My roommate just came back from the farmers' market with a bag of fresh Ontario green beans and promptly cooked them up with some garlic and slivered almonds - really simple. She asked if I wanted some to which I responded "no thanks" as I'd just eaten. They smelled really good, though, so I rethought my position. "I'll try one," I said. And that lead to another and another and soon I was feasting on the poor woman's dinner. They were just too good to pass up.

We're right at the beginning of green bean season -- a season that should last through until October, depending on the weather. You can usually get them all year, but this is when they're at their best and least expensive, so take advantage over the next few months.

Green beans are a great source of vitamin K, vitamin C and manganese. They're also a very good source of beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, and they also contain a variety of other important carotenoid phytonutrients. You can tell by their crunch that green beans are a good source of dietary fibre. They also contain zinc, potassium, the all important folate, are a decent source of iron, magnesium, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), copper, calcium, phosphorus and niacin (B3), all of which is to say they're quite a nutrient-dense little veggie.

How many times a week are you eating salmon? I suggest you aim for at least once because the health benefits are numerous. As you may have heard, salmon contains valuable omega-3 fats (essential fats) that are easily absorbed by your body (vegetable sources of omega-3s, on the other hand, need to be converted by the body to the form naturally found in fish). These omega-3 fats are important for a number of reasons including eliminating inflammation, keeping cell walls flexible and healthy and helping to form the protective coating around nerve cells.

On top of that, salmon is also high in the amino acid tryptophan, the protein component needed for the 'good mood neurotransmitter' serotonin and the sleep hormone melatonin. Salmon is also a great source of vitamin D, which also makes it a good winter food when we're not getting as much vitamin D from the sun. It's also high in protein, the hard-to-come-by mineral selenium, as well as magnesium and phosphorous.

So we've established that salmon is a welcome addition to a healthy diet, but don't stop there because to get the health benefits you need to buy the right kind of salmon and it all comes down to the health of our oceans. In addition to oil spills and other toxins dumped into our seas, there is rightful concern about the sustainability of our seafood as over-fishing also takes a toll on these troubled waters. I recommend checking Seachoice.org as a means of evaluating which fish and seafood, and even which type of salmon, are sustainable and safe (hint: wild Alaskan salmon is your best bet).

Here are five suggestions on preparing this health-promoting fish that are delicious but don't involve sugary sauces or processed foods. The best thing about these tips is that you can mix and match them, incorporating several ideas into one dish.

I recently wrote a post weighing the nutrition of cantaloupe versus honeydew melons and I had more than one person ask "what about watermelon." While it's my opinion that cantaloupe and honeydew are the "best" melons by far, the masses prefer watermelon.

Watermelon is often thought of as an empty food - mostly water, sweet taste, but not much in the way of nutrition. This simply isn't the case. In fact, all the water taking up space in these pink, fleshy melons make them a really nutrient-dense food. Nutrient density is measured by nutrient to calorie ratio, so since water has no calories, watermelon is really nutrient dense! Keep reading to find out all the health benefits.

Although a watermelon is sweeter than an apple, it actually contains about half as much fruit sugar. And while it's somewhat tricky to find an organic watermelon, come August you'll be able to get local ones. And here is some more good news: Watermelons are on the Environmental Working Group's list of the "Clean 15" conventionally grown fruits and vegetables with the least amount of residual pesticides.

If you've ever gone into the produce section at a health food grocery store, you've likely been confronted by a lot of leafy greens you didn't necessarily recognize or know much about. Don't be intimidated - even people well aquainted with leafy greens can often come across something they've never encountered before. But it makes for a good opportunity to expand your knowledege and add variety to your diet. So jump in!

One of the greens you may be unfamiliar with is dandelion greens. And, yes, it is the same annoying weed you work so hard to keep off your lawn? The fact is, the greens from this "weed" are actually quite tasty and good for you. They make an excellent addition to salads and can also be cooked in the same way spinach is prepared.

Dandelion gets its name from the French "dents de lion", or lion's teeth, which describes the jagged edges on the leaves. The "lion" part of the equation might be there due to the fact that the fluffy yellow flowers of the plant resemble a lion's head with its furry mane.

Dandelion greens are loaded with beta carotene, the carotenoid phytonutrient that is a precursor to vitamin A. Dandelion greens are considered to be the richest source of beta carotene in the vegetable kingdom! In fact, dandelion greens contain over four times the amount of beta carotene found in broccoli. They are an extremely nutrient-dense food. They contain almost double the vitamin K, twice the calcium and almost three times the iron as broccoli. That's a lot of nutrients. They're also rich in fibre, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and the B vitamins thiamine and riboflavin.

We talk about beets a lot on That's Fit.ca and our enthusiasm for this vibrant root vegetable shows no signs of abating, here's why: The beet is truly a nutritional powerhouse. Beet juice can boost athletic endurance and beets are loaded with antioxidant carotenoid phytonutrients, including lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health. They're packed with B vitamins and vitamin C, calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and the always important zinc. Beets are also a great source of betaine, which stimulates liver function, lowers inflammation and protects bile ducts. Beets build and detoxify the blood.

With that knowledge you are probably keen to add more beets to your diet, but how? One can only consume so many boiled or roasted beets before growing bored, so here are five creative ideas on how to get more of these nutrient bombs into your day.

Juicing - Beet juice is one of the better ways to maximize all the nutrition in beets. A few ounces of organic beet juice is akin to taking a multivitamin and a liver tonic. And because they're sweet, any juice you add them to is going to be tasty. Don't forget, you can juice the beet's greens too.

Smoothie - If you're like me, you've got a high-powered blender that can tear through a chunk of beet as though it was an over-boiled potato. But since you're probably not like me, your standard blender might need a bit of help. Cut beets into small pieces or even grate them before adding them to your smoothie or it may end up chunkier than you like. Adding whole beets to smoothies instead of just juicing them means you get all their nutritious components plus the valuable fibre.

Have you got a stubborn last few inches of weight hanging on that isn't responding to diet or exercise? Now, I'm not one to focus on weight loss, but I know how frustrating it can be when you think you're doing all the right things and it doesn't seem to be working. If we look at the situation from a holistic point of view, it may be that spare tire isn't related to diet or exercise at all.

It might be stress. Stress is an often overlooked component of body fat accumulation and yet it is definitely a contributor. When we're stressed, the adrenal glands release a stress hormone called cortisol and cortisol increases fat accumulation around the abdomen. This belly fat is responsible for a lot of the inflammation that happens in the body.

Anything that can lead to inflammation in the cells of the body can cause further weight gain, among other serious issues. Constant inflammation leads to the major chronic diseases of aging like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, among others. And chronic inflammation is also a major contributor to obesity.

While dining on a pub patio in Toronto last week, I couldn't help but notice all the people eating French fries while chugging copious amounts of beer, and I have to admit, those fries looked good! But when the waitress asked me if I wanted fries or salad with my chicken wrap I went for the salad. Because I've been eating a clean diet for so long now, I rarely crave junk food and it was an easy decision to make. And ultimately, it's those kinds of choices that make a big difference to your waistline and your heart health.

That said, those golden brown fried potatoes had taken up residence in a small part of my brain and upon arriving home I was inspired to whip up a "nutritionist-approved" version: sweet potato fries. I will share the recipe with you here although I hesitate to even refer to it as a recipe because if you can turn on an oven and add a little seasoning, you can pull this dish together.

Sweet potatoes are a wonderful and healthy comfort food any time of year. They are a source of many different nutrients, including: vitamin C (potent antioxidant), dietary fibre, B vitamins, particularly niacin (B3) and B6, potassium, magnesium, copper and iron. Sweet potatoes also have extremely high levels of beta-carotene, which is the precursor to the all important vitamin A and a nutrient important for cancer-fighting and keeping colds at bay. Eating these fries with a little olive oil aids in the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A.

Recipe after the jump.

Each week, holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy tells us about a common health problem she's seen in her practice and how she came to a solution.

This Week's Client: Alicia, 23, a university student with a part-time job and a busy social life.
The Problem: She feels anxious nearly every day and suffered from panic attacks as a teenager.

It's normal to experience moments of anxiety, particularly when they stem from stressful situations such as writing an exam or attending a job interview. But Alicia doesn't need a reason to feel anxious, it's her state of mind most of the time.

Anxiety can be characterized by numerous symptoms, but the most common are chills or hot flashes, sudden overwhelming fear, heart palpitations, chest tightness, dizziness, numbness. Alicia described it as feeling like she'd had too much coffee resulting in a nervous energy she couldn't alleviate.

Her doctor recommended antidepressants to tame her anxiety, but she was determined to solve the problem by natural means, which is why she ended up in my office.

Six diet and supplement suggestions to reduce anxiety, after the jump..

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.


If you ask a women if she has PMS, she might reply by saying, "No, but I'm sure my husband would say I do." Similarly, if you ask her if she experiences breast tenderness, irritability, cravings, water retention, weight gain, headaches, sleep disruption, acne breakouts, fatigue or other symptoms prior to her period, she might say, "Yes, I do, but isn't that normal?"

Countless women have no idea that their period should come and go, without symptoms, except the obvious - blood loss, each month. Some women even believe that PMS refers only to mood changes prior to their period, while others think the symptoms of water retention, sore breasts and irritability are normal.

These symptoms are not normal! Chronic symptoms prior to your period are not only troublesome, they're also detrimental and a clear indication of hormonal imbalance. This common misconception identifies two issues: Not only have we become so accustomed to hormonal imbalance that we are perhaps no longer able to identify balanced wellness, we are also out of touch with our bodies. This causes subtle messages conveyed by our symptoms to be missed and as a consequence, we also miss the opportunity to achieve better health.

What is PMS?
PMS (premenstrual syndrome) involves many different symptoms lasting a few days to weeks prior to the onset of menses. The symptoms, along with their intensity, can vary from month to month, but usually end after the first or second day of bleeding when the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle begins. The time before the menstrual flow, coinciding with PMS, is called the luteal phase. It begins at ovulation and continues until the first day of bleeding.

We know about 75 percent of women have PMS and that it's most likely to affect those between their late 20s and early 40s. Out of these sufferers, about eight to 10 percent require medical intervention to manage their mood and behavioral changes. Some women with premenstrual syndrome experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is a form of premenstrual syndrome associated with severe depression, hopelessness, anger, anxiety and low self-esteem.

Recognizing PMS
The symptoms of PMS are both mental and physical.

Attention all athletes: A new study has found that drinking beet juice regularly can improve stamina in exercise. The study, published by the U.K. University of Exeter's School of Sport and Health Sciences found organic beetroot juice allowed participants to exercise for 15 percent longer than usual.

The study participants drank 500mL of beet juice six days in a row before completing exercise tests including cycling and exercise bike. There was also a placebo phase, where the participants were given blackcurrant cordial to drink daily instead of the beetroot juice before completing the fitness tests. The study found that the participants were able to cycle an average of 92 second longer after drinking the beet juice for six days than after drinking the placebo.

The researchers also found the beet juice "doubled the amount of nitrate in volunteers' blood and reduced the rate at which muscles used their main source of energy." It also increased muscle efficiency and decreased the uptake of oxygen during high and low-intensity exercise. They're unsure why this increased nitrate had an effect on endurance, but believe it could result from the nitrate converting to nitric oxide, thereby reducing the oxygen cost of exercise.

If you've been looking around for healthy, dairy-free alternatives to cow's milk, perhaps due to allergies or digestive intolerance (pain, gas, bloating), your research might have led you to either brown rice or almond milk, both of which I recommend. That said, while the store-bought nut milks aren't bad, they often contain additives such as carrageenan (often irritates the gut) and soy lecithin (many people are intolerant or sensitive to this additive) and preservatives such as excess sodium. Almond milk is a source of protein, vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium and zinc.

Homemade almond milk sounds like a time-consuming luxury, but it's surprisingly easy. In fact, you can have creamy, rich nut milk for your granola as early as tomorrow morning if you follow these six easy steps:

Almond Milk Ingredients:
1 cup raw almonds, (preferably organic) unroasted, no salt
5 cups of filtered water
2 tbsp of maple syrup or 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
You will also need a blender or food processor and a fine strainer or cheesecloth.



Step 1:
Soak 1 cup of almonds in filtered water overnight on your kitchen counter. Cover with enough water to completely submerge all the almonds by at least 3 cm (1 inch).

Feeling stressed? Andrea Donsky, co-founder of NaturallySavvy.com, explains how to eat to feel great and fight stress.

Q: How can food affect stress levels?

A: Believe it or not, they can. Certain nutrients such as L-Tryptophan are the building blocks for manufacturing serotonin – the feel good chemical – in our brain. Eating foods high in these amino acids, as well as B vitamins, magnesium and omega-3s, can help minimize the body's reaction to stress.

Q: Do certain foods contribute to stress while others relieve it? And which foods contribute to stress most and which foods minimize stress most?

A: Yes, the foods we consume definitely can help relieve our feelings of stress – or add to them.

• B vitamins: As the building blocks of our nervous system, B vitamins play an important role in brain functions such as mood and mental performance. Dark leafy greens and eggs are a good source of the vitamin.

The best stress-fighting foods after the jump:

Carole is a 68-year-old retired woman and "snowbird" who spends half her year in Florida. She suffers from fibromyalgia and arthritis and hopes to get some relief from the constant pain. She also has three children and an eight-year-old grandson who keeps his Nana on the go and Carole hopes this nutrition challenge will give her a little more stamina to keep up with him. Carole is also self-confessed recovering "yo-yo dieter" who considers herself to be overweight and is hoping to achieve some weight loss.

I asked her a few questions about her daily diet and gave her tips and ideas on what she could eat instead during That's Fit.ca's 30-Day Nutrition Challenge. If you missed our other posts and want to follow the challenge here are some resources to get you started: What exactly you can and can't eat. How to wean yourself off coffee and start eliminating the other items. Recipes and resources to get you through the next 30 days.

Healthy Foodie: What do you normally have for breakfast?

Carole: Orange juice (with cod liver oil added), oatmeal or cereal with fruit, ground flax seed and one percent milk. Or a muffin, large mug of coffee with cream or Coffeemate.

HF - This is not a bad breakfast, but you'll need to make some changes for the purpose of the challenge. Make sure the oats you're using are gluten-free (available at health food stores) and you might want to skip boxed cereals. Instead of using cow's milk, try experimenting with nut milks or rice milk. The ones bought from the store are usually full of sugar, but making your own is surprisingly easy. Obviously, coffee is going to have to go, so try switching to green tea. I often recommend those who are transitioning from coffee try a green drink in the morning, such as chlorella, spirulina or other green blends. These drinks are full of B vitamins, which give you natural energy instead of the artificial buzz of caffeine and they have a lot more magnesium than coffee. You can add them to smoothies in the morning. And even if you decide to switch back to coffee at some point, skip the non-dairy creamers - they're all hydrogenated oil and contain trans fats.

You've just had a great workout. You really worked up a sweat and you know you did some good damage to those muscles. Now, you're thirsty, hungry and fatigued, so what should you reach for?

If you're like millions of North Americans, you'll probably go for a fluorescent-coloured "sports" beverage because the advertising campaigns have convinced you that they're better than water. It seems most of us have bought the line that these lab creations are superior at hydrating than the stuff created by nature that we've been surviving on for millennia.

But ask yourself this: Are sugary, artificially-coloured and flavoured, processed beverages really the best thing for your body after you work out? Are they good for you at any time? You obviously care about your body or you wouldn't be sweating so hard to keeping it healthy - so why feed it something that's hindering its healthy function?

Fortunately, there alternatives to these flashy sports drinks.