Want to drop a few pounds? Add some spice to your meals -- any kind will do, as long as it's low in calories. According to Fit Celeb, adding zero-calorie spices to your meals can help you lose weight. In fact, in studies, participants who did just that lost an average of 30 lbs in six months, compared to two lbs in the control group. Wow. The key to the weight loss was attributed to the aroma of the dishes -- taking a moment to savour the smell of the food was key to participants' weight loss.

A few things to keep in mind: Butter is not a spice, and neither is salt -- both will likely cause you to gain weight rather than lose it. However, be sure to stock up on healthy, flavourful spices like cinnamon, dill, rosemary, curry powder and so on.

What's your favourite spice?

Source

Beans are good for us. Martha's post about beans, the magical fruit tells us this, and the high-fiber protein powerhouse can make even the staunchest carnivores feel satisfied after a vegetarian meal that includes beans.

But did you know that eating vegetarian will actually save you money? That's a big consideration right now, with the penny-pinching hitting nearly everyone in some way.

Start with this well-rounded recipe from Epicurious, Pappardelle with Bean Bolognese Sauce, and convert your meat-lovers! With three kinds of beans, tomatoes, butternut squash, and fresh rosemary, you won't be lacking for flavor.

Source

Craving a juicy burger on the grill this summer? Grilling has come (no pun intended) under fire lately, due to a cancer-causing compound that's created when meat is grilled.

Source

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!

Rosemary is more than a simple herb. It's a tall evergreen shrub that grows as high as five feet and is often used as a a festive decoration and ingredient in medicines and fragrances too. It's also quite good in the kitchen. In fact, the author of this site recommends we consider rosemary in all of its three glories: Spiritual, medicinal, and culinary.

Originating in the Mediterranean and then spreading to the United States and Europe, rosemary was used for centuries to treat nervous system ailments, says Discovery Health. Healthwise, it's used today in aromatherapy to enhance senses and boost memory and it just happens to contain those magical antioxidants -- carnosol is its strongest -- which help prevent cancer and high cholesterol. It also helps stimulate the immune system, increase circulation, and improves digestion, according to The World's Healthiest Foods site. It contains anti-inflammatory compounds, increases blood flow to the head and brain, and improve concentration. Whew. That' s some pretty good stuff.

Rosemary, with a reputation of a protector plant that can ward off bad spirits, disease, plague, and infestation, has been used during sickness, funerals, weddings, and even in churches. Tradition has it that rosemary is quite powerful if planted at the four corners of a house and developed into a hedge and planted in fields for the protection of the crops. It's an all-around, feel good herb, this rosemary stuff. Should you be in the mood, then, for some good times and some good food, try using it next time you cook. Here are some recommended recipes.

Carrot Rosemary Vinaigrette
Garlic Rosemary Mushrooms
Grilled Rosemary Chicken
Rosemary-Sage Burgers with Apple Slaw and Chive "mayo"
Rosemary Cheese Microwave Popcorn (Thanks, Bev)

Source

Rosemary Ellis, Good Housekeeping magazine's Editor in Chief, writes in her January 2008 Editor's letter about this weight loss secret: It's not what you eat and it's not how much you exercise -- it's what you write down about what you eat that matters most in the battle against the bulge.

"Jotting down every bite makes you increasingly aware of what you're eating," writes Ellis. "And when you're more in tune with that, you tend to make smarter choices. The extra weight drops off and is more likely to stay off -- as long as you keep writing."

Why do food diaries work? Because they keep us in the moment and require us to make judgment calls. They make a record of what we're putting in our bodies and that tends to be enough for many to forsake an indulgence.

If losing weight is on your to-do list, consider investing in a notebook and a pen and scribbling down your own bites. See if it makes a difference in how you eat and how you carry your weight. If this technique works for weight management, it might help in other areas of your life too. Maybe an anger journal would help keep your outbursts to a minimum -- instead of shouting at the target of your upset, write instead and calmly approach your subject at a later date. Keep an exercise journal, a happiness journal, a gratitude journal, or a parenting journal. Just keep writing and you're sure to become better at the topics that unfold at your fingertips.

Source

In 90-seconds, you can walk to the kitchen and open a bag of chips and a soda. Or you can improve your health -- which sounds better? I know you're leading towards the chips, but think about how much better you'll feel if you choose your health.

According to Prevention, you can improve your health in 90 seconds. Now, that's not that's all it takes, but here are some easy things you can do in addition to leading a healthy lifestyle:

• Eat the apple peel. You might like apple slices bare, but most of the nutrition is in the skin.
  
• Sniff lavender and rosemary. Studies have shown that doing this can help slow the aging process.
  
• Add pistachios to your salad. This can significantly reduce your cholesterol
• Instead of pouring on the sugar, use buckwheat honey.
  

Want more great tips? Click here.

Source

Inflammation is the body's response to tissue damage and infection. There are many conditions that cause inflammation. Genetics play a role, so does the environment. Environmental factors include diet, exposure to toxins, germs, pollutants, and inhalants. Some people have a genetic predisposition to heightened inflammation which can cause them to have an illness such as rheumatoid arthritis. But a commonly overlooked cause of inflammation is poor diet.

Foods that cause inflammation are sugar, simple carbohydrates, and certain fatty acids and oils. To reduce inflammation avoid junk foods such as donuts, pastry, and sugared drinks. Insufficient consumption of fish, fruit and vegetables is as bad for human health as smoking.A diet that reduces inflammation consists mostly of vegetables and fish. In my opinion, the foods that cause the least inflammation and are the most anti-inflammatory are fish such as halibut and salmon, and all kinds of vegetables. Make changes slowly and accept the fact that there may be times when you binge on unhealthy snacks and foods.

There are many other herbs and nutrients that could be taken to reduce inflammation. For instance using curry and cinnamon when cooking is great. Use a variety of herbs and spices. Many of them have antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. For instance, curry has curcumin, rosemary has rosmarinic acid and ginger has vanillin and zingerone. All of these compounds have health benefits. Basil, bay leaves, cumin, chili powder, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, oregano, pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic appears to protect against fungal and bacterial infections, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood clots and even cancer. Bee pollen, pomegranate, goji, mangosteen, graviola, green tea extract, and spirulina, are great herbs and additions to add to the body. A calcium supplement is recommended for postmenopausal women.

Cutting down or cutting out your sugar intake is a must to cut down on inflammation. Stevia, a no calorie natural herbal sweetener, is available in liquid or powder in health food stores. Reduce your intake of artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin also.

Source