As 2009 comes to a close, many of us will celebrate with our favorite alcoholic beverage.  So, as we raise our glass and welcome 2010, join me in looking back at what we’ve learned so far about alcohol and health.

Yes, it’s true, sensible drinking may have some health benefits.  In moderation, alcohol may protect the brain against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  When it comes to our hearts, alcohol may offer protection by raising HDL or “good cholesterol” , decreasing inflammation, and preventing clots that can cause heart attacks.  In some cases, moderate drinking has been shown to lower blood pressure which also protects the heart.  Just recently, research has shown that reasonable alcohol intake could even protect your bones by increasing their density and reducing fractures.

The key word here is moderation.  In excess, alcohol can damage the brain, liver, bones, stomach and pancreas.  So what’s moderate drinking?  For women this includes 1 drink per day, and 2  for men.  One drink is considered 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of  80-proof liquor.

Now the bad news.  When it comes to breast cancer, even one drink a day can increase your risk.  Some researchers have shown that alcohol increases estrogen.  While this same boost could protect your heart, it might also contribute to breast cancer.

So how do you choose between your heart, brain, bones or breasts?  Look at your lifestyle and family history.  Do you eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains?  Exercise and maintain a healthy weight?  If you have a family history of heart disease or Alzheimer’s, then maybe that daily cocktail is just fine.  If your family has a history of breast cancer,  then you may want to rethink that glass of wine.  We all make decisions  every day that carry both risks and benefits.  How often do you drive your car?  So, if you choose to raise your glass this New Year’s Eve, do so in moderation,  and don’t forget to toast to your health.

Happy New Year!

Kim Kulp, RD

www.healthtastesgreat.com

* Journal of the National Cancer Institute; March, 2009

*American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; April, 2009

*Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research; February, 2009

This morning’s trivia on KOIT:

Q: The corner of Sansome and Green Streets in San Francisco is the birthplace of….

A:  Television.  The photo below shows a plaque on the corner honoring…..

…..Mr. Philo Farnsworth,  the inventor of modern television in 1927.

Farnsworth, who died in 1971, was asked late in his life why he no longer owned at TV.  It was the interviewers feeling that Farnsworth didn’t think there was anything worthwhile to watch.   Check out the plaque, then cross Sansome and head to Henry’s for some of the best Hunan food you’ve ever had.  Pot stickers, hot & sour beef, and a Tsingtao. Who knows. Maybe Philo would have gone for that.

Where have all the Pier 39 sea lions gone?  Vanished! Up until Thanksgiving, a record number (1,700+) of the loud but lovable critters occupied the docks at the tourist destination. In fact, since 1989, they’ve become the tourist destination. Researchers at the Marin Marine Mammal Center say the sea lions are just following the food supply, and some that had been tagged while taking up residence in San Francisco have already been spotted south of Monterey. More abundant herring,  they suppose.  The scientists are confident they’ll return. You can be certain the Pier 39/Fisherman’s Wharf merchants are counting on it.

Maybe you heard that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District banned fireplace fires Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Toast a marshmallow, go to jail.  Or at least get off with a warning. If you’d been warned before, a $400 fine. 47 warnings were handed out by the twelve inspectors making the rounds.  Lots of neighbors ratting out neighbors. Yeah, that’s the spirit.

Did someone say spirit?  On this very website, my wife Kim, weighs in on New Years booze consumption. Though she doesn’t actually use the word “booze” – no Registered Dietitian would in a clinical context – she does offer some excellent thoughts on the subject. Click here to jump to her page.

TOMORROW I LEAVE FOR THE PHILIPPINES. AND THERE’S A VOLCANO THAT’S ABOUT TO ERUPT. IT’S BEEN ON THE NEWS EVERY NIGHT, AND SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED.
‘NOT TO WORRY,’ SAID JOY, WHO IS CURRENTLY IN THE PHILIPPINES. IT’S NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE TO OUR PROVINCE. HER ‘PROVINCE’ IS PAMPANGA, WHICH IS ABOUT A 45 MINUTE DRIVE FROM MANILA. EVERYBODY TELLS ME THE WOMEN OF PAMPANGA ARE KNOW FOR THEIR CULINARY ARTISTRY. HMMM SOMEBODY FORGOT TO TELL JOY. IT HAS TO BE TOLD: JOY SAYS SHE CAN’T COOK. HER SISTER SAYS JOY IS JUST BEING LAZY, AND THAT SHE’S REALLY A GOOD COOK. SHE JUST LIKES TO GO OUT FOR DINNER. HMMMM I SHOULD FIND OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL. I WILL BE THERE FOR A WEEK, AND HER SISTER HAS PROMISED TO ‘SPILL THE BEANS’.
I’M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING JOY’S PARENTS, KNOWN AFFECTIONATELY AS ‘PAPA-CHOI’ AND MAMA-LOUIE. AND OF COURSE THE 7 BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN LAW; THE 20 SOMETHING NIECES AND NEPHEWS, AND THE MANY COUSINS, GOD-CHILDREN, ETC., IN THIS LARGE CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY. WOW, SOMEBODY WILL BE DOING A LOT OF COOKING. I KNOW ONE THING: IT WON’T BE JOY. LOL
AND NOW, ABOUT THAT BIG VOLCANO.

IT WAS SATURDAY MORNING, THE DAY OF JOY’S DEPARTURE TO THE PHILIPPNES. THE 50 POUND BOXES BOUND FOR HER FORMER HOME WERE ON THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR. INSIDE WERE CLOTHES, TOYS, SUNGLASSES, AND MANY OTHER ITEMS NOT EASILY AVAILABLE IN THE PHILIPPNES. JOY WAS EXHAUSTED. SHE WAS UP LATE PACKING. NOT ONLY THE BOXES, BUT THE ALLOWABLE LUGGAGE FOR HERSELF AND HER TWO SONS.
‘NO COOKING BREAKFAST,’ I SUGGESTED, AND WE HEADED OUT TO THE CAR FOR THE NEAREST RESTAURANT. WE LEFT ROCKY THE LOVABLE MUTT IN THE LIVING ROOM CHEWING ON A TOY. ROCKY IS ON PROBATION. HE -AHEM- DEPOSITED A PRESENT ON THE FLOOR THE PREVIOUS DAY.
THE KIDS WERE ALL EXCITED. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SEEING ALL THEIR COUSINS. JOY WAS WONDERING IF SHE FORGOT TO PACK ANYTHING. I ASSURED HER THAT IF SHE HAD, I WOULD BRING IT WHEN I LEFT. I ASKED JOY IF SHE REALLY HAD CLOSE TO 100 RELATIVES IN THE PHILIPPINES. ‘YES, SHE LAUGHED, AND THEY’RE ALL COMING TO CHECK YOU OUT.” I DIDN’T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY.
WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME, JOY TOOK A NAP, AND I HEADED FOR THE BARBER SHOP, AND THEN THE NAIL SALON. (JOY’S ORDERS)
I ALSO WENT LOOKING FOR A SHORT SLEEVE POLKA DOT SHIRT. JOY SAYS EVERYONE WEARS ONE ON NEW YEARS EVE FOR GOOD LUCK, AND LOTS OF PROSPERITY IN THE COMING YEAR. I COULDN’T FIND THE SHIRT.
THAT NIGHT, WE TOOK JOY AND THE KIDS TO THE AIRPORT. THEY WERE ADVISED TO BE 3 AND A HALF HOURS EARLY, CUZ OF THE EXPECTED BIG CROWDS. THERE WERE FOUR PEOPLE AHEAD OF US. CHECK IN TOOK 20 MINUTES. JOY HAD 3 HOURS TO KILL.
I ARRIVED HOME AND LOOKED AT MY EMPTY SUITCASE. NOW IT WAS MY TURN.

Way back on the last week of the regular season, week 14, I went 6-4. For the season to date I finished with a 93-47 record. Not bad for my first crack at this prediction thing! Thanks to catching the swine flu I won’t be doing any analysis of the bowl games…just my picks for 15 games!

Poinsettia: Utah vs California. My pick: Cal

Emerald: Boston College vs USC. My pick: USC

Champs Sports: Miami, Fla. vs Wisconsin. My pick: Miami

Holiday: Nebraska vs Arizona. My pick: Nebraska

Sun: Stanford vs Oklahoma. My pick: Oklahoma

Chick-fil-A: Virginia Tech vs Tennessee. My pick: Tennessee

Capital One: Penn State vs LSU. My pick: Penn State

Gator: West Virginia vs Florida State. My pick: Florida State

Rose: Oregon vs Ohio State. My pick: Oregon

Sugar: Florida vs Cincinnati. My pick: Florida

Cotton: Oklahoma State vs Ole Miss. My pick: Oklahoma State

Alamo: Texas Tech vs Michigan State. My pick: Texas Tech

Fiesta: TCU vs Boise State. My pick: TCU

Orange: Georgia Tech vs Iowa. My pick: Georgia Tech

BCS Title Game: Texas vs Alabama. My pick: Alabama

JOY WILL BE LEAVING AT MIDNIGHT SATURDAY DEC. 19TH. I’LL LEAVE THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY, SO JOY GETS THE ‘JOY’ OF TRAVELING WITH HER TWO KIDS, MATHEW AND BRANDON. I’LL BE GOING SOLO A WEEK LATER. BUT WHAT TO DO TO PREPARE”
“FIRST YOU HAVE TO GET A PEDICURE,’ ORDERED JOY. ‘A WHAT?”
I PLAYED DUMB. “YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR TOE NAILS CUT. YOU COULD HURT SOMEONE WITH THOSE THINGS,’ SHE TEASED. OK, OK. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET A PEDICURE. JUST MAKE SURE I AM NOT SITTING NEAR A WINDOW. IF ONE OF MY BUDDIES SEES ME, I WON’T HEAR THE END OF IT.
AS OF THURSDAY NIGHT, THE HOUSE WAS A MESS. TWO OF THOSE BALIKBAYAN BOXES WERE FILLED TO THE TOP: CLOTHES FOR MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY, SUN GLASSES, TOYS, KOIT T-SHIRTS (THEY LISTEN ON LINE) 49ER & RAIDER FOOTBALL JERSIES. AND CHOCOLATE. LOTS OF CHOCOLATES. JOY SAYS HER FAMILY ESPECIALLY LOVES KIT-KAT AND TWIX CANDY BARS.
WHEN I WENT TO BED THURSDAY NIGHT, THINGS WERE IN COMPLETE DISARRAY. SUITCASES REMAINED TO BE PACKED, THERE WERE BOXES EVERYWHERE, AND ROCKY-THE LOVABLE, BUT PAIN IN THE BUTT LITTLE DOG, WAS CHEWING ON MY FLIP FLOPS.
FINALLY JOY DECIDED ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. “I’M GOING TO FINISH PACKING TOMORROW.”
I HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED YET.

MY GIRL FRIEND JOY WAS BORN & RAISED IN THE PHILIPINES, AND THIS CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY, SHE WILL BE RETURNING AFTER A TWO YEAR ABSENCE. I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO JOIN HER.
YES, I WILL BE GOING TO MEET THE FAMILY; AND WHAT A FAMILY IT IS. SEVEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, 20 NIECES AND NEPHEWS, AND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF COUSINS. OVER 100 IN THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT??
JOY SAYS THEY ALL GET A CHRISTMAS PRESENT. (GULP) I BETTER CHECK MY BANK ACCOUNT. THE KIDS ARE EASY. THEY ALL GET MONEY. BUT PROPER GIFTS FOR THE REST OF THE FAMILY MAY BE CHALLENGING. AFTER ALL, EVERYTHING HAS TO BE CARRIED ON THE AIRPLANE.
‘NO PROBLEM,’ SAYS JOY. ‘ WE CAN BRING TWO BALIKBAYAN BOXES.’ I WAS PERPLEXED. “TWO WHAT??”
(MORE TO COME)

Today’s trivia on KOIT:

Q:  Christmas dinner usually consists of rice, peas, ox tail and curried goat in what country?

A: Jamaica. Actually, Kim and I had curried goat in Jamaica about 20 years ago.  Quite tasty.  Really!  If you’d like to find out about Christmas food customs from around the world, click here.

Sweets are a Holiday tradition just about everywhere,  so cutting down on sugar’s really tough this time of year….made even more difficult by the fact that sugar can take on many “aliases” on food labels.  My wife, Kim, has some ideas on how to spot those hidden sugars. Check out her blog right here.

I went to Union Square yesterday, and stopped by the flower stand at Geary and Stockton to buy some flowers for Kim, and the man who ran the stand looked so familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Finally, after chatting a while, I pointed to him and said “Tucker”! (It’s one of my favorite films .) He said, “…yup I was in that.” His name is Al Nalbandian, and he played the jury foreman. He then regaled me with a load of great movie stories, including what a joy it was working with Francis Ford  Coppola while filming “Tucker”.  Much of it was shot in San Francisco and Oakland. Well, twenty minutes just flew by. A real joy. If you’re ever near Union Square , stop by and buy some flowers from him. Terrific guy with quite a resume, which you can see here.

Speaking of Union Square, Angela Hill of the Oakland Tribune offers some very funny tips on where to go, and how to survive a Union Square shopping trip.

When people choose to improve their diets, they often tell me they’re giving up sugar.  While that can be a good idea, it’s certainly not easy.

Sugar occurs naturally in a variety of healthy, whole foods such as milk, yogurt and fruit.  However, it’s the added sugar that we all need to watch.  This is trickier since it’s often hiding in places you’d least expect, like spaghetti sauce, salad dressing and soup.  Unfortunately, the food labels aren’t much help, since the listed grams of sugar don’t differentiate between what’s naturally occurring or what’s added.

The American Heart Association has recommended that women not exceed 100 calories of added sugar, and men 150 calories each day.  This translates to no more than 6 teaspoons for women and 9 for men.  For reference, a 12 oz can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of added sugar.  So how do you know where that added sugar is hiding?  Read the ingredient list.

Added sugar has many names.  Other than sugars, honey or molasses, look for dextrose, fructose, sucrose, glucose, fruit juice concentrate or malt, cane and corn syrups.  Once you start reading ingredient lists, you’ll be surprised at how many products actually contain added sugar.

So what’s the problem with too much added sugar?  Other than providing energy (calories), sugar has no nutritional value. When you eat too much sugar, there’s no room for the nutritious foods you need.  And, if you eat too many calories, you’ll gain weight.  For some people, too much sugar can cause an increase in triglycerides, which can lead to heart disease.  Of course, if you want to help your dentist buy a new car, then consuming a lot of sugar could definitely help.

To cut back on added sugar, avoid processed foods when you can.  If you can’t, read the labels and try to make choices with the least amount of “sugar aliases” as possible.  Save your added sugar for those foods you enjoy most, and make those 6-9 teaspoons a day really count!

Have a sweet holiday season,

Kim Kulp, RD

Email me at:  kim at healthtastesgreat.com

www.healthtastesgreat.com

This morning’s trivia on KOIT:

Q:  What year were electric lights first used to decorate a Christmas tree?

A:  1882.  Edward Johnson, one of Edison’s pals,  used about 80 small light bulbs to decorate a tree in New York.  Electric Christmas lights started to be mass produced in 1890.

As we mentioned on the air this morning, so many people who donated last year to the various Bay Area holiday toy drives are now the ones needing help. The San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program, now going on 60 years old, is calling this year their worst ever.  Donations are down 60 percent, while demand is up 20. Donations to the Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive in Oakland are off by half.  If you donate just ONE toy, that would make an enormous difference.  Here’s a partial list of places that’ll take  donations:

Fire stations around the Bay Area participate in toy drives. They’re looking for unwrapped, new or gently used gifts for children up to age 12. Suggested gifts include stuffed animals, board games, baby toys, puzzles and arts and crafts supplies.

The Coalition on Homelessness is collecting from 9-6  through Dec. 17, 468 Turk St., San Francisco.

The San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program, drop off gifts through Dec. 25 at any city fire station.

The Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive in Oakland:  All fire stations, City Hall, the main library, the Oakland Zoo and other locations.

One, ONE toy would do the trick, if everyone who had the means could contribute.