The unfortunate truth is that most diets do not succeed, and it’s easy to blame that fact on a lack of willpower. But restricting food intake runs counter to the body’s natural urges. Our ancestors needed extra calories to survive times of extreme stress (say, a famine), and today, when our stress hormones spike—whether due to job frustration or a fight with our spouse—it’s as if we’re stranded on the tundra of the last ice age.

The good news is that you can outwit your evolutionary biology by implementing these five rules of successful “waist loss” that I developed with Michael Roizen, MD, for our book YOU: On a Diet .

Rule #1: Spoil Your Dinner

Remember the plant from Little Shop of Horrors, with its demands to “Feed me”? The hormone ghrelin is your body’s version of Audrey II, only it gets your attention with stomach growls instead of musical numbers. Once you’ve started eating, it takes about 30 minutes for ghrelin levels to fall and that “full” feeling to kick in. But if you eat a 100-calorie snack (like a handful of nuts) about a half hour before mealtime, your ghrelin levels will already be subsiding by the time you pick up your fork.

Rule #2: Nix Soft Drinks with Meals

Leptin is a hormone that signals the brain that you can stop eating once your body has stored enough energy from food. Yet fructose (a sugar found in soft drinks) interrupts the feedback loop, preventing your brain from getting the message. Quench your thirst with water instead.

Rule #3: Fill Up on Fiber

The ileum is a part of the small bowel that can squeeze, or “brake,” to slow the transit of food through the intestines. When that happens, you get a slow but steady supply of fuel, which keeps you feeling satiated. A high-fiber breakfast triggers this mechanism, because the bowel needs more time to absorb nutrients from fiber. The result: No more 11 a.m. stops at the vending machine.

Rule #4: Eat with Awareness

That means eating at the table, not sprawled across the couch. It also means no zoning out in front of American Idol , checking your BlackBerry, or surfing the Web during meals. Not only will mindful eating increase the satisfaction you get from food but the extra time will allow your ghrelin levels to drop even further as you eat.

Rule #5: Build More Muscle

You may have heard that muscle burns more calories than fat, but did you know that it burns a dozen times more? Aim to walk 10,000 steps a day, and begin a muscle-strengthening program, which will help steel your skeleton as well. Trainer Joel Harper has an excellent 20-minute exercise routine.

Still steamed at your dad for tossing your tadpole down the toilet when you were 10? Miffed at your best friend for spilling the beans?

Whatever’s got you feeling slighted, it might be time to forgive, if not forget. You see, holding onto resentment may cause more than relationship tension. Your heart health suffers, too.

Some injustices are hard to let go of. You’ll have to be the judge of which ones you’re able to move past and which ones you just can’t. But keep in mind that not letting go may do extra damage.

For example, college students’ blood pressures rose when they described a time that a parent or friend deeply hurt or betrayed them. And for the students who were unable to forgive, it took longer for their blood pressures to return to normal.

When your cardiovascular system has trouble stabilizing after stress, be it physical or emotional, that’s bad news for your heart. It could mean high blood pressure or heart disease — or a trip to one of our hospitals’ catheterization laboratories — is in your future.

 No need to make us busier. (We need all the time we can get to write these columns!)So, what to do to keep our free time free (if you don’t care for yourself, at least care for our free time!)?

· First, do whatever it takes for you to stress less.
· Second, get fit. Fit people’s heart rates return to normal more quickly.
· Third, forgive someone. Not only is it good for the heart, people who let go of a grudge may experience less pain, anger, anxiety, and depression than people who are unable to forgive.
·
Forgiving does not mean condoning actions or situations that have caused you distress or pain. It just means resolving your feelings and not letting upsetting experiences affect your emotional and physical health.

Dr. Oz

TAKE MORE RESTROOM BREAKS

There’s a reason it’s called the restroom: It’s the one place—at work or at home—where no one will bother you. If you’re overwhelmed, steal away for a five-minute meditation break. Inhale deeply into your belly and try to focus on your breathing. You’ll emerge calmer, and maybe even more productive. Research shows that meditation can improve your ability to concentrate.

SHOW UP FIVE MINUTES EARLY

Everyone knows the feeling: You’re running late, stuck in traffic, glancing at your watch every 30 seconds in frustration. Give yourself extra time to get wherever you need to go. Being an early bird will kill stress by giving you more control over your day and your commitments.

CHANGE YOUR STRESS EATING

The best stress-quashing foods are made by Mother Nature, not Baskin-Robbins. Berries are naturally rich in vitamin C, which helps fight increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. A handful of pistachios can lower your blood pressure, which means less of a spike when you get that next rush of adrenaline.

AND QUIT STRESS DRINKING

Yes, a few cocktails can relax you, but alcohol also prevents your brain from entering stages of deep sleep. And sleep and stress are bound together: Chronic stress can keep you up at night, and a lack of sleep can also lead to further stress. Limit yourself to no more than one drink a night.

 GET YOUR HEART PUMPING

Stress makes your body spew out two hormones: cortisol and adrenaline. These chemicals put your body into fight-or-flight mode, ratcheting up your energy level and causing your heart to pound and your muscles to tense. Exercise gives you an outlet to release some of that tension. A good workout also increases your levels of “feel-good” chemicals called endorphins.

MAKE IT A COMEDY NIGHT

Researchers say that merely anticipating a laugh can jump-start healthy changes in the body by reducing levels of stress hormones, which have been linked to conditions like obesity, heart disease, and memory impairment, to name just a few.

ENJOY THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS

Socializing releases oxytocin, a chemical that can help combat stress hormones and lower your blood pressure. Whether it’s spending time with dog lovers, book club buddies, or siblings—whatever group you like—just knowing you’re not alone can go a long way toward coping with stress.

Dr. Oz

EAT MORE FRESH VEGETABLES

They’re rich in vitamins and nutrients (like E, B6, and folic acid) that protect against brain cell damage. But don’t forget that as soon as you pick a tomato off the vine or pull a carrot out of the ground, its nutrient content starts to decline. So the longer it sits on store shelves (or inside your refrigerator), the less good it’s doing you. Buy the freshest produce you can, or freeze it at the height of freshness for later use.

PLAY MIND GAMES

This is the best way to slow the mental decline that can come with aging. Take up a musical instrument. Try to recall the addresses of the last four places you lived. Renew your local library card—and use it.

SIGN UP FOR DANCE LESSONS

Exercise boosts the brain’s rate of neurogenesis—the generation of new brain cells—throughout your life. To really sharpen your gray matter, pick a workout that stimulates you both mentally and physically. One great example is dance. Moving the body in a coordinated fashion and following along with complex movements in sync with music requires lots of brainpower. Dancing also works your heart, so you’re pumping more blood upstairs.

WEAR A HELMET

Since the brain has the consistency of a hard-boiled egg, bruising it even mildly can have a significant impact on memory.

CHOOSE RED OVER WHITE WINE

Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which recent research shows may help prevent the buildup of plaque. Brain plaques are often seen in Alzheimer’s patients, and they cause a breakdown in the communication between neurons.

Dr. Oz

When it comes to eating healthy and losing weight, we’ve been focusing on the wrong set of numbers, says nutritionist Keri Glassman, R.D. This month, Glassman launches a revolutionary way of eating in her new book, The O2 Diet, which is based on the foods that have the highest antioxidant activity levels. This plan will make it super-simple for you to shed pounds, look fabulous, boost your energy, and amp up your brainpower.

 Glassman’s plan is based on the ORAC scale—a scientific value that represents the antioxidant levels of foods. (ORAC stands for oxygen radical absorbance capacity.) Using this scale, she has devised a diet that gets you 30,000 ORAC points a day—10 times the current recommended level of 3,000. It’s those mega ORAC points that scoop up free radicals, the damaging rogue elements in our bodies that contribute to everything from wrinkles and brain fog to cancer and heart disease.

 And you can say good-bye to calorie counting: By focusing on high ORAC scores, you’ll chow down on foods that are healthy and have the right proportion of nutrients, so the extra weight will come off more easily.

 In her book, Glassman explains how certain high-ORAC fruits and vegetables have specific powers. Load up on these antioxidant superstars every time you hit the grocery store—they’ll help you bring out your healthy best in these five ways.

Lose Weight Without Trying

Artichokes

At only 60 calories each, they’re a calorie bargain. Artichokes are also super-high on the ORAC scale—7,900 points— and they contain phytochemicals that may lower cholesterol levels.

Lemon water

Lemon peel contains pectin, a soluble fiber that has been shown to help with weight loss. Add an ounce of lemon juice and some zest to each of your eight daily glasses of water (which will help you feel fuller), and you’ll add 3,200 ORAC points.

Red grapefruit

One study found that people who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds over 12 weeks, while those who drank grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. The red variety has more of the cancer-protecting antioxidant lycopene. Half a grape-fruit has 1,900 ORAC points.

Make Your Skin Glow

Figs

 While no food can turn back the clock, some can perk up your looks and slow the aging process.
Eating a handful of dried figs increases the amount of antioxidants in your blood for four hours, much longer than many other foods. Two small figs have about 2,700 ORAC points.

Red bell peppers

The unique combination of large amounts of vitamins A, C, and E make red bell peppers a skin superfood. Half a cup adds 600 ORAC points.

Watermelon

This lycopene-rich fruit provides 33 percent more protection against sunburn than other fruits. (You still have to wear sunscreen though!) One cup of this diced melon has 200 ORAC points.

Bolster Your Body

Beans

Certain antioxidants have been shown to fight cancer, boost immunity, and keep bones strong.

Beans are loaded with phytochemicals (including saponins, protease inhibitors, and phytic acid), which may protect cells from damage that potentially causes cancer, reports the American Institute for Cancer Research. Half a cup has 7,800 ORAC points.

Prunes

These wrinkly little dried fruits are rich in vitamin K and a top source of the mineral boron, and we need both for strong bones. A three-prune serving gives you 1,900 ORAC points.

Ward Off Heart Disease

Cherries

Young women tend to be oblivious to heart disease, but that attitude itself is a big risk. How you eat today helps predict how healthy your heart will be 30 years from now.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that the anthocyanins in dark cherries reduce belly fat and lower cholesterol and blood sugar; one serving packs 3,500 ORAC points.

Dark chocolate

Rich in flavonoids, chocolate is believed to promote heart health by reducing platelet activation, affecting the relaxation capabilities of blood vessels. One ounce of dark chocolate has 5,900 ORAC points.

Boost Your Brainpower

Blueberries

The neural pathways in our brains are growing and improving all the time. Eat the right foods and you’ll be able to concentrate better, remember more, and feel calmer.
Blueberries may improve memory, cognition, and balance. Researchers believe that blueberries (9,700 ORAC points per one-cup serving) reduce inflammation and can help us overcome the normal effects of brain aging.

Cinnamon

Researchers believe that cinnamon may inhibit certain Alzheimer’s disease cells. One teaspoon of cinnamon adds 7,000 ORAC points.

Plums

These juicy treats decrease anxiety-related behaviors, and researchers think they may protect against depression. One plum adds 4,100 ORAC points to a meal.

They say that you can learn a lot about yourself and life from your own children. I’d say that they’re absolutely right.

Our older son Joshua, now four and a half years old, is sweeter and gentler than we could have wished for. These days, he lives to experience new and exciting things with his family. Things like riding the subway in Toronto for the first time, discovering the magic of helium balloons, and meeting new characters and worlds through trips to our library.

When I watch Joshua in silent slumber, I often think that it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to permanently have my lips sealed in a kiss with one of his softer-than-marshmallow cheeks. Ditto that for his younger brother, of course.

Despite the enormous love that I have for Joshua, there are times when I am short and impatient with him. If, for example, I’ve had a rough day and he and his brother are making it painfully difficult for us to get them ready for bed, I find myself hollering and threatening some form of punishment.

Our younger one tends to shrug off my occasional outbursts of frustration. He’ll even provide objective commentary, saying something like “You angwee at me? Noah angwee at you because… because… because you angwee at me!”

But Joshua, our highly sensitive and gentle son, will often retreat to his mattress, bury his head in his pillow, and remain still. This makes me feel horrible, to see how much my lack of patience has hurt him. I feel terrible for not having more self-control, for once again breaking my vow to never to raise my voice with our boys.

When I take him into my arms, tell him that I’m sorry for yelling, try to explain why I lost my temper, and tell him that I love him more than anything, he often cries. Not with sadness, but with relief. I can almost feel a wave of relief resonate through his little body, restoring peace that comes from knowing that he is still loved more than anything.

I experience something similar with Noah from time to time, when he feels particularly rejected by Margaret or me. I can feel the relief that accompanies his whimpers as I hold him tight. I guess deep down, even rugged little boys are highly sensitive.

Sensing the palpable relief that our boys feel whenever our love for them is reaffirmed in their hearts is all the proof that I need to believe that by nature, one of our greatest emotional needs is to feel accepted and loved.

I believe that the truth for all of us is that rejection hurts. No matter how we respond outwardly to various forms of rejection, inwardly, each rejection creates a new wound that requires time and cares to heal.

When freshly rejected in one of the millions of ways that we can feel rejected by others, I think many of us are conditioned to retaliate. Sometimes, we retaliate by trying to return the hurt. Sometimes, we retaliate by silently attributing rejection to the other person’s lack of maturity or outright idiocy.

Clearly, there are times when we shouldn’t fret for very long, if at all; sometimes, there’s nothing more to contemplate than to realize that someone is engaging in ill-intentioned, toxic behavior, and though in need of help in some form, doesn’t deserve too much of our consideration.

But generally, I think there’s a lot to be gained in thinking about why someone has rejected us, and to avoid vilifying that someone to make ourselves feel better in the moment.

When we vilify someone who doesn’t accept us for any reason, I believe that we dampen our natural instincts to crave and give love. By turning rejection into an us versus them scenario, we walk down a path that leads to us becoming grumpy and paranoid men and women.

Outwardly or silently labeling someone who rejects us as being a jerk might be comforting in the moment, but ultimately, I believe taking on this mindset hardens us and leaves us less willing to give fully to the next person who could be a wonderful, life-long friend.

I have to admit; observing my father over decades has heavily shaped my beliefs on this facet of life. A good man at heart, from as far back as I can remember, my father has been quick to vilify anyone who rejects or offends him in some way. In some cases, I’m sure that he was right to cut ties. But what I see today is a good-hearted man who finds it near impossible to have a truly intimate and lasting friendship because he is unable and perhaps unwilling to deal with rejection without vilifying the other party.

Rejection always hurts, even when we do our best to pretend that it doesn’t. There’s no quick fix for it. The passing of time, thinking about deficiencies that we have that might have contributed to us being rejected, perhaps talking it through with a trusted friend…all of these things can help. And as we heal, if we can avoid covering up our hurt feelings by mentally trashing the person who hurt us, I believe we preserve and even grow our capacity to revere and be revered.

I have our sons to thank for helping me recognize that rejection hurts every time. By embracing this reality and remembering that vilifying others only hurts my potential as a human being, my hope is that over time, I can become better at healing with grace.

Posted By Dr. Ben Kim

Skimping on sleep leaves you more than just groggy for your 8 A.M. meeting. Without giving your body the restorative 7 to 9 hours of rest is needs you put health at some surprising—and scary—risks. From an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes to a drop in your immunity, there are plenty of reasons to resolve to get more Zzzs.

 A good night’s sleep isn’t just about hitting the ground running or staying alert in your 8 A.M. meeting. If you skip the restorative 7 to 9 hours experts advise, you can increase your risks of a host of ills—from catching the flu to developing heart disease and diabetes.

 Still put sleep down at the bottom of your to-do list? Allow us to convince you why you need to spend more time in bed.

1. You crave junk food

Too-little sleep may throw off hormones that regulate appetite, increasing a taste for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods and causing you to want more calories than your body needs. After going without enough sleep for 2 nights, people in one study had more of the hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin and less of the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin.

Over time, this can lead to weight gain. In studies of identical twins, University of Washington researchers found that those who logged 7 to 9 hours a night had an average BMI of 24.8—almost 2 points lower than the average BMI of those who slept less

2. You become a germ magnet

People who get less than 7 hours per night are 3 times likelier to catch a cold, according to a JAMA study. Other research found that sleep-deprived men failed to mount the normal immune response after receiving flu shots. They had only half as many disease-fighting antibodies 10 days after the vaccination, compared with men who were well rested. That’s because sleep boosts immunity; too little impairs it.

3. You’re less able to metabolize sugar

It’s the fuel every cell in your body needs to function. After just 6 days of sleep restriction people develop resistance to insulin, the hormone that helps transport glucose from the bloodstream into the cells, say University of Chicago researchers. In another study, tests showed that participants who slept fewer than 6 hours a night and claimed to be “natural short sleepers” couldn’t metabolize sugar properly. This could lead to type 2 diabetes, a serious, on-the-rise chronic condition.

4. You’re in a never-ending stress storm

The University of Chicago study also found that inadequate shut-eye caused levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, to spike in the afternoon and evening—increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose and raising your risk of hypertension, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Aside from posing future health problems, the cortisol-induced alertness comes at an inopportune time—when you should be winding down your day or sleeping.

5. You’re in a foul mood and your brain feels foggy

After a restless night, your reaction time decreases, making driving (among other activities) dangerous. Chronically tired people are also less happy. “Sleep and mood are regulated by the same brain chemicals,” says Joyce Walsleben, PhD. This can raise the risk of developing depression, but probably only for those already susceptible to the illness.

6. You look older

As anyone who’s pulled an all-nighter can attest, the consequences—pasty skin and dark circles—aren’t pretty. “Even worse, increased cortisol levels may slow collagen production, promoting wrinkles,” says Jyotsna Sahni, MD, a sleep medicine doctor at Canyon Ranch in Tucson.

On the flip side, there’s a good reason they call it beauty sleep. “Hormonal changes boost blood flow to the skin, brightening it overnight,” says Melvin Elson, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at Vanderbilt School of Nursing. Skin temps are higher, too, so age-fighting potions seep deeper for better results. And even though you’re resting, your skin is hard at work. Studies show that cell turnover is 8 times faster at night, softening wrinkles.

7. You feel achy

It’s no surprise that chronic pain (like that from back problems or arthritis) can make you toss and turn. But getting too little rest can cause or intensify pain, creating a vicious cycle. In one study from the Johns Hopkins Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, director Michael Smith, PhD, awakened healthy young adults for 20 minutes every hour during an 8-hour period for 3 days in a row. The result: They had a lower pain tolerance and suddenly developed more pain during a lab test that exposed them to a cold stimulus.

8. You have a higher cancer risk

Exercise helps prevent cancer, but getting too little shut-eye may cancel out its protective effect, concludes a new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study. Researchers tracked nearly 6,000 women for about a decade and found that workout buffs who slept 7 or fewer hours per night had a 50% greater chance of developing cancer than exercisers who got more Zzzs—similar to the risk of non-exercisers.

Insufficient sleep may cause hormonal and metabolic disturbances linked to cancer risk, erasing the benefits of exercise.

Get the Sleep You Need!

Want to hit the hay earlier?

1. Gradually advance your bedtime by 15 minutes a night.

2. Dim the lights in your home about an hour before bed, and start a routine that tells your body it’s time to snooze (put on pj’s, brush teeth, wash face, listen to relaxing music).

3. Avoid the TV and computer.

4. Meditate or do light stretching. Research has found that people who relax in the evening fall asleep about 30 minutes sooner and get an extra hour of sleep.

Dress to impress with the body you have

You don’t have to loose weight to look great! Try these simple tips from fashion pros.  Jeni Paolella Luciani has a knack for styling curvy women and has worked as a professional stylist on TV shows like More to Love, Tool Academy, A Double Shot at Love, and Dance Your Ass Off.

She says the most important thing when getting dressed is to feel comfortable with the way you look. “My job is to make someone feel amazing and confident when she walks out the door.”

Use these tips from Luciani and Harriette Cole, acting editor-in-chief and creative director for Ebony magazine, to look slimmer instantly.

1. Wear the right bra
Too often, women wear bras that let their breasts fall too low, making them look older, heavier, and short-waisted. Luciani recommends getting fitted for and investing in a good support bra.

“Undergarments are extremely important to your look,” says Luciani. “Whenever I’m doing any sort of show or red carpet, I put my clients in Spanx. I always recommend wearing one size smaller than you think you should for best results. So if you think you’d wear a size C, get a size B.”

2. Use color strategically
“Wear bright colors on your good features and dark colors on problem areas,” advises Cole. “This lets you show off your best while camouflaging trouble spots.”

Luciani suggests her clients experiment with color on top. “Curvier women tend to go to the darker side and wear a lot of black and brown,” she says. “I like bright greens, burnt orange, or a brighter blue. If you’re not used to wearing a bright color, take small steps with dark blue. There’s no reason to hide what you have and who you are.”
Your shirt should have a slim fit because a baggier top can add extra pounds, says Luciani. A wrap top is a flattering option to try.

3. Don’t squeeze into too-tight clothes
“Struggling to fit into clothes that are too small can actually make you look larger,” says Cole. If you can’t stand to buy larger sizes, cut out the tags when you get home!

4. Try a new style of jeans
Believe it or not, Luciani loves putting her curvy clients in skinny jeans: “I think they’re fantastic with high heels.”

She brought a pair of Torrid’s jeans for Dance Your Ass Off show host and client Marissa Jaret Winokur, who “nearly went into cardiac arrest” when she saw they were skinny jeans, Luciani says. “But now she loves them and wears them all the time.”

Luciani recommends staying away from features that add bulk, such as cargo pockets, extra zippers, and elastic waistbands.

To slim your hips, try boot-cut pants. “Instead of being tight at the ankles, these pants flare slightly from the knee, making you look more balanced and slimmer in the hips,” says Cole.

5. Pump up accessories
It’s hard to focus on any figure problems when a woman’s wearing unusual, dangling earrings. Pick up some eye-catching accessories—scarves, pins, handbags and shoes. They’ll help you look great before, during, and after you lose weight.

Luciani recommends necklaces paired with a scoop-neck or V-neck shirt and using belts over shirts and dresses to accentuate the waistline.

Love the Body You Have

Keep your inner critic from overreacting to what you see in the mirror

Have you ever wished you had a mirror like Snow White’s wicked stepmother’s–one that would flatter you every morning by telling you that you’re “the fairest in the land”? Instead, yours criticizes your big thighs, nonexistent waist, or flat chest. Dissatisfaction with our bodies is so pervasive–even among normal-weight women–that scientists have coined a name for it: “normative discontent.”

“Many of us suffer from distorted body images; we just don’t see ourselves realistically,” says Stacey Tantleff-Dunn, PhD, who studies body image and eating behaviors at the University of Central Florida. “As your own worst critic, you are more likely to focus on self-perceived flaws than anyone else is.”

How do you keep your inner critic from overreacting to what you see in the mirror? Here’s what body image experts say:

1. Stop dissing yourself.

 ”If you’re constantly telling yourself that you look fat or you’re unattractive in some way, you will feel bad about yourself,” says Tantleff-Dunn, coauthor of Exacting Beauty. Next time you look at your reflection, be conscious of your self-criticism. “Then ask yourself, ‘Would I say these things to a friend?” she says. If not, then don’t be so hard on yourself either.

2. Don’t compare yourself to Kate Moss.

 A study from the University of Toronto found that when women looked at magazine ads featuring models, their self-esteem dropped like a lead sinker. Remind yourself that fashion models and beauty pageant contestants are unnaturally thin. In fact, when researchers calculated the body mass index of all Miss Americas from 1921 to 2002, as many as 26 percent met the World Health Organization’s classification of “undernourished.” Not the look you’re going for.

3. Focus on how your body feels rather than how it looks.

Take a yoga class; ask your partner or a neighbor to walk with you every night; learn salsa dancing. “As you begin to enjoy your body through yoga, walking, running, or whatever gives you enjoyment,” says Tantleff-Dunn, “you’ll find it harder to stay at war with your physical being.” Bonus how-to: You won’t be able to protest “I don’t have the time” if you make a pie chart of how you spend time each day, then cut a slice (from TV watching, for example) to take a 30-minute walk, says Ann Kearney-Cooke, PhD, director of the Cincinnati Psychotherapy Institute.

4. List all your assets.

Alone or with the help of the people who know you best, list 5 to 10 of your good qualities–great sense of humor, smart, a good friend, kind to animals–and repeat them to yourself whenever you think that you’re “ugly” or “too fat.” “There is more to you than how you look,” says Tantleff-Dunn. “Don’t overemphasize the importance of your appearance and underestimate the value of all of your assets.”

5. Live your life.

Have you ever put off something you really wanted to do because you feared how you’d look to other people? Life is too short to postpone a single minute of it. Don’t.

After writing more than 30 books on childcare—and eight children—the husband-and-wife team of Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears are making a temporary radical departure…with a book on healthy aging.

 Here’s the simplest explanation of aging you have ever heard. Aging, in a nutshell, means “rust”—too much sticky stuff accumulates in the body, and the body’s garbage disposal system weakens so it can’t get rid of the sticky stuff.

Incorporate these 10 steps into a health plan that simply keeps the rust and sticky stuff out of your body and strengthen your garbage disposal—or immune system.

1. Make health your hobby.
Study every organ of your body and learn how to take care of it. Create your own personal maintenance manual—and follow it.

2. Move more, sit less.
Exciting new medical discoveries have shown that when you exercise, blood flows faster across the lining of your blood vessels, called the endothelium. Your endothelium is like having a giant pharmacy inside your body. New research has shown that when blood flows faster over the surface of your endothelium, it opens your giant pharmacy and releases natural internal medicines, such as those that lower the “highs” (high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar) and raises the “lows” (such as depression). To keep your pharmacy open and to release your natural internal medicines, get moving!

3. Graze on good foods.
Follow the rule of twos: Eat twice as often, half as much and chew twice as long. Grazing throughout the day on frequent mini meals rather than gorging on a few big meals improves nutrient absorption lessens heartburn and helps weight control. An interesting study showed that people eating the same foods and the same number of calories lost more weight when they ate six mini meals instead of three big meals.

4. Enjoy smoothies three times a week.
It will add years to your life and life to your years. I call this “the sipping solution.” Make a smoothie containing four to five servings of your favorite fruits, especially berries; organic yogurt; ground flaxseeds; tofu; juices like pomegranate, carrots and greens; and cinnamon. Sip on this smoothie all day long as your breakfast, lunch and snacks. Then eat a normal, healthy dinner. You will be amazed at how satisfied and energetic you will feel. This is also an extremely effective and lasting strategy for weight control.

5. Eat pure.
If you put junk food into your body, you get back junk health. Studies show that people who eat the purest live longer and healthier. Shop the perimeter of the supermarket. Remove from your pantry, fridge and shopping list foods that contain “bad words” (or chemical agers) on the label: high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated, “#” symbols (such “Red #40″), artificial sweeteners and chemical preservatives.

Instead, eat these 16 super foods for prime-time health: seafood, dairy, spinach, nuts, olive oil, broccoli, oatmeal, flaxseed meal, avocados, pomegranate juice, tomatoes, tofu, yogurt, red onions, garlic, beans and lentils.

If you want to feel like a teenager, you can no longer eat like a teenager.

6. Give yourself an oil change.
Eat more of the “young” oils—fish oil, flax oil, olive oil and nut oils. Eat less of the “old” oils: partially hydrogenated, corn, cottonseed, palm kernel, safflower, sunflower and soybean. The research is overwhelming that eating more fish, flax, olive and nut oils and less processed oils contributes to a healthier and longer life.

7. Eat more fish and less meat.
One of the most compelling health statistics is that seafood eaters live longer and healthier than do meat eaters. After a meal of salmon versus sirloin, sticky stuff does not accumulate in the lining of the arteries. Nutritionally speaking, this cardio-protective mechanism is called preventing post-prandial lipemia.

Seafood prevents the buildup of sticky stuff; meat increases the buildup of sticky stuff in the body, especially the blood vessels. It’s as simple as that. Like fruits and vegetables, the omega-3 oils found in seafood are anti-sticky stuff.

• · People who eat more fruits and vegetables live the longest and healthiest.
• · People who eat more seafood and less meat live the longest and healthiest.
• · People who move more and sit less live the longest and healthiest.

8. Reduce your waist.
Suppose you went in for a checkup, but your doctor had time to do only one test to accurately measure your overall health. Would the doctor:

A. Measure your weight on a scale or a BMI.
B. Do an electrocardiogram.
C. Listen to your heart with a stethoscope.
D. Measure your blood cholesterol.
E. Measure your waist size.

If you answered “E. Measure your waist size”…you are correct. Unlike the excess fat in our cheeks, neck, arms and thighs, excessive abdominal fat behaves like a chemical factory, spewing out unhealthy products that cause all those diseases you don’t want to get, especially diabetes, cardiovascular disease and those “-itis” illnesses—bronchitis, arthritis, colitis and dermatitis. Staying lean (meaning having the right weight and waist size for your individual body type) is one of the top health words for longevity.

9. Stress less.
In addition to working out a routine for the health of your body, it’s as equally important to work out a routine for the health of your mind. Identify the stressors in your life that you can get rid of, or at least minimize. Make humor an important part of your daily living. Practice deep breathing as a stress-buster. Meditate for at least five minutes a day. Focus on solutions, not problems. One of the secrets of people who live the longest and healthiest is the mantra: “If you can’t change it, don’t worry about it.”

10. Connect!
People who live the longest and healthiest have deep social connections. Giving love and feeling loved is therapeutic. Take time and effort to strengthen the love relationships in your life. Make new relationships. Heal troubled relationships with family members. Remember, in healing others, you heal yourself. Serve! Enjoy the helper’s high. The best way to relieve your stress is to help others relieve theirs.

 By Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears

When scientists first discovered the power of antioxidants to destroy cell-damaging free radicals, the hunt was on.

8 Foods That Pack Disease-Fighting Power

Antioxidants are kamikaze power foods—like blueberries and red wine—that reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease. Now they’re showing up in unexpected foods. Here’s where to find them.

They knew these preventers of cancer and heart disease were in colorful fruits and vegetables and nuts, but recently researchers have uncovered them in new, unexpected places. “The number and variety of these kamikaze substances we find in foods continue to grow,” says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, of the American Dietetic Association.

And that’s a good thing, experts say, because upping your antioxidant intake from as many sources as possible is more beneficial than getting them from just a few highly publicized foods. “Don’t just eat blueberries every day and think you’re covered,” says Joe Vinson, PhD, an analytical chemist at the University of Scranton who specializes in measuring antioxidant levels of foods. “When you eat a diverse diet, you get the entire spectrum of benefits they deliver.” Here, 8 places your antioxidants are hiding.

1. Whole Grain Pasta

Whole grain versions of pasta (whole wheat should be listed as the first ingredient) have 3 times more antioxidants than enriched or refined varieties, found Vinson’s study at the University of Scranton. He and his team compared the enriched or refined with the whole grain versions of three spaghetti brands.

“Many epidemiological studies show that the consumption of whole grains can reduce the risk of heart disease,” he says. “We used to think this was because of the fiber sweeping out the cholesterol, but it’s looking more like it’s the polyphenols’ positive effect on blood pressure and other markers of heart health that deserve the credit.” The concentrations of antioxidants in whole grain flour used to make wheat pasta are comparable to those found in fruits and veggies.

2. Popcorn

Popcorn has 4 times more polyphenols—powerful cancer-fighting plant compounds—than the average amount found in fruits, says Vinson, who tested several whole grain foods to measure antioxidant levels. “When air-popped at home, it’s a 100% whole grain food, so it’s not a complete surprise that it’s packed with polyphenols,” he says

3. Eggs

Eggs aren’t commonly considered a rich source of the antioxidant lutein (which protects your eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts) because they have low concentrations of it, relative to top sources such as spinach. However, scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University discovered that the lutein in egg yolks is absorbed more effectively than that in spinach, possibly because the yolks’ fat helps our bodies process the antioxidant much better. So even though one egg has only about 5% of the lutein found in just 1/4 cup of spinach, we absorb it 3 times more effectively, explains Elizabeth Johnson, PhD, coauthor of the Tufts study. “Spinach and other leafy greens are still the best sources, but whole eggs are a another easy way to get more lutein,” she says.

4. Canned Beans

A 2004 study conducted by the USDA found that certain varieties of dried beans contain high levels of antioxidants, but Americans commonly eat more canned beans, observes scientist Mark Brick, PhD. To find out if canned have as many antioxidants as dried, Brick and a team of researchers at Colorado State University measured the phenolic and flavonoid contents of several types of canned commercial beans for a 2009 study published in Crop Science. The scientists found that while all canned beans contain antioxidants, small red beans have the highest levels, followed closely by dark red kidney and black beans. In fact, darker canned beans have as much as 3 times more phytochemicals—plant compounds that wipe out free radicals to protect your cells and repair DNA damage—than white kidney and great Northern beans.

5. Yogurt

Love yogurt? You’ll love this stat: Just 1 cup of low-fat plain yogurt provides at least 25% of the daily value for riboflavin—the same that’s in 1 cup of boiled spinach. While not an antioxidant itself, riboflavin (a B vitamin) is critical in promoting antioxidant activity. Without it, the antioxidant glutathione—which is already in our cells—cannot destroy free radicals, which may lead to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions. Because riboflavin is water soluble, it remains in the body only a few hours and must be replenished daily; yogurt does the trick.

6. Canola Oil

Heart-healthy canola oil (which is less expensive and milder tasting than olive oil) is rich in the antioxidant alphatocopherol, according to Maret Traber, PhD, of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Just 1 tablespoon contains 16% of the DV. Alphatocopherol is one of eight antioxidants in vitamin E, which scientists have found keeps the fats in “bad” LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and forming free radicals, potentially leading to cardiovascular diseases and other chronic conditions. Turns out, though, we aren’t getting enough of this potent antioxidant. Close to one-third of women have low concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, say researchers who looked at data from a national nutrition survey conducted by the CDC. Easy fix: Use canola oil when baking or anytime you need a neutral-tasting oil for sautéing.

7. Organic Milk

Switch from regular milk to organic and you’ll be rewarded with a stronger dose of antioxidants, including vitamin E and the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein, says Gillian Butler, PhD, coauthor of a recent British study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Butler’s findings show that the antioxidants in milk from cows raised on organic or grass-fed diets are about 40 to 50% more concentrated than the milk from conventionally raised cows. These cows eat more grass, and the pasture itself provides more antioxidants than grain feeding even if the feed is augmented with supplements. If you’re not a frequent milk drinker, look for cheese and butter from grass-fed cows; they also offer more antioxidants than conventional varieties, says Butler.

8. Natural Sweeteners

The average American consumes 130 g of added refined sugars each day. If you cut excess sugar and use natural sweeteners like molasses, honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup instead of refined whenever possible, you can add the equivalent of antioxidants from an extra serving of nuts or berries to your daily diet. That’s according to researchers at Virginia Tech University who examined the antioxidant content of several natural sweeteners and found that molasses (particularly dark and blackstrap varieties) had the highest amounts. Their study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, showed that honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup also contained significant levels of antioxidants. While the university study looked at commonly available commercial honeys (usually refined from clover nectar), earlier studies have measured antioxidants in a variety of honeys and found that darker types tend to have significantly higher polyphenol counts. For example, buckwheat has an antioxidant level 8 times higher than clover, which is also outranked by sunflower and tupelo honeys.