This is the time of year when I get sick.

It’s after the Holidays, (everyone do a collective sigh,) and Target just put out the bikini rack (scary, I know).

This is the time of year when I get cocky about how not-sick I’ve been and as soon as I decline a packet of Emergen-C, low and behold I can’t keep my lunch down.

What can we do? Other than call in sick and lay in bed watching Divorce Court? Well, I’ve done the research, and here are a few likely and not so likely remedies to turn to next time you get the sniffles and the aches.

Guava is among that category of Ivy League foods we call “Super Foods”. Super foods are foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, healthy fat and protein. Usually what makes these foods so super is their ability to provide you with a lot of the above mentioned all in one bite. One cup of guava on average provides 110 calories, 376 milligrams of Vitamin C (more than 300 percent of the daily value) 699 milligrams of potassium and nine grams of fiber.

Guava is a good source of lycopene, also found in tomatoes. Lycopene is an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of prostate cancer - hi, boys! You can get guava anywhere they have a sushi section in the deli isle. Hit up the swank grocery stores, people! If you have access to Latin markets, you can also find guava there. This recipe is really yummy, I like to keep a few raw chunks of guava around to throw on top!

There’s this guy, Dr. Bruce Spiegelman, who researches fat (in the scientific literature fat is “adipose tissue”). Dr. Spiegelman discovered the gene that makes cells store fat, that switches on their fat storage potential. What struck me about the work was the idea that fat cells store energy so that the cells in the liver or kidneys (organs that would be damaged by the fat) don't have to.

In this sense, fat is good. Fat is all about energy balance: too much energy and our bodies store the excess as fat, too little energy and we lose weight. By thinking of your body as an energy storing machine, it may make more sense to eat the right amount of food for your body’s needs.

Well, I’m just not sure what I make of this article, which reviews the book The Fattening of America by Eric A. Finkelstein and Laurie Zuckerman:

"You write that your Uncle Al, a rich, successful lawyer, made a rational decision that being overweight is in his best interest. How?
That's right. In fact, if he spent less time at the firm and more time exercising, it is very likely he would not be nearly as rich or successful. Like many of us, he chose a career that requires him to be sedentary for 40-plus hours per week. Not to mention the high-calorie client dinners a few nights a week."

What struck me was the mention of how “Uncle Al” decided it was in his best interests not to lose weight. To be fair, this mention comes from a book that details why economics encourages weight gain (think cheap food and sedentary jobs). What I liked about the example is that Uncle Al knows he should lose weight for his health and longevity, but decided not to. It made more sense for him to bill hours and accrue wealth, and let the healthcare system provide fixes should they be needed. The centenarians in the Blue Zones don’t think in these terms, and it’s easy to see that their lives seem better integrated, not to mention healthier, for it.

This earthy treat comes out of the oven bursting with flavor! Beets are a wonderful source of folic acid and fiber. Folate is a dominant nutrient found in beets that lowers levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory amino acid stored in our blood. Speak English, please? It’s good to keep homocysteine levels in check and beets are an easy, delicious way to do this. Beets can be enjoyed raw in a fresh salad and the stems are delicious sautéed with a little olive oil and garlic.

This is a great side dish served with salmon or any white fish, my personal favorite for the budget gourmet is tilapia. My all time favorite for the Richard Branson gourmet is Chilean sea bass. The only negative to this recipe from a nutrition standpoint (not a taste stand point) is that heat is to nutrient rich vegetables what Kryptonite is to Clark Kent - it zaps a fraction of the nutrition value.

Be mindful whenever you get in the habit of cooking fruits and vegetables that you also include their raw, bare naked counter parts in other meals you prepare for yourself and your family.