Potassium is found in many other foods, so if you eat a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, meat and milk products you’ll be fine. Just so you know, other foods that are a great source of potassium include cantaloupe, citrus juices and almonds.

I’m 15, and I’ve had my period for five years. But I have really bad cramping. A lot of people say for the first year or so you’ll experience mild cramping, but I have since the beginning. And it’s far from mild. Should I be worried and see a doctor about it?

Bad cramps with your periods aren’t something to worry about, but they sure are annoying! I would suggest trying Aleve. It’s probably the best nonprescription medicine for this problem. If your periods are regular, it really helps to begin taking Aleve the day before your period is supposed to start. Usually you need to take it for only two to three days. If that doesn’t help, then I would see a doctor, because there are several very helpful options available with a prescription.

When do girls stop growing in height? I am 14 and 5-foot-3, and I’m curious to know when I’ll stop growing.

Although everyone is different, most girls keep growing for two years after their period starts.

I've been noticing that my toenails are turning yellow. Why is this happening, and how do I get rid of it?

Yellowing and thickening of the toenails is almost always because of a fungal infection similar to the one that causes athletes foot. You should check with your doctor, because there are medicines available to get rid of the infection. Since your toenails grow slowly, the treatment usually takes four to six weeks before you see much improvement, so be patient!

Three months ago I injured my back, neck and head in a basketball game. I went through two months of physical therapy to rehabilitate my back. I’m now into softball season and have noticed my back is still hurting. Also, I have a tingling in both legs from my knees down. This gets worse the more I use them. I was wondering if there are back braces that could be worn in sports. The problem is my family most likely can't afford a brace that is good enough to help. Any suggestions?

Braces usually aren’t helpful if you’re still having pain and tingling. Does your school have an athletic trainer who works with the athletes? They usually have great suggestions for exercises that can strengthen the muscles in your back as well as stretching exercises that can be very helpful with back pain. In any event, since you’re still experiencing symptoms despite therapy, you should see a doctor to make sure nothing else is going on.