Resources.

Improved Bac-Os

General Mills' Bac-Os no longer contain monosodium glutamate (MSG). While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has held since 1959 that MSG is a safe food ingredient for most people when eaten at customary levels, a mid-1990s study did identify two groups of people who may be intolerant to MSG--those who eat large quantities of MSG, and those with severe, poorly controlled asthma. General Mills is removing MSG from Bac-Os in response to consumer requests.

Made from soy protein, Bac-Os add a savory, bacon flavor to recipes without adding meat. We've found that shaking Bac-Os onto soups and salads makes them much more kid-friendly. Bac-Os can be found in just about any supermarket.

Organic Waffles

Van's International Foods has added three new products to its line of natural frozen waffles.

Blueberry Belgian Waffles and Blueberry Mini Waffles are both made with real blueberries, and both are enriched with calcium. Each one of Van's new Soy-Flax Waffles contain three grams of soy protein and 1,200 milligrams of omega-3s per serving. The Soy-Flax waffles are vegan, yeast-free, and are sweetened with fruit juices. All three of the new Van's waffles are preservative- and cholesterol-free.

Van's waffles are available in specialty supermarkets and natural foods stores. For more information about the complete line of Van's waffles, visit the company's Web site at www.vansintl.com.

Help for Aches and Pains

A young man training for an upcoming 5K race pushes himself to run much farther than he ever has, and finds his shins unimaginably painful. A young girl falls and twists an ankle during a soccer game. A dad helping his daughter move throws his back out while lifting a heavy box.

Most people are unsure how to deal with common sports injuries. But now comes Anybody's Sports Medicine Book, by James G. Garrick, M.D., and Peter Radetsky, Ph.D., an illustrated resource of treatment options for all common sports injuries. Garrick and Radetsky start at the ankle and work their way up the body. Each section contains:

* Explanations about how injuries are caused and how to avoid them.

* Guidelines for determining an injury's severity.

* Exercises for recovery and rehabilitation.

* Illustrations showing how each body part works.

This book is an understandable guide about how your body works, and should help you spend less time at the doctor's office and more time on the playing field. Published by Ten Speed Press, Anybody's Sports Medicine Book (ISBN 1-58008-144-4) retails for $16.95, and can be ordered through bookstores, from the major online booksellers, or at www.tenspeed.com.