So you’ve added the exercise your doctor recommends. You are walking the golf course, doing the Wii Fit, or getting groovy in water aerobics. You’re burning calories for better heart health and lowering cholesterol.

Great job! So here’s a simple tip for maximizing the benefits of your workouts: eat the right foods, right after you finish.  

Researchers determined that eating certain proteins and carbohydrates together after a workout can dramatically increase your recovery and conditioning. In addition to replenishing fluids, the body needs carbohydrates to bounce back efficiently. Additionally, it uses proteins to aid in muscle building and recovery.

Amino acids found in such foods as nuts, beans, wholemeal bread,  brown rice or protein bars can be paired with fast-burning carbohydrates in a 4:1 ratio, according to studies. When eaten within 15 minutes of the end of the workout, it will maximize the benefits of any strength building you have done.

Some suggestions for what to eat? How about carrots or celery dipped in peanut butter and rolled in trail mix? Another winner is black beans and brown rice. Like it sweet? Try rice pudding, or cottage cheese sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. For food to go, grab chocolate milk or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wholewheat bread. Lean meats and yogurt are great too.

The key? Drink plenty of water, eat proteins from whole food sources, and consume simple carbs. The muscles need to store glycogen fast to recover, and that comes from sugar. Meanwhile, the proteins will burn more slowly, for longer term muscle growth.

Every wellness expert says regular exercise is critical to keeping your body young. And by eating the right foods at the right time, you give your body the best tools for making the most of your exercise practice.

Coffee has somewhat of a bad reputation, probably created by its caffeine content. It’s also a diuretic, which can dehydrate people, and can stain teeth if drunk excessively, leading many to consider tea as a healthier alternative. Coffee’s addictive properties contribute to its bad reputation, with caffeine impacting sleep cycles and day to day stress levels.

However, researchers have found that coffee may actually have many health benefits. Analysis by scientists found that people who drank four or more cups of coffee every day actually decreased their likelihood of oral cancer by almost 40 percent.  The University of Utah coordinated the study while using information from nine studies conducted by the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium.

How Healthy is Coffee?

The rates of oral cancer in the United States have been rising every year, hitting a high of an estimated 36,000 new diagnoses in 2010.  Oral cancer has been linked to tobacco use—especially chewing tobacco—and alcohol consumption. While oral cancer has a high survival rate when detected early, in most cases, the cancer is not detected until it’s too late. The results of this study may prove beneficial in the prevention of oral cancers.

Another study in 2009 indicated that coffee may reduce risk for prostate cancer. Men who drank more than six cups of coffee each day were almost 60 percent less likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than their less.  Decaffeinated coffee was just as effective as caffeinated. While the study warns that it is a little too soon to start excessively drinking coffee to prevent cancer, remember that prostate cancer is something to think about while enjoying your morning Nantucket Blend.

Coffee has also been linked to lower heart disease risk.  A study in the Netherlands revealed that drinking both coffee and tea in moderation can cut down on heart disease.  Tea was most beneficial to heart health, but coffee consumption proved helpful as well. People who sipped between two and four cups daily saw a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease. Another study determined that coffee is also a source of antioxidants. According to Joe A. Vinson, Ph. D, coffee is the top source of antioxidants consumed by Americans: such antioxidants the same as found in chocolate and red wine.

All in all, despite its unhealthy qualities, coffee does indeed have some health benefits. While brewing a pot in the morning or stopping by Starbucks, keep in mind both the positives and negatives. Maybe coffee isn’t so bad after all.  Perhaps all this new research can legitimize America’s love affair with coffee.

A team of University of South Florida researchers experimented with 55 lab mice which were bred to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms by giving aged mice caffeine equivalent to five cups of coffee a day and discovered that the mice’s memory impairment was reversed. In medical terms, this happened because the caffeine substantially decreased the abnormal levels of beta amyloid, a protein that is linked to Alzheimer’s, in both the blood and brain of the mice.

These findings suggest that caffeine may be an effective form of not only prevention, but also treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. So maybe all it takes to prevent, or even reverse Alzheimer’s is your daily dose of coffee.