May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and May 1 is Melanoma Monday, a day focused on raising awareness of the deadliest form of skin cancer.

On average, one person dies of melanoma every hour. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. In fact, it is estimated that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

Anyone can get skin cancer, regardless of skin color. Nearly 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. Skin cancer is highly treatable when it is detected early. If melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent.

The American Academy of Dermatology is launching its 2017 SPOT Skin Cancer campaign, Check Your Partner. Check Yourself, on Melanoma Monday to encourage the public to check their partners and themselves for signs of skin cancer.

Because men older than 50 have an increased risk of developing melanoma when compared to the general population, the AAD is asking women to help their male partners examine their skin for new, changing or suspicious spots. Research has shown that women are nine times more likely than men to spot melanoma on others.

The AAD encourages everyone to perform regular skin self-exams. If you notice any suspicious spots on your skin or your partners, or anything changing, itching or bleeding, see a board-certified dermatologist.

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, which frequently develops in a mole or suddenly appears as a new dark spot on the skin. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.

You can identify melanoma warning signs by looking for the ABCDEs of melanoma:

A is for Asymmetry: One half doesnt match the other.

B is for Border irregularity: The edges are ragged, notched or blurred.

C is for Color that varies from one area to another.

D is for Diameter: Melanomas are usually greater than 6 millimeters (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, but they can be smaller.

E is for Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape or color.

Tips to protect your skin

Follow these tips to protect your skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure and reduce your risk of skin cancer:

Apply sunscreen. When you are going to be outside, even on cloudy days, apply sunscreen to all skin that will not be covered by clothing. Reapply approximately every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

Use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen that protects the skin against both UVA and UVB rays and that has an SPF of at least 30.

Use 1 ounce of sunscreen, an amount that is about equal to the size of your palm. Thoroughly rub the product into the skin. Dont forget the top of your feet, your neck, ears and the top of your head.

Seek shade. Remember that the suns rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.

Protect your skin with clothing. When going outside wear a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.

Use extra caution near water, sand or snow as they reflect and intensify the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chances of sunburn.

Get vitamin D safely. Eat a healthy diet that includes foods naturally rich in vitamin D, or take vitamin D supplements. Do not seek the sun.

To learn more about skin cancer detection or prevention, or to find a free SPOTme skin cancer screening, visit SpotSkinCancer.org.

Dr. Anthony L. Timko is a board-certified dermatologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. He has been providing dermatological care to the communities of Central Colorado for more than 15 years. He is the sole provider at Central Colorado Dermatology in Salida, but said he is welcoming Dr. Kathryn Echols to his practice in July.

Sweet revenge

by Julia Powell, RN

Special to The Mail

The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison, according to Ann Wigmore, founder of the Ann Wigmore Natural Health Institute.

One dietary poison that continues to repeatedly and increasingly prove itself guilty is sugar.

At the scene of numerous crimes, sugar has long been implicated in an increased risk for obesity, diabetes, tooth decay and some forms of cancer all justified evidence for locking sugar behind bars.

But mounting evidence regarding its status as criminal comes from a 2016 study published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. The study examined decades of research showing that sugar may actually be even worse for the heart than saturated fat, the designated No. 1 dietary villain in cardiovascular disease (CVD) for the past 50 years.

The study revealed that a diet high in sugar triples the risk for fatal CVD!

In a nutshell, a high sugar intake can trigger the following:

Boost blood sugar,

Boost insulin levels,

Cause insulin resistance,

Increase triglyceride levels,

Promote fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome,

Damage the LDL cholesterol, turning it into very bad LDL,

Lower the heart-protective good (HDL) cholesterol and

Promote inflammation.

All of which set the stage for arterial-plaque buildup and cardiovascular disease.

Laura Schmidt of the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine says, The average American consumes 22 teaspoons a day (of sugar). Thats about three times whats recommended.

For reference, 1 teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to about 4 grams.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting daily added sugar intake (not counting the sugar content of fruit and dairy products) to 9 teaspoons (37.5 grams) for men. It recommends 6 teaspoons (25 grams) for women and children ages 2-18, and zero for children younger than age 2.

Added sugar in foods may surprise you, so read the labels, count up the grams and recognize the villain lurking within. Some of the culprits may surprise you!

A serving of Shredded Wheat: 0.1 gram (virtually none).

One slice of multigrain 100 percent whole wheat bread: 4 grams (1 teaspoon sugar).

A serving of Kelloggs Special K: 4 grams (1 teaspoon sugar).

A typical 6-ounce serving of flavored yogurt: 21-27 grams (5-6 teaspoons sugar).

8-ounce serving of Campbells Tomato and Sweet Basil Bisque: 24 grams (6 teaspoons sugar).

Snickers bar: 27 grams (6 teaspoons sugar).

16-ounce bottle Snapple Green Tea: 30 grams (7 teaspoons sugar).

McDonalds Fruit & Maple Oatmeal: 33 grams (8 teaspoons sugar).

Dunkin Donuts Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin: 39 grams (9 teaspoons sugar).

15.2-ounce bottle Odwalla Original Superfood Fruit Smoothie: 51 grams (12 teaspoons sugar).

Chilis Caribbean Salad with Grilled Chicken: 70 grams (17 teaspoons sugar).

20-ounce bottle Mountain Dew: 77 grams (19 teaspoons sugar).

Remember: Sugar is addictive.

Julia Powell is a nurse in the Cardiopulmonary Department at Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center.

Is anti-gluten frenzy about to be countered by a pro-wheat comeback?

Americans at one time lived their lives utterly unconcerned about the gluten in their diets. But an anti-gluten craze that erupted in the last decade has become so prominent that it spawned a $16-billion-a-year industry.

Gluten became branded as the enemy of good health, bestselling books scared the public away from wheat, and foods marketed as gluten-free popped up everywhere.

But its time everyone takes a deep breath and re-evaluates this whole wheat-is-a-villain attitude, Dr. John Douillard said in a press release.

Douillard is a doctor of chiropractic and a sports medicine and Ayurveda practitioner. He is author of Eat Wheat and six other health books and a former director of player development and nutrition counselor for the New Jersey Nets NBA team.

Wheat was found guilty without a fair trial, and there are risks when we just blindly take a food that people have eaten for 3.5 million years and remove it from our diets, Douillard said.

Hes ready to lead the charge in the opposite direction, though Douillard acknowledges that avoiding gluten is the right move for certain people.

May, for example, is Celiac Awareness Month, which brings attention to the genetic autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine.

People with celiac disease should avoid gluten, theres no doubt about that, Douillard said. But for the greater majority of people, the anti-gluten frenzy has gone too far and needs to dial it back.

Far from being a dinner-table scoundrel, wheat can be beneficial, helping to lower the risk of diabetes, obesity and Alzheimers disease, he said.

The real problem is that processed foods have changed our digestive systems, Douillard said. Thats why people often feel bad when they eat wheat. But taking foods out of the diet wont fix what processed foods have done to your system. That just kicks the problem down the road, leaving people at risk for more serious health concerns later on.

So if going wheat-free isnt the answer, what can you do to begin to improve your digestive system? That can get complicated, but Douillard has a few suggestions to get you started in the right direction:

Eat more fiber. Aim for 50 grams of fiber in your diet each day. Make half your plate green vegetables, one-fourth starch and another one-fourth protein.

Increase the amount of beans you eat. Of course, beans can be difficult for some people to digest, but one easily digestible bean is the split yellow mung bean. As your digestion improves, you can reintroduce other beans.

Drink water between meals. The brains relationship with the rest of the body can be a funny thing. When people are dehydrated, the signals to the brain often get translated as hunger signals. So people scarf down an unhealthy snack when they should be reaching for a glass of water. A good guideline is 16 ounces 30 minutes before each meal.

Dont overeat. Perhaps it can be traced back to our mothers telling us to eat every bite, but people have a tendency to eat until their plates are empty rather than stopping when theyre full. Douillard said its better to stop even before youre full. About three-fourths full is the way to go, he said.

Your digestive strength is the key to a long, healthy and vital life, Douillard said. Whether you eat gluten shouldnt be decided for you because of weak digestion. It should be decided by you based on what you prefer.

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'Check your partner, check yourself' - Mountain Mail Newspaper

Women are expert multi-taskers, so it should come as no surprise that some manage to squeeze the latest health craze into their daily routine. However, not having time to carefully research the pros and cons of these trends could be dangerous. Take for example, the decision to live diary-free.

Dairy-free diets have turned into a familiar fad in the United States. Onesurveyby the National Osteoporosis Society found that 1/5 of young adults under age 25 have removed or trimmed their dairy intake.Over halfof these young adults claim to have a dairy intolerance, but only 24 percent have actually confirmed it with a doctor.

AVOID TRANS FATS IN FOOD AT ALL COSTS

The society raised concerns about this trend. While young adults have the ability to bounce back from unhealthy habits, their overall nutrition sets the groundwork for their health later in life. During their early 20s, a young adults firm groundwork of healthy bones is of utmost importance.

The societys big concern deals with the amount of calcium that most people get from dairy every day. Both men and women who cut out dairy risk becoming deficient in calcium, leading to other health problems. Anyone adhering to a dairy-free diet, especially women, should ensure that theyre getting major nutrients like calcium from other sources.

Calcium

While calcium can come from some plant sources, women need to monitor their intake if they choose to eliminate dairy. A cup of milk contains about 300 milligrams of calcium, nearly 1/3 of a young womans daily recommended amount. Those who cut out dairy will need an abundance of plant sources to make up this same calcium level.

PREVENTING AND MANAGING CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Again, women on a dairy-free diet risk not getting enough calcium on a daily basis. Thiscalcium deficiencygreatly increases the risk of bone loss and osteoporosis in women.

According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis affects over200 million womenacross the globe, and the foundation expects this number to increase over 200 percent during the next 30 years.

Needless to say, women eating little or no dairy must make up for the essential calcium with other foods and vitamins. They should consult a doctor about their diet change and recommended vitamin dosage to ensure safety.

Vitamin D

Another factor of dairy-free diets that women should understand is the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Currently, as many as50 percentof people seen in doctors offices have a deficiency already. This incidence will only increase as more people adopt dairy-free diets.

Vitamin D comes fortified in most dairy milk brands but does not occur naturally in many foods. People must get the recommended amount through fortified foods, vitamin supplements, and sunshine.

Every person needs sufficient vitamin D in order to properly absorb calcium. For women, however, recent studies show that the vitamin helps in another way. Onestudyfrom the University of Massachusetts found that women who experienced the worst pre-menstrual symptoms had the lowest levels of vitamin D and calcium.

LOSE WEIGHT NATURALLY WITH THESE FOUR EASY REMEDIES

In addition, one small Italian study gave women supplements about five days before their expected periods. After a few months of taking the vitamins, these women had lessened PMS by over 40 percent in contrast to those not taking vitamin D.

For young and middle-aged women, one cup of fortified milk contains around half of their total daily recommended vitamin D. Other high sources of the vitamin include fish and eggs. If these women choose dairy-free diets and happen to dislike fish, they will need vitamin supplements and outdoor sunshine to get the levels they need in a day.

Simply put, women benefit from the major nutrients and vitamins packed within dairy products. Women considering a dairy-free diet must understand the risks to their health, especially deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D. Before cutting out this healthful food group, women should consider eating a well-rounded diet instead. Then, they can gain all the benefits of both dairy and non-dairy foods that contain calcium and vitamin D.

This article first appeared on AskDrManny.com.

Dr. Manny Alvarez serves as Fox News Channel's senior managing health editor. He also serves as chairman of the department of obstetrics/gynecology and reproductive science at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. Click here for more information on Dr. Manny's work with Hackensack University Medical Center. Visit AskDrManny.com for more.

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Why women need dairy: Risks of a dairy-free diet - Fox News

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Is that diet soda killing you? New research links diet sodas to strokes, Alzheimer's austin360 (blog) A new study published in Stroke looked at 2,888 people in Framingham, Mass.,, who were are part of a study that originally began in 1971. It compared dietary intake and incidents of stroke and dementia and found those who drank diet drinks were almost ... There's a major problem with what you've heard about the link between soda and brain declineBusiness Insider Is Soda Bad for Your Brain? How About Diet Soda?Huffington Post Diet Sodas Tied to Dementia and StrokeNew York Times Washington Times -WNCN -Fortune -Stroke - AHA Journals all 71 news articles »

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Icon Sports Wire

Professional athletes dont get to the top by accident. It takes superhuman levels of time, dedication, and focusand that includes paying attention to what they put in their bellies. In this series, GQ takes a look at what pro athletes in different sports eat on a daily basis to perform at their best. Heres a look at the daily diet of Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Murphy.

Here are the two most frequent thoughts that go through your mind when watching Olympic swimmers: Wow, they are fast and Wow, they have good absand not necessarily in that order. And with Aquaman Michael Phelps having officially retired with a mere twenty-eight medals, U.S.A. Swimming is going to need to find a newest set of fastest abs in the water. Ryan Murphy may just be that man. The 21-year-old went 3-for-3 in gold medals in Rio last summer, in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke and in the 4x100-meter medley relay (in which he set a world record for fastest 100-meter backstroke split in the process). He also just finished collegewinning the 100- and 200-meter backstroke national titles, the Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year, and the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, all at Cal. Needless to say, he was not on the typical undergrad's Oreos and Easy Mac diet.

GQ: Youve been swimming since you were 4. How do you not get burnt out? Ryan Murphy: Until I was 12, I did football, baseball, soccer, and swimming. And thats the time when traveling baseball, traveling soccer, tackle football were all starting. I decided on swimming because theres always something to improve on: recovery, nutrition, sleep, strength, endurance, technique. Its almost like this little game. Youre striving for perfection in a sport that its not possible to reach perfection in. Its almost like an addiction, trying to be the best you can.

And whats your first meal every day? On days I do doubles, Ill wake up at like 5:20. Ill have a PowerBar and a banana before practice. After practice, Ill come back or go to the dining hall and have some eggs, spinach, some fruit, usually some oatmeal, maybe some Greek yogurt with granola and fruit.

You eat all of that? Sometimes Ill just make eggs and the granola, or eggs and the oatmeal. Usually I switch off between those two. And then, through my day, Ill usually have trail mix or something with me. Ill have a little sandwich for lunch. And then, after [the second] practicethis is something I got into a lot before the Olympics, not so much now because it kind of tastes badI make a smoothie and put it in the fridge. I buy raw beets from Whole Foods, chop that up. Put in the beet leaves, a stalk of kale, some spinach, some berries, some dry oats with some soy milk, and Id put in a sweet juicea splash of orange or cherry juice. And if I was pretty hungry, or I felt like I didnt have enough fat in my diet for the day, Id put in some almond butter. I scoff that down right after practice, just to make sure Im immediately getting nutrients.

And for dinner? I usually have a whole mash of stuff. Ill make pasta with tomato sauce, turkey, cut up some onions, throw some peppers in there, boil down some spinach and throw that in. That has everything that you really need in it.

Do you track calories? A little bit. I actually gain weight pretty easily for a swimmer. I would say Im probably around 4,000-5,000 calories a day. So [its] not like these crazy, 12,000-calorie diets. If Im eating chocolate chip pancakes in the morning, Im probably going to gain some weight. So I try to stay away from stuff like that. And super fatty foods I try to stay away from. I figure that way Ill stay decently lean.

What was the hardest thing to cut out? I mean, youre in college! Thats when youre supposed to eat whatever you want. I have a terrible sweet tooth. Im a big sucker for those Brookside Dark Chocolate Covered Acai and Blueberries. Im a big ice cream guy. Chocolate. I love those Trolli Eggs. Like once a week, I try to let myself have frozen yogurt or something like that. Because I think if I was just totally locked down on my diet all the time, Id probably go insane. So I think its good for me to have that one day to look forward to, like, All right. I can get through today because tomorrow Im going to have a dessert.

After you were done in Rio, did you congratulate yourself with whatever you wanted to eat? The line at McDonald's was always terrible, so I didnt actually go to McDonald's, but I just went to the dessert section in the dining hall, and my dinner after the last relay consisted of chocolate cake and the little ice cream bars and stuff like that. I just binged dessert for two weeks. I gained eight pounds.

Swimming has always struck me as one of the most painful sports. When you hit the 115-meter mark in a 200-meter backstroke, youre just over halfway and your legs are starting to hurt. But you train for being uncomfortable. So you can push through that and it just hurts. But by the time you reach 175 meters of a 200 back, hard to pick up your legs. Your legs just feel like theyre not moving anymore, these big bodies of mass just floating behind you and weighing you down, and you have to find a way. The last 25 is like, Ugh! Get. To. The. Wall. Im trying to look around, see where people are and use my competitiveness to get there. But its insane. Your legs just dont work. If you watch my reaction after the 200 back [in Rio], I physically couldnt celebrate. I was so pumped to have won, but I couldnt even lift my arm because I was so tired. So I just hung on my line and died for a little bit.

How much did your diet play into your success there? Eating right was huge for me this past year, probably the first year that I really took diet seriously. I cook most of my meals for myself, so it was easy to track how much oil I was using, what type of ingredients I was buying, and make sure that everything was prepared as healthy as possible. Essentially, I didnt have a bad practice for three months in a row, just because I felt like I was doing everything right.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night? I usually try to shoot for at least eight. Last year, we trained four mornings a week, and then two afternoons a week. So on the afternoons days, I was probably hitting ten hours, and on the mornings, I was making sure I was hitting eight. And I took a lot of naps.

When are you training? On doubles day, it will be 6:00 to 8:00 A.M., and 1:00 to 3:30 P.M. So mornings are all swim. Afternoons, well do an hour of weight, then stretch for fifteen minutes, then come down to the pool. And those are usually more speed-oriented. Those days are brutal. Theres only five hours between practices, so youre still pretty tired going into that second practice.

And how do you suggest we get swimmers abs? We do a lot of abs, probably at least ten minutes a day. You want to make sure you dont have an arch in your back, so really working on the lower abs, so you can kind of shift your hips forward in the water. We do L-raises. You have to make sure your lower back is on the ground the entire time. If you arch your back and thrust, you can get your legs up, but controlling it is key. We usually do 20 at a time. A lot of plank holds, too, so plank on your stomach, plank on your side, you get the obliques. And then we do lower-back training, too, just to make sure all the stabilization muscles are working well. You gotta look good to rock a Speedo.

What other exercising are you doing in the gym? Well do weightlifting. And if were doing heavy squats, well combine it with box jumps. Because, in our sport, the races are less than two minutes most of the time, so you still have to have those fast-twitch muscles, so we dont really lose track of that when were in the weight room. And then well do medicine balls, abs, the typical pull-ups, push-ups.

And what about recovery? Massage. Ice tubs. Ill do cupping, depending on the time of season and how much time I have before my next race. It has to be pretty targeted. You have to know your body for that to be effective. It works pretty well in conjunction with other stuff, like stretching and lacrosse balling, making sure that youre working out the muscles after you get cupped. Because that just brings blood to the surface, so you gotta make sure you find a way to work that out still.

How often are you working out? We go six days a week. We have Sunday off. Im usually so tired by that point, I just sink into my couch, watch some football.

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ONE

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The Real-Life Diet of Olympic Swimmer Ryan Murphy - GQ Magazine

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, April 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Steering clear of salty foods might not be as helpful for your heart health as previously thought, a new study claims.

Participants in a long-range heart study did not appear to derive any health advantage from a low-salt diet, said lead researcher Lynn Moore.

"People who were on a lower-sodium [salt] diet in general over the next 20 or 30 years actually had no benefit, specifically in terms of their blood pressure or their risk of developing heart disease," said Moore, an associate professor with the Boston University School of Medicine.

On the other hand, these people did enjoy better health when they increased their intake of potassium, a mineral that helps the heart in a couple of ways, Moore and her colleagues found.

"Higher intakes of potassium were strongly associated with both a lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart disease," Moore said. "The same was true for magnesium."

But before you reach for the shaker, consider that a leading proponent of low-sodium diets, the American Heart Association (AHA), questioned the study's validity and said it would continue to recommend limiting salt intake.

"When there are really well-conducted clinical trials that show a direct and progressive relationship between sodium and blood pressure, I would pause before I did anything based on what's reported in this abstract," said AHA spokeswoman Cheryl Anderson. She's an associate professor of cardiovascular epidemiology with the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

The AHA recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams -- about a teaspoon -- of sodium a day, and an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 milligrams (mg) daily for most adults.

Moore said her results show that Americans' average sodium intake -- around 3,000 to 3,500 milligrams (mg) a day -- should be healthy, particularly if they also get enough potassium and magnesium.

"There seems to be no real added risk in that range," Moore said. "I think the average American is probably doing OK in terms of sodium, but almost all Americans need to increase their intake of potassium."

Foods rich in potassium include dark leafy greens, potatoes, beans, squash, yogurt, salmon, avocados, mushrooms and bananas.

The new study comes on the heels of another controversial paper published last May. It suggested that restricting dietary salt to less than 3,000 mg a day appeared to increase the risk of heart disease as much as eating more than 7,000 mg a day. The AHA also disputed the earlier study, which appeared in The Lancet.

Moore's findings are based on data from more than 2,600 men and women participating in the Framingham Heart Study, a long-range heart health study of people from Framingham, Mass.

Participants had normal blood pressure at the study's start. But, over the next 16 years, those who consumed less than 2,500 milligrams of sodium a day tended to have higher blood pressure than participants who consumed more sodium, the researchers reported.

The investigators also found that people with higher intake of potassium, calcium and magnesium had lower long-term blood pressure.

But the research team relied on six days of detailed dietary records to estimate people's intake of sodium and other various minerals, which is a relatively unreliable method, Anderson said.

The gold standard for tracking sodium levels is through urine samples taken across multiple days, she said. Food diaries can be inaccurate.

"They may not have captured sodium intake accurately," Anderson said.

The study's positive results regarding potassium have been supported by other studies, Anderson added.

Potassium helps the kidneys flush salt from the body, reducing blood levels of sodium, Moore said.

The mineral also helps relax the blood vessels and make them more flexible, which can help lower blood pressure, Moore and Anderson said.

People who consume a lot of salt -- 5,000 milligrams per day -- should cut back, Moore said.

Also, "for that subset of the population that's sensitive to salt in the diet, a really critical thing is how much they're getting of other minerals, in particular potassium but perhaps magnesium as well," Moore said.

Moore was scheduled to present her findings Tuesday at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting, in Chicago. The results should be considered preliminary until the data is peer-reviewed for publication in a medical journal.

WebMD News from HealthDay

SOURCES: Lynn Moore, D.Sc., associate professor, Boston University School of Medicine; Cheryl Anderson, Ph.D., associate professor, cardiovascular epidemiology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine; April 25, 2017, American Society for Nutrition, annual meeting, Chicago

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Is a Low-Salt Diet Always Healthy? - WebMD

There is the Mediterranean Diet. And then there is the Mediterranean Diet.

The Mediterranean Diet is said to be one of the most healthful in the world. It emphasizes fruit and vegetables while minimizing red meat. It features plenty of fish, along with poultry. It uses oil instead of butter, and herbs and spices instead of salt. It encourages exercise, along with long meals with family and friends.

The Mediterranean Diet, on the other hand, is what is eaten by people who live around the Mediterranean Sea.

There are plenty of similarities, of course the Mediterranean Diet was begun by looking at what people ate around the Mediterranean Sea. And here it should be noted that it is mainly focused on the northern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean. You wont find many foods on it from, say, Algeria (the researchers who first publicized it, Ancel and Margaret Keys, focused on foods from Greece, Crete and southern Italy).

But there are also differences.

For instance, the Mediterranean Diet specifically recommends fatty fish, such as salmon, and the use of canola oil. But salmon is a cold-water fish, native to the Northern Atlantic and Northern Pacific neither of which is particularly close to the Mediterranean Sea.

And canola oil comes primarily from Canada (the can in canola is for Canada). It is also produced in China, India and northern Europe. In other words, nowhere near the Mediterranean Sea.

Meanwhile, the Mediterranean Diet features a lot of lamb and goat meat. Youll find scant mention of either one in references to the Mediterranean Diet. And in northern Italy they use far more butter than olive oil.

So my goal in taking a healthful dip into these foods was to find that happy intersection where the Mediterranean Diet meets the Mediterranean Diet. To see where the healthy benefits of the diet are actually enjoyed by the people for whom it is named.

I began with an appetizer that couldnt be more Mediterranean if it surrounded Italy on three sides: Marinated Olives and Feta. This is a simple dish, but it creates an explosion of flavor.

Or rather, flavors. Everything that is so great about Mediterranean cooking is combined in one chunky dip: olives, feta cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, fresh rosemary and crushed red pepper. Its like going to a Mediterranean food store and buying everything on the shelves.

I marinated mine overnight to allow the flavors to blend, and served it on top of crusty bread and crackers. As the Greeks would say, Nstimo!

Next up was a dish that was, as hard as it may be to believe, even easier to make. Date Wraps are like a slightly healthier and more elegant version of perhaps the best hors doeuvre in the world, dates wrapped in bacon.

This time, the dates are wrapped in prosciutto. The rich flavor of the cured meat plays beautifully off the sweetness of the dates, and the saltiness means you can dispense with the Parmesan cheese that is an important part of the bacon version.

A twist of black pepper on top provides just the right amount of spice to make it interesting. As the Italians would say, Delizioso!

For a side dish, I turned to perhaps my favorite vegetable, asparagus. In Andalusia the southern area of Spain that borders the Mediterranean Sea they cook it in an astonishingly good way.

First, they saut the asparagus spears in olive oil, which is a truly auspicious way to start anything. But then they go a step further by baking the asparagus with a topping made from blanched almonds, garlic and bread crumbs that are sautd in olive oil auspiciously and then all ground together.

Its not the garlic that goes so magnificently with the asparagus, or the almonds or even the bread crumbs. It is the combination of all three. As the Spanish would say, Excelente!

And for a main course, I made fish, of course. Both versions of the Mediterranean Diet involve eating a lot of fish.

I used one of the most popular fish in the region, swordfish, and topped it with an abundance of Mediterranean ingredients: olives, capers, tomatoes and olive oil.

How did it taste? Lets just say the French would call it superbe.

MARINATED OLIVES AND FETA

Yield: 6 servings

1 cup sliced pitted olives such as Kalamata or mixed Greek

1/2 cup diced feta cheese

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately, with crackers or toast points, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Per serving: 100 calories; 9 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 11 mg cholesterol; 2 g protein; 3 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 280 mg sodium; 86 mg calcium

Recipe from EatingWell

DATE WRAPS

Yield: 16 pieces

16 thin slices prosciutto

16 whole pitted dates

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each date. Grind pepper on top.

Per piece: 38 calories; 1 g fat; no saturated fat; 6 mg cholesterol; 3 g protein; 5 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 248 mg sodium; 4 mg calcium

Recipe from EatingWell

ANDALUCIAN ASPARAGUS

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds young asparagus

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 garlic cloves, peeled

12 almonds, blanched, see note

1 (2-inch) slice crusty country-style bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon very good quality sherry vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Note: To blanch almonds, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately add raw almonds. Let almonds sit in hot water for 45 seconds to 1 minute, but no longer. Drain immediately and briefly run under cold water to stop cooking. Remove peels; they should easily slide off with a pinch.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove and discard the bottom few inches from each spear of asparagus, rinse the remainder and set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, almonds and bread, and saut, stirring constantly, until all the ingredients are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not allow them to burn. Transfer the almonds, garlic and bread cubes (use a slotted spoon if oil remains in the pan) to a food processor or blender. Add the vinegar and salt and process briefly until the mixture is a coarse meal.

3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan, if necessary, and saut the asparagus over medium-low heat until the stalks change color and start to become tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Remove the asparagus and place in an ovenproof gratin dish. Bring a cup of water to a boil and pour it over the asparagus. Then sprinkle the almond-bread mixture over the top. Bake for 15 minutes or until the asparagus is thoroughly cooked and most of the liquid has boiled away. Serve immediately.

Per serving (based on 6): 183 calories; 12 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 5 g protein; 15 g carbohydrate; 2 g sugar; 3 g fiber; 111 mg sodium; 50 mg calcium

Recipe from The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, by Nancy Harmon-Jenkins

BAKED FISH WITH CAPERS AND OLIVES

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 pounds boneless fish, especially swordfish, sea bass, haddock, cod, snapper, grouper fillets, halibut steaks or salmon

1 cup very ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or 1 cup drained imported canned tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon drained capers, rinsed

1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives, preferably large Italian olives

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a teaspoon of oil to coat the inside of a baking dish large enough to hold all the fish in one layer. Place the fish in it.

2. Chop the tomatoes and mix with the sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add the capers and olives and mix again. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired. Pile the tomato sauce on top of the fish pieces. Distribute the bread crumbs over the top and drizzle on the remaining 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) oil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the fish is thoroughly cooked and the sauce is very bubbly and browned.

Per serving (based on 6): 199 calories; 5 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 63 mg cholesterol; 28 g protein; 9 g carbohydrate; 2 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 309 mg sodium; 39 mg calcium

Recipe from The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

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Mediterranean diet is healthy. But is it Mediterranean? - MyAJC

EO file photo

Sagar Sathuvalli, a potato breeder with Oregon State Universitys Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center, shows off potato varieties in November 2014.

EO file photo

Michaela Ewing flips potato flatbread while grilling it for the crop up dinner at HAREC in August 2016 in Hermiston.

The U.S. potato industry has taken umbrage with a popular dietary fad, which is based on the premise that humans ate healthier during the Stone Age than following the advent of agriculture.

The Paleolithic diet coined by Colorado State University emeritus professor Loren Cordain promotes foods that would have been available to hunter-gatherers more than 10,000 years ago, such as grass-fed meat, wild game, nuts, fruits and non-starchy vegetables.

In addition to processed foods and salt, the popular diet frowns upon some of the major commodities produced in the Northwest, including potatoes, cereals, dairy, sugar and legumes. Cordain reasons the foods werent present during the Paleolithic Period, and humans, therefore, havent adapted to eating them.

Cordain vows Paleo dieters achieve weight loss, reduced diabetes and diseases, increased energy, fewer allergies, better digestion and increased muscle. Critics counter that modern foods, developed over centuries of selective breeding, dont resemble Paleolithic foods. They also note the diets conspicuous absence of Stone Age dietary staples such as rats, mice, squirrels, stripped bark, insects and lizards and question the wisdom of emulating an ancient people who typically died in their 30s.

The potato industry still seeking to improve consumer perceptions affected by the low-carbohydrate Atkins diet craze recently launched a campaign highlighting the importance of the spuds protein, vitamin C, potassium and carbohydrates to athletic performance.

I think a lot of people are really getting tired of all of these really restrictive diets and are more interested in learning how to eat properly in a way they can work into their lifestyle, based on the basic ideas of moderation and good diversity, said John Toaspern, chief marketing officer with Potatoes USA.

The organization has been publicizing a paper critical of the Paleo diet, published in the December issue of the American College of Sports Medicines Health and Fitness Journal. The author, Katherine Beals, an associate professor in Utah State Universitys Department of Nutrition and Integrated Sociology, has consulted for Potatoes USA in the past, though her paper wasnt commissioned by the industry.

During the peak of the Atkins diets popularity, Beals conducted a clinical study finding its benefits were short-lived, and werent sustainable beyond a year. She has similar suspicions about the Paleo diet, and her recent paper found no scientific basis to support eating like a caveman.

Beals, who serves on the committee that ranks the best and worst diets for U.S. News & World Report, recommends diets that dont restrict food groups, but rather promote consuming a broad variety of foods in moderation. She emphasizes exercise is often overlooked in diets, and peoples survival depended on being active in the Stone Age.

I find it irritating that people are making money off of unsuspecting consumers that are truly looking for a way to become healthier and lose weight, Beals said.

Cordain, who credits his mentor Dr. S. Boyd Eaton with developing the concept for the Paleo diet in a 1985 landmark paper, said 25 scientific reviews confirm its long-term effectiveness.

Millions of people worldwide have been following the Paleo diet for more than a decade, suggesting that it is indeed sustainable and healthful, Cordain said.

Cordain points out that USDA-sanctioned vegan diets also restrict entire food groups, and USDA guidelines support Paleo diet goals of reducing consumption of refined grains and sugars, as well as processed foods. Furthermore, he said the vitamin content of wild and domestic plant and animal foods is nearly identical.

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Potato industry targets trendy Paleo diet - East Oregonian (subscription)

A: Gout is a form of arthritis that happens when sharp particles, called urate crystals, build up in a joint, causing severe pain, tenderness and swelling. As in your situation, treatment usually is not recommended after just one attack. But gout can come back. Being careful about what you eat may help prevent another gout flare-up. If it does come back, medication is available that can effectively control gout.

The urate crystals that lead to gout form when you have high levels of uric acid in your blood. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines substances found naturally in your body, as well as in certain foods. Uric acid usually dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes your body either makes too much uric acid or your kidneys flush out too little uric acid. When this happens, gout is often the result.

Certain foods and beverages have been shown to increase the risk of gout attacks, including those that are rich in fructose, such as fruit-flavored drinks, non-diet soda and many processed foods. Seafood, fatty fish and red meat also are associated with increased risk of gout.

Drinking alcohol, especially beer, is a significant gout risk factor. Studies have suggested that drinking two or more beers a day can double the risk of a gout attack. So limit the amount of alcohol you drink, or avoid it completely.

One of the most helpful things you can do to prevent gout attacks is to stay at a healthy body weight. Research has shown that excess weight is a major risk factor for developing gout. If you are overweight, losing weight can lower uric acid levels in your body and significantly reduce your risk of gout attacks.

When it comes to the specific diet you should follow, traditionally it was thought that reducing all foods that contain purines could substantially decrease the risk of gout flares. However, managing a low-purine diet can be quite cumbersome, and the success of such a diet in lowering blood uric acid levels is actually quite low. Even if you strictly follow a low-purine diet, the amount it can decrease your blood uric acid level is rarely enough to cure gout.

Instead, a lower-calorie diet one that replaces refined carbohydrates with more complex carbohydrates, limits meat, and increases vegetables and fruit often can be much more effective at reducing blood uric acid levels than a low-purine diet.

Specifically, if you want to lower your risk of gout, eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk products. Get your protein mainly from low-fat dairy products, which may have a protective effect against gout. Limit the amount of meat, fish and poultry you eat to no more than 4 to 6 ounces a day. Drink 8 to 16 cups about 2 to 4 liters of fluid daily, with at least half of that being water.

If you have another gout attack, your doctor may recommend that you take medications. A drug called colchicine or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be useful in reducing the symptoms of a gout attack. A group of drugs called xanthine oxidase inhibitors, including febuxostat and allopurinol, can help prevent future gout flare-ups. They work by causing the body to produce less uric acid.

These medications are often very effective in controlling gout. If you experience another episode of gout, talk to your doctor about your treatment options and which medications may be best for you.

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Diet monitoring may help prevent gout flare-up | Duluth News Tribune - Duluth News Tribune