Though you may have heard the term "serotonin" and that serotonin and mood are linked, you may not know what serotonin is or why it's important. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter – a chemical substance produced in the brain that sends nerve impulses to the synapses of other cells. Not only are serotonin and mood tied together, serotonin influences much more when it comes to your health.

One of the healthiest ways to lose those excess pounds is to increase your metabolism. When you increase your metabolism, your body converts food to energy more efficiently. Since approximately 60 percent of our metabolism is used to process the food we eat (day-to-day activity and exercise make up the remainder) eating foods that naturally increase your metabolism is a smart start for slimming down for summer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention you can find 212 chemicals in the blood and urine of American's. Many of these chemicals are stored in our bodies and accumulate over time and can cause health problems after years of gradual exposure.

You may have heard of body mass index (BMI), but do you know what yours is? BMI is an easy way to determine your health risk based on your height and body mass.