HealthyWeek

The leaves are turning, the days are shorter -- it's impossible to ignore the fact that fall is coming ... er ... make that already here. Despite the fact that it means the impending doom of winter is just around the corner, I like fall -- the colours, the clothes, the warm food and the selection of produce at my local farmer's market. Mark's Daily Apple Recently counted down the top veggies for fall -- next time you go shopping, stock up on these: Endive Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Celery root Onions Pumpkin Spinach Zucchini Want to know more about these awesome veggies, including how to eat them? Head over here for more info.

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.

Two good diet foods: Fruits and veggies. They're low in calories and high in fiber, which makes them great ammunition in the battle of the bulge. They have a pretty super side effect too -- they're loaded with antioxidants to boost your health. Next time you're shopping for your diet goods, pick up these five colors, each featuring unique antioxidants to keep you healthy while you whittle away at your weight. Red: Pink grapefruit, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon all contain lycopene, a lung and prostate cancer fighter. Purple: Concord grapes, blueberries, and prunes have anthocyanins to ward off heart disease and lower the risk of cancer. Green: Spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, and bok choy come with lutein, great for reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and macular degeneration. Orange: Carrots, mangos, pumpkin, and oranges are the keepers of beta carotenes, the stuff that prevents cancers of the lung, esophagus, and stomach and keeps ...

To truly make the most of your weight loss and fitness efforts, it's best to follow a program that covers all the bases. Resistance training is a great way to build lean muscle and reduce fat, but it may not be enough by itself to produce the results you're looking for. Therefore, be sure to also include regular cardio sessions in your workout and spend some time stretching, as well. The same logic applies for doing cardio by itself; you will drop pounds, but not as fast as you would if you also weight train. And, without resistance training, you will not put on any considerable amount of lean muscle. But, what do you do if you don't have any weights at your disposal? Simple - use your own body weight. This article, from the popular fitness website iLookLikeFit.com, offers some great tips on how to get a solid body weight workout. The solution? Take a moment to reevaluate your workout. Be sure to include both resistance training and cardio sessions throughout the week. And,...

According to a report by the Society for Women's Research , seventy-four percent of women ages 18 to 44 don't have even a clue as to what their cholesterol numbers are. Clearly this is a problem, as high cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, the number one killer of women. So, what should your numbers be? I'd suggest that you talk to your doctor to find out the answer to this question. In the meantime, here's a pretty good guide: Total Cholesterol (HDL + LDL + Triglycerides) : You should aim to keep it less than 200 mg/dL. Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) : Try to keep this bad cholesterol at a level of less than 100 mg/dL. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) : Keeping this good cholesterol at around 50 mg/dL or higher is a good idea. Triglycerides : Keep these energy-storing fatty acids at a level of less than 150 mg/dL.

Eat beans, say the smart ones at my fitness center. Just got another e-mail health tip from them, and it's all about, yep, beans. Beans are inexpensive and delicious and easy to keep stocked in your pantry. Best of all, they're packed with protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. They're also cholesterol-free, almost fat-free, and if the health experts of the world are right, they'll even lower your cholesterol. The best when it comes to cholesterol-lowering beans: Pinto, navy, and garbanzo beans all have similar lowering effects. Researchers think it's phytochemicals, the compounds that gives plants their color, that may be responsible. Time to add beans to your soups, casseroles, salads, dips, and more. Think about making them the focal part of your next meal and see what you think.

This weekend, our family went to a Mexican Fiesta party. I gotta say, not only were the food offerings delicious -- and plentiful! -- they were also healthy. From guacamole and veggies to slow-cooked beans with cilantro, there was something to satisfy every taste, and every nutritional need. My favorite had to be the Mexican chopped salad with honey lime dressing . This salad had greens, chunks and color, color, color. Everything is fresh and the balanced ingredients are oozing nutrition. Talk about a masterpiece: romaine, black beans, corn, tomato, avocado, jicama, radishes, red pepper, and a delectable dressing, complete with fresh garlic.

In what by this point seems like a past life, I was at one time a personal trainer. And it was during those couple of years that I met some truly inspirational people, many of which had never before stepped foot in a gym. Why? Because they felt as though they were too heavy to work out. Seems almost counter-intuitive, doesn't it? Yet, when you factor in the greater difficulty and the understandable feelings of insecurity, reluctance of this kind begins to make perfect sense. So for those you remarkable folks out there who are looking to start a workout, but wonder if there are any tips a heavier person should be aware of, here are I few I feel are worth mentioning: Don't starve yourself. Heavier people tend to burn calories more quickly than skinny people, so you do not want to deny yourself the fuel you need to complete your workouts. Drink plenty of water. Bigger people tend to sweat quite a bit, which means that they are losing plenty of water. Be sure to replenish that lost...

It's no secret that a traditional English breakfast isn't healthy. That's just what happens when a meal is made up of fried eggs, fried bacon, fried hash browns, fried tomatoes and--good lord--fried bread (though to be fair, the breakfast is also served with baked beans, which are hopefully not fried as well). But while proponents of the fry-up may look towards any kind of benefit in the menu -- protein! healthy egg whites! -- it's clear that the full English does more harm than good. Here's what's wrong with it: It increases your risk for bowel cancer by 63%, according to recent reports . It also significantly increases your risk of obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, heart disease and a number of other killer ailments. I'll say it again: Moderation. No one died from eating a full English fry-up once in their life, but having a meal of these proportions every day can literally kill you. Proceed with caution.

Deep, vibrant colors are best when it come to plant-based foods. They indicate high levels of antioxidants -- the stuff that protects our hearts, minimizes inflammation, and cuts the risk of cancer. If you have a choice, you should swap white grapefruit for pink, take dark greens over pale lettuce, and opt for the following black foods whenever you can. Black Rice. Along with red and purple varieties, this grain is gaining popularity in the United States, probably because it's long been consumed in Asia due to its health benefits. Supplement your diet with black rice, says one study, and your risk of heart disease will drop. So will your chance for inflammation. Black Beans. Much better than light-colored beans, these high-fiber treats might halt the growth of cancer in the colon, liver, and breast. Black Tea. Drinking several cups of flavonoid-rich black tea a day may provide heart-health benefits, sheild you against neurological decline as you age, and arm you with anti-cancer pr...

Gold medal phenomenon Michael Phelps never stumbled at the 2008 Olympic Games, but what was he thinking when he signed the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes sponsorship agreement ? A cereal high in sugar, low in fiber, made with mostly refined grains. One of the last meals I'd feed my kids for breakfast. At least the deal also includes Kellogg's Corn Flakes, a better option. We've never bought a box of the Tiger's frosted cereal. Significantly lower in sugar, Cheerios and Rice Krispies are my kids' favorites. I've taught my eldest to consider 'grams of sugar per serving' as he peruses the toy-filled cereal aisle. "No, honey" isn't sliding off my lips so often in Aisle 2 - Cereal anymore. As a parent trying to teach my children solid nutritional habits, I'd rather see Phelps' inspirational butterfly stroke from the back of a box of Cheerios. At this point, maybe Phelps can scratch out Kellogg's Frosted Flakes on the contract and writ...

British celebrity chef and TV presenter, Antony Worrall Thompson, discussed organic salads in a recent magazine article. Sounds great, right? It would be, if one of the ingredients he recommended wasn't toxic. Worrall Thompson has a passion for organic foods and meant to recommend using fat hen, a vitamin-C rich, edible weed that is plentiful in the UK. Fat hen would be a fine addition to salads, though it is quite high in nitrates . Instead of the relatively harmless fat hen, Worrall Thompson mistakenly recommended henbane -- a toxic plant that can cause vomiting, hallucinations, convulsions, and (in extreme cases) death. Oops! Sounds like a salad you definitely DON'T want to eat. The magazine, Healthy & Organic Living, printed a warning to its readers. Worrall Thompson apologized for his error.

Not only will the combined competitors, coaches, and staff at the Summer Games be consuming 800,000 eggs, they'll also be throwing down more than one million apples, 936,000 bananas, 312,000 oranges, and 684,000 carrots. Courtesy of the Olympic food provider Aramark , here's what else the group dining at the Beijing Athletic Village will be ingesting. * 93,000 pounds of seafood * 260,000 pounds of meat * 38,000 pounds of pasta (dry) * 134,000 pounds of rice (dry) * 70,000 gallons of milk * 400,000 boxes of cereal In total, 28,000 Olympic folks will eat 3.5 million meals. Now, that's a lot of food. Fortunately, most of the crew will be burning their fair share of calories.

Substantial enough to substitute for meat in a meal, eggplant is chock-full of phytonutrients as well as being rich in many vitamins and minerals. Other than in pasta dishes, I haven't cooked much with eggplant in the past. I don't know why... I think it's wonderfully tasty. Baby eggplants are in season right now, so it's the perfect time to try out some new recipes. Shape Magazine shares a few ideas for trying out this tasty and nutritious food. I love their idea for sauteeing diced baby eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes in olive oil and then baking in the eggplant skin. I think I'll substitute the tomatoes for summer squash. (I'm not a tomato fan... which is too bad because they're so rich in lycopene.) How about you? Do you have any favorite eggplant recipes to share?

No, organic soda is not the way to go. The only way to go when it comes to soda is to skip it altogether. Organic soda, like all soda, contains zero nutrients -- and a bigger price tag. A six-pack of the organic stuff will cost you about $5, and yes, it's made without high fructose syrup (clearly, a bonus) but each can contains 120 calories -- that's 20 more than a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola Classic. Cutting back on nutritionally-void foods and drinks is the best way to go, says Prevention magazine. So ditch the soda and any other organic junk food that temps your taste buds. These items might be better for the planet, but they aren't any better for you.

You've undoubtedly heard plenty about the benefits of eating locally. It's good for the environment, you support your local community, the food is fresher, and you have more say in how your food is grown because you can talk to the people who grew it. Fitness Magazine's Eat Green, Be Healthy section offered three ways to buy locally and eat fresh : Take advantage of farmers' markets. If you're not sure whether there's a farmers' market near you, check your local paper, or head over to this website where you can find out which fruits and veggies are in season near you and find a farmers' market in your area. Become a member of a Co-op. You might have to put in a large sum to begin with, but your resources will be pooled with other co-op members and you'll get farm fresh produce at a reduced rate. Find one near you by selecting "Grocery/Co-op" and filling in your zip here. Connect directly with local farmers. This website allows you to see...

We all want to save money when grocery shopping -- who wouldn't? But, as Maggie mentioned last month, bargain foods, while light on the wallet, can be heavy on your waistline and hard on your health. An article in Shape magazine says that research has shown less expensive items often have more trans fats than those that are slightly more expensive . Trans fats, as you may know, have been shown to raise your bad cholesterol, and can show up in the ingredient list as partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil and shortening -- not stuff you want in your snacks, no matter how great the price is. The University of Minnesota researchers Shape refers to found that 24 percent of the products they examined still contained trans fats -- the amounts might have been reduced from previous versions, but the products were not trans fat-free. Be choosy when buying snacks -- don't let a bargain get in the way of your health! To see some surprising foods that have trans fats, check out this sli...

Working with SportsHealthExercise.Org (a company built on real advice from real experts in various areas of health and fitness), I was able to film a ton of great Fit Kicks , including this one here. Fit Kicks are smart, energetic and quick Kick Butt tips to help get you in the best shape of your life!

The debate over whether energy drinks have health implications usually centers around heart-related issues. But, a new study published in the journal General Dentistry reveals yet another compelling reason for oral argument. Citing the General Dentistry study, Women's Health reports that drinks like Red Bull and Amp have the same acidic effect on our teeth as sodas. The article states that these power-up drinks restrict our saliva's natural ability to neutralize acids-which thereby allows this acid to take up temporary residence in our mouths, where it is then able to penetrate our gums. To fight back against these tooth-tarnishing energy drink villains, the folks at Women's Health suggest using straws (aim your drink toward the back of the mouth), rinsing with water to dilute acids, and not brushing your pearlies for 30 minutes after downing energy drinks, for the scrubbing can remove enamel ­weakened by acidity.

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...