Disease Proof

Ultraviolet light is kind of a big deal and way more essential to health than you might think. Here’s Dr. Fuhrman on the subject. Have a look:

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that your body makes after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Vitamin D functions as a hormone because it sends a message to the intestines to increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus…

…Sun exposure is perhaps the most important source of vitamin D because exposure to sunlight provides most humans with their vitamin D requirement. The further you live from the equator, the longer you need to be exposed to the sun in order to generate vitamin D.

Now check out this research on UV light. Apparently it offers a “double whammy” against cancer. Michael Kahn of Reuters reports:

Using ultraviolet light may one day offer a "double whammy" to kill cancer cells by better focusing antibody-based drugs and triggering the body's own defenses to eliminate tumors, researchers said on Tuesday.

In two studies with mice, a British team cloaked antibodies -- the immune system proteins that tag germs and cancer cells for elimination -- with an organic oil that blocked them from reacting until illuminated with ultraviolet light.

The researchers used engineered immune system proteins called monoclonal antibodies. They are made to home in on proteins known to be overactive in tumor cells.

When the light unblocked the organic coating, the antibodies switched on and attracted killer T-cells to attack the tumor, said Colin Self, a researcher at Newcastle University, who led the studies.

Pretty cool information. Kind of knew this already. Remember this quote from Dr. Fuhrman? Here it is again:

In addition to its significant cancer-protective effects, recent studies demonstrate that vitamin D also can inhibit the growth of existing breast and prostate cancer cells. Likewise, it helps inhibit the progression and metastasis of a wide spectrum of cancers, suggesting therapeutic value in the treatment of those who already have cancer.1

Got to love the UV-vitamin D link!

A lot of people don’t realize it—I didn’t either—but heart diseases actually starts to develop at a young age. Hard to believe? Well, it won’t be after this. Here’s an excerpt from Dr. Fuhrman’s book Disease-Proof Your Child. Take a look:

There is considerable evidence that the lipoprotein abnormalities (high LDL and low HDL) that are linked to heart attack deaths in adulthood begin to develop in early childhood and that higher cholesterol levels eventually get “set” by early food habits.1 What we eat during our childhood affects our lifetime cholesterol levels…

… When we study people who died young of coronary artery disease, we find that the highest risk of an earlier death occurs in those who were above average weight in childhood.2 Findings from the famous Bogalusa Heart Study show that a high saturated fat intake early in life is strongly predictive of later heart disease burden and the higher blood pressure in childhood and adolescence is powerfully predictive of cardiovascular death in adulthood.3

And it seems diet isn’t the only thing upping kids’ risk of heart disease. Check this out. A new study claims too much television raises children’s blood pressure. The man, Robert Preidt of HealthDay News reports:

The finding "illustrates the need for considerable physician and family involvement to decrease TV time among obese children," study author Dr. Jeffrey B. Schwimmer, associate professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Diego, said in a prepared statement.

His team's study included 546 participants, ages 4 to 17, who were evaluated for obesity at clinics in California and Ohio from 2003 to 2005.

Information was collected on the amount of time the children spent watching TV, along with their body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure.

The researchers found that both the severity of obesity and the amount of time spent watching TV each day were significant independent predictors of hypertension.

So, what’s the modern medical answer? Improve diet, more exercise, and less TV? No! Instead, why not just give big pharma more money—oops! I mean prescribe heart drugs to young kids. Linda Johnson of the Associated Press reports, More Young Adults on Cholesterol Drugs:

Experts point to higher rates of obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol problems among young people. Also, doctors are getting more aggressive with preventive treatments.

"This is good news, that more people in this age range are taking these medicines," said Dr. Daniel W. Jones, president of the American Heart Association.

Still, he said many more people should be on the drugs that lower cholesterol or blood pressure and which have been shown to reduce risks for heart attack and stroke.

The new data, from prescription benefit manager Medco Health Solutions Inc., indicate use of cholesterol-lowering drugs among people aged 20 to 44, while still low, jumped 68 percent over a six-year period.

Pretty amazing if you ask me! I’m not a parent, but if my kid’s pediatrician prescribed him or her heart drugs I’d take that as a monumental parenting failure. What do you think?

For some reason people are so intrigued with Chile peppers. Check out this report by the Associated Press. Scientists are trying to harness the power of the pepper. Here’s a bit:

Doctors are dripping the chemical that gives chili peppers their fire directly into open wounds during knee replacement and a few other highly painful operations.

Don't try this at home: These experiments use an ultra-purified version of capsaicin to avoid infection -- and the volunteers are under anesthesia so they don't scream at the initial burn.

How could something searing possibly soothe? Bite a hot pepper, and after the burn your tongue goes numb.

The hope is that bathing surgically exposed nerves in a high enough dose will numb them for weeks, so that patients suffer less pain and require fewer narcotic painkillers as they heal.

We’ve seen this before. Remember this Chile pepper investigation? Refresh your memory and most importantly keep in mind this quote from Dr. Fuhrman:

“…hot spices should be used sparingly and should not be considered health foods.”

Here’s some not-so good news from China. First from the AFP, the Western influence on Chinese diet is causing a spike in breast cancer cases. More from the report:

Increasing numbers of Chinese urban women are suffering from breast cancer due to unhealthy diets and a spike in work stress in the rapidly modernising country, state media said Tuesday.

Breast cancer is up 31 percent in the financial hub of Shanghai over the past decade, and 23 percent in the capital, Beijing, according to data from the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention cited by the China Daily.

"Unhealthy lifestyles are mostly to blame for the growing numbers," the paper quoted Qiao Youlin, a cancer researcher at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, as saying.

And now, it seems increased pollution is causing a lot more birth defects in China. Here’s another report from the AFP. Check it out:

The rate of defects appeared to increase near the country's countless coal mines, which produce the bulk of China's energy but are also responsible for serious air and water pollution, the China Daily newspaper said, quoting government officials.

Birth defects nationwide have increased from 104.9 per 10,000 births in 2001 to 145.5 last year, it said, citing a report by the National Population and Family Planning Commission.

They affect about one million of the 20 million babies born every year, with about 300,000 babies suffering from "visible deformities."

My hope is China learns from the mistakes of other heavily industrialized nations…like us!

Okay ghouls and goblins, the macabre is upon us. So here are some Halloween inspired health points. Read them, if you dare:

• This article in The Los Angeles Times takes a look at the whole “sugar rush” thing. Karen Ravn reports:

Many say the evidence contradicts such stories. "There is no scientific basis to the idea that sugar and/or candy has any major effect on children's behavior, particularly if they eat OK," says Dian Dooley, professor of human nutrition, food and animal sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Others think sugar has plenty of skeletons in its closet. "The bottom line is that the ingestion of too much high-glycemic carbohydrate causes a rapid rise and then fall of blood sugar," says Dr. David Ludwig, professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children's Hospital Boston. "This triggers a series of metabolic and hormonal changes that can affect appetite and behavior for hours to come."

• From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, here is the calorie content of some popular candy treats. Take a look:

If your trick-or-treaters forgo candy for inedible treats, here's what they'll save in calories (same for you parents if you dip into your kids' candy bowls):

20 pieces of candy corn ... 100 calories

2 Brachs caramels ... 80 calories

2 Hershey's kisses ... 50 calories

• That loopy “Diet Detective” Charles Stuart Platkin is at it again. Julie’s Health Club looks at his candy recommendations. Look:

"M&Ms are 5.01 calories per gram whereas the Smarties are 4.166 calories per gram," he said. "So the Smarties seem to be a better choice.

BUT only slightly. Here is where packaging is important. On the Nestle website (Canada), they show 1 box as only 12 grams, or 50 calories. That's not too bad. Whereas the M&Ms show a serving size of 1.69 ounces or 47.9 grams."

• Here’s an idea. Instead of giving out edible junk, why not give away stickers, pens, and temporary tattoos? More from Gretchen McKay of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Yet as we all know, you can, and should, eat only so much of the sweet stuff. Besides, knowing what you're going to get is boring. So why not shake it up this year and toss something a little different in your trick-or-treaters' treat sacks?

There is a wonderful array of inedible treats available in local stores and on the Internet. Many cost about the same price as candy and are nearly as much fun. Moreover, they're calorie-free.

At Target, for example, a 25-pack of mini Play-Doh cans is on sale for $3.99. That's just 16 cents each, or about the same cost as a treat-sized bag of Doritos or an individual box of Junior Mints. An eight-pack of those trendy gel pens -- which can write on dark paper -- costs a mere buck.

• Well, giving out candy might not be doing kids any favors, but, highly doubt passing out pork is any better. Get a load of this article in The Los Angeles Times:

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought you [might] be interested in the fact that October is national pork month," writes Victor Domine of Bender Hammerling Group, which handles public relations for French's mustard and french fried onions. Maybe this is what those kids who wear braces get to eat -- or is Domine suggesting that folks pig out Wednesday night? It's a policy we cannot in good conscience endorse.

Halloween, it seems, is not just about pork. It's also about dairy. "We thought maybe a light and fun story that revolves around scary skeletons, building bones and calcium and vitamin D-fortified snack foods would be of interest to you," writes Kevin Hughes of Peacock Communications on behalf of Precious Cheese. Well, we guess this might go down better with the kids than the healthful celery-sticks-dipped-in-peanut-butter treat suggested by UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Personally, I’ll be giving out little boxes of raisins—sorry kids!

Convenience food is tempting. Think about it, after a hard-day’s work, the gym, chasing after kids, the rush-hour commute, or whatever else consumes your time. It’s tempting to succumb to the quick-and-easy allure of convenience foods. Instead, consider this quote from Dr. Fuhrman:

Food manufacturers remove the most valuable part of the food and then add bleach, preservatives, salt, sugar, and food coloring to make breads, breakfast cereals, and other convenience foods. Yet many Americans consider such food healthy merely because it is low in fat.

And the Standard American Diet is chock full of convenience foods; canned pasta, fast food, dried macaroni and cheese, and—relevant to this post—boxed rice dishes. Karen Collins, R.D. of MSNBC agrees they’re convenient, but at a cost. Here’s an excerpt:

Boxed rice may be convenient, but these products offer little more than refined grains and lots of excess sodium. Eating a one-cup portion of rice prepared according to package directions (including the prepackaged seasonings and added margarine) can provide up to 1350 milligrams of sodium. Compare that to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines’ recommended limit of 2300 mg per day and you’re well on your way to sodium overload.

Sodium recommendations are designed to prevent or control high blood pressure and reduce risk of stomach cancer. While the guidelines are set for the general public, people who are more sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of sodium — namely black men and women, older adults and those already diagnosed with hypertension — are encouraged to limit sodium even further, to 1500 mg per day or less.

I used to eat a lot of this junk—packets of flavored rice and pilaf mixes—but no more! Why? Well, first let’s consider all that sodium Karen Collins brings up. Dr. Fuhrman is no fan of salt. This quote should give you his lowdown on sodium. Take a look:

High salt intake, and resultant high blood pressure later in life, does not merely increase the risk and incidence of stroke. It also can lead to kidney failure, congestive heart failure, and heart attack. Salt consumption is linked to both stomach cancer and hypertension.1 For optimal health, I recommend that no salt at all be added to any food.

And those refined grains are no better! Even if manufacturers claim they are “enriched.” Dr. Fuhrman explains all this much better than I can—time for another quote! Check it out:

White pasta, white rice and white bread are just like sugar; because their fiber has been removed, these nutrient deficient foods are absorbed too rapidly. This, in turn, will raise glucose, triglyceride, and insulin levels in your blood. Refined grains are undesirable and will sabotage your weight-loss and cholesterol-lowering efforts.

Makes me wonder how in the HECK I used to eat that stuff. My typical dinner used to be a rice-packet with a can of tuna fish thrown into the pot. I know—CRAZY! It’s hard to believe I would eat something like that, especially now that I’ve…to be continued.

I like a good practical joke, but, I’m pretty sure if someone messed with my food they’d wake up with a knot on their forehead. Now, in the spirit of Halloween, this article from The New York Times is all about tricking kids into eating healthy food. More from the Well blog:

Cookbooks that teach parents how to hide veggies in food have hit the best-seller lists. But is tricking your kids into eating vegetables really a good idea?

“Deceptively Delicious,” by celebrity wife Jessica Seinfeld, and “The Sneaky Chef,” by Missy Chase Lapine, both offer similar advice about secretly slipping veggies into meals. Both books suggest that parents purée healthy foods like spinach, cauliflower and sweet potatoes and hide them in kid foods like macaroni and cheese or brownies…

….Susan Roberts, director of the energy metabolism laboratory at Tufts University, says parents should aim to improve the quality of the food they serve their kids — making lasagne with vegetables and wholewheat pasta, for instance. But parents shouldn’t give up on serving plain and simple vegetables, even if they have already added pureed cauliflower to the mac and cheese.

“The point of burying veggies in foods, in my view, is not to cram in veggies secretly, but to make recipes healthier so that there isn’t such a huge metabolic difference between indulgent treats and vegetables,'’ said Dr. Roberts.

Honestly, this approach means well, but come on! Is this reliable? I’d say it’s a ridiculous waste of time. Instead, teach kids the joy of eating healthfully. Dr. Fuhrman’s book Disease-Proof Your Child is all about this sort of thing. Here’s a snippet:

Parents are entrusted with the responsibility of securing the selection of healthy foods for the family and preparing the food in a way that makes it desirable. Children are responsible for deciding how much they eat. If they are in an environmental of healthful foods they will have no problem regulating variety and timing. They can choose what they eat, when they eat, and if they will eat. Don’t use food as a reward or punishment. Don’t offer a treat because the child was good or ate well. Offer healthy treats as part of the normal well-balanced diet.

No rules only for children. If the parents are not willing to follow the rules set for the house, they should not be imposed on the children. Don’t argue about what your children should and shouldn’t be eating; discuss this in private. As parents, we must be consistent, but not perfect. Likewise, it is okay for the children to be consistent, but not perfect either. For example, if the parents decide that an unhealthy food or a restaurant meal is acceptable for the children once per week, then that goes for the adults, too. Setting an example supported by both parents is the most important and most effective way for your children to develop a healthy attitude toward food.

Actually, Robin Quivers from The Howard Stern show touched on this a couple weeks ago and she also thought it was a total waste or time. And Robin would know! She recently took charge of her life and adopted a health-promoting vegetable-based diet. Congratulations Robin!

HealthDay News takes a look at some new facts surrounding the safety of certain cleaning products. Robert Preidt reports:

The Hard Surface Hygiene Fact Sheet outlines the safe, proper use of surface cleaning products and disinfectants. It describes surfaces where germs can linger and the types of products available for consumer and institutional use. It also provides brief summaries of common ingredients that make cleaning products effective and tips on safe and proper use, storage and disposal of products…

…"Our Hard Surface Hygiene Fact Sheet gives consumers, educators and public health professionals another information tool on products that help prevent the spread of germs that can make us sick," Nancy Bock, SDA's vice president of education, said in a prepared statement.

If you’re interested, visit the Soap and Detergent Association’s homepage. And for more on chemical hazards, check out DiseaseProof’s toxins category.

Listen up folks. This one is mine—SO YOU BETTER LIKE IT! Seriously, I hope you enjoy it…or else. Take a look:

Zucchini or Carrot Bread

20 dates
1 cup unsweetened soymilk
2 very ripe bananas (3 if small)
1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 cups quick oats (blended into flour)
2 cups quick oats
2 heaping teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
2 cups shredded zucchini (or carrots)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Blend dates, soy milk, bananas, sunflower seeds, and flaxseed until smooth. Add all ingredients into large mixing bowl. Mix well (more oats may be needed to thicken mixture). Spread in baking pan 1 1/2 inches thick (rub pan with a little blended oats to help prevent sticking). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes then cover edges with foil (like you would a pie crust). Continue baking until golden brown and center is firm. Serves 12 or more, depending on how cut it.

I’m usually proud to be an American—but now isn’t one of those times! ParentDish acquaints us with Batter Blaster, pancakes in a can. You have to see it, to believe it:

I guess if you don't mind missing out on all the learning and just want to get to the cooking part, Batter Blaster is the way to go. It's ready-made pancake batter in a spray can -- think Easy Cheese. Now, lest you worry that this is full of chemicals and preservatives, please note that Batter Blaster is an organic product.

I's up at Booklore—Libra Simplex. Oh! And not all recipes are Fuhrman-friendly.

Now, Dr. Fuhrman’s approach to diet is not necessarily vegan or vegetarian. Heck, just look at me. I’m an Eat to Liver and I eat fish and I know others who eat eggs and chicken. However there are certainly some advantages to going veggie. From Dr. Fuhrman’s book Eat to Live:

The China Project confirmed that there were virtually no heart attacks in populations that consume a lifelong vegetarian diet and almost no heart attacks in populations consuming a diet that is rich in natural plant foods and receives less than 10 percent of its calories from animal foods.

My observation of the worldwide data is supported by studies of American vegetarians and nonvegetarians.1 These studies show that the major risk factors associated with heart disease — smoking, physical inactivity, and animal-product consumption — are avoidable. Every heart attack death is even more of a tragedy because it likely could have been prevented.

Pretty cool—right? Well, the coolness train isn’t about to pull out of the station anytime soon. Get a load of this from AlterNet, “15 Reasons to Stop Hiding from Vegetarianism.” Personally, I could never go total vegetarian—I love sushi too much! But check it out anyway:

1. You'll ward off disease. Vegetarian diets are more healthful than the average American diet, particularly in preventing, treating or reversing heart disease and reducing the risk of cancer. A low-fat vegetarian diet is the single most effective way to stop the progression of coronary artery disease or prevent it entirely. Cardiovascular disease kills 1 million Americans annually and is the leading cause of death in the United States. But the mortality rate for cardiovascular disease is lower in vegetarians than in nonvegetarians, says Joel Fuhrman, MD, author of Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss. A vegetarian diet is inherently healthful because vegetarians consume no animal fat and less cholesterol and instead consume more fiber and more antioxidant-rich produce -- another great reason to listen to Mom and eat your veggies!

2. You'll keep your weight down. The standard American diet -- high in saturated fats and processed foods and low in plant-based foods and complex carbohydrates -- is making us fat and killing us slowly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a division of the CDC, the National Center for Health Statistics, 64 percent of adults and 15 percent of children aged 6 to 19 are overweight and are at risk of weight-related ailments including heart disease, stroke and diabetes. A study conducted from 1986 to 1992 by Dean Ornish, MD, president and director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, found that overweight people who followed a low-fat, vegetarian diet lost an average of 24 pounds in the first year and kept off that weight 5 years later. They lost the weight without counting calories or carbs and without measuring portions or feeling hungry.

And yes, it’s always cool to find Dr. Fuhrman quoted somewhere.

(via SoulVeggie)

Here’s a neat little post from the Freakonomics Blog, “Why Are Women More Likely to Be Obese Than Men?” Three reasons why:

1. “Women who were nutritionally deprived as children are significantly more likely to be obese as adults, while men who were deprived as children face no greater risk.”

2. “Women of higher adult socioeconomic status are significantly more likely to be obese, which is not true for men.”

3. “Finally (and more speculatively), women’s perceptions of an ‘ideal’ female body are larger than men’s perceptions of the ‘ideal’ male body, and individuals with larger ‘ideal’ body images are significantly more likely to be obese.”

According to a new study, exercise helps overweight kids learn. Lose weight and get smarter—one heck of a bargain! Robert Preidt of HealthDay News reports:

Three months of daily, vigorous exercise can improve overweight kids' thinking, U.S. researchers report.

Physical activity can also lower their diabetes risk, reduce their body fat, and strengthen their bones, says a team that looked at about 200 overweight, inactive children, ages 7 to 11.

All the children learned about healthy nutrition and the benefits of physical activity. In addition, a third of the children exercised 20 minutes a day, and another third exercised for 40 minutes. During the exercise sessions, the children played running games and used hula hoops and jump ropes to get their heart rates to 79 percent of maximum -- considered a vigorous workout.

When I was a kid I used to run around all day, but I was still a little dummy!

When I was a kid I used to get a lot of headaches—not sure why—but ever since I upgraded my diet I NEVER get them anymore. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I had one. I wonder why? Here’s Dr. Fuhrman on the subject:

The major cause of both tension headaches and migraines is the retention of toxins or tissue irritants within the central nervous system. These chemical irritants may cause an oversensitivity of nerve tissue to other stimuli. It has also been shown that tissue waste, such as nitric oxide and other irritating chemicals, can be released from both the nerves and blood vessels in the central nervous systems.1 These recent findings illustrate the biochemical players associated with detoxification in the central nervous systems. Withdrawal from toxins either taken orally or self-produced within the body is a form of detoxification. This merely means the body is actively engaged in an effort to lower the levels of waste retained in our cells. Sometimes this release of waste from cells can be painful; nevertheless, it has a positive benefit to the body. Our cells and the tissue they comprise must continually strive to maintain their purity to prevent early cellular degeneration and premature cell death.

The relationship between food triggers and migraines has been the subject of much debate, with varying results from medical researchers. Headache specialists such as Seymour Diamond, director of the Diamond Headache Clinic of Columbus Hospital, report that about 30 percent of patients can identify food triggers.2

My experience in treating migraine and severe-headache patients with a more comprehensive nutritional approach has shown that 90 to 95 percent of patients are able to remain headache-free after the first three-month period. These patients avoid common migraine triggers, but also in the healing phase they adhere to a strict natural-food vegan diet of primarily fruits and vegetables rich in natural starches like potatoes and brown rice. These patients must avoid all packaged and processed foods, which are notorious for containing hidden food additives, even though they are not disclosed on the labels. They also avoid all added salt.

Hungry for more headache info? Check out this post from The New York Times blog Domestic Disturbances. Here’s Judith Warner with The Migraine Diet:

All this because I had a migraine. In fact, I was on day six of a migraine that would, by day seven, have me dissolving into tears in between the taped segments of my radio show. (Think Holly Hunter. Think “Broadcast News.” The show went on, seamlessly.)

I was suffering like this because I was Taking Control of my life. I’d recently read “Heal Your Headache,” by the Johns Hopkins University neurologist David Buchholz. And now I was following his “1-2-3 Program for Taking Charge of Your Pain.”

In Dr. Buchholz’s view, chronic migraine sufferers like me — I average around seven to twelve headaches a month — are, very often, victims of their own past treatment successes. Triptans, the new-ish class of drugs that bind to serotonin receptors and can work wonders when taken early in migraine attacks, cause rebound headaches, he says, if you take them more than two days a month. So do over-the-counter painkillers and stronger stuff like codeine and oxycodone.

Step 1 in his plan, then, involves removing such “quick fix” drugs from your life. Step 2 is about recognizing your migraine “triggers” and removing the ones – like certain foods, alcohol and caffeine – that you can do something about. (As opposed to the ones – like changes in barometric pressure, work deadlines and mothers-in-law — that you can’t do anything about.) Step 3 is daily preventive medicine – but the idea, in Buchholz’s book, is that if you do well enough at Steps 1 and 2, you might not have to go to Step 3.

I’m not sure whether or not Dr. Fuhrman would agree with everything Dr. Buchholz’s is talking about, but, its good to see some attention being paid to diet as a cause of chronic headaches and migraines—don’t you think?

Bad day for beef and toys! First, a Florida firm recalls beef over E. coli fear. Reuters is on it:

A Florida company recalled 8,200 pounds of frozen ground beef because the meat may be contaminated with the debilitating E.coli bacteria, the government's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday.

The FSIS, an office under the U.S. Agriculture Department, said Blue Ribbon Meats of Hialeah, Florida, voluntarily recalled the 10-pound and 20-pound boxes of seasoned beef patties and meatloaf patties.

It was the fifth recall caused by suspected E.coli this month and follows the recall at Topps Meat Co of 21.7 million pounds of beef linked to 30 cases of E.coli-related illnesses, the fifth largest beef or poultry recall in U.S. history.

And, the U.S. has recalled more Chinese-made products for lead in paint. Reuters again:

The recall of roughly 665,000 items announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) includes about 38,000 Go Diego Go Animal Rescue Boats from Mattel Inc's Fisher-Price division.

The boats were sold at retail stores nationwide from June through October, and the CPSC said surface paint contains excessive levels of lead.

Also recalled were about 142,000 Halloween pails sold at Family Dollar Stores Inc from August through October. The CPSC said green paint on the pails contains amounts of lead that violate U.S. standards for lead paint.

When will it be safe to go into the supermarket and toy store again?

This week Eating to Live on the Outside tangos with The Old Bay. The Old Bay serves up New Orleans inspired creations and, in this case, in all their unglory. Yeah, you guessed it. Its not good, but, we solider on—lets see what we got!

Oh boy. I don’t think the Natchitoches Beef Pies aren't going to cut it. Neither will the Gator Balls or the Three Cheese Baked Bread. Well, the only thing I see on the Sharing Plates that might work is the Wild Mushroom Mini Pizza Forestier. Yeah-yeah, I know what you’re saying, “PIZZA!” Relax, I’m ditching the cheddar cheese, but, I’m keeping the roasted red pepper sauce and the Criminni, Portobello, Shitake and Oyster mushrooms. So, with that being said, the only concession would be the pizza dough. I’m not thrilled about it, but its cool.

Alright, the soups and the classic Cajun dishes aren’t looking good, so I’m skipping over that section of the menu—onto the rest of the main dishes! Okay, the only thing I see—and this is a big concession—is the Vegetarian Zucchini Boat. What is it? Brace yourself. It’s a seedless zucchini “boat” corn floured, fried, stuffed with ratatouille, surrounded by long grain rice, and smothered in a roasted vegetable sauce. Now, this thing has a lot strikes, but maybe if the sun, the moon, and the stars are in line, you might be willing to make this concession. Personally, I wouldn’t. The misgivings with this veggie dish is obviously the frying and any cheese or dairy products that might be used in the ratatouille or sauce. If it turns out its dairy-free and you can deal with the frying. It’s an option, albeit a bad one.

Now, the steaks are next—and we’re done! Moving on. The next viable menu items are the salads, again, no surprises here. You’ve got two options: the Garden Salad of Mixed Greens and Caesar Salad. The Caesar Salad is a big waste of time. I never bother trying to futz with Caesar salads, especially in the face of a house salad. In the case of The Old Bay the garden salad comes with mixed leaf greens, grape tomatoes, carrots, and mushrooms, and your choice of dressing. As always, if you limit or omit the dressing you’ve got a great meal here and possibly concession-free—hard to argue with that!

Okay, confession time. I’ve actually eaten at The Old Bay. So, what did I ordered? Drum-roll please, actually it’s not that dramatic. I had the Garden Salad with a teeny-tiny amount of balsamic vinaigrette. It was pretty good. It’s hard to muck up a salad. My friend I was eating with—she is not an Eat to Liver—ordered the Wild Mushroom Mini Pizza and the Fried Calamari Creole. Now, she ordered the pizza with the cheese, so I didn’t touch it, but it did look good and without cheese I think it’d still be very tasty. I don’t need to talk about the fried calamari do I?

Well, there it is. Eating to Live on the Outside Cajun-style. I’m sure a Cajun restaurant in New Jersey isn’t the best representation of Creole cooking, so maybe it is a lot better than this, but as far as The Old Bay is concerned I doubt it’ll become a hotspot for Eat to Livers. But what do you think? Check out The Old Bay’s menu and let me know how you handle Eating to Live on the Outside. Make a comment or send an email to diseaseproof@gmail.com. Until then, eat well. Peace!

Green veggies don’t mess around. They are packed with nutrients! Just get a load of this chart:

Green vegetables have demonstrated the most dramatic protection against cancer. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, collards, arugala, watercress, and cabbage) contain a symphony of phytonutrients with potent anti-cancer effects.

Isothiocyanates (ITCs), which are perhaps the best studied, have been shown to provide protection against environmental carcinogen exposure by inducing detoxification pathways, thereby neutralizing potential carcinogens. These vegetables also contain indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Indole-3-carbinol has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by decreasing estrogen activity.
Important recent studies have shown that cruciferous vegetables and the compounds they contain can do the following:

• halt the growth of breast cancer cells1
• dramatically reduce the risk of colon cancer2
• prevent the replication of prostate cancer cells and induce death of cancerous cells3
• inhibit the progression of lung cancer4

Now, check out this new report. Amanda Gardner of HealthDay News reports that broccoli may help fight skin cancer:

Scientists have discovered that an extract of broccoli sprouts protects the skin against the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

That's not the same as calling the extract a sunscreen, however.

"This is not a sunscreen, because it does not absorb the ultraviolet rays of the sun," explained Dr. Paul Talalay, a professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. "We don't want people covering their bodies with broccoli and going to the beach. They will have no protection whatsoever."

Exposure to ultraviolet or UV rays is the primary cause of most skin cancers. The incidence of skin cancer in the United States is on the rise as men and women who had too many sunburns earlier in life get older and develop the disease.

Talalay started working on skin cancer prevention about 25 years ago. "Cells contain an elaborate network of protective genes that code for proteins that protect against four principal injurious processes to which all of our cells are exposed and which are the causes of cancer, degenerative disease and aging," he explained.

A bunch of green people on the beach would be funny, but we’ve heard this before. Remember this post from The Cancer Blog linking broccoli to cancer-protection. Here’s a bit:

The researchers are convinced that there is a biological mechanism behind the protective effect. It is explained in the article that a compound resulting from the digestion of cruciferous vegetables, and genistein, an isofavone in soy, reduce the two proteins needed for breast and ovarian cancer to spread…

…The study found that when cancer cells were treated with high levels of compounds found in broccoli and soy, the drawing mechanism to the organs was reduced by 80 percent compared to untreated cells.

For more on this topic, give these posts a whirl:

• Cruciferous Vegetables
• Cruciferous Phytochemicals at Work
• Flavonoids and Bioflavonoids
• More Love for Flavonoids
• The Phytochemical Revolution
• Vitamins from Food

• Eat Broccoli, Wiggle Hamster Feet
• Baby Genius vs. Broccoli

Back in September we learned that a judge stopped the effort to get calorie-content on fast food restaurant menus in NYC. The AFP reported:

"This decision highlights some of the flaws in the New York City Board of Health's regulation," Peter Kilgore, acting head of the National Restaurant Association said in a statement after the ruling.

The rules, which would have applied only to restaurants that already disclosed calorie data, "would have attempted to punish the very restaurants that are already providing accurate and comprehensive nutrition information."

Never say die. According to the Associated Press city health officials are gearing up to give it another try. David B. Caruso reports:

City health officials announced Wednesday that they hope to revive their stalled plan to force fast-food chains to add calorie counts to the big menu boards that hang above their counters.

The city's original effort to put calories on menus was struck down by a judge in September, but Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said the regulation has been reworked and is ready for a second try.

"People deserve to have more information when they are ordering food," he said.

Honestly, while it’s a noble effort, will it really make a difference?

Diet Blog takes a look at research examining cravings, specifically those of the chocolate variety. Here’s a taste:

The participants were asked to "either suppress all thoughts about chocolate, or talk about how much they liked it." After this they were told to choose between two brands of chocolates.

Women who had tried to suppress their cravings ate on average eight chocolates, while those who had talked freely about it ate five.

Men did not show the same effect, with the group told to talk about the snack eating more.

So women who were trying desperately hard not to think about chocolate ended up consuming almost twice as much!

I get this. Even I have the occasional chocolate desire. What do I do? I just keep in mind this section of Dr. Fuhrman’s book Eat to Live. Check it out:

Can’t I eat chocolate, ice cream, or other junk food ever again?

You can eat anything you desire, on occasion, but just don’t make a habit of it. Try to be very strict the first three months in order to document how much weight you can expect to lose when you eat sensibly. We are all tempted by these treats. It is easier to resist if you get them out of your house completely. All cheats should be done outside of your home. If possible, associate with friends who will support you in recovering your health — or may join you in trying to be healthy.

Once you regain your health and feel great, you are less likely to crave these foods or be so tempted. Then, when you do deviate from a healthful diet, it is likely you will feel poorly, have a persistent dry mouth, and not sleep well. If you go off your diet and eat junk food on occasion, mark it on your calendar and consider it a special occasion that you won’t repeat too often.

Nobody is perfect; however, do not let your weight yo-yo. You must adhere to the plan strictly enough so that you never put back on whatever weight you do take off.

If this isn’t encouraging enough, you can lose your mind and take a Chocolate-Packed Vacation—eek!

According to the AFP, educators and health officials are stepping up the fight against fast food. Virginie Montet reports:

Fast food, television, soft drinks and a sedentary lifestyle are seen as the main culprits of childhood obesity, and schools -- in the absence of action on the part of families -- are beginning to take a stand…

…About 1,800 researchers and general practitioners are taking part in a conference on obesity here, exchanging views on how better to combat obesity at the local or state levels.

A recent CDC study shows that the share of school cafeterias offering their students French fries as the only vegetable item on their menus has dropped from 40 percent in 2000 to 18.8 percent in 2006.

The CDC finances anti-obesity school programs in 23 states, and has seen some positive signs begin to emerge.

Sounds a lot like the move against energy drinks—insert battle cry here!

Come on, all of us want to be a rock star. Let’s face it, Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, and Joe Walsh—all cool! But, these cats are hardly the healthiest gents around. Get a load of this study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, entitled Elvis to Eminem:

Objective: This study measures survival rates of famous musicians (n = 1064) from their point of fame and compares them to matched general populations in North America and Europe.

Results: From 3 to 25 years post fame, both North American and European pop stars experience significantly higher mortality (more than 1.7 times) than demographically matched populations in the USA and UK, respectively. After 25 years of fame, relative mortality in European (but not North American) pop stars begins to return to population levels. Five-year post-fame survival rates suggest differential mortality between stars and general populations was greater in those reaching fame before 1980.

Conclusion: Pop stars can suffer high levels of stress in environments where alcohol and drugs are widely available, leading to health-damaging risk behaviour. However, their behaviour can also influence would-be stars and devoted fans. Collaborations between health and music industries should focus on improving both pop star health and their image as role models to wider populations.

Well, when you think about the likes of Motley Crew and The Doors it’s hard to say actually what these musicians should or shouldn’t be doing to improve and extend their lives, but, maybe these tips will help. Here are Dr. Fuhrman’s secrets to longevity, have a look:

• Intro: Seven Secrets of Longevity
• Secret 1: Eat Fewer Calories and Live Longer
• Secret 2: Prevent Deficiencies with Plant-Based Nutrition
• Secret 3: Regular Exercise Pays Big Health Dividends
• Secret 4: Avoid Toxins, Including Medication
• Secret 5: Get Sufficient Rest and Sleep for Recovery
• Secret 6: An Emotionally Satisfying Environment is Vital
• Secret 7: Fast When You are Under the Weather

Obesity research is a funny thing. Millions of dollars and lots of effort spent proving something that even the most lay of laymen already know is bad for us, is in fact, bad for us. Anyway, Robert Preidt of HealthDay News reports that obesity can harm children’s hearts. Check it out:

The study, by a team at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, included 168 children ages 10 to 18. All of the children had undergone cardiac ultrasound to check on symptoms such as heart murmur, chest pain, acid reflux or high blood cholesterol. Of the children, 33 were obese, 20 were at risk for obesity, and 115 were normal weight.

The researchers used a new tissue Doppler imaging technique called "vector velocity imaging" that can track the movement of the heart's muscular wall.

"In the patients who are obese, the rate of motion of heart muscle changed," Dr. Angela Sharkey, an associate professor of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine and a pediatric cardiologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital, said in a prepared statement. "As a child's BMIA (body mass index for age) increases, we see alterations in both the relaxation and contraction phase of the heartbeat. Many of these changes that have been seen in adults were assumed to be from long-standing obesity, but it may be that these changes start much earlier in life than we thought."

This study echoes Dr. Fuhrman’s sentiments. According him, it is kind of a no-brainer that heart disease starts young. He talks about it in his book Disease-Proof Your Child. Here’s a quote:

There is considerable evidence that the lipoprotein abnormalities (high LDL and low HDL) that are linked to heart attack deaths in adulthood begin to develop in early childhood and that higher cholesterol levels eventually get “set” by early food habits.1 What we eat during our childhood affects our lifetime cholesterol levels…

…When we study people who died young of coronary artery disease, we find that the highest risk of an earlier death occurs in those who were above average weight in childhood.2 Findings from the famous Bogalusa Heart Study show that a high saturated fat intake early in life is strongly predictive of later heart disease burden and the higher blood pressure in childhood and adolescence is powerfully predictive of cardiovascular death in adulthood.3

On a side note I was in the supermarket yesterday and I walked past a back-to-school display and in addition to the pens, notebooks, and folders, there were plenty of snack cakes, potato chips, and nachos—unreal!

According to EMaxHealth, health experts are preparing for war against energy drinks. Here’s a bit:

Youth gave law enforcement officers and teachers energy drinks, some with alcohol some without, to see if they can tell the difference between an energy drink containing alcohol and one without. "These drinks taste very similar to each other. Most adults we have found can't tell which have alcohol in them," said Mary Kate Foster, chair of the San Diego County Youth Council. "On top of that, the alcohol industry labeling practices make it too hard to tell the difference between drinks that contain alcohol and those that don't. It's not surprising some parents are accidentally purchasing these items for their kids."

Alcoholic energy drinks are prepackaged beverages that contain not only alcohol but also caffeine and other stimulants. Caffeine, a stimulant, masks the intoxicating effects of alcohol. Alcohol is associated with alcohol-related traffic accidents, violence, sexual assault, and suicide. "Alcopops and other products like alcohol-laced energy drinks have special appeal to young people. We know that teenagers and young adults are the core consumer group for these products," says Judy Walsh-Jackson of The California Coalition on Alcopops and Youth. According to a recent report published by The Marin Institute thirty-one percent of 12- to 17-year-olds and thirty-four percent of 18- to 24-year-olds report regular consumption of energy drinks. "Alcohol problems among youth constitute a public health and safety crisis of major proportions. Alcohol in energy drinks creates a dangerous mix," concluded Ms. Walsh-Jackson.

Oh those zany Japanese are at it again! Next time you’re in Tokyo and you think you’re being followed, just dash behind a corner and unfurl your vending machine camouflage. Oddly, Martin Fackler of The New York Times reports:

Deftly, Ms. Tsukioka, a 29-year-old experimental fashion designer, lifted a flap on her skirt to reveal a large sheet of cloth printed in bright red with a soft drink logo partly visible. By holding the sheet open and stepping to the side of the road, she showed how a woman walking alone could elude pursuers — by disguising herself as a vending machine.

The wearer hides behind the sheet, printed with an actual-size photo of a vending machine. Ms. Tsukioka’s clothing is still in development, but she already has several versions, including one that unfolds from a kimono and a deluxe model with four sides for more complete camouflaging.

Pretty amazing—right? Now, I sent this link to a friend and here’s the brief dialogue that followed. Take a look:

My friend: I can’t imagine that actually working.

Me: Maybe only if the person chasing you is blind, or, eats like me.

My friend: I would love to see someone in action with that outfit.

Me: Well, Halloween is right around the corner.

Be sure to check out the NYT Slideshow for action shots of this torrential brainstorm—egad!

(via the amazing Diet Blog)

Yes, I sat through the whole thing. Not sure why, but now it’s your turn. Take a look:

Diet Blog takes a look at all the hubbub surrounding salt. Here’s a pinch of it:

Since the late 1970's, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has been asking the FDA to limit the amount of salt in processed food. In 2005, they filed yet another petition, asking the agency to revoke the designation of salt as "generally recognized as safe." Other changes the group requested: to set ceilings on the amount of sodium permitted in processed foods; to require a health warning on packaged salt; and to reduce the Daily Value for sodium…

… CSPI also has an informational pamphlet available, cheerfully titled "Salt: The Forgotten Killer," which points out the huge health problems we have in this country due to our excessive sodium consumption. (Too much salt leads to hypertension, which in turn leads to heart attacks and strokes). And it's not just CSPI, a reliably feisty advocacy group--the American Heart Association also agrees we are eating too much and really need to cut down.

On the other hand, The Salt Institute has compiled a list of studies they believe show otherwise. (Who is The Salt Institute? Well, they're a nonprofit association of salt producers. It's up to you whether you decide to take their advice with... well, a grain of salt).

Well, you certainly won’t find Dr. Fuhrman jumping on the salt bandwagon. Check this out:

Excess salt, outside of what is contained in natural foods, is likely to increase your risk of developing disease. Salt consumption is linked to both stomach cancer and hypertension.1 For optimal health, I recommend that no salt at all be added to any food. The famous DASH study clearly indicates that Americans consume five to ten times as much as they need and that high sodium levels over the years has a predictable effect on raising blood pressure.2

Not to mention that he considers salt one of the worst foods you can eat. Look:

Worst Seven Foods for Health and Longevity

• Butter
• Cheese
• Potato Chips and French Fries
• Doughnuts
• Salt
• Sausage, hot dogs
• Pickled, smoked or barbequed meat

But according to Dr. Fuhrman our salt craving has been around a long time. Another quote:

Salt addiction has developed throughout civilization in the last 5000 years, creating a worldwide epidemic of high blood pressure and resultant strokes. Besides fatigue, cravings, and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, salt use gradually deadens your taste.3 The more salt you consume, the more you lose the ability to appreciate the subtle flavors of natural food. As salt deadens taste, it makes you want more and more salt to get back some of the missing flavor.

Truthfully, when you kick salt, food does taste a whole lot better.

Okay, let’s start with the good. A new study shows exercise has nice benefits on women’s hearts. More from the prolific Robert Preidt of HealthDay News:

Researchers assessed cardiovascular risk factors and exercise levels in more than 27,000 women, ages 45-90 (average age 55) enrolled in the Women's Health Study who were followed for more than 11 years for new diagnosis of heart attack and stroke.

Women who exercised the most were 40 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who did the least amount of exercise.

"Regular physical activity is enormously beneficial in preventing heart attack and stroke," lead author Dr. Samia Mora, instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in the divisions of preventive and cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said in a prepared statement.

Sadly, there are two sides to every coin, onto the bad news. Another studied has determined that weight-gain increases breast cancer risk. This time Amanda Gardner of HealthDay News reports:

Women who gain weight any time after the age of 18 are more likely to develop breast cancer than women who maintain a stable weight, a new study suggests.

In other words, when it comes to breast cancer, there's no good time to gain weight as an adult.

"We found that weight gain throughout adulthood as well as weight gain at specific stages of life were associated with risk of breast cancer, compared with maintaining a stable weight," said study lead author Jiyoung Ahn, a fellow with the nutritional epidemiology branch at the National Cancer Institute's division of cancer epidemiology and genetics. "Specific stages include during early reproductive years, late reproductive years, and perimenopausal and postmenopausal years."

Well, if all this doesn’t convince you. Here’s Dr. Fuhrman on obesity and exercise:

After carefully examining the twenty-five major studies available on the subject, I have found that the evidence indicates that optimal weight, as determined by who lives the longest, occurs at weights at least 10 percent below the average body-weight tables. Most weight guideline charts still place the public at risk by reinforcing an unhealthy overweight standard. By my calculations, it is not merely 75 percent of Americans that are overweight, it is more like 85 percent…

… Exercise is important for healthy psychological function and to maintain significant muscle and bone mass as we age. It has been shown to improve mental function; to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression; and to improve sleep patterns, aiding healthful cycles of deep sleep.

Leading up to the recent beef patty recall, there apparently was a lot of warning signs that something just wasn’t right. Christopher Drew and Andrew Martin of The New York Times investigate:

As output rose, federal regulators said in interviews, Topps Meat factory was neglecting critical safeguards meant to protect consumers. Three big batches of hamburger contaminated with a potentially deadly germ emerged from the plant, making at least 40 people sick and prompting the second-largest beef recall in history.

Topps is now out of business, but the case points up broader problems in the nation’s system for protecting consumers from food-borne illness…

…Additionally, Topps, like many other beef processors, had bought an increasing amount of meat from overseas. Some types of meat from foreign countries — where E. coli has not been prevalent — are not required to be tested for contamination. But the Agriculture Department said the Topps case had prompted it to consider requiring such checks.

In response to the problems, the Agriculture Department directed its inspectors on Oct. 12 to conduct a nationwide survey of what meat plants are doing to fight E. coli., and it plans to send special assessment teams into any plants that seem to be lagging to urge them to adopt more stringent measures.

In my opinion, this is just another example of profit over social responsibility.

It seems many health advocates think the government’s new anti-obesity ads are too lenient. Mike Stobbe of the Associated Press reports:

No one is advocating public service announcements that ridicule fat people; experts say such spots would do more harm than good. But critics complain that the three new spots premiering this month are a wimpy attack on the costly and deadly explosion of obesity in America.

"It's so namby-pamby I think people will shrug it off," said Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based advocacy organization.

The three new spots are the latest in a series created by the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which try to tackle the nation's obesity problem with ads that encourage healthy snacking and taking the stairs.

I don’t know about the obesity ads. I’m more concerned over the fast food and soft drinks!

Spinach Salad

2-6 ounces fresh organic baby spinach
1/4 red onion, finely shredded
2 tablespoons unhulled sesame seeds
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 pint fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's D'Anjou Pear or Black Fig Vinegar, optional

Mix and toss all ingredients together.

Cucumber Radish Salad

1/4 cup unhulled sesame seeds
1 cucumber, sliced
8 radishes, sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 pear, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup date sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Lightly toast sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat for 4 minutes, shaking pan frequently. Combine all ingredients and chill overnight.

Jicama Salad

1 medium head romaine, Bibb, or red leaf lettuce
1 large jicama, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into circles
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

Arrange lettuce, jicama, cucumbers, and peppers on a plate. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

Newsflash! Embryonic pig cells help diabetic monkeys, may help human diabetics too. The Associated Press is on it:

Dr. Marc Hammerman says the approach has reduced the animals' need for insulin injections and does not call for immunosuppression, which is a major problem in treating diabetes with transplantation.

Before DNA technology enabled pharmaceutical companies to manufacture human insulin in the 1980's, pig and cow insulin were routinely given to diabetic patients.

Yeah, a bacon injection sounds a little frightening. Instead, why not give this a try. Here’s Dr. Fuhrman on Type-2 Diabetes:

Conventional diabetologists are in a bind. They know that high glucose levels accelerate aging of the eyes and kidneys, leading to devastating complications such as kidney failure and blindness. They want to prescribe aggressive insulin therapy to get patients' blood sugars down. The problem is they also are aware that the extra insulin accelerates atherosclerosis (which leads to heart attacks) and weight gain (which eventually makes patients more diabetic)…

…The American Diabetes Association and most dieticians and physicians offer dangerous advice to the diabetic. They give lip service to weight reduction and cholesterol lowering, but since the diets they recommend are ineffective at achieving substantial weight loss and sustained ideal weight, even these recommendations are generally worthless. Typical diabetes care focuses on general glucose control, by monitoring blood glucose to determine when it is necessary to change insulin dosages and when glucose-lowering medication is warranted…

…The best diet for good health and longevity is also the best diet for diabetics. It is a diet with a high nutrient per calorie ratio, as carefully described in my book, Eat To Live. When you eat a diet consisting predominantly of nature's perfect foods—green vegetables, beans, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic, raw nuts and seeds, and limited amounts of fresh fruit, it becomes relatively easy to eat as much as you want and still lose your excess weight. In my experience, those who follow my nutritional recommendations find that their diabetes disappears astonishingly fast, even before most of their excess weight melts away.

Eating lots of fruits and veggies seems a lot less creepy than being injected with pig—I don’t know, call me a cynic.

This is scary report from CNN. Some new research has determined that children may have higher chemical levels in their bodies than previously thought. More from Jordana Miller:

Michelle Hammond and Jeremiah Holland were intrigued when a friend at the Oakland Tribune asked them and their two young children to take part in a cutting-edge study to measure the industrial chemicals in their bodies.

"In the beginning, I wasn't worried at all; I was fascinated," Hammond recalled.

But that fascination soon changed to fear, as tests revealed that their children -- Rowan, then 18 months, and Mikaela, then 5 -- had chemical exposure levels up to seven times those of their parents…

…"We are the humans in a dangerous and unnatural experiment in the United States, and I think it's unconscionable," said Dr. Leo Trasande, assistant director of the Center for Children's Health and the Environment at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Dr. Trasande says that industrial toxins could be leading to more childhood disease and disorders.

"We are in an epidemic of environmentally mediated disease among American children today," he said. "Rates of asthma, childhood cancers, birth defects and developmental disorders have exponentially increased, and it can't be explained by changes in the human genome. So what has changed? All the chemicals we're being exposed to."

Not something to be taken lightly; kind of a hot-button issue for Dr. Fuhrman. He insists safeguarding kids from chemical exposure is an important responsibility. From Disease-Proof Your Child:

Young children are the ones most susceptible to toxic exposures, the National Academy of Science has issued warnings and position papers stating that exposure to pesticides in early life can increase cancer rates down the road as well as increasing the occurrence of mental and immune system disorders.1

We must be careful not to expose our children to chemical cleaners, insecticides, and weed killers on our lawns. Chemicals used in pressure-treated wood used to build lawn furniture, decks, fences, and swings sets have been shown to place children at risk. When children are around, we must be vigilant to maintain a chemical-free environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the majority of pesticides now in use are probable or possible cancer causers. Studies of farm workers who work with pesticides suggest a link between pesticide use and brain cancer, Parkinson's disease, multiple myloma, leukemia, lymphoma, and cancers of the stomach, prostate, and testes.2

Honestly, the older and wiser I get, the more and more this type of stuff worries me.

Going organic might be a good idea, but, it can be a little difficult. Not to mention expensive. So, maybe these tips from The New York Times will help you out. Here’re my favorites:

Peanut butter: More acres are devoted to growing peanuts than any other fruits, vegetable or nut, according to the U.S.D.A. More than 99 percent of peanut farms use conventional farming practices, including the use of fungicide to treat mold, a common problem in peanut crops. Given that some kids eat peanut butter almost every day, this seems like a simple and practical switch. Commercial food firms now offer organic brands in the regular grocery store, but my daughter loves to go to the health food store and grind her own peanut butter.

Apples: Apples are the second most commonly eaten fresh fruit, after bananas, and they are also used in the second most popular juice, after oranges, according to Dr. Greene. But apples are also one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables. The good news is that organic apples are easy to find in regular grocery stores.

The tip about apples is a biggie. Dr. Fuhrman classifies apples as one of the most contaminated fruits around. Get a load of this chart:

Wash your vegetables and fruit with water and when possible, use a drop of dishwashing detergent and then rinse well to remove all detergent residues for a little more efficient cleaning. Specialty pesticide removal products have not clearly demonstrated any more effectiveness than mild soap and water.

On a side note, I must say, organic avocados taste A LOT better than commercially grown avocados, seriously!

• A new program is getting NYC kids up and running. The AP is on it:

The program, which targets childhood obesity, is in more than 100 New York City schools plus 20 schools in other states and 20 in Cape Town, South Africa, where a non-governmental organization became interested.

The children earn prizes like medals and certificates each time they notch 26 miles — a marathon — and they can track their progress on personal Web pages.

The running club is best known for putting on the New York City Marathon, which draws world-class runners and hobbyists alike on the annual race through the five boroughs. But foundation Executive Director Cliff Sperber said the purpose of the Mighty Milers isn't to raise a new generation of marathoners

• According to Kevin Sack of The New York Times, school food and nutrition is improving. Check it out:

Spurred by the growing crisis in child obesity, the nation’s schools have made “considerable improvements” in nutrition, fitness and health over the last six years, according to a new government survey that found that more schools require physical education and fewer sell French fries.

The survey, which is conducted every six years, shows that more schools than six years ago offer salads and vegetables and that fewer permit bake sales. More states and school districts insist that elementary schools schedule recess and that physical education teachers have at least undergraduate training. More states have enacted policies to prohibit smoking at school and to require courses on pregnancy prevention.

Perhaps most striking, 30 percent of school districts have banned junk food from school vending machines, up from 4 percent in 2000. Schools offering fried potatoes in their cafeterias declined, to 19 percent from 40 percent.

• The FDA is thinking about putting limit-labels on salt. More from Reuters:

The November 29 meeting will consider a request from the Center for Science in the Public Interest to limit salt in processed food and to require additional health information on food labels about salt and sodium content of foods, among other changes.

In 2005, the group petitioned the FDA to reclassify salt as a food additive, rather than its longtime designation as a food "generally recognized as safe."

It has cited the tens of millions of Americans who suffer from high blood pressure. Cutting salt intake can reduce changes of developing and curtail the condition, according to the American Heart Association.

• A new study claims calcium deficiency might be helping fuel the spread of breast cancer. David Douglas of Reuters reports:

"Calcium deficiency, due either to low calcium in the diet or to vitamin D deficiency, is very common in older women, who are also the population at highest risk of breast cancer and breast cancer bone metastases," lead researcher Dr. Colin R. Dunstan pointed out to Reuters Health. Metastasis occurs as cancer progresses and the cells spread from the primary site to attack other areas of the body.

Dunstan of the ANZAC Research Institute in Concord and colleagues conducted dietary studies in a mouse model of breast cancer growth in bone. The results are published in the journal Cancer Research.

The researchers found that after breast cancer tumor was implanted into the animals, the mice that were feed a diet containing only 0.1 percent calcium showed signs of high bone turnover compared with the animals feed a diet with a normal 0.6-percent calcium content.

• Halloween is coming and so is the landslide of candy. So, if you’re thinking about cheating a bit. Get a load of this list of the fattiest candies. ParentDish passes it along:

It's Halloween and you're watching your fat intake. However, you aren't willing to completely sacrifice the chocolately goodness of the holiday. Which of the following is the lowest fat treat to sneak from the kids loot pile?

• Butterfinger bar
• Milky Way bar
• plain M & M's
• Snickers Bar
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
• Kit Kat bar

• OrganicAuthority takes a look at community supported agriculture and organic food. Here’s a bit:

If you live in an area where shopping for organic food poses a challenge, don't throw in the all-natural kitchen towel! Many Americans in similar circumstances have found the perfect solution: community supported agriculture, or "CSA." First popular in Japan and Switzerland in the 1960s, the CSA movement has -- pardon the pun -- taken root with a vengeance in the United States, where it is sometimes referred to as "subscription farming."

How, exactly, does a CSA work?

By definition, CSAs are composed of "a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• The ban on a pesticide used to kill apple moths has been lifted in California—somewhat daunting. Juliana Barbassa of the Associated Press reports:

The spraying is aimed at the light brown apple moth, an invasive species from Australia that has infested 12 California counties stretching from north of San Francisco to Los Angeles. The U.S. Department of Agriculture fears that if the moth, which consumes 250 varieties of plants, crosses into the San Joaquin Valley, the infestation could cause up to $2.6 billion in losses.

Hundreds of residents reported feeling short of breath and sharp stomach pains after spraying began. Environmentalists quickly sued, claiming the state never prepared an environmental impact report to ensure the airborne chemical droplets were safe for residents and aquatic life.

In lifting the ban, O'Farrell found the agriculture department's health-monitoring plan adequate to address concerns of residents. The government monitoring program will "accept and investigate" medical complaints after the pesticide is sprayed, the judge wrote.

• Lack of sleep is no good for women’s tickers. Reuters reports:

British researchers found that among more than 10,000 adults who were followed for five years, women who routinely slept for six hours or less were more likely than their well-rested counterparts to develop high blood pressure.

Compared with women who said they typically got seven hours of sleep a night, those who logged in six hours were 42 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure, while those who routinely slept no more than five hours had a 31 percent higher risk.

There was, however, no clear relationship between amount of sleep and blood pressure among men, the study authors report in the journal Hypertension.

You might have seen the movie, but now—SEE IT WILL APPLES! Be brave:

I don’t watch reality television, so I couldn’t tell you the difference between Big Brother, Survivor, and Amazing Race, but, one show—The Biggest Loser—is making headlines, for all the wrong reasons; not good for weight