NATURE'S BEST STRESS SOOTHERS

These tasty tension tamers can help boost your mood and protect your body.

1. Fish

To keep stress in check, add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. These essential fats may help moderate stress hormones and protect against depression. You could pop a fish oil supplement, but the most delicious way to get them is through food. For a steady supply of feel-good omega-3s, aim to eat three ounces of fatty fish at least twice a week or a handful of walnuts every day.

2. Dark Chocolate

Research points to stress-relieving properties of dark chocolate that go beyond the taste buds. In a large German study, those who ate the most dark chocolate over ten years had lower blood pressure than those who ate the least. Another study showed a reduction in a stress hormone in people who ate dark chocolate often. Alas, dark chocolate still has “not-so-good-for-you fat, sugar, and calories,” registered dietitian Kathleen M. Zelman reminds us, so stick to a few small squares a day.

3. Black Tea

Research from London suggests that drinking black tea may help you recover from nerve-racking events more quickly. Study participants who drank four cups of black tea every day for six weeks had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and reported feeling more relaxed after stressful tasks than those who didn’t drink the tea. Other studies have touted black tea’s mood-boosting effects and suggested it can help increase alertness throughout the day.

4. Avocados

The flesh of these delicious green fruits is loaded with two powerful stress fighters: potassium and monounsaturated fatty acids. Both nutrients can lower blood pressure, and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) may play a part in helping ward off depression. In a large 11-year study, the more MUFAs Spanish participants ate, the less likely they were to be depressed. Researchers think the fats may improve how the brain absorbs the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin. 

BEST FOODS FOR DIABETICS

A healthy diet including the following foods can help manage blood sugar levels, or even reverse early-stage high blood-sugar problems.

Oatmeal
High in soluble fiber, oats are slower to digest than processed carbs. Eat them and you’ll release glucose into the bloodstream more slowly, which will prevent spikes in your blood-sugar levels.

In a 2012 study from Sweden’s Karolinska University, researchers found that eating four servings of whole grains daily reduced the risk for developing prediabetes by 30 percent. Other research shows that if you eat whole grains you experience less inflammation, which could lower the odds of your developing insulin resistance, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Cinnamon
This sweet seasoning contains a compound called hydroxychalcone, which may stimulate insulin receptors on cells and, in turn, improve your body’s ability to absorb blood sugar.

Researchers from the University of California-Davis recently reviewed eight different studies on cinnamon and reported that about half to one teaspoon a day lowered fasting blood sugar levels by an average of nine points among people with diabetes. Sprinkle the fragrant spice onto oatmeal or add a dash to a cup of coffee.

Grapes
Eating more whole fruits, particularly grapes, blueberries, and apples, was significantly associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a Harvard study published in the British Medical Journal in 2013.

People who ate at least two servings each week of certain whole fruits reduced their risk for type 2 diabetes by as much as 23 percent when compared to those who ate less than one serving per month. Eating the whole fruit seems to be key, though; researchers found that fruit juice drinkers faced as much as a 21 percent increased risk of developing diabetes.

Olive oil
This Mediterranean staple is rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), which may improve insulin sensitivity.

A Spanish study found that people who ate plenty of these good fats at breakfast had better insulin sensitivity throughout the day than those whose morning meal rich was in saturated fat or carbohydrates. MUFAs may also help zap belly fat, which can contribute to inflammation and increase type 2 diabetes risk.

Beans
These little legumes pack a powerful punch for diabetics, with a winning combination of high-quality carbohydrates, lean protein, and soluble fiber that helps stabilize the body's blood-sugar levels and keeps hunger in check.

An Archives of Internal Medicine study found that type 2 diabetes patients who ate more legumes had improved blood sugar control and reduced their risk of heart disease.

Eggs
Eggs provide a great dose of satiating protein (6 grams per whole egg), and are a healthy choice compared to many meats.

For people with diabetes, nutrition experts do recommend limiting yolks to about three times a week, but you can have whites more often. One large egg white has about 16 calories and 4 grams of protein, notes nutritionist Joy Bauer, RD on her website, making them a “perfect food for blood sugar control, not to mention weight-loss or maintenance.”

Dairy
The calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D in milk, cheese, and yogurt make your body more sensitive to insulin, according to the 2-Day Diabetes Diet.

In fact, Harvard Medical School researchers have found that every daily dairy serving reduces risk for insulin resistance by more than 20 percent. French research has also found that people who consume two daily dairy servings are about 26 percent less likely to develop high blood-sugar problems.

Kale
All vegetables are crucial to a healthy diabetes diet, but leafy greens pack a particularly powerful punch.

Rich in nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin K, kale and its cousins have been linked to better blood sugar control, according to the Reader’s Digest 2-Day Diabetes Diet book. Cruciferous veggies also contain a compound called sulforaphane, which has anti-inflammatory properties that help control blood sugar and protect blood vessels from cardiovascular damage.

Fish
Ample research shows people with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids—fish is one of the best sources—have less body-wide inflammation, which leads to and worsens diabetes and weight problems.

Since fatty meats can raise your risk for high blood sugar, according to a 2008 study from the University of Minnesota, swap them out for leaner options, like fish or skinless poultry.

WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU HAVE A COLD

Each year, there are lot of cases of the common cold around the world. Here's what to eat when you have a cold to beat the sniffles.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Eating a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup provides more than just comfort when you have a terrible cold. In 2000, University of Nebraska researcher Dr. Stephen Rennard published findings in Chest, the journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, showing chicken soup contains anti-inflammatory agents that can ease a cold's symptoms. Dr. Mehmet Oz agrees. "Start with a bowl of Mom’s chicken soup," he has said. "Research has yet to show how it works (and how the heck Ma knew), but we do know that a nutrient-rich diet builds your immune system and fights inflammation."

Milk and Other Vitamin D-Rich Foods

Vitamin D-rich foods like milk or fortified cereal might help combat a cold. A 2009 study by Massachusetts General Hospital found that people with low levels of vitamin D reported more colds than those who weren't vitamin D deficient. As an added bonus, these foods may help boost your mood during cold weather months, according to researchers at Loyola University.

Carrots and Other Vitamin A-Rich Foods

All vitamins are essential to a healthy body, but Harvard Medical School says vitamin A is a key player in maintaining a strong immune system. When you have a cold, try eating sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, spinach, or collard greens.

Cold Green Tea

Green tea is full of antioxidants, which will boost your immune system even when you're already sick. Instead of sipping a hot mugful, Dr. Michael Greger suggests brewing it cold: antioxidant levels are higher that way compared to when it's made with boiling water.

Garlic

Garlic has been found to help prevent colds when consumed regularly, owing to its immune-boosting compound allicin, says Donna Cardillo, RN. Eat more of it when you have a cold, or try it raw with an orange-juice chaser.

Blueberries

Researchers from Cornell University found that blueberries contained the most antioxidants than any other fresh fruit tested, which should help beat your sniffles. Eat them alone when you have a cold, or sprinkle on a bowl of cereal or yogurt to add some vitamin D.

Tea

Tea is soothing when you're congested, especially a brew with natural expectorants like anise seeds. Health.com recommends the American Pharmaceutical Association's recipe: one cup of crushed anise seeds to one cup of hot water, flavored with sugar, garlic, cinnamon, or honey. Sip up to three times a day. If you don't like licorice flavor, try peppermint. University of Maryland Medical Center reported that peppermint tea acts as an expectorant, loosening mucus and breaking up coughs.

Fish

Health.com suggests eating oily fish, like salmon and tuna, when you have a cold, to take advantage of their omega-3 fatty acids. These compounds help reduce inflammation in the body, which can prevent your immune system from working properly.