Diet And Your Risk Of Breast Cancer
by TheDinnerDiva
EDITOR'S NOTE: October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wearing a pink ribbon is a great way to show your support of a cure for this killer disease; cooking better and eating healthier are two ways to lower your risk.
When you consider that 2/3 of all disease is lifestyle induced, it’s not hard to make the argument that you are what you eat.
To illustrate that concept, there is a commercial on television for some kind of cereal showing a woman walking down the street who has (apparently) just eaten cinnamon buns and is quite literally wearing them on (where else?) her buns.
I love that commercial... such a visual!
You can end up “wearing” the wrong foods for sure (as in the cinnamon bun lady). I’ve often said there is no need for me to eat certain foods, I should just apply them to my thighs and skip all the work of eating and digestion — that’s where it will end up anyway!
But more than just outer appearances, food impacts our health and the inner workings of what’s going on in our bodies, significantly. There are healthy foods lists telling you what to eat and why, there are books of the same genre and people (like me) speaking all over the country, trying to get people to understand the impact of eating the wrong food.
It may be a life and death matter.
Cancer -- particularly breast cancer for women -- is a disease that chills the blood of most women. The fear of losing a breast or both is a palpable concern, as we’ve known someone who has or has had this disease. It’s become all too common.
So what can we do as women, to combat this disease?
The answer of course is to eat better. I can help you with that, I love food!
And I love lists, so here’s a little one:
The top five foods for combating cancer are:
Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, oh my! These mighty veggies contain indole-3-carbinol that may help fight breast cancer by changing up cancer promoting estrogen into a more protective type of estrogen.
Tomatoes: Turns out lycopene, the phytonutrient in tomatoes that is linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer, can work its same magic with breast cancer risk as well. New research has shown that to properly absorb lycopene, you need to eat it along side a little oil. I’m thinking olive oil and tomatoes sounds good, huh?)
Carrots and Their Orange Colored Friends: The pretty beta-carotene does more than color your carrots orange. It may also protect the DNA in the cell nucleus from cancer causing chemicals outside the membrane. Think of beta-carotene as a shield every you nibble a carrot!
Citrus Fruits: The lovely orange and gorgeous grapefruit contain monoterpenes that may help prevent cancer as this compound sweeps the body of carcinogens. How cool is that? A cancer Swiffer!
Seaweed: When you consider this amazing sea vegetable is chock-full of beta-carotene, fiber and chlorophyll as well as chlorophylones, fatty acids that may help fight breast cancer, you just can’t say no to sushi! Domo arigato!
And while you’re digesting those five foods, how about cooking up this delicious, cancer fighting soup?
Cream of Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion – chopped
1 bag frozen chopped broccoli
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes, leftovers
2 cups low fat milk
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat and cook onion. When onion is translucent, add broccoli and chicken broth. Cook till broccoli is tender, about 3 minutes or so.
Add mashed potatoes, mixing well until incorporated. Heat for 5 minutes then add milk and heat a little while longer. Add cheese and stir. Serve.
Per Serving: 180 Calories; 7g Fat; 12g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 18mg Cholesterol; 591mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat.
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with a big salad and some whole grain rolls.
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October 27, 2009
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7-Day Menu: Quick 'n Yummy Family Dinners
by SallyKetchum
Autumn is mainly a back to school time for me, even though I’m not in a classroom, learning or teaching. When my three kids were young it seemed that, like many moms now, I was in and out of school nearly daily, busy with PTA projects, sports boosters, or helping room mothers. I loved it!
Autumn also means hectic days with different schedules for different kids. We are so busy nowadays, and also, it seems more kids are determined “to do it all,” and kids doing all is mighty hard on the parents, especially working mothers. Fatigue after a hard day can leave even the most creative, brainiest of cooks left with that question, “What can I fix for dinner?”
Since fall is also a harvest time, some kitchens are running the canning and freezing marathon now. While putting food by for winter, it’s easy to raid the bounty for a few meals for the immediate future.
It’s easy to make partial meals for convenience when there is little time to cook. This means family-sized packets of vegetables in various forms, tomato sauces with herbs or spices that will sauce pasta or be the basis of chili, packets of soup starters to freeze, ready to thaw-heat-and eat soups, and even some casseroles to freeze. (Before baking, sprinkle with crumbs and dot with butter.)
A family might even get the kids involved, and make “prep packages” on a weekend night with everyone working in assembly line fashion. It’s fun and also a reason to get the family together.
Years ago, we tried to bring everyone together once a week for “family meetings” to discuss individual concerns. (Our kids dreaded family meetings because they thought we parents always bullied them. Probably true... until the kids took high school debate.)
At one of these meetings, we decided that we would make a loose plan for a week’s dinners, nothing set in cement or spaghetti sauce, of course, but a plan with a general entrée category for each day in the week. This time, the kids’ input was important, and their input made the plan successful.
The results went something like this:
Monday: Pasta Night
A pasta, a vegetable, a tossed salad, and bread (usually hard rolls). Pasta with red sauce, or Alfredo, or white clam or perhaps a creamy seafood sauce.
Tuesday: Kids’ Choice
But they had to declare their choice on Sunday, giving the cook shopping time. This was often hot potato salad because each child could pick out his favorite part, the sweet-sour potatoes, bell peppers, onions, or sausage, etc.
Wednesday: Ethnic cuisine
Usually easy Mexican, but sometimes Eastern European (goulash), British (fish and chips), Italian (meatballs in red sauce), Russian (stroganoff), etc. A slaw, fruit or salad completed the meal.
Thursday: One Pot/One Item Dinners
Stew, chicken or beef pies, pasties, clam and corn chowder, or corned beef. (Why do some folks only have corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day? Tip: For the few extra cents, choose flat cut over point cut. Flat cut means savings in the end in use and ease for leftovers.)
Friday: Health food and Diet Night
This usually turned out to be balanced, but low-calorie meals for us, the dieting parents, and large portions of healthy food for our in-shape, athletic kids (along with some basic education about the foods on the tables, hopefully with a joke or two.) Groaners: Why did the tomato turn red? It saw the salad dressing. What is green and goes to summer camp? A Brussels Scout. How do you fix a cracked pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch?
Saturday: Surprise Day
Anything goes! Even eating together, but with modern Saturdays, it usually means fast food or filled-at-home sack lunches or picnic hampers, food to be eaten after hockey or soccer practice or on the way to friends. The best surprise: the family cooking together when the day’s events are over.
Sunday: What's cookin'
Usually do-it-yourself breakfast with foods laid out
A mid-day Sunday dinner, a pot roast, stuffed pork chops, or steak on the grill, but a meal with a starch, vegetables (maybe two), relishes, and dessert (might be just cookies). Snacks or sandwiches in the evening.
As I cooked those busy back to school days and through the long school year, our family routine gradually altered the original plan. Plans for certain nights faded.
Monday wasn’t always pasta because we often had leftovers from Sunday, a day I like to cook. But Easy Night Friday stuck: Diet and health food sets the tone, a great way to start a fall weekend.
Still, I have our old entree-for-the-day plan perking along in the back of my mind. I’m lucky; I never have to ask, “What can I fix for dinner?” |
October 5, 2009
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Diet Tips: Benefits of Breakfast
by Stephen Cabral
I don't want you to make this mistake...
If I had to think of one slip up that people make every day that is holding them back from seeing truly amazing results in terms of health and creating a better body, it’s how they start their day. Even the successful people still struggle with this one mistake that I’m about to reveal...
I’m not going to get into the mindset of how you should prepare for the day that lies ahead, but I do want to focus today on your morning nutrition.
“They” don’t say breakfast is the most important meal of the day for nothing…
What you choose for breakfast is literally going to make or break your day – it’s that important.
If you choose a food that is highly inflammatory or high glycemic you are setting yourself up for failure in terms of maintaining energy levels, and burning body fat for that day.
However, if you pick a meal that contains fiber, protein, and some good fats you are sure to ward off hunger, and maintain great energy.
Here’s a sample of my “OFF-LIMITS” list for traditional breakfast foods:
* Muffins
* Box Cereal
* Pastries
* Juices
Now here’s a partial list of my HEALTHY breakfast options:
* Egg omelet with veggies
* Low fat, low sugar yogurt with berries
* Low fat, low sugar cottage cheese with berries
* Protein shake with fruit and fiber to go
Now, there are dozens of other options that you could choose, but the point is that if you start your day STRONG you are far more likely to finish strong and not fade throughout the day. A great breakfast doesn’t have to take long to make and can even be taken on the go. Plus, having this extra energy will keep you more focused and in a better mindset when it comes to gearing up for your workout.
So tomorrow morning when you walk into your kitchen take a second to think about how you want to start your day…
Committed to success,
Stephen Cabral, CSCS, CPT, NS
Author of Lose5in7 & Founder of Trim, Tone & Tighten
Health Consultant for MTV, NutritionData, Diet.com, Gather
http://www.StephenCabral.com
http://www.Lose5in7.com
Watch my Free Video on How to Burn "5 Pounds of Body Fat in Less Than 7 Days" at: Click here to Lose 5 Pounds in Less than a Week! |
September 28, 2009
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