Can certain foods really affect your mood? It's possible. Maggie tells us that eating photoestrogenic foods might help women control drastic mood swings.

Stop doing those crunches! Or at least, do them in moderation. Instead, says Ashley, protect your back by doing exercises that strengthen your core.

Could you have hidden food allergies that are causing inflammation and making you fat? Jonny says it's possible, and he'll teach you how to find out.

Nia Vardalos on her weight loss secret: "I had a blood sugar problem so my Doctor ordered me to lose weight, it was really hard but I did it through diet, exercise and it took a year." Not much of a secret there, just good, old-fashioned hard work.

Are munching and crunching adding too many calories to your daily diet? Here are some ideas for curing those cravings naturally.

What will they think of next? Kristen tries out a Smartslip, kind of like a big resistance band worn under your skirt to tone your legs all day long. Would you wear one?

'Tis the season for flip flops, the world's most laid back shoes. Let AOL Health show you how to protect those tootsies while you wear your favorite summer shoes in style.

This Father's Day, help your dad be a vertical dad. That is, show him how to relieve stress by being on his feet and staying active, not reclining horizontally on the couch.

After you take Dad out for a hike or a bike, TCBY is serving up free yogurt. Jacki's got tips for keeping this treat healthy.

Can sleep improve your performance in the gym or on the field? We all know how important sleep is, so it's worth a shot to make sure you're getting plenty of shut-eye.

Recently, a school bus full of commuting kids had to be evacuated and decontaminated. Surely that kind of drastic measure would only be taken for something serious like a chemical spill or an outbreak of TB? Nope -- that's not what happened at all.

Students were rushed off the bus because a peanut fell on the floor. Yes, peanuts on a bus can pose a danger for kids with nut allergies, but I think the real problem here is the fact that the kids on the bus couldn't be trusted to not eat off the floor.

Isn't this nut allergy craze getting a bit out of hand?

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), food allergies and other gut-related problems are pretty common these days. So are we as a population getting sicker, or is there another cause? Maybe it has something to do with what we're eating? Yeah, I think that's more likely.

Over at The Daily Mail, they're talking gut problems like IBS and food allergies -- and why you probably have none of the above.

When a child is prone to issues like gas, constipation and pain, a parent's first move is to assume they have a food allergy or sensitivity to either wheat or dairy and to remove that item from the child's diet. But nutritionist Jane Clarke says that's exactly the wrong thing to do because children instead turn to junk foods. Plus, fiber from wheat and calcium from dairy are an essential part of a healthy diet, especially in kids and teens.

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Because of possible food allergies, it's usually recommended to not feed babies common food allergens such as peanuts, eggs, wheat, dairy, and seafood until they're at least one. Waiting until they're three is even better. What's more, certain varieties of fish have high levels of mercury which children shouldn't be exposed to.

New research is challenging those old beliefs. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently revised their recommendations and now states that children as young as 4-6 months could have certain foods including fish. Further research shows that babies who eat fish before reaching 9 months have a reduced risk of eczema.

So what are new parents to do? As always, it's important to introduce new foods slowly. And speak to your child's doctor before introducing any of the foods that were previously off-limits for babies. When it comes to your child's health, it's better to be cautious.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hey Fitz, My name is Sarah and I'm almost 16. I have always been involved with sports including: hockey, basketball, soccer and you name it! Now that I am older, I have slowed down a bit and only play basketball for high school and travel. This is what is bothering me: I can't seem to run as long as I used to. I get tired easily and run out of breath. I'm not fat or anything, and I am even really fast. But by the time I run one length of the court I'm pretty much dead. What am I doing wrong and what do I need to do to change this? It seems like I get more out of breathe each season. Thanks, Sarah

A. Hi Sarah, Thanks for writing. I have two thoughts on what may be happening with you, the first being more probable than the last. Most likely, you've just become out of shape. That doesn't mean you're obese or in horrible shape, it just may mean you're not capable of doing as much as you were two years ago when you were involved in three sports! You take pride in the fact that you run fast. That's great! But, the fact that you like to go all out probably makes you more likely to suck wind at the end of one lap.

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A small glass of 100% fruit juice is a good part of a healthful breakfast, right? If you're on certain prescription medications, your fruit juice may be doing more harm than good.

Grapefruit juice, for example, can interfere with blood pressure medication and actually increase its efficacy, subsequently creating a risk of overdose. Conversely, recent research suggests that grapefruit juice may prevent certain anti-allergy medications from absorbing into the bloodstream properly. A component of grapefruit juice called naringin appears to be the culprit.

Researchers state that this finding may be the "tip of the iceberg" as other juices, including orange and apple, also contain naringin-like substances that may have similar effects.

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Last year, my son had a classmate with a peanut allergy. In consideration for this child, parents were asked not to send in treats for the class that contained peanuts. But there was no school-wide ban on peanuts or peanut butter. Kids were still welcome to bring the old PB&J standby in their lunch boxes. Many schools, however, are choosing to make school-wide peanut bans to protect kids with allergies.

I'm not allergic to peanuts, but I am allergic to tree nuts. As an adult, it's difficult to know exactly what foods contain nuts that I may be allergic to. So, as a safety measure, I just don't eat anything that I'm not sure of. I can imagine that this type of self-monitoring is even harder for school-age children. And seeing how kids trade things in their lunch boxes so frequently, I can see where a peanut ban could be wise. (Imagine a kid bringing in a chocolate chip cookie that has some peanut butter in the batter. If that was given to a kid who has allergies, the child may not guess that there are peanuts in there, and then have an allergic reaction.)

So I wouldn't mind if there were a ban on peanut-based products altogether at my son's school. But some parents disagree and feel that the needs of a few shouldn't dictate what the majority does.

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Lately, I could set a clock by my son's night wakings. I tease my husband that I will set my alarm for four in the morning and go stand over Owen's bed and surprise him, before he can invade our bed!

I started to thinking, though: why four o'clock in the morning? Deep in my memory, I recalled something about certain hours of the day being associated with different organ systems, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. So I looked it up.

Interesting, to say the least. It seems that the hours between three and five in the morning are when the lungs are most active. Well, wouldn't you know that Owen's allergies have been bothering him recently?

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For kids with allergies to eggs, the best medicine might just be cake. Yes, cake.

Here's the deal: Heat modifies certain egg allergens and allows some kids to be treated by feeding them increasing amounts of egg baked in cake. After six months of this cake desensitization process, 90 percent of kids in a University of Athens study had effective tolerance.

The bad news, besides the amount of sugar these kids will ingest while attempting to kick their egg allergies, is that this is not something you should try at home. Kids with known food allergies should be treated under the supervision of a physician only. So, hand over this issue to your kids' doctors and see what the professionals have to say. In the meantime, mull over this topic here.

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Suffering from allergies? Here's a simple solution that might really please you: Don't make your bed in the morning.

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Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly, our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

Mmmmmm. Just the mention of Chef Jens Dahlmanns's name puts my mind in ecstasy. His is the name of the man who created what I'd choose as my 'last meal.' He's the premier Chef of Disney's signature restaurant The California Grill, who also oversees a staff of award-winning chefs atop Disney's Contemporary Resort. Chef Jens was classically trained in European kitchens and worked for Le Cirque 2000 in New York City and Cafe 'L Europe in Palm Beach, Florida, before joining Disney in April 2004.

We first spoke on the phone a week before I was to dine at his spectacular grill. From a fitness trainer standpoint, he gave all of the 'right answers.' Not that he was contrived, but his stance on cooking is what I would wish to hear. If you've read my features before, you'll know that I preach the importance of lean fresh foods. Read on to see how dead-on Chef Jens is to that style of eating. From a regular gal's point of view, it was just really exciting and fun to hear Chef Jens talk about food. He described white asparagus the same way most men would describe a beautiful woman. I could imagine what each item tasted like as he described them.

My experience at The California Grill was almost indescribable. Chef Jens and his staff were pampering to say the least. He greeted me with a sample of the white asparagus he gushed about, and I knew I was in for something special. The combinations of flavors and textures were to die for! I relished every bite and cleaned each and every plate that landed in front of me (highly unusual for me). The man knows how to make fresh food taste divine. The advice he gave in this interview is exactly what I, as your online Fitzness Trainer, want you to follow. Chef Jens just knows far better than I, how to make all of the healthy stuff taste heavenly.

Fitz: How much does "healthy" influence the foods you create for your menus?

Chef Jens: Healthy actually has a lot to do with our menu. First of all, Disney has set an initiative for enhancing our menus in a healthy way, so across all of the Disney parks and restaurants you'll find better choices. On my part, I'm always driven by what's fresh in the market. We create meals based on the season. At the California Grill, our menu changes according to what foods are in season. Fresh food equals leaner and "cleaner" food. I never use processed ingredients.

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It's that time of year again, the sniffling, sneezing, itchy-eye time of year. Pollen is a major trigger for people with allergies, and since it's not springtime without pollen, there's little you can do to avoid it completely.

If pollen gives you a problem, however, you can reduce your exposure to it. WikiHow has a few answers for you, including:

• Know what you're allergic to and find out when your peak season is.
• Stay inside on windy days and when the pollen count is high.
• Use an air conditioner when necessary.
• Buy a reel lawnmower to reduce exposure while cutting the grass.
• Wear sunglasses outdoors to keep pollen out of your eyes.
• Take a shower after working in the yard.
• See your health provider if your allergies aren't easily controlled.
  

Believe me, I know that allergy season is no fun. But by being mindful of what you're allergic to and taking care to prevent attacks, you can still enjoy the beautiful spring weather and stay healthy too.

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Don't you love it when people tell you not to stress out? Sometimes, stress is just out of your control and no amount of people telling you, "Relax ..." is going to make you actually do so. So forgive me for the following:

A recent study found that women who experience stressful events during pregnancy may bear children who are predisposed to allergies and asthma. The study found that babies of moms who reported three or more highly stressful events during pregnancy had increased levels of IgE in their cord blood. Elevated IgE levels are associated with the development of allergies and asthma.

The children in this study will be followed for five years to find if they actually do develop allergies at a higher rate than other children.

Obviously, stress is something we all try to avoid. In this study, many of the issues that caused stress were situations that are difficult to overcome, such as financial, marital, or health issues. So while I'm not going to tell you to "relax," I am going to remind you that during pregnancy, your body is already under a lot of stress. Cutting yourself a break will protect your health and your baby's too, potential future allergy problems aside.

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I don't know what it's like in your area, but where I live spring allergies are in full force. According to a doctor from the Michigan Sinus Center and the University of Michigan, nasal irrigation is an easy way to get relief. In fact, the doctor states that it's a good first line treatment and is often more effective than medications.

You can buy saline sprays over the counter, but this doctor recommends a solution made with a quarter-teaspoon of kosher salt, eight ounces of warm tap water, and a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda. You can administer the solution using a squeeze bottle and squeezing four ounces into each nostril. If you open your mouth and make a "K" sound the solution will properly exit through the other nostril.

So tell me... is it just me, or does the thought of this give you the heebie-jeebies, too?

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We have all heard that pets can help teach kids patience, responsibility, and empathy, but according to a recent study, having a dog in the home during childhood, especially during the first year of infancy, seriously decreased a child's likelihood of developing sensitivities to allergens like pollen. Our own Maggie first broke this story a few days ago but it's worth repeating for those thinking about investing in a canine commitment -- and for those who like photos of cute kids and cute dogs. See gallery that follows.

So the science behind this theory is that dogs bring germs inside on their coats and in their mouths, thus exposing kids to them and boosting the child's immune system. Older generations were often exposed to more dirt and germs as children (you know, because kids used to actually play outside instead of sitting indoors playing video games), and therefore developed a greater resistance to many allergens than kids today.

This study in particular has taken blood samples from 3,000 six-year-olds and will test the samples for hints that the child might become allergic to things like pet hair, dust mites, and pollen. The children will be retested at age 10, but the lead researcher has already stated with confidence that, "Our results show clearly that the presence of a dog in the home during infancy is associated with a significantly low level of sensitization to pollens and allergens."

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