Be Your Own Superhero

You can’t fool us. We know, based on what you accomplish every day, that you’re a superhero. But for those times when your superpowers could use a little boost, here are a few real-world suggestions that just might help.

Incredible elasticity! Those wrinkles you’re noticing in the mirror may not be from all the crime fighting; you may just be dehydrated. Forget the old advice of drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. There’s no science behind that. Instead, divide your naked weight by two. That’s the baseline amount, in ounces, that you really need to be drinking daily to keep looking as fit and beautiful as Lara Croft.

Eternal life! Vitamin D is emerging as the most important vitamin of all. In fact, nearly 2,000 different genes (roughly one-sixth of the human genome) are regulated by it. D deficiencies have been linked to heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, obesity, tooth decay, immunity problems, weakened bones, depression, sleep disorders, and even multiple sclerosis. To get more, simply spend 15 un-sunscreened minutes per day in the sunshine. (Remember to keep it to just 15 minutes without sun protection—you want D, not damage.) Or, if that’s not practical (some of us are more sun-sensitive than others), drink two glasses of nonfat milk daily and pop a 1,000 IU vitamin D supplement.

The ability to (practically) disappear! To look great in a superhero leotard, you’ll need to raise your metabolism. That’s the amount of energy your body uses to survive. To do this, build more muscle by weight training (a set of home dumbbells is an easy way to start). The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn even at rest. Feed that new muscle with 30 grams of protein per day (the equivalent of 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese or a 4-ounce boneless chicken breast with each meal). Hey, where did she go?

Amazing night vision! Experts estimate we lose 10% of our ability to see in the dark with each passing decade. To protect this power, eat more green and orange foods, especially carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupes, and dark leafy vegetables. They’re all high in night-vision-boosting vitamin A.

Miraculous healing powers! The next time you slice your thumb in the villainous kitchen, run cold water over the wound to clean it, sprinkle on some black pepper, and apply pressure. The bleeding will stop in no time. Turns out, black pepper has analgesic, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties. It won’t sting either (but don’t let the bad guys know that).

Superhuman strength! There's no better way to impress people with your strength than to win an arm-wrestling match. But what most women don't realize is that the secret is brains, not brawn. Here's how to do it: First, increase your leverage by getting a high grip on your opponent's thumb. Next, keep the distance between your hand and body as short as possible, again to increase leverage. Then, because most matches are over in less than 10 seconds, start as fast and hard as possible. This strategy will allow you to beat much bigger opponents. Now, who doesn't want to finish their homework?