Many clients ask me about the benefits of organic foods.  I decided to do some research to determine whether the additional cost (sometimes 50% more than conventional produce) was worthwhile.  Peter Jaret, a contributor to EatingWell magazine found contrasting advice from experts.  Robert Hollingworth, a toxicologist and past director of Michigan State University's National Food Safety and Toxicology Center said "The exposure levels to pesticides are so low they're not worth worrying about.  I'd be more concerned about food additives than pesticide residues."  Another Toxicology expert commented  that not eating enough fruits and vegetables presents are greater threat than any danger of chemicals found in food.  In contrast, Aaron Blair, an epidemiologist, states that the chemicals used to grow produce are neurotoxins and designed to cause harm.  If we can avoid putting them on the table, why not?  A few epidemiologic studies found an association of health problems in agricultural workers using pesticides.  Problems such as lymphoma, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease were associated with the workers, but there is no solid evidence.  Sometimes organics show nutritional advantage over conventional produce, other times nutritional values are equal.  How are we to make sense of all this? In my opinion, load up your plates with fruits and veggies whether organic or not.  When possible, chose organic produce for the most commonly contaminated produce to decrease risk of neurotoxin and other toxin exposure. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit, has compiled the following list based on 100,000 USDA and FDA tests for pesticides on 46 popular foods. Buy Organic- most commonly contaminated: Peaches, Pears, Strawberries, Cherries, Apples, Nectarines, Raspberries, Grapes (imported) Spinach, Potatoes, Bell Peppers and Celery. If budget allows, buy organic: Carrots, Kale, Green Beans, Mushrooms, Cantalope, Oranges, Hot Peppers, Sweet Potatoes, Grapefruit, Apricots, Cucumbers, Winter Squash, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Collard Greens, Watermelon, Grapes (domestic), Plums, Tangerines, Cabbage, Honeydew melon and lettuce. Least commonly contaminated...you decide! Papaya, Peas, Mango, Kiwi, Bananas, Cauliflower, Pineapple, Avocado, Corn, Asparagus, Onions and Broccoli.

Kashi's food director, Jeff Grogg, is not only offering you a free Kashi chewy granola bar.  He promises to eat the cardboard box it comes in LIVE on www.kashi.com on October 19th if people vote that the bar tastes like cardboard.  How many times have you heard that complaint about health food?  My friend teases me when I eat my favorite Natural Ovens bread by saying that just looking at it makes the bread fall apart!  Jokes aside, go get your free bar, that tastes great!  Kashi's new bars are made with roasted almonds, sun-dried fruit, toasted sunflower seeds and a touch of wildflower honey.  The granola bars also have 4g of Fiber and 6g of Protein. Wow! Click the link below or cut and paste the address. http://www.kashi.com/changes/PromotionLanding/default.aspx

An upcoming trip to Wine Country inspired me to remind our readers about the benefits of wine and just how much is considered a healthy amount to drink.  We first must define a moderate amount of alcohol as consuming more than this moderate amount can be hazardous, not helpful, to your health.  For women, this means 1 drink per day (men can have 2).  This translates to a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12 ounce beer, or 1 ½ ounce shot or liquor.  You can also say adios to health benefits if you save all 7 drinks for the week for Saturday night.  Debra Gordon, a pinot noir fan, clearly identifies some reasons for sipping in Wine Country.

• Moderate alcohol consumption seems to be good for our bones.  Alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels which helps slow the body’s destruction old bone more than it slows the production of new bone.
• A glass of wine per day could improve memory.
• Wine helps prevent blood vessel inflammation and also seems to raise HDL (the good cholesterol).
• Studies show that wine drinkers actually have narrower waists and less abdominal fat that people who drink liquor.  Alcohol may actually increase your metabolic rate for up to 90 minutes after a meal.
• In a British study, 10,00 people who drank 1 glass per day reduced their risk of infection from Helicobacter Pylori (major cause of ulcers, stomach cancers and gastritis) by 11%.
• Cancer prevention seems to be not as clear cut.  While ovarian cancer risk may be reduced with moderate alcohol consumption, the same is not true for breast cancer.  Several studies point to an increase in breast cancer risk, especially after menopause, because of alcohol’s ability to increase estrogen levels.  Talk with your doctor and make sure to get enough of the B vitamin folate as this vitamin appears to counteract the increased risk.
• Harvard Medical School researches found that women who drink moderately are 40% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who do not drink.

Cheers!

Why is it that women always have at least one option for a physician they could see this week while men often cannot remember their last visit to the doctor, let alone what year it was?  Case in point, my husband is going to see a doctor for a check-up for the first time in 10 years!  Men need to be just as vigilent as women to stay healthy.  So, let's help our brothers, dads, husbands, sons and friends beat 5 major diseases?  See the list below to help prevent heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer and encourage your guy to get into a new groove! *This list is compliments of Nutrition Action Newsletter Consume More: Fruits and Vegetable                                  5-10 servings/day Fish                                                                    2-3 servings/ wee Fiber                                                                 30 grams/day for 50+ (38g for younger men) Tomato Sauce                                               at least 2x per week Phytosterols                                                  800 mg/day (Take Control & other products) Whole-grain breads and cereals            instead of refined grains Unsaturated Fats                                         instead of saturated fats (red meat, full fat dairy, butter, fatty sweets, etc.) Potassium                                                       4,700 mg/day Consume Less: Saturated Fat                                                  no more than 20 g/day Trans Fat                                                          as little as possible Red Meat                                                          no more than 3 servings/week Sodium                                                             2,300 mg/day Alcohol                                                             no more than 2 drinks/day Calcium                                                            no more than 1,500 mg/day Sweets                                                               no more than 5 servings/week Weight & Exercise: Waist                                                                        if it's over 40 inches, cut calories & exercise more Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise        at least 30 min/day (60 min/day for weight loss) Strength training                                                8-10 exercises 2x week (arms, shoulders, chest, back, hips, legs, abdominals) Stretching routine                                             at least 2-3 times/week Tests: Heart (cholesterol & triglycerides)           check every 5 years Blood Sugar                                                         check every 3 years if 45+ Prostate (PSA test)                                           yearly if 50+ or if 45 and high risk Colon                                                                     check every year starting at age 50

While I try my best to keep you informed of timely nutrition and wellness topics, there are undoubtedly questions you have that go un-answered.  When you need to find an answer online quickly, you may wonder whether the site you are checking is credible.  Instead of clicking on Google which will result in an enormous amount of webpage links, try www.healthline.com.  For example, Google will spit out 2.6 million links to the benefits of garlic.  Yikes!  Who has time to sift through all that, not to mention all those ads!  Instead, Healthline produces 290 links to credible hospitals, govenment agencies and the National Institutes of Health.    The ads are also clearly noted at the bottom of each page. Happy (and efficient) heath hunting!