Walnuts may help prevent breast cancer

Walnuts have been though of as “brain food”, probably because the nut’s structure considerably resembles that of the human brain. Whether this is true or not is not clear. What is well-known is that walnuts are heart-friendly food. They are rich in  essential “good” fatty acids omega-3, and phytosterols and antixodants. They have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels and can help prevent heart disease and stroke.

This recent study suggests that walnuts may also prevent breast cancer.

The researchers tested a walnut diet on laboratory mice. The mice were fed a diet that is approximately the human equivalent of two ounces of walnuts a day. They were then compared to a control group not fed with walnuts.

The group fed with walnuts had significantly reduced incidence of breast cancer. The number of glands with a tumor and the size of the tumor were also significantly reduced.

According to Dr. Elaine Hardman, associate professor of medicine at Marshall University School of Medicine

“These laboratory mice typically have 100 percent tumor incidence at five months; walnut consumption delayed those tumors by at least three weeks.”

Laboratory analysis indicated that omega-3 fatty acids played a major role in the anti-cancer properties. However, other parts of the nuts contributed as well.

Aside from omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts also contain:

• omega-6 fatty acids
• vitamin B1 and B6
• folate
• vitamin E.

Web MD adds:

Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid similar to those found in heart-smart fish, such as salmon. Alpha-linolenic acid has a number of heart-healthy effects, independent of its cholesterol-lowering effects. It has been shown in previous studies to reduce the risk of sudden death from dangerous abnormal heart rhythms.

When it comes to snacks, walnuts are highly recommended. One ounce of walnuts (about 14 shelled walnut halves) is all that is needed to meet the 2002 dietary recommendation of the Food Nutrition Board of the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine for omega-3 fatty acids. An ounce of walnuts, which is approximately 25 g has an equivalent of 170 calories. Here are some ways to incorporate walnuts in your diet:

• Walnuts are best eaten fresh so that no nutrients are lost.
• Packed walnuts are also available in supermarkets, shelled or unshelled.
• Walnut oil can be used in preparing salads.
• Chopped walnuts go very well with morning cereals.
• Chopped walnuts can also be added to green salads.
• Chopped or ground walnuts can be used in baking cookies, muffins and cakes.

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

Soy: good or bad for our health?

Soy is traditionally a part of a typical Asian diet. Researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute investigated whether soy consumption can render protection against breast cancer.

According to senior researcher Regina Ziegler

“Historically, breast cancer incidence rates have been four to seven times higher among white women in the U.S. than in women in China or Japan. However, when Asian women migrate to the U.S., their breast cancer risk rises over several generations and reaches that of U.S. white women, suggesting that modifiable factors, rather than genetics, are responsible for the international differences.”

However, the lifestyle factors that predispose Asian women living in the US to breast cancer have never been identified.

The study looked at Asian women (of Chinese, Japanese and Filipino descent) living in California or Hawaii. The researchers interviewed 597 of these women (aged 22 to 55 years old) with breast cancer and case-matched with 966 controls. In addition, whenever possible, the mothers of the women were interviewed regarding the participants’ diet during their childhood.

The results of the study show:

• Consumption of or large amounts of soy during childhood was linked to a 58% reduced risk for breast cancer
• high soy consumption during adolescence and adulthood was linked to a 20 to 25% reduced risk.

The study authors concluded:

Soy intake during childhood, adolescence, and adult life was associated with decreased breast cancer risk, with the strongest, most consistent effect for childhood intake. Soy may be a hormonally related, early-life exposure that influences breast cancer incidence.

Soy is rich with isoflavones. The authors speculate that these compounds may have estrogenic properties that may cause changes in the mammary tissue. Animal studies have shown that soy consumption results in early maturation of breast tissue and increased resistance to carcinogens.

I myself am of Asian descent and therefore found this study rather interesting. We Asians consume soy in the form of tofu (coagulated soy milk) or soya sauce. Soya milk is also used as a substitute formula for lactose-intolerant infants. The food products come from the soya bean plant Glycine max.

Soy used to be considered the wonder superhealthy food but has become somewhat controversial lately as more and more research studies have linked soy consumption to adverse health effects ranging from memory decline to cancer. In 2007, the Cancer Council of New South Wales, Australia issued guidelines that warn cancer patients about the dangers of high-soy diets and soy supplements. The guidelines especially emphasized the dangers for those suffering from hormone-dependent cancers, including prostate and breast cancers.

Clearly there is a need for more studies before we can clearly say whether soy is beneficial or detrimental to our health.

photo credit: stock.xchng

               

T’was The Month After Christmas

T’was the month after Christmas and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I’d nibbled, the eggnog I’d taste,
All holiday parties had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).
I’d remember the marvelous meals I’d prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I’d never said, “No thank you, please.”
As I dressed myself in my husband’s old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt…

I said to myself, as only I can
“You can’t spend the winter disguised as a man!”
So….away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.

Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won’t have a cookie - not even a lick
I’ll want only to chew a long celery stick.

I won’t have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie
I’ll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I’m hungry, I’m lonesome, and life is a bore-
But isn’t that what January is for?

Unable to giggle, no longer a riot,
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet.

Author Unknown

SOURCE: via my Email INBOX .. although, variations of this poem has been popping up around Bulletin Boards and the internet since approximately 1988

               

Food For Thought—The Impact Of Your Diet On Arthritis

Everyone knows that a healthy diet is the key to living a healthy life.  However, what many people don’t know is that it can also play a huge role in the risk of developing arthritis.  A person’s diet directly affects their weight and food allergies, both of which are directly related to arthritis.  Eating healthfully is a key way of both preventing and managing arthritis.

Managing Your Weight

One major way that diet is related to arthritis is that it directly affects your body weight.  Body weight is a major risk factor for arthritis.  The risk is quite simple to understand: the more that one weighs, the higher their risk of developing arthritis.  Yet, this phenomenon is not so simple to control in real life.

When someone develops arthritis due to their weight, it puts immense stress on their joints.  This makes it difficult to move and walk, let alone exercise.  Many obese or overweight people who are affected by arthritis often adopt a sedentary lifestyle—and yet, this only makes the problem worse.  The vicious cycle is extremely difficult to deal with.  Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis patients are commonly affected by this never-ending cycle.

It is more important than ever to monitor your diet if you have arthritis, because having arthritis makes exercise nearly impossible!  You can begin managing your arthritis through a diet by avoiding alcohol, sodium, fat, cholesterol, and sugar.

Allergic Reactions

Another reason to monitor your diet when you have arthritis is because certain foods can trigger arthritis flares.  Certain foods can impact the immune system, and affect the production of anti-inflammatory compounds.  Rashes, hives, and asthma are all allergic reactions that could indicate that you have consumed a food that is also an arthritis flare.

There are several other foods that could possibly cause an arthritis flare or worsen arthritis.  These foods include: red meats, chocolate, additives and preservatives, caffeine, salt, and dairy products.

Tips On What To Eat

If you have arthritis and are trying to manage your diet, there are a few tips that could be of help.  First of all, snack on grapes, pineapples, and other fruits.  Many fruits contain the compound resveratrol, which is known for blocking cell inflammation.  Additionally, eating vegetables, especially broccoli, is known to reduce inflammation.  Fish is also a good choice because it is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to decrease inflammation.

Under Control

For people who suffer from arthritis, diet might seem like an unnecessary thing to worry about.  Yet, the relationship between diet and arthritis is quite clear.  Your diet is a modifiable risk factor for arthritis—and it could be something you need to change.

               

Your diet and your heart attack risk

You are what you eat. And this study indicates that diet can determine the risk of heart attacks - in a global scale.So what’s your typical diet?

Canadian researchers at McMaster University reported in the Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association their results after studying the dietary patterns and heart attack rates in 52 countries. And it’s bad news for the Western diet.

The researchers could group dietary patterns in the world into three categories, namely:

• The oriental diet is characterized by higher intake of tofu, soy and other sauces;
• The prudent diet is characterized by higher intake of fruits and vegetables; and
• The Western diet is characterized by higher intake of fried foods, salty snacks, eggs and meat.

“The objective of this study was to understand the modifiable risk factors of heart attacks at a global level” according to lead researcher Salim Yusuf.

A long term study on diet and heart disease risks conducted on a global scale is not feasible in terms of costs and logistics. However, the researchers came up with a feasible alternative. It entailed interviewing heart attack patients in different countries using a questionnaire which included a dietary risk scores.

The data analyzed was part of the INTERHEART study. It documented the relationship of various risk factors and heart attack risks in more than 16,000 people in 52 countries. The Canadian study analyzed 5,761 cases of heart attack and compared them to 10,646 people without known heart disease used as study controls.

The results can be summarized as follows, after adjusting for known risk factors:

• People who consumed the Prudent diet of more fruits and vegetables had a 30 percent lower risk of heart attack compared to people who ate little or no fruits and vegetables.
• People who consumed the Western diet had a 35 percent greater risk of having a heart attack compared to people who consumed little or no fried foods and meat.
• The Oriental pattern showed no relationship with heart attack risk.

Now, you may ask, where does the so-called Mediterranean diet fit in?

Unfortunately, it seems that this diet, which complied with the World Health’s Organization’s (WHO) nutritional recommendations supposedly the most well-suited diet for cardiovascular health, is longer what it used to be, according to this report in the International Herald Tribune.

The traditional diet which is rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, olive oil and a bit of wine consumed on a daily basis is all but non-existent. It has been replaced by fast food rich in red meat, poultry, and trans fat.

“The fact is that the Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with longer life spans and lower rates of heart disease and cancer, is in retreat in its home region. Today it is more likely to be found in the upscale restaurants of London and New York than among the young generation in places like Greece, where two-thirds of children are now overweight and the health effects are mounting,” the report continues.

Photo credit: stock.xchng

               

The Olympic diet: what do athletes eat?

We all know that our diet is a key factor to being and keeping healthy. It is the food we eat that provides us the energy to perform our daily activities - it is what keeps our heart pumping. Now, we get to wonder, what do high performance athletes eat? What gives them the energy, the power to run, swim, jump or lift weights faster and better than non-athletic people like you and me?

Here are some examples of what Olympic athletes eat on a normal day.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is an example of anaerobic physical activity. The gymnasts need strong spurts of energy for short periods of time to jump, flip, swing and perform somersaults.

In this msnbc report, gymnasts like Stephen McCain go for the low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet.

Most gymnasts try to get between 60 percent and 70 percent of their calories from proteins (like meats and cheeses), the rest from carbs (like whole-grain pasta, fruits, vegetables) and fats (like oils from peanuts).

Of course gymnastics is a special sports where weight is highly relevant to performance. Gymnasts have to closely watch their calorie intake to keep down their weight.

Other anaerobic sport sports such as weight lifting and shot put, put less emphasis on weight but more muscle growth and therefore have other dietary requirements. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), for example, recommends body builders to eat

“…a pre-exercise snack that includes a combination of carbs (for energy) and protein (for muscle building): cereal with milk, yogurt and a banana, bagel with peanut butter, trail mix (nuts and dried fruit), or a turkey sandwich”.

In addition, ACSM warns of the danger of undereating, especially among female athletes who strictly control their weight. Undereating can lead to shortage of calories needed for strenuous exercise, resulting in amenorrhea (irregular menstrual cycle) and iron deficiency anemia

Swimming

Now, how about eating a thousand calories every hour? Unthinkable? Well, that´s what Michael Phelps, winner of 8 gold medals in swimming require during rigorous training and competition, according to a report at WebMD. On a normal day, he can easily take in 6000 to 8000 calories in pizza and pasta.

Unlike gymnastics, swimming is an aerobic sports that requires prolonged energy output. High calorie, high carbohydrate diet is what endurance athletes like Phelps need. However, they need to make sure that calories intake is well-distributed all throughout the day and certainly no big intake immediately before a race. High calorie foods with small volume are especially recommended so that “granola with fruit and yogurt would be a better choice than flake cereal with milk.”

Nutritional requirements of athletes differ from those of “mere mortals” like us. For more information about good dietary habits, check out The Dietary Guidelines for Americans published jointly every 5 years by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

 

Photo credit

               

Some fish are good for the heart, some aren’t

Fish and omega-3 fatty acids

Fish is a good natural source of omega-3 fatty acids, the heart-friendly fats that according to the American Heart Association (AHA):

decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death

decrease triglyceride levels

decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque

lower blood pressure (slightly)

However, not all fish seems to be healthy. Some fish seem to contain high level of contaminants found in the environment, such as mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and dioxin. Some fish also contain the wrong type of fatty acids.

In this post, let’s take a look at the types of fish available and what to watch out.

Fish and mercury

AHA cites the following fish to potentially accumulate high levels of mercury:

• shark
• swordfish
• king mackerel
• tilefish (golden bass or golden snapper)

Fish less likely to be contaminated are:

• canned light tuna
• salmon
• pollock
• catfish

Contaminants are usually concentrated on the skin and the surface fat of the fish. By removing these before cooking, we reduce the risk of taking in the contaminants.

Fish and the wrong fatty acid ratios

A study published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association reports about “favorable and unfavorable polyunsaturated fatty acids found in commonly eaten fish.” The study looked at the 30 most common eaten fish in the US, both cultured fish and wild fish. In particular, they looked at the levels of 2 types of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), the n-3 PUFAs and the n-6 PUFAs. n-3 PUFAs are considered to be the healthy type of PUFAs.

Their results show that of the 4 most commonly eaten fish species, Atlantic salmon and trout contained more n-3 PUFAs (thus low n-6:n-3 PUFAs ratios). Tilapia and catfish, on the other hand, have much lower concentrations of n-3 PUFAs and very high ratios of n-6 to long chain n-3 PUFAs, indicating these fish as less healthy than the other two.

Fish in our diet

This doesn’t mean to say that we shouldn’t eat fish and seafood anymore. These should be a very important component of our diet. We should simply be more aware and discriminate of the type of fish we eat.

The American Heart Association recommends:

eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times a week. Fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

My family and I love eating fish and seafood, particularly seawater fish. I grew up in an island in the Pacific where fresh fish was available on a daily basis. Now living in a small alpine country in the middle of continental Europe, I have to make do with freshwater fish and frozen fish from the seacoast. It doesn’t matter. My kids love eating fish in any form. The earlier we start them on the right diet, the better.

Photo credit

               

BMI and Breast Cancer Survival

The July 10th issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology reported that survival rates for breast cancer decreased with increased BMI or body mass index. Women with higher BMI showed a 52 percent increase in mortality rates compared to women with the lowest BMI.

Source: Reuters

Read the full article here.

What exactly is BMI?

Per the Centers for Disease Control:

“Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for people. Additionally, BMI is an inexpensive and easy-to-perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for adults. However, BMI is not a diagnostic tool. For example, a person may have a high BMI. However, to determine if excess weight is a health risk, a healthcare provider would need to perform further assessments. These assessments might include skinfold thickness measurements, evaluations of diet, physical activity, family history,”

Use the CDC easy Adult BMI Calculator

or the Mayo Clinic BMI Calculator

What’s Next?

Talk to your health care provider about a lifestyle plan which includes healthy eating and exercise.

Check out the CDC’s Healthy Weight Plan site.

Get active, get healthy, your life depends on it.

Read more

               

Stroke rates: Europe wins over US

When it comes to stroke rates, Europeans are way better off than Americans, according to a Dutch study.

The researchers looked at data from 2004 on 13,667 Americans and 30,120 Europeans from 11 countries. Their analysis shows that American men have 61% higher likelihood of suffering from stroke than their European counterparts. Also, American women were almost twice more likely to suffer from stroke than European women. This difference in stroke rates in the two sides of the Atlantic is most evident among the poor segment of the two regions’ population but less visible among the rich.

“….Poor Americans …were much more likely to have a stroke than poor Europeans, whereas the gap in stroke prevalence is less marked between rich Americans and rich Europeans.”

according study author Mauricio Avendano, of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This is the same group who reported the research results showing that rich Americans are less likely to suffer from stroke at an early age than Americans in the low income group.

Higher stroke rate was associated with lower socioeconomic status as measured by wealth, income and education in both the US and Europe. However, the link between socioeconomic status and stroke prevalence is much more evident in the US than in most European countries.

The researchers speculate that the big difference between stroke rates in the US and Europe may be due to the following:

• Europe offers universal health care which is accessible to every one. In the US, over 40 million people have no health insurance, according to the CDC.

“Some European health systems emphasize tackling stroke risk factors, as opposed to the US health-care system, which focuses more on treatment and may actually be more successful in keeping stroke cases alive.”

• Europeans also tend to be more physically active than Americans, partly because of differences in the public transportation system.
• European diet tends to be healthier. When looking at individual countries, the lowest stroke prevalence was observed in the southern Mediterranean countries of Spain, Italy and Greece, but also in Switzerland.

“Southern Mediterranean countries have a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and fish, and lower in fats, which partly explains why heart disease is so much lower in these populations than in northern Europe and the United States.”

In conclusion,

“a higher rate of risk factors and more barriers to health care may be among the reasons why stroke is more common in the United States than in Europe.”

 

Photo credit

               

What’s fast food got to do with your heart?

“A double cheese burger, fries, and soda to go.” How many times do we repeat this phrase in a week? A month? A year?

But what has fast food got to do with Battling Heart and Stroke? A lot, actually. Because here we also tackle nutrition and diet and how they affect your heart and blood vessels.

We have heard it before. Fast food is not good for your health. But of course you would want proof! Specifics! What exactly happens when I gobble that burger and rinse it down with soda?

According to recent research article

“The highly processed, calorie-dense, nutrient-depleted diet favored in the current American culture frequently leads to exaggerated supraphysiological post-prandial spikes in blood glucose and lipids. This state, called post-prandial dysmetabolism, induces immediate oxidant stress, which increases in direct proportion to the increases in glucose and triglycerides after a meal”

In other words, Big Mac, Whopper or even pizza are high in calorie and low in nutrients. After eating these high popular meals, the sugar and fatty acid levels in our blood dramatically go up resulting in a state known as postprandial dysmetabolism. This state is characterized by our body`s inability to deal with the “sugar and fat rush”. The results are not-so-beneficial physiological changes that include oxidative stress, inflammation, and narrowing of the blood vessels. 

However,

“a diet high in minimally processed, high-fiber, plant-based foods …will markedly blunt the post-meal increase in glucose, triglycerides, and inflammation.”

Examples of such foodstuffs are vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. In addition,

“lean protein, vinegar, fish oil, tea, cinnamon, calorie restriction, weight loss, exercise, and low-dose to moderate-dose alcohol each positively impact post-prandial dysmetabolism.” 

The normal fast food fare is definitely not good for our hearts. And if you think that diet soda minimizes the adverse effect of such a diet, think again.

In contrast, traditional Okinawan and Mediterranean diets are said to be heart-friendly and can prevent inflammation and lower cardiovascular risks. These so-called anti-inflammatory diets are highly recommended for the prevention of coronary artery disease and diabetes. I will go into more detail about heart-healthy diets in future posts. A couple of easy-to-follow healthy recipes are also coming.

But before you go out there today, think seriously about your body and what fast food can do to your and your heart.

Are you ready to order?

Source:

O’Keefe JH, Gheewala NM, O’Keefe JO, 2008. Dietary Strategies for Improving Post-Prandial Glucose, Lipids, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Health. J Am Coll Cardiol, 2008; 51:249-255, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2007.10.016

Photo credit

               

Next Page »