Today's busy, high-stress lifestyles often lead to a diet of convenience—one that's lacking in vitamins and minerals, and overloaded with sugar, fat, and calories. The result: a body that never realizes its full potential. But you can fight back with food; start today and you'll hit your peak from head to toe.
Skin
Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, which helps balance the pH of your skin's surface, making it just acidic enough to fend off harmful bacteria. Plus National Cancer Institute researchers found that people with the highest intakes of carotenoids—pigments that occur naturally in carrots—were six times less likely to develop skin cancer than those with the lower intakes.
Hair
Low iron levels can lead to baldness, according
to a Cleveland Clinic review. Researchers looked at 11 studies on the
relationship between iron intake and hair loss, and concluded that
treating iron deficiency may help regrow hair. Feed your mane
iron-packed foods such as lean red meat, turkey, egg yolks, dried beans,
dried fruit, whole grains.
Eyes
The National Institute of Health found that
people who consume the most lutein—a carotenoid found in plant foods—are
43 percent less likely to develop macular degeneration. Lutein helps
filter blue light, preventing it from damaging retinal tissues. Eat two
servings of greens each day. Consider one serving to be ½ cup of cooked
spinach, broccoli, or brussels sprouts.
Heart
Cornell University researchers found that eating
one Red Delicious apple a day can block LDL oxidation, resulting in an 8
percent drop in levels. Bonus: Apples (and their skins) contain soluble
fiber, the kind that scrubs artery walls clean. Cut one up and mix it
into your oatmeal, another top source.
Muscles
To maximize muscle growth, you need the right
raw materials. Beef is the perfect muscle food because it's packed with
protein, zinc, and creatine. Down a hefty portion of each with this
taco-salad recipe from Men's Health cover model Gregg Avedon:
Brown ½ pound of extra-lean ground beef over medium heat. As it cooks,
sprinkle it with black pepper, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, and a couple
dashes of Tabasco. Place the cooked beef, one diced tomato, and 2
tablespoons of low-fat cheese over a bed of lettuce, and top with salsa.
Bones
Bones are a lot like reclusive coworkers; until
one snaps, you aren't likely to give them much thought. Drink two
8-ounce glasses of vitamin D-fortified low-fat milk every day. This
provides your body with 600 milligrams (mg) of calcium and 5 micrograms
(mcg) of vitamin D, the perfect combination of nutrients to build
break-resistant bones. Plus, in a 20-year study, U.K. researchers
determined that men who drink more than 6 ounces of milk a day have half
the risk of stroke of men who drink less.
Belly
By snacking on the right foods—those that are
low in sugar but rich in protein—you'll keep your metabolic furnace
stoked, and be less likely to binge between meals. Have one slice of
hard or semihard cheese—for instance, Cheddar, Swiss, or provolone—two
or three times a day. Cheese has 7 grams of protein per slice and
contains no sugar. That means it doesn't raise blood-sugar levels, so
your body stays in fat-burning mode. Want an alternative? Opt for a cup
of low-fat plain yogurt or a stick of beef jerky.
Manhood
When it comes to keeping your sex sessions going
long and strong, a certain amino acid known as L-Arginine may be man's
best friend. "L-Arginine works like Viagra by increasing nitric oxide to
help relax blood vessels and allow more blood flow to the penis," says
Marrena Lindberg, author of
The Orgasmic Diet. Some studies
suggest that getting three grams a day could make for better erections.
Many foods high in good-for-you omega 3s are also high in L-Arginine,
such as free-range game, seafood, walnuts, and sesame seeds. Plus, omega
3s help your body better absorb L-Arginine, according to a study in
Nutrition & Metabolism.
There are no RDA guidelines for how much L-Arginine you should have,
but Lindberg recommends getting your daily fix by eating omega-3 packed
protein such as free-range beef and chicken, or fatty fish like salmon.
Source : Menshealth 
4/27/2011 12:31:00 PM
