The Best 5 Veggies You Can Eat

Artichokes, Radishes, Broccoli, Red chicory and Leeks....what do these 5 veggies have in common?

These five pack the strongest antioxidant punch out of all vegetables, so be sure to incorporate these veggies into your diet to help fight everything from wrinkles to heart disease. Which veggie is number one in the antioxidant list? Out of 27 vegetables studied by scientists, the humble artichoke came in first place!

And if you add some olive oil, vinegar and some of the spices listed below, you'll get an even more powerful antioxidant punch!

Sage
Rosemary
Marjoram
Thyme
Tarragon
Cumin
Fresh ginger
Garlic

New Test For Checking On Women's Eggs

I just read about this new test that should be available at fertility clinics very soon. This test is supposed to give women some very important information--how many good eggs they have left.

Plan Ahead, the first test of its kind to test and predict a woman's "ovarian reserve," will be available in fertility clinics in eleven states in the next few weeks. Marketed by Repromedix, it will be available for $350 to women who want a higher-tech insight into family planning than has previously been available.

Basically Plan Ahead will determine how many viable eggs a woman has by following three different hormone levels. The hormone levels are combined with the woman's age and estrogen levels to create a formula for her fertility. Or at least conceive a score for how many eggs are viable for reproduction.

It can't predict whether or not a woman is fertile or how quickly she will get pregnant. It also cannot determine the rate of deterioration of the viable eggs she does have.

All the math and blood tests and money and technology tells a woman one thing: If she's at risk of having a low supply of "good eggs." It is geared towards women in their mid to late thirty's that are having difficulty conceiving and are considering in vitro fertilization.

What do you think? Will this be a helpful test, or just another expensive option for women to consider doing tat are having enough stress trying to conceive?

And some doctors say there is too premature to offer this test to he public. And some medical professionals worry about false reassurances the test results might give some women, or the panic results might send some women into.

Personally, I see no harm in it if a woman wants to give it a try. Life is all about decisions, including when to start a family. So perhaps this will give women more information to take into consideration as they make decisions about work, career and babies. I think women will realize this test is not a guarantee of future pregnancies, nor that it is 100 percent accurate. But it could provide some helpful information that a woman may not have had access to before.

What do you think? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Would this test and the possible information it provides be worth the cost? Or is it another anxiety laden test women do not need to financially and mentally stress themselves out over?

Read this article in full right here.

Apple Butter Bran Muffin Recipe (Good For Gallstone Prevention?)

I have never had gallstones, but I have read about them, and it seems diet can maybe affect our chances of getting or not getting gallstones.

Note: Please always check with your doctor before making any changes to your diet. And remember, I am not offering medical advice on this blog, and I have no medical knowledge. 

Studies show that a diet high in magnesium-rich foods may reduce the risk of gallstones.

Oat-bran is a great source of magnesium. And one tasty way to get more oat bran into your diet is by eating oat bran muffins, which can provide about 50-90 milligrams of magnesium per muffin (so don't overeat these muffins either.)

But remember, other factors like weight, cholesterol, and fat may increase the risk of getting gallstones. And always check with your doctor about magnesium before changing your diet.

But back to the oat bran muffins. And a delicious recipe for oat bran muffins I found and want to share with you.

(Yes, oat bran muffins can be yummy. You could actually love this oat bran recipe!!)

Spiced Apple Butter Bran Muffin Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unprocessed wheat bran or oat bran
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup spiced apple butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons molasses
1 cup finely diced peeled apple

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 12 standard 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside.

2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in bran.

3. Whisk egg, milk, apple butter, brown sugar, oil, and molasses in a large bowl until blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Drain the raisins; add them and the diced apple to the bowl. Stir until just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full).

4. Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Tip: Double up on the apple—diced fresh apple and dark, spiced apple butter (Smucker's brand is good) to make mufins extra moist and flavorful.

Enjoy!

Pomegranates For A Healthier You!

Pomegranates are healthy for you, but may not be so easy to incorporate into your daily diet.

Scientists say the leathery-skinned, orange-sized fruit with the sweet-tart juice may help with heart disease, cancer and problems associated with aging. It's loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, potassium, folic acid and iron.

To make sure you get some of this healthy goodness into your diet, try this Simple Pomegranate Smoothie:

1/2 cup chilled pomegranate juice
1/2 cup lowfat yogurt
1 cup mixed berries

Blend and enjoy. Chill some extra for tomorrow's breakfast!

Has Spring Time Sprung Allergy Time For You?

Allergy season is here. For many people this season means sniffling, sneezing, watery, itchy eyes, sore throats, and more.

What are are allergies? An allergy is the overreaction of our immune systems to a foreign protein substance (“allergen”) that is eaten, breathed into the lungs, injected or touched.

Did you know that if one parent has a specific allergy, their child has a 1 in 3 chance of having it also? And if both parents have the same allergy, it is extremely likely their child will also.

It is estimated that 1 in 5 people suffer from allergies.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has listed the “the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies” in the spring and fall seasons. Check out the list of the top 100 allergy locales, and find out ways to help treat your allergies.

Spaghetti Sauce Fights Cancer

Hmmm..a yummy way to help prevent cancer!

Studies are showing that you and your man's risk of developing certain cancers (like prostate, GI, skin, or breast cancer) decreases significantly when you eat 10 or more tablespoons of tomato sauce per week.

What is it about the sauce that is so good for you? Many scientists believe that the active ingredient responsible for the cancer protection is lycopene, a carotenoid known for its antioxidant properties. All tomato products contain lots of lycopene, but it's more available to your body when it's cooked.

And if you add some vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, to your sauce, you get double protection as they contain chemicals that prevent cancer a well.

Fergie, Vinegar , and Weight Loss

Does Fergie keep her shapely body looking so good by drinking organic apple cider? Can drinking Apple Cider Vinegar give us flatter stomachs and tight bods? Pour me a shot if this is true! LOL.

According to an interview Fergie did with Glamour magazine, the actress with the amazing body said," I do vinegar shots. It has to be organic apple cider, unfiltered."
Two tablespoons. For some reason I've noticed a difference on my stomach. I just trusted [my trainer] on this one. I'm sharing. I'm all about sharing secrets." [Fergie's trainer, Natasha Kufa, told Glamour that she believes vinegar shots flush out fats in the colon, which helps the body digest food and gets rid of cravings.]"

Ok..would you try drinking a shot or two of Apple Cider Vinegar if it helped tighten those uncooperative tummy muscles?

Over on FitSugar, the vinegar theory was checked out a bit farther with Dr. Andrew Weil giving his opinion. Basically Dr. Weil says there is no medical evidence to back the weight loss via vinegar theory, but that it could be possible drinking vinegar before eating makes you feel fuller and so you eat less.

Well, I doubt I'll be taking shots of vinegar anytime soon (shudder!). What about you?

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