No. 4: Include Omega-3s
A regular haul of omega-3 fatty acids, the magic ingredient found largely in fatty fish, can benefit brainpower and vision and promote heart health. Omega-3s are also essential to fetal development, making them a must for women who are pregnant or planning to be. But sometimes netting the catch of the day feels like the chore of the month. For one thing, fish is slimy, so you may not like to cook it at home. Besides, it might have mercury in it, right?

Secrets to success: Experts suggest two servings of fish per week, so order it every time you eat at a restaurant, says Moore. "It's the only New Year's resolution I've made and kept," she says. To avoid mercury-infused or endangered fish, do as Martha Stewart does and carry a guide in your wallet. (Log on to oceansalive.org to download the Pocket Seafood Selector, which lists nonendangered fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in contaminants.) Fish like chunk light tuna and wild salmon are smart choices because they contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two potent fatty acids.

If you simply can't or won't eat fish, reap its benefits from walnuts, flaxseed, or omega-3-fortified eggs and milk. All contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which your body converts to EPA and DHA. Enriched soy milks and algae-derived DHA dietary supplements and spreads are also good vegetarian sources. Boston-area nutritionist Candace Combe, R.D., likes Earth Balance, a vegan spread that's low in saturated fat and packed with omega-3s. I cook with it, spread it on bread, and use it just like butter, she says.

No. 5: Eat More Organic Food
Processed food is so easy; it comes in colorful bite-size packages that you can take anywhere (mmm, Cheez-Its). And buying organic, whole foods can take your whole paycheck. The downside of convenience foods, however, is that they are often loaded with salt, sugar, and preservatives that allow them to sit on store shelves for millennia.

As for nonorganic produce, Dr. Christine Horner, an expert in natural health and breast cancer in Taos, New Mexico, says, "It's much better for you and the earth if you eat organic as often as you can -- pesticides get into our water supply, lakes, and oceans, and kill wildlife, coral, and even us."

Secrets to success: "Choose foods that are as close to their original form as possible," Somer says. She eats broccoli and even frozen broccoli, but not the frozen broccoli in cheese sauce. She goes for plain oats, but not the maple-flavored instant oatmeal. And if she is going to have a potato, it's a baked potato, not french fries, hash browns, or chips. Another tip: Always shop the perimeter of the grocery store; processed foods tend to be stored in the center aisles. "I'll make a detour into the middle for protein-rich canned beans or if I need vanilla for baking," Combe says. "Otherwise, I shop the outskirts in the produce and refrigerated sections."

And although buying everything organic is great in theory, if you can't afford it in practice, do so when it matters most. "Broccoli, bananas, corn, pineapple, and kiwi are pretty low in pesticides, so I don't buy them organic," Combe says. "But I buy only organic strawberries or apples because they often have high pesticide levels." And don't think a surgical strike is the answer -- peeling apples and other fruit cuts down on the pesticides, but doesn't eliminate them, Horner says. (Log on to foodnews.org for a list of the pesticide levels in produce. )