Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Lead Poisoning




The Evansville Early Childhood Coalition is working on a lead poisoning campaign and sent me this clip. It's interesting to watch. In addition to housing problems, the problem exists with paint on expensive toys, trinkets like Nike baubles, and junkie jewelry. Lead poisoning is not a problem that exists for only one facet of the community. It's now across the board. Listen to the video and ask yourself if your child needs to be tested for lead poisoning.

For many kids, lead threat is right in their own homes - USATODAY.com*

Cranberries


Comment: This is a really good thing to introduce to kids. This is the time to buy several bags of cranberries and freeze them. They make excellent additions to cookies, muffins, breads and cakes. Crasins are really good too.

Cranberries
Cranberries

A cousin of the blueberry, this very tart, bright red berry can still be found growing wild as a shrub, but when cultivated, is grown on low trailing vines in great sandy bogs. The American cranberry, the variety most cultivated in the northern United States and southern Canada, produces a larger berry than the wild cranberry or the European variety.

Cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Now, recent studies suggest that this native American berry may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, prevent the formation of kidney stones, lower LDL and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.

Fresh cranberries, which contain the highest levels of beneficial nutrients, are at their peak from October through December, just in time to add their festive hue, tart tangy flavor and numerous health protective effects to your holiday meals. When cranberries' short fresh season is past, rely on cranberry juice and dried or frozen cranberries to help make every day throughout the year a holiday from disease.

Food Chart
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Cranberries provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Cranberries can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Cranberries, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits

Protection against Urinary Tract Infection

Cranberries have been valued for their ability to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections for hundreds of years. In 1994, a placebo-controlled study of 153 elderly women was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that gave scientific credibility to claims of cranberries effectiveness in preventing urinary tract infection. In this study, the women given cranberry juice had less than half the number of urinary infections as the control group (only 42% as many, to be precise), who received a placebo imitation "cranberry" drink. The daily dose of cranberry juice in this initial study was just 300 milliliters (about one and one-quarter cups). Since then, a number of other studies have also confirmed anecdotal tales of cranberry's ability to both treat and prevent urinary tract infections. In most of these later studies, subjects drank about 16 ounces (2 cups) of cranberry juice daily.

How does cranberry juice help prevent urinary tract infections? It acidifies the urine, contains an antibacterial agent called hippuric acid, and also contains other compounds that reduce the ability of E. coli bacteria to adhere to the walls of the urinary tract. Before an infection can start, a pathogen must first latch on to and then penetrate the mucosal surface of the urinary tract walls, but cranberries prevent such adherence, so the E. coli is washed away in the urine and voided. Since E. coli is pathogen responsible for 80-90% of urinary tract infections, the protection afforded by cranberries is quite significant.

Studies attempting to explain cranberries' protective effects on urinary tract health were presented at the Experimental Biology Conference held in 2002. Amy Howell, research scientist at the Marucci Center for Blueberry Cranberry Research at Rutgers University and Jess Reed, professor of nutrition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, compared the proanthycyanins (active compounds) in cranberries to those found in grapes, apples, green tea and chocolate. They discovered that "the cranberry's proanthocyanidins are structurally different than the proanthocyanidins found in the other plant foods tested, which may explain why cranberry has unique bacterial anti-adhesion activity and helps to maintain urinary tract health."

8-Ounces Better than 4 to Prevent Bladder Infections

Cranberry's protective effects against bladder infections may be dose responsive, with 8-ounces of cranberry juice being twice as effective as 4-ounces, suggests preliminary research presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America by Kalpana Gupta from the University of Washington.

Gupta reported the details of a very small trial in which three volunteers were given 27% cranberry juice cocktail. Urine samples, collected before and 4-6 hours after drinking the cranberry juice, were combined with human bladder cells and incubated with Escherichia coli (the most common cause of bladder infections). The number of bacteria able to adhere to the bladder cells (the first step a pathogen must achieve to be able to cause infection) was significantly reduced in the urine of all women who drank the cranberry juice cocktail, and the effect was doubled when the women drank eight ounces of cranberry rather than four ounces.

Cranberry's protective effect is thought to be due to a specific type of tannin, found only in cranberries and blueberries, which interferes with projections on the bacterium, preventing it from sticking to the walls of the bladder and causing infection. However, once the bacteria have established a hold, it's best to seek medical advice. No evidence shows cranberry juice is able to cure an established bladder infection, which can lead to a more serious kidney infection. The researchers plan further studies in a larger group of women to investigate the optimal amount and frequency of cranberry juice consumption.

Cranberry Juice Shows Promise as Alternative to Antibiotics

New research has greatly increased our understanding of how cranberry juice prevents urinary tract and kidney infections.

A series of studies led by Terri Camesano from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the latest of which were presented September 19, 2006 at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco, show that compounds in cranberry juice have the capacity to actually change E. coli bacteria-even strains that have become resistant to conventional treatment-in ways that render them unable to initiate an infection. E. coli, a class of microorganisms responsible for a wide variety of human illnesses ranging from urinary tract and kidney infections to gastroenteritis to tooth decay, are changed in several ways by a group of tannins (called proanthocyanidins) found primarily in cranberries. Each one of these changes can prevent the bacteria from adhering to cells in the body, a necessary first step in any infection.

Cranberry proanthocyanidins:

  • Alter E. coli's cell membranes
  • Prevent the bacteria from making contact with cells or attaching to them even if they somehow manage to get close enough
  • Change the shape of E.coli from rods to spheres
  • Disrupt bacterial communication

Alter E. coli Cell Membranes

In research published February 2006 in Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Camesano showed that exposure to cranberry juice causes tiny tendrils (known as fimbriae) on the surface of the type of E. coli bacteria responsible for the most serious types of urinary tract infections to become compressed. Since its fimbriae are what allow the bacteria to bind tightly to the lining of the urinary tract, compressing them greatly reduces E. coli's ability to remain in place long enough to launch an infection.

Prevent E. coli from Making Contact

In research published in August 2006 in Colloids and Surfaces, B. Biointerfaces Camesano found that chemical changes caused by cranberry juice also create an energy barrier that prevents the bacteria from getting close enough to the urinary tract lining to try to adhere in the first place.

Change E. coli's Shape and Activity

Camesano's latest work reveals that cranberry juice can transform E. coli in even more radical ways, which have never before been observed. When the bacteria were grown in solutions containing various concentrations of either cranberry juice or cranberry tannins, E. coli, which is normally a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, became spherical and started behaving like gram-positive bacteria. Since gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria differ primarily in the structure of their cell membranes, these results suggest that cranberry tannins actually alter E. coli's membrane.

The research Camesano presented at the ACS meeting also included yet another, more preliminary finding: when exposed to cranberry juice, E. coli appear to lose their ability to secrete indole, a molecule involved in a form of bacterial communication called quorum sensing, which is used by E. coli to determine when sufficient bacteria are present at a location to stage a successful infection attack.

"We are beginning to get a picture of cranberry juice and, in particular, the tannins found in cranberries, as potentially potent antibacterial agents," Camesano said. "These results are surprising and intriguing, particularly given the increasing concern about the growing resistance of certain disease-causing bacteria to antibiotics." For most of these effects, the higher the concentration of either cranberry juice or tannins, the greater their impact on E. coli, suggesting that whole cranberry products and juice that has not been highly diluted may have the greatest health effects.

Cranberries Combat Herpes Virus

Laboratory studies published in the October 2004 issue of the Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture have shown that a phytonutrient isolated from cranberries is effective against the herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), the cause of genital herpes. In a manner similar to the way the tannins in cranberries protect against bladder infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall, cranberries' antiviral compound, proanthocyanidin A-1, inhibits the attachment and penetration of the herpes virus.While this is promising, we look forward to studies involving human subject to confirm these findings.

A Pro-biotic Berry for Gastrointestinal and Oral Health?

Not only kidney infections, but the majority of infectious diseases are initiated by the adhesion of pathogenic organisms to the tissues of the host. Cranberries ability to block this adhesion has been demonstrated not only against E. coli, the bacterium most commonly responsible for urinary tract infection, but also for a number of other common pathogens.

Delegates at the 2002 American Chemical Society meeting and Experimental Biology Conference were also informed about cranberries' ability to act as a natural probiotic, supporting the health-promoting bacteria that grow in the human gastro-intestinal tract while killing off the bacteria that promote infections and foodborne illnesses.

One study presented by Leslie Plhak from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that whole frozen cranberries contained compounds able to inhibit the growth of common foodborne pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli 0157:H7, but enhanced the growth of the beneficial bacterium Lactobacillus fermentum by as much as 25 times.

Another test tube study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition indicated that a constituent in cranberry juice prevents the bacterium responsible for most gastric ulcers, Helicobacter pylori, from adhering to gastric epithelial cells (the cells that form the lining of the stomach).

Also published in this same journal was a study noting that compounds isolated from cranberry juice actually dissolved the aggregates formed by many oral bacteria and was effective in decreasing the salivary level of Streptococus mutans, the major cause of tooth decay. Among the other fruits tested, none had a similar effect except blueberries, whose protective action was much weaker that that of cranberries.

Further lab studies, published in Caries Research support cranberries' ability to inhibit prevent cavities.

Dr Hyun Hoo, an oral biologist at the University of Rochester Medial Center in New York, studied the effects of cranberry juice on the processes involved in the development of biofilms by S. mutans.

Results showed that the cranberry juice interfered with S. mutans' ability to stick to the surface of the "tooth," thus preventing the development of cavities in a way similar to cranberry's action in preventing urinary tract infections, in which cranberry juice inhibits the adhesion of pathogens in the urinary tract. One warning here: don't consume large quantities of sugar-laden cranberry juice or cranberry sauce to protect your teeth; the sugar in these products is likely to cause not prevent decay. Choose unsweetened organic cranberry juice.

Boosts Effectiveness of Drugs against H. Pylori

Drinking cranberry juice significantly boosts eradication of Helicobacter pylori (the bacterium responsible for ulcers and many digestive complaints) in women receiving triple therapy with the antibiotics omeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin (OAC), the gold standard drug treatment for this hard-to-eliminate pathogen. 889 patients on OAC were randomized to 1 of 3 groups. Group 1 received OAC + 250 mL (8.5 ounces) of cranberry juice for 1 week, followed by cranberry juice alone for 2 more weeks. Group 2 followed the same regimen but received a placebo-cranberry beverage, and Group 3 only took OAC. While the addition of cranberry juice did not appear to improve H. pylori eradication in men, among the women, cranberry juice raised the rate of H. pylori elimination from 82.5% to 95.2%. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jun;51(6):746-51.

Prevention of Kidney Stone Formation

Cranberries contain quinic acid, an acidic compound that is unusual in that it is not broken down in the body but is excreted unchanged in the urine. The presence of quinic acid causes the urine to become just slightly acidic-a level of acidity that is, however, sufficient to prevent calcium and phosphate ions from joining to form insoluble stones. In patients who have had recurrent kidney stones, cranberry juice has been shown to reduce the amount of ionized calcium in their urine by more than 50%-a highly protective effect since in the U.S., 75-85% of kidney stones are composed of calcium salts.

In one recent study evaluating the effect of cranberry juice on kidney stone formation, study subjects were divided into two groups, one of which drank 2 cups of cranberry juice diluted with 6 cups water each day for 2 weeks, while the other group drank tap water for the same period. After a 2 week period in which neither group drank any cranberry juice, the groups were switched, so that those who had drunk cranberry juice drank only tap water, while those who had drunk tap water consumed 2 cups cranberry juice diluted with 6 cups tap water daily for an additional 2 weeks. In both groups, drinking cranberry juice was found to significantly and uniquely alter three key urinary risk factors for the better: oxalate and phosphate excretion decreased; citrate excretion increased; and the relative supersaturation of calcium oxalate was significantly lower.

In another trial that evaluated the influence of cranberry, plum and blackcurrant juice on urinary stone risk factors, cranberry juice decreased the urinary pH (made the urine more acidic), and increased the excretion of oxalic acid and the relative supersaturation for uric acid. The researchers concluded that cranberry juice could be useful in the treatment of brushite (calcium) and struvite (non-calcium) stones as well as urinary tract infection.

Beneficial Actions on Cholesterol

After test tube research conducted at the University of Scranton demonstrated that cranberries' antioxidants could protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, and animal research at three other universities provided evidence that cranberries can decrease levels of total cholesterol and LDL (low density or "bad" cholesterol), a human study has also corroborated these positive results.

The three month study funded by the U.S. Cranberry Institute was presented at the 225th national meeting of the American Chemical Society. Researchers measured cholesterol levels in 19 subjects with high cholesterol after a fasting, baseline blood sampling, followed by monthly samplings. Ten of the subjects were given cranberry juice with artificial sweetener, while the other subjects drank cranberry juice with no added sugars. Like typical supermarket cranberry juices, the drinks all contained approximately 27% pure cranberry juice by volume. Each subject drank one 8-ounce glass of juice a day for the first month, then two glasses a day for the next month, and finally, three glasses a day during the third month of the study. Subjects were not monitored with respect to exercise, diet and alcohol consumption.

Although no changes occurred in their overall cholesterol levels, study subjects' HDL (good) cholesterol increased by an average of 10% after drinking three glasses of cranberry juice per day-an increase that, based on known epidemiological data on heart disease, corresponds to approximately a 40% reduction in heart disease risk.

Similarly, subjects' plasma antioxidant capacity, a measure of the total amount of antioxidants available in the body, was significantly increased-by as much as 121% after two or three servings of juice per day. Increased antioxidant levels are also associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.

While the mechanism by which cranberry juice changes cholesterol levels has not been clearly established, the researchers have theorized that the effect is due to the fruit's high levels of polyphenols, a type of potent antioxidant.

New research appears to be confirming this theory. Pterostilbene (pronounced TARE-oh-STILL-bean), a powerful antioxidant compound found in cranberries, which is already known to fight cancer, may also help lower cholesterol.

In an experimental study, scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service compared the cholesterol-lowering effects of pterostilbene to those of ciprofibrate, a lipid-lowering drug, and resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grapes with a chemical structure similar to pterostilbene that has been shown to help fight cancer and heart disease.

They based their comparison on each compound's ability to activate PPAR-alpha (short for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha). The PPARs are a family of receptors on cell membranes that are involved in the absorption of compounds into cells for use in energy production. PPAR-alpha is crucial for the metabolism of lipids, including cholesterol.

Pterostilbene was as effective as ciprofibrate and outperformed resveratrol in activating PPAR-alpha. The take away message: turn up your cholesterol burning machinery by eating more cranberries. (Grapes and blueberries are also good sources of pterostilbene.)

Increases Cardio-Protective HDL Cholesterol

Having low blood levels of "good" HDL cholesterol has long been recognized as a factor that increases risk of cardiovascular disease, but something as simple as enjoying a daily 8-ounce glass of low-calorie cranberry juice may significantly increase blood levels of cardioprotective HDL cholesterol, suggests a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition (Ruel G., Omperleau S, et al.)

In this trial, 30 abdominally obese men, averaging 51 years in age, drank increasing amounts (4 ounces, 8 ounces and 12 ounces daily) of low-calorie cranberry juice during three successive 4-week periods.

While no changes in the men's HDL were noted after drinking 4 ounces of cranberry juice each day, a large increase (+8.6%) in circulating levels of HDL was noted after the men drank 8-ounces of cranberry juice daily, an effect that leveled out (+8.1%) during the final 12-ounce phase of the study.

After drinking 8 ounces of cranberry juice daily, the men's triglyceride levels also dropped, while their levels of total and LDL cholesterol remained unchanged, which means that overall, their overall lipid profile significantly improved.

The researchers chose abdominally obese men because, in other research (Farnier M, Garnier P, et al., Int J Clin Pract), abdominal obesity, high triglycerides and being male, have been strongly linked to low HDL and cardiovascular disease.

Abdominal obesity, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol are also key symptoms of the metabolic syndrome, a condition which greatly increases one's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And type 2 diabetes is well known to be a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death not only in the U.S., but throughout the developed world. So, the subjects in this study were men whose health was greatly at risk. Isn't it wonderful that something as simple, affordable and delicious as a daily 8-ounce glass of cranberry juice offers such potential beneficial impact on our health? Instead of buying the "low-calorie" cranberry juice, which is usually sweetened with aspartame or comparable chemicals, look for unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate. It will be less expensive and healthier to simply add a little concentrate to a glass of water, then sweeten to taste with honey or stevia.

Cranberry Juice Greatly Lessens Oxidation of LDL Cholesterol in Men

In men, daily consumption of low-calorie cranberry juice cocktail significantly lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL and concentrations of two molecules involved in LDL's adherence to blood vessel walls (intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Thirty men (mean age 51) drank increasing daily doses of cranberry juice cocktail (4.4 ounces, 8.8 ounces and 17.6 ounces) over three successive 4 week periods. Blood levels of oxidized LDL, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 all dropped significantly during the study. Br J Nutr. 2007 Aug 29:1-8.

Improved Blood Vessel Function, Protecting Even Individuals with Atherosclerosis against Heart Attacks

A daily dose of cranberry powder restores blood vessel health in laboratory animals with atherosclerosis, shows research presented at the 2005 annual congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences.

Earlier small studies have already demonstrated that people who drink cranberry juice have higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. The new study examined blood vessel health in animals specially bred to develop high cholesterol, followed by atherosclerosis, by eight months of age.

Study results suggest that cranberries not only reduce the risk of developing heart disease by improving HDL cholesterol levels, but also improve blood vessel function, so can help individuals who already have atherosclerosis.

"Since the abnormal functioning of blood vessels is an important component of heart disease, finding ways to improve vascular function in patients with high cholesterol and atherosclerosis is critical to helping protect these patients from consequences such as heart attack or stroke," said lead researcher Kris Kruse-Elliott from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

Researchers think cranberries' polyphenols are responsible for their cardiovascular benefits. While humans would need to eat four to eight servings of cranberry powder, or 10-20 servings of cranberry juice, in order to achieve the levels of polyphenols given the animals in the study, co-author Jess Reed said: "The point to be emphasized is that total polyphenol intake is very low in western diets and a diet rich in polyphenols would in fact give a daily intake that is equivalent to the levels in our cranberry feeding experiments."

Increasing the polyphenol content of your diet is easy-just make the World's Healthiest Foods the foundation of your meals! In addition to making the most of fresh cranberries around Thanksgiving when they're in season (see our recipe suggestions below), enjoy a glass of cranberry juice with breakfast or try a cranberry spritzer for a refreshing pick-me-up any time of day.

Antioxidant Protection

Studies conducted at the University of Scranton, PA, and funded by the Cranberry Institute, a trade association for cranberry growers in the US and Canada, have revealed cranberries to be phytochemical powerhouses packed with five times the antioxidant content of broccoli. When compared to 19 other common fruits, cranberries were found to contain the highest level of antioxidant phenols.

Other studies presented at the 223rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society also showed that cranberries have among the highest levels of phenols of commonly consumed fruits. One study presented at the meetings by biochemist Yuegang Zuo from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth looked at 20 different fruit juices and found that cranberry juice had the most phenols and the highest radical scavenging capacity of all of them.

Another study to compare levels of phenolic compounds in common fruits, which was conducted at Cornell University and published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry also confirmed that cranberries had the highest phenolic content of the fruits studied. Cranberries were followed in descending order by apple, red grape, strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach, lemon, orange, pear and grapefruit.

Cranberry Juice Ranked Among the Highest in Antioxidant Activity

Not all fruit juices are the same. They differ markedly in the variety of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, according to Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, who, with colleagues at the University of Glasgow, evaluated 13 commercially available popular juices.

Concord grapes came out on top with the highest and broadest range of polyphenols and the highest overall antioxidant capacity. (The main components in purple grape juice were flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and hydroxycinnamates, together accounting for 93% of the total phenolic content.)

Other top scorers were cloudy apple juice, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.

Results for the red grape juice were said to be equal to those for a Beaujolais red wine. Interestingly, however, white grape juice, mainly containing hydroxycinnamates, had the lowest total phenolic content.

The products analyzed were: Spray Classic Cranberry; Welch's Purple Grape; Tesco Pure Pressed Red Grape; Pomegreat Pomegranate; Tesco Pure Apple (clear); Copella Apple (cloudy); Tesco Pure Grapefruit; Tesco Value Pure Orange (concentrate); Tropicana Pure Premium Smooth Orange (squeezed); Tropicana Pure Premium Tropical Fruit; Tesco Pure Pressed White Grape; Tesco Pure Pineapple; Del Monte Premium Tomato.

Dr. Crozier's findings come shortly after those of the Kame project, which indicated that long-term fruit juice consumption can provide protection against Alzheimer's disease (Dai et al., Am J Med), and suggest that, since each fruit juice contains its own array of protective phenols, drinking a variety may offer the best protection. Practical Tip: "The message is to mix these juices during the week. That way you will get all the compounds with anti-oxidant activity. If you drink only one juice you risk missing out on the compounds in the others," explained Crozier.

Cancer Prevention

Also at the 2002 national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Catherine Neto, assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, presented research on several newly discovered compounds in cranberries that were toxic to a variety of cancer tumor cell lines, including lung, cervical, prostate, breast and leukemia cancer cells. The Cornell study mentioned above that confirmed cranberries as having the highest levels of antioxidants among common fruits also found that cranberries had the strongest ability to inhibit the proliferation of human liver cancer cells.

The compounds found in cranberries that help prevent urinary tract infections may also help prevent cancer, suggests additional research conducted at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth by Catherine Neto and reported in the online edition of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Neto's team isolated active cranberry compounds, called proanthocyanidins, and then tested them on several tumor cell lines. Cranberry proanthocyanidins inhibited the growth of all the cancers-human lung, colon and leukemia cells-in culture, without affecting healthy cells.

Unlike most fruit, cranberries contain proanthocyanidins with A-type linkages between units, a structural feature identified in cranberry proanthocyanidins with antibacterial adhesion properties and those with LDL-protective properties, explained lead researcher, Catherine Neto.

Cranberries' proanthocyanidins unique characteristics may translate into a superior ability to prevent cancer. This study showed significant inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, not previously shown with other proanthocyanidins, as well as the blocking of tumor growth.

The protective activity occurred at no less than 100ug/mL concentration. "It's hard to say whether you would get these levels distributed to different tissues to the extent where you would have activity in vivo, but eating cranberries could be helpful," said Neto.

"There are so many compounds in cranberries capable of having some anti-cancer mechanism that when taken together there is potential for benefit," she added.

For cancer prevention, enjoy whole cranberries, not just cranberry juice. Cranberry presscake (the material remaining after squeezing juice from the berries), when fed to laboratory animals bearing human breast cancer cells, has previously been shown to decrease the growth and metastasis of tumors. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition suggests compounds in whole cranberries also inhibit prostate, skin, lung and brain cancer cells as well.

Androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells were inhibited the most (just 10 mg of a warm water extract of cranberry presscake inhibited their growth by 50%). With androgen-independent prostate cancer cells and estrogen-independent breast cancer cells, a larger amount was needed but produced the same beneficial effect (250 mg of cranberry presscake extract inhibited their growth by 50%).

Researchers concluded that the active compounds in whole cranberry prevent cancer by blocking cell cycle progression and inducing cells to undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Cranberry's Phytonutrients Help Shut Down Human Breast Cancer Cells

Enjoying a handful of dried cranberries in your spinach salad or a daily glass of cranberry juice with a meal may be a delicious way to help protect yourself against breast cancer. In laboratory studies published in Cancer Letters, cranberry phytonutrients greatly inhibited proliferation of human breast cancer cells, both by causing the cancer cells to commit suicide and by shutting down their ability to multiply by stopping their process of cellular replication before its completion.

After just 4 hours' exposure to cranberry phytonutrient extracts at the low dose of just 50 milligrams per milliliter, the ratio of breast cancer cells committing suicide to total cells increased 25% compared to control cells not exposed to cranberry phytonutrients. Cranberry phytonutrient extracts at doses from 10 to 50 milligrams per milliliter were also highly effective in stopping breast cancer cells from multiplying. After 24 hours, cancer cell replication was 6 times higher in the control breast cancer cells than in those exposed to cranberry extracts.

Protection against Macular Degeneration

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. Food intake information was collected periodically for up to 18 years for women and 12 years for men.

While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but by simply topping off a cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup of cranberries, tossing a banana into your morning smoothie or slicing it over your cereal, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you've reached this goal.

Description

A glossy, scarlet red, very tart berry, the cranberry belongs to the same genus as the blueberry, Vaccinium. Like blueberries, cranberries can still be found growing as wild shrubs in northern Europe, northern Asia, and North America. When cultivated, however, cranberries are grown on low trailing vines atop great sandy bogs.

Cranberries have also been called "bounceberries," because ripe ones bounce, and "craneberries," a poetic allusion to the fact that their pale pink blossoms look a bit like the heads of the cranes that frequent cranberry bogs. The variety cultivated commercially in the northern United States and southern Canada, the American cranberry, produces a larger berry than either the Southern cranberry, a wild species that is native to the mountains of the eastern United States, or the European variety.

History

American Indians enjoyed cranberries cooked and sweetened with honey or maple syrup-a cranberry sauce recipe that was likely a treat at early New England Thanksgiving feasts. By the beginning of the 18th century, the tart red berries were already being exported to England by the colonists. Cranberries were also used by the Indians decoratively, as a source of red dye, and medicinally, as a poultice for wounds since not only do their astringent tannins contract tissues and help stop bleeding, but we now also know that compounds in cranberries have antibiotic effects.

Although several species of cranberries grow wild in Europe and Asia, the cranberry most cultivated is an American native, which owes its commercial success to one Henry Hall, an observant gentleman in Dennis, Massachusetts. In 1840, Mr. Hall noticed an abundance of large berries grew when sand was swept into his bog by the prevailing winds and tides. The sandy bog provided just the right growing conditions for the cranberries by stifling the growth of shallow-rooted weeds, thus enhancing that of the deep rooted cranberries.

Cranberry cultivation soon spread not only across the U.S. through Wisconsin to Washington and Oregon, but also across the sea to Scandinavia and Great Britain. The hardy berries arrived in Holland as survivors of a shipwreck. When an American ship loaded with crates filled with cranberries sank along the Dutch coast, many crates washed ashore on the small island of Terschelling; some of the berries took root, and cranberries have been cultivated there ever since.

Despite their adventures abroad, cranberries are still primarily grown in the United States, where 154 thousand metric tons are produced annually. Half the annual crop still comes from Massachusetts and is harvested between Labor Day and Halloween.

How to Select and Store

A fruit with a short season, fresh cranberries are harvested between Labor Day and Halloween and appear in markets from October through December.

Choose fresh, plump cranberries, deep red in color, and quite firm to the touch.

Firmness is a primary indicator of quality. In fact, during harvesting, high quality cranberries are often sorted from lesser quality fruits by bouncing the berries against barriers made of slanted boards. The best berries bounce over the barriers, while the inferior ones collect in the reject pile.

The deeper red their color, the more highly concentrated are cranberries' beneficial anthocyanin compounds.

Fresh, then dried cranberries retain the most antioxidants; bottled cranberry drinks and cranberry cocktails with added sugars or low calorie sweeteners contain the least.

Although typically packed in 12-ounce plastic bags, fresh cranberries, especially if organic, may be available in pint containers.

Fresh cranberries can be stored in the refrigerator for several months. Before storing, discard any soft, discolored, pitted or shriveled fruits. When removed from the refrigerator, cranberries may look damp, but such moistness does not indicate spoilage, unless the berries are discolored or feel sticky, leathery or tough.

Once frozen, cranberries may be kept for several years. To freeze, spread fresh cranberries out on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. In a couple of hours, the fully frozen berries will be ready to transfer to a freezer bag. Don't forget to date the bag before returning to the freezer.

Once thawed, frozen berries will be quite soft and should be used immediately.

Dried cranberries are sold in many groceries and may be found with other dried fruits.

How to Enjoy

For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes. Tips for preparing cranberries:

While not as fragile as blueberries, fresh cranberries should be treated with care. Just prior to use, place cranberries in a strainer and briefly and gently rinse under cool running water.

When using frozen berries in recipes that do not require cooking, thaw well and drain prior to using. For cooked recipes, use unthawed berries since this will ensure maximum flavor. Extend the cooking time a few minutes to accommodate for the frozen berries. A few quick serving ideas:

Take advantage of cranberries' tartness by using them to replace vinegar or lemon when dressing your green salads. Toss the greens with a little olive oil then add a color and zest with a handful of raw cranberries.

To balance their extreme tartness, combine fresh cranberries with other fruits such as oranges, apples or pineapple or pears. If desired, add a little fruit juice, honey or maple syrup to chopped fresh cranberries.

For a easy-to-make salad that will immediately become a holiday favorite, place 2 cups fresh berries in your blender along with ½ cup of pineapple chunks, a quartered skinned orange, a sweet apple (such as one of the Delicious variety) and a handful or two of walnuts or pecans. Blend till well mixed but still chunky. Transfer to a large bowl. Dice 3-4 stalks of celery, add to the cranberry mixture and stir till just combined.

Combine unsweetened cranberry in equal parts with your favorite fruit juice and sparkling mineral water for a lightly sweetened, refreshing spritzer. For even more color appeal, garnish with a slice of lime.

Add a color and variety to your favorite recipes for rice pudding, quick breads or muffins by using dried cranberries instead of raisins.

Sprinkle a handful of dried cranberries over a bowl of hot oatmeal, barley, or any cold cereal.

Mix dried cranberries with lightly roasted and salted nuts for a delicious snack.

Safety

Cranberries and Oxalates

Cranberries are among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating cranberries. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we've seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits - including absorption of calcium - from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content. For more on this subject, please see "Can you tell me what oxalates are and in which foods they can be found?"

Cranberries and Warfarin

Since 1999, the United Kingdom's Committee on the Safety of Medicines has had 5 reports of cases (one fatal) that indicate that cranberry juice (from Vaccinium macrocarpon) potentiates the effect of warfarin. Some patients exhibited a marked increase in their INR (international normalised ratios) values after they began to drink cranberry juice. INRs provide a measure of blood clotting capacity, and high values are associated with serious bleeding. In the one fatal case, six weeks after a man started drinking cranberry juice, his INR increased sharply, and he subsequently died from gastrointestinal and pericardial haemorrhages.

The Committee on the Safety of Medicines has hypothesized that flavonoid antioxidants in cranberry juice inhibit the activity of one of the cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver that is primarily responsible for detoxifying warfarin, the isoform called CYP2C9. Until this possible interaction between warfarin and cranberry juice has been investigated further, the individuals taking warfarin are advised to avoid cranberry juice.

At least 12 reports of suspected interactions involving warfarin and cranberry juice have now been made to the Committee on the Safety of Medicines in Great Britain. In Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency issued a recommendation that patients using warfarin should be advised to avoid cranberry juice.

Nutritional Profile

Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, a very good source of dietary fiber, and a good source of manganese and vitamin K.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good or good source. Next to the nutrient name you will find the following information: the amount of the nutrient that is included in the noted serving of this food; the %Daily Value (DV) that that amount represents (similar to other information presented in the website, this DV is calculated for 25-50 year old healthy woman); the nutrient density rating; and, the food's World's Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath the chart is a table that summarizes how the ratings were devised. For more detailed information on our Food and Recipe Rating System, please click here.

In-Depth Nutritional Profile

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Cranberries is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good or good source. Next to the nutrient name you will find the following information: the amount of the nutrient that is included in the noted serving of this food; the %Daily Value (DV) that that amount represents; the nutrient density rating; and the food's World's Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath the chart is a table that summarizes how the ratings were devised. Read detailed information on our Food and Recipe Rating System.

Cranberries
0.50 cup
47.50 grams
23.27 calories
Nutrient Amount DV
(%)
Nutrient
Density
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating
vitamin C 6.41 mg 10.7 8.3 excellent
dietary fiber 1.99 g 8.0 6.2 very good
manganese 0.07 mg 3.5 2.7 good
vitamin K 2.42 mcg 3.0 2.3 good
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating
Rule
excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Cranberries

Monday, October 29, 2007

Cooking with Good Sense




Comment: Here's a luscious bar for dessert that seems like a lot of junk, but upon closer investigation, it's chock full of stuff kids should be eating. If you children don't like the walnuts, sub for either good cold cereal or peanuts. Sub the Baker's chocolate for Gheridelli 60% cocoa chips. These homemade sweet treats have more nutrition in them than granola bars, a bologna sandwich on white bread, saltine crackers and fake cheese, or any kind of chips.

Chocolate Walnut Coconut Bars

Recipe Rating:
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 40 min
Makes: Makes 32 servings, one bar each.


Nutrition Information
Kraft Kitchens Tips
Ratings and comments
You may also enjoy

11 whole HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups crumbs)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 cups BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut
1/2 cup PLANTERS Walnut Pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk


PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix graham crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.
SPRINKLE chocolate, coconut, walnuts and raisins over crust. Pour condensed milk evenly over ingredients in pan.
BAKE 25 to 30 min. or until lightly browned. Cool in pan. Lift dessert from pan using foil handles. Cut into 32 bars to serve.

The Garden School Tattler




Today begins Halloween Week. It's a big week for very young children. They seem to love this bit of make believe best. I think it's because it's a holiday built just for kids. Halloween is a very old holiday and dates from the Middle Ages. It was well practiced in England by the 14th century. It came to us over the same ships the Pilgrims used!

Last night Mrs. St. Louis, Miss Amy, Alex and I went on the Ghost Walk here in Newburgh. It was fun. The Ghost Walk people did a nice job. My house is the first stop. They got some of the stories right. We've lived in this house 32 years and have seen a lot of mysterious things. It happens all the time, so we're not frightened by it. Our last sighting was about a month ago when Anne heard someone traveling around the house and thought it was her father coming up the stairs and moving around the hallway and opening and closing his door. Her father was at the gym at the time and no one else was home.

My favorite story is the hair brush story which I'll post tomorrow.

We had dinner together last night at my house. Poor Alex didn't see a ghost and was disappointed. Edith made an exceptional cake and I think I enjoyed the cake best of all.

***

This week at school we will be dressing up on Wednesday in costume and visiting a nursing home in Boonville where my mother resides. We will be taking natural fresh fruit treats to the residents. Donations of apples would be helpful. We will sing a few Halloween songs and then return to school and have a late lunch.

Our party begins at 3:00 and school dismisses at 4:00. This gives parents a launching time for trick or treat.

Please remember to leave swords and masks at home. They become a danger to young children in a group situation.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Water



Comment:

Children going off to school for the first time often put on weight. The weight is usually a problem with snacks and poor hydration problems. Check to see how much water your child is drinking. If he or she is reaching for the soda instead of a glass of water, he or she is adding unnecessary calories to his or her diet. When a person drinks soda, they need much more water to off set the strain of the soda on the body. Soda is a dehydrator. The article is from Sparkpeople.

If you pick up one habit early on in your program that will make a major difference in your weight loss, this is it.

The list of benefits of water is so long, you’d think people were selling it as an 18th-century miracle tonic. There is evidence that fully hydrated bodies have higher metabolisms and can burn fat at a faster rate than thirsty, dry bodies. Water also helps you:
  • Digest food
  • Feel fuller
  • Look and feel fresher
  • Have more energy
  • Think more clearly

    When you drink more water, and your body gets used to it, you ironically store less water. Seems that your body needs to trust that it’ll continue to get plenty of the good stuff, otherwise it’ll hold onto what little water it does receive. Less water means less weight. Early on, losing several pounds – even if it’s water weight – can be a huge motivator.

    A healthy diet should NOT rely on fluids to provide calorie or nutrient needs, but water is necessary for metabolism and normal physiological function. In fact, water is the only fluid that the body truly needs. How much water do you need? Most people need about 8 cups every day, but active people usually need to drink more. Remember that water can come from lots of different sources--even foods contain the water that your body needs!

    Fresh fruits and veggies are tremendous sources of water. Fruit juices, milk, teas and decaf coffee also count. Watch out for caffeinated beverages. Caffeine can actually increase your need for more water; so a lot of caffeinated coffee or soda may do more harm than good.

    Relying on thirst is not a good strategy. By the time the brain signals thirst, you’re already dehydrated. If you’re working out, by the time you’re thirsty, your performance can drop 5-10%. The idea is to stay consistently hydrated for optimal performance and weight loss. Seesawing between hydration and thirst can hold you back. Again, your body needs to know that it’ll get what it needs all the time; otherwise it’ll store some back.


      WATER TIPS
    • Find the water bottles with pop tops. They’re easier to carry around and use than twist-off caps.
    • Keep a water bottle in the car.
    • Take a water break instead of a smoke break at work.
    • Have a rule with your water glass: once it’s empty, it gets filled back up right away.
    • Drink orange juice or eat fruit in the morning.
    • Get two water bottles, one for work and one for home. Fill up one every day when you leave to go home, and fill up the other before you go to bed each night.
    • Order water at restaurants instead of soda. Even if you have something else to drink, have water too.
    • Weekends are the toughest, so be aware of your water and fluid intake throughout Saturday and Sunday. Keep more than one water bottle in the fridge so you always have a cold one.
    • Follow the example of the SparkPeople member who put a water glass on her windowsill with 8 pennies on one side. Each time she filled up her glass and drank it, she moved a penny to the other side, until all the pennies were moved. Great reminder system!
  • Saturday, October 27, 2007

    Yogurt




    Comment: Amy was telling me how Alex eats a lot of yogurt; so does my husband. I can't because it triggers migraine headaches - or used to. I found this article, and thought some of you experiencing strenuous exercise and the "get into the holidays weight loss program" would be interested. It's from Food Navigator.

    General Mills researches yoghurt for weight management

    By Clarisse Douaud

    Yoplait yogurt brand owner General Mills has conducted its own research into the healthy profile of the dairy product and is using the results to spread further consumer awareness.

    The food manufacturer has announced results of a 14-day study conducted by the General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition in Minneapolis. The researchers investigated the diets of approximately 3,000 women aged 19 and older and claim to have found a link between healthier body weight and better nutrient intakes among those who consume yogurt.

    The research found that those women who consumed three or more servings of yogurt over the two-week period had a 15 percent lower body mass index (BMI) than those who did not eat any yogurt.

    The initiative opens another health pathway along which yogurt can be marketed. The product is increasingly being proffered to consumers as delivery of friendly bacteria for gut and immune health, probiotics.

    Since Dannon launched its Activia line of probiotic yogurt in the US in January 2006, it claims to have sold over $100m-worth of the product.

    Now General Mill's findings point to further benefits that could allow for differentiated marketing tools based on the needs of a range of consumers.

    While Dannon underscores gut health, General Mills looks to be targeting weight management.

    "Obesity continues to be a leading health risk for Americans of all ages," said the research leader, Ann Albertson, senior nutrition scientist at the Bell Institute. "Our findings build on previous studies and offer good news for yogurt eaters."

    The US weight management market is said to be the world's single largest one and the figures have reached epidemic proportions. An estimated 66 percent of adults in the US are either overweight or obese, based on results from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

    The weight management potential of yogurt likely comes from the fact that while it can be high in calories, it is still a relatively healthy snack food that promotes satiety.

    The study found that the participants mainly eat yogurt at breakfast. Among the women who ate yogurt, 34 percent did so at breakfast, 38 percent at lunch, 19 percent did so as a snack and nine percent at dinner.

    The women who ate yogurt regularly were also more like to have higher overall intakes for nutrients including calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, magnesium and phosphorous;

    "Yogurt is a food that's portable, portion controlled, nutrient rich, and easy to add to a meal or to enjoy as a snack," said Albertson. "It provides a good source of dairy calcium and other essential nutrients that women need for optimum health."

    Licensed from Sodima, a French dairy cooperative in 1978, Yoplait is now a $1bn business and the yogurt category leader.

    Friday, October 26, 2007

    Fruit!



    From World's Healthiest Foods!

    Daily Food Tip

    Can too much fruit cause weight gain?

    Yes, too much fruit can cause weight gain. Too much intake of any food can cause weight gain—although some foods are much safer to eat in excess than other foods.

    Fresh fruits contain about 15-20 calories per ounce; for example, a medium-sized apple contains about 120 calories. Most people would be able to include about 2 times that level of fruit calories in their daily meal plan without overeating.

    Fruit juice is a little different story because many people could drink one 12-ounce bottle of fruit juice at a single meal, and that bottle by itself would contain about 200 calories. One bottle per day would probably work for many meal plans, but whole fresh fruits still provide better nourishment.

    Dried fruit is the most problematic type of fruit in terms of calories. Six ounces of raisins contain about 500 calories. Most people would not be able to successfully fit this many calories of fruit into their daily meal plan.

    Weight gain occurs when a person consumes more calories than they he or she expends. Therefore, let's say, hypothetically, that based upon your individual energy needs, you need to consume 2,000 calories to maintain your weight. If, in addition to your regular 2,000 calories, you ate 500 additional calories worth of fruit each day, in 7 days you would gain one pound (one pound is roughly equal to 3,500 calories of excess energy stored up in the form of body fat).

    In general, although we encourage daily intake of fresh fruit as part of a healthy meal plan, it's much easier to "overdose" on vegetables versus fruits when it comes to weight management and maintenance of an optimally nourishing diet. Vegetables generally contain about 5-10 calories per ounce—about half the calories of fruit. Always remember, however, that it's your overall meal plan and exercise plan that determines whether you'll gain or lose weight.

    Garden School Tattler




    It's been a week. Yesterday we had an incident that upset the entire faculty. We had a little person spit on twelve children. We called the family to send the child home. The family was not keen on our sending the child home and insisted that the child be sent home at the regular time. I insisted that if the child was not picked up within 30 minutes, I would suspend the child on Friday. I told the parent that the incident was not just a behavior problem. The problem was a misdemeanor and was considered assault. At that point the parent blamed the other children in the school for her child's spitting.

    In my days of rearing children, I always took my child's side no matter what until I learned the bottom line truth. If it was my child's action, I took action. I found out very early that blaming other children is cowardly and unbecoming to an adult. Blaming the other children only encourages continued problems with a child who behaves in this manner. Putting the blame on the correct culprit is the object of good parenting. Understanding the issue or issues is also a parent duty. Understanding your child and seeing him or her in the right light is the first problem to solve.

    Needless to say, the child has been withdrawn. The Garden School is the culmination of Edith and my life's work. At the same time, it is also the work of the other ladies and gentleman we work so closely with at the school. Our teachers are exhausted with giving all they can to our community, and I salute each and every one of them for a beautiful effort every single day. So I promise our community, the children, the parents who bring their children to the school, and our teachers that we will not tolerate a child who decides to separate from the community and spit on the others.

    Judy

    Shopping

    I thought you might all like to know how Miss Judy goes shopping for the grocery items our kids love to eat. It's a little hard to describe, so I've got this film: Click here!



    Thursday, October 25, 2007

    The Garden School Tattler




    It was a very cool day yesterday. Our playground plans were squashed because of the wind and the chill. The investment in an hour of "park" was not going to over ride possible illness. I was afraid the children would all catch a chill and then pick up whatever has been lurking with intent to make them sick, so we came back to school after the performance.

    The performance was really well done. The orchestra was made up of kettle drums and other percussion instruments, two violins, a viola, a bassoon, a oboe, a clarinet, a flute, a trumpet and a French Horn. They played the Sorcerer's Apprentice in parts and then the whole story. Two of our children were able to answer big questions about the music and the theme - Nikolai and Kanin. We were very proud of them. They were the only children in the audience who knew the answers and they were not afraid to pipe up and be heard!

    The children were delightful; one parent commented to Miss Amy that the Garden School was the best behaved group. It's one of our great delights. But even more delightful than that, is the look on the children's faces to see something like this. Their faces were intent on every note that was played. Their mouths were open, their bodies suspended for the work of the mind. I've never seen them sit so still.

    Rarely do children get to see a collection of orchestra instruments played close up. This is the kind of thing that leads children to be musicians. This is a great time to start thinking about an instrument your child might like to play. There is a source - Hearth Song - that puts out instruments for young children. It might be a thing to think about for Christmas. You will find Hearth Song in the links.

    After the performance, we collected six pizzas from Angelo's and came home to feast. The children ate and ate, and some of them fell asleep. You know, parents, children put to bed before 8:00 p.m. will not crash before lunch. For children like ours who don't nap regularly, bed time should be very very early. If you're in doubt, ask yourself: what is he or she doing after 7:30? If it's TV or making a mess, the child would be better in bed. He will feel better; he will eat better; he will play better all day.

    Thank you all for your support for the things the GS does. It makes a whole lot of difference to have parents support our activities.

    Next week is Halloween. Children are encouraged to come in costume in the morning. We are trying to organize our activities for that day. There will be a parent party at 3:00. This party is a quick get together and encourages children to "hit the streets" early. We close at 4:00 that day. Children will already have had their dinner at 2:00, so consider the party the launching for your trick or treat.

    Then it's on to the play!

    Wednesday, October 24, 2007

    What Schools Do



    Lesson Plan

    Comment: I found this and thought it interesting because most people don't know that lesson plans are a real part of early childhood. Years ago I had a big book of plans and stuck to it religiously. As the time passed, I realized that lesson plans are circular and that there are days and there are days. Often lesson plans are headed in some particular direction. With children four and older, this is really important to achieve goals.

    With three year olds, it's a catch as catch can. This year in our preschool class, we have been working on the alphabet, counting and listening to directions. Then the interest of the children changed and they discovered all the toys on the "I can do this all by myself" shelf, and a serious hiatus has put the alphabet on hold. It's kind of ridiculous to drag a child away from serious building discovery to something he doesn't want to do. So when the toys have been explored, we will gently go back to the letters and numbers.

    This schedule in the article is a great plan for beginning teachers and teachers who need to explore very young children. Very young children, however, will pretty much explore on their own once they figure out how!

    Lesson Plans

    It’s not a comprehensive form, more of a guide to keep yourself on track or to alert parents or administrators to your plans. I always like to post something like this on my wall so that all interested parties would have an idea of what we were doing in class that week and it was helpful to keep me on track as well.

    The curriculum enhancement space is for those of you who may have “extras” that go on, like when your kids leave class for Spanish, Dance or Computers. On days when the children aren’t going anywhere outside the classroom, I usually would focus on sign language to teach and reinforce the letter and color of the week.

    You can fill it out something like this:

    Pre-K Lesson Plan Sample

    Monday, October 22, 2007

    Apples



    From World's Healthiest Foods

    Apples
    Apples

    The warm scent and flavor of baking apples is a sure sign that fall is just around the corner. In Northern Hemisphere apples are in season from late summer to early winter. However, many varieties are available year round because they have been either kept in cold storage or imported from the Southern Hemisphere.

    Apples are crisp, white-fleshed fruits with red, yellow or green skin. They range in taste from moderately sweet and refreshing to pleasantly tart depending on the variety. The apple is a member of the rose family, with a compartmentalized core that classifies it as a pome fruit.

    Food Chart
    This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Apples provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Apples can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Apples, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

    Health Benefits

    According to the latest research, the old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," is fact, not just folklore. The nutritional stars in apples-fiber, flavonoids, and fructose-translate into apples' ability to keep us healthy.

    Cardio-Protective Fiber

    Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. One medium (5 ounces) unpeeled apple provides over 3 grams of fiber, more than 10% of the daily fiber intake recommended by experts. Even without its peel, a medium apple provides 2.7 grams of fiber.

    Apple's two types of fiber pack a double punch that can knock down cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of hardening of the arteries, heart attack, and stroke.

    Apple's insoluble fiber works like bran, latching on to LDL cholesterol in the digestive tract and removing it from the body, while apple's soluble fiber pectin reduces the amount of LDL cholesterol produced in the liver. Adding just one large apple (about 2/3 of a pound) to the daily diet has been shown to decrease serum cholesterol 8-11%. Eating 2 large apples a day has lowered cholesterol levels by up to 16%!

    A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as apples, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less CHD and 11% less CVD compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.

    LDL cholesterol isn't the only harmful compound on apple's removal list. Pectin grabs toxins like the heavy metals lead and mercury, and ushers them out of the body. Both the soluble and insoluble fibers in apples have cancer-protective activity since they relieve constipation and send potentially toxic substances out with the stools.

    When it comes to bowel regularity, apple's two types of fiber tackle the job-no matter what it is. Both the insoluble fiber in apples and their soluble fiber pectin help relieve constipation (thus helping to prevent diverticulosis and colon cancer). The insoluble fiber works like roughage, while the pectin, which is found primarily in the skin, acts as a stool softener by drawing water into the stool and increasing stool bulk. On the other hand, because pectin firms up an excessively loose stool, it's also used to treat diarrhea.

    Cardio-Protective Flavonoids

    A type of pigment in apples that helps provide their color, flavonoids have been extensively researched and found to help prevent heart disease. Researchers in Finland followed over 5,000 Finish men and women for over 20 years. Those who ate the most apples and other flavonoid-rich foods (such as onions and tea), were found to have a 20% lower risk of heart disease than those who ate the least of these foods.

    Apples have been singled out as one of the small number of fruits and vegetables that contributed to the significant reduction in heart disease risk seen in a recent meta-analysis of seven prospective studies. Of the more than 100,000 individuals who participated in these studies, those who diets most frequently included apples, tea, onions, and broccoli-the richest sources of flavonoids-gained a 20% reduction in their risk of heart disease.

    Apple skin and onions are the two major food sources of a potent flavonoid called quercitin. If, in addition to eating an apple a day, you add 2 tablespoons of onion and 4 cups of green tea (also rich in flavonoids) to your menu, you, like the men who consumed these foods in another study, may have a 32% lower risk of heart attack than people who consume less of these foods.

    Quercitin's benefits derive from its antioxidant activity, especially when it teams up with another antioxidant, vitamin C, also found in apples, to bolster the body's immune defenses. This dynamic antioxidant duo provides another way (in addition to fiber) through which apples protect against cancer and also helps prevent the free radical damage to LDL cholesterol that promotes heart disease.

    Juice Ranked among the Highest in Antioxidant Activity

    Not all fruit juices are the same. They differ markedly in the variety of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, according to Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, who, with colleagues at the University of Glasgow, evaluated 13 commercially available popular juices.

    Concord grapes came out on top with the highest and broadest range of polyphenols and the highest overall antioxidant capacity. (The main components in purple grape juice were flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and hydroxycinnamates, together accounting for 93% of the total phenolic content.)

    Other top scorers were cloudy apple juice, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.

    Other research (Oszmianski J, Wolniak M, et al., Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture) has also found cloudy apple juice to be a healthier choice than clear since cloudy apple juices contain up to four times the amount of protective polyphenols as clear apple juices.

    Results for the red grape juice were said to be equal to those for a Beaujolais red wine. Interestingly, however, white grape juice, mainly containing hydroxycinnamates, had the lowest total phenolic content.

    The products analyzed were: Spray Classic Cranberry; Welch's Purple Grape; Tesco Pure Pressed Red Grape; Pomegreat Pomegranate; Tesco Pure Apple (clear); Copella Apple (cloudy); Tesco Pure Grapefruit; Tesco Value Pure Orange (concentrate); Tropicana Pure Premium Smooth Orange (squeezed); Tropicana Pure Premium Tropical Fruit; Tesco Pure Pressed White Grape; Tesco Pure Pineapple; Del Monte Premium Tomato.

    Dr. Crozier's findings come shortly after those of the Kame project, which indicated that long-term fruit juice consumption can provide protection against Alzheimer's disease (Dai et al., Am J Med), and suggest that, since each fruit juice contains its own array of protective phenols, drinking a variety may offer the best protection. Practical Tip: "The message is to mix these juices during the week. That way you will get all the compounds with anti-oxidant activity. If you drink only one juice you risk missing out on the compounds in the others," explained Crozier.

    Apples' Flavonoids Provide Much More than Antioxidant Protection

    Apples have long been touted as an excellent source of flavonoids that act as antioxidants, moping up oxygen free radicals that can damage DNA. Now, Eric Gershwin and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, US, have discovered a new way in which flavonoid-rich apples help protect against heart disease and cancers that goes beyond their flavonoids' antioxidant effects.

    The researchers prepared apple extracts from fresh Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Granny Smith apples and added them to cultures of human endothelial cells (Endothelial cells make up the inner lining of our arteries. Their damage by oxidized cholesterol is one of the first steps in the development of atherosclerosis.)

    After incubating the endothelial cells with apple extract, the researchers exposed them to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a compound that triggers cell death and promotes inflammation by inducing a chemical signaling pathway called the nuclear factor (NF) kappa B pathway. The apple flavonoids were able protect the cells from the effects of TNF by inhibiting the signals in this pathway that would otherwise damage or kill cells. Gershwin and colleagues' research, published in Experimental Biology and Medicine, shows that apple flavonoids protect cells from damage and death by interfering with communications between cells-a further mechanism than their antioxidant effects.

    Fructose for Stable Blood Sugar Levels

    Apples derive almost all of their natural sweetness from fructose, a simple sugar, but one which is broken down slowly, especially when combined with apples' hefty dose of fiber, thus helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.

    Prevent Kidney Stones

    Want to reduce your risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones? Drink apple juice. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that when women drank ½ to 1 liter of apple, grapefruit or orange juice daily, their urinary pH value and citric acid excretion increased, significantly dropping their risk of forming calcium oxalate stones.

    Promote Optimal Health

    Whole apple extracts-in amounts comparable to human consumption of one, three or six apples a day-were shown to prevent breast cancer in test animals in a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

    And apples worked in a dose-dependent manner; the more apples eaten, the more protection.

    In a second study, published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, a polyphenol-rich extract of an apple juice blend powerfully inhibited the growth of human colon cancer cells in the laboratory.

    However, when researchers put together a mixture containing only the bioactive compounds identified in apple juice so far (which included its proanthocyanidins and quercetin), the mixture was ineffective in inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells.

    They concluded that as yet unknown constituents contribute to apples' potent protective qualities. The conclusion we draw at the World's Healthiest Foods is that it is not single nutrients, but their synergy in whole, natural foods that is the source of their effectiveness in promoting health.

    We definitely agree with the researchers in the first (breast cancer) study, who suggest that because apples are so richly endowed with phytonutrients capable of strong antioxidant and anticancer activities and are so universally enjoyed, eating an apple (or two) a day may be effective (and we'd add easy and inexpensive) way to lessen the incidence of breast (and colon) cancer.

    Natural Sun Protection

    It's long been known that apple peel contains high concentrations of special antioxidant compounds called phenols that may assist in the prevention of a number of chronic diseases. Now it appears that the phenols in the skin of certain cultivars of apples may provide a hefty dose of UV-B protection, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Botany. Researchers evaluated both Granny Smith and Braeburn apples, with Braeburns being the clear winner in terms of their ability to accumulate UV-B protective quercitin glycosides in their sun-exposed skin. Sun-kissed Braeburns were resistant to high doses of UV-B radiation (up to 97kJ m-2). Next time you plan to spend time in the sun yourself, start your day with a Braeburn apple or bring one or two along for lunch and snacks.

    Review Study Provides Even More Reasons to Enjoy Apples

    A major review study published in the Nutrition Journal provides dozens of reasons to enjoy an apple every day.

    A review study is one that looks at the results of many other studies. This one included an analysis of 85 studies. Apples were found to be most consistently associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and type 2 diabetes when compared to other fruits and vegetables. In addition, eating apples was also associated with increased lung function and increased weight loss.

    Here are some of the reasons why:

    Apples are a rich and very important source of phytonutrients, including flavonoids and phenols, in the American diet and in Europe. In the United States, 22% of the phenolic compounds consumed from fruits come from apples, making them the largest source of phenols in the American diet.

    When compared to other fruits, apples ranked second in total concentration of phenolic compounds, and perhaps more importantly, had the highest portion of free phenols. Since free phenols are not bound to other compounds in the fruit, they may be more available for absorption into the bloodstream.

    Apples are also an excellent source of antioxidants, and when compared to many other commonly consumed fruits in the United States, were found to have the second highest level of antioxidant activity. Many of the phytonutrients found in apples, including quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid, are strong antioxidants.

    The total antioxidant activity of 100 grams of whole apple (with the peel) was found to be equivalent to the antioxidant effect of about 1500 mg of vitamin C. (However, the amount of vitamin C in 100 g of apples is only about 5.7 mg. Nearly all of the antioxidant activity from apples comes from a variety of other compounds.)

    Whole apples, especially their peels, have been found to have a number of powerful antioxidant effects, one of which is to protect VLDL and LDL ("bad") cholesterol from oxidation. Yet when quercitin, one of the most important antioxidant flavonoids in apples, was tested by itself in laboratory animals, it had no protective effect. And when apple flesh and apple juice were tested, they provided less than a tenth the benefit of whole apple.

    Apples' protective effects against free radical damage to cholesterol reach their peak at three hours following apple consumption and drop off after 24 hours, providing yet another good reason to eat a whole fresh apple a day.

    In animal studies, apples have also been shown to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol while raising beneficial HDL cholesterol. Not only did the laboratory animals in these studies produce less cholesterol, but they also excreted more in their feces when fed apples, pears and peaches-but apples had the greatest cholesterol-lowering effect.

    In the most recent studies, investigators found that the combination of apple pectin and apple phenols lowered cholesterol and triglycerides to a much greater extent than either apple pectin or phenols alone. This again suggests a beneficial synergy between the many healthful compounds found in apples and supports eating the whole fruit instead of simply drinking apple juice, eating peel-free applesauce or taking fiber supplements.

    Apples have also been shown to greatly inhibit the growth of liver and colon cancer cells in several studies. In one study, at a dose of 50 mg/mL, liver cancer cell proliferation was inhibited by 39% by extracts of whole Fuji apple and 57% by whole Red Delicious extracts. In another study in which colon cancer cells were treated with apple extracts, cell proliferation was inhibited 43% at a dose of 50 mg/mL.

    Promote Optimal Health

    Eating an apple a day may also offer significant protection against breast cancer, suggests an animal study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry . When laboratory animals with breast cancer were fed the human equivalent of 1, 3 or 6 apples a day for 6 months, their tumors shrank by 25%, 25%, and 61%, respectively.

    Researchers credit apples' strong protective action to the synergistic interactions among the wide variety of potent antioxidant and antiproliferative phytonutrients, including phenolics and flavonoids, they contain.

    In several large epidemiological (population) studies conducted in the United Kingdom, Finland and the Netherlands, apple consumption (a minimum of 2 apples per week) was found to be inversely linked with asthma and type 2 diabetes, and positively associated with general lung health. Researchers attribute apples' protective effects in these conditions to apples' high concentration of anti-inflammatory flavonoids, such as quercitin and catechin.

    In addition to their beneficial effects against chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes, apples may also help combat cholera. Recently, crude extracts from immature apples were found to inhibit cholera toxin in a dose dependent manner by up to 98%.

    Variation in Antioxidant Phytonutrients Among Different Types of Apples

    Researchers have found distinct differences in total phenolic and flavonoid content among different apple varieties:

    Of the four common varieties used for applesauce (Rome Beauty, Idared, Cortland, and Golden Delicious), Rome Beauty had the highest phenolic content.

    Out of 10 varieties commonly consumed in the U.S., Fuji apples had the highest total phenolic and total flavonoid compounds, but Red Delicious apples were also quite high. These apple varieties also tended to have higher antioxidant activity.

    Apple phytonutrient content is not greatly affected by storage. After 100 days, the amount of phenolic compounds in the skin begins to decrease slightly, but even after 200 hundred days in cold storage, the total amount of these compounds remains close to the level at the time of harvest.

    However, processing apples into juice greatly lowers their phytonutrient content. Apple juice obtained from Jonagold apples by pulping and straight pressing had only 10% of the antioxidant activity of fresh apples, while juice obtained after pulp enzyming had only 3% of fresh apples' antioxidant activity.

    The take home message: store apples in the refrigerator and enjoy a sweet, crunchy, whole apple at least 2-3 times each week.

    A Flavonoid Unique to Apples May Help Prevent Menopausal Bone Loss

    A flavonoid found only in apples called phloridzin may help prevent bone loss associated with menopause, suggests a study published in Calcified Tissue International..

    A side effect of the sex hormone changes that occur during a woman's transition through menopause is a tendency towards increased inflammation and free radical production, which in turn, promotes bone loss.

    Because of their anti-inflammatory actions, polyphenols have been suggested as one means of protecting against bone loss during this pro-inflammatory time in women's lives.

    To test this theory, French researchers ovariectomized lab animals (to simulate menopause) and divided them into two groups, which were given either a control diet or a diet supplemented with phloridzin for 80 days. Three weeks before the animals were sacrificed, 10 animals in each group were put into an inflammatory state.

    While all the animals on the control diet lost bone, and those in the inflammatory state lost even more bone, the rats receiving phloridzin not only did not lose bone, but actually increased bone mineral density-even if they were experiencing a high inflammatory state!

    If you're moving through menopause, eating an apple a day may help you keep bone loss at bay.

    Description

    Apples are a crisp, white-fleshed fruit with a red, yellow or green skin. The apple is actually a member of the rose family, which may seem strange until we remember that roses make rose hips, which are fruits similar to the apple.

    Apples have a moderately sweet, refreshing flavor and a tartness that is present to greater or lesser degree depending on the variety. For example, Golden and Red Delicious apples are mild and sweet, while Pippins and Granny Smith apples are notably brisk and tart. Tart apples, which best retain their texture during cooking, are often preferred for cooked desserts like apple pie, while Delicious apples and other sweeter varieties like Braeburn and Fuji apples are usually eaten raw.

    History

    The apple tree, which originally came from Eastern Europe and southwestern Asia, has spread to most temperate regions of the world. Over the centuries, many hybrids and cultivars have been developed, giving us the 7,000 varieties in the market today.

    Apples have long been associated with the biblical story of Adam and Eve, although there is actually no mention that, in fact, the fruit in question was actually an apple. In Norse mythology, apples were given a more positive persona: a magic apple was said to keep people young forever. Apples' most recent appearance in history occurred in the 1800s in the U.S., when Johnny Appleseed-a real person named John Chapman, despite the mythological quality of his tale-walked barefoot across an area of 100,000 square miles, planting apple trees that provided food and a livelihood for generations of settlers.

    How to Select and Store

    Look for firm fruits with rich coloring. Yellow and green apples with a slight blush are best. Your preference for a sweeter or more tart fruit and whether you plan to enjoy your apples raw or cooked will guide your choice of variety. Just remember that Red and Golden Delicious are among the sweetest apples. Braeburn and Fuji apples are slightly tart, and Gravenstein, Pippin and Granny Smith apples are the most tart, but retain their texture best during cooking.

    In the northern hemisphere, apple season begins at the end of summer and lasts until early winter. Apples available at other times have been in cold storage or are imported from the southern hemisphere.

    Whole apples are a much better nutritional choice than apple juice. Not only are whole apples richer in dietary fiber, but the current processes of juicing seem to drastically reduce the polyphenolic phytonutrient concentrations originally found in the whole fruit.

    When selecting apple juice, chose cloudy rather than clear juices:

    Researchers evaluated the polyphenolic content of clear and cloudy apple juices from Idared and Champion varieties. Cloudy juices, particularly those prepared from apples of the Champion variety, had a much higher content of procyanidins (a type of flavonoid) than clear juices.

    Cloudy juice from Champion apples contained 1,044 milligrams of polyphenols per liter, while clear juice made from Idared apples contained only 250 milligrams per liter. When the juices' ability to neutralize free radicals was evaluated, cloudy Champion apple juice neutralized 93% of the radicals after 3 minutes, compared to only 24% for the clear Idared juice.

    How to Enjoy

    In addition to being eaten raw, apples are a wonderful addition to a variety of recipes from salads to baked goods. For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.

    Tips for preparing apples:

    Rinse apples under clear running water like you would any fruit. If organic, don't peel unless the recipe you have chosen requires peeled apples.

    To prevent browning when slicing apples for a recipe, simply put the slices in a bowl of cold water to which a spoonful of lemon juice has been added.

    For use in future recipes, sliced apples freeze well in plastic bags or containers.

    A few quick serving ideas:

    Add diced apples to fruit or green salads.

    Braise a chopped apple with red cabbage.

    Looking for an alternative to sweet desserts? Sliced apples (either alone or with other fruits) and cheese are a European favorite.

    Try our wonderful Apple Tart in the recipe file.

    Safety

    Apples and Pesticide Residues

    Virtually all municipal drinking water in the United States contains pesticide residues, and with the exception of organic foods, so do the majority of foods in the U.S. food supply. Even though pesticides are present in food at very small trace levels, their negative impact on health is well documented. The liver's ability to process other toxins, the cells' ability to produce energy, and the nerves' ability to send messages can all be compromised by pesticide exposure. According to the Environmental Working Group's 2006 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce," apples are among the 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found. Therefore, individuals wanting to avoid pesticide-associated health risks may want to avoid consumption of apples unless they are grown organically.

    If you do purchase non-organic apples, you may want to ask your grocer about the kind of wax used to protect the apple's surface during storage or shipping. Carnauba wax (from the carnauba palm tree), beeswax, and shellac (from the lac beetle) are preferable to petroleum-based waxes, which contain solvent residues or wood resins.

    Nutritional Profile

    Apples are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.

    Most of the apple's fiber is contained in its skin, as is the majority of its quercitin. Unfortunately, in conventionally grown apples, the apple skin is also the part most likely to contain pesticide residues and may have toxic residues if covered in petroleum-based waxes. Since peeling results in the loss of apples' flavonoids and most of its valuable fiber, choose organically grown apples whenever possible.

    For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Apples.

    In-Depth Nutritional Profile

    In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Apples is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

    Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

    The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good or good source. Next to the nutrient name you will find the following information: the amount of the nutrient that is included in the noted serving of this food; the %Daily Value (DV) that that amount represents; the nutrient density rating; and the food's World's Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath the chart is a table that summarizes how the ratings were devised. Read detailed information on our Food and Recipe Rating System.

    Apples
    1.00 each
    138.00 grams
    81.42 calories
    Nutrient Amount DV
    (%)
    Nutrient
    Density
    World's Healthiest
    Foods Rating
    dietary fiber 3.73 g 14.9 3.3 good
    vitamin C 7.87 mg 13.1 2.9 good
    World's Healthiest
    Foods Rating
    Rule
    excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
    very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
    good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%
    In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Apples