Antioxidants The Power of Purple

 You’ve heard about the power of antioxidant-rich foods, but which are tops?

When my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer last summer, one of

the first things his oncologist advised him to do was drink Concord grape juice—a lot of it every day. Why? Because grapes, particularly those deep-purple

Concord grapes, contain a powerful antioxidant and known cancer fighter.

We all know that fruits and veggies are central to a healthy diet, but some varieties,

especially purple foods, pack a more powerful punch than others.

“Most antioxidant-rich foods are lower in calories and nutrient rich and can prevent

or delay health problems,” says Angela Ginn, RD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and an education coordinator at the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at Maryland General Hospital in

Baltimore. “Also, they’re rich in fiber to satisfy your appetite when controlling weight.”

Purple foods are loaded with antioxidants, but that’s not their only great quality. Vitamin K for bone health, flavonoids and polyphenols that may prevent cancer, and acids that increase brain health are just a few bonuses you’ll get by munching on these fruits.

GRAPES

Grape skins, specifically those from red and purple grapes, contain a phytochemical called resveratrol, which studies suggest contains potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that prevent cancer.

Other research indicates resveratrol’s ability to slow the growth of cancer cells and prevent the formation of tumors in the lymph nodes, stomach, liver, and breast. It can also promote the death of leukemic and colon cancer tumors. In addition, grape skins are full of antioxidants that can help prevent cardiovascular disease and keep cholesterol levels in check.

“Grapes are a good source of vitamin K and manganese, too,” says Teerawong Kasiolarn, ND, a naturopathic doctor at Nova Medical Group in Virginia. Just 1 cup of grapes provides 33% of the Daily Value of manganese, which helps regulate blood sugar and improve bone and nervous tissue health. One cup also provides 17% of the Daily Value of vitamin K, which helps prevent heart disease and directs calcium from blood vessels to bone.

Research from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted

between 2001 and 2006 linked grapes and grape juice consumption to a higher Healthy

Eating Index, a measure of diet quality compared with the federal dietary guidelines.

In addition, studies have shown that people who eat grapes tend to consume

more fruits overall, take in more vitamin C and potassium, and consume less fat, saturated fat,

sodium, and added sugar. Research from the University of Glasgow in Scotland linked specific phytonutrients in Concord grapes to cardiovascular wellbeing

and healthy aging, and researchers are also investigating the potential positive effect of grapes

on colon health. And the list goes on. Kasiolarn explains that natural practitioners in Europe have been using grape seeds to treat blood flow conditions such as venous insufficiency and chronic venous insufficiency;

vision problems associated with diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy; and arteriosclerosis,

high blood pressure, and wound healing.

PRUNES

In addition to being a great source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, and antioxidants, researchers say prunes can significantly improve cardiovascular health by reducing bad cholesterol and systolic blood pressure.

Prunes are also loaded with potassium, which halts the negative effects of sodium on blood pressure and helps regulate fluid and mineral balance in and out of cells. “A quarter cup of prunes provides 316.6 milligrams of potassium,” says Ginn, who adds that

prunes can help normalize blood sugar and also protect against macular degeneration.

Research also shows that prunes can significantly reduce high levels of enzymes that correlate with liver diseases, and they act as a mild laxative. But here’s an inside tip: Heated prune juice speeds the laxative effect.

BLUEBERRIES

OK, you got us. While blueberries don’t have the deep purple color of plums or grapes, you don’t want to pass them up. A recent study conducted at City of Hope, a comprehensive cancer center near Los Angeles, shows that eating blueberries not only provides the body with helpful antioxidants but also may help fight a form of breast cancer known as triple-negative breast cancer. Preliminary studies found that blueberry extract exhibited antitumor

activity in vitro against this type of breast cancer cells in vitro. Further research led to the discovery that bioactive substances in blueberries can slow the progression and spread of these cells.

Blueberries not only help fight cancer, but studies show that adding a few berries to your daily diet can help maintain healthy skin, improve brain health and aging, and decrease diabetes risk in adults.

According to Ginn, certain antioxidants found in blueberries can postpone the onset of cognitive problems such as memory loss. “One cup of raw blueberries provides 3.6 grams of dietary fiber, 24% of your Daily Value of vitamin C, 36% of your Daily Value of vitamin K, and 25% of your Daily Value of manganese,” adds Kasiolarn.

— Deborah R. Huso

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Sports nutrition rules : Fat

Fat contains more than twice the amount of energy as carbohydrate. A single gram contains nine calories making it a valuable source of fuel for longer duration activities. While fat cannot supply energy quickly enough for very intense activity, it can be used by the body to power lower intensity exercise such as jogging and walking.
Fat also provides insulation and protection to vital organs such as the heart, lungs and liver and transports vitamins throughout the body.
Not all dietary fat is the same. Like carbohydrate, fat can be broken down into several different groups:


Cholesterol
Despite its bad press, cholesterol is actually essential for many important bodily functions. There are essentially two types of cholesterol - low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is known as the "bad" cholesterol because it carries and then deposits cholesterol at the artery walls. HDL on the other hand, is known as "good" cholesterol because it acts as a scavenger removing cholesterol from artery walls and transporting it to the liver to be excreted fat.
Although some foods like cream, butter, ice cream, egg yolks, shellfish and red meats contain cholesterol, it's a high intake of saturated fat that causes the body to synthesize too much cholesterol. The maximum amount of dietary cholesterol recommended each day is 300mg. 

Essential Fatty Acids
  Essential fatty acids are a class of polyunsaturated fats that have received a lot of attention in the media recently. They are thought to be cardio-protective and may help prevent a range of other illnesses. There are three types of essential fatty acids - Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9. Omega 3 and Omega 6 must be consumed while the body can produce some Omega 9 on its own. Essential fatty acids are required for healthy cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. Found in foods like walnuts, a pumpkin seed, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, avocados, some dark leafy green vegetables and oily fish, the typical Western diet is often deficient of essential fatty acids (fat). 
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are found in foods such as red meat, egg yolks, cheese, butter, milk and commercially prepared cakes, pies and cookies. The typical western diet consists of almost 40% total fat. Of this, 15% is made up of saturated fats, which is considered a major cause of coronary heart disease, diabetes and other degenerative illnesses. No more than 10% of the diet should come from saturated fats.
Unsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats come in the form of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats can actually lower the risk of coronary heart disease and are found in foods like olive oil, canola oil, avocados, almonds and pecans. Polyunsaturated fats, found in sunflower oil, safflower oil and corn oil are not thought to contribute to heart disease but don't offer the same protection as monounsaturated fats.

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The pros of probiotics

The pros of probiotics Q: What are probiotics, and should I be taking them?

— Sally G., Boise, Idaho
A: If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, the answer is a strong YES. Pregnant moms and their breastfed children have fewer infections and days of diarrhea if Mom is taking probiotics. And, almost weekly, new info comes out demonstrating how these friendly bacteria that live in our guts are essential for good health.



What do these beneficial bugs do?
(There are trillions of them, outnumbering the cells in our body 10-to-1.) They help prevent colitis-related colon cancer, protect you from food poisoning, strengthen the immune system, ward off allergies and colds, ease eczema, stop diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, protect against heart attacks, increase longevity and may even decrease depression and other mood-related disorders.
In addition, probiotics aid digestion by breaking down sugars – called polysaccharides – and amino acids in proteins. Some of the bacteria even produce vitamins and act as anti-inflammatories, reducing the risk of everything from arthritis
to clogged arteries. So here’s what we say about eating probioticrichfoods and taking supplements.

1) Healthy gut bacteria – even if you take supplements and eat yogurt – depend on your
overall diet to supply what they need to thrive. That includes plenty of fiber from
veggies, 100 percent whole grains and fruit and a well-balanced mix of vitamins and
other nutrients. Too many of one (like the B vitamin choline) can keep the bugs from
doing their good work (The pros of probiotics)
.

2) Yogurt and other cultured foods deliver billions of bifidobacterium, streptococcus thermophiles and lactobacillus (particularly acidophilus), but they hardly dent the trillions
already there. The bugs you eat do help digestion, but don’t change the overall
composition of your intestinal bacteria colony.
Stop eating the yogurt, and the bacteria it delivers go away after about two weeks.

3) We favor daily supplements that can make it through the stomach acid to your guts. The spore-containing Digestive Advantage (now combined with the company’s brand Sustenex, which we also like) contains bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086. Culturelle has lactobacillus GG, which is activated by stomach acid.

Q: I don’t know what to do. My sons, 12 and 14, are putting on weight. I’m a single mom and
have a 9-to-5 job. I can’t keep them on a leash. How can I getthem to eat better and walk away from the computer?
 – Amanda K., Charleston, W.V. A: You have options, and you’re not alone. We’ll give you some suggestions, but if you need more support, community hospitals from Newark, N.J., to
Cleveland and San Diego to Boston are using the family approach to confront the rising tide of childhood obesity. In Houston, 11 county hospitals are offering a nine-week Childhood Nutrition and Exercise Program that requires parents to get into the act of
learning how to eat healthy and exercise.
The Cleveland Clinic offers a 12-week course for children and parents that includes a
psychologist, dietitian and exercise physiologist. These programs are fun and
successful! To emulate these programs at home, we suggest:

Be the psychologist. Talk to your kids about why being overweight is a problem for their health and their future employment opportunities (you can find that info at RealAge.com). Explain how you are in it together, as a family, and what you are going to do about it.
Be the dietician. To prevent unhealthy impulse purchases, before you go to the store, decide about healthy foods that you’re going to eat this week. A shopping list helps.
Be the exercise guru. Lead a 10-minute (or more) family walk before breakfast. Plan another activity after school and work. Bicycle, play soccer, baseball, basketball or any activity that gets everyone up and moving. 
Be the master chef. Sign up your sous chefs. Planning and preparing meals with your kids gets them interested in eating all sorts of foods. You can find teenager-friendly recipes in
our book YOU: The Owner’s Manual For Teens.
The pros of probiotics Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

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Build it or lose it keeping muscles strong

 Robert De Niro, 69, and Sly Stallone, 65, are training for an upcoming boxing film, “Grudge Match,” about aging rivals heading back into the ring. Just the idea of those two shirtless in trunks makes us think about the importance of preserving muscle mass as you age. After all, even the fittest athletes lose muscle tone with passing decades.

Here’s why. You don’t use your muscles as much as you used to; plus, you have lower levels of growth hormone, which is good for preventing cancer spread, but not so good for muscle growth. If you add to that lower levels of vitamin D-3, an imbalance in the acid-base content of foods you eat (more about that in a minute) and lack of enough protein and vitamin B-12, you’re going to lose muscle tone. But you can fight back!

To build muscles you need about 68 grams  of lean protein (skinless poultry, salmon, trout) a day if you weigh 150 pounds; a 1,000 IU supplement of vitamin D-3 daily, 1,200 IU

if you’re over 60; and 25–100 mcg per day of a B-12 supplement if you’re 65 or older.

And about acid-base balance: Too many acid-producing foods (100 percent whole grains and lean proteins) and not enough veggies and fruit (they’re base)

weakens muscles and bones. So aim for balance by making sure you eat nine servings of produce a day. You need strength-building exercises – done for 20–30 minutes, two to three times a week – combined with walking 10,000 steps a day! Realage.com offers 17 nifty resistance-band exercises.

Build it or lose it keeping muscles strong By Michael Roizen, M.D.,and Mehmet Oz, M.D

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