Health Food to keep you Fit and Active

A Berry Medley With a Punch

Strawberries and raspberries have a phytochemical called ellagic acid. This powerful antioxidant may actually fight cancer in several ways at once, including deactivating certain cancer causing substances and slowing the growth of cancer cells.

Blueberries for Health

The potent antioxidants in blueberries may have wide value in supporting our health, starting with cancer. Antioxidants fight cancer by ridding the body of free radicals before they can do their damage to cells. Try topping oatmeal, cold cereal, yogurt, even salad with blueberries to boost your intake of these healthful berries.

Protection From an Exotic Spice

Curcumin is the main ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric and a potential cancer fighter. Lab studies show it can suppress the transformation, proliferation, and invasion of cancerous cells for a wide array of cancers

Fighting Cancer With Color

Fruits and vegetables are rich in cancer-fighting nutrients -- and the more color, the more nutrients they contain. These foods can help lower your risk in a second way, too, when they help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Carrying extra pounds increases the risk for multiple cancers, including colon, esophagus, and kidney cancers. Aim for at least five servings a day, prepared in a healthy way.

The Cancer-Fighting Breakfast

Folate is an important B vitamin that may help protect against cancers of the colon, rectum, and breast. You can find it in abundance on the breakfast table. Fortified breakfast cereals and whole wheat products are good sources of folate. So are orange juice, melons, and strawberries.

More Folate-Rich Foods

Other good sources of folate are asparagus and eggs. You can also find it in chicken liver, beans, sunflower seeds, and leafy green vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce. According to the American Cancer Society, the best way to get folate is not from a pill, but by eating enough fruits, vegetables, and enriched grain products.

Cancer-Fighting Tomatoes

Whether it's the lycopene -- the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color -- or something else isn't clear. But some studies have linked eating tomatoes to reduced risk of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Studies also suggest that processed tomato products such as juice, sauce, or paste increase the cancer-fighting potential.

Tea's Anticancer Potential

Even though the evidence is still spotty, tea, especially green tea, may be a strong cancer fighter. In laboratory studies, green tea has slowed or prevented the development of cancer in colon, liver, breast, and prostate cells. It also had a similar effect in lung tissue and skin. And in some longer term studies, tea was associated with lower risks for bladder, stomach, and pancreatic cancers.

Grapes and Cancer

Grapes and grape juice, especially purple and red grapes, contain resveratrol. Resveratrol has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In laboratory studies, it has prevented the kind of damage that can trigger the cancer process in cells. There is not enough evidence to say that eating grapes or drinking grape juice or wine can prevent or treat cancer.

The Mighty Bean

Beans are so good for you, it's no surprise they may help fight cancer, too. They contain several potent phytochemicals that may protect the body's cells against damage that can lead to cancer. In the lab these substances slowed tumor growth and prevented tumors from releasing substances that damage nearby cells.

The Cabbage Family vs. Cancer

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale. These members of the cabbage family make an excellent stir fry and can really liven up a salad. But most importantly, components in these vegetables may help your body defend against cancers such as colon, breast, lung, and cervix.

Pass on the Sugar

Sugar may not cause cancer directly. But it may displace other nutrient-rich foods that help protect against cancer. And it increases calorie counts, which contributes to overweight and obesity. Excess weight can be a cancer risk. Fruit offers a sweet alternative in a vitamin-rich package.

Water and Other Fluids Can Protect

Water not only quenches your thirst, but it may protect you against bladder cancer. The lower risk comes from water diluting concentrations of potential cancer-causing agents in the bladder. Also, drinking more fluids causes you to urinate more frequently. That lessens the amount of time those agents stay in contact with the bladder lining.

11 Secrets for a Longer Life:

1. Protect Your DNA:

As we age, the ends of our chromosomes -- called telomeres -- become shorter. This makes people more vulnerable to disease. You might think there's nothing you can do, but new research suggests otherwise. In a pilot study, lifestyle changes boosted an enzyme that increases telomere length. Other studies also find diet and exercise can protect telomeres. After 50 yrs of age Anti-aging Drugs & Natural Hormone Boosters add yrs. & quality of life. So healthy habits may slow aging at the cellular level.
2. Make Friends but Choose Wisely:
Science has given you one more reason to be grateful for your friends – they might help you live longer. Australian researchers found elderly social butterflies were less likely to die over a 10-year period compared to people with the fewest friends. Another analysis of results from 148 studies supports the link between plentiful social connections and longevity.
Your friends’ habits rub off on you, so look for companions with healthy lifestyles. Studies indicate obesity is socially “contagious" –  your chance of becoming obese increases by 57% if you have a friend who becomes obese. Smoking is another habit that spreads through social ties, but the good news is that quitting is also contagious.
3. Quit Smoking:
While it's no secret that giving up cigarettes can lengthen your days -- the amount of extra time may surprise you. According to a 50-year British study, quitting at age 30 could increase your lifespan by an entire decade. Giving up the habit at age 40, 50, or 60 boosts life expectancy by 9, 6, or 3 years, respectively.
4. Embrace Regular Nap:
Now there's scientific evidence that regular short napping may help you live longer. A recent study with 24,000 participants suggests that regular nappers are 37% less likely to die from heart disease than occasional nappers. Researchers think naps might help your heart by keeping stress hormones down.
5. Follow a Mediterranean Diet:
 The Mediterranean diet is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish. An analysis of 50 studies involving more than half a million people shows the impressive benefits of this diet. The findings show it significantly lowers the risk of metabolic syndrome – a combination of obesity, elevated blood sugar, increased blood pressure, and other factors that raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
6. Lose Weight:
If you're overweight, slimming down can protect against diabetes, heart disease, and other life-shortening conditions. Belly fat appears to be particularly harmful, so focus on deflating that spare tire. A 5-year study of Hispanics and African-Americans suggests eating more fiber and exercising regularly are effective ways to reduce belly fat.
7. Keep Moving / Exercise:
The evidence is overwhelming – people who exercise live longer on average than those who don't. According to dozens of studies, regular physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and depression. Exercise may even help you stay mentally sharp in your old age. Ten-minute spurts of activity are fine, as long as they add up to about 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week.
8. Forgive:
Letting go of grudges has surprising physical health benefits. Chronic anger is linked to decreased lung function, heart disease, stroke, and other ailments. Forgiveness will reduce anxiety, lower your blood pressure, and help you to breathe more easily. These benefits tend to increase as you get older.
9. Make Sleep a Priority:
Getting enough good quality sleep can lower the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and mood disorders. Sufficient sleep will also help you recover from illness faster. Burning the midnight oil, on the other hand, carries serious health risks. Sleeping less than 5 hours per night boosts the risk of premature death, so make sleep a priority.
10. Maintain a Sense of Purpose throughout your life:
Finding hobbies and activities that have meaning for you may contribute to a long life. Japanese researchers found men with a strong sense of purpose were less likely to die from stroke, heart disease, or other causes over a 13-year period compared to those with a low sense of purpose. Another study at Rush University Medical Center indicates that having a greater sense of purpose is linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
11. Manage Stress:
Dean Ornish, MD, has published research suggesting that lifestyle changes including stress management not only help prevent heart disease, but may actually reverse it. Although avoiding stress is not a viable option for most people, there are effective ways to control it. Try yoga, meditation, or deep breathing. Even a few minutes a day can make a difference.

Vanity Food Adviser

This five-step plan works to remove the toxins already in your body. Plus it helps prevent the build-up of toxins in the future.

1.    Test your water. Pesticides tend to find their way into municipal water systems so you’ll want to test your water with a kit or request a water report from your city to see if the water you’re drinking and bathing in is clean. If your water fails the test, a R. O. filter is an easy solution.
to get rid of chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and Trihalomethanes (THMs). VOCs are man-made chemicals, fuel components and by products.
2.    Eat more estrogen-fighting foods. These include berries, citrus, pineapples, pears, grapes, squash, onions, green beans, figs, melons and pumpkin seeds. Incorporate Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage in your diet, all help you excrete excess estrogen.
3.    Don’t use plastic. Most plastic bottles and containers contain toxins like parabens and BPA that can affect your hormone levels and contaminate your system. Choose glass bottles and containers to keep your eatables whenever possible.
4.    Choose locally grown, organic produce to avoid consuming pesticides. If you can’t find organic, be sure to thoroughly wash and better you always put it in OZONISER for at least 20 minutes. And always peel your fruits and vegetables to lower your chance of being exposed to chemicals.
5.    Limit processed protein. Processed meat tends to accumulate a lot of pesticides and other dangerous toxins. Wild-caught fish are safe, too. Avoid all farm-raised fish because they are heavily exposed to pesticides.  Free-range chicken, grass-fed beef and cage-free eggs are your best options. Deep sea fish like cod, halibut, sardines and mackerel are all good choices. If you don’t have access to free-range meat, be sure to cut off any visible fat. Many of the worst chemicals get stored in it.

12 Fitness Crazes for Men and Women

1.Airobics: High Flying Calorie Burn
Springing into the air on a trampoline will. Airobics, a cardio class on trampolines, offers fat-burning fun that’s gentler on your joints.
2. Suspension: Strength Training
A Navy SEAL created TRX Suspension Training, so you know it's a tough workout. Suspension devices use your own body weight and gravity to create resistance. If you're 45 or older or have a medical condition, be sure to check with your doctor before starting a fitness program.
3.Elite Fitness: Muscle Confusion
Ready to break through your fitness plateau? Then you might like cross-training programs that aim to cause "muscle confusion. Ask your health care provider before trying these intense workouts, especially if you have joint problems.
4. Pole Dancing: Vertical Workout
Interested in gyrating in gym shorts instead of a G-string? Dance, spin, and do poses with a pole and ba-da-bing!  Risks include falling, rotator cuff strain, and tendonitis.
5. Floating Yoga: Balance on a Board
Put the serenity of a still lagoon together with the challenge of balancing on a paddleboard and you get the serene challenge of floating yoga. Doing yoga moves on a paddleboard, which is larger than a surfboard, takes muscle control to keep from making a splash.
6. CrossFit: High-Intensity Training
You can burn about 15 calories per minute with this intense workout, which includes timed challenges with squats, push-ups, gymnastic rings, intense runs, and weightlifting. CrossFit is used to condition athletes, military forces, police officers, and firefighters.
7. Exergaming: Aerobic Play
Who said playing video games turns you into a couch potato? You can burn as many calories exergaming as working out at the gym -- about 270 calories vigorously dancing or 216 calories virtual boxing in a half-hour. Exergaming is a great way to get kids moving.
8. Boxercise: A Workout Knockout
Among exercises, boxing is a knockout -- delivering agility, balance, muscle tone, strength, and cardio benefits. Sparring also improves hand-eye coordination and mental agility. Boxercise, which started in England, includes dancing, skipping, shadow boxing, kicking punching bags, and more.
9. Kettlebells: A New Weight to Lift
A vigorous workout with a kettlebell -- a cast iron ball with a handle -- can burn 272 calories in just 20 minutes. Swinging the kettlebell works muscles in a way that weight machines and barbells can't. Start with a light kettlebell -- 8 to 15 pounds for women and 15 to 25 pounds for men.
10. Hulas: Whittle While You Work Out
If the last time you swung a hula hoop around your waist was in fourth grade, it may be time to give it another whirl. It's easier to swing the new weighted hula hoops than the flimsy plastic ones. And hooping can burn more calories than step aerobics and raise your heart rate as much as cardio kickboxing. It works your waist and core muscles, and can tone your thighs and biceps.
11. Aerial Yoga
Yoga blends are a huge fitness trend. This one's name says it all: You do variations on traditional moves while hanging in "hammocks" suspended from the ceiling. The weightless poses relieve aching joints and stretch muscles as well as strengthening your core. For other fun twists, try Cy-Yo, a yoga-indoor cycling combo, or YogaFit, which includes squats, sit-ups, and other fitness moves.
12. Weighted Vests: Power Walking
Adding weight may be the simplest way to boost your workout. Extra weight raises your heart rate and makes you burn more calories. Instead of walking with hand or ankle weights, which can strain muscles and joints, consider wearing a weighted vest. Choose one that is 5% to 10% of your body weight.