About Jane Higdon

Doctor, Queen of the Mountain and Polka Dots

Jane HigdonJane earned an A.B. in human biology from Stanford University, a nursing degree from Pace University, and two degrees from Oregon State University: a master's in exercise physiology and a doctorate in nutrition. With this diverse background and exceptionally broad knowledge, she was perfectly equipped to create the Micronutrient Information Center (MIC),. She contributed many articles to the LPI Research Newsletter on topics such as cruciferous vegetables, osteoporosis, tea, and how to choose a multivitamin/mineral supplement.

She also co-authored a number of original scientific papers on fish oil supplementation in postmenopausal women and several comprehensive review articles, including two published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition: "Tea catechins and polyphenols: health effects, metabolism, and antioxidant functions" (2003) and "Coffee and health: a review of recent human research" (2006). The tea article has been widely cited in the scientific literature. Jane was prized at LPI for her compassionate responses to thousands of questions from the public about the role of micronutrients in health and disease. In the final sentence of her acknowledgments in her latest book, Jane wrote, "Finally, I would like to thank my friends, including the folks at Emerald Aquatics, the Eugene Running Club, and the Wednesday P.M. Ride, for their enthusiasm, understanding, and willingness to listen."

An accomplished scholar, Jane was also highly regarded for her competitive athleticism. She spent many hours swimming, bicycling, and competing in marathons and triathlons and especially enjoyed summer bicycling vacations in Europe with her husband. Jane was truly a paragon of health who lived by her own advice: eat a healthful diet and get plenty of exercise. She was a true animal lover, and adored her 3 cats, Buck, Lucy, and Omar.

She developed and managed the LPI Micronutrient Information Center (MIC),
The Sacred Polka Dotswhich is a premier online resource for up-to-date, scientifically accurate, and peer-reviewed information on micronutrients, phytochemicals, and other constituents of the diet. The MIC features 54 articles written by Jane over the last six years, including sections on the 13 vitamins, nutritionally relevant minerals, vegetables, fruit, coffee, tea, lipoic acid, carnitine, coenzyme Q10, and phytochemicals like carotenoids, flavonoids, and chlorophyll. The sections on vitamins and minerals were published in 2003 in Jane's book, An Evidence-based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals: Health Benefits and Intake Recommendations. Jane's second volume, An Evidence-based Approach to Dietary Phytochemicals, was published in Spring 2007.

The Polka-Dot Jersey is awarded to the Best Climber Classification (points earned at the tops of climbs up mountains) in the Tour De France. This jersey, along with the yellow jersey for the overall winner of the Tour De France are near sacred icons to cyclists. Jane was associated with the polka dots because she was such a great (cycling) climber. You will notice these small icons in the crown up in the banner and on the page navigation for this site to honor her magnificent ability to go up hill - fast. Jane had the nickname "Queen of the Mountain" for this very reason, thus the crown. Jane's favorite local climbs were Mary's Peak, Sharp's Creek/Steamboat, and Mckenzie Pass. We can all still see her riding away from us up those beautiful hills.