walk kansas

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FREE brochures and cancer information on page 2

Look inside for light summer lunch recipes

SUMMER 2010 ON DIET, NUTRITION AND CANCER PREVENTION ISSUE 108

The Newsletter is a free publication mailed to current AICR members and supporters. For more information, go to www.aicr.org.

Growing Good HealthNot since the victory gardens of the 1940s are so many people growing their own vegetables. Its a greatway to follow AICRs Guidelines for Cancer Prevention to eat a healthy diet of mostly plant-based foodsandget regular physical activity.

emembervictorygardens? During World War II,the U.S. government asked Americans to plant

gardens of edible produce to support the war effort.Millions of people obliged and by 1943, more than 20million victory gardens yielded about one-third of thenations vegetables consumed that year.

Victory gardens became a neighborly effort and fos-tered a sense of national duty. Nowadays, with reasons

ranging from ecology to economy, more Americansof all ages are taking the initiative to grow their ownfood.

This brings back memories for Elaine FantleShimberg, 73. She recalls her parents backyard victorygarden in Ft. Dodge, Iowa, between 1942 and 1945.We were growing our own vegetables so the crops inthe fields could feed our troops, says Shimberg. Foodwas rationed in the stores especially meat and sugar.Having a garden made us feel that we were doingsomething to help the war effort.

Her familys garden produced cucumbers, tomatoes,green onions, lettuce, radishes and carrots. We usedto just pull up the carrots, wipe them on our jeans andeat them. Rabbits nibbled at our lettuce, but we had adog that chased them away.

Shimbergsmother cannedtomatoes andturned the cu-cumbers intop i c k l e s a n dpickle relish.We ate themall winter long,

she says.

Lots of Veggies from a Little Space

My memory is as a toddler walking in the garden withmy grandfather, says Donald Mazzella, 68. When Ismell tomato plants I think of that walk. I was only 3when the war ended. We lived with my grandfather,who had a garden that began as a flower center andwas transformed into a victory garden during the warin Newark (New Jersey). His plot, little more than25' x 15', yielded tomatoes, corn, zucchini, pumpkins,peas and beets, all of which were in short supply.

Mazzellas family shared extra yields with neighborsand never had to buy tomatoes, potatoes or zucchinithroughout the war years. My grandfather cultivated

(Continued on page 3)

You canorder a free set of six herb gar-den markers. These colorfulmarkers identify phytochem-ical-rich herbs. Check box1 on the Free InformationRequest Card.

Cool andlusciousberryparfaits

Gardeningfor victoryovercancer

New phyto-chemicalsin grains,soy andfruit5 8 12


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American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Summer 2010, Issue 108

FREE from AICRWith these free materials, you can put AICRs science-based advice to work every day. Your support makesAICRs life-saving research and education efforts possible, so please enclose a gift alongside your Free Informa-tion Request card; or write AICR, 1759 R Street, NW, P.O. Box 97167, Washington, DC 20090-7167.

EditorsNoteby Marilyn Gentry

Thank You: We are so grateful to those of you who made a memorial contribution in memory of a lovedone. If you would like to make a memorial donation, please fill out the memorial card enclosed with yourNewsletter, call 1-800-843-8114, or visit us online at www.aicr.org/memory. We will send a notification tothe person(s) of your choosing.

UPDATED

Americans are avid gardeners perhaps now more than any-time in recent memory. Fromthe White House vegetable garden on down, thegroundswell of gardening nationwide means peopleare getting physical activity and fresh vegetables. Itsa healthy and heartening sign of activity that ties inwith the AICR Guidelines for Cancer Prevention.

In this issue of our Newsletter, we hear fromcancer survivor Diana Dyer, MS, RD, who talks

about the healing potential of gardening on page 8.A parks volunteer, Harry Glasgow, tells about beingactive outdoors on page 4. Youll also find recipesfor summer vegetables and a delicious fish recipe onpage 11.

Our new AICR Risk Meter makes it easy to findwhich factors specified in our expert report suchas foods, physical activity and body weight are as-sociated with increased or decreased risk for specifictypes of cancer. Look for the free offer below.

Marilyns

Choice

The AICR Will Organizer: YourPersonal Planning Worksheet(WO) Use this worksheet to helpsave time and money when youvisit your attorney.

Herb Garden Markers(HM) Six colorful plastic

markers for dill, parsley,basil, thyme, rosemary and

tarragon can be part of yourhealth-promoting herb garden.

AICR Risk Meter (CW) Spin this

wheel to see you how diet,physical activity and bodyweight factors increase or de-crease specific cancers, basedon the AICR expert report.

UPDATED

Nutrition and theCancer Survivor (NS)This brochure offersimportant advice re-viewed by oncologydietitians, MDs andother experts on howcancer survivors caneat to maintain goodhealth.

The Facts about Fiber (FI)Learn the role that dietaryfiber from healthful plantfoods plays in a healthy dietfor cancer prevention.


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AICR Guidelines for

Cancer Prevention

The choices you make about

food, physical activity and

weight management canreduce your chances of

developing cancer.

Choose mostly plant foods, limit red meatand avoid processed meat.

Bephysicallyactiveeverydayinanywayfor30 minutes or more.

Aimtobeahealthyweightthroughoutlife.

And always remember do not smoke or chew tobacco.

that garden until the late 50s,he says. Mazzella now grows to-matoes and herbs.

Gardens Make a ComebackBesides the cancer-fightingbenefits of fresh vegetables andherbs and physical activity (dig-

ging, watering, weeding, pruning and harvesting),gardeners find fellowship with other gardeners, save

costs on grocery bills and can stock up on a supply ofhealthy food for months to come.

If you are interested in joining a community gardenor starting your own even in the city, on an apartmentbalcony or windowsill youll find tips from the

American Community Garden Association1777 East Broad StreetColumbus, Ohio 43203-20401-877-275-2242info@communitygarden.orgwww.communitygarden.org

Drink Your VegetablesThe chilled Spanish vegetable soup called Gazpachoblends just about any variety of vegetables to get lotsof cancer-fighting phytochemicals in one dish.

Continued from page 1

Gazpacho from AICRs Test Kitchen

Need to use up those radishes or zucchini? Tossthem into the blender with low-sodium tomatoor vegetable juice. Even chopped kale or spinachleaves go beautifully into a gazpacho. Add chickpeasor white or black beans to give it a little heft andprotein.

If you dont want to put everything in the soup,leave some chopped items for garnish scallions,fresh basil, parsley and cilantro, for example. Othertoppings could be chopped avocado, hardboiled egg,low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt.

Pinch cayenne pepper ordash of hot pepper sauce(or to taste, optional)

Salt and ground black

pepper, to tasteGarnish:

14 cup finely diced peeledcucumber

14 cup finely diced greenbell pepper

14 cup finely diced redonion or radish

4 Tbsp. whole-wheatcroutons

In blender, whirl tomatoes and garlic to a coarsepuree. Tear bread into 1 inch pieces and add toblender. Add tomato juice, tomato paste, horseradish(if desired), vinegar, oil and cayenne pepper. Whirluntil soup is a finely pulpy puree. Season to taste withsalt and pepper. Transfer soup to a container, coverand chill 3-4 hours to overnight. (It will keep up totwo days.) Divide chilled soup among four bowls andadd 1 tablespoon diced cucumber, pepper and onionto each. Garnish with croutons. Serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 120 calories, 3.5 g totalfat (0 g saturated fat), 18 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein,4 g dietary fiber, 250 mg sodium.

2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, seededand diced, with their juice

1 large clove garlic

1 slice stale bread, crustremoved

12 cup reduced sodiumtomato juice

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. white horseradish, orto taste (optional)

2 tsp. white distilled vinegar

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Or contact your state extension service, which mayhave gardening programs especially for older adults.


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H

Harry Glasgow, Fairfax Countyparks volunteer


Getting Active in a Green SettingVolunteering may bring to mind thoughts of tutoring a young person or helping other people in someway. But parks need volunteers, too. Meet one volunteer who has kept physically active, as AICR advisesfor lower cancer risk, while helping to preserve the natural beauty he adores.

Did You Know?

Seniors can get $10Lifetime Passesto National ParksHave you always wanted to hike on

the Appalachian Trail? Adults age 62-plus can get a lifetime

pass to National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands for

only $10. The pass admits the pass holder and 3 others in

a non-commercial vehicle to areas that have a per person

admission fee (children under 16 are admitted free). The pass

can only be obtained in person at a National Park. For more

information, visit http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm.

arry glasgowisadevotee of beautiful parks inFairfax County, Virginia. After retiring 10 years

ago, he began volunteering with one of the parks pro-fessional horticulturalists. I would go every Tuesdaymorning for a few hours, he recalls. Four or five ofus would dig, do spring planting and other work.

Harry calls himself a born volunteer. I have astrong sense of community. I think people have tocontribute however they can to the community theythrive in. So this is my way of doing it, he says.

He is now volunteerVice Chairman of the Fair-fax County Park AuthorityBoard. Fairfax County has thelargest system of parks in thearea. The Park Authority isthe largest landowner in thecounty, with nearly 24,000acres comprising 410 parks.

The Green Spring Parkwhere Harry volunteers isdivided into 22 gardens, eachcared for by volunteers. The

gardens have different themes, he says. Theres a modeltownhouse garden so people who live in townhouses

can learn how to plant their own. There are a childrensgarden, wildflower gardens and one with only nativeVirginia plants. Some gardens emphasize the work ofpollinators like butterflies and bees.

It is fascinating to watch a bee at work, Harrysays. For humans, the gardens and the parks promotepeace and tranquility as well as physical activity.

One of the physical benefits I experienced fromvolunteering as a gardener was stretching, Harrycomments. Probably the most consistent requirement

in gardening isweeding. If youweed, many ifnot all of themuscles in yourlegs and back arestretched. If youweed all dur-ing the growingseason, by latefall you becomepretty flexible.

A kitchen garden features vegetables and herbsused in the cuisines of the international communitiesof Northern Virginia. One of my causes is to encouragecommunity gardens. Were encouraging churches withlarge swathes of lawn to put in gardens for people whoreally need food, Harry says.

Rejuvenating HistoryHarry is particularly interested in parks classed asnature centers and historic sites. One garden has a his-toric house, now owned by the Park Authority, butonce owned by a Soviet spy. Northern Virginia is, frombeginning to end, a historic place.

Harry leads garden tours. Other ways volunteershelp out are by answering questions, giving out bro-chures and teaching classes.

We get senior volunteers to take young kids outfor walks in Huntley Meadows, Green Spring or one ofthe other parks. The Park Authority believes in gettingas many kids as we can into parks and imprinting inthem the value of nature. Park volunteers like Harryrejuvenate not only their own lives but also those ofthe next generation and the parks themselves.

Gardening Safety TipsCheckwithyourdoctorbeforeyoustartworkinginthe

garden.Warmyourmusclesupfirstwithafewminutesofstep-

ping side to side and repeated arm stretches, reachingoverhead and side-to-side.

Kneelonafoamcushionorsitonaportablestool;uselong-handled tools to access hard-to-reach spots.

Beforeyouliftapotorbagofsoil,crouchanduseyourleg muscles instead of bending at the waist and usingyour back muscles.

Stayhydrated:bringabottleofwaterwithyouandsipfrequently.


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S


Living Longer after CancerCancer survivors have a stronger voice than ever before: 14 percent are now living for more than 20 yearsafter diagnosis. The challenge for many is to manage other health concerns as well as cancer survival.Luckily, AICRs Guidelines fit the advice for preventing a number of diseases.

eventypercentofthe 12 millioncancer survivors in the U.S. are

over age 60. Julia Rowland, PhD,Director of the National CancerInstitutes Office of Cancer Survivor-ship shared these statistics at AICRsconference last fall.

For many people, cancer hasbecome a chronic illness with otherhealth conditions, Rowland said.But survival of three major cancers breast, colon and prostate hasstrong links to a healthy lifestyle, shesaid. In turn, a healthy lifestyle thatfollows the AICR Guidelines helpsprevent other conditions to whichcancer survivors are vulnerable,including heart disease, diabetes,kidney disease and osteoporosis.

Cancer affects entire families,creating the potential for cancersurvivors to be role models of healthyliving. For example, Rowland pointed

and blueberries. Repeat until ingredients are used. Topeach parfait with of raspberry sauce, of walnutsand a spearmint sprig. Serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 270 calories, 4 g total fat(1.5 g saturated fat), 52 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein,5 g dietary fiber, 135 mg sodium.

*1 cup of crushed ginger snaps may be used insteadof granola.

You can ordera free copy of the newly updatedAICR brochure, Nutrition andthe Cancer Survivor. Checkbox 2 on your Free InformationRequest card.

out, More studies suggest that main-taining even a moderate level ofphysical activity may help to prolongsurvival.

Physical activity is somethinganyone can do. Its not another drugwith adverse effects and it can be tai-lored to where people live and whatthey enjoy, she said.

As for diet, eating mostly plant-based meals helps ward off manyhealth problems. The followingrecipe is gentle on the digestivesystem while cool and delicious forsummer.

Cool and CrunchyBerry ParfaitsPitted and sliced peaches and plums may be used insteadof berries in these parfaits.

1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed andundrained

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar, or to taste

2 cups vanilla low-fat yogurt (frozen, if desired)

1 cup low-fat granola*

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries1 cup blueberries

1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts, for garnish

4 sprigs spearmint

Place raspberries and sugar in blender or food proces-sor. Cover securely and blend until thick and smooth.Set aside.

Place 4 parfait or other tall glasses in a row. Spoon2 tablespoons of yogurt into each glass, then 2 table-spoons of granola, then 2 tablespoons of strawberries


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KathrynH.Schmitz,PhD

Sitting =

Stan1


Mini Moves Lead to Better HealthTaking small steps each day to be active and cut calories for better health and lower risk of cancer isworking for a growing number of people. Two expert researchers tell us how moving more throughoutyour day can really help your health.

uscleand fat bothcontribute to our bodyweight. But muscle benefits us, while fat is full

of substances that can do us harm, says Kathryn H.Schmitz, PhD, MPH, FACSM, associate professor ofepidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania inPhiladelphia.

There was a time when we thought fat was deadtissue. But now we know that fat cells secrete sub-stances that tell the body to do things like maintaininflammation, she explains.

On the other hand, muscle cells release certainkinds of markers that can increase insulin sensitivityand even reverse diabetes. Research has establishedthat people who have diabetes are at a higher risk forcancer.

Yet even as statistics show that Americans havebecome more active than before, the numbers alsoshow that more people are obese. How can this be?

Numbers Tell the StoryThe popularity of going to a gym has increased whichis why were more active, Dr. Schmitz points out. Buttime spent at the gym may be vastly outweighed by thetime we spend being inactive.

Instead, Dr. Schmitz says, Moving more in very

small ways, over longer periods of time can make ahuge difference. Think of it this way: Just try to avoidbeing sedentary.

For example, If you are sitting for 8 hours a day,you burn 1 calorie per minute or 480 calories total.But if you could burn even half a calorie more per min-ute, say by standing, youd burn another 240 per day.Multiply that by 5 days a week and you have burned1200 more calories per week.

One study published by researchers at the MayoClinic found that even a tiny amount of extra motion that is, fidgeting by lean people throughout theday was enough to burn as much as 350 extra calories

per day. By contrast, overweight people in the studytended to be much less restless than the lean subjectsand spent at least two hours more each day sittingabsolutely still.

For lower cancer risk, its important to get the 30minutes a day of moderate physical activity AICR rec-ommends. Moderate exercise (like brisk walking) willburn about 7 calories a minute. In half an hour a day,5 days a week, that equals 900 calories a week. And ifyou keep moving in small ways during the rest of theday, youll be saying goodbye to even more calories.

Remember even when youre

sitting, you dont

have to sit still.

The Bottom LineIt uses up more caloriesto spend an hour cook-ing a meal instead ofheating a frozen

dinner in themicrowaveor playing

an instrument instead of watchingtelevision. When you do watchTV, try keeping busy with otheractivities like lifting handheldweights, sorting laundry or evenorganizing your recipes. Get upfrequently during commercials,and change the channels manuallyinstead of using the remote controldevice. Remember even when youre

sitting, you dont have to sit still.

Whatraisesyourriskforcancer?Whathelpslowerit?WithournewAICRRiskMeter,youcan dial up the answers for free.

Weveturnedtheconclusionsofourexpertreportintoaneasy-to-use, double-sided wheel loaded with information.Withtheturnofadial,youcanfindoutwhatyouneedtodo to protect against 13 different kinds of cancer.

Concernedaboutbreastcancer?Spinthe

wheeltofindthefoodsthatraiseitsrisk, and the foods that have beenshown to protect against it.

Wanttoknowhowstronglytheevidence links physical activity tolower risk for colon cancer? Flip thewheel over and give it a turn.

WhenyouordertheAICRRiskMeter,the science behind our RecommendationsforLowerCancerRiskwillbeatyourfingertips.Toorder,checkbox3ontheFreeInformationRequestcard.


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nute

ing=es/minute


AICR Recommendations forCancer Prevention

1.Beasleanaspossiblewithoutbecomingunderweight.

2.Bephysicallyactiveforatleast30minuteseveryday.

3.Avoidsugarydrinks.Limitconsumptionofenergy-dense foods (particularly processed foods high inadded sugar, or low in fiber, or high in fat).

4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and legumes such as beans.

5.Limitconsumptionofredmeats(suchasbeef,porkand lamb) and avoid processed meats.

6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 formen and 1 for women a day.

7.Limitconsumptionofsaltyfoodsandfoodspro-cessed with salt (sodium).

8. Dont use supplements to protect against cancer.

Special Population Recommendations

9. It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclu-sively for up to 6 months and then addother liquids and foods.

10.Aftertreatment,cancer survivorsshould follow the recommendations forcancer prevention.

And always remember do not smoke or chew tobacco.

We want peopleto feel success with

reaching small goals.That feeling allowsyou to build on your

success, bringing you

closer to your goal.

James O. Hill, PhD

Small Steps to aHealthy WeightAmericaontheMove,basedinDenver,Colorado,focuses on helping prevent weight gain rather thanpromotingweightloss.Theorganizationhelpspeopletake small steps each day to be active and cut calo-

riesforahealthyweight.AICRadvisesmaintainingahealthy weight for lower cancer risk.

Onceyouvegainedweightitcanbeverydifficultto take it off. Our aim is to help people make smallchanges to eat healthy, get active and manage theirweight,saysJamesO.Hill,PhD,cofounderofthenonprofitAmericaOntheMoveFoundation.Heisalso director of the Center for Nutrition at the Univer-sityofColoradoinDenver.

Dr.Hilladvisespeopletostartwheretheyareanddojust a little more as part of their daily schedules. Getinto the habit of going for a walk every day, and keep

increasing the distance a little bit, he says. Try usinga pedometer. Pedometers clip to your belt or waist-bandandtellyouthenumberofstepsyouvewalked.

Withfood,trycuttingjust100caloriesaday.Ifyoumaintainthesechanges,theyllhaveahugeimpact,he notes.

Itsfreetojointhemovementandregisterontheorganizationswebsite,www.americaonthemove.org,which provides regular emails with eating and physicalactivity tips, tools and resources. You can also shareexperiences and comments on its blog.

Outdoors and Healthy

ACROSS

1 This is also called roughage

3 Method of gardening or farming with-out man-made chemicals

5 Cold Spanish soup

6 Dish of grains mixed with other foods

7 A phytochemical found in pome-granates

8 Kind of body tissue associated withstrength

10 Type of garden during WWII

DOWN

2 Head of NCI Office of Survivorship

4 Hiking trail that runs along Easternmountain range

9 Popular dietitian and cancer survivor

Find many of the answers through-out this newsletter and on page 8.

Membersofa

walking program in

upstate New York.

For more examples

of walking pro-

grams and safe

walking strategies,

see page 10.


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Theres a Chinese proverb: Life beginsthe day you plant a garden. What couldbe a better metaphor for new life and

rejuvenation for survivors?


8

Answers to page 7 crossword puzzle:

Across:1.Fiber;3.Organic;5.Gazpacho;6.Pilaf;

7.Delphinidin;8.Muscle;10.Victory

Down:2.Rowland;4.Appalachian;9.Dyer

Gardening for Victory over CancerDiana Dyer, MS, RD, is a three-time cancer survivor and a passionate advocate of eating for lower cancerrisk and growing healthy foods. For her, gardening covers all the bases of physical activity, good nutritionand having hope that springs eternal.

ianawasdiagnosed with neuroblastoma as aninfant, at a time when treatment was primitive and

misdiagnoses abounded. Nevertheless, she survived notonly her childhood cancer but two diagnoses of breastcancer, at ages 34 and 45. After a mastectomy in 1984and again in 1995 and being told many times along theway that she would likely not survive, Diana is nowcelebrating 37 years of marriage to husband Richardand more than 30 years as a registered dietitian.

Last year, she and Richard bought a farm in AnnArbor, Michigan, and planted about 50 varieties ofgarlic.

My husband and I have gardened our entire mar-ried life, she says. In fact, our first date started withweeding his garden, she recalls.

Last year they planted 6,000 cloves of garlic byhand and grew it organically*. Even without a pub-

licity effort, word got around to restaurantsand food stores in her area and shereceived enough interest that shesold the entire crop.

About 80 percent of the driedgarlic you get at the grocery store comesfrom China, Mexico or Argentina, Di-ana says. You dont know what kind of

chemicals or how much have been used,because the international organic standardsare sometimes less stringent than in the U.S.

Also, the fuel used to ship garlic that far could be savedif everyone bought locally grown produce.

There are 30 million acres of front lawns in thiscountry, Diana says. If they were all turned intogardens, that would be enough garden space to feedeveryone the recommended 5 daily servings of cancer-fighting vegetables.

Gardening Is Ideal for SurvivorsIn 1999, Diana established the Diana Dyer Cancer

Survivors Nutrition Research Endowment Fund tosupport new research through AICR on cancer treat-ment and survival. Gardening is an ideal therapy forsurvivors, she feels.

When you are diagnosed with cancer, first youstart doing everything you can medically. Then you

try to optimize healing and wellness by connectingmind, body and spirit maybe with complementarymedicine, like yoga, massage, acupuncture. But garden-ing hits all the bases in spades. And it costs penniescompared to other mind-body practices. You also payyourself with vegetables!

Theres a Chinese proverb: Life begins the dayyou plant a garden. What could be a better metaphorfor new life and rejuvenation for survivors?

Diana plans to write about her own Cancer VictoryGarden in order to inspire other cancer survivors tobegin growing some of their own produce. For moreinformation, visit her website at www.cancerrd.com

or you can access her blog directly at www.cancer-victorygardens.com.

*Organic means growing plants without use of synthetic

(man-made)pesticidesorfertilizersinawaythatisfriendlyto

theenvironment.TobecertifiedbytheUSDA,organicfarms

must be regularly inspected.

Our free brochure, The Factsabout Fiber, tells you why getting enough fiberin your diet is essential to good health. To ordera free copy, check box 4 on the Free Informa-tion Request card.


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Fueling Your Physical

ActivityDid you know that what and when you eat could helpfuel your physical activity? Consistent meals and snackswill give you the fuel you need to start and maintainyour activity whether its walking, dancing or liftingweights.

Eating foods from all groups is important for get-ting the right balance of carbohydrates, protein andhealthy fats. Your body turns them into endurance,strength and recovery.

For physical activity lasting 60 minutes or less, here aresome simple eating guidelines:

1. For early morning exercise, eat a snack about 20minutes before working out.

Snack examples: small banana, 12 cup yogurt or 1slice whole-wheat bread.

2. During the day, have a balanced meal or snack about

Nutritionist'sNotes

Alice Bender, MS, RD

2 to 4 hours before exercising.Meal example: 2 oz. roastedchicken, green salad with lightdressing, 12 cup sweet potato ora 1 oz. whole-grain roll.

3. Within a couple of hours of a

vigorous workout, eat a meal or snack. Right afterexercise, eating a healthy high-carbohydrate foodcan help replenish the fuel in your muscles. Snackexample: 1 cup yogurt with a medium piece offruit.

4. Drink plenty of water. Being well-hydrated is espe-cially key for older people. Drink 2 cups of water30 to 40 minutes before exercise, drink a little bitevery 15 minutes during and drink water afterward.(To know if you are hydrated enough, check urinecolor, which should be pale yellow.)

If you usually eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and legumes, with modest amounts of low-fatdairy and fish, poultry and lean meats, youre well onyour way to an exercise-friendly diet. Eating smallermeals and snacks more often will keep you fueledthroughout the day, so you have more energy for physi-cal activity for good health and lower cancer risk.

Thinking about Writingor Updating Your Will?

A current will is the simplest way to

planforyourlovedonesfutures.

Itprotectsyourfamilyagainstac-cidental

disinheritance

and provides

the assurance

that your

long-term

wishes are

carriedout.Also,abequesttoAICR

will ensure that you continue to be a

part of the war against cancer even

beyond your lifetime.

Wehavefreeinformationavailable

to help you as you research drafting

a will or updating your old will. The

AICR Will Organizer: Your Personal

Planning Worksheetcan help save

time and money when you visit your

attorney.ForafreecopyofAICRs

Will Organizer,pleasecheckbox5on

theFreeInformationRequestcard.

A Life of Service, a Legacy of Hope

Longtime AICR employeeCarol Reptsik was born in

Philadelphia, but moved toWashington, DC, with her par-ents when she was very young,in 1952. In 1985, Carols Dadwas diagnosed with a less com-mon but very dangerous skincancer, melanoma, and he diedsoon thereafter. Because of thatloss, when Carol came to workat AICR fifteen years ago, ourmission was already close toher heart.

Fifteen years later, Carol isnow our lead communicationsoperator. What she finds mostsatisfying about her work is therelationships she has formedwith you, our supporters. Shehas spoken with many of you.Your cards and pictures hang onher office wall.

A few years ago, stories shehad heard for many years be-

came her story: Carol developed

basal cell carcinoma, the mostcommon skin cancer. She hadsurgery and has had no problemssince her recovery. And theInstitutes mission is even closerto her heart.

When Carol wrote her will,she decided to include AICR init. I have no family to leave myestate to, and I care about themission.


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MembersofaWalkKansasteam


Teaming Up to WalkAround the nation, people are getting physically active in walking programs that help them improve theirhealth. Walking strengthens your lower body muscles and your heart, while lowering cancer risk.

rograms like walk kansas and Walk Across

Texas are springing up in response to research thatshows Americans need to get more physically activeto stay healthy.

You dont have to walkacross Kansas literally,laughs Jan Falk, 59, a WalkKansas participant. Teamslog miles by walking aroundtheir communities. Theycan also convert minutesspent doing other physicalactivities into miles to reachtheir goal.

In Kansas, that means 423 miles; for Texans, its830 miles across the Lone Star State. Falk teams upwith co-workers to reach her miles. She says the pro-gram prompts a lot of water cooler chatter, We askeach other, Hey did you walk last night? And we trackour progress.

Its a mental goal, explains Diane Nielson, acounty extension agent with Walk Kansas, Imagin-ing that theyre walking across the state can motivatepeople who havent been physically active before.

A Reason to Move

Walk Across Texas works with the Texas Departmentof Aging and Disability Services and other seniororganizations to get more older adults involved. Lastyear, 2,180 participants were over age 60.

The program is flexible: The goal is to get peoplewho werent active to do something they feel theycould do, explains Carol Rice, PhD, RN, ExtensionProgram Leader for Family Development and ResourceManagement. Contests like the Dirtiest WalkingShoe or Best Legs add humor and help revive teamsthat lose steam after a few weeks.

SUNY Program Beats Activity Barriers

David Strogatz, PhD, Director of the PreventionResearch Center at the State University of New York(SUNY) at Albany School of Public Health, saysthat the barriers to being physically active are oftenenvironmental. In rural communities like upstate NewYork, hilly terrain, lack of sidewalks, colder tempera-tures and lack of gyms or malls can hamper activity.

Our research showed specific barriers that com-munity residents identified. We develop ways toovercome them, Dr. Strogatz explains. The Centerhelps communities obtain access to public buildings

during off hours buildings that can offer safe and

warm walking space for year round walking groups,especially older adults.

Anna Zendell, Program Coordinator at the Center,says that walking partners motivate one another. Wecatch up on the news and get a great workout with ourfriends. We can walk longer and feel really energized.

Breast cancer survi-vor Josephine Gilheanyand Judy Wood-Shaw(pictured at right) fromStillwater, NY, are regu-lar walkers and attendthe Centers educationalevents. If it wasnt for theStillwater Steppers walk-ing program, we wouldntbe able to walk, Gil-heany, 77, insists.

Helen Johnson (pictured at left)from Mamakating Walks uses theCenters indoor school-based walkingprogram. She figuratively walked fromhome in Sullivan County to the Em-pire State Plaza and back: more than250 miles. She won an award last year

for being the top walker. Helen walksabout 1 hour a day, 5 days per week.She says, Ive got more energy and more ambition toget going. When you walk with others you encourageeach other to go around one more time before you quitfor the day.

Safety Strategies for Walkers

Pre-walkstretchesandwarmups(useindoorstair-ways for light and easy warm ups)

Properwalkingshoeswitharchsupportandcotton

clothing(allowsforventilationinwarmweather;layers for cold temperatures)

Hydrationbringabottleofwater

Sunscreenandsunglasses(evenoncloudydaysandin all seasons)

Alongwithsocializing,walkingwithapartneroragroup is safer than walking alone

Carryidentification

Wearlightcolorsorreflectiveclothing


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Lunch on the PatioTreat yourself to a light, healthy all-American lunch of cornmeal-dipped catfish with cool, crisp slaw onthe side. These recipes keep the calories and fat low for cancer prevention, but you wont be able totell from their delicious taste.

f you startwith healthyingredients like fish and vegeta-

bles naturally low in calories andbrimming with cancer-fightingcompounds you can preparethem deliciously with just a littlehealthy fat and tangy flavoringslike mustard and vinegar.

Catfish is a white fish thatonly has around 130 calories per 3ounces cooked without added fat.Catfish also provides phosphorus,vitamin B12 and potassium. Ifyou cant find catfish, you canuse other white fish such as U.S.Pacific cod, tilapia or trout.

The slaw combines a widerange of summer garden veg-etables. The more vegetables and other plant foodsthat you eat, the more you can boost your health withphytochemicals and nutrients that work togetheragainst cancer. In this dish, youll get cruciferouscabbage phytochemicals including sulforaphane andindoles; diallyl sulfide in the onion; vitamin C in thebell pepper and coumarin in the parsley.

Crisp Summer Slaw

1 12 cups sliced green cabbage

1 12 cups sliced red cabbage14 cup finely chopped red onion12 large green or red bell pepper, seeded, cored and cut

into small slivers14 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard

2 Tbsp. low-fat buttermilk2 Tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise

In large mixing bowl, combine cabbage, onion, pepperand parsley. In small bowl, whisk lemon juice, vinegar,mustard, buttermilk and mayonnaise. Pour dressingover vegetables and toss until slaw is combined andevenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.For maximum crispness, serve within 12 hours.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 60 calories, 2.5 g total fat(0 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 2 gdietary fiber, 140 mg sodium.

Cornmeal Catfish Fillets13 cup yellow cornmeal, preferablystone-ground

Salt, to taste18 tsp. ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste12 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 Tbsp. canola oil

4 catfish filets (about 1-1 14 lb.)

On dinner plate , combine

cornmeal with salt, pepper andcayenne. Pour buttermilk intowide, shallow dish. In heavy,medium skillet heat canola oilover medium-high heat. Tilt panto coat evenly. One at a time, dip

fish filets in buttermilk, then lift and shake off excess.Dredge fish in seasoned cornmeal, coating evenly. Placefish in hot pan and cook until golden brown and crustyon bottom, about 3 minutes. Using wide spatula, turnfilets and cook until fish is white and flaky throughout,another 3 minutes. Place each filet on plate with ofchilled slaw and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 270 calories, 14 g total fat (3g saturated fat), 12 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein,0 g dietary fiber, 105 mg sodium.

Did you know? Buttermilk canmakedeliciouspan-

cakes,dressingsandbakedgoods.Ithasathickertexture

than milk and a slightly sour taste. Plain low-fat yogurt is a

good substitute. Visit www.aicr.org for more healthy

cancer-fighting recipes from AICRs Test Kitchen.


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A i I tit t f C R h NEWSLETTER S 2010 I 108

TheAmericanInstituteforCancerResearchNewsletterisapublicationoftheAmericanInstituteforCancerResearch(AICR)publishedat1759RStreetNW,Washington,DC20009,telephone(202)328-7744.TheAmericanInstituteforCancerResearchisanon-profitorganization,federaltax#52-1238026.

AICRisnotengagedinrenderingmedicaladvice.Foradviceinspecificcases,theservicesofaphysicianshouldbeobtained.AcopyofAICRsfinancialreportmaybeobtainedbywritingAICR,1759RStreetNW,POBox97167,Washington,DC20090-7167.NewYorkresidentsmayalsoobtainthisfinancialreportbywritingtotheNewYorkDepartmentofState,OfficeofCharitiesRegistration,Albany,NY12231.MICS9632.PennsylvaniaresidentsmayobtainacopyoftheofficialregistrationandfinancialinformationfromthePennsylvaniaDepartmentofStatebycalling1-800-732-0999.

AICRmaintainsitsownmailinglist.OccasionallywerentthislistorexchangelistswithotherorganizationsinordertomaintainanactivedonorfiletosupportAICRsservices.Ifyoudonotwish to participate in this program, please let us know.

ExecutiveEditorMarilynGentry;EditorCatherineWolz;ContributingWritersAliceBender,MS,RD,JacquelineDuda,LorraGarrick,CeliaVimont,CatherineWolz,LauraZynda;DesignandIllustrationsScottvonBergenerandRobertoQuiroga;EditorialReviewCommitteeRitvaButrum,PhD,AICRSeniorScienceAdvisor;KarenCollins,MS,RD,CDN,NutritionConsul-tant;ElisaV.Bandera,MD,PhD,TheCancerInstituteofNewJerseyUMDNJ-RobertWoodJohnsonMedicalSchool;JenniferEng-Wong,MD,MPH,LombardiCancerCenter,GeorgetownUniversity;JohnErdman,Jr.,PhD,UniversityofIllinois;ElaineFeldman,MD,MedicalCollegeofGeorgia;JanKasofsky,PhD,RD,CapitalAreaHumanServicesDistrict,Louisiana;KimberlyKline,PhD,UniversityofTexasatAustin;BarbaraPence,PhD,TexasTechUniversityHealthSciencesCenter;RichardRivlin,MD,Weill-CornellMedicalCollege;AICRExecutiveStaff.Forarticlesources,callorwriteAICRheadquarters.

Another Health Boost from SoyA promising phytochemical called lunasin is found insoy, barley, wheat and rye. It is named for the Philipinoword for cure, lunas.

Soy seems to have the most lunasin per unitweight of protein, says Benito O. de Lumen, PhD,

Professor of NutritionalScience and Toxicol-ogy at the Universityof California-Berkeley.Dr. de Lumens lab wasfirst to discover lunasin

in soybeans with a grantfrom AICR.

Lunasin appears tohelp prevent cancer by

killing cells that are being transformed from normalto cancerous. It is active in the very early stages of celltransformation, he explains. Because of that, Lunasin,in theory, should be effective against many differenttypes of cancer, he says.

Lunasin is not the only cancer-fighting compoundfound in soy. The more widely known isoflavones alsoshow anti-cancer activity.

Until recently, scientists werent sure whether apersons body would retain lunasin after eating foodscontaining it. A recent study confirmed that it does.Dr. de Lumen and Elvira de Mejia, PhD, at the Uni-versity of Illinois found that after feeding 50 grams aday* of soy (the amount found in one soy milk shakeand one serving of soy chili) to young men for five days,significant amounts of lunasin stayed in their blood.

This finding suggests that lunasin doesnt just passthrough the body, but is bioavailable: some stays inthe body and is available to fight cancer, Dr. de Lumensays. His lab is now studying whether lunasin may helpprevent other cancers including prostate, breast and

colon cancer. Although results in cell and animal stud-

New Phytochemicals in the LabPlant foods contain hundreds of phytochemicals that work together to protect our health. Some arefamiliar, like sulforaphane in broccoli. But AICR-funded scientists are studying many less well-knowncompounds for their cancer-fighting potential.

ies provide promising data, Dr. de Lumen hopes lunasinwill show positive results in human studies.

*Half that amount 25 grams a day equals 2 servings of soyfoods. One serving is 12 cup of tofu or edamame (green soybeans),14 cup soy nuts or 1 cup of soy milk.

Benefits of Colorful Fruits and VegetablesAnother lesser known substance is delphinidin, whichgives pomegranates, berries, eggplant, red radishes,tomatoes, red cabbage and grapes a purplish-red color.It is showing promise in a growing number of studies

as a cancer-fighting antioxidant.In one recent study, funded by the National Insti-

tutes of Health, Hasan Mukhtar, PhD, Helfaer Professorof Cancer Research at the University of Wisconsin inMadison, implanted human prostate cancer cells inmice. The mice that drank the human equivalent ofthe juice of two pomegranates three times a week had asignificantly lower growth of the cancer compared withmice who didnt drink the pomegranate extract.

By interfering with cancer cells ability to commu-nicate, delphinidin seems to slow the process of cancerdevelopment, says Dr. Mukhtar, whose early research

in the 1980s and 1990s was funded by AICR.Dr. Mukhtar now hopes to study whether del-phinidin can slow the development of pre-cancerousadenomas into tumors in prostate and lung tissue inmice. We want to see if we can at least double thetime it takes for them to go from pre-cancer to cancer,he said. Population stud-ies are needed to confirmwhether these findings ap-ply to humans. Until then,AICR advises eating at least5 servings a day of fruits andvegetables. Try our Berry

Parfait recipe on page 5.

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