Atlanta chef Asata Reid prepares and lectures about super foods thought to help fight cancer. Photo by Jasmine R. Hudson.

Can the processed foods on your plate cause cancer or make you sick?

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), no single food or food combination can protect against cancer by itself. However, strong evidence shows a diet filled with a variety of plant foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans helps lower the risk of many cancers.

DPH employees recently visited the Truly Living Well (TLW) Center for Natural Urban Agriculture in downtown Atlanta to enjoy a lecture and cooking demonstration by Atlanta chef Asata Reid, who discussed the importance of buying chemical-free fruits and vegetables and super foods for cancer prevention.

"Eating fresh, naturally grown food is one the most important things we can to do improve our health," said K. Rashid Nuri, TLW's chief executive officer. "TLW provides access to healthy produce which helps mitigate nutrition-related chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease in urban communities."     

Tiffany Parr-Fowles, DrPH, center, and DPH Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. attend the Delta Omega, Beta Chi chapter induction ceremony with Parr-Fowles' husband, Michael Fowles.

DPH Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., and Tiffany Parr-Fowles, DrPH, DPH senior manager epidemiologist, were recently inducted into the Beta Chi chapter of Delta Omega during a University of Georgia ceremony. Fitzgerald was inducted as the newest honorary member.

"I am thrilled to be a member of Delta Omega, Beta Chi chapter," Fitzgerald said. "I am very proud of the important work being done in public health and that I have a role in it. It is a personal and professional achievement to be welcomed into this prestigious organization."

Parr-Fowles, who was inducted as a student member of the society, recently earned a Doctor of Public Health degree. Her dissertation focused on geographic access and HIV testing among black men in Atlanta.

"Eat your veggies" has been an admonition of parents through the ages, but newly published brain research from the University of Georgia provides one of the best reasons why.

Lutein, the organic pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their color, is a powerful antioxidant that concentrates highly in the human brain and retina, particularly in the eye's macular area. Lutein prevents the oxidation of fat in these areas to maintain the health of the brain and eyes while its absence leads to macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the U.S.

This symbiotic relationship is documented in a new study from the Vision Sciences Laboratory in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Psychology published in the journal Nutrients in March.

"For years people have forgotten that our brain, along with the rest of our bodies, is composed of our diet," said Billy Hammond, a UGA professor in the brain and behavioral sciences program and the study's co-author. "Diet and exercise have a very big influence on how the brain ages and many other basic processes that encourage degeneration, and how our brain protects itself from that is by concentrating antioxidants like lutein in these particular areas."

Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes 
Serves 1