RDA & DRI

I read in a parent's magazine that cooking spaghetti sauce in a cast iron pot adds a lot of iron. Is that iron the kind that is absorbed? It is true that foods cooked in cast iron skillets are higher in iron. However, the form of iron is not absorbed as well. Laboratory nutrient analysis...

I read where chromium picolinate is recommended for people with hypoglycemia. Can a person vary on the amount taken daily? (i.e. take more when in a bad mood) Also, is there a certain amount of sugar able to be taken that won't affect one's emotional state? Also, is there a recommended diet? Thank you in...

I've been finding that I seriously crave red meat prior to and during my period. Do you think that this is my body telling me that it wants extra iron during this time? The last 6 months I have drastically reduced my red meat consumption due to the fat content. I have been charting my...

On the girls' very best days, I'm lucky if they drink 2 cups of milk. It's usually MUCH less. More like 1 cup and 2 out of 3 days, an ounce of cheese. I can figure out how much yogurt etc might help with the cause, but what about calcium-rich veggies/fruits? My 9th-grade health class...

I'm concerned about getting enough calcium and am only 34 years old. The other day, I was watching a popular television program and they were discussing osteoporosis in women after menopause. Osteoporosis is characterized by a loss of calcium from bone, especially the spine and deterioration of bone tissue to the point it looks like...

I recently had a medical examination. The only problem that turned up was low iron. I forget the units, but my hemoglobin was 12.1. The doctor told me I should be 14 or more (for men). I hadn't thought I had a problem since I regularly donate blood. I have since found out that...

My friend has decided to take large doses of potassium for some reason or another. Now, she has a terrible case of constipation. What are the side effects of too much potassium? Thank you. Your kidneys regulate potassium and depending on the levels in her blood and inside her cells, she is probably excreting the...

I am becoming concerned about the yellowish - orangish tint that my skin has developed. It is most noticeable on my palms and the pads of my feet, however, my entire body has it to some degree. I made drastic changes to my diet about two years ago. I have since lost 65 pounds and...

I am the exercise physiologist for Westinghouse Energy Center. I received this question via e-mail. I was wondering what your explanation would be? Please tell me how these terms relate to vitamins and minerals? oxide chelated malate aspartate ascorbate citrate lactate colloidal I realize that the minerals are chelated or oxidized for the purpose of absorption,...

I hope you might be able to answer my dietary query. I have recently lost a lot of weight- over 100 pounds. In order to do this, I have been eating loads of carrots, as I need to eat something when I am stressed, which is quite often. When I recently went to the doctor,...