LIVE BETTER

These superfoods are loaded with nutrients that have been study-proven to increase vitality and alertness within just 20 minutes, so you can enjoy a burst of youthful energy

1

BERRIES STIMULATE CELLULAR ENERGY ENGINES

Sipping a strawberry mocktail can help you chase away tiredness in as little as 20 minutes. Credit goes to the ruby gems’ rich stores of two unique plant compounds (rheosmin and tiliroside) that stimulate the body’s energy engines to burn stored fat for fuel. For a revitalizing beverage, muddle ⁄2 cup of berries

1 and 3 lemon slices in a glass, then top off with 8 oz. of seltzer.

2

SALMON OPTIMIZES LIVER FUNCTION

Enjoying 6 oz. of salmon three times a week can cut fatigue in half, report Stanford University researchers. That’s because the fish is rich in essential fatty acids, iodine and chromium — a trio of nutrients that helps the liver convert food into the body’s key energy enzyme. Another perk: Amino acids in salmon dial down the output of proinflammatory protein to ease aches and pains.

4

BELL PEPPERS BALANCE HORMONES

These vibrant veggies are nature’s number one source of vitamin C, a nutrient that heals and strengthens the adrenal glands to help ensure they produce a steady trickle of energizing adrenal hormones, say Arizona State University researchers. Nibble on ⁄2 cup of red bell peppers

1 daily and you could enjoy greater stamina from morning to night in as little as four days.

3

RICE FOSTERS ENERGIZING BRAIN WAVES

Women who enjoy a ⁄2 cup serving of brown

1 rice daily have 45 percent more pep than those who avoid it, UCLA researchers report. Why? The grain is rich in nutrients that prod the brain to produce energizing beta waves. Another perk: Brown rice contains lignans, compounds that help liver cells more efficiently convert excess blood sugar into fuel for the body.

5

NUTS BOOST THYROID FUNCTION

Here’s some sweet news: Nuts are packed with manganese, a mineral that prompts the thyroid gland to increase the production of energyrevving hormones. According to researchers at Connecticut’s University of Bridgeport, eating just ⁄ cup of these crunchers daily (even in a slice of 1

3 chocolate peanut butter cake!) can help you feel more upbeat and energetic within a week.