Pregnancy obviously results in an increased need for vitamins and minerals. Deficiency or excess of any of a number of nutrients can lead to birth defects and/or complications during pregnancy for the mother. What is a mother-to-be to do? Here are some key recommendations to increase the odds of a healthy pregnancy:

A study highlights the value of whey protein in helping to maintain muscle mass during intentional weight loss, an extremely important goal in achieving long-term diet success. Whey protein ingestion has also been shown to reduce feelings of hunger and promote satiety, as well as improve blood sugar control.

This time of year, everyone wants to be outside. It feels so good to have the warm sun on our bare skin. If you haven’t heard that being out in the sun, unprotected by sunscreen, puts you at risk for wrinkles, at best, and skin cancer, at worst, then you’ve probably been living under a rock!

The terms “antioxidants” and “free radicals” have become pretty common in recent years. Loosely defined, a free radical is a molecule that can bind to and damage a part of the body. Free radical or “oxidative” damage is what makes us age. Free radicals have also been shown to be responsible for the onset of many diseases including the two biggest killers of Americans—heart disease and cancer.