The Beautiful Side of Avocados

Ranked by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most nutritious fruit, avocados offer a wealth of health and beauty benefits. Beloved around the world for their buttery richness and subde nutty flavor, avocados are the fruit of Persea americana, a tall evergreen tree native to the subtropical Americas.

Health Benefits Galore

Until fairly recently, avocados were shunned because of their high fat content -- almost three-quarters of an avocado is pure fat. But the fat found in avocados is of the healui-protective monounsaturated variety, primarily oleic acid. Avocados contain more than 20 beneficial nutrients, including potassium, folate, copper, and vitamins C, B6, E and K.

The Artery-Clogging Menace: Trans Fat

Trans fat has become the toxic waste of our heart-smart, weight-watching world.

Dr. Nate E. Lebowitz, a cardiologist at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center (N.J.), even goes so far as to compare artificial trans fat cooking and baking oils to arsenic.

"There literally is not much difference," said Lebowitz, associate chief of cardiology. Trans fat "is just a slower killer" than arsenic, he said.

He tells his patients to read ingredient labels and look out for trans fats, also called trans fatty acids, as well as partially hydrogenated oil. "This stuff is literally poison," he said. "If you see it, put it back on the shelf, run away and wash your hands."

The Anatomy of Arthritis

The numbers can rattle you down to your bones if you let them. Millions upon millions of adults now suffer from arthritis from all around the globe. The numbers are much worse when you consider that arthritis pain and other arthritis symptoms are so hard to live with.

Arthritis symptoms can include debilitating pain in your joints and in your bones. It can lead to the inability to move certain limbs or extreme stiffness in others.

Arthritis pain could steal your ability to feed yourself with utensils, to be able to pick up your grandchildren, or to even get out of bed in the morning.

Teens and Weight Management

Adolescence is unquestionably a difficult time for most teens, from the emotional to the physical changes that accompany growing up. Of these changes, one of the biggest challenges for kids and teens today is weight management. According to the CDC,  childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years.

This should be of great concern to parents, as obesity frequently becomes a lifelong struggle, often leading to other serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Helping your child establish healthy relationships with food and exercise are key to successful weight management in both the short and long-term, and set the foundation for healthy adult habits. Preparing healthy meals and encouraging time for physical activity can help overcome some of  these challenges, and can also help you stay on track, too!

Supersize This: Some More Susceptible to Obesity Than Others

If you'd bumped into nursing student Adde Karimi last September, he probably wouldn't have had much time to chat. He was too busy stuffing his face with burgers, cola and milkshakes. It takes a lot of planning to get 6,600 calories of junk food down you in a day, he explains.

If you're not a born glutton, serious overeating also requires a high level of commitment. Karimi's motivation was commendable. "I did it because I wanted to hate this type of food," he says. He also did it for science.

Karimi was a volunteer in an experiment based on the 2004 documentary "Super Size Me." In the movie, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock spent 30 days eating exclusively at McDonald's, never turning down an offer to "supersize" to a bigger portion, and avoiding physical exertion. Karimi followed a similar regime, gorging himself on energy-dense food and keeping exercise to a minimum.

Superfood News: Strawberries Fight Cold and Flu

One serving of eight medium strawberries contains 84 milligrams of Vitamin C and a boost against colds and flu, says a U.S. expert.

Considered a superfood, strawberries are loaded with nutrients, are low in sugar, and contain more Vitamin C than oranges, according to Dr. Navindra Seeram of the University of California Los Angeles Center for Human Nutrition.

Most people associate vitamin C with oranges, but if you look at oranges versus strawberries, ounce per ounce, strawberries actually contain more vitamin C than oranges, says Seeram.

Step-By-Step Guide to a Stroll

Just 30 minutes of moderate walking five days a week can have dramatic long-term health benefits -- reducing blood pressure, body fat and cholesterol levels, and our risks of developing heart disease, cancer and dementia -- according to Dr. Mark Hamer, an expert in exercise physiology at University College London.

"When we start to walk, the adrenal glands, situated close to the kidneys, release adrenaline into the blood, pushing up the heart rate and increasing blood supply to the major leg muscle groups, the quadriceps (thighs) and the calves (the backs of the lower legs)," he says.

"Breathing increases as the activity demands more oxygen supply to the muscles. The average person has a resting heart rate of around 75 beats per minute.

Stay Away High-Calorie Coffee Drinks

A cup of black coffee is almost calorie-free.  But, watch out.  Gourmet coffee drinks can pack more calories than a platter of deep-fat-fried onion rings, according to a new study from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

A survey of customers at 42 Starbucks and 73 Dunkin’ Donuts in New York City found that servings of coffee or tea averaged only about 63 calories, even with the addition of milk and sugar -- so if you stop there, you are fine. However, blended drinks averaged 239 calories (approximately 90 more calories than found in a can of soda pop).

A large ice-blended drink contained 750 calories, and large blended drinks topped out at up to 880 calories - which is more than two Quarter Pounders at McDonalds! I don’t know about you, but I’d rather save my extra calories for a bite of delicious dark chocolate or glass of red wine ... which by the way comes in at a fraction of the calorie cost ... than a platter of onion rings disquised as a cup of coffee!

Spider Bites Have Unexpected Sexual Side Effects

If your guy gets freaked out by the sight of a big spider, he’s got a good reason.

The bite of the rather large banana spider, with a leg span that can be four to five inches long, causes hours-long erections. (Add your own joke here if you want.) But that’s not actually good news, because the condition, priapism, can be quite painful.  Other effects of the spider bite can be difficult breathing, loss of muscle control, and even death by oxygen deprivation.

The spider gets its name from the fact that it hangs out on banana plantations in the tropics. It can then hitch a ride on bunches of bananas that end up in supermarkets, assuming the crawlies aren’t spotted in transit. And you’re not safe just because you don’t live near banana-boat unloading docks.  Banana spiders have been spotted in stores in Oklahoma and Canada.

Spicy Ways to Fight Arthritis

For centuries, spices have been used to preserve food and enhance its flavor, and as remedies for a long list of ailments. With the rise of allopathic medicine, much of that folk wisdom fell out of favor, and spices were replaced with prescription drugs.

Today the pendulum is swinging back, and researchers are confirming what herbalists have known all along -- the spice rack can be as potent as a medicine chest. Spices are rich sources of antioxidants and phytochemicals, both of which help our cells repair damage while easing symptoms of many common conditions. "They're powerhouses of pleasure and health," observes Victoria Zak, author of The Magic Teaspoon (Penguin Group, 2006).

Spice Up Your Life With Curry

As National Curry Week starts we show you how your favorite spicy meal can boost your health.

Tumeric: The yellow spice that gives curry its color has long been used worldwide as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antibacterial agent, thanks to a chemical in it called curcumin. Curcumin is also thought to be able to protect liver and kidney function, ward off Alzheimer's disease and even kill cancer cells.

Chili: Chilis raise the heart rate, increase perspiration and release endorphins due to capsaicin, a substance which gives chilis their "heat." Capsaicin is commonly used as a painkiller to help manage arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, shingles, postmastectomy pain and headaches as it depletes the level of pain-perception molecules in the bloodstream. But the pepper component also dilates the blood vessels, thereby increasing blood circulation and reducing blood pressure. It may also help stave off cancer. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center discovered capsaicin can kill off prostate cancer cells in the laboratory, although further human trials are needed. 

Soy Products: What You Need to Know

Soy foods are turning up in more forms, in more markets. Some soy foods bear government authorized labels noting that soy protein can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol.

In order to claim the healthy effects of soy, a product must meet the following criteria (per serving):

6.25 grams soy protein or more

Low fat (less than three grams)

Low saturated fat (less than one gram)

Low cholesterol (less than 20 milligrams)

Foods made with whole soybeans may also qualify for the health claim if they contain no fat in addition to that present in the soybeans. These would include soy foods such as tofu, a white bean curd that can be marinated and saut

Soy Milk Makes a Splash

Consumed in China for centuries, soymilk can be found in the refrigerated section or on dry shelves in all sorts of forms and flavors. And whether it comes plain or flavored, as a liquid or powder, or even in aseptic packages, which will keep for along time, soymilk can provide a host of health benefits -- and add a little jazz to your diet.

Tallying Up the Benefits

"Soy can definitely be a healthy addition to almost any diet," says Winnie Yu, author of "What to Eat for What Ails You." The plant protein is naturally low in saturated fat and contains a healthy dose of magnesium, riboflavin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Regular consumption of soy has been linked to the following: