There are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health—without a prescription.

Beets

These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other , which means they pack tons of flavor underneath their rugged exterior.

Why they're healthy:  Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye's powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments - called betacyanins—that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.

How to eat them:  Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.

You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They're now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.

 

Start to plan your health goals today. You can feel better, you can look better, and you might be around longer.

When you are setting weight loss goals, exercise usually has to be part of that plan. If you are anything like me, exercise is not something you view as fun. The nice thing is that it doesn’t have to be all that boring.

You should realize the right state of mind is important when you are seeking weight loss goals. Prepare yourself mentally. Then do it. Here is an exercise regimen that could help anyone lose some weight, it helped me too.

The first couple of weeks are very important. You don’t want to over extend yourself to the point that you are sore and you don’t want to exercise anymore. You should find that right area. Start doing your cardio for 20 – 30 minutes a day. Do this for the first three weeks or so. Once you have been through the first three weeks you should be able to increase your time to 40 – 50 minutes a day.

You are probably wondering where the excitement might come from. You are probably wondering what is going to keep this program from getting boring. Let’s face it the change in scenery will come from changing your cardio type and finding exciting places to do it. Try jogging for a couple of weeks and then try swimming for the next couple. You could then change it up to some type of sprint routine or a brisk bike ride in the evening.

There are plenty of things you can do to help with the boredom that sometimes comes with exercise. You could find a lake to jog around or even a mountain trail to hike if you live near the mountains. What if you try walking around the mall or you could bike ride to work if you are close enough. Get out to the park or find a local high school track to run on. Get a partner that will keep you motivated. I have used many of these to keep me going in my program. They definitely help. As you can see there are many things to keep your cardio program alive as long as you are willing to find it.

The idea is to mix it up. By mixing your cardio routine up a bit, it will decrease the boredom that you may face with exercise. Finding a partner to motivate you and for you to keep motivated helps you maintain reliability. You now have to think of someone else. Use these tools. Use them and get fit. Enjoy your path to good health.

Always consult a physician before starting an exercise regimen.

Whenever you are on a diet to lose weight or improve your overall health, make sure you are getting enough protein. You need a certain amount of this body-building substance in order to maintain lean body mass, burn fat more successfully, and improve the tonus of your muscles.

Although there is a huge disagreement among experts on how much protein is “enough”, ranging from the militant vegetarian point of view claiming that we need less than 30 grams of protein daily to the extreme “carnivorous” estimate of more than 2 grams of protein for every pound of weight, the truth must be somewhere in the middle. In fact, protein requirements should differ depending on a number of factors - activity level, sex, percentage of fat, percentage of lean body mass, etc. Therefore, the terms “high-protein” or “low-protein” make no sense if your dietary approach is individualized.

  To determine exactly how much protein you need in order to maintain lean body mass (or LBM) and burn fat, let us use the method which was first . Start with measuring the percentage of your body fat, which could be done in a doctor’s office or even in a good gym. (For example, a healthy percentage of body fat for women is about 20-28 percent, although the average American woman has about 33 percent of body fat.) Then, multiply your weight in pounds by your percentage of body fat expressed as a decimal (this will give you the total weight of your body fat). Subtract the total weight of your body fat from your weight in pounds (this will tell you your lean body mass). Then, multiply your LBM by the cofactor that describes your lifestyle and activity level: 0,5 - for a sedentary lifestyle, 0,6 - if you are moderately active, 0.7 - for an active lifestyle, and 0.9 - if you are an athlete. The figure that you obtain at the end will be your daily protein requirements expressed in grams.

Let us illustrate how to calculate protein requirements using the example of Lucy. Lucy is a middle-aged sedentary woman, weighing 157 pounds with 30 percent body fat.

1. Total weight of Lucy's body fat: 157 X .30 = 47 pounds

2. Lucy's lean body mass (LBM): 157 - 47 = 110 pounds

3. Lucy's daily protein requirements: 110 X 0,5 = 55 grams

Lucy needs about 55 grams of protein daily in order to maintain her lean body mass and efficiently burn fat. At that, the bulk of her protein-rich foods should be of an animal origin, because, in a human body, animal proteins are broken down into essential amino acids and metabolized much more successfully than proteins in pulses, grains, or vegetables. Which products are the richest in protein? Meat, fish, and cheeses, especially hard cheeses, contain the most protein in an easy-to-absorb form. 100 grams of cooked beef contain about 20 grams of protein, a serving of grilled salmon - 17 gram, and 100 grams of Farmer’s cheese - about 28 grams of protein. Therefore, to satisfy her daily protein requirements, even sedentary Lucy has to include in her menu a half of a pound of meat daily!

Do YOU consume enough protein?