A new study involving 100,000 women found no evidence of a link between consumption of acrylamide and breast cancer. Acrylamide is found naturally in many foods including french fries, breads and cereal, in addition to coffee and cigarette smoke.

This study was presented Tuesday at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Acrylamide at high levels is known to promote cancer growth in rats and mice, however none of the human studies to date have found a link between dietary levels of acrylamide and cancer risk including colon, rectal, bladder and kidney cancer.

Additional papers to be highlighted at the meeting regarding acrylamide and food can be found here.

Are we living in a toxic environment? The experts at Canyon Ranch ask us to consider these facts:

• The EPA estimates that 4.7 billion pounds of toxic chemicals are released into the environment annually.
• It's likely that 25 percent of the U.S. population suffers from some level of heavy metal poisoning.
• Fourteen pounds of food colorings, additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, and flavorings are consumed per person each year.

Toxic? Maybe. At minimum, though, we are living in a world filled with chemicals, pesticides, additives, preservatives, antibiotic and hormone residues, and heavy metals. Whether consumed, inhaled, or absorbed, our bodies soak this stuff up. In order to reduce the load, and the toll it takes it takes on our health, there's something we can do. We can eat clean. Here's how:

I like to be in control sometimes -- not always, but sometimes. I don't ever wish to be the top boss in any work scenario. I prefer to have a job and do it well without the stress of managing a whole operation. But I do like to be in charge of my schedule, my kids, my thoughts and emotions, the way my life progresses. Cancer? I'd love to have direct supervision over this pesky subject. Sadly, I don't. So I do my best at controlling the factors that might increase my risk of cancer recurrence. I do it through exercise and diet.

Recently, I realized that controlling my diet is best done at home. I can buy the most nutritious foods at the grocery store, bring them home, prepare them in a healthy fashion, and concoct the perfect portion sizes. Take me out of this home element and I get a little scared.

The other night, my husband and I went to Red Lobster for dinner. We had a gift card and were eager for a night out. Before we escaped our crazy kid household, though, we went online to investigate the nutritional values of Red Lobster dishes. We were shopping for the healthiest options, and we were quite shocked to learn there aren't so many. Now we knew the all-fried fish platters would top the charts in calories, fat, and such. But fresh fish and veggies? Also fairly high in these same categories. We surmised it's the butter and oil used to cook our normally healthy fares that compromised these items and while we weren't so happy about the situation, we still went and did the best we could.

I recently received an e-mail from a friend, about a friend of hers who has just been diagnosed with throat cancer. After a little thought about the content of her message, I sat down and typed a response. I share our back-and-forth communication with you today because it may help you, a friend, a family member, someone. And it may motivate some of you to contribute your own wisdom on the topic. If it does, by all means -- please share by leaving a comment.

Jacki,

Hope all is well with you. Nick and I have a close friend that has recently been diagnosed with cancer. It's in his throat and neck area. He had his tonsils removed and showed they are the source of the cancer but he will still be undergoing chemo and radiation.

The reason I am reaching out to you is because I wondered if you had some good recipes for keeping your energy levels up during chemo and radiation. He said he needs to eat a lot of protein -- I want to make him some things, or buy the right food for him that are high in protein -- what should I be doing? How can I help? His throat is going to be very sore due to the location of the cancer and eating is going to be an issue. What do you suggest?

Brussel sprouts contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, due to their containing sinigrin. They contain three types of phyto's, all shown to have either protective qualities against cancer, or enzyme producing qualities that have been shown during research to fight cancer cells in different ways.

When boiling foods they tend to lose some of the vitamins and nutrients into the water. So here is a roasted brussel sprout recipe that is very easy to prepare and the brussel sprouts keep their natural nutty flavor.

Vicki's Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 lb Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss all the ingredients except for the onions in a large bowl to evenly coat the brussel sprouts. Pour brussel sprouts onto a baking tray and spread apart. Bake for 20 minutes then stir or flip and add the onions and bake for 20 minutes more.

Scientists have long believed that the carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables have a cancer preventive effect. In particular, epidemiological studies have found that as the consumption of tomato products increases, risk of certain types of cancer decreases.

Vicki's Tomato, Cauliflower, and Tempeh Salad.
1/2 head cauliflower
1 block tempeh crumbled and cooked crisp
2 medium tomatoes chopped
10 to 12 scallions sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Lettuce leaves for serving (optional)

Put the cauliflower through a food processor with the shredding disk or finely chop by hand. Put in boiling water, cover and reduce heat and let sit for 2 minutes then drain water and place cauliflower in large salad bowl.

Crumble the tempeh into a skillet on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chili powder and garlic powder and sautee for 7 minutes getting the tempeh crunchy. Add to the cauliflower along with the chopped tomatoes and sliced scallions.

Combine the mayonnaise and lemon juice to make dressing and pour over salad and toss. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of lettuce leaves. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

If you eat a lot of things with a high glycemic load, which is a measurement of how quickly food raises your blood sugar, you may have problems not only related to diabetes or being over weight, but you could run a higher risk of colorectal cancer. A Harvard Medical School study involving 38,000 women saw an increased risk of colon cancer related to the white foods like pasta, white rice, white bread, potatoes, and pastries. The lower glycemic load foods like whole wheat bread or multi grain breads and brown rice comes with fiber. Another Harvard study showed an increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer in women who are overweight and sedentary.

I couldn't help but leave Canyon Ranch a few months back without a fresh take on healthy living. I'd spent four days healing myself from the inside out. I'd eaten the freshest and most nutritious foods, energized my muscles with twice-daily exercise, and invited therapists to fine-tune my chakras and balance my out-of-whack cancer body. I had my hair cut, my make-up done, my mind cleansed. I was massaged, scrubbed, pedicured, and pampered. I'd become relaxed, refreshed, recharged, revitalized. There's no way I could throw all that away.

Now back in Florida, I'm trying to live like I'm at Canyon Ranch's Tucson oasis. I've changed my diet, committed to exercise, and perhaps most important in the whole scheme of lifestyle change, I'm letting go.

I've identified three priorities in my life -- my family, my health, and my sanity. Any extraneous stuff, I'm tossing it. Commitments that take me away from my kids: no. Jobs that cause me stress: gone. Responsibilities I don't wish to tackle: I won't. A jam-packed calendar: never again. I tend to go with my gut. If something comes up and I feel a sick little feeling inside, I pass that something right up. I simply let it go.

Letting go makes me feel happier, healthier, more in charge of the joy in my life. It's good for my health, good for my soul. It's just plain good. And there's just no way I'm letting go of that.

Thanks Canyon Ranch for the inspiration.

Since the 1970s, researchers have suspected that diet and nutrition are related to colorectal cancer risk. Numerous studies published since that time have confirmed the connection between what we eat and risk of this cancer. Many health experts agree that a high fiber diet is important for cancer prevention, but questions remain about how much and which types of high fiber foods may reduce colorectal cancer risk most effectively. This has led to interest in specific high fiber foods, especially whole grains.

Start the day with a bowl of whole grain cereal or oatmeal. For cold cereals, choose one that contains at least 6 grams of fiber per serving and make sure you pick one where sugar does not appear first, second or third in the ingredient list. Oatmeal is not only high fiber but studies show that it helps reduce cholesterol. But if you are like me I am not fond of the mushy breakfast food. Until a dear musician friend introduced me to steel oats. Now I can't get enough of these nutty oats and even eat them for late night snacks.

Steel cut oats are whole grain groats which have been cut into only two or three pieces. Which means the the inner portion of the oat kernel is not missing like in rolled oats. They are golden in color and resemble small rice pieces. Steel-cut oats are also known as coarse cut oats, pinhead oats, Scotch oats, or Irish oats. Because the steel cut oats are more natural with less pre-processing, they may be more nutritious than the more popular rolled oats. But to me they give off a more nutty taste and I like the small crunch over the mushy consistency of the rolled oats. The cooking time is longer on steel cut oats but really worth the wait.

When shopping for them in your grocery store, look for canisters much like coffee cans as they are kept in air tight containers.

Preparing your Steel Oats.

1 cup steel cut oats
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
Fresh Blueberries or other fresh fruits.

Combine oats and other ingredients in medium saucepan and bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally to keep from sticking on the bottom. For the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time you will need to stir more frequently as it thickens. Spoon into a bowl and top with fresh fruit. Some people like to add a little milk to the bowl to give them a creamy texture. Makes 4 servings.

I was going to write a blog later in my series of blogs on toxins and stress and disease from the studies that I have been reading for the last month. But since a comment was made about stress and whether it has a correlation to disease to the previous blog I wrote on toxins and stress creating disease in our bodies, I will jump ahead and share some research I found on the relation of stress and disease. A relation to stress and disease has been researched by many doctors, psychologists, and medical research facilities and conclusions are that stress does several things to the body causing it to shut down in areas that can effect the body with disease and illness.

Do the common phrases, Tension Headache, Upset Stomach, Shaky Nerves, Tight Chest, ring a bell? Studies showed that work place stress has created an increase in heart disease and high blood pressure as well as making the body more susceptible to flu and viruses. It also has shown that stress can be related to Type 2 Diabetes as well as obesity. "Stress in general can disrupt the body's ability to process glucose, especially in people whose genetics make them vulnerable", said Richard Surwit of the Duke University Medical Center in a research article in the November/December issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

Keeping cancer and other diseases like diabetes, heart disease, obesity and more might be as simple as the choice we make in keeping toxins out of our bodies and stress out of our minds. Think about all of the money poured into medicines, which are chemicals, that only treat certain symptoms. And most of the time create other side effects that we have to take more medicines for that in turn create more side effects, and on and on. You see where I am going.

What if only a part of the millions and millions of dollars poured into research on medicines, was put to use in educating the public on the right choices of foods and nutrition to put into our bodies to keep them healthy and to learn how to relax and quit putting so many demands on ourselves. What if more funding went into organic farming instead of mass, quick produced, with fertilizers and steroids for faster turn around on the products. Personally I have had so many chemicals blasted into my body from chemo and radiation, and medicines for this and medicines for that, I am about to think that all of that is only hurting my body more. Are we brain washed to believe that we have to have a pill for everything?

My community does not have a health food store that sells fresh organic produce or meats. And the local grocery stores carry very limited amounts of those items. I did take it upon myself to talk to one of the produce managers who did start ordering some other variety of organic vegetables which I thought was nice. And it seemed to catch on with some other customers too. Maybe the trend in that store will be to start ordering more organic products.

I will be posting a series of blogs on personal research that I am doing and trying out, just because I am sick and tired, literally, of fighting cancer that reoccurs and using medicines that are ripping my body apart leaving my immune system even more at risk for infection and disease.

But the one thing that I want to emphasize in this blog right now, is to STOP EATING processed and canned foods. It may be quicker to heat up a can of food or something already processed and pre-made for us, but it is not healthier. Eating fresh organic vegetables and home made prepared foods without chemical preservatives and other additives is the way to go to start getting some of those toxins out of our bodies. If you can't find fresh in something, because seasons play a big part in our fresh vegetable selections, purchase frozen. Also purchase dried beans or other dried items and cook them instead of buying canned ones. They are healthier than canned. Eating raw vegetables or slightly steamed vegetables is more healthy because the vitamins and nutrients do not cook out of the food.

Even though there has been much hype in recent years about the connection between dietary fiber intake to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer, results of a large study does not support such a link.

The findings were reported in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The conclusion came after analyzing more that 291,000 men and 197,000 women ages 50 to 71 years. "Our study did not show any association between how much dietary fiber you eat and your risk of colorectal cancer" said the lead author of the study.

However, the lead author did say that he found consumption of whole grain foods may lower the risk of developing the disease.

I wrote recently about the hidden amounts of sugar found in the foods we love so dearly. I learned all about this topic during my visit to Tucson's Canyon Ranch -- a world renowned health and healing destination -- and this sweet lesson came right as I'd decided to rid my diet of as much sugar as possible. Learning that one can of soda houses 12 teaspoons of sugar and a typical container of fruit yogurt has eight sealed the refined sugar deal for me. No more, I say. It's just not worth it.

Now here comes the lowdown on fat. Some say the fat we eat is the fat we wear. Perhaps. But one thing is for sure -- fat kills. That's Fit blogger Rigel Gregg wrote a May 24 post all about it, documenting five ways wearing fat can kill us -- it strains our heart and raises our insulin, leading to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, for example. Now I'm here to clue you in on the fat hiding in more of our favorite foods.

Here goes.

If a desire for healthy eating is anywhere present in your mind, I have a suggestion for you. Next time you head into your local grocery store in search of goods to fill your cupboards, your shelves, your refrigerator, I want you to try this: steer clear of the inside aisles of the store.

Think about this:

The healthiest foods, the freshest foods, the whole foods are housed on the outside walls of grocery stores. Fruits, vegetables, breads, meats, dairy, and often times the organic department border the aisles filled with cookies, candies, colas, crackers, cereals, dressings, and a whole host of other preserved items. So see if you can shop without entering the less-healthy regions of your store. And if you must make a detour, shoot for the most natural foods you can find. If your search is for cooking oil, opt for canola oil instead of vegetable oil. If peanut butter is your thing, pick up natural nut butters. If you must have mayonnaise, reach for reduced fat or soy versions.

Staying on the perimeter of your store still requires some thinking -- meats should be lean, breads should start with the word whole, cheeses and dairy should be low in fat, and juices should be free of sugar. But still, this is the healthiest place for your next grocery store stroll.