The Doctor Cooks

American Dental Association: No Fluoride for Bottle-Fed Infants

In a little-noticed but dramatic turnaround, the nation's leading fluoride advocate, The American Dental Association (ADA), issued an alert on November 9th urging parents to avoid fluoridated water when reconstituting infant formula, warning that "Infants less than one year old may be getting more than the optimal amount of fluoride if their primary source of nutrition is powdered or liquid infant formula mixed with water containing fluoride."   Read on>>>

Hoppin' John Year Round

On New Year’s Day, my mother always served black-eyed peas for good luck, accompanied by pork-chops and sauerkraut.  I later learned that the black-eyed peas, called Hoppin’ John, were a southern tradition, accompanied by collard greens for money and prosperity in the New Year.  I continue this tradition in my home, sans pork chops, and continue to enjoy it throughout the year.  It’s just plain good and good for you.

I’m linking to an excellent website called the World’s Healthiest Foods for nutritional information for specific foods, rather than writing it in my articles.  Just click on the link.  If you want to know about a food for which I haven’t created a link, you will want to see their list of 130 World’s Healthiest Foods to learn more.

More Tips from French Women

Part of creating good health is knowing how to take care of yourself in each season of the year.  In French Women for All Seasons, Mireille Guiliano, best-selling author of French Women Don't Get Fat takes a season-by-season approach to maintaining health and living well. To check out her secrets to winter wellness, click here.

Food Choices Ward Off Sluggishness and Sickness (baked squash in cashew sauce)

Let’s learn a bit more about dampness, as it is called in oriental medicine, or kapha imbalance in ayurvedic medicine.   In both of these conditions all the body systems become sluggish and stagnant, unable to fend of the viruses and bacteria we are exposed everyday, all year round.  Dampness or kapha imbalance creates low energy, fatigue and heaviness in the body, even swelling.  A greasy coated tongue, excess mucus, boils and rashes, infections and weight gain can be signs of dampness.

In general, the standard American diet promotes dampness with its emphasis on refined, chemicalized, fatty foods, milk, cheese and other dairy products, sugar, wheat and potatoes.  It’s a common condition in Kansas City because the typical diet emphasizes dampness promoting meats such as beef and pork—think barbeque.  Our weather also promotes it.  Winters are often rainy and summers are humid.  I find that if the jet stream is north of Kansas City, then I will be affected by dampness.  If the jet stream is south of Kansas City, I feel much better.  I take a trip to the Colorado Rockies every fall to dry out from our humid summers and to prepare for our wet winters.

Your food choices can keep dampness and its unpleasant symptoms in check.   

Dairy Products May Increase Testicular Cancer Risk

Dr. Klug notes:  Galactose is also a suspected trigger for ovarian cancer.

A new study from Germany shows that dairy product consumption may increase the risk of testicular cancer. Researchers at the University of Halle-Wittenberg tracked dietary contributors to testicular cancer among 269 men with cancer and 797 control subjects. The risk for testicular cancer was increased by 37 percent for those who consumed at least 20 servings of milk per month. The researchers hypothesize that increased galactose (a component of lactose, the milk sugar) and milk fat may explain the association between dairy product consumption and cancer.

Stang A, Ahrens W, Baumgardt-Elms C, et al. Adolescent Milk Fat and Galactose Consumption and Testicular Germ Cell Cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(11):2189-2195.

Breaking Medical News is a service of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 5100 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20016.

Cooking Class Cancelled due to Sneet

I can't decide if its sleet or snow so I'll just call it sneet!  Demystifying Simple Healthy Cooking with Bethany Klug, DO has been cancelled for today due to the amount of sneet on the roads and more to come from the sky.  Please stay safe and warm today.  I'll announce a new date for the class very soon.  Thanks to the thirteen people who enrolled!

Relief for Holiday Overindulgence

Did that stomach flu or bad bronchitis visit your house?  The holidays with all the sweets and rich foods create a condition in oriental medicine called dampness, or kapha in ayurvedic medicine.  All the body systems become sluggish and stagnant, unable to fend of the viruses and bacteria we are exposed to all year round.  From a western perspective, the same foods make us acidic.  None of our body systems function well in an acidic environment, plus most microbes love acid.  But there is a way out.  Here is my article from the December Kansas City Wellness Magazine, plus next week I will write about foods that keep us in balance during times of dampness and keep the latest bug at bay.

Was it too much sugar, white flour, caffeine, rich food or alcohol?  No matter what it was you feel terrible!  Of course the best strategy is to avoid overindulging in the first place.  Short of that, plan your indulgences and pay extra attention to eating well in between. Here are some simple food remedies that can reverse moderate holiday overindulgence.  You will find many of the ingredients for these remedies in the macrobiotic section, also known as the seaweed section, of your health food store. 

Bacon and Skinless Chicken Associated With Bladder Cancer

A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health finds that meat—including chicken—intake is associated with an increased risk for bladder cancer. A data analysis of 47,422 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and 88,471 women from the Nurse’s Health Study showed that individuals consuming more than five servings of bacon each week had a 59 percent increased risk for bladder cancer compared with those who ate no bacon. Additionally, those who ate more than five servings of chicken without skin each week had a 52 percent increase in bladder cancer risk compared with those who ate none. Researchers hypothesize that nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines (known carcinogens), or both may play a role.

Michaud DS, Holick CN, Giovannucci E, Stampfer MJ. Meat intake and bladder cancer risk in 2 prospective cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:1177-1183.

Breaking Medical News is a service of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 5100 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20016.

Spicy Leek Meatballs

Although dietary needs differ, high-quality, all-natural animal foods can be part of a healthy diet, especially in wintertime. Meat provides dense proteins and fats to help us feel grounded, energized and insulated from the cold. These flavorful meatballs provide bite-sized servings of turkey or beef to be served with your favorite vegetable dishes. Enjoy this recipe from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City.

75% OF AMERICANS DON'T KNOW THEY'RE EATING GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS

The fifth annual survey on U.S. consumers' opinions of genetically engineered foods was released last week by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. In accordance with past years, the survey results indicated that most Americans have very little knowledge about how widespread genetically engineered ingredients are in foods. Surprisingly, the survey found that the average person's knowledge of these issues has actually declined in the last five years. Although 89% of soybeans and 61% of corn acreage in the U.S. is currently genetically engineered (and soy lecithin and corn syrup are found in a myriad of mainstream food products), 75% of people don't think they've ever eaten a food with genetically engineered ingredients. The survey also found that 51% of those polled are opposed to animal cloning. Only 29% said they trust the FDA, which is a strong drop from 41% in 2001.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_3554.cfm