Health Tips 7

High Blood Pressure

Burning the midnight oil night after night is not only bad for your psyche -- it's also bad for your blood pressure. So when it's time to get out of there, log off that computer, douse the lights, and get the heck out of there -- both physically and mentally. Your heart will be better off for it.

When researchers compared the hours people worked to their blood pressure, they found an interesting relationship: People who worked 41 to 50 hours a week were more likely to have high blood pressure than those who put in fewer than 40 hours a week. When time on the job jumped to more than 51 hours, hypertension was practically commonplace -- almost a third of the men and women had it.

Anyway you slice it, long work hours mean less sleep, family time, and activities that your body needs to stay strong and healthy. Because -- unless you've pulled a Michael Keaton and figured out how to clone yourself -- the extra time at your desk cuts into the time you could spend doing good things for yourself, like exercising, cooking healthy meals, and relaxing with friends and family. All things you really need to do to keep your heart and arteries young.

So regardless of the kind of work you do or how much you love it (or don't), be sure to balance it with other good-life priorities. You'll feel better, do a better job, and add years to your life.

Shake That Cinnamon Shaker

Cinnamon and cloves are irresistible flavorings, but they aren't just treats for your tastebuds. They also provide powerful health benefits, like helping the body process blood glucose -- essential to avoiding diabetes. Keep both spices handy for baking, hot drinks, and savory dishes. Cooking with them is as easy as apple pie.

Cinnamon is well known as a stellar antioxidant and a potent germ-killer, and there's a growing body of evidence that shows that a substance in the spice turns on insulin receptors to help the body use glucose. Which is a good thing, because too much glucose in the bloodstream is tough on your organs and a marker of diabetes. Cloves appear to have a similar effect.

So don't save these spices for holiday cooking. You can use cinnamon liberally, but cloves -- ground or whole -- really pack a flavor punch and take a lighter hand. For ways to get more of these good-for-you spices into your everyday life, try these tips:

Sprinkle both on fresh apple slices and poached pears. Add cinnamon and cloves to crockpot dishes for an Indian-inspired flavor twist. Add ground cloves to stuffing recipes. Use a cinnamon stick to stir your tea, hot chocolate, or warm soymilk. Sprinkle both spices into muffin batters and on whole-wheat toast. Keep a cinnamon shaker next to the salt and pepper on the table and experiment. Push whole cloves into an onion and place it in turkey or chicken cavities for flavorful roasting.

Cram in More Cranberries

Bursting with flavor, dripping with color, and abounding in cancer-fighters -- the tiny cranberry has it all.

The bright red of the cranberry is a clue that it is jam-packed with flavonoids, including ones that appear to defend against cancer cell growth. So spread your turkey sandwiches with lots of tasty, fresh cranberry relish. It's great on fish, in muffins, and as a salad topping, too!

Researchers testing a unique group of flavonoids -- anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and flavonol glycosides -- found that individually, each one prevented liver and breast cancer cells from multiplying. When the three are combined, as they are in a cranberry, they may be even more effective in squelching cancer cell growth. In the lab, it's called synergy. In your mouth, it's called divine.

Enjoy plenty of fresh cranberries this season by making sauces, cobblers, muffins, and breads with them. When they are out of season, stock up on dried cranberries and add them to cereal, salads, and trail mix. And cranberry juice with a splash of sparkling water is a terrific refresher. With every bite or sip, you'll be doing something positive for your health, and positively delicious.