Hold your diet to a royal standard. Alpha-carotene from veggies is linked to longer life.

Living happily ever after isn't just reserved for the royal family. Help ensure your chances of living a long and healthy life by eating dark green and orange veggies. They are brimming with alpha-carotene, an antioxidant linked to a lower risk of dying from heart disease and cancer. Carotenoids ward off DNA damage that accelerate aging and can lead to chronic disease.
Alpha-carotene is particularly adept at fending off growth of cancer cells in the brain, liver and skin. Plus, they’re not usually in supplements, so the only way to get them is through veggies! Best sources are pumpkin, carrots, and winter squash, and in smaller amounts from V-8 juice, pea soup, and dark greens.

There is nearly 68g. of sugar in one 20oz. bottle of Coke. Hydrate your cells with water instead, and spare your body from excess high fructose corn syrup, phosphoric acid, obesity, and possibly diabetes. Also opt for lowfat milk, tea, or 100% juice. Save soda for just special occasions.

Go nuts about nuts! Eating a couple of ounces a day can help lower cholesterol — and curb hunger.

Walnuts aren't the only good-for-you nut. All nuts are loaded with healthy monounsaturated fat and antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of heart disease!

Packed with protein, nuts or nut-butters are a great alternative to meat, and they’re full of fiber and minerals like iron, zinc and calcium. Like any food high in fat, nuts pack a lot of calories, so it’s important to eat them in moderation. Don’t cut them from your diet, however. In small amounts, nuts can be a healthy part of a balanced diet. The reason: Fat fills us up.

Eating an ounce of almonds or cashews instead of, say, a couple of low-fat cookies will keep you satisfied longer, so you'll eat fewer calories through the day.

Keep teeth pearly white! Rinse your mouth after eating or drinking acidic foods or beverages like tomato sauce or coffee.

Highly acidic foods like soda and sweets can taint your pearly whites and leave them prone to discoloration (and decay). The acid left behind on enamel allows pigments to penetrate deeper into your teeth, which can increase your teeth’s susceptibility to stains.

Major players in the tooth-staining business: spaghetti sauce, cola, coffee, tea, soy sauce and deep pigmented fruits and veggies like beets and berries. Drink a glass of water or rinse your mouth after eating. Also, sipping milk with your dish can help neutralize the acid and protect teeth from damage.

Are you overdoing it on caffeine? Even two large coffees can put you over the recommended limit of 300-400 mg./day.

Brimming with healthful antioxidants, coffee is good for you, but where java is concerned, it is possible to get too much of a good thing.

Caffeine overdoses are on the rise — thanks in part to mega-size coffees, and popularization of high-octane energy drinks. Though they taste like soda, energy drinks can have three times the caffeine. Signs of a caffeine overdose include heart palpitations, dizziness, abd. cramps and heart arrhythmia.

The stimulant can stay in your system up to 12 hrs., so drinking large amounts on a regular basis can lead to sleep trouble and exacerbate effects of stress like high blood pressure and irritability. Research also suggests drinking large quantities boosts the risk of atrial fib. — an irregular heartbeat that can result in increased risk of stroke and fainting. Limit your cups of joe to 3/day or fewer, and do not displace your daily intake of water with caffeinated beverages. Increased anxiety or heart palpitations are probably signs you should cut back.

Students, what is ONE food you wish we offered on campus?!!!!

...I wish we offered gluten-free bread for students with Celiac disease/wheat allergy so they could have sandwiches. - Rachel Noirot, RPS Dietitian

New research shows drinking water before meals aids in wt. loss!

Working to drop extra pounds? Drinking two cups of water before meals helps you feel full sooner, so you’ll consume fewer calories! Research shows people who drink water before every meal eat 75 to 90 fewer calories at each sit-down. Over 12 weeks, those who drank water before meals lost almost 30% more weight than those who didn't. After a year, data showed those who continued to drink water before meals not only kept pounds off, but continued to lose more -- 1.5 pounds on average.

Water also enhances cell vitality, kidney function, and skin health. Your urine should be pale yellow to clear if your adequately hydrated. Soda, made of phosporic acid, carmel color, and high fructose corn syrup, does NOT have the same effect.