When you think of mushrooms, does your mind wander to fairy rings and mystical tales promoted through books and movies? Such mythical wonders may be popular entertainment, but did you know that mushrooms have been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries in China, Europe, and even North America? However, only recently has modern medicine begun to realize the amazing health benefits that are derived from these mysterious fungi. Over 2000 species of edible mushrooms exi

I'm standing in line at Panera Bread contemplating my healthiest choices on the menu and a lady and her two children join the line behind me. If you've ever been to Panera Bread then you know they have a magnificent display of baked goods and cookies at the beginning of the line - not one of my "healthy" considerations. Now granted, these pastries may seem far "better" for you than your average box of store-bought cookies, but the sugar load in them is still higher than desir