That's Fit

The Hot Latin Diet by Dr. Manny Alvarez promises to provide the fast track to a "bombshell body." Sounds good, right? Who doesn't want to look hot -- and Latin food has a pretty high yum factor.

Alvarez is an OB/GYN and a medical contributor for Fox News. He claims that Latin Americans have a long life expectancy and lower levels of obesity. Alvarez believes this is because of seven Latin superfoods -- tomatillos, garbanzo beans, avocados, chilies, cinnamon, garlic, and cilantro. The book suggests two phases that introduce these superfoods into the diet.

Helene Charlebois, a Canadian registered dietitian reviewed the book and has some concerns. While she agrees that the seven foods Alvarez includes in the diet are health-promoting and good additions to your menu, she says that the plan lacks good science, clear directions, and easy-to-follow menus and recipes. She says that The Hot Latin Diet is not a plan that can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle.

I'm not a big believer in the whole superfood concept. I think any diet that's filled with a variety of healthful, nutritious foods is going to be beneficial.

The other day, however, I got into a discussion with the mother of one of my son's teammates. She's reading Anticancer: A New Way of Life and is really learning a lot. Reviews of this book state that, while many of the recommendations are grounded in science, some are a little fuzzy around the edges. But, in my humble opinion, if a food is tasty, good for you in other ways, nutritionally sound, and may potentially ward off cancer or other diseases, then by all means ... go for it.

The book's author believes that 85% of cancer causes are environmental. The foods we eat are one of the most easily controlled factors. Three of the foods he recommends in moderation are garlic oil, red wine, and dark chocolate. Check out the gallery for more cancer-fighting foods.

Fried green tomatoes, step aside: there's a healthier dish in town. Full of flavor and nutritious goodies, green tomato rice may become the new "in" side dish using the popular unripe fruit.

We don't want the trans fats that frying gives us, and bread crumbs have almost no nutritional value. And we certainly don't want the calories in fried green tomatoes -- 312 calories in just one tomato! Brown rice, on the other hand, supplies B vitamins and fiber, and garlic, thyme and jalepeno all have their heart-smart health benefits.

To get the most from green tomato rice, be sure to use brown rice (and increase the broth slightly) and nitrite-free turkey bacon; then enjoy your new green tomato staple side dish!

There's no denying it -- some people seem to be prone to every kind of illness out there, while some are healthy as a horse. I tend to fall into the latter category -- besides one doozy of a cold I had last January, I haven't been sick in ages. But trust me, I'm exposed to just as many germs as anyone else, be it at the office, at the gym, at school and just about any public place I frequent.

AOL Health recently listed the healthy habits of women who never get sick, including these:

• Get regular massages (I really like this one!)
• Wash your hands
• Sip ginger and honey for stomach and bowel issues
• Take cold showers
• Get your fill of garlic, vitamin c and zinc

As for me, I find that the old adage an apple a day keeps the doctor away really works! How do you stay healthy?

Our CSA Farm has begun to produce an abundance of tomatoes these past few weeks. Aside from eating them like apples, as my three-year-old often chooses to do, you can make fresh tomato salad, salsa, or fresh tomato sauce.

Our very informal uncooked recipe goes something like this:

• Chop a bunch of tomatoes and put them in a bowl.
• Add enough balsamic vinegar and olive oil to cover them.
• Stir fresh minced garlic and chopped fresh basil into the tomato mixture.
• Season with seas salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Let marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.
  
  

This is such a refreshing summer meal when served on pasta with a green salad, or a tasty snack as a bruschetta topping.

Broccoli is so nutritionally awesome, I dare say I am not going out on a limb by declaring broccoli the Supreme Ruler of the Veggieverse. Clearly you all are realizing right about now that I spend far too much time with my super-hero-obsessed son.

Pardon my digression, but I'm right, aren't I? If broccoli can be death-defying, cancer-fighting, calcium-rich and just plain yummy, then why shouldn't we put it on a well-deserved pedestal?

Try putting it on a plate instead -- with these three recipes: one easy, one cool, and one stealthy.

When winter is in full force, you almost expect to catch a few colds. But, with August temperatures reaching the upper 80s on an almost daily basis, a sniffle in the summer seems altogether unusual -- not to mention unfair.

Nevertheless, as evidenced by a pretty nasty three-day man cold I got hammered with back in early July, it's abundantly clear colds -- though more prevalent during colder months -- are a sickness for all seasons. Fortunately, there are some dietary steps we can take target-harden ourselves against illness. Here are just a few I felt were worth mentioning.

Yogurt - A study showed that people who ate three-quarters of a cup of yogurt daily for a year had 25 percent fewer colds than those who didn't. Because it contains probiotics, yogurt helps strengthen the immune system.

Red Bell Pepper - With 130mg more vitamin C than an orange, red bell pepper is a great source for this cold-fighting nutrient.

Eggs - High in B vitamins, zinc, and amino acids, eggs boost white blood cell count and antibodies, which the body needs to stave off illness.

Ginger - Many cultures consider ginger to be a panacea for colds. Researchers say that fresh ginger may help fight viruses by helping the body sweat out toxins.

Garlic - Immune-strengthening, sulfur-based compounds contained in garlic may help the body stay free of infection.

A breath mint is another coffee breath killer, but it will only work in the short-term. Consider it a hold-over until you can round up your toothbrush and paste. Can't get to a mint or the bathroom sink? In a pinch, you can fill your mouth with water and give it a good swish.

Coming from an Italian family (on my mother's side), there are certain foods that I simply cannot get enough of. Unfortunately, in some cases I have to pass on many of them; pasta dishes, especially those doused in creamy Alfredo sauce, are sadly limited, for example. However, the familiar aroma of a garlic-filled kitchen is something I can thankfully still enjoy, as a diet rich in this "stinking rose" (a nod to those of you in San Francisco) comes with numerous health benefits.

In particular, garlic contains high amounts of the proven cancer-fighting compound allyl sulphur. However, a recent study from Penn State University revealed that heating garlic for as little as one minute in a microwave deactivates the enzyme and blocks its disease prevention properties.

The good news is that if you crush or chop garlic and allow it to stand for about ten minutes before cooking, it gives the allyl sulphur time to stabilize and will not interfere with the herb's anti-cancer effects.

I have a child who loves salad. If fact, we often make whole meals out of salad topped with shrimp. My boy is happy when I add carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and other sliced veggies on his salad, but if I even attempt to put a relatively healthy dressing on top he just about gags. He's a ranch dressing boy through and through. I'll keep offering him healthier choices, though.

After all, if you're eating a salad why add unnecessary calories with an unhealthy dressing? There are plenty of better alternatives that are every bit as tasty. Eating Light has several yummy salad dressing recipes to try:

• This Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing has only 38 calories and 3 grams of fat per serving (2 tablespoons).
• Each 2 tablespoon serving of this Creamy Dill Ranch Dressing has only 19 calories and 1 gram of fat.
• Tangy Herb and Horseradish Dressing has 46 calories and 4 grams of fat in each 2 tablespoon serving.
• Orange-Oregano Dressing has 27 calories and 2 grams of fat per 2 tablespoon serving.
• Don't be deceived by the higher fat and calories in Roasted Garlic Dressing. Most of the 154 calories and 14 grams of fat (in a 2 tablespoon serving) come from olive oil -- a good source of beneficial monounsaturated fat.
• There are only 19 calories and 1 gram of fat in this Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette. Plus, the tomatoes give you a healthy dose of lycopene!
  
• This Asian-style Sesame Tamari Vinaigrette has 37 calories and 2 grams of fat per 2 tablespoon serving.
  

Kate Moss hasn't exactly been known for her healthy image -- she's better known for her partying, drug use, and waif-like physique. However, she's making an effort to get her body into better, healthier shape this spring with the help of her good gal pal, Sadie Frost.

Each spring, Sadie does a detox in which she cuts out dairy, pasta, potatoes, meat, and fish, and this year Kate has decided to join her, which has meant forgoing her favorite greasy, fried foods. They've been noshing on garlic and Sadie's mom's homemade tomato sauce to keep their hunger at bay.

Seems like they could hire a nutritionist and private chef to come up with something a little tastier and more healthful, but hey, at least they're getting some nutrients!

So you're the type of person who fills your grocery cart with healthy foods -- fruits and veggies of every shape and color, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. Your healthy choices are enough to make the check-out person feel guilty about the candy bar stashed beneath her register. But are you sure you're getting the most vitamins and minerals out of the foods that you buy?

Shape has a list of 9 common kitchen mistakes even healthy eaters make:

• Overloading on produce. It's best to buy fresh fruits and veggies within just a few days of using them. If you stock up on too many they'll lose precious nutrients as they sit on your counter waiting to be eaten. Or, worse yet, they'll end up going to waste altogether.
  
• Exposing foods to light. Opt for milk in cardboard boxes and don't store foods in glass canisters or see-through storage containers. Many foods are susceptible to a process called photooxidation in which light breaks down the nutrients.
  

Gyms are a great place to get fit, but they're also a great place to get sick. Because intense exercise may temporarily lower immunity, you may be somewhat susceptible to catching a cold or flu.

An article in the International Journal of Sports Medicine reports that people who work out tend to have fewer germ-fighting resistance molecules in their saliva after working out than before they start. So, to help stave off sickness, always wash down machines and equipment before using it, assuming that the person who used it before you didn't. Also, try to keep your hands away from your face if possible, and wash them with soap and water before leaving the gym for the day.

As for immune-boosting foods, try to consume a diet rich in vitamin C, zinc, and garlic, as all have been shown to have some semblance of affect on preventing and/or reducing the duration of a cold.

In our house, we tend to keep food in our fridge for longer than most people. It's part laziness, part iron stomachs and part frugality, but whatever the cause, I'm often left scratching my head wondering if I should use a certain ingredient in my next meal. But I recently came across this handy timeline for storing common fruits and veggies:

• Carrot (peeled): 51 days
  
• Tomato: 36 days
  
• Garlic: 30 days
• Broccoli: 27 days
• Strawberry: 22 days
  
• Asparagus: 22 days
• Spinach: 19 days
• Grapes (black and green): 14 days
• Peppers (red and green): 14 days
• Cucumber: 8 days
• Lettuce: 8 days

Surprising, yes? I thought the times on many of these were much shorter. This is good news though, particularly for those month-old carrots in the back of my fridge.

Even though winter finally seems to be nearing its end, it doesn't mean that you still can't catch a cold. In addition to regular exercise and getting enough sleep, try eating foods that have been shown to boost your body's defenses. Here is a list of five foods, sourced from Fitness Magazine, that may help.

Ginger - Many cultures consider ginger to be a panacea for colds. Researchers say that fresh ginger may help fight viruses by helping the body sweat out toxins.

Eggs - High in B vitamins, zinc, and amino acids, eggs boost white blood cell count and antibodies, which the body needs to stave off illness.

Garlic - Immune-strengthening, sulfur-based compounds contained in garlic may help the body stay free of infection.

Yogurt - A study showed that people who ate three-quarters of a cup of yogurt daily for a year had 25 percent fewer colds than those who didn't. Because it contains probiotics, yogurt helps strengthen the immune system.

Red Bell Pepper - With 130mg more vitamin C than an orange, red bell pepper is a great source for this cold-fighting nutrient.