Dare I say pumpkin? Orange Vegetables - Health Benefits and Recipes

Dare I say pumpkin? Orange Vegetables - Health Benefits and Recipes

Among the most nutritious are carrots, orange peppers, sweet potatoes, and winter squashes, including pumpkin

These vegetables, exemplified by their vibrant color, are good sources of vitamin C, folic acid and other B vitamins, potassium, fiber, vitamin A, and carotenoids. Due to their fiber content, these vegetables are quite satiating. And the vitamin A is important for healthy skin, nails, and hair.

Orange vegetables are excellent sources of alpha-carotenoids, lutein, and most notably, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene and its family of carotenoids have anticancer functions and strengthen the immune system. Beta-carotene is associated with a reduced risk of breast, ovarian, uterine, cervical, lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer.

Simple and delicious – these vegetables are great oven roasted. Eat these vegetables regularly – if not daily, several times a week. Foods rich in beta-carotene are more easily absorbed when cooked, juiced, or blended. Cooking and processing helps break down their tough cellular walls and make the beta-carotene more available to the body's tissues. To discuss a few...

Cancer Awareness Month for Gynecological & Prostate Cancers

Cancer Awareness Month for Gynecological & Prostate Cancers

Please join me in celebrating the courageous women and men who are living with gynecological cancer or prostate cancer.

Gynecological Cancers
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month is recognized each year in September and is a perfect time to encourage women to learn more about cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, ovaries, and uterus. Every year in the United States, about 89,000 women are diagnosed with and more than 33,000 die from a gynecologic cancer

Avocados - Healthy & Delicious

Avocados - Healthy & Delicious

Technically a fruit, avocados are in their own unique category when it comes to their nutritional properties. These fruits are a great source of dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, iron, niacin, vitamin E, and monounsaturated fats. Yet, it is true that they are high in fat – one medium avocado contains 30 grams of fat. Fortunately, it’s healthy fat rich in omega-9 fatty acids, or monounsaturated fats, which appear to have neutral if not protective effects against cancer. Nonetheless, given that you’re likely consuming other fats in the diet, consider keeping your portion to 1/4-1/2 avocado at a sitting.

Sleep - Getting your ZZZZZ's

Sleep - Getting your ZZZZZ's

Medical and treatment factors, pain, menopausal symptoms, age, mental health, and more all contribute to challenges with sleep. Sleep disturbances and fatigue are beyond commonplace. The quality and quantity of our sleep can significantly affect our health - physical, mental, and emotional. Learn more and get tips for better sleep!

Prebiotics & Probiotics

Prebiotics & Probiotics

Not a day goes by that I don't read an article on the microbiome and its significant implications on our health. Why? Because every food and supplement you consume interacts with the lining of your gut, and your gut lining is home to a jungle of microflora. Prebiotics and probiotics help to improve the diversity and overall health of our microbiome. That said, telling you to take just any prebiotic and/or probiotic supplement is virtually as vague as telling you to take a pill; it provides you no guidance at all.

Organic Foods - Are they worth it?

Organic Foods - Are they worth it?

Let's discuss. While we each may have our own (possibly strong) opinion on this topic, my goal is to present what we know from the scientific literature. And I'll be honest, we need more research. That said, independent studies have reported that various pesticides are linked with a host of health problems, including brain and nervous system toxicity, cancer, and hormone disruption.

Summer Grilling & Genotoxins: How to Make your Food Safer

Summer Grilling & Genotoxins: How to Make your Food Safer

Longer days and warmer weather have arrived – a time when we see outdoor grilling and BBQs as a summertime staple for preparing meals. This transition does, however, present some potential health challenges. Open flames of gas and charcoal can induce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cooked meat. PAHs, a group of highly hydrophobic and organic compounds are ubiquitous in the environment. PAHs are harmful to human health, and a number of them are carcinogenic, mutagenic, and genotoxic.

Vitamin D - could it really help lower our risk of COVID-19? Lessen the likelihood that we find ourselves in the ICU?

Vitamin D - could it really help lower our risk of COVID-19? Lessen the likelihood that we find ourselves in the ICU?

Nearly four months into sheltering-in-place and the risk of COVID-19 remains of high concern. I mentioned vitamin D in my February email and I find that it continues to be discussed and now researched as to how it may influence COVID-19. I thought it would be prudent to share more on this topic.