Mother’s Diet Affects Cleft-Palate Risk in Baby(Reuters Health)

Healthy Diet Guards Against Return of Colon Cancer (HealthDay)

Red Meat, Dairy Nutrient May Raise Colon Cancer Risk (HealthDay)

The “gas” (food) we use to fuel our bodies is soooo important!

Despite the fact that Americans seem to understand the health benefits of eating fruits and veggies, we are WAY below those percentages. It’s hard — other food choices are faster, cheaper and more accessible. The HealthDay report of this recent report card notes that experts are concerned about the health and disease impact of these food choices. And for good reason. I’m glad to see the concern.

Of course, we should all try to eat fresh fruits and veggies every day. But we can also ensure we’re getting a baseline of carotenoids and flavonoids (the phytonutrients that give fruits and veggies their color) through daily supplementation. That is an easy, convenient way to be sure we’re getting an “A” on the F&V report card .

It’s widely known that Americans consume a lot of pop. So much so that some commentators fear we are making a significant and negative public health impact.

Sugar is the main ingredient of pop, of course. So much sugar is being consumed in pop, that it is virtually impossible to counteract it with good dietary habits to achieve a “balanced diet.” According to the April 2007 edition of American Journal of Public Health, a review of published studies shows that a study of higher intake of sugary sodas goes hand-in-hand with a lower intake of milk, calcium and other essential nutrients, a lower intake of fruit and fiber, and a higher intake of carbohydrates. According to Reuters Health, the review also concluded a direct link between sugary pop consumption and an increased risk of obesity AND diabetes!

And then there are the other ingredients. According to Steve Edwards of beachbody.com:

Beyond the simple sugar rush, these acids and phosphates [also found in pop] alter your body’s pH levels and inhibit absorption of other nutrients. Then there are the effects of certain artificial coloring agents. For example, yellow #5, commonly used in soft drinks, has been linked to attention deficit disorder, hives, asthma, and other allergic reactions in some children.

As for diet sodas, a study released last year showed that drinkers of diet soda gained weight, rather than losing it! Edwards says:

[T]he true effects of these ingredients have not been thoroughly studied. Despite their no-calorie status, diet sodas have been linked to assorted illnesses [and] there is little doubt that the pH balance of diet sodas hinders the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

We can each make our own effort to STOP the POP. There are good tasting, summer-appealing alternatives that even hydrate instead of dehydrating (as pop does)! Click here for one that contains no artificial ingredients, provides 67% more muscle fuel than the leading commercial sports drink, is low in sugars, and provides the optimal balance of electrolytes. It comes in orange and lemon-lime flavors…very yummy!

Flavonoids are a class of water-soluble antioxidant compounds found in many plant-based foods and known to support capillary strength, cardiovascular health and circulation. According to the Reuters Health report of this study, it analyzed dietary patterns of postmenopausal women participating in the Iowa Women’s Health Study.

Pomegranates can help reduce “bad” cholesterol and make blood less clot-prone (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2000).

3 month daily serving of Pomegranate juice improved heart oxygen levels of those with coronary heart disease (American Journal of the College of Cardiology, Sept. 2005).

Long-term consumption of Pomegranate juice may help combat erectile dysfunction (Journal of Urology, July 2005).

Pomegranate compounds in mice slowed the growth of prostate cancer (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Sept. 26, 2005).

There are some indicators the pomegranates may help reduce arthritis symptoms (Journal of Nutrition, Sept. 2005).

I don’t eat a lot of pomegranates, but have enjoyed them as a salad garnish. It’s probably easiest to drink pomegranate tea (yum!). Who ever knew there was so much power in the pomegranate?!

A new study weighs in on the side of the beneficial effects. Research published in the Feb. 17 issue of the journal The Lancet found that children whose mothers ate at least three servings of fish a week during pregnancy had higher scores in tests of mental function in their early years. And the study found that maternal seafood intake during pregnancy of less than 340 grams a week was associated with increased risk of children being in the bottom 25 percent of verbal IQ at 8 years of age and with suboptimum performance on tests of social behavior, fine motor activity, communication and social development.

The HealthDay report of the research cited several experts on both sides of “the question”, given these new findings. Some say eat the fish. Some say don’t. I don’t get it. Why not just advise pregnant women to supplement with guaranteed ultra-pure omega-3 fatty acids, thought to be the component in fish providing the benefit???

Many hospitals, including children’s hospitals, house fast food outlets. The Reuters Health report on this study highlighted the belief that this encourages people “to view the fare as healthier than it probably is”. And with fast food being linked to the growing childhood obesity epidemic, it becomes one of those things that should make us step back and say “what’s wrong with this picture?”. Does the picture seem fuzzy, though, due to the fact that McDonalds, the main children’s hospital fast food vendor, provides financial support to some of the hospitals?

I’m glad to see this phenomenon being studied and reported. What does it take to move from this to action, I wonder?

Spinach and other greens are rich in B-vitamins and Vitamin K, as well as being reasonable vegetarian options for providing iron and calcium. Also, spinach has become a favored green vegetable in recent years because of its lutein content. Lutein has been shown to help maintain eye health.

What to do? Be sure to supplement with a baseline of foundational nutrients, including those in spinach, and add the clinically relevant amount of lutein to your daily regime. “Clinically relevant” is important, because you cannot get enough lutein to provide the benefits demonstrated from research in a multi-vitamin. A carotenoid-only supplement is the only way to get adequate amounts.