Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Some spices Cut Cancer Risks!

This was delivered to me today in my daily health news.. I really thought this was worth sharing!

Researchers report that adding certain spices to your burgers before tossing them on the grill this summer will not only add to the flavor of the meat, but they can also cut the risk of cancer long associated with the cooking of beef.

Scientists at Kansas State University (KSU) found that three spices in particular -- fingerroot, rosemary and tumeric -- seem to direct the greatest amount of antioxidant activity towards preventing the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs). HCAs, they note, are the cancer-causing compounds that are produced when foods such as beef are barbecued, grilled, broiled or fried.

Specifically, the three spices appeared to cut back on HCA production by upwards of 40 percent, the team observed, thereby significantly reducing the HCA-associated risk for developing colorectal, stomach, lung, pancreatic, mammary and prostate cancers.

"Cooked beef tends to develop more HCAs than other kinds of cooked meats such as pork and chicken," KSU food chemistry professor J. Scott Smith noted in a news release. "Cooked beef patties appear to be the cooked meat with the highest mutagenic activity and may be the most important source of HCAs in the human diet."

Therefore Smith and his colleagues looked into the HCA-inhibiting potential of six spices: cumin, coriander seeds, galangal, fingerroot, rosemary and tumeric.

Of all those investigated, rosemary came out on top as the strongest protector against HCA.

The authors suggested that consumers integrate these spices into their menus when appropriate, noting that some, such as rosemary, come in an extract form that has demonstrated HCA inhibition of 61 percent to 79 percent.

They pointed out that spicing allows for the sort of high-temperature cooking (above 352 degrees Farenheit) that is typically recommended for safe grilling, while at the same time blocking the increased HCA production that is known to occur when the flames intensify.

Smith and his team plan further research to see what other marinades and powders might do by way of HCA curtailment -- they noted that earlier work has shown that marinating steaks with particular herbs and spices effectively lowers HCA production.

More information

For more grilling safety tips, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Random Acts of Kindess

Nothing feels better than the random kind act, that is both unsuspecting and truly random. It gives you a feeling of the goodness that exists. We all hear stories of the bad that is around us, but an act of kindness, especially when the giver and receiver are total strangers, is hard to beat. I have been the recipient of two very random acts of kindness recently, and am conscience of how grateful I am to have experienced them, and I'm also anxious for the opportunity to become the giver of a random act of kindness. Last night, to reinforce this, there was a program on TV that I watched... it was called, "What would you do?" and it featured stories that were secretly videotaped to see peoples reactions to tough situations. One story touched me, it featured people who did not have enough money to pay for their medications. In all cases, complete strangers stepped up to pay - $50 to $100 worth of medications for someone they didn't even know. It was all very moving. The simple act of one human being just wanting to help another. So I started to think, what kind of good can we bring to the world? What would happen if each of us were the giver of a Random Act of Kindess? Maybe if we all try it in the upcoming week, the recipients will simply "Pay it Forward". It's worth a shot, isn't it? After all, Kindness... it Really Does Matter!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Real Time Farms

Check this out... such a great website sent to me by my friend Lori! She thought it was worth sharing and I agree! It's called Real Time Farms and it lets you load in a farm or market near you. It will help you find fresh local food near you! It shows you pictures and gives you info! So cool!
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE starting my weekend out early on Saturday morning heading to and walking around my local Farmer's market. I sip my coffee, stroll and take in all the hard working farmers who care so much to bring us fresh foods! I feel good buying locally, and I know I am doing something wonderful for me and my family. It's just a great feeling to go and take it all in. If you aren't going to a local market, I urge you to try it. I'm usually home before the rest of my family is up and going. OR once in a while, I will get my family up early to go with me. It never disappoints!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

So many Breads... which is best?

I know when I go grocery shopping versus when my husband goes, we often come home with very different kinds of breads. I have also noticed that Bread can be something we can get very, very attached too. People I know always find a brand they like and stick with it. And often times, think that what they are buying is okay for them healthwise.

Hopefully many of you already know that White bread really has no nutritional value in it. It's been heavily processed, and enriched, which sounds like something good has been added, but in reality, so much of what might have been good in it, has been lost in the manufacturing process.

Whole Grain breads are the healthiest, best bread to buy. But what does True whole Grain bread actually mean? Well, the words "Whole Grain" needs to be listed in the first or second place in the ingredients listing.

So, is whole wheat bread the same as whole grain? It is NOT! You do not want to see flour in your ingredient list. A lot of stores carry whole grain breads, many of them are in the freezer section of your grocery store. Ezekiel is one of my favorites. I also find various sprouted grain breads that I love - whole foods has a wonderful sprouted bun that I love with my veggie burgers. Store them in your fridge, and they will last longer! It's a healthier option, full of fiber, which will help keep you full and help get more toxins out of your body! More on Fiber in a later post! But for now, read your labels! Whole Grains are what you want!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Be the Change you Wish to see in the World

Sometimes, I just get a bit overwhelmed with trying to understand what my bigger purpose is supposed to be. My heart gets tugged frequently to help with something? Make a difference somehow? Find my true passion. I guess if I was lucky enough, I would have had more kids, or turned my passion for fundraising and making a difference into a career. But short of that, I still search for ways to help.

My most recent charitable involvement was through my church, and our family sponsored a child in Kenya. Our sponsorship will provide, food, education, medical help and sprititual guidance to children who are poor and many of whom are orphaned. There are many wonderful childrens sponsorship programs out there that need help. We choose to work with nochild.org, but there are others that need help too. Worldvision.org is another wonderful organization. Or, if you want to check out these or other organizations, this is a wonderful site that allows you to see how efficiently they operate, as well as how they are rated. This site handles more than just child sponsorship organizaions, you can check out just about any charitable organization here! It's a great resource!

The idea of children dying due to starvation is so haunting for me, and hard to understand. We have so much, and others have nothing. My family decided to sponsor a child, and our 'sacrifice' is as simple as giving up one inexpensive meal out and giving it to our chiild's organization. This will be pretty painless for my family, but of great benefit for our sponsored child. It feels good.

What drives you when you hear the phrase Ghandi stated: "Be the change you wish to see in the world". Does it inspire you to do something?

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Check it out for yourself

If you are curious about how your favorite cosmetics fare, check out this website. They grade your favorite cosmetics in terms of toxicity... Any knowledge can be powerful!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Check out your Cosmetics at this site!

As a follow up to my post yesterday, I wanted to send along the link to this very cool site, where you can get a hazard rating on the cosmetics you use. It's fun, and interesting. Check it out: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ This is a great place to do some research and learn how your own products score. It's a database where you can search for your products. This database is brought to you by the Environmental Working group - Skin Deep is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group. You might be surprised to see the toxin levels of some of your daily used products. I found this fascinating. Check it out and share your thoughts. Are what you using something that is good for you? Are you finding something interesting about what you find here? Leave a comment.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Not all Skin Care Products are Created Equal

This post will focus on another element of health that so many of us are misinformed, or lack knowledge on. It's about skin care products, and the ingredients in them. Our foods are regulated to a certain extent through some labeling, like USDA organic, at least that will let you know your food is growth hormone and toxin free. But what about our skin care products. Is it possible you are eating healthy things for your body, yet slathering toxins into your skin daily? Remember that your skin IS your largest organ. Anything you put on it can be easily absorbed through your pores. There are more and more health care products on the market that are good for you, and don't contain any harmful chemicals. Here is a list of things you should avoid in your cosmetics, skin care products and beauty supplies:

Parabens: Methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl parabens. Many skin care products, including moisturizers, will use parabens as a preservative so the product will have a longer shelf life. It's a matter of economics. Some studies have suggested that they may cause cancer and interfere with the body's endocrine system. They may also cause allergic reactions and skin rashes.

Alcohols:
Ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol. Not all alcohols have the same properties, but these which are commonly found in skin care products, are very drying and irritating for the skin. These alcohols can strip away the skin's natural acid mantle, making you more susceptible to molds, viruses and bacterias.

Dioxane:
This is a synthetic derivative of coconut. This is widely used in skincare products. It often contains high concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, which is readily absorbed through the skin. 1,4-dioxane is considered a chemical "known to the State of California to cause cancer". Do you really want to put that on your body? Crazy that companies can use these and sell them to people!

Fragrances: I am not against smelling good, so for sure don't go get rid of your favorite perfume. It's just that your skincare products shouldn't contain fragrances. Remember how I told you your skin is your largest organ? Well, when you use skin care products, you apply them all over your face, neck and body. This covers a lot of surface area, and therefore, a lot can be absorbed through your skin. Typically, perfumes are just dotted in a couple of key areas. Just be careful with your fragrances, since many of the ingredients in them are known to be toxic or carcinogenic.

Remember, there are some great choices out there for cosmetics. Do your homework and choose wisely, because what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it!