5 Foods to a Healthier, Hotter You

The Editors of WOMEN'S HEALTH

Change can be a truly beautiful thing. Think about it: When you change the way you eat, you can change the way you feel, and change the way you look! With bikini season right around the corner, now is the perfect time to invest in positive changes that improve all of the above and result in a sexier you.

Begin by incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into your diet. They play an essential role in both physical and mental health, but since your body cannot produce them, you can only receive these essential fatty acids through a healthy diet. Here are my favorite omega-3-rich foods and how they change your body for the better while keeping your brain in tip-top shape:

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Walnuts
Walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and contain cancer fighting, anti-inflammatory properties that may help aid in weight loss and provide other superb benefits like the promotion of bone health. Serve them mixed into your morning muesli, alongside a cup of green tea, or paired with some peaches and non-fat Greek yogurt for a perfect morning.

Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are rich in ALA (that's alpha-linolenic acid), an omega-3 fat that can promote bone health as well as prevent heart disease and cancer. Plus, flaxseeds give you that ultimate boost of beautiful hair, skin, and nails that every woman deserves. Gorgeous from the inside out! Toss some flax into homemade granola, on top of your favorite cereal, with some unsweetened almond milk, or pulsed up and folded into cookie, muffin, or cake batter. You won't have a clue they are in there. Getting a lil' more flax will do us all good.

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Sardines
Don't scrunch your nose! Sardines are one of the most concentrated sources of the omega-3s, DHA, and EPA, which can all help lower cholesterol. They are low in saturated fat, packed with protein, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, and can boost metabolism. Feeling eco-friendly? Wild-caught Pacific sardines are one of the most sustainable low-mercury omega-3-rich fish. Throw them into a Caesar salad, put them on a flatbread pizza with Gruyere cheese, or simply eat them with some avocado, thinly sliced red onion, and arugula over toasted pumpernickel.

Eggs
All eggs are good for you, but some eggs are a better lay for your health. Eggland's Best eggs, for example, are fortified with more omega-3 fatty acids than regular eggs due to their all-natural vegetarian-based feed. Eggland's Best eggs contain more than twice the amount of omega-3s, twice the vitamin D, and 10-times the vitamin E of ordinary eggs. With feed that contains ingredients like rice bran, alfalfa, vitamin E, and sea kelp, you can bet these chicks are sexy as can be.

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Salmon
Yes, another fish makes the cut here. Why? Studies show that consuming more salmon can directly enhance the performance of our cells by increasing insulin effectiveness and acting as an anti-inflammatory agent in joint and digestive tissue. The combination of EPA and DHA omega-3 fats in salmon are especially good for the heart. So eat more salmon for a healthy heart, brain, and bod. This stuff is absolutely delicious broiled with a miso glaze, marinated and grilled over an open flame, or pan-seared with shallots and leeks and paired with a quinoa salad.

RELATED: 6 More Foods to a Sexier You

TELL US: What favorite foods make you feel hotter?

--By Candice Kumai for Women's Health

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