And so the Pink Season Begins!

Hi Everyone,

It's that time again, the season of breast cancer awareness.  In the beginning, when I was first diagnosed, this season was too raw for me.  Everywhere I turned I saw pink and frankly, It was too much.  I felt like I was surrounded by pink vomit.  I'll never forget the first Komen race we participated in.  I was in the middle of chemo, had no hair, was so tired and in a @#$%! fog.  I couldn't decide to go bald or wear a wig or a hat or nothing, ugh!  I dreaded the race, was intentionally late and sick to my stomach.  When I arrived to over 200 friends and family I was overwhelmed and thanked God for his team.  Waltz Warriors won largest community team that year.  We had fabulous pink camo shirts, a huge banner, and friends and family from all over the country.  Only now, looking back do I realize how good, how necessary that Komen race was for me, my children and Brett.  It was part of my healing and I didn't even realize it.

Fast forward to 2013.  I have grown to love breast cancer awareness season- the pink hues and witnessing men and women coming together to educate, empower and support those touched with breast cancer.  I am part of an amazing organization, Pink Ribbons Project and have connected with many pink angels through the years. 

The Waltz family kicks off the breast cancer awareness season by participating in Tour de Pink, an annual bike ride benefitting Pink Ribbons Project.  Julia will be a volunteer, the rest of us will ride 23 miles.  Of course, we have not trained and I don't have a bike in my possession yet.  We are late in our fundraising efforts as well.  But, good prevails and I know we will succeed in our fundraising mission and have a fabulous time riding! 

Here is the link to all of our pages, please consider giving a pink gift! 

http://www.tourdepink.org/site/TR/Events/General?team_id=8610&pg=team&fr_id=1120

Be Well and Ride On!

Have you had your mammogram?

Hi Everyone!

It’s the third week of our school year and I am still treading water.  I have concluded that the older my kids get, the busier I get, the more expensive they become and the more I yearn for peace.  Aaaahhhh how I love the quiet mornings after everyone has left for school.  Today as I enjoy my morning, I am catching up on cancer studies.  An analysis was published yesterday in the journal Cancer that recommends more yearly breast cancer screening for younger women ages 40-49.  This study, which looked at 7,301 patients, analyzed the prevalence of breast cancer and deaths from breast cancer.  What they found was that the majority of those who died from breast cancer never had a mammogram prior to diagnosis.  50 percent of the breast cancer deaths occurred in women under the age of 50, only 13 percent were 70 or older.  The study also reports that, even with new protocols for treating breast cancer, regular mammography screening is the best way to significantly reduce breast cancer deaths!

Ladies, this is mucho importanto!  Please get your yearly mammogram.  If you are in the Houston area and do not have health insurance, contact The Rose at www.the-rose.org.  They provide mammography services regardless of your ability to pay.  In my opinion, mammograms don’t hurt- but maybe it’s because my breast tissue used to be nil, none, nothing!  Damn you A cup breasts, you failed me :0. 

Be Well,

Decoding Annie Parker

Hi Everyone,

Whew!  It has been an incredibly busy summer.  I apologize for the delay in posting.   Time….  I need more of it!  I wanted to share with you a trailer of a film based on the discovery of the BRCA 1 gene.  Decoding Annie Parker will be released soon all over the country.  This is going to be a must see. http://www.decodingannieparkerfilm.com/#trailers

Be Well,

What's in our Environment?

Hi Everyone,

It’s time for a reminder on the environment ;).

There has been a lot of buzz in the scientific community (again!) about the environment and its relationship to cancer. Janet Gray, Ph.D., Director of the Program in Science, Technology, and Society, Vassar College speaks about this issue in this month’s Inside Integrative Medicine newsletter.  Regarding breast cancer she states that scientists are increasingly coming to understand that many chemicals commonly found in products we use daily may also be contributing to the very high incidence of breast cancer. We need to better understand the health effects of these environmental chemicals, especially so-called endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in pesticides, plastics, many personal care products, etc. This knowledge may lead us to undertake actions that aim to prevent the disease. 

This is so interesting, particularly for women like me who have no family history of cancer and wonder- what is going on in my environment?  If we can identify environmental risk factors for breast cancer, or any cancer, what a tremendous opportunity for prevention we would have!  One report that came out this year is a must read for anyone with breasts- ok that’s all of us.  The report is called Breast Cancer and the Environment: Prioritizing Prevention https://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/assets/docs/ibcercc_full_508.pdf .  The report reminds me of the grim stats (in my opinion) on breast cancer.  In 2012, it was estimated that 227,000 women and 2,200 men in the United States would be diagnosed with breast cancer, while approximately 40,000 women would die from it.  Ugh.  The report looks at the life span starting with a fetus.  It looks at breast/ mammary gland development as the foundation of breast cancer etiology then looks at the breast changes through puberty, pregnancy, etc.  I honestly have never thought about the environmental toxins my mom may have been exposed to when she was pregnant with me.  I guess if I looked hard enough I would find toxins every step of the way during my lifetime.  I sure hope that I am making changes that will decrease my children’s risks. 

What can we do now about environmental toxins that will decrease our cancer risks?  Janet Gray gives us these tips:

• Avoid plastic water bottles and Styrofoam containers. Did you know that plastics and food packaging from around the world has been associated with more than a dozen serious health problems, including reproductive system abnormalities, cancer, behavioral disorders and diabetes?   The measurable data is there.

• Never microwave food in plastic or Styrofoam.  I use the Pyrex (made in the USA!) glass containers, take the lid off and cover with a paper towel.

• Eat fresh or frozen foods, not canned, unless can is lined with bisphenol-A

(BPA) free plastic.  Most canned food is lined with BPA; however starting in 2012, companies like Campbell’s Soups and Amy’s started phasing out BPA.  Some brands with BPA free cans include Eden, Trader Joe’s, Hunts Tomato Products, Ocean Brand.  You still have to read the can because not every one of their products is BPA free.  Read more info on BPA here at the Environmental Working Group website- http://www.ewg.org/bpa/

• Go fragrance free in both personal care products and household cleaning products.  This is hard for me, particularly with perfumes.  EWG has an extensive database of every kind of personal care product possible.  You could spend hours on this site figuring out what are the best products for you and your family.  Take a look at this guide for sunscreens, they even have an app you can keep on your phone to use at the store.  http://www.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/all-sunscreens/  As far as house cleaning agents, this list surprised me!  Even a brand like Method that I use a lot failed in some areas on toxicity, this is a must read guide  http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners

• Remove plastic bags and air out garments that have been dry-cleaned

before wearing them or putting them in closets or drawers.

• Choose products that have detailed ingredient labels and don’t contain known

EDCs (e.g., parabens, phthalates, BPA). Contact companies for information if
you have concerns about their ingredients.  I find that a lot of hair and skin products are free from parabens and phthalates- and they just aren’t sold at Whole Foods.  HEB, Kroger and Target all carry clean lines like Hugo Naturals, Burt’s Bees, California Kids and Kiss My Face.  Again, take a look at EWG for ratings on hair and skin care products. http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

• Minimize the use of pesticides and herbicides, especially when using them for

cosmetic landscaping purposes.  And don’t forget to read the EWG’s clean and dirty list- what is a must when purchasing organic foods.  In a nutshell, BUY ORGANIC: apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, kale, collard greens and summer squash/ zucchini.  Whew!

Decreasing your cancer risk by evaluating your environment can be overwhelming and not to mention, expensive.  Start small, perhaps evaluating what containers your kids use for their school lunches (Pottery Barn has some cute ones) or what sunscreen to purchase next.  Then go from there. 

Helpful Links

Environmental Working Group- http://www.ewg.org/
Cancer Prevention and Treatment Fund- http://www.stopcancerfund.org/prevention/environmental-exposures/
The Breast Cancer Fund- http://www.breastcancerfund.org/#

Finally, I want to give a shout out to Adair Kitchen- located in Houston on San Felipe near Sage.  This precious cafe has a delicious menu that includes important words like quinoa, avocado, purple onion, spinach, pumpkin seeds, kale, cabbage and drum roll please...  juice bar.  I recently tried "Think Pink" shown below which has beets, pineapple, strawberry, grapefruit, ginger and lime.  It was very refreshing, although my favorite is "Kalelujah" which has kale, spinach, celery, apple, pear, lemon and ginger- yummo!

    

Be Well,

Dear God

Dear God,

It’s me, Amy.  Today is my 5 year anniversary since being told “I’m sorry to say that it’s malignant, you have cancer.”  At the time, I never imagined I would make it this far, but here I am.  Thank you God for the experience of personal growth you have given me as a cancer survivor.  I have learned more than I could ever imagine about death, cancer, cells, longevity, nutrition, immunity and antioxidants.  But more importantly, I have become closer to you and learned to trust in you more.  The song lyrics frequently play in my head…. “I guess we’re all one phone call from our knees.”  Fortunately and unfortunately it’s true and for me, I’m working on letting go.  As you know, this is really hard for me.  I am a type A kind of gal- I want to be in control with a solution for every issue.  Forgive me for the times that I thought I could do it alone.  As a cancer survivor, your light has shone through circumstance and through individuals.  I have felt your presence and heard the humming of angels all around me. 

Thank you God for those who have cared for my body and used the skills given to them by you to keep me whole and healthy-  Dr. Reisman, Dr. Miller, Dr. Cline, Dr. Bass, Dr. Rivera, Dr. Teh, Dr. Giordiano, Dr. Adkins, Dr. Long, Dr. Stepp, Dr. Aloia, Dr. Aslam, Dr. Raj and all of their staff.  Thank you for my family for their tireless efforts to be strong and faithful through this journey with me-  Brett, Mom, Dad, Tina, Jessica, my children, my in-laws, and many, many more family members.  Thank you for my friends- golden and silver, young and old.  God, you know who they are and I pray that you bless them over and over again for the love they have shown to their sister in Christ- ME!  You have surrounded me with great prayer warriors who fervently believe and pray.  Thank you for my church, First Presbyterian Houston and all the blessings I have received from you through them. 

Lord, I humbly ask that you see me through a long life full of health and safety.  Please continue to use me for the good of those of us here on earth.  I ask you, we ask you, as a community to hear our prayers about finding a cure for cancer.  It’s all around us- we are all touched by cancer.  I pray for those close to me who have lost loved ones to cancer.  Especially The Borons, The Campbells, The Espinozas, The Van Ramshorsts,  The Blumers, The Crosses, The Waltzes, The Dvoraks, The Andersons, The Roddys and The Barcelos.

In your name I sincerely pray, Amen.

             

Me and Dr. Rivera, my first Oncologist

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everyone,
It's been quite a dark season for our country, for our world.  I'm not sure if it's because I am getting older that I see and understand tragedy or simply because there really is more tragedy in our world.  Whatever the case, I am looking forward to the blooms of a new year.  2013 is going to be a good year...  In March I will celebrate 5 years as a cancer survivor.  Wow, my first personal landmark!  I still think about cancer daily but not always in a scary way.  Most of the time, I am reading current studies, learning of a newly diagnosed person or reading a blog of a cancer patient's journey.  Even if you haven't had cancer, don't you feel like it's all around you?  I vow to finish the format of my blog Anticancer Amy in 2013.  There are so many things I want to add, but just need to find a professional to help me.  If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear from you.

If you are on the hormone therapy drug tamoxifen for breast cancer, you may have noticed it in the news this month.  One study published in Lancet looked at the benefits of staying on tamoxifen for 10 years vs. 5.  In this study, women who stayed on the drug for 10 years lowered their risk of cancer recurrence by 25% and lowered their risk of dying from cancer by 29% compared to those who took the drug for 5 years.   In another study published this week, researcers at Mayo Clinic found that the liver enzyme CYP2D6 plays a key role in how the body metabolized tamoxifen.  Women who are unable to effectively metabolize tamoxifen may benefit from switching to another drug.  A simple blood test can determine how this enzyme works in your body.  Keep note of these studies to ask your doctor about her recommendation.

As you start to think about your resolutions for the new year, consider the phrase anticancer lifestyle.  Small changes in your lifestyle could potentially alter the health of you and/or a family member for the BETTER.  If you live in Houston, save the date January 14 from 6-7:30 pm.  MDAnderson's Integrative Medicine clinic will present Cancer Prevention and the Power of Lifestyle Change.  Lorenzo Cohen, PhD and Richard Lee, MD will be discussing recent scientific evidence linking lifestyle to cancer. 

Be Well,

Obesityitis

Hi Everyone, Happy Thanksgiving!

I made an appointment for a routine CT scan this morning and before hanging up, the scheduler asked   “Mrs. Waltz, do you exceed the weight capacity of 300 lbs.?“  Huh?   The fact that she even had to ask me if I was over 300 lbs. tells me that there must be plenty of folks getting scanned who weigh plenty over 300 lbs.  I was shocked by her question, but the more I think about it, maybe I’m not. 

Obesityitis is everywhere- on TV shows, in commercials, in every restaurant, in every hospital, in every mall, in every school, in every everywhere.  Obesity has no boundaries- intelligent, rich, poor, young, canine, feline, you name it.  And drum roll please……………………  obesity is now competing with smoking for the numero uno risk for cancer.  Yes, obesity promotes cancer- all types of cancer.  Some of the major leaguers include breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, liver, pancreas and gallbladder. 

One of my favorite cancer survivors and wellness advocates David Servan-Schreiber wrote in his book Anticancer that the typical American diet is fertilizer for cancer.  If you know me, you know that I am on the thin side.  In fact, I have been thin all of my life- the ‘made fun of as a child skinny type’.  Even though I never struggled with weight, I grew up on the American diet that I know contributed to all the ailments I have dealt with in my 40 years.  Autoimmune issues since I was young, low blood sugar, sinus disease, colitis and then the Big Whammy Cancer. 

What is the typical American diet?  Is it the double meat pizza or chicken fried steak with a baked potato, or maybe a juicy hamburger with extra cheese, mayo and bacon?  My family went on a Disney cruise for Thanksgiving week and I’m pretty sure I witnessed plenty of cruisers enjoying the typical American diet.  What frustrated me the most was the choices for kids.  Every child menu consisted of chicken tenders, a ‘cheeseburger’ (I’m not sure what is really was), cheese pizza and macaroni & cheese.  All of them came with french fries.  There was always a healthier choice like baked cod.  But, most kids I saw were eating the ‘typical American diet’ (including my own).  By the end of the first night we had come up with some guidelines for our kids- every meal must include a fruit and a vegetable, one roll per dinner and Sprite only once a day.  Now, you are probably thinking “it’s vacation, don’t be so hard on them.”  That in my opinion is the typical American response.  Shouldn’t we guide our children to wellness no matter if we are on vacation or not?  My kids did enjoy plenty of Mickey chocolates on a stick and Mickey chocolates in our beds every night and Mickey waffles for breakfast.  Ai Yai Yai!  I wonder if Mickey is on Lipitor or Metformin, or if Minnie suffers from Celiac disease?  Have you seen the wheat belly on Donald?!  Come on Disney!

What is it going to take for America to change?  It’s hard when even the most magical place on earth is serving junk to our kids.  We have to be mindful- all the time, even when on vacation or in the middle of the holiday season.  (Like now, wink-wink!) 

I have a current favorite book.  It’s called Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD.  Pick up a copy and read the introduction- you will be hooked.  Dr. Davis believes that the increased consumption of genetically modified modern wheat explains the contrast between the slender folks of the fifties and the overweight folks of today.  Wheat Belly is full of measurable data consistently showing the extraordinary results of decreasing or eliminating modern wheat from your diet.  Thanks Dr. Tom for the recommendation J.

Be Well,