The Hidden Benefits of Lemonade

A perfect glass of lemonade does more than cool and relax you on a summer day. It may protect your lungs against a potentially serious condition: adult asthma. People who eat little or no fruit and shun citrus are more likely to develop asthma or to be victim to its wheezing, gasping symptoms than people who fill up on citrus. Vitamin C in these fruits probably facilitates the breathe-easier effects. Find more foods rich in vitamin C with this tool.

Just because you haven't had asthma yet doesn't mean your lucky streak will continue: It can start at any time in your life. It can be caused by a number of factors, including your environment (for instance, dust mite droppings inside your mattress or pillow), where you live, and genetics (you have at least a 25% greater risk of developing asthma if your parents have allergies). But even if your situation ups the numbers on the wheeze dial, you have the power to roll it back and possibly to tame the long-term damage caused by frequent attacks.

Adding all things citrus -- grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes -- to your shopping basket reduces your risk of this respiratory bane, regardless of how active or how old you are. Here's how vitamin C helps keep skin smooth and fend off wrinkles, too.

That's not all you can do to breath better:

• If you're a smoker, quit! Try this powerful quitting plan from the YOU Docs.
• Control your exposure to dust mite waste in your pillows by covering them with casings that have a pore size of 1-micron.
• Reduce the amount of pollution you encounter by keeping car windows closed when on high-traffic freeways or while going through tunnels.
• Put some of these plants in your house to improve your indoor air quality.