Joe Cross and the “Reboot Plan”, made famous by his documentary, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, has changed countless lives for the better.  Those that began juicing have lost weight, detoxed, reduced medication and became more mobile.  Hundreds have sent Joe video messages of appreciation.  Here are some.  Watch, learn, be inspired.

MY POSTS about the Reboot Plan that was featured in the popular documentary, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead are among the most visited on this humble site. 

There’s good reasons for this: Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead demonstrated how some very ill and overweight people could dramatically change their lives for the better by drinking homemade vegetable and fruit juice.

During the year since the documentary was released, many thousands of people have been inspired to juice, me included.  While it’s true that I first began juicing decades ago, I wasn’t consistent.  Watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead got me going again.

I bought the same juicer that Joe Cross, the documentary’s producer and featured fat-sick-nearly-dead subject, uses, and between grabbing veggies from my garden and buying them at Whole Foods, I began juicing nearly every day.

(Joe Cross and his documentary side-kick Phil collectively lost over 300 pounds on their Reboot Diet.)

Now, frankly, I don’t have some wondrous tale to tell about how juicing saved my life or made me buff, because I wasn’t sick or out of shape to begin with.  But there is that clarity of mind and energy that comes even to us that are healthy.  To those that aren’t healthy to begin with, the benefits of juicing are extraordinary.

You need not take my word for it.  April 1 was the one year anniversary of the theatrical premiere of Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  He’s no fool, but Joe Cross sent out an email that day to those on his list, and included in it a video of people whose lives were so improved by juicing that they sent Joe videos of expression.

If you need an extra nudge to begin a health program, or just like to watch people joyful expressing their successful journeys to health, watch:

“Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” – One Year Later, Countless Lives Changed

Have you experienced juicing? If you have a tale to tell, tells us in the Comments section below.

For more about eating right, check out my post, Diet 101.

Want to add juicing to a detox cleanse protocol?  Check out It’s Detox Time.

Here’s the Breville Juicer that Joe Cross and I use. Click the image and learn more about it at Amazon.com, and there you can decide if it’s the juicer for you.

Related posts:

1. Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead — The Reboot Plan
2. The Reboot Cleanse Diet – Two Common Struggles
3. The Reboot Diet and the Detox Effect

Overfed and under nourished?  Overweight?  Tired?  Eat a lot of bread, pasta and soda?  Time to Watch Hungry for Change. Peak Performance guru Tony Robbins says, “This inspiring film has the power to transform your health!”  Expect it does, should you follow its insights, for these 12 health experts know about what they speak and live their talk.

Hungry for Change, the documentary

NOW THRU Sunday, March 31, 2012 you can watch Hungry for Change free.  Fine, but why would you want to?

Well, it could be that your physical self could use an overhaul, or perhaps just a tweak.  If neither is true, you might just be interested in the topic of how diet relates to… no, in fact, determines health.

I certainly learned a few things from watching Hungry for Change, and as I watched about twelve health professionals be interviewed about food, diet, chemicals, cleansing and disease, I took notes.

Here are my notes followed by the Hungry for Change trailer:

Most Americans are overfed and under nourished, which leads to being overweight with an incessant desire to eat.

Many chemicals we ingest from polluted and/or manufactured food are fat loving, in that they get stored in fat cells.  When we lose fat, we also need to detoxify, not just by burning fat but also by getting rid of chemicals released by the fat. The chemicals need to exit the system.

[Read It’s Detox Time, A Simple, Effective Cleanse and Dr Oz: How to Prepare for Your Cleanse.]

The body yearns to detoxify. Foods that are chlorophyll-rich, such as green vegetables, bind to heavy metals and chemicals and pass out of the body. Gelatinous plant foods, like chia seeds, psyllium husk powder and seaweed become gelatinous when wet.  As they move through the gastrointestinal track they absorb bile salts, bind to them and pass them out of the body before they get reabsorbed.

Certain “greens” like parsley and cilantro are effective chemical detoxifiers (as is niacin).  Parsley cleanses the blood and cilantro binds with heavy metals, like mercury, which gets into our body through polluted air, some types of fish and silver/mercury amalgam teeth fillings.

[Read The Right Tuna for You and the Ocean and The Ultimate Heavy Metal Detox]

Eating abundantly from the veggie kingdom is vital for proper nutrition. If perplexed about how to go about this because either you’re disinterested in becoming a veggie chef or are unwilling to train your palette to appreciate the taste, get a juicer.

The idea behind juicing vegetables and fruit (more veggies than fruit, as too much fruit yields too much sugar) is that you can consume much more of the healthy phytochemicals if the juice is separated from the pulp.  This nutrition is absorbed and building up your body within 15 minutes.

[Read Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.]

Evita Remparte was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  First she did a juice cleanse detox for three days and lost seven pounds. She continued and revamped her diet, making it vegetable and juice focused.  After four months, she was cancer free and lost a considerable amount of excess weight. Hers is probably not a prescription for combating cancer, but what she did worked for her.

Lustrous skin and hair indicate health. It’s the outer evidence of inner health.  The plentiful consumption of natural foods can result in lustrous skin and hair.  This can happen in 30 days.  The skin is a symbol of our nutrition, as it conveys what’s going on inside our bodies.  Improve the quality of your skin and hair by eating less wheat-based and packaged foods, replacing them with foods that look like they just came from the farm.

Cosmetics are a chemical dumping ground: horse urine and fragrance chemicals get absorbed into your body and potentially excite disease.

Traumas and Dramas.  The “A Study” is a study about obesity.  It posits that obesity is the result of stress and emotional adversity.  People turn to food to nurture themselves.  Stress causes cortisol, the so-called “death hormone”, which makes you gain weight.

Visualization is the language to use to communicate with your subconscious. Make a visual image of the way you want to look.  Focus on it and absorb it regularly.  Imagine being and living in that body.  This can turn the program off that undermines you.

Love of self and others is cited as the crucial component for health and weight loss. When you feel unloved, you feel unsafe. If you feel worthless and unloved, you need to unwind the internal chatter that limits and undermines you.  Tell yourself this:

“I accept myself unconditionally right now”.

Then pause and observe the nasty, contradictory messages that challenge this assertion, such as:

“You’re overweight, you’re unloved, and you don’t have a job”.

Repeat the affirmative self-talk.  After 30 days of consistently repeating this mantra, those nasty voices will go quiet as you get stronger

Three questions to improve your life:

1. Where does my food come from?
2. What attitudes care or love went into the food?
3. What is my intention with this food – nutrition or entertainment?

Paying attention to these three questions throughout that day will shift your response to, and selection of, the food you eat.

OK, so that’s what I got from my notes; and, mind you, I only started taking them about half way through the documentary.  Watch the trailer below and than go see the whole kit and kaboodle free until March 31, 2012, at either at Dr. Mercola’s website here, or sign-up and watch it at the HungeryForChange.tv website.

Here’s the trailer to Hungry for Change:

Contributors to Hungry for Change include:

Related posts:

1. Need to Change? Make it Fun!
2. The Reboot Diet and the Detox Effect
3. The Reboot Cleanse Diet – Two Common Struggles

Two prominent men of science and environmentalism express their respective views about our future, earth’s future, and they’re miles apart.  Will tomorrow bring calamity or abundance?

The Future... Good or Bad?

JUST YESTERDAY at TED2012, there was a debate of sorts between, imprecisely speaking, a pessimist and an optimist.

We’re talking about the future of the world, and you in it.

I say “imprecisely” because Paul Gilding, the pessimist in this story, isn’t completely so; in fact, although he’s certain that a crisis is soon coming, he believes that humans will survive it. There’s some optimism in there.

But it’s Peter Diamandis who is the unadulterated optimist in this future of the world story, for his view is that the future will sparkle.

May I suggest that their views are worth your consideration?

Paul Gilding has been an activist and social entrepreneur for the last 35 years, and is a former CEO of several institutions, such as Greenpeace International, Ecos Corporation and Easy Being Green. His recently published book is called The Great Disruption: Why the Climate Crisis Will Bring On the End of Shopping and the Birth of a New World.

Peter Diamandis holds a PhD from MIT, and is chair of the X Prize Foundation and Singularity University.

Mr. Gilding’s contention is that the earth has a finite capacity to feed and house the 9 billion people that will soon populate the planet, and that it’s a scientific certainty that the way the world economies are currently structured cannot persist. His TED talk is called, The Earth is Full:

Dr. Diamandis’ believes that the technological advances that will connect every human being to each other and to knowledge married with technological advances in the production of cheap energy will make the world, and those in it, thrive. His TED talk is called, Abundance is our Future:

So, who’s right? Which future do you think is likely, and why? Please leave your views in the Comments section below.

P.S. If you lean toward Paul Gilding’s world view, you’ll be interested in a few posts I’ve written that point to some resources that could help you along the forthcoming bumpy ride:

Japan Tsunami Creates Health Concerns… Are You Prepared? Clean water, food, medical supplies and shelter are among the top health concerns following a tsunami.  How would you fare if a tsunami or earthquake hit where you live?

Be Self-reliant – Be Prepared for Calamity Some resources to help bring you to self-reliance.

“10 Things to Learn from Japan” A Lesson for the World The calm, dignity, grace, order, self-sacrifice, ability, tenderness training, consciousness and media restraint so evident these past weeks in Japan as its people survive and rebuilt their society after the massive earthquake and tsunami presents a valuable lesson to the world.

Supplements and Food that Protect Against Radiation Poisoning This is a long list of supplements that are thought to offer some level of protection against radiation.  By and large, these are the very same supplements that are touted to clean and rebuild the body of toxins, as well as provide essential nutrition.

Japan’s Radiation Fallout – Protect Yourself! If you’re not familiar with potassium iodide, you need to be.  You may not live in Japan, but trust that most anywhere you live, there’s a chance for radiation to ruin your life.

Related posts:

1. The Earth Is Full. What To Do? (Watch)
2. The Colorado and Virginia Earthquakes Tell Us to Prepare
3. 18 Preparations for Hurricane Irene

Watch Dr. Mercol and exercise physiologist Phil Campbell do a 20-minute exercise protocol that can stimulate your own production of HGH by 771%.  HGH levels and telomere length are indicators of life span and health.

How to boost your human growth hormone by 771% in 20 minutes

People are interested in Human Growth Hormone (“HGH”) because they’ve heard that it’s important for preserving youthful vigor, looks and strength.  HGH is on my radar because one of my main focuses in life is to live a long and strong life.

Attaining this without HGH would be an overwhelming challenge.

Just look at what happens to your body’s production of HGH over time:

Even you twenty-somethings are at the halfway mark of HGH production.  At forty, you’re producing about half as much as at twenty, or about 3.5 times less than at your peak.  The rate of decline slows after forty, but the slope is still downward.

Why Care About HGH?

There is debate about the value of stimulating the HGH levels of someone at the norm per the above chart.  WebMD has a succinct post, on the subject, which distills down to:

“It isn’t clear if human growth hormone may provide other benefits to healthy adults.”

The “other” in “other benefits” refers to an increase in muscle mass and a concurrent reduction in body fat; however, strangely, the increased muscle doesn’t seem to increase strength.

Could it be that strength wasn’t increased because WebMD’s review, like most evaluations of HGH, is based upon it being injected or introduced some other way into the human body?

That’s not what I’m writing about.

I’m reporting about stimulating more HGH naturally by your own body through doing a certain, precise type of exercise.

This is something I’ve been doing myself for about a month.

But before I get into the exercise bit and it’s affect on HGH production, a word from Dr. Mercola about HGH’s influence on health and longevity:

“Peak Fitness” promotes the production of HGH, “a synergistic, foundational biochemical underpinning that promotes muscle and effectively burns excessive fat. It also plays an important part in promoting overall health and longevity.”

“If you’re over the age of 30, especially if you lead an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, you’ve likely entered a phase known as somatopause (age-related growth hormone deficiency). As your HGH levels decrease, your levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) also decrease. This is another important part of what drives your body’s aging process.”

The Telomere Factor

The telomere story about its affect on longevity is deserving of it’s own post, or series of them, and, indeed I have written about them before and will continue to do so.

[See Three Months to Longer Life, How Exercise Slows the Aging Process and How to Live to 100.]

But I want to sneak telomeres in here because they too are favorably impacted by the exercise protocol I’m about to divulge, which is what Dr. Mercola refers to as “Peak Performance”, and what exercise physiologist Phil Campbell calls “Sprint 8”.

Telomeres are found at the ends of chromosomes.  Their length foretell life span. They shorten as cells divide.  The shorter they are, the closer you are to meeting your maker.

Back to Dr. Mercola, who says:

“Interestingly enough, telomere length is also modulated by the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor system, which confirms the beneficial influence of high-intensity exercises on physical aging.”

Enter a Univeristy of Ohio study published in 2008, which maintains that the two interventions most consistently associated with increased lifespan in animal models are caloric restriction, and (as with HGH) the repression of the HGH/IGF-1/insulin axis:

“In humans as well as other species, a reduction in the GH/IGF-1 axis is correlated with increased percentage of total body and visceral fat, decreased muscle mass, decreased physical fitness, decreased immune function, and physiological declines in estrogen and androgen concentrations.”

“Thus, the natural declines in GH and IGF-1 that accompanies age-related degenerative processes implies that the GH/IGF-1 axis may be a causative determinant.”

So, what we have so far is the contention that HGH levels and Telomere length are both determinants of longevity and overall health, and that a certain type of exercise protocol can positively impact them.

Bust Your Ass 8

Since Phil Campbell and Dr. Mercola have their respective names for this exercise protocol that boosts HGH and telomere length, I’m going to pen one of my own:

“BYA8”, short for “Bust Your Ass 8”

Perhaps not poetic, but quite descriptive, my newly named BYA8 protocol (the same as “Peak Performance” and “Sprint 8”) has been tested to maximize the body’s own production of HGH.

This exercise protocol can boots HGH by 771% in just twenty minutes.

The name suggests the protocol, for to achieve the HGH boost you must bust your ass eight times.  And, indeed, the type of exercise you’re busting yourself over must involve your buttocks, one of our largest muscles.

How to do BYA8:

1. The Exercise Type.  Choose an anaerobic exercise such as sprinting, running up stairs, running up a hill, biking, stationary biking, an elliptical exerciser or rowing machine.  (Note that any of these will, at minimum, engage your entire quadriceps, hamstrings and buttocks  — the big muscles in the body that you need to exhaust.)

As Phil Campbell puts it:

“There are many different ways you could do Sprint 8. As long as you can get totally exhausted in 30 seconds or less. That’s the key. If you can’t go longer than 30 seconds — no matter if you’re a professional athlete or just starting — that means you’re doing it correctly. It has to be so intense that after 30 seconds, you’re just praying for those last seconds to go by … “

2. Do 8 Sets, 30 Seconds Each.  After a warm-up, do the exercise as fast/hard as you can for 30 seconds.  Then slow way down (for instance, if you’re sprinting, walk) for 90 seconds and then leap to it again for 30 seconds, and so on eight times.

3. Ingest Protein. Within 30 minutes after the BYA8 session, ingest 20 to 30 grams of protein, either a protein drink (whey is good) or food.  You will accentuate HGH production and muscle building if you minimize carbohydrates here, but accentuate recovery if you consume carbs.

BYA8 Words of Wisdom:

1. Ease Into It.  You will not be able to do 8 sets right away.  If you do, you’re probably not busting enough during the 30 seconds.  Particularly if you’re past 40 years of age or have been rather sedentary, begin slowly.  After warming up, try doing the 30 seconds at half power at first.  I’m doing four at full bust and four slower. Doing eight, even if just two sets are hard, is a good idea so that you’ll get accustomed to the protocol.

2. Rest.  Most of us will need at least two days of recovery.  For most of us, you will injure or exhaust yourself if you try to do BYA8 more frequently than every third day.

3. Eat Protein. You’ll need to eat more protein than usual to feed your muscles during the anabolic and growth phases post exercise; otherwise you won’t build sufficient muscle or recovery sufficiently to keep the program going. (Anabolic recovery begins about 45 minutes after exercise, and the growth phase kicks in thereafter till the next catabolic, muscle break-down, creating workout.)

Now, before you get all “gun ho” about this, watch the two videos below.  One is Dr. Mercola’s interview with Phil Campbell (yes it’s long).  The other is of Mr. Campbell putting Dr. Mercola through the protocol on an elliptical machine, which Campbell considers the best equipment for this ass busting.

You may also wish to read Dr Mercola’s views on HGH and exercise, a post he titled, Boosts Your Youth Hormone by 771% in Just 20 Minutes. There’s more juice on the subject there.

Finally, as mentioned, I’ve jumped into and am busting my butt with this protocol. I’ll write about my experience once I have something definitive to report.

Let us know what you think of all this in the Comments below.  Are you interested in trying it out?  If not, why do you hesitate?

Ciao for now.

Related posts:

1. How to Live to 100. Watch.
2. Five Diet and Exercise Myths that Need to Die
3. How Exercise Slows the Aging Process

As the second full year of my blogging on Garma on Health comes to a close, I look back over all my posts during 2011 and select my ten favorite for your reading pleasure.

These are not necessarily examples of the best-written posts, nor are they listed in order of importance; rather, this selection presents information and insights that I deem valuable for you to know.

I hope among the ten, there’s at least one gem that’s useful to you.

Garma on Health's Top 10 for 2011

I ADDED a bonus selection at the bottom… couldn’t help myself.

No one’s going to read all these, but do me a favor and pick your favorite and say so in the Comments section below.  Your selection will help me focus on health topics more to your interest.  Thanks!

Here’s Garma on Health’s Top 10 11 for 2011:

1. Aubrey de Grey: “We Can Stop Aging” — Watch

Aubrey de Grey says we can avoid aging.  OK… well… who is Aubrey de Grey, and why does he think that humans can avoid aging?  You’ll be surprised about what you learn.

2. Eat Fiber, Live Longer, Healthier too! Watch

Dr. Hyman, a recent government study, and health practitioners everywhere extol the virtues of fiber.  Learn how it benefits you and how to eat more of it.

3. Be here now: “Gerry’s” Dharma Lesson

A Dharma lesson from a Zen Center poignantly shows how even in the midst of a lesson on being present, our mind wrestles with the past and present.  A technique to “Be Here Now”.

4. Run, Jog or “Slog” Pain Free

If you run and want to keep at it, eventually you need to know your foot type.  Do you pronate, supinate, or do something in between?  If your running shoe isn’t built for your foot type, running will become more difficult and you’ll potentially develop pain in the feet, ankles, knees and hips.  Perhaps even in the calves, which is my issue these days.

5. Be Self-reliant – Be Prepared for Calamity

When I began this blog over 1.5 years ago, I wasn’t really sure just what I’d be writing about, but I know I did not contemplate providing a repository for earthquake news and disaster preparedness.  By popular demand, here are some resources to help bring you to self-reliance.

6. Weighing the Evidence on Exercise and Diet to Lose Weight

The aim: To dismantle the confusion about exercise and diet as they relate to weight loss.  I present several studies that may seem contradictory and try to find the nuggets of truth.

7. Four Ways to Build a Better Brain

Who would have thought that the most assured way to build a better brain is to build a better body?  Well, not precisely – but the science shows that some simple, consistent exercise does more to improve the brain than crossword puzzles and blueberries.

8. Five Diet and Exercise Myths that Need to Die

Here they are: 1) Long Cardio Workouts are the Key to Weight Loss; 2) Diet and Exercise are Equal When it Comes to Losing Weight; 3) It Doesn’t Matter What Time of Day You Exercise; 4) Diet Foods Will Help You Lose Weight; 5) You’re Destined to Gain Weight as You Get Older.  These are myths that need to die!

9. Steve Jobs’ Real Legacy – Teaching Us to Live Passionately

Steve Jobs created fantastic products, but his most important legacy is how he lived his life.  He found what he loved to do and did it passionately.  Here, I dive into his “Think Different” philosophy, “12 Steve Jobs Lessons for Us All”, and his “Stanford Commencement Speech” to share the golden nuggets of his life, so that you can live yours better. (Watch)

10. Will Your Belly Fat Cause Cancer?

Since in America 2/3rds of us are overweight, knowing about the ultimate risk of belly fat is both urgent and important. The facts recently uncovered are shocking!  Learn about the damage that excess fat can do, and how to minimize the risks.

11. Dr. Weil’s Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs

(Yes, I can count, but I just had to add Dr. Weil into the mix.  The good doctor is among the best and must be heard!)

The science is in – for mild to moderate depression, pharmaceutical antidepressants are no more effective than placebos.  But the science also says that there are four steps you can take that are effective to reduce depression.  Reducing or eliminating mild/moderate depression is all about anti-inflammatory foods, supplements, exercise and a shift in cognition (perception).

See ya in 2012… Please don’t forget to tell me which were your favorites in the Comments section below.

Related posts:

1. Four Ways to Build a Better Brain
2. Five Diet and Exercise Myths that Need to Die
3. Dr. Weil’s Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs

The Biggest Loser Nutritionist, Cheryl Forberg takes you through the reasons why building and maintaining muscle at any age is critical to living a long and vital life.  There’s three ways that muscles relate to aging well, and three factors that make us lose muscle as we age.

HERE’S A SHOUT-OUT to Cheryl Forberg RD, Nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser, for her article Why Strong (Muscle Mass) is Sexy, because people need to know that retaining/building muscle and strength is a vital part to aging well.

Without adequate muscle, living long and strong, as I like to say, is less probable.

Ms. Forberg posits the question: “What do muscle mass and strength have to do with how well we age?” The answer touches on three things: 1. Activity level, 2. Metabolism, and 3. Fat.

Now before I get into these three, here’s why you should care about your level of muscle and strength even if you’re still young age.  Right now you may be under 30, but someday hopefully you’ll be over 30, and after you reach 30, three to eight percent of your muscle mass erodes each decade. By the time you reach 60 years of age, the muscle loss accelerates.

If you’re not doing resistance training to slow down or maintain muscle mass, you’re heading for a sessile, constrained, slow-moving, injury prone, lackluster middle age and beyond.

So, listen up… here are the three ways muscle/strength relates to how well we age:

1. Activity Level

Remember all the running around (literally) you did as a whippersnapper?  All the sports and activities you enjoyed?  This movement required muscle.  If you don’t maintain it as you grow older, shifting from side to side on your couch will be an Olympian effort.  And as you know, the less you do, the less muscle you need to do it; unexercised, unloved, it just fades away.

One other point for those of you concerned about bone density… the strength of your muscles is related to the strength of your bones, and most any activity is going to be done better if your bones are strong.

Ms. Forberg points out:

“Women are likely more focused on keeping their bones dense and strong than on maintaining their muscles, because the medical establishment, society and the media have put more focus on preventing osteoporosis. However, when your muscles are weak, your bones are more likely to be weak.”

2. Metabolism

Muscle burns calories.  Just sitting there, doing nada, muscle consumes more of the calories you pile into your body than would otherwise be used.  If you ate less as your muscles atrophied, perhaps it would all equal out. But you don’t, or speaking for myself, I don’t, and so muscle-building is maintained as my life-long discipline.

3. Fat

Surely, when metabolism level declines, all other things being equal – like the number of calories consumed – fat happens.  But the body is a complicated thing where nothing happens by itself or in isolation, and so it’s not just a slower metabolism that contributes to making us fatter as we get older and our ignored muscles vacate the premises.  Insulin does us in as well.

The insulin effect happens this way… Muscles consume glucose (blood sugar) big time, but glucose needs insulin in order to enter cells and be used as energy. If your muscle mass erodes but the amount of blood sugar stays the same, there’s less capacity to use it and you become insulin resistant.  This puts you at greater risk for Type 2 diabetes, which in turn raises your risk of heart disease, stroke and, perhaps, Alzheimer’s.

Maintaining Muscle

The good news is that declining muscle isn’t just an unpreventable fact of aging. Declining muscle is merely a result of you no longer challenging your muscles.  What you don’t use, you lose.

No excuses – even people in their 90s can show impressive strength gains with exercise.

Again, Ms. Forberg:

“As you age, a number of changes occur in your skeletal muscles, which are the ones that move your arms, your legs and the rest of your body. You lose muscle mass — you simply have less of the stuff. Your nervous system becomes less efficient at prompting your muscles to move. Fat and connective tissue start developing within your muscles, leaving less muscle tissue to contract to move your body.”

We touched on the three ways muscle and strength relate to aging.  Now, here are three factors that contribute to declining muscles as the years unfold:

1. Lack of Use

Young, old or in between, if you don’t use your muscle, you’ll lose it.  Surely you’ve noted what studies demonstrate:  even young people’s muscle mass and strength quickly deteriorate when confined to bed rest.

Building or maintaining muscle requires resistance training.  To keep your legs strong (bone and muscle), you don’t have to load a barbell with weights and squat yourself to a hernia.  Rather, walk hills, and/or just squat with your hands out in front of you or on your hips.

To keep your upper body strong (bone and muscle), you don’t have to join a gym, lie on a bench and lift a barbell off your chest.  Rather, do push-ups.  If you can’t do any or many with your legs straight behind you and balanced on your hands and feet, then balance between hands and knees.  (Just don’t let your mid section slump so that your pelvis hits the floor first, or let your head droop so low that your nose touches the floor whilst your chest is still 12 inches above it.)

[Watch my rather entertaining, if embarrassing, attempt to demonstrate how to get a full body resistance and aerobic workout at home without any equipment here at the Homestead Workout.]

2. Insufficient Protein

The current RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for protein — the amount that people are supposed to get each day — is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for adults. So if you weigh 200 pounds (91 kilograms), you need 73 grams of protein daily.

How to get it?  I recommend you do it the way I do… fish, some diary, eggs and protein supplementation, such as whey protein.  (See Diet 101.)

The “Biggest Loser” plan strives for getting 30 percent of your daily calories from lean protein 45 percent from complex carbs and 25 percent from good (omega-3) fats.

3. Hormonal Changes

The ladies on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may know firsthand that extra estrogen can cause a weight gain in fat, not muscle. It’s certainly in your best interest to discuss the estrogen and progesterone balance of your HRT with your doctor.  Review with him/her a good exercise routine, and if you’re an exercise neophyte, do yourself a favor and begin your exercise life under the guidance of a personal trainer. A good one is truly worth it.

Well, that’s it… the bottom line:  Muscle does a body good!

Related posts:

1. New Research: Muscles = Longevity!
2. Metabolism’s Role in Burning Body Fat
3. Five Diet and Exercise Myths that Need to Die

In many ways, we were more “green” decades ago, before everything was mechanized, automated, made easy. Some things were just better, healthier and more green in the past.

IN THE past, I’ve shared on these pages an email or two that I get sent to me — you know… those ones that make the rounds to many of us, such as this one about the resiliency of the Japanese people.

Today, I received another one of these emails that’s worth sharing.  It’s subject is, “The Green Thing”, and it humorously illustrates how much more natural and “green” society was relative to our personal habits then now.

You’ll get what I’m saying, just read on…

“The Green Thing”

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The woman apologized to herand  explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.”

That’s right, they didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized  and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were  recycled.

But they didn’t have the green thing back her day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator  in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and  didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two
blocks.

But she’s right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have the  throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling  machine burning up 220 volts – wind and solar power really did dry the  clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters,
not always brand-new clothing.

But that old lady is right, they didn’t have the green thing back in her  day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house – not a TV in every  room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a  screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they  blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to
do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the  mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not  styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut  the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised  by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on  treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she’s right, they didn’t have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a cup  or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled  pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they  replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole  razor just because the blade got dull.

But they didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school  or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi  service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of  sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn’t need a computerized  gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in  space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn’t it sad that they didn’t have the green thing back then?

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How calories are used by the body can be confusing.  Metabolism, thermogenesis, age, gender, and physical activity all play important roles.

METABOLISM  — the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy – is popularly regarded as the key reason for you being thin or fat.  We like to distill things down into simple terms or concepts.  A world painted either black or white is definitive and easier to navigate.

So, is the real difference between those who are overweight and the skinny beans simply a matter of metabolism?  The skinny simply burn up their calories cause of God’s gift of a “fast” metabolism?

Let’s dig into this a bit.  I’m inspired to address this metabolism issue after having read the Editor-in-Chief of SELF magazine, Lucy Danziger’s article called, 7 Tricks to a Speedier Metabolism. My sense is that her “tricks” (listed below) are worth knowing about and implementing, but they do not necessarily act mainly on metabolism.

Let’s turn to the Mayo Clinic for clarity, which says this here:

“…contrary to common belief, a slow metabolism is rarely the cause of excess weight gain. Although your metabolism influences your body’s basic energy needs, it’s your food and beverage intake and your physical activity that ultimately determine how much you weigh.”

The term “metabolism” or “basal metabolic rate” (“BMR”) is the number of calories your body uses to carry out some basic functions, such as biochemically processing calories and oxygen to realize the energy used by your body.  Even at rest, you need to breathe, blood needs to circulate, hormones adjust and cells repair and grow.  All this requires energy/calories/metabolism.

On average, 60 to 75% of the calories you use to fuel the process of these basic functions are fairly consistent and fixed. That said, there is more to metabolism when it comes to burning calories.  About 10% of the calories used each day is used for thermogenesis – the digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume.  And the rest of the calories used is from physical activity and exercise, whether it’s running up a hill, or carrying groceries from the car to the home.

[Read Lose Weight without Dieting, a primer on thermogenesis.]

Determinants of BMR

There are three basic factors that determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR):

• Your body size and composition. Even while resting, the bodies of people who are larger or have more muscle burn up more calories.
• Your sex. Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do women of the same age and weight, and muscle burns more calories, even with the body at rest.
• Your age. As you get older, the amount of muscle tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of your weight, slowing down calorie burning.  This is why it’s so important to engage in weight-bearing exercise (walking up hills, calisthenics, weight lifting) as you get older, so that muscle tissue is retained.

Although it may be tempting to blame your metabolism for weight gain, only rarely is this the case. Instead, what’s true is that weight gain is most commonly the result of eating more calories than you burn. Yes, it’s pretty black and white after all: To lose weight, you need to create an energy deficit by eating fewer calories, increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity, or both.

So, with that primer on metabolism behind us, let’s return to the “7 tricks” that Ms. Danzinger wrote about.  I contend that rather than principally effecting metabolism, these tricks mainly influence  thermogenises, that being the calories digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume.  Nonetheless, I think what she presents would be helpful to someone trying to lose body fat, and so I’ll summarize them, and if you wish to delve deeper, read her 7 Tricks to a Speedier Metabolism here.

7 Tricks to Speed Up Calorie Burning While at Rest

1. Scrimping on shut-eye

In a study of more than 68,000 women, those who slept seven hours weighed 5.5 pounds less than women who slept five hours or less.

2. Stressing out

Stress has a deleterious effect on your thyroid, a gland that regulates metabolism and protein synthesis, among other things. If not working properly, you can gain weight, feel depressed and fatigued.

3. Skipping breakfast

Miss breakfast and you’ll have less energy and likely eat more later than you would if a good quality breakfast was eaten.  What you eat for breakfast is important… try to consume all three macronutrients: protein, complex carbs and a high quality (omega-3) fat.  Try an omelet made with 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup chopped broccoli, 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 oz lowfat shredded cheese; it delivers an impressive 22 g protein per serving.

4. Staying seated

Sitting for a few hours switches off enzymes that capture fat in the bloodstream, but standing up and getting active reignites them. Stand when possible.

5. Eating junk food

Junk food might stimulate a gene that encourages your body to store excess fat, causing you to gain weight over time.  Dampen sweet cravings with berries or an orange, both of which are high in vitamin C, a nutrient that can help you sizzle up to 30 percent more fat during exercise.

6. Falling into a workout rut

As you get closer to your weight goal, there’s less body mass to consume calories, so you need fewer of them.  Rather than get upset, revamp your workouts and try different quality foods.

7. Dodging the weight room

Lifting weights helps you build calorie-burning lean muscle, and with more lean muscle, you use more calories even when just sitting at your desk or lying on the bed.  Add weight-bearing exercises like planks, lunges, squats and tricep dips to your workouts three times a week, and/or develop a rigorous yoga routine that requires lifting your body up and down off the floor.

Good luck and have fun — let all great things be done with a light heart.

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In the video above, Megan Hoffman beautifully demonstrates an easy way to start a life of exercise, beginning with just five minutes a day.

In these five minutes, Ms. Hoffman shows you exercises that touch all of the body, for strength and cardiovascular fitness. As you improve, you can cycle through the exercises sequence as many times as you feel you can.

If you now can only do one set (one cycle) you don’t need a rest day — do it every day. However as you increase the sets and thereby tax the body, you’ll need a rest day in between exercise days. On the rest day, do something else, like walk up a hill, or do yoga. Just remember not to exercise at least one day a week.

One other pointer — you can modify the push-ups by placing your knees on the floor to reduce the weight your arms need to push. Less weight is achieved with your knees on the floor and feet resting on the floor as well, and more weight can be loaded by keeping your knees on the floor but raising your feet to your buttocks.

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You’ll be blown away by the specific health benefits of these foods!

NEVER BEFORE has there been more research devoted to life extension via nutrition.  The Baby Boomers simply refuse to age. I can relate, and I do relate to you on this blog about some of the pearls I run across and experience myself.

The editors of Men’s Health report about the latest science on the muscle building, brain enhancing, wrinkle erasing, heart strengthening, bone protecting, immunity boosting, and inflammation fighting foods you should be eating every day.

I’ll here present what was written, and point out that another scientific journey into the  same subject was funded by 86 year-old billionaire David Murdock, who himself is intent on turning back the clock – or at least stopping it.

In Murdock’s recipe for longevity, I report on his “healthiest foods on earth”.  In the list below, I note which of the 40 “age-erasing superfoods” reported by Men’s Health match Murdock’s list.  Personally, I indulge mightily in most of these foods, and I heartily suggest that you do too.

Choose a couple each week new to you, and once assimilated, add some more each  week till the good stuff crowds out the bad stuff, and that face in the mirror reflects the former you.

1. Almonds (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Rich in amino acids, which bolster testosterone levels and muscle growth, these energy-rich snacks lower bad cholesterol, thanks to plant sterols, and benefit diabetics by lowering blood sugar.  Almonds are also stuffed with vitamin E, which helps defend against sun damage. In a study, volunteers who consumed 14 milligrams of the vitamin (about 20 almonds) per day and then were exposed to UV light burned less than those who took none. And because vitamin E is an antioxidant, it also works to keep your arteries free of dangerous free radicals. Low levels of vitamin E are also associated with poor memory performance and cognitive decline, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.

2. Flaxseeds

Abundant in protein and fiber, these little seeds offer a payload of omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines in the skin. The British Journal of Nutrition reported that participants in one study who downed about half a teaspoon of omega-3s daily in 6 weeks experienced significantly less irritation and redness, along with better-hydrated skin. A recent study of people with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL) compared statin treatment with eating 20 grams of flaxseed a day. After 60 days, those eating flaxseed did just as well as those on statins. Try sprinkling ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.  Or grind them into a powder (or buy them) and sprinkle them on high glycemic foods, such as a bowl of fruit, or in a fruit smoothie.

3. Tomatoes (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: red are the best because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene; and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, and help eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. “Cooked tomatoes and tomato paste work best,” says celebrity trainer Gunnar Petersen.

4. Sweet Potatoes (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Often confused with yams, these tubers are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. In addition to countering the effects of secondhand smoke and preventing diabetes, sweet potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that can enhance nutrient metabolism and immune system health, as well as protect against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart attack, and stroke. What’s more, they’re also loaded with vitamin C, which smoothes out wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that volunteers who consumed 4 milligrams of C (about half a small sweet potato) daily for 3 years decreased the appearance of wrinkles by 11 percent.

5. Spinach (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

It may be green and leafy, but spinach—a renowned muscle builder—is also the ultimate man food. Spinach is replete with the essential minerals potassium and magnesium, and it’s one of the top sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent clogged arteries. Plus its vitamins and nutrients can bolster bone-mineral density, attack prostate cancer cells, reduce the risk of skin tumors, fight colon cancer, and, last but not least, increase blood flow to the penis. “Popeye was on to something,” says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles.

6. Rosemary

The carnosic acid found in this spice has been shown to reduce stroke risk in mice by 40 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry. Carnosic acid appears to set off a process that shields brain cells from free-radical damage, which can worsen the effects of a stroke. It can also protect against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and the general effects of aging.

7. Wild Salmon

A 4-ounce serving of salmon has approximately 2,000 milligrams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), omega-3 fatty acids that serve as oil for the brain’s hardware by helping nerve cells communicate with one another. Thirty-five percent of your brain consists of fatty acids like these, but they can decline as the years stack up. A 2008 University of Cincinnati study, for instance, found that the brain tissue of 65- to 80-year-olds contained 22 percent less DHA than the brain tissue of 29- to 35-year-olds. “If you want to keep your wits about you as you age, start consuming omega-3s now,” says William Harris, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at the University of South Dakota. Why is wild so important? Because farmed fish, which are fattened with soy, can be as high in inflammatory omega-6 fats as a cheeseburger. If in doubt, opt for sockeye salmon, which can’t be farmed and is always wild. Aim for at least two servings a week, says dietitian Joan Salge Blake, author of Nutrition and You.

8. Blueberries (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

“This potent little fruit can help prevent a range of diseases from cancer to heart disease,” says Ryan Andrews, the director of research at Precision Nutrition, in Toronto, Canada. Think of blueberries as anti-rust for your gray matter, too. Besides being rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, they’re also packed with antioxidants—only açai, an Amazonian berry, contains more—that neutralize the free radicals that cause neuronal misfires. Eat a cup a day, and opt for wild blueberries whenever possible, as they contain 26 percent more antioxidants than cultivated varieties.

9. Green Tea

Green tea releases catechin, an antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Research found that drinking 2 to 6 cups a day not only helps prevent skin cancer but might also reverse the effects of sun damage by neutralizing the changes that appear in sunexposed skin. Other studies show that green tea—infused with another antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)—can boost your cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of most types of cancer.

10. Dark Chocolate

Flavonoids, a natural nutrient in cocoa, improve blood flow in the brain, which helps boost cognitive function. Plus dark chocolate contains a tannin called procyanidin, which is also found in red wine, that can keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure low. It helps on the outside, too. In a study from the Journal of Nutrition, women who drank cocoa fortified with a chocolate bar’s worth of flavonols had better skin texture and stronger resistance to UV rays than those who drank significantly fewer flavonols. Indulge in 1 ounce a day to get all the benefits, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.

11. Tuna

Your favorite deli sandwich has a little secret: Selenium. This nutrient helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight. The antioxidant is also believed to buffer against the sun (it stops free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging cells). Tuna is also a great source of protein, contains no trans fat, and a 3-ounce serving of chunk light contains 11 mg of heart-healthy niacin, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and help your body process fat. University of Rochester researchers determined that niacin raises HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and lowers triglycerides more than most statins alone.

12. Carrots (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Think of carrots as orange wonder wands—good for the eyeballs, and good for clearing up breakouts. No magic here, though, just plenty of vitamin A, which prevents overproduction of cells in the skin’s outer layer. That means fewer dead cells to combine with sebum and clog pores. They’re also spiked with carotenoids-fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as a reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

13. Dried Plums

Also known as prunes, prunes are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis. “They also contain a fiber called inulin, which, when broken down by intestinal bacteria, makes for a more acidic environment in the digestive tract,” says Bowerman. “That, in turn, facilitates calcium absorption.”

14. Whole Grains

Whole grains—oatmeal, wheat flour, barley, brown rice—are high in fiber, which calms inflamed tissues while keeping the heart strong, the colon healthy, and the brain fueled. Whole grains can be loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because they can pack as much as 10 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving, they also deliver steady muscle-building energy. But not all breads and crackers advertised as “whole grain” are the real deal. “Read the label,”says Lynn Grieger, an online health, food, and fitness coach. “Those that aren’t whole grain can be high in fat, which increases inflammation.”

15. Red Wine

Swimming in resveratrol—a natural compound that lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents blood clots—red wine can truly be a lifesaver. A recent review in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, for instance, suggests that resveratrol may prevent or delay the onset of chronic disease. But limit your intake to two drinks a day. According to a study of 6,000 patients in the Journal of the American Medical Association, you’re 97 percent more likely to reach your 85th birthday if you keep your daily alcohol consumption to fewer than three drinks. Vin rouge is also a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants that help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart, and may make you less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, according to Japanese researchers.  If you want to get resveratrol, you’ll have to use resveratrol supplements.

16. Yogurt

Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which keep your digestive tract healthy and your immune system in top form, and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic, though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.”  Stay away from those that are sweetened.

17. Avocado (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Chock full of monounsaturated fat, avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels. Eat a 1/4 cup twice a week, says Greaves.

18. Walnuts

Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much musclebuilding protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a post-workout recovery snack.

19. Turmeric

Curcumin, the polyphenol that gives turmeric its tang and yellow hue, has anti-cancer properties, anti-inflammatory effects, and tumor-fighting activities known in nutrition speak as anti-angiogenesis. Researchers at UCLA have also found that it helps deter the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain, tiny blockages that may cause Alzheimer’s disease. Turmeric’s prevalence in India, the researchers suggest, may help explain why so few of the country’s senior citizens have the disease, whereas the statistic is close to 13 percent in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. One tip: Pair it with pepper in curries. “Adding black pepper to turmeric or turmeric-spiced food enhances curcumin’s bioavailability by 1,000 times, due to black pepper’s hot property called piperine,” says nutritionist Stacy Kennedy of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

20. Black Beans

People who eat one 3-ounce serving of black beans a day decrease their risk of heart attack by 38 percent, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. And while other beans are also good for your heart, none can boost your brainpower like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. They’re also packed with superstar nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, folate, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, and fiber.

21. Apples (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

An apple a day reduces swelling of all kinds, thanks to quercetin, a flavonoid also found in the skin of red onions. Quercetin reduces the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prostate and lung cancers. If given the choice, opt for Red Delicious. They contain the most inflammation fighting antioxidants.

22. Alaskan King Crab

High in protein and low in fat, the sweet flesh of the king crab is spiked with zinc—a whopping 7 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving. “Zinc is an antioxidant, but more important, it helps support healthy bone mass and immune function,” say Bowerman.

23. Pomegranates (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

The juice from the biblical fruit of many seeds can reduce your risk of most cancers, thanks to polyphenols called ellagitannins, which give the fruit its color. In fact, a recent study at UCLA found that pomegranate juice slows the growth of prostate cancer cells by a factor of six.

24. Pak Choy

This crunchy cruciferous vegetable is more than the filler that goes with shrimp in brown sauce. “Bok choy is rich in bone-building calcium, as well as vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, beta-carotene, and potassium,” says celebrity trainer Teddy Bass. Potassium keeps your muscles and nerves in check while lowering your blood pressure, and research suggests that beta-carotene can reduce the risk of both lung and bladder cancers, as well as macular degeneration.

25. Oysters

Shellfish, in general, is an excellent source of zinc, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, potassium, and selenium. “But the creamy flesh of oysters stands apart for its ability to elevate testosterone levels and protect against prostate cancer,” says Bass.

26. Broccoli (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

One cup of broccoli contains a hearty dose of calcium, as well as manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. And that’s in addition to its high concentration of vitamins—including A, C, and K—and the phytonutrient sulforaphane, which studies at Johns Hopkins University suggest has powerful anticancer properties.

27. Kiwis (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Like bananas, this fuzzy fruit is high in bone-protecting potassium. “They’re also rich in vitamin C and lutein, a carotenoid that can help reduce the risk of heart disease,” says Bowerman. “I try to eat at least one or two a week after exercising.” Freeze them for a refreshing energy kick, but don’t peel the skin: It’s edible and packed with nutrients.

28. Olive Oil

The extra-virgin variety is rich in beneficial monounsaturated fats. “Its fatty acids and polyphenols reduce inflammation in cells and joints,” says Grieger. A study in the journal Nature found that it’s as effective as Advil at reducing inflammation. “Have 2 tablespoons a day,” says Bowerman.

29. Leeks

“Leeks can support sexual functioning and reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” says Michael Dansinger, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine and an obesity researcher at Tufts–New England Medical Center, in Boston. “Chop the green part of a medium leek into thin ribbons and add it to soups, sautés, and salads as often as possible.” These scallionlike cousins of garlic and onions are also packed with bone-bolstering thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium, and they’re also rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that studies have shown to lower levels of the artery-damaging amino acid homocystein in the blood.

30. Artichokes (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Lauded for centuries as an aphrodisiac, this fiber-rich plant contains more bone-building magnesium and potassium than any other vegetable. Its leaves are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols—antioxidants that can cut the risk of stroke—and vitamin C, which helps maintain the immune system. “Eat them as often as you can,” says Bowerman. Ripe ones feel heavy for their size and squeak when squeezed.

31. Chili Peppers

“Chilis stimulate the metabolism, act as a natural blood thinner, and help release endorphins,” says Petersen. Plus, they’re a great way to add flavor to food without increasing fat or calorie content. Chilis are also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections, as well as capsaicin, which inhibits neuropeptides (chemicals that cause inflammation). A recent study in the journal Cancer Research found that hot peppers even have anti-prostate-cancer properties. All this from half a chili pepper (or 1 tablespoon of chili flakes) every day.

32. Ginger

Contrary to popular belief, ginger—a piquant addition to so many Asian dishes—isn’t a root, it’s a stem, which means it contains living compounds that improve your health. Chief among them is gingerol, a cancer suppressor that studies have shown to be particularly effective against that of the colon. Chop ginger or grind it fresh and add it to soy marinated fish or chicken as often as you can. The more you can handle, the better.

33. Cinnamon

Known for making desserts sweet and Indian food complex, cinnamon is rich in antioxidants that inhibit blood clotting and bacterial growth (including the bad-breath variety). “Studies also suggest that it may help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes,” says dietitian Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. “What’s more, it may help reduce bad cholesterol. Try half a teaspoon a day in yogurt or oatmeal.”

34. Eggs

Those who have eggs for breakfast lose 65 percent more weight than those who down a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity. Eat the yolk, too. Recent studies have proved that the fat in the yellow part is important to keep you satiated, and the benefits of its minerals and nutrients outweigh its cholesterol effect.

35. Figs

Packed with potassium, manganese, and antioxidants, this fruit also helps support proper pH levels in the body, making it more difficult for pathogens to invade, says Petersen. Plus, the fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Select figs with dark skins (they contain more nutrients) and eat them alone or add them to trail mix.

36. Grass-Fed Beef

Nothing beats pure protein when it comes to building muscle. The problem with most store-bought beef, however, is that the majority of cattle are grain fed, which gives their meat a relatively high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. That, in turn, contributes to inflammation. The fatty acids in grass-fed beef, on the other hand, are skewed toward the omega-3 variety. Such beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which studies have shown help reduce belly fat and build lean muscle.

37. Mushrooms (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Delicious when added to brown rice, reiki, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms are rich in the antioxidant ergothioneine, which protects cells from abnormal growth and replication. “In short, they reduce the risk of cancer,” says Bowerman, who recommends half a cup once or twice a week. “Cooking them in red wine, which contains resveratrol, magnifies their immunity-boosting power.”

38. Pineapples (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

With its potent mix of vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes—in particular, bromelain, pineapple is an all-body anti-inflammation cocktail. It also protects against colon cancer, arthritis, and macular degeneration, says Grieger. (If only the “colada” part of the equation were as healthy.) Have half a cup, two or three times a week.

39. Fruit or Vegetable Juice

Raise a glass of the good stuff. In a 2006 University of South Florida study, people who drank three or more 4-ounce glasses of fruit or vegetable juice each week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who drank less. The high levels of polyphenols—antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables—may protect brain cells from the damage that may be caused by the disease, says study author Amy Borenstein, Ph.D.

40. Bing Cherries (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that eating about 35 bing cherries a day can lower the risk of tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, and gout, says Bowerman. Studies also suggest that they reduce the risk of chronic diseases and metabolic syndrome.

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