Finding the Emotional Benefits in Adversity

Martin Luther King, Jr. said the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. King, of course, was speaking of adversity and the power to overcome it.

The ability to bounce back from adversity is called resiliency and it has numerous emotional benefits. While it seems some people seem to naturally cope better when faced with challenges, everyone can become more resilient.

Studies show that adversity early in life can be a risk factor for a range of negative outcomes. However, there is also evidence that some children do remarkably well in spite of serious threats to their normal development. Project Competence, a 20-year study, found that the extraordinary resilience and recovery power of children does not arise from rare or special qualities, but from everyday, ordinary experiences.

In the book The Resilient Self, authors Steven and Sybil Wolin describe a model of development they call the challenge model. The Wolins says that while hardships may hurt children, they often develop considerable strengths as they struggle to prevail. They list seven strengths associated with the resiliency: insight, independence, relationships, initiative, creativity, humor, and morality.

The emotional benefits of adversity do not just apply to children. Resilient adults are better able to maintain relatively stable, healthy levels of psychological and physical functioning, and have the capacity for generating positive experiences and emotions. In a study following September 11, those participants who were more resilient were less depressed than the national average (in non-clinical samples). Adults who manage adversity well tend to use active coping mechanisms when dealing with stressful situations.

Experts in the area of adversity and resilience say it's not so much what we do, it's howwe do what we do that counts. One of the keys to successfully overcoming adversity is having the ability to balance stress and emotions. Recognizing your emotions and expressing them appropriately helps prevent you from becoming stuck in depression and anxiety.

Adequate and positive social support is critical to maintaining good physical and emotional health. Resilient adults have strong support networks. Social support enhances your natural resilience to stress and helps protect you from developing trauma-related psychopathology. While the size of your network and the frequency of social interactions within your network are important, having high-quality relationships is a better predictor of good emotional health. Resilient adults also tend to have a strong moral or spiritual sense of their purpose and future.

Sources:

Ozbay, Fatih, MD, Johnson, Douglas C., PhD, Dimoulas, Eleni, PhD, Morgan, III, C.A., MD, MA, Charney, Dennis, MD, and Southwick, Steven, MD. "Social Support and Resilience to Stress: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice." Psychiatry 4(5) (2007): 35-40. Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921311/

Bonanno, George A., Galea, Sandro, Bucciarelli, Angela, and Vlahov, David. "What Predicts Psychological Resilience After Disaster? The Role of Demographics, Resources, and Life Stress." Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 75(5) (2007): 671-682. Web.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56241/1/bonanno_what%20predicts%20psychological%20resilience%20after%20disaster_2007.pdf

Helpguide.org. "Improving Emotional Health."  Web. December 2011.

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/mental_emotional_health.htm

Wolin, Steven, MD, and Wolin, Sybil, Ph.D. "The Resilient Self: How Survivors of Troubled Families Rise Above Adversity." Projectresilience.com. Web.http://projectresilience.com/resself.htm

FamousQuotesandAuthors.com. Web.http://www.famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/adversity_quotes.html

Masten, Ann S. "Children Who Overcome Adversity to Succeed in Life." University of Minnesota Extension. Web.http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7565_06.html

National Writing Project. "Resilience: Overcoming Adversity and Thriving." Web. 21 October 2009.

http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/2937

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Treat Pain

Can mind-power reduce power chronic pain has over you? Experts say it can and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is among the best keys to do it.   

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?  

The National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists defines CBT as "a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do." Cognitive Behavioral terapists work on the belief that people create their own experiences by the way they think and that changing their thoughts will lead to better experiences.  

Pain is a complex physical and emotional reaction to unpleasant stimulation. When an individual is in chronic pain due to disease, injury, surgery, or some other reason, he develops emotional responses like anxiety, negative anticipation, stress, fatigue, and depression, all of which can amplify pain. When patients learn CBT, however, they learn specific skills and techniques that help them recognize their emotional triggers, thought process, and reactions and change them to reframe their pain experience.

According to a study published by the American Academy of Neurology, CBT can be especially helpful to treat patients diagnosed with chronic pain of unknown origin. Their pain is absolutely real, but the cause of their pain is not identifiable. Study authors say patients with unexplained pain, dizziness, and weakness make up one-third of all patients seen in doctors' offices. The AAN research found that when patients received CBT either alone or with other pain therapies, they reported greater improvement than if they received only their usual pain treatments.

While many studies have shown that CBT can reduce pain, many patients are reluctant to use this therapy because they don't think their pain is caused by psychological factors. And in fact, they might be right. CBT doesn't attempt to explain away their pain as being all in their head, but instead, teaches them new ways of dealing with it. By better understanding their pain and learning new ways to think about and respond to it, patients are better prepared to accept their symptoms and the role of pain in their life.  

How It Works

CBT takes many different forms but all involve identifying pain-related thought processes, problem solving techniques, relaxation techniques, coping skills, and support to apply do-it-yourself therapeutic skills to your own life. For example, if a patient with chronic migraines becomes anxious, anticipates crippling pain, and feels helpless at the first signs of a migraine, her emotional response might increase her pain experience. If instead, she uses CBT skills to identify how she's thinking about her pain, reframe her thinking, and help reduce her pain, studies show, her pain experience will diminish.  

That's the power of the mind. If you think something is going to be horrible, then it probably will be. If you think, however, it will be manageable (even if you can't eliminate the pain) and you have the power and skills to deal with it, studies show, you'll probably be right.

Ask your doctor if CBT might work for you and how to find a good therapist in your area.   Then, start making the mind-body connection to improve your chronic pain and put the power back in your own hands.

Sources:

National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists

http://www.nacbt.org/

American Academy of Neurology, 2011, July 27 Online edition Neurology®

New therapy may help people with unexplained symptoms of pain, weakness and fatigue.

http://www.aan.com/press/index.cfm?fuseaction=release.view&release=970

Weight Issues in Your Family? What You Can Do

Roughly two-thirds of Americans are overweight. Obesity results when body fat accumulates over time and as a result calories taken in exceed calories expended. It can run in families and is associated with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Sociologists say evolution is partly to blame. Historically, food was scarce and our bodies fended off starvation by becoming effective fat storage machines. Losing weight was a stressor.

Today, food is relatively abundant, but we live much more sedentary lives. Gone are the long, tiring days of toiling in the fields. Many of us earn a living sitting in front of a computer screen and eating far more calories than we burn which could account for why obesity has reached epidemic proportions.

The science of weight loss is still emerging. Researchers are learning that other factors—including heredity—affect how the body responds to and processes food. Hormones seem to play a role and scientists are also investigating the naturally occurring bacteria in our intestines. (Apparently, some bacteria absorb more fat than others.)

Many genes are also associated with the development of obesity and seem to regulate how our bodies capture, store, and release energy from food. So an overweight person might be fighting more than his inability to control what he puts in his mouth and how much he exercises.

Recent studies suggest that varying satiety levels and the desire to eat higher-calorie foods may also be influenced by heredity. Unfair as it seems, some people are biologically protected against accumulating extra fat while others are prone to accumulating it.

Determining how much is genetic and how much is learned behavior (family eating habits, food preferences, seeking comfort or reward from food, etc.) is another complex piece of the puzzle.

Sweet Tooth? Blame It On Your Mother and Then Hit the Gym

Scientists first identified the FTO gene—"fat mass and obesity-associated" gene—several years ago. But according to Frank DiPino, PhD, a professor of biology at Misericordia University in Pennsylvania the picture isn't yet clear.

"The FTO gene does appear to increase appetite and preference for high calorie foods, but there's still a lot we don't know about it."

Erin Keen-Rhinehart, a neuroscientist at Susquehanna University explains that although the FTO gene is produced in the areas of the brain that are responsible for appetite regulation and increases in response to food deprivation, in human studies it resulted in an average of less than two pounds of weight gain.

"The FTO gene is merely a risk factor for developing obesity and responsible for only modest increases in body weight," says the Pennsylvania-based scientist.

Keen-Rhinehart, DiPino and other experts agree that the negative implications of having the FTO gene are well counteracted by physical exercise.

"It's not just about adding more exercise," says professor DiPino. "It appears that exercise alters the FTO gene in a good way. It turns down the volume so it does less damage."

Why Is Dieting So Difficult?

We all know that exercise is important for overall health and weight loss. The formula is simple: Eat less calories and exercise more. So what makes losing weight such a difficult task?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is tremendous variation in an individual's response to fat, sugar, and carbohydrates. Plus, a number of biological and genetic factors are involved in determining how much food is too much for any individual.

Science is also starting to reveal some distressing news about the weight-reduced body. It appears that a dieter's body is metabolically different—in a negative way—than a similar-size body that has not dieted.

Changes that occur after weight loss can translate to a huge caloric disadvantage of 250 to 400 calories. In one study, muscle biopsies taken before, during, and after weight loss showed that in some people, muscle fibers undergo a transformation which makes them burn 20 to 25 percent fewer calories during everyday activity and moderate aerobic exercise than those of a person who is naturally at the same weight. In other words, it's possible that the person who is naturally at the same weight as a dieter can actually eat more and still retain his weight.

Dieters not only have to exert tremendous will power to avoid fattening foods, but they also have to work harder to burn calories. No wonder so many throw in the towel!

Until science comes up with more solutions to our weight-loss woes, watch what you eat, and always be vigilant about exercise. "Weight is a multi-factor, complicated issue," says DiPino.  "Science is on the right track but, all the parts have yet to come together. "

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Sources:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov

Interviews with professors Frank DiPino and Erin Keen-Rheinhardt

Treat Your Child's Flu: Dos and Don'ts

Scratchy throat. Dry cough. Feverish one minute. Cold and shaking the next. Achy head. Achy body. Achy bones. If your child is complaining of these symptoms, she may have the flu.

Influenza, or the flu as it's commonly known, is a virus that infects the respiratory system and makes anyone who catches it feel absolutely miserable. The good news is the flu usually isn't serious and only lasts 3 or 4 days (colds can linger longer). In the meantime, there are plenty of ways to help your child-even a very young one-feel a lot more comfortable until the symptoms subside.

Flu season typically starts in November and runs through April-usually peaking in February. Though the flu is often confused with the common cold, there's quite a difference between the two, says  Gordon Schutze, MD, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and a physician at Texas Children's Hospital. "Symptomatically, they are very different. A cold may come on over a number of hours or within a day or two. But there's nothing subtle about the flu," Schutze explains. "Influenza feels like you got hit by a truck. All of a sudden your muscles ache, and a high fever can come out of nowhere."

Treating the Flu
Like the common cold, the flu is caused by a virus, so taking antibiotics won't help.

But there are a number of ways to alleviate your child's discomfort until his body fights off the flu. "I think it's fair to say that parents can easily forget how bad influenza can feel," says the doctor who is also chair of the Committee on Infectious Diseases with the American Academy of Pediatrics.  "It takes kids a few days longer than adults to bounce back from the flu."

Here are Schutze's dos and don'ts:

DO

• Use a cool-mist humidifier. "Putting moisture in the bedroom prevents a child's secretions from drying out. Mucus moves easier when it's wet and keeping it that way helps children rid it from their bodies during the flu," Schutze expert explains.
• Rub topical ointments and medicated vapors on your child's chest. Doing so doesn't hurt them and many parents report that it helps sick children relax enough to get the extra rest they need.
• Administer saline nose drops to children too young to blow their noses. The saline breaks up the mucus and helps babies breathe easier.
• Get the annual flu vaccine.
• Get plenty of rest and ingest extra liquids.

DON'T

• Use aspirin. "There is an association between aspirin therapy and the development of Reye's Syndrome in children who have the flu," says Dr. Schutze. (Reye's is a deadly and dangerous disease that affects the brain and liver.) For temporary fever relief, give kids acetaminophen or ibuprofen instead.
• Offer over-the-counter liquid cold remedies. According to Schutze and other experts, data shows they really don't work, especially in children under 5 and aren't particularly effective in other kids, either.
• Give ice baths or use cold compresses on children with high fevers (103 degrees F or more). "The cold on the skin actually makes the body retain heat, " says Schutze. "Tepid water baths and cool rags may help the patient feel a bit better, but neither is necessary."

Reducing the Spread of the Flu
The CDC currently recommends an annual flu shot for children over the age of 6 months. The flu is extremely contagious and responsible for more than 200,000 flu-related hospitalizations per year. Young children under 5 are at increased risk for developing serious flu-related complications, like pneumonia.  The vaccine is an effective preventive course of action.

Children with the flu are most contagious beginning one day before symptoms set in and for five to seven days after the sickness reveals itself and all its misery.  Many flu epidemics start at school where kids cough and sneeze on desks and each other. Sharing pencils and keyboards also spread germs. At home, the flu spreads when siblings share utensils or handle remote control devices without washing their hands.

You can help reduce the spread of the flu by encouraging good hygiene. Frequent hand washing is essential as well as keeping a child with symptoms home from school or day care. Once she is fever-free for 24 hours, your child can return to her normal routine.

Sources

Interview with Gordon Schutze, MD
Texas Children's Hospital

Nemours Foundation
http://www.kidshealth.org

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.org

Should You Be Screened for Cancer? The Benefits and Risks

Should you be tested for cancer? Maybe not, says H. Gilbert Welch, M.D., author of the same titled book. Welch is one of a growing group of health professionals urging individuals to make thoughtful decisions about cancer screenings. He says one way to become sick is to start looking for something to be wrong.

Testing for Cancer
Screening is the process of looking for cancer in people who have no symptoms. Individuals who have symptoms or suspicious screening results may have additional diagnostic screening tests. Mammograms, for example, can be both screening and diagnostic.

Benefits...
Physicians, cancer advocacy groups, and patient survivors repeatedly deliver the message that detecting cancer early through screening tests is critical to saving lives. Many people have benefitted from cancer screening when they find potentially dangerous cancers during the window of opportunity when treatment is most likely to be successful. During a colonoscopy, for example, physicians can remove polyps before they have a chance to become cancerous.

...and Risks
However, Welch says, "...most people who are tested will never get cancer, [so] most people cannot benefit from testing. And others will die from cancer despite our best efforts to find cancers early. In fact, screening tests tend to miss the fastest-growing and most deadly cancers."

Screening tests themselves may actually increase risk or cause harm. Take mammograms. Radiation to the breast is a risk factor for breast cancer, especially in younger women, and it's cumulative over time.

Screening tests miss some cancers (false negatives) and also uncover abnormalities that are actually benign. These false positives can trigger a cascade of additional tests, unnecessary treatment (with accompanying side effects), and immeasurable stress and anxiety. For example, treatment for slow-growing prostate cancer, which might not ever cause symptoms, can have serious side effects, such as impaired sexual performance and trouble controlling urination and bowel movements.

In an article published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute the author wrote, "It seems clear that we have done an inadequate job of educating screening candidates about the harms and benefits of cancer screening, including the extent to which screening can reduce cancer mortality."

Be an informed healthcare consumer. Learn all the facts about cancer screening tests you're considering. Recognize what tests can-and cannot-do, and understand the potential outcomes if you are tested. While cancer screening undoubtedly saves some lives, Welch and his like-minded peers encourage you to make individual screening decisions, in collaboration with your physician, that are right for you based on your age, risk factors, and personal tolerance for uncertainty.

Sources:

Welch, Gilbert H. Should You be tested for cancer? Maybe not and here's why. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, University of California Press, 2004.

Stefanek, Michael Edward, "Uninformed Compliance or Informed Choice? A Needed Shift in Our Approach to Cancer Screening." Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Web. 21 November 2011. http://elproyectomatriz.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/prev-cancer-screening-consent-2011-2.pdf

American Cancer Society. Testing for Prostate Cancer. Web. 2010.
http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@nho/documents/document/acspc-024618.pdf

National Cancer Institute. "Genetic Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk: It's Your Choice." Web. 20 March 2006. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/genetics/genetic-testing-for-breast-and-ovarian-cancer-risk

10 Ways to Eat Well When Life Is Stressful

If you eat in response to stress, you are not responding to real hunger but instead to a coping mechanism—comfort food.

A study reported in Physiology Behavior found that 73 percent of participants reported eating more sweets and fewer meal-type foods, such as meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables, during periods of stress.

Whether you overeat or eat poorly during times of stress, it helps to do a little "self-monitoring," and pay attention to your eating habits and the types of foods you eat.

Stress management tactics such as exercise or meditation usually require a long-term plan. But you can start with these tips to help you take control of emotional eating:

• Maintain a normal eating schedule. Start with a healthy breakfast and eat a meal or a healthy snack every three to four hours. Eat enough to feel satisfied but not stuffed.
• Don't skip meals. When you skip or delay meals, you become overly hungry and are more likely to overeat and less likely to make healthy food choices.
• Keep healthy snacks on hand and ready to eat. If you start to randomly eat during stressful times, stock up on nutritious snacks such as cut-up raw vegetables, vegetable juice, fresh and dried fruit, whole-grain cereals, reduced-fat cheese sticks, and yogurt.
• Plan your snacks. Schedule "mini meals" once or twice during the day so that you won't get too hungry. Rather than grabbing a handful of chips or cookies from the store, sit down to a healthier combination of foods such as a dozen grapes and a small container of yogurt sprinkled with cereal.
• Pay attention to hunger. If it's not your normal meal or snack time but you are reaching for food, ask yourself if it's real hunger or emotional hunger. There are ways to tell: Real hunger comes on gradually, while emotional hunger is usually sudden and intense. Emotional eating involves cravings for specific types of foods as opposed to the combination of foods normally eaten at a meal.
• Eat slowly and mindfully. Use mealtimes and snack times as rest periods. That way, you'll slow down and focus on your food rather than on the events that are causing you stress.
• Pay attention to feelings of fullness. If you're eating while stressed, you are more likely to eat when you're not really hungry, and to keep eating even when you're full.
• Enjoy your favorite foods in moderation. There's no point in denying yourself simple pleasures when you're under stress. Enjoy your favorite comfort foods in reasonable portions and in the context of an otherwise healthy diet.
• Drink plenty of water. When you go to grab food, grab a cup or bottle of water instead. Use the time while you're drinking water to figure out if you're really hungry or just desire food for comfort.
• Avoid consuming excess caffeine or energy drinks when you are already feeling over-stimulated.

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Sources:

Oliver, G and Wardle, J; "Perceived Effects of Stress on Food Choice" Physiology & Behavior 1999 66(3)511-515 Web 25 Nov 2011
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938498003229

Purdue University Student Wellness Office: Cut it! Keep it Small; don't eat it all.
http://www.purdue.edu/swo/nutrition/KnowItAll/HealthyEatingWeightManagement/CutIt.pdf

Temple University: Emotional Eating: Hunger vs. Stress Web 25 Nov 2011
http://www.temple.edu/hr/EmotionalEatingHungervs.Stress.htm

Apple Cider Vinegar: Is It a Super Tonic?

Used as a salad dressing, apple cider vinegar could also be used as a natural remedy to help ease a sore throat, relieve sinus congestion, calm intestinal troubles, and rid your scalp of dandruff. Also, if you have diabetes, apple cider vinegar could even help keep your blood sugar balanced.

Although cider vinegar has not been subjected to a great deal of scientific investigation, many documented personal anecdotes and clinical reports seem to confirm what advocates of natural folk medicine have been saying for centuries about its curative powers.

If you want to test the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar for any of the following conditions, use these formulas as guides:

• Sore throat. Gargle with a small amount of slightly diluted apple cider vinegar sprinkled with a pinch of hot (cayenne) pepper.

• Cold and cough. According to Penny C. Royal, author of Herbally Yours, homemade cough syrup made with apple cider vinegar, honey, and spices can help soothe a persistent cough. Combine 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger and cayenne pepper, two tablespoons of water, one tablespoon of honey, and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Cover and refrigerate the mixture until ready to use, then take one teaspoon at a time.

• Dandruff. After shampooing, rinse your hair with a combination of one part cider vinegar to three parts water, or two tablespoons of vinegar diluted in six tablespoons (or 1/3 cup plus one teaspoon) of water.

• Diarrhea. Dilute apple cider vinegar with water and stir in a tablespoon of honey.

• Food Poisoning. Apple cider vinegar's antimicrobial properties may help offset gastrointestinal symptoms associated with food poisoning, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. They recommend adding two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to one cup of water, and drinking this combination several times a day.

Other Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

Besides treating minor medical disorders, diluted apple cider vinegar will clean hard surfaces around your house such as kitchen counters and appliances.

Try dabbing a little under your arms for natural odor protection. Vinegar alters the pH of your skin, which discourages the growth of odor-causing bacteria.

As a home remedy, apple cider vinegar may help soothe the symptoms of many common ailments, but it is never a substitute for professional medical care. If your symptoms persist, or if you have a fever or a serious medical condition, speak to your doctor.

Also, too much apple cider vinegar over time can lower your blood potassium levels and increase your risk of developing osteoporosis. If you regularly swallow straight cider vinegar for any reason, Harvard University's Dr. Richard Lee recommends that you rinse your mouth with plain water to preserve the enamel on your teeth.

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Sources:

The Campus Barber/Duke University: Dandruff
http://www.duke.edu/~papabell/cbarber/faqs_dandruff.htm

Hlebowicz, J, et al.; "Efect of Apple Cider Vnegar on Delayed Gastric Emptying in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study."  Gastroenterology 2007; 7:46. Web.  7 Nov 11.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2245945/?tool=pubmed

Lee, R. "Is Vinegar Good for the Arteries?" Harvard Health Publications.  Web. 7 Nov 11.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/lower-back-pain-yoga-therapy-can-help

McMillen, B. "Home Remedy for a Cough." University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Bradfor, PA  (Royal, Penny C. "Herbally Yours" 1982; Sound Nutrition) Web. 7 Nov 11.
http://www.pitt.edu/~cjm6/sp99cough.html

University of Maryland Medical Center
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/food-poisoning-000064.htm

Eat to Beat Bowel Cancer

Fruits and vegetables provide some of the most important nutrients you can consume, namely, disease-fighting antioxidants in the form of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (substances found only in plants that are known to protect your cells from destruction).

One of the many diseases that antioxidants can help prevent is bowel, or colorectal, cancer. But it gets even more specific than that. An Australian survey study, published in the October 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found that different fruits and vegetables may affect certain parts of the bowel.

Previous studies that link bowel cancer risk and fruit and vegetable consumption have had conflicting results. The Australian researchers point out that this could be because until now, no study has looked specifically at the relationship between diet and the different parts of the bowel where tumors could form.

Your gastrointestinal tract is a long tube that stretches from your mouth to your rectum, with lots of twists, turns, bulges, and folds in between. The food you eat travels this entire course to be broken down, digested, and stripped of its nutrients along the way. Those nutrients are absorbed through your intestinal wall and travel through your bloodstream to wherever they are needed. What's left of your meal is eliminated, along with any indigestible fiber contained in the food.

Your bowel has three main parts and each part is divided into distinct areas. Your distal colon includes the large intestine, sigmoid colon, and descending colon in your distal colon. Your proximal colon includes the cecum, appendix, ascending colon, and transverse colon. Your rectum leads to your anus, which is the end of your large intestine and the end of your gastrointestinal tract.

More clinical studies need to be performed to confirm these results, but upon analyzing the diets of almost 2,000 adults who participated in this study, the Australian researchers found the following associations:

• Eating more cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts may be linked to a lower rate of cancer in both the distal and proximal colons.
• Eating more apples and dark yellow or orange vegetables, such as winter squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and carrots may be linked to a lower risk of developing distal colon cancer.
• Higher total fruit and vegetable intake may be linked to a lower risk of distal colon cancer, but not proximal colon cancer or rectal cancer.
• Increased consumption of fruit juice may be linked to an increased risk of developing rectal or anal cancer.

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Sources:

Annema, N. et al; "Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and the Risk of Proximal colon, Distal Colon, and Rectal Cancers in a Case-control Study in Western Australia." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 111(10):1479-1490 October 2011 Web 20 Oct 2011
http://www.adajournal.org/article/S0002-8223(11)01215-6/abstract

Science Daily: Fruits and Vegetables Reduce Risks of Specific Types of Colorectal Cancers, Study Finds 26 Sep 2011 Web 20 Oct 2011
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926083346.htm

Is the Blood-Type Diet for You?

The basis of the blood-type diet, developed by the naturopathic physician Dr. Peter D'Adamo, is that blood delivers nutrients to every cell in the body. Because chemical reactions occur naturally between blood and food, blood types respond differently to certain types of diets. In other words, different blood types break down foods differently.

According to this theory, if you eat the wrong type of foods for your blood type, you suffer the equivalent of an allergic reaction. Your body essentially rejects the food and this process may cause any number of health problems, slow down your metabolic rate, and potentially cause weight gain.

The Diet Plan

The solution, according to Dr. D'Adamo, is to eat a specific diet according to your blood type to help restore and maintain the natural metabolic processes that keep you healthy. He recommends four different diets according to blood type.

The blood-type diet also includes exercise plans suitable for different blood types, with the goal of improving health and fitness levels and maintaining your best weight.

Although the blood-type diet advocates eating fresh, natural foods and eliminating processed foods for people with all blood types, it is a controversial plan because, for some blood types, it also recommends eliminating entire food groups.

For example, if you have blood type A or O, you are supposed to avoid dairy products, eliminating the best food sources of calcium and vitamin D. If you have blood type O, you are supposed to eliminate grains and beans, which are some of the best sources of B vitamin, iron, and plant protein.

In order to get the recommended daily amounts of these nutrients, you may have to take dietary supplements. Which is why, when Dr. D'Adamo first published his blood-type diet back in 1996, he also began promoting his own line of supplements to go with it.

What Health Experts Say

Dietitians and other nutrition experts believe that nutrients should come from food first and that vitamin and mineral supplements can provide a form of dietary insurance and fill in any nutritional gaps that result when you cannot eat a balanced diet.

Although elimination diets are often necessary for people with specific health problems, there is no scientific evidence available to prove the theory that diets should be prescribed by blood type. That doesn't mean it's not a valid theory, but it means there is no basis for recommending the diet.

When a diet plan recommends that whole populations of healthy people eliminate entire food groups, it raises a red flag for most health professionals because it creates a situation where supplements are not being used as extra insurance but, rather, as an essential component of the plan.

One question you can ask yourself if you are thinking about following the blood-type diet, or any restrictive diet, is this: Which seems the more natural, most effective way for you to get and stay healthy—eating a variety of whole foods or taking supplements to get the nutrients you need?

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Sources:

Eat Right for Your Type
http://www.dadamo.com/

New York University Langone Medical Center: The Blood type Diet. Web. 11 Nov 2011
http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=214387

University of Bridgeport: The Dr. Peter D'Adamo NaturopathicScholarship. Web 11 Nov 2011
http://www.bridgeport.edu/admissions/healthsciences/dadamo.aspx