Planning a visit with friends or family this summer? The etiquette of a house guest can make or break a beautiful relationship, send family members into warring camps or heal childhood bonds. Not to worry. What follows are 10 sure fire ways to ingratiate yourself with your hosts and be guaranteed an invitation to “come back again real soon, ya hear?”

1. Gifts: Arrive with a small gift of food or drink to contribute to the household. It is always a welcomed gesture unless you open the gift of scotch and finish it off by yourself within the first hour.

2. Self-containment: Keep your room tidy with bed made each morning, bathroom clean and toilet seat in the downward position. Be independent and arrange your own means of transportation and sight seeing itinerary especially if your host’s are working.

3. Respect: Be considerate of your host’s daily routine and allow them space to take care of their daily chores. Try not to come home late, loaded to the gills, singing Oh Sole Mio at the top of your lungs, when they have to get up early to work.

4. Replenish: If you are staying for more than 3 days replenish the food in the fridge, gas in your host’s car or take them out for lunch or dinner. You can always order a Personal Chef To Go meal plan delivery so there’s no need for your hosts to cook.

5. Chores: Help around the house by doing a few loads of laundry other than your own, some weeding, sweeping, folding towels and linen or mowing the lawn. Treat their home as if it were your own. Come to think of it, treat theirs better.

6. Meals: Do not expect to be waited on for meals. If your host is amenable to having you in the kitchen put on an apron and throw some veggies on the grill. If you cannot cook order take-out from your host’s favorite restaurant. Most importantly, if your host cooks then you should do the dishes.

7. Communication: Let your host know if you have any food allergies or a medical condition they should be aware of. Go over your schedule each day with your host so they know where you are and can reach you if needed. Have their number in case you tussle with the local authorities and need to be bailed out.

8. Rules: Many households have unspoken rules and it is for you to figure them out and abide by them. Best to just ask your hosts, but if you are the shy type then notice people’s waking and sleeping times, when the computer is open for use, whose favorite chair you’re sitting in, consumption or not of alcohol and no smoking zones around the house.

9. Departure: Before leaving strip and remake the bed putting the used dry towels and linens in the hamper. If your host’s are really busy wash and dry towels and linens and leave linens clean and folded on the freshly made bed.

10. Post Visit: Take a moment to send a thank you note and extend an invitation for your host to visit you at some future date. If you are still on speaking terms they should be thrilled to see you again and spend time at your home.

Delia Quigley is the Director of StillPoint Schoolhouse, where she teaches a holistic lifestyle based on her 28 years of study, experience and practice. She is the creator of the Body Rejuvenation Cleanse, Cooking the Basics, and Broken Bodies Yoga. Delia's credentials include author, holistic health counselor, natural foods chef, yoga instructor, energy therapist and public speaker. Follow Delia's blogs: brcleanse.blogspot.com and brokenbodiesyoga.wordpress.com. To view her website go to www.deliaquigley.com

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It’s been a hectic morning. As you wend your way back to the office, you realize you’ve forgotten your Personal Chef To Go salad. You hit the nearest drive-thru or eatery and, naturally, choose the healthiest option- a salad.

Oh Salad, how did it ever come to this? Experts say that eating a salad every day may be one of the healthiest eating habits to adopt, but did they know what kind of beasts are being created in the name of the salad? It’s fascinating how language shapes our perceptions.  It would seem anything called a “salad,” regardless of its reckless ingredients, is still a healthy choice! Restaurant menu-development teams are definitely on to this phenomenon.

So, what are the problems with this collection of shocking salads found on the menus of our nation’s most popular restaurants? The biggest gripe is the sky-high calories, simply for their shock value–followed by the seriously exuberant sodium levels, and finishing up with some pretty surprising fat counts.

In the new set of Dietary Guidelines proposed for the 2010 USDA Food Pyramid, the average recommended daily calorie intake is 2100, and total fat intake should be 20 to 35 percent of your total daily calories. (At 9 calories per gram of fat, 30 percent would roughly equal about 70 grams of total fat daily for a 2100-calorie diet.) The crazy thing here is sodium: The new guidelines reduced the recommended amount of salt healthy people should consume to 1,500 milligrams (mg), from the previous amount of 2,300 mg. Each one of these salads has more than the daily recommended level of sodium and some have more than double that. Salty!

Even so, aside from all the ills of these non-salad salads, we’ll still opt for the salad more than not. Even though most of those listed here have similar calorie counts to a burger and fries (or two), the saturated fat is generally less, and you do get the benefit of the vegetables. Just remember that any of these salads should be your big meal of the day, and forget about eating another grain of salt until tomorrow (or the day after).

11. Burger King Tendercrisp Garden Salad
You have to love the adjectives they come up with, like “tendercrisp!” What exactly does that mean? If it’s the chicken they’re referring to, what that means is “Fried Whole Muscle Breast” as described in the ingredients list. Besides, “tendercrisp” sounds more appealing than “fried whole muscle breast.” Add to that lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and not one, not two, but three kinds of cheese–and you’ve got one-third of your calories for the day, over half of your fat allowance, and whoopsie, you’re 17 percent over your sodium level.

Calories: 670
Total Fat (g): 45
Sat Fat (g): 9
Sodium (mg): 1740

10. Wendy’s Chicken BLT Salad with Homestyle Chicken Fillet
You could eat a regular BLT sandwich for around 400 calories, or you can eat this BLT salad for double the calories. Wendy’s boasts that “bacon, lettuce and tomato never had it so good”–that is, if bacon, lettuce, and tomato enjoy the company of chicken chunks,  cheddar cheese, garlic croutons and honey-dijon dressing. It seems to kind of take away from the simplicity, and relative healthiness, that is the BLT.

Calories: 790
Calories from Fat: 490
Total Fat (g): 54
Sat Fat (g): 14
Sodium (mg): 1690

9. Jack in the Box Crispy Chicken Club Salad
Seriously, why eat this salad? Lettuce with crispy chicken strips, cucumber slices, red onions, grape tomatoes, crumbled bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon ranch dressing and seasoned crouton–really?! You could eat a Jumbo Jack hamburger and small french fries for the same calorie count, decreased fat grams, and 727 less mg of sodium!

Calories: 873
Total Fat (g):  59
Sat Fat (g): 13
Sodium (mg): 2179

8. Taco Bell Chipotle Steak Taco Salad
It feels cheating to actually call this a salad. If you look at the ingredients, it’s realy a burrito, with the additional calories of the “crispy” (hello fried) bowl. In fact, the big Taco Bell “Beefy 5-Layer Burrito” has 350 calories less! Oh! But this comes with reduced-fat sour cream. Phew!

Calories: 900
Calories from Fat: 510
Total Fat (g): 57
Sat Fat (g): 11
Sodium (mg): 1700

7. Baja Fresh Mango Chipotle Chicken Salad
With “mango” and “salad” in the name of this item it sounds innocent enough–must be something about the tortilla shell, chicken, avocado, cheese and glaze that boosts this baby to the same calorie level you’d reach with four chicken soft tacos.

Calories: 930
Total Fat (g): 52
Sat Fat (g): 9
Sodium (mg): 1960

6. El Pollo Loco Chicken Tostada Salad
Can you guess which item on the entire El Pollo Loco menu has the second-highest calorie count? If you said the chicken tostada salad, gold star for you. We suppose the iceberg lettuce qualifies this as a salad? But the chopped chicken, tostada shell, pinto beans, Spanish rice, pico de gallo salsa, sour cream, and jack/cheddar cheese seem to kind of bump it out of the salad category. Oh, and the 62 grams of fat. Salad? Really?

Calories: 1030
Total Fat (g): 62
Sat Fat (g): 15
Sodium (mg): 1570

5. Ruby Tuesday Carolina Chicken Salad
Well at least there are garden greens and tomatoes in this one. But what with the fried chicken, almonds, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar, bacon, and croutons, it’s probably not  very “salad-y”. And the nearly two-days’ worth of sodium just can’t be good.

Calories: 1157
Total Fat (g): 70
Sodium (mg): 2891

4. Applebee’s Santa Fe Chicken Salad
Applebee’s describes this little diddy as “Real festive. Real good.” They forgot to add “Real fattening. Real salty.” The ironic part is that you could order their Chicken Fried Steak which comes with potatos, gravy and vegetable for 10 less calories. And notice that sodium? That’s the recommended limit for three days.

Calories: 1300
Total Fat (g): 94
Sat Fat (g): 25
Sodium (mg): 3540

3. Chili’s Quesadilla Explosion Salad
When you think of an explosion, doesn’t your instinct say, “run away"? ” Instinct would serve you correctly here. The danger here isn’t in the salad, per se, which is comprised of grilled chicken with cheese, corn relish, cilantro, tortillas strips and citrus-balsamic dressing–it’s that in addition to the cheese quesadillas served with the salad that should have you running for cover.

Calories: 1400
Total Fat (g): 88
Sat Fat (g): 26
Sodium (mg): 2360

2. Outback Steakhouse Queensland Salad
So you go to a steakhouse and decide to eat healthily, you order the salad with chicken, right? Hahahahaha! Somehow this salad of chicken with mixed greens, cheese, bacon, diced egg, tomatoes, toasted almonds and croutons manages to rack up more than two-thirds of your daily calorie needs, is over 30 percent more of your fat limit, and maxes out your sodium intake for the day. Maybe just order the steak?!

Calories: 1451
Total Fat (g): 117
Sat Fat (g): 30
Sodium (mg): 1477

1. California Pizza Kitchen Waldorf Chicken Salad
Waldorf chicken salad…doesn’t sound too bad for a healthy choice at a pizza and pasta joint. But somehow, field greens, grilled chicken breast, grapes, apples, candied walnuts, celery and Gorgonzola cheese have become the sinister sister of the salad world. A word to the wise here, the CPK Garlic Cream Fettucine with Chicken has almost 200 calories less, and believe it or not, the Cheeseburger Pizza and the Meat Cravers’ Pizza both have less calories! With salads like that, who needs pizza?

Calories: 1570
Sat Fat (g): 30
Sodium (mg): 2082

By Karins Lifeforce, DivineCaroline

I’ve often wondered why we seem to care more about the quality of the fuel we use to get the best performance from our cars, and less about the quality of nutritional “fuel” we eat to get the best performance from our bodies, our “human engine”!

Most of us wouldn’t dream of pumping gas into our valuable cars with anything less than the manufacturer recommended fuel octane level. Some pump a higher level to obtain even better engine performance. Car handbooks warn us that we risk inflicting serious damage to the engine if we select the wrong type of fuel. My vehicle handbook warns me that I risk losing the warranty coverage if I fail to properly maintain my vehicle according to the specified maintenance requirements.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a human handbook that came with all the specific general maintenance tasks we need to do to ensure our own “engines” are in good running order and free from malfunctions? Plus tips on how we can achieve even better than expected performance results!

I recently received a note from my car dealership reminding me it was time for my car to receive its 30,000-mile service. It’s a high performance vehicle and needs to be well maintained. If not, I risk expensive repairs. If I neglect to take care of the car there could even be financial penalties for failing to respect the terms of the lease agreement.

I wonder why I don’t receive this same type of reminder from my healthcare provider. A friendly, customer service letter to let me know I was due for my own “service check” and to make sure I am being “well maintained.” After all, the penalties for ignoring my own health are a lot more significant than just financial. We only have to tune in to the latest debate on health care reform to understand the larger problems, but closer to home…it’s my life and I want to live it “penalty-free” for as long as possible.

On my survival journey with brain cancer, I’m often asked, how important is your nutrition? My response: “Oh, it’s about as important as my desire to live a long life!”

The health of my body IS a lot more important than the performance of my car, yet recently I did take my car in for its routine service without hesitation and cancelled my time at the gym because I didn’t have enough time to accomplish both tasks. I depend on my car and it was important to get this done. To make things worse, while waiting for my car, I became hungry so I ate snack food from the waiting room vending machine! A short time later I had a raging headache and an upset stomach as I drove my perfectly healthy car home!

I know this type of situation happens to many people at some point. We get so busy in our lives that we get off track and forget what our priorities are. Yes, I depend on my car, but I depend a lot more on my health! My health and wellness is a priority and much more important to me than my car, but I didn’t act that way. My “maintenance” checks with my doctors and my time at the gym are essential. Good nutrition and vitamins provide the fuel to help me get up and go everyday. Exercise keeps me energized and well maintained. From this small example I learned the importance of setting up a routine and remaining true to my own health priorities when I realize a busy life has taken over.

So quite literally here are five things I wrote down to conduct my own routine “service check” on my human engine.

1. Recognize the healthy value of natural/organic food: eat food I recognize (not processed, convenience, packaged food) carry around healthy snacks just in case good food isn’t available.

2. Appreciate the power of my immune system: support my immune system everyday with Vitamin supplements and antioxidants such as those contained in Purity12.

3. Invigorate my mind and body with physical activity: Run, walk, bike, lift weights, just move my body at a faster pace for at least forty-five minutes everyday.

4. Consistency: Don’t miss appointments for any reason. Medical, Dental, Holistic.

5. Take a break: Rest, read, relax, socialize, and play

Write them down, and put them in your car’s glove compartment. One last tip … use your car’s maintenance schedule as a reminder to conduct your personal service check first.

At DivineCaroline.com, women come together to learn from experts in the fields, of health, sustainability, and culture; to reflect on shared experiences; and to express themselves by writing and publishing stories about anything that matters to them. Here, real women publish like real pros. Together, with our staff writers, they’re discussing all facets of women’s lives from relationships and careers, to travel and healthy living. So come discover, read, learn, laugh and connect at DivineCaroline.com.

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor

Does this sound familiar? You finally manage to get everything done and fall into bed, where it’s easy to fall asleep because you’re bone-tired. You sleep a reasonable number of hours–at least it seems as if you do–but when you wake up, you feel like you hardly slept. Then you drag around all day, feeling fuzzy-headed, grumpy, and longing for a nap.

If this sounds like you or someone close to you, you’ll want to know about a little-known breathing problem called Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). Unlike sleep apnea, which has been well known for a long time, UARS has only recently been getting attention. The term “resistance” refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women–one French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing.

Park says he sees many patients with UARS who think they’re sleeping poorly due to stress or insomnia, but it’s more complicated than that. He wrote a book about the phenomenon called Sleep Interrupted: A Physician Reveals the #1 Reason Why So Many of Us Are Sick and Tired. What’s really happening, Park says, is that your body is half-waking up over and over again during the night. Since you’re unable to fall into a deep restorative sleep, you don’t feel refreshed in the morning.

While sleep apnea is much more common in men (only 5 percent of those with apnea are women) UARS affects men and women about equally. Other characteristics common to many people with UARS: having a narrow face, having a small or narrow jaw, and having a thin neck. In fact, if you had to have orthodontia as a child for overcrowded teeth, Park says it’s very likely you could develop UARS. Some people with UARS also have low blood pressure and cold hands and feet. And, says Park, if you have found over the years that you simply cannot sleep on your back (you invariably wake up) it’s very likely the reason is UARS.

UARS is so new, not all doctors are familiar with it, and many sleep clinics don’t use techniques capable of identifying these subtle changes in breathing patterns. (UARS may not show up in traditional tests for disordered breathing, which measure oxygen levels.) So if you suspect you have UARS, choose a sleep study lab that’s familiar with the disorder and has the equipment to test for pressure changes in your nose or alternations in breathing or pulse wave signals.

Over-the-counter products can be effective at treating UARS, says Park, so this is a great first step. Many people benefit from breathing strips, such as “Breathe Right.”

To see if breathing strips might work for you, try this simple test: Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril firmly to close it off. Then close your mouth and try to breathe. If you feel resistance as you inhale through the open nostril, try holding it wider open with your pinky finger or the flat side of a toothpick. Try this on both sides. If you notice that you breathe more easily with your nostril propped open, you’re a good candidate for breathing strips.

If these don’t work, the next step is to ask your doctor for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. With the help of an ENT, you’ll have access to a number of treatments, including dental devices and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), a specially designed nasal mask that prevents your nasal passages from collapsing and delivers air directly into your airway.

If the otolaryngologist determines that tongue position during sleep is causing your UARS, she might recommend a dental device that pushes the jaw forward, which also pushes the tongue forward and prevents it from blocking the opening to the throat. If the obstruction is in the nasal passages, then CPAP is likely to work best. There are also minimally invasive surgical techniques available in cases where the obstruction is located in the area of the soft palate.

Getting a good night’s sleep is absolutely essential in order to be at your best during the day, so if any of this sounds like it might apply to you, take action. Once you experience what if feels like to sleep deeply again, you’ll look back and be thankful you got help.

Caring.com was created to help you care for your aging parents, grandparents, and other loved ones. As the leading destination for eldercare resources on the Internet, our mission is to give you the information and services you need to make better decisions, save time, and feel more supported. Caring.com provides the practical information, personal support, expert advice, and easy-to-use tools you need during this challenging time.

By Nikki Jong, Caring.com

As part of a healthy diet, whole foods play a significant role in helping our bodies function optimally. There are hundreds of extremely nutritious whole foods, but the dozen on this list do more than contribute healthy nutrients — they help you heal. In fact, every food on this list boasts multiple healing effects, from fighting cancer to reducing cholesterol, guarding against heart disease, and more. Eat these super-healing picks and start feeling pretty super yourself.

1. Cherries
Cherries boast a laundry list of healing powers. For starters, they pack a powerful nutritional punch for a relatively low calorie count. They’re also packed with substances that help fight inflammation and cancer. As if that weren’t enough, in lab studies, quercetin and ellagic acid, two compounds contained in cherries, have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumors and even cause cancer cells to commit suicide — without damaging healthy cells. Cherries also have antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Anthocyanin, another compound in cherries, is credited with lowering the uric acid levels in the blood, thereby reducing a common cause of gout. Researchers believe anthocyanins may also reduce your risk of colon cancer. Further, these compounds work like a natural form of ibuprofen, reducing inflammation and curbing pain. Regular consumption may help lower risk of heart attack and stroke.

In Chinese medicine, cherries are routinely used as a remedy for gout, arthritis, and rheumatism (as well as anemia, due to their high iron content). Plus they’re delicious.

How much:
Aim for a daily serving while they’re in season locally. And keep a bag of frozen cherries in your freezer the rest of the year; frozen cherries retain 100 percent of their nutritional value and make a great addition to smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal.

Tip:
Buy organic, since conventionally grown cherries can be high in pesticides.
Make a Sour Cherry Pie.

2. Guavas
Guavas are a small tropical fruit that can be round, oval, or pear-shaped. They’re not all that common, so they might be hard to find, depending on where you live. But if you can track them down, it’s more than worth it. Guavas contain more of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable, and nearly 20 percent more than tomatoes. Our bodies can’t process much of the lycopene in tomatoes until they’re cooked; the processing helps break down tough cell walls. However, guavas’ cell structure allows the antioxidant to be absorbed whether the fruit is raw or cooked, and the whole fruit offers the nutrition without the added sodium of processed tomato products.

Lycopene protects our healthy cells from free radicals that can cause all kinds of damage, including blocked arteries, joint degeneration, nervous system problems, and even cancer. Lycopene consumption is associated with significantly lower rates of prostate cancer; in addition, men with prostate tumors who consumed lycopene supplements showed significant improvements, such as smaller tumors and decreased malignancy. Lycopene has also been found to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, and research suggests that this antioxidant may also help protect against coronary heart disease.

This strange-looking little fruit is also packed with vitamin C and other antioxidants. Serving for serving, guava offers more than 60 percent more potassium than a banana, which can help protect against heart disease and stroke. In fact, the nutrients found in guavas have been shown to lower LDL and boost HDL cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, and lower blood pressure.

How much:
Aim to eat fresh guavas as often as you can when you can find them in stores. They’re not commonly available in the freezer section; and most guava juices are processed and sweetened, so they don’t provide the same superior nutrition that the whole, fresh fruit does. One to two guavas a day is a good goal.

Tip:
Opt for the red-fleshed variety if you can; both are loaded with antioxidants, but the red type has more than the white-fleshed apple guava.

3. Beans
Beans are a miracle food. They lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and insulin production, promote digestive health, and protect against cancer. If you think of fiber, protein, and antioxidants and immediately think whole grains, meat, and fruit, think again — beans offer all three in a single package.

An assortment of phytochemicals found in beans has been shown to protect cells from cancerous activity by inhibiting cancer cells from reproducing, slowing tumor growth. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that women who consumed beans at least twice a week were 24 percent less likely to develop breast cancer, and multiple studies have tied beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers.

Beans deliver a whopping amount of antioxidants, which help prevent and fight oxidative damage. In fact, the USDA’s ranking of foods by antioxidant capacity places three varieties of beans (red beans, red kidney beans, and pinto beans) in the top four — and that’s among all food groups. Beans are a great source of dietary fiber, protein, and iron. They also contain the amino acid tryptophan; foods with high amounts of tryptophan can help regulate your appetite, aid in sleep, and improve your mood. Many are also rich in folate, which plays a significant role in heart health. And depending on the type of bean you choose, you’ll also get decent amounts of potassium, magnesium, vitamin B1 and B2, and vitamin K. Soybeans are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

In Chinese medicine, various types of beans have been used to treat alcoholism, food poisoning, edema (particularly in the legs), high blood pressure, diarrhea, laryngitis, kidney stones, rheumatism, and dozens of other conditions.

How much:
Aim for a minimum of two servings of beans per week.

Tip:
Adzuki and mung beans are among the most easily digested; pinto, kidney, navy, garbanzo, lima, and black beans are more difficult to digest.
See quick bean-cooking tips and learn about heirloom beans here.

4. Kiwifruit
This tiny, nutrient-dense fruit packs an amazing amount of vitamin C (double the amount found in oranges), has more fiber than apples, and beats bananas as a high-potassium food. The unique blend of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in kiwifruit helps protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease. Kiwifruit’s natural blood-thinning properties work without the side effects of aspirin and support vascular health by reducing the formation of spontaneous blood clots, lowering LDL cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure. Multiple studies have shown that kiwifruit not only reduces oxidative stress and damage to DNA but also prompts damaged cells to repair themselves.

Kiwifruit is often prescribed as part of a dietary regimen to battle cancer and heart disease, and in Chinese medicine it’s used to accelerate the healing of wounds and sores.

How much:
Aim to eat one to two kiwifruit a day while they’re in season, for the best taste and nutrition. California-grown kiwifruit are in season from October through May, and New Zealand kiwifruit are available between April and November.

Tips:
Kiwifruit contains enzymes that activate once you cut the fruit, causing the flesh to tenderize. So if you’re making a fruit salad, cut the kiwifruit last.
The riper the kiwifruit, the greater the antioxidant power, so let them ripen before you dig in.

5. Watercress
Not only is watercress extremely nutritious, it’s about as close as you can get to a calorie-free food. Calorie for calorie, it provides four times the calcium of 2 percent milk. Ounce for ounce, it offers as much vitamin C as an orange and more iron than spinach. It’s packed with vitamin A and has lots of vitamin K, along with multiple antioxidant carotenoids and protective phytochemicals.

The nutrients in watercress protect against cancer and macular degeneration, help build the immune system, and support bone health. The iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to your body’s tissues for energy. The phytochemicals in watercress battle cancer in three ways: killing cancer cells, blocking carcinogens, and protecting healthy cells from carcinogens. They’ve also been shown to help prevent lung and esophageal cancer and can help lower your risk for other cancers.

In Chinese medicine, watercress is thought to help reduce tumors, improve night vision, and stimulate bile production (improving digestion and settling intestinal gas). It’s used as a remedy for jaundice, urinary difficulty, sore throat, mumps, and bad breath.

How much:
Eat watercress daily if you can. In some regions, it’s more widely available during the spring and summer, when it’s cultivated outdoors. But since it can also be grown hydroponically in greenhouses, you can find it year-round in many grocery stores and at your local farmer’s market.

Tip:
You can cook it, but watercress is better for you when you eat it raw. Tuck it into a sandwich in place of lettuce.
Toss it with your favorite vegetables and eat it in a salad.
Watercress is great in pesto — just replace the basil with watercress — and soups.
Use watercress as a wonderfully detoxifying ingredient in a juice or smoothie.

6. Spinach
You already knew spinach was good for you, but did you know just how good? Spinach protects against eye disease and vision loss; it’s good for brain function; it guards against colon, prostate, and breast cancers; it protects against heart disease, stroke, and dementia; it lowers blood pressure; it’s anti-inflammatory; and it’s great for bone health. Spinach has an amazing array of nutrients, including high amounts of vitamin K, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and iron.

A carotenoid found in spinach not only kills prostate cancer cells, it also prevents them from multiplying. Folate promotes vascular health by lowering homocysteine, an amino acid that, at high levels, raises the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Folate has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and to help stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach protect against colon cancer in addition to fighting inflammation, making them key components of brain health, particularly in older adults.

Spinach is loaded with vitamin K (one cup of cooked spinach provides 1,111 percent of the recommended daily amount!), which builds strong bones by helping calcium adhere to the bone. Spinach is also rich in lutein, which protects against age-related macular degeneration, and it may help prevent heart attacks by keeping artery walls clear of cholesterol buildup.

How much:
Fresh spinach should be a daily staple in your diet. It’s available in practically every grocery store, no matter where you live, it’s easy to find year-round, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more nutritionally sound, versatile green. So do yourself a healthy favor and aim for a few ounces, raw or lightly steamed, every day.

Tips:
Add a handful of fresh spinach to your next fruit smoothie. It’ll change the color but not the taste.
Conventionally grown spinach is susceptible to pesticide residue; stick to organic.

 7. Onions
Onions get a bad rap for their effect on the breath, but that’s not the only part of the body where they pack a wallop. Onions contain potent cancer-fighting enzymes; onion consumption has been shown to help lower the risk of prostate and esophageal cancers and has also been linked to reduced mortality from coronary heart disease. Research suggests that they may help protect against stomach cancer. Onions contain sulfides that help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as a peptide that may help prevent bone loss by inhibiting the loss of calcium and other bone minerals.

Onions have super antioxidant power. They contain quercetin, a natural antihistamine that reduces airway inflammation and helps relieve symptoms of allergies and hay fever. Onions also boast high levels of vitamin C, which, along with the quercetin, battles cold and flu symptoms. Onions’ anti-inflammatory properties help fight the pain and swelling associated with osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis. Onions are also extremely rich in sulfur and they have antibiotic and antiviral properties, making them excellent for people who consume a diet high in protein, fat, or sugar, as they help cleanse the arteries and impede the growth of viruses, yeasts, and other disease-causing agents, which can build up in an imbalanced diet.

How much:
For all the health benefits onions provide, it would be ideal to eat one a day. However, if that’s not doable for you, add a few onions to your weekly grocery list and try to eat a little bit every day. All varieties are extremely good for you, but shallots and yellow onions lead the pack in antioxidant activity. Raw onions provide the best nutrition, but they’re still great for you when they’re lightly cooked. And cooking meat at high temperatures (such as on a grill) with onions can help reduce or counteract carcinogens produced by the meat.

Tip:
Onions should be stored at room temperature, but if they bother your eyes when you cut them, try refrigerating them for an hour beforehand.

8. Carrots
Carrots are a great source of the potent antioxidants known as carotenoids. Diets high in carotenoids have been tied to a decreased risk in postmenopausal breast cancer as well as cancers of the bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx, and esophagus. Conversely, diets low in carotenoids have been associated with chronic disease, including heart disease and various cancers. Research suggests that just one carrot per day could reduce your risk of lung cancer by half. Carrots may also reduce your risk of kidney and ovarian cancers. In addition to fighting cancer, the nutrients in carrots inhibit cardiovascular disease, stimulate the immune system, promote colon health, and support ear and eye health.

Carrots contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin C, and an incredible amount of vitamin A. The alpha-carotene in carrots has shown promise in inhibiting tumor growth. Carrots also contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which work together to promote eye health and prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. In Chinese medicine, carrots are used to treat rheumatism, kidney stones, tumors, indigestion, diarrhea, night blindness, ear infections, earaches, deafness, skin lesions, urinary tract infections, coughs, and constipation.

How much:
Eat a serving of carrots each day if you can, and enjoy them year-round. Carrots are good for you whether they’re raw or lightly cooked; cooking helps break down the tough fiber, making some of the nutrients more easily absorbed. For the best nutrition, go for whole carrots that are firm and fresh-looking. Precut baby carrots are made from whole carrots and, although they’re convenient, they tend to lose important nutrients during processing.

Tips:
Remove carrot tops before storing them in the fridge, as the tops drain moisture from the roots and will cause the carrots to wilt.
Buy organic; conventionally grown carrots frequently show high pesticide residues.

9. Cabbage
Cabbage is a powerhouse source of vitamins K and C. Just one cup supplies 91 percent of the recommended daily amount for vitamin K, 50 percent of vitamin C, good amounts of fiber, and decent scores of manganese, vitamin B6, folate, and more — and it’ll only cost you about 33 calories. Calorie for calorie, cabbage offers 11 percent more vitamin C than oranges.

Cabbage contains high levels of antioxidant sulforaphanes that not only fight free radicals before they damage DNA but also stimulate enzymes that detoxify carcinogens in the body. Researchers believe this one-two approach may contribute to the apparent ability of cruciferous vegetables to reduce the risk of cancer more effectively than any other plant food group. Numerous studies point to a strong association between diets high in cruciferous vegetables and a low incidence of lung, colon, breast, ovarian, and bladder cancers.

Cabbage builds strong bones, dampens allergic reactions, reduces inflammation, and promotes gastrointestinal health. Cabbage is routinely juiced as a natural remedy for healing peptic ulcers due to its high glutamine content. It also provides significant cardiovascular benefit by preventing plaque formation in the blood vessels. In Chinese medicine, cabbage is used to treat constipation, the common cold, whooping cough, depression and irritability, and stomach ulcers. When eaten and used as a poultice, as a dual treatment, cabbage is helpful for healing bedsores, varicose veins, and arthritis.

How much:
The more cabbage you can include in your diet, the better. A study of Polish women found that those who ate at least four servings of cabbage per week as adolescents were 72 percent less likely to develop breast cancer later in life than their peers who consumed only one weekly serving or less.

Tips:
Try raw sauerkraut. It has all the health properties of cabbage, plus some potent probiotics, which are excellent for digestive health.
Use the whole cabbage; the outer leaves contain a third more calcium than the inner leaves.
Both are nutritional stars, but red cabbages are far superior to the white variety, with about seven times more vitamin C and more than four times the polyphenols, which protect cells from oxidative stress and cancer.

10. Broccoli
You’ll find it difficult to locate another single food source with as much naturally occurring health-promoting properties as broccoli. A single cup of steamed broccoli provides more than 200 percent of the RDA for vitamin C (again, more than oranges), nearly as much of vitamin K, and about half of the daily allowance for vitamin A, along with plentiful folate, fiber, sulfur, iron, B vitamins, and a whole host of other important nutrients. Calorie for calorie, broccoli contains about twice the amount of protein as steak — and a lot more protective phytonutrients.

Broccoli’s phytochemicals fight cancer by neutralizing carcinogens and accelerating their elimination from the body, in addition to inhibiting tumors caused by chemical carcinogens. Studies show evidence that these substances help prevent lung and esophageal cancers and may play a role in lowering the risk of other cancers, including gastrointestinal cancer.

Phytonutrients called indoles found in broccoli help protect against prostate, gastric, skin, breast, and cervical cancers. Some research suggests that indoles also protect the structure of DNA and may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Extensive studies have linked broccoli to a 20 percent reduction in heart disease risk. In Chinese medicine, broccoli is used to treat eye inflammation.

How much:
If you can eat a little broccoli every day, your body will thank you for it. If you can’t swing it, aim for eating it as regularly as possible. Like many other vegetables, broccoli provides fantastic nutrition both in its raw form and when it’s properly cooked. Cooking reduces some of broccoli’s anticancer components, but lightly steaming it will preserve most of the nutrients. Broccoli is available fresh year-round in most areas, but if you can’t find it where you live, frozen broccoli is a good substitute.

Tip:
Steaming or cooking broccoli lightly releases the maximum amount of the antioxidant sulforaphane.

11. Kale
Kale is highly nutritious, has powerful antioxidant properties, and is anti-inflammatory. One cup of cooked kale contains an astounding 1,328 percent of the RDA for vitamin K, 192 percent of the RDA for vitamin A, and 89 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. It’s also a good source of calcium and iron.

Kale is in the same plant family as broccoli and cabbage, and, like its cruciferous cousins, it contains high levels of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which guards against prostate, gastric, skin, and breast cancers by boosting the body’s detoxification enzymes and fighting free radicals in the body. The indoles in kale have been shown to protect against breast, cervical, and colon cancers. The vitamin K in kale promotes blood clotting, protects the heart, and helps build strong bones by anchoring calcium to the bone. It also has more antioxidant power than spinach, protecting against free-radical damage. Kale is extra rich in beta-carotene (containing seven times as much as does broccoli), lutein, and zeaxanthin (ten times the amount in broccoli). In Chinese medicine, kale is used to help ease lung congestion.

How much:
Like cabbage, the more kale you can eat, the better. A daily serving is ideal. Eat it as much as you can, as long as you can find it fresh at your local grocery or farmer’s market. In some areas, it’s available all year; in others, it only makes an appearance during summer and fall.

Tips:
Kale’s growing season extends nearly year-round; the only time it’s out of season is summer, when plenty of other leafy greens are abundant.
Steam or saute kale on its own, or add it to soups and stews. Cooking helps tenderize the leaves.
Kale is also a great addition when it’s blended in fruit smoothies or juiced with other vegetables.

12. Dandelion
The same pesky weed known for ruining lawns has a long history of being used as a healing herb in cultures around the globe. One cup of raw dandelion greens provides 535 percent of the RDA of vitamin K and 112 percent of the RDA for vitamin A. Dandelion greens are also a good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, fiber, and potassium. Among all foods, it’s one of the richest sources of vitamin A; among all green vegetables, it’s one of the best sources of beta-carotene.

Dandelion has been used for centuries to treat hepatitis, kidney, and liver disorders such as kidney stones, jaundice, and cirrhosis. It’s routinely prescribed as a natural treatment for hepatitis C, anemia, and liver detoxification (poor liver function has been linked to numerous conditions, from indigestion and hepatitis to irritability and depression). As a natural diuretic, dandelion supports the entire digestive system and increases urine output, helping flush toxins and excess salt from the kidneys. The naturally occurring potassium in dandelions helps prevent the loss of potassium that can occur with pharmaceutical diuretics.

Dandelion promotes digestive health by stimulating bile production, resulting in a gentle laxative effect. Inulin, a naturally occurring soluble fiber in dandelion, further aids digestion by feeding the healthy probiotic bacteria in the intestines; it also increases calcium absorption and has a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels, therefore being useful in treating diabetes. Both the dandelion leaves and root are used to treat heartburn and indigestion. The pectin in dandelion relieves constipation and, in combination with vitamin C, reduces cholesterol. Dandelion is excellent for reducing edema, bloating, and water retention; it can also help reduce high blood pressure. On top of all that, dandelion contains multiple antidiarrheal and antibacterial properties.

In Chinese medicine, dandelion is used in combination with other herbs to treat hepatitis and upper respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. The sap from the stem and root is a topical remedy for warts. Imagine — all this from a lowly weed!

How much:
How much dandelion to incorporate into your diet boils down to two factors: availability and personal preference. Dandelion greens are considered a specialty item in some areas and therefore can be difficult to find. They also have a pungent taste, and people tend to love or hate the flavor. If you can find fresh dandelion greens and you enjoy the taste, make them a regular part of your diet.

Tip:
Use the root in soups or saute it on its own.
If the raw leaves are too bitter for you, try them lightly steamed or sauteed.
Learn more about harvesting and preparing dandelions here.

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Is there anything better than a contagious giggle that you absolutely can’t control? (Ok, maybe not so good in school or church.) Laughter works wonderfully well in the moment, but it also has some surprising long-term health benefits. In the book A Better Brain at Any Age: The Holistic Way to Improve Your Memory, Reduce Stress, and Sharpen Your Wits (Conari Press, 2009), author Sondra Kornblatt explores how laughter can truly make you feel better.

She writes that the new field of gelotology is exploring the benefits of laughter. It was brought to the public’s awareness in Norman Cousins’ memoir Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins found that comedies, like those of the Marx Brothers, helped him feel better and get some pain-free sleep. That’s because laughter helps the pituitary gland release its own pain-suppressing opiates.

What can laughter do?:

• Lower blood pressure
• Increase vascular blood flow and oxygenation of the blood
• Give a workout to the diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg, and back muscles
• Reduce certain stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline
• Increase the response of tumor- and disease-killing cells such as Gamma-interferon and T-cells
• Defend against respiratory infections–even reducing the frequency of colds–by immunoglobulon in saliva.
• Increase memory and learning; in a study at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, humor during instruction led to increased test scores

• Improve alertness, creativity, and memory

Humor and creativity work in similar ways, says humor guru William Fry, M.D., of Stanford University–by creating relationships between two disconnected items, you engage the whole brain.

Humor works quickly. Less than a half-second after exposure to something funny, and electrical wave moves through the higher brain functions of the cerebral cortex. The left hemisphere analyzes the words and structures of the joke; the right hemisphere “gets” the joke; the visual sensory area of the occipital lobe creates images; the limbic (emotional) system makes you happier; and the motor sections make you smile or laugh.

So let’s laugh. What makes you laugh? Tell us your favorite funny movie, or how about a good joke?

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On the nights you aren’t eating your Personal Chef To Go meals, do you head to your favorite buffet or restaurant to take advantage of the “All You Can Eat” specials? If you do, you might consider the following information complied and written by Jake Richardson:

Offering all-you can-eat meals is a common practice at some restaurants in America. A rap group in the 80s, the Fat Boys, even had a celebratory, if not cheeky, tribute to overconsumption titled, “All You Can Eat.” Some online information even details all-you-can-eat restaurants.

But isn’t this situation in part, really binge eating by another name? One of the more disturbing aspects of this mentality is witnessed in the advertising slogan, “Kids Eat Free.” Isn’t binge eating with children teaching them that overeating is acceptable, and even enjoyable? This style of restaurant eating seems to encourage overconsumption because the goal is to eat as much as possible in one session to maximize one’s dollars. Each return trip to the buffet seems to make the whole experience a better and better deal financially.

I recall visiting a sushi restaurant with a deal of all the sushi you can eat in one hour, for twelve dollars. A companion wolfed down 48 pieces just under the buzzer (so to speak). Who knows exactly what he consumed, (such as mercury or PCBs, or if he even cared). He certainly got a deal at 25 cents per item. As a very active college student he could tolerate such overeating once in a while, but I wonder today if he is not obese.

Another issue is that too often buffet food is not of the healthiest variety to start with, and it is intended to be consumed in large, or very large quantities. Restaurants offering buffets at low prices must be buying the cheapest foods they can find, in order to provide them at such low cost.

It may seem that gorging on a large quantity of food for a lower price is a shopper’s delight, and occasionally it could be. But if it is a regular practice it could be unhealthy, both physically and psychologically.

Binge eating has been listed in the appendix of the DSM as binge eating disorder for almost 20 years, but recent revisions are likely to reposition it in the main part of the manual. Of course there is some controversy over this notion of binge eating being a mental illness, because who decides what makes it that, and by what scientifically validated method?

UCLA Professor Stuart Kirk remarked on binge eating disorder in the DSM:

“They’re saying, ‘We’re arbitrarily going to put the marker here: If you do it this much, and you feel this bad, and you do it for two weeks or three months . . .’ They’ve already made the assumption that wherever they draw that line, that that’s going to be considered the brain disease”.

Binge eating is an aspect of bulimia, and a National Institutes of Health page lists some of its health hazards. Complications from long-term bulimia include:

Abnormal increase in stomach size
Electrolyte abnormalities
Inflammation of the esophagus
Inflammation of the lining of the mouth
Inflammation of the pancreas
Inhaling food or fluid particles
Tooth decay

Treatments listed there are talking therapy, antidepressants and stress reduction. In some cases, there isn’t a treatable underlying condition, merely the simple practice of overeating as a form of entertainment. Of particular concern is the unintentional conditioning of children in families to overeat at restaurants, while not teaching about the health effects of overeating, and not instructing them about proper nutrition. A related cultural practice is giving children food as an expression of love, rather than telling them they are loved or expressing physical affection, such as hugging. Another cultural practice is using food to mask emotions, or emotional eating. Some call it comfort eating.

But are these cultural practices merely accidentally training the next generations to have an unhealthy relationship with food, their emotions, and to be unhealthy?

Image Credit: Johanne Brekkevold

We know that the foods we eat affect the body but they can have even more influence on how well our brain functions. What we eat can have a POWERFUL affect on our brain’s energy, how the mind handles tasks, and our general mood.

Our focus here is on those particular nutrients found in foods that enhance neuron firing and cross-linking in the brain. The foods listed below can help you: concentrate, increase memory, tune sensorimotor skills, keep you motivated, speed up your reaction time, control stress, and even slow down the aging of brain cells!

So here is a list of 20 different food types that we can add to our diet, their effects, and how they function:

1. Wholegrain Foods

Whole grain is a great brain stimulator because it contains high percentage of folate. Make sure you’re eating a diet rich in whole grain breads, cereals, barley, popcorn, etc., because they can boost your blood flow to the brain. Every organ in the body is dependent on blood flow- especially the brain.

Wholegrain breads and cereals are rich in Vitamin B6, an important brain vitamin. Wheat germ additionally contains memory-improving thiamine.

Nuts

Everything from the most common nuts — such as walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews and almonds — to the more exotic seeds and nuts can clear up that “brain fog” and enable you to think clearer and are positive mood enhancers.

2. Walnuts

Both literally and figuratively speaking, walnuts are “brain food”. Physically the walnut looks a lot like the human brain. The thin, outer green cover that is taken out before the walnuts are sold is similar to the scalp. The hard shell of a walnut is like a skull. The thin sheet inside, with its paper-like partitions between the two halves of the walnut, is like the membrane. The shape of the walnut itself represents the human brain’s two hemispheres.

Walnuts are made up of 15 to 20 percent protein and contain linoleic (omega-6 fatty acids) and alpha-linoleic acids (omega-3 fatty acids), vitamin E and vitamin B6, making them an excellent source of nourishment for your nervous system.

Omega 3 fatty acids found in walnuts are especially helpful in brain function. Our brain is more than 60% structural fat which needs to be primarily omega-3 fats, found in walnuts and flaxseed, for its cell membranes to function properly. Cell membranes, primarily composed of fats, are the gatekeepers of the cell. Omega-3 fats, flexible and fluid by nature, make it easy for nutrients to pass thru the outer membrane of the cell and also helps remove waste efficiently. Definitely worth it when the cell belongs to your brain, don’t you think?

Walnuts may also help correct the human brain’s seratonin levels. Seratonin is an important brain chemical that controls both our moods and appetite. Walnuts may be able to relieve disorders like insomnia, depression, overeating and other compulsive behavior, commonly treated with antidepressant drugs like Prozac, without the dangerous side effects.

3. Cashews

While you’re in the nut aisle shopping for walnuts be sure to pick up some cashews, almonds, pecans and peanuts too. Each nut can enhance your mental health in its own way. Cashews are high in magnesium, known to open up the blood vessels in your body. More oxygen-rich blood = better brain function.

4. Almonds

Phenylalanine, found in almonds, can do wonders for your mental and neurological health. Phenylalanine has the rare ability to cross the blood-brain barrier where it stimulates the brain to generate natural mood-boosting neurotransmitters called dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline. Additionally, almonds are high in riboflavin which is known to boost memory.

5. Pecans

Pecans and peanuts provide choline, another important nutrient for optimal brain function. Choline aids in both memory and brain development.

Berries

6. Blueberries

Eating blueberries and a diet rich in deep pigment from fruits and vegetables helps preserve the brain machinery and boost the potency of neuron signals. Blueberries literally strengthen the brain. They have compounds that turn on key systems in the brain enable other proteins to help with memory or other cognitive skills.

In one recent study, subjects who ate one cup of blueberries a day for two weeks showed an increased birth rate of brain cells in the hippocampus (region responsible for memory), and scored significantly higher in classroom tests than those subjects who did not.

Blueberries are also known to protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. In addition, blueberries also contain ellagic acid, another phytochemical that has been shown to prevent cell damage.

7. Strawberries

Antioxidant-rich strawberries can prevent age-related neurological declines by improving brain cell abilities to send and receive the ’signaling’ molecules. The brain uses these signaling molecules to communicate.

Remarkably, these same studies showed that the powerful antioxidants in strawberries, spinach and blueberries can improve the ability to communicate even among brain cells already showing signs of age-related damage.

8. Blackberries

Blackberries contain an amazing class of nutrients called anthocyanins. Our brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage but anthocyanins help protect our brain from oxidation stress, which in turn fights degenerative brain diseases.

One study even found anthocyanin-rich supplements to reverse age-related neurological deficits in subjects.

Seeds

9. Sunflower Seeds

Like nuts, many seeds and nuts can boost your mood and brainpower. Sunflower seeds contain tryptophan, an important amino acid that the brain converts to seratonin, which is a natural way to relieve mild depression and insomnia. Additionally, sunflower seeds are high in thiamine, an important B vitamin, which increases memory and cognitive function.

10. Pumpkin Seeds

Amazingly, the most powerful part of the pumpkin lies in its least used part. The seeds of the pumpkin are a power food, rich in many nutrients including: Zinc, Vitamin A and E, and the precious Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. The Zinc found in pumpkin seeds plays a vital role in enhancing memory and thinking skills.

11. Green Tea

Green tea is a wonderful beverage, and when freshly brewed, it enhances memory and focus and fights mental fatigue. Green tea contains catechines, which help you relax mentally, yet also keeps your wits sharpened.

Green Tea also helps maintain positive mood states and fights against many brain disorders. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants found in green tea that can boost the availability of the important signaling brain substance dopamine in brain circuits. Dopamine is vital in creating positive mood states.

Polyphenols also help the brain and body run smoothly by maintaining a steady supply of our body’s primary fuel: glucose. These powerful polyphenols also help prevent cancer and heart attacks.

12. Eggs

Eggs indeed offer a very impressive nutritional profile for their 70 calories. They are a precious source of high-quality proteins and rich in vitamins and minerals. But there’s more!

Nutrient called choline, found in eggs, can help boost the memory center in the brain. Researchers have found choline to increase the size of neurons, which helps them fire electrical signals more strongly and rebound faster between firings.

Two antioxidants found in egg yolk called lutein and zeaxanthin help prevent the risk of age-related cataracts and macular degeneration, two of the most prevalent age-related eye conditions.

Remember this the next time you open the fridge door. The amazing egg: naturally good.

13. Avocados

For brain health, avocados are nearly as good as blueberries. Avocados contain mono-unsaturated fats, which contribute to healthy blood flow, the main requirement for a healthy brain.

To include avocados to your diet, add 1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado to one meal daily as a side dish.

14. Tomatoes

Lycopene, an amazing antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against free-radical damage to cells, which is believed to be a primary factor in cases of Dementia, and particularly, Alzheimer’s disease.

15. Broccoli

Broccoli is labeled as superfood due to its high overall nutrient content. It is a great source of vitamin K, which enhances cognitive function and improves brainpower.

16. Red Cabbage

Red cabbage is full of an antioxidant called polyphenol. Polyphenols reduce brain cell damage and is especially helpful in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimers’ disease.

17. Eggplant

Eggplant skin contains a nutrient called nasunin which keeps our brain sharp by enhancing communication between our brain cells and messenger molecules. Remembering to use the skin pays tremendous benefits in vastly improved focus.

18. Spinach

Spinach slows down the effects of age-related declines in brain function and helps protect the brain from oxidative stress. Researchers suggest that a diet rich in spinach can significantly improve learning capacity and motor skills.

19. Yogurt

Calcium rich foods such as yogurt, milk and cheese improve nerve function. Yogurt contains an amino acid called tyrosine which is responsible for producing the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenalin. In short, yogurt helps improve alertness and memory.

20. Chocolate

What better to end with? It’s hard to believe that anything as incredibly delicious as chocolate can actually be incredibly good for you as well. Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties and contains several natural stimulants which increase the production of endorphins while enhancing focus and concentration. The stimulants found in dark chocolate also improve mood. It has high content of flavanols that facilitate blood supply to the brain and enhance cognitive skills.

Milk chocolate jump starts impulse control and reaction time. It has also been known to improve visual and verbal memory.

More isn’t necessarily better when it comes to chocolate. This is, unfortunately, one superfood that you have to indulge in in moderation.

Conclusion

Our brain is the greediest organ in the body, but its proper nourishment is vital to creative thought, positive mood, memory, and good overall health. It’s no surprise that what you eat affects how you think, feel, remember, and potentially even increase intelligence.

If it’s possible to eat your way to genius, who wouldn’t want to?

By Dr. Frank Lipman

There do not appear to be any other benefits of dairy (apart from being the source of whey protein) and to make matters worse, dairy seems to have detrimental effects to your health. Milk should be for calves (baby cows), most humans have a problem digesting it. I cannot tell you how many patients I have seen over the years whose chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, chronic sinusitis and allergies cleared up when they stopped eating dairy. When people come to see me in my practice and I put them on a diet, I almost always remove dairy.

1. Dairy cows are fed the wrong food, which not only changes the nature of the milk but causes health problems for the cows. They are fed soy, corn, cottonseed meal or other commercial feeds, which contain all sorts of things including chicken manure and citrus peel cake, laced with pesticides. These foods are not appropriate for cows, who are ruminants and should be feeding on green grass in the spring, summer and fall and on green feed, silage, hay and root vegetables in the winter. Unfortunately most dairy cows are kept in confinement, given antibiotics and hormones, and never see green grass their entire lives.

2. The milk is pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating a liquid to a high enough temperature to kill certain bacteria and disable certain enzymes. It destroys enzymes, vitamins, denatures fragile milk proteins, kills beneficial bacteria and promotes pathogens. Even calves fed pasteurized milk do poorly and many die before maturity. Pasteurization was instituted in the 1920s to combat TB, infant diarrhea, undulant fever and other diseases caused by poor animal nutrition and dirty production methods. But times have changed and modern stainless steel tanks, milking machines, refrigerated trucks and inspection methods make pasteurization absolutely unnecessary for public protection.

3. In some cases, milk is ultra-pasteurized to get rid of heat-resistant bacteria and give it a longer shelf life. Ultra high temperature pasteurization is a process that takes milk from a chilled temperature to above the boiling point in less than two seconds. This process is utilized for the boxed milks that can be kept at room temperature

4. To make matters worse, milk is homogenized. Homogenization is a process that breaks down butterfat globules so they do not rise to the top. Homogenized milk is harder to digest, so proteins that would normally be digested in the stomach are not broken down and instead are absorbed into the bloodstream. Often the body reacts to these “foreign proteins” by triggering the immune system, causing inflammation. It can even trigger auto-immune problems. Homogenized milk has also been linked to heart disease probably because of the fat globules that are dispersed by the process.

5. In addition to being chemically altered into something that hard to digest and causes problems, today’s milk usually contains steroids, antibiotics, pesticides from treated grains, bacteria from infected animals, and genetically engineered growth hormones.

So if you do drink milk, I suggest you look for pure raw milk from grass fed cows (which is hard to get in most states unfortunately), because it may not be the milk per se, but how milk is chemically altered that causes the problems.

Follow Dr. Frank Lipman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lipmo .

Frank Lipman MD, is the founder and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in NYC a center whose emphasis is on preventive health care and patient education. His personal blend of Western and Eastern Medicine combined with the many other complimentary modalities he has studied has helped thousands of people recover their energy and zest for life. He is the author of the recent Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again (2009) and Total Renewal; 7 key steps to Resilience, Vitality and Long-Term Health (2003).

  To learn more about Personal Chef To Go, please visit our website, find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

To me, healthy eating simply means removing, or limiting, the foods in your diet that could be harming you; and eating enough of the foods that contain the nutrients essential to your health. So, what foods could be harming you? Ones filled with chemicals. Here are some of the main sources of unhealthy chemicals in our food:

Chemicals and drugs used in raising livestock
Researchers feel that this is probably the biggest problem and none of these are required to appear on the label. Over 70 percent of all antibiotics used in the USA are used in raising livestock to prevent infection because the animals are kept in cramped inhumane conditions.

Steroids are also given to increase milk production and speed growth. The feed given to these animals is full of chemicals as well and pesticides and chemicals accumulate in the fat of these animals that we then eat. So if you do eat dairy or animal protein, eating organic is important to decrease your chemical burden.

Chemicals used in pesticides and fertilizers
Although the use of pesticides has made our food production more efficient, it has placed a huge/large toxic burden on us and the earth. In 1995, more than 5 billion pounds of pesticides were sold worldwide, more than 1 billion pounds in the USA. FDA inspections have found legal residues on two thirds of food sampled, therefore these pesticides remain on our food.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), you can lower your pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by avoidingthe 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetablesand eating instead the least contaminated produce.

Chemicals used in the production of our food
Over 12,000 chemicals are used in the production of our food. Many are used intentionally as “direct” additives, but some are “indirect” contaminants or used accidentally. As of 1995, complete health risk assessments were available for only 5 percent of food additives.

The food industry uses about 3,000 different food additives in various packaged and preserved foods. These include (preservatives), emulsifiers, buffers, natural and artificial colorings and flavorings.

And then there are the genetically modified foods, which are now turning up all over the show. Here is a great guide on how to avoid foods made with genetically modified foods.

Chemicals we create in processing foods
Trans fats or hydrogenated fats would be the most common.

Contaminants associated with processing of foods
During shipping and storage, chemical cleaners, food sprays and fungicides are used.

Chemicals absorbed into our food from the way we cook, store and serve our food
Non stick pans, pots, bake-ware and utensils contain Teflon, which is made from perfluorinated compounds which have been linked to cancer and reproductive problems. And then we store and serve our food in containers that leech chemicals into our food, eg plastics and styrofoam.

And please remember this is only a list of chemicals in our food, not our water and personal care products, which are also full of chemicals.

Frank Lipman MD is the creator of Eleven Eleven Wellness, Guided Health Solutions, a leading edge integrative health program. He is also the founder and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in NYC, where he practices a combination of Western and Eastern Medicine and the many other complimentary modalities he has studied. He is the author of the recent REVIVE: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again (2009) (previously called SPENT) and TOTAL RENEWAL: 7 Key Steps to Resilience, Vitality and Long-Term Health(2003). and Follow Dr. Frank Lipman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lipmo