WORDS FROM A NUTRIONIST CHEF

I'm a chef and a teacher who believes everyone has the ability to nourish themselves, even in the direst of circumstances." by Rebecca Katz who has a master's in nutrition and is a chef who works with oncologists, nutritionists, and cancer wellness professionals.

File Photo of Ms Katz

NUTRITION AFTER 50

According to Dr. Pamela Peeke, author of the NYT bestselling book The Hunger Fix, "After the age of 50, the goal is to prevent disease by maintaining an optimally healthy and active mind and body." She goes on to suggest that as we age our nutritional needs change and we should be including high fiber foods in our diets for a strong body and a sharp mind if we are over 50. As our gastrointestinal systems slow down we need to increase the fiber in our diets. Some of her suggestions for fiber-rich foods are raspberries with 8 grams per cup, whole-wheat pasta with over 6 grams per cup, lentils are high with over 15 grams per cup, green peas have almost 9 grams per cup, etc. Over all she suggests we eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day. Read the nutritional labels on foods you buy to check the fiber grams.

 

GREEK YOGURT VS GREEK STYLE YOGURT

Once again I am warning you to read labels on your foods.  Today it is about Greek yogurt.  Most of us know Greek yogurt is very popular right now and is considered a healthy food.  But those nasty marketers are always out to make a buck from unsuspecting consumers.  In order to cash in on the popularity of "Greek Yogurt" many companies now market some yogurt as "Greek Style".  Be aware that Greek Style is not Greek Yogurt!  Greek Style yogurt is nothing more than regular yogurt that contains additives such as gelatin and milk solids to make it thicker and thus able to make consumers think they are eating Greek Yogurt.  To be sure you are getting Greek Yogurt read the ingredients list. There should be only two - milk and cultures, in the plain Greek yogurt.

Please note there is nothing illegal about marketing yogurt as Greek Style.  Once again it is up to the consumer to read labels and be aware of what they are purchasing.
 Please note: These pictures are not endorsements or non-endorsements of these brands of products.  These pictures are used only to show you the different in the wording on the product, Greek Yogurt vs Greek Style Yogurt.

SHOULD YOU GO GLUTEN-FREE?

Should you go gluten-free?  The simple answer is no, unless you have celiac disease or a medically diagnosed gluten sensitivity.  A lot of people are jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon because it is popular right now.  But the experts warn you should keep eating gluten regularly if you have no medical reason to avoid it.  You could miss out on some vital nutrients by going on your own gluten-free kick.  

If you have celiac disease and need to eat gluten-free, shop carefully.  The situation is the same as it is for sugar-free, fat-free, etc.  When they take out a major ingredient, it is replaced by something else to keep the product tasty and palpable.  Read the labels, something you should always do anyway.  Don't assume that because a product is gluten-free it is a healthy product.  Many of these products contain extra fat and other processed ingredients.  When reading the labels on gluten-free products, choose the foods that don't have added sugar, are low in saturated fat, low in sodium (less than 5%), and are high in fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

NUTRITION AND CANCER BY JIM GORDON, MD

Note: This post is from 2012.

Dr. Gordon is the founder and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC and sponsors several annual symposia that address the issue of Food and Medicine programs.  His training sessions include hundreds of doctors from around the country.  Dr. Gordon is a pioneer in the use of nutrition to impact cancer.  When asked if what he teaches makes a difference, he replied, "People with cancer are told by their oncologists, 'This is the treatment: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, maybe even immune therapy.  Everything else is regarded as, at worst, unnecessary, peripheral, or, at best, complementary....'.  I think that is a major misconception.  The data in standard textbooks on nutrition and cancer is that cancer is related in some way to nutrition.  It stands to reason that if nutrition is a significant factor in the development of cancer, you would want there to be a focus on nutrition as part of the treatment and the prevention of recurrence in cancer."

If you or someone you love receives a diagnosis of cancer, I believe it is important to discuss nutrition and your diet with your medical team.  If they are dismissive, do research on your own or seek out other doctors or nutritionists to help you.

There are many posts on this blog regarding foods and cancer.

I am not saying nutrition will cure cancer, only that it could be helpful to those diagnosed.

 A healthy diet always includes lots of fruits and vegetables.

PORK FAT IS A HEALTHY FOOD - REALLY?

Yes, really! Three or four years ago the BBC reported on a study of the most nutritious foods. Scientist analyzed 1,000 raw foods and rated their nutritional value. Pork fat ranked #8 in the list of the 100 most nutritious foods! That's ahead of salmon, tangerines, fresh spinach, etc. Each of the foods were given a nutritional score, the higher the score the more likely the food would be to meet our daily nutritional needs when eaten with other foods. The following is a list of the top 10 with the number following being the score that food earned:

1. Almonds 97
2. Cherimoya (a fruit) 96
3. Ocean Perch 89
4. Flatfish 88
5. Chia Seeds 85
6. Pumpkin Seeds 84
7. Swiss Chard 78
8. Pork Fat 73
9. Beet Greens 70
10. Snapper 69

The article continued to state that pork fat is a good source of vitamins and minerals and is more unsaturated than other meats such as beef and lamb.

So go ahead and enjoy that bacon and ham in moderation. Tell those trying to get you to have a salad instead that your salad needs to be loaded down with bacon! 

Remember, everything in moderation!

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