If you're a beef eater, it is to your benefit to look for grass-fed beef. When cows graze on what they would eat if not domesticated, instead of on the foods that are pro-inflammatory to any animal, the resulting flesh is higher in omega-3 fatty acids.

I recently learned about a Uruguayan/Argentinian brand of beef, Estancia, that is grass-fed on native grass (no rainforest destroyed for these ranches), that is available in the Western United States. It's primarily sold in California, but because Arizona sits between California and the Texas ports where this beef is unloaded from the boats, and the trucks stop off here on the way to their destination, we can get it in our Fry's Signature Stores as well.

Here is the information on nutrition and health from the Estancia website. If you do not happen to have this particular brand in your local area, be sure to ask your butcher what brand they DO have with similar characteristics. The more a butcher or store knows a product will be sold, the more likely it is that they will go through the trouble to bring it to their shelves.

We just received an interesting question about beef jerky and whether or not it is safe to eat during pregnancy. And if not…what could be substituted?

Under any other conditions, I love beef jerky, as it is a convenient protein snack that is often overlooked as an option. However, pregnancy is a time when more than one life is exposed to our food choices and it's important to consider the effects of those choices on the person who's passively getting the exposure.

Most pregnancy experts advise against eating beef jerky during pregnancy because it increases the risk of developing a food-borne illness called listeria. Pregnant women seem to be more susceptible to listeria than other people. When exposed, this bacteria can attack the fetus and provoke a miscarriage, stillbirth, or blood infection during infancy. Our clients work waaaay too hard to become pregnant so we want to, to the best of our ability, steer them toward food choices that insure that these fates are not even options.

The website http://www.foodborneillness.com/ provides the following guidelines for reducing your exposure to listeria:

Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources;
Keep uncooked meats separate from vegetables and from cooked and ready-to-eat foods
Avoid milk that is not pasteurized and sold raw or foods – such as cheese – made from milk that is not pasteurized;
Wash hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods
Wash raw vegetables thoroughly before eating
Consume perishable and ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible.
Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
Wash hands after handling those products.
Do not eat soft cheeses (such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or Mexican-style cheese), unless theyhave labels that clearly state they are made from pasteurized milk.
Do not eat meat spreads or smoked seafood from the refrigerated or deli section of the store (canned or shelf-stable products may be eaten).

I normally do not have a problem with raw diets or raw milk. During pregnancy however, it is especially important to thoroughly wash produce and consider holding off on raw milk until after your baby is born.
OK, now what to do if you have to give up beef jerky!

I found vegetarian jerkies made from two different sources, soy and seitan. Here are some links to some of the options available in the amazon.com store.

In moderation these should be ok. Remember, however, that soy contains estrogenic compounds and too much holds potential to affect your hormone balance.

The second option, made with seitan, looks good as well. If you are following a gluten-free diet, know that seitan is unadulterated gluten. This product is not for you.

Here is a recipe for seitan jerky if you are a kitchen adventurer.
http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2009/06/black-pepper-seitan-jerky.html

And there you have it, a somewhat long-winded answer, that hopefully answers questions you might have about listeria and pregnancy.

Note: I've received quite a few compliments about this blog post. It was written and published without a single edit by Sarah Jones. Sarah is currently a nutrition student and Arizona State University and has been interning with me over this academic year. The attention to detail you see here is just how Sarah does things. I'm very lucky to have her, and glad she has shared such a timely topic in such a wonderful post. Thanks, Sarah!

You may have noticed that vitamin D has been a hot topic in the media lately and, at this point, it is likely that we as consumers are becoming overwhelmed by all the media hype. Recent studies have suggested that in prehistoric times, in addition to normal skeletal development, humans probably used vitamin D as a natural form of sunscreen. Before majoring in Dietetics, my basic knowledge of the role vitamin D played in the body is that it somehow worked with calcium to promote healthy bones. As it turns out, I had no idea how complex the relationship actually was between vitamin D and the human body! Let’s take a further look at vitamin D. Most of us may know vitamin D as the “sunshine vitamin.” We get it from the sun, right? Sure, but how? When ultraviolet light from the sun shines on a cholesterol compound in our skin, it is transformed into a vitamin D “precursor” (compounds that can be converted into active vitamins that the body can use) and is absorbed directly into the blood. The liver and kidneys finish converting the precursor to the active form of vitamin D. There are two major forms of vitamin D; these are vitamin D₂ (ergocalciferol), which is present in plants, and vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol), which is present in the skin of animals. Vitamin D was discovered in 1920 and was originally classified as a vitamin. However, it has since been revealed that vitamin D is actually a hormone (steroid) since it can be synthesized by the body when exposed to sunlight. Essentially, the major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus in our bodies, which aids in the absorption of calcium and helps to form and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D₃ is the most active form of the vitamin, which is what you will see in most supplements. Obtaining vitamin D from sunlight presents no risk of vitamin D toxicity because the body is able to regulate the vitamin D precursor – see what I mean about complex! But, as we know, getting too much sun puts us at risk for skin cancer. Since moving to Arizona, I have started wearing sunscreen everyday to decrease my risk of skin cancer, but sunscreen can reduce or prevent the synthesis of vitamin D. And, because vitamin D is one of the most toxic of all the vitamins, taking supplements can put us at risk for toxicity. Now you may be thinking, I wear sunscreen, I am concerned about supplementing without first consulting my doctor, and I live in an area that does not get much sunlight during this time of year, what foods can I eat that have vitamin D in them? As far as foods are concerned, dietary vitamin D is provided primarily by foods of animal origin, especially liver, beef and eggs (mainly the yolk). You can also find vitamin D in dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter. Lastly, vitamin D is in some saltwater fish, including tuna, salmon, herring and sardines. Because few foods naturally have substantial vitamin D content, i n the United States there are pre-selected foods, such as milk, cheese, margarine and yogurt as well as some orange juice, bread, and cereals that have been fortified with vitamin D. If you are a vegetarian, you likely will not be obtaining vitamin D by eating liver, beef or fish, but you may still be eating eggs and dairy products. I mentioned yogurt as a source of vitamin D, but after a trip to the grocery store and looking at no less than ten brands of yogurt, I was stumped! I was hard pressed to find yogurts that have been fortified with vitamin D. However, it was not a complete loss, as I eventually spotted one (which also happens to be one of my favorite brands). Stonyfield Organic Yogurt has fortified most of their yogurt products with vitamin D₃. Here is a list from their labels of the “percent of daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet”: Organic Fat Free Smooth and Creamy 6 oz (all flavors): 20% of D₃ Organic Fat Free Fruit on the Bottom 6 oz (all flavors): 15% of D₃ Organic Low Fat Smooth and Creamy 6 oz (all flavors): 20% of D₃ Organic Low Fat Fruit on the Bottom 6 oz (all flavors): 15% of D₃ Their soy and Greek yogurt’s do not have vitamin D, but they also make six and ten ounce organic smoothies that contain vitamin D. Additionally, they have two other products that are worth mentioning: “B-Healthy and B-Well.” B-Healthy includes omega-3 fatty acids, as well as three of the B vitamins ( B₃ or Niacin, B₅ or Panthothenic Acid and B12). B-Well contains vitamin B₆, probiotic cultures and vitamin D. According to their website, if you live in the Phoenix area, Stonyfield Organic Yogurt can be found at: Bashas’, AJ’s Fine Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market.

References

Not long ago I mentioned some research suggesting that vinegar consumed with a meal can help to reduce the glycemic index of that meal. I'm not big on drinking vinegar myself, so I've had my eyes open for tasty ways to make that interaction work for you in real life.

One great food to keep in mind is the Argentinian condiment chimichurri. I call it South American pesto, the big difference being that chimichurri is most often made with parsley instead of basil. That's ok, parsley is absolutely loaded with vitamin A and lots of other nutritional goodness we lose out on because we tend to think it is only useful as a garnish.

Here is a great recipe with some serving ideas. It's barbecue season so it's a great time to get friendly with this sauce! While the Argentinians are famous for their love of beef, this sauce is great on anything you wish to barbecue, such as the salmon in the photo.

As chimichurri becomes more popular in the United States, pre-prepared versions are becoming more common. I've even seen it on the shelves at Trader Joe's, both plain and as part of some of their packaged dishes.

The other day I stopped at a demo table at my neighborhood store and met the president of Magic Road International, a company devoted to importing Argentinian foods. She shared that they have a chimichurri sauce (Estancia Lucia) that they're working to bring to your table, made with great ingredients such as native Argentinian olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's become one of my favorite condiments because it's so tasty and versatile.

Be on the lookout and fire up that grill!

My friend Steven recently returned from a vacation to Australia. He shared this photo of vegemite ice cream! It reminded me that our friends Down Under have a culinary love affair with a food our vegan readers should become better acquainted with. That is, brewer's yeast.

Vegemite (also known as Marmite if it is produced in the UK, New Zealand, or South Africa, and Cenovis if made in Switzerland) is a dark paste made from brewer's yeast leftover after the brewing process. It's most commonly eaten as a spread on bread, as shown in this photo.

Some of the more common descriptions of Vegemite's taste include: salty, bitter, like beef bouillon. One friend described as"Australian miso". It's never really taken off in the United States, but my friends from places where it is common do seem to"Jones" for it when they've gone awhile without a fix.

Nutritionally, Vegemite is an incredible powerhouse! It is very high in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid, all vitamins which women with PCOS need more of. Kraft, maker of Vegemite, has a website with some interesting recipes for the adventurous reader, including this one for a roast pumpkin and leek risotto. I may have to buy some myself just in the name of trying that one!

One of the things I like about Vegemite is that it is actually made from the leftovers of the beer-making process. In short, leftover yeast cells are processed and combined with salt, celery extract, and onion extract to make the popular black paste. So it's green as well as nutritious, meaning everyone wins!

If you happen to be reading this from Vegemite's home turf, be on the lookout for a new product released just last month. My First Vegemite, actually designed for children, is 50% lower in sodium. It's also fortified with vitamins B6 and B12, which makes it even more attractive to vegans, who have a hard time finding sources of vitamin B12 that are compatible with their food philosophy.

While nutrition purists may insist that Vegemite is too salty, I maintain that in moderation, and used in other recipes, it has its benefits. Amazon.com has not yet picked up this new product but I did find it on eBay.

I'm not an expert on this food, but I'm told Vegemite's cousin Marmite, which is actually available at the local Fresh and Easy, is milder in flavor and also contains vitamin B12 which the original Vegemite does not. That IS available on amazon.com if you're not close to Australia, Fresh and Easy, or other store catering to expat Aussies.

I'm still wrapping my head around vegemite ice cream…though my adventures with jalapeno beer (local), reindeer sausage (on a trip to Alaska), and elk steak (on a ski trip to Steamboat Springs) were far from disappointing. Hmmmm…may I'll have to scheme a business trip to Australia and do some in-depth journalism…

To our many Aussie readers, thank you for your visits! I see you on our stats and I appreciate your visits. I've actually been timing new posts to show in concert with YOUR early evenings, not ours. I hope you find us helpful, mates…be sure to ask questions when you have them! And if you have ideas for how to use your food that we newbies might appreciate, please share!

To our vegan readers, stay tuned. More on brewer's yeast tomorrow. You REALLY need to become friendly with this nutritional gem.

We seem to have this mentality that if it's an antioxidant worth our attention, that it had to come from a faraway place. If it wasn't handpicked by a silent monk, or floated miles down a rainforest river, it couldn't possibly be good, right?

I've never believed that. Mother Nature is far smarter, and it always seemed to me that she'd be sure to put antioxidant gifts in many places. I recently blogged about purple corn, which grows at altitude in Peru, where there is a need for extra protection from the sun's radiation. But closer to home, we have resveratrol in California grapes. Even here in the Southwest, we have hibiscus, also rich in anthcyanins. (For that reason, I've come to call it the Mexican blueberry!)

My theory was further strengthened at the Natural Products Expo, where I learned about a gem from the plains of Saskatchewan. Originally known as Saskatoon berries, and now being marketed as Prairie Berries, these Canadian fruits have a higher oxygen radical absorbence capacity (ORAC) score than blueberries, the fruit most often making the top ten lists of foods you should have on a regular basis.

Prairie berries have been eaten for generations by Native Americans and early settlers. They were often pounded into dried meat to make pemmican, which is similar to beef jerky.

Prairie berries are very similar to blueberries in taste. We were able to try the dried as well as thawed frozen berries. I really liked the flavor.

These berries are not widely available as I write this. The representatives we met were at the Expo to generate interest in them as a food ingredient. They do have a few products for sale on their website. I'm hoping that future Expos will be showcasing food bars, granolas, trail mixes, etc., using these North American superfruits.

Remember, an antioxidant doesn't hold its power based on how many miles it had to travel to get to you. It's about what it does to those free radicals!

I wrote this article two years ago for a newsletter I was publishing. As we face a very important issue in the Gulf of Mexico, the issue of farmed fish needs to be revisited. I hope this creates awareness and opens up dialogue. For my nutrition colleagues reading this blog, we can be such an important part of the solution…provided we disseminate the real facts.

Despite our current love affair with salmon, our relationship with this cold-water fish has not always been productive. As recently as 30 years ago, it was reported that as much as 80% of a year’s supply was commercially fished out of the water. Despite an awareness of a need for better fishing practices and attention to sustainability, recent salmon fisheries were shut down along the Pacific Coast due to drastic drops in supplies.

As salmon gains favor as the fish with the highest known concentration of the coveted omega-3 fatty acids,
threats on its numbers, and its ability to sustain itself, are only likely to increase. One answer to maintaining salmon populations has been to farm them. However, fish farming has not been an industry that has been met with open arms. Current popular wisdom—and professional recommendations—tend to lean toward “wild Alaskan salmon” as the ultimate in seafood choices. However, it is just not that simple.

It is not at all a Free Willy scenario.

It is important to understand what “wild” really means. These “wild” salmon we envision with a lifetime of free ocean swimming are not all that likely to start life as a salmon egg hatching free of human contact and growing into an adult that has lived a life free of farms, pesticides, or any human mishandling.

Salmon are a migratory fish. In an ideal scenario, they would have free access to both oceans, where they
would spend most of their time, and rivers, where they swim to reproduce. Unfortunately, as many rivers the salmon used for spawning were dammed to be used for generating hydroelectric power, the salmon lost their breeding ground. In order to keep the prized fish from completely losing reproductive ground, salmon hatcheries were developed. It is here that salmon eggs are collected and hatched, and where a very high percentage of “wild” salmon begin their lives.

Actually, the process is a little more involved. Adult salmon are killed. Their eggs and sperm are collected
and combined, and the fish resulting from this process are raised in the hatchery (in a tank or a concrete
pond) for about 2 years. They are then released into the oceans, and can legally be called “wild.” As Mark
Powell, Vice President for Fish Conservation at the Ocean Conservancy and creator of the blog, “Blogfish”
describes it, “a ‘wild’ salmon may live half its life in a pond and the next half swimming in the open ocean, compared to a ‘farmed’ salmon that lives half its life in a pond and the next half in an open-ocean net pen. When in captivity, the ‘wild’and ‘farmed’ salmon are in nearly identical conditions… Also certain is that if you eat so-called"wild" salmon you have probably paid wild fish prices for fish that were spawned in a bucket and did some hard time in a concrete pond. ”

Based on this description, the terms “wild” and “farmed” merely describe what part of a fish’s life was spent
in captivity. The percentage of “wild” salmon that are actually hatchery-derived varies from region to region,
but as reported by blogfish, is 25% of Alaskan and British Columbia salmon, and at least 75% of salmon from Washington, Oregon, and California. Even the prestigious, expensive Copper River salmon is not exempt; as much as 24% of Copper River salmon in the market originated in hatcheries. Powell writes, “For a scientist, there are three main types of salmon, wild, farmed, and hatchery. But fishermen and the seafood industry call salmon wild if they're caught in the ocean, no matter how long they actually lived free.”

What this translates into, is that a label denoting “wild Alaskan salmon” is telling you that you have a 75% chance of having a fish that did not spend any of its life in any artificial confinement, as a hatchling, or as an adult. You are not guaranteed that this fish spent 100% of its life in the wild before being caught. The best bet
for wild salmon, according to blogfish, is the Copper River king variety, which is almost 100% wild.

Why would hatchery-bred fish be labeled as wild? Salmon populations have been declining for decades.

Much of the research about why, implicates damming of rivers that they need to have access to in order to
spawn. Hatcheries were originally developed as a means to maintain salmon populations, but it’s been difficult to produce evidence that this practice is actually effective. Rather than address the real issue, “wild” was redefined to include hatchery-bred fish, in order to create the impression that salmon populations are healthy, rather than declining. Unfortunately, words can only do so much. This past season, reality hit hard when Pacific fisheries had to close the salmon catch because populations were too low.

What is it about hatchery salmon that endangers the truly wild Salmon? Numerous issues, according to Salmon Nation, an organization dedicated to protecting salmon integrity. Initially, hatchery salmon were fed a mixture of fish offal, horse meat, tripe, and condemned pork and beef that ultimately spread disease throughout the populations of fish these hatchery fingerlings interacted with once they were released.

In 1960, feed was changed to pellets made from fishmeal. This new pellet drastically increased the numbers of fingerlings that survived to a size where they could be released into local rivers. However, in the numbers they were being released, they were competing for available food with truly wild salmon.

There has been a tendency on the part of hatcheries to assume that salmon are interchangeable from river to
river. Aquascientists have learned, however, that each strain of salmon, over hundreds of thousands of years, has developed immune systems specifically capable of defending against parasites and diseases found in the waters in which it is native. Fish whose parents were native to one river simply do not have the natural defenses to successfully survive the elements of a neighboring river. Indiscriminate release of salmon into a variety of environments results in a decreased immune resistance which is perpetuated into wild salmon as interbreeding occurs. The result is overall decreased survival rates, and ultimately dimished salmon populations.

The point of this article is not to determine which is better, wild or farmed salmon. Those debates exist in
abundance in other printed and electronic media. The purpose is to challenge whether or not nutrition specialists are helping or exacerbating the problem of declining salmon populations by not looking closer at facts before making recommendations and understanding labeling laws. It is true, salmon is the densest source of omega-3 fatty acids compared to other fish. And it is true, a truly wild salmon is nutritionally superior to any kind of salmon that spent any of its life in captivity.

Could it also be true, however, that promoting the perception that a wild salmon is something that it may
not be, only puts more pressure on a declining population of fish that is already struggling to survive?

One thing we CAN do, is to encourage consumption of a wide variety of fish. Salmon is not the only fish that contains omega-3’s.

We can also educate about the issue of hatcheries. If the demand for a product declines, it puts pressure on the industry that depends on sales of that product to adapt its practices in order to sustain itself.

The current situation has resulted from multiple detrimental policies affecting salmon and the habitat they depend on. It supports the argument that waiting for policy makers to figure out how to fix the problem may not be a viable solution. Reducing demand for a product that encourages ineffective policies to continue, in other words, voting with our collective purchases, may be the best sustainability strategy of all.

REFERENCES

http://www.salmonnation.com/essays/hatcheries.html
http://www.nativefishsociety.org/conservation/biblio/wild_vs_hatchery/index.html

http://www.blogfishx.blogspot.com/

I live two blocks from Fresh and Easy and I love to take my lunch breaks over there to see what is happening at the sample counter and new on the shelves.

Yesterday I checked out their new line of simmer sauces, which are simply ready made sauces that can be used as the basis for a quick and easy meal.

I encourage clients to maintain an inventory of"emergency" ingredients for 2 or 3 easy meals to make in a pinch. Simmer sauces would be perfect for this. They're a bit high in sodium to use on a daily basis, but once in awhile, they're so much better than a pizza or fast food run.

Of the 11 varieties that I found in my particular store, 5 were made with anti-inflammatory fats. I played a little game of"Stump the Demo Guy" with my friend Steven, asking him what he might make if he had these in his own kitchen. Here is what he came up with.

Cacciatore: poured in with sauteed mushrooms and eggplant and served over quinoa.

Provencal: used with tilapia, served with green beans and olive oil-brushed, rosemary-sprinkled sweet potato fries.

Burgundy wine: as a cooking sauce for a lean cut of beef, such as flank steak

Chile verde: a healthy rice bowl with pre-cooked brown rice, canned black beans, chopped tomatoes, topped with the simmer sauce.

Texas chili: along with browned ground turkey and a can of kidney beans, poured over zero-carb shirataki noodles with a bit of shredded low-fat cheese for a Cincinnati specialty (more commonly known as five-way chili).

Aaahhh eggs, the misunderstood member of the nutrition family. Poor guys…when I graduated from college, in the height of the low cholesterol-low fat craze, we were indoctrinated to teach that"egg" was just another word for poison.

My how things have changed!

A couple of months ago I heard Dr. Susan Kleiner (www.goodmooddiet.com) speak at a conference. She shared that not once has there been a research study demonstrating that when you take eggs out of the diet, that this dietary change reduces cholesterol. As well, there has been research demonstrating that adding eggs (plus yolks) to the diet does NOT raise cholesterol. All those yolks I threw down the drain all those years…for nothing.

I figured I'd better find some hard research to back THAT one up, so here's a quick list of interesting titles I found in PubMed:
Dietary cholesterol from eggs increases plasma HDL cholesterol in
overweight men consuming a carbohydrate-restricted diet
Egg yolk improves lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and retinal abnormalities
in a murine model of genetic hypercholesterolemia.
There are many more, but here I just wanted to make my point. Egg yolks are not the ugly stepchild of the protein family anymore.

In fact, there are some great nutrients to be found in eggs.

1. Lutein and xeanthin are two carotenoid compounds that can help maintain visual health. One group of researchers reported that 6 eggs per week can help increase lutein and xeanthin levels in the macula, the part of the eye that degenerates in this country's leading cause of blindness, macular degeneration.

2. Eggs contain choline. This compound is very important for brain function. Choline is the building block for acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter involved in memory, and the one that many Alzheimer's medications seek to increase.

This compound is exceedingly hard to get in the diet. In fact, about the only two places you can find it, are egg yolks, and soy. (Well, also in cooked chicken, beef, veal, and turkey livers, but I didn't think that would have any of you running for your grocery lists so it goes in parentheses.)

If you've got PCOS, you've probably been told to avoid soy. So that leaves egg yolks for getting this very important memory booster.

3. If you hate fish but you need to increase your fish-based omega-3 intake, omega-3 eggs are a very cost-effective option. If you struggle to get enough vegetables in your diet, omelets and frittatas are great ways to get them in. Just be sure you use olive oil when you cook them.

I thought it might be timely to include eggs on this blog, because as food prices rise, they can certainly be much more cost-effective than salmon, as well as other proteins that are now taxing your grocery bill.

Mutungi G, Ratliff J, Puglisi M, Torres-Gonzalez M, Vaishnav U, Leite JO, Quann E, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Dietary cholesterol from eggs increases plasma HDL cholesterol in overweight men consuming a carbohydrate-restricted diet. J Nutr. 2008 Feb;138(2):272-6.

Fernández-Robredo P, Rodríguez JA, Sádaba LM, Recalde S, García-Layana A.
Egg yolk improves lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and retinal abnormalities in a murine model of genetic hypercholesterolemia. J Nutr Biochem. 2008 Jan;19(1):40-8.

Wenzel AJ, Gerweck C, Barbato D, Nicolosi RJ, Handelman GJ, Curran-Celentano J. A 12-wk egg intervention increases serum zeaxanthin and macular pigment optical density in women. J Nutr. 2006 Oct;136(10):2568-73.

Goodrow EF, Wilson TA, Houde SC, Vishwanathan R, Scollin PA, Handelman G, Nicolosi RJ. Consumption of one egg per day increases serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations in older adults without altering serum lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. J Nutr. 2006 Oct;136(10):2519-24.

Sorry, I couldn't resist that…the slogan"kale is the new beef" has always made me laugh, knowing as soon as the next superfood on the horizon…and its marketers…figure out a way to bump kale out of its current favored superfood slot, it will be pushed to the last word in that slogan!

I was so interested to read a new study this week about a favorite"diet" food, popcorn, that we sometimes think of as being pretty empty nutritionally but something to satisfy the need to crunch. Turns out, popcorn is more than a pretty face, it's got some great antioxidant power!

Some scientist, and I'm guessing someone who's not so fond of green food, decided to run popcorn through antioxidant testing and it scored pretty well! In fact, because the water in fruits and vegetables dilutes the concentration of polyphenols (the type of antioxidant popcorn contains), ounce for ounce, the antioxidant content of dryer popcorn is even higher.

Remember, however, that the way you fix popcorn can quickly detract from this nutritional potential. We're not talking kettle corn here, and we're not talking pre-prepared microwave envelopes, and we're certainly not talking movie popcorn. Here are three ways you can take advantage of popcorn and keep it focused on the good part.

1. Air pop it. Simple enough.

2. Make your own microwave popcorn. Here's a great set of instructions from the Snack Girl blog.

3. Trader Joe's sells a bagged popcorn cooked in olive oil, which I will go for in a pinch.

There you have it, a whole grain, low fat, high fiber, low glycemic, anti-oxidant snack. Enjoy!

American Chemical Society (ACS) (2012, March 25). Popcorn: The snack with even higher antioxidants levels than fruits and vegetables. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 26, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2012/03/120325173008.htm#.T3CJEqUT3-M.mailto

This post is interestingly timed, given what I wrote a few days ago about the importance of melatonin in maintaining fertility. The chemical pathways for both melatonin and niacin get their start with the amino acid L-tryptophan.

When a strong pro-inflammatory process is predominant, and the body wants to make more melatonin, it may do so at the expense of having enough ingredients to also make niacin…perhaps explaining why large doses of niacin have been found helpful to correct the lipid abnormalities associated with inflammation.

I've blogged before that people who eat more vegetables do sleep better and this may be one reason why. It gives your body what it needs to fight inflammation so that melatonin can be used to help you sleep!

For both vegans and omnivores, niacin is relatively easy to find. Mother Nature likely designed it that way because it's so important for fighting inflammation. The times you're most likely to get into trouble is if you're a chronic restrictive eater/dieter, or you're eating primarily processed carbohydrates.

See how you do with your niacin foods this week — it will be good for reducing inflammation, promoting sleep, and with the PCOS Diva's menus, pretty darn tasty!

liver, heart and kidney
chicken
beef
fish: tuna, salmon
milk
eggs

avocados
dates
tomatoes
leaf vegetables
broccoli
carrots
sweet potatoes
asparagus
nuts
whole grain products
legumes
saltbush seeds
mushrooms
brewer's yeast
Vegemite (from spent brewer's yeast)

This is a tough one. Especially for those of you in our audience who are vegan. Even our PCOS Diva, who loves to cook, admitted she had a tough time this week. You know, that's ok. I have a tough time with this one too. This Nutrition 101 series is not about making anyone feel inadequate. It's about identifying places where you can specifically work to problem solve your personal nutrition situation.

Here are Amy's menus, which turned out really well. I appreciate your hard work on these!

Here's the list. If you're flincing as you read it…best be sure your vitamin supplement contains it. This post is short, but it's really a cut and dry issue. Either you're getting B12 or you're not. It's up to you, given the food lifestyle you choose, to find your own solution for keeping it adequate.

clams
oysters
mussels
shellfish
liver
caviar
calamari
crab
lobster
beef
lamb
cheese
eggs
marmite
nutritional yeast

Source: elanaspantry.com via Valerie on Pinterest

Kale is the new rage. I've even seen it hailed as The New Beef.

Problem is, for newbies to this green way of eating, kale is a bitter veggie to swallow.

I wanted to share some of my favorite ways to work with kale that get you out of the bitter and into the tasty zone!

1. Make chips! I put a photo album on our Facebook page showing you how to do this with pretty much any green, including kale. It's soooo easy!

2. Cook with Parmesan cheese. Cheese, for some reason, helps to take bitterness out of greens.

3. Massage with oil. I'm sharing a couple of links here to recipes describing tis technique, which is basically breaking down the membranes of the leaves with your hands while massaging in a little oil. The first recipe, Kale Salad with Grapefruit, and photo are from friend Valerie Griswold. The second recipe is for the popular kale avocado salad at Whole Foods, which is what I always encourage people to try if they have never had kale. The avocado does the job that the oil does in the previous recipe.

4. Throw a handful into smoothies! You won't taste it at all, and you'll still get the benefit of its goodness.

5. Add to soups. If I get close to the next weekly veggie box and I still have things I haven't used, I make soup. Kale is a great thing to throw in anything.

I don't have to tell you this is one of your crucial vitamins. It's important for becoming pregnant, staying pregnant, and helping your unborn baby to grow and develop. It's just a super hard nutrient to get in, when your appetite is driven by carbohydrate cravings.

PCOS Diva, once again, has created a wonderful set of menus focusing on including folate. Check them out (below), pick even one to try and see if it's something you can add to your rotation.

Last week I had the opportunity to eat at a wonderful and popular restaurant in Venice, California, Lemonade. Today's picture is a photo of me with my plate and my friend's plate from that lunch. You couldn't go wrong in that place, practically everything on the menu offered a hormone-friendly benefit. It was such a contrast to the weekend before when I found myself in an unfamiliar part of town when the lunchtime hungries rolled around. I walked in to a Burger King. And while I ordered the chicken sandwich, I had to special order to keep the sauce off, and everywhere I looked, if there wasn't a promotional ad encouraging me to eat something sugary or fatty, someone WAS eating something sugary or fatty. I rarely step into these establishments and I felt completely out of my element.

I'm guessing it works the other way around. If you're used to fast food restaurants, a place like Lemonade might seem a little intimidating. So for another writing gig, I went through Lemonade's menu and listed the items they offered that were high in folate.

A big part of eating better is getting used to being in environments that support the change. It's not going to happen in a place where the profit margin is largely supported by foods that do not support health. In a place that is devoted to making healthy eating easy, the hardest decision you're going to have…which I faced in Lemonade…was figuring out WHICH healthy route to go!

If you think the reason you cannot eat better because you don't enjoy cooking, or do not feel like you have the time to do it, get in the habit of patronizing establishments that incorporate the foods we encourage you to eat. Order a little extra to take home for dinner, or if you're eating dinner out, for lunch the next day. Make it hard for yourself to have a reason to walk into fast food world. Eventually, you'll wonder why it was ever even an option.

Folate foods (foods with asterisks are fortified with added folate)

Breakfast cereals
Beef liver
Cowpeas (blackeyes)
Breakfast cereals
Spinach
Great Northern beans
Asparagus
*Rice, white
Vegetarian baked beans
Green peas
Broccoli
*Egg noodles
Broccoli,
Avocado
Peanuts
Lettuce, Romaine
Wheat germ
Tomato Juice
Orange juice
Turnip greens
Orange
*Bread
Egg,
Cantaloupe
Papaya
Banana

It's probably because I love food that I became a dietitian. And it's also because I love food that I hang around so many foodies.

One of my dear foodie friends, Tony Arranaga, recently posted a favorite meal on his Facebook page that I wanted to share with you. Here is Tony from his Phoenix days, when we all knew and loved his foodie advice as the famed Light Rail Blogger.

These days Tony is incredibly busy working long hours in the office of Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, so he doesn't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. But he still loves good food! His crockpot helps him make that situation work anyway. This recipe for salsa verde chicken machaca really needs to be on all of your"super super easy" lists. Here is how he makes it.

Machaca is a traditional Mexican dish, typically with beef. My twist uses chicken breast (4) and two jars of Salsa Verde. Toss it in a crock pot. Let cook on high all day, then half hour before you serve, throw in a can of black beans. It tastes great alone, or with tortillas, or even on a bed of lettuce. Let me know how it turns out!

Let us know if you try this! If you have something for our"super easy" collection, send it our way!

If you’ve been busy learning and applying various techniques to improve your health, you’ve probably heard of “Meatless Monday,” the idea of substituting a healthy vegetarian meal one day per week in order to beef up (no pun intended!) your vegetable consumption and lessen your dependence on meat. It’s a great idea, relatively easy to implement, and, over time, contributes to an overall pattern of good eating.

This “Mental Health Monday” column is also a good habit. Reading it is a way of bring attention (mindfulness) to the practices inherent in creating and maintaining good mental health. I often talk about ways to make small changes in attitude, behavior, or thought patterns. From a mental health perspective, what I like about Meatless Monday is the way it breaks down an overwhelming task (eating healthier) into a small, actionable, and rewarding step. If you implement Meatless Monday, it means you’re really thinking about what you eat. You’re taking time and energy to explore and experiment. You eat the food and realize that you don’t need meat to feel complete or satisfied. Or maybe you make a bad choice (pasta, pasta, pasta!), and realize that your needs call for more protein – but maybe it doesn’t have to come from meat.

Mental health is like this. You can’t take a huge, amorphous goal (say, “feel happier”) and just say, “that’s what I want – where is it?!” It’s a process, a project, a series of steps and experiments. There is a need for assessment, evaluation, and revision. Over time, you learn what’s missing in your upbringing, your thought patterns, and your ways of relating. Or you learn that there’s something you do quite often that is off-putting or unproductive in your relationships. You implement homework assignments from your therapist, read self-help books and do the exercises, and practice affirmations and positive self-talk. At some point, you begin to notice that things are improving. The process gets easier. You don’t have to consciously think really hard about how to have a productive talk with your boyfriend, set a boundary with your overbearing mother, or express your anger productively. You’re better. You’re happier. You’re healthier. And it all started with a small experiment, such as:

• Meatless Monday
• Not saying negative things about yourself, privately or in public.
• Joining a therapy group.
• Going to the gym just once a week.
• Adding Vitamin D3 supplements.
• Eliminating gossip.

In and of itself, one action is not enough. Cumulatively though, as you slowly implement mentally and/or physically healthy choices, the impact is there. What are you going to start doing to get happier and healthier today?

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She has completed the inCYST training. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at AskDrHouseMD@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.

If you're a frequent traveler, chances are you have already had an opportunity to experience the new security measures at the airport, which include the new full body scanner.

One of the biggest concerns about this scanner has been the radiation exposure these scanners emit. Because radiation can affect fertility, a concern of many readers of this blog, I did some fact checking.

What is interesting to note is that before these scanners were even in existence, anyone stepping on an airplane was already increasing their exposure to radiation! In a 1998 study published in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, scientists concluded that an airline captain is exposed to 37% more radiation per year (219 millirem) than a nuclear power plant worker in the same period of time (160 millirem). For the pilot, that is the equivalent to 22 chest x-rays, for the power plant worker, 16 chest x-rays.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, in an independent study, reported that the average scan with the TSA backscatter x-ray scanner provides 0.0024 millirem of radiation exposure. Meaning, you would have to have 4,000 TSA scans to equal one x-ray. The people at greatest risk for increased radiation exposure from these machines is most likely the TSA workers themselves, who conduct their work in the presence of the scanners for hours at a time.

Bottom line:

1. Your biggest dose of radiation exposure is actually coming from the time you spend on the airplane at altitude, not the short amount of time in the scanner.
2. If you are a pilot, flight attendant, or frequent flyer with concerns about fertility, it certainly is a good strategy to start being more diligent about your intake of antioxidants. I've listed the important ones below that are consistently recommended as cancer fighters.
3. If you are a reporter researching the scanner issue, instead of scaring travelers, perhaps the more relevant issue is why TSA is not requiring its employees to wear dosimeters to be sure their own exposure over time is not an occupational risk. It might also be a very quick way to identify a machine that is malfunctioning and exposing flyers to unnecessary additional radiation.
4. Flight crews and TSA employees might want to consider packing their bags with more fruits and vegetables. Especially since these are not items commonly available in airport food courts.
5. In addition to the standard security questions TSA members should ask for your 24 hour diet recall to be sure you're sufficiently protected for your flight. (Couldn't resist that one…just KIDDING!)
6. For our specific population most likely reading this post, I strongly recommend you discuss your travel strategy with the appropriate caregiver if you have a history of cancer, are in the middle of infertility treatment, or have a history of sexual abuse. It's best to know what choices are most appropriate for your personal situation before standing in the TSA line.

So if you're heading home at altitude for Thanksgiving, consider that the broccoli, cranberries, and sweet potatoes (even a small extra sliver of pumpkin pie) aren't all that bad if you're going to have seconds. Enjoy them, as well as your family.

BEST ANTIOXIDANTS FOR COUNTERING RADIATION

Vitamin C parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin E mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, turnip greens

Vitamin A carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, beef, collards, kale, turnip greens, beet greens, winter squash

Lutein and Zeaxanthin kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, garden peas, Brussels sprouts

Proanthocyanadins apples, cinnamon, cocoa, grape seed, grape skin, red wine, cranberry, black currant, green tea, black tea, and chokecherry.

Selenium button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, cod, shrimp, snapper, tuna, halibut, calf's liver, and salmon.

Lycopene tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon, and guava

Yesterday I was grocery shopping with a client at Trader Joe's. There was a poster in the store with 30 easy dinners for 4, for under $20. I am sharing a few of my favorites to give you some ideas.

You don't have to be a gourmet cook and put out a from-scratch spread every single night. In fact, some of the best meals you can make are the easiest to make.

Bon appetit!

Canned chicken chili
Pre-made cornbread
Carrot salad with orange-pineapple dressing

Chicken Gorgonzolla
Mushroom-herb risotto
Caesar salad

Stuffed peppers
Greek salad
Baby baguettes

Tilapia Cittronette
Lemon-pepper pappardelle
Britany blend veggies

Eggplant Parmesan
Penne Arrabiata
Spinach salad

Fully cooked top sirloin beef
Baby spinach salad
Asparagus risotto

Chicken Sausage
Polenta
Mixed greens with cranberry salad
Whole Wheat rolls

Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Country Italian salad
Garlic Parmesan flatbread

Gestalt shrimp stir fry
Asian slaw salad

Orange chicken
Jasmine rice
Soy ginger carrots

One of the most frustrating things about PCOS, from my perspective, is that, although we share a common constellation of symptoms (or else we wouldn’t have the diagnosis), every woman’s body is unique. So the dietary treatment of this condition is constantly evolving. I spend a lot of time studying the impacts of food on mood and brain health, and of course, in the great scientific tradition of self-experimentation, I’m always trying out new theories on myself. I wonder, watch, consume, and observe various foods, quantities, and combinations, and then see what happens. I also make observations based on my client’s self-reports, and my interpretation of what happens to their mood and overall sense of well-being, as affected by what they consume. My findings from this moderately unscientific study: • There are no absolutes • The rules change all the time • People believe an astonishing variety of things about food, many of them bearing absolutely no basis in science or reality • Science is probably way behind where it needs to be to support our health • M.D.s are highly unlikely to offer sound advice about food – far better to seek out the services of a dietician • The only thing the food police can agree on is that we should all be eating plenty of organic dark leafy greens • The body is fine with certain foods on some days, and not so fine on others • PMS induces chocolate consumption, wild carb cravings, and a desire for rare, salty beef • Almost everyone with PCOS gets out of control when they over-consume refined carbs • If you’re gluten-sensitive, you will get brain fog if you abuse gluten • It is true that weighing yourself daily, or multiple times a day, contributes to anxiety, and may well be a symptom of an eating disorder • Everything you ban is that much likelier to become the object of your obsession, unless you take steps to balance out your body and your brain chemistry • Details matter • Consistency matters • Treats are really good for staying on track, if they’re chosen wisely • Weight loss is rarely easy; maintenance is even harder • Depressed women with PCOS almost always overeat, not undereat • The less you sleep, the more you eat • Caffeine can be devilishly addictive, or of little consequence • Dairy is the subject of much debate, and a great deal of angst, given its popularity as a self-soothing food category • Carbs are not evil – they’re necessary for healthy brain function – but the belief that they are is remarkably fixed. My point here is that we must consider the challenges of modern dietetics, medical science, and brain treatment (from either a pharmacological or psychological/therapeutic perspective) as a process of constant evolution. If you’re doing something that isn’t working, change it up. If what you’re doing is working, but not working well enough, change it up. If you have a gut sense that something’s bogus, listen to yourself. And if you’re feeling burned out, disgusted, and hopeless about trying to figure this out, give yourself a break, retreat, do the best you can, and come back at it with renewed vigor, a calmer mind, and a more balanced perspective. Seek consultation with experts. Read up a bit. It’s all just information – no judgment. The ability to thrive depends upon your ability to adapt. Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She has completed the inCYST training. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses. If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at AskDrHouseMD@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.

I've been working on my home study course for the past week, and one of the topics I spent quite a bit of time on…was my frustration about the misinformation we spread about fish. (I guess you could say"fish" is something I have a"beef" about…)

We have this tendency as nutritionists to create the perception that the only fish that has any omega-3 content…and therefore worth eating…is salmon.

I live in Phoenix. We love salmon here as much as anyone, but it's not a local fish. It's seasonal. And it's expensive. It's not the greatest choice if you have trouble with the"fishiness" of fish. And for many of the people I work with, it's simply not an affordable option.

And this idea that you have to eat salmon to get your omega-3's is simply not based in fact.

A few years ago I did an analysis of all seafood. And it turns out, whether or not you eat clams, shrimp, salmon, catfish, or mussels, you're getting omega-3's in your diet. So eat what you can get locally at an affordable price, and enjoy it!

I have a particular fondness for tilapia because it is a mild fish, it's affordable, available in most locations, and very doable for someone who's not a big fish lover. Secondly, I love this fish because it is farmed, which means it has the potential to feed a lot of people yet be a sustainable resource.

Have you considered what we do to the poor wild salmon population when we all quit eating other fish and eat this one and this one alone? It's not really logical or rational to assume that there are enough wild salmon in the Pacific to feed every person on the planet.

If you're not a tilapia fan, do take the time to visit this website: www.montereybayaquarium.org. They have a great list of seafood choices that are sustainable and therefore the ones to gravitate toward in the grocery store and in restaurants. I was surprised at what popular species are overfished and my shopping habits have changed to reflect what I learned.