June 2008 Archives

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In my last post, we talked about the cancer fighting properties of blueberries and other berries. Appropriately, when I visited the farmer's market yesterday, it was blueberry day!

Blueberries are the perfect choice for a fun, flavorful, and healthy snack. Blueberries contain vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, and magnesium as well as one of the most powerful antioxidants yet identified, anthocyanocides.

They are also a good source of carbohydrates and fiber, yet they are low in sodium and are cholesterol free.

Plus, Blueberries contain only 42 calories per ½ cup serving!

What should you look for when you buy blueberries to make sure you get the freshest and best tasting ones?

Blueberry Buying Tips

• Look for blueberries that are firm and dry
• Avoid baskets that have signs of leakage as that indicates they were mishandled
• The skin should be smooth and deep purple-blue
• Store blueberries covered in the fridge and use within 10 days
• Wash just prior to serving
• Freeze enough to use all year! (Blueberries should be completely dry before freezing)

Blueberry Cooking Tips

• When baking, know that acids in the recipe (like lemon juice or vinegar) will turn the berries red and baking soda will turn them greenish-blue
• To minimize streaking in cake or muffin batter, stir berries in directly from frozen
• When adding to pancakes or waffles, add berries after pouring into the pan or iron. Frozen berries will increase cooking time

Blueberry Recipes

I found several recipes and picked two that are ones I'm going to try. Let me know what you think!

Blueberry and Melon Salsa:

This recipe would be good served on grilled grouper.

• 2 cups of fresh blueberries
• 1 1/2 cups diced (small) cantaloupe
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T honey
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 1 t lime zest

Wash blueberries. Combine with cantaloupe, onion, red pepper and cilantro. Combine honey and lime juice and zest and stir into salsa. Leave out at room temperature for 1 hour. Serve or refrigerate.

Blueberry Vidalia Onion Citrus Salad

Use this recipe in place of slaw or pasta salad.

• 2 cups blueberries
• 4 navel oranges
• 1 medium vidalia onion
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 t dried oregano
• 2 T honey
• 1 t minced garlic
• 1 T celery seed
• 1 T fresh chopped basil
• 3 T cider vinegar

Wash blueberries, peel oranges and cut into chunks. Slice onions very thinly. Combine fruit with onions in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl whisk other ingredients. Pour over salad, toss and refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving. Do not make too far ahead. Serves 7.

Enjoy!!

- Julie

Blueberries have been called a "superfood" and an "antioxidant powerhouse".  Why do these and other berries get so much attention when it comes to cancer and disease fighting?

It all comes back to the phytochemicals! One of my first posts was on the plant chemicals that are found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Usually the more colorful the fruit, the more phytochemicals are in them.

Berries

Berries are known as good sources of:

• Vitamin C
• Fiber
• Ellagic Acid (especially strawberries and raspberries)
• Flavonoids (especially strawberries)
• Anthocyanosides (especially blueberries)

What research suggests is that vitamin C probably protect against cancer of the esophagus; fiber probably decrease one's risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Ellagic acid has shown the ability to prevent cancers of the skin, bladder, lung, esophagus and breast. Research suggests that ellagic acid seems to utilize several different cancer-fighting methods at once:

• It acts as an antioxidant
• It helps the body deactivate some carcinogens 
• It helps slow the reproduction of cancer cells

Flavonoids seems to employ a similar array of anti-cancer strategies as ellagic acid and anthocyanosides are among the most potent antioxidants yet discovered.

Food First!

So you might be thinking, if fiber, vitamin C and these phytochemicals are so good for me then I'll just take a fiber supplement, vitamin C supplement and a phytochemical pill. More is better, right? Not necessarily!

Or you could also say, I'll just eat nothing but blueberries the rest of my life! 

While all these components have promise in reducing risk of cancer and promoting a healthy body and immune system, we don't know for sure that it's not something else in the berries, or a combination of things that are doing the most good. Personally, I think there is a unique combination of health promoting chemicals in all plant foods that a pill can never replace.

Bottom Line:

Eat a healthy diet, and don't expect pills, powders or supplements to make up for a poor diet. Throw in daily physical activity, stress management and a good social community and you've got it!

- Julie

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Have you ever wished that you could change your genetics? Ever wondered how diet actually plays a role in cancer risk? A recent study was brought to my attention yesterday by friends and clients. It was conducted by Dean Ornish in San Francisco.

Essentially, the study suggested lifestyle choices can alter how DNA functions. Before I get more into that, it's important that you understand the basics of cancer.

Cancer 101

At the very basic level, cancer is uncontrollable growth of mutated cells. We don't understand exactly why or how it first starts, but often there are parts of cells that are mutated.

In some cases those mutations get killed off, and in others they start to reproduce. When you have enough mutated cells that reproduce, you have a tumor that can be detected with tests or even felt with the human hand.

When it comes to reducing risk or "controlling" cancer, there are a few places that cells can be controlled.

1. Prevent or reduce the likelihood that a cell will become mutated
2. Encourage unhealthy, mutated cells to kill themselves (called apoptosis)
3. Prevent unhealthy, mutated cells from killing healthy cells
4. Slow the growth of unhealthy, mutated cells so that tumors do not grow as fast

So how does genetics and DNA play into this?

Genetics 101

Our bodies have a genetic code called DNA. This DNA is activated by many different factors. It creates proteins, and many other molecules in the body that keep us alive. In our DNA, there are cancer promoting genes and cancer suppression genes that affect all 4 areas that were mentioned above.

Much research now is looking at how diet and other lifestyle factors affect our genes and which ones are produced.

The Ornish Study

Back to the study! Ornish took 30 prostate cancer survivors who had chosen not to receive treatment unless their tumors got worse. They were following the "watch and wait" plan.

He had them follow a very low-fat diet, walking and yoga every day and weekly support meetings to increase intimacy and social relationships.

The results were pretty amazing! In 3 months they found a change in over 500 genes. Several cancer promoting genes were slowed down and several cancer suppression genes were more active. Ornish also saw positive changes in prostate tissue.

While the study is small, and only lasted 3 months it can give us a glimpse into how our genetics can actually be changed with our daily choices.

What Does That Mean For You?

You might not be ready to make all those changes. What's important is that you look at your lifestyle and pick one, two or MAX of three things that you want to work on. Whether it's aspects of your diet, exercise, stress management or working on better social relationships.

For me? I'm going to get back to yoga and managing my stress through mindful meditation.

Choose health!
- Julie

For a summary of the article, click here

Scientists have been studying fiber for years. You've probably heard the headlines in the news. "High fiber diet reduces risk of colon cancer". Then the next month "Fiber not linked to cancer risk". It's hard to know what the actual studies say when the news shows a brief headline based on the latest research.

Fiber is found only in plant foods. There is no question that eating a diet of mostly plant foods reduces your risk for cancer. We don't know for sure which components of plant foods are most beneficial. My thought is that all components are important and they work together to help our bodies fight disease, including cancer.

Today I will review the latest and greatest evidence we have for the link between fiber and cancer.

The Function of Fiber

First off, it's important to understand the function of fiber. Our bodies do not absorb fiber. We can eat it, chew it up, digest it and move it through the intestine, but it will never be absorbed through the intestinal wall into our blood. All other essential nutrients get absorbed.

So if fiber never makes it into our blood, what does it do? Fiber plays several important roles:

1. It slows the digestion of food, so you feel full longer.
2. Some fibers help lower blood sugar levels and may aid insulin sensitivity.
3. Some fibers interfere with fat and cholesterol absorption, lowering blood cholesterol and protecting your heart.

Fiber and Cancer Risk

Many studies of various populations have shown a possible link between fiber intake and reduced risk of cancer. However, it's not clear if the risk reduction comes from the fiber, or something else in foods that provide fiber.

There are a few things that we do know about fiber and cancer. Fiber increases the amount of stool which dilutes harmful substances and speeds their elimination from the body. Fiber also protects the lining of the colon and seems to prevent development of cancerous cells.

Get Your Fiber!

How can you get your 30 grams of fiber each day? Here's where to start:

• Start with at least 5 vegetable and fruit servings
• Include at least three small servings of whole grains daily (such as 1⁄2 cup of oatmeal, 1⁄2 of cup brown rice, or 1 slice of whole-wheat bread)
• Have a small handful of nuts and seeds a few times weekly

Remember that if you're increasing fiber, you want to do it SLOWLY, or you might end up having to take a day off work to be in the bathroom!

- Julie

It can be difficult to find healthy foods to eat when you travel. This is especially hard because many times you don't have access to refrigeration or a kitchen to cook in. Foods offered in the airport or along the highway are usually convenient but don't fit the category of "health foods".

When my husband and I moved to Arizona from North Carolina, we drove out in a U-Haul. We only ate out one time over the 2.5 day trip and the rest of the time we had crackers, cheese, fruit and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

I'm not suggesting you be this extreme! But you might wonder how you can eat a health promoting diet when you're traveling. Here are some suggestions on healthy eating while away from home. These suggestions are usually easier on the budget than eating out too!

Plan Ahead!

Planning ahead is imperative in having healthy options available to you. This might mean bringing a cooler on a car trip, or bringing a lunch box when you travel by air.

Think about how many hours you are going need food.  Plan on a snack every three hours and try to keep a variety of options. Obviously, if you're driving alone, your choices become more limited.  Plan on a few crumbs escaping, and keep a napkin and trash bag handy. Here are some suggestions of healthy snacks for a car trip:

• Fruit
• Sandwiches (lunch meat or PB and jelly)
• Trail mix
• Water
• Crackers and Hummus
• Baby carrots
• Pre-washed and pre-cut fresh vegetables

It can be hard to find snacks to take on an airplane due to space limitations and lack of refrigeration. Here are some of the things that we bring on the airplane:

• Trail mix (dried fruit and nuts)
• Kashi granola bars
• Fig newtons
• Fruit
• Juice box
• PB and Jelly sandwich (usually gets smooshed!)
• Water
• Dried fruit bars

Make Smart Choices When You Eat Out

When you are on vacation, you are more likely to eat out than when you're at home. So make the most of your choices when you go out. Be sure to pick a restaurant that is going to give you healthy choices. Focus on getting enough fruits and/or vegetables at the meal. 

One of my favorite places to eat is a grocery store. If you find a good one, they will often have a salad bar and then you can pick up some fresh fruits and veggies to snack on later in the day.

I think the hardest thing about traveling is getting in as many fruits and vegetables and whole grains as I get at home. By bringing snacks such as dried fruit and nuts with you and visiting a grocery store every once in a while, you can still eat healthy even though you're not at home.

Safe and Healthy Travels!
- Julie

Now that it's summer and you're more likely to be out in the sun for long periods of time, I thought it was appropriate to address skin cancer risk. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide. Over-exposure to UV radiation is the primary cause of skin cancer. Experts think that risk for melanoma skin cancer is related to the severity of the burn.

Sun and Skin Cancer

The best way to reduce risk of skin cancer is to protect your skin from sun damage. Here are three tips for reducing risk for skin Cancer:

1. Limit sun exposure between 10am and 4pm when UV rays are strongest
2. Wear protective clothing or protect exposed body parts with shade. Remember if light can pass through fabric, then UV rays can too.
3. Choose a wide-brimmed hat

If you are going to get sun exposure, be sure to use a broad spectrum sunscreen that has SPF of at least 15. I've heard that you should use a shot glass size amount of sunscreen to adequately cover your body no matter what color your skin is. Try that out, but make sure to clean the shot glass afterwards!

Tanning Beds and Skin Cancer

Some people believe that by using a tanning bed, they are protecting themselves from skin cancer. Unfortunately, this is not true. There is nothing safe about tanning, whether indoor or out. Commercial tanning beds expose you to UV light just as the sun does. So if you're going to be exposed to UV rays, at least be outside where you can have a good time!!

Diet and Skin Cancer

So far, there is no conclusive evidence linking diet to skin cancer. However, there is an association between arsenic in drinking water and skin cancer. In the US, drinking water is regulated. If you are on your own well however, you are responsible for testing the water.

Other than not drinking arsenic water, the best foods to fight skin cancer are those with lots of phytochemicals! While at the University of Arizona in Tucson for grad school, I remember researchers looking at a phytochemical in lemon skin (zest) for reducing risk of skin cancer. So in honor of lemon zest, I leave you this recipe!

Bok Choy with Sautéed Mushrooms and Shallots

Serve this delightful vegetable dish with brown rice and grilled salmon.

2 tsp. canola or olive oil
1 package (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds bok choy, rinsed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 tsp. lite soy sauce
1 tsp. lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and stir-fry until mushrooms darken, about 5 minutes.

Add bok choy and stir-fry for about 8-10 minutes until tender. Sprinkle with soy sauce, lemon zest and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 65 calories, 3 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 8 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 213 mg sodium.

Enjoy!!

- Julie

Recipe from AICR