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| Live Longer with This Red Winter Stew Put the brakes on the ravages of time with a hearty and delicious bowl of chili. You'll get plenty of zinc, thanks to the rich red kidney beans in the stew. And a new small study showed that zinc may help both prevent and reverse age-inducing damage to DNA. Frightful Fraying Zinc intake is so important to staying young that when middle-aged men in a study went from adequate zinc intake to zinc deficiency, they showed more breaks in certain DNA strands. And guess what happened when they were placed back on a zinc-rich diet? You got it -- damage to DNA strands decreased significantly, suggesting that injured strands were repaired. The Deal with DNA You want healthy DNA, because damaged DNA can speed the aging process and increase your risk for conditions like cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Zinc isn't necessarily a fountain of youth, but the study results suggest that nearly 12 percent of Americans with a zinc deficiency may be doing their bodies a disservice. So how about that bowl of chili? |
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| Get Fit Faster with This One Easy Rule The deceptively simple path to a fit bod begins with the easiest activity in the world: walking. Every get-fit plan should start with a basic 30-minute daily walk for 30 days. It will prime your body for the muscle-toning and stamina-building exercises you need in order to go from couch potato to hot tamale. Cheat or skip this simple step and you run the risk of injuring yourself and falling off the fitness wagon. First Things First According to RealAge expert Mehmet Oz, MD, an out-of-shape muscle is deficient in two things: tiny powerhouse factories (called mitochondria) that generate juice for your workouts, and contractile proteins that give the muscle strength. And walking for 30 minutes a day -- or for 10 minutes three times a day -- for a month replenishes mitochondria and contractile proteins, so your body will be ready and able to build on your fitness routine. Take the Next Step When you're ready to expand your exercise program, follow Dr. Oz's guidelines for sculpting a lean, healthy body:
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| Can Coffee Make You Fat? Want to gain 20 pounds this year? Didn't think so. So pay extra close attention to what goes into your coffee. A recent study broke down the calorie count of popular coffeehouse beverages. The scary news? Blended beverages (anything other than straight coffee or tea) often pack 200 calories or more. And drinking one daily could add 20 pounds to your frame. Ouch. Coffeehouse Calorie Fest We really do love our tasty drinks, don't we? In fact, compared with several decades ago, many of us consume 200 calories more per day from beverages. Most of these calories come from sweetened drinks like soda and juice, but blended coffeehouse drinks contribute, too. Think cappuccinos, lattes, frappes, smoothies -- anything where the barista blends something into your drink. How to Keep Coffee Healthy There's no need to ditch your daily coffee jaunt completely. In fact, your java may have health benefits. But make smart choices. Drink brewed coffee or tea with added milk and sugar and you're looking at only about 60 calories a serving. A little skim milk and sugar by your own hand is bound to be less calorie-laden than the coffeehouse prep. And if you have to do the blended thing, order the smallest size available, and opt for the "light" version. |
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| Fats That Might Depress You Shift your fatty acid balance in favor of a brighter mood. Modern diets are high in omega-6 fatty acids -- found in meat, eggs, refined grains, and corn oil -- and low in omega-3 fatty acids. New research suggests this imbalance could be a risk factor for depression. Add more mood-boosting omega-3-rich foods, such as flaxseeds, fish, and nuts, to your diet. Omega-6s and omega-3s are forms of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Researchers have long suspected that deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids contributes to depression. Now, a new study reveals that the balance between omega-3s and omega-6s may influence depression risk. In the study, brain cell membranes of depressed rats had elevated levels of arachidonic acid, a type of omega-6, in certain areas. Nondepressed rats had lower levels. The amount of omega-3s in the brains of both depressed and nondepressed rats, however, did not differ significantly. Omega-6s are found in abundance in red meat, poultry, refined grains, and certain fats such as corn oil and margarine. |
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| Parlor Trick That Boosts Brainpower Next time you forget where you parked, here's a little idea that could get you back behind the wheel pronto: Pinch your right nostril shut. Sounds strange, but research shows that pinching the right one shut and breathing through the left one boosts spatial memory -- that part of your brain that helps with memory and navigation. Pick a Side It's a right brain/left brain thing. In general, you use the left side of your brain to balance your checkbook, carry on conversations, and solve problems that require linear reasoning. The right side? It helps you paint like Picasso and recognize faces, and it controls spatial abilities. And the right side is also in charge of the left side of your body. But here's the twist: The left side of your body controls the right side of your brain, and vice versa. So when you breathe through the left nostril, it gives the right side of your brain a boost! It's neat cocktail-party trivia. |