Not only does calcium support healthy bones, especially in women, new studies find that a calcium-rich diet may also lower their risk of developing many types of cancer.  A new study, conducted by the National Cancer Institute, found a direct link between calcium intake and reduced risk of colorectal and other digestive system cancers. 

Study:
• This 7 year study of nearly half a million participants in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study focused on calcium from food as well as supplements.
• Yikyung Park, ScD and colleagues analyzed data from over 290,000 men and 198,000 women ages 50-71.
• Half the men and 57 percent of the women reported taking a multivitamin containing calcium. Fourteen percent of the men and 41 percent of the women took calcium supplements.

Results:

• WOMEN: The women with highest calcium intake were at 23 percent less risk for all digestive system cancers than those with the lowest intake, and 28 percent less prone to colorectal cancer in particular. The risk decreased in women with intake of up to 1,300 milligrams per day.

• MEN: The men decreased their risk by 16 percent for all digestive cancers and 21 percent less risk of colorectal cancer. The risk decreased in men with an intake of up to 1,530 milligrams per day.

Conclusion:
• Calcium has been shown to reduce abnormal growth and induce normal turnover among cells in the gastrointestinal tract and breast.
• Calcium also binds to bile and fatty acids, potentially reducing damage to the mucous membrane in the large intestine.
• The Institute of Medicine calls for 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily for adults. The 2005 federal dietary guidelines recommended three cups per day of low-fat or fat-free dairy products.

Surprising Sources of Calcium:
Skim Milk (1 cup): 302 milligrams
Non-Fat Yogurt (6 ounces):415 milligrams
Low-fat Cottage Cheese: 138 milligrams
Canned Salmon (3.5 ounce can): 277 milligrams
Broccoli (1/2 cup cooked): 68 milligrams
Spinach (1/2 cup cooked): 84 milligrams
White beans (3/4 cup): 120 milligrams
Orange (1 large): 74 milligrams
Strawberries (1 cup): 24 milligrams

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of www.Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Having the occasional late-night snack won’t pack on the pounds, but according to many studies, if nighttime noshing becomes a habit, it might. Yet, when the clock strikes twelve and you’re still wide awake, it’s often unfeasible to resist raiding your kitchen from top to bottom. Although a box of donuts or a pint of ice cream might seem like your only hope to get you through the night, don’t succumb!

Foods high in sugar can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep because they can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels and your waistline. Foods which release serotonin in the brain through an amino acid known as tryptophan are associated with a calming, anxiety-reducing effect and even drowsiness, helping you to fall asleep.  Simply put, serotonin helps to alleviate stress, sending you off to a peaceful night’s sleep. Replacing those sugar-laden snacks with healthy alternatives will allow you to drift off to dream land guilt free.

The Fix:
Whole grains are a low-fat way to trigger some insulin production which will induce sleep without weight gain. Dairy products and lean protein contain the magic tryptophan, an amino acid that also helps the brain produce serotonin and melatonin.

The Food:
2 whole-grain crackers with low-fat cheese
½ whole-wheat pita with 2 slices of lean turkey breast
1 packet instant oatmeal or ½ cup high-fiber cereal with ½ cup warm skim milk

The Fix:
These nutty snacks are full of magnesium and B vitamins, both of which help promote serotonin — the relaxing neurotransmitter. Natural sugars in apricots boost blood-glucose levels, which sag while you sleep. The most “serotonized” fruit is the banana. Bananas are high in vitamin B6, melatonin and serotonin which help us feel drowsy.

The Food:
1 oz of pistachios and 8 dried apricots
1 oz almonds and an apple
½ Banana with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

*Chamomile Tea: Okay, so this isn’t a snack. Chamomile has a mild sedative effect and is well known among the sleeping problems crowd. The oatmeal cookie triggers insulin but has some other good side effects.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.