It's often helpful to ride in such a way that motorists won't hit you even if they don't see you. You're not trying to BE invisible, you're trying to make it irrelevant whether cars see you or not. If you ride in such a way that a car has to see you to take action to avoid hitting you (e.g., by their slowing down or changing lanes), then that means they will definitely hit you if they don't see you. But if you stay out of their way, then you won't get hit even if they didn't notice you were there.

On very fast roads cars have less time to see you because they're approaching so fast. Of course, you should avoid fast roads in the first place if at all possible, unless there's plenty of room for a car and a bike side by side. And if there IS such room, then on fast roadways, you can practice invisibility by riding to the extreme right. If you're far enough right that you're not in the part of the lane the cars are in, then they'll zoom by and won't hit you, even if they never saw you.

Here's another example: It's a good idea to signal a left turn, but it's a better idea to make your left turn at a time or place where there aren't cars behind you that could hit you while you're stopped and waiting to make that turn. You can hang out in the middle of the street, stopped, with your left arm out, waiting to make your turn, but you're counting on cars behind you to see you and stop. If they don't see you, you're in trouble.

Naturally we don't advocate running red lights, but if you're the kind of person who does, then apply the invisibility principle when deciding on whether to run a particular light: Could any cross traffic possibly hit me if I were invisible? If yes, then absolutely don't do it. Never make a car have to slow down to avoid hitting you (red light or not). Remember, the more you rely on cars to see you to avoid hitting you, the more chances they'll have to actually do so.

Remember, you're not trying to BE invisible, you're just riding with the assumption that cars can't see you. Of course, you certainly want them to see you, and you should help them with that. That's why you'll wave to motorists whom you think might be about to pull out in front of you, and why you'll be lit up like a Christmas tree at night (front and rear lights).

Remember that in many cases you'll need to take the lane, in which case you're counting on motorists to see you.

 

7-grain, 12-grain, whole wheat, all-natural multi-grain, whole grain whole wheat...  What, what, what? There's too much in the bread aisles to know which one to choose. To help, I've laid out key info on whole wheat versus whole grain breads, and I've compared nutrition labels for some popular products at the market. The choice should be easier to make after understanding which breads really are better for you.
Whole Grain 101
Whole grain products are better for you than refined grains because they use the entire grain kernel, which is where the nutrients are, especially B vitamins, fiber, and iron.

Whole Wheat Bread vs. Whole Grain Bread
Whole wheat is a whole grain, so what is going on?

Why multi-grain whole grain breads can be better than whole wheat breads: Each whole grain has a different strength, so breads that use a variety of whole grains help you take in a greater range of benefits. For instance, flax seeds are rich in lignan, an antioxidant that may protect against breast cancer, while barley helps lower cholesterol. If you consume both of these in one slice of bread you get to enjoy the benefits of both.

Why multi-grain breads aren't always better: First, to be a healthy contender, a bread label that says "multigrains" must also say "100% whole grains" somewhere on the package. Otherwise, the bakery may be throwing a couple whole grains in with a ton of refined grains, which sidesteps almost all the nutritional benefits.

Second, even those legit multi-grain breads often have nearly the same nutritional profile as whole wheat bread because they use mainly wheat with tiny amounts of those other whole grains (even though they may market those other grains in a big way on the package). Most companies do not list the amount of each whole grain they use on their packages. The best clue is how close to the top of the ingredients list the whole grains are. Look for breads that list their whole grains (such as oats, flax seeds, barley, etc.) as a main ingredient, rather than in a sub-list of ingredients that each contribute less than 2% of the makeup of the bread. This is the best we can do for now because when I called many of these companies, they could not or would not give me these statistics.

This information below was gathered by comparing in-store nutritional labels at the time of publishing.

15 common whole wheat and whole grain breads:
Earthgrains 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Bread
Earthgrains 7-Grain Bread
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread
Milton's Multi-Grain Plus Bread
Milton's 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Oroweat Country 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Oroweat 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Pepperidge Farm 15-Grain Bread
Pepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Roman Meal 100% Whole Grain Bread
Roman Meal 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Sara Lee Classic 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural 100% Multigrain
Western Hearth 12-Grain Bread
Western Hearth Whole Wheat Bread

Breads With Higher Content of Multi-Grains
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread
Milton's Multi-Grain Plus Bread
Roman Meal 100% Whole Grain Bread
Western Hearth 12-Grain Bread

Low-Fat Breads (1g of fat or less)
0.5g/slice-Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread
0.5g/slice -Milton's Whole Grain Whole Wheat
1g/slice -Milton's Multi-Grain Plus Bread
1g/slice -Oroweat Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat Bread
1g/slice -Roman Meal 100% Whole Grain Bread
1g/slice -Roman Meal 100% Whole Wheat Bread
1g/slice -Western Hearth Whole Wheat Bread

Breads With Bad Saturated Fat
.5g/slice- Earthgrains 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Bread
.5g/slice-Earthgrains 7-Grain Bread
.5g/slice-Oroweat Country 100% Whole Wheat Bread
.5g/slice-Pepperidge Farm 15-Grain Bread
.5g/slice-Pepperidge Farm 100%  Whole Wheat Bread
.5g/slice-Sara Lee Classic 100% Whole Wheat Bread
.5g/slice-Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural 100% Multigrain Bread

Breads Without High Fructose Corn Syrup
Earthgrains 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Bread
Earthgrains 7-Grain Bread
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread
Milton's Multi-Grain Plus Bread
Milton's 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Oroweat Country 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Oroweat Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Pepperidge Farm 15-Grain Bread
Pepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious All-Natural 100% Multigrain Bread
Western Hearth Whole Wheat Bread

Low-Sodium Breads
75mg/slice-Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread
130mg/slice-Roman Meal 100% Whole Grain Bread
130mg/slice-Roman Meal 100% Whole Wheat Bread

You had your last date with butter and sugar on New Year's Day (Mom's pecan pie). Since then, your food life has been strictly low fat, low carb. So why does the thought of your bathing suit -- or a cholesterol test -- still make you shudder? Chances are you've fallen for a food myth or two. Here are four of the most seductive -- and persistent.

Myth #1: Margarine has less fat than butter
Fact: Blame this one on slick marketing. A teaspoon of butter and stick margarine have exactly the same amounts of fat (4 grams) and calories (35). The only difference is the kind of unhealthy fat: Butter has saturated fat, the main cause of high cholesterol. Margarine contains trans fat, which is so insanely unhealthy that it's being banned in several US cities, many restaurants, and some European countries.
Smart move: For baking and cooking, switch to soft tub or liquid margarine; many are now trans fat-free and reasonably low in saturated fat. For toast, use soft spreads or, even better, dip your bread into a little extra-virgin olive oil -- one of the healthiest fats nature ever invented.
 
Myth #2: Low-fat = low-calorie
Fact: Not nearly always. The problem is that manufacturers often replace fat with high-calorie, unhealthy fillers. For instance: Two tablespoons of natural peanut butter have about 190 calories. Low-fat PB made artificially creamy by adding corn syrup and trans fat? About 190 calories. And those calories are a lot less healthy.
Smart move: If you prefer the real deal (who doesn't?), just spread nut butters less thickly to cut calories and fat naturally.

Myth #3: When all else fails, do the grapefruit diet
Fact: Versions of this food fable have been around for years. They usually involve eating nothing but 800 calories worth of black coffee, boiled eggs, and grapefruit for as long as you can stand it. Who wouldn't lose weight?
Smart move: Try starting every meal with either half a grapefruit or a glass of grapefruit juice. As this blog reported a few months ago, some highly reputable scientists have found that people who do lose about half a pound a week. Without dieting. Or going crazy on the treadmill. Or doing anything differently except eating grapefruit like they owned a citrus orchard. Why? Grapefruit contains certain plant compounds that seem to lower insulin levels, which encourages weight loss. Which suggests that you might be able to skip not only the crazy grapefruit diet but all diets and still shed a few pounds.

Myth #4: Eggs up your cholesterol
Fact: For years, this misunderstood food -- low in calories (75), high in vitamins (D, B12, folic acid), and nearly perfect in protein -- was shunned. True, an egg yolk delivers about 220 mg of cholesterol, close to the 300 mg daily cut-off recommended for healthy people. However, heart researchers now think that the mix of fats you eat is more important than the cholesterol in food, plus not everyone seems to be sensitive to it.
Smart move: If you're lucky enough to have enviable cholesterol counts (HDL above 40 mg/dl, LDL below 100), you can enjoy an egg every day, or a couple of really great omelets a week. Otherwise, check with your doctor about how many eggs you can eat  -- you may be in for a happy surprise.

Besides getting over your fear of bathing suits and cholesterol test -- no small feat -- there's a third reward for staying diet smart: Steadily maintaining a desirable weight can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

 

Here are your best bets for eating well. These 10 health foods are some of the healthiest because they meet at least three of the following criteria:

Are a good or excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients
Are high in phytonutrients and antioxidant compounds, such as vitamins A and E and beta carotene
May help reduce the risk of heart disease and other health conditions
Are low in calorie density, meaning you get a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories
Are readily available
Click the tabs to the left to find out more about these health foods and what makes them good choices.

Almonds

Why eat almonds? These tear-shaped nuts are packed with nutrients - fiber, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and calcium. In fact, almonds have more calcium than any other nut - 75 milligrams (mg) in one serving (about 23 almonds). Also, one serving of almonds provides half of your body's Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin E.

Like all nuts, almonds provide one of the best plant sources of protein. And they're good for your heart. Most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated fat - a healthier type of fat that may help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Apples

Why eat apples? Apples are an excellent source of pectin, a soluble fiber that can lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Fresh apples are also good sources of vitamin C - an antioxidant that protects your body's cells from damage. Vitamin C also helps form the connective tissue collagen, keeps your capillaries and blood vessels healthy, and aids in the absorption of iron.

Blueberries

Why eat blueberries? Blueberries are a rich source of plant compounds (phytonutrients). As with cranberries, phytonutrients in blueberries may help prevent urinary tract infections. Blueberries may also improve short-term memory and promote healthy aging.

Blueberries are also a low-calorie source of fiber and vitamin C - 1 cup of fresh blueberries has 84 calories, 3.6 grams of fiber and 14 mg of vitamin C.

Broccoli

Why eat broccoli? Besides being a good source of calcium, potassium, folate and fiber, broccoli contains phytonutrients - a group of compounds that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamins A and C - antioxidants that protect your body's cells from damage.

Red beans

Why eat red beans? Red beans - including small red beans and dark red kidney beans - are good sources of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and thiamin. They're also an excellent low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and dietary fiber. Red beans also contain phytonutrients that may help prevent chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Salmon

Why eat salmon? Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids - a type of fat that makes your blood less likely to form clots that may cause heart attacks. Omega-3s may also protect against irregular heartbeats that may cause sudden cardiac death, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease the growth of artery-clogging plaques, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.

In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, salmon is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and is a good source of protein.

Spinach

Why eat spinach? Spinach is high in vitamins A and C and folate. It's also a good source of riboflavin, vitamin B-6, calcium, iron and magnesium. The plant compounds in spinach may boost your immune system and may help keep your hair and skin healthy.

Sweet potatoes

Why eat sweet potatoes? The deep orange-yellow color of sweet potatoes tells you that they're high in the antioxidant beta carotene. Food sources of beta carotene, which are converted to vitamin A in your body, may help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of some cancers. Sweet potatoes are also good sources of fiber, vitamins B-6, C and E, folate and potassium. And like all vegetables, they're fat-free and relatively low in calories - one small sweet potato has just 54 calories.

Vegetable juice

Why drink vegetable juice? Vegetable juice has most of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in the original vegetables and is an easy way to include vegetables in your diet. Tomato juice and vegetable juices that include tomatoes are good sources of lycopene, an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of heart attack, prostate cancer and possibly other types of cancer. Some vegetable and tomato juices are very high in sodium, so be sure to select the low-sodium varieties.

Wheat germ

Why eat wheat germ? At the center of a grain of wheat is the wheat germ - the part of the seed that's responsible for the development and growth of the new plant sprout. Though only a small part of the wheat seed, the germ is a highly concentrated source of nutrients, including niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin E, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc. The germ also contains protein, fiber and some fat.

 

Harmful Effects Of Smoking

Cigarettes and more specifically tobacco smoke are full of chemicals and poisons.  As you discovered in our chemicals in cigarettes section tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which make smoking harmful.


Effects of Tobacco Smoke

Smoking KILLS

Every year hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from diseases caused by smoking.

One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age.

Tobacco smoke also contributes to a number of  cancers.

The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels.

This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs
amputated.

Tar coats your lungs like soot in a chimney and causes cancer. A 20-a-day smoker breathes in up to a full cup (210 g) of tar in a year.

Changing to low-tar cigarettes does not help because smokers usually take deeper puffs and hold the smoke in for longer, dragging the tar deeper into their lungs.

Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart  work harder. Over time, your airways swell up and let less air into your lungs.

Smoking causes disease and is a slow way to die. The strain put on your body by smoking often causes years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that slowly rots your lungs. People with emphysema often get bronchitis again and again, and suffer lung and heart failure.

Lung cancer from smoking  is caused by the tar in tobacco smoke. Men who smoke are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.

Heart disease and strokes are also more common among smokers than non-smokers.

Smoking causes fat deposits to narrow and block blood vessels which leads to heart attack.

Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart disease.

In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking.

Do you have an irresistible desire for a soft drink? Do you need to drink at least one soft drink a day? Then you need to be warned they are no harmless sugared drinks.
A soft drink is something that one reaches out for during a tiring journey or an exhaustive shopping ordeal. Children’s parties these days cannot begin without them. Soft drinks have taken a definitive place in our lives. Over the past two decades there has been a great increase in the consumption of these beverages .The market has been flooded with a number of brands targeted at various age groups. In addition to this soft drinks are easily available at most stores and at highly affordable rates. In many places these soft drinks have taken the place of water, to quench thirst. The sizes of the bottles have also grown thus again increasing their intake.

Soft drinks have been there for a long time but no studies were carried out on their effects on the human body. Now there is a growing concern in the medical and scientific communities about the harmful effects associated with carbonated soft drinks. Each 12-ounce serving of a carbonated, sweetened soda has 150 calories and the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. This could contribute a lot to the increasing problem of obesity observed in children. Obesity, which is one of the main health problems facing today's youth, is just one issue associated with sugared drinks. These soft drinks also cut down on the milk consumed by children thus reducing intake of one of the principal sources of calcium.

Scientific studies have shown how as few as one or two soft drinks a day can increase one’s risk for numerous health problems. Some of these health problems are obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, osteoporosis, nutritional deficiencies, heart disease, and many neurological disorders. Soft drinks mostly consist of filtered water and refined sugars.

They have literally no nutritional benefits hence called as empty calories. Excessive consumption however could lead to a host of problems like: -

Liver cirrhosis: It usually occurs in alcoholics. The only cure to this disease is liver transplantation.

Increased acidity: Another common problem found is increased acid levels throughout the body. Soft drinks have a high acidic pH. When large quantities are consumed they disturb the delicate acid alkaline balance of the stomach. Prolonged increased acid levels will cause erosion of the gastric lining, which is very painful and disrupts proper digestion

Effect Of Phosphorus: The phosphorous that is found in the fizz and bubbles emitted from soft drinks fights with hydrochloric acid in the stomach and causes the stomach to be ineffective. When the stomach can’t digest food, the person will have indigestion, gassiness, or bloating

Soft drinks deplete the amount of oxygen in the human body thus increasing the risk for cancer.

The increased risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis: The large amounts of sugar, bubbles caused by carbon dioxide, and phosphoric acid that are found in soft drinks remove nutritious minerals from bones allowing the bones to become weak and increasing the risk for them to break.

Caffeine related disorders: Caffeine is present in soft drinks which when consumed in large amounts can cause diseases and disorders such as insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, irritability, and deviations from the normal heart rate Caramel coloring may be a carcinogen

Dental cavities: Often associated with carbonated beverage. This association is important because the amount of sugars that are consumed is important in forming caries, which is when a cavity effects only the enamel, the outer protective layer of a tooth.

Though carbonated drinks are very popular it is necessary that as consumers we be aware of the ill effects of indiscriminate use of such deleterious beverages .We also need to be careful as the caffeine in these drinks are addictive and can hook us for life. Many children and also a number of adults experience a strong craving for a drink but are unaware that they are being addicted to a dangerous habit. Smoking and alcohol are the most popular addictive and potentially harmful habits but this silent poison called soft drinks catches many of us unaware. Excessive consumption of these highly popular carbonated beverages should be avoided because they are not as harmless as we blindly perceive them to be. Next time you reach out for your choicest drink think twice.

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and  fish... All before making a human. He made and  provided what we'd need before we were born. These  are best & more powerful when eaten raw.   We're such slow  learners...
God left us a great clue as to what foods  help what part of our  body!
God's Pharmacy!  Amazing!


A  sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The  pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye.. . And YES, science now shows carrots  greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the  eyes.


A  Tomato has four chambers and is red The  heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes  are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart  and blood food.


Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound  heart and blood vitalizing food.


A  Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums.  Even the wrinkles or folds on  the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen  neuron-transmitters for brain function.


Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.


Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak.  These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.


Avocadoes,  Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this?  It takes exactly nine (9) months t o grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).


Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow.  Figs increase the m obility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.


Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.


Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries


Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.


Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Here's what to eat to win the cold (and flu) war and other skirmishes 


By Tamara Schryver, RD , Tamara Schryver, RD, is a food and nutrition writer currently pursuing her doctoral degree in nutrition at the University of Minnesota.

If your have a healthy immune system, it tags every pathogen for destruction--be it a virus, fungus, or rogue cell bent on becoming cancerous. It does this by churning out 10 million proteins called antibodies every single hour. This kind of vigilance and fighting power demands a plentiful supply of nutrients.
 

"Poor diet is the biggest cause of a weakened immune system in healthy individuals," says William Boisvert, PhD, an expert in nutrition and immunity at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA.
 

While an all-around healthy diet is the key to stronger immunity, these particular immune system-boosting foods can keep you in fighting condition.
Article continues below...


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1. Beef: Reinforce Your Weak Spots
Zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutritional shortfalls among American adults, especially for vegetarians and those who've cut back on beef, a prime source of this immunity-bolstering mineral. And that's unfortunate, because even mild zinc deficiency can increase your risk of infection. Zinc in your diet is very important for the development of white blood cells, the intrepid immune system cells that recognize and destroy invading bacteria, viruses, and assorted other bad guys, Dr. Boisvert explains.
 

A 3-oz serving of lean beef (enough to make a respectable, but not decadent, roast beef sandwich) provides about 30 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for zinc. That's often enough to make the difference between deficient and sufficient. Just can't stomach beef? Try zinc-rich oysters, fortified cereals, pork, poultry, yogurt, or milk.


2. Sweet Potatoes: Tighten Your Borders
You may not think of skin as part of your immune system. But this crucial organ, covering an impressive 16 square feet, serves as a first-line fortress against bacteria, viruses, and other undesirables. To stay strong and healthy, your skin needs vitamin A. "Vitamin A plays a major role in the production of connective tissue, a key component of skin," explains David Katz, MD, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in Derby, CT.
 
One of the best ways to get vitamin A into your diet is from foods containing beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. One of the quickest, most delicious ways to get beta-carotene? Serve candied sweet potatoes (canned are fine). Each &12;-cup serving delivers only 170 calories but 40 percent of the DV of vitamin A as beta-carotene. They're so good, you might want to save them for dessert! Think orange when looking for other foods rich in beta-carotene: carrots, squash, canned pumpkin, and cantaloupe.
 

Top Five Foods for Killer Immunity
Here's what to eat to win the cold (and flu) war and other skirmishes
By Tamara Schryver, RD , Tamara Schryver, RD, is a food and nutrition writer currently pursuing her doctoral degree in nutrition at the University of Minnesota.

3. Mushrooms: Rev up White Blood Cells
For centuries, people around the world have turned to mushrooms for a healthy immune system. Contemporary researchers now know why. "Studies show that mushrooms increase the production and activity of white blood cells, making them more aggressive. This is a good thing when you have an infection," says Douglas Schar, DipPhyt, MCPP, MNIMH, director of the Institute of Herbal Medicine in Washington, DC.
 
Shiitake and maitake mushrooms, now available fresh in US supermarkets, appear to pack the biggest immunity punch. They're easy to use too. Just add a handful to pasta sauce, saute with a little oil and add to eggs, or heap triple-decker style on a frozen pizza. Good news for absentminded chefs: "Basically, you can burn them, and they will still powerfully stimulate the immune system" says Schar.


4. Tea: Clean up Dangerous Debris
Like all wars, the war on germs is messy business. When your healthy immune system knocks off invaders and then begins to repair whatever damage they've done, it creates some potentially damaging compounds itself (called free radicals) that can damage your cells and their DNA, accelerating aging and setting the stage for diseases such as cancer. Antioxidants can mop up those free radicals before they do their dirty work. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, but both black and green teas are higher in antioxidants than any fruit or vegetable. So pour yourself a restorative cup of this "antioxidant broth."
 

Get the most from each sip by bobbing your tea bag up and down while you brew. In recent studies, jiggled tea bags released five times as many polyphenols, the powerful antioxidants in tea, as sedentary ones.


5. Kefir: Send in the Reinforcements
The mucosal membrane lining your intestinal tract is home to trillions of good bacteria that keep harmful germs from invading via your intestinal wall. Unfortunately, antibiotics can wipe out these good bacteria, leaving you vulnerable to those unwelcome, diarrhea-causing germs.
 

You can send in diet reinforcements by eating yogurt or drinking a delicious fermented milk drink called kefir. Brands that contain active cultures are good sources of healthy bacteria that can repopulate your gut. "Early studies suggest that cultured foods such as kefir and yogurt enhance the immune response and overall health," says Ruth DeBusk, PhD, RD, of the Digestive Disease Clinic in Tallahassee, FL. Kefir has a smooth, creamy texture and, at 160 calories per cup, makes a refreshing dessert.