I am on a mission to encourage my colleagues to stop recommending so much salmon! Why? Because (1) salmon is not the only omega-3 containing seafood,(2) there is not enough salmon in the world to meet everyone's omega-3 needs,(3)salmon tends to be a seasonal fish, (4) salmon is not affordable to many, and (5) for some cultures, there are other seafoods that can provide DHA that just fit better.
It's not that salmon is BAD…it's just not the best choice for everyone, every time.
Today I wanted to talk about calamari. It's not a scaled fish, it's not even a cold water resident. But…it still contains omega-3's. It's ok to eat if you are trying to eat more of those. Nutritionally, it's a great source of selenium, vitamin B12, and riboflavin. For anyone who likes Greek, Italian, Spanish, or Mexican food, it's a natural!
If you eat calamari in a restaurant, be sure it's not breaded, and if it is fried, that olive oil is the agent.
If you cook it at home, here are some healthy ideas:
Grilled Calamari with Parsley
If breaded is the only way you like calamari, try this recipe at home: Healthy Breaded Calamari (the breading contains flax!)
The way my Mexican clients and neighbors like to eat it, in a seafood stew called Sopa/Zarzuela de Mariscos. A side note: I received a call from a Mexican client one night, she was at a restaurant, and craving this soup, but was afraid to have it because her friends had told her it could cause her to miscarry. I told her to enjoy it. She didn't miscarry, and she and her husband have a healthy baby to enjoy Christmas with this year. She, of all my clients, was the most diligent about omega-3 intake during her pregnancy, and I believe it was important to her overall success story.
So if you're not sold on salmon…but like other seafood, take heart…you're still on the right track. Enjoy!
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
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Kate attended my vegetarian eating class. She mentioned that she has been eating the broccoli leaves from the broccoli plants in her garden. Tonight she gave me a bag from that garden to experiment with in my kitchen.
I learned while researching, that broccoli leaves are actually higher in beta-carotene than any other part of the broccoli! They are also a nice source of thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, selenium, vitamin C, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.
Most chefs writing about broccoli leaves suggest that they are similar to collard greens as far as their cooking characteristics. Here's a sample recipe (scroll to the bottom of the post).
Kate told me they work well in making chips similar to kale chips. That's what I'm going to experiment with tomorrow. I'll update with a report on how they turned out!
Local colleague Greg Peterson will be on the radio show tomorroww to talk about his urban farm and how he uses it to inspire other city dwellers to grow their own food. Greg and I had a nice chat recently about the therapy that a garden provides. It's not just about the food!
Be sure to tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/incystforhormones at noon Eastern time, or check in the archives to hear the recording.
I know my time in Kate's garden tonight was so much fun! She showed me and our friend Ivonne her peppers, artichokes, lemon tree, and squash. We cut open a lemon, dipped the slices in sugar, and ate them just like that! It was fun to bond over simple pleasures and I could tell Kate enjoys heading to her garden for a bit of quiet time as well as some great tasty eats.
BTW…the amount of sugar we used for a few lemon slices…was probably far less than many of you habitually use in your coffee or get in a soda. It was truly tasty, like eating lemonade!
