It’s been seven years since I’ve had a soda. But there was a time when I was ravenous for Mountain Dew. It was cold, it was fizzy, and it tasted damn good. Whether I was slaving away in the lab, poring over science journals in the library, or even teaching organic chemistry, nothing stopped me from drinking it. I was hooked. Little did I know, I had developed a biochemical addiction to the sugar in Mountain Dew that could have led me to an early grave.

Do you have an addiction to sugary sodas? If so, pay careful attention. I’ll reveal what you need to do to save your health.

In a study comparing the addictive properties of sweeteners, sugar proved more addictive than cocaine. When consumed, sugar increases serotonin levels within the brain. This increases the production of endorphins. Like drugs, these brain chemicals trigger opioid receptors, thereby eliciting the sensation of happiness. This artificial increase in serotonin levels causes the body to down-regulate its natural production and release of serotonin. Addiction begins to creep in.

Serotonin is responsible for controlling mood and appetite. Without serotonin, a person gets depressed and craves more sugar. This forges an emotional bond between happiness and sugar (or soda sweetened with sugar). Sugar addicts become dependent on it to increase serotonin and therefore make them feel happy. That explains why, no matter what I was doing, I would drop it to get my Mountain Dew fix! By leveraging this biochemical addiction, soda manufacturers are making a fortune.

The problem with sugar addiction is that it leads to obesity and Type II diabetes. Not only was I an honorary member of The Fat Cow Hall of Fame (I weighed 205 lbs with 30 percent body fat; off soda today, I’m 170 lbs with 10 percent body fat), I was boosting my blood sugar to dangerous levels. One soda per day increases your risk of diabetes by 85 percent, which can reduce your lifespan by 11 to 20 years.

The addiction can be totally overcome in about three weeks. To do it, you need plenty of exercise and sunshine, along with L-tryptophan from grass-fed beef and whey isolate. Natural sweeteners like stevia and agave can help you ease off the soda (use them to make a natural soda from sparkling water and lime), as can herbal teas (like Yerba Mate).

[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison's (www.thepeopleschemist.com) entire career has been dedicated to the study of molecules - how they give life and how they take from it. He was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his research in biochemistry and physiology. He is a bestselling author, holds a master's degree in organic chemistry, and has firsthand experience in drug design. Take advantage of his knowledge and insights to look and feel your best in 90 days.]

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Could preventing breast cancer be as simple as cutting out carbs and sweets? Yes. That really is one way to decrease your risk of acquiring this vicious disease.

As you know from reading ETR, eating carbohydrates and simple sugars causes a spike in blood sugar. The constant elevation of blood sugar can, and often does, end in insulin resistance. And when that happens, your body loses the ability to utilize the calories from the carbohydrates you eat.

It’s a cumulative effect: You eat carbs, your insulin levels rise but become less efficient at getting glucose into your cells to be used for fuel, and your body begins to store excess fat. This combination of elevated blood sugar, insulin, and increased fat tissue causes inflammation, which goes on to damage tissues in your body (e.g., the inside of your arteries). It is also connected to the production of a substance called insulin-like growth factor (IGF).

You probably know that insulin resistance leads to diabetes, heart disease, and strokes. But you may not realize how strongly insulin resistance and diabetes are linked to cancer.

A 2005 Italian study on the subject, published in the British Medical Journal, somehow escaped making headlines. The study looked at roughly 5,000 women. After adjusting for their health history and lifestyle factors and comparing those with and without diagnosed breast cancer, the researchers found that the women who consumed the most high-carb/high-sugar foods (like biscuits, pastries, and ice cream, as well as chocolate and simple sugars, including honey, jams, and jellies) had a significantly increased risk for breast cancer.

The researchers attributed their elevated risk to IGF. However, other studies – including one just published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute – are suggesting that insulin itself may be a bigger culprit.

So the message is pretty clear: Eating too many sweets and having elevated insulin levels raises the risk for breast cancer. Will you listen?

At LaValle Medical Institute, we educate our patients on the dangers of eating too many high-carb foods and sugars. We encourage them to focus, instead, on eating a high-fiber diet rich in non-starchy vegetables, organic animal proteins, fish, beans, nuts/seeds, and other healthy fats. Keep sugars under tight control, and gauge your intake of healthier carbs (like brown rice and fruit) by your blood sugar and insulin levels and your weight.

[Ed. Note: It truly is possible to improve your health just by making wise choices when it comes to diet and lifestyle. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - can give you easy-to-understand directions for living the healthy life you've always wanted. Learn more here.

For expert advice on staying lean, fit, and healthy, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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Here’s another reason you should be enjoying tea: It can reduce your risk of stroke.

A recent study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association shows that drinking at least three cups of green or black tea daily can slash stroke risk by 21 percent. What’s more, each increase of three cups was associated with an additional 21 percent reduction.

Researchers believe the effect may be due to an amino acid in the tea called theanine.

Because most tea is high in fluoride, choose a safe, fluoride-free alternative (like Body Ecology’s Green Tea Extract) or consider a theanine supplement. There’s approximately 20 mg of theanine in one cup of tea, so 60-120 mg in supplement form would give you as much theanine as the people in the study were getting.

[Ed. Note: Nutrition expert Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Get all the details and learn how to get 3 bonus books right here.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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Breast cancer is a frightening specter for any woman, but you can take steps to prevent it by making simple lifestyle modifications. Getting enough sun and enough sleep helps. So does limiting the toxins you take in and increasing the antioxidants in your diet.

Another way to keep breast cancer at bay is to kick two bad habits: eating too much and drinking too much alcohol.

• Slim Down

Fat cells don’t just sit there. They release inflammatory compounds called cytokines that can boost cancer risk. Get your weight under control by doing regular, vigorous exercise and eating portion-controlled, nutrient-rich meals.

• Beware of Booze

Excessive alcohol consumption significantly raises your risk of breast cancer, though research indicates that taking 800 mcg of folate daily negates this increased risk factor. If you choose to drink, drink only in moderation. (That means one drink/day for women.) Plus, make sure you’re getting enough folate through a high-quality whole foods vitamin supplement and folate-rich foods like lentils, asparagus, and chickpeas.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Order today and you'll get 3 bonus books to help you clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and find out about the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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As bad as too much sugar is for you, its cousin is even worse. I’m speaking, of course, about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the sugary goo that’s been added to soft drinks, salad dressings, cakes, cookies, and cereals for over 30 years. The darling of food manufacturers everywhere, HFCS made its debut as the ideal solution for extending the shelf life and reducing the cost of producing commercially sweetened foods.

While it might have been a magic bullet for manufacturers and retailers, it’s been a bullet of a very different kind for consumers. According to nutrition expert Jonny Bowden, writing in Total Health Breakthroughs, HFCS comes with a veritable laundry list of associated health risks, including raising triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, reducing insulin sensitivity, and causing dangerous intra-abdominal fat (the kind that’s a precursor to heart disease).

Not enough to make you think twice? Here’s another frightening twist: mercury contamination!

Mercury can damage the heart, kidneys, nervous system, and immune system. In pregnant women, mercury can cross the placenta and affect the neurological development of the fetus. (Is it any wonder we’re seeing so many cases of autism and ADHD?)

The latest news regarding the dangers of HFCS came to light in late January when several news outlets published the results of two eye-opening studies. In the first study, it was reported that, in 2005, an FDA scientist tested 20 commercial products containing HFCS and found that nine were positive for mercury. If that wasn’t bad enough, the FDA, asleep on the job as usual, did not release these dangerous findings to the public until recently.

In the second study, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a non-profit watchdog group, analyzed 55 commercial products containing HFCS that were purchased in the fall of 2008. They found that nearly 1 in 3 of the foods and beverages it tested contained mercury.

At this point you might be wondering what a toxic heavy metal has to do with high-fructose corn syrup. Was it an accident or shoddy manufacturing practices that caused mercury to be found in these foods? No. In creating the corn syrup, a mercury reagent is typically used with a caustic soda to separate corn starch from the kernel. In the process, the mercury cells can contaminate the caustic soda, which is then transferred to the corn syrup.

A spokesperson for the Corn Refiners Association claims that the industry has not used mercury reagents in the manufacturing of HFCS for several years and the study is therefore outdated. But can that really be true if the products tested in the second study were purchased off the shelf by IATP in 2008?

And even so, that feeble excuse cannot reverse the damage done to countless Americans who unknowingly ingested mercury-contaminated food for 30 or more years, clogged their arteries, and possibly affected the neurological development of their unborn children.

What’s the takeaway advice here? It’s obvious. Get high-fructose corn syrup out of your diet. The health dangers are just too alarming to ignore. Don’t wait for the FDA or food manufacturers to do the right thing. If their track record is any indication, the wait will be a long one.

[Ed. Note: Melanie Segala is the Managing Editor of ETR's free health newsletter, Total Health Breakthroughs. You can learn more about food safety and natural health solutions from today's leading experts by subscribing now.]

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Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range is essential to prevent heart attack and stroke. And while you probably already know that maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly are two ways to keep blood pressure under control, a recent study indicates that eating eggs can help too – especially fried eggs.

When you eat an egg, enzymes in your stomach and small intestine produce blood pressure-lowering peptides. And those peptides act like ACE inhibitors, the widely prescribed blood pressure-lowering medications. But unlike pharmaceuticals, eggs don’t come with a long list of warnings and detrimental side effects.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program, you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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It’s estimated that 300 million people in the world are obese.

While we know that eating too much food (and the wrong kind, at that) and not getting enough exercise are the primary causes of the obesity epidemic, researchers have discovered another factor: obesogens.

Obesogens are endocrine disruptors that affect the way the body uses fat. They also affect the distribution of fat and the development of sexual characteristics.

Here are the top three obesogens:

• Bisphenol-a (BPA) – found in plastics with recycling codes 3 and 7 and in liners of cans

• Organotins – biocides found in conventionally grown produce

• Phthalates – found in personal care products like nail polish, shampoo, lotions, perfumes, etc., as well as plastics

You may get only a small amount of these obesogens, but their effects are cumulative. To protect yourself, follow these rules:

1. Eat only organic foods that are not treated with pesticides.

2. Buy canned foods in BPA-free cans. Vital Choice and Eden Foods are two companies that certify their can liners are safe.

3. Drink spring water in safe BPA-free bottles or filter your water using reverse osmosis and store it in glass containers.

4. Read the labels on personal care products carefully, and choose organics. Better yet, put on your skin only products made with ingredients that you would put in your mouth.

5. Avoid plastics. The “new car smell” is a telltale sign that phthalates are present.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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We’ve long lauded the benefits of choosing organic foods over those that are conventionally grown. Not only do organic foods taste better, they are higher in nutrients and free from metabolism-disrupting chemicals.

And it turns out that “eating organic” is especially important for children. One example: A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that women who were exposed to relatively high levels of DDT prior to mid-adolescence were five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with lower exposures when they were young.

While DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972, unfortunately we’re not safe from its negative effects. DDT is still used in other counties (including Mexico) on crops that are imported into the U.S. and end up on our plates.

Local farmers’ markets and your own backyard offer affordable options to keep the poison off your plate and protect your children’s future health.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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Reducing inflammation in your body is one of the best ways to guard against chronic disease. In fact, inflammation has been linked with everything from Alzheimer’s to cancer.

One way to reduce inflammatory factors (by up to 14 percent) is by eating just two servings of strawberries a week. Getting more fiber helps lower inflammation too.

Here’s another way to put a damper on this cell-damaging process: Get more vitamin C.

A recent study of 400 healthy people found that taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily reduced the best-known inflammatory factor – C-reactive protein (CRP) – by 17 percent after two months. What’s more, the study proved that vitamin C was as effective as statin drugs in reducing inflammation… with none of the harmful side effects.

Here are some good ways to get your 1,000 mg of vitamin C:

• Sip a smoothie. If you go with my favorite – Whey Advanced by Health-Fx – you’ll get 1,000 mg per delicious serving.
• Savor citrus. Make purified or spring water (in a safe, non-toxic bottle) with a squeeze of lemon your drink of choice. Enjoy oranges and grapefruits too – but stay away from high-sugar juice.
• Be big on berries. Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries all help you meet your “C” needs.
• Choose crucifers. Broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and other members of the cruciferous family of veggies are all rich in vitamin C.
• Pick a peck. Peppers are packed with antioxidant vitamin C. Chop and fold into omelets, slice over salads, or add to a stir fry.

Remember: Vitamin C is destroyed by heat. So keep it cool to tame the flames of inflammation.

[Ed. Note: Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - can created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter ]

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Omega-3 fats are some of Mother Nature’s most potent medicines. They reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, as well as ease inflammation, asthma, and pain.

As positive research results on these healthy fats continue to mount, fish oil manufacturers and salmon purveyors have benefited from what has turned into a healthy trend. Now pharmaceutical companies are trying to get a slice of the omega pie.

Natural substances aren’t patentable, but GlaxoSmithKline has found a way around that. By chemically manipulating fish oil, they have created Lovaza – an omega-3 ethyl ester that can be prescribed for around $2.75 per pill.

Unlike real fish oil, though, Lovaza comes with a laundry list of “side effects,” the most common being infection, flu symptoms, and upset stomach. But they don’t end there. Enlarged abdomen, fecal incontinence, and suicide are also listed as risk factors in the prescribing literature.

Sound pretty scary? It may get scarier. Long-term side effects of any pharmaceutical are largely unknown when the drug is released to the public, and more often than not go unreported.

If that isn’t enough, here’s the kicker. Lovaza is approved for use in heart disease – as a cholesterol-lowering medication. Can you guess what the carrier of Lovaza’s fish oil might be? It’s partially hydrogenated soybean oil – a known promoter of heart disease.

Instead of “asking your doctor what Lovaza can do for you,” why don’t you ask your doctor what Lovaza actually does? If he is prescribing this poison, chances are he’s in the dark about its harmful side effects.

Find a new physician. And get your omega-3s – side effect free – by enjoying wild salmon, sardines, and taking Carlson’s fish oil.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the founder of Healing Gourmet – the world's leading website on the power of foods to promote health and protect against disease. Her latest work is a revolutionary health transformation program called, Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn’t) to guard your health. Learn more here.]

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Do you suffer from restless leg syndrome (RLS)? Until 2003, no one had heard of this “common yet under-recognized disorder” that keeps Americans awake at night.

In 2005, the FDA approved Requip, a dopamine agonist used to treat Parkinson’s disease, for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS. In 2006, Mirapex, a similar drug, was released.

But what is the cause of restless leg syndrome? What is your body trying to tell you?

Well, it’s not that you have a Requip or a Mirapex deficiency. It’s that you’re not getting enough calcium, potassium, and magnesium – the three minerals that affect muscle contraction and nerve transmission.

You can calm your legs naturally and get sound rest by ensuring you get enough of all three minerals. Opt for a daily dose of between 800 and 1,000 milligrams of calcium, 300 milligrams of potassium, and 500 milligrams of magnesium at bedtime.

One final note. If you’re taking any pharmaceutical drug, your risk of RLS is higher. That’s because most over-the-counter and prescription medications deplete vital nutrients. Learn more in Dr. James LaValle’s book The Nutritional Cost of Drugs.
[Ed. Note: For more advice about which health breakthroughs are good - and bad - for your health, sign up for ETR's free natural health e-letter.

One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book, Guilt-Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today ]

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Sushi has health benefits, but also has some hidden health dangers.

This one may shock you.

With its appetizing hue, sushi tuna (ahi) is hard to resist. The fish must be really fresh to have such a bright shade of red. Right?

Not exactly. It is treated with carbon monoxide – the gas that streams from the tailpipe of your car and is deadly when inhaled. When “applied” to tuna, it reacts with the heme proteins in the fish, imparting the cherry color.

Avoid sushi tuna. While the coloring process may be considered “safe” by industry standards, there’s no long-term evidence that it is. And if carbon monoxide is deadly when you breathe it in, that certainly is enough to raise an eyebrow… if not a red flag.

[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book, Guilt-Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]

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Are you eating genetically modified foods? If so, you’re being exposed to a common herbicide produced by Monsanto called Roundup.

For the very first time, Roundup was tested on human cells. And the outcome was shocking and disturbing – even to the researchers.

The tests were done on three different cell types in concentrations below agricultural recommendations – what would be considered low levels of Roundup residue in food or animal feed. The results, published in Chemical Research in Toxicology, showed that the herbicide caused cell death in all three types of cells.

The scientists say their research “… points to undesirable effects which are currently masked or hidden from scientific study.” Indeed.

If you haven’t yet made the switch to organic foods – free of chemical contaminants and genetic modification – or animal foods that are pasture-raised (not grain fed), this is one more reason to do so.

[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book, Guilt-Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.

For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health e-letter]

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One of the easiest and most effective things you can do to improve your health is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Researchers from Iran’s Obesity Research Center examined fruit and vegetable intake in 840 men and women from Tehran – and the results were dramatic. The subjects who ate a lot of different fruits and vegetables were significantly and inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Specifically, it appears that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables leads to lower LDL cholesterol in a dose-responsive manner. That means you’ll get more benefits from eating an apple, an orange, a banana, and some broccoli than you will from just eating an apple and an orange.

So every time you are at the grocery store, add at least one new fruit and one new vegetable to your cart. You can choose from kiwi fruit, avocados, asparagus, pears, spinach, and so many other amazing foods.

Try to be a little better every week with your fruit and vegetable intake and you’ll reduce your risk of heart disease in one of the simplest possible ways.

[Ed. Note: Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices - like eating a wider variety of fruits and veggies. For more easy-to-implement ideas about how to live longer and feel better, click here. .

Want to burn more fat? Follow Craig's Turbulence Training exercise program. ]

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The next time you’re at the grocery, pick up a conventionally grown apple and an organically grown apple. Smell them. While the organic apple will be more fragrant, there won’t be much difference in the way they look.

But what you can’t see can hurt you.

Pesticides – in “conventionally grown” fruits and veggies – are powerful endocrine disruptors. They affect your delicate hormonal system – which, in turn, affects everything from your weight and mood to your risk of cancer and infertility. And most Americans eat over a gallon of these health-harming chemicals each year.

Pesticides (and other endocrine disruptors) are measured in nanometers (nM). Professor Michael Mackay helps put the miniscule size of these compounds into perspective by using a Post-It note.

Hold a 3 x 3 inch Post-It note out in front of you – at arm’s length. Now imagine how small that Post-It would look if it were halfway around the world from the spot where you are standing. Pretty small, huh? That is 3 nM – the size of one molecule of a pesticide.

In times of economic uncertainty, it’s smart to jettison unnecessary expenditures. But paying a little more for healthy food is not an unnecessary expense. Choose only organic produce, wild fish, and organic pastured meats to stay healthy, strong, and mentally balanced – no matter what the economy does.
[Ed. Note: Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices - like choosing organic, pesticide-free fruits and veggies. For more easy-to-implement expert advice on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.

One of the best ways to stay in peak condition is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today. ]

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You are not going to like this, but I refer to French fries as “edible cancer sticks.” Here’s why…

Polish researchers studied the effect of potato chip consumption on otherwise healthy volunteers. Potato chips and French fries are close cousins. Both contain relatively high concentrations of acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic compound found in starchy foods that have been cooked at a high temperature.

Fourteen subjects consumed 160 grams of chips daily. That’s about 3/4 of a large bag, containing 157 mg of acrylamide. At the end of four weeks, they all had increased levels of oxidized LDL and C-reactive protein (a measure of inflammation). They also had a significant increase in free radicals and a massive immune system response. It was as if their bodies were being attacked.

The researchers did a follow-up on the subjects four weeks after they stopped eating the edible cancer sticks. Their systems were starting to come back to normal, but hadn’t yet fully recovered.

Nasty stuff.

If you eat fries or chips every day, even if you are eating just a small amount, you are killing yourself slowly. As the Polish study shows, not only are you consuming a potentially carcinogenic substance, you are increasing your risk of heart disease. Now that’s a two-for-one special you should pass on.

[Ed. Note: Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices - like choosing salad or fruit instead of chips or fries. For more easy-to-implement ideas about how to live longer and feel better, click here.

In addition to eating better, you can stay fit and burn fat by following fitness expert Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training exercise program.]

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Not only can spices save an otherwise boring (but healthy) meal… turns out they can help you burn body fat through the process of thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is simply heat. And since a calorie is a unit of heat, guess what? More thermogenesis = more calories burned.

A recent issue of The Journal of Physiology and Behavior cited numerous studies on several spices that increase thermogenesis, including these findings:

1. Capsaicin, the compound that gives red chili pepper its heat, increases energy via heat expenditure by up to 23 percent after being ingested at breakfast.

2. Black pepper increases body heat (thermogenesis) by bonding to TRPV1 receptors in the brain.

3. Turmeric has both anti-cancer and pro-thermogenic support.

Combine these three spices – red chili pepper, black pepper, and turmeric – and use them liberally (as much as your taste buds can handle). Just be careful not to overdo – or you’ll end up with more heartburn than fat burn.

[Ed. Note: Start eating better today with help from ETR's natural health newsletter. You'll find dozens of healthy eating strategies plus delicious recipes for meals that can help you feel better and live longer. And that's not all... (read on here)

If you want to build more muscle in less time while you burn body fat, pick up nutrition and fitness counselor Jon Benson's book, 7 Minute Muscle. It's a complete system for dropping fat and building muscle that's guaranteed to work for you. Try it for 60 days and prove it to yourself.]

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If you believe “a calorie is a calorie”… I have news for you. All calories are not created equal.

For example, it requires more body energy to process calories from protein. You burn about 25 percent of the protein calories you consume just on digestion and biochemical processing. That’s one of the many reasons a high-protein diet burns more body fat.

The other side of the coin is processed foods – white flour, cheap breads, sugar, and so on. It’s not just their calories, which tend to be very high, it’s the fact that these foods rob the body of nutrients that are vital to health.

Many of the natural substances that trigger the brain to recognize that the body has eaten enough are removed from processed foods. That’s the main reason you tend to eat a lot more of these high-calorie foods without feeling full. Some manufacturers even add chemicals to trick the body into believing it is not full so you will eat more!

Talk about a double-whammy!

The best way, by far, to become leaner and healthier is to get 75-80 percent of your food from whole, unprocessed sources. Grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and eggs, lots of fresh organically grown veggies, low-sugar fruits, and a few whole grains.

There’s no reason to deny yourself your favorite foods and try to be “perfect.” I’ve proven you do not have to do that in order to be lean and healthy.

But just remember that when you eat processed foods, you’re getting a double-whammy: more calories, and the food itself makes you want to eat more than you should.

Think about it.

[Ed. Note: Start eating better today with help from ETR's natural health newsletter. You'll find dozens of healthy eating strategies plus delicious recipes for meals that can help you feel better and live longer. And that's not all... (read on here).

If you want to lose weight while enjoying your favorite foods, get your copy of nutrition and fitness counselor Jon Benson's Every Other Day Diet System. Try it for 60 days and prove to yourself that it works.]

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Coffee is not just a breakfast drink or an afternoon pick-me-up. Recent research shows that coffee can reduce your risk of cancer. And you can make your java even healthier if you use a “Toddy.”

A Toddy is cold-brewing system created four decades ago by Todd Simpson (a chemical engineering graduate of Cornell University). It is based on a method that’s been used for centuries in South America.

Cold-brewing creates coffee with 67 percent less acid than conventional hot-brewing. The result: bold, smooth, sweet flavor. But that’s not all…

Our bodies are already overloaded with acid as a result of the typical American diet. And coffee contributes to the problem. But using a Toddy (which costs around $40) can slash the acid so significantly that even sufferers of chronic acid indigestion and other digestive disorders can enjoy a cup of joe.

[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.

For more advice on which foods you should – and shouldn’t – be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR’s free natural health newsletter

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Blasting belly fat may have yet another health benefit: fewer migraines.

Recent research conducted at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia evaluated 22,211 participants between the ages of 20 and 55. The researchers found that those with larger waistlines were more likely to have migraines than people the same age who had smaller waistlines. The results seemed most relevant for women. In those with excess belly fat, the odds of having migraines were 1.3 times higher than in those with trimmer tummies.

Belly fat isn’t the only thing that researchers have connected to migraines. There are many substances in food that can act as triggers, including tyramine (in red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates (in cured bacon, hot dogs, and lunchmeats), alcohol, salt, lactose, and tryptophan.

Migraine triggers are different for everyone. If you suffer from migraines, keep a food journal to help identify your personal triggers and stop the migraine chain reaction before it starts.

[Ed. Note: The first step to keeping slim is to eat healthful food. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring can help. With her e-book Guilt Free Desserts, you'll discover dozens of delicious and healthy recipes that you can easily make at home. Pick up your copy today.

Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple choices. For more easy-to-implement expert advice on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter ]

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Do you remember using litmus paper in science class to test the pH of a liquid? You’d dip the strip into a solution of lemon juice or baking soda and see if it was acidic or basic.

But a better use for that litmus paper may be to test your pH.

Without the proper acid/alkaline balance, enzymes don’t work, oxygen delivery to cells suffers, and the body struggles to complete vital biochemical processes.

The culprit? Our modern diet.

Our meals are packed with acid-forming foods – especially sugars and refined grains, along with too much meat. And we eat too few alkaline-forming fresh foods – greens, vegetables, and fruits.

Get back to basics by aiming for at least 60 percent of your meals to be fresh and unprocessed, packed with these foods:

• Greens

• Sprouts

• Cruciferous veggies

• Citrus fruits (especially lemons)

• Fermented veggies (like sauerkraut)

[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.]

For more advice on which foods you should – and shouldn’t – be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR’s free natural health newsletter.]

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It’s no surprise that a lot of the contestants on TV’s “The Biggest Loser” regain the weight once they’re off the show. To maintain their new weight, they’d have to sustain the show’s extreme lifestyle. Nearly impossible.

So what’s a better way to lose weight? Take baby steps.

Dr. James Hill, from the Center of Human Nutrition in Denver, Colorado, is famous for the research studies which found that folks who eat breakfast are better able to keep off lost weight. He now claims that “small reductions in conscious energy intake and increases in physical activity can reduce excessive weight gain.”

Listen, you didn’t gain all that weight overnight. You’re not going to lose it overnight. So just focus on making small changes – and the simplest changes to make are in your diet.

This weekend, take 30 minutes to plan your shopping list and meals for the following week. Then go to the grocery store, come home, and prepare as many of those meals as possible.

Cook a bunch of chicken breasts at once. Wash and cut up fresh vegetables to have on hand for snacks and to prepare filling side dishes. Every day next week, take a baby step and eat one additional serving of fruits or vegetables.

Make those small diet changes and ease your way into a workout program. By doing this consistently, just imagine how healthy and lean you can be just 90 days from now.

[Ed. Note: If you have a hard time reaching the goals you set for yourself, you're not alone. But ETR is here to help. Success mentor Bob Cox can help you make your dreams come true in 2009 and beyond. He'll give you weekly motivation, easy-to-follow success strategies, and - if you need it - a kick in the pants. Learn the details here.

Get a head start on your weight-loss goals with fitness expert Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training program. Learn how you can get fit with three 45-minute workouts a week right here.]

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“Thanks for the variety of information you provide in ETR.

“Please advise me – what’s the ideal number of calories for an adult woman to eat per day? Is there a range, given factors such as age?”

Liz

Dear Liz,

In order to determine how many calories you need, first you have to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR tells you the number of calories you’d burn if you stayed in bed all day.

The most accurate way to determine your BMR is with breath gas analysis. Many health clinics and fitness studios offer this test for around $50. But even without it, you can get an estimate of your BMR by using the Harris-Benedict Equation (HBE). This formula estimates your BMR using your age, gender, height, and weight.

• For women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) minus (4.7 x age in years)

• For men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) minus (6.8 x age in years)

Once you’ve determined your BMR, you need to factor in your activity level to get your total daily energy expenditure – the number of calories you require each day to maintain your current weight:

1. Sedentary (little or no exercise) – BMR x 1.2
2. Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) – BMR x 1.375
3. Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) – BMR x 1.55
4. Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week) – BMR x 1.725
5. Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & a physical job) – BMR x 1.9

Here, for example, is the calculation for a moderately active 35-year-old woman who weighs 120 pounds and is 5′4″ tall:

655 + (4.35 x 120) + (4.7 x 64) minus (4.7 x 35) = a BMR of 1,313.3

1,313.3 x 1.55 = 2,036 calories per day

It’s important to note that the Harris-Benedict Equation will be accurate for most people, but it does not account for lean body mass. (Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less lean ones.) Therefore, it will underestimate the calories needed by those who are very muscular and overestimate the calories needed by those who are very fat.

A few final pointers…

Your BMR decreases as you age. This doesn’t mean that you should deprive yourself of food. In fact, food deprivation will reduce your metabolism and foil your intentions. Instead, get most of your calories from:

1. Fiber-Rich Foods. Organic veggies and low-sugar fruits that are packed with fiber require more “processing” by the body, which means more calories are burned during digestion.

2. Metabolic Power Ingredients. Clean proteins and healthy fats are thermogenic (fat-burning) foods that power up the metabolism.

You can also improve your BMR with regular, vigorous exercise and weight training to maintain that lean, calorie-burning muscle mass.

- Kelley Herring

[Ed. Note: Need help maintaining your weight? Pick up a copy of Kelley's Guilt Free Desserts recipe book. In it, you'll find dozens of healthful and delicious desserts that won't wreak havoc on your calorie count.

Have a question for an ETR expert? Send it to AskETR@ETRFeedback.com.]

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An overwhelming amount of evidence suggests that if you want to eat healthy food on an airplane… bring your own. If you can’t do that, here are your healthiest options: 

United – Rated the healthiest airline by DietDetective.com, United offers a good variety. The “Rightbite” or “Smartpack” snack boxes might be your best bet. Especially the Smartpack, which is full of all-natural or organic munchies with no trans-fats. Price: $6.

U.S. Airways – Avoid the carbohydrate-packed In-Flight Cafe Snack Box, with its sugar cookies and grape jelly. Go for something more substantial, like the turkey-ham on molasses bread. The mayo is on the side, and it comes with a cup of yogurt. Price: $7.

Midwest Airlines – Steer clear of the complimentary baked-on-board cookies, delicious but high in calories (240 calories for two). Choose the cranberry nut mix, which has just enough protein and fiber to keep you satisfied, or Newman’s Own organic dried fruit. Price: $4. 

Delta – Formerly serving up some of the least healthy airline food, Delta seems to have turned over a new leaf. Now, on flights longer than about two and a half hours, you can select from healthier meal and snack options – e.g., yogurt with fresh fruit and granola for breakfast ($3) or hummus with veggies for lunch ($8).

JetBlue – Snacks are included in the ticket price on JetBlue, and you can ask for as many as you want… so the biggest health risk here is eating too many. Try to stick with one package of peanuts or animal crackers. 

QUICK TIP: Ask your reservations agent about special meals. Vegetarian, kosher, and Muslim meals, for example, are often lower in fats and high in whole grains and beans. Continental and United also offer low-fat and low-calorie meals. 

[Ed. Note: Stay up-to-date with the latest travel tools, tricks, and tips by signing up for The Right Way to Travel FREE e-letter, brought to you by the AWAI Travel Division. Sign up here.

Which airline, in your experience, has the best food? Let us know here.]

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Hard to believe, but my father looks as young today – at 60 – as he did at 40. And though he may argue that he’s lost a bit more hair than he’d like, his face, his spirit, and his health seem to have been frozen in time.

While I’d like to think that I got his “good genes,” we all know genetics is only a small part of the equation. He passed on something even more valuable: an understanding of natural health. 

I remember asking, when I was about eight years old, “Dad, why don’t we ever have white bread in the house?” Always a man of few words, he replied, “The whiter the bread, the quicker you’re dead.”

When I asked “why,” he explained: “White bread has been stripped of the good stuff. It’s just bad for you.”

As I ate my whole-wheat peanut butter sandwich and apple and drank my carton of whole milk, I watched my friends chow down on marshmallow fluff sandwiches on soft white bread accompanied by cheesy-flavored chips and sodas. And I watched them “grow” much faster than I did – horizontally, not vertically.

My father is no scientist. He can probably tell you a little bit about vitamin C and vitamin E. He loves blueberries (and knows they’re full of antioxidants). And he never overeats.

When I would come home ravenously hungry after skating or biking or dancing ballet for hours and head for the refrigerator, he would say, “Slow down. Your stomach needs time to catch up. If you’re still hungry in 20 minutes, you can eat more then.” I doubt he had any idea that what he was telling me was an ancient Japanese principle called Hara Hachi Bu – meaning “Eat until you’re 80 percent full. Then stop.”

My dad is proof that you don’t need to be a personal trainer or a doctor… nor do you need to have a nutritionist at your beck and call. Simply adhere to a few easy-to-follow guidelines when it comes to what you eat and how you exercise, and you can live a long, full life feeling (and looking!) younger than your years.

My father taught me that health is the ultimate wealth. I hope you will take his lessons to heart and make your own life better… starting today.

[Ed. Note: Ready to start feeling better and living healthier? You can get easy-to-follow guidelines for staying fit, eating better, and taking advantage of the latest breakthroughs. Just sign up for ETR's FREE natural health newsletter right here.

Staying healthy doesn't mean giving up the things you love - like dessert. Kelley Herring has put together a collection of recipes for dozens of delicious and guilt-free desserts. Pick up your copy today.]

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How would you like to feel better… look better… stop struggling with excess body fat… and help support your community? No joke.

Simply choose to eat fresh veggies and meats instead of mass-produced foods.

Filmmaker Chris Taylor – creator of the documentary Food Fight – points out some of the many benefits of organic foods:

1. You will eat less when you eat organically grown foods. Your body’s

natural appetite mechanisms kick in when they are not suppressed by the chemicals found in grocery store foods.

2. Long term, you will save big bucks on doctors’ bills and other medical costs.

3. You will taste food, perhaps for the first time. Once you taste what “real” carrots taste like (or real broccoli… or real beef), you will never want to settle for less. Food should taste fantastic!

4. By supporting local farmers, you will be helping to build a stronger bond-based community.

What about cost? Well, it’s a bit more expensive to eat this way… but not much. And because you eat less – and save on medical bills – it balances out.

Don’t think you have to make every meal nothing but organic veggies and grass-fed farm protein. No way. But changing just ONE meal a day… or two… will make a world of difference.

[Ed. Note: Start eating better today with help from ETR's natural health newsletter. You'll find dozens of healthy eating strategies plus delicious recipes for meals that can help you feel better and live longer. And that's not all... (read on here)

If you want to lose weight while enjoying your favorite foods, get your copy of nutrition and fitness counselor Jon Benson's Every Other Day Diet system. Try it for 60 days and prove to yourself that it works.]

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Recently, I came across two quotes that are unlikely sources of fat-loss advice. The first is from legendary real estate speculator Frank McKinney: “Figure yourself out. Spend time in introspection.” The other is the title of a coaching program from Dan Sullivan: “Discover your strengths.”

Both quotes serve as a reminder to take the time to identify our strengths, and then to focus on those strengths for business success. And that’s exactly what we should do for fat-loss success.

So take a good 15-30 minutes today to figure out your strengths and weaknesses. When do you always have energy? Identify that and try to plan your workouts at that time. What foods do you really like that are also good for your health and fat loss? Think about that and stock your fridge and cupboards with those foods.

A bit of reflection can help you re-engineer your life to suit your strengths and get you more results. Plan your day. Design your life. Engineer your success. Don’t be afraid to be a little bit “selfish” and make time for YOU! Once you start planning for success, you are already on the path.

[Ed. Note: Having a specific plan in place can help you shed the pounds. But it can also help you accomplish anything you set your mind to. Discover dozens of tools that can help you get everything you want out of life right here.

Get a head start on your weight-loss goals with fitness expert Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training program. Learn how you can get fit with three 45-minute workouts a week right here.]  

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It’s hardly news that exercise is good for you. It can help keep weight off, build a bigger brain, improve mood, and lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. Many people are put off by the idea of exercise because of time constraints. But research continues to demonstrate that you don’t have to spend an hour in the gym or on the track to get the significant health benefits.

Case in point: A new study out of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland found that high-intensity exercise for brief periods of time may help reduce the risk of diabetes.

In the study, published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, researchers had young healthy male volunteers use exercise bikes to perform rigorous 30-second sprints. Over the course of two weeks, the subjects performed 30 of these sprints (about two or three a day) for a grand total of 15 minutes of exercise.

You read that right – 15 minutes. Over the course of two weeks.

And this low-volume, high-intensity training substantially improved both insulin action and blood sugar control.

“Doing a few intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds each, dramatically improves your metabolism in just two weeks,” said James Timmons, a professor at the University and one of the researchers.

I’ve been an advocate of short, high-intensity training for years. Now, in addition to the many studies showing that this kind of exercise improves cardiovascular fitness and is an effective way to burn fat, the Heriot-Watt study shows that it may be an effective weapon in the fight against diabetes.

This finding is important, because it helps make the case that there’s a lot you can do for your health in very little time. If, that is, you train smart. While walking 30 minutes a day is terrific, and weight training and spin classes and all the other ways to exercise still have their place, it’s nice to know that you can still get a lot accomplished even if you have only a few minutes a day to work out.

[Ed. Note: If 15 minutes over the course of two weeks can help improve your health, there's no excuse to avoid exercise. For more advice about staying fit and healthy, check out health expert Jonny Bowden's site, JonnyBowden.com.
Exercise is only half the battle when it comes to staying fit and healthy. For a free source of expert advice about what you should and shouldn't be eating, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.]

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Cardio is at the bottom of the fat-burning ladder… but it’s still on the ladder.

Nutrition is at the top. Dietary power rules the fat-burning scene.

A close second is weight training. A solid session of weight training will stimulate muscle and burn far more calories after the fact than cardio.

Then comes cardio. It’s important if you want to get that last 10 to 20 pounds off – but you have to do it right. No marathon sessions on the treadmill.

Do your cardio the way I do it: Train very quickly. Accelerate your heart rate during your weight training sessions. Short stops (20-30 seconds) will not take you out of the fat-burning zone if you breathe. Breathe heavy. Remember, it’s all about oxygen when it comes to fat burning.

Training like this for 7-14 minutes, followed by a hard interval-type cardio workout of only 9 minutes, works like you would not believe. I’m 220 solid pounds and have less than 10 percent bodyfat. That should tell you something.

Other than walking just about every day, I simply do not depend on traditional cardio for fat loss.

Attack all three rungs of the fat-burning ladder together, and you’ll get the body you deserve.

[Ed. Note: If you want to build more muscle in less time while you burn body fat, pick up nutrition and fitness counselor Jon Benson's book, 7 Minute Muscle. It's a complete system for dropping fat and building muscle that's guaranteed to work for you. Try it for 60 days and prove it to yourself.

But don't forget the nutrition "rung" of the fat-burning ladder. For a FREE source of healthy recipes, techniques for eating better without sacrificing taste, and weight-loss advice, check out ETR's natural health newsletter.]

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