Explore your anti-aging options

While it may be somewhat apocryphal, the legend has it that Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon traveled to Florida in search of the Fountain of Youth. And though he was more likely there to search for gold and expand the Spanish empire, the story of vitality-restoring water is one that continues to intrigue us to this day.

This is not surprising, considering that even people today are still searching for an elixir of eternal youth. Some turn to plastic surgery and injections of botulism (also known as Botox), while others dole out thousands of dollars at so-called "anti-aging" centers to undergo hormone replacement therapy. I honestly pass no judgment on either group; to each their own is what I say. However, it's still worth mentioning that there are natural and safe ways to slow down the hands of time, and none of them require going under the knife or sailing a Spanish galleon across the Atlantic.

Eat fish once a week -- Researchers from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that doing so can slow age-related cognitive decline by 10 percent
Stop smoking -- Aside from the more obvious harm it causes your lungs, smoking also triples your chances of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), says a study from Cambridge University.
Stay active -- A study from Rutgers University revealed that inactivity in older age is one of the major modifiable lifestyle factors that increased the likelihood of being placed in a nursing home over the next twenty years.

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Would you buy your child a treadmill?

Would you want your kid running on a treadmill to stay fit? More importantly, would your kid be interested in running in one place? One toy manufacturer says yes to both questions and has developed a couple of new fitness products designed with little ones in mind -- Fitness Fun's My Treadmil l and Glide-a-Stride . But the exercise machines are causing quite a stir, according to Boston.com . On one hand, something has to be done to combat childhood obesity and inactivity. On the other? Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life Clinic at Children's Hospital Boston, says, "We have to remember that children are not just little adults. Kids' bodies and their minds are not designed to spend 20 minutes on a treadmill. [This] reflects, I think, a misguided mentality, where we're trying to make physical activity for children a commodity rather than a natural integrated part of their lives." (You can read more of the debate here .) A few decades ago, ki...

2 fresh tomato sauce recipes

Our CSA Farm has begun to produce an abundance of tomatoes these past few weeks. Aside from eating them like apples, as my three-year-old often chooses to do, you can make fresh tomato salad, salsa, or fresh tomato sauce. Our very informal uncooked recipe goes something like this: Chop a bunch of tomatoes and put them in a bowl. Add enough balsamic vinegar and olive oil to cover them. Stir fresh minced garlic and chopped fresh basil into the tomato mixture. Season with seas salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Let marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving. This is such a refreshing summer meal when served on pasta with a green salad, or a tasty snack as a bruschetta topping.

Help stave off the 'sickness for all seasons'

When winter is in full force, you almost expect to catch a few colds. But, with August temperatures reaching the upper 80s on an almost daily basis, a sniffle in the summer seems altogether unusual -- not to mention unfair. Nevertheless, as evidenced by a pretty nasty three-day man cold I got hammered with back in early July, it's abundantly clear colds -- though more prevalent during colder months -- are a sickness for all seasons. Fortunately, there are some dietary steps we can take target-harden ourselves against illness. Here are just a few I felt were worth mentioning. Yogurt - A study showed that people who ate three-quarters of a cup of yogurt daily for a year had 25 percent fewer colds than those who didn't. Because it contains probiotics, yogurt helps strengthen the immune system. Red Bell Pepper - With 130mg more vitamin C than an orange, red bell pepper is a great source for this cold-fighting nutrient. Eggs - High in B vitamins, zinc, and amino acids, eggs boost wh...

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