becoming whole

Picture of Health, etc.

Well, I figure I should let you all know the "end of the story" ...

I wasn’t named one of the five finalists for the ABC/Prevention Picture of Health Contest (see my Feb. 1 post), but I applaud the women who were and wish them the very best. Thank you for supporting me in this fun challenge, especially Happy, who brought the contest to my attention in the first place.

Getting my message about the vital link between diet and health out to a broader audience is still a big goal for me this year (hello, Oprah?!), and hopefully that'll happen via another path. (I still welcome any and all ideas on how to make that happen!)

But in the meantime, I've got lots of other work to do. So, let's move on! Thanks, and have a great weekend! Love, Meg

**p.s. My leg adjustments are going great, I couldn't be happier or walking better ... it gets better each time I come here to Florida to Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates. I've never met a more committed team. Stan Patterson's bottom line is his patients. I feel VERY blessed.

And I'm not the only one. Many people here have two missing legs (below-knee & above-knee amputees) and Stan keeps working until they're walking ... he's NEVER negative and he doesn't give up. He believes that anything is possible and I am truly inspired by him. I feel I'm in the presence of a great and holy person, but he's humble. I think he may be the most inspirational person I've ever met. My quality of life is greatly improving.

The Power of Vegetable Fiber

I'm in Orlando, Fla., this week for adjustments to my prosthetic leg. I had an interesting experience that made me think about the power of fiber to keep me satiated. I eat three balanced plant-based meals a day ... typically a whole grain like brown rice or millet (but sometimes a cracked grain such as polenta or whole-grain bread), nine servings of vegetables (leafy, round and roots) and some days cooked, dried or raw fruit as well (especially in a climate as warm as Florida).

I've been eating this way for a long time now ... nine years. I seldom get hungry between meals because I eat so well and on a regular basis. I've very committed to this. So this week, while away, I found myself craving something extra in the evening, so I ate more, and more. After a couple of days I thought ... Why am I doing this? I figured that it was probably because I wasn't eating quite as many vegetables as usual. So, I made a concerted effort to cook and eat more of them ... and it has helped.

The moral of this story is to eat many fresh vegetables ... they really do fill you up. I think I'd be hungry all the time if I didn't. And in my life before "macro" ... I was.

Cutting Down On Meat Helps the Environment

I'd like to share a news story from earlier this month in case you missed it. Decreasing (or even cutting out completely) our animal protein consumption not only helps us to get healthy — it also can help the environment:

AUGUSTA, MAINE — This morning (Feb. 1), PETA sent a "green letter" to Gov. John Baldacci urging him to help cut down on greenhouse-gas emissions by encouraging the state's residents to cut down on their meat consumption — meat production is the leading cause of global warming. PETA's letter was prompted by Augusta's decision to sign on to a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after the agency denied California's request for a waiver that the state needed to implement a strict new tailpipe-emissions law — meaning fewer missed days of work and lower health care costs.

Although PETA commends the governor for taking a stand against global warming, the group points out that there's more to be gained by going vegan than by increasing restrictions on auto emissions. The following is what scientists are saying:

* In its recent report Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, the United Nations determined that raising animals for food generates almost 50 percent more greenhouse gases than all the cars, SUVs, trucks, and airplanes in the world combined.

* Researchers at the University of Chicago have determined that switching to a vegan diet is more effective in countering global warming than switching from a standard American car to a Toyota Prius.

PETA also points out the numerous health benefits of kicking the meat habit, which include fewer heart attacks, decreased cancer rates, and smaller waistlines.

"While waiting for the courts to rule on the California emissions lawsuit, the governor can take immediate action against global warming by launching a pro-health, pro-Earth vegetarian initiative today," says PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich. "Because meat production is the main greenhouse-gas culprit, there's no such thing as a meat-eating environmentalist."

For more information, please visit PETA's Web site GoVeg.com.

Kindness

I got this quote from my friend Megan. She has it at the bottom of all of her e-mails. I like this quote because I know that I really appreciate even small kindnesses, such as a kind nod from a stranger, or someone stopping to let me in while in traffic, or even a smile. So, I try to do the same for others — I know how good it feels for the heart. This is a nice reminder to practice kindness:

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

1-2 cups raw organic pumpkin seeds

Put organic pumpkin seeds in a cast-iron skillet on a high flame and stir with a wooden spatula or spoon for 1-2 minutes. Turn flame down to medium high or even to low as pan heats up to prevent burning. Continue to toast until seeds are slightly brown, but not burnt or popping.

Toasted pumpkin seeds taste delicious on cooked whole grains such as rice or millet or as a snack. These can also be lightly salted while cooking if desired.

Carol Seavitt

(Family photo of Carol Seavitt, her husband Mike, and their two kids, Luke and Brooke)

I received an amazing, inspiring story last week from Carol Seavitt of Rochester, N.Y., after apost about Dr. T. Colin Campbell's upcoming Web site for people who have been helped by adopting a plant-based diet. Carol is a wonderful example of someone who has intergrated both conventional and "alternative" methods of treatment on her healing path. She commented:

"My oncologist is amazed: One year ago I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer (recurrence from 9 years ago). Since I started on the macrobiotic diet, my life has changed and it has astonished my doctor and the nurses. My mass in my breast is gone; the metastatic disease to the bone is 'healing' and my sleep has never been better. The holistic approach of mind, body and soul (along with the prescribed medication) is working and I thank you Meg for pointing me is this direction last year (thru the Internet). You are my blessing."

Carol later wrote:

"Hello Meg,

You are amazing and as I have said in the past, you are my inspiration to a very long life.  Your website has been included in many of my 'referral' e-mails to friends with medical challenges — and I know they also appreciate you. 

 

When I was diagnosed here in Rochester, I was not feeling real confident regarding the suggested protocol. So, I went for a second opinion at Sloan Kettering. The doctor at Sloan agreed with the medical approach as prescribed by the oncologist here in Rochester (Dr. Shayne). Additionally, I pursued a naturopathic doctor because my disease was advanced. Here are the two that have been helping my journey: 

 

Oncologist: Dr. Michelle Shayne (Wilmot Cancer Center) in Rochester, NY

Naturopathic: Dr. Deanna Berman (Ithaca, NY)

 

Dr. Shayne has been extremely supportive of the macrobiotic diet.  She also asked if I would talk with some of her other patients who are looking for 'the rest of the story' (after chemotherapy). We don't have anyone in this area (counselors) with macrobiotic influence; however, the grocery store (Wegmen's) has a vegan bar — with macrobiotic foods!!! I've been 'self taught' thru Internet and books (Kushi). ..."

Carol wrote a more detailed version of her healing story for the Amazing, Inspiring Stories area of my Web site. Please take a look! And have a great weekend. 

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far

I want to share what my son is up to lately since it relates to what I do ... eating well.

Francis is living in New York City and is very interested in food and health. Take a look at some of his recipe posts. If you live in NYC or are traveling there anytime soon, see his Manhattan Restaurant Reviews for macrobiotic and vegan restaurants!

The photo below, by Francis, is of Columbus Circle from the Time Warner Center in midtown Manhattan.

The Right Tool for the Job

I decided to take one day a week to answer questions about cooking, macrobiotics or anything you're pondering. I received an e-mail a few weeks back asking about two things — knives and vegetable scrubbers. So... here's my two cents:

A good knife is the most important thing to have if you're going to start eating LOTS of vegetables. If you don't have a good one, it can make for a tedious job. And, you really only need one. That is... unless you have a helper (then buy two!).

And ... they don't need to be expensive. Cost: One of my favorites, the "Japan" brand knife, was somewhere around $29 if I remember correctly. I think it's the one my son took when he left for college, thus no photo. It no longer resides in my kitchen. The store where I bought it is no longer open and I couldn't find it on the Web, so I checked the Kushi Institute store. Which doesn't carry the "Japan" brand, but it does have a "NHS" brand, a good-quality knife for $67.99.

The knife in my photo is a "Mac" JU-65 (scroll down to the very bottom of this site). I'm very happy with it. Occasionally, I get mine sharpened at a near-by kitchen store.

As for the veggie scrubbers (as you can see) these are pretty basic ... both under $6. and they've lasted a long time. I think I've had these two for more than a year and a half. I put them in the dishwasher every now and then.  The smaller one stays in my "travel" bag. And the really small square scrubber (at left in the photo) is a recent William Sonoma purchase, a "Chef N" given to my husband Tom by our daughter for his birthday! So ... there you have it.

Any more questions? I'd be happy to answer!

A Plant-based Diet as a Breast Cancer Treatment Option

I read an article in Saturday’s Portland Press Herald about U.S. Rep. Tom Allen’s (D-Maine) wife Diana just being diagnosed with breast cancer. Dr. Marsha O’Rourke, medical director of the breast-health program at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Lewiston, told the paper that knowing the stage of a cancer is key to choosing a treatment option. The article refers to the American Cancer Society Web site, which notes that “Most women with breast cancer undergo surgery” and that “surgery is often combined with other treatments such as radiation therapy, hormone therapy and/or biologic therapy.”

I hope to one day soon see dietary therapy alongside these treatment options ... on the top of the list for prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Allow me to explain, with plenty of important scientific data (and personal experience) to back up this assertion:

Lower the fat and animal food content of your diet and live longer.
Women who eat a plant-based diet live longer than those who eat more animal foods. This is just one of the findings that have come out of the research of Dr. James Herbert and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Herbert showed that diet greatly influences whether a breast cancer will recur, or reappear, after it has been forced into remission after treatment.

The study, published in the journal Breast Cancer Treatment (September 1998) found that consumption of foods high in fat, including dairy products, was associated with shorter survival among women with breast cancer. Butter, beef, liver and bacon are especially dangerous, Herbert found. Pre-menopausal women with breast cancer who ate butter, margarine and lard had a 67 percent greater chance of cancer recurrence than women who abstained from these foods.

On the other hand, women who ate more plant foods tended to live longer. Simply eating more vegetables each day was associated with lower rates of recurrence, Herbert found. The women who ate the most vegetables had the fewest occurrences and lived the longest, while those who ate the fewest had the shortest survival on average. Post-menopausal women who ate broccoli, collard greens, kale and citrus fruit lived longer than those who abstained from these foods. Each additional 100 milligrams of vitamin C over the amount eaten on the standard diet reduced the risk of recurrence by 43 percent.

Reduce excess calories to increase your chances of recovery.
Another UMass study in the Journal of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (February 1999) found that women who ate an additional 1,000 calories above their optimal calorie levels experience an 84 percent increase in the risk of recurrence.  It’s easy to get 1,000 extra calories by eating a few processed foods each day. On the other hand, whole foods — such as whole grains, fresh vegetables, beans and fruit — are low in calories. A diet made up mostly of these foods is a low-calorie diet.

The reason that calories are important is that the higher the calories, the higher the insulin levels and the greater the weight gain. Insulin is the hormone produced by your pancreas to make blood sugar available to your cells. Cells use blood sugar as their primary fuel. The more processed foods you eat the higher your insulin levels. And the higher your insulin levels the greater your risk of recurrence. Many scientists now believe this combination — high-calorie diet, overweight, and high insulin, now referred to as syndrome X — is the underlying cause of much of the breast cancer we see today.

Estrogen and breast cancer
Estrogen can act like a growth hormone. The larger and more numerous the fat cells, the more estrogen a woman’s body produces. Estrogen can trigger the over-production of tissue and inflammation inside the breast and uterus. This combination can block the milk ducts and the blood and lymph vessels within the breast causing waste products to stagnate, creating conditions for fibrocystic breasts and breast cancer.

To keep your estrogen levels low, eat a high-fiber diet.  Fiber acts like a sponge. It soaks up excess estrogen and eliminates it through the feces. High-fiber diets speed intestinal transit and promote elimination, thus keeping the blood and lymph cleaner – which in turn keeps your breast tissue cleaner. Fiber is the reason that vegetarian women who eat lots of plant foods eliminate two to three times more estrogen than than non-vegetarians, according to a study published in The New England Journal Of Medicine (1982).

Plants are rich in healing compounds that fight cancer.
For the person combating a serious illness, the macrobiotic diet is an ideal cancer-fighting diet. It is low in fat, rich in fiber, and abundant in cancer- fighting chemicals. The diet is composed primarily of whole grains, fresh vegetables, beans, sea vegetables, soups, condiments and fruit and some fish. Macrobiotic proponents encourage people to eat only organic foods, especially if you are attempting to overcome a serious illness. These foods, scientists have found, boost the body’s healing forces, and directly fight cancer.

The vegetables that appear most protective are the cruciferous variety, namely broccoli, cabbage,  collard greens, kale, mustard greens and watercress. These contain the substance sulforanphane, which promotes detoxification of the blood and tissues and helps fight cancer. Another substance is phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), which may inhibit the emergence of lung tumors in animals that have been bred to create cancerous tumors. Plants contain antioxidants, an antidote for oxidization the underlying cause of most illness we see today, including breast cancer.

There are thousands of antioxidants, though most of us know only the most commonly reported which are vitamin C, E and beta carotene. Plant foods are the primary source of all antioxidants. Without these, your risks of cancer rises dramatically, according to Bruce Ames, Ph.D. professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and a longtime researcher. Dr. Ames says that people who eat fewer than five servings of antioxidant-rich foods each day experience twice the risk of developing cancer than those who get five servings. Researchers have found that the body’s primary cancer fighter, natural killer cells, are boosted in number and aggressiveness when anti-oxidant rich foods are eaten. The Chinese, for example, eat a diet based primarily on grains and vegetables and they have lower rates of the common cancers, especially breast cancer. Two other groups of chemicals in plant foods known as carotenoids are also powerful cancer fighters.

Avoid poisons at all costs.
Organic agriculture uses no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Pesticides and other environmental pollutants can cause many of the common cancers , including breast cancer. The Centers For Disease Control has found that Americans now carry 100 different synthetic chemicals in their fat cells and tissues and 45 are proven carcinogens. Atrazine and dioxin have been shown to have estrogen-like effects on cells, directly promoting tumors in the breast. Researchers at Berkeley found that dioxin levels accumulated over the years, over a certain threshold, more than double the risk of breast cancer.

I predict that within the next 10 years ... plant-based nutrition will be commonly recommended for long-term breast cancer survival.

As we see, it takes a long time for the science to get translated into treatment options. Though we have much scientific evidence about plant-based diet and good health, these treatment options are not commonly being recommended by our doctors. I’m very fortunate to have heard about this option nine years ago when I was diagnosed with advanced invasive breast cancer. Had I not found out about this, I am certain I would not be alive and healthy today.

More people need to have this information, as it is a key piece of the cancer “puzzle.” Plant-based nutrition could increase the chances of long-term survival for so many more people!

Want to learn more? Please peruse my archives, and ... I highly recommend reading The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, a Cornell researcher in nutritional biochemistry who has done so much to raise awareness about the positive effects of plant-based diets. He conducted 40 years' worth of government-funded research about this vital link between diet and health.

Vegetable Potstickers

Tom's Birthday Entree: Vegetable Potstickers

I made these for my husband Tom's birthday a couple weeks back — they're a real treat. Fill them with anything you desire, but what I usually spoon into these little wrappers are vegetables (both land and sea). Tofu can be added for protein if this is the main course.

VEGETABLE POTSTICKERS
1 package wonton wrappers (I buy wontons made with just flour, water and salt at the Oriental Grocer in Portland, Maine.)
1/3 package (1.75 oz package) arame sea vegetable, reconstituted
1/4 round green cabbage, sliced thinly
1 large carrot, grated
4 shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted (or fresh), then sliced thinly
2 scallions sliced thinly on a diagonal
1/4 cup juice from freshly grated ginger
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon good-quality soy sauce (I use Mitoku or Eden brands)
1 tablespoon mirin (optional)
Safflower oil (enough to deep fry... I use 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep in a soup pot to prevent splattering)
Slotted spoon

DIPPING SAUCE:
1 scallion, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons juice from grated ginger (To get the juice, grate the ginger and squeeze the ball of grated ginger in the palm of your hand and let the juice run into a measuring cup.)

To make filling: In a cast-iron skillet, heat oil on high and add cabbage, pinch of sea salt and stir fry for one minute. Add carrot & shiitakes and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes more. Add 1/8 cup water, soy sauce and mirin. Bring to a boil, turn down to low and simmer for 2 more minutes. When done cooking, add ginger juice and garnish with scallions.

To fill: Place potstickers, a small bowl of water and vegetable filling on countertop. Take one wrapper, and place one small tablespoon filling in the middle, dip your forefinger in water and dot half of the wrapper (these are floured so it makes a glue). Lightly press together, not too hard. As I made more of these, I got a little more creative and I crimped and scalloped the edges a little more making them more pleasing to the eye. (Sorry no photo; camera battery died after one shot!) Do the same with each wrapper until you have either run out of wrappers or filling. I made approximately 3 dozen.

To cook: Heat oil on high flame until almost boiling (about 4 minutes). To test oil for hotness, drop a small piece of extra wonton skin into oil. If the oil bubbles around the skin, it's hot enough to start cooking potstickers. Do not let oil get so hot that it smokes. Turn down the flame a little to medium high. Gently add 1 potsticker. The first one takes the longest to cook; approximately one minute each side. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon after crispy and slightly browned. Place on a paper-toweled platter. After the trial potsticker, add 4 at a time to the pot and deep fry. The second batch cooks quicker as the oil gets hotter; adjust heat as necessary, work quickly. Do not leave the stove during this process. Continue cooking until done. Makes 30 to 36 pieces

To make dipping sauce: Place soy sauce and rice vinegar in a pan on stove over medium-high flame and cook for 5 minutes. Add ginger juice and scallions, stir.

Potstickers can be made a day in advance if needed or cooked immediately after making. Serve warm with small dish of dipping sauce. Enjoy!