Drink this “metabolic milkshake” in morning to spike metabolism all day

Here’s something delicious I've tried recently...
I start my day by treating myself to a “dessert” first thing in the morning!
Why the heck would I do THAT?  Doesn’t that kill your metabolism and pack on the fat?
Nope.

That’s because this is no ordinary dessert (see recipe below), it:

• Turns ON the “burn fat” signal in all your cells...
  
• Turns OFF the “eat more food” signal in your belly...
  
• And cranks UP your metabolism, energy and thinking speed...
  

So instead of fighting off hunger, turning grumpy, and struggling with fog and fatigue like most...
I get to spend the rest of my day calm and in control, razor-sharp and feeling like I can tackle the world.
How would you rather spend your day?
This recipe is so delicious, every day feels like a cheat day.
I call it my “metabolic milkshake” and here it is:
Start with a scoop (14g) of chocolate-flavored grass-fed whey protein  to boost energy:

• It fuels your metabolism with amino acids it uses to convert body fat into energy...
  
• Studies show it controls hunger and cravings so you eat less during the day...
  
• It provides the protein building-blocks to keep your skin, bones and muscles young...
  

Second, add in a handful of raw almonds to provide a satisfying crunch and put the brakes on aging:

• They’re loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that fight inflammation...
  
• They’ve got tons of flavonoids -- powerful antioxidants that reverse cellular rusting...
  
• Studies show they not only reduce “bad cholesterol”, but also directly shrink belly fat...
  

Third, pour in half a can of full-fat organic coconut milk to shift your brain into 1^st gear:

• It’s rich in medium chain triglycerides – special fats that are like rocket fuel for your brain...
  
• It’s naturally sweet and full of a type of healthy saturated fat that actually lowers your bad cholesterol...
  
• Studies show it aids weight loss by helping your metabolism burn fat while keeping you full...
  

Last Step:  Toss everything into a blender, throw in some ice, mix it up and... voila!  Throw a shot of espresso in the blender too if you want more of a mocha flavor.
You’ve got a chocolatey, decadent, crunchy “dessert” that gets your day started right.
I simply love this new “metabolic milkshake”...
WARNING:  You can completely wipe out the metabolic benefits of this shake IF during the rest of your day, you make the same two mistakes I see 90%+ of people make:
First, they mistakenly eat “high fiber” foods that in reality, slow down metabolism.
Second, they avoid blood-sugar increasing foods that, crazy as it sounds, can help stimulate metabolism.
But most importantly, both these mistakes can crush levels of a little-known metabolic hormone.
Boosting levels of this hormone is the secret behind why the “metabolic milkshake” works so well.

Let me know what you think of the recipe – I’m sure you love the taste... and the extra energy!

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Best Selling Author

Read More

Goji Berries -- A Nutritional Super-Antioxidant High Protein Berry

The goji berry can have up to 5x the antioxidant power of blueberries and even 6 grams of protein per serving!

by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN &

Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist

co-authors of The Fat Burning Kitchen Program

Have you seen those things in the health food stores that look like shriveled up mini RED raisins? They are called “Goji Berries” and they are one of the highest antioxidant berries you can find on the planet. They are also called “Wolfberries” and come from Asia, in places like China, Mongolia and the Himalayas, where they have been consumed and used as a medicine for thousands of years.

Goji Berries have been an important part of Tibetan medicine and have been used for about two thousand years as a natural means of treating kidney and liver problems, and cleansing the blood.

They also have been used to help treat eye problems, skin problems, allergies, insomnia, chronic liver disease, diabetes and cancer. Goji berries are also a general strengthening tonic and are believed to be excellent for virility and sexual health as well.

Why are Goji berries so great? Some of the many nutrients these little powerhouse berries contain are:

• 18 amino acids, making these berries high in protein
• 6 important vitamins
• 5 different types of fatty acids; including two essential fatty acids — linoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid
• 5 powerful carotenoids — beta carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene, and cryptoxanthin
• Important pigments (phenols) with high antioxidant properties
• 8 polysaccharides and 5 monosaccharides

Goji berries are one of the highest antioxidant 
foods on earth.

Goji berries contain high quantities of super antioxidants like beta carotene and zeaxanthin. Zeaxanthin does a lot of great things, but one of its big jobs is to protect your retinas in your eyes. You’ve heard of age-related mascular degeneration? It is the leading cause of vision loss in older people and easily preventable by diet alone.

Antioxidants slow down disease processes and the aging process by stopping the free radicals that are generated from the environment, poor food choices, smoking, stress, excessive exercise, too much sun exposure, and more. Free radicals injure cells and damage DNA, which can then cause the cell to grow abnormally, which leads to illness and disease.

Goji berries are rich in B vitamins, and also contain large quantities of vitamin E.

And, because Goji Berries contain 18 amino acids, they are also high in protein (at about 13%), so they make a pretty satisfying snack. They contain more beta carotene than carrots, more iron than spinach, and twenty-one important trace minerals. 

A serving of Goji berries can contain 7 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein!
I used to think that only dried goji berries were available in stores, but recently I found frozen goji berries at Whole Foods, and I personally like these a LOT better than the dried Goji berries. The dried goji berries have a stronger taste, and I tend to prefer the milder taste of the frozen berries, which are great added to yogurt (once thawed).
The frozen goji berries have 6 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber per serving, which is insane for a berry.
Goji berries are unique nutritional standouts, and they have specific medicinal qualities that are just now starting to be studied. Much is still unknown about the phytochemicals, polysaccharides, and complex nutritional compounds that they contain.

Some of the phytochemicals in Goji berries are:

Betaine, which is a digestive enzyme made by the liver. It helps make you calmer, enhances your memory, aids in muscle growth, and assists in breaking down fats stored in the liver, as well as preventing ‘fatty liver disease’.

Physalin is another compound that is known to strengthen the liver and help prevent hepatitis B and help fight off certain cancers like leukemia.

They contain a powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound called Solavetivone.

And the active ingredient that gives Goji berries their reputation for virility-enhancing is Beta Sitoserol, which is actually an excellent anti-inflammatory agent as well. Goji berries have had a long-standing reputation for treating sexual impotence and preventing prostate enlargement, as well as just being a generally good for virility.

A phytochemical called Cyperone is a type of sesquiterpene that benefits the heart and lowers blood pressure. This chemical has cancer-fighting properties as well and is especially good for helping prevent cervical cancer.

Can the mighty goji berry help anti-aging?

Goji berries have been called super berry because the are rated the highest for their anti-aging properties, and rated #1 on the ORAC scale which is the ‘Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity’, which measures the antioxidant level in foods. When compared to blueberries, goji berries showed an ORAC rating as much as 5-10x that of blueberries!

You can find Goji berries at some health food stores, but they are still not well known enough to find them in traditional grocery stores.   

Goji berries are most often sold in their dried form, so they look like little red raisins. Look for Goji berries without any added sugars or additives.

They have a delicious chewy slightly tart taste that you will find delicious. Toss them in cereal, salads, on toast with peanut butter or just eat them out of hand. They are delicious and fantastic for you!  The frozen goji berries that I found at Whole Foods are amazing in yogurt or on salads.

I personally think that there are more benefits to eating whole goji berries (either dried or frozen) compared to taking a supplement or any of the juices with goji that are claimed to be "exotic miracles". 

Most of the "miracle juices" that you see out there touting that they contain goji only contain a very small amount of goji juice and are usually loaded with other high sugar worthless juices like apple juice. These juices are just too calorie dense!  Forget about them.

Stick with whole goji berries instead.  Since it's unlikely that you'll eat goji berries every single day, I personally also take a daily supplement (one of the few supplements I actually believe in) that contains a goji berry (wolfberry) extract, which you can find here:

Check it out here 

It's my favorite antioxidant supplement because it also contains a synergistic blend of powerful antioxidants such as coffee berry, biovin grape (same antioxidants as red wine), acai berry, green tea, and pomegranate all-in-one.

Enjoy!

Read More

3 of the Most Toxic 'Health' Foods

Let's face it, most of us have probably eaten something we thought was healthy due to savvy marketing tactics, only to find out later that it really wasn't what it was hyped up to be. 

Many so-called healthy foods have little nutritional value and some even contain harmful chemicals, despite that bright and shiny advertising that leads us to believe otherwise.

Advertising is definitely tricky. It can make some of the unhealthiest foods look healthy - even if they're anything but. These three foods are some of the most toxic of purported "healthy foods" that should be avoided at all costs, that is, if you're interested in achieving optimal health, of course!

#1 Heart Healthy Vegetable Oil

Have you ever reached for that bottle of vegetable oil on the grocery store shelf because the label read "heart healthy?"
Industrial vegetable oils found in the supermarket typically contain .56 to 4.2% of their fatty acid as trans fats, which are highly toxic. Trans fats are actually "fake" fats. They're known to clog arteries, increase levels of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, and lower HDL, or "good" cholesterol. Eating too many trans fats causes an overload of inflammation, a main factor in many chronic diseases, as well as weight gain.
The heat and harsh chemicals used to extract oil from vegetables, including bleaching and the toxic solvent hexane, actually destroys some of its vitamins and antioxidants. In later stages of processing, even more chemicals are injected in to "improve" the color and odor. Not only that, but overheating vegetable oils - which is typically what's done when cooking with them, releases compounds that can damage lungs and potentially cause cancer.
Not only that, but almost all vegetable oils are damaged and rancid from their processing and also contain high amounts of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, both of which cause massive inflammation throughout your body that can possibly lead to heart disease, cancer, digestive disorders, and joint problems.
Remember that inflammatory vegetable oils are used in almost every type of fried food at most restaurants, and any type of processed food that contains vegetable oils such as potato chips and many snack foods.
Despite the healthy sounding name of "vegetable oil", the fact is that vegetable oils do NOT come from vegetables... This is a generic term that usually means any combination of soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, or other heavily refined processed omega-6 based oils that are all bad for you.
So what should you use instead?
For high heat cooking, use organic extra virgin coconut oil which contains medium chain fatty acids that are resistant to high heat. They also turn into ketone bodies in the liver which provide energy to the brain and are known to help improve all types of health problems.

#2 Energy/Protein/Breakfast Bars

Those prettily packaged bars advertised to boost energy, provide protein or as a "healthy" substitute for breakfast are another one of the worst offenders. Most are highly processed products - really just a candy bar in disguise - filled with sugar, high fructose corn syrup and even trans fats as well as artificial sweeteners.
If you read the label of a Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Strawberry Yogurt Bar, for example, you'll see that it has just 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately not. Many of its ingredients aren't technically food - it packs a ton of sugar and even contains Red Dye #40. While it's a pretty color, its effects are anything but, with just a few of the reported symptoms including migraines, inability to concentrate, nervousness and upset stomach. Children have been found to be especially sensitive to Red 40, exhibiting symptoms like temper tantrums and aggressive behavior.
If you need a boost of energy or are looking to meet your body's protein needs after a workout, grab a small handful of raw, organic almonds instead! They make the perfect convenient snack that you can take with you wherever you go.

#3 "Healthy" Breakfast Cereals

You probably know to avoid sugary cereals like Lucky Charms or Cocoa Pebbles, but most breakfast cereals, even those with health claims like "whole grain," are often loaded with refined blood sugar spiking carbs and sugars. Manufacturers fortify them with a few synthetic vitamins, a small amount of whole grains, and then market the product as "healthy."
Some cereals even contain preservatives like BHA and BHT which are linked to an increase risk of cancer. Not only that, but you may be getting a dose of unhealthy trans fats disguised under a new name: "monoglycerides."
But the WORST thing about most cereals, even so-called "whole grain" cereals is that they ALL cause a significant spike in your blood sugar which results in a cascade of fat storing hormones to be released in your body, and causes more carb cravings later in the day. This is NOT the way to start your day if you care about your waistline!
Not only that, but any cereals with wheat ingredients in them can possibly cause gut inflammation and long term gut damage from too much gluten. Think those corn-based cereals are better than wheat? Think again! Corn-based cereals are almost always made with GMO corn, which has many scientists very concerned about long term health threats. And rice-based cereals (krispies, etc) aren't much better, as they cause just as high of a blood sugar spike as pure table sugar... Ouch!

Instead of cereal in the morning, try a bowl of plain greek yogurt (which is loaded with healthy gut probiotics AND protein) and add in fresh, organic berries, nuts, and a little stevia or vanilla protein for a little added sweetness. This breakfast will leave you leaner, keep your blood sugar and hormones balanced, and give your body much less toxic load than cereals.
Unfortunately, this is just 3 examples we gave you in today's article, and deadly toxins are lurking EVERYWHERE these days in hundreds of foods, in your lotions and shampoos, plastics, air pollution, water pollution and more...
For that reason, you absolutely MUST detox at least occasionally to keep your hormones normalized, keep your energy levels high, and to keep your metabolism from shutting down.
The problem is that MOST "cleanses" or celebrity detox fads out there are actually dangerous to your health and can HARM your hormones making fat loss impossible in the long term and even causing rebound weight gain that's worse than where you started.

If you liked today's article please feel free to share with friends and family.

Read More

Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Easier... Better Sleep Equals a Leaner You!

Hi. It's Mike again from TruthAboutAbs.com

I hope you're doing well and enjoying your good health, energy, and lean body!
Let's take a step away today from the normal discussions about various training techniques or nutrition ideas, and look at another vitally important aspect in your life that plays an important role in your success with your fitness goals. And that aspect is...
How well do you sleep?
I've noticed that one of the challenges for many people in their fitness endeavors is getting enough quality sleep each night. In case you didn't already know, the quality and quantity of your sleep each night is VERY important to maintaining an optimal hormonal balance within your body and keeping your metabolism as high as possible. Obviously, this all translates into a leaner you, if you are sleeping well regularly.
On the other hand, if you never seem to get enough sleep, or don't sleep well enough to give your body the rest and recuperation it needs, you can count on the fact that this lack of sleep is making you fatter! That's right, the lack of quality sleep creates a fat-storing hormonal mess inside your body. The fact is, the stats show that most people don't get enough sleep regularly, and also don't sleep as soundly as they should.
Aside from sleeping disorders, most people simply don't get enough sleep because they have a hard time shutting down their minds at night, which leaves them lying there in bed tossing and turning with thoughts about the stresses of their daily lives shooting through their heads. 
Does this happen to you?
This has actually been a problem for me personally, but I've started to gain control of this with a few secrets I've learned, and now I can usually fall asleep pretty fast each night. Here are some of the tricks I've used to fall asleep easier each night. Some of these you've probably heard before, but others may be new ideas for you.
1. Try not to exercise intensely within about 2 hours or so of your normal bedtime. However, getting regular daily exercise at any other time of the day will help tire you out so that you can fall asleep easier once bed time comes.

2. Don't try to go to sleep hungry. 
Contrary to popular belief, just because you eat after 6 or 7 pm does not mean it's going to be instantly deposited as blubbery body fat. As a matter of fact, a lot of very lean people that I know eat small meals right before they go to bed each night. A light healthy snack 30-90 minutes before you hit the pillows will help satisfy your hunger and help you fall asleep easier.

3. Avoid stimulants like caffeine any time after late-afternoon.

4. Try chamomile tea and/or mint tea an hour or two before bed time. These generally have a relaxing effect and can help you calm down at night. I recently found a tea product called "bed time tea", which combines chamomile and mint in the tea bags. I add in just a little touch of raw honey too and this combo really seems to relax me.

5. Try ground nutmeg in capsules an hour or two before bed. Nutmeg is supposed to also have a calming effect on the body. What I've done is buy a couple rounds of whole nutmeg and use a strong coffee grinder to grind them into powder. Then I fill empty capsules with the nutmeg and take a couple each night. Two whole nutmeg rounds will fill a couple dozen capsules, so I store them in a ziplock in the fridge. I'm not totally sure if this helps or not, but it certainly can't hurt, and nutmeg is at least a good source of antioxidants too!

6. Try to clear your mind of daily stresses and things you need to do. This has been my biggest obstacle to overcome in order to fall asleep at night. One thing that helps is to use a note pad to write down what I need to do the next day. That helps me clear my mind and reassure that I won't forget anything, so that I can relax. Instead of thinking about my day, or what I need to do tomorrow, I simply wipe my mind clean, and think about a relaxing place that I enjoy, like a tropical beach, or lying on a hammock in the breeze somewhere. 
If I can keep my mind on something relaxing like this, and not my daily worries, I fall asleep like a champ! I know there are many other strategies that people use to help fall asleep, but I figured I'd just give you a few of the tricks that have helped me out with conquering this. Whatever you do, please try to keep it natural... taking sleep aid drugs will almost always have adverse side effects.
So do yourself a favor and pull the plug on the late-night talk shows or late-night Seinfeld re-runs (although that Kramer does crack me up!), and try to get to sleep a little earlier from now on. Clear your mind, relax, and enjoy some good quality sleep that will keep your body leaner and have you feeling more energy filled during each day. Good luck!
This ezine issue was sponsored by Sleep Well and Tight  - an innovative program to help you fall asleep fast and get deep restful sleep every night, without harmful sleeping pills.
I hope this article has given you some ideas on how to fall asleep easier at night. Remember, more quality sleep equals a healthier, happier, and leaner you!
Enjoy some deep restful sleep!
Please feel free to share with friends and family who could benefit from these relaxing sleeping tips below. 

Read More

The Top 5 Healthiest Condiments (and the WORST)

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal
Trainer, Author of best sellers:  The Truth About Six Pack Abs &
The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

I'm sure you can think of all sorts of condiments that are obviously
NOT healthy...


What about Mayo?  Sorry...

With processed refined soybean oil as the main ingredient in most
mayos, there's NOTHING healthy about mayonnaise.
It causes internal inflammation and harms your omega-6 to omega-3
balance with excess omega-6 fats.   Tartar sauce has the same issues
as mayo.If you can find a mayo made with 100% olive oil instead of
soybean oil, this would actually be a healthy choice.

Ketchup?  Not quite...

Yes, ketchup is made from tomatoes so it does contain the beneficial
nutrient lycopene.  Unfortunately ketchup has a high % of sugar, and
most brands are made with nasty high fructose corn syrup.  Not good.
Hey, I'm a ketchup lover myself, but I just try to keep the quantity
small to minimize the sugar intake.

Barbeque Sauce?  Nope...

BBQ sauce is actually worse than ketchup because it has higher levels
of sugar or HFCS and lower levels of actual tomato.  Strike 3 with
BBQ sauce.

Salad Dressing?  Not most store brands.

As you know from this salad dressing article of mine, there's not much
healthy about most store bought salad dressings...most contain HFCS
and soybean oil or unhealthy canola oil as the main ingredients.

Most "fat-free" salad dressings are simply loaded with extra sugar.
Plus, remember that you need a good fat source to go with your salad
to help absorb the vitamins and minerals in your veggies, so fat-free
dressing is not a good option.  Even most salad dressing brands that
claim to be "made with olive oil" only have small amounts of actual olive oil,
while unhealthy soybean or canola oils are main oils used.  Instead, follow
my healthy salad dressing recipe if you want a lean healthy body.

So, what are the top 5 healthiest condiments?

Below, I give you my top 5 picks for the healthiest condiments for a
lean healthy body.  Sure, there might be a few others not on this list that
are also healthy, but these are my top 5 picks:

1. Mustard

That's right... mustard is absolutely one of the healthiest condiments!
First, it has no added sugar.  Also, mustard seed itself is a source of
powerful antioxidants.  In addition to the antioxidants in the mustard seed,
most yellow mustards also contain turmeric (one of the healthiest anti-
cancer spices) and paprika, which both contain powerful antioxidants
as well!

2. Guacamole

I know, I know... when do I ever stop talking about avocados and
guacamole. Sorry, it's one of my favorite foods, and I eat avocados
or guac just about every single day.  At this point, I don't think I need to
explain why Gauc is healthy, as I think everybody knows this by now...
but a quick recap: lots of healthy fats (that satisfy your appetite and
regulate hormone balance), lots of fiber, and plenty of vitamins, minerals,
and antioxidants.

And creamy guac just makes anything taste better!  I put it on eggs,
on burgers, on chicken or fish, or just eat it with veggie sticks.
If you buy pre-made guac from the store, just be sure to check the
ingredients and make sure it doesn't have added trans fats or other
artificial ingredients. But it's so simple and fast to make fresh guac,
I don't know why anybody would buy pre-made guac.

3. Salsa

Although ketchup was on the unhealthy list due to the sugar content,
salsa makes the super healthy list as it almost never has added sugars
if you get a good brand.Salsa is mostly just vegetables so it's hard to
go wrong.  I like it on my morning eggs for variety sometimes.
I also like to mix salsa half and half with guac for a delicious party
treat!

And if you're a ketchup lover and want to reduce your sugar intake,
just try salsa instead for a much healthier option.  Trust me... salsa
on a burger is just as delicious as ketchup on a burger.

Just remember that the corn chips that people generally cram down
their throats with salsa are NOT even close to healthy.  Corn chips
are almost always fried in a heavily refined omega-6 oil such as corn
or soy oil, and are inflammatory. Plus, most corn used for corn chips
is genetically modified.Organic corn chips are a small step in the right
direction (this ensures it's not GMO corn), but I'd still try to keep the
quantity small if you're going to eat corn chips with salsa.

4. Hummus

Hummus is mostly just chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon, and olive oil,
and is easily one of the healthiest condiments or as a separate snack
by itself.

The main thing to look for when buying a good hummus is to make sure
it's made with olive oil and NOT soybean or canola oil.  Unfortunately
most brands use cheap soy or canola oil, but if you're a label reader, it's
easy to find a brand that uses solely olive oil.

One of my favorite snacks is just veggie sticks with hummus.  However,
hummus is also a delicious condiment to go with sandwiches, on top of
meat dishes, etc.

5. Pesto

Pesto is generally a mashed mix of garlic, pine nuts, basil, olive oil, and
grated cheese.  It's a great source of healthy fats and also powerful
antioxidants, mostly from the garlic and basil, but to some extent from the
pine nuts and olive oil too.

Pesto goes incredibly well with sandwiches, on meat dishes, or
surprisingly, even on eggs. There's one more condiment we didn't cover
yet that you might be wondering about.....What about hot sauce?
Actually, hot sauce is fairly healthy. Most hot sauces don't have added
sugars. And the hot peppers are actually good for you too and could even
cause a slight and temporary metabolism increase.
The only drawback to most hot sauces is a moderately high sodium content.
But unless you go nuts with loads of hot sauce on every meal, the sodium
content in hot sauce will not be an issue.

So now that you know 5 of the healthiest condiments, don't be afraid to
indulge next time you need one of these tasty additions to your meal.

Now for the BAD NEWS...

These 4 foods accelerate AGING in your body (avoid these 
and look 10 years younger!)

Read More

One of The World's Greatest Snacks -- A Healthy Treat for a Lean Body

Why pistachios not only taste delicious, but are also jam-packed with nutrition for your lean healthy body
by Cat Ebeling, RN, BSN & Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialistco-authors of the
Fat Burning Kitchen program


Some people mistakenly think that pistachios are a "fattening" food... but despite having loads of healthy fats, these yummy little snacks can actually HELP you to burn off stomach fat.  Let's see why...
Do you remember eating pistachios when they used to be dyed a deep pinkish/red? They were always so delicious, but after eating a bunch of those bright "red" nuts, your fingers and hands would be stained red.
Pistachios, as we now know, do not grow as magenta-colored nuts but come in a nice natural tan colored shell with a mild-tasting, crunchy, green and yellow interior. Nuts have risen in popularity lately, but did you know that pistachios are probably one of the most nutritious of all nuts?
It's hard to compare anything to the nutritional benefit of nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans... but pistachios give them a run for the money!
Just a one-ounce serving of pistachios will give you over 30 vitamins, minerals and other super nutrients.
One of the best things about nuts in general, is that they are full of minerals that are VITAL to our body's proper functioning. And if you have paid much attention to nutrition news lately, you may be aware that minerals are getting harder and harder to obtain from our diet, and many people are mineral-deficient in one way or another.
So what are these great nutrients in pistachios?
Well for starters, pistachios are full of copper, phosphorus, and manganese (different from magnesium).
Copper is made up of multiple enzymes that help to create many of the necessary biochemical reactions in your body and also forms connective tissue. Manganese also helps form connective and skeletal tissue, and is instrumental in growth, reproduction and (this is good!) carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Phosphorus is very important for strong bones and teeth and works with calcium to prevent osteoporosis.
Other important minerals are magnesium -- necessary for more than 300 different important biochemical reactions in your body, and good for your heart and blood pressure; potassium --an electrolyte that keeps the body in the correct acid/base balance and also helps in forming proteins, metabolizing carbohydrates and building muscle.
And there is more to this nutritional powerhouse...

Pistachios are a rich source of B vitamins. B vitamins are essential for good nerve transmission, muscle building, a good mood, lots of energy, and infection-fighting power. They are also one of the highest protein nuts (as well as healthy fats), so they make a great satisfying snack that keeps your blood sugar and insulin at a good steady level.
In one study on pistachios and antioxidants, pistachios ranked up in the group with the highest amount of antioxidant activity above over 100 other foods. Antioxidants help to prevent free radical damage, which saves your cells and prevents aging and disease among other things.
We hear a lot about eye health and nutrients for the eyes lately, and guess what-- pistachios contain generous amount of lutein and zeaxanthin which prevent macular degeneration and other eye diseases related to aging.
Fiber
Last but not least, pistachios are full of appetite satisfying fiber -- as much as a serving of oatmeal.
Nuts in general are a great source of fiber, which is valuable for fighting cancer, controlling blood sugar, and aids in a feeling of fullness. Most people only get about half the recommended amount of fiber they need in their diets, so eating pistachios will help add to your dietary intake.
Healthy Fats
While eating extremely large quantities of pistachios would be a LOT of calories... the good news is that the protein, good fats and fiber in them are nutritious and satisfy so much of the nutrient needs of your body, it's VERY difficult to overeat them.
Even when only eating small servings of these nuts, they have been proven to provide a high rate of satiety. Besides, having to shell all those pistachios actually ends up making you eat them a little more slowly, so the message to your brain that you are full happens on less nuts than if you were eating something already out of its shell.
Try to go for the all-natural or organic pistachios with no salt of low salt. Some brands of pistachios are a bit heavy on the salt.
If you haven't read our new Fat Burning Kitchen program, make sure to see the dozens of foods that help you burn fat, and surprising "health foods" that make you fat.
Eat well and stay lean!

Did you like this article?  Feel free to share with your friends and family:

Read More

Antioxidants - One of the Secrets to a Youthful Appearance, Anti-Aging, Disease Prevention, and a Leaner, Stronger, Healthier Body!

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

I’m sure by now you’ve heard all about the amazing health benefits of antioxidant rich foods in your diet. Not only do these free-radical fighting antioxidants help you look and feel younger by slowing down the aging process, but they can also help to prevent cancer, heart disease, and loads of other degenerative diseases. 
But that’s not all. Antioxidants also help you to recover better from exercise… and that means you can build more muscle and burn more body fat in the long term!
 
And although we all want to be healthy and feel youthful... most of us also want to look good!
The function that antioxidants play in aiding your recovery from exercise is the inhibition of free radicals produced during exercise.  Any time you workout, free radicals are produced in the body that can create inflammation.  Having an adequate supply of antioxidants about an hour or so before your workout can greatly reduce the damage caused by free radicals, hence, improving your muscular recovery from exercise. 
 
Some of the most potent sources of whole food antioxidants are berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries), cherries, acai fruit, various teas (green teagreen tea, white tea, black tea, yerba mate, oolong tea, chammomile tea, red tea - a.k.a. rooibos tea), nuts, seeds, red and black beans, purple potatoes, grapes, red wine, nuts and seeds, coffee, dark chocolate or cocoa, and tons of other fruits and vegetables.
 
Many spices are also extremely potent sources of antioxidants -- such as cinnamon, turmeric, oregano, basil, black pepper, and most other herbs and spices.
My favorite pre-workout antioxidant-loaded snack is a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter, a small amount of blackberry jam, and topped with a pile of fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries.  I wash it down with a glass of iced green teagreen tea or rooibos tea sweetened with just a small bit (about a teaspoon) of raw honey.  This is literally a quintuple-whammy of potent anti-oxidants!
The almond butter, blackberries, blueberries, raw honey, and the green or rooibos tea are all loaded with different varieties of muscle protecting, youth promoting antioxidants.  I throw down this snack about an hour before my training. Give it a try for yourself, or be creative and come up with your own antioxidant-rich pre-workout snack based on your tastes.
Remember, your body is continually bombarded every day by free radicals (creating oxidative stress) from exercise, air pollution, smoke, sun exposure, junk food, exposure to chemicals, etc. To reap the full benefits of antioxidants, try to make sure that every meal and snack you eat has at least one or two sources of antioxidant rich foods.
This will give you a continuous supply of antioxidants throughout every day to prevent the damage and aging that result from the free radicals you are constantly exposed to.
I recently helped design a very powerful and synergistic antioxidant blend supplement. 
Since I personally know the owners of this company, I know these are legit and good quality...
Although I typically don't recommend many supplements (because 95% of them are usually bogus), the 2 supplements I do recommend are a good antioxidant blend and a Krill oil (which is even more powerful than fish oil).
This antioxidant blend (called Longevity) contains a powerful blend of some of the most potent antioxidants on the planet such as:

• pomegranate
• acai berry
• coffeeberry
• green tea
• wolfberry
• and biovin grape (same antioxidants as red wine)

You can try this potent antioxidant blend for yourself at this site:  http://losebellyfat.getprograde.com/longevity
Antioxidants are just one piece to the puzzle of a healthy diet a healthy diet that will give you the lean, muscular, youthful (can help slow aging markers), and disease free body that everyone wants. 
To discover the secrets behind all of the other pieces to the diet puzzle that help to create a lean strong healthy body (macronutrients, glycemic response, hormonal response, glycogen storage, muscle protein synthesis, the role of the hormone leptin in your fat loss, blood sugar proesses, the insulin process, etc.), don’t forget to get your copy of my world-wide best selling fat loss program for lean abs - The Truth about Six Pack Abs

Read More

The Top 7 Tips to STOP Getting Sick

Understand the REAL cause of sickness, and strengthen your immune system with these unique tips

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of the best-sellers -- The Fat Burning Kitchen  & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

Note: The tips in this article can work anytime of the year to keep you healthy, strengthen your immune system, and prevent you from getting sick...not just in the winter months!
First of all, let us clear up a HUGE misconception about why more people get sick in the winter compared to warmer times of the year.  Let's talk about cold temperatures first.  You should realize that there's no such thing as "catching a cold" from cold temperatures.   I can't believe how many people still have this huge misconception that cold temperatures can make you sick...
This is blatantly false... Cold temperatures do NOT make you sick!
In fact, did you know that there are multiple studies that actually show that exposure to cold increases your immunity?  It's true!  One study I read recently even showed that cold therapy such as ice water baths or other cold water exposure (such as cold water swimming) stimulates an improvement in your immune system.  Other studies also show that cold water therapy can improve your immune system.
What about so-called "germs"?
So are there really more germs and cold & flu viruses floating around in the winter?  No, of course not!  In fact, some medical articles I've read have indicated that there might actually be a slightly larger amount of viruses all around us in the summer due to more favorable conditions for their survival on surfaces.
So then why do more people get sick in the winter?  Well, I'll give you a hint... it's not the temperature, but rather the strength of the suns rays, and how this affects your health... In winter in the northern hemisphere (Canada, US, Europe, etc) sicknesses spike, but at the same time, it's summer in the southern hemisphere (South America, Australia, New Zealand, etc), and while sicknesses are spiking in the northern hemisphere, sicknesses are at their lowest point in the southern hemisphere since it's their summer.
And then when we're in summer in the northern hemisphere and most sicknesses go away, it's winter in the southern hemisphere, so colds, flu, and other sicknesses spike in the southern hemisphere in July and August.
So is it the warm temperatures that decreases sickness?  Nope... It's actually all about the strength of the sun's UVB rays, and how much vitamin D your body produces due to the UVB rays on your skin!
There are 2 theories that many people pass around as to why more colds, flu, and sickness occur in the winter depending on which part of the world you're in...
Theory 1.  It may have to do with people generally spending more time indoors in the winter and thereby being exposed to more germs in enclosed buildings.  It's a nice theory, but people are generally still in offices from 9-5 all week long whether it's summer or winter.  As you'll see, theory 2 is the REAL culprit!
Theory 2.   The reason people get sick more in the winter is mostly due to a drastic reduction in their body's level of Vitamin D, which is directly responsible for how strong their immune system is.
The suns rays are too weak in the winter generally (depending on the latitude that you live), and therefore, Vitamin D levels in the body drop significantly, which reduces immunity. Most people don't realize how important sunlight and Vitamin D levels really are towards so many functions inside their body, including immune system and hormone production and balance.
Even for people that get outdoors in the winter often, if you live in the northern hemisphere to the North of an imaginary line from approximately Atlanta to Los Angeles, the suns rays (UVB rays) are not strong enough in the fall and winter months (approximately October through early March) because of the low sun angle in the sky to stimulate any significant Vitamin D production inside your body.  My blog post here describes how to figure out what time frame your "vitamin D winter" runs from at your exact latitude.
This aspect of lack of Vitamin D production and lowered immune strength in the winter months is what is actually the REAL reason why more sickness goes around in the winter.  So you can silently chuckle to yourself the next time that someone tells you to "bundle up" so you don't catch a cold.
So how can you boost your immune system so that your body fights off sickness before it takes hold of you?
So here is my little ritual that I have been using for a few years now and really seems to keep me from getting any colds, flu, or any sickness at all.
As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time I was legitimately sick. I think it's been 15 years since I've actually been sick.  How many times have you and your family been sick in the last 9 years?  Most people seem to get sick at least once a month in the winters.
Every time I feel a cold or something starting to come on, I do this ritual, strengthen my immune system, and my body always fights off the cold or sickness before I actually get full-blown sick.

Here are my 7 most powerful tips to boost your immune system:

1. Focus on Vitamin D (but NOT in "fortified" foods or synthetic forms in pills)
This is probably THE most important of all of these tips!
If you get your vitamin D levels tested, you generally want to be between 40-80 ng/ml. Once you get above 50 ng/ml, that's where the real benefits start to happen with a maximized immune system and balanced hormones.
You might be surprised to know that MOST people have low vitamin D levels (especially in the winter), and a lot of people are surprised to find that they could be dangerously low.  Some people I know who thought they were reasonably healthy actually had levels below 20 ng/ml (one friend's level was measured at a shockingly dangerous 11 ng/ml), which is a range that could severely limit your immune system and hormone balance (and explains the frequent colds and hormone problems that they were having).
Personally, I found out that my winter levels a couple years ago were lower than I thought (around 35 ng/ml despite taking cod liver oil a couple times a week) and then after getting a few months of summer sun, my levels had jumped up to 52 ng/ml by the end of July, which is much healthier.  This was without any Vitamin D supplements as I wanted to get a good idea of where my levels stood from just food intake and sunshine as my sources.
Keep in mind though that I'm an avid hiker and mountain biker in the summer, and I live at high elevation (7500 feet above sea level), so I get a good deal of daily sun, which is why my levels jumped from 35-52 ng/ml after a couple months of daily summer sun.  For people that are in offices daily, you'll still most likely need supplemental Vitamin D3 to keep blood levels of vitamin D from dropping too low.
When it comes to Vitamin D, you need to be careful about artificial forms of vitamin D in many vitamin pills, as artificial vitamin forms are almost always either ineffective or possibly even detrimental compared to natural forms.  Vitamin D2 is generally the artificial version in multi-vitamins, although natural D2 does exist in some foods like mushrooms.  Natural Vitamin D from either cod liver oil and/or an oil-based D3 supplement are the best options in my opinion for the times of the year you're not getting enough sun.
Personally, this is the oil-based D3 supplement that I take during the winter now and also on days in the summer if I happen to go a few days without any sun.  I alternate this oil-based D3 supplement with a fermented cod liver oil throughout the winter, so that I get good natural vitamin D from various sources.
Keep in mind that it's best to get your vitamin D naturally from the sun if you can.  The sun is the absolute best source of vitamin D, and leads to a powerful strengthening of your immune system when your body can naturally produce Vitamin D from moderate sun exposure.  When the UVB rays (not UVA rays) from mid-day sun hit your skin, it reacts with oils in your skin to produce vitamin D that is slowly adbsorbed by your body.  Note that sunscreens block the ability of your body to produce vitamin D, and most sunscreens also contain carcinogenic chemicals that absorb into your blood stream.
Here is a previous article I did on how to get sun exposure in a healthy way without damaging your skin
I know not everybody can take a tropical vacation every winter, but if you can, it's best to try to take it right smack dab in the middle of the winter (when your vitamin D levels have dropped to their lowest)... getting even a few days to a week of good sun closer to the equator in the middle of winter can really help increase your vitamin D levels and strengthen your immune system for at least several weeks after the trip.
Remember that this does NOT mean getting burned in the sun... it means getting a moderate amount of sun on large portions of your body (not just your face) for approx 15-40 minutes per day WITHOUT sunscreen on (since sunscreen blocks the UV rays that directly stimulate the vitamin D production in your body).   Also, as a warning about sunscreens, see this article here about why sunscreens can possibly cause cancer and increase body fat.
Everybody is different based on their skin tone... very pale skin tones may only need 10-15 minutes or so in full sun in the middle of the day to get adequate vitamin D before any skin damage occurs, but darker skin tones may need a slightly longer time (sometimes 40-60 minutes) in the sun to produce adequate vitamin D.  To protect your skin, it's essential to get enough sun without sunscreen on, but NOT get burned.
In general, the UVB rays are only strongest from about 10 am to 3 pm to trigger Vitamin D production in your body (depending on time of year, latitude, and altitude).  For example, in NY city, while you may be able to produce vitamin D in your skin between 9am to 4pm in June or July, that time frame when UVB rays are strong enough might have shrunk to only 11am to 1pm by the end of September... and by late October in NYC, according to charts of sun height in the sky, you can't produce any vitamin D even in mid-day sun as the sun is too low in the sky and UVB rays too weak.
With that said, I understand that a tropical vacation in the winter is not possible for everybody's schedule based on either work or finances, so...
Since you may not be going on a tropical vacation this winter, how can you still keep Vitamin D levels from falling dangerously low in your body?
Well, the best food sources of natural Vitamin D are egg yolks (from hens fed a healthy diet and allowed to get their own sunshine), fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, organ meats, and some mushrooms (some portobella mushrooms and maitake mushroom are fairly good sources of vitamin D, although the type of vitamin D in mushrooms might not be the best utilized source in your body).  However, keep in mind that it's tough to get enough vitamin D in the winter from food sources alone.
But what I do to make sure I'm at least getting a decent amount of the best absorbed vitamin D is to take a moderate dose of fermented cod liver oil daily in the winter to make sure my vitamin D levels don't fall too low.  Make sure to take only small to moderate doses of cod liver oil, as large doses can possibly give you an overdose of Vitamin A.
What I've done lately is to only take cod liver oil about 3 days per week, to prevent taking in too much vitamin A.  On the other 4 days per week (only in the winter), I take an oil-based vitamin D3 supplement. It's important to choose an oil-based D3 supplement as it's better utilized by your body.
I'm also a big fan of Prograde Nutrition's natural VGF-25 multi-vitamin, which derives it's vitamin D from natural fish liver oil instead of a synthetic form of vitamin D.  All of the other vitamins in VGF-25 (which stands for "25 veggies, greens, and fruits") are naturally derived too instead of most multi-vitamins that you find at your corner store that are synthetic.
By the way, fortified milk has added synthetic vitamin D, so it is NOT a good source.  In fact, I don't trust any "fortified" foods at all, including terribly unhealthy breakfast cereals which claim to be good sources of vitamin D... not so!  Also make sure to read this article, which explains how our food supply has been modified in recent decades and now lacks the vitamin D that it used to contain decades ago.
2. Garlic to strengthen your immune system!
Garlic is one of the most potent of all superfoods!  Not only does high dose garlic go back thousands of years for treatment of sickness, but recent studies back up the legendary claims for garlic boosting your immune system.
What's best though -- "aged" garlic pills, whole garlic in foods, capsules, etc?  I can't seem to find a consensus on this one, so what I simply try to do is use a variety of sources, including garlic powder on a lot of my foods, fresh chopped garlic in meals, and also a garlic capsule or two each day.
If I feel a possible cold or sickness coming on, I really start loading garlic into my foods heavily and I take a few extra garlic capsules that day too.

3. Kombucha tea, Kefir, Fermented foods (and other sources of probiotics) strengthen your immune system
Kombucha tea is a fermented tea (naturally effervescent) that contains billions of friendly gut organisms (probiotics) that help to strengthen your immune system by bolstering your levels of good organisms in your gut, which provides a first level of defense against pathogens from things you ingest.
Remember that 70% of your immune system lies in your gut flora and the health of the friendly organisms in there to protect you against pathogens and sickness.
You can find bottles of Kombucha tea or other probiotic drinks at health food stores such as Whole Foods.
Kefir is a cultured/fermented dairy drink that's been used for thousands of years as a health elixer in many parts of the world.  Kefir is an even better source of probiotics than Kombucha tea, but keep in mind that variety is best when it comes to probiotics, so use various sources for the best benefits to your digestive system and immune system.  Kefir is also the easiest form of dairy to digest due to the pre-digestion that's done by the probiotic microorganisms, and due to this, kefir is generally 99% lactose free.  Read this article to see why Kefir is a more powerful source of gut-friendly probiotics than yogurt.
When I feel any sickness coming on, I start loading up on Kombucha tea and Kefir, drinking them both throughout the day.  I've started seeing other probiotic drinks on the market recently too, so just make sure to look for one that has very minimal sugar per serving (3-6 grams per 8 oz serving is acceptable, but much more than that is too sugary).  Kevita is one brand of probiotic drink that is really delicious and has minimal sugar, while also containing around 8-10 Billion organisms per bottle I believe.
You can also get beneficial probiotics from fermented foods such as sauerkraut (non-canned), yogurt, kimchi, and other fermented foods.  There are also plenty of probiotic supplements you can take, one of which is a delicious drink called Athletic Greens, which contains 7 Billion probiotics per serving among 76 other superfood ingredients.  I start off every morning with this superfoods drink mixed with fresh squeezed lemon and unsweetened iced tea... Great stuff!
Another probiotic product that I personally take is called Pro-x10 and is one of the most powerful probiotics I've come across yet, with the equivalent of 50 Billion probiotics, and a micro-encapsulation technology that gets more live probiotics to your intestines, so they don't die in your stomach.

4. Green tea, Chamomile Tea, and other teas
There is evidence that green tea and chamomile tea can help aid in strengthening the immune system.
Even if the effect is small, you can't go wrong because both are loaded with powerful antioxidants unique to each tea.
For that reason, I try to drink a couple cups of green tea with a small bit of raw honey early in the day, and then at night, I have a couple cups of chamomile or mint tea.
This isn't a bad idea even for a regular habit, but it's even more important when you feel a sickness possibly coming on.  I also drink a lot of other teas too such as Rooibos tea, which is thought to be even higher in antioxidants than green tea.

5. Loading up on antioxidants
We already know how important antioxidants are to overall health as well as immune system support.
For this reason, I make sure to really load up on antioxidant-rich fruits, berries, teas, red wine, unsweetened organic cocoa (in smoothies, etc), and veggies to help prevent sickness.
Sometimes I make what I call my "Superhuman smoothie", which I believe can really bolster your immune system, with loads of powerful antioxidant-rich berries, a few veggies, raw cacao, maca, spirulina, chia seeds, and any other superfoods I can think to throw in there.


6. Light exercise (yes - light exercise, not hard)
When you feel a sickness coming on, a super-high intensity workout is not a good idea, as hard training forces the body to do a lot of recovery, this at a time when your body needs all of it's efforts on trying to fight off the oncoming sickness.
Although I usually recommend high intensity training most times... when sickness might be coming on, it's just a good idea to get some light exercise instead.
Personally, I like to get outside for some fresh air and go for a hike or go snowshoeing in the winter. These aren't very strenuous for me, so they won't cause my body to be forced to do a lot of recovery... but just getting out in the fresh air and getting the circulation going I feel is good to help the body fight off the sickness.

7. Avoid ALL processed foods, wheat-based foods, and sweetened soft drinks
If you're serious about your health and getting lean for life, this should be an everyday rule for you anyway (except maybe for cheat meals)...
However, when you might have a sickness coming on, this is no time to bombard your body with processed foods, inflammatory omega-6 oils (soybean oil, corn oil, etc), fried foods, high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars, wheat-based foods or chemical additives.
All of these force your body to do extra work to deal with all of this junk and the internal inflammation that they cause in your body.  And by the way, grain-based foods like bread, cereal, muffins, pasta, and bagels are a big culprit in causing internal inflammation and disrupting normal gut function, so avoid grains as much as possible.  In case you're new to the science of Paleolithic nutrition, humans don't actually need grains to survive...grains were never a part of the ancient human diet until agriculture came around only about ten thousand years ago. If you haven't seen this article yet, here are 11 reasons why whole wheat damages your body.( see my articles on my blog)
Instead, (especially when you might be getting sick) you need to give your body only wholesome unprocessed foods that are only 1 ingredient and that we were meant to digest most efficiently...fruits, berries, veggies, eggs, nuts, seeds, grass-fed meats, etc.
I also have a daily serving of immune system boosting Athletic Greens, which is surprisingly delicious, plus contains loads of probiotics and antioxidants, and other immune supporting superfoods (76 superfoods mixed into one delicious drink!).
These 7 tips will go a LONG way to helping to ward off that sickness that is trying to get a hold of you... Here's to a healthy strong body!
Note: I'm not a doctor, and none of these tips are prescriptions for any individual person... they are simply the steps I've personally used over the years to successfully fight off sickness pretty much every single time.  Again, I haven't been legitimately sick in at LEAST 9 years now that I use these steps!

Please feel free to share this page with your friends and family to keep them healthy and strong!

Read More

The Top 10 Super-Spices that Protect Your Body

These 10 powerful spices help to control blood sugar, reduce inflammation, boost your metabolism, aid fat loss, and reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease
by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN & Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist
co-authors - The Fat Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging


Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are supercharging your food without adding a single calorie. You can transform something ordinary and bland into something truly extraordinary tasting and good for your body, just by generously adding herbs and spices to your meals.
Did you know that certain herbs and spices contain a wide variety of some of the most potent antioxidants of any food? In fact, many herbs and spices rank even higher in antioxidant activity than many fruits and vegetables, with some spices such as cloves, turmeric, and cinnamon having as much as 10-50x more antioxidants measured by ORAC value (on a weight to weight comparison) compared to blueberries.
The benefits of the antioxidants in spices include some very powerful protection against many serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, and overall aging.
Herbs and spices add tons of extra flavor, and when combined with the nutrition in other foods, they actually exponentially boost the natural antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory power of the food.
Besides the super antioxidants, herbs and spices can also:

• Aid Fat Burning and Boost Metabolism - many herbs and spices are thermogenic, which means they naturally help to increase metabolism, partly because they are so nutrient-dense.
• Help Stabilize Blood Sugar - Some spices are also good at regulating blood sugar and controlling insulin--even as good as some diabetic drugs! When your blood sugar is well controlled, you are more likely to burn fat and not store calories as excess weight.
• Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Properties –Scientific studies show that herbs and spices can actually work as well or better than some medications at calming inflammation without the negative side effects of isolated drugs.
• Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal - Many herbs and spices contain properties that effectively kill dangerous pathogens like viruses, bacteria and stubborn fungi. The natural properties in these foods work against many microbes that are resistant to conventional medications.

Here are 10 of the most potent superfood herbs and spices you can eat:

1. Basil - Basil is a very effective anti-inflammatory herb with extraordinary healing benefits that work for arthritis, allergies, and inflammatory bowel conditions, to name a just a few. In addition, basil helps kill harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning including: Listeria, Staph, and E. coli O:157:H7.

Basil is also an excellent source of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that prevents free radical damage. Free radical damage is the primary cause of heart disease, cancer, and many other serious health conditions, as well as aging. Because of its dark green color, it is an excellent source of vitamin K, calcium and magnesium, which is good for the bones. It is also a great source of iron, manganese, vitamin C and potassium.  Use both fresh basil and dried basil generously in your foods to maximize it's benefits.
2. Cinnamon - This ancient spice has one of the highest antioxidant levels of any spice.
Cinnamon is highly effective at helping to stabilize blood sugar levels, making it very effective for those with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). In one study of people with type 2 diabetes, just two teaspoons a day reduced blood sugar as much as 20-30%, as well as lowering LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Cinnamon also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and helps relieve pain and stiffness in muscles and joints, including arthritis. Cinnamon has a positive effect on brain function, and smelling cinnamon, or chewing cinnamon flavored gum, can possibly help improve memory and attention. Cinnamon also reduces inflammation in blood vessels that leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease, as well as having antifungal and antibacterial properties.
You can read another article we have here about how cinnamon can even help control belly fat in an indirect way.
Try cinnamon in your smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, mixed with berries, or as a healthy addition in your coffee or tea.
3. Cayenne - This hot spice not only heats up your dishes, it heats up your body and raises your metabolism, helping you burn fat faster. And an interesting research study showed that when a person consumed an appetizer with red pepper flakes, they ate 15% less food. And for those of you who avoid cayenne because you think it bothers your stomach, cayenne pepper is actually healing to stomach tissues, it stimulates digestive enzymes, and helps prevent stomach ulcers.
Cayenne reduces LDL blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and decreases the formation of harmful blood clots, all of which prevent heart attacks and strokes. And, cayenne is a very effective anti-inflammatory and pain remedy for everything from headaches to arthritis and sore muscles, as well as clearing nasal congestion and boosting immunity.
Try cayenne in your morning eggs, in soups, stews, chili, or meatloaf for a little metabolism boosting spice!
4. Cloves - Cloves have a unique sweet and spicy flavor, but also contain powerful natural medicine. Cloves have strong antiseptic and germicidal ingredients that help fight infections, relieve digestive problems, and arthritis pain. One of cloves’ best known uses is its ability to relieve tooth and gum pain.  Cloves have been measured as having THE highest antioxidant level (ORAC value) of all spices and herbs.
The oil in cloves kills bacteria and is very effective when applied to scrapes, cuts, fungal infections, itchy rashes, bites, burns, or bruises. Cloves also help digestive problems like gas, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, and eliminate harmful parasites, bacteria and fungus in the digestive system. And the smell of cloves helps to encourage mental creativity too.
Cloves can be a great healthy addition to hot teas.
5. Cumin - Cumin is another spice that is especially high in antioxidants, but cumin is known for being especially good for digestion. It stimulates the gallbladder and pancreas to secrete enzymes and bile that break down food into usable nutrients your body can use. Cumin also helps detoxify the body, and is highly effective for respiratory disorders like asthma and bronchitis.
Cumin, like cinnamon, helps keep blood sugar levels stable, which means cumin is great for diabetics or pre-diabetics, and it means less chance of weight gain and excess body fat. Cumin has been proven to work as well as some commonly used diabetic drugs at regulating insulin and glycogen. Cumin is also a very good source of iron, vitamin C and vitamin A, which benefit the immune system.
Cumin goes great in chili!
6. Turmeric - Turmeric’s yellow-orange pigment, curcumin, is the main active ingredient in this super spice. Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory benefits are actually comparable to drugs like hydrocortisone and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines like Advil and Motrin. But, unlike the drugs, curcumin is not toxic at all.
Curcumin is more effective slowing down the development of Alzheimer’s disease than many medications, because it decreases inflammation and oxidation in the brain. This spice also speeds up the recovery time from strokes as well. Turmeric and its active ingredient, curcumin, are also highly effective against diseases like irritable bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, and arthritis. Turmeric also improves liver function, lowers homocysteine and prevents heart disease.
Most importantly, turmeric is one of the most potent anti-cancer spices that helps protect you.  Turmeric and it's derivatives are currently being studied in alternative cancer treatments.
Try this trick:  Using black pepper along with turmeric (I use this combo in my eggs every morning) helps to increase the absorption of turmeric's curcumin in the body.

7. Rosemary - Rosemary contains active ingredients that are potent antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory agents. Rosemary has long been known to improve concentration, boost memory, and lift depression. Rosemary also strengthens the immune system, improves circulation, stimulates digestion, and fights cancer, as well. 

Rosemary is highly effective for respiratory problems including asthma, chest congestion, and respiratory infections. While rosemary adds a delicious savory flavor to meat dishes, it also helps digestion by stimulating the gallbladder to release bile as well. Rosemary will protect your body against harmful carcinogenic toxins and prevents colon cancer, stomach, breast, and lung cancer.
Fun fact:  If you're going to grill meats, marinating meats for hours beforehand in liquid mixtures that contain rosemary and other herbs/spices can dramatically help to reduce HCA's (heterocyclic amines), which are carcinogenic compounds that can form when meats are grilled.  So using rosemary, thyme, garlic, oregano and other spices in a meat marinade before grilling meats can drastically reduce any carcinogens that normally would form on grilled meat.
The antioxidants in rosemary and thyme from a marinade were specifically cited in studies at being powerful inhibitors of HCA formation when grilling meats.  But it was also noted that other spices such as garlic, oregano, and others can help to prevent HCA formation as well, so I suggest using a variety, which tastes great anyway!
One more important point about grilling meat: Remember that the more well-done a meat is cooked, the higher concentration of carcinogenic HCA's can form, so rare, medium-rare, or medium are healthier choices than well-done.  I've never understood why anybody would want to ruin a good steak by burning it to oblivion anyway.  But hey, if you're one of those folks that likes your steaks well-done, just remember that you're eating a lot more carcinogens than a steak that's cooked less, so make sure to load up on your antioxidants (spices, teas, berries, etc) to help combat those extra carcinogens.
Washing down your barbequed meal with a glass of unsweetened iced tea (rich in antioxidants) and also a good salad with lots of raw veggies can provide the antioxidants needed to counteract the effect of HCAs in your body from grilled meat.
By the way, even charring vegetables on the grill creates different carcinogens such as acrylamides, so don't think that the negative effect of charring only applies to meats.
8. Ginger - Ginger is VERY powerful for your health!  Ginger contains over 25 different antioxidants, which makes it extremely effective at fighting free radicals in many different body systems. Ginger is best known for its ability to reduce nausea and vomiting, as well as motion sickness. In fact, ginger may even be more effective than Dramamine, one of the most common drugs used for motion sickness. And because ginger does not have harmful side effects like many drugs, it is very good for nausea from pregnancy. Studies actually show that just 1 gram of ginger before surgery is more effective than the standard anti-nausea medication given for post surgical nausea and vomiting.
Ginger is also a soothing remedy for sore throats from colds and flu because of its antiviral properties. Ginger also helps coughs and is an effective expectorant. Try a tea made with hot water simmered with a few slices of ginger and a small amount of honey and lemon for a soothing tonic when you are sick.
Because ginger is such a strong anti-inflammatory, it helps reduce the pain and swelling of arthritis, and muscle aches. Ginger also fights cancer, reduces cholesterol, and prevents blood clots that lead to strokes or heart disease.  I like to use a slice of ginger root in my hot teas sometimes, in our batches of iced teas, and of course, I love piling ginger on top of sushi!  I take a couple capsules of ginger daily since it's not as frequently used in dishes as some other spices.
​9. Oregano - This herb contains an oil that is a very potent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral agent, rosmarinic acid (also found in rosemary).   Oregano oil has been used to treat a wide range of conditions from bacterial and viral infections, to parasites and stubborn fungal infections. Although the oil of oregano is most often used for medicinal purposes, the herb itself can provide many of the same benefits when consumed regularly.
Oregano also relieves inflammation, internal or external, and can offer relief from allergies, aches and pain, without side effects.  Oregano is very high on the ORAC scale of measured antioxidant value.
10. Thyme — Thyme’s active ingredient is known for treating bronchitis, sore throats, chest congestion, laryngitis and asthma. Thyme is so effective it is often an ingredient in cough drops and mouthwashes to treat inflammation and infections. Thyme is also effective as a soothing stomach aid to relieve gastritis, indigestion and colic.
Thyme helps prevent cancer, improve memory, treat Alzheimer’s, calm the nerves, and alleviate depression, nightmares, and insomnia. An interesting new discovery about thyme shows that it actually boosts the amount of DHA (an important ingredient in omega 3 fatty acids) in the brain, heart and kidney cells.
Here are some other health benefits of some of the most popular herbs and spices:

• Rosemary, turmeric, ginger and basil are powerful anti-inflammatories.
• Cumin, turmeric, and sage help fight dementia.
• Cayenne, cumin, coriander and cinnamon help to regulate insulin and blood sugar, aiding fat loss.
• Lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron have a calming effect.
• Garlic, mustard seed, hawthorne, and chicory are excellent for the heart.
• Basil and thyme help your skin become softer and smoother.
• Turmeric, garlic, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, garlic and ginger boost the immune system.
• Coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper can help banish depression.

There are 3 specific spices that I personally believe are so powerful that I try to take them in daily capsule form as well, since they may not always be used in my daily meals... and those are:
Turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger.  They're very cheap in capsule form too.  I usually take 2 capsules per day of each of these spices unless I use large amounts in certain dishes like a curry dish for example.
Spice up your life a bit, and enjoy all of those super health benefits!
Note: Always check with your physician to be sure certain herbs and spices don’t interfere with medications you may be taking—and check with your doctor before you quit any current medications.
Next article: Here's exactly why to STOP eating whole wheat bread, vegetable oil, soy milk, and these cereals (they can cause heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure, and faster aging)


-Cathering Ebeling and Mike Geary are co-authors of the popular book, The Fat-Burning Kitchen, which shows you how to totally revamp your kitchen to make your body a fat-burning machine!  Cat and Mike have also co-authored the new best-seller, The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging, which shows you at least 101 powerful superfoods, herbs, spices, and nutrients to slow down and fight the aging process in your body!

Read More