Clif bars announced January 19, 2009 a voluntary recall of 14 U.S and 4 Canadian products including CLIF Bar, CLIF Builder’s, CLIF MOJO, CLIF Kid Organic ZBaR and LUNA Bar, in the U.S. and Canada because the peanut butter in those products was sourced, for a limited period of time, from the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). PCA is a manufacturer and supplier of peanut butter for many food companies and manufacturers.

Please visit Clif bar to view all products being recalled.

www.clifbar.com

Balancing on one leg. Do the exercise with repetitions. Balance on one foot for 10 seconds, then put the foot down for 10 seconds, and then raise it again. Do four to eight repetitions on each foot. Do this in a doorway or next to something stable that you can grab onto quickly if you need to.

After you feel comfortable balancing on one foot, you can advance to the next stage. Balance on one foot, and hold the lifted foot in front of you before lowering it to the ground. You can then practice moving it backward and then sideways. Always stay in control by holding on with your hands as you need to.

Mango

Mangoes are the world’s most heavily consumed fruit—not surprising when there are more than 1,000 known varieties. The deep orange color of a mango comes from beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Mangoes also contain good amounts of vitamin C and fiber. For a quick mango smoothie, combine 1 cup diced mango, 1 banana, 1 cup vanilla yogurt and a splash of orange juice in a blender and mix.

Kiwi

A study from Rutgers University compared 27 of the most popular fruits, determining that the kiwi is the most nutritionally dense of them all. One tangy-sweet kiwi supplies a full day’s dose of vitamin C, plus good amounts of potassium, a mineral linked with healthy blood pressure. Plus, kiwi contains more vitamin E, an antioxidant, and more lutein, a nutrient connected with protecting your vision, than almost every other fruit or vegetable—for only 50 calories. Enjoy a kiwi unadorned: simply cut it in half and scoop with a spoon.

Grapefruit

Now is the time to buy those sweet, tart and tangy, grapefruits that are in their prime! Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of fiber, potassium and folate. Grapefruits provide lycopene, an antioxidant associated with prostate health. Studies have shown that the soluble fiber in grapefruit may be beneficial in lowering cholesterol.

The clementine is the smallest of the mandarin oranges. Clementines are a tasty, nutritious snack. Eat two a day and you will get a day’s worth of vitamin C, for only 70 calories which makes the clementine a power food! They are easy to peel and great with lunch.

Lack of exercise may greatly increase the risk of breast cancer, suggests a new study in the December issue of Cancer Causes and Control.

The study by Coyle YM at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says exercise equivalent to a 30-minute walk five times a week can help prevent breast cancer, slow progression of the disease, enhance recovery and prevent the disease from recurring.

According to researchers, animal studies have found that exercise slows breast tumor growth by promoting changes in cellular reproduction and apoptosis (a form of programmed cell death).

I found this interesting and thought I should share it. I wonder if this will work on humans?

French researchers said they have discovered a drug that “tricks the body into burning off fat,” regardless of the body’s diet, BBC News reported.

A team at the University of Louis Pasteur successfully tested the drug, called SRT1720, on mice, according to a report in this month’s journal Cell Metabolism.The drug is a chemical cousin of resveratrol, the red wine extract that combats aging and promotes heart health.

Folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 supplements should be taken every day, just don’t expect them to lower your cancer risk.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School analyzed data from a study of 5,442 women age 42 and older who were at high risk of cardiovascular disease and who had taken a daily combination of the three supplments or a placebo for more than seven years.

The supplements are crucial in DNA synthesis, repair and general functioning, which suggests higher levels of them could lower cancer risk. Some observational studies had supported this notion. But the research has been far from definitive, with one study even suggesting a negative effect.

Activities that require greater physical exertion can prevent breast cancer in postmenopausal women with a normal body mass index (BMI). By contrast, extreme physical activity can only be protective in women who are not overweight or obese, while light exercise does not alter the risk of the disease. That risk reduction is estimated at 30 per cent.

In a research carried out for eleven years on 32,000 women in the United States, published in the latest issue of the journal Breast Cancer Research, participants were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire on the type of physical activity that developed.