Photo: Blisstree.com

By Elizabeth Nolan Brown for Blisstree.com

It’s nearly June, which means summer fruits are staggering into season. Expect cherries, blueberries, peaches and watermelon to join apricots and strawberries at the farmer’s market. Pies are certainly in order (or perhaps tortes?), but don’t let traditional fruit avenues limit you. Berries and melons make great additions to salads, pizza—even tacos. Make your avocado jealous with one of these six fruit taco recipes.

Keep reading for recipes for this delicious take on tacos…

More reading from Blisstree.com:

Avocados for Dessert? Yes! 7 Sweet Avocado Dessert Recipes
College Women Out-Drinking College Men: Why?

Photo: HuffingtonPost.com

By Meredith Melnick for HuffingtonPost.com

Do you read the calorie count listed on a menu before ordering your lunch? And does it affect what you order?

Fast food restaurants around the country are poised to add calorie counts to their menus, thanks to a directive from the Affordable Care Act, and lawmakers and public health officials alike hope that you will consider calories at the counter.

Like much of the ACA, the emphasis is on prevention—in this case, in the fight against obesity. The policy, the details of which are currently being designed by the FDA, tackles one of our biggest obesogens: The food environment. But the reaction from public health officials has been mixed, due to some skepticism about the value of a calorie. Instead, a subset of researchers are asking: Is there a better way to measure what we eat?

The largest problem with menu calorie labels is simply that they may not be very effective. Most of the research shows that restaurant customers, both adults and children, do not order fewer calories at the cash register when they see calorie values, compared to viewing more traditional menus.

What’s more, researchers who use eye scans to study retail behavior report that people look at nutrition labels less than they believe they do.

Keep reading to find out the measure scientists are proposing instead of calorie counts…

More Reading from HuffPost Healthy Living:

What Nutrition Pros Eat at Chain Restaurants
How Does Exercise Reduce Stress?

“Everything is well-sourced—I take that to the extreme,” she says. “I love finding the best nut butter, the best hot sauce. Every bite counts.”

When stocking her Upper West Side fridge, Slayton is also concerned with her 9- and 11-year-old sons. “It’s very important to me that instead of a snack drawer, they can come in and grab a berry basket or a sweet potato, and it deters them from grabbing a cracker or a cookie,” she explains.

She’ll share more of her nutrition secrets in her first book, The Little Book of Thin, which will debut in January 2014. In the meantime, we got a sneak peek at her home approach to healthy eating, which includes a slew of condiments and a veggie garage. (Not kidding.)

That vegetable container is really cool. Is it made for storing veggies like that? We call it the veggie garage! It’s actually made for a picnic—you can put ice underneath and travel with it, but I’ve found that it allows for more inventory than individual containers. We get a farm box once a week, and I’ll usually just replenish it when I’m cooking dinner. My kids can just pull it out and have snap peas or cucumbers with a dip or nut butter. It literally comes out every day after school.

Speaking of nut butter, you have a ton of condiments. I feel like condiments are the spice of life! They’re very kid-friendly, like the Chia Nut Butter and Peanut Butter and Co. flavors. I also make a lot of our dressings and sauces. I use the miso in a salad dressing, the anchovies in a kale salad. The Bubbies sauerkraut—I put it on everything.

Tell me about the sheep’s milk yogurt. Why do you prefer it over regular yogurt? First, I love the taste. I think a lot of people think that sheep and goat products are lower in lactose, but it’s not the lactose that’s the big differing factor, it’s that the type of casein (milk protein) is different. That’s what makes it a lot more digestible. It also has higher levels of the medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that you’d find in coconut oil.

Interesting. You also have lots of different beverages going on. I’m not the best straight-up water drinker, so we always have a pitcher of some sort of tea. The pink one you see is a David’s Tea, I think it has beet in it. But I’ll do coconut water, the Runa tea, or the Tumeric tonic—I like a fun drink.

What about the aloe juice? Do you drink it straight? It’s not, um, the most appetizing. I do a shot of it in the evening for digestion. It helps keep things moving, I really feel the difference. It doesn’t taste good, but I’m not afraid of dealing with it in the name of feeling good. Likewise, I’ll do a shot of E3, a healthy algae, in the morning, which is great for energy and concentration.

You’re braver than I am! It looks like you have a big Tupperware of cooked rice. Is that something you make at the beginning of the week? I think that was a brown rice and meatloaf, in the foil, that we made for dinner. I double every recipe I make so that we always have leftovers to grab the next day. I’ve found that if I put everything out on the table, everyone will go for seconds and sit around and pick at it, even if they’re full. The trick is to put the extras in the glass container and into the fridge right away, so you don’t eat it just because it’s there. —Lisa Elaine Held

For more information, visit www.foodtrainers.com

(Photo: Pinterest)

The fact that running is (often painfully) hard on the body is an accepted fact. But celebrity run coach Eric Orton says it doesn’t have to be.

Orton, who rocketed to fame as Christopher McDougall’s coach in the phenomenon Born to Run, just released his own book, The Cool Impossible. In it, he says the problem is that most runners, from beginners to elite athletes, are just doing it wrong, starting with a training component that’s normally completely ignored—strengthening the feet.

“If we see our feet as the foundation of our body, the analogy is easy,” Orton says. “A good strong foundation supports the rest of the body. The problem is that everybody has weak feet.”

Orton came to this conclusion after years of observing his own progress and the many athletes he trains. While research studies validating his foot strengthening regimen don’t exist (yet), he says the approach is key when it comes to injury prevention.

“If we’re not using our feet appropriately, every time we strike the ground, we’re not supporting ourselves well,” he says. “So the muscles commonly associated with running—like the calves, quads, and glutes—can misfire. Some muscles will overwork, some won’t be used properly—and that’s the dysfunction we commonly talk about with running injuries.”

And having strong feet isn’t just about not getting hurt. Orton says it will also create an equilibrium that takes away the tightness in the body that most runners accept as inevitable. “That’s the holy grail for runners,” he says.

So how do you go about building muscle in your toes? Orton lays out a program of barefoot strengthening exercises using a slant board in The Cool Impossible, which he says runners should work into their warm-up before hitting the street (or trail) every day. They may look simple, but they’re tougher than you think.

And while it may take a while for runners to get turned on to the idea, Orton says it’s only a matter of time. “We’ve all been told how important our core is for so long, and now, whether they strengthen it or not, everyone knows how important it is. Ten years from now, I think everybody will know about foot strength, too.” —Lisa Elaine Held

For more information, visit www.runningwitheric.com or check out The Cool Impossible

Most personal trainers start in group fitness and teach classes until they make it onto network TV, and while Hoebel did follow that trajectory (he started at Equinox back in the day), he’s now coming full circle, back to packed, off-camera classes, which he’ll teach at Flywheel’s Los Angeles Larchmont and West Hollywood locations.

Hoebel will make surprise appearances in New York, which is where we caught up with him. And we noticed that the excitement for teaching there is practically bubbling out of him.

“There’s an energy that’s created in group fitness that is very contagious,” he says. “You feel that energy, you feel that inspiration, and it gives you f*cking goosebumps! All of these people around you are in it to win it. If you can deliver an inspirational message on top of the movement, it’s a done deal. That’s what I’m going for. An experience.”

He chose spinning because of its unique fitness-plus-inspiration (in the dark) combo, and Flywheel because he’s obsessed with the tech pack. “It’s not that you have to compare yourself to everyone else, but you have an objective way of measuring your effort,” he explains. (And maybe investor Jillian Michaels whispered in his ear?)

“Brett is an incredibly motivational instructor, and I think the bike and the atmosphere Flywheel creates for the riders is the perfect place for him to not only display his power and strength as an athlete, but his unique message and inspiration as a coach,” says Flybarre fave instructor Shay Kostabi, who also works as trainer for Hoebel.

It may also inspire a new career trajectory for other celeb trainers. Should we expect to spot Jackie Warner on the schedule at Barry’s soon? —Lisa Elaine Held

For more information visit wwwbretthoebel.com or www.flywheelsports.com

Spiritual teacher, political change agent, and best-selling author Marianne Williamson, and musician and philanthropist, India Arie, visited New York City last week for “Our Inner Lives: Spirit, Faith & Action,” a panel discussion hosted by Feminist.com. A multi-faith panel of speakers addressed “caring for our inner lives to make us more effective on the outside world.”

The topic is right in step with a growing conversation about using personal spirituality as a tool for social change. And the NYU Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life was packed with several hundred of those interested in being the change they want to see in the world. (Including me.)

Got some social issues that fire you up and could use your support? Here are some inspiring messages and actionable advice we took away from the discussion. Tell us yours in the Comments, below:

Marianne Williamson and Indie Arie

1. Use a spiritual practice for advocating change. Heal your soul, so you can heal the world. Going within first opens up the effectiveness of any external shifts in the world that we want to see. There’s a limit to effective activism if we haven’t done the inner work.

2. Take action. Rehearsal is over. It’s curtain time. The age of data collection is over. Now is the time to act.

3. Our power lies in collaboration with other women. The reason we are not committed to creating change is because it doesn’t always make us popular when we speak out. But when we have each others’ back, we become unstoppable. American women should be a moral force for good because we have privileges that women in other parts of the world don’t have.

4. Within our prayer and meditation lies our instruction. In that peace, we can hear the small, still voice of wisdom and guidance that helps us decide what to do and how to best do it.

5. We are disruptors. We don’t want to replicate the same power structure that ruins the environment and hurts women and children. We want to do something different. We are standing for a revolution of the heart.

6. Tell your story—don’t let someone else tell it for you. Connect with your authentic voice to create change and action in the world. What is within you will save you when you bring it out. Women are amazing storytellers. Speak for yourself and seize your narrative. —Jennifer Kass

(Photo: Weheartit.com)

By Amanda First for Prevention.com

If you find yourself elbow-deep in a box of dry cereal late at night, blame your cavewoman ancestors. A new study from Oregon Health & Science University and Harvard University found that it’s your body’s internal clock, the circadian system, that may be causing late-night cravings for sweet, starchy and salty foods. And we’re not just talking about night owls, or people who try and diet throughout the day: according to the study accepted by the journal Obesity, you’ll still get hungry when your body’s internal clock is set to nighttime—no matter the actual time of day, and even if you eat a balanced diet all day long.

Researchers essentially reset the internal clocks of study participants, to make sure larks and owls alike experienced the same effect. Volunteers were then sequestered for two weeks without TV, Internet, phones or visitors (we’d never make it through!) in a hotel-room-esque lab suite where the lights were so dim they could never tell what time of day it was or even what day of the week. Then the researchers varied what time each participant ate and slept, setting each volunteer’s body clock so even if he or she went to sleep at two o’clock in the afternoon, it still felt like nighttime. Participants ate the same mixture and amount of food at regular intervals while they were awake.

Keep reading for more details on the study…

More Reading from Prevention.com:

What’s to blame for skin cancer?
Battle of the brews

French beauty Mathilde Thomas created a skin-care empire that began with the humble grape. While her family ran a winery in Bordeaux, Thomas learned of the antioxidant benefits in grapeseeds and skins, and she worked with a local chemist on tapping their potent resveratrol for use in skin-care products.

With Caudalie, she pioneered the concept of vinotherapy (using the benefits of grape extracts in beauty products and spa treatments), patented several extracts, and created a beauty brand that’s sold around the world and used in Caudalie Vinotherapie Spas, whose locations include Bordeaux, Istanbul, and The Plaza Hotel in New York City.

Now living in New York City with husband Bertrand and her children, Thomas has opened two Caudalie boutiques, and, just this month, she launched Caudalie’s newest beauty products, Divine Legs, which just so happens to be ranked among Thomas’s favorite beauty products. Here’s what else made the cut:

1. NARS Orgasm Blush ($29) This blush is so great because it is the perfect shade of pink and gives skin a really natural glow.

2. Laduree Candle in Caramel with Salted Butter ($52, call 646-558-3157) I love to burn this candle when I don’t want to actually eat a Laduree macaron, but I still want to satisfy a sweet craving.

3. Phyto Phytopolleine Botanical Scalp Treatment ($38) This hair oil is all natural and really stimulates the circulation of your scalp, which is key. And I feel like my hair grows in healthier when I use it.

4. Le Labo Santal 33 ($211) I love the brand as a whole–the philosophy, the founders–but Santal is my favorite fragrance of theirs. You can smell the high quality of the raw ingredients used. It’s just exquisite.

5. Frederic Malle Cafe Society Perfume Gun ($150) I love this because it’s the same quality of a perfume you would wear on your body but it’s for your home. It’s super decadent.

Beauty Bonus! Divine Legs ($48) This is perfect for that transitional time leading up to summer. Thanks to the chicory extract in the formula, it gives a really natural tint to the skin. We opened a boutique in Brazil in the middle of winter, so this product was a lifesaver then! —Amy Eley and Melisse Gelula

For more information, visit us.caudalie.com

How to Apply Sunscreen for the Sunny Days Ahead—Fitbottomedmamas.com

Don’t Fear Fat—High Olive Oil & Nut Diet Beats Low-Fat Eating For Brain Health—Blisstree.com

Natural Allergy Remedies: What You Got?—NoMoreDirtyLooks.com

5 Foods for Better Skin—HuffingtonPost.com

The Perfectionism Diet Trip—Prevention.com

How to Contour Your Face Like a Celebrity—Blog.birchbox.com

Lose weight eating whatever you want? That’s the bold claim made by The Fast Diet, the new bestselling book by UK-based authors Michael Moseley, M.D., and Mimi Spencer, who say for five days a week you can pretty much go for it, milkshake AND fries included. And lose approximately 1–3 pounds per week.

The only catch? You have to fast two days a week.

More specifically, on two non-consecutive days, you must reduce the number of calories you normally enjoy by 25 percent. That’s approximately 500 calories a day for women, and 600 calories for men.

While the weight-loss claims may sound impossible, the diet, which is also known as “5:2” or alternate day fasting (“ADF”), is actually gaining credibility with some researchers and medical professionals, and several new studies suggest it works.

Still find the 5-day gorgefest and 2-day starvation protocol a little hard to swallow?

According to triple-certified nutritionist Dana James, the science checks out (though she’s quick to point out it’s not for everyone): “When you restrict your calories, the body activates its survival mechanisms,” turning up genes responsible for fat burning and switching off those responsible for fat storage. “Both of these changes will activate fat loss. However, it must be done on an intermittent basis, otherwise, you are turning on too much of a stress response within the body, and other cellular mechanisms will come into play to stop the fat loss,” she says.

Research also shows additional positive side effects of fasting, such as delayed aging and improved cognitive function. And who doesn’t want those?

Holes in the Science—and the Logic

But before you move your dinner plans to coincide with your new dietary regimen, there are still a few holes scientists have yet to fill in. Namely, the two-day per week rule is more of an educated guess, and the bulk of research so far has been done on animals.

Not to mention that the diet has been accused of reinforcing a binge-purge mentality. “Anyone with disordered eating—they know who they are—may take two days of fasting to mean an entire month of fasting,” says James.

James also doesn’t recommend heading to McDonald’s on your off-days, or blowing your 500-calorie allowance on a cheeseburger. To that end, Mimi Spencer and Sarah Shenker, an R.D. who has a PhD in nutrition, recently came out with The Fast Diet Cookbook, which features 100-plus nutritious (but admittedly skimpy) recipes that all adhere to the 500-calorie daily maximum.

In terms of how it will practically fit into your busy lifestyle, the Fast Diet gets mixed reviews. Some find the relatively short timeline easy to stick to, while others find that cramming into professional calendars can be a challenge. “It’s very doable, though it was difficult with work dinners—I can’t be the only one at the table not eating!” says Sabrina Chu, a trader at a financial firm.

Nowadays, “I can’t meet for dinner, I’m on a cleanse” is a common and accepted excuse. No word yet on whether the same will become true of intermittent fasting. —Carla Vass

For more information, visit www.thefastdiet.co.uk