October 2008 Archives

Cranberries are not just holiday berries!

Cranberries, as well as blueberries have many cancer fighting properties. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (my favorite cancer nutrition research organization!), cranberries may be small but they contain a wealth of health protection.

Not only are they a good source of fiber and vitamin C, they have many different cancer fighting phytochemicals!

Phytochemicals in Cranberries

For those of you who need a reminder, phytochemicals are the chemicals in plants that help our bodies fight disease and keep our immune systems strong. There are more than 900 different types and each plant food has a unique combination of phytochemicals along with vitamins and minerals.

Cranberries contains many different phytochemicals including:

• Catechins
• Triterpenoids
• Quinic Acid
• Hippuric Acid
• Anthocyanins

Results from a 2007 study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that extracts from cranberries slow the growth of breast, colon, prostate, lung, and other tumors, as do other components identified in the fruit (flavonols, proanthocyanidin oligomers, and triterpenoids).

Keep in mind that this study was done in a lab, not in humans so further research is needed to know for sure how this interacts with an active tumor. However, there is certainly no risk in adding more cranberries to your diet!

This study also reported that the unique combination of phytochemicals found in cranberry fruit may produce synergistic health benefits. Possible cancer fighting mechanisms of action by cranberry phytochemicals include:

• death of tumor cells
• reduced spreading of prostate tumor
• anti inflammatory activities

Cranberry Muffins (Recipe from www.aicr.org)

I made these muffins over the weekend, below is picture proof that I did it! Unfortunately, my dog stole 3 muffins this morning and threw them up. My taste buds and stomach loved them but DON'T FEED THEM TO YOUR DOGS, haha!



Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:

• Non-stick canola oil spray
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder                                       
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 4 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract.
4. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. (Don't overmix.)
5. Stir in cranberries. (Note: I added crushed walnuts - about 1 cup - at this point).
   

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Enjoy!

- Julie

[References:

1. www.aicr.org
2. http://www.phytochemicals.info/plants/cranberry.php
3. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/137/1/186S]

Eating out has become a major part of the busy American lifestyle. Remember that improving your health is not the concern of the restaurant industry. Their biggest concern is making money! That's the bottom line. What sells food is fat, sugar and salt, so that's what they're going to serve!

You know what else sells? A bargain! For some reason we all think that the more food we get for our buck, the better deal we are getting. Think about that for a minute... is it a good deal if your $5 "meal deal" means that you just consumed 500 more calories than if you ate at home?

It's not a good deal when it means you have to find an extra hour running off those calories! In order to be a smart consumer and promote a cancer fighting immune system, be sure to follow the 10 tips for healthy eating at restaurants.

Here are the final 5: (The first 5 can be found in Part I).

6. Keep portions SMALL! I cannot stress enough how much portion size makes a difference. Typically at restaurants, the portions of meat and starch are much too large and the portion of vegetables are small or non-existent.

Want to see how portion sizes have changed over the last 20 years? Check out this Portion Distortion Quiz! Two simple ways to cut the portion size is to order a kid's size (without the cookie!) or split the meal with someone else.

7. Stay away from refined "white" grains. That means avoiding sweetened, sugary drinks like sodas and sweet tea. If you're really smart, you might replace the white rice or white pasta with a veggie for the side dish. Also, if you must have desert, share one with everyone at the table!

8. Balance the rest of your day. There's not a whole lot you can do with how the food is prepared, so make sure that the rest of your day is low sodium, full of fruits and vegetables and certainly don't starve in anticipation of eating out. That is a sure fire way to overeat!

9. Eat a healthy snack before going out. Sometimes by the time I get to a restaurant, I'm so hungry that there's no chance that I will a good decision. One way I fight against this scenario is to eat a healthy snack like fruit or veggies with dip BEFORE I head out.

Here is a printable list of healthy snacks.

 
10. TAKE A WALK!! To make sure that you provide your body with the metabolism to process the meal you eat, be sure you get some sort of physical activity in that day. Sweating will help rid your body of the extra sodium and the muscle building will help burn the extra calories you eat.

Make your health more important than a Meal Deal!

- Julie

It used to be that eating out was a special occasion. Now, the average American eats out 6 times a week. If you eat out frequently (more than 3 times a week), then restaurants are providing you with a significant source of nutrients!

Unfortunately, restaurant foods are typically high in calories, fat and sodium and low in beneficial nutrients like vitamins, phytochemicals and fiber. This article will help you make choices when you eat out to minimize the amount of damage to your body.

1. Avoid Buffets! Research has told us that when people are offered a variety of food at one time, they eat more. Research has also showed that when people are offered large amounts of food at a time, they eat more.
   
   Buffets are the worst of both worlds! They offer a wide variety of large quantities of foods. This is a deadly combination when it comes to health. If you have to go to a buffet, order a meal rather than paying for the buffet. Contrary to instinct, it is NOT a good deal to get an abundance of calories for cheap. Those calories are going somewhere, and it might as well not be on your waistline!
   
   
2. No matter where you go, there is a "best" choice (or two!). Don't get caught up in the defeatist mentality that there's nothing good to choose from so you might as well get the burger, fries and biggie soda! No matter where you are, find the best choice. It might be a few sides that you order instead of a meal.
   
   
3. Get the Nutrient guide. Don't play dumb when you order. Know what you're getting when you get it. Almost all fast food restaurants have nutrition information in the store or online. Many chain restaurants also have their nutrition information online.
   
   Check it out before you go so that you know what you want to order before you get there. Another option is to purchase a restaurant guide from a bookstore or online. My favorite is Calorie King.
   
   
4. Look for the "Light" Menus. Maybe the restaurant you chose didn't have the nutrition information. They might have a icon on the menu to indicate the healthier items. [Just as a note, if it's marked as low carb, it's not likely to be healthy. Many times it is an excuse to sell you a high fat meal with "no carbs"].
   
   If you don't see signs of healthy options, ask your server what options they have that are healthy.
   
   
5. Avoid foods described as "fried", "creamy", "cheesy", or "rich". These words are very appetizing, which is why it's on the menu! Marketing professionals pay a lot of money to know what sounds best and helps grease the money out of your wallet! These are just fancy terms for "fatty".

Stay tuned for the Part II, where you will get the next 5 tips!

- Julie

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Beans, Beans the musical fruit. The more you eat.... ok nevermind! Many of you might remember that pleasant rhyme from elementary school and it could be the reason you still don't like beans today!

Whether beans give you unpleasant GI side effects or not, the fact is that they have many phytochemicals (cancer fighting plant components) that can keep your body healthy and strong. They are also great sources of protein and can take the place of meat at a meal.

Cancer Fighting Beans - The Facts!

There is nothing magical about any one food. It's the combination of the right foods in your diet, along with physical activity and weight management that can control your cancer risk.

Beans (also known as legumes) include dry beans such as black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, garbonzo beans and lentils along with many other varieties. Soybeans also fall into this category.

The phytochemicals in beans that scientists believe may play a role in cancer prevention include:

• saponins (In lab studies, saponins have shown the ability to inhibit the reproduction of cancer cells and slow the growth of tumors)
• protease inhibitors (In lab studies, protease inhibitors have slowed the division of cancer cells and helped to prevent tumors from releasing substances called proteases that destroy nearby cells)
• phytic acid (In lab studies, phytic acid has shown the ability to significantly slow the progression of tumors)

These compounds are found naturally in plants and appear to protect our cells from damage that can lead to cancer. 

Beans are also rich in fiber. The American Institute for Cancer Research found probable evidence that foods containing dietary fiber (like beans) can decrease your risk of developing colorectal cancer. 

Cancer Fighting Recipe: Mexican 5-Bean Soup:

In light of this information, here is a great recipe that I use often. As a hint, you can get rid of some gas causing enzymes by rinsing beans before cooking them!

This recipe comes from Zonya's "Lickety-Split Meals". I highly recommend this cookbook and you can order it off her website: www.zonya.com.

Mexican 5-Bean Soup

This will take 5-10 hours to cook in a slow cooker or crock pot.

• 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can diced green chilies, undrained
• 10 oz. frozen cut green beans
• 4 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 3 cups water
• 28 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 oz. beer (or water - but the beer really adds a great flavor and smell!)

Combine all in a slow cooker and stir. Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or LOW 9-10 hours. Sprinkle shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese on it when served.

** NOTE: I have a smaller crock pot, so this recipe actually fills my crockpot 2 times. Yes... I need to purchase a larger crock pot!

Let's have beans for every meal!
- Julie

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We all know that carrying excess body fat increases risk for cancer. It's also an unfortunate truth that kids are getting increasingly fatter in America.

It is estimated that this generation of children's life expectancy will NOT be longer than their parents. Now THAT is scary! Along with all the psychological difficulties that can come with being overweight as a child, these children are also at increased risk for cancer and other chronic diseases.

Halloween Challenge

Think about when you were a kid. Halloween was special because you got to eat a bunch of food that you usually didn't get to eat. Hence why it was called a "treat". Now, candy is no longer a "treat" for kids. They often get candy everyday, pretty much whenever they want it.

Knowing all of this, do you really want to hand out candy like every other house on Halloween? I challenge you to find a truly unique "treat" to give out to kids on Halloween that might enhance their health, or at least not be a detriment to it!

Healthy Halloween Treats

For the last 2 years, I have not given out candy. Last year I was surprised to hear "yay, no candy!" Ok, it was from a parent, but trust me the kids love getting to choose a treat!

Here are some ideas that I would suggest in place of giving out candy. I try to keep the cost to no more than 25 cents per prize. It's up to you if you give out more than one per kid!

•     stickers
•     balloons
•     crayons
•     pencils
•     colored chalk
•     erasers
•     whistles
•     baseball cards
•     rubber spiders or worms
•     sugar free gum
•     fake teeth

My favorite is to go to the dollar store and see what they have. Pencils and pens are great hits, along with anything that makes noise!

The only problem people have with some of these treats is that they don't like to contribute to landfills; these aren't the 'greenest items'. For more green treats, you might try peanuts in their shells or a planting kit with seeds.

I hope to hear what you decide to give out and how it was received!

BOO!
- Julie