Stress Fixes
Running late?
There's no point worrying about something you can't change.
Managing time
Time management skills can allow you to spend more time with your family and friends and possibly
increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.
* Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
* Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
* Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
* Manage your commitments by not over- or under committing. Don't commit to what is not important to you.
* Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
Build healthy coping strategies
It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you coped in a stress
journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you
can change or control in your life.
Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief
from stress.
Try to:
* Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
* Have a sense of purpose in life.
* Get enough sleep, because your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
* Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
* Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
* Limit your consumption of alcohol.
* Don't smoke.
Overwhelmed by others' needs?
Use your senses to distance yourself from reality: "See" a cloudless blue sky, "feel" the warmth of the sun, and "taste" that creamy piña colada. Within your
circle of solitude, no one can enter or disrupt your inner peace and harmony.
Annoyed by difficult people?
To insulate yourself from their irritating behaviors, first acknowledge how you're reacting. Recognizing your emotions enables you to develop strategies for
soothing them, which in turn delivers a sense of calming control.
Second-guessing yourself?
Our minds are often plagued by self-defeating thoughts that start with phrases like "I can't," "I'll never," and "If only." The next time your inner critic pipes up,
follow these steps to silence it: Close your eyes, breathe mindfully, and reflect on a time when you were surprised by your own strength (maybe it was when
you gave birth or quit your job to find a better one). Remembering past moments when you trusted yourself will guide you toward feeling comfortable with
your decisions now.
Falling behind?
Try making a two-column to-do list. On one side, list the high-priority tasks in order of importance; in the other column, jot down the things that can happen
tomorrow or the next day. As you complete each task on your list, cross it off with a colorful Sharpie. This visual affirmation of accomplishment is soothing,
and learning how to tackle stress before it paralyzes you is your ticket to overcoming it.
Meditate
Any repetitive action can be a source of meditation. This includes walking, swimming, painting, knitting -- any activity that helps keep your
attention calmly in the present moment.
When you catch yourself thinking about your job, your relationship or your lifelong to-do list, experts say to simply let the thought escape,
and bring your mind back the repetition of the activity. Try it for just 5 to 10 minutes a day and watch stress levels drop.
Breathe Deeply
Try this: Let out a big sigh, dropping your chest, and exhaling through gently pursed lips. Now imagine your low belly, or center, as a deep, powerful place.
Feel your breath coming and going as your mind stays focused there. Inhale, feeling your entire belly, sides and lower back expand. Exhale, sighing again
as you drop your chest, and feeling your belly, back and sides contract. Repeat 10 times, relaxing more fully each time.
Look Around You
“Mindfulness is the here-and-now approach to living that makes daily life richer and more meaningful. It’s approaching life like a child, without passing
judgment on what occurs. Mindfulness means focusing on one activity at a time, so forget multi-tasking! Staying in the present-tense can help promote
relaxation and provide a buffer against anxiety and depression.
Practice it by focusing on your immediate surroundings. If you're outdoors, enjoy the shape and colors of flowers, hear a bird’s call or consider a tree. In the
mall, look at the details of a dress in the window, examine a piece of jewelry and focus on how it's made, or window-shop for furniture, checking out every
detail of pattern and style. As long as you can keep your mind focused on something in the present, stress will take a back seat.
Drink Hot Tea
If you’re a coffee-guzzler, consider going green. Coffee raises levels of the notorious stress hormone, cortisol, while green tea
offers health and beauty.
Chamomile tea is a traditional favorite for calming the mind and reducing stress. And black tea may be a stress-fighter, too,
researchers from University College London report. Participants who drank regular black tea displayed lower levels of cortisol,
and reported feeling calmer during six weeks of stressful situations than those who drank a placebo with the same amount of
caffeine.
Take an Attitude Break and Show Some Love
Induce the relaxation response by cuddling your pet, giving an unexpected hug to a friend or family member, snuggling with your spouse, or talking to a
friend about the good things in your lives. When you do, you'll be reducing your stress levels.
Why? Experts say social interaction helps your brain think better, encouraging you to see new solutions to situations that once seemed impossible, she
says. Studies have also shown that physical contact -- like petting your dog or cat -- may actually help lower blood pressure and decrease stress hormones.
Try Self-Massage
* Place both hands on your shoulders and neck.
* Squeeze with your fingers and palms.
* Rub vigorously, keeping shoulders relaxed.
* Wrap one hand around the other forearm.
* Squeeze the muscles with thumb and fingers.
* Move up and down from your elbow to fingertips and back again.
* Repeat with other arm.
Take a Time-Out
Adults need time-outs, too. So when you sense your temper is about to erupt find a quiet place to sit or lie down and put the stressful situation on hold.
Take a few deep breaths and concentrate on releasing tension and calming your heartbeat. Quiet your mind and remember: Time is always on your side,
so relax. The stress can wait.
Try a Musical Detour
Music can calm the heartbeat and soothe the soul, the experts say. So, when the going gets rough, take a musical stress
detour by aligning your heartbeat with the slow tempo of a relaxing song. And you might want to make that a classical tune.
Research shows that listening to 30 minutes of classical music may produce calming effects equivalent to taking 10 mg of Valium.
Running late?
There's no point worrying about something you can't change.
Managing time
Time management skills can allow you to spend more time with your family and friends and possibly
increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.
* Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
* Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
* Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
* Manage your commitments by not over- or under committing. Don't commit to what is not important to you.
* Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
Build healthy coping strategies
It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you coped in a stress
journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you
can change or control in your life.
Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief
from stress.
Try to:
* Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
* Have a sense of purpose in life.
* Get enough sleep, because your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
* Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
* Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
* Limit your consumption of alcohol.
* Don't smoke.
Overwhelmed by others' needs?
Use your senses to distance yourself from reality: "See" a cloudless blue sky, "feel" the warmth of the sun, and "taste" that creamy piña colada. Within your
circle of solitude, no one can enter or disrupt your inner peace and harmony.
Annoyed by difficult people?
To insulate yourself from their irritating behaviors, first acknowledge how you're reacting. Recognizing your emotions enables you to develop strategies for
soothing them, which in turn delivers a sense of calming control.
Second-guessing yourself?
Our minds are often plagued by self-defeating thoughts that start with phrases like "I can't," "I'll never," and "If only." The next time your inner critic pipes up,
follow these steps to silence it: Close your eyes, breathe mindfully, and reflect on a time when you were surprised by your own strength (maybe it was when
you gave birth or quit your job to find a better one). Remembering past moments when you trusted yourself will guide you toward feeling comfortable with
your decisions now.
Falling behind?
Try making a two-column to-do list. On one side, list the high-priority tasks in order of importance; in the other column, jot down the things that can happen
tomorrow or the next day. As you complete each task on your list, cross it off with a colorful Sharpie. This visual affirmation of accomplishment is soothing,
and learning how to tackle stress before it paralyzes you is your ticket to overcoming it.
Meditate
Any repetitive action can be a source of meditation. This includes walking, swimming, painting, knitting -- any activity that helps keep your
attention calmly in the present moment.
When you catch yourself thinking about your job, your relationship or your lifelong to-do list, experts say to simply let the thought escape,
and bring your mind back the repetition of the activity. Try it for just 5 to 10 minutes a day and watch stress levels drop.
Breathe Deeply
Try this: Let out a big sigh, dropping your chest, and exhaling through gently pursed lips. Now imagine your low belly, or center, as a deep, powerful place.
Feel your breath coming and going as your mind stays focused there. Inhale, feeling your entire belly, sides and lower back expand. Exhale, sighing again
as you drop your chest, and feeling your belly, back and sides contract. Repeat 10 times, relaxing more fully each time.
Look Around You
“Mindfulness is the here-and-now approach to living that makes daily life richer and more meaningful. It’s approaching life like a child, without passing
judgment on what occurs. Mindfulness means focusing on one activity at a time, so forget multi-tasking! Staying in the present-tense can help promote
relaxation and provide a buffer against anxiety and depression.
Practice it by focusing on your immediate surroundings. If you're outdoors, enjoy the shape and colors of flowers, hear a bird’s call or consider a tree. In the
mall, look at the details of a dress in the window, examine a piece of jewelry and focus on how it's made, or window-shop for furniture, checking out every
detail of pattern and style. As long as you can keep your mind focused on something in the present, stress will take a back seat.
Drink Hot Tea
If you’re a coffee-guzzler, consider going green. Coffee raises levels of the notorious stress hormone, cortisol, while green tea
offers health and beauty.
Chamomile tea is a traditional favorite for calming the mind and reducing stress. And black tea may be a stress-fighter, too,
researchers from University College London report. Participants who drank regular black tea displayed lower levels of cortisol,
and reported feeling calmer during six weeks of stressful situations than those who drank a placebo with the same amount of
caffeine.
Take an Attitude Break and Show Some Love
Induce the relaxation response by cuddling your pet, giving an unexpected hug to a friend or family member, snuggling with your spouse, or talking to a
friend about the good things in your lives. When you do, you'll be reducing your stress levels.
Why? Experts say social interaction helps your brain think better, encouraging you to see new solutions to situations that once seemed impossible, she
says. Studies have also shown that physical contact -- like petting your dog or cat -- may actually help lower blood pressure and decrease stress hormones.
Try Self-Massage
* Place both hands on your shoulders and neck.
* Squeeze with your fingers and palms.
* Rub vigorously, keeping shoulders relaxed.
* Wrap one hand around the other forearm.
* Squeeze the muscles with thumb and fingers.
* Move up and down from your elbow to fingertips and back again.
* Repeat with other arm.
Take a Time-Out
Adults need time-outs, too. So when you sense your temper is about to erupt find a quiet place to sit or lie down and put the stressful situation on hold.
Take a few deep breaths and concentrate on releasing tension and calming your heartbeat. Quiet your mind and remember: Time is always on your side,
so relax. The stress can wait.
Try a Musical Detour
Music can calm the heartbeat and soothe the soul, the experts say. So, when the going gets rough, take a musical stress
detour by aligning your heartbeat with the slow tempo of a relaxing song. And you might want to make that a classical tune.
Research shows that listening to 30 minutes of classical music may produce calming effects equivalent to taking 10 mg of Valium.
Plus, some of the adjectives on food products are fancy marketing rather than fact-based claims. Take the term “natural,” for instance. Since it’s not defined
So to make the trip through the aisles a little easier, and figure out how to make the best choices, here's a little help.
* Seafood Buyer’s Guide
Keeping track of which seafood is sustainable isn’t an easy task. At present the USDA has no organic certification
program for seafood. This guide tells you what to look for at the fish counter.
Which labels to look for at the fish counter.
You may have decided to buy wild vs. farmed salmon but finding other sustainable seafood isn’t an easy task. At present the USDA has no organic
certification program for seafood (an organic seafood label may mean nothing or that the fish was certified “organic” overseas). For sound environmental
information, go the Blue Ocean Institute and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch websites. At the fish counter, look for the labels listed on the
following pages.
Sustainable Seafood Advice
Blue Ocean Institute, led by noted marine biologist Carl Safina, has a Guide to Ocean-Friendly Seafood that gives each species of fish a green (good),
yellow or red (avoid) rating. For example, green fish are relatively abundant and their fishing or farming methods do little damage to natural habitats and
other wildlife; a “red” rank means the species is subject to overfishing or is farmed using methods that harm the environment or wild fish. Search the guide
(and download a wallet-size card of it) at blueoceaninstitute.org/seafood—or by entering fishphone.org into your PDA browser.
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch recommends fish based on current scientific data on environmental and health concerns and direct interactions
with fishery and fish-farm operators.
Marine Stewardship Council
Fisheries and fish farms sporting this label have paid to be certified for the condition of available stocks, the management system and
the impact on the environment. Products can be traced directly back to the source.
* Eco-benefits: The statistics on global fish stocks are grim: 52 percent of fish stocks are fully exploited, which means that they are being fished at their
maximum biological capacity; 24 percent are overexploited, meaning they are depleted or recovering from depletion; and 21 percent are moderately
exploited.
* Is it regulated? Yes. The agency certification lasts for five years with yearly audits.
* Keep in mind: Fish without the label may be equally sustainable but the farms and fisheries from which they came might have chosen not to invest in
certification.
Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)
This label is for farmed shrimp, catfish and tilapia, raised without antibiotics and in conditions that exceed local environmental regulations.
Plants that process the fish employ safe-packaging practices to reduce risk of food borne illnesses.
sediment, impacting mangroves where wild fish spawn or, in the case of shrimp, scraping the bottoms through drag netting. Only farms prohibiting practices
that harm natural habitats are eligible for the label.
* Is it regulated? Yes. Site inspections and audits implemented by the nonprofit Aquaculture Certification Council ensure that farms and processing plants
meet environmental and safety standards.
* Keep in mind: The label applies only to farmed—not wild—shrimp and fish.
Safe Harbor
All fish sold in the U.S. should contain less than the Food and Drug Administration’s safe methylmercury limit of 1 ppm, but not
every fish is analyzed. Seafood with this label has been tested for mercury levels and has met Safe Harbor’s standard for that
specific species—a threshold that’s lower than the FDA’s 1 ppm “action level” and the average mercury content level for that type
of fish.
* Eco-benefits: Reduced exposure to mercury, which may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system.
* Is it regulated? Yes. Only fish that have been tested for mercury and meet the standards get the stamp.
* Keep in mind: The label does not necessarily mean that the fish you’re buying is low in mercury; it just means it’s lower than average for that species. For
example, it’s prudent for pregnant women to avoid all swordfish (which is very high in mercury)—even that which bears the Safe Harbor seal.
* Meat and Poultry Buyer’s Guide
Meat and poultry labels are confusing. What does “Natural” on that package of chicken breast mean? Why does “Certified Organic” cost so much? What’s a
meat-eater to do? This guide will help you make choices that are best for you.
When it comes to buying meat and poultry, the greener choices are not always obvious.
Meat and poultry labels are confusing these days. What does “Natural” on that package of chicken breast mean? Why does “Certified Organic” cost so
much? What’s a meat-eater to do? Our green guide to meat and poultry will help you make choices that are best for you.
Grass-Fed and -Finished (beef, lamb, bison)
Grass-fed animals eat nothing but their mother’s milk, fresh grass and cut hay for their entire lives—versus animals raised conventionally, which graze until
they reach a certain weight, then are sent to feedlots, where they are “finished” on grain diets until they reach market size.
* Health benefits: Some research suggests that grass-fed meats are richer in omega-3 fats and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than those raised on grains.
* Eco-benefits: Grass-fed-meat farms voluntarily certified by the American Grassfed Association (AGA, americangrassfed.org) do not use antibiotics (which
can end up in water systems) or grains (which require land to grow them and fuel to transport).
* Is it regulated? A definition of “grass-fed” proposed by the USDA is still in a comment period. Many, including the AGA, consider the USDA’s proposed
definition too lax as it allows for hormone and antibiotic use and some grain feeding.
* Keep in mind: “Partially grass-fed” means cattle are grain-finished. Not all grass-fed beef is organic.
Certified Organic (beef, pork, lamb, bison, poultry)
Organic standards prohibit all use of antibiotics and hormones. (Hormone use in poultry and pork production—
even conventional—has been banned since 1959.) All feed is vegetarian and certified organic—including pastureland—
which means that it is not treated with pesticides or herbicides and cannot be genetically modified. Animals have access
to pastureland, sunlight and enough land for exercise, and grazing is done in a manner that does not degrade the land
through erosion or contamination. Animal cloning is forbidden.
* Health benefits: Since USDA-certified organic labeling requires that animals be traced from birth to slaughter (including feed sources and medications),
problems related to animal diseases and human foodborne illness can be easily traced to the source.
* Eco-benefits: Organic standards ban the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, which leach into groundwater and ultimately end up in public water
supplies.
* Is it regulated? The USDA regulates the Certified Organic standard and independent agencies conduct farm inspections.
* Keep in mind: Organic doesn’t necessarily mean grass-fed; however, certified organic livestock generally graze on open-range land three to six months
longer than conventionally raised livestock to reach market size.
Certified Humane (beef, pork, lamb, poultry)
This label guarantees that animals have freedom to move and prohibits crates and tie-downs in stalls, as well as artificial means to
induce growth, such as continuous barn lights for broiler chickens.
* Eco-benefits: Certified Humane prohibits the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, two factors in groundwater pollution.
* Is it regulated? Yes. Certified Humane standards are endorsed by several animal-rights organizations, including the ASPCA
and the Humane Society. Producers are audited by third-party groups.
* Keep in mind: This label does not mean animals are certified organic.
Natural (beef, pork, lamb, poultry)
* Health benefits: Natural meats have no nitrites or nitrates, preservatives that have been linked in some children and women to various types of cancer.
* Eco-benefits: “Natural” has no substantial environmental benefit.
* Is it regulated? It is a term defined by the USDA but not regulated.
* Keep in mind: “Natural” alone says nothing about how an animal was raised.
* Produce Buyer’s Guide
The greenest choice for produce? Grow your own or buy organic produce from local farmers. But if you can’t do that, consider choosing foods with these
labels.
At the farmers’ market, or the supermarket, what do those labels mean?
The greenest choice for produce? Grow your own or buy organic produce from local farmers. It’s good for your local economy, not to mention fresher and
better tasting. Much of the fresh produce you’ll find in a typical grocery store has been picked before it is ripe, then shipped a long distance which gives it
less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Even if they seem ripe these vegetables will never have the same nutritive value as if they had
been allowed to fully ripen on the vine. In addition, during the long haul from farm to fork, fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to lots of heat and light,
which degrade some nutrients, especially delicate ones like vitamin C and the B vitamin Thiamin.
And then there are pesticides to consider. According to the USDA’s pesticide data program, imported fruits and vegetables often have higher residual
pesticide levels than domestically grown produce. So the best thing to do when vegetables are in season is to buy them fresh and ripe, and as close to
home as possible. If you can’t do that, consider choosing foods with the following labels:
Local
Locally sourced food can mean just about anything—your backyard, your county, your state, 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles, and so on. Many state labels (e.
g., Colorado Proud) mandate only that food is grown and processed within the state.
* Health benefits: Locally grown foods are often picked when they are riper (since they take less time to travel to market) and can be richer in nutrients
because of this.
* Eco-benefits: Buying locally can conserve fuel that would be used to transport food long distances. According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable
Agriculture at Iowa State (www.leopold.iastate.edu), if Iowans purchased only 10 percent more of their food from within their home states, it would result in as
much as a 7.9 million pound reduction in carbon emissions annually. However, research out of the UK and New Zealand suggests that, in some cases,
imported foods may be kinder to the environment because they originate in countries that use simpler farming methods (think: ox cart versus a tractor) or
more fuel-efficient transportation systems.
* Is it regulated? No.
* Keep in mind: “Local” doesn’t necessarily mean a farm is small, organic or sustainable.
Certified Organic
Certified organic fruits and vegetables are grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides, genetically modified seeds or sewage sludge fertilizers.
Farmers must conserve soil quality and often use nontoxic Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, such as using ladybugs to control aphids or mint
oils and cloves to deter pests.
* Health benefits: Some preliminary research suggests that organic farming may, in some cases, increase the concentration of certain nutrients, such as
antioxidants. It also reduces the chance of consuming minimal amounts of pesticide residues that can accumulate in fruits and vegetables.
* Eco-benefits: Organic farming eliminates the pesticides and herbicides that can impact groundwater and aquatic plants, fish, birds or other wildlife. It also
bans genetically modified crops, some of which can cross-pollinate and ultimately destroy the reproduction systems of non-GMO plants. Per bushel of corn,
organic farming takes about 30 percent less energy than conventional farming, according to a recent review published by the Organic Center, a Rhode
Island-based nonprofit.
* Is it regulated? Yes, USDA monitors products with Certified Organic labels
* Keep in mind: Organic standards apply only to farming methods and do not regulate a sustainable production or packaging program and place no
limitations on farm size. Also, many small farms may be organic but cannot afford the elaborate USDA certification process needed to get an official label.
Biodynamic
Biodynamic is one of several farming practices that take the basics of organic farming a step further and look at a farm as a self-sustaining
organism that thrives on the integration of crops and livestock, recycling of nutrients, maintenance of soil, and the well-being of entire
ecosystems and communities. One of the best-known, Biodynamic is one of the few that is labeled and certified.
* Health benefits: The same as organic: some preliminary research suggests that organic farming may, in some cases, increase the concentration of certain
nutrients, such as antioxidants. It also reduces the chance of consuming minimal amounts of pesticide residues that can accumulate in fruits and vegetables.
* Eco-benefits: Everything from water collection and runoff to distribution is done following the best practices for sustainability. A 1993 study of 16 farms in
New Zealand showed the Demeter-certified biodynamic farms to be equally productive but to have much higher soil quality than their conventional
counterparts.
* Is it regulated? Yes, by the independent Demeter Association.
* Keep in mind: Biodynamic principles extend to distribution (which is primarily local) so products are usually available only through co-ops, CSAs and
farmers’ markets.
Organic or Not?
Organic versus conventional produce
Is organic produce healthier than conventional? Here are three facts to consider:
1. Eating organic berries instead of conventional ones can reduce your exposure to pesticides, and recent research suggests that it also may give you a
nutrient boost. Last year, a study out of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom reported that organic produce boasted up to 40 percent higher levels of
some nutrients (including vitamin C, zinc and iron) than its conventional counterparts.
2. Additionally, a 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organically grown berries and corn contained 58 percent more
polyphenols—antioxidants that help prevent cardiovascular disease—and up to 52 percent higher levels of vitamin C than those conventionally grown.
3. Recent research by that study’s lead author, Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., an associate professor of food science and technology at University of California,
Davis, pinpoints the mechanism by which organic techniques may sometimes yield superior produce. It’s a difference in soil fertility, says Mitchell: “With
organic methods, the plants glean the nitrogen from composted soil and grow slowly, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional
liquid fertilizers grow like crazy and use less energy to develop antioxidants.”
Buying conventional produce from local farmers also has benefits. Nutrient values in produce peak at prime ripeness, just after harvest. As a general rule,
the less produce has to travel, the fresher and more nutrient-rich it remains.
Bottom line: Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables in general [not necessarily organic ones] is the point. If buying all organic isn’t a priority—or a financial
reality for you—you might opt for organic specifically when you’re selecting foods that are most heavily contaminated with pesticide and insecticide residues.
According to the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org), those include peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce,
imported grapes and pears.
So to make the trip through the aisles a little easier, and figure out how to make the best choices, here's a little help.
* Seafood Buyer’s Guide
Keeping track of which seafood is sustainable isn’t an easy task. At present the USDA has no organic certification
program for seafood. This guide tells you what to look for at the fish counter.
Which labels to look for at the fish counter.
You may have decided to buy wild vs. farmed salmon but finding other sustainable seafood isn’t an easy task. At present the USDA has no organic
certification program for seafood (an organic seafood label may mean nothing or that the fish was certified “organic” overseas). For sound environmental
information, go the Blue Ocean Institute and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch websites. At the fish counter, look for the labels listed on the
following pages.
Sustainable Seafood Advice
Blue Ocean Institute, led by noted marine biologist Carl Safina, has a Guide to Ocean-Friendly Seafood that gives each species of fish a green (good),
yellow or red (avoid) rating. For example, green fish are relatively abundant and their fishing or farming methods do little damage to natural habitats and
other wildlife; a “red” rank means the species is subject to overfishing or is farmed using methods that harm the environment or wild fish. Search the guide
(and download a wallet-size card of it) at blueoceaninstitute.org/seafood—or by entering fishphone.org into your PDA browser.
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch recommends fish based on current scientific data on environmental and health concerns and direct interactions
with fishery and fish-farm operators.
Marine Stewardship Council
Fisheries and fish farms sporting this label have paid to be certified for the condition of available stocks, the management system and
the impact on the environment. Products can be traced directly back to the source.
* Eco-benefits: The statistics on global fish stocks are grim: 52 percent of fish stocks are fully exploited, which means that they are being fished at their
maximum biological capacity; 24 percent are overexploited, meaning they are depleted or recovering from depletion; and 21 percent are moderately
exploited.
* Is it regulated? Yes. The agency certification lasts for five years with yearly audits.
* Keep in mind: Fish without the label may be equally sustainable but the farms and fisheries from which they came might have chosen not to invest in
certification.
Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)
This label is for farmed shrimp, catfish and tilapia, raised without antibiotics and in conditions that exceed local environmental regulations.
Plants that process the fish employ safe-packaging practices to reduce risk of food borne illnesses.
sediment, impacting mangroves where wild fish spawn or, in the case of shrimp, scraping the bottoms through drag netting. Only farms prohibiting practices
that harm natural habitats are eligible for the label.
* Is it regulated? Yes. Site inspections and audits implemented by the nonprofit Aquaculture Certification Council ensure that farms and processing plants
meet environmental and safety standards.
* Keep in mind: The label applies only to farmed—not wild—shrimp and fish.
Safe Harbor
All fish sold in the U.S. should contain less than the Food and Drug Administration’s safe methylmercury limit of 1 ppm, but not
every fish is analyzed. Seafood with this label has been tested for mercury levels and has met Safe Harbor’s standard for that
specific species—a threshold that’s lower than the FDA’s 1 ppm “action level” and the average mercury content level for that type
of fish.
* Eco-benefits: Reduced exposure to mercury, which may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system.
* Is it regulated? Yes. Only fish that have been tested for mercury and meet the standards get the stamp.
* Keep in mind: The label does not necessarily mean that the fish you’re buying is low in mercury; it just means it’s lower than average for that species. For
example, it’s prudent for pregnant women to avoid all swordfish (which is very high in mercury)—even that which bears the Safe Harbor seal.
* Meat and Poultry Buyer’s Guide
Meat and poultry labels are confusing. What does “Natural” on that package of chicken breast mean? Why does “Certified Organic” cost so much? What’s a
meat-eater to do? This guide will help you make choices that are best for you.
When it comes to buying meat and poultry, the greener choices are not always obvious.
Meat and poultry labels are confusing these days. What does “Natural” on that package of chicken breast mean? Why does “Certified Organic” cost so
much? What’s a meat-eater to do? Our green guide to meat and poultry will help you make choices that are best for you.
Grass-Fed and -Finished (beef, lamb, bison)
Grass-fed animals eat nothing but their mother’s milk, fresh grass and cut hay for their entire lives—versus animals raised conventionally, which graze until
they reach a certain weight, then are sent to feedlots, where they are “finished” on grain diets until they reach market size.
* Health benefits: Some research suggests that grass-fed meats are richer in omega-3 fats and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than those raised on grains.
* Eco-benefits: Grass-fed-meat farms voluntarily certified by the American Grassfed Association (AGA, americangrassfed.org) do not use antibiotics (which
can end up in water systems) or grains (which require land to grow them and fuel to transport).
* Is it regulated? A definition of “grass-fed” proposed by the USDA is still in a comment period. Many, including the AGA, consider the USDA’s proposed
definition too lax as it allows for hormone and antibiotic use and some grain feeding.
* Keep in mind: “Partially grass-fed” means cattle are grain-finished. Not all grass-fed beef is organic.
Certified Organic (beef, pork, lamb, bison, poultry)
Organic standards prohibit all use of antibiotics and hormones. (Hormone use in poultry and pork production—
even conventional—has been banned since 1959.) All feed is vegetarian and certified organic—including pastureland—
which means that it is not treated with pesticides or herbicides and cannot be genetically modified. Animals have access
to pastureland, sunlight and enough land for exercise, and grazing is done in a manner that does not degrade the land
through erosion or contamination. Animal cloning is forbidden.
* Health benefits: Since USDA-certified organic labeling requires that animals be traced from birth to slaughter (including feed sources and medications),
problems related to animal diseases and human foodborne illness can be easily traced to the source.
* Eco-benefits: Organic standards ban the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, which leach into groundwater and ultimately end up in public water
supplies.
* Is it regulated? The USDA regulates the Certified Organic standard and independent agencies conduct farm inspections.
* Keep in mind: Organic doesn’t necessarily mean grass-fed; however, certified organic livestock generally graze on open-range land three to six months
longer than conventionally raised livestock to reach market size.
Certified Humane (beef, pork, lamb, poultry)
This label guarantees that animals have freedom to move and prohibits crates and tie-downs in stalls, as well as artificial means to
induce growth, such as continuous barn lights for broiler chickens.
* Eco-benefits: Certified Humane prohibits the use of antibiotics and growth hormones, two factors in groundwater pollution.
* Is it regulated? Yes. Certified Humane standards are endorsed by several animal-rights organizations, including the ASPCA
and the Humane Society. Producers are audited by third-party groups.
* Keep in mind: This label does not mean animals are certified organic.
Natural (beef, pork, lamb, poultry)
* Health benefits: Natural meats have no nitrites or nitrates, preservatives that have been linked in some children and women to various types of cancer.
* Eco-benefits: “Natural” has no substantial environmental benefit.
* Is it regulated? It is a term defined by the USDA but not regulated.
* Keep in mind: “Natural” alone says nothing about how an animal was raised.
* Produce Buyer’s Guide
The greenest choice for produce? Grow your own or buy organic produce from local farmers. But if you can’t do that, consider choosing foods with these
labels.
At the farmers’ market, or the supermarket, what do those labels mean?
The greenest choice for produce? Grow your own or buy organic produce from local farmers. It’s good for your local economy, not to mention fresher and
better tasting. Much of the fresh produce you’ll find in a typical grocery store has been picked before it is ripe, then shipped a long distance which gives it
less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Even if they seem ripe these vegetables will never have the same nutritive value as if they had
been allowed to fully ripen on the vine. In addition, during the long haul from farm to fork, fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to lots of heat and light,
which degrade some nutrients, especially delicate ones like vitamin C and the B vitamin Thiamin.
And then there are pesticides to consider. According to the USDA’s pesticide data program, imported fruits and vegetables often have higher residual
pesticide levels than domestically grown produce. So the best thing to do when vegetables are in season is to buy them fresh and ripe, and as close to
home as possible. If you can’t do that, consider choosing foods with the following labels:
Local
Locally sourced food can mean just about anything—your backyard, your county, your state, 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles, and so on. Many state labels (e.
g., Colorado Proud) mandate only that food is grown and processed within the state.
* Health benefits: Locally grown foods are often picked when they are riper (since they take less time to travel to market) and can be richer in nutrients
because of this.
* Eco-benefits: Buying locally can conserve fuel that would be used to transport food long distances. According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable
Agriculture at Iowa State (www.leopold.iastate.edu), if Iowans purchased only 10 percent more of their food from within their home states, it would result in as
much as a 7.9 million pound reduction in carbon emissions annually. However, research out of the UK and New Zealand suggests that, in some cases,
imported foods may be kinder to the environment because they originate in countries that use simpler farming methods (think: ox cart versus a tractor) or
more fuel-efficient transportation systems.
* Is it regulated? No.
* Keep in mind: “Local” doesn’t necessarily mean a farm is small, organic or sustainable.
Certified Organic
Certified organic fruits and vegetables are grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides, genetically modified seeds or sewage sludge fertilizers.
Farmers must conserve soil quality and often use nontoxic Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, such as using ladybugs to control aphids or mint
oils and cloves to deter pests.
* Health benefits: Some preliminary research suggests that organic farming may, in some cases, increase the concentration of certain nutrients, such as
antioxidants. It also reduces the chance of consuming minimal amounts of pesticide residues that can accumulate in fruits and vegetables.
* Eco-benefits: Organic farming eliminates the pesticides and herbicides that can impact groundwater and aquatic plants, fish, birds or other wildlife. It also
bans genetically modified crops, some of which can cross-pollinate and ultimately destroy the reproduction systems of non-GMO plants. Per bushel of corn,
organic farming takes about 30 percent less energy than conventional farming, according to a recent review published by the Organic Center, a Rhode
Island-based nonprofit.
* Is it regulated? Yes, USDA monitors products with Certified Organic labels
* Keep in mind: Organic standards apply only to farming methods and do not regulate a sustainable production or packaging program and place no
limitations on farm size. Also, many small farms may be organic but cannot afford the elaborate USDA certification process needed to get an official label.
Biodynamic
Biodynamic is one of several farming practices that take the basics of organic farming a step further and look at a farm as a self-sustaining
organism that thrives on the integration of crops and livestock, recycling of nutrients, maintenance of soil, and the well-being of entire
ecosystems and communities. One of the best-known, Biodynamic is one of the few that is labeled and certified.
* Health benefits: The same as organic: some preliminary research suggests that organic farming may, in some cases, increase the concentration of certain
nutrients, such as antioxidants. It also reduces the chance of consuming minimal amounts of pesticide residues that can accumulate in fruits and vegetables.
* Eco-benefits: Everything from water collection and runoff to distribution is done following the best practices for sustainability. A 1993 study of 16 farms in
New Zealand showed the Demeter-certified biodynamic farms to be equally productive but to have much higher soil quality than their conventional
counterparts.
* Is it regulated? Yes, by the independent Demeter Association.
* Keep in mind: Biodynamic principles extend to distribution (which is primarily local) so products are usually available only through co-ops, CSAs and
farmers’ markets.
Organic or Not?
Organic versus conventional produce
Is organic produce healthier than conventional? Here are three facts to consider:
1. Eating organic berries instead of conventional ones can reduce your exposure to pesticides, and recent research suggests that it also may give you a
nutrient boost. Last year, a study out of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom reported that organic produce boasted up to 40 percent higher levels of
some nutrients (including vitamin C, zinc and iron) than its conventional counterparts.
2. Additionally, a 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organically grown berries and corn contained 58 percent more
polyphenols—antioxidants that help prevent cardiovascular disease—and up to 52 percent higher levels of vitamin C than those conventionally grown.
3. Recent research by that study’s lead author, Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., an associate professor of food science and technology at University of California,
Davis, pinpoints the mechanism by which organic techniques may sometimes yield superior produce. It’s a difference in soil fertility, says Mitchell: “With
organic methods, the plants glean the nitrogen from composted soil and grow slowly, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional
liquid fertilizers grow like crazy and use less energy to develop antioxidants.”
Buying conventional produce from local farmers also has benefits. Nutrient values in produce peak at prime ripeness, just after harvest. As a general rule,
the less produce has to travel, the fresher and more nutrient-rich it remains.
Bottom line: Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables in general [not necessarily organic ones] is the point. If buying all organic isn’t a priority—or a financial
reality for you—you might opt for organic specifically when you’re selecting foods that are most heavily contaminated with pesticide and insecticide residues.
According to the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org), those include peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce,
imported grapes and pears.
Apples
Protects your heart
Prevents Constipation
Blocks Diarrhea
Improves Lung Capacity
Cushions Joints
Protects your heart
Prevents Constipation
Blocks Diarrhea
Improves Lung Capacity
Cushions Joints
Food for Good Health
Artichokes
Protects your heart
Antioxidant Superfood
Beneficial to diabetics
Protects your heart
Antioxidant Superfood
Beneficial to diabetics
Apricots
Combats cancer
Controls blood pressure
Saves your eyesight
Shields against Alzheimer's
Slows aging process
Combats cancer
Controls blood pressure
Saves your eyesight
Shields against Alzheimer's
Slows aging process
Bananas
Protects Your Heart
Quiets A Cough
Strengthens Bones
Controls Blood Pressure
Blocks Diarrhea
Protects Your Heart
Quiets A Cough
Strengthens Bones
Controls Blood Pressure
Blocks Diarrhea
Broccoli
Strengthens Bones
Saves Eyesight
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Controls Blood Pressure
Strengthens Bones
Saves Eyesight
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Controls Blood Pressure
Blueberries
Combats Cancer
Stabilizes Blood Sugar
Boosts Memory
Prevents Constipation
Combats Cancer
Stabilizes Blood Sugar
Boosts Memory
Prevents Constipation
Saves Eyesight
Protects Your Heart
Prevents Constipation
Combats Cancer
Promotes Weight Loss
Protects Your Heart
Prevents Constipation
Combats Cancer
Promotes Weight Loss
Fish
Protects Your Heart
Boosts Memory
Protects Your Heart
Combats Cancer
Supports Immune System
Protects Your Heart
Boosts Memory
Protects Your Heart
Combats Cancer
Supports Immune System
Figs
Promotes Weight Loss
Helps Stop Strokes
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls Blood Pressure
Promotes Weight Loss
Helps Stop Strokes
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls Blood Pressure
Garlic
Lowers Cholesterol
Controls Blood Pressure
Kills Bacteria
Fights Fungus
Lowers Cholesterol
Controls Blood Pressure
Kills Bacteria
Fights Fungus
Grapefruit
Protect From HeartAttacks
Promotes Weight Loss
Helps Stops Strokes
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers Cholesterol
Protect From HeartAttacks
Promotes Weight Loss
Helps Stops Strokes
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers Cholesterol
Green Tea
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Helps Stops Strokes
Promotes Weight Loss
Kills Bacteria
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Helps Stops Strokes
Promotes Weight Loss
Kills Bacteria
Honey
Heals Wounds
Aids Digestion
Guards Against Ulcers
Increases Energy
Fights Allergies
Heals Wounds
Aids Digestion
Guards Against Ulcers
Increases Energy
Fights Allergies
Grapes
Saves Eyesight
Conquers Kidney Stones
Combats Cancer
Enhances Blood Flow
Saves Eyesight
Conquers Kidney Stones
Combats Cancer
Enhances Blood Flow
Mangoes
Combats Cancer
Boosts Memory
Regulates Thyroid
Aids Digestion
Shields Against Alzheimer's
Combats Cancer
Boosts Memory
Regulates Thyroid
Aids Digestion
Shields Against Alzheimer's
Limes
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Controls Blood Pressure
Smooths Skin
Stops scurvy
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Controls Blood Pressure
Smooths Skin
Stops scurvy
Oats
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Battles Diabetes
Smooths Skin
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Battles Diabetes
Smooths Skin
Olives
Protects Your Heart
Promotes Weight Loss
Combats Cancer
Battles Diabetes
Smooths Skin
Protects Your Heart
Promotes Weight Loss
Combats Cancer
Battles Diabetes
Smooths Skin
Olive Oil
Protects Your Heart
Promotes Weight
Loss Combats Cancer
Battles Diabetes
Smooths Skin
Protects Your Heart
Promotes Weight
Loss Combats Cancer
Battles Diabetes
Smooths Skin
Oranges
Supports Immune Systems
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Strengthens Respiration
Supports Immune Systems
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Strengthens Respiration
Onions
Reduce HeartAttack
Risk Combats Cancer
Kills Bacteria
Lowers Cholesterol
Fights Fungus
Reduce HeartAttack
Risk Combats Cancer
Kills Bacteria
Lowers Cholesterol
Fights Fungus
Pineapple
Strengthens Bones
Relieves Colds
Aids Digestion
Dissolves Warts
Blocks Diarrhea
Strengthens Bones
Relieves Colds
Aids Digestion
Dissolves Warts
Blocks Diarrhea
Peanuts
Protects Against HeartDisease
Promotes Weight Loss
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers Cholesterol
Aggravates Diverticulitis
Protects Against HeartDisease
Promotes Weight Loss
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers Cholesterol
Aggravates Diverticulitis
Strawberries
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Boosts Memory
Calms Stress
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Boosts Memory
Calms Stress
Prunes
Slows Aging Process
Prevents Constipation
Boosts Memory
Lowers Cholesterol
Protects Against HeartDisease
Slows Aging Process
Prevents Constipation
Boosts Memory
Lowers Cholesterol
Protects Against HeartDisease
Walnuts
Lowers Cholesterol Combats
Cancer
Boosts Memory
Lifts Mood
Protects Against HeartDisease
Lowers Cholesterol Combats
Cancer
Boosts Memory
Lifts Mood
Protects Against HeartDisease
Tomatoes
Protects Prostate
Combats Cancer
Lowers Cholesterol
Protects Your Heart
Protects Prostate
Combats Cancer
Lowers Cholesterol
Protects Your Heart
5 Veggies That Make Any Salad Super-Healthy
Five salad veggies have turned out to be antioxidant superstars. Toss a handful into any bowl and you'll instantly up your defenses against everything from
wrinkles to heart disease and even help make your Real Age younger. Punch up the antioxidant power even more by seasoning some olive oil and vinegar
with a few of the herbs and spices below. Health food doesn't get any easy-breezier!
5 Superstar Veggies
Artichokes
Radishes
Broccoli
Red chicory
Leeks
7 Stellar Seasonings
Sage
Rosemary
Marjoram
Thyme
Tarragon
Cumin
Fresh ginger
Garlic
The #1 Vegetable
Of the 27 vegetables scientists studied, the almighty artichoke led the antioxidant pack. Plus it's rich in both fiber and folate, two good-for-you nutrients.
Look for plump but compact globe-like artichokes with thick, green, fresh-looking scales.
The Runners-Up
Radishes, broccoli, and even luscious leeks are stocked in most supermarkets. But what's red chicory? An Italian salad favorite with an oddly appealing
bitter taste. Try mixing it with romaine.
The High-Powered Herbs and Spices
Sage, rosemary, and thyme. Cumin, a spice used heavily in Indian food, is even more impressive, as is ginger. But experiment: All of these seasonings are
simple ways to boost the health -- and flavor -- of any salad (soups too).
Five salad veggies have turned out to be antioxidant superstars. Toss a handful into any bowl and you'll instantly up your defenses against everything from
wrinkles to heart disease and even help make your Real Age younger. Punch up the antioxidant power even more by seasoning some olive oil and vinegar
with a few of the herbs and spices below. Health food doesn't get any easy-breezier!
5 Superstar Veggies
Artichokes
Radishes
Broccoli
Red chicory
Leeks
7 Stellar Seasonings
Sage
Rosemary
Marjoram
Thyme
Tarragon
Cumin
Fresh ginger
Garlic
The #1 Vegetable
Of the 27 vegetables scientists studied, the almighty artichoke led the antioxidant pack. Plus it's rich in both fiber and folate, two good-for-you nutrients.
Look for plump but compact globe-like artichokes with thick, green, fresh-looking scales.
The Runners-Up
Radishes, broccoli, and even luscious leeks are stocked in most supermarkets. But what's red chicory? An Italian salad favorite with an oddly appealing
bitter taste. Try mixing it with romaine.
The High-Powered Herbs and Spices
Sage, rosemary, and thyme. Cumin, a spice used heavily in Indian food, is even more impressive, as is ginger. But experiment: All of these seasonings are
simple ways to boost the health -- and flavor -- of any salad (soups too).
18 Foods That Make Your Skin Glow
Firm and Bright
You’re probably up to your eyebrows with hearing “eat more fruits and vegetables.” But if you have yet to take that advice to heart, maybe knowing that
they prevent wrinkles will do the trick. The colorful pigments that produce bright orange and red also refill antioxidant levels in your skin.
Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cantaloupe
What they do: Replenish your skin’s supply of antioxidants,
so they're ready to scarf up free radicals whenever they
make an appearance. Free rads are highly reactive oxygen
molecules that damage cells and contribute to just about
everything that can go wrong with skin, from dryness to crinkles.
Fresh and Juicy
Your body can’t store much wrinkle-fighting vitamin C, so you need to keep your supplies stocked. The easiest, simplest way: Have some citrus every day.
Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit
Actually, ounce for ounce, oranges are the top
citrus C source but you can only eat so many, right?
For variety, make lemonade, squeeze limes on
melon, add grapefruit to salad, and instead of
drinking soda, fizz up OJ with sparkling water. It all adds up.
What they do: Keep skin’s vitamin C levels high. While C’s a nifty antioxidant, that’s not the key reason it’s here. It helps keeps collagen -- the supportive
protein fibers that stop skin from sagging -- strong and resilient. (Flimsy collagen means lines and wrinkles.) Since collagen breakdown really picks up in
your mid-30s, eat citrus early and often to head off aging.
Smoothing and Soothing
There’s a particularly potent antioxidant known as EGCG that does all kinds of good things for skin. The best place to find it? True teas: black, green, or
white (not herbal). Brew a teapot full every morning, so that sipping four to six cups throughout the day is a no-brainer.
Green Tea
While all true teas contain EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the various types of green tea have the most.
Wechsler’s personal favorite is hojicha green tea (available at http://www.adagio.com/). “The roasting process that
turns this green tea a brownish color also lowers its caffeine content,” she says -- handy if you’re caffeine sensitive
or it’s one of those days when you do not need another stimulant.
What it does: Gives your skin a healthy dose of EGCG, which is a great multi-tasker. EGCG puts a damper on
inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging; it also helps prevent skin cancer; and it has a
lion-tamer effect on tumor cells. What’s more, green tea contains L-theanine, a de-tensing amino acid --
and anything you can do to staunch the flow of the stress hormone cortisol helps keep collagen fibers intact.
Green and Leafy
Certain dark leafy greens, whether they’re fresh, frozen, raw, or steamed, really deliver on vitamin A, one of the most skin-essential vitamins going.
The skin doc’s 3 top picks: Spinach, Turnip Greens, Broccoli
What they do: Deliver a hefty supply of vitamin A, which supports
skin cell turnover, the process that keeps cell growth and
development humming along flawlessly. Without enough A, skin
becomes dry, tough, and scaly.
Fisherman’s Favorites
Several cold-water catches give your skin a double benefit: age-fighting omega-3 fatty acids plus the restorative powers of protein.
Salmon, Trout, Tuna, Atlantic Mackerel, Sardines, Pacific Herring, Most Shellfish
Just don’t, uh, go overboard. As good as omega-3s are for skin (and the rest of you, too), worries about the amount of mercury in many fish mean it’s smart
to limit seafood to two meals a week. That’s a must for women who are or might become pregnant or are nursing, and for young children, too. (Go here for
the government’s fish guidelines.)
What they do: Omega-3s fight inflammation, now considered one of the top skin-agers, and they also help protect against sunburn, enhancing the effects
of your SPF sunscreen. Protein is required to build and repair skin cells and to make enzymes and hormones that help keep it glowing.
Fill your weekly grocery cart with all of the above foods and you won’t just look younger, you’ll be younger. Eating at least 1 serving of fish a week and
getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements lower your biological age. In fact, the antioxidants alone can make your Real
Age up to 6 years younger.
Firm and Bright
You’re probably up to your eyebrows with hearing “eat more fruits and vegetables.” But if you have yet to take that advice to heart, maybe knowing that
they prevent wrinkles will do the trick. The colorful pigments that produce bright orange and red also refill antioxidant levels in your skin.
Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cantaloupe
What they do: Replenish your skin’s supply of antioxidants,
so they're ready to scarf up free radicals whenever they
make an appearance. Free rads are highly reactive oxygen
molecules that damage cells and contribute to just about
everything that can go wrong with skin, from dryness to crinkles.
Fresh and Juicy
Your body can’t store much wrinkle-fighting vitamin C, so you need to keep your supplies stocked. The easiest, simplest way: Have some citrus every day.
Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit
Actually, ounce for ounce, oranges are the top
citrus C source but you can only eat so many, right?
For variety, make lemonade, squeeze limes on
melon, add grapefruit to salad, and instead of
drinking soda, fizz up OJ with sparkling water. It all adds up.
What they do: Keep skin’s vitamin C levels high. While C’s a nifty antioxidant, that’s not the key reason it’s here. It helps keeps collagen -- the supportive
protein fibers that stop skin from sagging -- strong and resilient. (Flimsy collagen means lines and wrinkles.) Since collagen breakdown really picks up in
your mid-30s, eat citrus early and often to head off aging.
Smoothing and Soothing
There’s a particularly potent antioxidant known as EGCG that does all kinds of good things for skin. The best place to find it? True teas: black, green, or
white (not herbal). Brew a teapot full every morning, so that sipping four to six cups throughout the day is a no-brainer.
Green Tea
While all true teas contain EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the various types of green tea have the most.
Wechsler’s personal favorite is hojicha green tea (available at http://www.adagio.com/). “The roasting process that
turns this green tea a brownish color also lowers its caffeine content,” she says -- handy if you’re caffeine sensitive
or it’s one of those days when you do not need another stimulant.
What it does: Gives your skin a healthy dose of EGCG, which is a great multi-tasker. EGCG puts a damper on
inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging; it also helps prevent skin cancer; and it has a
lion-tamer effect on tumor cells. What’s more, green tea contains L-theanine, a de-tensing amino acid --
and anything you can do to staunch the flow of the stress hormone cortisol helps keep collagen fibers intact.
Green and Leafy
Certain dark leafy greens, whether they’re fresh, frozen, raw, or steamed, really deliver on vitamin A, one of the most skin-essential vitamins going.
The skin doc’s 3 top picks: Spinach, Turnip Greens, Broccoli
What they do: Deliver a hefty supply of vitamin A, which supports
skin cell turnover, the process that keeps cell growth and
development humming along flawlessly. Without enough A, skin
becomes dry, tough, and scaly.
Fisherman’s Favorites
Several cold-water catches give your skin a double benefit: age-fighting omega-3 fatty acids plus the restorative powers of protein.
Salmon, Trout, Tuna, Atlantic Mackerel, Sardines, Pacific Herring, Most Shellfish
Just don’t, uh, go overboard. As good as omega-3s are for skin (and the rest of you, too), worries about the amount of mercury in many fish mean it’s smart
to limit seafood to two meals a week. That’s a must for women who are or might become pregnant or are nursing, and for young children, too. (Go here for
the government’s fish guidelines.)
What they do: Omega-3s fight inflammation, now considered one of the top skin-agers, and they also help protect against sunburn, enhancing the effects
of your SPF sunscreen. Protein is required to build and repair skin cells and to make enzymes and hormones that help keep it glowing.
Fill your weekly grocery cart with all of the above foods and you won’t just look younger, you’ll be younger. Eating at least 1 serving of fish a week and
getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements lower your biological age. In fact, the antioxidants alone can make your Real
Age up to 6 years younger.
Natural Health
Variety is not just the ‘spice of life'; it is also a very important way to
vegetables and grains, if you are eating the exact same thing seven
days a week, it is not healthy for you.
Read on to find out how to eat for health and longevity.
Meet the Nutrition Rainbow
When we eat the exact same thing day in and day out we set our body
up to breed imbalances that can lead to disease. Don't turn your
digestive system into a septic breeding ground. Mix things up! According
to the Chinese medical tradition, there are five elemental energies that
make up our universe, as well as our bodies.
These energies are: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Each of these
energies has a corresponding color. For instance, wood corresponds to
green, fire to red, earth to yellow and orange, metal to white, and water
to black, blue, and purple. A balanced diet would consist of eating foods
of every color, every day.
Vegetables
Try to eat vegetables every day that represent all of the elemental
energies and colors. For green (wood), your choices include asparagus
and dark leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, and kale. Vegetables
in the red group (fire) include hot red peppers, red bell peppers, or
beets. For yellow and orange group (earth) eat pumpkins, squash, and
yams. Some white vegetables (metal) are cauliflower and radish. For your dark veggies (water), try eggplant, seaweed, or black mushrooms.
Fruits and Nuts
Your nutrition rainbow should also include a wide array of fruits and nuts. For green: lime or melon for your fruits; and pumpkin seeds or pistachios for nuts
and seeds. Red fruits: apples, tomatoes, or cherries; pecans for your red nut. Yellow and orange fruit: mangoes, oranges, or papaya; for nuts: almonds and
cashews. For white fruit: pears and bananas; nut: pine nuts and macadamias. Dark (water) fruits: blueberries, blackberries, raisins, and figs as your fruit;
nuts and seeds: chestnuts, walnuts, and flax seeds.
Beans and Grains
Don't forget to eat beans and grains from every elemental color! Green: lentils and rye for your grain. Red: red lentils, adzuki beans for grains, buckwheat
and amaranth. Yellow/orange: chickpeas and butter beans; corn and millet. White: soybeans and white beans, rice and barley. Dark: navy beans and black
beans and black wild rice.
Follow this advice in every category and you'll be taking in nearly 600 carotenoids, which are the powerful antioxidants that mop up free radicals to prevent
cancer and help you see, smell, hear -- and live better.
Energizing Trail Mix
This snack, high in energy, is also full of elemental energies in the fruit and nut category. (Keep in mind, however, that
because nuts and seeds are high in fat, it's a good idea to limit snacks to 1/4 cup.)
Combine equal amounts of dried blueberry, dried goji berry (lycium berry), raw walnuts, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts in a
resealable plastic storage bag.
Dried goji berry may be purchased at many health food stores. If it is not readily available, substitute dried cranberry.
Variety is not just the ‘spice of life'; it is also a very important way to
vegetables and grains, if you are eating the exact same thing seven
days a week, it is not healthy for you.
Read on to find out how to eat for health and longevity.
Meet the Nutrition Rainbow
When we eat the exact same thing day in and day out we set our body
up to breed imbalances that can lead to disease. Don't turn your
digestive system into a septic breeding ground. Mix things up! According
to the Chinese medical tradition, there are five elemental energies that
make up our universe, as well as our bodies.
These energies are: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Each of these
energies has a corresponding color. For instance, wood corresponds to
green, fire to red, earth to yellow and orange, metal to white, and water
to black, blue, and purple. A balanced diet would consist of eating foods
of every color, every day.
Vegetables
Try to eat vegetables every day that represent all of the elemental
energies and colors. For green (wood), your choices include asparagus
and dark leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, and kale. Vegetables
in the red group (fire) include hot red peppers, red bell peppers, or
beets. For yellow and orange group (earth) eat pumpkins, squash, and
yams. Some white vegetables (metal) are cauliflower and radish. For your dark veggies (water), try eggplant, seaweed, or black mushrooms.
Fruits and Nuts
Your nutrition rainbow should also include a wide array of fruits and nuts. For green: lime or melon for your fruits; and pumpkin seeds or pistachios for nuts
and seeds. Red fruits: apples, tomatoes, or cherries; pecans for your red nut. Yellow and orange fruit: mangoes, oranges, or papaya; for nuts: almonds and
cashews. For white fruit: pears and bananas; nut: pine nuts and macadamias. Dark (water) fruits: blueberries, blackberries, raisins, and figs as your fruit;
nuts and seeds: chestnuts, walnuts, and flax seeds.
Beans and Grains
Don't forget to eat beans and grains from every elemental color! Green: lentils and rye for your grain. Red: red lentils, adzuki beans for grains, buckwheat
and amaranth. Yellow/orange: chickpeas and butter beans; corn and millet. White: soybeans and white beans, rice and barley. Dark: navy beans and black
beans and black wild rice.
Follow this advice in every category and you'll be taking in nearly 600 carotenoids, which are the powerful antioxidants that mop up free radicals to prevent
cancer and help you see, smell, hear -- and live better.
Energizing Trail Mix
This snack, high in energy, is also full of elemental energies in the fruit and nut category. (Keep in mind, however, that
because nuts and seeds are high in fat, it's a good idea to limit snacks to 1/4 cup.)
Combine equal amounts of dried blueberry, dried goji berry (lycium berry), raw walnuts, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts in a
resealable plastic storage bag.
Dried goji berry may be purchased at many health food stores. If it is not readily available, substitute dried cranberry.
Avocados
Battles Diabetes
Lowers Cholesterol
Controls Blood Pressure
Smooths Skin
Battles Diabetes
Lowers Cholesterol
Controls Blood Pressure
Smooths Skin
Beans
Prevents Constipation
Helps Hemorrhoids
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Stabilizes Blood Sugar
Prevents Constipation
Helps Hemorrhoids
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Stabilizes Blood Sugar
Beets
Controls Blood Pressure
Combats Cancer
Strengthens Bones
Protects Your Heart
Aids Weight Loss
Controls Blood Pressure
Combats Cancer
Strengthens Bones
Protects Your Heart
Aids Weight Loss
Cabbage
Combats Cancer
Prevents Constipation
Promotes Weight Loss
Protects Your Heart
Helps Hemorrhoids
Combats Cancer
Prevents Constipation
Promotes Weight Loss
Protects Your Heart
Helps Hemorrhoids
Cantaloupe
Controls Blood Pressure
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Supports Immune System
Controls Blood Pressure
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Supports Immune System
Cauliflower
Strengthens Bones
Guards against heart disease
Helps to improve colon health
Strengthens Bones
Guards against heart disease
Helps to improve colon health
Cherries
Protects Your Heart
Combats Cancer
Ends Insomnia
Slows Aging Process
Shields Against Alzheimer's
Protects Your Heart
Combats Cancer
Ends Insomnia
Slows Aging Process
Shields Against Alzheimer's
Chestnuts
Promotes Weight Loss
Protects Your Heart
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls Blood Pressure
Promotes Weight Loss
Protects Your Heart
Lowers Cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls Blood Pressure
Chili peppers
Aids Digestion
Soothes Sore Throat
Clears Sinuses
Combats Cancer
Boosts Immune System
Aids Digestion
Soothes Sore Throat
Clears Sinuses
Combats Cancer
Boosts Immune System
Flax
Aids Digestion
Battles Diabetes
Protects Your Heart
Improves Mental Health
Boosts Immune System
Aids Digestion
Battles Diabetes
Protects Your Heart
Improves Mental Health
Boosts Immune System
Lemons
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Controls Blood Pressure
Smooths Skin
Stops Scurvy
Combats Cancer
Protects Your Heart
Controls Blood Pressure
Smooths Skin
Stops Scurvy
Mushrooms
Controls Blood Pressure
Lowers Cholesterol
Kills Bacteria
Combats Cancer
Strengthens Bones
Controls Blood Pressure
Lowers Cholesterol
Kills Bacteria
Combats Cancer
Strengthens Bones
Peaches
Prevents Constipation
Combats Cancer
Helps Stops Strokes
Aids Digestion
Helps Hemorrhoids
Prevents Constipation
Combats Cancer
Helps Stops Strokes
Aids Digestion
Helps Hemorrhoids
Sweet Potatoes
Saves Your Eyesight
Lifts Mood
Combats Cancer
Strengthens Bones
Saves Your Eyesight
Lifts Mood
Combats Cancer
Strengthens Bones
Water
Promotes Weight Loss
Combats Cancer
Conquers Kidney Stones
Smooths Skin
Promotes Weight Loss
Combats Cancer
Conquers Kidney Stones
Smooths Skin
Watermelon
Protects Prostate
Promotes Weight Loss
Lowers Cholesterol
Helps Stops Strokes
Controls Blood Pressure
Protects Prostate
Promotes Weight Loss
Lowers Cholesterol
Helps Stops Strokes
Controls Blood Pressure
Wheat Germ
Combats Colon Cancer
Prevents Constipation
Lowers Cholesterol
Helps Stops Strokes
Improves Digestion
Combats Colon Cancer
Prevents Constipation
Lowers Cholesterol
Helps Stops Strokes
Improves Digestion
Wheat Bran
Combats Colon Cancer
Prevents Constipation
Lowers Cholesterol
Helps Stops Strokes
Improves Digestion
Combats Colon Cancer
Prevents Constipation
Lowers Cholesterol
Helps Stops Strokes
Improves Digestion
Yogurt
Guards Against Ulcers
Strengthens Bones
Lowers Cholesterol
Supports Immune Systems
Guards Against Ulcers
Strengthens Bones
Lowers Cholesterol
Supports Immune Systems
