A study at England’s University of Exeter found that eating foods rich in naturally-occurring nitrates, like beets, improved endurance during exercise.

The scientists studied various substances and training methods to see which, if any, would improve stamina.  Beet juice had the greatest effect, improving peoples’ ability to exercise for 16 percent longer than without it, without tiring. Naturally-occurring nitrates have been shown to widen blood vessels and allow more oxygen-rich blood to travel to the heart.

And, while I’m not aware of any studies, I’m sure that the increased stamina and improved circulation from beet consumption may transfer to the bedroom as well.

Another recent study at London’s Queen Mary University found that one glass of beet juice daily was more effective at lowering high blood pressure than medication.  Of course, this doesn’t mean you should stop taking medication if you have high blood pressure.  But, it does mean that adding a cup of beet juice and more beets to your diet could be helpful in the treatment of high blood pressure, angina, and heart disease.

As if that weren’t enough, beets are high in folate, manganese, potassium, and vitamin C.  Raw beets or raw beet juice contain betaine–a natural anti-inflammatory that helps protect against aging and disease.

The phytonutrient, proanthocyanidin, that gives beets their rich purplish color is also a potent anti-cancer compound.  Meanwhile the fiber found in beets also helps protect against cancer.  This particular fiber increases the body’s ability to detect and remove abnormal cells in the body before they can become cancerous.

You can enjoy raw beets grated on a salad or juiced, and cooked beets in soups and stews.  I love steamed beets tossed with a little flax oil (don’t cook the flax oil though) and sea salt.

Michelle Schoffro Cook, BSc, RNCP, ROHP, DNM, is an international best-selling and seven-time book author and doctor of natural medicine, whose works include: The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, The Phytozyme Cure and HealthSmart News. Learn more at www.DrMichelleCook.com.

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

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

Want to lose weight and keep it off? (I know, stupid question), then there is only one way to make that happen. Consume only as many calories as you need to sustain your activity level. Otherwise you need to burn, baby, burn. Each calorie you burn is a measurement of energy. Your body converts food into energy by combining calories from proteins, carbohydrates, and fats with oxygen.

If you burn more calories than you eat you will lose weight, if you eat more calories than you burn, well, yeah, your going to build up your love handles instead of your biceps. On average, people need to consume 2000 calories a day: 60 percent of those calories provides  energy for your body’s daily operations, which include breathing, chewing, digesting food, and circulating blood.

Another 30 percent of your daily calorie intake is expended through activities such as household chores, sports, and just being active. Now, it is interesting to note that the more muscle tissue you have the more calories you burn even when you are resting. In fact for each additional pound of muscle approximately 50 extra calories are burned daily. Not bad, eh?  But first you have to develop some muscles, which you can do in a number of ways such as, lifting free weights at the gym, or your ample derriere in yoga class.

According to Dr. Robert Gerszten of Massachusetts General Hospital, “Ten minutes of exercise has at least an hour of effects on your body.”  So, if even short amounts of exercise can be good for you, then what are you waiting for? Fit these calorie burners into your day and watch your body change.

1. First thing in the morning, take a quick walk with your dog, your spouse or a friend. When watching Cesar Milan whisper sage advice he consistently mentions that most of the dogs he trains have behavioral issues because they do not get enough exercise. I tend to think it is the same problem with humans and walking can be a simple solution. If it is difficult to walk in your neighborhood, then lace up your walking shoes and walk as fast as you can around your local Mall. Just remember to keep moving and leave your credit card at home.

2. Confronted with an escalator or stairs take the stairs every time. If your office is up more flights than you think you can do, build up your stamina by adding a flight every few days; you can always take the elevator the rest of the way. Stair climbing is great exercise for your legs and sagging buttocks, not to mention strengthening the heart and increasing oxygen to the lungs.

3. Park your car as far away as you can walk in your chic summer sandals and hike it across the parking lot. If it is a hot day you will just move faster to get into the air conditioning.

4. Remember how much fun it was to ride your bicycle around the neighborhood as a kid, well it is still a lot of fun and great exercise. No need to buy a fancy racing model when a used upright with a basket for groceries will do just fine.

5. Break up watching television or working on the computer with work in the garden and household chores. Shake off the sluggish feelings from sitting and watching and get up and do something, even if it is loading the dishwasher or folding your laundry or yelling at your kids to get away from the television and go outside to play. Come to think of it, go outside and play with them.

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

By Ann Pietrangelo

I don’t know if laughter is the best medicine, but it is certainly good medicine.

There is a lot of talk these days about positive attitude and how essential it is to coping with chronic illness. That is true, but I would add that a sense of humor may be just as important. The ability to laugh at our own foibles and missteps is sometimes just the tonic we need.

I can come up with dozens of examples of multiple sclerosis imposing on my life in a frustrating way, and quite a few instances where strangers have had a laugh at my expense. That’s no fun but, hey, that’s life.

The good-natured ribbing of friends is another matter. That kind of humor lets you know that you are still one of the gang, and not so pathetic that you can’t take a joke.

Then there’s the time when having MS became the excuse that got me out of an absurdly awkward situation worthy of a sitcom.

My husband and I were visiting London on business, but we had several lovely social functions on our agenda. This particular evening, we were scheduled to attend a cocktail party at a small art museum. I was beside myself with excitement as I slipped my little black dress over my head and shoulders. It felt a little tight as called out for my husband to zip me up. That excitement quickly turned to panic as he let loose with a soft whistle and I realized that the dress, when zipped, barely made it over my backside! Oh, why hadn’t I tried it on before packing? Just a few months ago it looked so darling on me. Amazing what two or three pounds can do. All right, maybe five.

So there I stood in my awkwardly high heels (another foolish error on my part), leaning on my cane, and wearing a dress that was straining at the seams. We weren’t about to let that stop us, so we optimistically headed out into the winter chill to hail a cab. As if having MS and walking with a cane and high heels weren’t challenging enough, the tight dress exaggerated my odd gait to the point of ridiculousness.

Arriving at the museum, I carefully situated myself with my back to the wall, doing everything in my power to avoid mingling. There were very few seats around, so when a chair became available, I sat down… warily… hoping I wouldn’t split my dress open and expose my backside in the process. I could almost feel the groaning of the tiny threads holding it all together. While hubby mingled, I sat.

Eventually it was announced that the unveiling of a particular piece of art — the reason for the whole affair — would take place on the second floor, and would all attendees please follow the guide upstairs. Stairs? We inquire as to the location of an elevator. No elevator? This is a definite turn for the worse.

With my MS acting up, there was no way I could possibly make it up that long, wooden staircase in this ill-fitting dress and high heels without attracting curious eyes straight to my behind. I could almost hear the sound of fabric tearing and everybody turning to laugh and stare. As it was, I was beginning to giggle at my own situation. And when I laugh, I tend to also shed tears. I was beginning to feel quite conspicuous.

I informed my hubby in no uncertain terms that I would remain glued to the chair regardless of what he or anybody else does or says. Up to this point he had been good-naturedly playing along with me, and now was barely containing his own laughter.

The moment the last of the party-goers made it to the top of the stairs, we both burst into laughter at my predicament. Courteous museum staff, spotting the cane, inquire about my difficulty with the stairs. “Multiple sclerosis” we tell them in serious voices. Tears are falling from my eyes now, due to suppressed laughter, but no doubt mistaken for despair. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres were delivered with sympathetic smiles directly to our lonely corner. Now I really felt bad… and guilty… and silly. Embarrassed and unable to control my laughing/crying, we took advantage of a moment alone and skulked out the door first chance we got.

It was a fabulous week in London, but that misadventure remains one of my fondest memories. If laughter truly is the best medicine, I’m going to be just fine.

Writer Ann Pietrangelo embraces the concept of personal responsibility for health and wellness. As a person living with multiple sclerosis, she combines a healthy lifestyle and education with modern medicine, and seeks to provide information and support to others. She is a regular contributor to Care2 Causes. Follow on Twitter @AnnPietrangelo

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

Common knowledge tells us that organic food is good food. It is tasty to eat, good for the environment, and safer for the farmers and workers who produce it. Since agriculture is responsible for much of the pollution of the waterways, choosing organic is the eco-choice for those who want to live a more sustainable life.

Eating organic may be one of best ways to keep your body healthy and the world’s ecosystems strong. Which organic fruits and vegetables to buy with your hard earned cash can be confusing. Some produce has less pesticides, while others are laden with chemical residues. Some are obvious, because of their thick skin (bananas), while others are penetrable (berries).

Is buying organic worth the extra cost? The jury is still out. It seems that the research has yet to prove an adverse health effect from consuming the low levels of pesticides that are commonly found in U.S. food. This may be inconclusive, but as Time magazine points out, “Even if conventional foods don’t turn out to be as dangerous as organic advocates claim, several recent studies have suggested that organic foods contain higher levels of vitamins than their conventionally grown counterparts.” Also, for the most vulnerable groups, such as children and pregnant women, as well as for those who are interested in sustainable growing practices (and their health), buying organic makes sense. Especially, the fruits and vegetables that carry the heaviest pesticide load. Here are 15 reasons to buy organic food.

Want to get the most bang for your organic buck? Check out Heidi Kenney’s free downloadable Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet. When you are food shopping and need to make that quick decision on whether to spend a little more for organic, the Cheat Sheet makes that decision simple. The convenient, credit card-sized guide separates 27 common fruits and veggies into two categories, those that generally have a low pesticide content and those that don’t. Cool Hunting claims it is the, “world’s cutest pocket guide to buying organic.” The guide is based on the Environmental Working Group’s comprehensive list of the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. If you’ve got an iPhone you can download the Shoppers Guide to Pesticides.

Do you buy organic? If so, what do you think are the most important fruits and vegetables to purchase?

Image credit: http://www.mypapercrane.com/blog/?p=2135#comments

Ronnie Citron-Fink is a writer and educator. Ronnie regularly writes about sustainable living for online sites and magazines. Along with being the creator of www.econesting.com, Ronnie has contributed to numerous books about green home design, DIY, children, and humor. Ronnie lives the Hudson Valley of New York with her family.

By Dave Chameides

When I was interviewed on the radio about my 365 Days of Trash and an interesting thing happened. I was talking about some of the things that I started doing last year (and still do) in order to waste less and the subject came around to eating out at restaurants. I mentioned the simple ones–try to stay away from fast food, tell them you don’t need the straw, don’t order more than you think you’ll eat, and then I mentioned doggie bags.

My wife and I have two young kids, so more often than not we are left with food on the table. So, assuming we knew we were planning to eat out, one of us will usually bring along a small Tupperware type container and put it in there. As I explained to the gentleman interviewing me, this allows me to save the food that would otherwise get trashed, but negates my need for a Styrofoam take out container.

Now I’ve been bringing my own for a while now, so it pretty much seems like second nature, but the radio host saw it a different way. “Really?” he said, “Isn’t that sort of embarrassing?”

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard that kind of reaction and I’m sure it won’t be the last so I wasn’t taken aback, but it did get me thinking. Why is the idea of standing out, of being so different, so scary?

Now I know that there’s human nature, the desire to not be seen outside of the herd and all. My guess is this comes from not wanting to be eaten first by predators or some such subconscious remnant from our pre-wheel, spear-throwing times (as an aside, it fascinates me then that loud Hawaiian shirts are so popular). But no one at Bo’s Bar and Grill is looking for any human flesh these days so it seems like Tupperware shouldn’t be that scary?

I know I’m rambling a bit here, but bear with me for a second. It seems that my generation has sort of woken up over night and discovered that something is very wrong. We were brought up in this pre-packaged, single-serving, don’t-sweat-the-ramifications-of-what-you-are-doing-because-someone-else-will-take-care-of-it society and suddenly (well it started 20 years or so ago) we are beginning to realize that it doesn’t work so well. We are beginning to wake up and recognize that we need change and we need it fast.

So maybe what we need now is for more people to act differently, to make some noise, to risk being embarrassed. And maybe by doing so, enough people will see what we are doing, follow our model, and then we won’t risk being embarrassed anymore, but will once again be able to disappear into the herd as we pull out our take home containers and pay our checks.

And while we, the “adults” struggle to change our ways and try to do what’s best while still fitting in, maybe we’ll realize that this is a short term problem. Because as we start to make a stand and change our ways, our children will be watching. And if we show them that what we are doing is “normal”–that Tupperware take-home is “normal,” that steel water bottles are “normal,” that turning the lights off and walking to the store are “normal,” maybe that’s just what they will eventually become, normal. And then we’ll have done something.

So what am I getting at? Don’t try to hide your Tupperware, or your water bottles, your reusable bags, or your travel coffee mugs. Walk to work and let your co-workers know you did it and why. Challenge the status quo and throw it out there that what you are doing is not embarrassing, but empowering. And let your children know that being different isn’t something you should be embarrassed about, but something you should be proud of, because you are doing it for them.

Trust me, as the father of two girls who think that scrap paper should be given to the worms in their composter, I can assure you that when abnormal becomes normal, it’s pretty cool.

Dave Chameides is a filmmaker and environmental educator. His website and newsletter are designed to inspire thought and dialogue on environmental solutions and revolve around the idea that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. “Give people the facts, and they’ll choose to do the right thing.”