Reducing Cancer Risk

According to the CDC, in 2015 there were 595,930 Americans who died of cancer. Whether it was the standard treatment protocols that killed them or the cancer itself is unknown. The United States declared "war" on cancer in 1971, and nearly 600,000 of us continue to die from its effects each year. It is the second leading killer of Americans after heart disease.

We can argue about how the "war" is going after 41 years, trillions of dollars and millions of deaths. But one thing about which there is no argument is that, in the words of public health expert Graham Colditz, "The real key here is that most cancers are not just a result of bad luck or chance. The majority are preventable."

PREVENTABLE!!!

While some cancers are indeed the result of genetic factors, the vast majority are directly linked to our sedentary lifestyles, high fat, high sugar diets and our consumption of tobacco and alcohol. Not all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle changes, but many can.

What are the most important things that you can do to reduce your risk? None of them should be a big surprise.

Exercise.

For every five points your body mass index (BMI) exceeds the normal range of 18.5 - 24.9, your risk of colorectal and breast cancer doubles. People who are obese - a BMI of 30 or higher - are at elevated risk for 13 distinct types of cancer. Exercise also strengthens the immune system and speeds digestion. All that is required to start realizing anti-cancer benefits is 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a day - take your dog for a walk. You don't need to become a gym rat.

Fix Your Diet.

This is neither difficult nor complicated. Eliminate most of the crap - soda, sugary and salty snacks, processed "convenience" foods (cancer is really not all that convenient) and white flour. Eat less red meat and more fish. Dial the carbs back a little and fill your plate with vegetables. Snack on fruit. Drink tea or water. The fact is that most people "don't like" eating healthy simply because they don't do it. Force yourself for a month or three and you will find you enjoy it just fine.

Eliminate Tobacco and Scale Back on the Alcohol.

Alcohol is a known carcinogen. Limit your drinking to 1 drink a day. And a drink is 1.5 oz of spirits, 5 oz of wine or 12 oz of beer. Smoking is linked to more than 80% of all lung cancers and raises the risk of 12 other cancers significantly. Just stop doing it.

Wear Sunscreen.

Nearly 90% of all skin cancers are lined to sun exposure. And Colorado (where I live) leads the nation in melanomas, with a rate 30% higher than the national average.

Get a Good Night's Sleep.

Americans are sleep deprived, and that increases your chances of developing cancers. Getting less than 6 hours sleep a night can suppress your immune system and reduce your natural "killer cells" -  cells that can attack cancer cells when they appear in your body - by as much as 70%.

The bottom line is that there is a lot that you can do to lower your risk of joining those who perish in the "war". Even small changes can make a big difference. What are you waiting for? A diagnosis?

Five Foods that Fight Inflammation

"Low-grade" inflammation can be present in your body at the cellular level for years without any notable symptoms. But such constant irritation can eventually manifest itself as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and allergies - among other things.

Here are five foods that you can include in your diet that will help to tame the inflammation threat.

1. Broccoli

The antioxidants in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like kale and Brussels sprouts are strongly linked to lower levels of cellular inflammation according to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Don't let the fact that you loathed eating them as a kid rob you of their health benefits. There are ways of preparing them that you mom never heard of that are both easy and tasty. Yes. Even Brussels sprouts.

2. Wheat berries

The "gluten free" fad notwithstanding, whole wheat and the polyphenol antioxidants it contains are an ally in the fight against inflammation. Toss them on salads and into soups, stews and even chili.

3. Extra virgin olive oil

In addition to the proven benefits of its monounsaturated fats, olive oil contains oleocanthal, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory mimicked by NSAID drugs like Ibuprofen.

4. Salmon

The Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon are well known for their anti-inflammatory power. Plus salmon tastes fantastic.

5. Grapefruit

A Harvard study concluded that women with a higher intake of flavenoid antioxidants from grapefruit had significantly lower inflammation levels than those who ate little or no grapefruit.

Grapefruit can interact negatively with several prescription medications. So if you are taking any, check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding grapefruit to your regular diet.


“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
― Hippocrates

House Guts Restaurant Disclosure Requirement

This past February, in the cynically misleadingly titled "Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act" - a bill that obfuscates disclosure - the US House of Representatives essentially gutted the the requirement that restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and movie theaters disclose the calorie content of the items on their menus.

The requirement was imposed as part of the Affordable Care Act and set to go into effect on May 5, 2017. Inexplicably, the Food and Drug Administration delayed the implementation by one year, to May 5, 2018 on the day before the rule was to take effect. This seems particularly illogical given that by May 4th, everyone was prepared to implement it.

But not to be outperformed in hypocrisy by the agency tasked with safeguarding our food, the House bill delayed implementation indefinitely. And just to be sure we were not mislead by being given accurate information about what we are eating, the bill permits serving sizes to be set at any size desired and not disclosed.

So that 100 calorie muffin you just ordered is going to set you back 500 calories if you eat the entire thing. Because the restaurant decided a "serving" was 1/5 of a muffin. Seems like common sense to me!

This monstrosity of a bill could still die if the Senate does not pass it. If you were ever thinking of contacting your Senators to express an opinion, this would be a really good time to do it.

"Common Sense Disclosure" my ass.

5 High Fiber Foods that Don't Taste like Cardboard

Dietary fiber is one of the most lacking components of the Standard American Diet (SAD). It is generally recommended that men consume at least 38 grams of fiber per day and 25 grams for women. On average, men consume about 18 grams and women about 15 grams. Lack of dietary fiber is strongly linked to a variety of serious health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and high blood cholesterol levels.

Unsurprisingly, the paucity of fiber in the SAD is a result of the consumption of large amounts of highly processed foods and small amounts of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. So what is someone to do if they are not huge fans of oatmeal or beans?

Here are 5 foods that taste great and add significant amounts of fiber to your diet.

1. Avocados. 9g per medium fruit.

2. Raspberries. 8g per 1 cup serving.

3. Almonds. 6g per 1/2 cup serving. (Go for unsalted ones.)

4. Sweet Potatoes. These nutritional powerhouses give you 6 g of fiber per
    medium size potato. Cook and use them the same way you would use white
    potatoes.

5. Popcorn. 1g per cup, popped. (Go easy on the salt, but who eats popcorn with
    no salt, right?)

Try adding a few of these foods to your everyday diet. You will be doing yourself a big favor.

The Mac & Cheese Burger? Really?

With 70% of adults and 33% of children now classified as either overweight or obese, it would seem to me that the last thing the USA needs is a new 1,710 calorie burger. TGI Fridays' disagrees.

"Casual dining, " says CEO Aslam Khan, "needs to be more imaginative... especially around product innovation." Fridays' latest innovation? The Mac & Cheese Burger!

How did they manage to innovate a burger with 1,710 calories, 38 grams of saturated fat and 4,580mg of sodium? By imagining a 14oz (nearly a pound) burger covered with beer-cheese sauce, bacon and, yes, a hockey puck size slab of deep-fried mac and cheese. That is the equivalent of two McDonald's Big Macs covered with a half pound of melted Velveeta.

Its true enough that they are not forcing anyone to eat this heart attack on a plate. But most people have no idea what they are consuming. And it isn't fair to single out only Fridays'. Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday, Red Robbin and the rest all have their own versions of such absurdly excessive fare.

In the end, its up to you to know what you are eating and make good choices. After all, the chain restaurants will still be imagining and innovating long after you are dead.