May 13, 2004

A Word From Brien...

Happy Thursday!

Summer - Sun and Fun!

Summer is almost here and I just want to remind you about some precautions to take. Summer has us participating in lots of sports...on land & in the water (surfing, swimming, water skiing, baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, golf, cycling, running, inline skating, climbing, adventure and more) and grilling on the barbeque.

First let's address sports. Here are some tips to remember:

• Stay well hydrated. Drink filtered or reverse osmosis water. The sun and exercise can dehydrate you quickly.
• Avoid caffeine, sugar and alcohol, which are common culprits to dehydration. Contrary to popular belief Gatorade is not the best beverage for hydration, but it is one of the worst. Take a look at the label. Not good.
• Warm-up and stretch prior to activity. Just because it is warm outside does not mean your muscles are prepared for activity.
• Progress your activity over time. Build up your activity level slowly if you want to enjoy the whole summer without getting injured. If you do get injured come to OFC and we will get you back on your feet.

Second, the sun can be your friend or your enemy. Like Dr. Mercola, I feel that we all must take precautions when being exposed to the sun, BUT that does not mean to lather up with sunscreen and be out in the sun for hours! Remember these keys:

• At the beginning of the season go out gradually. This could mean as little as ten minutes a day. Progressively increase your time in the sun so that in a few weeks, you will be able to have normal sun exposure with little risk of skin cancer.
• Never to get burned. If you do, use natural products such as lavender oil from Young Living or Aloe Vera. For more information contact Linda @ OFC
• If you are going to use a sunscreen, find one with natural ingredients. Read the labels carefully. Use conventional sunscreens as an emergency
• Use your clothing to block the sun's rays
• Balance out your Omega 6:3 Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) Ratios. The average American has a ratio of 20:1 and the goal is balance. One way to do this is by increasing the amount of cold water fish into the diet. Eat more Wild Fish or take a fish oil supplement free from heavy metals, contaminants and rancidity. At OFC, we carry several lines of fish oils to meet your needs. There are many variables that could throw off EFA balance and cause dysfunction and disease. For more information about a balanced nutrition program specifically for you, contact Brien about Metabolic Typing.

The following is from Dr. Mercola's site:
Although the American Academy of Dermatology will have you bathing in sunscreen, it is one of the LAST things you want to put on your body. It is a toxic chemical that can cause problems in your system. Even if it didn't contribute to disease, the central issue is that it doesn't even work. A British dermatologist published an article earlier this year, which showed no clear indication that sunscreens worked. Another study in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology last year found the same thing. A far more logical solution would be to use clothing to protect you against the sun.

From Cancer Res 2000 Aug 1;60(15):4139-45
"Epidemiological, experimental, and mechanistic data implicate omega-6 fat as stimulators and long-chain omega-3 fats as inhibitors of development and progression of a range of human cancers, including melanoma."

Last year, the prestigious National Academy of Sciences published a comprehensive review showing that the omega 6:3 ratio was the key to preventing skin cancer development. An Australian study done ten years ago showed a 40% reduction in melanoma for those who were eating fish. And this was without any attention to lowering omega-6 fats.

So, do I recommend you pop some fish oil pills and go out and get as much sun as you would like? Absolutely not.

The bottom line is, please avoid getting sucked into the hype that sunlight is dangerous. It is only dangerous if you are clueless about fat nutrition, which most medical doctors are. If you choose to ignore your omega 6:3 ratio and stay out of the sun, you could limit your risk of skin cancer, but is that worth the risk of getting MS, breast or prostate cancer?Source:www.mercola.com

Lastly, I would like to provide you with some precautions and suggestions about grilling. These days, there is good news and bad news about this favorite form of cooking and come summer grilling might actually beat baseball as the national pastime. The good news is that it is a quick and great way to make your food taste good, even Kangaroo meat (from last newsletter).
KEY: Remember to purchase Certified Organic meats and Wild Mercury Free Fish Purchase your beef at Grassland Beef and your fish at Vital Choice.

Accordng to Linda, our OFC Holistic Practitioner and Vegan, it is also a great way to cook your organic vegetables and fruits. Grilled fruit kebabs made of chunks of pineapple, nectarine, apple and banana, and basted with orange juice, are yummy. Or how about grilling some thick avocado slices that have been basted with lime juice. I've actually tried the avocado... and it was good!
Now for the bad news about grilling, as if you didn't have enough to worry about. Grilling may be bad for your health if you don't do it right. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) form on grilled and broiled foods.

Research from the Institute links HCAs to increased risk of cancers of the breast, colon, stomach and prostate. Most evidence is based on animal studies only, therefore, it is difficult to translate these results to humans.

KEYS:

• Do not blacken or char your meat
• Do not cook your meat to "well-done"
• Do not heat your foor over 200 degrees when possible
• Use a high quality oil that will not go rancid when heated to high heat. I recommend Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions

It is best to eat your foods raw or only cooked for a short time. The "de-naturaliztion" effects from processing and cooking often result in the depletion of the nutrient value and vitality of our food. Enzymes are substances which make life possible and which are found in natural "live" foods and also in your body. Without enzymes, chemical reactions cannot take place and hormones, minerals and vitamins cannot carry out their functions. It has been shown that heating food over 220 degrees totally destroys enzymes. Cook food as little as possible at the lowest temperature to receive the full benefits of your foods. This will also prevent carcinogens from blackened food. (Source: Dr. Wolcott, Metabolic Typing).

And, when fat drips on hot coals, the smoke created can deposit another type of carcinogen on the food, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These compounds only form on protein muscle foods like meat, fish and poultry. They are not a problem with vegetables and fruits.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help reduce or prevent formation of these carcinogens when grilling animal meats.

• Use lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry that are well-trimmed of fat.
• Grill small portions to reduces cooking time, minimizing formation of the harmful compounds.
• Partially cooking meats before grilling (steaming, boiling or baking) to cut down the grilling time
• Cooking food at least six inches above burning coals
• Reducing contact with smoke by covering the grill rack with hole-punched aluminum foil or by wrapping foods in foil
• Dampen the coals when they become too hot or when flames flare up
• Use sauces or marinades to add to the smoked flavor when you reduce grill time
• Marinades and sauces containing honey, sugar or tomato, should be applied during the last 15 to 30 minutes of cooking to prevent charring

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We at OFC are interested in knowing what you are interested in hearing about in our articles. I encourage you to drop us a quick email at OFC with any ideas, suggestions, or topics you would like to see covered in our upcoming articles. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Have a great rest of the week.

Brien