I met a woman the other day while waiting to get my annual mammogram. She had a suspicious something she was waiting to have examined and during our discussion about her concerns, I told her about my history with breast cancer. At some point during our chat, she shared that she wasn't so sure diet plays any real role in preventing cancer. Maybe no one can be entirely sure but it does seem a worthy endeavor to clean up your diet just in case. If it turns out diet and cancer have no link -- most evidence, however, supports that fact that they do -- then at the very minimum, you've stepped up your health a bit. There's no harm in that.

Back to the cancer connection, and the evidence that says meals really do matter.

What you eat counts, say the American Cancer Society experts. Food choices not only provide vital nutrients that can help prevent cancer, but they also help people maintain healthy weights. Research suggests that one-third of U.S. cancer deaths each year can be attributed to poor diets and inactivity. Another third is due to tobacco use. The last third: genetic variations and environmental factors.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

I'm getting the hang of this mind-over-matter thing. You know, that ideal state that is so hard to master at times -- like when I'm running and the urge to quit is so strong. I'd stop in my tracks in an instant if it weren't for finding that right frame of mind that allows me to push on through. Sometimes I don't find that perfect place. Lately, though, I've been doing pretty good -- when it comes to candy anyway.

A big bowl of Halloween candy sits in my kitchen pantry at this very moment. It's a combination of the junk my two little boys begged off our neighbors during trick-or-treat on Wednesday, and it's ooey, gooey, and oh so sweet. There's a little bit of everything in that gigantic orange bowl. There's chocolate, lollipops, chewy candy, hard candy, and lots of sugary gum. And I promise you, despite the temptation that will flutter through my brain on occasion, not one piece of that stuff will pass through my lips. I've been eating Halloween candy every year for as long as I can remember but this year, I just won't do it. It's a mind-over-matter thing.

I haven't eaten sweets since May. The longer I go without indulging, the easier it gets. It's become my personal challenge. Staying away from sugar makes me feel like I'm winning a challenge. And I guess I am. I'm winning a personal health match, and I don't want to get knocked out the game. If I stay focused -- and keep memories of sugar-induced headaches alive -- I won't cave in. The candy is merely matter. My mind is so much more than that. Yours is too. Put it to work and you'll see just how much you can overcome.

Family mealtime matters. It may be hard to accomplish with long workdays, endless errands, household chores, and hectic school and activity schedules, but it's critical for so many reasons.

Eating together allows families to share and listen and learn with one another, to catch up on the day's events and prepare for days ahead. Parents get quality time with their busy bunch. Children feel valued as a result of focused attention. Kids who eat regular meals with their families are also less likely to use drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. They also improve their chances of fighting off obesity.

According to a Harvard study, the odds of being overweight were 15 percent lower for children who ate a family dinner on most days or every day of the week. Impressive -- and good reason to sit down together tonight. Now if dinner doesn't work for you, substitute another meal. Make breakfast your standing family meeting. Just plan and establish a mealtime, and make it a routine. Your family will thank you for the many benefits of this simple health strategy.

For more information about family dinners and about "Family Day" -- mark your calendars, it's on September 24 -- visit casafamilyday.org.

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