If you don't do dairy -- or dairy doesn't agree with you -- it's easy to get your calcium in pills. But you miss the extras that you get by eating foods that are good calcium sources and rich in other nutrients that do your body good. So here's a quick shopping list. And don't miss the bonus at the end: It will help your body get the most out of every calcium-rich bite you feed it.

Go fishing: One tin of sardines (about 3 1/2 ounces) supplies 370 mg of calcium. That's much more than a glass of 1% milk (290 mg) and about a third of the daily 1,000 mg you need. (After age 50, make that 1,200 mg.) And these little fish are bursting with healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, which help your body absorb calcium.

Drink the other bottled calcium: Mineral waters contain as much as 108 mg of calcium per cup -- not as much as milk, but, hey, there's a big bonus: no calories! Just check the label to be sure your fave has the right stuff.

Build a smarter lunch salad: Salad bars are full of calcium, if you know what to pick, and we're not talking cheese cubes. Start off with 1 cup each of spinach (30 mg of calcium), romaine (15 mg), and broccoli (43 mg). Then add 1/2 cup of navy beans (62 mg) and 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds (176 mg), plus whatever else floats your lunch boat. Total: around 325 mg of calcium; lots of fiber; vitamins C, A, and E; some protein; and a healthy, filling, good-for-all-of-you meal.

Get juiced: A medium orange has -- surprise -- about 55 mg of calcium, and calcium-fortified OJ has a hefty 300 mg per cup, or more. Not to mention all those sunny citrus vitamins.

Get more calcium out of your favorite fortified beverages. Here’s the trick.

Bonus: Take a walk -- even if you're getting plenty of calcium, your body may be slow on the uptake. Vitamin D is required in order to deposit calcium where it's most needed, but very few foods contain D. Your skin, however, quickly makes lots of D when it's exposed to sunlight. About 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure a few times a week is all that's needed. That's the main reason something as simple as getting a safe amount of sun can make your "RealAge as much as 1.7 years younger.

Pick a dish from the RealAge Recipe Box and see how much calcium it packs.

Permalink : Comments (1)

Talk about happy trends. More and more yummy foods that used to be considered bad news are turning out to be good for you. First it was wine. Then olive oil. Chocolate. Guacamole. And now -- coffee. (Hey, can ice cream be far behind?!)

What restored coffee's reputation? Caffeine. After years of being viewed with suspicion, caffeine has pulled a scientific switcheroo. Besides helping students pull all-nighters and weekend warriors jump-start their jump shots, there's now evidence that caffeine defends against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's, asthma symptoms, postworkout soreness, and even hunger pangs. Cool.

It's not totally benign, of course. Is anything? So the RealAge experts advise limiting caffeine to about 250 mg a day (the average cup of joe has about 100 mg) to avoid jitters and a possible boost in blood pressure. But few labels list caffeine content, so it's hard to tell how much is in what. Stick this chart on the fridge. It covers some timeless favorites along with the caffeine sources that are generating the most buzz. We checked the calories too, BTW, but most are pretty harmless.

Learn more about the health highs -- and lows -- of your daily cup o’ joe. 

Permalink : Comments (0)

Sweet corn on the cob, tomatoes from the garden, steak seared on the grill. Could there be a more perfect late summer meal? Yes, but only if you know the healthiest ways to indulge your barbecue habit. Good bet you've heard murmurs about grilled meat causing -- yes -- cancer, and you’ve either tried not to listen or guiltily thought, well, what doesn't? But here's the good news: There are a bunch of ways to virtually wipe out the risk. In fact, we've found eight of them!

The problem, by the way, is that grilling meat, chicken, and fish -- especially if it's charred or well-done -- produces cancer-linked chemicals known as HCAs or HAAs. Animal fat dripping onto hot coals creates another worry: stuff called PAHs. But you don't have to go flame-free. Just do one or more of the following, which actually tend to make grilled food taste even better.

Is it worth it? You bet: Besides eliminating the guilt, making healthful substitutions when cooking can make your RealAge 3 years younger.

1. Soak it up. Marinating meat boosts flavor and tenderness while slashing production of cancer-causing HCAs by up to 90%, especially if the marinade has an olive oil base. Make your own, or use bottled Italian dressing zinged up with extra garlic.
2. Do kabobs. Small pieces of meat cook faster and produce fewer HCAs than caveman-size slabs do. Thread your protein of choice onto a skewer with lots of veggies (cherry tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini chunks, onions) and grill until just done.
3. Add a secret ingredient. Making burgers? Mix in 1 teaspoon of wheat bran per pound of ground meat. It keeps burgers juicy, stops HCAs in their tracks, and won't even register on the carb meter.

4. Finish it fast. Precook meat on the stove or in the oven or microwave earlier in the day, and then finish on the grill for great flavor and those tempting stripes. Precooking also means people won’t have to wait around for ages while dinner cooks.

5. Foiled again. Cover the grate with punctured aluminum foil. No flames, no drips, no HCAs -- and no grill clean up, either. Frequently flipping your meat of choice also helps curtail troublemakers.

6. Get skinny. To curtail dripping, trim fat from meat. Cook chicken with the skin on, and then toss the skin. You have nothing to lose but grease, calories, and carcinogens.

7. Have a glass of tea. How about some iced tea with your baby back ribs? Tea's supercharged antioxidants help neutralize carcinogens.

8. Grill something besides the main course. Bored with broccoli? Sick of sliced fruit? Throw them on the grill. Fruits and veggies don't produce carcinogens, and many, from pears to pineapple, take surprisingly well to the brazier. Some ideas:

• Marinate portobello mushrooms in French dressing and grill like burgers.
• Serve flame-broiled radicchio brushed with olive oil and orange juice.
• Try these easy-to-prepare Grilled Peach Sundaes from our friends at EatingWell.

We guarantee you won't miss the beef.

Overeaten? Find out how to get back on track -- fast.

Permalink : Comments (74)

"Knowing kids -- and parents -- need to eat healthy food is one thing. Getting them to do it is another. For starters, kids of all ages tend to hate at least one thing -- say, green beans -- and devour tons of another, like grapes. Don't worry about a few extremes; if your child's diet over the course of a week, for most weeks, is balanced overall, that's fine," says pediatrician Jennifer Trachtenberg, MD, mom of three and author of Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children.

"That said, the more fun food is, the more likely kids are to eat it, especially when it comes to veggies and breakfast, two things they often resist," adds Dr. Jen. "Here are some super easy recipes that can get even teens to eat smarter."

3 Tempting Breakfasts

Oatmeal-Cookie Pancakes: Every kid loves these. To regular pancake batter, add oats, raisins, chopped walnuts -- all excellent fiber and nutrition boosters -- plus some cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar. Pour into fun shapes like snowmen, turtles, or Mickey Mouse. To beat the morning rush, make the batter the night before and refrigerate it.
Breakfast Tacos: Teenagers who turn down everything else will often eat these. Spoon scrambled eggs into warm whole-wheat tortillas, top with shredded low-fat cheese, a dollop of low-fat yogurt or sour cream, and salsa.
Smoothies for Two: These are a treat on hot summer mornings and are filled with enough protein, fiber, and nutrients to keep kids fueled for hours. Just combine 2 frozen bananas, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt, and 3/4 cup juice in a blender.

3 Fun Snacks

Graham Sandwiches: When your child wants something sweet, here's a delicious cheesecake-like treat that's healthier than kids realize. Spread half a graham cracker with low-fat cream cheese; top with a little raspberry puree and the other cracker half. Yummy!
A Feast for Giants: Broccoli "trees" and carrot "logs" are even more fun when you can dunk them in a yogurt-based dip. Mix up to 8 ounces of plain low-fat yogurt with some chopped dill, a little Dijon mustard, and a dash of soy sauce. Try dipping bell-pepper-strip "canoes," cherry-tomato "boulders," and cucumber-slice "bridges," too.
Creepy-Crawly Crackers: Spread peanut butter between two round whole-wheat crackers, add pretzel sticks for legs, and raisins for eyes and you've got one fun, spidery snack.

Get prime parenting pointers and pediatric advice at the RealAge Parenting Center.

Permalink : Comments (0)

Whether in Rome or at home, do as the Romans do: Make olive oil a staple in your diet. If you already eat the Mediterranean way, you know that olive oil not only tastes good but also is good for you. It's an amazing source of antioxidants, capable of dousing inflammation, defending cells from menacing molecules, and more. Here's the latest on this superhero food.

It Cuts Your Cancer Risk
Olive oil's cancer-preventing powers are legendary. Which substances get the credit? Polyphenols, for one. These potent plant antioxidants protect against cancer-causing cell damage. But it also looks like the oil's monounsaturated fat has anticancer effects, which means olive oil packs quite a one-two punch! Need some proof? Check the lower rates of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer among Southern Europeans, whose diets flow with olive oil, compared with their neighbors from the north.

It Helps Your Heart
There's virtually nothing better than the big "double O" when it comes to your heart. Olive oil ups good HDL cholesterol, lowers bad LDL cholesterol, and reduces other harmful blood fats (triglycerides). That's not all. It also reduces inflammation, another contributor to cardiovascular disease.

It Keeps Your Blood Pressure Down
Speaking of your heart, how's your blood pressure? If it’s above 115/76, you need to get it down. And yes, olive oil can play a role, helping enough to reduce the need for daily meds. Those potent polyphenols appear to dilate arteries, which lowers blood pressure. (Always choose extra-virgin olive oil, by the way -- its minimal processing preserves the maximum number of antioxidants and heat-sensitive vitamins.)

It Helps You Lose Weight
"Great taste, less filling" -- that light-beer slogan rings true for olive oil. Ounce for ounce, all oils have the same calories, but olive oil has a fuller flavor, so less is needed for tantalizing taste. Plus, research shows that overweight people who eat a diet with some fat -- including olive oil -- are more likely to shed pounds than the people who slash fat. Why? Oil's rich flavor makes it easier to stick with the program.

It Eases Your Aching Head
If you're prone to headaches and wary of overdoing ibuprofen, try routinely dressing your salad or veggies in extra-virgin olive oil. It contains oleocanthal, a natural compound that, like ibuprofen, blocks pain-producing and inflammatory substances -- but without the risk of stomach upset. Although daily oleocanthal doses aren't the painkiller's complete equal, they could lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and possibly Alzheimer's. Quite a trade-off.

Get the skinny on fats, from hydrogenated (aack!) to heart-healthy (ahhh).

Permalink : Comments (3)

"Hi, honey!" That happy greeting may also apply to the yellow-capped squeezie bear in your pantry, because the contents are good for so much more than sweetening tea. Honey is a natural antiseptic, moisturizer, and -- thanks to all its antioxidants -- an age-fighter, too.

"The high concentration of sugars gives honey germ-killing power, which is why it's been used for thousands of years to encourage wound healing," says New York City dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD, our RealAge skin expert. Honey's thick, sticky consistency also makes it a natural, protective salve, sealing out infection and creating a moist, healing environment within. Use it in a pinch, Wechsler suggests, if you develop blisters on a camping trip and remembered your honey packets but forgot the Neosporin.

Honey is a terrific moisturizer for the face and body, too. "Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it draws 'free water' from interior tissues to the surface layers of the skin," says Wechsler. That subtle fluid shift creates a plumping effect that temporarily improves the appearance of wrinkles -- handy before a morning presentation or a big night out.

To see for yourself, try this moisturizing honey mask, which Wechsler says also soothes dry, sensitive, or irritated skin:

• Mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of whole milk.
• Warm slightly in the microwave.
• Smooth the mixture onto your face and lie down for 10 minutes (relaxing, plus it avoids sticky drips).
• Rinse off with warm -- not hot -- water.

If you prefer a more cosmetic form, store shelves are swarming with honey-enhanced beauty products, such as Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion ($6.29 for 8 ounces). Made from honey, beeswax, sunflower oil, and coconut oil, this lightweight moisturizer provides ultimate nourishment for dry and sensitive skin. And Benefit's Honey . . . Snap Out of It! Scrub ($26 for 5 ounces) has honey, vitamin E, and crushed almonds. Leave it on for 3 minutes and you've got a soothing and smoothing honey-almond mask.

As for the age-fighting effects, all types of honey contain antioxidants that appear to block skin-cell-damaging free radicals, though dark honeys -- particularly the honeydew and buckwheat varieties (check health-food stores) -- have more of them than paler clover honeys. While there's still a debate on how effective antioxidants are when applied to the skin, Wechsler gives the thumbs-up to swirling dark honey into your yogurt every morning. "It's a simple way to nourish your skin from the inside." Sweet.

For more silky-smooth skin tips, take the RealAge Skin Care and Beauty Quiz.

Permalink : Comments (1)

If you missed one of our most popular blogs on just how good green tea is for you, take a quick detour -- 7 Reasons to Drink Green Tea -- and then come right back, because hot weather's no reason to give up your daily cuppa. Iced green tea is delicate and delicious, so keep a pitcher in the fridge and make it a summer staple.

The quick-brew system: Pour 2 cups very hot water over four green tea bags and steep 3–6 minutes, depending on how strong you like it. Add 2 cups cold water and chill.

Then, if friends are dropping by -- or you're just in the mood for something special -- pull out the stops: Green tea dresses up like nobody's business. We tapped some of the country's top tea gurus for these recipes. They'll wow the crowd or just help you chill out on a steamy summer day.

GREEN TEA LEMONADE
For porch sippers
If you like your tea lemony and your drinks lightly sugared, this combo should hit your sweet spot. "It gives you that fresh green flavor, with a hint of lemon -- perfect for summer," says Nelson Drago, owner of the Chado Tea Room in Los Angeles.
Makes about four 1-cup servings

1 tablespoon loose Japanese green tea leaves, available in Asian markets and health-food stores
9 ounces lemonade, sweetened to taste
Sliced fresh lemon or whole strawberries for garnish

Steep tea leaves in 18–20 ounces of barely boiling water for 3 minutes, or longer if you like stronger tea. Pour brewed tea through a strainer into a large carafe or pitcher full of ice. Stir in lemonade. Serve in glasses garnished with the fruit.

MANGO TANGO ICED GREEN TEA
Not only for dancing divas
This fruity sensation is from Mary Lou Heiss, coauthor of The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide, coming this fall. Tropical fruits (mango and pineapple) up the antioxidant ante.
Makes four 1-cup servings

1 1/2 cups chilled green tea (Heiss suggests using 2 tea bags of Stash Premium green tea)
3/4 cup chilled mango puree, sold at Asian markets and in some supermarkets
3/4 cup chilled peach or apple juice
1 cup chilled pineapple juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients, pour into blender (make in batches if necessary), and blend for 2 minutes. Pour over ice and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.

MATCHA LATTE ICED ENERGY TEA
Now and Zen
This recipe hails from Essencha Tea House & Fine Teas in Cincinnati. Part of Zen Buddhist culture for centuries, matcha makes brilliant but bitter green tea. However, matcha latte is "creamy yet crisp," says Essencha co-owner Tracy Monson. "And it gives you the ultimate energy boost!" Because it's made from the entire leaf, matcha may be the healthiest of all green teas.
Makes one 1-cup serving

1/2 to 1 teaspoon good-quality matcha, sold at Asian markets
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
8 ounces milk or soymilk

Place matcha and sugar in a high-sided bowl. Whisk gently until blended. Add enough hot water to make a light paste, whisking until the mixture is free of clumps. Transfer to a cocktail shaker. Add milk and ice and shake well until foamy. Strain, and then drink straight up or over ice.

Ahh, the power of tea: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through food or supplements -- or green tea, which is loaded with these powerful health protectors -- can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

Explore the goodness of green tea, and get hip to what -- if anything -- you should watch out for.

Permalink : Comments (62)

Smoothies -- the health-food junkie's alternative to the milk shake -- have been around for decades (by some accounts, since the advent of the Waring blender in 1936). Today, there are probably more smoothie recipes on the Web than YouTube members. But beneath that nutritious veneer of fruit and yogurt can lurk some serious calories -- and as much sugar as a fast-food shake.

As recipes go, smoothies are easier than pie: The basic serves-two recipe is 1 cup liquid (milk, soymilk, yogurt, juice, sherbet, ice cream, water, or a combination) and 1 1/2 to 2 cups fruit. Here's how to be your own smoothie operator without piling on pounds.

1. When a recipe calls for yogurt, milk, or ice cream, opt for the fat-free and no-sugar-added versions. Why? One 8-ounce, fat-free, artificially sweetened vanilla yogurt has 110 calories, while its low-fat version has a whopping 240!

2. For richer flavor and fewer calories, try replacing regular milk with unsweetened almond or hazelnut "milk" (sold in many groceries as well as health-food stores) at only 50 to 110 calories per 8 ounces (versus 150 for milk). Some brands are calcium fortified, too, so you don't lose out nutritionally.

3. Not nuts about nuts? Stick with skim milk, and kick up the flavor with ice cubes made from your fave juice or tea. They'll also thicken up your drink.

4. Using frozen fruit? Read the label and choose unsweetened versions. Add your own sugar or low-cal sweetener if needed.

5. Want to add some healthy oomph? Mix in wheat germ or ground flaxseeds to boost nutrition and fiber. 

Learn how adding flaxseeds to your diet may alleviate a variety of ailments, from eczema to upset stomach.

6. Try this batido -- the Cuban version of a smoothie -- from our friends at EatingWell. It has 5 grams of fiber and only 243 calories.

Blueberry-Banana Batido
1 ripe banana, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ice cubes
1 cup buttermilk
Combine banana, blueberries, sugar, ice cubes, and buttermilk in a blender and blend until smooth.

Tip for washing the blender: Just fill it halfway with warm water and a drop or two of dishwashing detergent. Whirrr, rinse, dry, done.

The great payback for having to wash the blender (in addition to maintaining your waist)? One fruit smoothie a day delivers two to three servings of fruit. And eating a diverse diet that includes four servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

PS: Worried about the calorie and cash outlay for that other smoothie -- your daily vente Frappuccino? Be your own barista. In a blender, combine:
1 tablespoon of instant espresso (regular or decaf)
1 cup fat-free, no-sugar-added vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons of sugar (preferably powdered) or sugar substitute to taste
4 ice cubes
Blend to make a light smoothie for two. No need to leave a tip.

Permalink : Comments (70)

Unlike media stars vitamin C, calcium, and iron, zinc doesn't get a lot of ink. Besides, most sources for nutrition information say you're probably getting enough to keep your skin glowing. Enough, that is, unless you're: 

· Eating a vegetarian diet

· Breastfeeding your child

· Cutting back on cholesterol

· Eating a lot of processed foods

· Taking calcium supplements

· Suffering with IBS

· Trying to lose weight

· Taking iron supplements

Whoa! That adds up to a lot of itchy, flaky skin complaints that could be linked to a lack of zinc.

Zinc is a workhorse nutrient that's involved in almost every biochemical reaction in your body, but it's especially important for skin-cell renewal. Zinc isn't hard to find -- shellfish, lean ham, beef, and lamb are full of it (vegetarians need to work a bit harder to get enough). But as the list above shows, it's easy to throw off zinc levels. A lot of things can either drain the body's supply (breastfeeding) or interfere with zinc's absorption (almost everything else; calcium supplements alone can cut it in half).

So how much zinc do you need, and how can you get enough to keep your skin's RealAge young? The recommended daily amount is 15 mg, which can be found in most multivitamins. But aim to get a little more, especially if you're dealing with anything on the list above. Good sources:

· Oysters: They're the all-stars; depending on the type, they can run from 16 mg a half dozen to 40 mg or more, but they're hardly a staple food.

· Fortified breakfast cereals: They can be terrific; for instance, a cup of Cheerios has 15 mg.

· Eating several of the following every day: meat, chickpeas, lentils, dairy foods, and nuts. With a good mix of these, it's easy to get your daily dose.

Just don't go overboard. Getting more than the upper limit of 40 mg can cause heart-healthy good HDL cholesterol to plummet and can throw off your immune system.

That said, if summer sun and hot weather has left you with persistent dry-skin patches, try rubbing on a zinc cream. No, not the white nose goop lifeguards swear by. We mean diaper-rash creams like Vusion. "The zinc oxide in them really helps," says Manhattan dermatologist Jeffrey Weinberg, MD, "probably because it makes such a terrific barrier against moisture loss and protects skin from external irritants."

Get the lowdown on other essential vitamins and minerals with this nifty nutrient tool.

Permalink : Comments (1)

Go to sleep. Getting enough sleep every night keeps you slim. Why? When your body doesn't get the 7 to 8 hours it needs every night, it doesn't get a full resupply of serotonin and dopamine, two feel-good brain chemicals it craves. So it looks for ways to replenish them, and guess what immediately releases both in the body: sugary foods. That's why when you're tired you start craving sweets! So tuck yourself in early and stay slim.

Keep your hands full. You'd think that sitting around playing video games, solitaire, or surfing Yahoo! would be a recipe for putting on pounds. Nope. When your fingers are flying, they're not knuckle-deep in a bowl of chips. Now, that's not to say that endless hours on your duff are good for your waistline, but when you keep your hands and brain occupied, you're not automatically reaching for something to eat. In fact, you're probably not even thinking about food. So the next time you start to open the fridge door, turn on the computer or pick up your knitting instead.

Pick and stick. Yeah, sure, variety may be the spice of life. But it can also be the death of dieting. When you have a lot of choices for a meal, it's a lot easier to slip out of good eating habits and into buffet binges. One way to avoid trouble is to eliminate choices for at least one meal a day. Pick the meal you rush through most, and then automate it. For most people, that's lunch. Find a healthy lunch -- maybe salad with grilled chicken or a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread -- and have it for lunch every day. Every day. Yes, every day. The less you think about food, the easier it is to control your appetite. And decreasing choices decreases temptations.

All three tips are from two weight-loss experts: RealAge superdocs Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD, authors of the huge best-seller, YOU: On a Diet.

For more ways to slim down, explore YOU: On a Diet online.

Permalink : Comments (56)