Obesity is a risk factor in six types of cancer, a landmark report recently announced. Consuming alcohol, red meat, and processed meats (ham, sausage, bacon) also raises your odds, while eating more fruits and nonstarchy vegetables and getting more exercise lower your risk. What makes these findings noteworthy is that a team of international experts spent five years reviewing all the evidence. Use these research-based tips to jump-start a healthier lifestyle:
- Stash baby carrots, red pepper slices, and snap peas in a container in the fridge and graze on them instead of last night's leftovers.
- Up the appeal of fruit: Serve fruit salsa as a side with chicken or fish; microwave an apple with cinnamon and a little sugar; freeze grapes.
- Stretch red meat by using it in stir-fries or combining it with ground turkey or veggie crumbles (for burgers).
- Skip dessert after eating out with a friend (you know you'd go for the molten chocolate cake) and take a walk instead.
- Don't count on vitamin supplements to protect you against cancer; in some cases, they may even increase your risk.
Garlic's reputation as a heart helper just got a reprieve. Last year a study reported that neither fresh cloves nor supplements lowered cholesterol, but a new lab analysis has found that the herb may help in another way. When University of Alabama researchers extracted juice from fresh garlic and added a small amount to human red blood cells, the cells began producing hydrogen sulfide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels and thus lowers blood pressure. (Your body naturally makes hydrogen sulfide, but less and less as you get older.) It's possible, the scientists say, that some of the benefits attributed to garlic come from its ability to boost production of the compound. No one can say how much garlic you should eat, but the researchers aim for four or five cloves a day. Crush or chop first, then let the garlic sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes (to stabilize the hydrogen sulfide) before cooking or adding to noncooked recipes like salad dressings.
Everyone's Favorite Dip
Guacamole has just arrived in a healthy new 100 calorie snack pack. Not only is Wholly Guacamole portion controlled and preservative free, it also provides folate, vitamins K, C, and B6, fiber, and a natural cholesterol-lowering plant sterol. Eat with raw veggies or try it as a spread on sandwiches in place of mayo. Available in three- or six-packs ($3 to $5, supermarkets), which keep in the fridge for a month (or in the freezer for up to six months). Receive a Wholly Guacamole buy one, get one free coupon and try this healthy snack today .