Nutrition News

March 2003

In this issue:

• Sandi is back!
• Mercury in Fish
• Alzheimer’s study indicates type of fat is important
• See More, Eat More
• Recipe of the Month: Curried potatoes with peas, raisins and cashews
• Book of the month: My Grandfather’s Blessings
• Favorite Product of the Month – Fat free quark
• NutritionWorks upcoming events and happenings

Sandi is back!
As most of you know, Sandi unexpectedly left for Israel for 3 weeks due to her father’s sudden illness. Thank goodness, he is stable right now and is regaining his strength daily.

Kathleen did an unbelievable job of keeping the business running smoothly. Thank you to the many clients who were willing to be more flexible at this challenging time.

We are so grateful for our NutritionWorks partnership which allows us to support our families and lead balanced lives, while still being able to provide our clients with the best possible service!

Passover and Easter are coming up – best wishes to our clients who celebrate those holidays. May our prayers for peace in our world be fulfilled very soon!

We have some great classes coming up in April and May– we hope to see you there.

Just a reminder to make sure that you check out the March issue of Health magazine as Kathleen has been interviewed on the Mediterranean Lifestyle.

Have a great month!
Kathleen and Sandi

Mercury in Fish
You may have noticed recent articles in the media mentioning links between mercury toxicity and fish consumption. At NutritionWorks, we have been getting many questions about this issue. Eating fish has been recommended to help protect against heart disease and stroke. However, there is evidence that fish is also our major source of the toxic metal mercury.

Mercury is a neurotoxin, which means that it can damage the brain and nervous system. Developing brains (of fetuses and young children) are most susceptible to mercury damage but adults can also be adversely affected by moderate to high mercury levels. Mercury is spewed into the air from coal-burning plants and facilities that incinerate medical waste. It’s carried by the wind, and is deposited into lakes, rivers and oceans where it settles to the bottom. Bacteria transform it into methylmercury. Plankton absorb mercury from the bacteria, small fish absorb it from the plankton they eat, and bigger fish absorb it when they eat the smaller fish.

Thus, the recommendation is to avoid the larger, predatory fish – swordfish, shark, tilefish, king mackerel, and fresh tuna – which are high in mercury. The recommendation is for women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and small children to not eat any high mercury fish at all, and to eat up to 12oz/week of a variety of other fish.

Men, older children and women above childbearing age should limit high-mercury fish to no more than one 3-4oz serving per week. There is no need for this group to limit amounts of other fish.

Canned tuna does not have nearly as much mercury as the high-mercury fish mentioned. However, it contributes more mercury to the average person’s diet than any other food, simply because we tend to eat so much of it. So eating a variety of fish will reduce the amount of mercury exposure from canned tuna. Low-mercury fish include salmon, flounder, haddock and farmed trout.

The good news is that every 50 days on average, we do eliminate half the mercury that’s in our bodies. That means that almost all of the mercury you eat today will be gone within a year.

More research is required on the effect of the amounts of mercury people get from fish on neurological and health problems. In the meantime, it is a great idea to eat fish regularly if you enjoy it but limit or avoid high-mercury fish, and include a variety of low-mercury fish in your diet instead.

If you eat locally-caught fish, you can check out whether or not the lakes, rivers, and steams you use are mercury contaminated by going to www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish

Adapted from Nutrition Action HealthLetter, March 2003

Alzheimer's Study indicates type of fat is important
Some studies suggest diet has no influence on the risk of Alzheimer's disease, while others show the opposite. A recent study adds evidence in favor of the latter conclusion, suggesting that people 65 or older who eat relatively high levels of unhealthy fats in their diets appear to be more likely than others to develop Alzheimer's disease.

The good news is that the more vegetable fat people ate, the lower their risk of Alzheimer's. A diet high in unhydrogenated, unsaturated fats--such as mono- and poly-unsaturated fats--also appeared to protect people from this disease.

Suggestions of the benefits of vegetable and unsaturated fats on the risk of Alzheimer's and dementia remain relatively new and inconclusive so it is too early to recommend that people follow a certain diet to keep their memories intact.

In the recent study, dietary surveys were conducted of 815 people at least 65 years old who were dementia-free. They then tested them for Alzheimer's an average of two years later.

During the study period, 131 participants developed Alzheimer's.

People who consumed the most saturated fats had a more than two-fold higher risk of developing Alzheimer's than people who ate the least amount of saturated fats.

High consumers of so-called trans fats were also more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's as people who ate the least trans fat.

This is not the first study to examine the link between dietary fat and dementia. However, previous findings have been mixed, and the relationship between diet and dementia remains less than clear.

Animal studies have shown that a high-cholesterol diet increases the build-up of Alzheimer's-related brain proteins. In addition, some evidence suggests that cholesterol-lowering medications, including widely prescribed drugs called statins, may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.

However, in a recent study that followed elderly participants who did not have dementia for six years, people who ate high levels of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol were not more likely to develop dementia than people who ate less fat.

The jury is definitely still out on this issue. However, there is a lot of solid evidence linking saturated and hydrogenated fats to increased risk for heart disease. It seems that prevention against Alzheimer’s may turn out to be yet one more reason to limit saturated fats and avoid hydrogenated fats in the diet!

Source: Archives of Neurology 2003;60:194-200, 203-208. Adapted from Reuters Health

See More Eat More
A recent study reports that the larger the serving size, the more you’re likely to eat. Researchers told 51 men and women in their 20s to eat as much macaroni and cheese as they wanted at a free lunch. It didn’t matter if the participants were male or female or overweight or not. When their portions (either on their plates or on a serving dish) were large (35oz), on average they ate about 30% more calories than when the servings were smaller (18oz). What’s more, the participants reported feeling no fuller after eating the big portions than the small ones.
If you’re trying to cut calories, put less on your plate and take serving dishes off the table. At restaurants, order an appetizer, or put half of what you’re served in a “to-go” box before you start eating. You can always go back for more if you are truly still hungry, but start off with less on your plate and you may be surprised at how much less food you need to feel satisfied!

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 76:1207, 2002

Book of the Month
My Grandfathers Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging by Rachel Naomi Remen MD

If you are looking for inspiration at this difficult time in our world, you need look no further. Rachel Naomi Remen is a doctor, counselor and teacher who shares a collection of life affirming stories from her own, as well as her patients’ experiences.

At NutritionWorks, we deeply believe that emotions, food and health are so closely connected. This book will feed your soul!
It reminds us of what it means to be blessed as well as to bless others. Treat yourself to a cup of tea and a story a day! Enjoy!

You can order this book through MutritionWorks Online Bookstore.

Recipe of the Month
Curried Potatoes with Peas, Raisins, and Cashews

Here’s an easy and lively dish to welcome spring. Raisins lend this dish a subtle sweetness, and the scent of cilantro adds additional enticement.
4 to 6 servings

6 large red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 small hot chili pepper, seeded and minced or
One 4-ounce can chopped mild green chilies
1 to 2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 cups steamed fresh or thawed frozen green peas
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
Salt to taste

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped toasted cashews for topping
Minced fresh cilantro for topping

Cook or microwave the potatoes until done but still firm. Plunge into a bowl of ice water until just before starting this recipe, then cut into approximately 1-inch chunks.

Heat the oil in a stir-fry pan or extra-large skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the chili and sauté, stirring for another minute or two.

Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Stir in the curry powder and cumin, followed by the potato chunks, peas and raisins, and lemon or lime juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all the ingredients are well heated through, about 5 to 8 minutes. The potatoes should be moist (but not soupy), so add a bit of additional water if needed.

Season with salt. Scatter the cashews and cilantro over the top of the dish (or pass around to top individual portions), and serve at once.

From www.vegkitchen.com

Product of the Month – Fat free quark
Our product for this month is fat free quark. Quark is a fresh, sour cheese. In recipes, it can be substituted for sour cream or ricotta.
Nutrient content varies a little from brand to brand, but typically, a 2oz serving provides 8g protein, 3g carbs and no fat.

Carole is a chef who cooks and delivers wonderful meals in the greater Seattle area. She adds fat free quark to a slice of whole grain bread or a Rykrisp cracker, adds a spoonful of fruit spread and uses that as a mid-afternoon snack. In Carole’s words: “I find this snack as satisfying as a Krispy Kreme or one of those gigantic chocolate chip cookies you find at the coffee stand!”

Thanks Carole for that great idea!
Give the fat free quark a try and let us know what you think!

Info on Carole’s services can be found at www.privatechefonline.com

NutritionWorks Happenings
Here are some of our happenings for April and early May 2003. See the complete list by clicking on Upcoming Events.

• We are again teaching our popular class called “Food Combinations for Weight loss” at Discover U in Northgate. The class is on April 7th from 6:30-8:30pm. To register, call (206) 365 0400 or register online at www.discoveru.org
• We are teaching a very informative class called “Carbohydrate Confusion” at the Kirkland Senior Center on April 9th from 12:45-2pm. To register, call (425) 899 2660
• Come and learn more about “Cooking for One”. April 14th from 2-3pm at Brittany Park in Woodinville. To register, call (425) 899 2660
• May 1st from 6:30-8:30pm. Mediterranean Lifestyle Class, Swedish Hospital at First Hill. To register, please call (206) 386 2502

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