When you grab a pumpkin for your fall porch this year, grab one for your plate, too. Why? Two really good reasons: Pumpkin makes an incredibly rich and flavorful base for all sorts of soups, stews, and desserts. And it’s absolutely packed with blood-pressure-friendly nutrients.
Halloween Help for Your Heart
Pumpkin flesh is crammed full of phenols -- a type of health-promoting antioxidant that’s found in many plant-based foods. But pumpkin phenols may have particularly body-kind qualities. In cell studies, phenols from pumpkin flesh put a damper on the same enzyme that some blood pressure drugs target to reduce vascular tension. In other words, the phenols in pumpkin may help keep blood vessels relaxed, which means better blood pressure and better heart health. (Here’s another fun way to relax your blood vessels.)
Save the Seeds
When you scoop out your pumpkin, save the seeds so you can roast them. Pumpkin seeds are rich in alpha-linolenic acid -- a healthy fat that also helps protect blood vessels. No time to cook fresh pumpkin? No problem. Use canned pureed pumpkin. It’s precooked, tastes great, and is just as good for you. BTW, cooking pumpkin seems to enhance its phenolic properties.
Recipe Corner
Of course, pumpkin is best known as a great pie filling. But put a new twist on it with this quick, simple, and yum-o recipe from EatingWell: Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie. And when you’re ready to expand beyond dessert, try EatingWell’s easy, breezy Pumpkin Popovers.
~ Via Real Age.
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Eat Like A Mediterranean!
Eating like a Mediterranean, by including lots of fresh vegetables, whole grains and healthy oils in your diet, may help lower your risk of heart disease. Discover two quick and easy Mediterranean snacks that will help keep your heart strong. EatingWell Food and Nutrition experts show you how to make two quick and delicious Mediterranean style snacks.
Monday, September 22, 2008
A Kid's Favorite: For Your Blood Sugar
There’s something sweet and creamy that kids love -- and it may actually be good for your blood sugar. It’s not chocolate pudding. It’s peanut butter. Adults in a recent study who ate this childhood fave at least five times a week reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by 27 percent. Go NuttyResearchers speculate that the unsaturated fats in nuts -- and nut butters -- may partly explain the big dip in diabetes risk. These healthy fats may somehow improve insulin sensitivity and keep your blood sugar stable. The fiber and magnesium in nuts may also decrease insulin demand and resistance. (Better than takeout: Satisfy your cravings for Chinese food with these deliciously healthy Spicy Peanut Noodles.) In a NutshellAn added bonus of eating peanut butter? Staying slim. The study participants did, especially when they used nut products to replace other fatty foods, like chips. Here are even more reasons to dip into nuts and nut butters:
Peeper protection. Eating nuts at least once a week may save your vision and prevent this sight-stealing disease.
Heart help. Eating a serving of nuts twice a week can slash your heart attack risk by almost half. Here’s why.
Mood boosting. Here’s how nuts banish the blues and make you smile.
Glowing skin. They’re part of our healthy-skin diet. Video: Make your own savory snacks at home.
Watch this video on how to toast nuts.
Tip: Be aware that peanuts are heavily sprayed with pesticides so, be smart and pay the extra price for ORGANIC peanut butter. Natural does not mean organic!
Via Real Age.
Peeper protection. Eating nuts at least once a week may save your vision and prevent this sight-stealing disease.
Heart help. Eating a serving of nuts twice a week can slash your heart attack risk by almost half. Here’s why.
Mood boosting. Here’s how nuts banish the blues and make you smile.
Glowing skin. They’re part of our healthy-skin diet. Video: Make your own savory snacks at home.
Watch this video on how to toast nuts.
Tip: Be aware that peanuts are heavily sprayed with pesticides so, be smart and pay the extra price for ORGANIC peanut butter. Natural does not mean organic!
Via Real Age.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
What is Kefir?
I drink kefir daily and use it to make delicious smoothies, using my Juice Plus+ Complete (You can use soy milk, cow's milk, goat's milk, rice milk or coconut milk -- whichever you prefer. I like the taste of kefir).
Kefir is a tangy, slightly sour tasting fermented milk. Kefir's closest cousin is yogurt, also made by fermenting milk with bacteria. But kefir is fermented with more and different types of bacteria, in addition to yeast, which means the final product has more of the beneficial microorganisms, or "probiotics," that first made yogurt a popular health food. Probiotics can control the growth of harmful bacteria and aid digestion, and some even manufacture vitamins in the gut. Kefir can be made from any type of milk, cow, goat or sheep, coconut, rice or soy.
This is the brand of keifer I prefer - it is rich tasting and is a good source of protein, calcium, and pstassium. Other benefits of keifer are described here.
Kefir is a tangy, slightly sour tasting fermented milk. Kefir's closest cousin is yogurt, also made by fermenting milk with bacteria. But kefir is fermented with more and different types of bacteria, in addition to yeast, which means the final product has more of the beneficial microorganisms, or "probiotics," that first made yogurt a popular health food. Probiotics can control the growth of harmful bacteria and aid digestion, and some even manufacture vitamins in the gut. Kefir can be made from any type of milk, cow, goat or sheep, coconut, rice or soy.
This is the brand of keifer I prefer - it is rich tasting and is a good source of protein, calcium, and pstassium. Other benefits of keifer are described here.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Healthy Eating
Healthy Eating makes you feel better and look better. This video by syndicated columnist Rita Heikenfeld shows you recipes, cooking tips and is a guide to healthy eating.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Seven 'Super Foods' of the Bible
Trying to eat healthy? Start by opening your Bible to Deuteronomy 8:8, where the Israelites are promised "a good land…, a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey."
The ancients might not have known the word "antioxidant," but they were onto something with this list of biblical "super-foods." Explore this gallery to find out exactly how on-target they were.
Super Food #1: Wheat -->This grain, which is found in everything from bread to pasta to cakes, is healthier when it is refined as little as possible. Whole-wheat products (those that are certified 100% whole wheat) contain 30 percent of your recommended daily fiber intake, as well as high levels of manganese and magnesium. A diet rich in whole grains is also thought to increase your energy level and lower your risk of type-2 diabetes, gallstones, and other health issues.
Super Food #2: Barley -->Another whole grain, barley can be found in breads and cereals, as well as in hearty winter soups. High in fiber, barley is good for intestinal health and can lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of colon cancer and type-2 diabetes if eaten regularly. Barley also contains trace amounts of copper, which have been shown to help reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Super Food #3: Grapes -->Everyone knows that grape juice and red wine are tasty—but healthy? Grapes contain nutritional compounds called flavonoids, which are believed to reduce your risk of blood clots and protect your body from damage by the "free radicals" found in LDL, or "bad," cholesterol. Rich in antioxidants, grapes may provide protection against cardiovascular disease, particularly in women.
Super Food #4: Figs -->These sweet fruits, eaten either dried or fresh, are high in potassium, a mineral that helps control blood pressure. They are also high in dietary fiber, which may help you lose weight, and they are a fruit source of calcium, which can help preserve bone density. Fig leaves, which are not typically eaten but can be made into an extract, are thought to help lower insulin levels in diabetics.
Super Food #5: Pomegranate -->These strange-looking seed fruits are back in vogue as health-giving super-foods, particularly in juice form. The fruits are rich in antioxidants, which prevent LDL cholesterol from doing its damage, and it helps prevent blood clots by keeping blood platelets from clumping together. Pomegranates may also help reduce the risk of breast cancer and lessen the symptoms of arthritis.
Super Food #6: Olive Oil -->Olives, and the extra-virgin oil that is made from a single pressing of the fruit, contain many of the antioxidants that are thought to protect against the oxidation of LDL cholesterol compounds. They also are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are called "the healing fats" because they lower the effects of "bad" cholesterol while raising "good" cholesterol levels. High in vitamin E, olive oil also is thought to protect against colon cancer, and it is helpful in fighting gastritis and other stomach ailments.
Super Food #7: Honey -->Raw honey, in addition to being a natural sweetener, is replete with antioxidants and is considered to be an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal substance. It is thought to have tumor-fighting properties, and may help prevent colon cancer. The daily consumption of a spoonful of honey is said to increase antioxidant levels in the blood, and is the healthiest sweetener for type-2 diabetics. Honey also may have wound-healing and muscle-regenerating properties.
The 7 "Super Foods" of the Bible The ancients' prescient advice on healthy eating.Trying to eat healthy? Start by opening your Bible to Deuteronomy 8:8, where the Israelites are promised "a good land…, a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey."
The ancients might not have known the word "antioxidant," but they were onto something with this list of biblical "super-foods." Explore this gallery to find out exactly how on-target they were.
Source: http://www.beliefnet.com/
The ancients might not have known the word "antioxidant," but they were onto something with this list of biblical "super-foods." Explore this gallery to find out exactly how on-target they were.
Super Food #1: Wheat -->This grain, which is found in everything from bread to pasta to cakes, is healthier when it is refined as little as possible. Whole-wheat products (those that are certified 100% whole wheat) contain 30 percent of your recommended daily fiber intake, as well as high levels of manganese and magnesium. A diet rich in whole grains is also thought to increase your energy level and lower your risk of type-2 diabetes, gallstones, and other health issues.
Super Food #2: Barley -->Another whole grain, barley can be found in breads and cereals, as well as in hearty winter soups. High in fiber, barley is good for intestinal health and can lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of colon cancer and type-2 diabetes if eaten regularly. Barley also contains trace amounts of copper, which have been shown to help reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Super Food #3: Grapes -->Everyone knows that grape juice and red wine are tasty—but healthy? Grapes contain nutritional compounds called flavonoids, which are believed to reduce your risk of blood clots and protect your body from damage by the "free radicals" found in LDL, or "bad," cholesterol. Rich in antioxidants, grapes may provide protection against cardiovascular disease, particularly in women.
Super Food #4: Figs -->These sweet fruits, eaten either dried or fresh, are high in potassium, a mineral that helps control blood pressure. They are also high in dietary fiber, which may help you lose weight, and they are a fruit source of calcium, which can help preserve bone density. Fig leaves, which are not typically eaten but can be made into an extract, are thought to help lower insulin levels in diabetics.
Super Food #5: Pomegranate -->These strange-looking seed fruits are back in vogue as health-giving super-foods, particularly in juice form. The fruits are rich in antioxidants, which prevent LDL cholesterol from doing its damage, and it helps prevent blood clots by keeping blood platelets from clumping together. Pomegranates may also help reduce the risk of breast cancer and lessen the symptoms of arthritis.
Super Food #6: Olive Oil -->Olives, and the extra-virgin oil that is made from a single pressing of the fruit, contain many of the antioxidants that are thought to protect against the oxidation of LDL cholesterol compounds. They also are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are called "the healing fats" because they lower the effects of "bad" cholesterol while raising "good" cholesterol levels. High in vitamin E, olive oil also is thought to protect against colon cancer, and it is helpful in fighting gastritis and other stomach ailments.
Super Food #7: Honey -->Raw honey, in addition to being a natural sweetener, is replete with antioxidants and is considered to be an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal substance. It is thought to have tumor-fighting properties, and may help prevent colon cancer. The daily consumption of a spoonful of honey is said to increase antioxidant levels in the blood, and is the healthiest sweetener for type-2 diabetics. Honey also may have wound-healing and muscle-regenerating properties.
The 7 "Super Foods" of the Bible The ancients' prescient advice on healthy eating.Trying to eat healthy? Start by opening your Bible to Deuteronomy 8:8, where the Israelites are promised "a good land…, a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey."
The ancients might not have known the word "antioxidant," but they were onto something with this list of biblical "super-foods." Explore this gallery to find out exactly how on-target they were.
Source: http://www.beliefnet.com/
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
New website compares nutrition and health labels on leading food products
A new website called Labelwatch.com allows consumers to compare label information on more than 25,000 brand-name consumer products. Visitors to the site can research and compare foods on a wide range of criteria, including additives, ingredients, and nutritional facts.
The site was founded by Dianne Manning, who discovered the importance of reading ingredient labels while suffering a particularly unpleasant medical issue. "For years I suffered with a chronic condition known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),” said Manning. “Doctors and medications failed, but eliminating a few foods and additives from my diet completely solved the problem. As a result I became an avid reader of packaged food labels. This was time-consuming, confusing and often misleading. I looked for an easier solution, but none existed. That's when the idea for Labelwatch was conceived.
"On the site, ingredients are linked to a proprietary color-coded ingredient glossary created with information from food labeling authorities such as The National Institutes of Health, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Food & Drug Administration, and Foods Standards Agency UK.Products that contain no "cautionary" ingredients, as defined by the glossary, are awarded a special seal.
The site is free for everyone. By registering on the site, users can also create customized shopping lists of brand-name products. The site also contains a Smart Shopping section that offers information about reading labels and food shopping; an in-depth database of Smart Recipe cards and videos; and information about Smart Living as it applies to dieting, beauty, fitness, and natural health.
Beyond just consumers, Labelwatch expects to see the site utilized extensively by professionals. “We’ve had a huge outpouring of support from the health & wellness community,” said Manning. “Dietitians, physicians, fitness trainers and non-profit health organizations all see Labelwatch as a critical tool they can incorporate into their professional practice."
www.labelwatch.com
Via Packaging Digest.
The site was founded by Dianne Manning, who discovered the importance of reading ingredient labels while suffering a particularly unpleasant medical issue. "For years I suffered with a chronic condition known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),” said Manning. “Doctors and medications failed, but eliminating a few foods and additives from my diet completely solved the problem. As a result I became an avid reader of packaged food labels. This was time-consuming, confusing and often misleading. I looked for an easier solution, but none existed. That's when the idea for Labelwatch was conceived.
"On the site, ingredients are linked to a proprietary color-coded ingredient glossary created with information from food labeling authorities such as The National Institutes of Health, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Food & Drug Administration, and Foods Standards Agency UK.Products that contain no "cautionary" ingredients, as defined by the glossary, are awarded a special seal.
The site is free for everyone. By registering on the site, users can also create customized shopping lists of brand-name products. The site also contains a Smart Shopping section that offers information about reading labels and food shopping; an in-depth database of Smart Recipe cards and videos; and information about Smart Living as it applies to dieting, beauty, fitness, and natural health.
Beyond just consumers, Labelwatch expects to see the site utilized extensively by professionals. “We’ve had a huge outpouring of support from the health & wellness community,” said Manning. “Dietitians, physicians, fitness trainers and non-profit health organizations all see Labelwatch as a critical tool they can incorporate into their professional practice."
www.labelwatch.com
Via Packaging Digest.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Preventing Cancer
Factors such as inappropriate food and nutrition, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity are important causes of cancers.
THE World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) International and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) published the Second Expert Report: Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective in November 2007.
This report will certainly become an authoritative source of reference in this field, just like the first report in 1997. The report is intended as a guide to future scientific research, cancer prevention programmes and health policy around the world. It provides a solid evidence base for policy-makers, health professionals, and informed and interested people to draw on and work with.
I would like to share selected specific parts of the report with readers through several installments of NutriScene. I will start with an overview of the report, followed by other write-ups, highlighting specific chapters or sections in this publication, especially those aspects related to food and nutrition.
Cancers are among the most important causes of death in this country. I really feel we should study this report and try to draw on the information provided for our own cancer prevention programmes.
Cancers are largely preventable
People die less frequently from nutritional deficiencies, infectious diseases, predation, and accidents, whereas chronic diseases, including cancer — which are more common in older people — become more common.
Cancer in general, and cancers of different types and sites, are agreed to have various causes, among which are inherited genetic predisposition and the increasing likelihood that cells will accumulate genetic defects as people age. In many of its forms, cancer is a disease that can cause great suffering and claims many lives.
However, cancer is not an inevitable consequence of aging, and people’s susceptibility to it varies. There is abundant evidence that the main causes of patterns of cancer around the world are environmental. This does indeed mean that, at least in principle, most cancer is preventable, though there is still discussion about the relative importance of various environmental factors.
But what are these environmental factors, what are their relative importance, and how may they vary in different times in the course of a life and in different parts of the world, and how might they interact with each other?
Thousands of epidemiological and experimental studies have tried to look for answers. Since the early 1980s, relevant United Nations agencies, national governments, authoritative non-governmental organisations, and researchers and other experts in the field have agreed that food and nutrition, physical activity, and body composition are individually and collectively important modifiers of the risk of cancer, and taken together, may be at least as important as tobacco.
By the mid-1990s the general consensus became more solidly based on methodical assessment of the totality of the relevant literature.
There is now general consensus shared by scientists, health professionals, and policy-makers on the relationships between food, nutrition, physical activity, body composition, and the risk of cancer. This consensus is based on the findings of a rapidly growing mass of increasingly well-designed epidemiological and experimental studies and other relevant evidence.
Taking into account all factors, research findings have shown that cancer is, in large part, a preventable disease. This is the objective of the WCRF/AICR report.
How much is preventable?
The WCRF/AICR report emphasised that the term “prevention” does not mean the elimination of cancer. It means reduction in its occurrence, such that at any age fewer people have cancer than otherwise would be the case. The overall commitment of scientists and health professionals committed to disease prevention is to reduce the rates not just of cancer, but of all diseases, so that more people enjoy good health until they eventually die in old age.
R. Doll and R. Peto, in a landmark study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 1981 concluded: “It is highly likely that the United States will eventually have the option of adopting a diet that reduces its incidence of cancer by approximately one third, and it is absolutely certain that another one third could be prevented by abolishing smoking”. Cancers of some sites, notably of the colon, are generally agreed to be greatly or mostly affected by food and nutrition.
Since then, authoritative estimates of the preventability of cancer by means of food and nutrition and associated factors have been in broad agreement with the “around one third” figure.
The estimate of the previous WCRF/AICR report was that cancer is 30% to 40% preventable over time, by appropriate food and nutrition, regular physical activity, and avoidance of obesity. On a global scale, this represents over three to four million cases of cancer that can be prevented in these ways, every year.
Purpose and process of the report
This report has two overall general purposes. The first is to summarise, assess, and judge the most comprehensive body of evidence yet collected and displayed on the subject of food, nutrition, physical activity, body composition, and the risk of cancer, throughout the life-course.
The second purpose is to transform the evidence-derived judgements into goals and personal recommendations that are a reliable basis for sound policies and effective actions at population, community, family, and individual levels in order to prevent cancer worldwide.
The whole process of preparing this report was organised into various overlapping stages, emphasising on objectivity and transparency, separating the collection of evidence from its assessment and judgement. First, an expert task force developed a method for systematic review of the voluminous scientific literature. Second, research teams collected and reviewed the literature based upon this methodology. Third, an expert panel was set up to assess and judge this evidence and agreed recommendations.
Overview of the report
There are three parts to the report. Part 1 provides detailed background information and comprises three chapters (chapters 1-3). These introductory chapters show that the challenge can be effectively addressed and suggest that food, nutrition, physical activity, and body composition play a central part in the prevention of cancer.
Chapter 1 shows that patterns of production and consumption of food and drink, of physical activity, and of body composition have changed greatly throughout human history. Remarkable changes have taken place as a result of urbanisation and industrialisation in most countries in the world. Notable variations have been identified in patterns of cancer throughout the world. Furthermore, projections indicate that rates of cancer in general are liable to increase.
Chapter 2 outlines current understanding of the biology of the cancer process, with special attention to the ways in which food and nutrition, physical activity, and body composition may modify the risk of cancer.
These environmental factors are most important and can be modified. Evidence shows that only a small proportion of cancers are inherited.
The types of evidence that the expert panel has agreed are relevant to its work are summarised in Chapter 3. No single study or study type can prove that any factor definitely is a cause of, or is protective against, any disease. Reliable judgements on causation of disease should be based on assessments of a variety of well-designed epidemiological and experimental studies.
Part 2 of the Report is focused on the evidence that have been meticulously assembled and the judgements made and present the findings in seven chapters (chapters 4-11).
Chapter 4 is concerned with types of food and drink. The judgements of the expert panel are, whenever possible, food- and drink-based, reflecting the most impressive evidence. Findings on dietary constituents and micro- nutrients (for example, foods containing dietary fibre) as well as dietary supplements, and patterns of diet, are included.
Chapters 5 and 6 are concerned with physical activity and with body composition, growth, and development. Evidence in these areas is more impressive than was the case up to the mid-1990s.
Chapter 7 summarises and judges the evidence as applied to 17 cancer sites, with additional brief summaries based on narrative reviews of five further body systems and cancer sites. Obesity is or may be a cause of a number of cancers.
Chapter 8 identifies what aspects of food, nutrition, and physical activity themselves affect the risk of obesity and associated factors.
The relevance of food, nutrition, physical activity, and body composition to people living with cancer, and to the prevention of recurrent cancer, is summarised in Chapter 9. Improved cancer screening, diagnosis, and medical services are, in many countries, improving survival rates. So the number of cancer survivors — people living after diagnosis of cancer — is increasing.
Chapter 10 summarises findings of expert reports in relation to other chronic diseases, as well as nutritional deficiencies and nutrition-related infectious diseases.
Research issues are identified in Chapter 11 and provide opportunities to refine understanding of the links between food, nutrition, physical activity, and cancer, and so improve the prevention of cancer worldwide.
Part 3 of the report is Chapter 12 and contains the expert panel’s public health goals and personal recommendations. These are proposed as the basis for public policies and for personal choices that, if effectively implemented, will be expected to reduce the incidence of cancer for people, families, and communities.
Eight general and two special goals and recommendations are detailed. In each case a general recommendation is followed by public health goals and/or personal recommendations, together with further explanation or clarification as required. The chapter also includes a summary of the evidence, justification of the goals and recommendations, and guidance on how to achieve them.
The goals and recommendations are designed to be generally relevant worldwide and the expert panel recognises that in national settings, the recommendations of this report will be best used in combination with recommendations issued by governments or on behalf of nations, designed to prevent chronic and other diseases.
The full WCRF/AICR report can be obtained from the World Cancer Research Fund International website: http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/. In addition, do check out the many useful information on the WCRF website: http://www.wcrf.org/.
NutriScene is a fortnightly column by Dr Tee E Siong, who pens his thoughts as a nutritionist with over 30 years of experience in the research and public health arena.
THE World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) International and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) published the Second Expert Report: Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective in November 2007.
This report will certainly become an authoritative source of reference in this field, just like the first report in 1997. The report is intended as a guide to future scientific research, cancer prevention programmes and health policy around the world. It provides a solid evidence base for policy-makers, health professionals, and informed and interested people to draw on and work with.
I would like to share selected specific parts of the report with readers through several installments of NutriScene. I will start with an overview of the report, followed by other write-ups, highlighting specific chapters or sections in this publication, especially those aspects related to food and nutrition.
Cancers are among the most important causes of death in this country. I really feel we should study this report and try to draw on the information provided for our own cancer prevention programmes.
Cancers are largely preventable
People die less frequently from nutritional deficiencies, infectious diseases, predation, and accidents, whereas chronic diseases, including cancer — which are more common in older people — become more common.
Cancer in general, and cancers of different types and sites, are agreed to have various causes, among which are inherited genetic predisposition and the increasing likelihood that cells will accumulate genetic defects as people age. In many of its forms, cancer is a disease that can cause great suffering and claims many lives.
However, cancer is not an inevitable consequence of aging, and people’s susceptibility to it varies. There is abundant evidence that the main causes of patterns of cancer around the world are environmental. This does indeed mean that, at least in principle, most cancer is preventable, though there is still discussion about the relative importance of various environmental factors.
But what are these environmental factors, what are their relative importance, and how may they vary in different times in the course of a life and in different parts of the world, and how might they interact with each other?
Thousands of epidemiological and experimental studies have tried to look for answers. Since the early 1980s, relevant United Nations agencies, national governments, authoritative non-governmental organisations, and researchers and other experts in the field have agreed that food and nutrition, physical activity, and body composition are individually and collectively important modifiers of the risk of cancer, and taken together, may be at least as important as tobacco.
By the mid-1990s the general consensus became more solidly based on methodical assessment of the totality of the relevant literature.
There is now general consensus shared by scientists, health professionals, and policy-makers on the relationships between food, nutrition, physical activity, body composition, and the risk of cancer. This consensus is based on the findings of a rapidly growing mass of increasingly well-designed epidemiological and experimental studies and other relevant evidence.
Taking into account all factors, research findings have shown that cancer is, in large part, a preventable disease. This is the objective of the WCRF/AICR report.
How much is preventable?
The WCRF/AICR report emphasised that the term “prevention” does not mean the elimination of cancer. It means reduction in its occurrence, such that at any age fewer people have cancer than otherwise would be the case. The overall commitment of scientists and health professionals committed to disease prevention is to reduce the rates not just of cancer, but of all diseases, so that more people enjoy good health until they eventually die in old age.
R. Doll and R. Peto, in a landmark study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 1981 concluded: “It is highly likely that the United States will eventually have the option of adopting a diet that reduces its incidence of cancer by approximately one third, and it is absolutely certain that another one third could be prevented by abolishing smoking”. Cancers of some sites, notably of the colon, are generally agreed to be greatly or mostly affected by food and nutrition.
Since then, authoritative estimates of the preventability of cancer by means of food and nutrition and associated factors have been in broad agreement with the “around one third” figure.
The estimate of the previous WCRF/AICR report was that cancer is 30% to 40% preventable over time, by appropriate food and nutrition, regular physical activity, and avoidance of obesity. On a global scale, this represents over three to four million cases of cancer that can be prevented in these ways, every year.
Purpose and process of the report
This report has two overall general purposes. The first is to summarise, assess, and judge the most comprehensive body of evidence yet collected and displayed on the subject of food, nutrition, physical activity, body composition, and the risk of cancer, throughout the life-course.
The second purpose is to transform the evidence-derived judgements into goals and personal recommendations that are a reliable basis for sound policies and effective actions at population, community, family, and individual levels in order to prevent cancer worldwide.
The whole process of preparing this report was organised into various overlapping stages, emphasising on objectivity and transparency, separating the collection of evidence from its assessment and judgement. First, an expert task force developed a method for systematic review of the voluminous scientific literature. Second, research teams collected and reviewed the literature based upon this methodology. Third, an expert panel was set up to assess and judge this evidence and agreed recommendations.
Overview of the report
There are three parts to the report. Part 1 provides detailed background information and comprises three chapters (chapters 1-3). These introductory chapters show that the challenge can be effectively addressed and suggest that food, nutrition, physical activity, and body composition play a central part in the prevention of cancer.
Chapter 1 shows that patterns of production and consumption of food and drink, of physical activity, and of body composition have changed greatly throughout human history. Remarkable changes have taken place as a result of urbanisation and industrialisation in most countries in the world. Notable variations have been identified in patterns of cancer throughout the world. Furthermore, projections indicate that rates of cancer in general are liable to increase.
Chapter 2 outlines current understanding of the biology of the cancer process, with special attention to the ways in which food and nutrition, physical activity, and body composition may modify the risk of cancer.
These environmental factors are most important and can be modified. Evidence shows that only a small proportion of cancers are inherited.
The types of evidence that the expert panel has agreed are relevant to its work are summarised in Chapter 3. No single study or study type can prove that any factor definitely is a cause of, or is protective against, any disease. Reliable judgements on causation of disease should be based on assessments of a variety of well-designed epidemiological and experimental studies.
Part 2 of the Report is focused on the evidence that have been meticulously assembled and the judgements made and present the findings in seven chapters (chapters 4-11).
Chapter 4 is concerned with types of food and drink. The judgements of the expert panel are, whenever possible, food- and drink-based, reflecting the most impressive evidence. Findings on dietary constituents and micro- nutrients (for example, foods containing dietary fibre) as well as dietary supplements, and patterns of diet, are included.
Chapters 5 and 6 are concerned with physical activity and with body composition, growth, and development. Evidence in these areas is more impressive than was the case up to the mid-1990s.
Chapter 7 summarises and judges the evidence as applied to 17 cancer sites, with additional brief summaries based on narrative reviews of five further body systems and cancer sites. Obesity is or may be a cause of a number of cancers.
Chapter 8 identifies what aspects of food, nutrition, and physical activity themselves affect the risk of obesity and associated factors.
The relevance of food, nutrition, physical activity, and body composition to people living with cancer, and to the prevention of recurrent cancer, is summarised in Chapter 9. Improved cancer screening, diagnosis, and medical services are, in many countries, improving survival rates. So the number of cancer survivors — people living after diagnosis of cancer — is increasing.
Chapter 10 summarises findings of expert reports in relation to other chronic diseases, as well as nutritional deficiencies and nutrition-related infectious diseases.
Research issues are identified in Chapter 11 and provide opportunities to refine understanding of the links between food, nutrition, physical activity, and cancer, and so improve the prevention of cancer worldwide.
Part 3 of the report is Chapter 12 and contains the expert panel’s public health goals and personal recommendations. These are proposed as the basis for public policies and for personal choices that, if effectively implemented, will be expected to reduce the incidence of cancer for people, families, and communities.
Eight general and two special goals and recommendations are detailed. In each case a general recommendation is followed by public health goals and/or personal recommendations, together with further explanation or clarification as required. The chapter also includes a summary of the evidence, justification of the goals and recommendations, and guidance on how to achieve them.
The goals and recommendations are designed to be generally relevant worldwide and the expert panel recognises that in national settings, the recommendations of this report will be best used in combination with recommendations issued by governments or on behalf of nations, designed to prevent chronic and other diseases.
The full WCRF/AICR report can be obtained from the World Cancer Research Fund International website: http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/. In addition, do check out the many useful information on the WCRF website: http://www.wcrf.org/.
NutriScene is a fortnightly column by Dr Tee E Siong, who pens his thoughts as a nutritionist with over 30 years of experience in the research and public health arena.
A Guide to Child Health and Nutrition
If you have a child, regardless of their age, you are going to need to learn some important nutrition facts and become more informed on child health and nutrition and the foods that your child should be avoiding and including in their diet.
Food Pyramid
If you are concerned with child health and nutrition, one of the first steps you are going to have to take is to learn about the food pyramid. If you do not understand the food pyramid you will not be able to recognize how to provide them with the nutrition that they need to strive.
The food guide pyramid was designed by the US Dept of Agriculture to promote healthy nutrition in children over six years of age. The main emphasis of the pyramid is on the five major food groups, all of which are required for good health.
For proper child health and nutrition you are going to want to make sure that they are eating foods from all of these different food groups. Keep in mind that a serving in the food pyramid is not equal to whatever portion that you can eat at one meal. For instance, although the pyramid says that you should eat 2-3 servings of meat a day this does not mean that you need to eat meat three different times in one day.
Instead it means that you can have all 2-3 servings in a single meal if you have one large 5 to 7 ounce portion.
Also for proper child health and nutrition you want to make sure that they are getting enough exercise. Usually this is not such a major issue with children, but when you take a look at just how many kids are obese these days, it is not optional anymore.
To give your child health and nutrition to keep them healthy, you are going to want to keep them from spending hours on the computer, and instead give them a time limit and then make sure they are doing something active. Whether this means getting them outside to play sports or just having them play around with their friends, anything that they are doing that is physical will be great for their overall health.
You can speak to a child nutritionist if you would like more information on this and some helpful tips and advice. These are professionals who are specially trained in this field and who will be able to offer you valuable information and advice.
Source
Food Pyramid
If you are concerned with child health and nutrition, one of the first steps you are going to have to take is to learn about the food pyramid. If you do not understand the food pyramid you will not be able to recognize how to provide them with the nutrition that they need to strive.
The food guide pyramid was designed by the US Dept of Agriculture to promote healthy nutrition in children over six years of age. The main emphasis of the pyramid is on the five major food groups, all of which are required for good health.
For proper child health and nutrition you are going to want to make sure that they are eating foods from all of these different food groups. Keep in mind that a serving in the food pyramid is not equal to whatever portion that you can eat at one meal. For instance, although the pyramid says that you should eat 2-3 servings of meat a day this does not mean that you need to eat meat three different times in one day.
Instead it means that you can have all 2-3 servings in a single meal if you have one large 5 to 7 ounce portion.
Also for proper child health and nutrition you want to make sure that they are getting enough exercise. Usually this is not such a major issue with children, but when you take a look at just how many kids are obese these days, it is not optional anymore.
To give your child health and nutrition to keep them healthy, you are going to want to keep them from spending hours on the computer, and instead give them a time limit and then make sure they are doing something active. Whether this means getting them outside to play sports or just having them play around with their friends, anything that they are doing that is physical will be great for their overall health.
You can speak to a child nutritionist if you would like more information on this and some helpful tips and advice. These are professionals who are specially trained in this field and who will be able to offer you valuable information and advice.
Source
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Red Foods: The New Health Powerhouses? Nine Ways to Get Them Into Your Diet
From strawberries to beets, red fruits and vegetables pack a vibrant nutritional punch.
Here are some essential reds and some ways to get them into your diet:
1. Red Food: Strawberries
In season: May and June, but available year-round
Benefits: "They are a good source of folate, which helps heart health and is helpful for women in their childbearing years," Sandon says. Folic acid is known to decrease the risk of certain birth defects called neural tube defects. "Strawberries are also a good source of the antioxidant powerhouse vitamin C," which boosts immune system function among other things, she says. Get more by: Sprinkling some strawberries on your cereal or blending up some frozen strawberries in a skim milk and frozen yogurt smoothie.
2. Red Food: Cherries
In season: June and July, but available year-round
Benefits: "Cherries are high in fiber because of their skin," says Felicia Busch, RD, a nutritionist in St. Paul, Minn., and author of The New Nutrition from Antioxidants to Zucchini. "They are also rich in vitamin C as well as potassium, which can help maintain a lower blood pressure."
Get more by: Available year-round, "dried cherries are a great addition to trail mixes and cereals -- hot or cold," Busch says.
3. Red Food: Cranberries
In season: September to December, but available year-round
Benefits: "Cranberries have been shown to cause the death of cancer cells in lab studies," Sandon says. But that's not all these pint-sized, maroon-colored berries can do. "Cranberries also can stop bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls and may even prevent H pylori, the bacteria responsible for many stomach ulcers, from sticking to the stomach walls and causing ulcers," she says. The nutrients responsible for this anti-sticking mechanism are called proanthocyanidins. Cranberries are also rich in vitamin C.
Get more by: Pouring yourself a glass of cranberry juice, blending canned cranberries in smoothies or adding cranberries to poultry stuffing.
4. Red Food: Tomatoes
In season: Summer, but available year-round
Benefits: "Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, which is strongly connected with prostate cancer protection," Sandon says. "There is also some evidence that lycopene may protect against breast cancer," she says. "Tomatoes are also a good source of potassium and vitamin C, which makes them heart healthy, too."
Get more by: Cooking up pasta with marinara or even chowing down on a vegetable pizza. "Unlike a lot of other nutrients, lycopene's bio-availability increases when you cook it," says Miriam Pappo, MS, RD, the director of clinical nutrition at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y.
5. Red food: Raspberries
In season: August through mid-October, but available year-round
Benefits: "Raspberries are high in fiber, which we know helps lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or 'bad' cholesterol," Sandon says.
Get more by: Sprinkling some in your yogurt or adding them to a smoothie
6. Red Food: Watermelon
In season: May through September, but available year-round
Benefits: "Watermelon is a great source of lycopene," Sandon says. Pappo says that "lycopene may decrease the risk of heart disease by decreasing LDL cholesterol. And it decreases the risk for certain cancers, primarily prostate, as well as the risk of macular degeneration," she says. "It also improves blood vessel function and lowers stroke risk."
Get more by: Eating watermelon for a sweet dessert or refreshing snack during the summer months.
7. Red Food: Pink Grapefruit
In season: October and May, but available year-round
Benefits: "You want to go for color when you choose grapefruit, because pink grapefruit has higher levels of antioxidants, such as vitamin C," Busch says. "It's also a good source of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol." Bhimu Patil, PhD, the director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center and an associate professor of horticultural sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station, agrees. "If the choice is between red and white grapefruit, go red because pink or red grapefruit is rich in lycopene and white grapefruit is not," he says.
Get more by: Having half of a grapefruit or glass of pink grapefruit juice with your breakfast. Just be sure to check with your doctor if you're on medication -- grapefruit juice does interfere with some drugs. Another option? "Put grapefruit sections in salads," Busch suggests. "There are lots of jarred or canned grapefruit sections that are really tasty."
8. Red Food: Red Pepper
In season: Available year-round
Benefits: "Red pepper is a phenomenal source of vitamin A, which helps with skin, bones, and teeth. And most people don’t realize that they have as much vitamin C as an orange," says Busch.
Get more by: "Dice it and add to salads, soups, and casseroles," Busch suggests.
9. Red Food: Beets
In season: June through October, but available year-round
Benefits: A root vegetable, "beets are rich in folate, lycopene, and anthocyanins," Pappo says.
Another powerful antioxidant, anthocyanins "are not just present in red foods, but also blue and purple foods as red and blue makes purple."
Get more by: Adding some beets to add color to plates as a side dish or in salads, soup, or stew.
Excepted from Web M.D.
Here are some essential reds and some ways to get them into your diet:
1. Red Food: Strawberries
In season: May and June, but available year-round
Benefits: "They are a good source of folate, which helps heart health and is helpful for women in their childbearing years," Sandon says. Folic acid is known to decrease the risk of certain birth defects called neural tube defects. "Strawberries are also a good source of the antioxidant powerhouse vitamin C," which boosts immune system function among other things, she says. Get more by: Sprinkling some strawberries on your cereal or blending up some frozen strawberries in a skim milk and frozen yogurt smoothie.
2. Red Food: Cherries
In season: June and July, but available year-round
Benefits: "Cherries are high in fiber because of their skin," says Felicia Busch, RD, a nutritionist in St. Paul, Minn., and author of The New Nutrition from Antioxidants to Zucchini. "They are also rich in vitamin C as well as potassium, which can help maintain a lower blood pressure."
Get more by: Available year-round, "dried cherries are a great addition to trail mixes and cereals -- hot or cold," Busch says.
3. Red Food: Cranberries
In season: September to December, but available year-round
Benefits: "Cranberries have been shown to cause the death of cancer cells in lab studies," Sandon says. But that's not all these pint-sized, maroon-colored berries can do. "Cranberries also can stop bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls and may even prevent H pylori, the bacteria responsible for many stomach ulcers, from sticking to the stomach walls and causing ulcers," she says. The nutrients responsible for this anti-sticking mechanism are called proanthocyanidins. Cranberries are also rich in vitamin C.
Get more by: Pouring yourself a glass of cranberry juice, blending canned cranberries in smoothies or adding cranberries to poultry stuffing.
4. Red Food: Tomatoes
In season: Summer, but available year-round
Benefits: "Tomatoes are a good source of lycopene, which is strongly connected with prostate cancer protection," Sandon says. "There is also some evidence that lycopene may protect against breast cancer," she says. "Tomatoes are also a good source of potassium and vitamin C, which makes them heart healthy, too."
Get more by: Cooking up pasta with marinara or even chowing down on a vegetable pizza. "Unlike a lot of other nutrients, lycopene's bio-availability increases when you cook it," says Miriam Pappo, MS, RD, the director of clinical nutrition at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y.
5. Red food: Raspberries
In season: August through mid-October, but available year-round
Benefits: "Raspberries are high in fiber, which we know helps lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or 'bad' cholesterol," Sandon says.
Get more by: Sprinkling some in your yogurt or adding them to a smoothie
6. Red Food: Watermelon
In season: May through September, but available year-round
Benefits: "Watermelon is a great source of lycopene," Sandon says. Pappo says that "lycopene may decrease the risk of heart disease by decreasing LDL cholesterol. And it decreases the risk for certain cancers, primarily prostate, as well as the risk of macular degeneration," she says. "It also improves blood vessel function and lowers stroke risk."
Get more by: Eating watermelon for a sweet dessert or refreshing snack during the summer months.
7. Red Food: Pink Grapefruit
In season: October and May, but available year-round
Benefits: "You want to go for color when you choose grapefruit, because pink grapefruit has higher levels of antioxidants, such as vitamin C," Busch says. "It's also a good source of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol." Bhimu Patil, PhD, the director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center and an associate professor of horticultural sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station, agrees. "If the choice is between red and white grapefruit, go red because pink or red grapefruit is rich in lycopene and white grapefruit is not," he says.
Get more by: Having half of a grapefruit or glass of pink grapefruit juice with your breakfast. Just be sure to check with your doctor if you're on medication -- grapefruit juice does interfere with some drugs. Another option? "Put grapefruit sections in salads," Busch suggests. "There are lots of jarred or canned grapefruit sections that are really tasty."
8. Red Food: Red Pepper
In season: Available year-round
Benefits: "Red pepper is a phenomenal source of vitamin A, which helps with skin, bones, and teeth. And most people don’t realize that they have as much vitamin C as an orange," says Busch.
Get more by: "Dice it and add to salads, soups, and casseroles," Busch suggests.
9. Red Food: Beets
In season: June through October, but available year-round
Benefits: A root vegetable, "beets are rich in folate, lycopene, and anthocyanins," Pappo says.
Another powerful antioxidant, anthocyanins "are not just present in red foods, but also blue and purple foods as red and blue makes purple."
Get more by: Adding some beets to add color to plates as a side dish or in salads, soup, or stew.
Excepted from Web M.D.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
MORE MATTERS: WITH FRUITS & VEGETABLES
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH
So you've been trying to eat right, working to fit in your "5 a day" servings of fruit and vegetables. Well, the government has some news for you: Forget five a day. More is better.
The CDC and the Produce for Better Health Foundation have launched a national campaign with the message, "Fruits & Veggies -- More Matters."
The new slogan replaces the old "5 a Day" campaign, which dates back to the early '90s. The reason? Under the U.S. government's latest food guidelines, five servings of fruits and vegetables may not be enough. Adults need anywhere from 7-13 cups of produce daily to get all the health benefits of fruits and vegetables -- including possible protection against obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Making It Work
But for many of us, it's been a challenge to fit even five servings of fruits and veggies into our daily diets. How can we hope to eat as many as 13 cups? It's really not so difficult, says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids. She offers these tips to help you get there:
For peak flavor and good value, buy fresh produce in season. But keep in mind that "flash-frozen" or canned without salt or heavy syrup can be just as good as locally grown produce," Ward says.
Always keep a stash of frozen vegetables on hand, to toss into soups, salads, stews, and egg dishes or to microwave for an easy side dish.
Splurge on pre-washed, pre-cut fruits and veggies. "They are more expensive, but if you consider the waste when washing and cleaning produce, it makes them roughly equal, and the convenience may help encourage everyone in the family to eat more," says Ward.
Experiment
Experiment with new types of fruits and veggies -- like a broccoli slaw salad mix, or pomegranate juice. Remember that just because you didn't like certain fruits and veggies as a child doesn't mean you won't like them now. "Your taste buds change, and you will be pleasantly surprised if you give them another chance," says Ward.
Vary the texture. Kids tend to like raw, crunchy fruits and veggies with low-fat dip. Try shredding veggies to top sandwiches or salads.
Choose sweet potatoes over white potatoes for more potassium and beta carotene.
Go easy on sauces. Instead, flavor vegetables with fresh or dried herbs and a splash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
Have a vegetarian meal at least once a week. It can be as simple as soup and salad, or a stir-fry meal.
Eat a salad full of fruits and/or veggies each night with dinner. Just go easy on the dressing and high-fat toppings.
Grill fruits and vegetables to make them sweeter and more delicious.
Chop, dice, or shred vegetables into muffins, stews, lasagna, meatloaf, and casseroles.
Use pureed vegetables to thicken soups, stews, gravies, and casseroles.
Decorate plates with edible garnishes, like cucumber twists, red pepper strips, or cantaloupe slices.
Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter and some cut-up vegetables in the refrigerator for healthy snacks.
Remember that while 100% fruit juice is a good choice, whole or cut-up fruit has the added benefit of fiber.
At breakfast, add fruit to yogurt, pancakes, waffles, or cereal.
Whip up a smoothie made with fruit and low-fat or nonfat yogurt for a quick, nourishing snack or meal.
Freeze grapes and bananas for a refreshing and cool treat.
The New Slogan
A year of consumer testing and research went into development of the "More is Better" slogan, says Elizabeth Pivonka, president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit Produce for Better Health Foundation.
The research found that only 50% of consumers were aware of the "5 a day" message, and even within that group, only 1 in 5 was meeting the recommendation, says Pivonka. So the foundation knew a motivating message was needed.
"We wanted to be sure that the message was encouraging, and communicated that eating more is better for you, with an emphasis on making improvements to your diet even if you don't meet the specific recommendation," she says.
It's also a message that dovetails with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2005 Dietary Guidelines and the individualized "My Pyramid" that replaced the old Food Guide Pyramid. To help consumers better understand the recommendations, advice for produce intake is now given in cups instead of servings, and is tailored to age, gender, and activity level.
"The new pyramid recommends fruits and vegetables in cups instead of servings because it is easier to figure out how much you need," says Ward.
For example, according to MyPyramid.gov, a 25-year-old woman who gets 30 to 60 minutes of activity each day needs 3 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit daily. One cup of fruit is equivalent to 1 cup of cut-up fruit; one small apple, a medium pear, or a large peach; 1/2 cup dried fruit; or 8 ounces of 100% fruit juice. One cup of vegetables equals 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of leafy greens.
The Power of Produce
There's plenty of scientific evidence to document the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies are brimming with disease-fighting phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, water, complex carbohydrates, and protein. Not only that, but they're naturally low in sodium and calories, cholesterol-free and virtually fat-free.
"A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables is your best defense against obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and other chronic diseases," says Ward.
It's important to eat a rainbow of colored fruits and vegetables every day, Ward says. The pigments in fruit and veggies act as antioxidants -- helping to rid your body of "free radicals," that can damage cells.
And with two-thirds of American adults overweight, the weight-control benefits of fruits and veggies are especially important. Fruits and vegetables contain plenty of fiber and water to help you feel full, and thus prevent overeating. Substituting fruits and vegetables for "empty calorie" foods that offer little nutritional value can really make a difference in your weight, says Pivonka.
Beyond that, she says, fruits and vegetables can simply help you feel better.
"In our consumer research, we found that people who ate lots of fruits and vegetables had more energy and felt better," says Pivonka.
Via Web M.D.
Related Health Links:
Jean Heimann's Juice Plus+
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
