What to Eat When: Food Fixes for

Everyday Aches and Pains IVillage

You Feel Congested

Eat: Hot peppers

Whether it’s triggered by a cold, a sinus infection,

allergies or your coworker’s perfume, being stuffed

up and congested can make life miserable. Hot

peppers to the rescue! Capsaicin -- the plant

compound that gives hot peppers their eye-

watering zing -- dilates blood vessels in the nose,

helping to flush out inflammation and open clogged

sinuses even faster than decongestant nasal

sprays can, says Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., co-author of The People’s Pharmacy Quick and Handy Home

Remedies. Two teaspoons daily is the research-

proven dose -- and you can mix them with a bit of

food, if you find them tough to swallow on their

own. Other great congestion-relievers: 1/4 cup of

hot salsa or chili-flavored chutney, or one

tablespoon of hot sauce, horseradish or wasabi.

You Feel Anxious

Eat: Brazil nuts

Thanks to their hectic lives, at least 65 percent of

women are hit with daily bouts of stress and even

anxiety, say researchers at Logan’s Utah State

University. Yet munching on a few Brazil nuts daily

can make even the busiest life feel a lot more serene. The nuts are nature’s top source of

selenium -- a mineral that helps soothe the central

nervous system. According to researchers at

Britain’s University of Wales in Swansea, boosting

your selenium intake to 220 micrograms daily --

the amount in just three Brazil nuts -- can trigger

a dramatic improvement in moods, helping you

feel calmer, less anxious and more energetic

within three months.

You Have a Toothache

Chew: Cloves

If you can’t get to the dentist -- or you suspect the

ache is only going to be temporary -- gently

chewing on one or two cloves can ease your tooth

pain and gum inflammation for two hours straight,

say UCLA researchers. The credit goes to a natural compound in clove oil called eugenol -- it’s a

powerful anesthetic and bacteria-killer, and cloves

are packed with almost five times more of it than

any other plant studied, say researchers at the

University of Georgia in Athens. One tip: Store

cloves (and any other spices that you don’t use

weekly) in a cool, dark cupboard. Eugenol -- and

the medicinal ingredients in many other spices --

can be damaged by prolonged exposure to light

and heat.

You're Starving an Hour Before Lunch

Eat: An apple

The five grams of fiber in a medium apple will take

the edge off your hunger -- and according to

research from Pennsylvania State University, it may actually help you eat less at your meal. When

people noshed on an apple before lunch, they took

in 187 calories less than those who didn’t (even

after accounting for the calories in the apple). But

researchers say having the whole fruit is key:

People who ate applesauce or drank fiber-fortified

apple juice first didn’t slash their intake nearly as

much. Why? Experts say eating an apple requires

more chewing, which can trigger a greater feeling

of fullness.

You're Hungry Before the Gym

Eat: A smoothie with fruit and a scoop of protein

powder

Don’t even think about exercising on an empty

tank -- you’ll fizzle more quickly and won’t be able to burn as many calories, warns Kim Tirapelle, a

registered and sports dietitian in Fresno, CA.

Instead, have a 100-200 calorie snack before your

workout. A small smoothie fits the bill because

liquids digest quickly and won’t weigh you down.

Fruit and milk are also high in carbohydrates, the

main source of energy for your muscles, and the

protein powder will help repair your muscles

afterwards. Be sure to choose whey protein, which

is rich in branched-chain amino acids. Why? Unlike

other amino acids, they bypass your liver and go

directly to your muscles to do their job, says

Tirapelle.

You Want to Prevent PMS

Eat: A bowl of bean chili, a whole wheat roll, and a

glass of low-fat milk

Eating high-fiber, protein-rich meals all month --

especially the week before your period -- will help stabilize your blood sugar. That’s crucial because

blood sugar can have crazier swings around your

period (spikes and dips can lead to fatigue and

food cravings), explains Diana Taylor, RN, Ph.D.,

and author of the book, Taking Back the Month.

Research has also found that women with a history

of PMS who eat a meal rich in high-fiber complex

carbohydrates (like beans and whole grains) have

fewer symptoms such as anger, tension, and

sadness. “Carbs cause a cascade of events in the

brain that increases serotonin, a chemical that

produces feelings of stability and tranquility,” says

Taylor. And in a recent study, women who drank

more skim or low-fat milk had a lower risk of

suffering from PMS too, possibly because PMS may

be triggered by low blood levels of calcium and

vitamin D. Women who had four servings a day of

calcium-fortified foods and beverages a day saw

the biggest benefit.

You Have a Migraine

Eat: A bowl of oatmeal topped with almonds and a

cup of green tea

To stave off killer headaches, eat this naturally-

soothing breakfast. Oatmeal and almonds are both

rich in magnesium. Researchers have observed low

levels of this mineral in people who suffer from

migraines and tension headaches, says Dave

Grotto, registered dietitian and author of 101

Optimal Life Foods. Green tea is rich in

antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory powers

(blood vessels become inflamed during migraines,

which triggers head pain). You can also sip a cup

in the midst of a migraine, since the caffeine acts as a natural headache-buster.

You Can't Afford to Get Sick

Eat: A slice of watermelon

Watermelon’s sky-high fluid content (it’s as much

as 90 percent water) can help hydrate you -- a

boon for keeping bugs at bay. “Plus, watermelon

contains an antioxidant called glutathione, which

enables the immune system to spring into action

at the first sign of attack,” says Victoria Shanta-

Retelny, registered dietitian and author of The

Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods. It also

contains vitamins A, C, and B6, which are known

immune-boosting nutrients. So, the next time you

feel a bug coming on, spoon up a daily cup of

melon.

You're Bloated and Gassy

Eat: Ginger

Ginger is a time-honored remedy for motion

sickness. A single 1,000 milligram dose (in

supplement form) quells nausea for 72 percent of

women -- making it as effective as Dramamine

(but without this anti-nausea med’s sleepy side

effects), say researchers at the University

Hospitals in Cleveland, OH. What’s less well-known

is that ginger is one of the most effective

digestion-boosters ever discovered, say

researchers at India’s Central Food Technological

Research Institute. Their studies suggest enjoying

two slices of candied ginger, one teaspoon of the

fresh root or a cup of the herbal tea can soothe bloating, gassiness and other intestinal upsets in

as little as 20 minutes -- and adding the same

dose to your daily diet can cut your risk of

abdominal cramping and constipation by as much

as 40 percent. Credit ginger’s active ingredients --

gingerols and curcumin -- which speed the

breakdown of proteins and fats and help dissolve

gas bubbles, preventing painful muscle spasms in

the intestinal wall.

You're Stressed Out

Eat: A square of dark chocolate

In a recent study, people who ate 1.4 ounces of

dark chocolate every day for two weeks had lower

levels of the stress hormones cortisol and

catecholamines, the “fight or flight” hormones released by the adrenal glands when you’re wigged

out. How or why chocolate affects stress levels is

not fully understood, but researchers say cocoa is

rich in many biochemically active compounds --

like theobromine, which affects the nervous

system. Be sure you’re getting the authentic dark

stuff by choosing a bar with at least 70 percent

cacao. A 1.4-ounce portion of chocolate (roughly

the size of a regular Hershey’s bar) contains about

230 calories, so watch your waistline by limiting

sweets for the rest of the day.

You Have a Sore Throat

Eat: Honey

A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go

down -- but opt for unpasteurized honey, and you

could trounce invading germs without needing any meds at all! Unpasteurized honey is packed with

safe, natural antiviral and antibacterial

compounds, and University of Amsterdam research

suggests enjoying one tablespoon twice daily can

destroy up to 100 percent of the germs that cause

sore throats in as little as 48 hours. Mix

unpasteurized honey into your coffee, tea or other

beverages -- or enjoy it straight off the spoon.

More good news: If you’re struggling with a painful

cold sore or canker sore, dabbing it with

unpasteurized honey four times daily will help it

heal 43 percent faster than if you used prescription

meds, say researchers at the Dubai Specialized

Medical Center in the United Arab Emirates. Raw

honey is rich in plant enzymes, which dampen

tissue inflammation and speed healing, the study

authors say.

You Have Insomnia

Eat: Two cups of air-popped popcorn

Straight-up carbohydrates (hold the fat and

protein) allow the body to make serotonin, a brain

chemical that relaxes your system and helps you

fall sleep, says Elizabeth Somer, registered

dietitian and author of Eat Your Way to Happiness.

But there’s no need to carbo-load like a

marathoner when you’re faced with insomnia. “You

only need about 30 grams of carbohydrates to get

this effect,” she says. What about the bedtime

classic, warm milk? Even though it contains a

snooze-inducing amino acid called tryptophan, the

protein in milk can actually block serotonin from

being built, says Somer. To better lull those

peepers to sleep, she suggests noshing on some

popcorn instead.

You're Falling Asleep at Your Desk

Eat: 1 oz. pistachios and ¼ cup of dried

cranberries

You need a two-pronged approach to fight a mid-

afternoon work slump, advises Heidi McIndoo,

registered dietitian and author of When to Eat

What. “You need a quick rush of energy to help

you immediately plus a slow-release food so you’re

not in this same situation in an hour,” she says.

Dried cranberries, which contain both added sugar

and natural fruit sugar, offer an immediate energy

burst by raising blood sugar. But the protein and

fiber in pistachios slow digestion, she says,

keeping your belly fuller longer and preventing

your blood sugar from soaring too high (and then crashing).

You Have Heartburn

Eat: A banana

At least 60 million Americans struggle with

heartburn on a weekly --- or even daily -- basis,

according to the National Institutes of Health

(NIH). And if you’re one of them, creamy, sweet

bananas could offer powerful protection. Noshing a

banana when heartburn strikes can soothe the

pain within 30 minutes -- and enjoying one every

day reduces flare-ups within two weeks for up to

75 percent of people surveyed, say researchers at

Australia’s University of New England. Bananas

coat and soothe the stomach lining, prevent acid

overproduction, plus reduce the amount of stomach acid that splashes up into the esophagus,

says Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., co-author of The

People’s Pharmacy Quick and Handy Home

Remedies.

You're Constipated

Eat: Rye bread

At least 15 percent of Americans -- and twice as

many women as men -- struggle with constipation.

The good news: Munching whole-grain rye bread

relieves constipation more effectively than

laxatives -- and it prevents future flare-ups, too,

according to studies at Finland’s University of

Helsinki. The credit goes to rye’s arabinoxylan -- a

polysaccharide that improves your belly’s ability to

keep food moving at a reasonable clip. The study subjects enjoyed seven slices daily, but just

trading your usual dose of bread for whole-grain

rye will often do the trick. “If your grocery store

doesn’t carry this healthy option, stock up at the

nearest bakery, instead,” suggests Joanne Slavin,

Ph.D., a professor of food science and nutrition at

the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.

You Have Diarrhea

Eat: Yogurt

Studies at Finland’s University of Tampere suggest

that up to 75 percent of diarrhea-prone people are

suffering because they don’t have enough probiotic

bacteria living in their intestines. “You need these

healthy bugs to digest food and absorb liquids

properly,” explains Jeanne Drisko, M.D., an associate professor of integrative medicine at the

University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.

Enjoy one heaping cup of yogurt daily (the kind

containing live bacterial cultures) and you’ll

restock your dwindling probiotic stores, cutting

your risk of the runs four-fold, and helping you

bounce back twice as quickly if you’re struggling

with diarrhea right now, says Dr. Drisko. For best

results, opt for plain yogurt and flavor it yourself

with fruit and a pinch of your favorite sweetener.

The high doses of sugar found in commercially-

sweetened yogurts can worsen intestinal problems

by fueling the growth of intestinal yeast, say

researchers at California’s Stanford University.

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