First off, the best place to get all your nutrients is from food. Anyone worth their weight in nutrition credentials will tell you to go to milk and other calcium-rich foods. The reality is, few women drink 3 to 4 glasses of milk a day and their diets are far too low in this mineral. If you aren’t getting enough calcium from dietary sources, you risk the crippling disease of osteoporosis and possibly colon cancer and high blood pressure.

Second, nutrition is not a black-and-white science. Studies flip flop on topics, so you must look at where the weight of the evidence lies. Each study is like a thread in a tapestry. What does the tapestry say. In this case, there are many more studies showing calcium is safe and important for bone health and only a few that suggest it might slightly elevated heart disease risk.

The bottom line:  On the days when you don’t consume at least 3 calcium-rich foods in the daily diet, take a moderate-dose calcium (preferably with magnesium) supplement.  You only need to fill in the gaps between recommended intake and your dietary intake, not supply the entire 1,200 milligrams of calcium from a pill. I recommend one that supplies these two minerals in a 2:1 ratio, or about 500 milligrams calcium and 250 milligrams magnesium.

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The chemicals of biggest concern in fish include pesticides such as DDT and dioxin, mercury, and PCBs or polychlorinated biphenyls. DDT and PCBs were discontinued in the 1970s, yet decades later residues are still found in samples of domestic fish. Granted, levels are gradually receding in the United States, but DDT is still used in other countries and its wide distribution in the environment and slow disintegration means that DDT and its breakdown products will be around for decades to come.

Despite these concerns, fish and shellfish remain one of the healthiest, low-calorie sources of many nutrients, such as protein, special fats called omega-3 fatty acids, the B vitamins, fluoride, iodine, zinc, and iron. Canned salmon and sardines eaten with the bones are excellent non-dairy sources of calcium. Oysters are the best dietary source for zinc (one large oyster supplies an entire day’s requirement for this trace mineral) and a good source of copper.

So how to get the benefits and reduce the health risks?
1) Select lean fish (most chemical contaminants concentrate in fatty tissues). Cod, flounder, haddock, Pacific halibut, ocean perch, pollock, and sole, are relatively safe from chemical contamination.
2) Select Pacific- and offshore-caught fish (limit or avoid near-shore saltwater or inland-caught freshwater fish). Salmon (caught in the Pacific, or farmed in Chili or Norway) also is safe.
3) Choose small, young fish. It’s the older, fattier fish that have had time to bioaccumulate pesticides and PCBs.
3) Cook shellfish and select clams and oysters harvested on the Pacific coast, if possible. (Food poisoning cases are caused by natural toxins or microorganisms that migrate into seafood because of poor handling practices. The greatest health risk is with raw oysters and other mollusks, accounting for up to 85% of all food poisonings caused from seafood.)
4) Limit tuna, swordfish, and shark to one serving a week; women who might become or are pregnant should limit these fish to once a month, since these types of fish may contain mercury, a toxic metal known to cause birth defects. Canned tuna contains less mercury than fresh tuna steaks, but limit intake to no more than two medium-sized cans a week (about 6 sandwiches).

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The issue of salt really is one of how sensitive you are to its effects. About one-third of us are salt sensitive, which means that our blood pressure goes up when our salt intake goes up, and our blood pressure drops when we cut back on salt. For people with high blood pressure (hypertension), cutting back on salt and losing weight is so effective at lowering blood pressure that many people are able to go off their blood pressure medications as a result. The problem is that there is no way to tell who is and who isn’t salt sensitive until you develop high blood pressure. Granted, if you are overweight, older, or African American, you’re at higher risk, but others are salt-sensitive, too. That’s why the American Heart Association recommends that everyone keep their intakes to less than 2,400mg (the equivalent of about 1 teaspoon of salt). Too much salt in your diet today also might be harmful to your bones, increasing the risk for osteoporosis down the line.

While you miss the salty taste at meals, in reality only a third of our dietary salt comes from added salt in the kitchen. By far the biggest contributor is processed foods. Up to 77% of people’s salt intake came from processed foods! Some of those foods most of us know are high in salt, such as soy sauce and canned soup, but many will come as quite a surprise. For example, a cup of canned tomato sauce has up to 1,498 mg, a cup of canned chili contains up to 1,336 mg, and a half cup of cottage cheese has 914 mg. In general, the more processed a food, the higher its salt content.

To cut back on your salt today and save your blood pressure and bones in the future, try to:

1) Read labels. Keep an eye out for ingredients with “sodium” in the title, including sodium chloride, sodium benzoate, monosodium glutamate, and disodium phosphate.
2) Limit fast, convenience, and processed foods, including all fast foods, canned soups and sauces, all processed snack foods (chips, salted peanuts), and luncheon meats.
3) Limit salty condiments: bouillon, garlic salt, meat tenderizers, MSG, and baking soda. Instead, use lite salt substitutes, and season with herbs, lemon juice, and other flavors.
4) In restaurants, ask that food be prepared with less salt.
5) Flavor your food with other seasonings, such as herbs, roasted red pepper, chilies, fresh ginger, garlic, onions, salt substitutes, and lemon juice.
6) Base your diet on fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nonfat milk, and extra-lean meat and beans and you automatically will eat a low-sat diet. The added benefit is that this diet also helps curb your risk for all age-related disease, helps you live healthier longer, and will even help you shed a few pounds!

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The only way to smooth out the dimples is to lose body fat with a proper diet and tone up with exercise. The diet rules for tackling those bumps and ripples include:
1. Lose weight gradually.
2. Cut out the junk, that means processed foods.
3. Watch portions.
4. Graze, don’t gorge.

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You have to get really honest about what your excuses are. Everyone has them. For example, l;et’s take the issue of time. People often use that excuse to explain why they just don’t have time to take care of themselves. But, what if I told you I’d pay you $200 for every healthy meal you ate? Would you find the time then? If so, then time isn’t the issue, prioritizing is. Besides, it doesn’t take much time to eat well, especially with the wealth of new, healthful convenience foods. You don’t need to eat a hot meal or even cook to be healthy. With a well-stocked kitchen, it takes less time to prepare a low-fat, nutritious meal than it does for that take-out order to arrive. It does take a change in mind set and a little planning up front, such as

1. Keep nutritious foods readily available. Clean and store enough raw vegetables to supply meals and snacks for up to three days. (Or purchase vegetables, salad greens, or fresh fruit already washed and cut.) Freeze an extra loaf of whole wheat bread, stock extra cans of kidney beans, fill the cookie jar with homemade trail mix made with nuts, dried fruits, roasted soybeans, and a few chocolate chips.
2. Prepare meals in quantity. Make a big pot of soup or stew, spaghetti, lasagna, casseroles, chicken or bean wraps, or sauces that are great for lunches or dinners throughout the week, or to freeze in individual containers for later use.
3. Keep it simple. Unless you are a gourmet cook who loves to spend hours in the kitchen, avoid complicated recipes that require time, a lengthy list of ingredients, and fancy equipment.
4. Take advantage of nutritious quick-fix foods. Purchase precut vegetables and fruits, bottled minced garlic or ginger, bottled lemon juice, frozen whole wheat waffles, pre-shredded cabbage, bagged lettuce or spinach, bulk bags of frozen skinned and boned chicken breasts, canned kidney beans, and boxed or pre-made hummus.

So, give up the excuses and get to work!

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Granted, poor nutrition will affect the body’s immune system and increase the possibility of children developing a number of health conditions and infections, including skin problems. Allergies to certain foods also can cause skin conditions other than acne, such as eczema. But, the addition of small amounts of chocolate or any other food to an otherwise healthy diet will not cause pimples, let alone acne.

Other food components also have been touted as possible treatments for acne. For example, vitamin A is said to help skin problems. However, it is not vitamin A, but a synthetic analogue of this vitamin, called retinoic acid, that is effective in treating acne. There is no credible evidence that vitamin A in foods, or its counterpart beta carotene in fruits and vegetables, is an effective treatment for acne or pimples. Limited evidence suggests that moderate amounts of either zinc-rich foods or a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement that contains zinc might be somewhat helpful for skin problems, since this trace mineral aids in the normal functioning of the oil-producing glands in the skin, called the sebaceous glands. However, this evidence is sketchy at best. If you decide to try zinc supplements, make sure the dose does not exceed 10 milligrams for children under 10-years-old, 15 milligrams for teenagers, and 25 milligrams for an adult, since excessive intake of zinc can interfere with the absorption of other minerals.

Your best bet diet-wise for keeping a child’s skin healthy and blemish-free is to focus on low-fat, high-fiber, nutrient-packed foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nonfat or low-fat milk or soymilk products, cooked dried beans and peas, nuts, fish, and extra-lean meats. Cut back on highly-processed foods, which typically are higher in calories, fat, and sugar and lower in vitamins, minerals, and fiber than unprocessed foods.

Of course, daily and thorough cleansing of the skin to keep it free from dirt and oil is essential to healthy skin during childhood and adolescence. Regular exercise, effective stress management, and moderate exposure to sunshine are also important for health and the prevention and treatment of blemishes.

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The first place to start is with meat, which accounts for a third of most people’s food bills. You can save money by redefining this one item as a compliment, not the main attraction. For example, instead of steak, serve beef stew made with extra-lean meat, carrots, potatoes, celery, mushrooms, and onions, and cut your dinner bill by half. Not only that, but the stew has much less artery-clogging fat than the steak.

In general, the less processed a food, the more nutritious and less costly it is. For example, a potato costs approximately half what a serving of frozen hashbrowns costs. You can cut the cost of breakfast in half by switching from packaged cinnamon-flavored oatmeal to plain old-fashioned oatmeal. Frozen plain vegetables also tend to be cheaper than canned.

Snack on fruits and vegetables. Highly-processed snack items aren’t as cheap as they look. A small bag of potato chips seems inexpensive, but price those chips by the pound and they out-price a steak! Instead, vegetables and fruits on sale and in season can save hundreds of dollars over the course of a year compared to processed snack foods.

In addition, follow these simple rules for cutting costs, while maximizing taste and nutrition:
1. Buy less expensive produce. Apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, cabbage, and onions are usually less expensive year around, and they are packed with vitamin C for healthy eyes.
2. Look for specials/use coupons. Buy these discounted foods in quantity and store or freeze. For example, purchase pounds of bananas when on sale. Peel and freeze to use in smoothies later.
3. Buy in bulk. Oatmeal, rice, nuts, tea, dried fruit, seasonings, sugar, and many other dry goods are available in bulk bins at supermarkets, health food stores, discount groceries, and food co-ops, for pennies on the dollar.
4. Shop at warehouse clubs. Granted, you buy in larger quantities at these stores, but comparison shopping can save you big bucks. No place to store the box of apples or case of water-packed tuna? Shop with friends and split the food.
5. Buy in season. Raspberries might cost $10 a basket in March, but be patient and enjoy them for as little as $2 in July.
6. Bean it up. Beans in the bulk food section cost less than a dollar a pound, yet are packed with fiber, B vitamins, minerals, and protein! Even canned beans are a bargain.
7. Buy generic. Store brands of frozen vegetables, canned fruit, milk, and other items usually cost less than brand names.

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