Besides accentuating the flavor of your favorite foods, spices can spice up your life by boosting immune function. Garlic has been shown to prevent heart disease, cancer and has anti-biotic properties. For best results use fresh garlic cloves and mash, and add it to dishes just prior to serving. Cinnamon, cumin, clove, black pepper, mustard, hot pepper and chilli powders can act as anti-oxidants, anti-cancer elements and can actually raise the metabolism of the body and aid in fat burning, even in small doses!

             Studies advocate an anti-oxidant supplement consisting of beta-carotene, Vitamins C and E, as 'nutritional insurance' against cardiovascular diseases, cancer and aging. Although such pills are not to be mistaken for substitutes to a well-balanced menu, pills containing 6 to 15 mg. of beta carotene, 250 to 500 mg. of Vitamin C and 133 to 533 mg. of Vitamin E are advisable on a daily basis, particularly if you are on a low fat diet. The latter is found in cereals, almonds, hazelnuts, wheat germ, sunflower oil and corn puffs and retards aging. Selenium found in wheat, rice, oats, corn, garlic, onions, turkeys and fish and alpha-lipoic acid found in potatoes and red meats are new and powerful anti-oxidants. The latter has even been shown to slow down the progression of HIV infection to clinical AIDS.

                   The fact is all of us want to stay healthy and increase our chances of living longer. So make it a point to pick up these anti-ageing foods on your next trip to the supermarket. Chances are, what you choose will determine how long you live and how young you stay along the way.

              Unfortunately, the standard grain choices for most families are white, bleached wheat flour and polished white rice. These are devoid of nutrients, which are found in fresh, baked foods enriched with barley, brown rice, corn, millet, oats, rye or whole wheat. Fresh baked breads and rolls, pastas and tortillas, low-fat/non-fat muffins and low-fat biscuits, chips, crackers and cookies offer unique tastes, textures and nutrient profiles. So look for such foods in the packaging of foods you buy or inquire in the bakery that you frequently visit.

             Legumes are inexpensive nutrient rich food sources, virtually free of cholesterol, low in fat and a great source of complex carbohydrates and proteins. They are especially beneficial for diabetics. Soy (a legume) in the form of soya beans, soy milk and soy protein have unique anti-cancer properties. In addition, rajmah, chanas, cholas, moong, peas, lentils and all dried and canned beans are rich in a variety of nutrients including soflavones- these reduce the risk of ovarian and breast cancer.

             Nuts can delay the aging process too. Cashews, almonds, peanuts and walnuts must be eaten in moderation owing to their high calorie and fat content. But since these foods are high in poly and mono-unsaturated fats (good fats), they have a beneficial effect on the heart. Remember that a gram of fat provides nine calories to the body, regardless of its nature i.e. saturated or unsaturated. The latter, however is essential to good health.

Miscellaneous food:-

               Omega-3:- Even a single weekly consumption of omega-3 rich fish salmon, mackerel, sardines, spirulina (a seaweed, high in protein) can reduce blood triglyceride levels and provide modest yet significant protection against heart disease and lower blood cancer. Other sources include green leafy veggies, fruits, dry beans, soy protein and walnuts.

              Yogurt:- Yogurts are easy to digest even by those who are lactose intolerant. Yogurt acts by preventing several forms of cancer, besides providing a rich source of calcium. Use low fat milk for optimum benefits.

              If we follow a low fat, vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diet, we can slow down the aging process. A diet rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, complex carbohydrates and a newly discovered range of anti-aging, anti-disease chemicals called phytochemicals, can reverse the process of aging.

             Fresh fruits are great for youth. Berries, such as blue berries, strawberries, currents, jamuns, etc., and apples contain ellagic acid, which contain anti-cancer properties. Apples, in particular, contain ferrulic acid (anti-cancer) and octacosanol (anti-Parkinson-ism element). Hence an apple a day really does keep the doctor away!

            Apricots contain six carotenoids, with anti-aging properties.

            Bananas contain catechols, which aid immune function.

            Berries also contain anthocyanosides which may help prevent heart disease.

            Papayas, mango, pineapple and watermelon have anti-cancer properties.

            Citrus fruits, like oranges, lemons, lime and grapefruits contain flavonones to fight cancer, besides being rich source of Vitamin C and fiber.

            Vitamin C in oranges, papayas, guavas, tomato soups and citrus drink concentrates is associated with lower mortality.

             To keep age at bay, vegetables are the best bet. Tomatoes contain an estimated 10,000 phytochemicals, including lycopene, p-coumaric acid and chlorgenic acid, all of which are anti-cancer substances, and also GABA, which may aid in the prevention of high blood pressure. It's time to get saucy!

             Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, turnips and radishes aid in the prevention of breast cancer. Potatoes benefit immune function and carrots are a rich source of beta carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A and the maintenance of visual function. Celery has a possible role in the prevention of skin ailments and the prevention of lymphoma. Onions help lower blood cholesterol levels.

             Beta Carotene found in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrot soup, red or orange veggies, fruits with colored skins and green leafy veggies, is associated with a lower risk towards heart attack, strokes and death.

                         Eating fats for better skin may sound fishy but it is a fact that fats especially in fish can do wonders for the skin. Eat fish atleast twice a week. The fats in ghee and vanaspati are saturated fats, the kind that clog arteries and contribute to reduce nutrition to skin, heart other structures. But there is a class of fats called unsaturated fats (PUFAs) that can actually stall or reverse these hazardous effects.

                        

                           Recent research studies have showed that when a balance exists between omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils and over the counter fish oil pills) and omega-6 fatty acids (safflower, sunflower and corn oil), then conditions are ideal for optimum skin. The problem is that most of us get little omega-3's and a lot more omega-6 fatty acids in the diet. All PUFAs are essential, to help us absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E. A deficiency of these vitamins could result in red and irritated skin. Other seafood such as oysters are fortified with zinc, iron and copper- all essential in skin care.

                         So now you know all the facts, start eating healthy today ! Your skin will thank you for it. After all beauty lies not in the eyes of the beholder but in the hands of the smart eater =D

           Hi Girls, today I have for you a couple of things that can mar your good looks.

           First one in the list is Crash Diets. Crash Diets are the biggest culprits when it comes to destroying the skin. The elastic network of collagen fibers breaks down when you rapidly lose weight, and that in turn promotes the formation of premature wrinkles.

             Excessive alcohol is another notorious beauty robber. Among other things, it can cause tiny facial capillaries to burst, resulting in unsightly spidery lines. It also prevents your system from properly utilizing the nutrients in foods, so that even if you eat a balanced diet, you are still at risk for a vitamin or mineral deficiency, if you're a heavy drinker.

             Iodine in seafood, especially in shrimp can spark a temporary rash in people with allergies. Some of us may be sensitive to iodine and may not realize it. Switching away from iodized salt, or reducing the consumption of seafood can reduce the tendency towards inflammation and breakout in some individuals.

            Lastly, avoid or cut down on caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, spicy food and extreme temperatures, if you have fragile, superficial blood vessels

             That's it for the day, I will be back with more. Till then eat right. Bye girls