If healthy living is part of your plans for how to tackle 2008, then you need to ask yourself if your diet is missing magnesium. This mineral is mighty but is often over looked, even though it participates in hundreds of bodily functions that foster good health. It contributes to bone strength; in fact 50 percent of your total body magnesium is found in the bones. It also helps promotes a robust Read more

I crave greens, no matter the season. When it is cold outside, I often choose a cooked green over salads. I just want to eat warm food. One of my favorites greens to cook is Swiss chard, and it comes in colors too. The leaves are green, but the stems and veins can be white, yellow or red. The red is my favorite since the color combination is quite dramatic. Not only is it tasty, and similar to Read more

The majority of us are held prisoner by PMS for at least part of the month. Relief may just come in a cocktail. No! Not a martini, but a mix of vitamins recommended by gynecologist Dr. Tracy Gaudet. Gaudet, the executive director of the Integrative Medicine program at Duke University Medical School, suggests a mix of supplements: calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6. She has found this Read more

Ever been awakened by an excruciating cramp in your calf? Your foot? Both at the same time? If you have experienced one of these nocturnal muscle cramps poetically known as a Charlie Horse you will know exactly what I am talking about. While no one has yet to pin point a single cause for these cramps there are many theories as to why they happen, what actions (or inactions) contribute to Read more

Is it me or are you confused about how much of each vitamin and mineral you are supposed to get each day? Some of my friends take daily vitamins, and some eat fortified foods like calcium-enriched orange juice. It that necessary, or do we get enough in the foods we eat? The first step in answering that question is to know how much we need to get each day. Here's a chart to make it a little Read more

When's the last time you cooked up a steamy bowl of millet? Never? Well hopefully I'll have you running to the store to pick yourself up some for dinner. Millet is known as a whole grain, but it's actually a seed. It's one of the oldest crops grown in the world, so I'm surprised that it's not more popular. Although it's the main ingredient in most birdseed, it's nutritious and delicious for Read more

First off, it's good to know that our bodies require 6 nutrients: Carbohydrates Fats Protein Vitamins Minerals Water Carbs, fat, and protein are known as macronutrients because we need to eat them in larger quantities (grams per day). Our bodies metabolize them and turn them into energy. Vitamins and Minerals are considered micronutrients because we need them in smaller quantities Read more