Isn't it amazing how chefs make the cutting and chopping process seem so pretty and perfect? I have often wished I had those skills, but now I do ... cause I watched this video. Tune in and let Wellness Chef Laurie Erickson show you how to do it right. Amazing how simple she makes it seem.

SportsHealthExercise.org is jam packed with tons of amazing fit tips, videos and recipes.

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When you cook, do you stick to the standard salt and pepper? Or do you get more creative, adding fresh herbs and spices to your meals? There are benefits beyond great flavor ... so the next time you cook, be sure to spice it up.

Using spice has been linked to weight loss, and using herbs and spices in place of salt can benefit your blood pressure. In a recent study, researchers found that many herbs and spices can protect tissues from damage and inflammation -- both of which are problems caused by high blood sugar. So frequent use of certain spices and herbs may help those who are living with diabetes.

Spices and herbs are high in antioxidants. While it's not clear how much of each item is necessary to protect tissues, incorporating these ingredients in your meals in small amounts certainly can't hurt. The spices and herbs researchers found to be beneficial include cloves, cinnamon, allspice, apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, marjoram, sage, and thyme.

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I love bell peppers. They're so delicious just to munch on by themselves or dipped in hummus. I also include peppers in a lot of basics such as scrambled eggs and marinara sauce. So this recipe for green and red pepper relish really appeals to me.

The recipe certainly sounds easy -- after chopping the vegetables, you just have to can them in a pickling solution. This relish would make a delicious topping for burgers, sausage sandwiches, baked chicken ... even fish!

Canning is such an economical and healthful way to preserve summer's bounty for the winter.

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Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Craig Dorn

Age: 22

Occupation: Full-time student

How often do you exercise? Six days a week.

What type of exercise do you do? Weight lifting and running.

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? Knowing that I'll feel and look great as an end result.

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Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

According to the bloggers at The Daily Tiffin, a site devoted to fun and healthy lifestyles, chili peppers are one heck of a Superfood. High in antioxidant carotenes and flavonoids and containing about twice the amount of vitamin C found in citrus fruits, chilies can be added to just about any dish. Homemade soups, stews, chili, salads, and salsas are just a few.

Chilies, believed to have been around for more than 6,000 years, are a member of the plant genus "capsicum" (cap-sih-kum) and contain high levels of special compounds called capsaicinoids. This is what makes them so super. Capsaicinoids are responsible not only for the well-known spicy heat of chilies but also the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-cancer, and heart-healthy effects offered by these potent peppers.

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Instead of eating all those meals with mountains of included sodium levels, have you ever considered fixing "tasteless" foods then spicing them up with various spices to get those taste buds really going?

As some like to say, "there's no such thing as too much pepper" -- something I agree with. Try pepper on everything (except maybe fruit). Red potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, enchiladas and soup and you will be surprised how much this simple and inexpensive ingredient can wallop those foods with flavor without needing to add a bunch of processed flavoring.

In fact, I always looks for "low sodium" foods when shopping. I then add my own pepper, garlic, thyme and other spices to suit my taste -- all without consuming 1,000 milligrams of sodium per sitting in the process. Ever try cinnamon on plain, unflavored yogurt? Mmm.

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Have you ever heard of eating a hot pepper or a spicy dish as a way of cooling down in the summer? I never had, until I came across this article in The Seattle Times where they're comparing the cooling properties of ice cream vs. beer vs. spicy food to see which works better in the heat of the summer.

Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like they find a very clear answer as all the choices have a strong list of pros and cons. Ice cream may make you feel cooler at first but it will warm you up later as your digestive processes get going. Beer will dehydrate you, which will inhibit sweating, and spicy foods will actually make you feel warmer at first followed by cooling due to the sweat (if there's a breeze). So I guess it's a 'pick your poison' kind of thing. Or better yet, stay in the shade and hire somebody to fan you.

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Natural and organic foods are often seen as boring and bland by those who are used to salty and chemical-infused processed foods, but it does not have to be that way. Ever try using fresh herbs in that salad or with that salmon?

Cilantro, Rosemary and Thyme are three of my favorites. Even squeeze a fresh lemon onto that veggie plate? That's another idea to spruce up the taste of some great feeds that don't have a load of MSG to get those taste buds excited while the food behind it is hardly adequate for normal nutrition.

The next time you find yourself trying to eat a healthier regimen of meals, but are discouraged by the bland taste you think may be there, try some fresh herbs (not bottled if possible) and spices. Personally, I use pepper on most foods I eat, although I understand that is too much for many of you. There are, however, many (many) alternatives.

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I was buying glucosamine tablets for my dog to cut down on arthritis inflammation. Then saw some in the drug store for people and thought I would give them a try for the pain in my joints from arthritis. I did not notice much change for either of us. Then I read an article today that glucosamine trials show little benefit against arthritis. The results of 15 trials of over the counter glucosamine vary so widely that industry bias may be a factor influencing the more positive outcomes, concludes a team writing in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Click here to read the MSN health news article and you be the judge.

Native Americans have used cayenne pepper as both food and medicine for at least 9,000 years. It has also been used as a topical remedy for arthritis and muscle pain. So I think I will pull one of my favorite spices out of the cabinet and give it a try to remedy the knee joint pain the natural way. The University of Maryland Medical Center has an article on the healing powers of cayenne pepper. Click here to read their report.

Are you a fan of the grill? Sometimes there is nothing better than a flame-grilled piece of salmon of chicken, but ensuring that tons of sodium and fake taste enhancers are kept at bay can be a challenge. In other words, I don't buy chicken breasts in pre-packaged marinades, which are almost always full of taste enhancers I don't care to eat.

No, I prefer nothing-added poultry or fish. The reason for this is simple: I like to add y own spices without anything extra already added. In other words, You can bet I'll be adding quite a bit of pepper to almost anything I eat these days (there's not such thing as too much), and fresh lemon juice is also handy.

Ever tried grilling salmon on a cedar plank with fresh lemon juice, basil and coarse-ground black pepper? It's a smell and taste sensation that is just incredible. There are so many spices that are zero-calorie and add so much to the taste that it's hard to go wrong. Mayoram, sage, thyme, oregano, basil bay leaves,mint leaves, garlic, dill, white pepper -- the list goes on an one. I know I keep most of those stocked -- and I mix and match them to dishes to get that authentic and excellent taste -- without anything fake in the process (like MSG, yeast extract or anything "autolyzed").

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It is said that some like it hot, but I like it hotter. I love peppers -- hot spicy gems from destinations like the West Indies or Sri Lanka, which are far warmer. I'm guessing you're getting the picture. Other than burning my taste buds into a non-existent state or clearing up a stuffy nose, there are a lot of medicinal qualities associated with peppers that I did not know. Let's look at cayenne pepper to start.

The key to cayenne pepper is a substance called capsaicin, the part of the plant valued by herbalists and scientists across the globe -- high in vitamins A and C and highly nutritious.

According to this essortment site which gives the fiery pepper a moment in the spotlight, cayenne can be used for toothaches, congestion problems, as a liniment for sprains and -- when it is in tea form -- used for the relief of a common cold. Granny's Kitchen is also a fan of the pepper, calling it the Herbal King of Natural Healing. Cayenne is said to promote blood flow and deliver healing blood into sick or dying organs better than any other organ. Blown away yet? I am, because I honestly had no clue how amazing cayenne pepper could be! Check out this piece to get the full 101 on the pepper beyond medicine and in the kitchen. Let's not forget, it tastes good, too.

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