Depending upon individual health concerns & issues, food choices can affect body & mental health. To focus on improving & strengthening your overall health & well being, here are common health concerns for both genders listed in alphabetical order & the foods that would work best in individual perfect dietary planning. For more details, check with your own healthcare providers & refer to, 'Doctor, What Should I Eat?' by Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D. (Warner Books, Inc., 1995). ACNE - To help fight acne problems, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables & cereals. Lay low on sweets (especially chocolate), fried foods, fats, carbonated beverages, nuts / peanut butter & dairy products. AGING - Watch intake of foods high in caloric content. Focus on complex carbohydrates, calcium to fight off osteoporosis & minimize fat & protein consumption. Men on average over age 50 only need around 63 grams of protein a day; women need 50 grams. Calorie-wise, men need to decrease overall daily calorie totals by about 600; women 300 calories per day. ANXIETY - The old standby cup of warm milk & honey sooths jagged nerves. Mix in a little cinnamon & / or nutmeg. Chamomile & Valerian teas are helpful, too. ARTHRITIS - Garlic capsules & peeled garlic can help here. So can fish oil capsules & fish each day in your dietary planning. And drinking a glass of water a few times each day with a small amounts of apple cider vinegar & honey added are beneficial. Lemonade without sugar helps with rheumatic arthritis. Other aids: wild thyme, celery seed & honeysuckle teas & primrose leaves added to salads. ASTHMA - Some foods to help are hot chili peppers, fresh garlic, onions, chili, water with Tabasco sauce, coffee (regular, not decaffeinated). Seafoods that are helpful include crab, clams, shellfish, oysters, mussels, salmon, sardines, mackerel & haddock. Grandmas chicken soup works wonders, too. Carbohydrates & fruits need to especially be included in the di
et. And frozen yogurt, graham crackers & fruit juices are good snacks. CANCER - Lay low on fats. Eat plenty of yellow & green vegetables & fruits (for vitamin C & beta carotene); spinach, winter squash, peaches, cantaloupe, apricots, broccoli, tomatoes, yams, carrots, cabbage, brussels sprouts. Choose low-fat dairy products, leaner meats, plenty of water & high-fiber foods like whole-grain flours & breads. Include macaroni, chickpeas, popcorn, baked potato, pita bread, brown rice. For specific cancers & food choices to target for them, refer to, 'Doctor What Should I eat?' by Isadore Rosenfeld, MD. (Warner Books, Inc., 1995). CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME - Add some extra protein; skinless chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, fresh vegetables & fruits & low-fat dairy products. Eat complex carbs like potatoes, pasta & whole grains. Natural fish sources are also good choices; tuna, salmon, whitefish, mackerel, herring, anchovies, bluefish. COMMON COLD - These foods are helpful for fighting colds: grapefruit & other fruit juices & sections, garlic, horseradish, zinc lozenges, slippery elm tea & other vitamin C foods; broccoli, kale, potatoes & tomatoes. GALLSTONES - Ease up on fats & refined sugars, eat more fiber; fresh fruits & vegetables (steamed veggies, too). Clear liquids are best; apple juice, broth, gelatin, 7-Up. Also include whole grains cereals, pastas & breads like pumpernickel & wheat rye, popcorn, wheat crackers & add oat bran in recipes. Lean meats & low-fat dairy products are recommended. HEART TROUBLE - Onions & tarragon are good choices. Also skip alcohol consumption; go low of caffeine & no smoking. OSTEOPOROSIS - Go low on the caffeine, salt & tobacco. And choose decaffeinated beverages & herbal teas. Instead of salt, use onion, garlic or lemon seasoning. Up your calcium / low-fat dairy intake; yogurt, cheese, milk, soy milk, tofu, shellfish, sardines, salmon, oysters, dark green vegetables (not spinach); cabbage, collards, broccoli. STRESS - Combination of drinking water, relax / exercise first. Later - slowly eat small amount of healthy foods - fruits, veggies.