lycopene

Beat metabolic syndrome with watermelon

Some 80 million Americans are dying of a condition that most of them don’t even know they have.

They don’t know because their doctors haven’t told them!

You might never hear the words “metabolic syndrome” from your doc – even if you have the excess belly fat, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and creeping blood sugar levels that mark the condition.

At best, he’ll just tell you to lose some weight and send you home with statin drugs and BP pills.

But if you’ve got metabolic syndrome, you’re facing major risks. You’re facing diabetes, heart disease, and even death – and statin drugs and BP meds aren’t going to help.

Sometimes, you need to take matters into your own hands – and take the action today that can save your life tomorrow.

Here’s an easy starting point: tomatoes and watermelons. Not necessarily together.

They’re two of the best natural sources of lycopene, and the latest research finds that if you have metabolic syndrome, this powerful carotenoid can cut your risk of death.

Lycopene works in two ways. First, it fights the dangerous oxidative stress caused by free radicals, which are a result of poor diet (which typically comes along with metabolic syndrome) as well as exposure to toxins, chronic stress, and more.

Second, tt’s also a potent fighter of inflammation – one of the reasons why metabolic syndrome can turn into heart disease.

As a result, the study finds that if you’re battling metabolic syndrome – but you have high levels of lycopene – you’ll live an average of four months longer than those with moderate levels…and over a year longer than folks who have low levels of this powerful nutrient.

By why settle for 13 extra months when you can get so much more?

A study in 2014 found that a simple, easy-to-follow back-to-basics diet can completely REVERSE metabolic syndrome – and, not surprisingly, it’s one that’s naturally rich in the lycopene.

Read more about this life-changing… and life-saving… diet in this free report from my House Calls archives.

Eat variety for good sleep

Eat well, sleep well -- on the one hand, it really is that simple.

On the other, it really is that complicated -- because eating well is about more than just eating healthy foods.

It's about having a balanced diet with a wide range of healthy foods -- and a failure to get the right variety could be what's keeping you up at night. In fact, a new study finds that people who regularly get the 7-9 hours of sleep needed for proper rest are people who eat the widest variety of foods and maintain a balanced diet.

It's easy to see why. Poor sleep can be caused or worsened by nutritional deficiencies. When you eat a wide range of foods, you're more likely to get a wide range of nutrients and have a balanced diet.

And when you get a wide range of nutrients, you're less likely to be deficient in any of them.

On the other hand, a lack of variety means you could miss out on essential nutrients -- and in particular, people with poor sleep habits have low dietary intake of vitamin C, lycopene, selenium, iron, and zinc.

They also don't eat enough protein or drink enough water, and tend to get the wrong amount of carbs (either too much or too little), according to the study published in Appetite.

But while a balanced diet is essential to good sleep, your eating habits are only part of the picture. What you drink is also critical -- and if you booze it up before bed, your sleep will suffer.

Caffeine can also keep you up -- and not just caffeine at night. If you're sensitive to this stimulant then soda or coffee in the afternoon can actually lead to tossing and turning hours later.

The catch here is that you could be sensitive to caffeine and not even know it. Most people don't, so if you're having trouble sleeping, try eliminating all sources of caffeine first and see if it makes a difference.

In addition, lifestyle habits, illness, and hormonal issues can all affect how well you sleep. A holistic physician can run some tests that will help you figure it all out.