy fat that is part of a family of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for development and maintenance of a healthy heart, brain and other biological functions, according to the University of...
Antioxidants are nutrients found in plant-based foods that promote a healthy immune system. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium and lycopene...
Pulmonary heart disease, or cor pulmonale, is a condition where the right side of the heart fails, caused by long-term high pressure in the right ventricle and pulmonary arteries. In a normal heart, the right side pumps blood under lower pressure,...
High blood pressure effects an estimated 65 million American adults and is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Due to the potentially devastating effects of this condition,...
Eating a balanced diet provides the body with adequate nutrition and energy to support normal growth and development. According to the National Institutes of Health, a balanced diet means that dietary intake meets but does not exceed nutritional...
Spider veins and varicose veins are often confused, but they are very different things and both may be experienced during pregnancy. Spider veins are small red blood vessels that spread out like the branches of a tree. They often appear on the...
For maximum health benefits, experts recommend that adults get at least 2 1/2 hours of aerobic exercise each week. You may need more than this to maintain your optimum weight and well-being, depending on your overall health. For best results,...
Potassium is a type of mineral. When consumed in normal, healthy quantities, your body uses potassium for such purposes as the processing of protein and the maintenance of healthy organ function, including the heart. However, any significant...
Supplements or prescription medications that cause the blood vessels to dilate or open are called vasodilators. According to Mayoclinic.com, vasodilators are used to treat various medical conditions such as hypertension or increased blood...
A wellness program for fitness can help you and your family stay healthy and happy. In today’s society, it’s easy to slip into bad habits involving fast food and a sedentary lifestyle. The U.S. Surgeon General cites these habits as...
The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library defines diet as the food a person eats regardless of his goal for eating that kind of food. Many people follow a certain kind of diet method to lose weight. However, others follow different diet plans to...
People who have sedentary lifestyles have an increased risk of obesity, hypertension and diabetes. These diseases are associated with life-threatening ailments such as stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. Since insulin resistance, hypertension...
According to the United States Department of Agriculture the prevalence of obesity in the United States has doubled in the past two decades with one-third of adults meeting the criteria for obesity. Overweight and obesity are public health...
Minerals can keep our bones properly nourished and dense, make hormones and regulate our heartbeat. Important minerals needed for proper functioning include magnesium, chloride, phosphorus and sulfur. Just as important are the trace minerals...
Everyone should eat a healthy diet based on the food groups recommended by the U.S. Foods and Drug Administration. Eating a diet of fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and calcium-rich foods provides all the nutrition you and your family need. Some...
You can create healthy meals by dividing a plate into several sections, with each section representing a particular type of food. Diet plates let you visualize and serve meals for heart health, weight loss or healthy weight maintenance. Using a...
Cacao beans originally came from South and Central America, where they have been an important part of culture for thousands of years. The cacao fruit is filled with flesh-covered seeds or nuts, that are the base of chocolate. These fruits were so...
