6 Ways to De-Stress Your Home

Your home - whether big, small, or somewhere in between - should be your sanctuary, a place where stress is left at the door and your soul is nurtured. For a more comforting environment, gradually implement the following changes into your home:

Bring the outdoors in. Green plants, cut flowers and blooming bulbs, or pieces of wood, rocks and other organic elements can create a feeling of nature indoors.

Paint a room to suggest a mood. For instance, blue and green promote a relaxed feeling and may be good choices for the bedroom, while warm colors (maroon, coral, burgundy) suggest a cozy environment and may be inviting in a family room.

Braised Red Cabbage

Red cabbage is just like green cabbage in taste and texture, but with the added benefit of powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that give the redhead of the vegetable world its distinctive color. Red cabbage is also one of the cruciferous family of vegetables; all are rich in fiber, vitamins (most notably vitamin C), minerals like potassium and calcium, and cancer-fighting compounds called indoles. (Other cruciferous vegetables include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and chard; all are delicious.) Be prepared when cooking red cabbage for the color to "bleed" into the other ingredients. The acidic vinegar and wine in this dish keep the cabbage a beautiful purple color. Without the acid, the cabbage will turn blue. This dish is a taste sensation and makes a great side dish with salmon or as a warm appetizer salad. And considering the very affordable price of cabbage, it can't be beat.

4 Ways to Prevent (Another) Heart Attack

To lessen the chances of a recurrence, heart attack survivors need to take charge of their lifestyle. Diet and exercise are key components of a successful recovery, and the following tips will benefit anyone at risk for a second (or first) heart attack.

Manage the big risk factors. Quit smoking, and if you have diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, talk with your doctor about getting them under control, and follow his or her advice about appropriate medications.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. Avoid trans- and saturated fats, and include more vegetables, fruits, whole soy products, legumes, whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. See the food choices recommended in my Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid.

5 Benefits of Ginger

If you're in the market for a healthy spice, pick up some ginger. Ginger's benefits are many and varied - it:

Alleviates nausea and motion sickness

Relieves congestion

Reduces inflammation

Reduces the risk of blood clots

Provides a pleasant "warming" sensation against winter chills.

A simple way to incorporate ginger into your diet is to make fresh ginger tea: add about one half teaspoon of grated ginger root to eight ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, strain, then add honey to taste (if desired). You can also eat candied or pickled ginger or honey-based ginger syrups - or try this recipe, which includes ginger: Lemon-Baked Halibut.

6 Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

If you approach your holiday meals as an exercise, not in deprivation but in making smart choices and enjoying your food, chances are you will avoid seasonal weight gain. Try these mindful eating tips this holiday season, and sign up for Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging for more healthy eating tips:

Choose fiber-rich fruits and vegetables for appetizers, eat high-calorie foods sparingly, and avoid dishes high in saturated fat and sodium.

Be aware of what you eat. To help prevent overindulging - and the stomachache, bloating and other gastrointestinal discomfort that can come with it - be mindful when you are eating and stop when you are feeling full.

Pistachios for Weight Control

Pistachios in the shell may not be as popular as traditional choices like carrots for a healthy (practically no-cal) snack, but as one of the lowest calorie nuts, they have another advantage: shelling them slows down snacking - and a growing pile of shells shows may remind you of how much you've eaten. A study from Eastern Illinois University found that students given unshelled pistachios ate 41 percent fewer nuts (an average of 125 calories per sitting) than those were given shelled nuts (they averaged 211 calories per sitting). The researchers also learned that when given a bowl of pistachios and a bowl for the shells for the day, the students ate 22 percent less when the shells accumulated all day than when the bowls were emptied every two hours. This study supports results from earlier investigations suggesting that pistachios can be a healthy "diet" food: UCLA researchers found that snacking on pistachios was better weight-wise than snacking on pretzels. And a U.S. Department of Agriculture study found the body may not completely absorb the fat in pistachios, which would make the nuts even lower in calories than we think.

4 Ways to Treat Sinus Congestion

Yesterday's post discussed some dietary and lifestyle changes that can help to prevent or minimize sinus issues; today we discuss four ways to reduce the symptoms. If you are experiencing sinus drainage, congestion or pain, consider the following:

Acupuncture. It can be remarkably effective for relieving acute sinusitis. Acupuncture can ease pain and promote sinus drainage within minutes of the placement of the needles.

Hot compresses. Help promote sinus drainage by placing very warm, wet compresses over the whole sinus area (in your upper face) frequently. Work up to as much heat as you can comfortably stand for 10 minutes at a time, several times a day.