Let Greens Outsmart Your Genes

According to an article from the February 2012 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, whether good or bad, you can't change the DNA your mom and dad passed on to you, but it turns out you can keep some dangerous genes from undermining your heart health.  In two large international studies, researchers looked at heart disease rates in people with gene variations on chromosome 9 (known to significantly increase odds). 

Sure enough, people with the risky variations had more heart disease, but here's the kicker: That was true only if they also ate a crummy diet (the investigators referred to their eating as "none-prudent").  Those who followed the healthiest diets had no more heart disease than those without the risky gene variations.  That involved consuming serveral servings a day of two out of the following categories - fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, and berries.  The most powerful food: raw veggies.  So pass the raw carrots and cucumbers on your leafy greens.