Kathi Casey, Author, Baby Boomer Health and Wellness Coach, Corporate Wellness Trainer - Kathi's Blog

The Skinny on Soy

Is it me or are there more blog posts and newspaper articles lately about soy than ever before? Now someone is saying that soy is bad for you? Is this a rumor started by dairy farmers? OK, so I did some research and here’s what I’ve come up with:

1. Web MD still lists soy on their “Super Foods” list. Super Foods are those which can help us prevent heart disease, cancer, and memory loss. Soy has been scientifically proven to lower your cholesterol. They do caution that if you have a family history of breast cancer, you should avoid eating lots of soy. They recommend soy for menopausal and post menopausal women due to studies that have shown women who add soy to their diets reduce the intensity and frequency of hot flashes.

2. Dr. Andrew Weill, whose advice I have trusted for years, recommends eating 1 – 2 cups of soy products every day, instead of dairy, because it’s a great source of B vitamins and protein – especially for those (like me) who are lactose intolerant, and it does not irritate your immune system, increase mucous production, and has none of the unhealthy butterfat that dairy does.

3. Drs. Oz and Roizen recommend 1 cup of soy foods a day for their heart and artery healthy protein, fiber and fats. Oz also has a comment on his site about the role of soy for reducing osteoporosis risk. He calls it a relatively new and promising area of research.  A primary motivator for studying the impact of soy on bone health is that soy isoflavones are similar to synthetic estrogens like tamoxifen and ipriflavone, which have been shown to be effective in preventing or reducing bone loss, but without their harmful side effects. Oz also recommends soy for menopausal and post menopausal women to reduce hot flashes.

Tons of research is happening right now. Soy isoflavones are being studied in relation to the relief of certain menopausal symptoms, cancer prevention, slowing or reversing osteoporosis and reducing the risk of heart disease. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for any new developments, but there isn’t any information that I can find out there from a reliable source which points to anything bad for us in soy products. Women with breast cancer or breast cancer survivors should eat only moderate amounts of soy products, per American Cancer Society guidelines. 

I will caution that most commercially grown soybeans contain pesticides and are genetically engineered. I’d rather not have three heads on my soybeans thank you, so I choose organic whenever possible. Dr. Weill also recommends organic soy products.

Best of Health,

Kathi

Great Tasting Summertime Herbs

Last night I had a delicious Caprese salad made with fresh basil and tomatoes from a friend’s garden, some feta cheese, olive oil, and salt and pepper. It’s one of my favorite summer time treats! Traditionally made with mozzarella, you can use any kind cheese you like. Nothing tastes as good in the summer as tomatoes fresh from the garden. It makes me want to add a green house to my property just to grow tomatoes all year long. And did you know that basil has been used for centuries in India to promote good health? In India, basil is used to fight colds and other infections and is applied topically for minor cuts and scrapes. I just know it tastes wonderful in salads – especially with tomatoes!

I also love to make Pesto now that the basil is fresh. It’s so easy to make – just cut up a large bunch of basil, throw it in your blender with some olive oil, pepper, Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, pine nuts or walnuts, and mix it all up. Delicious!  

Another lovely summer time herb is cilantro, the fresh leaves of the coriander plant.  Its pungent flavor lends itself perfectly to soups, salads, salsa, and dips.  For the best flavor, add chopped fresh cilantro right before serving. And it’s also considered a healing spice.  Traditionally used in India as an anti-inflammatory agent, cilantro has been studied in the U.S. for its cholesterol-lowering properties.  

Summer time is also mint time! As a child I loved to pick some of the fresh spearmint that grew in our yard and add it to my lemonade for my own little Shirley Temple mint julep. Mint is a lovely addition to fruit teas, green teas, ice cream, or any fruit spritzer that you enjoy. Add mint to your summer salads for a refreshing twist. Just two tablespoons of crushed spearmint contains 22 milligrams of Calcium and 51 milligrams of Potassium, no saturated fat and less than 5 calories. And don’t forget minty Mojitos! My friend Ned makes "Nojitos" (without the rum) for the nieces and nephews and they love it.

Enjoy your summertime herbs while they are plentiful and if you find another good recipe for these herbs – please let me know!

Best of Health

Kathi

Foods That Help To Prevent Alzheimer’s

I’m always on the look-out for the latest scientific research on Baby Boomer health and wellness and this study once again shows how important what we ingest is for lowering our risk for many diseases that are associated with aging. This time it’s Alzheimer’s disease – a name that scares many Boomers half to death these days, since there is no known cure. Prevention is key – here’s what the study found:

In this study, published in the Archives of Neurology, researchers analyzed the dietary patterns of 2,148 people aged 65 and older living in New York. Researchers analyzed dietary intake for seven nutrients that have been shown in previous studies to have an impact on dementia risk: saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B12, and folate.

The study showed one particular dietary pattern was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. Foods in this diet that appeared to fight Alzheimer's disease were: “healthy oil” salad dressing, nuts, fish, poultry, tomatoes, fruits, and cruciferous and green vegetables.

Researchers say the combination of nutrients from foods in this particular dietary pattern may fight Alzheimer's in a variety of ways. “For example,” writes researcher Yian Gu, PhD, of Columbia University, “vitamin B12 and folate are homocysteine-related vitamins that may have an impact on Alzheimer's disease via their ability to reduce circulating homocysteine levels, vitamin E might prevent Alzheimer's disease via its strong antioxidant effect, and fatty acids may be related to dementia and cognitive function through atherosclerosis, thrombosis, or inflammation via an effect on brain development and membrane functioning, or via accumulation of beta-amyloid,”

 Dr. Andrew Weill has been recommending eating green and cruciferous vegetables for years to reduce our risk of heart disease too, so let’s all pick some up this week and every week from now on!

Best of Health,

Kathi

Healthy Grilling Tips

There’ve been some scares in the press about the dangers of grilling and cancer risk, but grilling doesn’t have to be harmful to our health – and that’s a good thing since I LOVE grilled fish and vegetables!

Here are some tips for safe and healthy summer grilling:

1. Grill more fruits and veggies! Use a light brushing of olive oil on vegetables and fruits to help prevent sticking to the grill.  Sprinkle vegetables with pepper, a small amount of salt and a little each of garlic and onion powder.  Using non-stick grates, foil packets or a grilling basket lightly coated with oil can also be helpful when grilling plant-based foods, so they don’t fall into the grill.  And don’t peel your vegetables before grilling - you get more nutrients and enjoy a smoky/sweet flavor when they aren’t peeled.
2. Grilling any type of meat, even chicken or fish, until it’s charred or burned can increase your chances of getting cancer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Grilling vegetables and fruits does not create carcinogens so there is no cancer risk. If you must eat meat or chicken, try cutting them up into smaller portions, removing the excess fat, and mixing with your veggies for kabobs. This way the meat spends less time on the grill and you get your serving of veggies! 
3. Grill fish instead of meat. Fish contains less fat than meat and poultry, making it less likely to create carcinogens caused by those flare-ups from fat dripping onto the flame. Fish also requires less time on the grill, further reducing its exposure to carcinogens.  Clean your grill well between uses and lightly oil the racks. A little oil keeps the charred material from sticking to your food.                                                                                                                                                    
4. Flip meat or chicken frequently. My son shudders when I say this, but I find that chicken is less burned yet has those nice grill marks when you turn it frequently – plus you reduce the amount of carcinogens this way. Try marinating your food. Marinating not only makes grilled foods taste better, but makes them safer because the marinades draw out chemical precursors of carcinogens.

Enjoy your healthy summer grilling!

Best of Health,

Kathi

Safe Foods For Your Pets

OK, I know it’s hard to resist those big eyes staring at you lovingly as you munch that guacamole dip, but please know that there are some foods that we love, which can be harmful to our dogs. Good for us, doesn’t mean good for our pets. No matter how tasty that guacamole is, avocados contain a substance called persin which is harmless to humans who aren't allergic, but highly toxic to most animals, including dogs.  Just a little can cause your dog to vomit and have diarrhea.  And, if you happen to be growing avocados at home, keep your dog away from the plants.  Persin is in the leaves, seed, and bark, as well as in the fruit.  Onions are full of good stuff for us, but all forms (powdered, raw, cooked, or dehydrated) can destroy a dog's red blood cells, leading to anemia. Eating a large quantity once or eating smaller amounts regularly can cause “onion poisoning”.  Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, disinterest in food, dullness, and breathlessness.  

Caffeine in large enough quantities can be fatal for a dog.  And, there is no antidote.  Symptoms of caffeine poisoning include restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, muscle tremors, fits, and bleeding.  In addition to tea and coffee - including beans and grounds - caffeine is found in cocoa, chocolate, colas, and stimulant drinks such as Red Bull.

Keep the snack bowls out of Fido’s reach because grapes, raisins, and nuts can cause kidney failure in dogs.

And chocolate - it’s not an old wives tale or urban legend that chocolate is bad for pets. Chocolate contains theobromine. It's in all kinds of chocolate, even white chocolate, and it can cause seizures and death.  Now, one M&M is not likely to cause any problems, but a whole package that your puppy jumps up onto the kitchen counter and grabs will be a disaster!

So, even though your beloved pet may be begging for some of that tasty people food, keep him safe by giving him only doggie treats.

Best of Health,

Kathi