Dairy Foods

Breast cancer is probably a woman's most feared disease, yet many women fall amazingly short when it comes to taking preventive action. It's time we all did better, either by becoming more active in our own lives or by helping our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends to do a little better.Regular mammography, for instance, can reduce breast cancer deaths by 30 percent in women over 50, yet only one-third of women over 50 have regular mammograms. Since 1991, even Medicare has reimbursed for biennial mammograms (get yours while the benefit lasts)

From the mailbag:I'd love to start cooking meatless meals for all the obvious health reasons, but feel confused about the complete/incomplete protein issues. How should I mix rice, grains and beans?Relax, and cook to your heart's content. Back in the '70s, Frances Moore Lappe interested health-oriented cooks with her classic vegetarian treatise, "Diet for a Small Planet." But she made it harder than it has to be.It is true that most plant foods fall short in one or more of the essential amino acids.

Shavuot might not get the attention of the better-known Jewish holidays. But next week's festive holiday, which celebrates the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, has a slew of cherished traditions -- from all-night Torah study sessions and confirmation services to decorating synagogues with foliage and feasting on cheesecake. "It's a wonderful holiday," said Dr. Gary Gross, a Columbia veterinarian and member of the Lubavitch Center for Jewish Education in Columbia. "Every year, I try to stay up and study."

Ice cream and granola bars are the latest products to be linked to widespread manufacturer recalls of some peanut butters and other nut products that started last month. In the past week, at least five manufacturers have recalled peanut butter flavored ice cream products. In each case, the peanut butter used in the product was supplied either directly or indirectly by Sunland Inc., which has issued a national recall of some of its products because of possible Salmonella contamination.

"Lite" junk food can make or break your diet.Many people are quite successful at sticking to a very strict, no-junk diet for a limited period of time . . . till they've lost 10 pounds, till their jeans fit or till their tummy doesn't bulge over their bikinis any more.Maintaining weight loss is tougher, mostly because it's hard to live forever without some "goodies." Often the first foray into forbidden territory starts a pigout that ends only when weight regained exceeds weight originally lost.

During the past year I was lucky enough to be invited to visit several western spas, including the Sonoma Mission Inn in California. There were lessons to be learned there.I was expecting to be starved to death, which goes against the grain. I found instead plenty of healthful food, deliciously prepared. What a nice surprise.I talked recently with Pat Harper, a registered dietitian who serves as a consultant for several spas in the Pittsburgh area, including the Nemacolin Woodlands Spa in Farmington, Pa.Ms.

As robins herald the coming of spring, succulent local strawberries sing a song of summer. And they're here now, beckoning from roadside stands and "pick your own" farms, signaling the return of fresh local fruit. What could be better!Eating fresh fruit is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth while loading up on vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, folic acid, fiber and fluid.And eating whole, fresh fruit can actually be a diet aid for folks trying to lose weight. Many people believe, for instance, that fruit juice is a healthful food, which it is. However, it is not calorie-free.

If you've focused strictly on lowering fat and saturated fat to reduce heart disease risks, it's time to expand your view. It's not just what you cut out, but also what you add that makes your diet heart healthy.Research reports about the power of folate hit the news again last week. Results were from the Nurses' Health Study where a group of 80,000 women, ages 30 to 55 when the study began, was followed for 14 years. Those who consumed the most folate (a B vitamin also known as folic acid)

The best wines of Maryland will be featured at the 16th annual Maryland Wine Festival on Saturday and Sept. 17 at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster. Hours are 10 am, to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 17. Admission is $15 for adults 21 and older with valid identification. Included in the cost are an engraved wine glass, tickets for 10 1-ounce samples of wine, admission to seminars and tours of the museums farmhouse. Ten Maryland wineries will showcase their wines.

Ahavas Israel to hold its Shavuot service Congregation Ahavas Israel at the Lubavitch Center for Jewish Education will read the Ten Commandments, the culmination of its Shavuot service, at 11 a.m. today. The service begins at 9:30 a.m. The two-day holiday, which began yesterday evening and ends tomorrow evening, commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. Shavuot also commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple. The holiday renews commitment to the study of Torah, and emphasizes its relevance to everyday life, said Rabbi Hillel Baron of the Lubavitch Center.