guest post: diet that prevents cancer

Today we have a guest post from Jillian McKee on cancer prevention through diet.

Now I know that most of us with lupus do not have cancer, although it is possible to end up with both. And in fact, most of us with an autoimmune disease have more than one autoimmune diagnosis and we all (all of us in the modern world) have risk of cancer.

 

When I was first diagnosed in 1993, there was no internet (not for the public anyway) and little to nothing in terms of books and options, even in the world of complementary medicine, for lupus. Everything I did find that seemed promising seemed to contain the specific warning "contraindicated for systemic lupus" (AUGH!). 

 

I found I often just wound up reading books aimed at cancer patients and then adapting that info to fit my situation. After all, healthy food is healthy food, and a healthy mindset is a healthy mindset, right? Well, mostly yes. There are some things that work for almost everyone, like get enough rest, eat real food (not junk), drink water, and have happy thoughts.

So, even though this is a "cancer" post, some of this info may be of help to you. As with all blog posts, take what you need and leave the rest. And here we go:

A Healthy Diet Can Help Prevent Cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute, 35 percent of cancer-related illnesses are linked to malnutrition. When the body is not receiving proper nutrients, the immune system cannot fight free radicals and other carcinogens. When the body is under stress or ingests harmful substances, the risk of cancer increases. Cancer patients should improve their nutrition to prevent cancer and reduce the risk its spreading throughout the body.

If smoking and a sedentary lifestyle are also accompanying a poor diet, cancer risk can be as high as 85 percent. Cancer patients must constantly monitor what they eat. Diet not only affects physical health, but also affects our energy levels, self-esteem, and mood. Cancer patients must make positive choices to refrain from exacerbating their condition. Treatments for mesothelioma and others cancers can cause side effects, which can be alleviated through a healthy diet.

What Is Recommended?
In general, patients should select foods that are high in fiber, vitamin C, omega-3s and lycopene. Each plays a role in fighting free radicals known for causing cancer.

Green leafy vegetables, for instance, are high in fiber. Fiber reduces “colon transit time” and reduces the time that any carcinogens are in contact with the colon wall. With carcinogens leaving the body, friendly bacteria can easily replace harmful bacteria in the body. Americans should eat between 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day, but most only eat 10 grams. Though leafy green vegetables are a common source of fiber, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, pastas, whole grain cereals and breads are also recommended. Fiber should be included in a healthy diet.

Fish high in oils are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, tuna, halibut, herring and mackerel are all great choices that should be consumed three times each week. Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as DHA and EPA play a role in cancer prevention. Berries, brussel sprouts, and mushrooms are also good sources of these acids.

Antioxidants, anti-carcinogens, and bioflavonoids each are beneficial in preventing cancer. Foods rich in phytonutrients include dark green leafy vegetables, berries, legumes, citrus fruits and whole grains.

Soy protein is recommended for those at risk of breast and prostate cancer. Soy also contains phytonutrients that fight hormone-sensitive cancers. Genistein, daidzein, Bowman Birk inhibitor, and lecithin all play a role in the cancer fighting process.

Cancer patients should select foods based on the 80:20 rule. Eighty percent of food items selected should be from the plant kingdom and 20 percent from the animal kingdom. Patients who adhere to this rule are generally healthier.

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Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization, Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.

Read more: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/jillian/bio.htm#ixzz216cMrxrt

guest post: helpful tips on living with lupus

Today we have a guest post from author and lupus veteran (26 years and counting!) Mida Giragosian. I'm always interested in the insights of people who have lived with lupus (or any disease) for a long time. 26 years with a chronic illness will most certainly teach you something.

Here is her post:

Hi, my name is Mida Giragosian.

I was diagnosed with Lupus at the age of 21, and now I’m 47. Yes, I had a lot of life-changing problems in between those years, but now I look, feel, and sound better. We can all help each other get through hard times. I lived by these tips:

·      Live by FAITH, one day at a time

·      Write down things that make you happy. The list can motivate you every time you look at it

·      Always dress up as if you’re going to a party. If you look good, you feel good
More tips can be found in my book, but it is most important to wake up every day and to remind yourself: I WILL OVERCOME. Remember that everyday is a blessing, and that your disease does not define YOU!

For more information you can visit: www.youwillovercomethebook.com
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourWillOvercome

What are your thoughts on these tips? And if you were to boil down your own lupus/ wellness wisdom to a few sentences, what advice you would give to other people dealing with lupus? What helpful tips would you offer them?

Leave your comments below!

'Til next post-

 Carla

Carla Ulbrich

The Singing Patient - humorous speaker, songwriter, and author

www.thesingingpatient.com

Guest blogger: Eat to Beat Inflammation and Pain

Today we have a guest blogger, Katie Brind’Amour, on the topic of anti-inflammatory foods.

Eat to Beat Inflammation and Pain

Let’s be honest – swollen joints and aching muscles just plain suck. Modern medicine has a host of helpful treatments for these ailments, but so does Mother Nature. Try chowing down on some of the foods below to reduce inflammation and ease joint and muscle pain, particularly if you suffer from lupus.

Fab Foods to the Rescue

Eat your vegetables and whole grains. Vegetables and whole grains (like brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, and other grains) can offer a host of antioxidants and nutrients that can help your body fight fatigue and inflammation. In addition, the Vitamin E that naturally occurs in some veggies (like tomatoes, spinach, carrots, and sweet potatoes) may help reduce pain, protect your eyes, and heal weak or damaged skin.

Add some (healthy) fat to your meals. Omega-3 fatty acids are widely touted for their ability to cure just about everyone of everything. What you should care about, though, is that omega-3 fatty acids – like the ones found in fish, olive oil, nuts, and avocados – help reduce morning stiffness, joint pain, and functional limitations in individuals with inflammation caused by an autoimmune disorder.

Snack on nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are a powerhouse combination of healthy fats, essential nutrients, and powerful antioxidants that will help fight tissue damage, boost energy, and even reduce swelling or pain. Incorporate a small handful of walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or your favorite nut butter into your daily routine for the most benefit.

Don’t forget your dairy. The calcium in milk, cheese, yogurts, and green leafy vegetables (yes, I know they aren’t dairy) can help promote bone health and prevent osteoporosis, which is good news if you suffer from joint pain, bone deterioration, or skeletal weakness. {note: many people with lupus, including me, fare better on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet- Carla}

Bring some citrus into your diet. Early research in animals shows that citrus peels and extracts may significantly reduce swelling and pain (perhaps even better than morphine, which is saying something!). Even if this doesn’t have equally significant effects in humans, it can’t hurt to get some extra vitamin C and antioxidants in the diet.

Watch sodium intake. If you suffer from inflammation or swollen joints because of retained water, sodium may be your enemy. Try cutting back on processed foods like lunch meats, frozen dinners, and canned soups while simultaneously drinking more water – the combination should ease pain and swelling if sodium was aggravating your symptoms.

Make Anti-Inflammatory Foods Part of Your Routine

Try keeping a list of these foods near your refrigerator or in your wallet to remind you about the easy ways to incorporate natural pain management and anti-inflammatory treatment into your diet. After all, everybody eats (I hope), and simply making some trades or tweaks ought to start relieving some pain and inflammation in a few days to weeks.

If you are even more eager to put your new dietary savvy to the test, try keeping a food diary to track what you eat and the type and severity of symptoms you experience. Then discuss the journal with a physician or dietitian to brainstorm on other potential changes you can make to help get the most out of your food (and potentially avoid some unpleasant symptoms).

If you have chronic pain or inflammation, you owe it to yourself to try a few natural treatments for symptoms of lupus or other auto-immune disorders. You may find that personalizing your diet is the key to making your disease more manageable day to day, improving both your short- and long-term health and functional abilities in the meantime. Eat up!

Katie Brind’Amour is a Certified Health Education Specialist and freelance health and wellness writer. She enjoys blogging about friendship and life in the not-so-fast lane while chipping away at her PhD in Health Services Management.

Thanks, Katie, for the great post! I always love to hear about natural ways to decrease inflammation and improve health, especially low-cost practical ways, like adding in new foods. There are lots of great suggestions here. I would only advise caution to people with lupus in regards to dairy. In my personal experience, my inflammation would not let up until I eliminated dairy. For me, and many people with autoimmune disorders, it is an aggravating food. Otherwise, I have to agree with the overall approach to using food to reduce inflammation, because using drugs to control it, over the long-term, can lead to other problems, some of them quite serious. Food journaling is a great tool, and I especially like your tip of keeping a list of good anti-inflammatory foods handy, on the fridge and in the wallet. A helpful hint for implementing these tasty healthy ideas. Thanks again!

Carla

Carla Ulbrich, The Singing Patient

http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book

www.singingpatientwellness.com - health coaching- visit this site to get a free e book on nutrition! 

www.thesingingpatient.com tour dates, videos, CDs, books

www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich- funny medical songs

Gratitude

The other day I went to a lupus support group to speak and sing and share, as they say in 12-step, my experience, strength, and hope.

There was one person in the meeting who was in a really tough place, and had got to the point where she was paranoid that wherever she went, people were going to lock her up just for being too sad. Of course she's sad- she has lupus, it's bad right now, and she is getting no support at home. And being in the Bronx, going to a clinic, they really might have locked her in a psych ward. Unfortunately, there is financial incentive for them to do so. But as we listened to her, it also became clear that she was working herself into a frenzy.

I've been there. When everywhere you turn, people are just sending you to voicemail, or telling you they have their own problems, or shoving you off onto someone else, it's very easy to have no hope and to get stuck. But this is the time when it's most important to find hope- when there seems to be none.

If you are fortunate enough to have friends (or even pets) who will love you unconditionally until you are past the crisis, you are blessed. Not all of us do. And even if you do, it's very important that you rely not just on them for your hope and your smiles and your motivation, but to find it from within.

Even the best of friends can't be there 24/7 and they can't crawl inside your head and battle those thoughts and feelings for you. That part of the battle, you must do on your own. And if you do not get up and fight, eventually you will drain the resources of those around you, and you will still be stuck.

I remember when I was very ill 10 years ago, I was listening to a friend tell me about this awful thing that happened 7 years before. She was so upset. I held her hand and listened. And then a few weeks later, she told me the story all over again, and I listened again. Now remember, here I am on 9 drugs, just had a stroke, can't get up and down one stair, so I'm trapped in the house, and I'm up most of the night because of neuropathy (nerve pain); I'm on medicaid, so I'm spending most of every day in a waiting room, waiting 2-4 hours for my appointment.

I had problems. We all have problems. But she was upset, so I listened. Until the 3rd time. By then I had watched her tell this story over and over to anyone who would listen. I realized she wasn't looking to solve them; she was just staying stuck, and anyone who listened was investing their energy and compassion, but making no difference, because she was stuck and would not do anything for herself.

That third time she started to launch into the same story, I said, "Listen. Do you think I like being on 9 drugs, with diuretics that make me poop in my pants, getting chemotherapy, having a hand that doesn't work, not being allowed to drive, unable to get up and down one stair, up all night in pain, and spending all damn day every day in the waiting room being ignored?" It stopped her in her tracks. It was totally out of character for me- I'm not confrontational. But I was tired of watching her sink into self-pity, drain me of energy, and then have her start up all over again at the drop of a hat. She said, "Oh. I guess other people do have problems."

I don't usually run around quoting the bible, but remember St. Paul? He suffered from something physical- we're not quite sure what- it was referred to as a "thorn in his side." But he learned to be content no matter what his circumstances.  How? By choosing his thoughts. Yes, you can choose your thoughts. Meaning, you can choose which ones you focus on.

Philippians 4:8

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

When I was told I would need new kidneys in 5 years, I cried for an hour. Then I got mad and said, "This is unacceptable. I will not accept this." And I started fighting again. At that point, I'd had lupus for 10 years, and I had tried dealing with it both ways: lying around hopeless, being a victim of the disease and my awful circumstances; and getting up and fighting. Getting up and fighting got much better results. So this time, instead of spending 6 months being sad and hopeless, I only needed an hour. I remembered what I was able to accomplish in reclaiming my health the first time, and I made an inner decision that I would again reclaim every single thing I had lost- and more, just for good measure. I'm no St. Paul, but I had figured out that every day if I focused on my progress instead of what I still couldn't do, I was motivated and hopeful.

In the movie "A Beautiful Mind," (based on a true story), professor John Nash descends into schizophrenia. There was a line in the dialogue near the end, that I found very interesting.  He was eventually able to reclaim a great deal of his sanity, and it had a lot to do with choosing his thoughts. I don't have the script, but to paraphrase, "Yes, I still hear the voices. I just don't pay them much attention."

I'm not asking people to pretend their problems don't exist. I'm simply asking to also acknowledge that there are good things at the same time, and to try to give more attention to those things. When I wrote about the importance of gratitude in my book ("How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This? http://tinyurl.com/348hroc), I did not mention the above story about my friend with her "stuckness" because ... well, I didn't want to hurt feelings. (Hopefully, she doesn't read this blog.)

There is always something to be grateful for. And gratitude is one of the best ways to pull yourself out of a funk. When you feel the least grateful- that's when gratitude will help the most. For 21 days, commit to writing down 3 things that you are grateful for, when you get up, and right before you go to bed, It takes very little time, but you will notice a shift in your focus.

Yes, if you are looking for things to be upset about, you will find them. But the flipside is, if you are looking for things to be grateful for, you will find those too. It's all about retraining your mind to look for the latter. And the more you exercise gratitude, the easier it becomes. It becomes a healthy habit.
Choose life. Choose hope. Choose gratitude.

Well wishes-
Carla

*** If you or someone you know would like to live healthier, happier, more balanced life, e mail me for a free one-hour consultation: carla@thesingingpatient.com . I am a holistic health coach! Talk to someone who has been there and is living well now. You've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain! Start living your best life. ***

Carla Ulbrich, The Singing Patient and Health Coach

http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book

www.singingpatientwellness.com - health coaching- visit this site to get a free e book on nutrition! 

www.thesingingpatient.com tour dates, videos, CDs, books

www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich- funny medical songs

Food Allergy Part 2: Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerances

What's the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?

I'm not an expert, but as near as I can tell from reading and researching this topic, here's the difference:

An allergy to a food involves an immune system response. That means when you eat a food you are allergic to, your immune system creates antibodies against that food. If you're unfortunate, some of those antibodies generated may also attack YOU- in other words, an autoimmune response.

According to wikipedia (and several other sources agree), "Food intolerance is negative reaction, often delayed, to a food, beverage, food additive, or compound found in foods that produces symptoms in one or more body organs and systems, but it is not a true food allergy. A true food allergy requires the presence of Immunoglobin E (IgE) antibodies against the food, and a food intolerance does not."

Now here's where the confusion and disagreement begins. Wikipedia, and most other sources, are saying that:

1) an allergic reaction involves an immune response
2) an allergic reaction is defined only by the presence of IgE antibodies.

But what about other antibodies? Specifically, what about IgG antibodies? I'm not a scientist or a doctor, but if you're generating antibodies, isn't that an immune response?

In 1994, I was tested (a blood test) for food allergies by an MD. We did an ELISA test, which measures IgG antibodies created when exposed to a panel of foods.  IgG antibodies, I was told, are the ones that manifest in delayed reactions. So this doctor was testing me for food allergies that create symptoms up to 3 days after eating the food.

IgE just tests for food allergies that show up within about 12 hours of eating the food. I hate to point out the obvious (OK,  I lied- I love to point out the obvious), but if I react to a food within 12 hours of eating it, I don't need a blood test to tell me that. I eat shrimp, I get hives a few hours later. I only need to eat shrimp 2-3 times before I connect the dots. What I need help with is the stuff that shows up long after I've forgotten I ever ate it. And that was the purpose of the ELISA test.

As for the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance, let's try this again:

 -a food allergy happens within 12 hours of eating a food, and involves an IgE antibody response by the immune system
- a food intolerance is more loosely defined, but I believe it's any delayed negative reaction to a food, and the IgG antibody (also an immune response) has been lumped in with other possibly non-allergic reactions to food.


Some people think the ELISA test is experimental, or a sham, or {insert derogatory term of your choice here}, but it was a tremendous help to me. The blood test revealed strong allergies to wheat, milk, eggs, and cheese. I stopped eating those foods and my lupus tests completely cleared up.

I got tired of working so hard at my diet (have you tried eating at a restaurant and finding something with no wheat or dairy?). I slowly fell off the wagon, and eventually forgot all about the tests and the diet and... oh, look I got sick again. Very sick. Stroke, kidney failure, congestive heart failure sick. "Is she going to make it?" sick.

I've been gluten free this time for about 5 years (Just FYI, I also eliminated aspartame at that time).

After rediscovering my blood test results, I am back to also being egg-free and dairy-free (and still aspartame-free), and my inflammation and autoimmune blood tests are improving again.

So go ahead, various credible sources on the internet and in books, and mock the ELISA test. I will take my "sham" results, implement the diet changes, and enjoy my improved health.

And to you, my friends, there are other ways to discover your food allergies, in addition to the (I believe useful) ELISA test. I will share those ideas and more in future posts. Stay tuned to this bat-channel for more episodes of Fun with(out) Food Allergies!

Carla

*** If you or someone you know would like to live healthier, happier, more balanced life, e mail me for a free one-hour consultation: carla@thesingingpatient.com . I am a holistic health coach! Talk to someone who has been there and is living well now. You've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain! Start living your best life. ***

Carla Ulbrich, The Singing Patient and Health Coach

http://tinyurl.com/348hroc - Carla's book

www.singingpatientwellness.com - health coaching- visit this site to get a free e book on nutrition! 

www.thesingingpatient.com tour dates, videos, CDs, books

www.youtube.com/user/carlaulbrich- funny medical songs