Is it true? Alcohol is not good us anymore.

According to a new study being published March 4 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute even one drink a day, a single beer, glass of wine or any other type of alcoholic drink increases the risk of a variety of cancers.
The study involving nearly 1.3 million middle-aged British women -- the largest study ever to examine alcohol and cancer in women -- found that unlike other studies that suggest alcohol reduces the risk of heart disease or dementia, one drink can do harm. Naomi E. Allen of the University of Oxford led the study and said, "If you are regularly drinking even one drink per day, that's increasing your risk for cancer."
Some counter that there were some flaws in the study, one being that it did not distinguish between heavy drinkers and light drinkers, but others claim the study was well done. At this point it will be incorporated into the body of research and as the federal guidelines are being revised this study will be markedly considered.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Start taking your Vitamin D particulary if you live north of San Francisco or any other place above that horizontal line. The research strongly supports its value as a supplement. Vitamin D helps calcium build bones, but it also acts hormonally and kicks into action when needed. Research shows that Vitamin D decreases the risk of cancer, infections and metabolic syndrome. It does this because it prompts the production of an antimicrobial substance that acts like a natural antibiotic or an antiviral to destroy harmful cells. As well no evidence shows a negative effect of taking as much as 2,000 IU s per day. Calcium is necessary to protect bones, teeth and blood pressure. Food sources of calcium and Vitamin D include fortified milk products, salmon and mackeral and fortified cereals. But take a supplement to ensure enough and enjoy the benefits of good health.Check out Sally Squire's article on Vitamin D in the Washington Post. It is excellent. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091402124_pf.html

Boosting serotonin through diet

Today I started a young client on a Serotonin boosting diet in order to help her lose weight, feel better and avoid binging on carbohydrates. The diet was developed by Judith Wurtman, PhD who studied this phenomenom at MIT in the 1980s. Wurtman works with Nina Frusztajer Marquis, MD and they run a clinic called Adara.
The diet is simple and low in overall calories. The morning meal contains protein, carbohydrates and fruit. The snack is high in carbohyrates eaten one hour before lunch. Lunch contains protein, and vegetables and the next snack eaten 3-4 hours after lunch should be high in carbohydrates. Dinner consists of carbohrates and vegetables and an evening snack is made up of carbohydrates.

So far my client has struggled a bit as she sorted through the options for snacks. She also reported being very hungry. Her dinner was bigger than usual because she prepared a heaping plate of pasta with veggies and a salad and then she was satisfied

We will follow this over time and see if it helps. The first phase as described above is a two week deal.

one day at a time

Weight control and eating well are things many of us must do for the rest of our lives one day at a time.

Keeping track of what you eat

How do we track what we eat? Our old brains calculate, but we miss things. We ignore anything we drink and we give extra credit to what we chew. We eat to survive and have gotten this far evolutionary because our ancestors had excellent appetites. The weak eaters did not survive. Yet in our wealthy, wonderful America food is plentiful and much of it is full of empty calories. These foods, white and sugary and salty and sweet, trigger our appetites but offer little in return and are best avoided. Generally processed and full of cheap fats, they line the inner aisle of any grocery store and they are easy to eat.
Yet even if we avoid processed foods we often still eat too much. How do we control ourselves? One very successful way is to set goals and track intake by recording in a food journal. Self monitoring allows us to compare actual behaviors to ideal behaviors. We are very motivated to live up to our ideal behaviors particulary if someone is checking on our progress. That is why I love small group work and support groups offer. So set your goals, track your progress and share your progress with someone else. It works.

Resting well

Rest well for good health.
Sleep as much as you need. Most adults need 7-8 hours a night, but you might need more or Well rested adults make hormones in the gut that decrease appetite.

Want to sleep better?
Try these tips
A hot bath with Epsom salts and lavender.
A few drops of jasmine in the bath to help relax. Used as a tea, it's a mild nerve sedative.
Limit caffeine, alcohol and screen time a few hours before bed.
Check your iron level. Iron deficient women tend to have more problems sleeping.
Try using Valerian and chamomile tea.


Bedtime snacks
Snacks high in complex carbs and a bit of protein are great before bed. Try these:
· A bowl of oatmeal or cereal & low-fat milk.
· Yogurt with granola sprinkled on top.
· WW toast or crackers with peanut butter, 1 ounce of cheese or a slice of deli turkey
· Chamomile tea with hot milk, or hot milk with a splash of vanilla or sprinkle of cinnamon.
Hot milk has a protein that may improve sleep quality and alertness the next day.

Chef MD

A friend called me tonight with this tip. Check out Chef MD, a site developed by a physician who loves food and nutrition. http://www.chefmd.com/

John La Pluma MD integrates nutrition, medicine and food. A great recipe for berries and pancakes sites a study that showed that berries can help prevent esophageal cancer in people with Barrett's esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition. He writes in his newsletter, "In the study, women ate 1 ounce and men ate 1.5 ounces of freeze-dried black raspberries every day for 26 weeks. Over half of the patients had less oxidative stress and DNA damage, which can lead to cancer, than before they started. Some people also had more protective enzymes called GSTpi, which help detoxify carcinogens and oxidants."

Good info and a good recipe. I like the idea. Check it out.