Carolina Footsteps January 2019

18
HEALTH
Health and Nutrition Strategies for
Cancer Survivors and Everybody Else
Eating healthy, eating safe
Warren is a 30 year member of the Institute of Food
Technology, A HAACP (hazard analysis critical control point)
What’s in your diet?
It’s my optimizing time. January and possibly February,
I go into a eating mode that’s intended to
enhance my health. My personal strategy is a modified
“Mediterranean Diet”. I identify mine as a modified
because a Mediterranean Diet allows a minimum amount
of red meat,and dairy. I eliminate cured meat and poultry
because curing materials such as sodium nitrite and
sodium nitrate are toxic and works your immune system
which you’re trying to avoid. I reduce processed simple
carbohydrates to a bare minimum.
I use dairy substitutes except for organic yogurt. My
concerns with dairy are the use of Recombinant Bovine
Growth Hormones (rBGH) allowed in dairy cows since
the mid 1990’s. The use of rBGH causes inflammation
to a cows udders which is treated by antibiotics. Dairy
livestock treated with rBGH is not permitted in the United
Kingdom, Canada, and with other trading partners.
Consequently, rBGH treated domestic livestock products
are marketed and concentrated in our domestic markets,
primarily in the dairy industry and low cost fast food
enterprises.
Now about the yogurt exception. Most yogurts have live
cultures. Live cultures cause fermentation. Fermentation
is a process in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar
and starch in food creating lactic acid. That process
preserves the food and creates beneficial enzymes,
b-vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of
Instructor with a Batchelors degree in Nutrition Science.
probiotics. I think that’s a reasonable trade off.
Your immune system loves fermented stuff. A healthy
immune system means a better quality of life. I consider
yogurt the most cost effective probiotic. I love sauerkraut
but only on cured sausage and corned beef products so
its not an option during my optimizing. My primary and
favorite fermented beverage is red wine because of its
high resveratrol content.
Finally, we’ll start the new year with info on my clean
food/ Organic Capital of the World Initiatives.
Let’s examine the logistics. Northeast North Carolina is
geographically ideal for organic enterprises. However,
because of our small markets the reverse doesn’t occur.
Our organic produce is primarily imported and is some of
the highest in the region. The lack of inexpensive, clean,
organic food is the major cause of the serious disease
disparities in our region.
The USDA’s organic standards are informing us that if
growers are not abiding by their standards, than consumers
cannot be assured of the quality of the product. I think
its time to combine our health concerns with our clean
food/ Organic Capital of the World initiatives by informing
and engaging our political leaders.
You can’t possibly have good health by consuming toxic
food.
Let food be your medicine.
(BPT) - You try to eat healthy, but the one thing you can’t control is
who has been handling your food and whether they are practicing
adequate food safety. Each year, foodborne illnesses sicken close
to 50 million Americans and lead to more than 130,000 hospitalizations
and 3,000 deaths. A lot of these illnesses are caused by simple
things like restaurant employees’ failure to properly wash hands,
cooking surfaces and fruits and vegetables.
Foodborne illnesses present a greater challenge to certain groups of
people with reduced immunity, such as children younger than age 4
and people older than age 50. Food can also become compromised
much earlier in the production process, and for this reason food
producers are using a variety of means to keep our food safe.
One approach uses the concept of hurdle technology in which a
variety of mild steps (hurdles) are used to limit microbial growth at
each stage of production. These include combinations of weak acid
treatments with gentle heating and reduced humidity, or alternating
low heat and chilling treatment. The fresh-bagged salads you see
at the grocery store are a good example of this. Vacuum-packed
products, prepared under rigorous hygienic conditions and heated at
lower temperatures, are another.
Other technologies include the addition of antimicrobial agents such
as enzymes and other natural compounds that inhibit the growth
of bacteria or prevent oxidation. Salt too is a very effective antibacterial
in food. In fact, it is the oldest known food preserver. Salt is
widely used in the production of all cheeses, cured meats and many
fish dishes.
Local Farmers Markets
Martin County Farmers Market
4001 W Main Street Ext, Williamston, NC 27892
Phone: (252) 792-1900
Washington County Farmers Market
Plymouth Nc
Phone: (252) 793-2163
Located Hwy 64 E approx. one mile east of
intersection US 64 & NC 32 Plymouth, NC
M-F 9am - 5pm June Thru September
Saturday 8 am-3 pm; May thru December
Leroy James Farmers Market
4560 County Home Road
Greenville, North Carolina 27858
Apr - Dec
(252) 355-7612
Tuesday: 8:00am - 1:00pm
Thursday: 8:00am - 1:00pm
Friday: 8:00am - 1:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am - 1:00pm
HomeGrown-HandMade Market Tarboro
526 N Main Street
Tarboro, North Carolina 27886
(252) 563-6611
1st and 3rd Saturday Each Month
May till October
Farmers Market Rocky Mount
1006 Peachtree St
Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
(252) 407-7920
Saturdays from April through November
Washington Harbor District Farmers &
Artisans Market
Corner of Bonner & Water St
Washington, North Carolina 27889
(252) 947-1487
8am to noon
Saturdays April to October
Salt preservation works by influencing the amount of water that
all microorganisms require to survive and grow. The use of salt in
controlling water means that the levels of other preservatives or processes
can be reduced. This means that microbiological safety can
be achieved with reduced heat, acidity and other preservatives. This
results in a product of vastly improved taste and nutritional quality
because of the improved retention of other nutrients.
However, as the federal government pushes companies toward
lower salt content there are some concerns that it could affect food
safety and increase the amount of preservatives that must be used.
Many prefer salt as the more natural choice.
Fortunately, food safety is a leading concern of the Food and Drug
Administration and its Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, and the newly
appointed Deputy Commissioner, Frank Yiannas, who was previously
Vice President of Food Safety at Walmart, and Director of
Safety and Health at Walt Disney World.
Food safety is an ongoing challenge for an enormous and complex
food system, and although challenges continually arise, exercising
caution and attention in food purchasing, storage and preparation
will minimize the risks. Remember to not only eat healthy but to also
eat safely.
January 2019