There are many motivations for sticking
with a healthy diet. Eating more of the good
stuff (and less of the junky stuff) can help
you prevent cancer, extend your lifespan,
protect your heart and manage your weight.
But one thing we don't always remember is
that your diet affects not just your weight,
but your body from the top down, the inside
to the outside. Your body transforms the
foods you eat into the cells that make up
your hair, nails, skin and bones, along with
your brain, heart, blood and joints. You
literally are what you eat.
Here are some of the key nutrients that keep
your body in tiptop shape from head to toe.
Hair
At its staggering growth rate of 0.4
millimeters per day, it takes more than 2
years to grow 12 inches of hair. Add lean
meats and beans to your diet to make the
most of every millimeter. These foods will
also give you zinc to help keep your body in
hormone balance and prevent hair loss. B-
vitamins from leafy greens, peas, tomatoes
and carrots also support cell growth for
healthy hair.
Brain
Boost your brainpower by noshing on foods
with high ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption
Capacity) scores—a sign that the food is rich
in disease-fighting antioxidants. Plums,
cherries, avocadoes, berries, navel oranges
and red grapes top the ORAC charts. (Glance
through the alphabetical list for more
disease-fighting ratings at oracvalues.com.)
Considering your brain is about 80% water,
drink at least 64 ounces of water per day.
Essential fatty acids (named "essential"
because your body cannot make them) help
you grow brain cells and stay sharp, so feed
your brain with regular doses of fish, nuts,
seeds, avocado, and olive oil.
Eyes
Good nutrition can keep your peepers
peppy throughout the years. The
antioxidants for brain health also help the
eyes, but really keep your eye on including
foods with lutein and zeazanthin
(pronounced zay-a-za-thin). These
carotenoids, found in spinach, collard
greens and kale, protect the retina from
macular degeneration.
Teeth & Bones
Everyone knows you need calcium for bone
health, but are you getting enough? Most
adults need between 1,000 and 1,200
milligrams of calcium daily. Low-fat milk,
cheese, yogurt, almonds, spinach and
soybeans are all good sources of dietary
calcium. And calcium doesn't act alone! Its
partner-in-crime is vitamin D, which is
necessary for proper calcium absorption.
Some fish and eggs provide this key vitamin,
but there are not many natural food sources
of this bone builder. Instead, vitamin-D is
often added to milk, margarine and some
breads and cereals.
Joints
Put a wiggle in your walk with gelatin and
vitamin C. These nutrients are key
precursors to collagen, the material that
cushions our joints and keeps our tendons
and connective tissue strong. Gelatin can be
found in powdered supplement form or in
your basic Jell-O mix. Boost your vitamin C
intake with fruits and veggies, especially
strawberries, oranges, pineapple,
cauliflower and green peppers .
Heart
Soy and flaxseed both pack double punches
when it comes to heart protection. Soymilk,
edamame, tofu and other soy products are
packed with cholesterol-lowering
phytochemicals and heart healthy soluble
fiber. Flaxseed is also another source of
soluble fiber that comes with a side of
omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce
your risk of heart disease. Sprinkle some
ground flaxseed in your oatmeal or yogurt,
or even add it to your favorite baking recipe.
Intestines
Protect your gut with probiotics. These
powerful little bacteria support the natural
environment in your intestine and combat
disease-causing microorganisms. You can
find yogurt, kefir and milk supplemented
with probiotics. They are often under the
name L. Acidophilus.
Fiber is also essential to a healthy gut. Whole
grains, especially oats and bran, beans, nuts,
fruits and vegetables can help you reach
your goal. Getting your daily 20-35 grams of
fiber keeps your gut and colon health
moving in the right direction.
Skin
We'll wrap it all up, literally, with nutrition for
the skin. It is important to nourish your
body's largest organ. Maintain disease-free
and healthy looking skin with alpha-lipoic
acid (ALA). This antioxidant is more
powerful than vitamins C and E, and protects
your skin cells from damage and many of
the elements it's exposed to each day. Get
your fair share of ALA with spinach, broccoli
and beef. Vitamins C, E, K, and A, as well as B-
vitamins are also important for radiant,
nourished skin. Enjoying a variety of colorful
fruits and vegetables can help you reach the
recommended amount of these vitamins.
with a healthy diet. Eating more of the good
stuff (and less of the junky stuff) can help
you prevent cancer, extend your lifespan,
protect your heart and manage your weight.
But one thing we don't always remember is
that your diet affects not just your weight,
but your body from the top down, the inside
to the outside. Your body transforms the
foods you eat into the cells that make up
your hair, nails, skin and bones, along with
your brain, heart, blood and joints. You
literally are what you eat.
Here are some of the key nutrients that keep
your body in tiptop shape from head to toe.
Hair
At its staggering growth rate of 0.4
millimeters per day, it takes more than 2
years to grow 12 inches of hair. Add lean
meats and beans to your diet to make the
most of every millimeter. These foods will
also give you zinc to help keep your body in
hormone balance and prevent hair loss. B-
vitamins from leafy greens, peas, tomatoes
and carrots also support cell growth for
healthy hair.
Brain
Boost your brainpower by noshing on foods
with high ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption
Capacity) scores—a sign that the food is rich
in disease-fighting antioxidants. Plums,
cherries, avocadoes, berries, navel oranges
and red grapes top the ORAC charts. (Glance
through the alphabetical list for more
disease-fighting ratings at oracvalues.com.)
Considering your brain is about 80% water,
drink at least 64 ounces of water per day.
Essential fatty acids (named "essential"
because your body cannot make them) help
you grow brain cells and stay sharp, so feed
your brain with regular doses of fish, nuts,
seeds, avocado, and olive oil.
Eyes
Good nutrition can keep your peepers
peppy throughout the years. The
antioxidants for brain health also help the
eyes, but really keep your eye on including
foods with lutein and zeazanthin
(pronounced zay-a-za-thin). These
carotenoids, found in spinach, collard
greens and kale, protect the retina from
macular degeneration.
Teeth & Bones
Everyone knows you need calcium for bone
health, but are you getting enough? Most
adults need between 1,000 and 1,200
milligrams of calcium daily. Low-fat milk,
cheese, yogurt, almonds, spinach and
soybeans are all good sources of dietary
calcium. And calcium doesn't act alone! Its
partner-in-crime is vitamin D, which is
necessary for proper calcium absorption.
Some fish and eggs provide this key vitamin,
but there are not many natural food sources
of this bone builder. Instead, vitamin-D is
often added to milk, margarine and some
breads and cereals.
Joints
Put a wiggle in your walk with gelatin and
vitamin C. These nutrients are key
precursors to collagen, the material that
cushions our joints and keeps our tendons
and connective tissue strong. Gelatin can be
found in powdered supplement form or in
your basic Jell-O mix. Boost your vitamin C
intake with fruits and veggies, especially
strawberries, oranges, pineapple,
cauliflower and green peppers .
Heart
Soy and flaxseed both pack double punches
when it comes to heart protection. Soymilk,
edamame, tofu and other soy products are
packed with cholesterol-lowering
phytochemicals and heart healthy soluble
fiber. Flaxseed is also another source of
soluble fiber that comes with a side of
omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce
your risk of heart disease. Sprinkle some
ground flaxseed in your oatmeal or yogurt,
or even add it to your favorite baking recipe.
Intestines
Protect your gut with probiotics. These
powerful little bacteria support the natural
environment in your intestine and combat
disease-causing microorganisms. You can
find yogurt, kefir and milk supplemented
with probiotics. They are often under the
name L. Acidophilus.
Fiber is also essential to a healthy gut. Whole
grains, especially oats and bran, beans, nuts,
fruits and vegetables can help you reach
your goal. Getting your daily 20-35 grams of
fiber keeps your gut and colon health
moving in the right direction.
Skin
We'll wrap it all up, literally, with nutrition for
the skin. It is important to nourish your
body's largest organ. Maintain disease-free
and healthy looking skin with alpha-lipoic
acid (ALA). This antioxidant is more
powerful than vitamins C and E, and protects
your skin cells from damage and many of
the elements it's exposed to each day. Get
your fair share of ALA with spinach, broccoli
and beef. Vitamins C, E, K, and A, as well as B-
vitamins are also important for radiant,
nourished skin. Enjoying a variety of colorful
fruits and vegetables can help you reach the
recommended amount of these vitamins.
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