As explored in our article on "Eating for Yoga," certain fruits and vegetables contain concentrated nutrients that support healthy joints, minimize muscle pain, and help speed sports recovery. The enzyme bromelain in pineapple, for example, acts as a "clean up crew," digesting dead protein cells created by the micro-tears that are part of the exercise process. Yoga may also help check middle-age spread, particularly when integrated into a varied weekly workout regimen. 

No one explains yoga's benefits better than the beautiful Mariel Hemingway. So visit Dole TV today to watch her interview. Want more Mariel? Check out her yoga memoir, Finding My Balance. 

University of North Carolina (UNC) researchers looked at dietary data for 4,755 people and found that those who drank at least 7 cups (56 ounces) of water daily consumed 200 fewer calories.  Lest you think 7 cups of water is trop eau, keep in mind that the Institute of Medicine actually recommends at least 11 cups for women and at least 15 cups for men (though this includes water consumed via veggies and fruit, most of which are 75-95% water).  

As discussed in the DNN's "Water Works," your body's need for H₂O rises with summertime temperatures. Water not only transports needed nutrients to vital organs, it flushes toxins from your system. By regulating the viscosity of your blood, adequate water intake may halve your fatal coronary heart disease risk.

Bonus: Check our the "Posh Pours" we feature in a previous Dole Spa. If you're tired of plain tap water and bored by bottled then try "Watermelon Mint Water," or "Rosemary Lime Water," or create your own concoction by adding a splash of your favorite antioxidant rich juice, like cranberry or pomegranate.

University of Pennsylvania researcher Dr. Kathryn Schmitz divided 164 overweight and obese women, aged 24 to 44, into two groups. The first group attended twice-a-week strength training for four months and then was told to continue weightlifting on their own. The second group received brochures recommending daily exercise. Neither group was instructed to change eating habits. After two years, the strength trainers not only continued with their weightlifting regimen, they'd reduced overall body fat. The "control group" saw a 21% increase in their intra-abdominal fat, three times that experienced by the weight lifters.

Need more motivation to make it to the gym? We give you twelve reasons to do your daily dozen in "Huff 'n Puff to Buff 'n Tough": a rundown of weightlifting benefits that range from revving your metabolism, to relieving arthritis, to regulating your blood pressure, to lifting your mood--and libido! Women, like those in the study, aren't the only ones benefiting from waist-watching. Check out "Heft Harder on Him," a previous DNN item in which we explored how obesity posed particular health threats for men.

Don't feel as if you must go it alone: Investing in a trainer can maximize your results, as supervised exercisers lift nearly three pounds more than those training solo.

"Our research has substantiated the connection between diet and cancer prevention," observed Dr. Ah-Ng Tony Kong, lead author of the study.  "It is not clear that the expression of cancer-related genes can be influenced by chemopreventive compounds in the things we eat."

This is a powerful incentive to increase consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables, as experts estimate that diet and lifestyle change could prevent one third of all US cancer deaths. We've explored this link at length in previous newsletter items, such as "Top Ten Anti-Cancer Foods," "Chemo Protective Cauliflower," and "Obesity Linked to Nine Types of Cancer."

Delicious ways to incorporate cruciferous vegetables include previously featured Superfood Recipes as "Five Spice Tofu with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Cauliflower," "Broccoli Quiche," "Curried Brussels Sprouts and Carrots" -- fabulous dishes from vegan diva Marie Oser. The American Institute for Cancer Research has also published an amazing collection of mouth-watering recipes in their New American Plate Cookbook.

King Cantaloupe: A double Superfood--for your skin, and for your immunity--cantaloupe is a monarch among melons, containing a treasure trove of key nutrients for a mere 54 calories per cup.

No melon supplies more beta-carotene, an antioxidant carotenoid, some of which neutralizes free radicals directly, some of which your body converts to vitamin A (a needed nutrient MIA in over half of Americans' diets).

Known as "anti-infective vitamin A" for its ability to help the body defend itself against bacteria and viruses,  other "A"-list benefits include preserving eyesight, enhancing sun protection and reducing the risk of several types of cancer. Cantaloupe also supplies over 100% of your daily vitamin C--especially important if you're among that 40% of the population deficient in this antioxidant vitamin.

Winning Watermelon: This summer staple not only beats other melons as a lycopene source--watermelon actually edges out tomatoes as the No. 1 source of lycopene. In addition to lycopene's association with prostate cancer protection, this colorful carotenoid may also lower the risk of other cancers, including ovarian, cervical, oral, esophageal, stomach, colorectal, lung and pancreatic. In addition to protecting you from the inside out, lycopene may provide topical antioxidant protection as well.

Bonus: Lycopene may enhance male fertility, while another watermelon compound, the amino acid, citrulline, may help support male sexual health. A only 46 calories a cup, that's a nutritional bargain, so why not try this issue's featured Superfood Recipe: "Chilled Watermelon Soup."

Healthy Honeydew: For just 61 calories per cup, this honey of a melon supplies over half your daily vitamin C, a multipurpose, powerful antioxidant that benefits your bones, joints, skin and immunity. As explored in the DNN's "Don't Be So Inflammatory," USDA researchers have linked high blood levels of vitamin C with lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker for heart disease and other ailments.

Honeydew also provides a good source of potassium -- a mineral and electrolyte which plays a key role in regulating blood pressure. With 97% of Americans failing to get adequate potassium, it's no wonder that one in three adults suffer from hypertension. One study found that diets rich in potassium reduced stroke risk by 50%.

Count on Casaba: Low on calories (48 per cup) and long on vitamin C (supplying  62% of your daily needs), casaba contains 14% of your daily vitamin B₆ needs. This little nutrition nugget should not be ignored, given the importance of B₆ in protecting your DNA.  In one Washington State University investigation, participants who reduced their vitamin B₆ intake exhibited  75% more DNA strand breaks than at the study's start. Once recommended intake levels of B₆ were restored, the rate of DNA breakage returned to normal range. No wonder people with higher intakes of B₆ have been found to have a lower incidence of colon, prostate, lung, gastric and pancreatic cancers.

Study author Gary Steinman, M.D., Ph.D, of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center examined the issue from a couple of different angles. He surveyed 1,042 vegan women and found that only four had experienced multiple births--about 0.4%--compared to nearly 2% of the general population of mothers.

In trying to isolate the most likely causal factor, he looked at 66 women with a history of multiple births and asked them to rate their dairy consumption on a scale of 1-4 (one being none, four being mucho milk) and found the group averaged about a "3" in their consumption estimate.

Does this data support Dr. Steinman's hypothesis that the introduction of growth-hormone treatment for cows in the 1990's contributed to a significant rise in the rate of multiple births?  Perhaps. Other factors, such as more women giving birth later in life, likely play a role. If you're contemplating pregnancy, you may want opt for organic dairy or consider milk alternatives, like those discussed in our "Milk Ilk." Don't neglect other healthy sources of calcium--such as kale, soybeans, arugula--as half of women already fail to get enough of this important mineral.

Finally, if you're considering becoming pregnant, it's especially important to steer clear of low-carb diets. Not only could they reduce your intake of folic acid--a B vitamin crucial to preventing birth defects--excessive protein intake could reduce your chances of getting pregnant in the first place. Animal studies at the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine found that even a "moderately" high protein diet could prevent an embryo from attaching to the wall of the womb or hinder its early development. For more see our Dole TV video on reproductive health.

The five most glaring nutrient deficiencies among adolescents ages 14-18 are potassium, fiber, vitamin E, calcium and magnesium. These are similar to those nutrients absent in the adult population, with a few key differences that have particular health consequences for teens. We'll address each of these in turn, and suggest top sources to help adolescents meet their dietary needs.

POTASSIUM: Virtually all adolescents--97%--are failing to reach the recommended intake of 4700mg of potassium a day, according to USDA data. No wonder blood pressure levels are rising among young Americans, as we previously reported in the DNN. While other factors play a role--excessive sodium intake, rising obesity rates--the near total absence of adequate potassium levels is pivotal, since the mineral helps maintain normal blood pressure and blunt the effects of excess sodium.

Healthy potassium sources include bananas, raisins, dates, potatoes, honeydew and white beans.

FIBER: In this case fiber's "F" stands for a failing grade. Again, nearly all adolescents--over 97%--don't get enough of this important macronutrient. Think that adults with elevated cholesterol are the only ones who need to focus on fiber? Twenty-seven million American children also have high cholesterol, and increasing their fiber intake could help protect them from cardiovascular disease. Fiber could also help guard children--particularly those exposed to second hand smoke--from developing respiratory problems later in life. Could fiber fight tummy pains? Children with higher fruit intake also experience fewer episodes of recurrent abdominal pain.

Top fiber sources include beans, oats, raspberries, blackberries and oranges.

VITAMIN E: File a missing nutrient report! 97% of teens aren't getting their daily 12mg of this powerful antioxidant vitamin. You nag your kids to wash their hands, bundle up during cold weather--all in a never-ending quest to keep loved ones cold-free. Yet vitamin E can help form the first line of defense against illness by boosting the production of bacteria-busting white blood cells while shielding immune cells from free radical damage. Nuts and seeds--almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds--are among healthy sources of this uber-antioxidant; also spinach, and some cereals.

CALCIUM: Only one in ten teen girls are getting adequate calcium according to recent clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics, while less than a third of their male peers are meeting those needs, according to USDA. These stats may not seem as striking as the ones above, but when you consider the increased importance of calcium during a time when growing bodies are supposed to be increasing bone mass, inadequate intake of calcium constitutes a major mineral meltdown.

Don't think that osteoporosis is confined to the elderly: One study found that 67% of kids who experienced frequent fractures already had the disease. If lactose intolerance is a problem, consider other healthy sources of calcium, such as soymilk, certain cereals, canned salmon, kale, okra and black-eyed peas.

MAGNESIUM: 91% of girls fail to get their 300mg while 78% of males fail to get their 340mg of magnesium--a mineral crucial for growing bones. In fact, magnesium plays such an important role in disease prevention that we devoted an entire article to its benefits: "Mighty Magnesium." Some of the healthiest magnesium sources include oat bran, halibut, spinach, pumpkin seeds and soybeans.

Bonus: Want to learn more about your children's nutrition needs?  Download our "Healthy Kids" brochure, also available in Spanish, or visit our www.dole5aday.com site.