Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.  For a long time, we have known that high fiber diets are not only good for lowering cholesterol but can also reduce your risk for colon cancer.  The New York Times recently reported about a published study in JAMA which showed a 21% reduced risk of colon cancer in vegetarians compared to people who ate meat.  The theory is that fiber which is indigestible moves food along in your intestines at a faster pace and picks up possible carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) from the intestinal wall along the way before they can be absorbed into your body.  You can think of fiber as a “scouring pad” and “sponge” for removing dirty things from the digestive tract.

On the other hand, meats are thought to contain many carcinogens.  These could result from hormones, antibiotics, chemicals and environmental pollutants which work their way into the animals we eat.  Another source is the cooking technique.  Meat that is grilled and charred contains known carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heterocyclic amines (HCA).  The bottom line is that moderation is the key, and reducing our animal protein intake is important.

Here are some tips on how to incorporate the study findings into your lifestyle:

• Not every meal you have needs to have meat.  Many of us have grown up with the idea that a meal is not a meal without meat.  Try substituting meat with tofu, grilled eggplant, beans, or chickpeas. Go vegetarian for lunch two or three times per week.  Try my recipe for tofu caprese salad or healthy veggie wrap, they’re delicious!
• Eat a serving of fruit everyday.  I keep a fruit bowl on my counter at home and keep it stocked each week with beautiful and colorful fruit.  I take one fruit each day and bring it to work where it sits on my desk.  Throughout the day, I stare at the fruit and it stares back at me.  At some point, I’m going to feel hungry, and the fruit will be there for me to eat.  If you don’t crave fruit usually, you will develop a craving over time if you do this.
• Buy organic fruits, especially for fruits where you eat the skin.  Thin-skinned fruits such as apples and peaches can have higher levels of pesticides and chemicals.  It is definitely worthwhile to buy the organic versions of these.
• Find out the fiber content of fruits and vegetables.  Many of my patients say they eat bananas each day to increase their fiber intake. Unfortunately, bananas are quite low in fiber and high in calories (an average sized banana has about 160 calories, almost as much a can of soda!).  Fruits with seeds such as blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries have much more fiber and are less sweet.  I often tell people, if it gets stuck in your teeth like the strings when you eat celery, it’s got a lot of fiber.  Typically we should all aim for over 25 grams of insoluble fiber each day.  This roughly amounts to 5 servings of fruits or vegetables per day.
• Sprinkle chia seeds or flax seeds in your salads, yogurt, or oatmeal.
• Juices do not provide adequate fiber!  Eat the whole fruit instead.
• Limit your intake of charred or grilled blackened meats.  Before cooking meat on the grill, microwave it for a few minutes so that you reduce time on the grill.
• Get your colonoscopy starting at age 50, or earlier if you have a family history of colon cancer!  Screenings save lives!

We are finally done with winter and are officially starting the spring season!  Around this time, many of us go through a ritual called “Spring Cleaning” of our homes and closets.  Your home environment can certainly affect your health.  Here are some ideas that you may want to consider while doing your spring cleaning.

• Let your home “breathe”.  Many pollutants inside the house can accumulate during the winter because we have the windows shut for those months.  I recommend opening up your windows for a day to allow for fresh air to circulate.  I would do this before the flowers start to bloom outdoors, as pollen can get into the house.
• Buy environmentally friendly, non-allergenic cleaning products.  Many cleaning products can emit toxic fumes or contain strong fragrances which can irritate your nasal passages.
• If you have allergies, I would advise removing any scented reed diffusers or “plug-in” type air refreshers.  These can worsen allergies and can contain irritating chemicals.
• Check for mold on your shower curtains, liners, tiled walls or shower doors.  Mold is one of the most common reasons for indoor allergy symptoms.  I would recommend replacing shower curtain liners whenever there is any visible mold growing.
• Make sure all smoke/carbon monoxide detectors are working and have fresh batteries. Also check to make sure that your fire extinguisher is not expired.  Everyone should have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen or near a fireplace.
• Do a thorough cleaning of your refrigerator and freezer.  Mold or spoiled food can result in food poisoning.  Remove all items from the fridge, do a thorough cleaning, and examine each item’s expiration date before putting it back in.  If it smells odd or the color is off, throw it out.
• If you have an air filter or air purifier, now is the time to change or clean the unit.  I’m always amazed at how much dirt and pollutants are removed by these devices.  However, they require regular replacement and cleaning to effectively continue to do their job.
• Inspect your sneakers.  Is it time to change them?  Have your feet been hurting lately?  Maybe your sneakers are not providing enough support because they are worn out.  I recommend replacing sneakers at least every 6 months.
• Check your emergency kit.  Make sure everything is in good working order and no supplies are expired.
• Wash sheets and comforters.  Dust mites are in everyone’s bed.  For most people, they are harmless, but if you suffer from allergies they can make you wake up with a stuffed nose or itchy eyes.  You can remove dust mites by washing your sheets and pillow cases in hot water.  I also recommend buying new pillows at least every year because dust mites end up living inside them.  You can also buy specialized dust mite covers for your pillows so they won’t get inside.
• Allow your shoe closet to breathe.  Foot fungus loves to live in shoes that do not have good ventilation.  Allow your shoes to dry out in between uses.
• Remove clutter from hallways.  Trips and falls in the home are something we don’t always think will happen to us but they are actually quite common no matter what age you are.  Keep hallways clear. If you have rugs, make sure they are secured to the floor with a rug pad or special tape designed to anchor them to the floor.  Make sure your walkways are well-lit.  You may want to buy a small LED nightlights or install motion sensing lights for dark hallways or stairways.  These are inexpensive and can save you a trip to the hospital!
• Re-childproof your home.  If you have a young child at home particularly one that has started walking, you need to make sure your home is safe.  A simple exercise that you can do is walk around your house and bring yourself down to the eye level of your child.  Do you see sharp table corners, electrical outlets that are accessible, cabinets with cleaning supplies that could be opened, houseplants that could be poisonous if eaten, or small items that could be swallowed?  If so, you can probably find child safety devices at your nearest home improvement store.

Our feet take a beating every day!  They are designed to support the weight of our bodies for over 12 hours a day!  We really don’t know how important our feet are until we develop pain in them from wearing improper shoes or infections.  For people with diabetes, foot care is essential to prevent serious infections.  Be kind to your feet!  Here are some tips on how to care for your feet properly.

• Wear comfortable shoes.  Shoes that are too tight can result in bunions or skin breakdown at the heel that can be very painful.  I know that for some people, fashion is a higher priority than comfort.  There are fashionable and comfortable shoes.  It’s worth looking for the shoe that will make you look good and your feet feeling good!
• Wear appropriate shoes.  If you know you are going to be walking around for many hours either shopping, walking in a museum, or hiking, be sure to wear a good pair of sneakers that will properly support your feet.  “Flip-flop” sandals are a common reason for foot pain, twisted ankles, and cuts to the feet.  They do not support the foot at all and you are vulnerable to getting stepped on or stepping on broken glass shards in the street.
• Clip your toenails, but not too short!  Toenails that are clipped too short especially at the corners can result in ingrown toenails (where the nail grows into the fleshy part of the toes) and infections that can be very painful.
• Inspect your feet at least once a week.  Foot fungus, commonly called “Athlete’s Foot” can start off between the toes and spread quickly.  You definitely want to start treatment as soon as possible.  Also, look for callouses, thickened skin at the base of the foot usually caused by excess pressure.  They could be signs that your shoes are not providing enough support in those areas and you may need to buy insoles or new shoes.
• Dry off your feet thoroughly.  Wet feet from walking in the shower floor at the gym are breeding grounds for foot fungus.  By keeping your feet dry, you can protect yourself.
• Let your shoes breathe.  Putting your shoes in a cabinet with little air circulation can promote growth of fungi and bacteria.  Store your shoes in an open space for at least 12 hours before putting them away.  Another good tip is to rotate your shoes every 2 days.  This way, your shoes will have at least 24 hours before you wear them again, which is about enough time for them to dry out completely.  If your shoes smell like yeast, you may want to spray anti-fungal powder into the shoes before and after you wear them to kill the mold spores.
• Know when your sneakers “expire”.  If you exercise regularly, I recommend writing the date of purchase with permanent marker somewhere on the inside of the shoe to remind you when to buy new sneakers.  Generally, for people who run at least 5 days a week should change their sneakers at least every 6 months.
• Thoroughly clean your feet at least once a week.  I recommend using a Epsom salts to soak your feet and to scrub off dead skin. Soaking them in warm water and a baking soda also “freshens” them up.  I find this is a great way to end a day of walking around.

Did you ever wonder why we eat the way we eat now?  Breakfast for most people is a light meal, lunch a bit heavier, and dinner is chock full of calories and heavy in meat protein.  Our eating habits are remnants of the agricultural life led by our ancestors.  Imagine a farmer who gets up just before dawn and does physical labor in the morning before the heat sets in.  Then he or she may rest around noontime when it was too hot to work and resume working in the 2-3 hours before sunset.  The meals that most of us eat currently would be perfect for this type of lifestyle.  The problem is, most of us sit at desks all day long and are just as sedentary after we get home.  I would argue that our society is becoming more obese because we are not adapting our diets for the (lack of) level of physical exertion that has become part of our daily lives.  Your body is a like a bank for calories.

I understand that meals are means of social bonding and are ingrained in our daily routine.  I would recommend trying to make a few adjustments.

• Eat a heavier lunch than dinner.  Most times after dinner we sit around and watch TV, or use electronic devices such as tablets.  These activities barely burn any calories.
• Increase protein and calories for breakfast.  Many studies have shown that the body likes to start the day off with protein.  Try adding some fat-free Greek yogurt or egg white omelet to your breakfast, and you will notice you will be less hungry at lunchtime.
• Reduce the amount of carbohydrates at dinner time.  Complex carbohydrates such as breads, noodles, potatoes and rice are the body’s ideal food to store up energy.  Taken too late at nighttime, this can lead to weight gain.
• Eat dinner earlier.  By eating earlier, you increase the chances that you will be able to burn off some calories eaten at dinner.  Late night eating can also lead to reflux (GERD) and for poor sleep.
• Try the Mediterranean Diet.  It not only is delicious, but can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Currently, there is a multi-state outbreak of measles which began with a child with the disease visiting Disneyland.  Measles is a highly contagious disease for people who have never been vaccinated against the disease.  Most states mandate that children be vaccinated with against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella before enrolling in school.  However, they have allowed for exemptions based on religious beliefs.  Over the years, many parents have used these religious exemptions even though the real reason they don’t want their children to get vaccinated is based on few studies suggesting that vaccines can cause autism.

The measles vaccine (usually found in a combination called MMR) is safe and effective.  If you are not sure you were vaccinated AND are in a profession dealing with children or healthcare, your primary care provider can order a simple blood test, called a titer to check for immunity.  I also recommend a one-time measles booster for any adult planning to travel to Asia, Africa, or South America in the future.

Make sure you protect yourself with good hand hygiene, teaching your children to cover their mouths with the bend of their arms when they cough, and keeping your immune system up.  Make sure you have gotten the flu vaccine.  (It’s not too late!) This is also a good time to locate and review your child’s immunization card.  Make sure your child got ALL the required immunizations.  Adults may also be due for other vaccinations.  Check with your primary care provider about the TDAP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) vaccine.

Protect yourself and your family!  Vaccines are highly effective and safe!