Diet

Kathleen,

Congratulations on making the decision not to tackle fitness goals alone. There are a wide variety of fitness tricks and nutritional approaches that might be helpful, however many find that the best approach is often the one that considers (in no particular order):

1) Life/family responsibilities (i.e. your energy demands)
2) How regularly & intensely you trained before chemo
3) Resources ($, access to exercise equipment, facilities, etc)
4) Current energy levels and your energy cycles (i.e. good day vs bad day)

Because those variables can really impact how you approach slimming down, I'll include just a few exercise-based and nutrition-based notes.


Exercise
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* Get a journal and record snapshots of your general activities, nutrition and exercise. Journaling will keep you honest and enable you to, truly listen to your body. Speaking of snapshots, you may also want to take before photos and put them in your journal and wallet. They can be powerful motivators.

* Listen to your body and obey it. This really bears repeating. Pay close attention to not only how your body feels right after a workout but how it feels 1-2 days later as well! The journaling will help a lot, review it weekly.

* In the beginning, start with short, low to moderate intensity workouts, 20-30mins long. Do them only on your higher energy days. Avoid exercising on low energy days at first...consider making gentle stretches the most that you do on low intensity days. Some people find that they can only handle 10-15mins. That's ok. You might even try doing 2 short but vigorous workouts of 10-15mins, gradually increasing the length of workout by a few minutes and decreasing intensity before increasing intensity and length.

* As you progress (after a few weeks or so) you may want to try incorporating 1-2 more intense interval (burst) style workouts per week. They are a great way to help boost the metabolism without introducing some of the inflammatory effects that could potentially accompany lots of long workout sessions.

* If you are more of an enthusiast and are ready for it, very controlled interval training using a modified tabata scheme, could be a useful strategy, minding the caveats above. The Tabata scheme is based on 4 minute exercise cycles composed of 8 continuous, 30-second rounds of exercise, where you work as hard as you can for 20 secs and rest for 10 secs. Initially, 20 secs will probably be way too much. Consider the following scheme for progression:

Initial Stage => Modified Tabatas, w/ 8 rounds of 5-10 secs full-out exercise followed by 20-25secs break.

Progression => Add 2-5 secs of work every 1-2 weeks or as tolerated.

* If you choose to work with a trainer, make sure to find one that's sensitive to not only the inevitable energy swings but also the importance of balancing movement around joints (e.g. pushes and pulls are balanced) as well as moving in all planes.

Nutritionally
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* Especially in the beginning, try to train only when you're both rested and well nourished (eat ideally 1-2hours beforehand). Smoothies/Shakes are great for pre/post workout meals since it can be a bit easier to absorb the nutrients easier.

* Eat every 3.5-4hours (~4-6x per day) and Eat your largest meals earlier in the day and taper your meals as it gets later. Last meal should be the smallest, though still complete.

* Typical meals should include (low GI & fibrous carbs, lean complete proteins, good, higher omega 3 fats). Of course, avoid processed foods in favor of loading up on leafy greens and the like (organic is best)!

* Discuss _any_ supplementation (multivitamin/mineral, probiotics, fish oil, etc) with your doctor first.

* Try to avoid snacking within ~2 hours of bedtime. If you must, try to limit the damage by stocking the fridge and cupboards with fibrous, low GI/GL foods (glycemic index/glycemic load)

I'll close by encouraging you to remember to periodically add to your mental/spiritual toolkit for navigating the almost inevitable bumps along the road to your body transformation, it's often great to add an inspirational quote, story or song to your journal, on your journal review day (for example). Sorry if that was waay more than you were bargaining for, but I hope you'll find the info useful. Enjoy!!!

There are many sources of information about these complementary therapies on the internet, but most are self-serving (the source of the information stands to profit from the alternative therapy). I am convinced that modern cancer therapies can be effective and that they should not be delayed to try complementary therapies. If there are no standard therapies available, complementary therapies are reasonable. This does not mean that a lung cancer patient should not try to eat a healthy diet during therapy, but I recommend that patients do not take megadoses of any natural or alternative supplement.

Turmeric is a spice commonly used in traditional Indian cooking and medicine. It accounts for the deep yellow color of some curries. Curcumin is a chemical found in turmeric that has some activity against cancer cells in a laboratory. Turmeric is mainly used for its anti-inflammatory properties. A search of the National Cancer Institute database on clinical trials did not reveal any human trials on cancer prevention with turmeric. This is still being investigated in the lab, and if successful there, will move on to human trials.

There are some situations in which a cancer patient may want to be sure to drink more water than usual. Some of these situations would include having nausea or diarrhea during treatment (these can lead to dehydration), receiving treatment that makes it difficult to swallow, or getting a chemotherapy that is potentially toxic to the kidneys. The question remains, how much water is enough? That can depend on a lot of factors (physical activity, humidity in the environment, amount of perspiration) and can vary from one individual to another. The Institute of Medicine recommends about 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women as a general guideline. Logic would dictate that you certainly need enough to prevent dehydration. Some of the symptoms of dehydration include fatigue, headache, lightheadedness, dry mouth and skin, decreased urination, constipation, and of course thirst.

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.

Being a vegetarian is not a 100% guaranteed that you will not get cancer. It is a healthier lifestyle, however, there are many variables that can cause cancer and breast cancer. Add to the equation, eating meat in an earlier life, environmental factors, genetics/family history, obesity, smoking, lack of exercise and history of drinking alcohol. All these factors can cause breast caner.

Moreover, know where your fruits and vegetables come from. Many of our fruits and vegetables that we eat have been treated with pesticides, (which in turn places more estrogen in our bodies, which can cause breast cells to grow abnormally).

Be aware of what vegetables that have a high estrogen content in them. Such as sweet potatoes and “true yams” are totally different vegetables from two separate botanical families. Yams are brighter, orange color and are served more frequently in stores and restaurants, have a higher estrogen component in them. Yet women who maybe at risk for breast cancer are not aware of this factor

Furthermore, there are studies that have shown curcumin and black pepper have cancer-fighting properties to help to reduce breast cancer. Other measures that can be taken to reduce breast cancer is to lower or eliminate the consumption of alcohol. Check your Vitamin D levels, it appears that women who have a low Vitamin D level are more at risk for breast cancer.

In addition to, these factors that I have mentioned above, one must get adequate sleep, exercise, and take time for you.

Thanks for the info on whole grain and wheat. Is there anything you should know when looking for "Gluten-free"? I almost picked up a box of gluten free mix to make bread today ($7.00 on sale ouch!) but I wasn't sure if there was anything I should be looking for on the label to be sure it was truly healthy.

Inflammation is heat or fire in the body. This includes a distinction between acute and chronic inflammation. Think about when you've had a cut or wound. Your skin is red, flamed, and perhaps uncomfortable. That's acute inflammation. But in chronic inflammation, the "flare" does not stop. It continues on and on for months and years where the body acts with immune and other processes to heal a "wound" and yet there isn't one. The chronic inflammation then begins to support health conditions such as cancer.

To reduce inflammation, eat organic vegetables, some fruits, spices such as turmeric, and consider specific supplements. Inflammation levels can also be tested. The most common blood test is called c-reactive protein (CRP) high sensitivity available through mainstream blood laboratories. A healthy level is below 1.0 mg/L.

You can learn more about inflammation and cancer, including a more in depth explanation about inflammation and how to reduce it, in an article on the EmbodiWorks integrative cancer care resources website at http://www.embodiworks.org/cancertreatments/bodymindspirit/inflammation/.

Wishing you optimal health and healing.

Great question! By removing unhealthy foods from the diet – foods such as refined and artificial sugar, processed foods and most animal-based foods – and increasing whole, plant-based foods I gained more energy, felt better and reached a healthy weight. Eating nutrient-dense real food also greatly decreased the stress on my body in terms of digestion and inflammation. And enjoying some good quality dark chocolate once in awhile helped, too.

I would recommend making regular stops to rest and sleep. Also eating whole, fiber-rich foods (as opposed to highly processed foods) will give you slow and steady energy throughout the trip rather than short bursts of energy followed by a crash (of energy, not your car).

It is important to note that a homeopath is not a physician, nutritionist, herbalist, naturopath or psychologist. While some health care specialists integrate homeopathy into their practices, and some homeopaths integrate additional complementary practices into their homeopathic care, homeopathy is a stand-alone profession. So, with that in mind, dietary recommendations are not part of homeopathy in the strictly defined sense.

However, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the quality of our food is directly related to the quality of our health. In my own practice I will always discuss someone’s diet and make recommendations for change where necessary. Understanding dietary challenges also provides homeopaths with additional information about the patient and can provide deeper understanding about their health and particular health issues.

Making dietary changes is an excellent idea for improving your health.

As a homeopath I do not work with food tolerance testing myself. I do know there are many methods to test this, including finger prick, blood draws or muscle testing, but do not have an opinion on which may be better.

In my own practice I would prefer to address the underlying cause of any food intolerance and work with people to remove this so they are able to enjoy a more wide variety of natural foods.

There is that generalization about dairy & cancer going around.

Before throwing out the baby with the bathwater (or cream) here, it is important to distinguish between valuable and non-valuable dairy. First, any dairy/milk products (butter, milk, cream, cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, buttermilk, cream cheese, yogurt, kefir, 1/2 & 1/2, egg nog, ice cream, whipped cream, etc.) and/or anything with dairy in it (creamed soups, etc.) needs to be organic/from organic milk or from European, Australian, Canadian or Japanese dairy cows.

The hormone recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is given to non-organic dairy cows to make them produce more milk. And it leads to higher levels of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the milk and milk products from those cows. This hormone is also a growth hormone for breast and colon cancers, and possibly for other cancers as well. It is forbidden to give rBGH to animals in the EU, Canada, Australia and Japan where it is banned.

Second, some people are allergic to dairy compounds (lactose or casein, or both) and can't absorb it. For others, it can cause increased phlem production. Some say raw milk may reduce these adverse effects.

If dairy is fermented (yogurt, kefir, sour cream, buttermilk, cottage cheese), it may be easier to tolerate since the lactose is broken down by the fermenting organisms. These provide probiotics which aid the digestive system, make some of the b vitamins and vitamin k, and boost the immune system.

For those who can tolerate it, dairy is rich in protein, calcium, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, good CLA fats (which may have cancer-
protective activity) http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/bauman/cla/human_health/c9t11_general.html and other benefits.

So, it may be a big mistake to avoid all dairy (unless you're allergic to it). But it must be organic or from rBGH-free sources.

Happy holidays. This is making me want to dig into some raw milk French blue cheese right about now! Whole Foods has a good selection of organic, raw & imported dairy products.

Beware sugar (a cancer growth factor) and its partner, insulin (also a cancer growth factor), in so many of our holiday foods.

I have a 5-step process that I use as part of my cancer coaching. Step 2 is all about healing and stimulating the immune system. I start by talking about how healing takes place and what is needed for optimal healing. Then we look at the factors that may be contributing to cancer cell growth; inflammation, an acidic environment, too much sugar and refined/processed foods. For each factor, there are recommended diet and lifestyle changes that we discuss. I share some research data on things like the importance of exercise, the effect of anti-cancer foods etc. I believe people need to have a basic understanding of how cancer cells are fed so that they can feel like the changes they are making are truly going to help their healing. One of the most important things I emphasize is pleasure. If you start an exercise routine and don't enjoy it - it won't give you the benefits you are looking for and you are not likely to keep it up! So we find a way to make it enjoyable. Maybe it is walking with a friend, maybe going to a park that you love or listening to your favorite music and dancing!! The same goes for the diet changes, they have to be enjoyable!! So the combination I use is increased knowledge, empowerment (yes, you can make a difference on your healing journey), ideas (how can you have fun and make these changes), tools (guided meditations, exercises) and support(from me and from themselves - self love is a big part of the healing journey and a whole other step in my process).

Hello, congrats on NED. This is similar to another question about estrogenic foods. They are safe - studies have shown they may even occupy receptors the way tamoxifen does. Organic when possible (unsprayed).
We don't know any specifics to lower risk, what we have is a combination of foods - every color fruit and vegetable. NO SODA, fried foods, JUNK.

Avoid artificial ingredients of all kinds. Consider some exercise, a way to relax and enjoy, and some detox - using healthy cleaning products, avoiding parabens in makeup and the like.

Many supplments can build health but you need to get a baseline from an acupuncturist, naturopath or nutritionist to see what you personally may need. After treatment our DNA is messed up and definitely following a health path can help. Yoga is amazing too!

Estrogen in natural food (unprocessed has been shown like ORGANIC soy) to occupy receptors like tamoxifen does. It is not our enemy at all.

Healthy foods are the natural ones - real fruit (organic when possible, unsprayed), vegetables,all COLORS. The colors indicate the broad variety of healthy phytochemicals (plant-substances our bodies need).

NO SODA or JUNK food, less fried foods or NONE. Lower amounts of salt. Try to avoid food coloring, artificial flavors and preservatives. Our bodies do not recognize that stuff as 'food'/'nutrition'.

REAL food as often as possible in small amounts at a time.

Wild fish is better than farmed (they feed those poor fish all sorts of crap), free-range animals if you eat them also better.

This is good advice, particularly about the 'well-trained human'! I would add that although there are some common foods - sugar, processed foods - that all of us should avoid, we each have a unique chemical make-up whereby things that are beneficial to one person may cause inflammation in another person - even healthy foods.

For example, I'm allergic to raw garlic. Not extremely allergic with a violent reaction - but when I do eat it, I don't feel my best. Is raw garlic a healthy food? Absolutely. Is it a healthy food for me? Not really. Why? Because in spite of the health benefits of garlic, it causes inflammation in my body. And inflammation lowers the immune system.

So...that's the great part about getting a thorough allergy test by a well-trained ND or DC.

I would monitor vitamin D regularly (as both vitamin D-OH25 and vitamin D 1,25). For those with cancer history, I like to see the results between 55 & 80 ng/ml. Supplement if low. Vitamin D has an impact on overall body function, cancer survival, blood sugar metabolism, thyroid health, etc. In the NY/NJ area, our latitude is too high to make vitamin D from around now through Feb/March. So, winter is an important time to check it and supplement as needed.
B vitamin complex (all 8 of them) is also important, to make red blood cells, make some neurotransmitters, help clear excess estrogen, etc. As a water-soluble vitamin, much of the B family is lost during stress. So, this should be taken on a daily basis. You need to take this with food in your stomach, or it will make you nauseous otherwise.
Omega-3 from fish/krill/ or plankton sources is another crucial supplement, an essential fat. We do not make this nutrient, and need it for many essential bodily functions. It protects the brain, forms part of each cell membrane, is a systemic anti-inflammatory and is cancer-protective. Dosage varies with need.
Depending on your thyroid situation, you may also need selenium, iodine or tyrosine. Or, if you have an autoimmune thyroid component, I would add herbs to balance immune over-response.
You might want to add a multi, some antioxidants, and a cal-mag with k. Your choice of additional supplements would be expanded as your labs indicate. As for overall well-being, I'd bring in adaptogen herbs, anti-cancer herbs/supplements as needed, to protect from overall stress, add immune-support, and all selected for your unique constitution. This could be fine-tuned based on a thorough assessment.

Cultures have been drinking green tea for thousands of years, and are still around to enjoy another cup. This info you cite may be an over-simplification of the compounds in green tea without looking at the total effect. http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/27/7/1310.short
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304383506000590