Healthy Lifestyle

Thanks for the great question! I always considered myself to be fairly healthy, but the reality is it was not until I got sick a few years ago that I really got the wake-up call. The gluten-free diet was a part of my whole "transformation", which has included a transition to a non-processed, primarily plant-based diet, much of which I (try) to grow myself! It has also given me a real appreciation for the amazing healing capacity of our bodies and spirits, as well a much better appreciation of what my limits truly are. While I still try to push through those limits, I'm much more accepting of my boundaries than ever before. I wrote a little about my dietary changes here: http://www.morrisonhealth.com/blog/health/dr-attais-gluten-free-diet . I also feel that what I've gone through personally has made me a much better physician; dealing with illness and recovery as a patient has taught me things that medical school and 16 years of clinical practice did not even touch!

Starting an exercise program after treatment is a great way to regain mobility and increase energy levels. I would suggest a rehabilitative exercise program that will correct any postural imbalances caused by treatment/surgical procedures and in general get you moving in a safe environment. Begin with simple stretches focusing on the areas affected by surgery. For example, if you had a mastectomy, start by performing gentle stretches that will open up your chest muscles and strengthen your back muscles. By performing exercises that rebuild your foundation first, you will be able to progress to more challenging programs before you know it.

For more information on rehabilitative exercise programs go to http://www.movingonfromcancer.com

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).

Hi-I am a breast cancer survivor that went through a naturopathic protocol including eating mostly plant foods. This can be done easier than you might think. First off, Quinoa is excellent to have and include in your diet. I have a recipe called Mango Quinoa Salad with Mango/Lime Salad Dressing. Basically you cook the quiinoa and place the usual salads consisting of Red cabbage, onion (use red), lettuce, garlic (raw), endive (cancer fighter), celery, broccoli, cauliflower and other veggies you might like. You cut up mango and by the way mango is very high (higher than carrot) in beta carotene so is very good for you. You place the mango in the salad. Then you blend and puree 1 cup fresh mango, 1/2 cup of oil (not vegetable oil), 1/4 cup lime juice, 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar, grated ginger, 2 tsp sea salt, 1 clove of garlic. You will love how refreshing this really is and everyone will love it! There are so many veggies out there and fruit that really it isn't difficult-try using portabellow mushrooms instead of meat and you won't miss the difference. My favorite is a Reuben sandwich with mushrooms instead of meat and I don't miss it. By the way, sauerkraut is excellent for a preventative in cancer-start including it in your diet if you like. Kale is also excellent-ever hear of Kale Chips? Tear the kale in a pan then pour oil and some salt-bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
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Getting to where I am now has taken a long time and I have had to be very patient with my own process. My journey to a healthier lifestyle started with small steps. My first ones were to regain my physical fitness and stamina after chemotherapy. I started by working with a personal trainer to slowly create an exercise plan that could accommodate the limitations I had while still in treatment. As I worked on that plan and my fitness improved, I have gradually modified the plan to meet my increased capacity and desire for higher levels of fitness. At the same time, I carefully examined my nutrition. Since my BC was highly estrogen positive, I have been studying how to limit the negative sources of estrogen in my system, and my diet has been a primary way to work on this. For instance, I decided I needed to lose weight (fat is a source of estrogen) and have figured how best to do that for my body. I have learned that weight loss is very individual and requires a customized approach to meet an individual's habits, history, and lifestyle. My most effective way has been to eliminate meat, poultry, and pork, and to move towards a plant-based diet. I have also tried to eliminate all sources of antibiotics, hormones, and other toxins from my food.

Just double check to be sure any supplements are not "undoing" what any potential medications may be trying to do..... IE-I am on femara. Wouldn't be a great idea to go on some sort of HRT..... And, sometimes it's necessary to did deeply to find that a particular supplement (to use this example) is promoting the ability to produce estrogen. I see the Sloan Kettering's webpage about supplements is listed. Their list is pretty comprehensive and it explains each supplement and the potential benefits/pitfalls. Great source of info, well written and easy to navigate.
AnneMarie

by loving their life and body
by having a pet and relationships because loneliness affects the genes which control immune function
laugh several times a day for no reason and act like the person you want to be
actors who perform a tragedy have their immune function suppressed and those in a comedy have it enhanced
so meditate and find peace and joy and grow as a human being
when your body knows you love your life it does all it can to keep you alive
look at Monday morning when the opposite happens

I can relate to your wondering about the psychological implications of "expecting" to get cancer. I'm a BRCA2 carrier and a previvor. I watched my grandmother, aunt, mother, and 2 sisters battle breast cancer. We lost my father to pancreatic cancer. While having a double prophylactic mastectomy and oopherectomy significantly reduced my worry, I now find myself enrolled in a pancreatic cancer screening study. The combination of BRCA2 and family history of pancreatic cancer leaves me feeling like a still live under some shadow. I don't let that stop me from being proactive with my lifestyle however, but like you, I have a separate psychological relationship with the idea of cancer.

I made many changes, but seeing my mother pass from bc just after I finished treatment certainly provided all the encouragement I needed. My Wall Street career, while exciting, was no longer for me. I had always exercised, but now I have toned things down. Now I walk and lift weights, but gone are the 7 mile runs and intense workouts. Giving up meat and poultry was easy, now I indulge only for an occasional elk burger on the grill, seems somewhat ok to me as the elk is grass fed and not injected or fed anything to fatten it up. I love food, but mostly fruits, whole grains,nuts, beans and veges...have given up milk, cut back on cheese and wine, but those are the two things I cannot give up entirely. I used to eat much shellfish, but it causes me much pain (arthritis and resulting inflammation) so I cut that back considerably, likely a good idea as the shrimp available these days is not very healthy....what ever happened to wild, seems its all farmed and injected with antibiotics...the smell alone is a huge turn off. The only hard part about the changes is being social....I refuse to eat unhealthy food, and that makes dining with friends often difficult...brings on all kinds of unwanted "oh, you are so good" comments I can really live without. Sure, the cake looks divine, but I don't eat sugar. Don't hate me...