Given that this cancer accounts for as many deaths as leukemia, the ailment doesn't deserve its obscurity. Moreover, while obesity's association with several types of cancer has been well-reported, there's less awareness of the obesity-esophageal cancer link. 

New research from the University of Melbourne may change that. Researchers followed 41,300 individuals ages 27-75 for over a decade. Obese subjects were nearly four times more likely to develop cancers of the upper stomach or esophagus than were those of normal weight, as measured by body mass index. In other words, a  5'3" woman weighing 175 pounds or more has quadruple the esophageal cancer risk than a 5'3" woman weighing 120 pounds. The same goes for a 5'9" man weighing over 200 pounds versus his twin at 150 pounds.

Don't be complacent if you fall somewhere in the middle: Every extra 22 pounds doubles your risk. And, as with heart disease risk, where you carry the weight matters. Additional inches around the waist raise your esophageal cancer risk. Every time you let your belt out 4”, your risk goes up 50%. The good news is that unlike height, or eye color, obesity is largely preventable. Learn how you can eat more and weigh less--while improving your nutrition--with the volumetric approach to dieting.

 
Researchers at UC Irvine had 335 students complete questionnaires on their childhood eating habits, then divided subjects into two groups, plus one control. The two groups were falsely told that as children they got sick after eating strawberry ice cream.

Researchers further fed the first group stories about other children getting sick after eating strawberry ice cream.  
What happened when these two groups were later queried about their food history? Depending on how the questions were posed, up to 44% of subjects believed that eating strawberry ice cream might make them ill, and would therefore avoid eating the dessert in the future.

Researchers aren't sure how long such an effect would last--or whether it would work in reverse (e.g., implanting beliefs about loving those lentils), but for those who need extra help in the diet department, it's worth a try! With a little willful determination, you might be able to hypnotize yourself healthy.

Whether you're pumping iron, pedaling uphill or paddling for a wave, your heart needs extra blood to satisfy increased oxygen demands. But when 18 young, healthy study participants consumed 200 mg of caffeine before cycling on a stationary bike for 45 minutes, their myocardial blood flow (MBF) dropped drastically, from the 239% of the resting value it would normally pump during exercise, to 184% after caffeine ingestion.
Even more dramatic was the caffeinated effect under simulated high altitude: an almost 40% drop. The Swiss researchers weren't merely contemplating exercise in the Alps: High altitude duplicates the oxygen deprivation observed in individuals suffering from coronary artery disease. Add constricted blood flow to the spike in blood pressure and pulse rate caused by caffeine and you've got a recipe for a potential heart attack, particularly among those with known coronary disease.

As for regular Joes and their cups of joe? "My advice: Do not drink coffee before doing physical activities," says Phillipp Kauffman, lead author of the study, which appeared in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Be mindful of other caffeine sources before exercise as well. A cup of coffee has 100 mg of caffeine, a can of Red Bull has 80 mg. There's half as much caffeine in black tea, and less than a quarter as much in green tea.

A recent issue of The Lancet featured an analysis of eight studies monitoring 250,000 subjects over 13 years, during which nearly 5,000 strokes occurred. Those who ate 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily had a middling reduction in risk: 11%. Those who ate five or more servings cut their risk by 26%. Given these associations, the DNI's Nicholas Gillitt, PhD, estimates that eating the USDA's recommended 9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day (per a 2,000 calorie diet) could possibly cut your stroke risk by as much as half.

So what ever happened to the 5-A-Day recommendation? It still stands as valid for those eating a mere 1,200 calories per day. Larger-build, extremely active individuals may consume over 3,200 calories per day. So for them, the recommendation goes up to 13 servings a day.

The Lancet study suggests that the stroke reduction may be due to the concentration of potassium, folate, fiber and dietary flavenoids found in fruits and vegetables.

Anthocyanins might also help dieters by increasing production of the protein adiponectin and the hormone leptin, which enhance fat burning and suppress appetite, respectively. An additional benefit for those at risk of diabetes: Research suggests anthocyanins may spur insulin production.

All this for roughly 40-60 calories a cup, with no cholesterol and sodium. So check out your favorite pick below, and find out why berries are your body's best friend.

Blueberries:  First place on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) scale--a ranking of antioxidant activity--blueberries are both an Antioxidant Superfood and Superfood for the Brain. The pioneering blueberry researcher James Joseph PhD, believes blueberries' main benefit may be their ability to help reverse some loss of memory and motor coordination associated with aging.  "I can tell you that after doing this research, I now eat a cup of blueberries every day," says Joseph. Bonus: Like cranberries, blueberries contain phytochemicals that protect against urinary tract infections (UTI’s) by preventing bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall.  Binge on berries with our previously featured "Blueberry Walnut Tea Bread."

Strawberries:  Sometimes called "the other miracle berry," strawberries are the top berry source for quercetin. Cornell University researchers found that quercetin may help prevent Alzheimer's by protecting brain cells from oxidation, making strawberries a Superfood for your Brain. Quercetin also has anti-inflammatory properties that may promote heart, prostate and lung health. Just one cup of strawberries contains over 140% of your daily requirement for vitamin C. For a yummy way to enjoy strawberries, try our "Strawberry Chef's Salad."

Cranberries: Second place in ORAC ranking behind blueberries makes cranberries an Antioxidant Superfood, while their anthocyanins, vitamin C and fiber make them a Superfood for the Heart. Just about everyone's heard of the cranberry juice treatment for UTI's, but new research suggests the same proanthocyanidins that keep bacteria away from your bladder walls may help suppress herpes outbreaks. Here's our favorite cranberry treat: "Tangy Cran-Apple Crisp."

Raspberries: Not just an Antioxidant Superfood, respberries are a Superfood for the Heart. In fact they're the top berry source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Don't forget that the fiber from fruits and vegetables may also protect the prostate. Most Americans get less than half the daily fiber recommendation (38g/day for men, 25g/day for women). With 8 grams of fiber in just one cup of raspberries, you're well on your way to meeting your fiber needs. For a delicious way to get your raspberries, try them in this issue's featured recipe, "Banana-Berry Blizzard."

Blackberries:  Both an Antioxidant Superfood and a Superfood for the Heart, blackberries also contain compounds currently being studies for their potential to prevent the formation of heterocyclic amines (HA's)--carcinogenic by-products of meat grilling. DNN fans will recall reading about a similar effect from rosemary extract, explored in "Scarborough Fare." Blackberries are the top berry source of vitamin K, which helps promote strong bones.  For an easy way to add blackberries to your diet, try our "Blackberry Sorbet."

Until now, tomatoes have hogged most of the lycopene limelight, despite the DNN's best effort to showcase other sources (see "Gaga for Guava," for example). Tomatoes' lock on the mental link with lycopene is understandable, given that most  clinical trials demonstrating lycopene's benefits have used tomato products--so much so that the FDA's limited lycopene health claim applies only to such products. Now new studies may challenge that health claim hegemony.

In one study, Indian researchers gave 8 mg of pure lycopene to 40 men with high-grade precursors to prostate cancer. After one year, the subjects' blood levels of a marker for prostate cancer dropped by half (while levels in the control group increased by a quarter). This bolsters the case that lycopene has chemoprotective benefits--whether it comes from a tube of tomato paste or one of the many other delicious sources.  

Such as? Start your day with a luscious guava smoothie. Do lunch with our Garden Vegetable Gazpacho. Lower your disease risk while losing weight by using red grapefruit in this fresh, baby spinach salad. For dessert? Make whoopee with watermelon--a main ingredient in Pineapple Passion.

With over 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the U.S. every year--making it the most common form of cancer among men (excluding skin cancers)--don't hang all your hopes on lycopene. Click here for your "Top Five to Fight Prostate Cancer" guide.

Harvard researchers recently analyzed the daily caloric intake of 550 children ages 11-12 and found a 167-calorie increase for every hour spent in front of the TV. If true, television watching could mean as much as 600 extra calories a day, even on homework nights! If summer TV time rises by a third, or even doubles, well, you do the math--hundreds upon hundreds of unneeded calories that could harm your child's health.
It's not just the excess weight these calories cause, it's the food sources they come from. The Harvard study highlighted a few of the most frequently consumed and most densely caloric TV "snacks":  pastries, candy, french fries, fast food, salty snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages, all contributors to childhood obesity. No wonder kids who watch TV eat less fruits and vegetables. The average American child will view 10,000 food commercials in a whole year, and 95% of them will be for the kind of food mentioned above.

Though the "boob tube" may seem passive, it encourages mindless munching of unhealthy foods. Limit television viewing to help your child maintain a healthy weight.

Want to learn more? Click here for the DNI’s Healthy Kids Brochure.