That's Fit

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

Few health foods can be found in the junk food aisle of your local grocery store. But there is one healthy item to be had in the seemingly endless sea of stuff that's bad for you. I'll give you a hint: it comes in little tins. Give up yet? Next time you're not sure what to pick up for a quick a delicious snack, nuts are your best bet.

But wait a second, you say. Aren't nuts high in fat? And salt? And calories? The answers to those questions are yes, yes and yes, but don't be too quick to write nuts off -- I'll tell you why.

Man, nuts are expensive. A strange way to open a discussion, I know, but I needed to get right to the point. And as I take a quick look back at that first sentence, I'm thankful for the way a comma can help clarify the meaning of a statement. Anyway, back to what I was saying: nuts are not cheap these days. Where I shop, a good sized package of almonds can run about six bucks. Walnuts are only slightly cheaper. With the exception of peanuts, it seems as though the price of nuts has become ... well, for lack of a better term, nuts.

This is too bad, really. Nuts are an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat -- the kind that helps reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol. In addition, studies have shown that nuts may also reduce inflammation in blood vessels, helping to prevent against the development of heart disease.

Considering that nuts contain the antioxidant vitamin E, as well as a fair amount of folate and niacin (among myriad other nutrients), you'd think there would be government action taken to make them more affordable. A handful of almonds, for example, would make for a much healthier snack in a kid's lunchbox than would a bag of potato chips; yet, the small container of almonds cost twice as much as an overstuffed bag of the latter. With the growing problem of obesity (no pun intended) in this country among kids and adults, efforts should be made to make healthy foods such as nuts the better financial option than sugary and salty snacks.

We all know the foods that help us pack on the pounds. It's time to focus on those with the power to help us drop a few. Check out these four.

Walnuts
They're high in calories but have lots of protein, healthy fats, and omega-3 fatty acids which will keep you feeling full. They can also help lower cholesterol. Don't go overboard but try 10-12 walnuts for a mid-afternoon snack. Or add a few on top of your salad at lunch.

Whole Grain Cereal
This high-in-fiber food takes longer to digest and keeps you feeling full longer. Oatmeal, also a cholesterol-lowering food, does the same.

Watermelon
The water in this fruit -- try lettuce, cantaloupe, and cucumbers too -- will fill you up without a lot of calories. The vitamins and antioxidants in this treat will also boost your immune system.

Green Tea
Green tea can help you lose weight because of compounds called catechins which increase metabolism and help your body burn fat more quickly. Forget the milk and sugar and this tea has no calories.

Check out this AOL Body site for more diet basics.

I don't think there's a person out there who doesn't want flatter abs, and if you don't, that's probably because you already have washboard abs, and you should know that we are all insanely jealous of you. But seriously. Getting flat abs is hard, but there are a few steps that can help you get closer to your goal.

The first step? Eating well. According to AOL Body, you should add these items to your diet to shrink your belly:

• Almonds
• Avocado
• Chocolate -- the dark or semi-sweet kind
• Flax seed oil
• Macadamia nuts
• Natural peanut butter
• Olive oil
• Pistachios
• Sunflower seeds
• Walnuts

Things to avoid? Think white -- mainly anything with refined sugar or refined flour. And go easy on the carbs, mmmmkay?

I like nuts. Okay, that sounded weird. Allow me to back up for a second -- I like peanuts, almonds, cashews and even the occasional macadamia. All make for great, healthy snacks, and all of them carry their own, individual health benefits. But, the one nut that I just can't seem to develop a taste for is one that may be the very best in terms of lowering cholesterol and protecting blood vessels: Walnuts. Despite what I keep reading about how healthy walnuts are for you, how many times I see news briefs saying the same thing, or even how my fiance swears that they have helped stabilize her cholesterol levels, I still can't bring myself to eat those damn things.

But, I should try. Maybe I can coat them with something delicious -- like dark chocolate, which would also provide me with the health benefits of its own natural flavonoids. Cinnamon is supposed to help regulate insulin/blood sugar levels, so maybe that would be yet another healthy way to eat walnuts without wanting to spit them out when no one is looking. Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Roasting them might help, kind of like almonds or chestnuts. The bottom line is that these damn nuts are healthy and the science is certainly there to support that -- yet, I still can't bring myself to eat them.

Are you nuts for nuts? I am -- walnuts, pecans, almonds and peanuts in particular. Not only are they healthy, but they are tasty as well. The bad thing is that those tasty, nutritious nuts can sometimes get stale if not stored correctly.

Why do nuts go bad? The healthy oil inside them is the reason. Some of the best oils for heart health are inside many nuts, but if not kept preserved, they will go bad. Answer: freeze those nuts. And no, husbands should not be laughing at that line. You know what I meant.

Still, some plastic containers (or glass, which is more preferable) make for great nut storage in the side compartments of the freezer. Make sure your contained of choice is airtight, and you'll have nuts waiting for you to enjoy long after they would have gone bad at room temperature.

Omega-3s have the medically proven ability to reduce the amount of fat in your blood and help lower triglycerides. Triglycerides are a huge risk factor in heart attacks. Not only are they good for the heart but they help with depression, type 2 diabetes, fatigue, dry and itchy skin, brittle hair and nails, joint pain and other inflammation in the body, and the inability to concentrate. Here are some top 10 food sources for Omega-3s. Start a healthy habit by adding some of these items to your daily diet and remember to buy organic when available.

Flax Seeds
Dried Ground Cloves
Walnuts
Salmon, Halibut, Cod
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Dried Ground Oregano
Mustard Seeds
Brussel Sprouts
Cooked Soybeans

Ugh! I just read Women's Health magazine today, which I happen to love. I was so annoyed though! The magazine reports on the latest research, and I really felt like they crossed the line with relevance this month. There was this clip about how research shows that when you eat a meal high in trans fats, eating some walnuts with it could be beneficial. What?!?!

What the heck is the world supposed to do with that information? Stash a baggie of walnuts in their glove compartment just in case they go out for a really greasy meal? I suppose they're suggest that on top of eating a really greasy meal, ingesting about 200 calories worth of high fat walnuts would somehow improve the situation. With information like this being published, I'm not surprised the average Joe is totally confused on how to go about getting fit and staying healthy.

Folks, it's really not all that confusing. Make the great majority of your meals and snacks nutritious and low in fat. Enjoy lots of fruits, veggies, lean meat, and some starchy carbs. Sweets and fried foods should be a rarity. Avoid using oil, butter, grease, or fattening sauces. Exercise most days of the week. Huff and puff when you do cardio, grunt when you train for strength, and wince just a little when you're working on flexibility. Carrying nuts around just in case you go overboard on the birthday cake would be majorly OCD.

We can all take lessons from the natural remedies coming from the Indian heritage and other ancient cultures. They had to rely on what nature gave them and not bottled up drug store tablets. The first obvious remedy to reduce fatigue is getting enough rest and sleep. The next step should be to exercise every day so that you induce some perspiration. This naturally brings out toxins in the body that can cause fatigue. Eating organic foods reduces toxins that we can put in our body. Eating high fiber foods, fruits, vegetables, juices, sprouts, grains, nuts, seeds, and beans boost energy levels in t he body. Vitamins A, D, C, and E are important and if you aren't eating enough foods high in these vitamins then by all means resort to taking a multivitamin tablet twice to help boost your energy. But remember getting vitamins the natural way is better because the body absorbs them better. Make sure you are getting enough calcium, magnesium and potassium. Low amounts of these are common in patients experiencing fatigue. Tobacco and alcohol also drain the body of oxygen and energy so by staying away from those you will reduce toxins in your body and feel better.

Caffeine and sugar may give you a quick fix of energy but these are false energy boosters and when coming down off of these substances you feel even more tired. Getting sunshine and taking a walk outside helps in reducing stress so that the body can naturally relax. A cold morning shower invigorates the body and gets your blood flowing. This pumps oxygen to your system faster and rejuvenates you. A mixed green salad once a day adding parsley, alfalfa, dandelion, bean sprouts, and walnuts or pine nuts and using a light drizzle of vinegar and olive as the dressing is a great food to naturally boost energy.