Salad days: saying bye bye to carbs
I'm changing my ways once again ...
It’s been an interesting couple of days. Yesterday I met with Dr. Gary Huber who has guest posted on my blog (www.healthyalterego.com). It was a real eye opener.
Here I was, all proud of myself for not eating sugar. Now I learn the rice crackers and even Ezekial bread I’m eating are converting to sugar in my body. After sharing my medical history with Dr. Huber, he told me I am probably insulin-resistant. I’ll need to get a blood test to be sure. When people are insulin resistant, their muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond properly to insulin. As a result, their bodies need more insulin to help glucose enter cells. Excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, setting the stage for diabetes and giving those cancer cells a big feast.
I mentioned on previous posts how I want to lose weight because excess body fat stores estrogen … and I want to look good, too. Well, not eating a box of rice crackers in one sitting would certainly help! This won’t be easy for me, but I did it with sugar, and I can do it with this. Who would ever think that someone like me who loved ice cream so dearly hasn’t had it in almost two years?
So instead of my usual steel-cut oatmeal this morning, I had a couple eggs scrambled with onion and spinach. And I had a big green salad with watercress (a cruciferous, cancer-fighing veggie). Tonight: chicken breast and broccoli. I’m still going to have the occassional grain, like quinoa and brown rice, but it’s going to be once a week rather than every day.
Speaking of glucose, today I officially received the results of my PET scan at my oncologist’s office. PET scans measures glucose uptake to detect cancer activity. One of my affected lymph nodes’s SUV (standard uptake value) was cut in half (almost to the point of normal activity), while the others also decreased. The Arimidex is helping and with the new diet, I’m going to starve those little monsters so they are back to normal.
The other part of the equation: I’m going to get some new clothes when I lose this weight. I lost a pound this week, thanks to Weight Watchers, but this should really kick it up a notch. I’ll post a picture of my new, slim self after I’m down 12 pounds!
Jo says:
The learning and growth never ends, does it? Go Tami, Go!
Susan says:
This is great information for anyone and everyone…cancer or not! Congratulations on your PET scan results and your weight loss!
Evan Mattingly says:
That is great news about your PET scan. I am happy to see that you are learning so much about the healthy way to fight cancer. It really makes a difference.
You are an inspiration to us all. Cancer is losing it grip on us as we learn more ways to fight it off. One day at a time.
sam elliston says:
Way to go Tami
It’s interesting to read about what your doctor said. Of course everything we eat turns to sugar eventually but I am also learning that many of the foods I thought were good for me don’t help me since I am also insulin resistant.
I know for me, eating a box or bag of anything at one sitting means I’m avoiding something, darn it. And I haven’t completely stopped doing it either.
I am now reading more about the Glycemic Index and load of foods since that seems to be the dilemma for my body.
Keep up the good work
Evan Mattingly says:
You are right Sam, about everything turning into Sugar, however there are good sugars and bad ones. The key is finding the foods that give you the good sugars that your body needs. it gives you energy without the bad affects. We all need those sugars. it is the processed sugars that we dont need.
Keep in mind, I didnt say it was easy to stop getting those.. (as I sit here drinking my mtn dew)