October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month Health Benefits of Pink Foods

The Power of Pink

Health Benefits of Pink Foods

Pink Grapefruits contain lycopene. Lycopene is a naturally occurring chemical that gives fruits and vegetables a red color. It is one of a number of pigments called carotenoids. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that may help protect cells from damage. Current research is exploring the role of lycopene in relationship to preventing heart disease and cancer of the prostate, breast, lung, bladder, ovaries, colon, uterine, and pancreas.

 Pink Salmon is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, pink salmon is rich in calcium, protein, magnesium and potassium; and contains iron, niacin, selenium, and vitamins A, B-12, C and E. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce inflammation and help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function.

Beets are a good source of fiber, potassium and folate. Researchers believe the red pigment (called betacyanin) in beets may protect against the development of cancerous cells and might play a role in reducing the inflammation associated with heart disease.

Raspberries contain high levels of ellagic acid, a polyphenol and antioxidant being studied as a food in the fight against cancer. Raspberries are also rich in anthocyanins, a flavonoid compound that gives them their red color. Anthocyanins may help protect the circulatory, cardiovascular and neurological systems. Raspberries are a rich source of vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber; and is a low-glycemic index food.

Red Onions are a natural sources of quercetin. Quercetin is a bioflavonoid and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Quercetin is being studied for treating conditions of high cholesterol, heart disease, circulation problems, diabetes, cataracts, peptic ulcers, inflammation, asthma, gout, chronic fatigue syndrome, preventing cancer, and for treating chronic infections of the prostate. Quercetin research is evaluating the effectiveness of increased endurance and improved athletic performance. Red onions also provide allicin, an organic sulfur compound responsible for the taste and smell of onions. Allicin may protect against inflammation, allergies, and bacteria; and may reduce the risk factors of certain types of cancers.

 Guavas are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, folic acid, potassium, and manganese. A guava contains about 4 times the amount of vitamin C as an orange. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which helps, protects cells from free radical damage. Currently there is insufficient evidence to rate the effectiveness of guava in the treatment of colic, diarrhea, diabetes, cough, cataracts, high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer, and other conditions. More research is needed to evaluate the usefulness of guava for these conditions.

 Yogurt, Raspberry, Low Fat or Fat-Free Yogurt has been associated with a wide range of health benefits, due to its bacterial cultures and the many nutrients it contains. Yogurt is an excellent source of protein, calcium and potassium. Some research shows that yogurt with probiotic cultures may help improve the immune system; reduce yeast infections in women; help with digestion; and reduce colon and other cancer risks. Calcium has beneficial effects on bone mass and may help prevent osteoporosis. Many people who are lactose intolerant can enjoy yogurt. One serving of yogurt is one eight-ounce cup or serving.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
NBCAM Organizations Working Together
References. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
American Cancer Society (ACS) www.cancer.org
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists www.acog.org
American College of Radiology (ACR) www.acr.org
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) www.asco.org
The American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) www.amwa-doc.org
CancerCare www.cancercare.org
National Medical Association (NMA), www.nmanet.org
The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) www.ons.org
Prevent Cancer Foundation www.preventcancer.org
Susan G. Komen for the Cure® www.komen.org
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) www.cms.gov
National Cancer Institute (NCI), www.cancer.gov

Symbolic Foods of Rosh Hashanah

Symbolic Foods of Rosh Hashanah

National Pumpkin Seed Day

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are the edible seeds of pumpkins or certain other squash cultivars. They are typically rather flat and asymmetrically oval, light green in color, and may have a white outer hull. Wikipedia Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium. Eat them year-round as a soup or salad topper, with cereal, or in a homemade trail mix.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, approximately 2 tablespoons of unshelled roasted pumpkin seeds unsalted (28 grams) contain:

Recipe. Roasted Cauliflower with 

Pumpkin Seeds and Queso Fresco

Roasted Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds and Queso Fresco is a delicious and easy side dish that can complement any main course. This dish adds pumpkin seeds and crumbled queso fresco, creating a surprising and delightful combination.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

4 cups small cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
kosher salt to taste
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco


Directions

1. Preheat your broiler to high.
2. Combine the cauliflower florets, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, black pepper, kosher salt, and chopped garlic in a large bowl.
3. Spread the mixture on a foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Broil for 8-10 minutes or until the cauliflower is browned and tender, stirring once after 4 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and top with crumbled queso fresco.

The analysis is based on 6 servings.
Calories (kcal)           89
Protein (g)                   3
Carbohydrates (g)     5
Dietary Fiber (g)        2
Total Sugars (g)         2
Added Sugar (g)        0
Fat (g)                          7
Saturated Fat (g)       2
Cholesterol (mg)       5
Calcium (mg)             63
Magnesium (mg)      19
Phosphorus (mg)      75
Potassium (mg)      245
Sodium (mg)             75

Enjoy

World Heart Day - Heart Heroes

Heart Heroes … people from all walks of life who are acting now to live longer, better, heart-healthy lives by making a promise:

• A promise to our families to cook and eat more healthily
• A promise to our children to exercise more and help them to be more active, to say no to smoking, and help our loved ones to stop
• A promise as a healthcare professional to help patients give up smoking and lower their cholesterol
• A promise as a policymaker to support policies that promote healthy hearts
• A promise as an employee to invest in heart-healthy workplaces
• A simple promise … for My Heart, for Your Heart, for All Our Hearts.

World Heart Day

Heart health is at the heart of all health. When you look after your heart, it means eating and drinking well, exercising, stopping smoking... all the things that make you not only healthier but also feel good and able to enjoy your life to the fullest.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability in the world, killing 17.5 million people a year. That's a third of all deaths on the planet and half of all non-communicable disease-related deaths. Around 80% of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries where human and financial resources are least able to address the CVD burden.

World Heart Day plays a crucial role in changing all of this. It is a vital global platform that raises awareness and encourages individuals, families, communities, and governments to take action now. Together we have the power to reduce the burden of, and premature deaths from, CVD, helping people everywhere to live longer, better, heart-healthy lives.

The World Heart Federation exists to prevent and control these diseases through awareness campaigns and action, promoting the exchange of information, ideas, and science among those involved in cardiovascular care, advocating for disease prevention and control by promoting healthy diets, physical activity, and tobacco-free living at an individual, community and policymaker level. There work is organized in four programme areas.

     Awareness

     Advocacy

     Applied Research
     Sharing Science and  Building Capacity

Over 70 percent of all cardiac and breathing emergencies occur in the home when a family member is present and available to help a victim.

The world’s most common cause of death. CVDs Facts and Figures

Learn the signs and symptoms of a heart attack or stroke 

Warning Signs of a Heart Attack include:
* Chest discomfort, including squeezing or pain in the center of the chest between the breasts or behind the breastbone
*  Discomfort and/or pain spreading to other areas of the upper body such as one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
*  Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
Other signs include unexplained weakness or fatigue, anxiety or unusual nervousness, indigestion or gas-like pain, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness, and collapse.

Warning Signs of a Stroke include:

*  Sudden weakness of the face, arm, or leg, most often on one side of the body
*  Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
*  Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
*  Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

*  Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
If experiencing any of these signs, which could come and go, call your emergency services/ambulance immediately.  If there is no emergency response number, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

CVD risk factors include:
Women and CVD  - Facts and Tips
Visit the World Heart Foundation for more information.

National Potato Month - Rose, Gold, and Purple Potato Salad with Mustard Curry Vinaigrette

Potatoes are one of the vegetables in the nightshade (Solanaceae) family, which includes eggplant, tomatoes and bell peppers. It is a starchy, tuberous crop. Potatoes are the world's fourth-largest food crop, following maize, wheat, and rice.

Nutrition

One medium potato (5.3 oz) with the skin contains:
110 Calories; Vitamin C (45 % DV); 620 mg potassium; Vitamin B6 (10 % DV); No Fat; No Sodium; No Cholesterol; and Trace amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. Potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids and flavonoids.

About 20% of the potato’s nutrition is found in the skin.  Most of the vitamin C and potassium are found in the potato’s flesh, but the fiber is found in the skin.  That’s why it’s best to enjoy every part of the potato.

According to MyPlate, Potatoes are a vegetable.  It counts toward the total recommended servings of vegetables. One medium-sized potato (5.3 oz.) counts as 1 cup of starchy vegetables.

Recipe

Rose, Gold, and Purple Potato Salad

Ingredients

5 Small Round Potatoes: 
  1 Honey Gold 
  2 Enchanted Rose
  2 Purple Splendor
Dash Curry Powder
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Italian Dressing, fat-free

Directions
1. Roast potatoes and dice.
2. In a bowl combine curry, mustard, and Italian dressing. Mix.
3. Add potatoes to marinade and coat well.

Nutrition Information

Family Health and Fitness Day USA

Family Health and Fitness Day USA is a national health and fitness event for families on the second Saturday in June.  

The event aims to promote the importance of regular physical activity for children and their parents. Families will participate in health promotion events at hundreds of locations nationwide, including YMCAs and health clubs, park districts, schools, houses of worship, and state and local health organizations.

It's Family Time!

You can jump rope, ride bikes, and take a walk as a family. Remember to be safe by using sunscreen, bike helmets, and staying hydrated.

National Chocolate Milk Day - Should My Child Drink Chocolate Milk?

Should My Child Drink Chocolate Milk?

Trina Robertson, RDN

Resources
1.  Should Children Drink Chocolate Milk? United Dairy Industry

National Johnny Appleseed Day

John Chapman (September 26, 1774 – March 18, 1845), called Johnny Appleseed, was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, as well as the northern counties of present-day West Virginia. He became an American legend while still alive, due to his kind, generous ways, his leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance he attributed to apples.

The Story of Johnny Appleseed

Johnny Appleseed, Wikipedia 

Pancakes: Bringing fun, family, and creativity to every bite!

Celebrate National Pancake Day as a fun family activity.

1 stack (10 pancakes) equals approximately 1000 calories

"Perfect Pancake" - "Sid the Science Kid"

What is a Pancake?

A pancake is a thin, flat cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side. Depending on the region, pancakes may be served at any time, with a variety of toppings or fillings including jam, fruit, syrup or meat.

The pancake's shape and structure varies worldwide. There are numerous variations of them throughout Europe. A crêpe is a French variety of thin pancake cooked on one or both sides in a special crepe pan to achieve a network of fine bubbles often compared to lace - a savory variety made from buckwheat is usually known as a galette. In Germany, pancakes can be made from potatoes. In Italy, they can be fried and stuffed with ricotta and chocolate into what is known as a cannoli.

Healthy Pancake Recipes

Blueberry Pancakes

Serves One

Ingredients
2 Blueberry Pancakes, frozen

1/3 cup Fresh Blueberries

Healthy Pancake Recipes
EatingWell, Healthy Pancake Recipes

National Women's Health and Fitness Day

National Women's Health and Fitness Day is the nation’s largest annual health promotion event for women of all ages. The event is always held on the last Wednesday in September.

This unique national program — with participation by local organizations throughout the U.S. — focuses on the importance of regular physical activity and health awareness for women.

The goal of this event is to encourage women to take control of their health: to learn the facts they need to make intelligent health choices and to make time for regular physical activity.

Because of its grassroots nature, the event provides an excellent opportunity for local organizations to showcase the health-related programs and services they offer to women in their communities.

Some women are so busy caring for their families, and others neglect to care for themselves. On this day, remind the women in your life to improve their health and prevent disease.

It is essential for women to get regular checkups because screening tests, such as mammograms and Pap tests, can find diseases early when they are easier to treat. Some women need specific screening tests earlier or more often than others. Screenings and routine care can help women lower their risks of many health conditions, including heart disease. 

National Women's Health and Fitness Day is a public/private good health partnership organized by the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for consumer health information professionals.

locations. An estimated 100,000 women of all ages will participate in the 10th annual National Women's Health and Fitness Day at hundreds of community locations across the country.

More than 1,400 groups across the country will host women’s health and fitness events at senior centers, hospitals, health clubs, park and recreation districts, local health and service organizations, schools, retirement communities, houses of worship, and other communities.

National Lobster Day - Nutrition and Recipes

Suggestions on how to Eat Lobster to stay
Healthy and Avoid a Mess (or make a mess)

*No Butter and No Cream
*Ask for Lemon, Olive Oil, and Dijon Mustard
and Make Your Own Dressing.

*Wear A Bib

Lobster Facts
From Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen’s Association (AOLA)

The difference between a hard shell and soft shell lobster.  Lobsters will periodically shed their shells as they grow. This can happen as many as 25 times before they are 6-7 years old; then males shed every year and mature, females every two years. When lobsters become very large molting is less frequent. After they shed they have a paper-thin shell, which can take up to two months to harden and are called soft-shell, new shell, or shedders. The debate goes on as to which is most tasty, though the soft-shell is definitely easier to crack!

Lobsters do not have vocal cords. They do not scream when being cooked.

The teeth of the lobster are in its stomach. The stomach is located a very short distance from the mouth, and the food is actually chewed in the stomach between three grinding surfaces that look like molar surfaces, called the "gastric mill".

Besides the greenish-brown colored lobsters, there are also rare blue, yellow, red and white ones. Except for the white ones, they all turn red when cooked.

A 2-pound female lobster usually carries approximately 8000 eggs. A 9-pound female may carry more than 100,000 eggs. The female carries the eggs inside for 9 to 12 months, and then for another 9 to 12 months externally attached to the swimmerets under her tail.

When the eggs hatch, the larvae will float near the surface for 4 to 6 weeks. The few that survive will settle to the bottom and continue to develop as baby lobsters. From every 50,000 eggs, only 2 lobsters are expected to survive to legal size. It takes 5 to 7 years for a lobster to grow to legal size in the ocean. A lobster at legal size will weigh approximately 1 pound.

Lobster Cooking and Eating

The Lobster and the Beer,
A Story of Survival

   

National Cholesterol Education Month - What You Need to Know

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance your body needs. But when you have too much in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries and form blockages. This can lead to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.



There are two kinds of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL is also called "good" cholesterol. LDL is called "bad" cholesterol. When we talk about high cholesterol, we are talking about "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Seventy-one million American adults have high cholesterol, but only one-third of them have the condition under control.1 September is National Cholesterol Education Month—a good time to resolve to get your cholesterol screened.

Screening

Screening is the key to detecting high cholesterol. Because high cholesterol does not have symptoms, many people do not know their cholesterol is too high. Your doctor can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol level.

The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that adults aged 20 years or older have their cholesterol checked every 5 years.

You may need to have your cholesterol checked more often if any of the following statements apply to you:

· Your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or higher.

· You are a man older than age 45 or a woman older than age 50.

· Your HDL cholesterol is lower than 40 mg/dL.

· You have other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

The Healthy People 2020 objective is to have 82% of the population screened. The number of people who said they were screened for cholesterol between 2005-2009 increased from 73% to 76%, only a handful of states met the 82% Healthy People 2020 objective.

Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol

Make lifestyle changes by:

·   Eating a healthy diet. Avoid saturated fats and trans fats, which tend to raise cholesterol levels. Other types of fats, such as polyunsaturated fats, can lower blood cholesterol levels. Eating fiber also can help lower cholesterol.

·   Exercising regularly. Physical activity can help lower cholesterol. The Surgeon General recommends that adults engage in moderate-intensity exercise for 2 hours and 30 minutes every week.

·   Maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can raise your cholesterol levels. Losing weight can help lower your cholesterol.

·   Not smoking. If you smoke, quit as soon as possible.

Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions and stay on your medications, if prescribed, to control your cholesterol.

For more information about cholesterol and how you can prevent high cholesterol or keep it in check, see "Your Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol with TLC" from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Reference
CDC, Cholesterol

 

National Family Meal Month and Family Day: a Day to Eat Dinner With Your Children

Family Day—A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™ is a national movement promoting parental engagement as a tool to help keep kids substance-free. Family Day began as a grassroots initiative and has grown to become a nationwide celebration. In 2010, President Obama, all the Governors, and over 1,000 Mayors and County Executives proclaimed and supported Family Day!

More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.

Dinners Make A Difference! While there are no silver bullets – substance abuse can strike any family regardless of ethnicity, affluence, age, or gender – the parental engagement fostered at the dinner table can be a simple, effective tool to help prevent substance abuse in kids.

Join the Movement - National Family Meals Month

Family mealtime is an ageless tradition shared by people all around the world. Eating dinner together keeps the doors of communication open. It's a perfect time to show your children they are your priority. Studies have shown children who eat dinner with their families are less likely to use alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs and more likely to develop good eating habits.

Sesame Street: Eat Together!


Quick and Easy Meals to
Bring Families Together at Meal Time

To learn more about Family Day, visit:
Website. Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™

Website: Informed Families - Family Day is a Day to Eat Dinner With Your Children