Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do

A recent addition to my library, this book has been recently updated and is a valuable resource for anyone who is fighting cancer or is supporting someone with this destructive disease. Cancer is not just about the illness or treatment, but surviving means something more than treatment medically; there is a lot to appreciate from holistic intervention that will support you through treatment and the rest of your life! 

Leaky Gut or Chronic Illness?

There is a lot to be said for how hard our digestive system works to protect the health of our body. And there is a lot to be said for how hard the Standard American Diet works to damage this important system for maintaining health, energy, focus, strength and all the important elements of a vital life that is desired for every age and stage of your life.

I highly recommend Elizabeth Lipski's book, Digestive Wellness as a tool for understanding digestion and the important roles in metabolism and nutrient absorption that it supports in keeping your immune system strong, cardiovascular system healthy and all your organs, bone and blood in the best of health for your whole life.

Begin with adding more vegetables daily to your diet. And while you are enjoying all that produce, start reading Digestive Wellness to connect the recommended support tools with an improved diet of nutrient dense foods that are fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, herbs and spices.

Food Fight Against Breast Cancer

In the fight against cancer fresh, healthy and whole foods are proven to boost your immune system. Therefore it’s essential that those who are diagnosed with breast cancer maintain a diet that includes immune-boosting foods with nutrient dense vitamins and phytonutrients. While October is the month that focuses on breast cancer, these foods have benefits for other cancers and chronic illnesses as well.

Here is a list of a few significant vitamins that boost immune function, energy, and brain health. I’ve included a few ideas on where to find them in foods, as food sources are far more potent in benefits to the body than are supplement sources:

Vitamin A not only helps your vision, it is a key nutrient for stimulating the immune system to increase the “fight” against invading pathogens. It can be found in animal foods like shrimp, eggs, and liver or in vegetables like sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, carrots, cayenne pepper and watermelon. 

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and immune system booster. It can be found in foods such as tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, dark leafy greens and parsley.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant easily found in nuts like sunflower seeds and almonds, as well as dark leafy greens, olives and blueberries.

Folic acid along with the B Vitamins is essential for many of our cell functions that promote healthy blood and homocysteine levels, nerve functions, energy and mental clarity. It is widely found in beans, liver, dark leafy greens, cabbage, cauliflower and squash, along with fortified grains and cereals.

Here are six simple ideas for adding these foods into your meals or snacks:

1. Fresh or frozen fruit with granola using blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or grapes

2. Smoothies made with fresh fruit and leafy greens like kale or spinach

3. Tomato slices with olives or drizzled with olive oil and fresh herbs

4. Carrots or celery with hummus or peanut butter

5. A baked sweet potato (no added sweeteners please!)

6. A handful of nuts

Enjoy the gift of good health by eating good for you foods!

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

Please find time to watch this important video. It truly is a well communicated presentation on the sugar epidemic of our nation. It is also an invitation for personal change that could change our nation and world!

Sugar - A Nation's Addiction

The topic of sugar and its substitutes is a land mine in the health and wellness of our nation. When looking at the significant increase in sugar consumption in the American diet, particularly in processed foods, that increase parallels a similar increase in metabolic diseases. Certainly, numerous studies have demonstrated the link between increased sugar and a higher risk for disease. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average American is now supplied with over 140 pounds of calorie dense sweeteners per year. That is approximately 36 teaspoons for every man, woman and child, every day. Just to give a context to that figure, in the late 1800's sugar consumption was only 5 pounds per person, per year, or less than 2 teaspoons per day. An important difference in sugar consumption from earlier times is that sugars came solely from complex natural sources that had other nutritional qualities. Those whole food sweeteners were usually only available seasonally, making sweet foods a rare treat.

During digestion the body is designed to process sugar and depends on glucose (naturally found in whole foods like fruits and vegetables) as the primary source of energy for every cell in the body. From whole food sources the glucose molecule is the main source of energy for the brain and muscles. When the mouth "tastes" sweetness, real or artificial, through digestion it signals the liver and pancreas to expect sugar and both enzymes and hormones are triggered to receive this important source of energy for the body.

The problem of our culture is that sweet tastes are expected routinely from meals or snacks. A large variety of processed foods deliver that sweet taste, whether real or artificial, and the body is challenged to perform at peak with excess calories that deliver little or no nutrient value. The more processed a food item becomes, no matter how good it tastes, it cannot give the body's cells the tools needed to construct health, energy or satisfaction as completely as a whole food source. Too much sugar in the diet has associated problems that are recognized in symptoms like tooth decay, headaches, hyper-activity, fatigue, and indigestion along with the more serious consequences of hormonal imbalance, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The increasing presence of sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners seem to be a marketing manifesto against the rising tide of illness; or is it? While labeled as safe by the USDA, all sugar substitutes have side effects primarily reflected as headaches, bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea. While stevia and the sugar alcohols (erythritol, malitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol) are considered natural substances, the resulting product that is manufactured is still a highly processed substance not found in nature.

Basically, sugar substitutes confuse your brain as the sweet substitute taste in the mouth primes cell receptors for an insulin surge. When nothing of food value is processed, the brain "feels cheated" and begins sending out signals that translate into cravings. Through the digestive process of these substitutes the body is being set up for cravings; because these substitutes are more intensely sweet that natural sugars, cravings for these products can trigger an increase in impulses from digestion to eat more food. The diet foods industry that promises to reduce dependence on sugar may actually boosting the opposite. A 2005 University of Texas Health Science Center survey found that for every can of diet soda that individuals consumed daily, there was a 41% increased risk of being overweight. (Time Magazine, Health, February 10, 2008)

Sugar consumption is a big problem in our nation and the solution for reducing consumption must go further than just dietary restrictions. Create simple changes by consuming a wider variety of sweetness that comes from whole food sources, like fruits and vegetables. It is simply much better for health to consume fruits, vegetables and whole grains which contain a rich supply of the necessary energy source of nutrients that balance sugar along with vitamins, minerals, fiber and enzymes to promote healthy digestion and satisfaction. Including greater satisfaction from non-food activities that make life and relationships "sweet" is another key for making lasting changes for healthier food choices. This combination is powerful enough to transform cravings for sugar or sugar substitutes into a simply balanced, healthy life.

Sugar Blues... and the Fork!

A recent article appearing in The New York Times, Is Sugar Toxic? (published April 13, 2011) journalist Gary Taubes strongly identifies the position that sugar is a chronic toxin that is different from other calories as it triggers heart disease, diabetes, and cancer and is the root of obesity and chronic illness in our nation. 

While the article is lengthy it presents research, and supporting data from health professionals, universities and organizations like the American Heart Association and the Dept. of Agriculture that highlights a correlation between sugar and the explosion of chronic disease.

While "evidence" directly linking overconsumption of sugar and disease is still requiring additional study Craig Thompson, president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York is quoted as follows, "I have eliminated refined sugar from my diet and eat as little as I possibly can because I believe ultimately it's something I can do to decrease my risk of cancer."

There is much to learn from science about connections between food and health that can be beneficial. But, there is much already known about the benefits of eating a more plant-based diet that supports optimal health and healing. A new film, Forks Over Knives, with a positive focus on the benefits of a plant based diet, is currently being shown in select cities. Through this film, discussion is generated around the concept that what you eat on a daily basis will is what will add up to better health and happiness or increased risk for chronic illness and medical intervention.

It seems to make practical sense for today to not wait for even more research to prove what is already known about the benefits of eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains along with heeding the warnings already in place that stress the importance of reducing processed foods and especially sugar from all sources.

If you have tried and failed at dieting, maybe its time to use a health coach to create a lifestyle for eating and enjoying the best of foods that are best for you.

Contact me for a consultation to discuss your unique health concerns.

Veggies, Cancer and Epigenetics

The often quoted phrase "Your mother is right; eat your veggies!" has the backing of a biologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The article recently published in the journal, Clinical Epigenetics, discusses research in this field that has coined a new lifestyle concept calle the Epigenetics Diet. 


Worldwide research in this field is proving the benefit of eating vegetables, particularly the cruciferous vegetables, for reducing risks for debilitating diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. Consider the following food options cited in this research summary:

Epigenetics is the study of the changes in human gene expressions with time, changes that can cause cancer and Alzheimer’s, among other diseases. In recent years, epigenetics research worldwide, including numerous studies conducted at UAB, have identified specific food compounds that inhibit negative epigenetic effects. 

Those foods include soybeans, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Green tea, fava beans, kale, grapes and the spice turmeric round out the diet. 

“The epigenetics diet can be adopted easily, because the concentrations of the compounds needed for a positive effect are readily achievable,” says lead author Syed Meeran, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in Tollefsbol’s UAB Department of Biology laboratory. 

For example, Meeran says sipping tea compounds called polyphenols in daily amounts that are equivalent to approximately three cups of green tea has been shown to reverse breast cancer in laboratory mice by suppressing the gene that triggers the disease. Similarly, a daily cup of broccoli sprouts, which has sulforaphane as an active compound, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing many cancers. 

“Our review article has drawn everything together from global studies, and the common theme is that compounds in the epigenetics diet foods can, at the very least, help us lead healthier lives and help our bodies prevent potentially debilitating diseases like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s,” Tollefsbol says.

More about this research can be found in an article published at UPI.com : Diet to Prevent Cancer, Alzheimer's

Weighty Issues

The statistics for much of America's population are ominous. Two out of three adult Americans are overweight and one-third of the adult population is obese. Diabetes often accompanies obesity and it too is rising. A lot of effort has gone into educating the public about the dangers of being overweight, and people have responded by trying to slim down. Many now believe that "thin" is healthy and use a wide variety of techniques, including bariatric surgery, to help take off the weight. Weight loss cannot be simply calorie counting or portion control, but must include attention to the actual foods that are chosen for consumption: are they fresh or packages, plant or animal, chemical or other?


So much of the American way of living, and in particular - eating - is focused on being able to have what we want quickly, conveniently, and with some measure of entertainment. The fast food lifestyle has become normal and expected. Children are considered deprived if parents do not take them to a McDonald's type meal at least once per week, and many eat there daily. We are creating a nutritionally lost generation that is truly ignorant of the presence and value of whole, fresh, plant-based foods.

There are so many weight-loss programs offered to many who are curious and desperate. There wouldn't be so many diets to choose from if any of those diets actually worked long-term! The key point of any "diet" is that it is expected to be a "quick-fix" solution to reach a weight-loss goal; substituting one bad eating habit for another is not health supporting. Diets are more likely to contribute to increasing disease risk in one's lifetime because calculated weight loss is the focus instead of creating better health. The only way to truly manage and maintain healthy weight that keeps the body mass index well within normal ranges and generates better health is to focus on fresh, unprocessed plant-based foods as the normal way of eating. 

Consider an excerpt from the introduction of The Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010  http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-DGACReport.htm

"The most important issue is that this set of guidelines is addressing an unhealthy American public for the first time," said Linda Van Horn of Northwestern University, chair of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. "The obesity epidemic is priority number one, and every single thing in this report is focused on addressing that problem up front."

American society has become 'obesogenic,' characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, nonhealthful foods, and physical inactivity. Policy and environmental change initiatives that make healthy choices in nutrition and physical activity available, affordable, and easy will likely prove most effective in combating obesity.

In our society, we've become accustomed to fast foods and fast fixes, rather than taking the path of long-term results. Constructing a healthy lifestyle must become the primary goal. Changing food habits to include fresh, unprocessed foods that are prepared into meals at home will do more for long-term health and well-being than counting calories. The real trick is learning to buy fresh foods at the grocery store, so that the choices available when one is hungry includes fresh fruit and vegetables and not simply packages, fast food, or snack foods. Adding daily moderate exercise will promote an even greater benefit! 

You will always feel full on a plant-based, whole food diet. It’s a diet that is packed with variety, flavor, nutrients needed for energy and is high in fiber, which will make you feel full faster and keep you satisfied longer. There is no need for calorie counting and the best part is the side effects of this diet that include: sustained and consistent weight loss, along with low incidences of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia and other conditions that limit the joy of living. A plant-based diet, part of a total lifestyle change, is the most successful way to shed excess weight, reverse existing conditions of ill health, prevent  disease, and allow for a more active life.  

Remember the statement: "An apple a day will keep the doctor away..."

 



 

Health on a Fork

Recent headlines identifying the health care crisis in America does little to assist a concerned public in clarifying the changes needed to promote this valued commodity called health, or to instruct individuals in habits for minimizing disease risks. In a soon to be released video Forks Over Knives, a documentary focused on practical help to answer these concerns of increasing risk, this timely film engages discussion for health based on the food on your plate. Two dedicated men share their research, concerns and expertise in diet and lifestyle intervention for an approach to health care that will substantially reduce disease, illness and suffering in our society.

Decades of research by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. published in his book, The China Study, and clinical work by Caldwell B. Esseltyn, MD compare the effects of disease rates with nutritional consumption. The compelling connection between diet and disease is reflected in published research, clinical trials and personal stories.  Both Dr. Campbell and Dr. Esseltyn combine their expertise to reveal a powerful option to interrupt, reverse, and heal from chronic and life threatening illness. That option presented in their film, to be released in March 2011, is to reject the Standard American Diet (SAD) and begin a plant-based way of eating.

As simple as this recommendation is why do many avoid this path to health and wellness? If you were told that your favorite food is linked to your recently diagnosed cancer, would you choose to never eat that food again?  If you were told that your favorite food is a contributing cause to your diabetes to eventually cause blindness, would you be willing to change your food habits? None of the inflammatory, chronic, or auto-immune diseases afflicting growing numbers of people have any cure available from the medical community. Nutritional experts and researchers have consistently shown through numerous studies that we are what we eat and that our diets are connected to the diseases we suffer, endure and spend our life savings in symptom care with no real hope for measurable healing.

The truth for eliminating disease is to understand the power of plant foods to protect and heal the body. But, lifestyle factors that remove home cooked meals as the normal way to eat food, with increased access to convenience foods, along with a strong belief that medicine will “cure” illness with a yet to be discovered potent pill, keep many trapped into thinking that food is not really that important to actual health.

Perhaps the answer for minimizing disease is so obvious, we’ve missed it! Examine the food on your fork and ask whether it is recognizable as whole, fresh, fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, beans, or whole grains and without additives, chemicals or preservatives. Are you consuming plant-based protection for your health? The most wonderful result of the many studies and stories of diet and lifestyle intervention is how quickly the body responds to nutrition from whole, fresh, plant food sources. Truly how much your health is worth can be measured by the foods consistently chosen for your plate and fork.

For more information on changing your health outcomes, visit my website: www.bethforhealth.com and contact me for a health consultation.

Choose You! Eat Right: Diet and Physical Activity: What's the Cancer Connection?

This is a good article from the American Cancer Society about healthy eating and benefits for reducing cancer risk. The American Cancer Society is launching a new campaign called "Choose You!" Check this article and the related links to find out more...

Choose You! Eat Right: Diet and Physical Activity: What's the Cancer Connection?

Life is Uncertain

Often I've wondered about the significant interruption to life that breast cancer interjected into my life and family just when all of life seemed so "good".  How is it that dedication to health, children, jobs and finances really has little to do with personal control or effort?  My crisis was a very deep cry for a new way to think, feel, believe and ultimately to live differently from all that was BEFORE.  Even now, I place the cancer fight into a decade of life that is unique from what came BEFORE that moment of diagnosis through what came AFTER the battle, treatment and recovery efforts ended.  But, I am also convinced that this decade of interruption brought me to another place of living that begs me to challenge fear and uncertainty by daily crafting of life as NOW.

I have come to know that no matter how sure one can make the details of life, it remains an uncertain force.  If children are part of your life, then the uncertainty is multiplied.  This past year of economic decline has been a significant and uncertain crisis for many.  Lessons learned may include saving more and spending less, but if this financial crisis is to make a difference for any of us, then lessons of gratitude for simply being here and having family or friends should be high on the list.  Other aspects of life, like becoming generous with even the little that is ours to share, connecting "in person" and not just electronically with those we love might also get a high mark.  Removing isolation, overwhelming stress, feelings of always pushing or yearning for the next... (you can fill in the blank); these are the things that personal crisis attempts to address. 

Where family, friends and community connected in my life, I needed to stop "playing my part" and figure out a more genuine path.  I confess to being lost along the way.  And through the struggle, I know for certain that God is truly love by the gentle, patient women God brought into my life to give light, understanding, laughter, and mostly truth: truth about life (mine and theirs), truth about hopes, heartbreak, faith, love and truth about learning to live beyond brokenness. 

Thank you, dear friends for entering my uncertain life...