HEALTHY EATS

The common adage, 'Live life to the fullest', means so much more if your quality of life is up to par. I've always been very health conscious but moreso in the past few weeks. Here's an interesting article from Men's Health:

Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.

The 10 best foods you AREN'T eating are:

Beets: A powerfood which is a good source of folate and betaine

Cabbage: Contains the nutrient, sulforaphane, which increases your body's production of enzymes that disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer

Guava: It has a higher concentration of lycopene -- an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer -- than any other plant food, including tomatoes and watermelon.

Swiss Chard: A good source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These plant chemicals, known as carotenoids, protect your retinas from the damage of aging, according to Harvard researchers.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease.

Purslane: It has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant, according to researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Pomegranate Juice: Israeli scientists discovered that men who downed just 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily for a year decreased their systolic (top number) blood pressure by 21 percent and significantly improved bloodflow to their hearts. What's more, 4 ounces provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

Goji berries: They have one of the highest ORAC ratings -- a method of gauging antioxidant power -- of any fruit, according to Tufts University researchers.

Dried Plums: Prunes contain high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that are particularly effective at combating the "superoxide anion radical."

Pumpkin Seeds: Downing pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to consume more magnesium.

I know some of these fancy words for the noted antioxidants/nutrients might puzzle you a little but they are ALL ULTIMATELY great for you!(http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=5334734&page=1)

I love this sushi place downtown called Kaz Sushi. They've got the best Shrimp Tempura I've ever had. I can't recall a time when I hated sushi but after a couple of visits with a few friends, I figured it's not so bad. WHAT SUSHI LOVERS HAVE TO BE WARY OF IS THIS:

10/23/08: Last Thursday, a Japanese sushi chef died after accidentally eating the highly-poisonous liver of the fugu, or puffer fish. While many parts of the fish are tasty and safe, certain organs can be deadly.

The 34-year-old chef was licensed by the Tokyo government to prepare the fugu dish, yet mistakenly thought the liver was safe to eat, according to reporting by The Mainichi Daily News.


For more on the articles above, go to www.abcnews.go.com