Stave Off the Holiday Stress - Breath, Balance and Boogie

A cancer diagnosis is perhaps one of the greatest stressors any human can endure. Without the day to day obligations, cancer treatment places an individual at the limit of emotional tolerance. Come winter and we add more hours to the to-do list in an already packed daily schedule. The holidays can bring us immeasurable joy with time well spent with loved ones, but the flip side are expectations that may be impossible to fulfill without kicking our stress response to a whole other level.

So how do we hold the holidays in our hearts and not in our nerves? This is the time when self-care is put on the back burner when in reality, it's the time we need it most. One of the most important lessons we can learn during this time is how to kindly use the word "no". The marketing geniuses have us fooled into believing that gift giving is an obligation rather than an extension of our caring for loved ones. Not to mention the bar they raise for us to "deck the halls". We each have to decide the manner in which we celebrate the holidays that bring us that sense of kindship that connects us all regardless of our spirtitual beliefs. It's an important pondering that will allow us to find time for ourselves and the even keel we should hold throughout the year.

Conscious breathing is a fundamental action that brings us back to equilibrium and keeps us there. When we are under stress the automatic reaction for most of us is to increase our breathing rate which places us in a state of fight or flight. As we know, this functions to keep us safe when we are faced with a true physical threat. However, a chronic state of fight or flight can be responsible for elevated inflammation and hormonal imbalances that leave us vulnerable. As with any pattern we have developed, a change can only be brought about by increasing awareness and practice of a new pattern that better serves us. This is where conscious breathing comes in. Use the following technique in a time of calm so you are familiar with the practice and then progressively incorporate into the day when you need it most.

1. In an upright and seated position, place your hands on your belly to feel the expansion of the diaphragm.

2. Inhale through the nose to a count of 4 seconds.

3. Pause for second at the end of the inhale.

4. Exhale through the nose to a count of 4 seconds.

5. Continue this cycle for several minutes to allow the parasympathetic (opposite of fight or flight) nervous system to kick in. Be certain to relax the neck and upper shoulders.

Maintaining your balance is key, particularly for individuals going through cancer treatment. So, if a muscle conditioning program is hard to keep up through the holidays, this bare minimum program will maintain critical muscle function to keep you upright and moving safely. And besides, these "kitchen sink" exercises can be done while you prep those healthy holiday veggies.

1. Side Kick-Outs

• Holding onto a stable surface and standing up straight with your low belly muscles drawn in, kick leg out to side without counter balancing to the opposite side
• Repeat 15 times on each side

2. Marching

• Holding onto a stable surface and standing up straight with your low belly muscles drawn in, bring knee up towards chest in marching fashion without pushing the hips forward
• Repeat 15 times on each side

3. Kick-Backs

• Holding onto a stable surface and standing up straight with your low belly muscles drawn in, keep knee straight and kick back, squeezing gluts
• Repeat 15 times on each side

Boogie down during the holidays to keep the blood pumping and calories burning. While reveling at your parties is wonderful, we mean getting out there and holding true to your walking routine. Hopefully you don't deviate too far from a healthy eating plan, but those calories burned on your walks will keep your weight in check. Cardiovascular exercise stimulates a long list of positive effects. It stabilizes blood sugar levels, burns calories, stimulates mood enhancing hormones, increases digestive motility and increases balance to name just a few.

• Walk 5 hours a week for the greatest benefit
• Dispurse those hours throughout the week
• Maintain a brisk pace that feels safe to you and leaves you energized and not run down

So keep yourself in your holiday plan so when it comes time to plan for others, you can engage with grace and give with true joy!

Go Green...For A Healthy Beverage!

So what's all the fuss about green tea? The research is saying that it's a heck of a lot more than just fuss. The benefits of green tea and cancer prevention are being presented quite clearly in study after study. The hard working compounds responsible for these positive actions in the body are antioxidants called catechins. In several laboratory studies, these phytochemicals have been found to be powerful inhibitors of cancer growth through a number of different mechanisms. They act to scavenge oxidants before they form free radicals that can damage cells and they inhibit the growth of tumor cells. One study in China involving over 18,000 men found that tea drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors.

What does this mean for all of us? This is yet another marvel from the plant world that we can add to our arsenal of disease fighters. The studies found that 3 grams or about 2 cups of tea a day provided the measurable benefits. It packs a big punch and has less than a third of the caffeine of coffee. Change your allegiance to this green leaf and your body will give thanks. If you must avoid caffeine alltogether, use the following tip to do it chemically-free and easy.

- In mug, pour just enough hot water over tea leaves or bag to cover.
- Steep for about 45 seconds and discard water. This removes almost all of the caffeine!
- Re-fill mug to the top and steep until ready. Enjoy!

Spice It Up! Turmeric for Health

Is there a reason why the four most common cancers, lung, prostate, breast and colon, are 10 times lower in India? Dr Bharat Aggarwal of the cytokine research laboratory in the Department of Experimental Therapuetics at M.D. Anderson thinks so. Curry, which is a staple of the Indian diet contains a spice called turmeric. The primary polyphenolic compound found in turmeric is curcumin. It's anti-inflammatory effects have been known in Eastern medicine for thousands of years. However, it has only been within the last 15 years that the west has discovered it's potent health benefits. Dr. Aggarwal and colleagues have conducted studies showing it's capacity to reduce the inflammatory response, inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells, induce their self-destruction, and discouraging the growth of blood vessels feeding tumors. Curcumin is being studied extensively for the anti-inflammatory effects it appears to have on a number of ailments of which the root are the inflammatory process gone awry. It is a substance worth taking a good look at. It can be added to the diet by preparing traditional Indian dishes and adding to soups and teas. The compound is available in supplement form. If going this route, talk to your doctor about any possible interfence with other drugs or supplements and be careful to not exceed 500 mg, the dosage that has been studied for safety and effectiveness. If nothing else, keep this Indian gem on your health radar. If M.D. Anderson's Cancer Center thinks it's worth the time and money, chances are good that it will shine even brighter in the future!

Healthlinks Lifestyle Network - Nutrition and Cooking Series - Recipe from Cooking Class "Healthy Holiday Baking"

While holiday baked goods are a treat we all look forward to, our blood sugar is offput by the overload. We may notice a bit of a change in our energy due to the stresses brought on by the season. So, by overindulging in these sweets we add to the body burden that the holidays bring. This tasty pumkin pie recipe will feed your taste buds and leave your insulin levels singing sweetly. Palm sugar's low glycemic index and 1 to 1 ratio with table sugar makes it an easy and healthy substitute. So celebrate the season and have some energy in reserve to move the body and keep off those unwanted pounds!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Recipe compliments of Forbes Nutritional Consulting, LLC

1 1/2 cups milk
½ cup egg white1 tbsp. kuzu (we used tapioca)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups pureed or mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup rice flour (or GF flour of your choice)
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup palm sugar
1/4 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

-Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Spray a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. (I used a Pyrex dish, and it came out with no sticking.) A deep dish is recommended because this pie will rise a lot during cooking but will fall back down as it cools.
- Put the first five ingredients in the blender, and blend well.
- Add the pumpkin, and puree.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend on high for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides a couple of times to make sure everything is thoroughly blended.
- Pour into a pie pan and bake for about 60 minutes. The top and edges should be brown, but the edges should not be over-done. (Since this is a custardy pie, using the standard toothpick or knife test does not work; it will remain somewhat moist in the center, but it shouldn't be uncooked.)
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the counter. For best results, refrigerate until chilled before eating.
Makes 8 servings, each containing 153 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 264mg Sodium; 3g Fiber.

Red Meat - Health or Hazard?

The answer to this question is not as cut and dry as we would like it to be. However, when it comes to cancer prevention and survival, the evidence on this subject brings more clarity. The connection to colon cancer has been well established for years, but red meat consumption and other types of cancers, such as breast cancer, have more recently gained a solid research base. A Harvard study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in November of 2006 found that red meat intake, which includes beef and pork, increases risk for breast cancer in premenopausal women. The study followed over 90,000 women between the ages of 26-46 and concluded that there was a strong correlation with estrogen and progesterone positive breast cancers and consumption of more than 3 weekly servings of red meat. In addition, a study conducted at Harvard University in an analysis of almost 15,000 male physicians in the Physicians’ Health Study, found that men who consumed red meat at least five times per week had a relative risk of 2.5 for developing prostate cancer compared to men who ate red meat less than once per week.

While red meat has some redeeming qualities, such as protein and iron, the deleterious effects on the body are numerous. High fat foods are known to increase estrogen levels in women and testosterone levels in men which are risk factors for the development of cancer. In addition, HCA's (heterocyclic amines) and PAH's (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are produced during the cooking of meat, which includes pork and fish. The higher the temperature, the greater the production of these compounds which are believed to increase cancer risk. To add insult to injury, all meats are devoid of the protective effects of fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and other helpful nutrients. The kicker with red meat in terms of cancer development, is the added risk associated with a specific type of iron found in it. Heme iron, which is found in animal products, stimulates the production of N-nitroso compounds in the intestines. These compounds are know carcinogens and in human studies it was specifically red meat that was responsible for high gut concentrations.

For many, the thought of giving up red meat is all they can bear. If avoiding red meat is out of the question for you, consider dramatically reducing intake to no more than once a week. Choose meat from grass-fed animals to eliminate hormone and antibiotic exposure and look for recipes that keep the cooking temperature low. Make meat the exceptional treat and do your health a great favor.