Some Health Tips

Get Fresh with Ginger Tonight

If you're cooking in the kitchen with ginger, chances are you're lowering your risk of cancer.

Every pantry should be stocked with this knobby-looking rootstock spice. It possesses two cancer-inhibiting compounds, 6-gingerol and 6-paradol, and it lends a warm, pungent twist to dishes, especially fish. In fact, you may be most familiar with the pickled ginger that is often served with sushi. For the most benefit, choose fresh over pickled whenever possible; simply peel, shred, and mince the root into foods, such as this Asian Salmon.

Other spices that may boost your ability to reduce cancer risk include garlic and onion. And, incidentally, their flavors pair very well with ginger's in soup and stir-fry dishes. Garlic is rich in allicin, a compound that has been shown to restrict the growth of certain cancer cells. Onion is rich in quercetin, a polyphenol that has been shown to inhibit the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. You'll find many recipes that use onion in RealAge's Recipe Box.

A Big Squeeze for Your Brain

You see 'em on those late night infomercials -- juicers that promise to save you time and transform your life. All hype?

The juicer might be, but the juice isn't. Drinking pure juice regularly -- be it apple, tomato, or orange -- may help ward off Alzheimer's. How, you ask? It's probably the polyphenols, the antioxidant-like substances that protect the brain from the damage that leads to Alzheimer's plaques. But you don't need a $100 gizmo to get the benefits. Drinking pure juice from a carton a few mornings each week works just as well.

The recent study on the Alzheimer's-thwarting benefits of juice did not specify which kind of juice provides the most protection -- just that study participants who drank fruit or vegetable juice three times a week were less likely to develop Alzheimer's than people who drank juice less often (fewer than once a week). So you may get the benefits from any kind of juice.

However, other Alzheimer's research has shown that quercetin, a polyphenol found in abundance in apple juice, may be particularly protective of the brain. Still, many different polyphenols are found in many different kinds of juice, and they all have anti-inflammatory properties, which also may be key in explaining how the juices preserve your cognitive powers. Then again, there could be another yet-to-be-discovered quality in fruit and vegetable juices that makes them so wonderful for your brain. Whatever the reason, bottoms up! Just make sure it's 100% pure juice -- no juice "cocktails," no fruit "drinks." Check the label to see that you're getting the real deal.

Size Matters

Does plate size really matter when it comes to watching your weight? Or is it a silly trick your stomach probably won't fall for?

As it turns out, in this case, size does matter. Researchers found that when you dish up your meal, you're likely to clean your plate, regardless of serving size. And when you use a large serving spoon and a large plate or bowl, you're more likely to help yourself to over 50% more food than if you use smaller utensils and dishes. To avoid doubling the self-sabotage, think petite. Petite plates and petite spoons mean petite you.

It may be an optical illusion. The same amount of food that completely fills a small bowl may look lost in a large one, prompting you to spoon in -- and eat -- more. You also may find yourself more mentally satisfied if you eat from a small plate that's heaping full than from a large plate with a lonely-looking entrée in the middle of it, even though both have the same amount of food. Try using salad plates for dinner, martini glasses for ice cream, coffee cups for cereal, and petite salad forks and dessert spoons for all your meals. It may drive you or your family a little crazy at first, but you'll get used to it. And isn't it more fun to be unique?