Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle
from
SUPERFOODS HEALTHSTYLE
By Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews Winter – season of resolution – the perfect time for a personal revolution
• Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to your oatmeal. Studies show that this warming spice may boost cognitive ability and also can help regulate blood sugar levels if you suffer from type II diabetes. • Exercise is perhaps the single critical change you can make in your daily life, along with eating SuperFoods, which will improve your health, your spirits, and your future. Look for exercise opportunities: throw away the electric can opener; walk whenever you can; use the stairs; vacuum to music! • Have a mug of cocoa or a square of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate can help maintain healthy blood pressure, promote heart health, and lower the risk for cardiovascular disease. • Enjoy fresh citrus fruits all winter long. They can lessen the risk for mouth, larynx, pharynx, and stomach cancers by as much as 50%. A glass of 100% orange juice a day can help reduce the risk of stroke and can boost vitamin C intake, a vitamin that too many of us don’t get enough of.
Spring – the season of joy
• Laugh out loud. Studies have shown that laughter may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. • Limit portion sizes. Portion control equals weight control; it’s the “non-diet diet.” One large bagel with 3 tablespoons of cream cheese is the caloric equivalent of 3 medium bananas, 2 slices of light bread, a cup of oatmeal, a cup of Cheerios, and an English muffin with 1 tablespoon of low-sugar jam. • Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin K: Many of us are deficient and vitamin K is an important player in fighting osteoporosis. Look to spinach and the other greens of spring to boost your K levels. • Put some honey in your green tea. Honey, one of the oldest known medications, can inhibit the growth of viruses and works as an antioxidant. Remember, in general, the darker the honey, the higher the level of antioxidants.
Summer – the season of peace
• Consistently high levels of stress hormones can actually shrink the areas of the brain that control memory and emotion. Control the stress in your life with HealthStyle techniques. • Slice an avocado into your salad or mix up some guacamole. Avocados are powerful “nutrient boosters,” helping the body to absorb nutrients from food, and also seem to be potent warriors in the fight against prostate cancer. • To help avoid Alzheimer’s, eat fish like wild Alaskan salmon, rich in omega-3 fatty acids; keep your blood pressure low, and keep your weight at optimum levels—all benefits of a SuperFoods diet. • The SuperFood sidekick cranberries, cousin to SuperFood blueberries, have among the highest polyphenol levels among commonly consumed fruits, and polyphenols are triple threats to disease: they act as antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory properties, and are antiallergenic.
Autumn – season of transition
• Sleep debt is a problem for more than 50% of American workers; lack of sleep has now been conclusively linked with diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome (one person having several disorders of the body’s metabolic system at the same time). • Eating apples can reduce the risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease, asthma, and type II diabetes. • To pack a “Grade A” lunchbox, remember two important food categories: protein and complex carbohydrates. Fill whole wheat tortillas with tuna, turkey breast, or lean ham and add romaine lettuce or spinach leaves. Pack rice cakes with peanut butter or another nut butter spread. • While chopping the new SuperFood, onions, may make you cry, their considerable cardiovascular benefits should make you smile through your tears. Eating onions has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, and to reduce the risk of heart disease by 20%.