It's not necessary to travel all the way to Tucson, Arizona or Lenox, Massachusetts for a little health enlightenment -- although I highly recommend it. Canyon Ranch professionals are not stingy with their health secrets. They offer a website for all to view, complete with all sorts of diet and fitness tips and and even an opportunity to sign up for an e-newsletter. In a binder I brought home from my trip to Tuscon in May, I've found even more resources, these specific to cooking. Take a look.

Recommended Magazines

Cooking Light (www.cookinglight.com)
Eating Well (www.eatingwell.com)
Fine Cooking, (www.finecooking.com)

Recommended Cookbooks

Canyon Ranch Cooks (1-800-726-8040)
Canyon Ranch Cooklets (available at canyonranch.com)

• Salad & Appetizers
• Soups
• Fish & Seafood
• Poultry
• Vegetables & Vegetarian
• Desserts
• Mexican
• The LPGA Cooks with Canyon Ranch

The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison & Edward Espe Brown
Jamie's Dinners by Jamie Oliver
How to Cool Everything by Mark Bittman

Meg Wolff survived cancer -- twice. First she had bone cancer and lost her leg to the disease. Then she had breast cancer and was given little hope from doctors who thought traditional treatment could not save her. Maybe it couldn't. But Wolff found something that did save her -- a macrobiotic diet.

Life is all about balance, says Wolff who authors a website rich in content about the connection between diet and a healthy lifestyle. She offers up-to-date information on her blog, links to recipes and resources, a calendar of events, and a look at her very own book, titled, Becoming Whole, The Story of My Complete Recovery from Breast Cancer.

Wolff says that by changing her diet, she has changed her destiny. She is alive and well and thriving. Give her a visit and see for yourself.

Bok Choy is low in calories, fat and is high in calcium, potassium and Vitamin C and A. Bok Choy also contain glucosinolates, which may help prevent cancer by eliminate carcinogens. Bok Choy is used in a lot of stir fry recipes but I personally like to make a soup that allows me to drink all of the nutrients in the broth. It is simple and quick to make and packed full of flavor and nutrition. If you add diced tofu to the recipe, it will also give you protein.

Chef Vicki's Bok Choy Soup

3 cups vegetable broth
(you can use three cups of water and 3 vegetable bouillon cubes)
1 celery stalk diced
1/2 white onion diced
6 button mushrooms sliced
6 Bok Choy leaves chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 block Extra Firm Tofu cubed in 1/2 inch pieces (optional)

Bring broth to boil and add celery, onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Boil for 2 minutes and lower heat to medium. Add Bok Choy and tofu and simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

However unintentional she says it has all been when it comes to the sultry and seductive persona that oozes sexuality through the television screen during her cooking shows, How to be a Domestic Goddess author Nigella Lawson has made a career out of making food sexy and the act of food consumption sensual. It is part of her not-always-so-subtle coy kitchen charm.

But if we believe her life to be as silky smooth and decadent as warm cream flowing over a morning bowl of juicy plump strawberries, and equally as charmed as she is charming, we would be mistaken. Yes, she is remarried to multi-millionaire, ad man and art dealer Charles Saatchi, but she is also the widow of journalist and writer John Diamond, who died of tongue cancer five years ago, leaving her suddenly mother and father to their two children, Cosima and Bruno.

A decade earlier, Lawson's mother had died of liver cancer. Her sister Thomasina died in her 30s of breast cancer. Cancer changes people. It is unavoidable, and the change can take many forms. For Nigella, who in the public eye has taken criticism for her ample figure and lack of concern for the fat content of food, has an almost unreasonable fear about thinness. After watching three family members waste away and die from cancer, she sees thin as a sign of illness.

"So even though I mind it when I put on weight I have a visual memory of seeing those people become skin and bone, and that gives me a slight reality check," explains Lawson. In watching her cooking show Nigella Bites, she came through as warm, down-to-earth, without a care for pretentious protocol or rules for the sake of rules. It is the way she cooks, and I get the feeling it is the way she lives. Cancer changes every person it touches and shapes perspectives about what is truly important in life. Being comfortable and enjoying yourself, including the food you eat, is a good recipe for life. A recipe Nigella seems to dish up with ease.

Nigella Lawson is Food Network's newest host in Nigella Feasts. On January 7, the theme of the show will be Feel Good Food featuring Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Pumpkin Seed Salad, a Vietnamese Prawn and Glass Noodle Salad, a colorful Antioxidant Fruit Salad, and a Syllabubbed Yogurt. Yum.

"We believe that food nourishes the body, nurtures the spirit, and is essential for health and healing. Our research focuses on how diet can help prevent and control diseases like cancer." -- Moores UCSD Cancer Center

Food for Thought Healing Foods to Savor is a new cookbook that features more than just recipes. Written by three Cancer Center's Cancer Prevention and Control Program members, and published by the University of California, San Diego Medical Center Moores Cancer Center, the cookbook includes research-based guidelines for healthy eating and living; a guide to understanding protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, sodium, potassium and calcium; an alphabetical reference of vegetables, fruits, beans/legumes and whole grains that includes tips on how to select, store and prepare them; and recipes with complete nutritional analysis.

You can view sample chapters here. All profits from the sale of the Food for Thought Healing Foods to Savor cookbook benefit the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center.

Lifetime TV is offering an opportunity to honor a loved one and help give to breast cancer charity. Text PINK to 58463 (LTIME) and Lifetime TV will donate their portion of the text fee to breast cancer charities.

Beginning October 11th, the name and state of the person you submit during the text message will begin appearing on LifetimeTV.com. In addition, the text message may be aired during the following movies: Monday, October 16 at 2 pm et/pt Two Against Time; Friday, October 20 at 7 pm et/pt Four Extraordinary Women; Sunday, October 22 at 1 pm et/pt Encore: Four Extraordinary Women; Monday, October 23 at 2 pm et/pt In a Private Garden; and Saturday, October 28 at 8 pm et/pt Encore: Why I Wore Lipstick.

Sprint, Nextel, Verizon Wireless, Cingular, Alltel, Boost, and Dobson are the participating wireless carriers. For complete details, and charges, Honor a Loved One: Make a Text Dedication Terms and Conditions. Visit here to learn more about the ten breast cancer organizations Lifetime TV supports.

If you were planning to purchase the following books online, consider buying them through the Lifetime TV website, and Lifetime TV will donate all net profits to the ten breast cancer charities they support. Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy by Geralyn Lucas; New Cook Book, Limited Edition "Pink Plaid": For Breast Cancer Awareness by Better Homes & Gardens; Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers by Elizabeth Edwards; Star Palate: Celebrity Cookbook for a Cure by Tami Agassi; In Great Taste: Fresh, Simple Recipes for Eating and Living Well by Evelyn H. Lauder and Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book: 4th Edition 2005 by Susan M. Love.

via: Lifetime TV The Daily Pink

Based solely on personal observation, I believe one of the reasons most of us do not eat the recommended daily required servings of fruits and vegetables is because what we do choose to eat -- the way we prepare it and the way we serve it -- is boring. Traditionally, the standards fit into a narrow category. With an interest in expanding the menu selection, I went on a search for recipes. Something new to try.

The Raw Foods -- or Living Foods -- diet is considered by some to be a celebrity food fad, with Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson and Robin Williams as celebrities reported to have adopted the diet. Other followers are strict adherents to eating only raw and unprocessed organic foods that would be acceptable to vegans. But you do not have to be a vegan, or a raw-foodist who chooses to stick to a diet consisting only of raw foods, to benefit from raw food recipes.

If you are looking for new recipes -- a new way of choosing and preparing fruits and vegetables -- finding the people and places whose focus is primarily on raw foods seems a likely direction to follow. One of the online resources I found, Living and Raw Foods -- the largest community on the internet dedicated to educating the world about the power of living and raw foods -- offers a healthy selection of recipes for Appetizers and Finger Foods; Entrees and Side Dishes; Crackers Breads and Cereals; Cookies and Treats and Desserts.

The group states on the homepage they are not out to convert anyone, simply to educate. They offer creative ways to prepare dishes, side dishes and treats that pack more nutrition into your diet, like mashed potatoes that use cauliflower or Sea Veggie Pizza.

In Nutrition Notes, The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) states that salsa has replaced ketchup as the most popular condiment.

Not surprising. Salsa adds taste and personality to many dishes and it's a great way to get more fruits and vegetables into our daily diet. Salsa can also be used instead of many of the dressings and sauces that are notoriously known for high fat content.

What is salsa? Salsa is the Mexican word for sauce and most people who think of salsa think of a tomato, cilantro, spicy hot chilies and onion condiment. Today, salsa can be made with many different ingredients including fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

Salsa can be mixed up in a matter of minutes, using fresh ingredients from the garden or local grocer. According to AICR, each half-cup portion of salsa gives us another serving of vegetable or fruit to our day. Great Salsa explains that the perfect salsa recipe is a matter of taste and the final ingredient of a great salsa recipe is the cook's creativity!

Once you start reading salsa recipes, you will discover how easy salsa is to make and once served a satisfying addition to any dish. Great Salsa features a good selection of recipes to delight everyone's taste buds from the classic tomato and hot peppers salsa to mango fruit salsa -- and then try a visit to Clay's Kitchen where you will find 476 salsa recipes.

Research studies are indicating that the powerhouse antioxidants in pomegranate juice can slow the progress of prostate cancer; that pomegranate seed oil aids in the destruction of breast cancer cells, and topically-applied pomegranate extract might provide skin cancer prevention.

For the pomegranate challenged, California Pomegranates provides a simple three-step no-mess tutorial for getting to the seeds of this otherwise intimidating and mysteriously exotic ruby-red fruit. The organization also features tips on selecting the perfect pomegranate and pomegranate recipes to serve at any meal including appetizers, salads and soups, main dishes, preserves, dips and sauces, desserts and beverages.

One of our personal favorites is Pomegranate Guacamole.

2 large avocados
1/2 large grated onion
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 fresh seeded serrano chilies
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
1 freshly squeezed lime
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Mix onion, garlic, chilies and coriander leaves. Mash peeled and pitted avocados, adding the pomegranate juice as you mash. Combine this with the onion, garlic, chilies and coriander leaves. To keep the mixture chunky, do not over mix and gently fold in pomegranate seeds. As a side note, I add freshly chopped cilantro and have substituted serrano chilies with roasted green chiles.

Pomegranates are available from September through January, although the juice is available year-round, and many of the recipes provided by California Pomegranates call for pomegranate juice.

Cancer Nutrition Info was created by Suzanne Dixon -- who has worked as a cancer nutrition specialist and epidemiologist at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Josephine Ford Cancer Center -- as a way to provide comprehensive resources and information regarding the role of nutrition during cancer treatments and life beyond as a cancer survivor.

At one time, Cancer Nutrition Info was a subscriber service, but with the collaboration and support of Caring 4 Cancer, the information on the website is now free to all visitors. Areas within Cancer Nutrition Info include Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Nutrition Related Clinical Trials; Recipes, Tips, and Hints; Conventional Cancer Treatments and Common Cancer Nutrition Questions.

As a scientist and cancer nutrition expert, Dixon interprets the research in providing up-to-date information on the connection between nutrition and cancer. It does state on the website it is free at this time so if you are interested in nutrition, this might be the time to visit.

In a curiosity about Dole Food owner David H. Murdock's quest to help people live better longer, I visited the Dole Food website. When you first arrive you will be greeted by the slogan The Dawn of the Nutrition Age. When it comes to food and nutrition, this is a comprehensive resource of internet destination. In the Healthy Recipes area, you can find 30 Minute Meals, BBQ & Grilling, Fruit Salads, Fun Kid Snacks, Holiday Entertaining, Less than 5 Ingredients meals, Main Dish Salads, Pizzas, Quick Breads and Tastes Like Chicken. There is a Glossary, Conversion Table, The Benefits of Getting Steamed, Healthy Snacks, and Put the Squeeze on Added Calories. The Art of the Meal included instructions on how to create simple works of art with food.

Dole Nutrition News is a bi-monthly online newsletter featuring information and news on diet, fitness, nutrition and natural beauty available free to interested readers.

In what has become an annual family tradition, we are on our way to pick fresh blueberries at a local farm. In my search for ever more blueberry recipes I came across the Mayo Clinic's Healthy Recipes Center, which is currently featuring a recipe for Sweet-potato waffles with blueberry syrup. While there, I found an abundance of great information on preparing meals and hundreds of healthy recipes that fit the bill in cancer prevention. There is a cooking clinic that offers five ways to make recipes healthier and suggestions on ingredient substitutions that can boost the health of the dish served.

For example, you can often reduce the amount of fats and calories and increase the nutritional value of a recipe without compromising taste. By simply replacing whole-wheat pasta in place of enriched pasta to add fiber, magnesium, iron and B vitamins (niacin, thiamin and riboflavin) to your meal. Or, try preparing a dessert with fat-free milk instead of whole milk to save 63 calories and almost 8 grams of fat per cup. It's simple changes that can make a big difference in long-term good health.

If you are interested in finding recipes designed for health, visit the Mayo Clinic's Healthy Recipes Center for kitchen cooking tips and hundreds of recipes for each course and meal of the day. There is a special section on preparation methods.

AOL Diet & Fitness is featuring Prevention's 100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever, and it is by far one of the most creative and common sense approaches to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight -- and in hedging your bets with good nutrition against being diagnosed with diseases like cancer. The tips are from registered dietitians in private practice and respected in their field as heads of specialty practice groups for the American Dietetic Association.

Whether you are someone who can only make a small practical change -- or -- looking for ideas on how to get more veggie-goodness into your day -- or -- easy tricks to cut calories -- or -- healthy low-cal dinner ideas if you don't feel like cooking -- there is something for everyone in the list of 100 smartest diet tips ever.

Some of the creative tips include:

• Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
• Keep a food journal. The experts swear this really works wonders.
• Mix three different cans of beans and some diet Italian dressing. Eat this three-bean salad all week.
• Dance to music with your family in your home.
  

Some common sense tips include:

• Fat-free isn't always your best bet. The experts explain why.
• Skipping breakfast will leave you tired and craving naughty foods by midmorning. They give you a quick nutritious breakfast recipe.
• Make vegetables more attractive by avoiding mushy limp vegetables in the refrigerator crisper drawer with ready-to-go bags of frozen vegetables.
• Exercise. It curbs your appetite.
• Drink water frequently. They say it is not how much water you drink but how often. Dehydration slows your metabolism.
  

The last 15 tips are myth busters that take you from fiction to fact and the pitfalls to avoid when it comes to getting the most in diet health benefit. To find out more, go to 100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever for the complete list.

The Breast Cancer Campaign, a leading organization working to improve diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, towards breast cancer prevention, and ultimately a breast cancer cure, is hosting the BIG BBQ as one of their fundraisers for continuing research and services. BIG BBQ, with the support of the National BBQ Association, Good Food Live host Jeni Barnett, and celebrity chefs, provides BBQ recipes, tips and facts to help you become a part of the BIG BBQ campaign.

From the Breast Cancer Campaign, here are a few top barbeque facts:

• BBQ is now the summer home leisure activity in half the households owning a BBQ grill. It has evolved into a sophisticated, al-fresco alternative to the traditional dinner party.
• 14 percent of all households have two BBQ grills and eight percent have three or more BBQ grills.
• Although charcoal is still the most popular fuel, around 63 per cent, this is changing fast in favor of gas.
• BBQ is now becoming the regular alternative summer meal-cooking format.
• BBQ is no longer male dominated -- 51 percent of men now tangle with the tongs, while 49 percent of women go for the grill.
  

A few basic barbeque tips include:

• Always keep raw and cooked meats separate from each other.
• In very hot weather throw away any barbequed food left out for more than an hour.
• Never part-cook on a barbeque and finish cooking later.
  

A few of the featured mouth-watering celebrity chef barbeque recipes are:

• Aldo Zilli's BBQ mackerel with lemon oil
• Brian Turner's chicken burger with feta and sundried tomatoes
• Clodagh McKenna's baked white fish with lemon and dill
• Jekka McVicar's marinated chicken
• Lucy Wyndham-Read's old-fashioned homemade lemonade
• Peter Gordon's baba ganoush
• Lotte's Summer Pudding
  

To find out how to take part in the Breast Cancer Campaign's BIG BBQ, and host a BIG BBQ of your own with family and friends, visit What is the BIG BBQ?

Summertime, watermelon, and the 4th of July all go hand and hand. This fruit seems to be a tradition in almost every back yard BBQ on this holiday. In July this fruit is abundant in every roadside fruit stand, farmers market and grocery store. Watermelon contains the phytochemical lycopene, one of our colorful disease preventing cartenoids that is most known for in tomatoes. That is why they are both red. Studies have shown that a cup and a half of watermelon contains about 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene. On average, watermelon has about 40 percent more lycopene than raw tomatoes.

The vegetable Jicama has a crunchy texture like that of water chestnuts but with a sweet taste. It is easy to just peel, slice and serve raw. It is a good source of vitamin C as well as dietary fiber aiding in fighting colon cancer.

I like to use these two naturally sweet items in a nutritional salad packed with vitamins, taste, fiber and cancer fighting lycopene.  Here is my recipe.

Vicki's Watermelon & Jicama Salad
1 head Romain lettuce.
1 head radichio
4 tangerines peeled and segmented
1 piece jicama, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices about 2 inches long
1 watermelon   
1 pack feta cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries 
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Vicki's Citrus Vinaigrette
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together all ingredients.

Tear lettuce and radichio apart rinse well and shake dry. Lightly tear apart into bite size pieces and place the leaves around on individual salad plates so that the texture and colors of the salad are mixed. Scoop out 5 to 6 balls of the watermelon with a melon baller and place onto the center of the salad plates. Then place wedges of the jicama and tangerines around the watermelon. Sprinkle with cranberries, feta cheese, and toasted sunflower seeds. Lightly drizzle with citrus vinaigrette and serve. Will serve 4 to 6 depending on how large you like your salads.