Want to look great and live longer? The real secret can be found in the
foods you eat. Nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix finds five foods that will
help prevent disease and make us look and feel great.
 
Soy — A fantastic food for our health. It lowers cholesterol, and it
reduces the incidence of osteoporosis as well as breast cancer and heart
disease. Staving off osteoporosis is of particular importance because so
many women are at risk for it. Soy is not just tofu; you can find it in
soy nuts, which are a great snack food and good for sprinkling on a
salad, or soy burgers, which come prepared. To enjoy soy burgers, just
heat them up; they are great with a slice of melted Swiss and some
lettuce and tomato on a whole-grain bun. Most supermarkets carry both of
these products.

Salad — Certain salad ingredients are going to do more for your body than
others. For example, using leafy greens (such as romaine or spinach) as
your base rather than iceberg lettuce is going to increase your intake of
folic acid. Folic acid is extremely important for pregnant women and
women in their childbearing years. If you include carrots in that salad,
you're getting a powerful anti-oxidant that reduces the risk of heart
disease and cancer. Broccoli should also make an appearance. It is a
great source of calcium as well as vitamin C. Of course, it's not a salad
without tomato, and in tomatoes you'll find another powerful anti-oxidant
that reduces the risk of prostate cancer. It becomes more potent,
however, when it is consumed in the form of cooked tomato products, such
as stewed tomatoes or fresh tomato sauce.

Fish — Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are extremely good for
the body. They decrease the incidence of heart disease and breast cancer.
When selecting a fresh piece of fish at the market, you want to look for
a firm fillet that has a healthy sheen to it and that doesn't smell
"fishy." Fish is very easy to prepare. The best way to maintain the
omega-3 fatty acids is to poach the fish. Season it with a little bit of
dill and some freshly ground pepper, maybe a little bit of coarse salt;
you'll need only about one minute per inch of thickness for cooking time.
Very easy, very tasty and great for you!

Bread — Whole grains provide us with fiber, and fiber has been shown
again and again to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Shoot for 30 grams of
fiber per day.

Blueberries — Blueberries are practically a dessert item, so it's fun to
be able to include them as part of a healthy diet. And it's easy to
convince the kids to eat them as well. Much like cranberries, they are
used to reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections. Blueberries are
also a powerful anti-oxidant, reducing the risk of many cancers as well
as things such as memory loss.

~Author Unknown~