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

10 Healthy, Kid-Friendly Kitchen Must-Haves

Want your kids to start enjoying the healthy meals and snacks you prepare for them? You may need to rethink your grocery shopping list. If you're buying the same items week in and week out, your child may be bored with your cooking. Switch things up a bit, nutrition experts suggest, by buying the makings for meals kids will love despite the fact that the meals are healthy.

Here's what to add to your list, suggest experts Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It, Vandana R. Sheth, RD, CDE, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Karen Ansel, MS, RD, CDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

●Frozen berries. Even when it's not berry season, you can treat your child to nutritious shakes and smoothies made with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. "These get kids going in the morning, and they are a great hunger squasher in the afternoon," says Taub-Dix. Berries are a powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamins, and they require no peeling or slicing. You can also turn them into a breakfast parfait by layering them with yogurt and crunchy granola.

●Greek yogurt. It's got protein, plus calcium and potassium, and its thick texture makes it a natural for dips. "Make a savory dip by adding a little soup mix to it," advises Taub-Dix. "Or serve as is with apple slices or other fruits." It's also a tasty, healthy alternative to sour cream for topping potatoes, burritos, and tacos, says Ansel.

●Almond butter. For something a little different from peanut butter, try this creamy spread, a good source of fiber, protein, and B vitamins. "Almonds have a higher fiber content than other nuts, and they contain calcium as well as healthy fats," Taub-Dix explains. Besides spreading it on toast or English muffins, you can put it on apple slices for a filling and sweet snack.

●Jicama. It's flavorful and crunchy, and great to serve with hummus or guacamole for dipping. If your kids are getting bored with carrots and celery, give this veggie a place on your table.

●Mangoes. This nutrient-loaded fruit looks like sunshine and tastes so sweet, it's a natural dessert. Try a sundae with lowfat frozen yogurt topped with diced fresh mangoes; make kabobs with chunks of mangoes, whole strawberries, and pineapple chunks (cut tips off skewers before serving to kids); or pack some wedges in your child's lunchbox for dessert.

●Dried fruits. Raisins aren't the only dried fruit to pack for kids to snack on. Pick up some fiber-rich dried cranberries, blueberries, figs, and dates. "Besides a lot of fiber, dried fruit has potassium and antioxidants," says Sheth.  Mix dried fruit with nuts and seeds for a high-fiber, healthy snack.

●Sweet potatoes. These are "super kid friendly," Ansel says. She suggests peeling them and slicing into strips, then tossing with olive oil and baking for a healthy alternative to French fries.

●Bagged coleslaw mix. Not only is this convenient, but it's got fiber and vitamins. "Lighten up coleslaw by swapping full fat mayo for non-fat Greek yogurt and canola oil in the dressing," Ansel says. "Coleslaw makes a great side dish, or use it to add crunch to sandwiches, burgers, and fish tacos."

●Avocadoes. A great source of heart-healthy nutrients like monounsaturated fat, potassium, and fiber, this is the main ingredient in guacamole, Ansel says. Serve the guac with red pepper strips for dipping, she suggests. "The healthy fat in the avocado will help your child absorb fat-soluble nutrients in the peppers," she says.

●Edamame. "Forget about trying to get your kids to eat their peas," Ansel says. "It's much more fun for them to pop open these edamame pods. Not only are they packed with protein, they're an outstanding source of fiber, too."

●Tomato sauce. Don't think of this antioxidant-rich sauce just for pasta, Ansel says. Use it to top veggies or grilled chicken breasts, too. Or for a healthy (and surprising!) breakfast, top toasted English muffin halves with tomato sauce and grated skim mozzarella, then broil until the cheese is melted.