Healthy Doesn’t Have to Be Boring Simple, Satisfying Recipes That Nourish and Delight Healthy food should be enjoyable, flavorful, and satisfying—not bland or restrictive. With the right ingredients and preparation, nutrient-dense meals can be something you genuinely look forward to. The following recipes come from Beyond Healthy Recipes by Michelle King Davis, available through Beyond Health. They’re designed to be simple, flexible, and full of real food flavor. All-Raw Sandwich Filling Makes approximately 4 wraps Ingredients 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted ¼ cup onion, finely chopped Spices of choice (cumin, cayenne, chili powder, oregano, basil, or a combination) Selina Celtic Sea Salt, to taste 4–5 collard greens or large romaine lettuce leaves Vegetable Options (choose a variety) Carrots, shredded Zucchini or yellow squash, shredded Tomatoes, chopped Broccoli, finely ch…

Because high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke, many doctors are quick to prescribe blood pressure-lowering medications. But there isn’t one that doesn’t have disturbing side effects, and most of the time they’re unnecessary. Eating a good diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables and low-to-moderate in carbohydrates; taking heart-healthy supplements like CoQ10, vitamin E, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, garlic, hawthorn, taurine and curcumin; making sure you get 8 glasses of pure water a day; minimizing salt intake; learning to manage stress; losing weight if you’re overweight; and regular exercise will all help to lower your blood pressure if it’s over the ideal 120/80 or below. But scientists are wondering if particular foods may also help. It started when a study done at Queen Mary University in London, England, found that drinking a little over 8 ounces of beet juice decreased systolic blood pressure by about 5 points. Systolic blood pressure is th…

. . . it could double your risk for macular degeneration A European study on nearly 4,700 men and women over 65 found that daily aspirin users more than doubled their risk of late stage, "wet" macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness resulting in loss of independence among older Americans. The macula is a tiny, highly sensitive region in the center of the retina that allows you to see fine details and colors. Without it, you aren't totally blind, but all you see is shapes and movement in shades of black and white. With age, the macula can deteriorate in one of two ways. It can become thin and sprinkled with debris called drusen (the dry form), or blood vessels beneath the retina may push up into the macula and leak blood and fluids (the wet form). The wet form, which is considered the more serious, was the form associated with aspirin use in the above study. (Aspirin is known to cause small hemorrhages under the retina.) Other…