Nothing shocking here for me, since I eat at Millennium all the time. But Time Magazine recently converted another carnivore with a review of the best vegan restaurant in San Francisco: “With charmoula (North African-style) grilled portobello mushroom, maple-glazed smoked tempeh, various rich curries and inventive salads, he has proven that he can take what die-hard carnivores sarcastically term ‘rabbit food’ and turn it into the kind of meal that lingers long in the memory.”

On the Huffington Post, Oprah-certified vegan guru Kathy Freston writes up how recent diet studies were flawed and what actually works: “The very-low-fat vegetarian diets work long-term because they focus on the consumption of fiber and complex carbohydrates, which make you feel full without a lot of empty fat calories, so adherents needn’t keep food logs, restrict food intake, or count calories–in other words, they take advantage of the nature of food.”

Soy Intake in Childhood Reduces Breast Cancer Risk Later in Life

A new study looking at more than 1,500 Asian-American women living in California and Hawaii showed that those with the highest intake of soy during childhood (younger than 12 years old) had a 60 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer later in life. Regular soy consumption in adolescence (12 to 19 years old) and adulthood (20 years old and older) also had a protective effect but with 20 and 25 percent reductions in risk, respectively. (1)

Prior studies have shown similar protective effects of soy consumption before adulthood. (2,3,4)

1. Korde LA, Wu AH, Fears T, et al. Childhood soy intake and breast cancer risk in Asian-American women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009;18:OF1-OF10.
2. Shu XO, Jin F, Dai Q, et al. Soyfood intake during adolescence and subsequent risk of breast cancer among Chinese women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2001;10:483-488.
3. Wu AH, Wan P, Hankin J, Tseng CC, Yu MC, Pike MC. Adolescent and adult soy intake and risk of breast cancer in Asian-Americans. Carcinogenesis. 2002;23:1491-1496.
4. Thanos J, Cotterchio M, Boucher BA, Kreiger N, Thompson LU. Adolescent dietary phytoestrogen intake and breast cancer risk (Canada). Cancer Causes Control. 2006;17:1253-1261.

T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. write an op-ed to Obama in the San Francisco Chronicle: “The No. 1 cause and cure of America’s health care crisis is right under your nose – it’s what you put in your mouth. Unfortunately, the scientific findings on diet and disease are marginalized by the political power of huge, mutually reinforcing commercial interests – meat, dairy, sugar, drugs and surgery. These industries are desperate to sell a solution that obscures their part in the problem. If they can convince people that the cause of our health crisis has nothing to do with eating unhealthy food, and everything to do with increasing access to drugs and surgery, Americans will spend trillions more on health care without improving their health. That’s what happens when you leave science out of public policy.”

McDougall shares the first chapter (and invites feedback) on his new book, the Starch Solution: “My recommendation for eating starches puts glazed looks on people’s faces, and many dismiss me as certifiably crazy. They think of starch as something used in the laundry to stiffen shirts.  Starch brings back memories of pasty bland-tasting goop, and white, airy Wonder Bread. Most disturbing is that nearly everyone believes starches are fattening and nutritionally inferior foods. Fortunately, common knowledge is completely wrong and the proof is right before your own eyes.”

McDougall Advanced Study Weekend attendees share their comments: “I took your challenge and attempted to gain weight over the weekend. After gorging on three delicious meals a day plus snacks between meals, I was amazed to find out I LOST two pounds!”

This month’s recipes include a triple lentil dal, soups, pea guacamole, and hopi corn and chili stew.

Time reports that “produce in the U.S. not only tastes worse than it did in your grandparents’ days, it also contains fewer nutrients — at least according to Donald R. Davis, a former research associate with the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas, Austin. Davis claims the average vegetable found in today’s supermarket is anywhere from 5% to 40% lower in minerals (including magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc) than those harvested just 50 years ago.”

The NY Times attends the vegetarian festivals of Thailand.

Cruciferous Compound May Prevent Respiratory Inflammation: The PCRM reports that Sulforaphane, found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and collards, may help reduce the risk of respiratory inflammation that leads to chronic diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a new study from the University of California, Los Angeles. Study participants received escalating oral dosages of broccoli sprouts. Researchers found that those at the highest dose had up to three times as many antioxidant enzymes in their upper airway cells compared to baseline. No effect was seen in the placebo group. These protective antioxidant enzymes help fight against common environmental pollutants. (Riedl MA, Saxon A, Diaz-Sanchez D. Oral sulforaphane increases Phase II antioxidant enzymes in the human upper airway. Clin Immunol. 2009;130:244-251.)

Mushrooms Protect Against Breast Cancer: The PCRM report that mushrooms may reduce the risk of breast cancer, according to a case-control study conducted in southeast China. Researchers analyzed dietary records from more than 2,000 pre- and postmenopausal women with breast cancer and a group of matched healthy controls. Intake of fresh mushrooms (greater than or equal to 10 grams per day) and dried mushrooms (greater than or equal to 4 grams per day) decreased risk by 64 percent and 47 percent, respectively. The most commonly eaten mushroom in this study was the white button mushroom; one small white button mushroom weighs 10 grams. An additional protective effect was seen when mushrooms and green tea were both consumed. (Zhang M, Huang J, Xie X, Holman CD. Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women. Int J Cancer. 2009;124:1404-1408.)