The Doctor's Office

I am especially happy to see the super foods yams and apples in this weeks produce bag!

Yams in the US are (most often) actually sweet potatoes. Historically Americans distinguished the firmer, northern sweet potato from the softer southern sweet potato by referring to the latter as a yam. Technically, however, yams are a different plant species that you may find as a chunk of root wrapped in plastic in your produce aisle.  But more importantly yams (sweet potatoes) are one of the healthiest foods we can eat, and should be a staple in most diets.  Yams are low in sodium, and extremely low (almost nonexistent) in saturated fat and cholesterol.  Yams are extremely rich in vitamin C, manganese and provide over 700% of daily recommended allowance for Vitamin A through it's precursor beta-carotene.  Yams are a good source of fiber, B6, potassium, copper and folate among other nutrients as well.  If you're interested in great looking skin, enjoy plenty of yams as the anti-oxidant capacity along with the beta-carotene is especially good at producing that healthy glow!

What about the apple?  Everyone has heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but the apple seems so common in this day and age of super berries and exotic fruits.  But it turns out there's good reason for all the folk lore about apples.  Apples should be considered a super fruit due to their high content of fiber and phenols.  Apples are among the top 10 fruits for anti-oxidant capacity, and when you break it down by cost, apples move into the top 5 biggest anti-oxidant bang for your buck.  Especially good news this week is that Braeburn Apples are among the tops in anti-oxidant capacity when comparing the different types of apples.

This Week's Organic Produce - FEBRUARY 3

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3

• Pick Up & Delivery Monday, February 3
• We all have different favorites.  See something you don't like?  2 substitutions are allowed with Full and Half Bags
•  Upgrades and Extras are only available with the purchase of a Full or Half bag of produce
•  We have All Natural Chicken Breast, Ground Turkey, and Organic Ribeye this week!

Full/Half Bags

Braeburn Apples

Bananas

Valencia Oranges

Kiwi

Bosc Pears

Spring Mix

Baby Sweet Yams

Kale

Snow Peas

Green Onions

 Roma Tomatoes

Jumbo Fruit Bag

(Will include the Full list plus the following. Must purchase full/half bag)

 6oz Raspberries

6oz Blueberries

Red Plums

Jumbo Veggie Bag

(Will include the Full list plus the following. Must purchase full/half bag)

Red Leaf Lettuce

Brussel Sprouts

Celery

*list subject to change due to availability

**approximate counts, depends on total weight

ORDER HERE 

GUEST POST: PENNY R. ON MUSHROOMS

 MAKE ROOM FOR MUSHROOMS

The Neighborhood Garden member, Penny R. provides us with health information and a recipe to try with the white mushrooms in this week's bag.  

Dr Joel Fuhrman recommends having mushrooms regularly.  Mushrooms are unique in that they have aromatase inhibitors, which block the production of estrogen.  This blocking is thought to be the reason woman who consume mushrooms regularly are less likely to develop breast cancer.  I don't know about you, but I would rather be protected by eating mushrooms than have to take an aromatase-inhibiting drug after developing cancer. White mushrooms, in this week's produce bag, have a high in anti-aromatase activity. 
 
Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf:
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/2014/01/vegan-recipe-quinoa-mushroom-pilaf.html

THINK INSIDE THE BAG! ROASTED POTATOES WITH GARLIC, LEMON & OREGANO

ROASTED POTATOES WITH GARLIC, LEMON & OREGANO

I love potatoes prepared almost any way, but this is one savory dish. Gets along well with almost everything, but it speaks Greek to me. ITEMS IN BOLD APPEAR IN YOUR NEXT BAG.

3 lbs. red potatoes, cut in half

1/2 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled

1 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place potatoes in a single layer in a 13 x 9 baking dish and pour olive oil over them

Add garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper and toss well to coat with the oil

Bake 15 minutes

Add the stock and bake 10 minutes more

Add lemon juice, toss and bake for 10-15 minutes more or until potatoes are cooked through

Preheat broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown

Sprinkle with fresh oregano and serve at once

Serves 4-6

 

Last Chance to Sign Up!

Our Complete Health Improvement Program 

starts Sunday, February 2nd.

This is a 12 week program

(twice a week for 6 weeks, once a week for the final 6)

Meetings are Sunday's at 2pm

and Thursday's at 7pm

Email or call today to register!

Don't miss out, 

we will not be running another program until May.

William Nields, M.D.

Jennifer Nields, C.P.T.

wnields@lifetreemedicine.com

(904) 316-5778

Program Location: 2360 St. Johns Bluff Jax, Fl 32246

The Doctor's Office

A quick note about those plain ol' white mushrooms offered this week.  They are among the best mushrooms at decreasing inflammation, boosting immune function and interfering with the process of forming atherosclerosis in our arteries.  For more detailed discussion, check out the videos on mushrooms done by Dr. Michael Gregor on www.nutritionfacts.org

The Doctor's Office

It is my pleasure to speak on behalf of the much maligned potato.  With all the "low carb and no carb" hype, the potato has somewhat undeservedly gotten a bad rap.  Potatoes have been an important food source for civilizations for thousands of years. The potato can produce more food on less land and in harsher conditions than any other major crop.  The potato originated in the High Andes of South America, but thrive in almost any climate including warm, wet coastal areas.  It requires little water and matures in as little as 50 days.  Besides the starch which has given potatoes such a bad name, potatoes contain fat, most necessary vitamins and minerals, and essential amino acids. The vitamin C content prevents scurvy, and people can live for extended periods on potatoes alone.  Potatoes produce a defensive compound called solanine glycoalkaloids to ward off predators like beetles, microbes and fungi.  These are found in highest concentration just below the skin and in the "eyes" and for this reason many recommend peeling the potato to remove this potentially toxic compound.  Other sources suggest leaving the skin on as it has fiber, and is purported to have medicinal anti-cholesterol, anti-allergic, anti-itching, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties!

Could all of that be too good to be true?  How could a starch like the potato be good for diabetes? Doesn't starch raise blood sugar?  To fully understand potatoes role in an anti-diabetic diet, I would refer you to http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/dec/diabetes.htm for an excellent explanation.  Briefly, type 2 diabetes is more a disease of excess stored calories as fat than too many "carbs".  The reason blood sugar goes up in type 2 diabetes is because the storage hormone insulin stops working when we have gained excess weight.  The body essentially says "no we have enough stored energy, we don't need more" and it doesn't respond to the insulin.  When we lose the excess weight, the insulin starts to work again and the blood glucose level goes down.  If you are interested in this topic, which is far too big to cover here, please see the work of Dr. Neal Barnard at www.PCRM.org, Dr. John McDougall at www.DrMcDougall.com and Dr. Hans Diehl et al at www.chiphealth.com

ROCKIN' THE BAG - EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA

The Neighborhood Garden member Haley G's interpretation of bruschetta rocks!  The eggplant takes the place of the bread and provides us with a healthy and delicious use of three veggies from this week's bag. ITEMS IN BOLD ARE IN THIS WEEK'S BAG.

 EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA 

1 eggplant
3 tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1/4 cup of fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
balsamic vinegar

Cut the eggplant into 1" slices. 
Grill or broil until cooked. 
Mix together diced tomatoes, minced garlic, chopped basil, and EVOO. 
Top this mixture onto the eggplant and cook for a few more minutes. 
Then top with the cheese mixture until melted. 
Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and enjoy!

THIS WEEK'S ORGANIC PRODUCE

Monday, January 27th

• Pick Up & Delivery Monday, January 27th
• We all have different favorites.  See something you don't like?  2 substitutions are allowed with Full and Half Bags
•  Upgrades and Extras are only available with the purchase of a Full or Half bag of produce
•  We have All Natural Black Forest Lunch Meat and Provolone Cheese this week

Full/Half Bags

Braeburn Apples

Bananas

Lemons

Kiwi

Bosc Pears

Spring Mix

White Mushrooms

Red Potatoes

1lb Baby Peeled Carrots

Yellow Onions

 Roma Tomatoes

Jumbo Fruit Bag

(Will include the Full list plus the following. Must purchase full/half bag)

 6oz Raspberries

1lb Strawberries

Daisy Tangerines

Jumbo Veggie Bag

(Will include the Full list plus the following. Must purchase full/half bag)

3 Romaine Hearts

Green Beans

Zucchini

*list subject to change due to availability

**approximate counts, depends on total weight

ORDER HERE

MY BAG IS HOME AND UNPACKED...NOW WHAT?

STORAGE TIPS FOR THIS WEEK'S ORGANIC PRODUCE

It is fun to unpack our bags each Monday! How to give your produce TLC for maximum ease and eating enjoyment.

PEARS On the counter until they give to the pressure of your thumb. Then, refrigerate.

BANANAS Do not separate. This causes the fruit to dehydrate faster. Store on the counter until the brown sugar spots appear. Then eat or freeze without peel in ziplock bag for smoothies.

TANGELOS Up to you-refrigerate or don't.

KIWI On the counter if you like them sweet. If you like them tart, refrigerate.

GRAPEFRUIT Store at room temperature for maximum flavor. If you prefer cold citrus, refrigerate.

RED LEAF LETTUCE Keep in crisper drawer or towards the front of the fridge so leaves don't freeze. OR, wash, chop and store in salad spinner with a paper towel on top of leaves.

BABY SPINACH In a breathable plastic bag.

EGGPLANT In crisper drawer-in or out of plastic bag.

PEELED GARLIC Seems to stay nicely in ziplock bag in fridge.  I will mince mine and store in a glass jar with olive oil.

GREEN ONIONS Separating the white parts from the green tops and store in separate ziplock bags helps prevent sliminess.  You can also chop and freeze.  They will be ready to use when you are.

ROMA TOMATOES On the counter for best flavor. Once refrigerated they will stop ripening.

THINK INSIDE THE BAG! GARLIC

Lots of Garlic in this One-Pot Meal

Vegetable Curry With Rice

1 cup brown basmati rice

2 cups onions, finely chopped (About 3 medium onions)

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minces

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 cups veg broth

1-15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 tomatoes diced

1 cup snow peas or 2 cups peas

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

lime wedges, for garnish (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak rice in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain

2. Add 2 tablespoons water to large skillet over medium heat

3. Add onions and cook for about 8 minutes

4. Stir in garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander and ground red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes

5. Increase heat to medium high; stir in broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, and the soaked, drained rice; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

7. Stir peas into the rice. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

The Doctor's Office

This week we have some of the most powerful anti-cancer fruits and vegetables known available to us!  When it comes to cancer protection, all vegetables are not created equal.  The most powerful inhibitor of cancer cell growth are the allium family of vegetables, which include onions, garlic and leeks.  Extracts from these veggies consistently beat out dozens of other vegetables when it came to inhibiting cancer cell growth from a multitude of different cancers.  To maximize the benefit from garlic, crush or chop it and let it sit 10 minutes before cooking it.  This is because the protective compound is not in the garlic clove, but is made when an enzyme alliinase mixes with alliin and creates allicin, our anti-cancer friend.   Heating the garlic will destroy the enzyme, making allicin less available.
You can reap the benefits eating raw garlic as well, it's great in salsa, sauces and dressings. 

The second best anti-cancer family of vegetables are the cruciferous vegetables, which include kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower.  These wonderful plants contain many beneficial phytonutrients, but I want to concentrate on sulforaphane.  Sulforaphane, or it's precursor,  is found in highest concentration in cruciferous vegetables, and it has potent anti-cancer effects.  It has been most widely studied for it's effects on breast cancer, and has been shown to attack the cancer cells in many ways.  It is likely this multi-pronged attack that makes cruciferous vegetables such great preventative medicine!

I want to close with a word about spices.  Many spices have been used medicinally around the world, and with good reason.  Spices not only make our food taste better, they also contribute to our health in powerful ways.  My wife has included a curry recipe today, so I'd like to concentrate on turmeric, which gives curry the yellow color.  Tumeric comes from the turmeric root, which is a member of the ginger family. It has such strong anti-inflammatory properties that researchers compared it to standard treatment in rheumatoid arthritis patients.  The results were remarkable. Not only did the curcurmin (the active yellow component of turmeric) outperform diclofenac, it had no side effects. The same could not be said for the diclofenac, but when taken together, the curcurmin was protective against the side effects of the drug.  So go ahead and spice up your cooking, and feel good knowing these delicious flavors are doing your body good!

FUN WITH FRUIT!

Get the kids involved while you cook dinner!

After unloading our bag this week I gave my children ages 3-13 the challenge

of making a colorful dessert out of the fruits provided.

With the exception of the blackberries, all of these fruits from The Neighborhood Garden 

made a beautiful arrangement that the kids

were very proud of and excited to eat!

The younger ones easily cut the tops off of the strawberries with a butter knife and tossed them in the bowl. Then, they peeled the oranges.

The oldest cut the pineapple and kiwi into bite sized pieces. 

Everyone topped the bowl with blackberries. They rushed through dinner and couldn't wait to dive into that bowl! I've never seen them so excited to eat such a healthy dessert.

THINK INSIDE THE BAG! GRAPEFRUIT

TWO OUT OF THE ORDINARY USES FOR GRAPEFRUIT 

No longer thought of as "a diet food," grapefruit, loaded with Vitamin C, can be eaten like  an orange and tangerine, or used in beverages like lemons and limes. Here are two extraordinary uses for grapefruit found in your bag.

Grapefruit Quencher  A refreshing, healthy alternative to sugary soda

Squeeze half of a grapefruit into a tumbler of plain club soda or seltzer water.

Grapefruit Scented Vinegar DIY version of gourmet vinegar found in specialty shops

In a washed out wine bottle (save the cork), fill bottle with equal parts white wine vinegar and red wine vinegar. Zest one grapefruit and put the peel into the vinegar. Cork and let sit for two weeks. Yummy splashed over grilled fish or whisked into a vinaigrette for salad. Makes a great gift!

 

THINK INSIDE THE BAG! BABA GHANOUSH

BABA GHANOUSH

While the Arabic name of this dip has several definitions, I like the translation of "Pampered (ghanoush) Daddy (baba)". It is food fit for a sultan! What is not disputed is how yummy and healthy this dish is. This version is garlicky and lemony, but feel free to adjust to your tastes. ITEMS IN BOLD ARE IN THIS WEEK'S BAG

1 large eggplant
3 garlic cloves
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste
Optional for garnish: pomegranate seeds, green onions, cumin

1. Prick eggplant a few times with fork. Grill eggplant until black and soft OR bake in a 375 degree oven until completely soft (about 20-30 minutes), then broil until skin blisters and blackens.
2. Let cool.
3. Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.
4. Taste, and season with additional salt and lemon juice, if necessary. 
5. Garnish with any of the above suggestions. Drizzle with olive oil.

Serve with grilled or toasted pita bread.

Storage: Baba Ganoush can be made and refrigerated for up to five days prior to serving.

Serves 4

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Notice the CHIP in your produce bag last week?

Want more information about healthy living, losing weight, or disease prevention and reversal? 

CHIP Classes begin soon!

CHIP is a 12 week course that prepares, empowers, and supports you in making the healthy decisions necessary to prevent, reverse, and arrest chronic disease. Come learn about the program that has helped over 60,000 people regain their fullest life!

We are holding a FREE INFO session on 

Sunday, January 19th at 3:00pm 

Get a taste for what a real CHIP class is like. 

The delicious food is the best part. 

The Doctor's Office
Strawberries: red, sweet, delicious and ... chemotherapy?  Researchers have been feverishly studying strawberries for anti-cancer properties for years now and have documented some amazing findings.  In one experiment, researchers added berry extracts to cervical cancer cells growing in petri dishes demonstrating the ability of these extracts to stop growth of the cancer cells.  Of nearly a dozen berries, the strawberry extract was hands down the strongest cancer fighter.  A different group of scientists asked whether organic are better than conventionally grown strawberries, and found that indeed the organic berries were better able to stop breast and colon cancer cells.  But that's in a petri dish, what about in the human body?

In a phase 2 clinical trial a group of researchers fed the freeze dried equivalent of a pound of strawberries a day to patients with visible pre-cancerous lesions in their esophagus and witnessed 80% of the patients undergo reversal of their disease, and 50% of the patients were cured in 12 weeks!  For perspective, there is no other treatment that comes close to these amazing findings  

Interest in strawberries' anti-cancer effects in the complex arena of the living body has largely centered around a compound called ellagic acid.  This is because ellagic acid was found to be a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels.  Cancers hijack our bodies' angiogenesis mechanism to trick the body into growing it's own private blood supply.  The cancer's survival depends on these new blood vessels so a compound that can block this process should be able to choke off the nasty invader.  Many chemotherapeutic agents in use today attack the cancer this way, and aren't as potent as ellagic acid!  But before you run out to look for an ellagic acid supplement, it's important to know that there are hundreds of other compounds, or phytonutrients, in the strawberry which may also play a role in this dramatic reversal of cells gone awry, so the principle of getting your nutrients from the whole food is important!  Below is a quick salad that combines strawberries with another powerful anti-cancer food!  


Strawberry Spinach Salad
Prep time: 15 minutes  Serves: 6-8

Salad
1/2 cup slivered almonds
8 oz baby spinach leaves
9 oz fresh strawberries cut into quarters
1 TBSP sesame seeds
1/2 TBSP poppy seeds

Dressing
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 TBSP honey
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP finely sliced fresh mint

1.*Optional: Preheat oven to 350. Place almonds onto oven tray and bake for 2-3 minutes to toast, checking regularly. Once lightly browned, remove and set aside to cool.

2. Combine spinach leaves, strawberries, toasted almonds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds in a bowl, and toss gently to combine.

Dressing
1. Place olive  oil, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and mint into a small sealed container, and shake well to combine. 

2. Drizzle over the salad and serve immediately. 

The Doctor's Office

Americans on average eat less than 1 serving of vegetables a day.  People who eat more fruits and vegetables get less cancer, less heart disease, and fewer strokes.  Perhaps American's struggling health care system and current health crisis has more to do with our lifestyle than the actual health care system.

We are much less likely to experience tragic events if we eat more servings of produce, and including a variety of foods is important too. It's very important to note that all veggies aren't created equal when it comes to improved health.  Kale stands out as one of the most powerful health promoting plants we can eat. It is rich in anti-oxidants, calcium, lignans, and skin-enhancing carotenoids.  Scientists have shown kale to boost our immune system by recruiting immune cells in the gut, to improve our cholesterol, to be a very strong protecter against glaucoma and to contain potent anti-cancer compounds.  The benefits of kale are seemingly endless, so grab some kale this week and do your part to save America's health care system!

Kale with Pine Nuts
Cooking Time: 10 minutes Serves: 2

1 bunch green kale
1 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 TBSP pine nuts, roasted
1/4 tsp salt
1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Strip kale leaves from the stem and shred. Place shredded kale in a large pot of boiling water and blanch for 3-4 minutes, to retain the bright green color. Drain

2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add kale and sauté over low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add pine nuts, salt and a squeeze of lemon juice and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes.

4. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

THINK INSIDE THE BAG! GINGERED CARROT SOUP

GINGERED CARROT SOUP

THIS WARMING AND DELICIOUS SOUP WON'T LET YOU DOWN 

ITEMS IN BOLD ARE IN THIS WEEK'S BAG

 

Serves 2-4 

 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup minced onion

1/8 cup minced peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock (low sodium is good) or veggie stock

2 cups sliced peeled carrots (about 3/4 pound)

1/2 cup orange juice (fresh is best!)

1/4 cup half and half (can substitute a lower fat milk or milk substitute)

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 cup matchstick size strips peeled carrot (for garnish; optional)

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and ginger and saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add stock and sliced carrots. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 25 minutes. Puree mixture with blender or food processor (you may want to work in batches). Return soup to saucepan. Mix in orange juice and half and half. Cook over low heat 5 minutes. Mix in cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: Can be prepared ahead. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bring to simmer thinning with more stock if needed.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish soup with carrot strips if desired. 

Welcome to the Doctor's Office!

We are so happy you're taking the time to read this.  It is our desire to improve and maintain your health through providing you with reliable and useful information that will enable you to make the best choices for yourselves and your families.

My wife, Jennifer, is a certified personal trainer, athlete and busy working mom.  I am a Primary Care doctor, weekend warrior and full time Dad.  We have both had a long held interest in health, fitness and quality of life and believe that a state of health can only be achieved when a person is well in mind, body and spirit.  We believe that the current scientific understanding of health backs us up on this, but also believe that information in today's society is conflicting, confusing, and overwhelming.  We encounter so many people every day seeking wholeness for themselves and their families, but are frustrated by the complexity of information, conflicting opinions and variety issues we face.

We have therefore set out to provide a voice of reason that will help people navigate a course to health through a very dangerous environment.  CHIP, The Complete Health Improvement Program, provides information, encouragement, and tools to help you take control and maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Look for CHIP Tips in our Doctor's Office posts as well as hearty recipes in "Think Inside the Bag." 

Here's to your health!

Will and Jenn