Make sure you not only have well-stocked food cupboards for healthy eating, but also are buying the right products at the right time, in the right way. Keep reading to learn how.

A massive study of thousands of women, called the Nurses Health Study, showed that eating the typical Western-style diet increased stroke risk by 58 percent, whereas consuming more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish – the same foods that guard against so many other diseases – lowered that risk by 30 per cent. Here’s where to start.

For most people, food is a source of great pleasure. But for others, nature’s bounty is more of a minefield of edible hazards – foods that trigger unpleasant side effects or even life-threatening reactions. The answer, of course, is to avoid the offenders while filling your plate with equally nutritious foods, but that isn’t always easy. Here are a few suggestions.