I've said it before. I knew this year would be hard. When I was being treated, I had a routine, a protocol, a schedule. Now, I'm left with a very passive treatment protocol--tamoxifen once a day, follow up appointments at Sloan Kettering every four to six months and little scientific data on lifestyle changes to help prevent a cancer recurrence.
Research indicates that increasing your MET levels (metabolic equivalent of task) 5 times a week decreases your chance of a cancer recurrence. So I am on the treadmill 3-5 times a week increasing my MET levels.
And diet change. Anti Cancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan Schreiber cites research that shows that a diet low in refined sugar and flour and high in dark green vegetables and bright red fruits helps a body build a strong immune system and prevent a cancer recurrence. The New York Times magazine recently had many articles about cancer, but one in particular ("Is Sugar Toxic?" by Gary Taubes http://www.nytimes.com ) was about levels of insulin and sugar feeding precancerous cells--specifically colon and breast cancer.
Watching what I eat and what I don't eat has turned into a bit of an obsession. My obsession with preventing a cancer recurrence has turned me into what I call a cancerexic.
To be clear, I am not obsessed with my weight. When I last weighed in at Sloan Kettering, I was back to my pre cancer weight. All good there. But, I am obsessed with following the best exercise and diet protocol for preventing a recurrence of cancer.
So I eat Brussels sprouts, kale, nuts, berries; I (try to) drink gallons of green tea; I reduce the refined flour and sugar and dairy in my diet.
Some days it all works out just fine. It's my new routine--my life after cancer. I get on the treadmill. I eat well. I live my life. And, I don't even think about it. I'm on anti-cancer auto pilot.
But, other days I worry. Actually, I obsess. I obsess that I didn't get on the treadmill; I ate too much pasta at dinner; I had a brownie at Passover; I didn't eat kale all day.
Cancerexia--obsessive compulsive thoughts of preventing a cancer recurrence.
I recognize the value in my obsession. It keeps me eating better foods and exercising regularly. But, I some days I need a little (a lot) more balance.
That's where my work is now--a year after breast cancer. I am trying to find the balance in living my life and preventing a cancer recurrence.
It's my hardest job ever.
I plan to have it for a very long time.
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Breast cancer alone can be terrifying, but the breast cancer community is empowering.
Have you read Eat to Live yet? When I learned about the very real and immediate health benefits of a whole foods, plant based diet with low animal products, sugar and processed foods, I became obsessed with everything we ate. I think it is a necessary to go through that, but you will find balance. There are very few health issues that can't be prevented, diminished or even reversed with diet and exercise. What I don't understand is how people DON'T get obsessed with it all? :))
ReplyDeleteI did read Eat to Live. I totally agree. I don't get how more people aren't obsessed with the amount of sugar and garbage going into their bodies. The thing that drives me the craziest is when my kids ask for all of the the sugary drinks. The drinks look like the "Kool Aid" that they give you before a PET scan (because cancer cells metabolize sugar before other cells). Makes me nuts. Here's to eating well and finding balance!
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