So I thought I would get a few of these winter notes (from RealAge) in while I can.  Different foods tend to appeal to us more in the winter and here are some reasons why we should work on that!

Why Your Colon Loves Winter
Here’s a great reason to celebrate colder weather and shorter days: They usher in visits from a family that brings color to your dinners and good tidings to your colon.

We’re talking about the Brassica family -- a group of winter-fave veggies that includes broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage. They’re slightly bitter, but that’s because you can actually taste their colon-cancer-fighting compounds called isothiocyanates.

Colon Cancer Blockers
Research shows that the isothiocyanates in Brassica veggies may actively block potential carcinogens, putting the kibosh on not only colorectal cancer but prostate cancer cells as well. Brassica vegetables are also a good source of folic acid, phenolics, carotenoids, selenium, and vitamin C. (Did you know? About 1 in 3 cancers may be related to what people eat)

I am not a brussels sprouts fan but I do try to work in the cabbage and broccoli as often as I can.  And I still struggle with cauliflower.  I do prefer to use frozen this time of year - it's the prepping I don't like about cauliflower..... Anybody have any healthy yummy cauliflower recipes?

How to Elevate Oatmeal to Superfood
Drink a glass of this with your oatmeal to help elevate your breakfast to superfood status: orange juice.

Why? The nutrients in oatmeal and OJ work synergistically to provide double the benefits you'd expect from simply adding their powers together.

Food Synergy
The phenols in oatmeal and the vitamin C in OJ both help make LDL more stable -- and that's a good thing, because the more stable LDL is, the less likely it is to rupture and stick to artery walls. But consume the phenols and vitamin C together and they'll stabilize LDL at twice the level expected from adding their effects together. It's like this: 2 + 2 = 8, not 4, when it comes to phenol + vitamin C benefits.
I don't like to promote drinking a lot of juice - you end up getting a lot of sugar and none of the fibre that comes from eating a whole piece of fruit.  So why not have an orange with your Oatmeal - oranges are in season right now, and there are so many kinds to experiment with.  Try it with your oatmeal, in your spinach salad etc.

Quotes
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge.  Daniel J Boorstin

When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.  Albert Einstein