A weighty matter: cancer and weight loss
It's not just about looking good.
I went in for lab work this week at my oncologist’s office and had my dreaded weigh-in. We just returned from my cousin’s son’s Bar Mitzvah, so I knew it wouldn’t be pretty. Sure enough, my weight was up.
Actually, my weight has been slowly creeping up all year. I’ve justified it with eating healthy food – no sugar, low dairy, high fiber, all organic. That’s fine and good, except I’m eating too much of it.
So I took the plunge yesterday and joined Weight Watchers. I’ve been a lifetime member, but this time decided on doing the online version. I’m also sticking with my healthy diet; before I’d use my points for a lot of unhealthy, sugary and packaged food options.
I admit, some of my motivation is vanity. I’ll look better 12 pounds lighter. But the main reason is keeping this cancer at bay. I’m reading a really good book called Life Over Cancer by Keith Block, MD, a pioneer in integrative oncology. Dr. Block points out how obesity raises the level of sex hormones and insulin, which promote tumor growth. He also states that excess fat increases the risk of having a distant metastases. This is especially true for patients with breast or prostate cancer.
I’m not obese by any means, but I certainly have excess fat and don’t need to provide any fuel to tumors! Many of you who are undergoing chemotherapy may hear your doctors telling you not to lose weight. Dr. Block points out it’s a good thing if it’s the right kind of weight – losing excess fat while building lean muscle.
That said, I’m planning to go to yoga today and later take a walk – and keep track of my points. As one of my Weight Watchers instructors used to say, “See you lighter!”
Nevine says:
A very good book is the Fat resistance Diet by Lou Galland. Some of the recipes were presented at one of the Wellness Comunity Cooking classes and they were delicious. Check it out on Amazon they let you read quiet a few portions of it. You Go Girl…
Evan Mattingly says:
Good for you.!!! everyone deserves to feel better about themselves. You will feel a lot better and it is amazing what that will do for your self worth.
I have a friend who has a website that is for people that want to eat healthy and she is a Cancer advocate and has talked to me a lot about her findings. her website that has all healthy meals is
http://www.wholefoodmommies.com/
Sam Elliston says:
Thanks for sharing and thanks to your other readers for sharing helpful web sites.
I am currently studying the glycemis index of foods and trying to adapt that information to the nutritional information I was given when diagnosed with Diabetes. Some of it is conflicting with the nutritional information I was given in October and it is confusing. Maybe Weight Watchers is another option for me.
Evan Mattingly says:
here is another website that is a great site for eating healthy. and fighting Cancer.
http://cancerproject.org/