Our Better Health

Diet, Health, Fitness, Lifestyle & Wellness

Category Archives: processed food


by 2 Comments

‘Detox’ From Overly Processed Foods: Why and How to Cut Back

If nutrition headlines catch your attention, you’ve probably heard the advice to eat more fresh, whole foods and consume fewer processed foods.

It sounds straightforward enough, and you may have chosen to abide by this “food rule.” But like many topics in nutrition, the advice is not as simple as it sounds.

Before you do a pantry or freezer overhaul, keep in mind that “processed” is a very general term.
Some processed foods serve as important players in filling nutrient gaps and contribute to the availability of a safe and convenient food supply. Others are, well, pretty much junk food.

The challenge lies in knowing which ones to include in your diet and which processed foods pose a problem.

Processed Foods 101

Processed foods include any food that has been deliberately changed before we consume it. “I think it is important that people understand, anytime you alter the food from its natural state, that is actually considered ‘processed,’ ” said Kristi L. King, a senior registered dietitian at Texas Children’s Hospital and a national spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

According to the International Food Information Council, processing can be as simple as freezing or drying food to preserve nutrients and freshness, or as complex as formulating a frozen meal with the optimal balance of nutrients and ingredients.

Minimally processed foods retain most of their inherent nutritional and physical properties. Examples of these include washed and cut fruits and vegetables, bagged salads and roasted nuts.

Those, along with foods processed to help preserve and enhance nutrients and freshness of foods at their peak – canned tuna, beans and tomatoes, as well as frozen fruits and vegetables – are healthful and offer important nutrients.

Other processed foods include sauces and dressings, as well as ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, crackers, nut butters, yogurt and milk fortified with calcium and vitamin D.

It’s the more heavily processed foods, snacks and meals high in added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats that are the “problem” processed foods, as consuming too many of them can lead to health problems. Also known as “ultra-processed” foods, they are formulations of salt, sugar, oils and fats, as well as flavors, colors and other additives.

“The problem with highly processed foods is, they are usually loaded with sodium for shelf stabilization, sugar for taste or added fats, including saturated and trans fats, for mouth feel,” King said. Research has linked all of these ingredients to chronic health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and some types of cancer, according to King.

“The cookies, chips, snack cakes that we all know and think of as ‘processed foods’ would be ones that are not so healthy for us, as well as sugar-sweetened beverages and highly processed meats such as sausage,” she said.

 

How to cut back on highly processed foods

According to experts, the key to an overall healthy diet is to limit your intake of “ultra-processed” foods, which make up about 60% of our calories and contribute 90% of calories from added sugars, while choosing healthier, unprocessed and minimally processed foods that offer a variety of nutrients.
And there are some relatively painless ways to do it.

1. Start slowly. “If you eat a significant amount of highly processed foods, try taking small steps toward a less processed diet,” said Jackie Newgent, a registered dietitian, culinary nutritionist and author of “The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook.” “There’s no need to go cold turkey today – and often, if you slowly ease into a less-processed eating plan, your likelihood of continuing your wholesome new habits increases.”

2. Supplement your meals with fresh foods. Try adding a banana or apple at breakfast or as a snack, or a vegetable at lunch. “Ultimately, half of your plate at lunch and dinner should be fruits and vegetables,” King said. “Simply adding a freshly prepared salad to an otherwise not-so-fresh meal makes it better for your body … and more enjoyable,” Newgent said.

3. Fewer sugar-sweetened beverages, more water. If you get tired of water, King recommends carbonated water or adding fruit to water for flavor.

4. Stop adding salt to foods. “If you need an extra flavor boost, add garlic or pepper instead,” King said.

5. Choose whole grains over processed grains. “Go with brown rice in place of white rice, whole-wheat pasta instead of ‘white’ pasta and whole-grain bread instead of ‘white’ bread. These swaps are nuttier-tasting and more filling, too,” Newgent said.

6. Limit or avoid processed meats. Meats such as bacon, ham, hot dogs and sausage have been linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer.

7. Plan ahead. “If you find that you are reaching for the highly processed foods because they are convenient and you are in a hurry to get to your meeting or your kid to soccer practice, try planning out snacks on the weekend for the weekdays,” King said. Set aside portions of trail mix, carrots and celery with hummus, Greek yogurts, and fruit with natural nut butters so they are ready to grab and go.

8. Use substitutes for highly processed snacks and foods. Instead of potato chips, try nonfat popcorn, which is whole grain and a good source of fiber and still gives the crunch you’re looking for. “You can add a dash of chili powder or Parmesan cheese for flavor,” King said. You can also replace sugar-sweetened cereal with unsweetened oatmeal and add fruit for flavor.

9. Make your own versions of traditionally processed foods. Consider homemade kale chips, granola and even salad dressings.

“Instead of bottled salad dressing that may contain preservatives your body doesn’t need, whip up your own,” Newgent said. “Simply whisk together three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon vinegar of choice for an easy two-ingredient vinaigrette. Or add that oil and vinegar to a blender with a small handful of berries for a lovely fruity salad dressing.”

10. Make healthier versions of frozen meals. “Try batch cooking on the weekend or a weeknight when you have time,” King said. Consider a homemade mac and cheese with whole-wheat pasta and veggies or turkey burger patties with sautéed vegetables.

 11. Don’t be fooled by the advertising. If you see fat- or sugar-modified food, such as fat-free mayo or sugar-free yogurt, be wary. “These foods may have artificial ingredients – such as the artificial colors yellow No. 6 or red No. 40 – or other chemical additives, such as the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium, making them more processed and potentially less healthful for you,” Newgent said.

“Read the ingredient list on packaged foods, and look for a list that reads more like a recipe rather than a pseudo-science experiment,” she added.

By Lisa Drayer, CNN   October 30, 2017
Lisa Drayer is a nutritionist, an author and a CNN health and nutrition contributor.
source: www.cnn.com


by Leave a comment

Slow Aging from the Inside Out: The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

October 12, 2012       Stephanie Rose Speranza, Fox News Magazine

Aging gracefully, to me, means being as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Diet and lifestyle choices are a major part of that. Even though I already make the effort to eat right and exercise, I’m always looking for ways to refine my diet and anti-aging strategies.
But if you’re anything like me, all of the products, promises and philosophies out there can be overwhelming. When I came across something called “The Anti-Inflammatory Diet,” I was intrigued. Was inflammation something I should be concerned about? Upon further investigation, I found that inflammation might be accelerating my body’s aging process more than I even knew!
I consulted a doctor and a nutritionist to find out more:
What is inflammation and how can it affect the body?
The immune system responds to injury or disease with inflammation. This is a normal, reparative reaction that is necessary for healing. But not all inflammation is good.
“When inflammation persists beyond its intended borders and purpose, however, the immune system mistakenly attacks normal cells, and the process that ordinarily heals becomes destructive. It is now widely accepted that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses, especially those related to aging,” says Dr. Andrew Weil, Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
According to Weil, persistent stress, poor diet, and over-exposure to environmental toxins can contribute to this type of unhealthy inflammation.
Can anything be done about it?
“The good news is that lifestyle choices can help,” says Weil. “Following an anti-inflammatory diet is the single best way to reduce chronic inflammation and optimize health.” Sounds great, but be forewarned: This isn’t another diet du jour. The Anti-Inflammatory Diet is a life-long eating plan that emphasizes specific foods aimed at reducing harmful inflammation to ultimately lower your risk for diseases down the line. It is not geared toward weight-loss, but rather aims to improve overall long-term health.
What is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
In a nutshell, it focuses on whole foods (those that are unrefined and unprocessed), omega 3s, healthy fats and anti-inflammatory spices. Here are some examples:
  • Whole grains such as brown rice, barley, and quinoa.
  • Fatty cold water fish, like salmon, for their omega 3s.
  • Brightly colored fresh vegetables and fruits, particularly dark berries.
  • Healthy fats found in high-quality extra virgin olive oil, beans, nuts, seeds and avocados.
  • Soy foods like tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy milk.
  • Spices known for their anti-inflammatory properties namely, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon.
  • Clean water and green tea for beverages.
What’s off limits?
“Lessening consumption of foods that promote inflammation is also important,” says Weil. “I recommend significantly reducing the intake of highly processed foods and rapidly digesting carbohydrates, avoiding fast food and products containing partially hydrogenated oils or vegetable shortening, and minimizing the use of polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower, safflower, soy and corn.”
It might be tough to know if you are eating some of these ingredients, particularly the oils, so always check labels and research the foods you eat to learn more about what they are made of. When in doubt, choose fresh, unprocessed foods and look for labels like organic and raw.
Does it work?
According to registered dietician Marlene Carneiro, there’s solid research that omega 3s and mono-unsaturated oils can counteract inflammation. However, she claims some of the information isn’t concrete and says when it comes to developing certain diseases, heredity should be taken into account.
“Genetics do play a role, but diet is an integral part of that. You can greatly reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and certainly off-set them if they are hereditary.”
Carneiro recommends not overhauling your entire diet all at once. “Gradual changes are sustainable,” she says. “Find what works for you and little by little you start to revamp your pantry and the choices you make outside.”
Are there any risks?
According to both experts, there are no known risks associated with this diet. However, always take precautions if you have any food allergies and discuss any changes, risks and benefits of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet, or any other diet with your doctor.
Bottom line?
It’s never a bad idea to add another weapon to the arsenal against conditions that come with aging, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Though more research is needed, this diet shows promise. If it works for you, consider it anti-aging from the inside out!


by Leave a comment

Ammonia used in many foods, not just "pink slime"

By Martinne Geller

New York | Wed Apr 4, 2012

(Reuters) – Surprise rippled across America last month as a new wave of consumers discovered that hamburgers often contained ammonia-treated beef, or what critics dub “pink slime”.

What they may not have known is that ammonia – often associated with cleaning products – was cleared by U.S. health officials nearly 40 years ago and is used in making many foods, including cheese. Related compounds have a role in baked goods and chocolate products.

Using small amounts of ammonia to make food is not unusual to those expert in high-tech food production. Now that little known world is coming under increasing pressure from concerned consumers who want to know more about what they are eating.

“I think we’re seeing a sea change today in consumers’ concerns about the presence of ingredients in foods, and this is just one example,” said Michael Doyle, director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety.

Ammonia, known for its noxious odor, became a hot topic last month with the uproar over what the meat industry calls “finely textured beef” and what a former U.S. government scientist first called “pink slime”.

Used as a filler for ground beef, it is made from fatty trimmings that are more susceptible to contamination than other cuts of beef, and are therefore sprayed with ammonium hydroxide – ammonia mixed with water – to remove pathogens such as salmonella and E.coli.

After critics highlighted the product on social media websites and showed unappetizing photos on television, calling it “pink slime,” the nation’s leading fast-food chains and supermarkets spurned the product, even though U.S. public health officials deem it safe to eat. Hundreds of U.S. school districts also demanded it be removed from school lunch programs.

One producer, Beef Products Inc, has since idled three factories. Another, AFA Foods, filed for bankruptcy protection.

The outrage, which many experts say has been fueled by the term “pink slime,” seems more about the unsavoriness of the product rather than its safety.

“This is not a health issue,” said Bill Marler, a prominent food safety lawyer. “This is an ‘I’m grossed out by this’ issue.”

Still, critics of so-called “Big Food” point out that while “pink slime” and the ammonia in it may not be harmful, consumer shock over their presence points to a wider issue.

“The food supply is full of all sorts of chemical additives that people don’t know about,” said Michele Simon, a public health lawyer and president of industry watchdog consulting firm Eat Drink Politics.

NOT AS BAD AS IT SOUNDS?

The meat industry has been trying to raise awareness of other foods that contain ammonia, in response to what it has characterized as an unfair attack on a safe and healthy product.

For example, ammonia compounds are used as leavening agents in baked goods and as an acidity controller in cheese and sometimes chocolate.

“Ammonia’s not an unusual product to find added to food,” Gary Acuff, director of Texas A&M University’s Center for Food Safety, told a recent press conference hosted by Beef Products Inc. “We use ammonia in all kinds of foods in the food industry.”

Kraft Foods Inc, whose brands include Chips Ahoy cookies and Velveeta cheese, is one company that uses very small amounts of ammonium compounds in some of its products. It declined to specify which products.

“Sometimes ingredient names sound more complicated than they are,” said Kraft spokeswoman Angela Wiggins. She also pointed out that ammonia, made up of nitrogen and hydrogen, occurs naturally in plants, animals, water, air and in some foods, including milk.

Wiggins said that in turning milk to cheese, a tiny amount of ammonium hydroxide is added to a starter dairy culture to reduce the culture’s acidity and encourage cheese cultures to grow.

“It is somewhat similar to activating yeast for dough by adding warm water, sugar and salt to create the proper environment for yeast growth,” Wiggins said.

In the case of ammonium phosphate, used as a leavening agent in baking, she said the heat during baking causes the gas to evaporate so no ammonia is left in the product. “It is quite similar to adding wine to a sauce and cooking away the alcohol.”

DON’T ALWAYS COUNT ON LABELS

Compounds such as ammonium hydroxide, ammonium phosphate and ammonium chloride are considered safe in small amounts.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted ammonium hydroxide status as a GRAS, or Generally Recognized as Safe, substance in 1974.

Ammonium hydroxide is also an acceptable ingredient under the conditions of “good manufacturing practices” in dozens of foods, from soft drinks to soups to canned vegetables, according to the General Standards for Food Additives set forth by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a group funded by the World Health Organization and the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization.

A trip to the grocery store revealed ammonium chloride – a salt – present in Wonder Bread and Chef Boyardee Mini Ravioli, made by ConAgra Foods. Ammonium phosphate, another type of salt, is listed on Chips Ahoy cookies.

But ammonium hydroxide, the chemical often used to sanitize the “pink slime,” was harder to find.

That is because it is often considered a “processing aid,” which is not required by U.S. regulators to be included on food labels.

“If it helps facilitate a process, it’s not required and (if) it’s used at a percent less than 1 percent, it doesn’t have to be declared on the label,” said Roger Clemens, president of the Institute of Food Technologists and chief scientific officer of E.T. Horn Co, a private chemical and ingredient company.

He said ammonia in food is now being used less than before, as replacement products gain popularity.

When asked if their products were made with ammonium hydroxide, Sara Lee Corp, Hormel Foods, Kellogg and ConAgra said they were not.

Hershey said it uses “natural cocoa” in most of its chocolates, but in the few products that use “alkalized cocoa,” it uses potassium carbonate, not ammonium hydroxide.

General Mills said the company does not discuss its production processes. Campbell Soup Co did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

(Additional reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles and Ernest Scheyder in New York; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

source: Reuters.com


by Leave a comment

Can Less Red Meat Add Up to a Longer Life?

Study Ties Red Meat to a Higher Risk of Death From Heart Disease and Cancer


By
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD


March 12, 2012 — People who eat less red meat may live longer than people who regularly eat burgers, steaks, and processed foods like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage, a new study shows.

For the study, Harvard researchers delved into the diets of more than 120,000 men and women who are taking part in the long-running Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study.

Every four years, people in the study were asked detailed questions about their eating habits. They were also asked about other health determinants like smoking and drinking, exercise, and body weight.

Men were in their early 50s, on average, when the study started. Women were in their mid-40s.

During the next 20 years, researchers found that people who ate the most red meat were more likely to die, and die of cancer or heart disease, compared to people who reported eating the fewest daily servings of beef, pork, and lamb.

Researchers estimate that a single daily 3-ounce serving of unprocessed red meat, which is about the size of a deck of playing cards, raises the risk of dying of heart disease by about 18% and raises the risk of dying of cancer by 10%.

Processed meats appear to be even more hazardous. A single daily serving of processed meats like bacon (two slices), sausage, or hot dogs (1 piece), raised the risk of dying of heart disease by 21% and dying of cancer by 16%.

“Processed red meat is definitely more harmful than fresh or unprocessed red meat,” says researcher An Pan, PhD, a research fellow in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston.

Go Nuts (or Fish, or Chicken)

Replacing red meat with leaner proteins like fish, chicken, nuts, low-fat dairy, whole grains, or beans may lower the risk of early death by 7% to 19%, the study shows.

“Substituting almost any other food for red meat reduces risk, sometimes substantially,” Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, says in an email.

“This is a call for a more varied diet that substitutes other foods for red meats, especially nuts,” says Nestle, who was not involved in the research.

Other experts agree.

“These lifestyle and diet changes really do make a difference,” says Dean Ornish, MD, founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif. He is also clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

“I think everybody would be better off if they consumed a plant-based diet. But even modest changes — substituting chicken for beef, for example, or fish for chicken — also play an important role in reducing risk,” says Ornish, who wrote a commentary on the study but was not involved in the research.

The study and commentary are published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Industry Response

Beef producers point out that this is a specific type of research called an observational study, which can’t prove cause and effect. They say other studies have shown that eating lean beef can be part of a healthful diet.

“If there is one thing scientists agree on, it is that responsible dietary advice must be drawn from a look at the entire body of evidence, including rigorous, gold-standard randomized control trials when they are available,” Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, executive director of Human Nutrition Research for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says in a written statement.

“In the case of beef, there are several randomized control trials which have convincingly shown that lean beef, when included as part of a healthy, balanced diet, improves heart health by lowering cholesterol,” she says.

“Most recently, the BOLD (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) study showed that eating lean beef every day, as part of a heart-healthy diet, could reduce [unhealthy] LDLcholesterol…” McNeill says.

Why Worry About Red Meat?

Red meat is high in protein, which helps maintain muscle. It’s also high in heme iron, which can be helpful for those who suffer from anemia, or iron deficiency.

But along with its virtues, red meat also is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, for example, which are thought to contribute to heart disease and cancer.

Processed meats like bacon and salami are often high in sodium, which may contribute to high blood pressure. They also contain preservatives like nitrites, which have been linked to cancer, such as pancreatic, kidney, and bladder cancers.

And cooking meat, including red meat and chicken, at high temperatures, by grilling or broiling it, for example, is known to generate chemicals linked to cancer.

Still, the study does not prove that red meat is directly harmful to health. It could be that people who eat lots of red meat are just also more likely to engage in other behaviors that may shorten their lives.

Indeed, researchers note that people in the study who ate a lot of red meat were less likely to exercise and were more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, and beoverweight than people who didn’t eat as much red meat.

Knowing that, however, researchers were able to adjust their data to try to account for the influence of those other unhealthy behaviors.

The study echoes previous research which has also linked diets high in red meat to a shorter life span.

In 2009, a study by the National Cancer Institute found that people who ate the equivalent of a quarter-pound burger or small steak each day had about a 30% greater risk of dying over 10 years than people who only ate red meat occasionally.

High red meat consumption has also been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

“The notion that eating meat might be bad for us is tough to swallow for a generation that has drunk deep of the ‘low carb’ Kool-Aid!” David L. Katz, MD, MPH, founder and director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Conn., says in an email to WebMD.

But Katz says the evidence clearly shows that more is not better when it comes to red meat.

“Eating ‘more’ meat means eating a lower proportion of calories from plants — vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, whole grains — which are decisively associated with better health,” he says.

source: webmd.com


by 1 Comment

How Your Body Stays Young

January 11, 2012 Diana Herrington

Do you know that your body is 15 ½ years old? You probably have had more birthdays than that – I certainly have.

“According to recent research, that’s the average age of your body – your muscles and guts, anyway. You might think that you have been around since the day you were born, but most of your body is a lot younger,” says Gaia Vince at New Scientist magazine.

The reason the average age is 15 ½ years is because every day 432 billion cells die and are replaced with new cells. That is a lot of cells.

Last week for instance, I cut myself while chopping vegetables; that cut healed completely which means millions of cells were replaced. It doesn’t stop there though: all over my body, old cells are dying and are being replaced. It’s happening in your body too.

Your gums, your red blood, cell your skin – almost everything. This regeneration is happening right now, as you are reading this.

Fascinating Facts About the Regenerating Body:

• Cells in our digestive system, from the stomach to the large bowel, are replaced every 5 minutes.
• Gums are replaced every two weeks.
• A new liver every five months.
• New covering of skin every four weeks.
• Our red blood cells live 120 days.
• Our heart is replaced every six to nine months.
• Your liver is capable of renewing and repairing from as little as 25 percent of its tissue.
• New studies are indicating that even brain cells may regenerate.

This is the miracle of the human body: the miracle of regeneration. The body looks the same in the mirror every day, but this is only because we can’t see the tiny parts being replaced.

That process makes me highly optimistic that you could have a better functioning body next year if you want, with less pain and more energy… if you take the right steps.

Is Your Body Degenerating Or Regenerating?

We know that in a fashion we are creating a new body by slowly getting new cells every day. The question is whether our new cells will be a healthier or less healthy.

The quality of the new cells is dependent on the raw material, the food that was available when the replacement cells were being formed. If you feed the body the proper food and nutrition, the new cells being formed can actually be stronger and healthier then the old cells ever were.

This is called regeneration. If you feed the body poorly, the result will be cells of an inferior quality. This is degeneration.

There are limits to this of course. Reasearchers estimate that 30 percent of our health is determined by genetics. You can do a LOT with 70 percent though and even the expression of genetics has been shown to be moderated by the environment.

The Big 5 Degenerators (These steal our health):


1. Processed foods are dead food with calories but almost no nutrients! All processed food is deficient in enzymes that are necessary for digestion. It fills your body, especially your liver, with chemicals that are used to create a long shelf life for the products. Research by a team at the London University College suggests that a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression.
2. Sugar is known as the “white death” for many reasons. It depresses the immune system. Just one teaspoon of sugar depresses the immune system for two hours. It depletes calcium. And we wonder why there is so much osteoporosis! Sugar overworks the pancreas creating a roller coaster effect. Sugar does not contain any vitamins or minerals, just lots of fat-building calories.
3. Alcohol is toxic to the liver, depletes B vitamins, depresses the nervous system, and inhibits the role of the bone marrow’s job of regenerating blood cells. Nerve connections between brain cells are affected by alcohol which inhibits communication signals, slowing down mental processing. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says: “Two studies compared brain shrinkage in alcoholic men and women and reported that male and female alcoholics both showed significantly greater brain shrinkage than control subjects. Studies also showed that both men and women have similar learning and memory problems as a result of heavy drinking.” You can have fun and be silly without alcohol. I do.
4. Caffeine (highly addictive) puts stress on the adrenal glands, negatively affecting the nervous system, causing emotional fatigue. As a diuretic it dehydrates the body and depletes calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. In some people it can increase blood pressure. Caffeine is not just in coffee! One can of Coke has approximately 35 mg of caffeine. Other soda pops have from 35 to 50 mg of caffeine, and they are full of sugar too.
5. Rancid fats and oils (deep fried foods, baked goods) create free radicals which injure cell membranes, enzymes and DNA. They stress the digestive system and the liver and raise blood cholesterol. Fats and oils also contain 120 calories per tablespoon.

Now you know what doesn’t work to create a healthy body. Feed your cells high quality food so that regeneration occurs.

Here’s a short list of items that supply the necessary environment for high quality regeneration. They cost less than most degenerators and some won’t cost you a penny.

The Big 5 Regenerators (Good Guys):

1. Fresh vegetables are filled with vitamins and minerals and are good source of phytochemicals that protect the body from disease and aging. They keep the body alkaline. Eat LOTS. They are the “heavyweights” in regeneration.
2. Fresh fruits are filled with vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of phytochemicals.
3. Whole grains (brown rice, oats, buckwheat, barley, millet, quinoa) are a great source of vitamins, minerals, good fiber and contain some protein.
4. Drink lots of pure water as it is needed for digestion, circulation of body fluids and joint lubrication.
5. Exercise. Nourishing friendships. Being in nature. Sleep. They are important in regeneration too and each one is a subject on its own.

The best thing about regeneration is that you don’t have to think about what your body is doing. All you have to do is set up the proper conditions and your body will take care of everything else.

A healthy body has the ability to heal itself of all (or almost all) problems if properly nourished. Thinking and worrying about it does not enhance the process, it actually can slow it down. You might as well be a carefree teenager just like your 15 ½-year-old body!

Final Factors in Staying Young:

Once the body has the basic raw materials for proper regeneration the next step is how we use that body.
Equally important is how we use the mind that “drives” the body.

The body was not meant to sit idle. Neither was our mind. If you are not moving the body regularly, it will become toxic and acidic. Some health professionals say you should not sit for more than one hour without getting up and moving around. I personally like to move around outside so I can also get the sunshine and fresh air.

It also helps to have purpose in one’s life. Listen to 70 plus Jane Fonda talking on TED about what she calls Life’s Third Act. Rather than accepting that after 40 or 50 you decline into decrepitude, she sees aging as a rebirth. At Real Food for Life we certainly agree. Or you can listen to my interview with Mimi Kirk, also 70 plus, who was voted the sexiest vegetarian over 50.

Most of this article was taken from a chapter in the e-book Eating Green, Clean and Lean.

source: care2.com


by Leave a comment

Bacon, Processed Meat Linked to Pancreatic Cancer

Ann Pietrangelo

January 13, 2012

Hold the bacon, hold the sausage. Researchers in Sweden suggest that eating an extra 50g of processed meat each day — that a couple of slices of bacon or a link of sausage — could increase your risk of pancreatic cancer by 19 percent.

The risk of pancreatic cancer increases by 38 percent for people who eat 100 grams a day and 57 percent for people who eat 150 grams a day of processed meat, compared to those who eat none.

Researchers analyzed data from 11 other trials, involving 6,643 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, concludes that, “processed meat consumption is positively associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Red meat consumption was associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in men. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.”

Pancreatic cancer has a relative survival rate of about 5.5 percent, making it one of the most lethal types of cancer.

Processed meat has been linked to a host of other health problems.

Associate Professor Susanna Larsson, study author based at the Karolinska Institutet, said in a press release:

“Pancreatic cancer has poor survival rates. So as well as diagnosing it early, it’s important to understand what can increase the risk of this disease.

“If diet does affect pancreatic cancer then this could influence public health campaigns to help reduce the number of cases of this disease developing in the first place.”

Sara Hiom, director of information at Cancer Research UK, said:

“The jury is still out as to whether meat is a definite risk factor for pancreatic cancer and more large studies are needed to confirm this. But this new analysis suggests processed meat may be playing a role.

“We do know that, among lifestyle factors, smoking significantly ramps up the risk of pancreatic cancer. Stopping smoking is the best way to reduce your chances of developing many types of cancer and other diseases as well.”

source: care2.com