When recovering from my surgery, I started to use aspects of integrative cancer care for my body, mind, spirit, social, and environmental health. Yet change can take time. As only one component, it took me many years to adequately improve my diet.

But the beginning of 2004 featured shocking news. A major cancer hospital where I had frequent MRI scans for many years told me that not only I had a brain tumor recurrence, but the tumor recurrence was visible on my MRI scans since 2000. In the confusion, I did not know what to do and who to trust. I launched transformation in my healing process.

Intense suffering offers profound opportunities. Quality information and actions must occur. Over the next year, I meditated, used many new modalities, a raw foods retreat with significant detoxification and building my immune system, and move from Washington, DC to California with spiritual guidance. I began studying more about spirituality and what happens after death. My soul’s existence and process for evolution further emerged.

My healing journey continued and in new directions. Over five plus years, my treatments involved hundreds of integrative therapies, including at three clinics in Europe and the Gonzalez protocol. Sometimes I felt improvements in my quality of life and others only pain. But in the summer of 2011, I became extremely sick and absolutely needed a second awake brain surgery. Thankfully I’ve covered from surgery using integrative cancer care for the whole person.

Everyone has a unique purpose in this lifetime. When people express their meaning and purpose, their innate healing capacities strengthen.  In my chaos with cancer, levels of guidance directed me to many jobs gaining important skills for my purpose. After the U.S. Congress, I worked for national cancer non-profits, a consultant to the National Cancer Institute and Food and Drug Administration, a job at the National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s Clearinghouse, for health care practices, and other businesses. Now I work in integrative cancer care and love what I do to serve others for their healing. My services include work as a Cancer Coach & Navigator, Writing & Consulting, and Public Speaking.

When I express my purpose with work, part of me require healthy foods. I wish I learned about healthy foods earlier in my cancer journey. Research findings clearly show health benefits, including turning cancer cells on and off.  Eating healthy foods improves quality of life, cancer survival, cancer prevention, and other keys to optimal health and healing.

Jeannine Walston shares integrative cancer care information and inspiration to support optimal health and healing with her educational website of articles and blogs. Her services include work as a Cancer Coach, Writing & Consulting, and Public Speaking. Jeannine is a cancer survivor since 1998 with extensive experience in cancer education and advocacy, health care policy, and conventional into integrative cancer care through work for the National Cancer Institute, Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s Clearinghouse, the U.S. Congress, cancer non-profit organizations, and health care practices. Visit her website www.jeanninewalston.com.

1. Encourage gratitude. Being grateful for others fills your heart with appreciation. You can encourage gratitude in your life by starting your day with thoughts of gratefulness. Before you even get out of bed, think of at least one thing, one situation, or one being that you are grateful for. Let yourself appreciate this focus of gratitude for a few moments. Smile while you are having these thoughts of appreciation. You could also keep a gratitude journal and each night before bed jot down the things you were grateful for that day. Find ways to cultivate gratitude for the infinite blessings we are presented with each day.

2. Give yourself a glance of loving-kindness. When you catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror, smile at your reflection. Throughout the day acknowledge yourself, even if just for a brief moment, with genuine loving-kindness. We cannot say it better than inspired Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron: “When you begin?to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it is bottomless, that it doesn’t have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness there is, as well as how much space.” Bathe yourself and those you love in kindness and compassion.

3. Speak from the heart. Think about someone you love and why you love them. Create some time to communicate with this person—either tell them in person or in writing about your love and appreciation. It doesn’t have to be a big, drawn-out event—just a simple act of you speaking the truth of your experience of love and gratitude for the opportunity to share it. Be authentic in your expression. Remember that in every day there exists opportunities to feel and express love. Search out those moments and soon they will become a part of the fabric of your life.

4. Embrace favorite pastimes. What are some of the top things you love to do? Can you find at least one of these activities in every day? Yesterday? Today? Relish the moments that you do get to enjoy these cherished activities, and if you can, insert at least one of them in each day. Make a list of your favorite pastimes and post the list where you can see it. Tell others what you love to do so they can encourage you to find time to do what you love.

5. Seek out social support. Don’t underestimate the dangers of isolation. If you don’t have a strong support system with family and friends, consider joining a mutual-interest group, like a book club. Take a class or begin volunteering with others. And if you do have a strong support system, make time for them and include them in your spirit-filled life.

6. Cultivate laughter. Watch funny movies, hang out with funny friends, start laughing even if nothing is funny, and do whatever it takes to laugh frequently. The comedian Milton Berle once said: “Laughter is an instant vacation.” Take one today! Laughter is physically, emotionally and spiritually healing. And it’s not just laughter it’s also the physical act of smiling. How many times do you smile throughout the day? Make smiling a part of your daily routine.

Editor’s Note: This article was excerpted from the Five to Thrive magazine. To subscribe, click here. To learn more about this great new digital magazine, see below:

Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, is a highly respected naturopathic oncologist and a sought-after speaker to both consumers and healthcare professionals on the topic of integrative cancer prevention and treatment. Karolyn A. Gazella is the publisher of Wellness Times and Natural Medicine Journal. Together Alschuler and Gazella have written Five to Thrive: Your Cutting-Edge Cancer Prevention Plan (Active Interest Media 2011) and The Definitive Guide to Cancer (Random House revised 3rd Edition 2010). The are also the hosts of Five to Thrive Live on the Cancer Support Network. For more information visit FivetoThrivePlan.com.

The National Cancer Institute estimates 2013 will hold 76,690 new cases of melanoma and 9,480 deaths will be attributed to the disease.  Although melanoma accounts for only 5% of all skin cancers, it is the most deadly resulting in 75% of deaths.

The good news is you can have an active role in effectively protecting yourself and loved ones from this deadly disease.  Prevention and early detection is key!  When detected early, before spreading to lymph nodes or other organs, the 5-year overall survival rate for melanoma patients is 98%.  This rate falls to 62% when disease has spread to the lymph nodes and 15% when metastasis has occurred to distant organs. 

Here are some tips to share with family and friends:

• Protect yourself from the sun’s UV rays. Wear clothing to protect as much skin possible, including long sleeves, a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses 
•  Limit direct sun exposure during midday, seeking areas of shade. UV rays are strongest between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm 
• Wear “broad-spectrum” sunscreen that provides protection against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of at least 30
• Apply sunscreen liberally. Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming or exercising 
• Wear sunscreen year round, even on cloudy days  
• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps
• Perform monthly head to toe self-exams in front of a full-length mirror, in a well-lit room. A handheld mirror is helpful to view areas that are hard to see. Take note of any moles, marks or freckles on your skin so you will be able to notice any changes
• Be sure to see your doctor or dermatologist yearly for a full body skin exam.

Think “ABCDE” to remind yourself what to look for:

• Asymmetry: The shape of one half doesn’t match the other. 
• Border: Irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred edges. 
• Color: Areas of uneven coloring including: black, brown, tan, white, gray, red, pink or blue
• Diameter: There’s a change in size
• Evolving: The mole has changed over a few weeks or months

References: 

www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/melanoma 
www.cdc.gov 
www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content

Blender 
2 tsp green tea leaves (or 1 bag)
1⁄2 cup boiling water
1 tbsp liquid honey or agave nectar 
1⁄2 cup frozen blueberries 
1⁄2 cup probiotic plain yogurt          

 1. In a measuring cup or tea pot, combine green tea and boiling water; let steep for 8 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve (or discard tea bags), without squeezing leaves, into a bowl or container. Stir in honey until dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until chilled, or for up to 1 day.

2. In blender, combine chilled tea, blueberries and yogurt and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. 

Makes 1 serving

Tip: If you are nauseated or put off by food, try drinking from a cup with a lid and a straw.

By Jean LaMantia, Cancer Survivor, Registered Dietitian and Author of The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide and Cookbook.  The Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie is just one of the 150 delicious recipes contained in this wonderful cookbook.  Congratulations to fellow dietitian and author Jean LaMantia as today is the Best Seller Launch for this popular book!  You can find out more at www.CancerTreatmentNutrition.com

Recipe excerpted from The Essential Cancer Treatment Nutrition Guide & Cookbook by Jean LaMantia © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca May not be reprinted without publisher permission. 

Popular amongst diabetics and dieters, artificial sweeteners are synthetic substances used as substitutes for sugar. They include Saccharin, Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, Sucralose, and Neotame and are 160-13,000 times sweeter than normal table sugar. Though some may leave an aftertaste, they contribute little to no dietary calories, as the body cannot efficiently absorb them. While their sweetness decreases the volume needed to enhance flavor, frequent or excessive consumption (10-50 grams) of artificial sweeteners can lead to gas, bloating, diarrhea, and intestinal discomfort.

So far, studies conducted on the safety of artificial sweeteners have been conflicting or inconclusive, leading many experts to debate whether or not artificial sweeteners should be legal. Two particularly famous studies linked saccharin to bladder cancer in rats, an association that could not be shown in humans, and aspartame to increased incidence of leukemia and lymphoma in humans, the validity of this study being questionable. Though considered to be “Generally Recognized As Safe” (GRAS), the FDA has set Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) levels for each artificial sweetener. This level is set at 100 times less than the smallest amount that might cause health concerns when consumed daily over the course of a lifetime.

While they may be legally GRAS, some studies have linked the use of artificial sweeteners to increased weight gain and obesity. Though animal and observational studies have seen conflicting results linking artificial sweeteners to cancer, their association with increased BMIs can put individuals at a higher risk for certain cancers. Despite the controversy, the National Cancer Institute considers the five types of artificial sweeteners currently approved by the FDA to be safe for consumption by most people, including children and pregnant woman.

If you are concerned about the safety of artificial sweeteners and cancer risk, you may choose to avoid certain commercially produced foods (check the Nutrition Facts label), especially anything labeled “Sugar-Free.” Remember, as with all things, only consume artificial sweeteners in moderation and be cautious if you start to experience symptoms of  intestinal discomfort or weight gain.

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17828671

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HEALTHbeat_033005.htm#art1

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

Dr. Gupta’s recommendation was that we need more research to combat this issue.  While not disputing that more research would certainly be helpful, including research designed to evaluate both medical and quality of life outcomes as a result of specific interventions from Registered Dietitians (RDs), my view is that first, more than anything, we need more Registered Dietitians in cancer centers to help patients sort through and prioritize the nutritional information that is both available and appropriate to their current needs.

Knowing how many questions I had after my two breast cancer diagnoses, knowing how difficult it was (even as a highly-trained RD) to sort through and evaluate the accuracy and appropriateness of the overwhelming amount of nutrition information available to cancer patients, plus knowing that the purpose of both my website and book has only been to provide generalized information, I have been advocating for almost two decades that cancer centers provide proactive and individualized nutritional information by an RD as a component of true comprehensive cancer care, first upon diagnosis (i.e., during treatment) and when a patient enters the survivorship phase (i.e., when treatment has ended or continues into the new phase of the diagnosis being considered a chronic disease). Thanks to the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, cancer centers and thus patients now have access to oncology-credentialed RDs, Certified Specialists in Oncology Nutrition (CSOs).

There will be greater than 1.6 million people in 2013 hearing the chilling words “You have cancer” in the US alone.  Cancer only rarely happens in a vacuum, and the fact is that the majority of these patients also have (or are now at increased risk of developing) many diet-related chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, osteoporosis, etc. Which of those 1.6 million patients does not need help sorting through and prioritizing nutritional actions to both improve their odds for long-term survival and/or quality of life? Which would not benefit from (or deserve) care from an RD as a professional involved in optimizing their comprehensive cancer care and life after cancer?

More research studying the specific recommendations for specific cancers will always be important and of value. In fact, proceeds from the sale of my book A Dietitian’s Cancer Story have been donated to the Diana Dyer Endowment at The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) since 1999, helping to fund annual research projects focused on defining nutritional strategies to optimize the odds for long-term cancer survivorship plus enhanced quality of life after cancer.

Research is painstakingly slow, too slow for the 1.6 million people who will be newly diagnosed with cancer this year, those diagnosed last year, and those who will be diagnosed next year. The bottom line is that cancer centers (large and small) need to be hiring more dietitians now to provide nutritional care to these patients that will improve their overall oncology care and life after cancer treatments. Information on the internet, reputable website or not, consistent information or not, pamphlets, DVDs, books, well-intentioned advice (and likely inconsistent also) from other oncology staff members, etc., are only a first step and can never replace the benefits of comprehensive, proactive, individualized nutrition counseling (Medical Nutrition Therapy) from a Registered Dietitian.  This is where we need to start.

My words to cancer centers, please start identifying the barriers (real or perceived) to hiring RDs. To those cancer centers that already have hired an RD (thank you!) but your cancer center serves 5,000 – 10,000 unique patients annually, please increase the RD staffing. My words to patients, ask, ask, and ask again for a referral to an RD, and don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I have seen more than one cancer center hire their first RD because of ‘grass roots efforts’ from patients just like you. Go big, don’t fly low, set the bar high. The goal of all health care professionals is creating healthy communities and that can only be done by including, indeed embracing, healthy food and nutrition into the care plan!

References:

(1)  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01635581.2013.757629

(2)  http://www.medpagetoday.com/Columns/TheGuptaGuide/38124

(3)   Google.com, search cancer nutrition (without quotation marks) on 4.19.2013

(4)   http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-036845.pdf

Diana Dyer, MS, RD

Author: A Dietitian’s Cancer Story

Website: www.CancerRD.com

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
6 cups stemmed and chopped
Swiss chard, in bite-size pieces
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon maple syrup

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add the
garlic, red pepper flakes, cranberries, and orange juice and sauté
for 30 seconds, just until aromatic. Add the chard, salt, and zest and
sauté until the color of the chard begins to darken and intensify. Use
a slotted spoon to transfer the greens to a bowl, then bring the liquid
in the pan to a boil. When the liquid shrinks in from the sides of the
pan and thickens a bit, stir the greens back in, then stir in the maple
syrup. Taste. You may want to add another pinch of salt.
Serve immediately.

Cooks Notes: The flavor of this dish is greatly intensified by reducing the liquid in the pan. Take the time to perform this step. Your taste buds will be rewarded. One trick to preparing greens is ripping them off their tough stems. This makes them easier to eat and digest. You can chop the chard stems into small pieces and add them to the pan earlier so they have a chance to cook more.

Reprinted with permission from The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery. Copyright © 2009 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.

Rebecca is the author of The Longevity Kitchen: Satisfying Big Flavor Recipes Featuring the Top-16 Age Busting Power Foods (Ten Speed Press), which was published in February, 2013 along with the award-winning cookbook The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Beyond (Ten Speed Press, 2009), and One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and their Friends (Second Edition).

Rebecca is a nationally-recognized culinary translator and expert on the role of food in supporting optimal health, Rebecca has a Masters of Science degree in Health and Nutrition Education, and received her culinary training from New York’s Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. As a consultant, speaker, teacher and chef, Rebecca works closely with patients, physicians, nurses, and wellness professionals to include the powerful tool of nutrition in their medical arsenal.  She is the founder and director of the Healing Kitchens Institute at Commonweal, which is dedicated to transforming lives through nutritional science and culinary alchemy.  http://www.commonweal.org/programs/HKI.html

A myriad of food related experiences, including a sojourn to Italy, where she studied Mediterranean cuisine from chefs and signoras from Florence to Sicily, shaped Rebecca’s philosophy that health-supportive food must taste great in order to be nourishing and healing. 

For more information, please visit: http://www.rebeccakatz.com

• changing cancer-risk behaviors
• eating more nutritiously—swallow by swallow
• becoming more physically active—step by step
• and receiving continuing survivorship care and follow-up.

1. Stop smoking.  Use of tobacco products (e.g. smoking cigarettes or using smokeless tobacco) increases your risk of cancer recurrence.  Also reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke—stay away from people smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Seek help for quitting for good!  Check out the National Cancer Institute’s Fact Sheet on “Where to Get Help When You Decide to Quit Smoking” at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/help-quitting.   The NCI also has a Smoking Quitline available at 1-877-44U-Quit.  The free hotline offers a wide range of services including one-on-one counseling, printed information and referrals to other quit smoking resources.

2. Limit alcohol consumption.  Quite simply, continuing to drink alcoholic beverages increases your risk for cancer coming back and decreases your survival. If you do drink, pay attention to portion size!   There is truly portion distortion when it comes to purchasing and consuming alcoholic beverages.  A drink of alcohol is defined as:

• 12 ounces of beer
• 5 ounces of wine
• 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits

Again, the ACS’s guidelines for cancer prevention are:

• Drink no more than 1 drink per day if you are woman
• Drink no more than 2 drinks per day if you are a man

However, I encourage head and neck cancer survivors to not drink alcoholic beverages!

3. Obtain and maintain a healthy body weight.  A healthy weight depends upon a person’s height.  A recommendation for a healthy weight is often reported in terms of body mass index or BMI.  A healthy BMI for most adults is within a range of 18.5. to 25.  To calculate your own BMI refer to the National Health Institute’s BMI Calculator available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm.  Overweight and obesity are clearly linked with an increased risk for cancer and cancer recurrence.

However, being underweight and having a BMI lower than 18.5 can be a sign of malnutrition or undernutrition.  Being underweight can also increase your risk of bone disease (osteoporosis), decreased immune function, and cardiac problems.

A common side effect of head neck cancer treatment is weight loss and for many people that means being underweight.  To help the majority of my patients to maintain their weight through treatment, they are encouraged to have a feeding tube placed.  For many of my patients it can take weeks and even months to slowly transition from using their feeding tube to be able to chew and swallow their food again.  If you are having a hard time regaining weight lost or transitioning from tube feeding to eating after finishing your cancer treatment, seek help from your provider (e.g. doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant) or ask for a referral to meet with a registered dietitian.

4. Visit your dentist regularly. As discussed in an earlier post, radiation therapy to the head and neck area can cause lasting eating challenges because of treatment-related loss of saliva, taste changes, and possible loss of chewing and swallowing function.  Having regular dental check-ups is vital to your oral health.  Be sure to use fluoride-containing toothpaste or other oral care products as directed by your dental team. If you have dentures or other oral prostheses, be sure that they fit properly.

5. Seek help if you are having challenges with chewing and swallowing, and range of movement.  Ask your provider for a referral to work with a specially trained oncology rehabilitation expert. Speech-language pathologists can help with treatment related changes and challenges with speaking, and chewing and swallowing.  If you are experiencing coughing or wheezing after swallowing (a condition known as aspiration) or having difficulty with food becoming stuck with swallowing (a condition known as esophageal stricture or stenosis)—it is an important safety consideration to have your swallowing function evaluated.

Other members of the oncology rehabilitation team are physical therapists (PT).  PTs can help with lingering medical conditions such as post treatment loss of movement, neck pain. To find a cancer rehabilitation program or specially trained clinicians visit the Oncology Rehab Partner’s STAR Program® (Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation) website at: http://www.oncologyrehabpartners.com/.  If there is not a STAR Program in your area, ask your healthcare professional for a referral to your hospital’s rehabilitation program near you.

6. Seek help to improve your physical activity and function.  To help improve your physical well-being and function consider becoming more physically active.  Follow the American Cancer Society’s guidelines above for engaging in regular physical activity.  Be sure to discuss your plans about physical activity with your provider before beginning any exercise program. Also consider seeking out a LIVESTRONG program in your area. The LIVESTRONG Foundation and 270 YMCAs across America have partnered together to offer free, 12-week YMCA-managed programs for adult cancer survivors and their caregivers.  To learn more about the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program and where you can find one, visit: http://livestrong.org/ymca

One in every 25 Americans is a cancer survivor.  The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines a cancer survivor as anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer.  Statistics reported by the Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer website report that there are over 500,000 survivors of head and neck cancer in the United States.  Now that you are a survivor where do you start?  Where do you begin?  Here are some ideas and strategies for life after cancer treatment.

The American Cancer Society in its 2012 Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors recommends:

• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
  • If overweight or obese, limit consumption of high calorie foods and beverages and increase physical activity to promote weight loss.
• Engage in regular physical activity.
  • Avoid inactivity and return to normal daily activities as soon as possible following diagnosis.
  • Aim to exercise at least 150 minutes per week.
  • Include strength training exercises at least 2 days per week.
• Achieve a dietary pattern that is high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Cancer survivors are also encouraged to follow the American Cancer Society’s Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention:
  • Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
  • Limit consumption of processed meat and red meat.
  • Eat at least 2.5 cups of vegetables and fruits each day.
  • Choose whole grains instead of refined grain products.
  • If you do drink alcoholic beverages, limit consumption.  Drink no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 drinks per day for men.
  • Be as lean as possible throughout life without being underweight.

In the next blog, we will discuss more specific ways that you can put these recommendations into practice and make an action plan for healthy living after treatment.

Eat a plant based diet
According to a study published by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, production for a meat-based diet requiresmore resources than for a vegetarian diet. Thus, consuming less meat (i.e. making meat a side dish rather than a main dish) may improve our environment. Plant based foods like fruits, vegetables and legumes are also great sources of nutrients,phytochemicals and antioxidants and are generally lower in calories when compared with meats.

When adopting a plant-based diet, some look to choose organic options. Organic foods are produced without pesticides, decreasing exposure to these potentially harmful substances.  For those who are not able to choose organic produce, it is important to remember that the benefits of fruits and vegetables outweigh any potential exposure to pesticides.  For those looking to include some organic options, frozen organic foods can be less expensive than fresh ones.  The Environmental Working Group’s “dirty dozen” list is also a useful tool to help identify the fruits and vegetables most and least likely to be contaminated.  http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/.  

Choose the right kind of meat
When eating beef, try to choose grass-fed. According to the Environmental Working Group, while grass fed cattle produce more methane than those that are corn fed, more of the carbon is sequestered into the soil rather than released into the atmosphere.

Grass fed cows are also a source of conjugated linoleic acid, a fat that may be helpful in weight loss, and anti-inflammatory omega 3s.

Something’s fishy
Fish contains essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA. However, the earth’s supply cannot keep up with human demand. Also, certain fish may contain toxins like mercury or PCBs. In order to cut back on risk and preserve supply but also to benefit from fish’s healthfulness, choose to eat a 3oz serving (size of a deck of cards) of fish one to two times per week. The Environmental Working Group recommends choosing wild rather than farmed salmon, trimming fat/skin before cooking and broiling, and baking or grilling instead of frying to decrease PCBs. Additionally, try eating leaner and smaller varieties of fish as these have shorter lifespans and accumulate fewer toxins.

Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website to see the safest seafood choices in your region: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx

 Think locally
The further food has to travel, the more fuel is released into the environment. Similarly, the longer produce takes to get to the table, the less nutrients end up on your fork. Vitamin C degrades upon contact with heat, light and oxygen.

In order to buy local, nutrient rich food, visit your local farmer’s market or look for the “local food” section in your grocery store. Go to the following website to find the farmer’s market nearest you: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FARMERSMARKETS

 Reduce
What are you eating out of? Bags of beans and cardboard tetrapacks of soups use less packaging than their canned counterparts. They often have less sodium and may reduce exposure to BPA. Remember to recycle all packages when possible!

Re-use
Consider re-using kitchen scraps to start a garden in your backyard.

• You can regenerate a celery plant from the stub. Soak the stub in warm water overnight then plant in your garden.
• Take the extra cloves of garlic you were too lazy to peel and plant them in a sunny spot. Once the stalk pokes through the soil cut it off. Wait a few weeks then harvest.
• Ginger-Take fresh ginger root and plant it. Wait a few weeks then harvest!

Take the extra step
Research shows that breaking up time sitting may be just as important to health as performing formal exercise. Walk to the grocery store or library as opposed to driving. You will burn your own carbon fuel as opposed to your cars. Aim for 10,000 steps per day.

Whether you are a tree hugger or a health conscious consumer, making a few healthy changes will prove fruitful both your health and the environment.

References