Superfoods for Your Body
Superfoods for Your Body
Provided by Prevention
You love it when the mercury dips low enough for you to break out your knee-high boots and sexy tights. But there's nothing fun about chapped lips, lingering fatigue, and other cold-weather bummers. Cut them all off at the pass by filling your shopping cart with foods that will fight for your right to look and feel amazing. Researchers agree that these edibles have healing powers that can help keep you in top shape, inside and out. Start noshing on them now and your body will never suspect that it's winter.
Your Hair
Spoon Up: Low-fat cottage cheese
Hair is almost all protein, so attaining a strong, vibrant mane starts with eating enough of it. Reduced-fat cottage cheese is a protein heavyweight, with 14 grams in half a cup.
Your Hair
Pack: Pumpkin seeds
Zinc helps reduce shedding, says Francesca Fusco, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center. Toss a tablespoon of these zinc-heavy seeds into your cereal.
Your Brain
Surf for: Arctic char
This cold-water fish is a great source of the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA, which can improve brain function and ward off the blues, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of Age-Proof Your Body. Omega-3s help squelch inflammation in the brain and regulate feel-good neurotransmitters. Sprinkle fillets with sea salt, ground pepper, and fresh lemon juice, then pan-fry on medium-high until one side is slightly brown. Flip and cook until the inside is slightly pink (6 to 8 minutes total).
Your Brain
Saute: Kale
Feed the 100 billion neurons in your noggin with nutritious kale. A study in the journal Neurology reports that getting two-plus servings per day of veggies--especially leafy green ones like kale--slows cognitive decline by 40 percent. Temper kale's bitter flavor by sautéing it lightly with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, a chopped garlic clove, 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, and a pinch of salt.
Your Nose
Nosh: Sunflower seeds
Hay fever affects more than 40 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Halt the drip with vitamin E. Researchers suspect it calms the parts of your immune system involved in allergies. With 49 percent of your daily vitamin E needs in an ounce, these seeds are your shnoz's best friend.
Your Eyes
Scramble: Whole eggs
Forgo egg-white omelets. The yolks are an all-star source of two antioxidants--lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that fight cataracts as well as macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness. Don't worry: University of Massachusetts researchers have concluded that eating an average of one egg yolk a day will not hurt your cholesterol levels.
Your Eyes
Steam: Orange cauliflower
Yes, that really is orange cauliflower popping up in your produce aisle. Food scientists at Cornell University reworked the white variety to provide 25 times as much beta-carotene, which maintains the protective covering over the cornea. As with any low-cal vegetable, you can enjoy peachy cauliflower with reckless abandon, provided you don't drown it in salt and fat-laden butter.
Your Skin
Simmer: Tomatoes
Cozy up to your nearest Italian eatery. The fruit is especially beneficial when cooked--more of the carotenoid lycopene makes it into the skin, where it can limit UV damage to lower skin-cancer risk and hold off wrinkles.
Your Skin
Experiment with: Hemp
The omega-3 fatty acids in hemp help your skin retain moisture so you don't look like a cast member from Dawn of the Dead. Toss a tablespoon each of lemon juice, pine nuts, and shelled hemp seeds ($9 for 8 oz, manitoba*harvest*.com) into a blender with cup of hemp-seed oil ($10 for 8 oz, manitoba*harvest*.com), a chopped garlic clove, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup fresh basil. Whirl to create a delicious and healthy pesto.
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SjSchoo 04:02:51 PM Oct 31 2009
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JIMK9900 04:44:02 PM Jun 12 2009
I don't like ricotta cheese, but luckily Javanu the protein creamer I put in my coffee is made from high quality whey protein. I think I will also start treating myself to an ounce of dark chocolate per day as suggested!
crazyhellboy 07:34:33 AM Jun 10 2009
The real key to looking healthy is by taking the freshest and most organic vitamin supplements that your body can utilize. Your body isnât going to use fish oil bought at a drug store or warehouse store that been sitting for months. For your body to use it you need to take the most natural, organic vitamins and supplements you can get. I found them at http://www.iherb.com The fish oil is great and I love the vitamin C and Cinnamon (for my high blood sugar, Iâm diabetic). Iâve been taking the Spirulina blue-green algae for only 2 weeks and my skin is glowing, my hair is thicker and shiner and my nails grow so fast I donât even have to use acrylic nails anymore. You can get free samples and $5 off if you use the code AMA889. I have the energy of a teenager again. Iâm 39 and feeling fine.
Healthyfoodlover 11:32:37 AM Apr 01 2009
Superfoods are really ideal foods: they have lots of anti-oxidants, not too many calories and plenty of vitamins as well as other benefits. There are some Superfoods that haven't been included here, but I saw them on Melslife.com. I wonder why that is. Here I can only see the ones that look good, but there are others which taste good and aren't included. Hmmm..
Healthyfoodlover 11:24:12 AM Apr 01 2009
Superfoods are really ideal foods: they have lots of anti-oxidants, not too many calories and plenty of vitamins as well as other benefits. There are some Superfoods that haven't been included here, but I saw them on Melslife.com. I wonder why that is. Here I can only see the ones that look good, but there are others which taste good and aren't included. Hmmm..
TAZiesmer 09:38:39 AM Feb 08 2009
Disgusted over Acai ads.Bought the product 2 months ago.Nothing has been received yet, cant get a response.Perhaps its time to sue AOL for fraudulent practices?
Jon30309 09:16:38 AM Dec 28 2008
If AOL would examine the small-type "terms and conditions" of the free trial offers of your acai berry supplement advertisers it would be clear that they are clearly scams. In fact I suspect that you are fully aware of that fact and accept the advertising regardless. You should be ashamed. It taints the credibility of AOL and all your honest advertisers.
DanDnTanaD 04:46:15 PM Dec 15 2008
OK, we are not all, pre-menopausal women who generally do need more iron in their bodies due to monthly blood loss. For the rest of the world, it is thought to be harmful to have excess iron, which apparently is only excreted through blood loss, so it becomes cumulative for most of us. Dan
Indigo 05237 04:29:53 PM Dec 15 2008
I'm all for femanism but 'Girl Parts' ? Since when don't men strive to be healthy? Does AOL have a problem in providing men with beneficial information?
Davedineschott 10:43:07 AM Dec 15 2008
Great information. I eat more then half of the foods suggested. Yeah for me!
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