The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Don't let the advice stress you out
Alison Marable
PUBLISHED: May 15, 2008
There is plenty of advice available on what foods, chemicals and lifestyle factors affect the risk of getting breast cancer or other types of cancer. Research studies and anecdotal evidence exist for just about everything in our environment, from non-stick cooking pans to dairy products.
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Personally, I find that this leads to anxiety about exactly what I can and cannot do, and whether my choices will have a positive or negative outcome. Many people are confused on which pieces of advice are based on facts or myths, especially when doctors and research studies don't always agree.
Let me start by saying that I have no medical training and don't know the right answers to many of the questions that cancer survivors ponder about their environment. I try to live by the rule of moderation. Eating too much of any one food seems risky if it ends up that it does indeed cause harm. In addition, it seems unlikely that anyone can completely avoid a specific food or chemical.
Soy, for example, is a healthy food by all accounts. Once it was discovered as a healthy food, companies have pushed it into almost every product available. It's in vitamin supplements, breads, crackers, desserts and soups, and is often identified by different names.
Our family is often offered soy-based products by friends based on the thought that it is healthier for us, in addition to the fact that two of the four of us are vegetarian. This requires that I explain that soy might be healthy for the general population, especially as an alternative to meats, but not for a family at high risk for cancers.
Women at risk of breast cancer or breast cancer recurrence are supposed to avoid soybean products when possible. Our family tries to avoid large quantities of soy, such as soy milk, soy supplements and vegetarian meals made with tofu. Some breast cancers are hormone-receptive, meaning that they are fed by hormones. This makes adding soy to the diet undesirable.
Soybean products contain compounds that mimic the female hormone estrogen, which is why it's often recommended to ease a woman's discomfort during menopause. Treatment for breast and other cancers often leads a woman prematurely into menopause, either as a byproduct of chemotherapy or by elective oophorectomy to decrease hormones. It's suggested that those women do not use hormone replacement therapy or soy products to help ease hot flashes.
Another suspect food category is dairy products made from cow's milk. Milk contains natural hormones, as well as added hormones and antibiotics. It's suspected that the additives in cow's milk products play a role in breast cancer, which is why our family is willing to shell out the extra dollars for organic milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt.
Other countries have banned the use of artificial growth hormones, genetically modified foods, and some of the herbicides and pesticides that are considered safe in the United States. It's at least worth a little exploration and a conversation in each family to determine how the members feel about what they consume.
Other organic foods are available, as well. We try to purchase the organic choices of those foods we eat in high volume, such as potatoes. We may never know if this makes a difference or not. But, for us, it eases the conscience knowing that it might help not only our health, but that of the environment.
Buying organic foods took some time and research. We noticed that conventional grocery stores charge a premium for organic products and offer few choices. That same organic product is often less expensive at a specialty grocery store. Many organic products will still cost more than conventionally grown products, but we have found some items that cost the same, or less, than the conventional counterpart.
Grocery stores that cater to individuals seeking organic, exotic, locally grown, and healthy foods offer more choices and open the eyes to the delicious meals that can be made with healthy vegetables and grains. A person who is new to the scene might be initially turned off by the selections, but after exposure to new tastes and combinations, it is possible for the skeptic to enjoy them.
We found that organic foods actually taste better than conventionally grown foods. It's best illustrated by the immense taste difference between the sun-warmed tomato picked in your garden and the cold, flavorless tomato often found at the store. Whether this is all in our heads or a reality, we believe that organically grown options have richer flavors.
I once drank from a natural spring in Canada, untouched by processing plants and nowhere near a populated area. That was when I discovered that water was supposed to have a flavor. Instead of the empty, flat, chemically-laden water that flows from the tap, this water seem to sparkle with the light touch of minerals.
It's no wonder many children are turned off by water and vegetables. They are pumped full of soda and soak everything from carrots to fries in ranch dressing to try and add some flavor. Often the only vegetables they see are bananas and apples, missing out on so many other tasty fruits and vegetables.
Gardens are such a great place for kids to discover the flavor of raw vegetables and make a connection with the earth. When they grow, care for and pick from their own gardens, eating that which they created becomes more fun than picking up a cellophane-wrapped chunk of bland food from the store. Gardens appeal to their sense of art and discovery.
My thoughts on food consumption and lifestyle choices are meant to illuminate the heavy decisions that burden cancer survivors. We are thrust into a sort of mild paranoia about what we can and can't control as well as wading through the muck of research and warnings about items found in our daily lives.
There are hidden costs to cancer patients, from the mental stress to the financial burden. I don't believe there is one formula that works for every family, but for us, we have researched, experimented and landed in a place that makes us comfortable that our solutions are both healthy and pleasurable.
Writing your own obituary": As a college student, one of our assignments was to write our own obituary. As simple as that sounds, it is a difficult task. First, I had to accept that one day, I will die. Second, it forced me to examine the lump sum of my life and decide if I liked what was on the paper. After battling cancer, I developed the habit of reading obituaries. I became curious about how each of these people died, their age at death, what survivors are missing their company, and what made each of them unique.
Coming May 29
The six-month check-up": Recently I attended the six-month checkup appointment with my cancer surgeon. It was not a full six months as I was having some complications, but the appointment was a quickie and I was given the green light to enjoy life until my next six-month checkup. Just like the day I walked out of there with no more treatments lined up, nothing happened. No parade, no rainbow, no group of friends waiting at home for us. It's difficult to walk out of any cancer center glowing when there are so many going in.
Coming June 12
False health advice spread through e-mail": An acquaintance of mine recently forwarded an e-mail regarding the causes of cancer and urgent changes that people should make immediately to avoid getting cancer. That's something we'd all like to know, right? The sender is a kind, efficient person, so I know that her intentions were good. Unfortunately, this e-mail was one of the chain e-mails that spreads false information to dozens of recipients with each tap of the "send" button. These so-called health alerts only spread hysteria and confusion, especially to individuals who are already sensitive about the topic.
Coming June 26
View Video
View video of Alison Marable's pinning ceremony at Eastern Michigan University. The special ceremony was held in late August just for her because she missed the official ceremony so she could have her breast cancer surgery.
Heritage Newspapers encourages readers to share videos and photographs online. Do you have a video that you want to share or photographs from the Relay for Life or other fundraiser for the American Cancer Society? Is so, please upload them at http://micentral.mycapture.com or click on the photo sharing button on the newspaper's home page at www.heritage.com.
Your Thoughts
Have you been affected by cancer? Share your thoughts by adding your comments to Editor Michelle Rogers' blog entry of Nov. 13, 2007, at http://heritageweststaffblog.blogspot.com, which can be accessed from the newspaper's Web site in the left-hand corner.
Check the blog, "Inside the Newsroom," regularly to read what your friends and neighbors are sharing. We want to hear about your personal experiences dealing with cancer, the hardships you've endured and overcome, and advice that you have for individuals battling cancer or supporting a loved one who is going through treatment.
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