In our June, 22 blog in 2009, we presented the Environmental Working Group's "dirty dozen" list. This list comprises the produce that has been tested high for pesticide residues. They came out with an updated list that has added just a couple of produce items to consider. Visit last years blog to get the skinny on why this is so important.
http://healthlinksclinic.blogspot.com/2009/06/pesticides-how-can-you-reduce-your.html
Here's the new list for your trip to the grocery store!
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Imported Grapes
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Opa! What Is It About Olive Oil?
There has been much hubbub about the Mediterranean diet since the 1990's. This way of eating has remained popular because it is not one of the come and go fad diet's that suit the whim of creative marketing specialists. The health benefits are real and 100's of years of Meditarranean folk are proof of this. So what is it about this way of living that has so much value for human health?
The emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish and healthy fats are certainly responsible for the beneficial effects as well as the smaller portions. In addition, the slow manner in which foods are consumed maximizes the function of the digestive system. One of the big players in this bounty is olive oil. And not just any kind, extra virgin olive oil is what provides a myriad of phytochemicals to benefit our bodies. Unprocessed olive oil is full of antioxidants and contains a high concentration of monounsaturated fats which are more stable and less likely to produce free radicals that damage our cells. Many researchers believe that it may help prevent breast and ovarian cancers through the action of oleic acid. This monounsaturated fatty acid is believed to suppress a gene that is responsible for over 25% of breast cancer cases. What's more, a meta-analysis of individuals with diabetes who consumed a diet high in monounsaturated fats were found to have improved fat profiles as well as improved blood sugar control. With the energy intake being controlled, no evidence was found that a diet high in mono's induced weight gain.
Making olive oil a staple in your diet is a good choice for your health particularly if you consume it in place of other unhealthy fats, such as trans-fats. It is important to understand that the health benefits of fats are increasingly lost the more the oil is processed. To avoid this, choose only extra virgin olive oil and make it organic when you can. Extra virgin comes from the highest quality olives from which you will reap the greatest benefits. When choosing recipes, be certain that the maximum cooking temperature is 350 degrees to preserve the fatty acids. Better yet, dribble it uncooked onto roasted veggies and salads.
If you would like to learn more about how to incorporate the Mediterranean style in your kitchen, join us for our first cooking class in 2010. We will present more helpful health information and ideas on how to prepare easy Greek meals. Visit our website for more details...
http://www.healthlinksclinic.com/classes.html
The emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish and healthy fats are certainly responsible for the beneficial effects as well as the smaller portions. In addition, the slow manner in which foods are consumed maximizes the function of the digestive system. One of the big players in this bounty is olive oil. And not just any kind, extra virgin olive oil is what provides a myriad of phytochemicals to benefit our bodies. Unprocessed olive oil is full of antioxidants and contains a high concentration of monounsaturated fats which are more stable and less likely to produce free radicals that damage our cells. Many researchers believe that it may help prevent breast and ovarian cancers through the action of oleic acid. This monounsaturated fatty acid is believed to suppress a gene that is responsible for over 25% of breast cancer cases. What's more, a meta-analysis of individuals with diabetes who consumed a diet high in monounsaturated fats were found to have improved fat profiles as well as improved blood sugar control. With the energy intake being controlled, no evidence was found that a diet high in mono's induced weight gain.
Making olive oil a staple in your diet is a good choice for your health particularly if you consume it in place of other unhealthy fats, such as trans-fats. It is important to understand that the health benefits of fats are increasingly lost the more the oil is processed. To avoid this, choose only extra virgin olive oil and make it organic when you can. Extra virgin comes from the highest quality olives from which you will reap the greatest benefits. When choosing recipes, be certain that the maximum cooking temperature is 350 degrees to preserve the fatty acids. Better yet, dribble it uncooked onto roasted veggies and salads.
If you would like to learn more about how to incorporate the Mediterranean style in your kitchen, join us for our first cooking class in 2010. We will present more helpful health information and ideas on how to prepare easy Greek meals. Visit our website for more details...
http://www.healthlinksclinic.com/classes.html
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Food for Thought! Keeping It Local!
Eating food that has been grown locally is becoming an ever increasing trend. In the last ten years, local farmers markets have increased in number from 1,755 to over 3,700. Smaller farms with greater biodiversity and a trend towards minimal pesticide use are being made available to consumers. Is this with good reason? We think so.
While industrial farms have increased food yields, they have also increased the use of pesticides and fossil fuels and have decreased nutritious top soil. Local farming tends to support agricultural practices that negate the use of these harmful practices. They promote reduction of greenhouse gases because there is little energy cost for transport. They reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers and synthetic pesticides by using biodiversity methods and by it's very nature, it reduces the need for resource intensive packaging.
So what does this have to do with human health? Perhaps more than we will ever know, but there are certainly a few connections we can draw from what we know now. Many of the pesticides that are still in use today have been observed to cause endocrine (hormone) disruption in lab animals which has been linked to breast cancer. One such chemical, Atrazine, has a body of evidence that presents it's harmful effects on human health and yet it is still in use. The biodiversity of local farms creates a natural resistance to the invasivness of unwanted plants and insects so you don't get exposed to these toxic chemicals. In addition, many food containers that are used in manufacturing contain BPA which has been linked to the initiation of reproductive cancers. The inherent nature of buying local produce negates the need for this middle-man step. And lastly, if local farms use growing techniques that align with organic practices then the nutritional value of their food is likely to be greater than that which traveled over 1,000 miles to reach your plate. See our blog "Why Organic?"...
http://healthlinksclinic.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-organic.html
Many of the local farms may not be "certified organic" because the cost of certification is out of reach for many of the smaller operations. However, they may use good farming practices that fit this healthier bill. Ask your local farmer if they avoid the use of chemical pesticides, GMO seeds or fertilizer from animals that have been treated with anti-biotics or hormones. If so, this is a good choice for you to keep it more nutritious and keep your "body burden" of toxins on the low side.
To learn more about community farming or to find one locally, visit http://www.localharvest.org/.
While industrial farms have increased food yields, they have also increased the use of pesticides and fossil fuels and have decreased nutritious top soil. Local farming tends to support agricultural practices that negate the use of these harmful practices. They promote reduction of greenhouse gases because there is little energy cost for transport. They reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers and synthetic pesticides by using biodiversity methods and by it's very nature, it reduces the need for resource intensive packaging.
So what does this have to do with human health? Perhaps more than we will ever know, but there are certainly a few connections we can draw from what we know now. Many of the pesticides that are still in use today have been observed to cause endocrine (hormone) disruption in lab animals which has been linked to breast cancer. One such chemical, Atrazine, has a body of evidence that presents it's harmful effects on human health and yet it is still in use. The biodiversity of local farms creates a natural resistance to the invasivness of unwanted plants and insects so you don't get exposed to these toxic chemicals. In addition, many food containers that are used in manufacturing contain BPA which has been linked to the initiation of reproductive cancers. The inherent nature of buying local produce negates the need for this middle-man step. And lastly, if local farms use growing techniques that align with organic practices then the nutritional value of their food is likely to be greater than that which traveled over 1,000 miles to reach your plate. See our blog "Why Organic?"...
http://healthlinksclinic.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-organic.html
Many of the local farms may not be "certified organic" because the cost of certification is out of reach for many of the smaller operations. However, they may use good farming practices that fit this healthier bill. Ask your local farmer if they avoid the use of chemical pesticides, GMO seeds or fertilizer from animals that have been treated with anti-biotics or hormones. If so, this is a good choice for you to keep it more nutritious and keep your "body burden" of toxins on the low side.
To learn more about community farming or to find one locally, visit http://www.localharvest.org/.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Fending Off Cancer With Your Fork!
On Tuesday, June 8, the third of our classes in the Cancer Toolbox Series was held at Boulder Community Hospital. The class entitled "Fending Off Cancer with Your Fork", was presented by Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD. As a registered dietician, Suzanne treated thousands of patients at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. And as an epidemiologist, she has combed through the litany of research on cancer and the value of a nutritious diet. She is the author of about.com's colon cancer blog and creator of the award-winning website cancernutritioninfo.com.
Suzanne opened with a thoughtful approach to the question of why to eat healthy. "If you are what you eat, do you want to be made up of Big Macs?" She highlighted the clear picture of how a plant-based diet rich in whole foods can be a powerful tool in both the prevention and treatment of cancer. Her presentation was a concise and intelligent analysis of the research available on cancer and nutrition which points in the direction of using food as medicine along with traditional therapies. This was perhaps the most impactful component of the talk. It seems that for every study that lists the accolades of whole fruits and vegetables, the media presents a contrary study that appears to nullify the former claims. With the keen insight of a dietician and epidemiologist, the real value of the studies was brought to light. Several of the studies that have been sighted by the media that claim that a diet high in fresh fruits and veggies is not cancer protective, did not in fact study a diet as such. When the data was picked apart, it was discovered that they were evaluating a diet that amounted to no more than a few servings a day. This is hardly representative of the nutrition plan that is being highly advocated in progressive cancer care.
Eating no less than five servings of fresh plant foods is the ticket that provides humans with the powerful phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that have been studied extensively for their health protective benefits. Suzanne distinguished the difference between vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals. The former are the key nutrients without which we cannot live. Phytochemicals are the key nutrients that provide the means for us to live with health. They are the lock that fits the key to vibrant functioning of so many of our body systems. For example, lycopene which is found in tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon has been found in high concentration in the prostate of men whose diet includes a high intake of this phytochemical and has been associated with a decreased risk of this type of cancer. You may gain these benefits and more from eating whole foods, not foods that have been pre-packaged and processed beyond identity. When people consult nutrition professionals they often fret about how to read food labels. If you are eating fresh whole foods, there is no label to read so no confusion about "good" vs. "bad". If you are eating a wide variety of plant-based foods, you will be getting a healthy dose of the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that your body needs to thrive.
So then what do we have to lose by adopting a primarily plant-based whole food diet? Nothing! Few people will be able to maintain a perfect diet, but creating the mindset that you are adding goodness and health rather than living in deprivation will help you to form a symbiotic relationship to what you put in your mouth. As Suzanne summed it up...make small changes everyday with the goal of 3/4 of the diet from plant foods, start whole and make it simple and don't get caught up in the menutia of nutrition specifics.
Want to learn more? Join us at Healthlinks Clinic on June 24th for the first of 4 of our Nutrition and Cooking Classes. Learn the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet and how to prepare satisfying meals! Call 303-443-1937 to sign up.
"Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." Hippocrates, 337 BC
Suzanne opened with a thoughtful approach to the question of why to eat healthy. "If you are what you eat, do you want to be made up of Big Macs?" She highlighted the clear picture of how a plant-based diet rich in whole foods can be a powerful tool in both the prevention and treatment of cancer. Her presentation was a concise and intelligent analysis of the research available on cancer and nutrition which points in the direction of using food as medicine along with traditional therapies. This was perhaps the most impactful component of the talk. It seems that for every study that lists the accolades of whole fruits and vegetables, the media presents a contrary study that appears to nullify the former claims. With the keen insight of a dietician and epidemiologist, the real value of the studies was brought to light. Several of the studies that have been sighted by the media that claim that a diet high in fresh fruits and veggies is not cancer protective, did not in fact study a diet as such. When the data was picked apart, it was discovered that they were evaluating a diet that amounted to no more than a few servings a day. This is hardly representative of the nutrition plan that is being highly advocated in progressive cancer care.
Eating no less than five servings of fresh plant foods is the ticket that provides humans with the powerful phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that have been studied extensively for their health protective benefits. Suzanne distinguished the difference between vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals. The former are the key nutrients without which we cannot live. Phytochemicals are the key nutrients that provide the means for us to live with health. They are the lock that fits the key to vibrant functioning of so many of our body systems. For example, lycopene which is found in tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon has been found in high concentration in the prostate of men whose diet includes a high intake of this phytochemical and has been associated with a decreased risk of this type of cancer. You may gain these benefits and more from eating whole foods, not foods that have been pre-packaged and processed beyond identity. When people consult nutrition professionals they often fret about how to read food labels. If you are eating fresh whole foods, there is no label to read so no confusion about "good" vs. "bad". If you are eating a wide variety of plant-based foods, you will be getting a healthy dose of the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that your body needs to thrive.
So then what do we have to lose by adopting a primarily plant-based whole food diet? Nothing! Few people will be able to maintain a perfect diet, but creating the mindset that you are adding goodness and health rather than living in deprivation will help you to form a symbiotic relationship to what you put in your mouth. As Suzanne summed it up...make small changes everyday with the goal of 3/4 of the diet from plant foods, start whole and make it simple and don't get caught up in the menutia of nutrition specifics.
Want to learn more? Join us at Healthlinks Clinic on June 24th for the first of 4 of our Nutrition and Cooking Classes. Learn the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet and how to prepare satisfying meals! Call 303-443-1937 to sign up.
"Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." Hippocrates, 337 BC
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Government is Now Talking About It..Cancer and the Environment!
There is a buzz out there about the incidence of cancer and whether or not the genetic link is as strong as some people are led to believe or if there are environmental variables in question. This last topic is often ignored because the information is too overwhelming and often very conflicting. The prevailing attitude has been that there is nothing we can do about preventing cancer. How many times have you heard someone say, "everything causes cancer so why bother?" While that is an exaggeration, it is true that our environment is filled with toxic substances that can be responsible for the initiation and promotion of cancer. However, the doomsday proposition does not have to be such if we choose to take action.
In May, the President's Cancer Panel who reports directly to the president, published a 100+ page report on the relationship of environmental contaminants and cancer incidence. The panel was formed through a legislative act in 1971 to provide the president with scientific data that would impact the course of cancer prevention and treatment for the good of the public. The reality of the relationship of cancer and toxicity has been explored by small groups and individuals of researchers since the 1960's. The book Silent Spring first explored this when the author Rachel Carson presented the research showing the causation of synthetic pesticides and environmental harm and human disease. This marine biologist presented information that challenged the national view that pesticide use was safe and necessary and ultimately led to a grassroots movement that led to the creation of the EPA. Now, nearly 50 years later, we are still conservatively considering the harm of certain synthetic chemicals. This 2010 report is a landmark governmental move that will hopefully spur a closer look at how we are contributing to human disease. Read more about this topic through the breast cancer fund's website by clicking on this link...
http://www.breastcancerfund.org/media/press-releases/presidents-cancer-panel.html
We have several blogs that address these very issues. Please continue to follow us as we explore the science of this topic and how it can impact all of our health for the better.
In May, the President's Cancer Panel who reports directly to the president, published a 100+ page report on the relationship of environmental contaminants and cancer incidence. The panel was formed through a legislative act in 1971 to provide the president with scientific data that would impact the course of cancer prevention and treatment for the good of the public. The reality of the relationship of cancer and toxicity has been explored by small groups and individuals of researchers since the 1960's. The book Silent Spring first explored this when the author Rachel Carson presented the research showing the causation of synthetic pesticides and environmental harm and human disease. This marine biologist presented information that challenged the national view that pesticide use was safe and necessary and ultimately led to a grassroots movement that led to the creation of the EPA. Now, nearly 50 years later, we are still conservatively considering the harm of certain synthetic chemicals. This 2010 report is a landmark governmental move that will hopefully spur a closer look at how we are contributing to human disease. Read more about this topic through the breast cancer fund's website by clicking on this link...
http://www.breastcancerfund.org/media/press-releases/presidents-cancer-panel.html
We have several blogs that address these very issues. Please continue to follow us as we explore the science of this topic and how it can impact all of our health for the better.
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