Obesity Takes Years Off Your Life

Being obese can shorten your life, a new study shows. Read more

Spicy Baked Fish Recipe

Recipe for Spicy Baked Fish: This spicy seafood dish will delight everyone.... Read more

Health Tip: Plan Ahead for Healthy Meals

(HealthDay News) -- Many people have the best intentions when it comes to cooking and eating healthy, but late nights at work and juggling family schedules can make it a challenge.

The American Diabetes Association says you should carefully plan your meals. It offers these suggestions:

• Create a menu for the week ahead.
• Shop for the ingredients in advance. You should never use "not having the time to shop" as an excuse.
• Always keep a healthy supply of ingredients on hand, including olive and vegetable oil, chicken broth, frozen fruits and veggies, seasonings, healthy canned sauces and fish.
• Keep junk food out of the house. Instead, have healthy snacks available to grab when you or family members are hungry.
• Cook enough healthy food for leftovers or additional meals.
• Try not to eat out too often.

Health Tip: Maintain a Healthy Weight

(HealthDay News) -- Maintaining the pounds you've lost through diet and exercise involves watching what you eat, and how much.

The Cleveland Clinic offers these suggestions:

• Plan on four or more daily servings of whole grains -- including whole wheat breads, pastas, crackers and cereals. Servings should be spread throughout the day.
• Get five or more servings each day of fruits and vegetables, which may include frozen, dried or canned fruits and veggies.
• Keep protein servings to two or three per day, and stick to lean proteins such as skinless chicken or turkey, eggs, fish or dried beans.
• Have at least two servings of low-fat dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt or cheese. If you're pregnant or breast-feeding, raise the amount to three or four servings per day.
• Limit fats, oils and sweets to only a small amount each day.

Are Cooked Blueberries Healthy?

I'm a big fan of blueberries (and all berries, for that matter). They're delicious and pack a powerful antioxidant punch: you would have to eat five servings of peas, carrots, apples, squash or broccoli to get the antioxidants contained in one half cup of blueberries.

Anthocyanins, the pigments that make blueberries blue, are the antioxidant compounds responsible for their health benefits. These delicious berries are also a good source of fiber - a half-cup serving gives you almost three grams. What's more, blueberries are a healthy low-glycemic-load carbohydrate, a good source of both vitamin C and ellagic acid, a natural compound that inhibits tumor growth in laboratory mice. And, like cranberries, blueberries contain a substance that can help prevent urinary tract infections by interfering with the attachment of bacteria to the bladder wall. Fresh, frozen and dried blueberries are all equally beneficial and heating or cooking blueberries won't affect the amount or quality of antioxidants they contain. Read more

Summer Yellow Squash Soup Recipe & Basil Mercola Luci Lock

Luci Lock of Mercola.com demonstrates a simple soup recipe using an unusual summer vegetable - yellow crookneck squash - and fresh basil.