May 2008 Archives

Alcohol and Cancer:

You've heard that red wine reduces risk for heart disease. And you've probably also heard that it increases risk for breast cancer. If you're like me, you have a history of heart disease AND breast cancer in your family, so what do we do?

And what about other types of alcohol? How do they affect cancer risk?

Nutrients in Red Wine:

First you have to understand what it is in red wine that is supposed to be so good for us. Most studies have looked at one of two phytochemicals in red wine: resveretrol and procyanidin. Resveratrol is a polyphenol and procyanidin is an antioxidant. They are both thought to provide cardiovascular benefits.

Second, it is important to know that in studies showing benefits of resveratrol, mice were having the equivalent of hundreds of glasses of wine daily. I know what you're thinking and no, the mice did not have to drink that much wine. They were given powdered resveratrol!

When it comes down to it, there is still not enough evidence to know that the wine itself is beneficial. There are many other foods that contain these phytochemicals including:

• grapes
• cranberries
• blueberries
• peanuts
• dark chocolate

Dangers of Alcohol:

If there's one thing we do know for sure, it's that drinking alcohol increases risk for mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus and breast cancer. It is also thought to increase risk of colorectal cancer and liver cancer.

Also of interest is the fact that drinking alcohol is especially harmful when combined with smoking. So even if you only smoke when you drink, you might want to think twice.

How Much is Too Much?

Ok. We know that some alcohol may be beneficial but that too much is harmful. So where do we draw the line? Just as with many things, you are going to have to evaluate for yourself what risk you are comfortable with. I'm here to give you the facts!

For cancer prevention, the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends not drinking alcohol at all. They also recommend, if consumed at all, to keep it to 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men. By the way, those cannot be saved up for the weekend or an end of the month binge! 

My general rule is no more than 1 drink in any given day. I also typically don't have more than 2 drinks per week. There are going to be times of splurging just like with any food, but that is probably only 2 times per year.

Bottom Line:

Drink up if you must, but not too much and certainly don't light up!

- Julie

Part 2 - Nutrients to Fight Prostate Cancer:

In 'Diet and Prostate Cancer Part 1', we covered the food choices and weight maintenance as important risk factors for prostate cancer. Today, we are looking at how individual nutrients affect prostate cancer growth.

The following nutrients all play a role in helping regulate the body's functions. Nutrients can be consumed in food form or in supplement form. For the most part, it's best to get these nutrients from food choices.

• Fat: For reduced cancer risk, choose healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats. These are found in nuts, oils, and fish. Limit intake of saturated and trans fats.
• Vitamin D: It is thought that low levels of vitamin D increases risk for cancer. It is most effective to get vitamin D from supplements. It is not recommended to take more than 2,000 IU per day.
• Vitamin E: Research suggests decreased risk of prostate cancer from Vitamin E supplementation, but mostly for men who are smokers.
• Beta Carotene: If your blood levels are low in beta carotene, supplementation can reduce cancer risk. If blood levels are normal, it's best to get beta carotene from foods such as pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots and spinach.
• Calcium: Some research suggests too much calcium can increase prostate cancer risk. The risk is from consuming supplemental form of calcium. However, some men will need to take calcium to delay osteoporosis depending on medical history.
• Selenium: One study showed selenium reduced risk of prostate cancer, but benefits may be different depending on PSA levels.
• Zinc: One study suggested high doses of zinc increases risk of prostate cancer.

Quality not Quantity:

I know that this is a difficult concept for Americans! We think that if something is good, then more is better. Always remember that when you make choices with foods and beverages that you put into your body, it's the quality of the choice, not the quantity. Every small step makes a difference!

When it comes to nutrients, a high dose supplement isn't necessarily better than a food that contains a smaller amount of the nutrient. Foods will also contain other nutrients and phytochemicals that can work synergistically with other nutrients to provide even more benefit.

Lifestyle Choices are a Complement:

Diet and lifestyle can play an important role in slowing the growth of prostate cancer, but it is a complement to other screenings and treatments that may be recommended.

It's important to talk with your doctor about early detection if you haven't been diagnosed. If you have been diagnosed, diet and lifestyle help to make treatments such as surgery, radiation or drug therapy more effective and can improve quality of life during treatment.

Choose Healthy!
- Julie

[Reference: Nutrition and Prostate Cancer by Peter Gann and Edward Giovannucci]

Nutrition and Prostate Cancer:

There is no question that our diet influences the way that our body functions. People often ask "Is there a diet that can cure me of prostate cancer?" or "Is there a diet that can keep prostate cancer from growing?" Believe it or not, this is a very complex question!

There is no one single food or food substance that can protect you against prostate cancer. The same is true regarding a cure for prostate cancer.  What we do know is that there are lifestyle choices that can do 2 things:

1. Reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer or reduce your risk of prostate cancer coming back.
2. Improve your quality of life

The Most Important Diet Risk Factor:

The most crucial dietary risk factor for prostate cancer is excess weight gain. Being overweight or obese not only increases risk for prostate cancer, but also may cause a delay in diagnosis and treatment because of falsely low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) results.

Regardless of the approach used to manage weight, what is most important is that you are doing something to keep weight gain to a minimum. This includes dietary choices as well as daily physical activity.

Foods to Fight Prostate Cancer:

The most recent research suggests the following foods can affect prostate cancer risk:

• Fruits and Vegetables: Include 4-5 cups of fruits plus vegetables every day and focus on getting cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts) 5 times a week.
• Tomatoes: Lycopene found in tomatoes and pink fruits helps protect the body against cancer. Cooked tomato products are one of the best sources of lycopene and should be consumed twice per week.
• Green Tea: Polyphenols in green tea, red wine and pomegranate juice have shown some indication of reducing risk of prostate cancer.
• Soy: Isoflavones found in soy may slow progression of cancer cells. Choose soy foods prepared in a low fat way.
• Meat: Consuming too much meat, especially red meat, is associated with increased risk of cancer. Limit meat consumption to 6 ounces per day or less.
• Grilled Meats: Avoiding charred meats can reduce risk for cancer. The best way to grill is to marinate and prevent the flame from touching the meat.

Next time we'll focus on specific nutrients, like omega-3 fats and selenium, to discuss how they affect prostate cancer risk.

Stay tuned for Diet and Prostate Cancer Part 2!

- Julie

[Reference: Nutrition and Prostate Cancer by Peter Gann and Edward Giovannucci]

I previously posted on Probiotics and Prebiotics and how they work. Today we'll discuss what foods are good sources of probiotics and prebiotics.

The bottom line is that we all have bacteria in our intestines. We want to maintain the right balance of good bacteria for the health of our intestines and for our immune system. Things that upset the balance include antibiotics as well as the presence of disease causing bacteria.

When the microbial balance is off in the intestines, it can result in diarrhea or can cause inflammation of irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, tooth decay or stomach infections.

Sources of Probiotics:

Probiotic containing foods are commonly found and consumed in Japan and Europe. In the US, several probiotic- and prebiotic-containing foods have recently been introduced to the grocery store.

Probiotic microorganisms can be found in both supplement form and as components of foods and beverages. I usually recommend using probiotics in food form. I recommend avoiding the supplement form unless a physician or dietitian has specifically recommended them for a particular condition.

If you are currently receiving treatment for cancer, It's especially important to check with your physician before taking pill or supplement forms of probiotics as you may have low blood counts or increased risk of infection.

Foods that contain probiotics (helpful bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria):

• Yogurt (Almost all yogurts contain "active cultures")
• Buttermilk (Tastes good if you like drinking sour cream!)
• Kefir (I have tried this and it is very good, watch the serving size though because of added sugars)
• Tempeh
• Miso
• Kim Chi (Korean side dish)
• Sauerkraut (on potatoes with sour cream, Yum!)   
  

Sources of Prebiotics:

Prebiotics are found naturally in many foods, and can also be isolated from plants (e.g., chicory root) or made in a factory. Specific names of prebiotics include Inulin, Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), Polydextrose and Arabinogalactan.

Food that naturally contain prebiotics (things that feed healthy bacteria):

• Oatmeal
• Flax
• Barley
• Other whole grains
• Onions
• Greens (especially dandelion greens, but also spinach, collard greens, chard, kale, and mustard greens)
• Berries, bananas, and other fruit
• Legumes (lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, navy beans, white beans, black beans, etc.)

Synbiotics:

When probiotics and prebiotics are taken together they are called "synbiotics." Both work together in a synergistic fashion which more efficiently promotes the probiotic's benefits. Some yogurts contain both and when you eat a meal that contains a cultured probiotic and include prebiotic foods, you have created your own synbiotic!

Eat your biotics!

- Julie

References:
"Functional Foods Fact Sheet: Probiotics and Prebiotics"
[http://ific.org/publications/factsheets/preprobioticsfs.cfm#Probiotics%20and%20
Prebiotics%20Found%20in%20the%20Foods%20We%20Eat]
"An Introduction to Probiotics"
[http://nccam.nih.gov/health/probiotics/]
"Prebiotics and Probiotics: What are they and why should I eat them?"
[http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/news/pro09spr02.htm]

Biotics:

There are many foods and companies now touting the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics. These brands include Benefiber, Metamucil, Yoplait, Activia, and more. You might wonder what these compounds are supposed to do and if they really work.

Today I'll give you the down and dirty on biotics!

Probiotics:

When it comes to bacteria, you probably already know that there are "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria. Probiotics are "good" bacteria. This "good" bacteria actually help our bodies stay healthy by maintaining the right balance and not allowing the "bad" bacteria to take over. When it comes to the health of our colons, this concept is especially important.

Most often, the "good" bacteria come from two groups:

• Lactobacillus
• Bifidobacterium

There are many different types of bacteria that fall into these two groups, but will always start with the group name. You can find them advertised on some products like yogurt and certain types of milk.

Prebiotics:

It can be confusing to hear the terms probiotics and prebiotics, because they sound similar but are actually different. You now know that probiotics are "good" bacteria. So what are prebiotics?

In order to keep the right amount of "good" bacteria in your intestines, you need to feed it the right food to keep it there.  That is where prebiotics come in.  Prebiotics are just food for probiotics.

There are many things that can feed good bacteria. These include packaged products as well as natural foods that you eat. One example of a prebiotic product is Benefiber.  The prebiotic adder you may see on food labels is inulin. Also, many fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds have components that function as prebiotics.

Next time I'll talk more about how to include biotics in your diet to keep your colon and the rest of your body healthy!

- Julie

Do I Have to Eat Tofu?

I'm sure that many of you are interested in eating or cooking soy, but you don't know where to start. Let me tell you a funny story about the first time I had tofu. I was at a restaurant on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh while in college at N.C. State University.

I decided that I wanted to try tofu, and one of the options on the menu was "Grilled Tofu". Thinking that I like pretty much anything grilled, I ordered it. Mental note to everyone: Tofu is not very tasty unless flavored with something. It was so bland!

Well, it's been several years and I am now a seasoned tofu cook. Rarely do I eat it by itself, I usually add it to a sauce or marinate it.

You may not be ready for tofu, so I am going to introduce you to some user friendly ways to try soy. Remember that soy is a plant food and has many beneficial nutrients to protect your body against cancer when used the right way.

Soy Foods for Beginners:

Here are some ways to start using soy:

• Edamame - Soy beans in their pods. You can buy them as an appetizer at Asian restaurants, or buy them in the frozen section and cook them at home. They cook in less than 10 minutes and make a great, quick and tasty appetizer. All you do is add a little salt! Remember that with soy beans you don't eat the pod!
• Soy beans - You can also buy soy beans in the frozen section and already out of the pod. These are best to add to stir fries. The texture is slightly crunchy, it will not be soft and mushy like black beans or kidney beans.
• Soy milk - If you've never tried soy milk, start with vanilla, chocolate or other flavored soy milk. It's great on cereal, and I like it just to drink.
• Soy nuts - Many people like the crunchy texture and taste of roasted soy nuts. You can find them at most natural grocery stores, or in the health food section of your local grocery store. They also sell soy nut butter. I've tried it, and I didn't really like it, but you might!
• Tofu Lasagna - I've had this recipe tested by a friend and cancer survivor who has kids. It passed the test! Don't call it tofu lasagna though when you serve it, that's just bad marketing! Here's the recipe and new name:

Veggie-licious Lasagna:

Ingredients:
14 oz. package of silken soft tofu
3/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (8 oz.) sliced white mushrooms
3 cups fat free, low-sodium marinara sauce
12 no-boil lasagna noodles

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, mash the tofu. Add the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder and 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese. Mix until smooth.

Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray. Add the onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic cloves and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the onions to the cheese mixture. Spray the same skillet again. Add the mushrooms and sauté them over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the cheese mixture, stirring to combine well.

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom. Top the sauce with 4 noodles side-by-side in a single layer. Spread 1/3 of the tofu filling on top of the noodles. Repeat these steps to form two more layers. Pour the remaining 3/4 cup sauce on top and sprinkle on the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 20 minutes or until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let stand about 20 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 servings. Recipe from AICR.

Cook it up and enjoy!

- Julie