What Is It About Brassicas?


I lead a discussion on nutrition at the Commonweal cancer retreats every few months, along with the renowned chef and author, Rebecca Katz. We have a handout of general suggestions for healthy meals, and then give each person individual guidance. One of our first guidelines is to eat a brassica vegetable every day. These vegetables include broccoli, arugula, kale, collards, mustard greens, bok choy, Brussels sprouts and turnips. The reasons these vegetables are important for people with cancer, and people who want to prevent cancer, have been studied at Johns Hopkins University’s Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory. They have focused on broccoli, which contains a compound known as sulforaphane. It is a potent natural inducer of what are called phase2 detoxification enzymes. These enzymes break down free radicals and environmental toxins, enabling the body to excrete them in urine, bile or stool. The Johns Hopkins researchers found that these detoxifying enzymes were boosted in function by the sulforaphane in brassicas, and that broccoli contains high levels. Broccoli sprouts contain the highest amounts of sulforaphane, up to 50 times more than mature broccoli. Recent studies at Baylor College of Medicine have shown that a concentrated form of sulforaphane is active against lymphoblastic leukemia cells in the laboratory. Other researchers at the University of Arizona are looking into topical sulforaphane to prevent skin cancer. Preventive effects on breast, prostate and colon cancer are also under study.






It is important not to overcook broccoli, as this will destroy its ability to release anti-inflammatory and cancer protective compounds. Steam lightly for a few minutes. Since broccoli sprouts are such a potent source of sulforaphane, you should know that it is easy to make your own. You can call 800-695-2241 and order organic broccoli sprouting seed. If you are new to sprouting, consult sproutman.com. He has an almost overwhelming number of ideas and devices to help you sprout.






At the cancer retreats, we also suggest that people consider drinking the green tea or black tea with broccoli seed extract, formulated at the Johns Hopkins Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory. The tea is high in sulforaphane and related compounds. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these teas will go to further Hopkins’ research on vegetables. Regular and decaffeinated teas are available. If you don’t have time for sprouting right now, just go for the tea. Call the Baltimore Tea and Coffee Company at 800-823-1408 to order. The teas do not taste like broccoli!






Sulforaphane is also found in kale, cabbage and all the other brassica (cruciferous) vegetables. If you don’t like broccoli, you can still get the benefits of sulforaphane in these foods.






At the last cancer retreat, one of the participants was a patient at Johns Hopkins. She said that her oncologist had never mentioned the Brassica lab, and it seemed strange that she would come to California to find out about it. Yeah, California!






At the Commonweal cancer retreats, Rebecca Katz has come up with a good way to help people drink fluids, even when they are not feeling well. She suggests a special pitcher for water, in which you place orange and lemons slices, with the peel (organic is best), chunks of cucumber, and a sprig of thyme, mint or rosemary. Rebecca calls this ‘spa in a glass’. It will be easier to drink than plain cold water, and will have beneficial qualities.






Sadja Greenwood, MD, MPH


You can find a copy of my novel, Changing the Rules, at Pt. Reyes Books, the Grand Hotel, Uniquities, or at Amazon.com.

Go to Health: How to Preserve Your Brain, Muscles, and Bones



















Your Brain – Keep it sharp. Here are some of the proven ways to help memory and brain function:







Exercise at least 30 minutes every day. Upper body exercise counts if walking is hard for you. Play music to keep you going. Ride a stationary bike in front of your TV. Get an exercise pal or join a class. Exercise will help you grow new neurons and oxygenate your brain.







Vitamin B12 is important to prevent brain shrinkage in people over 60. It is found in animal foods. Vegans should always take a B12 supplement. Some older people don’t absorb it well from food. Get a B12 blood level from your doctor, and take B12 tablets sublingually if you are low.







Eat vegetables and fruits, legumes, fish and poultry. Limit fatty meat and foods containing sugar, to prevent obesity and keep your arteries clear. Avoid too much alcohol and addictive drugs, legal or illegal.







Olive oil should be your major fat source. A compound in extra virgin olive oil called oleocanthal may help prevent Alzheimer’s. See the 6/5/13 column at sadjascolumns for details.







Get enough sleep: 7-8 hours, so that you wake refreshed. Sleep is essential for good brain functioning.







Learn something new: a new language, a new skill, a musical instrument, drumming, a dance routine. According to a 2009 Gallup Poll, 85% of Americans who don’t play a musical instrument wish that they could. You can! You will forge new pathways in your brain.







Don’t smoke - smoking will decrease the blood supply to your brain.



















Your Muscles: . As we get older, our muscles grow weaker, and it’s important to work on staying as strong as possible. You don’t have to join a gym to keep your muscles strong, but if you do, enjoy your workouts. Walk daily, run in place, bike, dance, skip rope, garden, lift weights at home. Light weights are fine for beginners and many women. Resistance bands are useful. Invest in a few sessions with a personal trainer if you have never tried strength training. Take a class in yoga, Pilates, or dance. We have great classes in Bolinas. Use a standing desk so you don’t sit too much.







Vitamin D is important for muscle strength and to prevent falls and fractures. Many people benefit from taking 1000 IU daily as a supplement. Talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner about this. Keep your blood level of Vitamin D3 at 30 ng/ml or higher.







Don’t smoke - smoking will reduce the blood supply to your muscles and harm your lungs.



















Your Bones: Osteoporosis is common in women after menopause – it is defined as bones that are porous, brittle and subject to fracture. It can also occur in men as they age. Your doctor can arrange a test called DEXA, or bone densitometry, that can diagnose osteoporosis. There are various medicines that help with this problem. Whether or not you take a medicine, you should definitely eat a diet with adequate calcium, possibly take supplementary calcium (to be discussed with your doctor) and take Vitamin D as noted above. Good foods high in calcium include non-fat or low fat yogurt, calcium fortified soy milk, kale, collards, watercress, arugula, broccoli, okra, beans, almonds, sardines with their bones, and many others. Make bone soup, by adding vinegar to a bone broth to help release the calcium. Aim for a diet high in green vegetables, nuts and seeds. There is preliminary evidence that using olive oil as your main fat will help to preserve bone strength.







Exercise, especially walking, running, dancing and resistance exercises help keep bones strong. When your muscles contract, your bones react.







Don’t smoke – smoking will weaken your bones.







Here’s an exciting new development: UCSF now has a service for Skeletal Health in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, developed and staffed by Aenor Sawyer, MD, who is a Bolinas resident whenever she can break loose from work. Those of you who know Aenor are aware that she is as compassionate as she is expert, and the opportunity to visit her new service is truly a blessing.







Sadja Greenwood, MD. MPH

Go to Health: Driving Under the Influence Of...


Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) has taken on an added cause – drugged driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one in 8 weekend, nighttime drivers test positive for illicit drugs, and one in 3 drivers killed in auto crashes test positive for drugs. They are referring to illicit and prescription drugs, as well as alcohol. All cause dangers for drivers and their passengers.







The Institute of Medicine has reported that 20% of serious injuries from driving can be attributed to driver sleepiness. Here’s the problem – insomnia is very common, and can of course cause sleepiness and danger at the wheel. However the drugs used to treat insomnia, like Ambien, can also contribute to dangerous driving the next day. An article in the August 22nd New England Journal of Medicine reports on driving impairment in Ambien users. The relationships between drug dose, time of use, and the concomitant use of alcohol or other substances have not yet been completely worked out. However, people using these drugs should know, and should be warned by their doctors, that their driving the next day may be impaired. Studies have shown that they may not be aware of their impairment.







Ambien is the most widely used prescription drug for insomnia. Recent studies have shown that the usual 10 mg dose is too high for women and the elderly, who should start with a 5 mg dose. Because some people can fall asleep easily but wake later and can’t go back to sleep, a lower dose of Ambien, called Intermezzo, has been marketed for midnight wakefulness, to be dissolved under the tongue if the user has at least 4 hours more of sleep-time. Again, the suggested dose is lower for women than men. While the lower doses are more appropriate, daytime hangover is still a problem for many users.




Sonata, Lunesta, and Silenor are other prescription drugs used for insomnia, and may also cause driving impairment the next day, especially in people over 55, according to a French study. All these drugs are also habit forming if used nightly.




Valium and other drugs called benzodiazepines (Ativan, Xanax, Restoril, Halcion, Klonopin) are very useful drugs for anxiety, panic disorder, seizures and other problems. When used for sleep, they can be habit forming and may impair driving the next day.




Marijuana use and its effects on driving have been studied at the University of Washington’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute. Laboratory studies and driving simulator studies have shown a dose-dependent impairment of ability to steer, keep a steady speed, follow another car, reaction time and lane positioning. The combined effects of marijuana and alcohol affect driving even more.




Alcohol, so commonly used, and such a pleasant relaxant for many people, can lead to tragedy behind the wheel. Every day in American, another 27 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes. ‘One for the road’ should be a soft drink or coffee consumed by a designated driver who has remained sober.




Stimulants such as amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, and Ritalin, can make driving extremely unsafe by affecting coordination and attention. Users often drive aggressively and take risks. Drowsiness and rebound fatigue occur when the drug effects wear off. Amphetamines combined with alcohol or opiates are equally dangerous.




Opioid drugs given for pain, such as morphine, codeine, oxycodone and fentanyl patches, can be associated with safe driving in very low doses, but the dangers of road trauma increase with higher doses. People taking these drugs should check with their doctors concerning their driving abilities and safety. When such drugs are taken illegally, often in high doses, the dangers of erratic driving escalate.




Over the counter antihistamines such as Benadryl and Chlor-Trimeton can cause drowsiness and may impair driving abilities.




The average car today weighs 3-4000 pounds. Hurtling along the road at 55 miles per hour or faster, it is both an amazing machine and a dangerous one. We all know people who have been killed or seriously hurt in car crashes. Here’s my take-away from writing this column:




*Never drive under the influence




*Always designate a sober driver at a party




*Suspect all other cars on the road – who knows what the driver has used.




*Pull over for faster drivers and motor cycles




*Respect pedestrians and bicyclists (they may be under the influence too)




*Avoid road rage in yourself and others




*Don’t text, talk on the phone, or take chances




*Give yourself plenty of time to get there so you don’t speed













Sadja Greenwood, MD, MPH. See my column of 4/24/2012 for safe ways to deal with insomnia.

How You Can Help Fight Superbugs

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“As soon as antibiotics were discovered and developed for medical use, bacteria began the Darwinian ‘arms race’ that has been fought ever since.”  So wrote Steve Heilig in the most recent Journal of the San Francisco Medical Society, where he is a director. Due to overuse of antibiotics, “antimicrobial resistance has reached a crisis stage in human medicine.”  You are doubtless aware that doctors should not prescribe antibiotics for viral infections (colds and flu) unless there is good evidence of an additional bacterial infection.  You may not know that 70 to 80 percent of all antibiotics produced by U.S. companies are used in farm animals.  These animals are often penned in crowded, dirty conditions; they are fed low doses of antibiotics to prevent infections and promote growth.  Bacteria are killed by the low doses used, but some develop mutations that make them immune to the drugs.  These bacteria are passed on to the farmers, their contacts, and the consumer.  Thorough cooking can destroy them, but beware of cutting boards, knives, your hands, and ‘rare’ burgers. 

In a 1976 study, small amounts of tetracycline were given to a flock of chickens by a researcher.  He found that the chickens began to carry bacteria resistant to tetracycline and other antibiotics.  So did the farmers who tended them.  Based on this kind of evidence, in 1977 the FDA announced plans to ban the feeding of low doses of antibiotics to livestock.  However, there was strong backpressure from legislators and agribusiness, and the FDA failed to act on its own recommendation.  The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Academy of Sciences, and the World Health Organization had identified subtherapeutic use of antibiotics as a human health issue.  More than 30 years later, in 2011, the FDA reacted when sued by the Natural Resources Defense Council and other groups.  It revoked its 1977 recommendation (never implemented) and said a ‘voluntary effort’ would be more effective.  There is no evidence that this has worked.  Currently there are over 90,000 deaths per year due to antibiotic resistance.  The Centers for Disease Control are alarmed.  We all should be.

You may have heard of a dreaded bacterium called MRSA – methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which is found in the community as well as in hospitals.  MRSA related deaths in the U.S. have risen to over 19,000 per year. from antibiotic resistant bacteria.  In Iowa, large pig farms where 2000 pigs are confined shoulder to shoulder, nearly half of these animals carry MRSA according to a 2009 study.  Almost half the workers there carry MRSA as well.

Here’s news close to home – an Iowa pig farmer who used routine antibiotics joined Niman Ranch’s pork collective; he stopped confining his animals and using antibiotics. He found he had the same results as Danish farmers who banned subtherapeutic antibiotics in 2000.  Pork production rose, and the incidence of resistant bacteria fell dramatically in people and animals. 

What can we do to protect ourselves, our children and the public?  There is a microbiologist in Congress, Louise Slaughter, a Democrat from New York.  Every year she introduces a bill called The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act. We should make sure our congressman, Jared Huffman, supports this bill.  We should refuse to buy or eat meat, poultry, eggs or fish treated with antibiotics.  If it is labeled organic, this is a given. Otherwise, ask the butcher behind the counter. Trader Joe’s shoppers answered a poll by Consumer Union; 69% wanted the store to stop selling meat raised on antibiotics.  The store has hedged on this; although they do sell some antibiotic-free meats, they “do not presume to make choices” for their customers. Bring up this issue when you shop there. Whole Foods does not sell antibiotic-raised meats.  While these personal choices can make the meat you buy more expensive, eating less of it, and using it as a condiment/flavoring for vegetables is a wise move.  When you eat out, ask about the source of the meat, be sure it is not too rare, or go vegetarian.  There is no conclusive proof as yet that taking a daily probiotic pill, or eating yogurt with live cultures is helpful, but some studies point in that direction.  I think it’s a good idea. 

Sadja Greenwood, MD   back issues at sadjascolumns.blogspot.com

Go to Health: Exercise 2013



New research on exercise is reported in the August issue of Scientific American. You probably know that the ‘runner’s high’ (also felt after vigorous dancing, biking, and many sports) is caused by the brain’s release of endorphins (opioid-like hormones that evoke pleasurable feeling). Recently, research has also shown that exercise increases our ability to concentrate, think and make decisions. Exercise increases the size of a part of the brain called the hippocampus. The specific part of the hippocampus affected by exercise is one that allows people to remember familiar surroundings. Animal studies have shown that exercise increases the level of chemicals responsible for triggering the growth of new neurons. A molecule known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor is responsible. Newborn neurons are thought to help with distinguishing between similar but different events and things. Think about this – go for a hike; create new brain cells!






New research on how exercise prevents heart disease goes beyond the lowering of blood pressure, lowering LDL cholesterol (the ‘bad’ kind) and raising HDL choesterol (the ‘good’ kind). The more important LDL related effect is that exercise increases the number of larger, safer, LDL particles and decreases the number of small, dangerous ones. A couch potato might have an identical cholesterol level as an active person, but be more at risk for heart attack because of the predominance of small LDL molecules.






Exercise is a key to keeping blood sugar normal. As you use your muscles, they need increasing amounts of glucose to fuel their efforts. The liver sends out more glucose and the pancreas releases insulin - to signal cells to draw glucose from the blood. As exercise becomes a daily habit, muscles grow more sensitive to the effects of insulin, so lower levels will accomplish the same result, and the pancreas does not have to work as hard to keep glucose levels normal. This is particularly helpful for people with type 2 diabetes, whose bodies have often become resistant to insulin. Recent studies show that combining aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) with resistance training (weights, leg presses, et al) is the best for keeping blood glucose normal.






We know that we should be exercising, but many Americans fail to achieve the recommended half an hour of moderate activity for five or more days a week. However, a recent analysis of six studies, totaling 655,000 adults tracked for about 10 years, found that people doing leisurely activities like washing the car or taking a stroll for 11 minutes a day had a 1.8-year longer life expectancy after age 40 than inactive people. Those who met the guidelines for moderate activity gained 3.4 years of life, and those who were active between 60 and 90 minutes a day had greater gains – 4.2 years. It seems that we evolved as creatures who moved – think about walking out of Africa to populate the rest of the world. If you find it hard to begin, get a dog. Then you’ll have to walk, and she’ll always love you.






Sadja Greenwood past issues at sadjascolumns.blogspot.com

Go To Health: Human Papilloma Virus and Its Consequences


Cervical cancer, detected by regular Pap smears before it becomes serious, is caused by a sexually transmitted virus. Nuns and lesbians don’t get cervical cancer if they never have intercourse with men. Condoms offer some protection. Were you ever told this when you (or your partner) went for a Pap test? These facts were ignored for years by the medical profession and popular culture – perhaps because of the discomfort people feel about discussing the nitty-gritty of sex, perhaps because of ignorance. The papilloma virus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer can also cause cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus and throat. Cervical cancer is the most common of these problems, but the number of throat cancers from HPV are now on the rise. The actor Michael Douglas made headlines recently when he told a British newspaper that his throat cancer had come from performing oral sex.






Cancers of the base of the tongue, tonsils and walls of the pharynx are becoming more common. A decade ago, people with head and neck cancers were smokers or heavy drinkers. Now only 20% are smokers or drinkers, and the other 80% have cancers caused by an HPV infection. This year an estimated 14,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with head and neck cancers; most of them will be between 40 and 50 years old, and 3 out of 4 will be men, according to Dr. Robert Haddad of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Haddad talks about ‘an epidemic’ of HPV–related head and neck cancers. If oral sex is a factor, the predominance of men may be because vaginal fluid has more virus than the surface of the penis.






There are two vaccines available against HPV infection – Gardisil and Cervarix. These vaccines protect against many of the some 100 strains of HPV, including the high risk strains HPV-16 and 18 which are a known cause of cervical, throat, anal and vaginal cancers. A study supported by the National Cancer Institute has just been published which showed that sexually active young women in Costa Rica had 93% protection against infection with HPV types 16 and 18, after receiving immunization with Cervarix.. Although the study did not include men, it is believed that they would get the same protection with this vaccine.






The Gardisil vaccine was approved by the FDA and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) for girls ages 9-26 in 2009, and for boys in 2011. Cervarix has also received FDA approval, and may be even more effective. The vaccine is given by 3 injections over 6-12 months. There has been controversy about these vaccines because of reports of serious reactions after injection, but careful studies by the CDC do not show that these reports are valid. Most side effects consist of pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, and occasional fainting, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and joint pain.






Women are advised to continue having Pap tests for cervical cancer even after vaccination, as the vaccines are not effective against all strains of HPV. Men and women should know they should not ignore difficulty swallowing or feeling/seeing a lump in the throat or on a tonsil. Seek medical attention promptly if this occurs. Sexually active people should also be aware of many other types of sexually transmitted disease, including HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea (rapidly becoming drug resistant), Chlamydia, Herpes et al. Condoms are very helpful but not foolproof for prevention. The birth control pill and IUD are highly effective against pregnancy but do nothing to prevent STDs.. Have you ever wondered why sex scenes in movies and television never involve a discussion of these potential problems? Is it still that controversial? We have calorie counts on some menus, and dire (small print) warning on cigarettes. But nothing is said about sex. Young women in college are initiating hook-ups without emotional involvement so they won’t get derailed from their independent careers. The recent NYTimes article (7/12/13) about this did not mention STDs or birth control. Go figure.






Sadja Greenwood, MD, MPH -->

Just Label It

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Last November the California campaign to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was defeated by a 51 to 48 percent vote.  Many large companies and the Grocery Manufacturers Association put $46 million into fighting the proposition. $9.2 million was spent in support. Some people who buy brands like Cascadian Farm, Kashi, Horizon Organic, Muir Glen, and Odwalla were outraged last fall after learning the companies’ corporate owners helped fund the effort to defeat Prop 37. However, efforts to label GMOs in food are still underway.  Connecticut and Maine have passed labeling bills which will kick in when other states, including a neighboring state, pass similar laws.  Whole Foods markets will require GMO labeling on any product it stocks by 2018. The U.S. Department of Agriculture for the first time approved a non-GMO label claim for meat products, Chipotle began voluntarily labeling menu items containing GMO ingredients online, and the Senate Appropriations Committee voted last week to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration funding to label genetically modified salmon if the agency approves the fish.

GMO cotton, soybeans, canola and corn are modified to make them resistant to the herbicide glyphosate –otherwise known as Roundup, so that weeds could be killed without harming the crop.  Most sugar beets are also genetically modified, although the final product is identical to the sugar from ordinary sugar beets.  Unless it is labeled organic, almost all cotton, canola, soy and corn grown in the US today is GMO.  The problem that has emerged is that weeds are becoming resistant to Roundup.  More must be used, along with other herbicides.   According to ScienceDaily, a website I respect, the annual increase in herbicides required to deal with tougher-to-control weeds on cropland planted to GE cultivars has grown from 1.5 million pounds in 1999 to about 90 million pounds in 2011.   Initially, Roundup was considered a safe herbicide with short duration of action.  However, a recent study from an Environmental Toxicology Program in Thailand, published in Food Chemistry Toxicology, indicates that Roundup may be an endocrine disruptor, inducing human breast cancer cells to grow by effecting estrogen receptors. 

Another problem with GMO crops is the effect on adjacent farmers and organic farms.  Pollen drift is a problem for farmers who plant non-GMO or organic crops.  Farmers using GMO seeds are required by Monsanto and other companies to buy fresh seed every year.  When GMO pollen blows into adjacent fields, and is harvested, the farmers can be sued for patent infringement.  In one high-profile case (Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser) the Monsanto Company sued Percy Schmeiser for patent infringement after he replanted canola seed that he had harvested from his field, which he discovered was contaminated with Monsanto's patented glyphosate-tolerant canola. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Schmeiser was in violation of Monsanto's patent because he knowingly replanted the resistant seed that he had harvested, but he was not required to pay Monsanto damages since he did not benefit financially from its presence. In 2008, Schmeiser and Monsanto Canada came to an out-of-court settlement whereby Monsanto would pay for the clean-up costs of the contamination, which came to a total of $660. In May of this year, the US Supreme Court ruled unanimously that an Indiana farmer had violated Monsanto’s patent laws by saving Monsanto seed and replanting it.  He was fined $84,000. On the other hand, a few weeks ago a three-judge panel at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled that a group of organic and otherwise non-GMO farmer and seed company plaintiffs are not entitled to bring a lawsuit to protect themselves from Monsanto’s transgenic seed patents “because Monsanto has made binding assurances that it will not ‘take legal action against growers whose crops might inadvertently contain traces of Monsanto biotech genes (because, for example, some transgenic seed or pollen blew onto the grower’s land).

Farmers have saved seeds since the beginning of agriculture, and have thus been able to select the best plants for changing conditions, such as drought, heat, cold, etc.  The conflict between traditional practices and patented GMO seed goes on in many parts of the world today – an unfinished story. More food will be needed to feed a world population growing upwards from 7 billion.  Are GMO crops necessary?     Stay tuned, and I will try to address this question.

Sadja Greenwood, MD    back issues on this blog

World Food - from Surplus to Scarcity

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In a recent column I explored the question of labeling genetically modified (GM) crops and discussed the problem of superweeds resistant to ‘Roundup’ and pollen drift from GM fields to adjacent non-GM fields.  I decided to devote this column to the question of whether GM crops are needed to feed a growing world population.  What I found is that while there is controversy about this issue, GM soybeans, corn, cotton and other crops are widely used throughout the world. 

GM cotton has been planted in India and China, with a gene for BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) inserted to serve as insecticide.  Initially successful, it has given rise to resistant pests that have also attacked other food crops.  Farmers also complain that GM seed is 3-8 times more expensive than ordinary seed.

 GM soybeans are widely planted in the US, Brazil, Argentina and China, and are mainly used as feed for cattle, swine and chickens. Without this crop, Europe would have to cut back on meat, dairy and egg production.   Soybean production in Brazil, used for  biodiesel and animal feed, is resulting cutting of the Amazon rainforest. 

Corn originated in Mexico, which is the home for hundreds of varieties.  Mexican framers fear that widespread planting of GM corn will lead to contamination of native varieties.   Mexico has legalized GM corn planting, but the issue is extremely controversial.  88% of U.S. corn is GM.

Golden rice, genetically modified to contain carotenes that will help with Vitamin A deficiency, has been planned for years and is now being tested in the Philippines, India and Taiwan.  Funding has come from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to increase the bioavailability of  pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, iron and zinc in

golden rice, thereby preventing blindness and malnutrition in children in India, the Philippines and many African countries.  Companies that have developed golden rice have said that they will allow farmers to save and replant seed, and will not charge royalties until a farmer makes more than $10,000 year from golden rice.  Greenpeace and Dr. Vandana Shiva, the Indian anti-GMO activist, oppose the introduction of golden rice because of corporate control of agriculture, loss of biodiversity, and ignoring other important sources of carotenes such as green vegetables and fruits. 

On the one hand, GM crops for basic foods like corn, soy and canola are widely planted and used throughout the world. They have been successful in increasing supplies of animal feed and human food.  On the other hand, they have degraded the environment and resulted in resistant pests and weeds.  But these arguments pro and con are dwarfed by the larger reality of the world’s growing population and a transition from food surpluses to food and water scarcity in many parts of the world. There is serious aquifer depletion in China, India and the U.S., countries that produce half the world’s grain.  Food prices are rising and will continue to rise, according to Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute.  Brown’s latest book, Full Planet, Empty Plates, takes a serious look food & water scarcity and is a call to action. He calls for cutting carbon emissions by 80% by 2020, emphasizing wind and solar energy.  Brown is also strong on the need for worldwide family planning and the education of women.  The failure to take family planning seriously in most discussions of food and water scarcity, megacities and relentless population growth is troubling.  Wherever it has been introduced widely, on a voluntary basis, there has been a significant drop in birth rates.  South Korea and Taiwan have reduced their birth rates below replacement, and Thailand has also been successful with their program. Meeting women’s wishes for fewer children with modern contraceptives in South Asia and Africa could be tremendously helpful, but providing information and supplies, and overcoming cultural obstacles is a huge task.  An estimated 222 million women in developing countries do not want another pregnancy but lack access to contraception.  Many organizations are working on this, and deserve support. Obama is calling for increased funds for international family planning - $635.4 million.  In the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Melinda Gates is making family planning/contraception her priority for the next decade.  I should write another column on the many organizations that work on this issue.  If the environment is your issue, take a look at The Center for Biological Diversity, which links work to prevent extinction of wild animals and plants.  I appreciate the fact that they have an endangered species condom project, thereby linking human population growth with species extinction and climate change.  The Sierra Club has yet to take a strong stand on population growth nationally.  Stay tuned.

Eating on the Wild Side

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 Eating on the Wild Side

Jo Robinson, a health writer and food activist, has just published Eating on the Wild Side, a book that is loaded with new and interesting ideas.  I strongly suggest that you buy it!  Here are a few ideas from early chapters.  The fruits and vegetables we grow, buy and eat today have been made more palatable than their wild ancestors by centuries of plant breeding.  This does not mean genetic modification, but rather careful selection of varieties of each plant that are large, sweeter, less bitter and easier to chew and digest.  However, we have lost many of the important plant nutrients in this process. Industrial farming has taken the process further, and has resulted in loss of flavor.   Robinson suggests many ways to find, store and cook foods to optimize their taste and nutritional value.  

Here is what she says about lettuce.  The most intensely colored leaves have the most plant nutrients – so look for lettuce that is red, purple or reddish brown rather than all green.  The arrangement of leaves on the stem is also important – there are fewer plant nutrients in tightly packed leaves as in iceberg lettuce or even romaine than in looseleaf varieties.  Leaves need sunlight, but when they are more exposed to the sun, as in looseleaf lettuces, they must make more anti-oxidants to protect themselves against  UV light.  We absorb these compounds, which make up part of our own self-defense against disease.  Buy the freshest lettuces you can – packaged salad greens have been longer in transit than a heavy head of looseleaf lettuce with crisp leaves.  If you do buy packaged greens, look for ones that contain a mixture of dark greens that include some spicy ones, such as arugula, mustard greens or radicchio, and look for the most distant “use by” date.  When you get your salad greens home, Robinson suggests that you tear off the leaves, rinse them, and soak them for 10 minutes in very cold water. This will lower their temperature and slow the aging process. Dry them with a towel or salad spinner.  Then tear the leaves into smaller pieces – she says that this will double their antioxidant value.  The plant reacts as if it was being gnawed by a predator and produces a burst of nutrients to ward off the intruding insect.  You should eat the leaves within a day or two after tearing them.  If this seems like a lot of work, here is a final suggestion that sounds easy.  To store lettuce and other greens in the refrigerator, put them in a plastic bag, squeeze out the air and seal the bag; then use a needle or pin to prick the bag with 10-20 evenly spaced holes.  Put the bag in the crisper section of your fridge.  The tiny pinpricks will provide the most ideal level of humidity in the bag and enable the leaves to consume oxygen and give off carbon dioxide.  The leaves will stay alive, and fresher, for a longer time.  Mark these bags, so you can reuse them later.  Robinson likes to use this storage technique of microperforated bags for many fruits and vegetables.

Arugula, a member of the cabbage family, is exceptionally high in plant nutrients, and should be a regular ingredient in salads.  Look for younger plants with shorter leaves if you find it too peppery.  Use arugula as a spinach substitute in stirfry dishes.  Robinson warns that the healthful, anti-cancer properties of arugula can be lost into the water if the leaves are boiled.  In subsequent columns I will write about what Robinson says about artichokes, asparagus and tomatoes.  I’ll close by telling you that she recommends the smallest tomatoes you can find for both flavor and lycopene content.  Apparently there is a new tiny tomato called the currant tomato that is close to the earliest tomatoes found in the Andes, and a real winner. 

Sadja Greenwood, MD, MPH

Olive Oil and Your Brain, and a New View on Produce






Olive oil is known to have protective effects on bone, heart disease and breast cancer risk. Its use in the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a 30% lower risk of death from heart attacks and stroke in a recent Spanish study. Here’s more!






In 2009, Researchers at Columbia University in New York found that elderly people who were physically active and ate a Mediterranean diet, had a 32-40% lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared with those who did not. The Mediterranean diet was defined as including a high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains and fish, and a lower use of red meat. About 50 milliliters of olive oil (roughly 1/5th cup per day) is consumed.






Research into the lower amounts of dementia on this diet has found a compound in extra virgin olive oil called oleocanthal. Amal Kaddoumi and her colleagues at the University of Louisiana looked at whether oleocanthal helped to decrease the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain, as this substance is believed to be the culprit in AD. They applied different concentrations of oleocanthal to mouse brain cell cultures, and also gave oleocanthal to live mice. In both trials, levels of the two proteins that transport beta-amyloid out of the brain as well as enzymes that degrade beta-amyloid increased significantly. The researchers then introduced beta-amyloid into live mice brains. Compared with control groups, the mice given oleocanthal showed significantly enhanced clearance and degradation of the beta-amyloid peptides.






This study has exciting implications for the prevention of AD. While pharmacologists are figuring out how to make a medicine from oleocanthal, you can use extra-virgin olive oil as your main source of fat. Investigate how to make an oliveoil/herb spread for your bread. It is important to note that being physically active and eating a lot of fresh produce is also important to keep your brain healthy.






Breeding the Nutrition out of Food: Jo Robinson, an investigative reporter, has just published a book called Eating on the Wild Side. She notes that over the last 10,000 years since we stopped foraging for wild plants and instituted farming and gardening, we have selected the least bitter plants to grow in our gardens. While this has made some foods tastier, it has decreased their phytonutrients. Robinson is not talking about genetic engineering, but conventional selective plant breeding which has gone on for millennia but has recently accelerated. She notes that purple Peruvian potatoes have vastly more nutrients than the white potato, and blue corn is greatly superior to white corn, even though white corn is sweeter and more popular. I will write more about her findings when I get her book. In the meantime, she suggests arugula, which is very similar to its wild ancestor, and scallions, which resemble wild onions. She suggests using plentiful amounts of fresh herbs in cooking. Rebecca Katz, author of The Cancer Fighting Kitchen and The Longevity Kitchen, also promotes the use of herbs as ingredients in many dishes, including salads. Don’t overlook those amazing deep purple Japanese sweet potatoes if you can find them. Go for color, and spiciness; you will be on the right track.


Sadja Greenwood, MD, MPH -->