Kelly Traver

Minerals are divided into major minerals and trace minerals. Minerals are used in nerve impulse transmission, muscle cell contractility, maintaining water balance, and building your body's physical structure. The major minerals are needed in much larger amounts than the trace minerals. If you are

There are two categories of sleep, non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep.

NREM sleep makes up 75 percent of a normal sleep period. It is divided into four stages: stage one, stage two, stage three, and stage four. Each stage brings on progressively deeper sleep. NREM

Vitamins are required in a variety of chemical reactions critical for sustaining life. Some vitamins are fat-soluble, including vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are not easily excreted, so they can reach toxic levels if you ingest too much. This usually happens only if you take large quantities

Here are the vaccines recommended for adults. Assuming you had all your childhood vaccines:

• Make sure you have had two, not just one, measles vaccinations. The guidelines changed in the 1990s, when it became clear that people needed to have a second vaccine, but not everyone got the second shot.

We need sleep to feel refreshed and alert, but we also need it to reduce the risk of becoming obese and developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, infections, and even cancer.

Staying up to date on vaccinations is an important way for you, as an adult, to stay healthy. A couple of decades ago, people became concerned that preservatives in vaccines might be the cause of a rise in the prevalence of autism. This concern has proven false, yet because these people did not get

One reason for you to maintain flexibility of your body is that day-to-day activities are easier and less painful if you aren't stiff. Also, if you are an athlete, some sports, such as volleyball, basketball, soccer, and tennis, involve jumping and cutting movements, which require you to be flexible.

A vaccination works by giving you a very small dose of a bacterium, virus, or toxin to prepare your immune system to quickly mobilize and fight in the event you are exposed to it in the future.

The following preventive care services are recommended for adults:

• Blood work for cholesterol and fasting glucose should be done every three to five years (more frequently if you are in a higher risk category or if abnormalities have previously been discovered).
• Blood pressure should be checked

Everyone should examine his or her own skin on a regular basis and be aware of any lesions on the skin. Any new or changing growth should be brought to the attention of a physician. In addition, anyone with increased risk factors should get a regular skin examination. This includes those who have

To include healthy carbohydrates in your diet, you can do as follows:

• Begin your day with a high-fiber cereal; aim for 5 grams of fiber per serving.
• Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Keep freshly cut, ready-to-eat vegetables and fruits in the refrigerator as snacks.
• Put

A changing, new, or "different" mole requires immediate medical attention. The "ABCD rule" outlines the warning signs of melanoma:
A-Asymmetry: One half does not match the other half.
B-Border irregularity: The edges are ragged or blurred.
C-Color: The pigment is not uniform.
D-Diameter: Melanomas

There are two general types of carbohydrates-simple (sugars) and complex (starches and fibers). Simple carbohydrates are one, two, or at the most three units of sugar linked together. Simple carbohydrates that contain only one sugar unit are monosaccharides and include glucose (sometimes called de

When you have diabetes, it can be hard to keep track of all the things you're supposed to do for your health. Here's a simple way of remembering. It's called the "ABCs and double-DEFs" of diabetes.

A is for hemoglobin A1c, the measure of your average blood sugar level over the previous three months.

Excessive exposure to the sun and particularly sunburns are the most important preventable risk for melanoma. Other factors include genetics and immune deficiencies. You are at increased risk if you have red or blond hair, if you have many moles or atypical moles, and if you have a family history