Dear Friends,

Happy New Year to each and every one of you. It has been a great year for some of you and a tough year for others. No matter what, I am here to make sure that next year is your best year yet. 

I have tons of great tips, ideas and helpful ways for you to live your BEST life ever coming up just after the New Year! And some really good recipes as well to make sure you are only putting healthy food into your body.

EXCITING NEWS! I am going to be starting work on a brand new book which will answer some of the most common (and uncommon) questions about your health, working out, eating the right foods, happiness, etc. So if you have ANY questions, please send them over to me and not only will I answer you personally, but the question just may show up in my book (and you will be famous)!

Also, if you have not yet read my first book, here are the links! It would be a great read for the new year!

Read full book “Impress The World With Your Body in Seven Days” for free by clicking here!

Buy hard cover copy of “Impress The World With Your Body in Seven Days” by clicking here!

Lastly, I would like to thank my friend Terry Chaney for giving me the push to start my “Healthy at 102″ Facebook page. I started the page less than a year ago and already have over 900 people that have “liked” it!  We give a “Quick Tip” every day, 365 days a year, so please be sure to check it out!

So again, Happy New Year and as I used to say to my classmates before winter break when I was a little kid… “see you NEXT YEAR!”

Rock on!

Q: Dave, is it OK to “indulge” or just “live it up” a little during the holidays?

A: This is actually a question that I get asked quite often. And my answer goes something like this:

I am not sure what you mean by “living it up” or indulging. Does it mean eating four pieces of your mother’s pumpkin pie? Drinking alcohol like you’re back at a college fraternity party? Devouring a bucket of ocean fries drowned in mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise?

Or do you mean eating some dessert when you normally try your best to avoid all desserts like the plague? Or cheating a little bit because you would love to have a half of a loaded baked potato that you have not had all year long.

Since I am not clear on what you mean by “living it up,” I am going to tell you what I do. I try my best to eat healthy food every single day.  I do this by combining fresh, organic, raw, natural, free-range foods as much as I can. Am I perfect at it? No way. Do I do a pretty darn good job? Yes I believe I do!

So this means if I am at a party and everyone is fueling up on alcohol, I politely ask for a glass of fresh water or a cup of tea. By the way, I generally stay away from big drunken parties. They are just not fun for me. If I am out at a restaurant and everyone is “doing” dessert, I do not succumb, unless fresh fruit and green tea are available. Simply put, I never feel the peer pressure to do what everyone else is doing.  I do try to avoid situations where others around me are being unhealthy.

I do not look at my eating program as a “diet” or something that is restrictive. Nor do I look at a plate of fried chicken, an ice cream sundae or a sugar-laden drink from Starbucks as a “reward” for having been so good.

Listen: you and I have the right to basically eat anything that we want. I simply know that if I put something into my body that is not good for me, there will be a price to pay somewhere down the road. That price may be weight gain, a health issue, or most likely, both.

Eating and drinking in an unhealthy manner are just not fun for me. Just because “everyone else” is doing this does not make it a good thing.  Please remember, this is a lifestyle. Do the best you can. Hang around healthy people – it really does make a big difference! And if you decide to “indulge,” do it in the smallest way possible!

Happy holidays to YOU!!! Please be sure to visit my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HealthyAt102. There is a brand new “quick tip” every day!

Rock on!

Holy moly, I cannot believe it’s THAT time of the year again!

Yes, the “holidays” are upon us!  

And no, it does not matter which, if any of the winter holidays you celebrate. The fact is the next couple of weeks can be incredibly stressful, irritating, and will very likely increase your waistline if you are not careful.

So here are my survival tips to keeping this a fun, light and easy time of the year. Trust me… I have been doing all of these for many years.

1. Recognize that saying NO to certain things is perfectly acceptable. You do not have to say yes to everything you are asked to do or attend.  Be selective and say YES to ONLY the things that are most important to you.
2. Plan your activity routine. It’s much easier to plan out where you need to go and then travel in a straight line. For example, if I need to go to the dry cleaners, bank, shoe repair, and natural food store, I will figure out which one is the farthest away, and which one is the closest. Then I “connect the dots” in-between. This way I do not feel like I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
3. Realize and be ok with the fact that these winter holidays are NOT about the biggest, most expensive gifts.  ALL of the winter holidays are about being with family, friends and enjoying the JOY of this season, NOT counting the gifts.  So instead of rushing out to purchase your loved one some gift that two months from now they will have forgotten, how about planning an afternoon together or fix them their favorite meal?
4. When attending holiday parties, always remember – if you can use a smaller plate, do so! If there is only one size plate available, please aim to only fill it up about halfway. A full sized dinner plate that is packed with food is simply too much. And while we are talking plates, try to go with the healthiest foods. No fried foods! Please try to avoid the sauced veggies. I know that the sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows look good but the marshmallows and other unhealthy ingredients take away all of the benefits from the sweet potatoes. The same applies to the green beans smothered in fried onions and cream of mushroom soup. But you know all that, right? Just use common sense. Fresh meats and unadulterated veggies are best. Beans and nuts are also good. As my good friend Terry, says – NOTHING IS EVER GOING TO TASTE AS GOOD AS BEING HEALTHY FEELS. She is so right.
5. New Years Eve is the night we celebrate the ending of one year and the beginning of the next – not the night we get as drunk as possible, eat everything in sight and wake up feeling horrible the next day. You all know that I do not drink alcohol. It is incredibly fattening and in my opinion, does not contribute to overall health no matter what the “studies” say. But if you feel the need and desire for a glass of wine or champagne to celebrate the New Year, I will not tell you no, but please limit it to one glass.

There are probably many more holiday tips I can give you, and maybe I will do so very soon. But if you follow just these simple guidelines, I am pretty certain that you will have a wonderful, fun and stress-free holiday season. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays

Dave

P.S. Make sure you “like” me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HealthyAt102. A new tip awaits you every day!

Right now I am on a plane heading to Chicago. In two days I will be running the Chicago Marathon. All 26.2 miles of it! Crazy distance? I don’t know. This is not my first marathon and hopefully will not be my last.

Whatever your favorite distance is, I’d like to share some essential items with you that could help make your runs outdoors much more enjoyable.

A hip pack and a water bottle. No matter what distance I am running, I generally carry water with me. It’s important to stay hydrated during a run so having a bottle with me reminds me to drink. If the weather is hot and I am going long, I have a hip pack that holds two bottles. Believe it or not, if you fasten the strap fairly tight around your hips, the bottles bouncing up and down will be a non-issue. Find one that is comfortable for you. I use the REI brand.

Energy gel. Energy gel comes in little foil packets and is made up of carbohydrates, amino acids, and electrolytes. When you are on the run, simply pull one out of your pocket or hip pack, rip off the top and squeeze the great tasting gel into your mouth.  Always follow with a swig of water. Mmmm… instant energy. My favorite is Hammer Gel. Be careful because a couple of the flavors contain caffeine. I prefer not to use caffeine during a run (or anytime actually). I consume 1-2 gel packs per hour of running.

Sportslick. Runners chafe and this is a great lubricant to apply to areas that are prone to chafing. It comes in an easy to use tube and is made for athletes. I always apply it to my axillary and inner thigh areas. On very long runs I may also apply some to my heels or potential hotspot areas on my feet. This stuff is a lifesaver!

Plastic first-aid tape. I use this to cover my nipples to prevent chafing. I just use two small pieces. Works like a charm. Women, I cannot personally vouch for how this tape will work for you but I do know there are alternatives for the female anatomy.

Electrolytes. On longer hotter runs, it is not enough to just take energy gel and drink water. You are losing sodium, potassium, magnesium and other electrolytes that MUST be replaced. You can do this with energy drinks or capsules. For many years I was a big energy drink fan. Gatorade is pure junk as far as I am concerned. Too much sugar! Most of them contain sweeteners of some sort and I do not like that. These days, I use Hammer Endurolytes. They are clean and simple. I take two or three every hour and wash them down with water. Done!

GPS watch. Running has really entered the tech age. I use a Garmin watch, which tracks practically any statistic I would need. Besides elapsed time and distance, it tells me my exact pace, split times and so much more. Then when I get home I can upload my run to the web and I can see my exact route, elevation change, times, distance and more. Out of everything I recommend for training and racing, the GPS watch is one of the coolest things ever. It will cost you at least a couple hundred bucks but it is a great investment in the sport! I have been using a Garmin Forerunner 405 for the past few years now and am currently testing a Garmin Forerunner 610.

A bandana. Carried in my hip pack for a runny nose or on my head as a headband, I have a ton of these. The brighter the better! I love tie-dyed bandanas… they definitely attract a lot of attention at a race!

Sunglasses. No matter what the weather is, I practically always wear glasses during a run. They can protect your eyes from sun, wind and rain. My regular prescription glasses are very lightweight and automatically get darker as the sun gets brighter. If it’s a real sunny day, I generally just put on my lightweight polarized sports sunglasses. I use Maui Jim.

Please feel free to experiment with everything discussed above. I have zeroed in on these items during my thirty plus years of running. They all are essential for me. But your needs may vary. Have fun trying different things out.  See you on the road!

“Dave, I am doing my first race in a few days. I am nervous. What should I eat the day before to give me the best chance of getting through the race?”

“And what should I eat after the race?

I have been asked these questions a million times and today I am going to give you some great answers!

So first of all, congratulations! You are a runner and you have decided to take the plunge and enter your first race! Or maybe you have raced before but were never sure if you were eating the right foods. Or you’re thinking about this whole thing but you don’t know exactly how to go about preparing yourself.

The good news is that you are already there. Or almost! What I mean by this is that you are already a runner, so I assume you have been eating something or you wouldn’t be here reading this article! But let’s go ahead and fine-tune things so that you feel your absolute best before, during and after the race!

What to eat the day before the race. It is best to eat many small healthy meals the day before as opposed to a few large, heavy meals. This will ensure that your metabolism and digestion are even and that there are no real ups and downs with your blood sugar all day long.

Assuming you eat a healthy diet, I suggest that you keep eating what you are already used to. This is not the time to be experimenting with new foods, which would have the potential to wreak havoc with your intestines!

Here are some examples of what I like to eat the day before the race:

Breakfast: two eggs, organic rice cake, Greek yogurt, green tea, small pomegranate juice.

Mid morning snack: banana

Lunch: mixed green salad with some grilled chicken, dried organic fruit such as apricot, green tea or spring water.

Afternoon snack: organic rice cake with almond butter or hummus.

Dinner: Small amount of meat or fish, brown rice, broccoli, small amount of sweet potato (notice the complex carbs!), spring water.

My diet (The Dave Diet) does not include any sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or wheat product (gluten-free). You may substitute as needed.

The morning of the race: I am different than many people as I like to eat a small amount of food an hour or two before a race to make sure my blood sugar is in check. The worst feeling in the world is to feel faint during a race! Something I found perfect is a small rice cake with some hummus on it. Another suggestion would be a half banana and a half bagel (if you eat wheat products). An energy bar works well too but make sure it’s a healthy one. I like Larabar as it is made naturally from fruit. Please remember, do not try ANY new foods at this time. In the morning it is also important to drink several glasses of fresh water to stay hydrated.

During the race: I carry my own water in a hip pack (personal preference) but most races should have water stops. Please always drink water during the race! I DO NOT believe in Gatorade as it is pure sugar! Gatorade has been reported to do crazy things with the stomach and intestines as well. During longer races I do replace my electrolytes with Endurolytes by Hammer (these are capsules) as well as Hammer Gel (1-2 packets every hour). During a 5K race you probably will not need to do this. But again, please make sure you drink water, especially in warmer temperatures!

Immediately following the race: Drink and eat to rehydrate and get nutrients back into your system! Many races these days serve bagels, fruit, energy bars, etc. to the runners. Don’t be shy… please eat and drink plenty. You deserve it!

After the race and into the next day: You burned a lot of calories in completing the race. Congratulations! Make sure you are rehydrating and feeding your muscles. You will probably be hungrier than normal, so please eat. This is not the time to “diet.” Your body is telling you that it needs nutrition. What do I eat after a race? Anything that I can (as long as it is on The Dave Diet)! Yes, Dave pigs out after a race! One thing I love to drink after a race to help replenish electrolytes is pure coconut water by Vita Coco.

What to absolutely avoid before and after a race: Alcohol and caffeine – they are both diuretics and will dehydrate you. Sometimes they serve beer after a race. I would stay away and give your body what it really needs, which would be water and electrolytes (bananas are loaded with potassium).  And beware… those so-called “energy drinks” such as Red Bull are not energy drinks! They are liquid caffeine and sugar. Don’t even think about them!

Oh yeah… one more piece of advice: you will be drinking a lot of water so please make sure you empty your bladder just before the start of the race. There is nothing more uncomfortable than running when you have to “go!”

If you eat healthy and sensibly and follow these simple guidelines, I am confident that you will get through your race comfortably and safely.  Let me know how you do!

I am certainly no stranger to running. I have been participating in this sport, pastime or
exercise (whatever you wish to call it) for over 34 years! I am 56 years old now and many people say I look at least 10-20 years younger than my age. I know for sure that I feel better and healthier now than when I was thirty!

I attribute much of my excellent health to running! But not just regular running – running slow! That’s right, let me admit right here that I am and always have been a “back of the pack runner.” And I am proud of it!

Perhaps you are a runner who is frustrated because you feel that you are not fast enough. Or maybe you are contemplating getting into running but think that you won’t be able to keep up with everyone else, or you won’t get the health benefits as the speed demons. Please take a look at the reasons below where explain why I honestly believe that we, the snails, are actually better and healthier than those that are competitive “front runners.”

1. When you run slower, you are far less likely to get injured. I cannot even count the number of people I have met over the years that were really great runners but they had to quit due to injuries. Shin splints, stress fractures, back trouble, knee problems… you name it. I on the other hand keep going and going, year after year injury free.
2. When you run slower, you are less likely to get burnt out. Again, I cannot even begin to tell you all of the people I know that were so serious about high mileage training programs, doing too much too soon, then burning out and quitting. I listen to my body and I do what it tells me to do. I never quit.
3. When you run slower, you can go longer and actually enjoy it. It’s not unusual for me to go out for a nice relaxing slow run of more than an hour at a time! It’s because I am going slow and enjoying myself. Believe it or not, I notice my beautiful surroundings, which oftentimes makes my run meditative!
4. When you run slower, you burn just as much fat as if you were running fast (maybe even more). Running slow is a great way to lose weight.  I weigh the same now as I did when I was in college.
5. Running slow takes all of the pressure off of the activity. The idea is that you will go out and enjoy yourself.

I still remember the very first marathon that I entered way back in 1979. On the memo portion of the check, I wrote the letters “LSD” in black ink.  The people who processed my check may have thought that I was some strung out stoner hippie trying to run a marathon. In actuality, I knew the letters stood for “Long Slow Distance!” And that has been my motto ever since.

Do yourself a favor and become a slow runner. It doesn’t matter what your age is or what kind of condition you are in right now. You can do it. Very few of us have the ability to come in first place in races. But most of us can get out there and run slow. Hope to see you on the road real soon!

Dr. David Madow is a well known health and lifestyle expert. He is the author of the book “Impress The World With Your Body in Seven Days.” David’s favorite outdoor activities are backpacking in Grand Canyon, skiing in Colorado and of course running.

More about David Madow:
Website: http://www.davidmadow.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HealthyAt102
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DavidMadow
Email: rundrdave@gmail.com

As many of you know, I made a drastic change to my diet about four months ago. I was having some issues – none of them were medically serious – they were just enough to let me know I needed to change something!

Here are the issues that needed some correction: 

1. Psoriasis – I had some psoriatic (red scaly) patches on my elbows, knuckles, and my right knee for at least twelve years.  Nothing I tried was ever able to eliminate these.
2. Esophageal reflux (heartburn) – not too terrible but occasional pain where I would have to take some Tums or Gaviscon.
3. Low energy – I couldn’t figure this one out but it got to the point where I would have to come home in the afternoon and take a two hour nap.
4. Hoarseness – lasted several months with no end in sight. And you know I speak for a living! This is the one that made me take notice and do something.

Doctors had no idea what to do. So I did a lot of reading and decided to take matters in my own two hands. I changed my diet (which was already pretty darned good) drastically!

I TOTALLY eliminated foods which I thought could be causing a sensitivity or allergy. Gone from my diet were sugar, caffeine, alcohol, wheat, gluten, peanuts, mushrooms (fungus), processed foods, and yeast.

I DID eat lots of fresh, organic veggies, fish, meats, raw foods, brown rice, sushi, eggs, plain Greek yogurt, rice cakes, rice crackers, organic corn chips, almonds (and almond butter), cashews (and cashew butter), sunflower seeds, green tea, white tea, pomegranate juice, Brad’s Raw Chips, and more.

I DID NOT count calories or anything like that. I ate when I was hungry and never felt guilty about eating good healthy food like we were meant to eat.

I DID NOT cheat! I was extremely strict, making no exceptions for “special occasions.”

Here is the update after four months:

1. My voice is totally back to normal! SCREAM!!!
2. No episodes of heartburn – EVER!
3. Extremely high energy. I am running the Chicago Marathon next month!
4. Psoriasis on right knee – TOTALLY GONE!
5. Psoriasis on knuckles – TOTALLY GONE!
6. Psoriasis on elbows – 95% GONE!
7. Lost ten pounds without trying
8. People tell me I look at least ten years younger than my age.
9. I just had my annual physical at The Cooper Clinic in Dallas, TX. My doctor was amazed at the improvements. Let me share some stats with you:
   BP: 108/72
   Pulse: 47
   Height: 74.3 inches (just over 6’2″)
   Weight: 185
   Cholesterol: 142
   dLDL: 68
10. Stress test fitness category – EXCELLENT

I continue to eat this way every day of my life because I am 100% convinced that food plays an integral part of our health. Americans are eating junk and that’s why we are overweight and have more health issues than we know how to deal with.

Are you ready to get on “The Dave Diet” and see some amazing changes in your life? Follow me please!

Dave

This is the most important and life-changing article I have ever written! I am going to tell you some secrets about myself that I have not told you before!

For many reasons, about eight weeks ago I made some serious changes in the way I eat. Not the quantity, but what I actually put into my body. Here are some of the reasons.

The main reason is that I had been experiencing laryngitis for many months. No matter what I did, my voice was horrible and it would not get any better. I tried everything, such as resting it (but I speak for a living so that was difficult), lozenges, honey and tea, drinking lots of water, gargling with salt water, and everything else that people told me to try. Nothing worked. It actually progressively got worse until I could hardly talk.

I went to the ENT and he scoped me. No cancer or anything serious. Just inflammation. He told me to stop talking and take some medication that he handed me. Who knows what it was! One thing I did find out is that it didn’t work.

While I’m thinking about it, I had some other issues. I have had psoriasis for at least twelve years now. Not the really bad kind that covers all of my skin. But enough to make me know that something was not right. Dermatologists never had an answer other than “here is some cream.”

Also, I was tired a lot. Don’t know why. I ate healthy, exercised, slept well, and was at a pretty good weight. I was baffled as to why I got so tired in the afternoon.

I’m on a roll now. Let me see, what else was bothering me? Oh yeah, what about some occasional acid reflux? Not much but occasionally I would awaken with a bad pain in my esophageal area I am guessing. No big deal, right? Nothing that a little calcium tablet couldn’t take care of.

Is that all? Maybe. If I think of anything else I will let you know.

So I did some reading. Lots of reading. And on my own, I decided that these crazy things going on in my body could be related to some type of food I was taking in. And probably not one food, but many.

I decided that I was going to only put foods into my body that had a proven track record of being very healthy and healing. So first let me share with you what I completely took out of my diet.

This is what I completely removed from my diet:

• Alcohol – it is not a health food! Full of yeast and it’s caustic to your tissues.
• Caffeine – an addictive drug that does no good in any way.
• Sugar – need I explain? This is horrible and causes tons of diseases!
• Peanuts – very allergenic and moldy.
• Wheat and gluten – highly allergenic. So no breads or anything made from flour!
• Soy Sauce – Did you know the second ingredient in soy sauce is wheat (hence gluten)?
• Vinegar, pickles, olives.
• Anything that is processed in any way.
• Dairy – except plain, unsweetened organic Greek yogurt.
• Most fruits – they are very high in sugar.
• Rice – except for brown rice.
• Yeast
• Artificial colors or sweeteners.
• Any ingredient that I could not pronounce.

Now when I removed all of the above from my diet, the following were automatically restricted:

Sauces, ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, desserts, crackers, breads, cakes, noodles, lunch meats, potato chips, cheese, croutons, most soups, all drinks except for water and organic green tea. And a lot more that I probably cannot think of now.

So what could I eat? Well, I steered towards mostly organic, unprocessed and raw foods.

• Eggs – they are extremely healthy!
• Brown rice crackers.
• Organic blue corn chips.
• Meats
• Vegetables – tons of vegetables.
• Non -wheat grains such as millet, quinoa, amaranth.
• Olive oil and fresh lemon juice on salads.
• Fresh filtered water or spring water.
• Organic green or white tea.
• Organic turkey or chicken deli.
• Hummus
• Nuts such as almonds, cashews.
• Pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
• Cashew butter and almond butter.
• Sweet potatoes.
• Gluten and yeast free bread (eccch… no taste).
• Unsweetened plain Greek yogurt.
• Fish
• And did I say TONS of fresh veggies???

Actually a whole new world was opened to me once I made this change. At first it was difficult because I really could not eat many of the things that the average American eats on a daily basis. But as I got into the groove, it got easy! Actually most of the foods on the eliminated list I have no more craving for.

If I was traveling, my dinner consisted of the fresh salad and food bar at the local Whole Foods instead of going to a typical unhealthy restaurant. You’d be surprised how many interesting down to earth people hang there. And I learned to carry my own healthy snack bag to work every day.

What do you think happened to my body as I sit here typing this a mere eight weeks later? You simply would not believe it. I can’t believe it either. But here is what has changed:

• My voice is back.
• I lost ten pounds without trying! Totally flat stomach!
• My skin is 100% improved on my knee (I had psoriasis there for twelve years) and 95% improved on my elbows! This I literally cannot believe. It is incredible! I feel in a short time it will be 100% improved everywhere. I would not expect something that I have had for twelve years to go away that quickly.
• Increased energy, no more lethargy!
• Incredible positive mental feeling!
• NO acid reflux episodes.
• Great sleeping.
• Perfect bowel regularity.
• Probably much more that I cannot even think of right now.

Please understand that I am not exaggerating at all. Everything I have said here is really 100% accurate. I have no product to sell you. I really wish I did – but I don’t. There is no reason for me to embellish anything here.  And I’m giving you this knowledge for free.

I am so excited about this “new lifestyle!” It’s so funny, I have always considered myself to be VERY healthy and athletic. Most people around me would have ranked me in the top 5% of all people as far as health. I am 56 but look at least ten years younger than that. I run marathons. I ski the double black diamonds. I backpack in the Grand Canyon for a week at a time. I go to the gym.  But maybe I was not so healthy. I had these nagging issues and something was causing them.

Listen. I honestly believe that we need to take in the purest of foods. The typical American diet is pure J-U-N-K. Sure, many of you can ostensibly “get by” on it. But my bet is that you are “sick” inside. If issues have not reared their ugly heads, I think they will sooner rather than later.

I just feel great and I wanted to share this with you. It’s been only eight weeks but it is now a lifestyle because of the changes I have seen.  There is no turning back for me.

If you want to find me these days, look for me eating at the counter at the natural foods store. Or the eating area of Whole Foods. It’s actually amazing how many other healthy people hang at these places! It’s fun!

Rock on!

I am on the verge of coming out with some breaking news about the power of food. Please just give me a week or two to get my latest thoughts to you. What I have discovered is so unbelievable, I never would have really believed it myself two months ago. But I now have the evidence myself and let me tell you my friends, this is powerful.

But until then, I have composed a list of some of the healthiest foods around. Note that I said “some,” because this is by no means an all-inclusive list. But everything on it is very healthy and you will not go wrong using this list as a guide to try some new foods!

Tomatoes - They have lots of lycopene which is a very powerful antioxidant. Tomatoes are low in calories and are a very rich flavored fruit.

Blueberries - are packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids. These berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C.

Pineapples - are high in bromelain, which is a great natural anti-inflammatory, as well as being high in fiber.

Cherries - Are packed with anti-inflammatory properties and full of anti-viral and anti-bacteria agents.

Beans - are a miracle food. They lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and insulin production, promote digestive health, and protect against cancer. If you think of fiber, protein, and antioxidants and immediately think whole grains, meats, and fruit, think again — beans offer all three in a single package.

Watercress - is a calorie-free food high in calcium and fiber.

Spinach - is high in iron and anti-inflammatories, as well as vitamin K, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, foliate, and magnesium. I also really love kale and collards. They are all full of lutein, a great antioxidant! Don’t ask for these at McDonalds though. They will throw you out!

Snow pea tips – get these at an authentic Chinese restaurant or Asian grocery market! Lightly sauteed in garlic (which is incredibly healthy) – delicious.

Bananas- are full of potassium and vitamin C, as well as fiber.

Apples- Apples are high in fiber as well their pectin takes the most amount of insulin to break down in the body, so they help regulate your blood sugar.

Did you notice that nowhere on this list are processed foods? All of the above foods are natural and can be found as organic.  Now is the time of the year that most of these are readily available.  I really suggest you find a local produce market or farmers market and make it a part of your weekend plan.

Eat well and rock on my friends. I’ll be back with some amazing news very soon!