Learn to Love: Watermelon

I was accused of being unpatriotic when I expressed a distaste for watermelon at an Independence Day barbecue a few years ago. My hostess forced a piece upon me, and I have been eating the melon ever since. Which is a boon to my diet, since there are so many healthful reasons to love this melon. For starters, this red and juicy melon is one of the few foods high in the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene , along with tomatoes and pink grapefruit - remember, antioxidants also provide color to fruits and veggies along with phytonutrients. Watermelon is also a low-calorie food and one cup of melon balls contains just under 50 calories. Being 92 percent water , the melon makes for a great post-workout treat on a hot day since it will help replace fluids lost through sweating. Considered a cooling food , the yellow variety of watermelon might help you heat things up in the bedroom. Research out of Texas (the largest producer of the seedless variety of the melon) indicates that watermelon has an effect on the human body similar to Viagra. Learn more.

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Learn to Love: Watermelon

Fittingly Green: Brooks Making Eco-Friendly Sneaks

If you choose to run outside on a trail or sidewalk instead of using an electricity-driven treadmill, you’re already doing your part to help the environment. You can do more though, with the help of Brooks . The brand has developed a new racing sneaker called the Green Silence . This red and yellow shoe may channel Ronald McDonald, but it is actually totally green. The heel cups are made with recycled CDs, and the laces, lining, and stitching are made with discarded plastic water bottles. The outer soles are made from recycled rubber, and the midsole is 100 percent biodegradable. All the soy-based dyes used are non-toxic, and the adhesives are water-based. The collar around the opening of the sneaker is stuffed with foam from old couches. The packaging is also made from 100 percent post-consumer materials. These lightweight sneaks are scheduled to hit stores in February 2010, and will retail for $100, because being green doesn’t come cheap. Tell me, would you buy these eco-friendly sneakers from Brooks? To see more pics click the images below. View 6 Photos ›

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Fittingly Green: Brooks Making Eco-Friendly Sneaks

Drinking Beer Doesn’t Lead to a Beer Belly?

If you’re kicking back and enjoying Summer by kicking back a few cold ones, and have noticed your waist is expanding, don’t blame it on the brewskis. According to new research , a “beer belly” is purely genetic. After an eight-year study of over 20,000 people, researchers found that heavy drinkers - those who drank at least two pints daily - did pile on the pounds overall, but it wasn’t necessarily concentrated around their middle. Where people gained weight had to do with their body type, not how much beer they drank. The study is in no way encouraging people to drink more beer, because as research proves, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol does lead to unhealthy weight gain. You just can’t blame your love of beer for your round tummy.

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Drinking Beer Doesn’t Lead to a Beer Belly?