Reduce Wrinkles

By Kelley Herring

Do you want people to do a double-take when you reveal your real age? Then do this: Eat cinnamon and cloves.

Recent research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that these spices - which are often used in holiday goodies - not only provide antioxidants but also significant protection against the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).

And "AGE" is certainly an apt acronym. You see, AGEs trigger the body's defense arsenal and lead to inflammation and tissue damage. This results in lines on your face, inflexible arteries, and a host of other metabolic consequences.

So, how do you get the most out of these age-defying spices?

The first rule is this: The fresher the flavor, the more benefits. The researchers found a direct correlation between the phenol content in the spices and their ability to block AGEs. And since phenols are destroyed by light, heat, and exposure to air, keep your spices in a cool dark place for maximum potency.

Plus when you bake with these spices, make sure you use a safe sweetener too (i.e., one that does not spike blood sugar and promote AGEs), like erythritol or stevia.

2 Health Tips

1. Move More: Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more.

2. Cut Fat: Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.

Eating Breakfast Is Only Half the Story

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS

For what seems like forever, nutritionists like me have been urging people not to skip breakfast - for a number of reasons. For one thing, studies have found that people who skip breakfast are far more likely to be overweight or obese than those who eat breakfast on a regular basis. Researchers have also found that there's a correlation between eating breakfast and better performance/concentration at school and work, more energy, and improved well-being.
But those of us who have been on the breakfast bandwagon seem to have left out one of the most important details: the breakfast menu. Because even if you eat breakfast, all bets are off if you choose the wrong foods.

In a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers confirmed that breakfast eaters, in general, eat fewer calories during the day. But the study also showed that people who eat a really high-calorie breakfast are more likely to eat more calories during the day. Plus, their average intake of important nutrients (like calcium) falls.

When you think about it, this makes sense. Breakfasts that are very high in calories are almost certain to include junk like pastries, donuts, and other "foods" that have nothing to do with reaping the benefits of a solid, high-protein, low-calorie breakfast that's been shown to moderate cravings. In fact, a high-calorie junk-food breakfast is far more likely to lead to overeating during the day - exactly the opposite of what you want.

So don't skip breakfast. But do skip the donuts.

Fresh Is Best

By Kelley Herring

While some of us love the taste of broccoli, most of the time it's eaten for its health benefits. But new research suggests that if you cook it, almost all of the cancer-fighting nutrients are lost.

A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that sulphoraphane - the primary cancer-fighting nutrient in broccoli - is significantly reduced during cooking. In fact, the bioavailability of sulforaphane was calculated to be 37 percent from the raw vegetable and only 3.4 percent from cooked broccoli.

So what option does that leave you with... raw broccoli crudites? On the contrary! There are plenty of delicious ways to enjoy raw broccoli. Make chopped salads with broccoli, buy broccosprouts and add them to your sandwiches, and fold tiny fresh florets into omelets to add delicious crunch and powerful protection.

Boon to Immunity

Apples (and red onions, broccoli, and tea) are great sources of quercetin -- a flavonoid that may stave off the influenza virus when the body is under stress.

In a recent animal study, quercetin did just that:

The normal dip in immunity that comes with physical fatigue was pretty much cancelled out by the flavonoid.

If it works as well in humans, quercetin could help power the body through both physical and psychological stress.