18 Foods for a Healthier Life

Photo: © Woman's Day/Jonny Valiant

Did you know that falling asleep easier, preventing PMS and easing the aches and pains of arthritis could be as easy as stocking your kitchen with the right foods?

Take 47-year-old Sarah. When I first met her, she was 50 pounds overweight and had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Together we created a plan that incorporated the best foods into her diet. After just three months, Sarah's cholesterol dropped by 60 points and she had lost 30 pounds. Even better, she was able to say goodbye to her diabetes and blood pressure meds!

Another client, Eleanor, had long suffered from debilitation migraines. But within two weeks of adding 1 to 2 cups of spinach to her diet daily and eliminating trigger foods (like cheese and wine), she saw a dramatic improvement.

These are just two stories that inspired my book, Joy Bauer's Food Cures, which shows how youcan radically improve your health with some simple nutrition upgrades. Obviously food can't always take the place of medication, but it can be a part of your better-health solution. Here, some of my best findings. Dig in!