Hi Everyone,
It’s been a while since my last post. I have been treading above water with the Christmas season, New Year, a home remodel, and a nasty sinus infection. And, did I tell you that we have been in an apartment since July? But…. I’ll take it! (One of my mottos). I’ll take anything other than CANCER!
So, it’s the year of the dozen, 2012. To start I have been reflecting on the past dozen months, going through cancer-related studies, news, emails and articles that I keep in my blog file. Looking back over 2011, it appears that the world has made strides in cancer prevention and treatment. However, we have so far to go. I repeat, so far to go!
Here is my list of intriguing anticancer news of 2011:
January 2011
Imad Shureiqi, MD, at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention reviews curcumin, an Indian spice used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties. Curcumin has antitumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Do a search on the internet and you will find clinical trials looking at the relationship between curcumin and all kind of cancers including multiple myeloma, breast, pancreatic and colon cancer to name a few. Curcumin is responsible for the yellow color in turmeric, which can be found in grocery stores with the spices. There are many ways to use turmeric including my favorite as part of salad dressing. Mix some turmeric with black pepper (helps with absorption) and let sit for a few. Then add fresh garlic, some fresh squeezed lemon and hint of salt. Mix everything with some organic cold pressed olive oil (balsamic vinegar if you want some sweetness) and voila you have a light dressing with a kick of spice! Once you start creating your own salad dressings you will have a hard time going back to store bought- they will taste too sweet and salty!
February 2011
Melinda Irwin, PhD of Yale School of Public Health and her colleagues report that aerobic exercise of 3 hours or more per week has mortality benefits for post-menopausal women, decreasing risk of breast cancer recurrence. This is common sense to me, but it’s good to see it in writing. Come on ladies, let’s get moving! The measurable benefits of exercise are all around us.
March 2011
I celebrate 3 years of being a breast cancer survivor- thank you God and all the angels hovering over me. It’s been a year of deep breaths, fear, gratitude and smiles. Bring it! (I stole that from Tony Horton)
April 2011
Jose Russo, MD, director of the Breast Cancer Research Laboratory at Fox Chase Cancer Center finds that omega-3 fatty acids (abundant in fish) can be a safe and beneficial booster for tamoxifen therapy. The drug tamoxifen (which I take) starves cancer cells by blocking estrogen. Estrogen positive tumors (ER+) thrive on estrogen, so the less estrogen the better- for ER+ cancer that is…. Low estrogen has many annoying and persistent side effects on the female body and I’m TOO YOUNG to be experiencing them! But…. I’ll take it!
May 2011
American Institute for Cancer Research summarizes cancer risks of red meat and grilling. A diet high in red meat (more than 18 oz. per week) and any amount of processed meat, such as hot dogs, are factors that increase colorectal cancer risk. Read more at http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=20590&news_iv_ctrl=2303. And really, the world does not need hot dogs! If you search for common hotdog ingredients, you will find that hot dogs are high in fat and salt and have preservatives sodium nitrate and nitrite, both believed to cause cancer. Speaking of meat, my husband and I have gone vegetarian for the New Year. I already ate mostly vegetarian, so it has been easy for me. Brett on the other hand has had a couple (okay more than a couple) of slips starting with bacon on New Year’s Day! Ugh… let’s give him some encouragement. Since the ‘bacon slip’, he has done very well! It’s really not about the meat (okay, maybe it is), but rather being cognizant of what we put and don’t put into our bodies. And go Sellers family! My sister and her husband are eating vegan- they are super committed. Also in May, Forks and Knives hits the big screen. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a scientist at Cornell University and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic present a profound documentary on nutrition and disease. Through years of study and practice, they both found that ‘most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods’. Forks and Knives is a must see for everyone, particularly for those who deny the data out there on the relation between animal products and disease.
June 2011
Rick Perry, governor of Texas signs Henda’s Law. This legislation was the brainchild of Henda Salmeron of Dallas who was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at age 42. She found a lump in her breast that had not shown up in several years of mammograms due to the density of her breasts. Had she known this, she would have pushed to have further screening which probably would have detected her cancer. Henda’s Law educates women by creating awareness about their breast density, and that supplemental screening in addition to mammography may benefit them. I might add that a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study showed women with dense breast tissue are four to six times more likely to develop breast cancer as those with regular breast density- yikes! And, mammograms may miss up to 40 percent of tumors in women with dense breast tissue.
Also in June, MDAnderson reviews the benefits of cinnamon and the many anticancer benefits. Cinnamon extract was shown to inhibit the growth and spread of cancer in laboratory cell cultures of various types of cancer including lymphoma, melanoma, cervical and colorectal cancer. Eat your cinnamon!
July 2011
I celebrate the life of my friend Theresa who loses her battle with breast cancer. I will remember her as a young, vivacious artist with a contagious smile. Sometimes when I am anxious, I visualize God’s angels hovering over me. She is always one of them!
August 2011
School starts, moms everywhere are struggling to create nutritious, tasty lunches for their kids. More than ever, it is crucial to start paying attention to what we and the schools feed our kids. Diabetes, high cholesterol and yes the “C” word are all related to diet and folks, it starts young. A friend of mine sends me a post of a mom who chronicles the lunches she makes for her son. Take a deep breath before you open this, rid the mommy guilt and just think ‘balance’! Its food for thought…. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mslil65/sets/72157601755804789/
September 2011
September is prostate cancer awareness month. According to the American Cancer Society, one in six men will get prostate cancer and one in thirty six men will die. Do a search online and you will find a pattern of recommendations for prostate cancer prevention. It’s all sounding too familiar! Eat whole grain, plant based, eat your beans, avoid processed foods, avoid high sugar, avoid soft drinks, exercise and drink in moderation. A study out of UCLA finds that drinking 8 ounces of pomegranate juice a day has a significant effect on levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), lowering the risk of cancer.
October 2011
Waltz Warriors and Butterfly Kisses participate in the inaugural Pink Ribbon Parade in Houston. Life size pink ribbons, all decorated differently, tour the city to bring a visual awareness to breast cancer. We raise over $10,000 for the Breast Health Collaborative of Texas and Pink Ribbons Project!
November 2011
The American Institute for Cancer Research adds a section to its website called AICR’s Foods to Fight Cancer. This new tool is full of evidence based information on the protective role certain foods play in fighting cancer. Woo-Hoo! Anti-cancer Amy loves this! http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/
The American Cancer Society also revises its guide on colorectal cancer prevention. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Forty-five percent of new cases could be prevented by following healthy habits of: avoiding processed and red meat (aka hotdogs, bacon, lunch meat…), exercising regularly (atleast 30 minutes of moderate/rigorous physical activity for 5 or more days a week), maintaining a healthy weight and limiting alcohol consumption (1 drink per day for women and 2 per day for men). I think I may have surpassed this consumption over the holidays- New Year, here I come!
December 2011
The American Institute for Cancer Research publishes an article on adolescent girls and how their lifestyle increases or decreases the risks of breast cancer later in life. Wow, what an interesting article, especially since I have girls. Basically, the report states that adolescence is a vulnerable time for breast health stems. “Cells are dividing at a quicker pace and any carcinogen that cells are exposed to puts them at a greater risk” –Lindsay Frazier, M.D. at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She goes on to say that it’s possible that nutrition can protect a cell from acquiring a genetic mistake during this time. Dr. Frazier and her colleagues are looking at fiber and vitamin D and how they protect the body in relation to breast disease. They will also examine the effect of red meat and milk on breast disease. Look for more information in 2012.
Happy New Year and Be Well!!!
