THE SAD DIET GETS SADDER

The Standard American Diet (SAD) isn't called that for nothing. Fewer than half of all Americans say they cook at an intermediate level and 16% of men between the ages of 20 and 39 admit they eat pizza every day! Our top sources of calories (besides pizza) s are baked goods, sugary drinks, chicken and alcohol, says the USDA. Go from sad to glad with a plate of steamed kale, dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a little crushed garlic. Kale has more calcium than 6 ounces of milk and more fiber than 3 slices of whole wheat bread. Tasty tomorrow  as a leftover stirred into cooked rice.

HALF A PLANTAIN FOR LOWER LDL

Besides that daily clove of garlic (delicious roasted with some heart healthy olive oil) , there are 5 more daily eats that can ease your high LDL cholesterol numbers down:

* Two or three apples (try a different variety every day. Had a Pink Lady or an Autumn Gold?)
* Three medium carrots (puree for a smoothie with kale and kefir, or lightly steam  carrot sticks and dip in fresh pesto)
*Half a whole green plantain (these tropical non-dessert fruits look like plus-size bananas  and need to be pan-fried or oven-roasted. Drizzle a little agave syrup on top),
*two cups of yogurt (dairy or nondairy) Tasty with that plantain above.

HERBAL ALTERNATIVES TO STATINS

Heal with herbs. Did you know you  can lower your LDL cholesterol non-toxically with both lavender oil  and olive leaf extract ? Take the latter orally via tincture , and apply the former  (combining a few delightfully scented drops with a quarter cup of coconut oil) )  massaging into hands, arms and legs and feet where it also helps normalize blood pressure and circulation. No fear of liver damage or overdosing.

BREWSKY WITH A BITE

Sip your way into fall  with an ice-cold but spicy hot beer cocktail! Combine  1 oz fresh lime juice with 2 tsp Sriracha and 1/4. tsp Worcestershire sauce in a salt-rimmed mug filled with crushed ice.  Top with (to keep the theme) a Mexican lager such as Pacifico or a low or no alcohol brew like Sharp's or Bitburger Drive. Rather than beer nuts,  munch with  a bunch of garlic roasted walnuts. A handful give you protein,vitamin E, omega-3, folate, even melatonin which helps prevent premature aging, migraines and diabetes.

NOT SO SAME OLD SAME OLD SALAD

Update those sliced cucumbers and slivered radishes in your tossed greens.
Try rhubarb. Yes, really!  For a 4-person salad, slice 3 ribs of fresh rhubarb into half-inch chunks, then flash-roast at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool , toss with your favorite greens (Try frisee or radicchio for a change), dress with oil and vinegar. Instead of the same-old slivered, almonds or shredded cheese on top,  try lightly toasted hemp seeds for protein and omega-3's. Rhubarb is rich in Vitamins A, B and K for strong bones with fewer calories than almost any veg this side of celery.

HEALTH IN HAND

Good for the environment but not so good for your inner ecology--Did  you know those hot air hand dryers spread 27 times more bacteria than paper towels? Rx? Shake your wet hands twelve times then use just one folded towel and you're good, recommend preventative health experts. Then get those germ-free hands on some naturally sweetened  cherry juice instead of soda. Tart cherries are rich in inflammation fighting antioxidants, great for treating RA and a natural source of stress-reducing melatonin.  20 ounces of soda a day, on the other hand, can shorten your life by almost 5 years, say anti-aging nutritionists.

NUTRITIONAL MATH

Is your good diet wanting? It is if you're tossing back a few pharmaceuticals with your morning joe and Downward  Facing Dog. .So what’s the take-away about putting back? At a minimum, you need at a respectable multivitamin --preferably one formulated for your sex and age that carries the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) crest.  Plus some additional ascorbic acid (vitamin C),  preferably in the optimally absorbed Ester-C form which will help keep your immune system humming along. One or two grams daily taken in spaced doses couldn’t hurt (and if you don’t need it, it’s water soluble and will simply be voided). A bone-support supplement that contains calcium, vitamin D, and perhaps helper- bone health trace minerals such as boron, silica and vitamin are good add-ons for women.   Wash it all down with a cup of green tea and you’re good to flow! Go to www.invitehealth/drug-induced-nutrient-depletion.html for more details.