This new year, maybe you should resolve to eat more grapefruit. I know, it sounds like a bizarre request, but hear me out. Nutritionally speaking, grapefruit is a hero among fruits. Recent studies have found that eating this great fruit (get it? ha ha!) can slow down bone loss when eaten regularly. What, bone density doesn't interest you? Methinks it will when you break your hip doing the hustle.

Bone Density aside, here's an even more desirable reason to gobble up grapefruit -- it can help you lose weight. Eat it on a daily basis -- either in it's original or juice form -- and it will help you peel off those holiday pounds. Plus, with all the water and fiber, it's a great food to help you detox after New Year's Eve.

Just try to avoid piling on too much sugar -- that's just counter-productive.

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When you were little, your mom probably made sure you got your vitamin C to help fend off those nasty bugs that float around classrooms. But recent research shows that adults have good reason to get their vitamin C as well.

At their Conference of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research, the American Heart Association revealed that vitamin C has a positive effect on blood pressure. The practical applications aren't yet known but in the study, high doses of vitamin C resulted in an average seven percent drop in blood pressure.

While it's not reasonable for you to take high doses of vitamin C like those administered in the study, you can be sure to incorporate lots of healthful foods that are rich in vitamin C. Choices include citrus fruits, broccoli, greens, and melon.

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One of my favorite things to do as a kid was fill up the ice cube trays with dubious concoctions of fruit juice and soda and Kool-Aid. I always stuck in a toothpick as a handle, but it never worked. I'd end up digging the "popsicles" out of the tray, holding them, and making a mess all over the place.

But, if you get a freezer pop tray and use a healthier recipe than I did, making your own freezer treats can be a fun activity with your kids... with delicious results! Self Magazine shares some tasty options for freezer pops Ginger-Citrus pops, Mexican Chocolate Pops, Minty Grape Pops, Strawberry-Sunflower Pops, and Wildberry Pops. My son and I have already tried the Minty Grape Pops and they're delicious. I'm planning to try to Mexican Chocolate variety soon, too.

Also, be sure to check out Jacki's Tropical Fruit Pops recipe.

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Research shows that women who drink even small amounts of alcohol can spike their breast cancer risk. But getting enough folic acid can help.

A long-term Nurses' Health Study shows that the proper intake of the B vitamin may reduce breast cancer risk for those who consume more than the equivalent of one glass of wine per day.

Want to get enough folic acid in your diet? Ask your doctor about a multivitamin containing the recommended amount or make a commitment to consuming lots of fortified cereals, leafy greens, citrus fruits, and juice.

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Remember the Grapefruit Diet? Here at That's Fit, we avoid fad diets like Big Macs, but you might be surprised to hear that this one might actually have some merit.

Let's say you head out to a restaurant for lunch with your co-workers. Depending on the situation, you might not have a say in what restaurant you end up going to. And you don't really have a say in how the restaurants prepare the food. In fact, the only thing you do have control over is A) What you order, and B) how much of it you eat.

So let's say you end up going to a Asian restaurant like P.F. Chang's. Chinese food is notorious for being high in calories, sodium, carbs and fat, but surely there must be some healthy options. You browse the menu and come across one dish that that sticks out as healthy: The Citrus Soy Salmon Lunch Bowl. Heck, they even let you choose whether you want it with brown or white rice! So let's analyze this choice. Salmon is healthy. Citrus is healthy. Brown rice is healthy. Soy is high in sodium but low in calories and fat. Overall, for a restaurant meal, it sounds pretty good, right?

You tell me ...

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Assuming you have the time in the morning, as well as a taste for very citrusy (yes, I just made up that word) fruits, adding a grapefruit to your breakfast will help keep you feeling full longer into the day.

With only 72 calories, .2g of fat, and 18g of carbs per serving (not to mention a great deal of vitamin C), grapefruits have long been considered a healthy contribution to a well-rounded breakfast. And, because they contain 15g of pectin per serving, grapefruit helps prevent food cravings by making you feel more full. Best of all, grapefruits also help dissolve fat and cholesterol.

The one downside of grapefruit, however, is that it may have adverse effects on certain medications. In most cases, you'll know this ahead of time, as your doctor or pharmacist will explicitly warn you against eating grapefruit while taking that particular pill. But, it's always best to err on the side of caution, so if you did not receive such warning and are taking medication, check with your doctor before digging your spoon into this healthy treat.

As healthy at green tea is by itself, there's a growing body of evidence that suggests adding citrus to your daily spot will promote even greater antioxidant absorption.

Fewer than 20-percent of catechins (antioxidants found in green tea) are able to survive their passage through the small intestines. When combined with citrus -- specifically, and conveniently, lemon juice -- 78-percent of catechins were able to survive this perilous journey. Tea combined with orange juice (or drinking a glass of O.J. along with your cup of tea) kept 71-percent of catechins alive as they passed through the non-acidic environment of the small intestines.

The full study can be read in a 2007 issue of the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

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Who isn't at least a little short on energy sometimes? Besides your toddler or small dog, I'd bet nobody really.

Lack of energy on a regular basis and/or sudden energy slumps in the middle of the day are two of the biggest reasons why people skip workouts and find excuses not to exercise. It's hard to motivate yourself to do something when you're really just not in the mood.

Energy levels are affected by a lot of different things, but one of the biggest players is of course your diet. Eating right on a regular basis will go a long way towards increasing and evening out your energy levels, but there are also specific foods that you can incorporate into your day whenever you need an additional boost. And no, a Starbucks triple shot latte is not one of them (darnit!).

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Beer and chips and nachos, oh my! It's amazing how certain times of year can turn a sport -- something that's supposed to be a healthy activity -- into a supremely non-healthy activity for its fans. Hours in front of the TV munching on calorie and fat-laden snacks does not turn you into an athlete like you see on the screen. You're more likely to walk away from a sports season a few pounds heavier than anything. If you find yourself hopelessly glued to the tube for March Madness, take a look at Revolution Health's 16 tips to help you get through March Madness sanely and healthfully. Check out the gallery to see the tips.

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Care to be happier, healthier, and fitter than ever before? How about accomplishing these three feats in 15-minute bursts of time? The editors of SELF magazine say it's possible if we simply find the right mindset. Here's how.

First, you must learn to love your mornings. Forget saving "me-time" for evenings. Take this time when you're alert enough to savor it. I know, you're thinking that you're anything but alert in the morning -- but consider how tired you are at the end of day, how likely you are to zone out in front of the TV and mindlessly surf the Internet, how unlikely you are to really pamper yourself. Got you convinced mornings are best? OK, now take advantage of the first moments of your day. Take just 10 minutes and stretch, read a chapter in a new book, or sip a cup of hot tea in complete silence.

Second, allot four minutes to nurturing your inner optimist -- it'll make you healthier and happier than your down-in-the-dumps peers. Find the benefit in all situations by solving your problems instead of blaming yourself, realizing what you learned from a difficult time, and keeping low points in perspective. A tough moment is, after all, just one tough moment.

Finally, one minute is all it takes to pump a little spunk into the air. I like the scent of candles -- cinnamon is my favorite -- and I burn one almost all the time when I'm at home. But citrus scents are happiness helpers, say the SELF folks. Try lemon and tangerine essential oils. When a slump hits, spray a little sunshine into your world and breathe deeply.

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Forget expensive anti-wrinkle creams -- the key to preventing wrinkles is wearing sunscreen, getting lots of sleep ... and eating lots of oranges? That's right, a new study shows that people who ate lots of vitamin C had fewer wrinkles than those who didn't.

That's not all -- those with diets rich in Omega-6 fatty acid showedhless signs of aging, while those who ate diets high in overall fat showed more. Omega-6s can be found in sunflower and safflower oils, as well as some fish. For more information on what to eat to keep your skin looking it's best, check out this article from WebMD.

What do you think -- does what you eat really play a role in how well you age?

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If you're a fan of soft drinks based on citrus-like flavors instead of the standard cola (like Pepsi or Coke), you're probably receiving more of a caffeine boost than your cola-drinking friends and family.

A recent study, not surprisingly, found that many citrus sodas contain a higher caffeine level than those cola cousins, and that caffeine amounts can vary widely between citrus soda brands and even within the same brand as well. Is there a difference between standard Mountain Dew and Mountain Dew Code Red? Probably, according to this study.

The research points to something important -- why aren't caffeine levels required on soft drink cans and packaging? Other ingredients are there in the Nutrition Facts label -- why not caffeine?

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You gotta love lemons -- they're pretty to look at in a fruit bowl, they smell great, and they make all kinds of things taste so much better. But have you ever thought to exfoliate and wash your feet with lemons? How about treat bad breath or soothe a bee sting? Hippyshopper (gotta love that name) has a list of 10 things you can do with lemons that are not only creative but also eco-friendly. So next time you're browsing the produce section at the grocery store or the farmer's market think about whether or not you need a few lemons to clean out your dishwater and, of course, make yourself some home-made lemonade.

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For as long as I can remember, I've struggled with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and while I try not to let it control my life, I find myself avoiding foods I know are hard for me to digest because, even though I love them, it's not worth spending the day in pain for. But even if you don't have a digestive system condition, there are just some foods that are harder for your body to break down than others, leading to an array of problems from heartburn to bloating and everything in between. MSN has come up with this list of things that are hard on your digestive track. Things to avoid include beans, ice cream, chocolate, broccoli, citrus fruits and spicy foods, plus some surprising things like chicken nuggets and--who would've thunk it--mashed potatoes.

What do you think? Do these things leave you running for the bathroom?

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