Unhealthiest Seafood

Seafood is often considered a healthy alternative to other forms of animal protein. However, due to deteriorating environmental conditions, some seafood is becoming unhealthy to consume. Seafood is also often prepared in ways that can negate the health benefits: slathered in cream sauce, breaded and deep-fried. These cooking methods can add to the already high cholesterol levels that many types of seafood contain.

We did some research and found the five unhealthiest seafood you should be aware of.

Farm-raised salmon

Knowing the origin of the salmon on your plate is very important. Farmed salmon has been known to have high levels of contamination. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are used in transformers and other electrical equipment as lubricants and coolants, and farmed salmon absorb PCBs from their feed. They also often contain high levels of pesticides. Unfortunately for you and the salmon, they contain 3 ½ times the levels of PCBs than other seafood. Not to mention because farmed salmon are raised in cramped cages, they are fatter than wild salmon. That means more PCBs and pesticides are stored in their fat for longer periods of time. That's a tough first entry on our list of the five unhealthiest seafood.

Clam chowder
This thick, creamy, stick-to-your-bones chowder sticks to you bones for a reason. It’s chock-full of clams, heavy cream, bacon, and butter. Somerecipes also include milk and whipping cream, which only ups the fat content. On average, an eight-ounce serving of clam chowder contains 299 calories, 100 of which are from fat; that means roughly 43% of the calories are fat calories. Out of those fat calories, 35% are the artery-clogging saturated kind. That same serving also contains 910 mg of sodium and 13% of your daily dose of cholesterol (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). This entry might better for a five unhealthiest seafood recipes, but, nonetheless, it's here and for good reason.

Raw oysters
Yes, oysters do have high levels of zinc, which is necessary for a healthyprostate, but with increasing levels of sea pollution, the bad outweighs the good. Oysters serve as one of the primary filters for their habitats. So, for those of you who love to shuck and slurp, you are ingesting high levels of toxins that the oyster absorbed. Raw oysters are also high in purines (organic compounds also found in other filter organs like kidney and liver) and can increase a man’s risk of developing gout. Cooked oysters are a safer alternative if you're looking to avoid the five unhealthiest seafood.

Find more examples of the unhealthiest seafood after the jump...

Shrimp

Shrimp is the most widely consumed seafood. Although it is a good source of protein and low in fat, imported shrimp can pose a health risk due to unsanitary farming in parts of the world where health and safety regulations are loose. Salmonella is found in many processed shrimp products that are advertised as “ready-to-eat.” Large amounts of antibiotics and chemicals are also sometimes used in farmed shrimp. For example, pesticides such as endosulfan that can cause neurological damage can make  their way into shrimp farming operations. Moreover, the antibiotics used on farmed shrimp can lead to resistant strains of E. coli that can infect consumers or cause allergic reactions. Wild-caught shrimp can be a safer alternative to imported farmed shrimp.

Fugu

There’s unhealthy seafood and then there’s downright dangerous seafood. Fugu (blow fish or puffer fish) is often consumed at special feasts because it’s considered a delicacy in Japan, one that kills approximately 100 diners a year. What makes fugu so dangerous is that it contains deadly poison in its organs. If not properly cleaned and prepared, that poison can kill anyone who ingests it. For that reason, only licensed cooks are allowed to prepare fugu in Japan. However, prepared fugu can be found in grocery stores and online. And recently there have been advances in fugu farming and research that have lead to non-poisonous varieties.

it's hard out there for a shrimp

It has often been said that seafood is a great addition to your diet forweight loss or just for health. But certain seafood can be unhealthy due to its high saturated fat, high cholesterol and sodium levels, toxins, pesticides and chemicals or just natural poisons. Choose wisely when you shop for seafood, looking for wild-caught or sustainably harvested fish when possible.

Breakfast Foods To Avoid

Are you struggling to keep your energy up throughout the day? Or do you usually have a mid-afternoon crash and don’t understand why? This could be due to a hurried or botched breakfast. I’ve found that with a few tweaks to that first meal of the day, you can feel good all day. Here’s what to avoid:

1. Bad Coffee
Coffee has both fueled my entrepreneurial ventures and constantly led to crashes and prolonged fatigue. After experiencing many of these ups and downs, I decided to dig into the biochemistry of coffee and the agricultural and economic research. I discovered that all coffee is not the same, and that coffee often carries naturally occurring mold toxins. It turned out that my bad reactions had nothing to do with the coffee; it was a reaction to the mold on the coffee.

Now, you won’t see this mold — it’s an invisible byproduct of shortcuts coffee producers take. One study showed that over ninety percent of green coffee beans were contaminated with mold before processing, while another revealed that almost fifty percent of brewed coffees are moldy. When you brew or buy that first cup in the morning, avoid cheaper types of coffee. These cost less because they not only use lower-quality beans but also include a higher percentage of damaged (moldy) beans. And avoid decaf coffee, which contains more mold on average than caffeinated, partly because coffee people cringe at the thought of ruining high quality beans with decaf processing and therefore use lower quality beans to make decaf.

2. Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese, But Not Butter
The main problem with dairy is the harmful process of pasteurization. While this process does reduce the small risk of milk contamination, it kills off the beneficial probiotics in the milk, denatures milk proteins, and transforms milk from a source of nutrition into a source of many health problems. Pasteurization also turns milk’s lactose sugars into beta-lactose sugars that the body absorbs faster, causing blood sugar spikes.

In the morning, you should avoid milk and most things made from milk — cheese, yogurt, cream, buttermilk, and ice cream — but not butter. Butter is significantly healthier than the milk it is made from because the harmful milk proteins (including casein and BCM-7) are largely absent from butter. What little milk protein remains in cultured butter has been enzymatically modified during the butter fermentation process and isn’t a problem for most people.

3. Sugar, Including Fruit
Your body needs more sodium than potassium in the morning so your blood pressure can go up, but eating fruit (which has a lot of potassium) for breakfast causes your blood pressure to go down. Low blood pressure in the morning makes it harder to feel energized and ready to face the day. Most people are familiar with the term “sugar crash,” but many don’t know where this term comes from. After you eat sugar, it’s not only your focus and energy that crashes, but also your actual blood sugar levels, too. When you eat sugar, blood sugars naturally rise, causing the pancreas to secrete insulin. But the pancreas isn’t great at estimating how much insulin to release and usually overdoes it, secreting large amounts of insulin that cause your blood sugar to drop dramatically. This is the famous crash that causes brain fog, sluggishness, and food cravings. Eliminating sugar is one of the very best things you can do for your health, weight, and overall performance.

4. All Grains
Gluten-containing grains are actually addictive. They break down in the gut into opioid compounds called gluteomorphins that trigger the same receptors in your brain as other opiate drugs like heroin. If you allow your brain to get “addicted” to the opiates formed by grain digestion, you’re going to experience insatiable hunger and cravings that last for days after you last ate those grains.

There is plenty of research to show that eating gluten also has negative health consequences. It causes inflammation and gastrointestinal distress and contributes to autoimmune diseases and a host of other issues. The trick is to give it up completely. The gluten breakfast foods to avoid include cereal, toast, pancakes, and granola bars. This will dramatically increase your ability to live up to your full potential and you’ll undoubtedly feel an immediate difference in your body and your brain.

So What Can You Eat Instead?
The Bulletproof Diet is never about deprivation. It’s about consuming the right foods and fats so your body can function at its optimal level. We’ve grown afraid of eating fat because we believe it will make us fat and sick. As I was testing the Bulletproof Diet, I started eating between 4,000 and 4,500 calories each day and about 70% of those calories came from Bulletproof fats.

According to most nutritionists, I should have gained a dozen pounds in a month eating this way. Instead, the opposite happened. My brain worked effortlessly, I didn’t need more sleep, and I even grew a six-pack. Below are some suggestions taken from the Bulletproof Diet book for what you SHOULD eat in the morning to jump start your day.

1. Bullet Proof Coffee
A blend of premium coffee and grass-fed butter that will leave you feeling full and energized throughout your day. The trick is to use unsalted butter from grass fed cows. If you’re lucky, you can get it from a local farmer, but for the rest of us, Kerrygold Irish Butter (in the US and EU) and Anchor New Zealand Butter (in much of Asia and Australia) fits the bill.

2. Steak and Eggs
A classic breakfast to kick start your day. Use grass-fed beef and pastured eggs.

3. Sweet Potatoes
Cut up and baked into a hash, sweet potatoes are a delicious way to squash your hunger and avoid the “sugar crash” you get from consuming fruit first thing in the morning.

4. Avocados and Smoked Sockeye Salmon
Drizzle with coconut oil for an added brain boost.

Coffee consumption linked with reduced melanoma risk

Many of us turn to coffee for a morning boost, and now, a new study offers another excuse to drink the stimulating beverage; it could reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer by a fifth.

Could drinking four cups of coffee a day help keep melanoma away? A new study suggests so.

The study, conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Yale School of Public Health at Yale University in New Haven, CT, is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The US is certainly a nation of coffeedrinkers; more than half of us drink an average of 3.1 cups of it every day. And with the health benefits the beverage has been associated with in the past, it is no wonder.

Last year, Medical News Todayreported on studies associated coffee consumption with reduced risk of death from liver cirrhosis, lower risk of type 2 diabetes and a reduced risk of tinnitus, among other health benefits.

In this latest study, Erikka Loftfield, of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute, and colleagues set out to determine how coffee consumption affects the risk of melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer.

According to the researchers, past studies have suggested that coffee consumption may protect against non-melanoma skin cancers, but it was unclear how such consumption affects melanoma skin cancers.

The more coffee consumed, the lower the risk of melanoma

To find out, the team assessed data from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, involving 447,357 non-Hispanic white participants who were free of cancer at study baseline.

The participants completed a food frequency questionnaire at the beginning of the study - which detailed their coffee intake - and incidence of melanoma among subjects was monitored over an average of 10.5 years. During this time, 2,905 participants developed melanoma.

The researchers found that the more coffee participants consumed each day, the less likely they were to develop melanoma during the follow-up period. Drinking four cups of coffee a day, for example, was associated with a 20% lower risk of melanoma, the team reports.

These results remained even after accounting for participants' age, sex, body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake, smoking history and ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure - a primary risk factor for skin cancer.

The team notes the association was only found among participants who consumed caffeinated coffee, not decaffeinated. In addition, coffee only appeared to reduce the risk of malignant melanoma, not melanoma in situ - in which melanoma cells have not spread beyond the outer cells of the skin.

Commenting on their findings, the researchers say:

"Higher coffee intake was associated with a modest decrease in risk of melanoma in this large US cohort study. Additional investigations of coffee intake and its constituents, particularly caffeine, with melanoma are warranted."

The team believes this "modest" reduction in melanoma risk from coffee consumption, however, may have big effects. "Because of its high disease burden, lifestyle modifications with even modest protective effects may have a meaningful impact on melanoma morbidity," they add.

Talking to MNT, Loftfield said their findings do not indicate that individuals should increase their coffee intake to reduce the risk of skin cancer. "The most important thing that individuals can do to reduce their risk of melanoma is to reduce sun and UV radiation exposure," she added.

While many studies have documented the positive health effects of coffee consumption, it is important to note the potential harms. The main ingredient in coffee is caffeine, a known stimulant. But consuming too much caffeine may lead to insomnia, nervousness, irritability, restlessness, fast heartbeat, muscle tremors and stomach upset.

In 2013, MNT reported on a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, in which researchers claim drinking four cups of coffee a day may raise the risk of premature death. Another study found that consuming just two cups of coffee a day could lead to urinary incontinence in men.

Our Knowledge Center article - "What are the health benefits of coffee?" - looks at some of the other ways in which the beverage can be good or bad for us.

Written by Honor Whiteman

Bookmark this website, cause you'll definitely be hooked! #ChurpChurp, one of your fav sites.

Bookmark this website, cause you'll definitely be hooked! #ChurpChurp, one of your fav sites.

Top 5 worst female health habits

You may be doing something that compromises your health on a daily basis without even knowing it

From workouts to healthy diets, many of us make an effort to look after ourselves. However, we could be compromising our health on a daily basis without even knowing it. From carrying heavy handbags to wearing crippling heels, here are the top five female habits you should try to break.

1. Wearing heels
More and more of us are opting to wear heels on a daily basis, and this could be bad news for our health. High heels affect our posture, put pressure on joints, and can lead to a range of conditions including arthritis, hammer toes, back pain and tendon injuries — and that's before you take into account any heel-related accidents! To minimise damage, limit your heels to 1.5 inches for daily wear, and wear insoles to help reduce the pressure on joints.

2. Carrying a heavy handbag
With the rising number of gadgets and accessories the majority of women haul around, many of us are carrying around several pounds of weight on our shoulders every day. As a result, lots of us are also putting our long term health at risk. While you may not feel the effects right now, lugging around a heavy handbag can lead to serious back problems and neck pain as well as poor posture. Don't wait until the damage is done — do your health a favour and try clearing out all non-essential items and switching to a smaller bag.

3. Matching men drink for drink
From networking drinks to first dates and social events, there are many instances when women may feel compelled to keep up with the drinking habits of the opposite sex. However, women not only tend to weigh less than men but they have less body water to dilute the alcohol, which means they tend to get more drunk more quickly. To minimise the risks of alcohol on your health, try to keep within the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption and alternate alcohol with soft drinks.

4. Obsessing over appearance
While both genders suffer from body insecurity, many women tend to overly obsess over their idea of the "perfect" body. Research findings published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that 16 per cent of the normal or underweight women studied believed themselves to be overweight, while a study commissioned by Dove found that 90 per of women wanted to change at least one aspect of their appearance. Body insecurity not only affects our mental health, but it can also lead to physical damage caused by extreme diets, yo-yo dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery.

5. Emotional eating
While comfort eating affects both genders, research has suggested that men are more likely to reinforce positive emotions with food, while women comfort eat when they're sad. Women are also more likely to satisfy their cravings with sweet, high calorie foods. Rather than letting your waistline suffer next time you're feeling blue, try distracting yourself from cravings by doing something you enjoy, or boost your endorphins and health with an uplifting workout.

11 TERRIBLE BREAKFASTS

11. Terrible Breakfast Bagel: Dunkin' Donuts Sesame Bagel with reduced fat strawberry cream cheese

510 calories, 16 g fat (6.5 g saturated), 860 mg sodium

Remember, bagels are shaped like zeros for a reason. You'd be better off with two glazed doughnuts. Or, simply move outside the menu's concentration of doughnuts and pastries and Dunkin' Donuts proves itself to be one of the better on-the-go breakfast joints in the country. Pair a couple of the Wake-Up Wraps with a zero-calorie cup of coffee to switch your metabolism from sleep mode to high gear.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Egg & Cheese Wake-Up Wraps (2)

360 calories, 22 g fat (8 g saturated), 940 mg sodium

10. Terrible Breakfast Panini: Panera Bread Grilled Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Sandwich

510 calories, 25 g fat (10 g saturated), 1,170 mg sodium

There are two differences between these two sandwiches. First, the Grilled Bacon, Egg & Cheese is built on ciabatta, which provides 50 more calories and half as much fiber. And second, it replaces the ham with bacon, which means an extra 100 calories of mostly fat.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Breakfast Power Sandwich

340 calories, 15 g fat (7 g saturated), 820 mg sodium

9. Terrible "Healthy" Breakfast: Jamba Juice Chunky Stawberry Topper Parfait (16 oz)

570 calories, 17 g fat (3 g saturated), 59 g sugars

Similar approaches to breakfast with very different results. Replacing an oatmeal base with sugars and granola is never a good swap.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Fresh Banana Oatmeal (oatmeal, bananas, brown sugar crumble)

280 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 23 g sugars

8. Terrible Breakfast Croissant: Jack in the Box Sausage Croissant

565 calories, 39 g fat (16 g saturated, 1 g trans), 776 mg sodium

Two simple but immutable rules are at play here: 1. Bacon always beats sausage, and 2. buns always beat croissants. The Breakfast Jacks are a bright spot on the menu, made even brighter by the fact that they're available all day. Take advantage.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Bacon Breakfast Jack

310 calories, 14 g fat (5 g saturated), 790 mg sodium

7. Terrible Breakfast Burrito: McDonald's McSkillet Burrito with Sausage

610 calories, 36 g fat (14 g saturated), 1,390 mg sodium

For all intents and purposes, this breakfast burrito isn't actually a terrible morning choice—as long as you take it with water, and very strictly watch what you eat for the rest of the day. But why choose the 610-calorie version when you can eat an equally tasty breakfast burrito for half the calories, and 20 fewer grams of fat? This leaves you room for other nutritious foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains—to eat without worrying throughout the day.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Sausage Burrito

300 calories, 16 g fat (7 g saturated), 830 mg sodium

6. Terrible Breakfast Combo Plate: Bob Evans Pot Roast Hash

759 calories, 53 g fat (18 g saturated), 1,463 mg sodium

There's a lot of good in this dish—eggs and roast are both packed with protein, which, as we've hammered home in this slideshow, is a nutrient you should consume every breakfast. But here's what else the Pot Roast Hash comes with: Home Fries. As in fried potatoes. As in fried lumps of carbohydrates. A better option: Stick with the good, cut out the bad.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Border Scramble Omelette with Egg Lites

416 calories, 24 g fat (12 g saturated), 1,162 mg sodium

5. Terrible Biscuit: Hardee's Monster Biscuit

640 calories, 44 g fat (16 g saturated), 2,130 mg sodium

The pieces of this biscuit individually aren't what make it so dangerous. It's the fact that they're all added together in one big jumbo slop heap that causes trouble. Here we're looking at bacon, sausage patty, several slices of ham, "folded egg," and two slices of American cheese. A more reasonable biscuit is what you'll find below: Simply bacon, egg, and cheese. No need to get fancy with extra toppings.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit

400 calories, 25 g fat (8 g saturated), 1,190 mg sodium

4. Terrible Omelet: IHOP Spinach and Mushroom Omelette (no pancakes on the side)

910 calories, 70 g fat (26 g saturated, 0.5 g trans), 1,570 mg sodium

You can make this same omelet at home for roughly 300 calories. What sets IHOP's apart? The absurd amount of cheap fats being tossed around the kitchen. This thing has more saturated fat than a half stick of butter, and if you opt for the pancakes on the side, you can tack another 450 calories onto your nutritional debt.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Two x Two x Two (with bacon)

560 calories, 31 g fat (11 g saturated), 1,280 mg sodium

3. Terrible French Toast: IHOP Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Topping

1,030 calories, 39 g fat (17 g saturated, 1 g trans), 755 mg sodium, 61 g sugars

IHOP's menu is full of gut-busting sweets—Stuffed French Toast, Belgian Waffles, Strawberry banana Danish Fruit Crepes... you name it. The problem with each and every one of these super-sweetened, carbo-loaded meals isn't just that they're all packing at least half a day's worth of calories; it's that they're setting you up for a massive sugar crash about halfway between breakfast and lunch. If you're set on the sweet stuff, stick with the Simple & Fit menu at IHOP. The Seasonal Fresh Fruit Crepes are great because they offer a thin layer of pancake, and a lot of fresh fruit. (So at least you're getting something out of it, nutritionally).

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

SIMPLE & FIT Seasonal Fresh Fruit Crepes

580 calories, 24 g fat (5 g saturated), 430 mg sodium, 42 g sugars

2. Terrible Pancakes: IHOP Harvest Grain 'N Nut Pancakes (4) with Cinnamon Apple Compote and Whipped Topping

1,060 calories, 51.5 g fat (13 g saturated), 1,945 mg sodium, 50 g sugars

Whatever you do at IHOP, don't add a fruity compote to your waffle or pancake platter. That'll guarantee that you double your plate's sugar count and add at least 150 calories to the final tally (which, if you order more than 3 pancakes, is already going to be mighty high). The reason that fruity compote is so bad for you is because it's not fresh fruit we're dealing with—it's more like a sugary goo that has fruit chunks drowning in it.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Original Buttermilk Pancakes, Short Stack (3)

490 calories, 18 g fat (8 g saturated, 1 g trans), 1,610 mg sodium, 13 g sugars

1. Terrible Slamwich: Denny's Grand Slamwich with Hash Browns

1,520 calories, 101 g fat (44 g saturated, 1 g trans), 3,550 mg sodium

Bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, cheese, and mayo conspire to create the worst breakfast sandwich in America. Start your day with this and you'll need to wait 48 hours before consuming another gram of saturated fat. And that's before you get to the hash browns that come on the side.

EAT THIS INSTEAD!

Fit Slam

390 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated), 850 mg sodium

You can find this article online at:
http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/new-worst-breakfasts-america

Makeup Tricks

Shake Up Your Makeup

By Roopika Malhotra

URL: beauty/skincare-makeup

Shake Up Your Makeup

• 
  If you love brown or black eyeliner...
  Try plum or navy
  Jewel-toned liners make you nervous? Plum or navy is a good compromise. "The hint of color makes your irises more vivid without being over the top," says New York City makeup artist Carmindy, who's always up on all of the best beauty products out there. Draw a thin line along the roots of the upper lashes, then gently smudge the color with a brush or your finger to soften the look and make it smokier.
  
  
• 
  If you love nude eye shadow...
  Try a shimmery gold
  Do you scan all the pretty shadows in your palette each morning, sigh, and dunk your brush into a basic nude? You need to live a little! "A sparkling gold or khaki shadow is soft and natural, but the glimmer adds texture and interest," says Liz Pugh, an international celebrity makeup artist with Rimmel London. If you don't want shimmer all over your lids, use it as an accent. "I use my finger to press some right onto the center of the lid, below the crease, to give eyes a multidimensional effect."
  
  
• 
  If you love buff or baby-pink polish...
  Try griege polish
  The love child of gray and beige, griege is the shade of the season. "It has a trendy edge, but it's totally neutral and wearable," says Sarah Lucero, a makeup artist with Stila. Plus, it's low maintenance. "Chips won't be glaring like they are on dark, vampy nails," says Lucero. Paint two coats onto short, rounded tips for a cool look that won't raise eyebrows at work.
  
  
• 
  If you love bronzer...
  Try a tawny peach cream blush
  The rosy-cheek thing is in—and it looks more natural than bronzer when temperatures drop. Plus, a cream formula hydrates dry fall/winter skin. "A creamy peach blush has a luminous effect like a bronzer, and it flatters all complexions," says makeup artist Polly Osmond. Blend the cream high on the apples of your cheeks in a circular motion to draw attention to your cheekbones.
  
  
• 
  If you love red lipstick...
  Try a burgundy lip stain
  Think of burgundy as red's hipper younger sister. "Like red, it's seductive and feminine, but it's more mysterious," says makeup artist Jillian Dempsey, Avon's global creative color director. Use a lip stain because it will last longer.

Sexy Foods

The New Hot Meal

URL: weight-loss/sexy-foods

Sexy Foods: The New Hot Meal

• 
  Chocolate
  This sensual sweet does more than just make your tongue happy; it also contains a compound called phenylethylamine, which is linked to the release of endorphins, those natural feel-good chemicals that flood our bodies after a workout. Interestingly, though, research from the University of Guelph, which examined hundreds of studies on potential aphrodisiacs, found that even though people believe their sexual desire increases after eating chocolate, it's not linked in any way to sexual arousal or satisfaction. In other words, chocolate's sexy powers are likely all in the head, where it triggers serotonin and endorphins. But hey, that works too! When you're jonesing for a fix, enjoy a portion-controlled amount (half an ounce) with some hot tea.
  
  
• 
  Coffee
  OK, coffee breath may not be that alluring, but java does possess some sexy properties. A study from Southwestern University found that the female sex drive perks up after a little joe, which stimulates the part of the brain that regulates arousal. One caveat: Because getting back to a healthy sleep pattern is so important for your overall health, be sure to pay attention to your afternoon cutoff time. For many people, restricting caffeine after 2 p.m. is a good general rule.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Eggs
  These are a reliable source of L-arginine, an amino acid that's been shown to be effective in treating erectile dysfunction. And they're not just for breakfast. Try an easy frittata recipe for dinner some night.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Peaches
  The creamy texture, beautiful color, and summery smell are defnitely attractive, but these are just bonuses: It turns out that peaches' high vitamin C count makes them something of a fertility drug for your guy. Higher consumption results in better sperm counts and less sperm clumping (without going into details, that's a positive thing). Frozen slices are actually a little higher in vitamin C than the fresh ones, so stash some in the icebox and toss them into a smoothie for you—and your man.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Saffron
  A gorgeous, bright-yellow spice, saffron comes from the crocus flower and has a mild, delicate flavor that's popular in Spanish and other Mediterranean dishes. Researchers have found that saffron lives up to its reputation of improving sexual performance (worth its expense at about $11 per gram). The best way to bring out its favor is to soak the threads in hot (but not boiling) water or broth for 15 minutes and add the "tea" to your recipe. It's superb in any grain dish—Spanish seafood paella is a classic one—as well as in soups and stews.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Steak
  Beef has loads of zinc and iron, as well as plenty of satisfying protein and B vitamins. Plus, there's just something so tantalizing about the sound and smell of steak sizzling on the grill—it's like foreplay you can eat! Besides being good for sexual performance, steak has that special-occasion feel to it. Go for a grass-fed variety to make it extra healthy.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Watermelon
  This juicy favorite has an unusually high level of an amino acid called citrulline, which your body uses to pump out another amino acid, arginine, that's related to vascular health. In guys, that can translate to healthier erections; in women, it has been linked to increased libido, according to research from the University of Hawaii. And let's be honest, there's something kind of sexy about biting into a dripping hunk of melon on a hot day.
   Excerpted from the book Slim Calm Sexy Diet by WH nutrition expert,    Keri Glassman.
    Pick up a copy today!
  
  
  
  

Beat Stress

Emotional Eating Isn't Always Bad | Women's Health Magazine Last updated: March 20, 2012 Issue date: December 2007

WomensHealthMag.com

Forget everything you've heard about stress-eating being a bad thing. If you put the right foods in your pie hole (i.e., not pie), noshing when your nerves are jangling can actually calm you down. And that's great news, because the last thing you need is more stress, which over time can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity -- and the odds that you'll go ballistic on Mom when she asks, for the third time, what your unemployed fiancé does for a living. The following listed below are the best foods to soothe stress and can counteract the damage that chronic pressure does to your bod. Stock up on the lot of them so that when the tension rises you can beat stress instead of freaking out.

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts

When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins, which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a year's membership to Match.com as a present). About a quarter cup every day is all you need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional PB to almond butter on high-tension days. (We like All Natural Barney Butter Almond Butter, $7, barneybutter.com.)

Sick of almonds? Shell pistachios or crack walnuts. Both will help keep your heart from racing when things heat up. "We experience immediate cardiovascular responses to stress because of the 'fight or flight' response," says Sheila G. West, M.D., associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. When stress strikes, the hormone adrenaline raises blood pressure to boost energy -- so you're prepared to run like hell if you need to. But because we seldom need to fight or flee (dodging your annoying aunt doesn't count), it's better to blunt the strain on your heart. A 2007 Penn State study led by Dr. West found that eating one and a half ounces (about a handful) of pistachios a day lowers blood pressure so your heart doesn't have to work overtime. Walnuts have also been found to lower blood pressure, both at rest and under stress, West says. Add about an ounce to salads, cereal, or oatmeal.

Avocados

The next time stress has you hankering for a high-fat, creamy treat, skip the ice cream and try some homemade guacamole -- the thick, rich texture can satisfy your craving and reduce those frantic feelings. Plus, the green wonders' double whammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure. (For a healthy recipe favorites in under 20 minutes, check out the WH Recipes homepage.) One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is to get enough potassium -- and just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you'll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, puree a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne.

Skim Milk

Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, Ph.D., professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo juice (preferably skim or 1 percent) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per day had a 46 percent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than one serving per week.