The British Journal of Cancer recently published a review that links cancer rates in the UK to various lifestyle and environmental factors including diet, exposure to hormones and radiation, and tobacco and alcohol use, among others. While the reviewing doctors emphasize that lifestyle choices aren’t the only determining factor in cancer risk, it’s hard to ignore the indications of personal choice. Lead author of the review, Prof. Max Parkin, points out that cancer is not strictly in the genes, and that “over 40% of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change.”

]]> http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/health/new-study-finds-over-40-of-cancers-due-to-lifestyle/feed/ 0 http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/organic-food/10-reasons-to-buy-organic-watermelon/ http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/organic-food/10-reasons-to-buy-organic-watermelon/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:30 +0000 Barbara Feiner http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=7876

Organic watermelon is a nutritional best bet, with more than 1,200 varieties available for savvy snacking.  Farmers in 44 states grow these juicy members of the Cucurbitaceae plant family, with Georgia, Florida, Texas, California and Arizona leading the pack.

 Here are 10 reasons to head to the summer produce aisle.

1. Get your vitamins—naturally 

A 2-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C: 

• Vitamin A is critical for optimal eye health. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 25% of your daily requirement.
• Vitamin C helps bolster the immune system. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 30% of your daily requirement.

2. Potassium is your BFF

Potassium helps maintain water balance. If your potassium level is low, you may experience muscle cramps. 

A 2-cup serving of watermelon provides 270 mg potassium: 8% of your daily requirement. A watermelon is also more than 90% water, so a few cups will help you stay hydrated.

3. Watermelon is heart-healthy

 Watermelon contains amino acids that help maintain healthy arteries and blood flow. 

“With its naturally sweet taste, watermelon can be a wonderful way to get more fruit into a sensible low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet,” says Maureen Storey, PhD, former director of the Center for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture Policy at the University of Maryland.

4. It helps protect you against cancer 

Red-fleshed watermelon contains high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce cancer risk. A 1.5-cup serving contains 14 to 15 mg lycopene, according to plant physiologist Penelope Perkins-Veazie, PhD, a professor at the Plants for Human Health Institute  at North Carolina State University. The redder the watermelon, the more lycopene it offers.

5. Pour me a drink 

Because of its high water content, watermelon is a perfect addition to drinks like Watermelon Lemonade (right) and Three-Melon Smoothie. 

As with our story on making lemon-flavored ice cubes, you can create watermelon ice cubes (above) by pureeing the melon’s flesh and freezing it in ice cube trays.

6. Watermelon is kid-friendly

 Few children will turn down a slice of juicy watermelon, so make it a part of their regular fruit and veggie intake. Be creative in the kitchen. Let your kids use a melon baller to form watermelon spheres.

7. Baby, you can drive my car

 Place cubes of melon in travel containers for hydration and a nutritional boost during long car trips. Bring napkins!

8. Watermelon shines at organic picnics 

Dishes like Watermelon Salad with Thai Basil and Feta will please your adult guests, while Watermelon and Tomato Salad  and  Poppy Seed Fruit Salad will appeal to both children and adults. 

Labor Day is almost here. Make an Americana Basket (above) for backyard barbecues and potlucks.

9. Get thee to a farmers’ market 

Buy locally grown organic produce to support family farmers. Willie Nelson will thank you. 

Not sure where your local farmers’ market is located? Local Harvest will solve this problem in a jiff.

10. Grow your own 

Kits like Ecosource’s Organic Grow Your Own Seedling Starter Kits are great gift items, and they make the job easy. More advanced gardeners can pick up a copy of Amy Goldman’s Melons for the Passionate Grower. 

Photos: Jermaine Justice, Wyscan, kokopinto, nsaplayer, Chris Breeze, ccharmon, xlorddashx, National Watermelon Promotion Board, McCormick, Suddenly Salad 

Follow me on Twitter: @BarbGoesOrganic

Cabbage is a versatile vegetable that can be served hot or cold. Hundreds of varieties exist, from the common green and red cabbages to bok choy and Napa cabbage.

Available year-round, cabbage is one of the most inexpensive, yet nutrient-packed, produce choices. A half-cup serving of raw cabbage contains only 10 calories and provides 30% of your daily vitamin C requirement. A half cup of cooked cabbage contains 15 calories and provides 25% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

As with cauliflower, cabbage is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which also includes broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and collard greens. Research reveals these veggies have cancer-fighting properties.

When shopping for organic cabbage, choose a head that’s heavy for its size. Don’t buy heads that have discolored veins or worm damage. Stems should appear healthy and closely trimmed; avoid choosing a cabbage whose stem is dry or split.

When you arrive home, place cabbage in a plastic bag, and store it in your refrigerator’s vegetable bin. This helps protect its vitamin C content.  

Don’t wash cabbage until you’re ready to use it. Once you cut into the head, store leftovers in a plastic bag, and use them within 48 hours.

5 Cabbage Recipes

1. Salvadoran Pickled Cabbage
2. Southern-Style Cole Slaw
3. Mildly Spicy Red Cabbage
4. Sweet & Sassy Vanilla Slaw
5. Baja Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Preliminary research from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, suggests that women who eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids have a lower risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a common form of kidney cancer. The study was published in the Sept. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

RCC involving the renal parenchyma (the functional tissue of the kidney) accounts for more than 80% of all kidney cancers, and the rate has increased, especially among black women and men.

“We found that women who consumed one or more servings of fatty fish per week had a statistically significant 44% decreased risk of RCC compared with women who did not consume any fish,” the authors write. “Women who reported consistent long-term consumption of fatty fish…had a statistically significant 74% lower risk.”

The researchers believe an increased intake of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D contributes to the lower cancer risk, but emphasize that additional studies are required to draw a firm conclusion. Fatty fish has 20 to 30 times more omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids than lean fish like cod, tuna, sweet water fish and seafood (shrimp, lobster, crayfish), as well as three to five times more vitamin D.

Please see our feature article, Which Fish Is Fit to Eat?, for information of making environmentally sound fish choices.
Treat Yourself to a New Cookbook

Salmon: A Cookbook
Salmon: The Cookbook
Simply Salmon
James McNair’s Salmon Cookbook