Growing up in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, we baby boomers bought into the idea of “better living through chemicals.” There was a pill for everything. But in more recent decades, the medical world has been retreating from that notion — at a snail’s pace, but retreating none the less. Now we are learning volumes about the role food plays in health. And it’s not just “what” we eat, but “how” we eat it. We all know that we need five servings of fruits and vegetables daily and the recommended daily intake of alphabet soup vitamins. But with modern understanding of the human genome has come new and groundbreaking research. We now know that the microbiome in the gut comprises three-quarters of our immune system, and that certain foods will interact with genes to turn them off and on, leading to the onset of cancers, obesity and autoimmune disorders. We understand how toxic substances found in processed foods can stress the immune system and when stored in fat can lead to cancer among other chronic diseases. The food we eat is serious business. Yet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, whose predecessor was launched in the early 1900s by President Theodore Roosevelt to protect the public from tainted and unhealthy foods, allows a surfeit of additives in our foods that are outlawed in Europe and elsewhere. For the worst offenders, see the Environment Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” on page 9. But there is hope. The New York Times Magazine published an article in 2011 about a Greek war veteran named Stamatis Moraitis. Moraitis arrived in the United States in 1948 following World War II. In subsequent years, he started a career, married, had three children and bought a three-bedroom house and a 1951 Chevy. Then, in 1976, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and given nine months to live. He was in his mid-60s. He was torn between staying in the U.S. for the remainder of his life or returning to the island of his youth to be buried with his ancestors. He and his wife decided on the latter and set out for the Greek island of Ikaria. Upon arriving, Moraitis and his wife moved into the tiny family home where he spent most of his time in bed, being cared for by his wife and other women in the village. As time went on, he longed to feel the ocean breezes, so he began lying seaside in the sun, soaking in the fresh ocean spray. This seemed to invigorate him, and he decided he would plant a garden. He reasoned he would not live to see the harvest, but his wife might enjoy the fruits of his labor.
He ate the simple diet of Ikaria islanders: yogurt and honey, beans, legumes and native herbs. The family would butcher a goat once or twice a year that would serve as a meat dish once or twice a week. Eventually, Moraitis felt well enough to work in the family vineyard and attend the Greek Orthodox church in the town. In the evenings he would drink wine and play dominoes with friends. Nine months came and went. Decades came and went. Moraitis, as it was with others who lived on the island, slept until he woke up and napped often. Clocks were virtually nonexistent. In 2011, when Moraitis was well into his 90s, he told The New York Times contributing writer Dan Buettner that he had returned to the United States about 25 years after arriving on Ikaria. He wanted to see his doctors and tell them what had happened. Unfortunately, they were all dead. Moraitis’ story is a lesson to be heeded in today’s hurried, harried, stressed-out culture. In addition to fresh air, sunshine and moderate exercise — and yes, a little wine — we need food that is natural, locally grown and nourishes not only our bodies, but our spirits as well. In his book “The Yoga of Nutrition,” French spiritual master and author Omraam Mikkael Aivanhov writes: “Food is a love letter sent to us by our Creator, and we must learn to read it. It is the most eloquent, the most potent of love letters, for it says, I love you and I am giving you life and strength.”
I have always been a proud non-cook. To the point of being obnoxious about it. You see, I was the well-dressed woman in heels and perfect hair who entered the secondgrade classroom with all those adoring children dying for a good snack and, horror of horrors, brought STORE-BOUGHT GOODIES. Yes, the quick run to the grocery store — any grocery store — would quickly and painlessly absolve me of any responsibility of cooking. Of course, I could not be absolved by the volunteers or homeroom mothers. Ooooohhhhhh nooooo. The looks. The stares. The judgment. Others would have wilted — wilted, I tell you — under their horrified gazes. But me? Not me! I proudly laid out my retail-oriented snacks, receipt attached, kissed my kid all over his face and sashayed out of the room, head held high, swinging my then-skinny hips. Why, you might ask, did I not care what they thought? Because — like my mother who used to brag she could not type, therefore she must be provided a secretary — I did not cook, therefore, needed a live-in chef (and housekeeper). It was to the point that I couldn’t even be counted on to bring good food to a funeral. I mean, really. A fu uneral is whe h re you pull out all the stops. It’s the even ev entt by which ch alll oth her e ev veentss arre m meeasurred e . You airYo You r ba b ll a fun u er e all, an nd I caan prrom o ise y u, yo u, the here he r ’s tallk. Yo Y You o co c uld just stt hea e r the sh harp p intakes ofb breath hass I whip ppeed
out my trusty bag o’ salad and bottled sal a ad dressing. Did I not care for the departed? Did I th hink everyone was on a diet? Was there no end to the room on my credit card that I could willy-nilly around d a grocery store at any given time and charge food? No, that Lesa could NOT be trusted with potllucks, dinner soirees or even birthday parties. You name it. She’ll attend, but I guarantee she will NOT have bat aattter under those store-bought fingernails. That is, until the day my dearly departed wicked e , wicked, wicked mother gave me the Pionee eer ee e Woman’s first cookbook. Now understand, it’s open game on Mama now that she’s passed. I can say anything I want to because she is gone. So I can honestly share with you the fact that she handed me that cookbook with an evil little gleam in her eye. She knew. What did she know? Addiction. Pure and simple. That’s not to say my addiction happened immediately. No, that cookbook lay unread on my coffee table for many a day. Being the bad cook that I
was, I used to display cookbooks around the house to give the impression that, in some small way, I was at least trying to improve. I wasn’t, but it looked good. And so it sat. Dusty. Ignored. Unloved and unopened. Untill that one fateful night, television bored me to teears and I picked that little sucker up. My first reaction was, “Why is this girl replicating everything we cook here in Oklahoma? We already k ow how to make this stuff. Poor thing. What is kn shee thinking?” But in perusing the recipes, I quickly real a ized she didn’t cook them like I did. Or Mama. Or even Grandma.
The next night, to prove my point that this little red-headed number had no idea what she was doing, I whipped up her recipe for Marlborough Man sandwiches. It’s a simple recipe, really. Chicken-fried steak meat, onions, butter, some other junk. Couldn’t be that good. Until my then 15-year-old wrapped his mouth around that sandwich and proclaimed I was now the Empress of the Known and Unknown Cooking Universe and that I was to be obeyed for the rest of time — as long as I kept cooking that way. And so my trip down the rabbit hole began. One recipe led to another. My roasts were succulent. My eggs? Divine. My potatoes? Oh Lawd. I cannot tell you
how many slaves to my cooking I have made simply from my Ree Drummond whipped potatoes. And thus, I have not only become a good cook, I have become someone in high demand. This has not come without significant cost. Thankfully, I have discovered Not Your Daughter’s Jeans, those expensive little Spandex jeans that have a built-in girdle. Because let me tell you girls, I have packed on the pounds — and Ree Drummond, it’s all your nasty little fault. I await anxiously now for signed copies of her books. I now collect kitchen gadgets and, God forbid, don’t ask me about how much I spent on my last Ikea run to Dallas. I read biographies about Julia Child and am addicted to the Cooking Channel. I am what I never wanted to be — a great cook.
I recently got a CT scan, because they found something spotty on my lungs. Don’t worry. Everything’s fine, although they did report I had quite a bit of “sludge” around my gallbladder. I’ve been told I have to go on a low-fat diet. All I can say is, “Bite me.” I’ll live with the sludge. I’m making Ree’s Chicken Pot Pie tonight. Grab a fork. We gonna eat. Lesa Deason Crowe is the owner of her own marketing company and 12 pairs of NYDJeans. You can find her and an accompanying video cooking a to-die-for ovenbaked chicken-fried steak recipe that Ree Drummnd knows nothing about, online at NewsOk.com or on facebook.com/ lesacrowe. Yum yum.
WERE A CAPITAL IDEA IN OKLAHOMA CITY’S HISTORY BY DAVE CATHEY | STAFF WRITER EDITOR’S NOTE: When Anna Maude Smith opened the doors to her Oklahoma City cafeteria in 1928, the menu offered what Anna Maude herself touted as “wholesome” food. It also set the stage for diners to enjoy a meal that was balanced and home-cooked with an eye toward the burgeoning concept of nutrition. Did it conform to the idea of nutritional, healing food by today’s standard? Sort of. Drenched in butter and a liberal dusting of salt, cafeteria food of the 20th century might make your cardiologist cringe. But who can say the goodness of savory casseroles, roasts, creamed vegetables and pies prepared by women who understood scratch cooking, wasn’t more than a little healing to the soul? Here, The Oklahoman’s Food Editor Dave Cathey takes a nostalgic look at the glory days of Oklahoma City’s cafeterias and what made them so good. When the xylophone at the end of the chow line at Boulevard Cafeteria sounded for the last time in December, Oklahoma City’s 96-year cafeteria craze officially ended. Oklahoma City once had more cafeterias per capita than any city in America, making it the national standard-bearer for cafeteria operation, earning the title: Cafeteria Capital of the World. “The food was so good in cafeterias in those days,” said Charlotte Dodson, former co-owner of Dodson’s Cafeterias, in a 2011 interview. “We all were close-knit families. It was a glorious time. We all had such loyal customers.” The Oklahoma History Center estimates the city supported 37 independently owned cafeterias at the height of
their popularity in the 1950s and 60s. To pinpoint where the popularity began, you have to go back in time to 1919 when Oklahoma City unknowingly welcomed a queen to town. THE CAFETERIA QUEEN When Bob Smith opened the Queen Ann Cafeteria in 1965 at the bottom of the Founders Tower, it was in honor of his aunt, Anna Maude Smith, whom had taken him as a partner on her wildly successful cafeteria in the basement of what was then the Perrine Building. “The cafeteria itself is really a tribute to a real queen, Anna Maude Smith,” Bob Smith told The Oklahoman at the opening on Feb. 2, 1965. Anna Maude Smith was born and raised on a small homestead outside of Case, Kan., three years before the Land Run. She earned a degree in home economics from Kansas State College (now University) in 1914 before taking her first job in Leavenworth, Kan. She told The Oklahoman in 1978 that she worked for free to build up some experience. From there she worked at a YWCA cafeteria in Fort Wayne, Ind., turning the poor-performing eatery into a money-maker in short time. That caught the eye of YWCA national headquarters in New York, who summoned her to the Big Apple to work as a de facto trainer and troubleshooter for ailing cafeterias. Smith’s tenacity and attention to detail made her a success, which drew a number of job offers along the East Coast. But Smith was homesick and sought a return to the Midwest. “Then there came a call from Oklahoma City,” Smith said in ‘78. “They needed a manager for their YWCA cafeteria. I had never been in Oklahoma City before, but I thought it was close enough to Kansas for me.” She opened the YWCA cafeteria in downtown Oklahoma City in 1919 and was an immediate success. Smith
Rose Constant serves a roll to Municipal Judge Ed Dycus at The Anna Maude Cafeteria in 1983. [THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES PHOTO]
understood marketing and how to use the media to her advantage. She joined clubs and volunteered at every turn before finally opening her own place on July 18, 1928. “I don’t remember too much about the first day because I was so busy,” Smith said on the anniversary of her cafeteria’s 50th year in business. “Someone brought me a huge bouquet of flowers, and all I could do was hand it to my assistant. I was too busy for flowers that day. I wanted to make sure the Anna Maude got off to a good start.” Among her innovations was a double serving line, table linens, fresh flowers and a commitment to wholesome foods made from scratch from the yeast rolls, to the pies and the entrees and fresh vegetables in between. In its heyday from 1940 to 1965, the Anna Maude served between 3,000 and 3,500 meals daily. Ray Scales, the cafeteria’s longtime advertising representative, said in 1988 the cafeteria’s record day came on Oct. 10, 1948, when 4,495 meals were served. After bringing her nephew on board, Anna Maude announced her retirement in 1956. Bob Smith brought in Cooper Lyon as partner, who had been a women’s-wear manager at the downtown John A. Brown department store. Anna Maude Smith lived to be 96, and was a common sight at all the local cafeterias. “She used to come in to the Lady Classen late and eat,” former owner Bill Geist said in a recent interview. “She’d sit down and call me over and tell me what she liked, and she’d also tell me how she thought I ought to do certain things differently to make them better, but in the nicest way.” THE BOOM Ralph Geist, according to his family, was always more an entrepreneur than a restaurateur. “He was always restless,” his nephew, Bill Geist, recalled. “Always moving on to the next deal.”
Anna Maude Smith sorts through cards she received for her 90th birthday in 1976. [THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES PHOTO]
ABOVE: Charles Dodson
walks with a pie inside of Dodson’s Cafeteria, one of many nowclosed cafeterias that formerly enticed Oklahoma City-area diners. [THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES
The Classen Cafeteria at the northeast corner of NW 23 and Classen operated from 1945-67. [PHOTO PHOTO] LEFT:
Fresh pies at the Boulevard Cafeteria, before its December closing in Midtown. [PHOTO BY PAUL HELLSTERN, THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES]
Geist had found great enough success with the Town Tavern and its Theta Special in Norman, that he’d expanded it into Oklahoma City. But Bob Smith convinced him cafeterias were where the money was so he jumped in, but started with a concept in Enid. That’s where he hired Naomi O’Mealey, who would partner with Geist in the first “suburban” cafeteria at NW 23 and Classen. It first was called the Classen Cafeteria, then later O’Mealey’s. “That had to be the greatest name in the world for a restaurant,” Bill Geist laughed. Geist and O’Mealey chose the location based on the number of nearby churches and opted to open their cafeteria on Sundays, a first at the time. But the partnership was brief. Naomi O’Mealey opened her own cafeteria at NW 23 and Hudson just months later and the property at NW 23 and Classen became the Classen Cafeteria again. Naomi and son Harvey eventually would open four O’Mealey’s Cafeterias over the next three decades. The Classen Cafeteria operated until 1967. Geist opened the Lady Classen Cafeteria in 1953 but quickly turned it over to his nephew, Bill, and his wife, Shirley, who operated the North May institution until 1994 with help from sons John and Jim. Longtime Oklahoma County Commissioner Ralph Adair started in the cafeteria business in 1947 and he and his family eventually grew their business into a chain of 14 cafeterias in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Duncan and Norman, including Adair’s The Uptown, The Tropical and The Camelot. Longtime Cordell restaurant operators Ben and Ruby Lee Dodson helped son Joe and his wife, Charlotte, open the first of three Dodson’s Cafeterias in south Oklahoma
City in 1952. “There was a time when there was concern about where the food you got at a restaurant came from,” Charlotte Dodson said. “At a cafeteria you could see it for yourself before you ordered. You didn’t have to worry about the condition of the kitchen it came from because it was right in front of you.” The Boulevard was opened in 1948 by Garland Arrington, who also owned Garland’s Drive-In from 1939 to 1950. Arrington sold the Boulevard to John Schroer Sr. and Pat Denham in 1956 when it was located at NW 10 and Dewey, now the home of EMSA. Denham died in a boat explosion a few years later, leaving Schroer to operate The Boulevard with his wife Florene and sons John Jr. and Robert. In 1972, John Schroer Jr. bought the Queen Ann Cafeteria from Bob Smith and split from his family and the Boulevard in 1976. When his family moved out and built a new Boulevard at 525 NW 11, Schroer Jr. installed a second Queen Ann at 10th and Dewey. The two cafeterias competed in close proximity for about six years when Shroer Jr. closed the Midtown Queen Ann. Gene Smelser and Jim Vallion came to Oklahoma City in 1959 after a string of successful restaurants in Stillwater to open Valgenes Cafeterias, the most prominent of them opening in 1960 in the brandnew Penn Square Shopping Center. It remained there until about 1980 when their lease wasn’t renewed. Johnny Papahronis operated his Lunch Box on Sheridan as a cafeteria for more than 50 years. Even Gene Wade, longtime owner of Cattlemen’s Cafe, tried his hand, opening Cattlemen’s Cafeteria on SW 25 in 1965. When Cattlemen’s Cafeteria closed in 1974, El Rancho Sanchez took over, serving its Mexican fare via cafeteria line.
COURTESY OF THE OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY]
THE LAST SUPPERS The Penn Square Bank failure in July of 1982 triggered business casualties of all kinds, including restaurants. High-overhead businesses like cafeterias were particularly vulnerable. And by the 1980s, restaurant variety began to broaden and diminish interest in cafeterias. O’Mealeys closed the last of its four properties just two months before the Penn Square failure in 1982. The Anna Maude moved into Penn Square in 1983 and stayed there about four years before moving to Windsor Hills Shopping Center where it closed in 1988. Adair’s started disappearing about the same time, Lady Classen shuttered in 1994, and the Queen Ann closed in 2006. Cafeterias nationwide have been on a downward trend for years. Furr’s no longer serves from a single line, and Luby’s is down to one local store. Stewart Schroer, the Boulevard’s final operator, said the final day was a somber affair. Plenty of hugs, handshakes and tears were exchanged. As the Cajun tilapia ran low, and the last cup of decaf was poured, a group of eight seniors sang a funereal rendition of “Happy Birthday” to their buddy Dave over the furious clinking of flatware being replenished. “Where we gonna go for lunch now?” one of the longtimers asked the group rhetorically. After a pause, someone said, “Dave’s house!” which lightened the mood before they dug into their German chocolate cake. As the tan and blue banquettes emptied, a husband finishing his meal said to his wife, “I don’t think you’ll need to cook tonight.” “No,” she answered. But now they’ll have to find a new place for lunch.
HOW FOOD CAN MAKE OR BREAK HEALTH A Q&A WITH WHITNEY MCCLENDON, OWNER OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA’S PROVISION KITCHEN
BY MELISSA HOWELL | VANTAGE EDITOR “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates A great many food additives that are entrenched in American foods have been banned in the European Union and elsewhere. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says not enough evidence exists, numerous studies have linked chemicals such as food coloring and arsenic in chicken to cancer, birth defects, behavioral problems and even organ failure. A growing number of researchers and health professionals, such as Whitney McClendon, owner of Provision Kitchen in Nichols Hills Plaza, are sounding the alarm against pesticides, preservatives and genetically modified organisms in the American diet. And McClendon should know. After graduating from Baylor University with bachelor of science degrees in biology and chemistry in 2008, she earned her Master of Public Health in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, focusing on disease prevention over treatment. That led her to Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she served as research manager of epidemiology from 2010-12. And after that, she was named director of Texas Cancer Research Biobank at the Baylor College of Medicine’s Human Genome Sequencing Center. Now, back in Oklahoma, McClendon hopes to promote disease prevention from a different perspective — providing farm- to- fork organic foods that are perfectly portioned and free of chemicals at her Nichols Hills-based kitchen. Vantage talked with McClendon recently about how toxins in foods affect health and what Oklahomans can do to avoid unhealthy substances in our diets. Q: What is the most common mistake people make when it comes to their food intake? A: Trusting food package advertisements, vague restaurant
marketing and fad diets. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusing information out there regarding food. Learning a few key rules will help you decipher the good from the bad. However, this is exactly why I created Provision Kitchen, because food shouldn’t be that difficult. We aimed to create a haven, where you can eat what you want, when you want it, knowing that it is not only convenient and delicious, but also that each ingredient is optimal for your health. Q: What are our greatest deficiencies in the American diet? A: Whole foods. Our busy lifestyles and the convenience of fast foods have made it easier for people to eat processed/ low-quality foods on a regular basis. We are often overfed but undernourished. This is due to the fact that the majority of our diet comes from empty calories in processed foods, and also that many modernly grown “whole foods” contain fewer nutrients than they did a century ago. We are often lacking the proper amounts of vital nutrients, including calcium, fiber, vitamin B12, folate, iron, potassium and vitamin D. Q: What do processed foods do to the body? A: Processed foods often have higher amounts of added sugar and artificial ingredients, both of which have been significantly linked to cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases. The problem is twofold. When eating processed food, your body intakes calories and fat, but not the kind required for your body to function properly. Therefore, you continue to crave food in effort to intake the proper nutrients. This often leads to overeating and weight gain. Additionally, the artificial ingredients often found in processed foods can disrupt regular cellular processes, which can lead to cancer or other chronic-inflammatory diseases. Q: How can the wrong food depress our immune system? A: Eating a poor diet leads to a lack of nutrients. When the body isn’t getting proper nutrients — healthy fat, protein, carbs, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc. — your immune system doesn’t have the appropriate factors to function at its best. Additionally, our body often recognizes GMOs (genet-
ically modified organisms), artificial ingredients and pesticides not as food but as foreign substances. Our immune system attacks these substances just like they would any other pathogen. This not only leads to chronic inflammation and potentially chronic disease (cancer, heart disease, hypertension, etc.), but also distracts your immune system from focusing on other immune threats, making you more susceptible to disease. Q: What are the biggest culprits when it comes to our food supply? GMOs? Mercury-laden fish? Preservatives? A: Unfortunately, all of the above! If I had to choose one that is most prevalent in the American food supply, it would be preservatives and other chemical or artificial ingredients. Q: Where do you start when it comes to eating healthier? A: I think making little changes and improvements gradually is the best way to get on a healthier track. If you do eat processed/packaged foods, read package ingredient labels — if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it! Avoid partially hydrogenated oils. Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified label on the front of the package. Control intake by portioning on a small plate, before you begin eating. If eating out, ask for your sauce or dressing on the side. Hold the cheese and butter; I bet you will miss them less than you think. Limit red meat, and instead focus on fruits, vegetables, chicken without the skin, fish and limited amounts of red wine and olive oil. Lastly, chew your food! Focusing on chewing your food longer will not only help break down the food so that you absorb many more nutrients, but will also keep your taste buds happy longer and fill you up more quickly. Q: What does organic actually mean? A: Organic products are grown in environmentally friendly ways, and without the use of toxic pesticides and other agricultural or processing chemicals. Organic methods focus on renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality. U.S. Department of Agriculture Certified Organic foods are third-party verified to be free of synthetic food additives, and are grown and processed with fewer artificial methods and materials such as chemical ripening, food irradiation and GMOS. Organic produce is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, GMOs or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce organic meats or dairy are raised on certified organic land, fed organic feed, do not take antibiotics or growth hormones, and must have outdoor access. In general, if a product has the USDA Certified Organic label or says Organic — as opposed to no statement or “made with organic ingredients” — you can be assured it is GMOfree and better for you and the environment that its nonorganic counterpart. Q: If you’re not a chemist or biologist, how do you manage eating out? A: If organic, grass-fed or wild-caught is an option, choose it. Choose water, sparkling water — adding lemon or lime to sparkling water can help fight soda cravings — or tea. Balance your protein choice with green vegetables and a complex carb such as a sweet potato, whole-grain bread or pasta, lentils or peas. Another safe bet is to say “no butter” when ordering your entree. Although butter has its benefits, when eating out it is hardly ever organic, and is often a partially hydrogenated margarine spread, which is not good for your heart, or waistline.
Q: How do you manage buying food at the grocery store? What are the dangers of canned foods? Frozen foods? A: You’re best to stay along the perimeter of the store. This is where you will find items that are least processed. If the food is packaged, read the nutrition and ingredient label as mentioned above. Frozen foods such protein, fruits and veggies are good alternatives for your budget, while still providing you with all the nutrients as fresh. For frozen foods, try to avoid the microwave, but most importantly pour contents out to heat — do not cook in the plastic package, from which tiny molecules can easily leak into your food and lead to disease. Q: What kind of fish is safe to buy? A: Wild-caught is always best. Organic is becoming increasingly available, which is safe too. Farmed fish, unless organic, are most always raised in crowded environments, which decreases the healthy fats, (and) are treated with pesticides, antibiotics and fed GMOs. To control mercury intake, avoid king mackerel, bluefin tuna, shark and swordfish. Salmon and sardines are good options for omega-3 fatty acids and are a great source of calcium, both important nutrients for those above 50. Q: How do you manage a healthy diet on a very limited budget? A: Prioritize. Not everyone can afford everything to be organic. So focus your efforts more in the items that are best to buy organic. Also, don’t waste food. Use leftovers to your advantage — eat them the same as you did the previous meal, or be creative and make something new. An easy reuse is to place leftovers in a non-GMO whole-grain wrap, with salsa, guacamole or mustard as your spread, to make a tasty wrap. Q: What is the optimal diet for a person over 50? A: Balance. I believe eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with a balance of protein — organic and grass-fed when possible — and healthy carbs is the best diet for everyone, regardless of age. The nutrients found in these whole foods are ever more important for preventing disease and keeping brain clarity after 50.
DID YOU KNOW? A few tips for eating healthy after 50, and enjoying it. •Aging produces a decrease in saliva production and the ability to perceive tastes. Experiment with different herbs, spices and seasonings, while avoiding added salt. Turmeric can boost immunity, decrease inflammation — think joints, gastrointestinal system — and perhaps help to prevent Alzheimer’s. Cinnamon can help stabilize blood sugar and is an anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, too. •Eat plenty of fiber — great sources are raspberries, apples, green peas, whole-wheat products and lentils. •Drink lots of water. Thirst can decrease as we age, but women still need nine or so glasses per day and men 13 glasses per day to feed their cells and help maintain a healthy weight. •Get plenty of potassium, which helps to reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, and can lower blood pressure. Great sources are avocados, pistachios, potatoes and bananas. •As we age, absorption of certain nutrients can greatly decrease due to a loss of stomach acid. Eating whole foods as mentioned above will help increase the available nutrients. Also, talk with your doctor about supplements for key
FROM LEFT: Fresh vegetables prepared at Provision Kitchen. A prepackaged salmon plate prepared at Provision Kitchen.
EWG’S ‘DIRTY DOZEN’ AND ‘CLEAN 15’ FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THE ‘DIRTY DOZEN’ Environmental Working Group’s list of non-organic fruits and vegetables to avoid due to pesticide content.
1. Apples 2. Peaches 3. Nectarines 4. Strawberries 5. Grapes 6. Celery 7. Spinach 8. Sweet bell peppers 9. Cucumbers 10. Cherry tomatoes 11. Snap peas (imported) 12. Potatoes
THE ‘CLEAN 15’
Provision Kitchen owner Whitney McClendon prepares a salad high in protein that is essential in the diet of the Baby Boomer generation. [PHOTOS BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN]
vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium. Talk with your doctor, but another key tip is that post-menopausal women typically should not take a multivitamin that contains iron. Iron toxicity can be serious and life-threatening. •Enjoy limited portions of red wine, dark chocolate and olive oil. These contain components that have been shown to help with overall disease prevention. •Lastly, if your body is craving something, it is OK to eat it. Just choose a proper portion, and food that is made from wholesome, organic when possible, ingredients. If you can cook/bake it at home, it is likely better for you than restaurant or store-bought.
Environmental Working Group’s list of non-organic produce least likely to hold pesticide residues.
1. Avocados 2. Sweet corn* 3. Pineapples 4. Cabbage 5. Sweet peas (frozen) 6. Onions 7. Asparagus 8. Mangos 9. Papayas* 10. Kiwi 11. Eggplant 12. Grapefruit
ABOUT PROVISION KITCHEN
13. Cantaloupe
Provision Kitchen’s farm near Arcadia provides premium ingredients that are nutritionally balanced and nutrient-rich for takeaway meals. The kitchen offers a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner to-go options, including omelets, organic chicken tenders and baked doughnuts and cookies. Each entree or family meal is packaged in containers safe for either standard or microwave ovens and stamped with full nutritional content. The farm also provides Provision Kitchen with a stunning array of ingredients for the walk-through salad counter.
14. Cauliflower 15. Sweet potatoes * A small amount of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from GE seedstock. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid GE produce.
FROM ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP
PROS AND CONS TO GOING VEGAN IT’S TRENDY AND HEALTHY, BUT WILL THE STRICT DIET WORK FOR YOU? Not long ago, the idea of following a strict vegan diet was considered extreme and impractical. A vegan does not eat any animal products — no meat, fish, fowl, eggs, dairy or honey. Yet interest has grown lately. Witness the slew of successful vegan cookbooks (Da Capo Press has 20 vegan cookbooks in print and more coming up); wider availability of vegan products (tofurky, anyone?); and celebrities such as former president Bill Clinton and actress Alicia Silverstone announcing that they have adopted the diet, resulting in better health. True, there are advantages to a vegan diet for older Americans, but there are some inherent disadvantages, too. We spoke with several dieticians and doctors about a vegan diet for people over the age of 55. We focused strictly on health, not on political or philosophical beliefs.
ADVANTAGES OF A VEGAN DIET MAY HELP LOWER CHOLESTEROL: Jackie Keller, nutritionist, wellness coach and founder of NutriFit, a Los Angeles-based food delivery service, references a study in Diabetes Voice in 2007 that showed that people with Type 2 diabetes who adopted a vegan diet reduced their LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol by 21 percent — significantly more than the 9 percent drop seen by another group on the American Diabetes Association diet. MAY HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE:
Paragi Mehta, a registered dietitian and the creator of www.healthfulfilling.com, says that according to a 2009 position paper of the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian eating is linked with decreased risk of death from ischemic heart disease. The report also concluded that people who eat a vegetarian diet tend to have lower LDL levels and less incidence of hypertension and Type 2 diabetes in comparison to non-vegetarians. INCREASES ANTIOXIDANT INTAKE: Vegan eating usually increases intake of whole-
some foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes and whole grains, which is a great opportunity to get plentiful antioxidants, dietary fiber and vitamins and minerals, Mehta says. MAY PROMOTE GREATER SELF-CONTROL:
“The self-control needed to eat in a vegan way can be extended to other behaviors requiring self-control, commitment and dedication,” says Michael Applebaum, a physician and president of FitnessMed Inc., a fitness consulting firm, and author of several fitness books. In addition, he says vegan eating helps “slow down the eating process,” making us more aware (at least in the beginning phases of moving over to a vegan diet) about what we are putting in our mouths. He says this can serve to cut down on impulsive eating behaviors.
DISADVANTAGES OF A VEGAN DIET A RADICAL CHANGE: Going vegan is a huge change and can sometimes be even more complicated if you are not allowed to eat certain ingredients such as soy. “Complete plant proteins are found in soy products, so if you’re trying to moderate your intake of soy, you have to learn how to put together complementary foods to form complete vegetarian proteins,” Keller says. POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE WITH EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS: If you have a condi-
tion such as osteoporosis or diabetes, it is critical to consult with your physician and a registered dietitian when starting and implementing a vegan eating plan, as a vegan diet may interfere with your condition. DIFFICULTY WHEN DINING OUT: Not many restaurants offer true vegan choices, and this can make dining out difficult. Mehta advises carrying vegan foods and snacks to make eating out easier when traveling long distances. LOSS OF ESSENTIAL VITAMINS AND MINERALS: There is evidence to show vegan diets
do not contain vitamin B12, an essen-
tial nutrient. “Vegans can get vitamin B12 from fortified foods (some brands of soy milk, fake meats, breakfast cereals and nutritional yeast) and from supplements. Vegan diets may be low in calcium and vitamin D, although there are vegan sources of these nutrients,” says Reed Mangels, nutrition advisor for The Vegetarian Resource Group (vrg.org). UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: “A person might believe that by being vegan they are making themselves healthier. There are no good data of which I am aware proving that simply being vegan as an isolated behavior improves health,” says Applebaum. There has to be a balance of diet, exercise and a proper fitness regime.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE TRANSITION If you are going to go vegan, all of our experts advise that you consult with your doctor first. Once you get the green light from your doctor, these guidelines may help you get started: It will take time for you to learn to cook as a vegan, so try out different recipes that are appealing to your palate and easy to prepare. Read labels carefully. Animal products are in many packaged products, often in hard-to-identify ways. Transition gradually to vegan eating so your body can adapt. Realize that vegan eating is more restrictive than vegetarian eating. Mehta says, “You might consider doing several transitions, such as from non-vegetarian to partial vegetarian, then to lacto-ovo vegetarian, and then decide how much more is comfortable for you.” Include adequate plant protein in your diet. Combine plant sources of iron with ingredients high in vitamin C (such as red bell peppers, oranges and strawberries) so that your body can absorb the iron well. Include a reliable source of B12 in your diet. Source: AARP
TO SAVOR THE FLAVOR OF HEALTHY FOOD BY JENNIFFER MICHAELSON | KSL.COM March is National Nutrition Month. If you’re like most people and don’t get excited over the idea of eating broccoli, don’t pick up the chips and soda just yet. Registered dietitian Stephanie Parker shares eight secrets to add a little pizzazz to those bland and boring foods. THE FIRST ONE IS EASY: half sugar cereal. Take a look at the sugar grams with your morning bowl of cereal. Did you know some breakfast cereals contain as much sugar as a candy bar? Get your family into the habit of reading the labels and looking for cereals low in sugar. You can always add fruit for sweetness. SECOND: no-salt seasoning. Salt is responsible for so many issues with our health. It’s a big contributor to high blood pressure and heart disease. Cut a little salt out of your diet by using a no-salt seasoning, or add flavor by using herbs such as basil, parsley and cilantro. THIRD: frozen yogurt. We all love to plop down in front of the TV with a bowl of ice cream. To still enjoy a frozen treat and save yourself the guilt trip later, try substituting that fatty goodness with frozen yogurt. You’ll be getting a lot less added sugar, fat and calories than with regular ice cream, and it still tastes delicious. FOURTH: Blended pasta. You might not be ready to dive into whole-grain pasta quite yet. But did you know there’s more than just plain old white-flour pasta? Take a moment on your next visit to the grocery store to notice the different blends of grains and
vegetable pastas. A simple change can add fiber, protein, iron and flavor to your next pasta dish. FIFTH: Use dressing. Try adding dressing to flavor pasta or vegetable dishes. If you’re not too excited about eating your vegetables, dressing will make them more palatable. It might not be the healthiest way to eat your greens, but at least you’re getting them in. Plus, it’s a great way to trick your taste buds into liking healthy foods. SIXTH: Have a little juice. Still having trouble getting in the daily recommended servings of vegetables? Try drinking those servings. A tasty juice like V8 Splash can count for a couple of servings a day. Read the label to make sure it’s 100 percent juice. Most labels will tell you how many servings of fruits and vegetables are in each serving. SEVENTH: Try another bread. Eat outside the box or bag. OK, so you’re not ready to jump into 100 percent whole-wheat bread. Take baby steps by trying a multigrain instead. The texture might be a little different at first, but before you know it, you’re digging the grains. LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Be patient. Don’t quit too soon; give it time. Experiment with different pastas, breads, vegetables, dressings and herbs until you find a flavor that agrees with your palate. Little by little, as you start to eat less sugar and salt, other flavors will begin to stand out. These little changes are just the beginning toward changing the way you eat and feel.
POPULARITY OF FERMENTED FOODS ON THE RISE BY MELISSA HOWELL | VANTAGE EDITOR Fermentation as a way to preserve food has been practiced by cultures throughout the world for millennia. Some even believe Noah used fermentation to preserve food while on the ark. In recent years, fermentation has gained popularity for its health advantages. And while some claim it is a panacea for everything from rheumatoid arthritis to acid reflux, the jury is still out on what fermentation can and cannot do. Fermentation is the process in which a substance breaks down into a simpler substance. Microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria usually play a role in the fermentation process, creating beer, wine, bread, kimchi, yogurt and other foods, according to Vocabulary.com. Fermentation enthusiasts such as Sandor Katz, fermentation revivalist and author of the James Beard Award-winning book “The Art of Fermentation,” tout the bacteriaproducing food as an important player in overall health and healing. Such benefits include: INTESTINAL HEALTH — Fermented can foods help restore the proper bacteria balance in your intestines. Most probiotics are part of a group of lactic acid-producing bacteria, which are found in yogurt, fermented milk and other fermented foods. IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTH — Up to 80 percent of the immune system resides in the gut. Microflora help to keep that region healthy and free of bad bacteria. VITAMIN PRODUCTION — Some claim that microflora found in fermented foods manufacture B vitamins and vitamin K2, which improve energy, mood and have been positively linked to cardiovascular and bone health. DIGESTIVE HEALTH — The microflora in fermented foods help protect the gut lining. A June 2006 article published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology indicated that eating foods that contain lactic acid bacteria improves intestinal tract health and bioavailability of nutrients, reduces symptoms of lactose intolerance and decreases the prevalence of allergy in susceptible people. DETOXIFICATION — Microflora ingest toxins, like pesticides and the mercury found in fish, as well as other harmful materials, and remove them through colonic elimination.
But researchers and other health professionals advise caution. “Fermented foods are great if they taste good and you enjoy them. There are reasons to think that the things that people are doing right now are simplistic and won’t have the desired effect,” said Stephen Prescott, physician, medical researcher and president of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. “It’s not as simple as saying I’m going to switch my diet to this.” Prescott doesn’t rule out the benefits of fermentation, but he said he hopes people realize that, in all likelihood, it is not a cureall. “Many of the things suggested have validity,” he said. “Probiotics and fermented foods are likely to have a favorable impact under the right circumstances. I just don’t want people to be misled.” He added that use of such products “will not supplant other things like not smoking, exercising, eating right.” On the other hand, Prescott said research into the body’s microbiome is extremely important and encouraging. But the key is balance. “It is a terrific topic in scientific research right now,” he said. “The bacteria that live in your gut have a lot to say about disease status and progression. I’m a real enthusiast about this. Every day we’re learning more about how (bacteria) ratio can affect health. What we don’t have right now … is the right population of bacteria to have. Having the right set of bacteria in your colon is going to be important for many things, such as diabetes and autoimmune diseases.”
NUTRITION NOISE
WHAT SHOULD YOU TRUST?
IN A LANDSCAPE OF OPINIONS WE ARE OFTEN OVERWHELMED WITH “EAT THIS, NOT THAT” MESSAGES. WHO AND WHAT CAN YOU TRUST?
ERICA HANSEN MS, RD, CD | DESERET NEWS Clamorous [klam-er-uh s]: noisily inconsistent vehement expression of desire or dissatisfaction; vigorous demands or complaints. The fight for your vote in politics, parenting practices and food choices is best described with the above word — clamorous. Everyone has an opinion and everyone is seeking his or her own truth. In these categories — politics, parenting and food — we each bring our own experiences and observations to the table for discussion. While each voice matters and each person’s experience contributes to our collective knowledge, the loudest voice is not always the most credible and trustworthy. Nor is the opinion of a group always trustworthy, though there may be power in numbers to convince us otherwise. Media can misrepresent the majority; it may seem that everyone is doing something when in fact only a handful are. The sources of our information should be put in perspective and weighted appropriately. Websites; books; documentaries with dramatic music, lighting, and passionate testimonials; and professionals (even health professionals) may sound authoritative, but a “background check” is still required. What has the authority specifically studied about nutrition and food, and what were his or her sources? In terms of food, nutrition is a science. It is the process by which we consume food and use it to sustain our life, growth and health. Excepting religious codes of consumption conduct, nutrition is not based on belief, but fact. As a dietitian, I often see science and belief intertwined. Sometimes an idea sounds good and is presented attractively in part-truths, but is not founded in scientific principles. As far as studies of science go, nutrition is a young science. The first vitamin was discovered in the early 1900s, when it was learned that a diet lacking specific vitamins caused disease. Before the discovery of vitamin deficiencies, toxins and infectious microorganisms were blamed
for illnesses. Because nutrition science is young, today’s public has been along for much of the ride as knowledge is gained through research. To a passenger, this ride can seem very bumpy, often with backtracking and roundabouts. Nutrition research is difficult because humans don’t live in laboratories. In a lab scientists can isolate nutrients and living conditions in gold-standard, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled studies. Pivotal and important findings have been made in these conditions and should not be disregarded. Outside of the lab, our health is influenced by lifestyle practices, genetics and our environment, and to add to clinical research findings, scientists have contributed to the pool of knowledge by looking at epidemiological evidence, or the study of health patterns and trends in specific populations. But these studies, too, are not without their limitations. Because of the challenges inherent in studying complex organisms like we humans, it is best to take a slow and steady approach to nutrition “news” and dietary fads and trends. We often read headlines that new research has just discovered old research was wrong. But one study is just one study and must be examined in the context of other scholarly, accurate and valid findings. One study doesn’t overturn 100 years of knowledge without serious examination and repetition of the study to confirm the results. Bumps in nutrition research don’t illegitimize the science of nutrition. To discard an entire field of study and body of knowledge because of a loud tangent would be a grave error in minimization. New findings may be news, but that doesn’t mean the information is ready to be consumed. What this means is that you need trusted guides (people and maps!) on this nutrition science road trip. A guide who knows the route; where we’ve been and where we are going. Who understands how a bump in the road, or a detour, contributes to the big picture of human health and science.
Excepting diets specific for diagnosed allergies, medical conditions and intolerances, the principles of good nutrition are timeless and well founded: Eat a diet rich in plant foods. This includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and plant oils. Be it veganism, vegetarianism, pescetarianism or good ol’ omnivorous eating with a heavy side of plants, there is no debate about the benefit of plantpowered eating. Eat a variety of whole foods. Variety is said to be the spice of life, but it is also the best way to eat to make sure you’re meeting all of your nutrient needs. Each food has a unique combination of nutrients, and though there are “superfoods” or very nutrient-dense foods, you don’t have to subsist off of kale and blueberries to eat healthily. (In fact, you can even avoid them entirely and still be healthy!) Reduce highly processed foods with added sugar and fat. These substances are not inherently evil. Naturally occurring sugars and fats provide us with much-needed energy and flavor. However, isolated from their original nutrient-rich sources, modified and added into foods, they do more damage than good. See how it adds up here. The next time you feel your chest start to tighten in panic that food fear-mongers often pitch, take a breath and step back. Get back to timeless truths. Prepare whole foods with people you love, and eat mindfully. Erica Hansen is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a master’s degree in nutritional science from Brigham Young University. She works with individuals and businesses to make meaningful and nourishing changes that stick. Learn more at foodsthatfityourlife.com.
EAT your way to
BRAIN HEALTH HOW THE MIND DIET IS FIGHTING
COGNITIVE DECLINE
BY AMY PATUREL | AARP The research is clear: What you eat has a big impact on your brain. In fact, the right foods — and combinations of foods — can enhance memory, build new brain cells and even help ward off Alzheimer’s. Scientists are increasingly examining whole food groups — and diets — to determine which ones contribute to better cognition and which seem to hinder it. They’ve found that certain eating plans — including the Mediterranean diet, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and a hybrid of the two, dubbed the MIND diet — can help stave off cognitive decline and protect the brain against disease. The MIND diet, developed by researchers at Rush University in Chicago, slashed the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by as much as 53 percent. (MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.) Even those who followed the diet moderately had a 35 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s. Why the MIND advantage? Like the Mediterranean and DASH diets, the MIND diet emphasizes fish, vegetables, nuts,
whole grains, beans and a daily glass of wine. But MIND goes one step further, specifying brain-boosting produce such as berries and leafy greens. According to study author Martha Clare Morris, professor of nutritional epidemiology at Rush, people who ate one to two servings of green leafy vegetables a day were cognitively 11 years younger than those who ate fewer greens. Blueberries may have the best cognitive perks. “The common denominator in all three diets is a plant-based eating pattern that is low in saturated and trans fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats,” says Morris. And experts agree fat composition is a key player in cognition. A recent Spanish study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that supplementing the already brain-healthy Mediterranean diet with additional servings of olive oil and nuts — both of which boast inflammation-fighting unsaturated fats — enhances memory and information processing. On the flipside, a study published in PLOS One earlier this
year linked higher trans-fat intake with poorer performance on memory tests. “Follow the Mediterranean or the MIND diets, and your mind will be sharper in six months — and less susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease decades later,” says Dr. Majid Fotuhi, medical director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center and affiliate staff at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. What makes these diets so powerful? Key foods within them have different brain-boosting benefits, Fotuhi says. Emphasize even a few of these, and your brain will thank you for years to come. 1. OLIVE OIL, GREEN TEA AND LEAFY GREENS (BROCCOLI, SPINACH AND KALE)
Each of these antioxidant superfoods helps fight inflammation. And while inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, uncontrolled inflammation over time can damage the brain. Intervene with these anti-inflammatory foods before neurons die, and you may be able to restore normal brain function, says Paula C. Bickford, professor of neurosurgery and brain repair at the University of South Florida. 2. BEETS, TOMATOES AND AVOCADOS
These three darkly hued foods help ensure that your brain receives the blood it needs to stay sharp. Studies suggest increased blood flow to the brain promotes neuron growth in the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with learning and memory. 3. NUTS (ESPECIALLY WALNUTS), CURCUMIN AND POMEGRANATES
These foods work deep in the brain to fight amyloid plaques. While amyloid is required for brain cells to communicate, when it accumulates several thousand times beyond normal levels, it forms plaques. These plaques kill neurons while creating inflammation, which kills even more neurons. 4. FISH, BLUEBERRIES, GRAPES, COFFEE AND DARK CHOCOLATE
These nutrient powerhouses have been shown to increase the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports the growth of new neurons. “It’s like MiracleGro for the brain,” says Fotuhi. “Stimulating the release of BDNF not only reverses the effects of aging, but also triggers the brain to make more neurons.”