More fruits and veggies!

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. – Doug Larson

Q: What is small, red and whispers? **

For this March 1^st Wed wellness email, especially as spring and gardening season approaches (for us in the north country it's not too much longer to wait), let’s look at a few benefits of “real” food. I like what Michael Pollan, professor of science and environmental journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of In Defense of Food, says, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” The “eat food” part refers to the “real” food of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish and meat, rather than “edible food-like substances that your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food, or foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce.” [For a few more rules for eating see some words Pollan shared with the CDC]

Why is it difficult for many of us to take in enough fruits and vegetables? We think they cost too much? Our taste buds are overly conditioned to higher sugar and fat preferences? Not enough (or any) convincing media blitz to persuade us (can you recall many advertisements urging you to eat your veggies)?

The health ‘authorities’ are currently recommending that fruits and vegetables take up half your plate! Most of us are not heeding that call. I recently re-subscribed to a newsletter called “Environmental Nutrition” (EN) – in Vol 34G I read

“If there’s one simple thing you can do for better health it’s to eat more fruits and veggies. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed a National Action Plan (NAP) that provided a comprehensive approach to improve public health through increased fruit and vegetable intake. After five years, the report card is in, evaluating the progress schools, restaurants, supermarkets, and governments have made toward getting people to meet their recommended intake (2 cups of fruits and 2 1/2 cups of vegetable for the average adult.) The NAP report card gave adults an “F” for an average intake that falls far below recommended levels; only six percent achieved their goals in an average day. Food consumed away from home make up one-third of average daily calories, yet it only accounted for 11 percent of all fruit and vegetable intake.”

Here’s a few BENEFITS for increasing our diligence to consume those nutritious fruits and veggies:

--Safeguard against cancer: "At the Nov 2011 annual conference of the Am Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), researchers calculated that making nutritious dietary choices, maintaining a healthy weight, and engaging in regular physical activity can prevent about a third of the most common cancers. We know this, right? It’s just seems less appealing to act on it consistently. So, let’s remind ourselves. Nutrients such as folate from dark green vegetables, oranges and legumes and phytochemicals in garlic, cruciferous veggies (like broccoli), help turn on tumor suppressor genes and turn off genes that lead to cancer development and its ability to spread; and phytochemicals can provide antioxidant protection against DNA damage and fight inflammation." (EN, Vol 35:3, Mar 2012)

--Reduced heart disease: "Findings from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Heart study, which included more than 300,000 people from eight different European countries...found that people who consumed at least eight portions (about 3 ounces) of fruits and vegetables per day had a 22 percent lower risk of dying from ischemic heart disease (characterized by reduced blood supply to the heart) than those who consumed fewer than three portions." (EN, Vol 34G)

--Improved brain function: "Australian researchers (Am J of Clinical Nutrition, Jan 2012) confirmed a link between B vitamins and brain function in older people. Previous studies have shown that low levels of the B vitamins folic acid and B12 may lead to rapid deterioration of brain function in the elderly, which can develop into forms of dementia. This study of 900 older adults (with “high levels of psychological distress) showed improvements in cognitive functioning, particularly in immediate and delayed memory performance, for the folic acid and B12 group, compared to the group receiving placebo treatment." (EN, Vol 35:3, Mar 2012)

--Elevation of mood: "A 2010 study published in British Journal of Psychiatry concluded that a dietary pattern characterized by vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and whole grains was associated with lower odds for major depression than the typical Western diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains, and sugary products." (EN, Vol 35:3, Mar 2012)

Yes, fruits and veggies may cost a little more than fast or refined food. I’m working at truly embracing that they’re worth the price: exchanging a few dollars initial output for a higher dividend of physical and mental health. Care to take the challenge of filling half your plate each meal with fruits and vegetables? (I’m only achieving half plate at suppertime – I’ve some progress to make!) For some ideas to help us get more fruits and vegetables for less cost and effort, see these 30-second videos made for the “MyPlate Fruits & Veggies Video Challenge” at the USDA MyPlate site.

May you enjoy the challenge of pursuing health, treat yourself with food kindness, and savor the bites of good and “real” food!

“Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” – Genesis 1: 29-30

** Answer to "What is small, red, and whispers?" - A hoarse radish!

Check out http://www.freshforkids.com.au/ for some more fun around fruits and veggies (recipes, ideas, games, and fun for kids especially – here’s a few more jokes to leave you smiling):

Q: What is square and green? A: A lemon in disguise.

Q: Why did the banana go to the doctor? A: Because it wasn’t peeling well.

Q: What did the mayonnaise say to the fridge? A: Close the door I'm dressing!

Q: What do you call an angry pea? A: Grump-pea.

Q: What did the father tomato say to the baby tomato whilst on a family walk? A: Ketchup.