The tea that blocks winter weight gain!

When temperatures drop, your odds of certain age-related issues can rise—but not if you follow these smart steps!

1Baby your heart . . . with hot cocoa!

Heart disease is the top health risk for women over 40, and chilly temps can raise that risk by tightening blood vessels, making your heart work harder! To the rescue: dark hot chocolate. Its flavonols help lower blood pressure by making blood vessels more flexible and youthful within 30 days! Cocoa also keeps colds away by upping antimicrobial peptides in your lungs!

2 Nix winter weight gain . . . with green tea!

Research reveals that the average woman gains five to seven pounds during winter! How to halt those annual pounds in their tracks? Sip green tea! As UCLA bariatric medicine expert Adrienne Youdim, M.D., explains, “green tea contains a compound called EGCG that blunts appetite and has a mild metabolism-stimulating effect.”

3Prevent slips . . . with extra protein!

Falls are the fastest growing health concern for older adults—and, no surprise, your risk of falling skyrockets when it’s snowy or icy outside! Can you turn back the clock so you’re as nimble on your feet and as balanced as you were in your 20s? Yes! Eat protein at every meal. Protein builds lean muscle mass, improving your strength and your balance, Harvard research reveals. 4Keep cozy . . . with L-carnitine! Find you’re more sensitive to the cold than you used to be? It’s not your imagination: Our internal thermostat functions less efficiently with age! You could turn up the heat and wear extra layers, or you could simply take L- carnitine, an amino acid that the journal Cell Metabolism reports activates “good” brown fat, the kind that generates heat and burns calories! With an M.D.’S okay, try 500 mg. a day.