How to Strengthen Your Immune System Every Time You Eat

Got a runny nose that won’t quit? If you’re wondering how to strengthen your immune system, here’s a simple strategy: add immunity-boosting foods to every meal. (Duh!) No, we’re not just talking about citrus fruits and ginger. In this video, we share nutrient-dense foods that may help you avoid getting a cold or the flu—and you may not have heard about their special powers before. You’ll meet the vegetable that has twice the vitamin C of an orange, discover which mushrooms are the best for your immune system, and find out whether chicken soup is really the effective remedy your Grandmother promised it was. Watch the video to get smart about avoiding illness—and recovering faster when you’re already sick—now. How to Strengthen Your Immune System With Food  

8 Foods for Glowing Skin

You’ve read countless tips for glowing skin in magazines and blogs and brochures. You’ve dabbed toothpaste on zits, tried cleansing pads that stung, spent a fortune on wrinkle creams, used miracle oil made from special pearls, exfoliated until you were raw, buffed massaged, and polished your cheeks, and have done embarrassing face exercises, all in the name of a younger, firmer, clearer face. Does it feel like you’re chasing a dream sometimes? You’re not alone. The truth of the matter is that a lot of your skin’s appearance comes from genetics. Whether you have a fair complexion, freckles, uneven skin tone or are prone to blemishes, you can’t choose to have a porcelain complexion or a lovely olive skin tone, you get what you get. Thanks a lot, Mom and Dad. You can, however, take what you got and make the most of it. There are lots of products that help you from the outside, but you need to support that work with what you put on the inside. How many of those tips for glowing skin you read  talked about food? Whether you’re troubled by aging skin that’s losing elasticity, dry skin that appears dull or fine lines and wrinkles, these eight foods defend the integrity of your cells to keep them as healthy as possible, which trumps the promises of whatever cream you dabbed on this morning. 8 Foods for Glowing Skin Artichokes are one of my top ten all time fave foods. These green spiky vegetables contain phytochemicals that act as anti-inflammatory agents in the skin. If you’re seeing redness, or looking to recover from a laser treatment, toss some on your salad or snack on them right from a jar or pouch to speed your recovery. Avocados are hydrating and help to promote collagen production, which makes for younger, firmer skin. Eat them and reap the benefits of the B vitamins and vitamin E. As if, you needed another reason to have a little guacamole. Cantaloupe is a nutrient bonanza that I recommend all summer long to satisfy a sweet tooth and prevent dry and flaky skin. A single serving (about 1 cup) of this delicious melon provides you with more than your Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin A, the vitamin responsible for supporting your epidermal glow. Pop some melon balled cantaloupe into the freezer and use them instead of ice in your unsweetened iced green tea. Grapeseed oil is full of proanthocyanidins (pro-ANTHO-syan-ID-ins), which act as antioxidants that help protect against free radical damage caused by pollution and the sun. It has been found to play a role in the stabilization of collagen and maintenance of elastin — important components that make up the middle layer of your skin. They add support and elasticity, preventing wrinkles and returning your face to its natural shape after you flash your killer smile. Grapeseed oil can also help hydrate and moisturize the skin and works great for sauteing due to its high smoke point, and its mild flavor works well in smoothies. Matcha tea is a great way to stay well hydrated and load up on the anti-inflammatory benefits. Proper hydration helps prevent your skin from drying out and helps eliminate toxins. It also improves cell turnover, meaning you’ll have more healthy new cells to improve your skin tone, giving you healthy, vibrant skin. All green and black teas (unsweetened) help reduce inflammation, so if matcha isn’t your cup of tea, you can still reap the benefits. You can also throw some matcha into a morning smoothie.  Mushrooms should be your favorite fungi. They provide B6, folate, niacin, riboflavin, iron, potassium, and selenium, all of which you need for beautiful and healthy cells. In ancient times, Chinese women ate them to promote a smooth complexion. Selenium shields newly formed skin cells from damage brought on by too much time in the sun. Those new cells keep your skin looking soft and young. Slice raw mushrooms on your salad, or toss them into your stir fry for a virtually calorie free umame addition to your dinner. Salmon chalk one more benefit up to this superfood. Salmon is good for your brain, your heart, weight management, your immune system and it also makes your skin glow. The omega-3  fatty acids play a role in wrinkle free skin, reducing inflammation and preventing collagen breakdown. Keep salmon in your fridge and a can of salmon in your pantry as a staple so you can always pull off a healthful beauty boosting meal or snack in minutes. And, you now have an excuse to dine on salmon tartare more often. You are welcome. Turmeric is a traditional spice that is newly hot with good scientific reason. It’s full of curcuminoids, which are antioxidant phytochemicals. Think fighting free radicals that cause wrinkles. Besides serving as a super transport for these antioxidants, turmeric is great at nourishing skin and promoting skin elasticity — preventing wrinkles and age spots. Sprinkle some on eggs or add to your morning vegan smoothie or add a spoonful to your roasted veggies before you toss them in the oven. Organic Eggs are something everyone needs in their regular diet because eggs are healthful for so many reasons. For your skin, you need them for their zinc. Zinc is important in controlling oil content of the skin and minimizing breakouts. It’s also essential in the formation of collagen, which forms connective tissue and skin. Scrambled or sunny side up? I hope these tips for glowing skin give you some new motivation to change up your diet and gain confidence from the inside out. Eat these foods and pull out some of those processed ones that may be clogging your skin’s inner glow. And, let me know how your skin is looking!

How to Eat Healthy Without Getting Bored

So you either already learned how to eat healthy, or you’re now learning to eat healthy, but you can’t possibly eat another carrot stick or suck down another green juice and don’t even get you started on scrambled egg whites for breakfast every.single.day. Sound familiar? Ever wish you could just invent new foods? It’s something I hear about often from my clients. They are b-o-r-e-d with their healthy routine. After a few weeks or months of following various diet plans, it’s easy to lean too heavily on the same few healthy foods and meals. (Your refrigerator just called, and it’s really tired of yogurt, too!) So while I can’t conjure up a variety of broccoli that tastes like chocolate or transform salad greens into pasta or create a new fat burning food, I do know there are hundreds of tricks to put new zing in your old healthy eating standbys. Learning how to eat healthy doesn’t have to be the most boring thing you’ve ever done, and staying healthy doesn’t have to be an exercise in monotony. How to Eat Healthy Without Getting Bored Shake up your yogurt routine Make it savory: Instead of adding fruit, cinnamon or honey to your yogurt, add ¼ cup of chopped cucumbers, ¼ cup of tomatoes, ½ teaspoon of olive oil, and a dash of red wine vinegar for a tangy, Mediterranean-inspired snack. Pair it with raw veggies. Make it dessert-worthy: Add 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter and 1 tsp cocoa powder for a peanut-buttery chocolate treat. Note: you can do this with oats too! Make it tea-licious: Green tea doesn’t just belong in a mug. Sprinkle in 1 tbsp of matcha powder and stir some antioxidants right into your bowl. Add sex appeal to sandwiches Try something richer: Spread on a little healthy fat, from hummus, mashed avocado or a nut butter. Crunch it up: Sprinkle sliced almonds, finely chopped walnuts, or cashews on turkey or grilled chicken wraps. Make it ethnic: Mango chutney or spicy salsa can give your sandwich some flavor pizzazz.   Un-blah food with more flavor Turn up the heat: Cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, wasabi or hot sauce make so many dishes more interesting, from your morning eggs to your evening chicken breast. Diet food does not mean tasteless food. Remember this always. Rediscover zest: Add fresh lemon or lime juice, white balsamic vinegar, pomegranate champagne vinegar or ginger rice vinegar to kick up the flavor profile of savory dishes, especially fish. Make it earthy: Add mixed mushrooms (shitake, Portobello, Oyster) to tomato sauce, stir fries or tacos for a woodsy, hearty flavor, or if you’re sick of lettuce wrapped turkey burgers try portobello mushrooms with the turkey burger in between.  

Vegan Bacon Will Change Your Life (Even If You Aren’t Vegan)

by Miranda Hammer, RD, NLC Did you say vegan bacon? Yep. The World Health Organization has linked the consumption of processed and red meat with colorectal cancer, which means for all you bacon lovers out there, breakfast might need to start looking a little different. Although there is still gray area in terms of how much is actually safe to eat, limiting the intake of red meat and meat that has been salted, cured, smoked or fermented is recommended. Luckily for many of us, Sunday morning breakfasts tend to offer healthy omelets with a side of greens. But for others, you can hear the gasp when told the Farmer’s Breakfast is no longer on the menu. So what’s a bacon lover to do to get their fix? Make vegan bacon. Seriously! For those moments you just.need.bacon, I want you to look to coconut and mushrooms to satisfy your craving. Here are 3 nutritious, delicious, and healthy bacon alternatives that will leave you healthily and happily satisfied. Oh, and if you do choose to eat real bacon and/or any other red meat, limit your intake and select lean grass-fed, hormone-free options from a sustainable and reliable source. 2 Healthy Recipes with Vegan Bacon, and 1 Turkey Sausage Recipe You’ll Love! Green Salad with Shiitake Bacon Sounds a little weird, but when sliced and baked until crisp, the umami flavor and color of the mushrooms can fool most bacon lovers. Added benefit – mushrooms are one of the few dietary sources of Vitamin D. Get the recipe Coconut Bacon Sandwich: AKA The New BLT Think maple cured bacon, and this is a perfect swap. Sweet and slightly salty with a little chewy texture, coconut bacon is the perfect sub in your new favorite sandwich. Get the recipe Turkey Sausage Patty and Eggs These sausage patties are extremely simple to make and are free of nitrates and preservatives. When selecting your ground meat, make sure that the turkey is pasture-raised and hormone-free. If you can, purchase your meat from the greenmarket and support sustainable agriculture. This recipe makes multiple patties, which is great to have on hand for a quick breakfast, snack, salad, or grain topper. Get the recipe   About Miranda: Miranda Hammer is a registered dietitian, recipe developer, and founder of Crunchy Radish, a clean-eating healthy-living blog. Upon graduating from the clinical nutrition program at New York University, Miranda worked as a dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Currently, Miranda primarily focuses on content and recipe development for brands, websites, and magazines, as well as running her private counseling business.