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Sherry Pagoto, PhD
SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified) )| Communities: All Cancers | Answers: 9 |
| Member Since: Feb. 2012 |
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Professional Statement
Dr. Sherry Pagoto is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Fellowship Training Director in the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine in the Department of Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and a staff clinician in the UMass Weight Center. Her clinical work in the Weight Center informs her program of research which focuses on psychological and physical health co-morbidities. She currently has an R01 from the NIMH for a randomized clinical trial comparing two behavioral approaches to weight loss for women with clinical depression. She completed an NHLBI career development award on emotional eating, and has received 5 private foundation grants (Boston Obesity and Nutrition Research Center, American Cancer Society, Worcester Foundation of Biomedical Research, University of Massachusetts Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Project Program, Healey Foundation). She is also actively involved in skin cancer prevention research and has completed 2 large randomized trials in this area. She teaches courses on Team Science and Randomized Clinical Trials in the Master’s of Clinical Investigation and Clinical and Population Health Research Doctoral Programs, respectively. She was also the recipient of the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s Early Career/Young Investigator Award in 2006 and is currently a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.
Professional Info
Credential: PhD
School / University: Western Michigan University
Research interests:
Psychiatric co-morbidities of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome
Lifestyle interventions
Translation of research to practice
Behavioral Activation treatment of depression
Skin cancer prevention
Hospital or other affiliation: University of Massachusetts Medical School
City: Worcester
State: MA
Zip: 01655
SherryPagotoPhD Activities
Quick weight loss is not recommended because the more quickly you lose weight the more likely you are to regain it all. It is ideal to lose weight slowly, at a pace of 1-2 pounds per week. Because you are juggling your cancer diagnosis and treatment along with the desire to lose weight, I recommend finding a clinical psychologist with expertise in “behavioral medicine” who can help you deal with your weight, stress, and coping with cancer. You oncologist may be able to recommend one. In terms of some things to get started now, I highly recommend keeping a diet journal (there are a number of mobile apps like MyFitnessPal that can make this task easier) and starting an exercise program. Exercise in particular will do wonders for so many things including your weight, stress, and overall health. The key will be patience. You can get the weight off, but don’t be in a hurry. Don’t make any changes to your diet or exercise that you can’t live with forever. You do your body the best favor by making this a lifestyle change not a diet.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Weight Management Strategies, Weight Management, Triple Negative Breast Cancer Experiences, Emotional Support, Weight Loss, Breast Cancer Risk, Obesity, Fitness, Weight Management Tactics, Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Triple Negative Experiences, Breast Cancer, Cancer Risk, Just Diagnosed, Breast Cancer Just Diagnosed
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11 months ago
Meditation has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and affect immune function, but studies have not yet established whether it prevents cancer recurrence. However, just because a study hasn’t been done yet to prove meditation prevents recurrence, does not mean it won’t be helpful. Stress and depression are often associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates among people with chronic disease in general, so anything you can do to manage your stress will be good for your health. In terms of the type of meditation, I suggest selecting the one you like the best and feels the most right to you. People vary a lot in their response to various forms of meditation and stress reduction. If you are in or around Massachusetts, for classes I highly recommend the UMass Center for Mindfulnesshttp://www.umassmed.edu/Content.aspx?id=41252 originally founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Integrative Medicine, Meditation, Complementary And Alternative Medicine, Complementary Medicine, Meditation Style, Cancer Recurrence, Recurrence Prevention
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1 year ago
Uncertainty, especially under the circumstances of a cancer diagnosis, is one of most stressful experiences. I recommend exercise, meditation, and relaxation exercises as ways to cope with stress during this time. Check out this book by Dr. Michael Antoni, one of the leading researchers in this area: http://www.amazon.com/Stress-Management-Intervention-Breast-Cancer/dp/1557989419/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332591278&sr=1-2 I also highly recommend finding online social networks, like onhttp://www.PatientsLikeMe.com to find and connect with others going through what you are going through. Even though family and friends may be supportive, it can be so helpful to talk to people who have been through or are going through what you are going through. Only they can truly understand your fears and concerns. And, because the people you meet in online social networks are not close family and friends, you may actually be able to speak more freely about your thoughts, feelings and challenges, especially to the extent that some of the challenges involve family and friends reactions to your cancer.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Uncertainty, Metastatic Breast Cancer, Anxiety, Stress, Tests, Metastatic Cancer, Cancer Tests
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1 year ago
It can be difficult to make someone confront their stress and anxiety. I recommend that you share your concern with them, but be sure not to push too hard. You might say, “I’m worried about you. You seem very stressed out, is there anything I can do to help?” If they aren’t open to admitting it or discussing it, you might try to help reduce their stressors. Make sure to give them time to relax, try not to place too many demands on them, and make them feel comfortable confiding in you. You might also invite them to do stress reducing activities with you—like going for walks. If they sense that you are pushing it though, they will feel less inclined to speak to you about it. If there is a friend or family member that this person may feel more comfortable talking to you might try to connect them with that person. Keep in mind that when we don’t acknowledge something about ourselves it is because we are not ready. You can’t make someone ready to acknowledge a problem or to deal with it. In the meantime, if the situation is causing you stress, you might focus on managing your own stress about it.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Caregiver, Survivorship, Survivorship Issues, Anxiety, Stress, Survivor, Caregiver Issues
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1 year ago
No, not necessarily. Weight control comes down to how much you eat over the course of the whole day. Calories consumed at night do not have a different effect on your body than calories consumed during the day. That being said, hunger at night is often the result of not eating enough throughout the day. Research shows that people who skip breakfast consume more calories later in the day to more than make up for having skipped breakfast. If you skip meals earlier in the day or eat very small meals, it may be why you are feeling hungry at night. Be sure to spread your calories out throughout the day. A good rule of thumb is to never go more than 3-4 hours while awake without eating something, even if a small snack. Staving off extreme hunger is important to preventing overeating at the end of the day.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Weight Management Strategies, Weight Management, Eating, Diet, Weight Loss, Weight Management Tactics
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1 year ago
Good question! I study the relationships between psychological and physical illness. For example, in my work with obese adults, I have found higher than expected rates of depression. It is the case that depression can lead to weight gain, but also that weight gain can lead to depression. The same is true for other illnesses. We see higher levels of several psychological disorders among individuals with type 2 diabetes, cancer, HIV, chronic pain, and many other illnesses. I recently published a book that comprehensively reviews this area and it can be found at this link:http://www.amazon.com/Psychological-Co-morbidities-Physical-Illness-Perspective/dp/1441900306/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332296518&sr=8-1 Please contact me if you have further interest.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Co-morbidities, Psychological And Physical Health Co-morbidities, Research
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1 year ago
Depression is a common experience among people with cancer. Two evidence-based treatments are medication and psychotherapy. In terms of psychotherapy, I highly recommend you find a therapist who is experienced in cognitive behavioral therapy. I also recommend this book which is aimed toward helping cancer patients overcome both depression and anxiety using behavior therapy. http://www.amazon.com/Cancer-Patients-Overcoming-Depression-Anxiety/dp/1572245042/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332588387&sr=8-1 I also recommend Kris Carr’s books on cancer. Check her out on Amazon.com. As a cancer survivor, she has an empowering and fun view of recovery and survival.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Depression Treatments, Chemotherapy Side Effects, Clinical Depression, Depression, Side Effects
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1 year ago
If you have had skin cancer or pre-cancerous lesions, then protecting yourself from ultraviolet radiation (from the sun and artificial sources like tanning booths) is of paramount importance. Seeking shade or using protective clothing is the best way to protect oneself, but sunscreen is important too. Some people use clothing and/or sunscreen regularly but fail to cover all of their exposed parts. Be sure you are covering all exposed skin. A common misconception is that tanning is ok as long as you don’t burn. This is not true. Tanning is harmful to your skin too. Also be sure to have your skin checked by a dermatologist regularly so that any abnormalities or changes can be tracked. Early detection is key in melanoma. In addition to taking the best possible care of your skin, maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of physical activity are great ways to help prevent cancer. A diet low in red meats and high in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and nuts is best. In terms of physical activity, work your way up to 30-60 minutes per day on most days of the week. Although it may seem like a lot, make it a long-term goal and just steadily increase your time in small increments over time. A healthy lifestyle is the best medicine.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Cancer Prevention, Skin Cancer Prevention, Melanoma Prevention, Skin Cancer, Pre-Melanomas, Melanoma
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1 year ago
Social media and online communities are a rich source of social support, information, and tips about weight loss and exercise. Twitter is a great forum to find others to connect with about your weight loss journey or just an interest in exercise, fitness, or nutrition. I follow many of these people, so I suggest you scan the people I follow to find such folks. I am @DrSherryPagoto (http://twitter.com/DrSherryPagoto) on Twitter. You might also try relevant search terms like “losing weight,” “fitness,” or “nutrition” to turn up users who share these interests. For a more formal online community, try Sparkpeople. They also have a weight loss mobile application. In terms of mobile applications, I recommend My Fitness Pal, Lose it, Weight Watchers, or Sparkpeople. There are many weight loss mobile apps and it may be best to play around with 2 or 3 to see which you like the best. Plenty of them are free of cost so there is no need to pay for an app, I have not found the paid apps to offer any advantages, unless they come with a formalized program. I also recommend looking into blogs as a source of support and information. There are 2 kinds of blogs, those written by professionals and those written by people attempting to lose weight. Both are extremely useful. I have a professional blog called FUdiet.com (http://FUdiet.com) in which I write posts about evidence-based weight loss strategies. Numerous dietitians and exercise professionals also write blogs and have much to offer by way of advice and support. Many bloggers will answer your questions too. Blogs written by individuals attempting to lose weight may also be helpful especially if you are feeling very alone in the process. Reading about someone else’s struggles and triumphs may remind you that you aren’t alone, and the vast majority of bloggers are very interactive with their readers. The blog community (including both bloggers and readers) is extremely welcoming and supportive.
New answer by SherryPagotoPhD (Psychologist (Verified)) in topic(s) Weight Management, Social Media, Online Communities, Weight Loss, Social Media Tools, Communities, Online Tools, Exercise
1
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1 year ago
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