For many people—women especially—hair loss as a result of chemotherapy can be particularly traumatic. Women have fewer bald role models than men, and can suffer difficult feelings of self-consciousness low self-esteem in response to losing their hair. Susan Beausang, an expert on the issue and founder of 4women.com, puts it well when she writes, “For a woman, a bald head is an announcement to the world—’I'm different,’ or ‘I’m sick.’” No one wants to feel that way. I remember the experience well—above all, I wanted to feel normal, and losing my hair made me feel anything but.

The good news is that there are people out there trying to make this part of treatment just a little bit better. Wake Forest Baptist University Medical Center and the University of California at San Francisco have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a device called the “DigniCap” made by a company called Dignitana of Lund in Sweden. It’s a silicone cap that you wear on your head, with an outer neoprene cap that insulates the inner one. The cap is connected to a cooling unit that delivers consistent cooling to all areas of the scalp. The idea is the cool temperatures make the hair roots and follicles contract, reducing the amount of toxins that affect them—which slows or completely halts hair loss.

There are some side effects to using it. It’s cold, after all, and some patients experience headaches, but so far, it looks like these are the only side effects reported—well worth it for most people who want to keep their hair on their heads. The company has taken precautions to make sure temperatures are carefully controlled—the unit is connected to a computer with a touch-screen and simple symbols. If something goes wrong, an alarm goes off.

What’s promising is that clinics in Canada, Europe, and Japan are already using this cap, and the Dignitana website says that more than 80 percent of patients have kept their hair during chemotherapy. Can you imagine? In addition, Susan Melin, M.D. and lead investigator for the study, says that data from several international studies show that the device is safe to use and does prevent hair loss.¹

As far as I know, there’s no way to get ahold of a DigniCap here in the U.S. at this time (although I’m not positive on that—you could contact the company directly from their site). There are other similar devices, but it seems they’re all made out of country. One is called a “Paxman Cooler,” looks very similar to the DigniCap, and is used throughout the U.K. There’s another one made in Israel called the SCS II—Scalp Cooling System. So I think it’s safe to say that this idea is catching on.

Ask the cancer centers near you if they have anything like this. If not, you may consider other ways to keep your head cool, such as frozen veggies or cold cloths dipped in ice water. They aren’t likely to work as well as the temperature won’t be consistent across the scalp, but it may be worth a try.

Have you tried any cooling methods to deter hair loss? Please share your story.

Source

1. “Scalp Cooling Study Starts in U.S.” Breast Cancer World News March 9, 2011. http://breastcancerworldnews.com/?p=188.

Photo courtesy Dignitana via dignitana.com.

When you’re going through cancer treatments, cleaning the house is the last thing you want to do. Not only do you lack the energy, but the fumes from common household cleansers may make you nauseated, say nothing of the potential harm from some of the toxic ingredients. One study showed that women who used typical cleaning products were up to 110 more likely to develop breast cancer than those who rarely used them!

On the other hand, having a clean house while you’re going through treatments is critical. After all, your immune system is down and you’ve probably never been more at risk from germs.

Friends and family may be willing to help, but most likely they’ll want to clean their way, which may mean using products you’re not comfortable with. What’s the solution?

Well, you could ask them to use non-toxic cleansers and they might oblige, but if you live in New Jersey, you may have a better option—an organization called CanswerLink that provides free monthly non-toxic house cleaning to all cancer patients.

Doesn’t matter if you’re a man, woman, or child, or if you are going through chemotherapy, radiation, recovering from surgery, or coming home for hospice due to cancer, CanswerLink will come in and take care of the cleaning. “When a patient is diagnosed with cancer and the priorities shift,” says their website, “housecleaning can often be the last thing on the mind. We believe that a clean home has an emotional affect that lifts the patient’s spirits and renews the patient’s mental health, crucial steps in total mind and body recovery.”

Founded by Vici Prodromitis and Donna Sandvig—both of whom have had people close to them hit by cancer—CanswerLink currently operates in several counties in New Jersey, including Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Mercer, Union, Morris, Middlesex, Monmouth, Essex, Sussex, and Bergen. The vision is for the organization to continue to expand until its services are available in every state in the nation, and the invitation is out for other cleaning organizations and even individuals to start CanswerLink chapters in their hometowns.

I was so excited to hear about this organization. It’s such a great idea, and can be of such help to so many individuals and their families. What’s extra fantastic is that they believe in using non-toxic cleaning products, to avoid introducing any additional damaging chemicals into the home environments of people who are especially susceptible to them.

“CanswerLink believes that only non-toxic cleaning products should be used in everyone’s homes,” says their website. “By using only non-toxic products we can help to protect other family members from being exposed to toxins that may contribute to the development of certain cancers.”

If you believe like I do that an organization like this deserves your support, please take a moment right now to make a donation to their cause. If you want to go further and start a chapter in your area, you’ll find instructions at the same link. And if you know someone in the Jersey area that could use their help, don’t hesitate to contact them!

Have you had an experience with CanswerLink? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy CanswerLink.org.

If you’ve ever gotten your hands or fingers in some Clorox chlorine bleach, you know what it feels like: the burning, the lasting dryness, the feeling like your skin is shrinking into your bones to get away, get away! Well unfortunately, for many people living in populated areas, you may be bathing in chlorine every day.

Most sources of city water use chlorine to disinfect the water. Unfortunately, chlorine in your shower can wreak havoc on your skin—and may have other lasting health effects as well. Because you’re bathing in a hot, steamy environment, your pores open up and actually absorb more chemicals from your water than they normally would.

And it’s not just your skin absorbing it—it’s your nose and mouth too. As you inhale, you can take in chlorine and chlorinated by-products called “trihalomethanes (THMs),” which trigger the production of free radicals in your body and have been reported to be carcinogenic in animal studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (and several scientific journals). Worse, once released, these toxins can circulate in your home, particularly if your shower is not well ventilated.

In fact, according to Water Warning, Dr. Lance Wallace of the U.S. EPA has said that showering is suspected to be the primary cause of elevated levels of chloroform in nearly every home because of chlorine in the water.¹ The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) agrees, reporting that over ten epidemiological studies found that disinfection by-products (DBPs) may be responsible for thousands of cases of rectal and bladder cancers per year, that the levels of THMs increases substantially when water is heated, and—here’s the good news—by removing precursors to DBPs, risk can be reduced.²

I could tell you a lot more on this subject—particularly about some other contaminants regularly found in tap water—but for now let’s say that your eyes are open and you’re ready to do something about it. Here are some tips to help you do just that.

1. Test your tap water. At least once a year, get a water-quality report to find out what’s in your water.
2. Find the right filter. Not all filters are the same—that’s why it helps to know what’s in your water, so you can match it up with the right filter. To get rid of chlorine, look for NSF/ANSI Standard 46, which means the filter has passed a test to remove chlorine. One study suggests 0.2-µm filters are more effective than those with larger pore sizes.
3. Choose safe household cleaners. If you’re piling on Tilex in your shower, expect to inhale toxic fumes! Choose safer shower cleaners without harmful ingredients.
4. Choose safer personal care products. Shampoos and body washes can also contain ingredients that can mix with the chlorine in your water and create toxic by-products. Take my Ingredients to Avoid list with you when you go shopping.
5. Keep your shower area ventilated. Turn on the fan and open a window if it’s warm enough.

Have you tried a shower filter? Let us know what you think!

Sources

1. “Chlorine, Cancer, and Heart Disease.” WaterWarning.com. http://www.waterwarning.com/chlorinefact.php.
2. “Our Children at Risk: The 5 Worst Environmental Threats to Their Health.” Natural Resources Defense Council Report. http://www.nrdc.org/health/kids/ocar/chap7.asp.
3. MacDonald WD, Pelletier CA, Gasper DL. Practical methods for the microbial validation of sterilizing-grade filters used in aseptic processing. J Parenter Sci Technol 1989;43:266-70.

Photo courtesy JaySeven via Flickr.com.

Caring for a loved one with cancer may be one of the most difficult, stressful, and exhausting things you will ever do in your life. The important thing is to realize the enormity of the job, and then do whatever you can to get help with it. I’ve provided ten tips below to make it just a little bit easier. If you have more, be sure to write in and let me know!

1. Learn as much as you can. Cancer is scary for everybody. Once you know the diagnosis, learn as much as you can through your doctor, nurse, various medical team members, and the Internet. The more you know, the more prepared you’ll feel.

2. Get help. Don’t think for a second you can do this alone! Get in touch with your local cancer center and find out what services they may provide for free (such as massages for patients and their family members). Reach out to support groups in your community, and consider attending one for caregivers. Ask family members and friends to pitch in with meals, emails, and whatever else you may need help with.

3. Make your own folder. Get a 3-ring binder and fill it with lists of your loved one’s current medications, names of doctors, appointment history, etc. Put a legal pad inside for your notes and questions. Get used to taking it with you to every doctor’s appointment.

4. Find emotional support. Caregivers experience their own anxiety, despair, rage, and sadness. Accept your emotions and add some coping mechanisms into your life. Journal, talk to a good friend or family member, listen to soothing music, take an art class, or go to a counselor if you need to.

5. Practice stress relief. Get into a regular exercise routine, and try meditation, yoga, long walks, hot baths, aromatherapy, massage, deep breathing, and other methods of encouraging relaxation. Every day do something nice for yourself!

6. Maintain your boundaries. No one can be expected to give, give, give 24 hours a day. If you start to feel resentful, angry, grouchy, or just irritated, realize that you could take these emotions out on your loved one. Much better to take breaks when you need to, and spend some time away to help yourself regroup.

7. Give yourself something to look forward to. Caregiving can often feel like a long hike through a dark tunnel with no end in sight. You must plan things to look forward to to keep your spirits up—a weekend away, an afternoon off by yourself to go shopping, an evening at the movies, or a day to just listen to your favorite music or read a good book.

8. Get things in order. Everyone, whether they have cancer or not, should have in place necessary paperwork such as a power of attorney and a will. Ask your loved one if he/she needs assistance. Taking care of this step early in the process will give you both peace of mind for whatever is to come.

9. Don’t neglect your family/friends/activities. When caregiving, we tend to devote all our spare time to our loved one, at the expense of everyone and everything else. Reconnect by having lunch with a friend, calling a close family member, or spending a couple hours playing basketball, if that is your passion. These activities will rejuvenate you.

10. Watch out for your own health. Do you feel tired most of the time? Have you lost weight? Do you suffer regular digestive stress? Don’t increase your risk of disease by neglecting yourself. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, keep your own doctor’s appointments, and stay alert to any signs of physical or emotional problems.

Do you have tips for other caregivers? Please share.

Photo courtesy eldercarelinkCare via Flickr.com.

A lot of us have made efforts in our personal lives to save energy. One of the easiest adjustments has been to buy energy-saving light bulbs—those twisty shaped alternatives that use less electricity and last longer, all in the name of saving our planet’s valuable resources.

Well, I came across some disturbing news a few days ago. According to recent scientific studies conducted in Berlin, these same energy-saving bulbs emit poisonous materials when switched on. Among them: phenol, naphthalene, and styrene. Let me tell you a little more about these toxins:

• Phenol is a benzene derivative used in making plastics, adhesives, and synthetic fibers. It’s also used as an antiseptic and a general disinfectant. It’s highly irritating to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, and animal studies have linked phenol with developmental abnormalities.

• Naphthalene is used in the production of mothballs, insecticides, resins, and in other chemicals. According to the EPA, acute exposure can lead to liver and neurological damage. Humans exposed by inhalation or ingestion seem to have a higher risk of cataracts. Animal studies have shown increased risk of cancer when exposed by inhalation. The EPA classifies naphthalene as a possible human carcinogen.
• Styrene is used in the production of plastics and resins. Chronic exposure in humans creates headaches, fatigue, weakness, depression, and hearing loss. Several epidemiologic studies suggest a connection between styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as possibly carcinogenic to humans. The EPA is currently reviewing it for classification.

According to Peter Braun, who carried out the tests, “For such carcinogenic substances it is important they are kept as far away as possible from the human environment.” Though experts warn that more studies need to be done, already the recommendation is that you use these bulbs sparingly, and always in ventilated areas—definitely not in close proximity to your head.

This isn’t the first time these bulbs have come under fire. They contain mercury, a concern if the glass is broken—though is not a hazard in an intact bulb. The Migraine Action Association stated a couple years ago that the links between the bulbs and severe migraine headaches made them a poor choice for people who suffer from headaches. The bulbs are suspected of increasing the risk of seizures in people with epilepsy. Scientific studies in Israel conducted by professor Abraham Haim suggest the lights—when left on at night—interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, possibly increasing cancer risk since melatonin is thought to protect against some breast and prostate cancers. According to the BBC News, energy saving light bulbs (i.e., fluorescent bulbs) may put people at risk of painful skin reactions, including eczema and dermatitis.

What’s especially concerning is that some European countries have already started to phase out traditional incandescent bulbs in favor of these energy-saving options, leaving people fewer choices.

It’s good that we’re trying to make changes to save our precious resources. However, we must be careful of limiting our options before we know all the facts. On this one, my advice is this—these bulbs may still work well in large, open rooms, but avoid them in the main areas of the house where you spend most of your time, and forget them altogether if you have other health concerns such as headaches, skin conditions, epilepsy, or if you’re a cancer survivor. There are a lot of ways we can pitch in to help save our planet—we don’t need to put our health at risk.

Do you use energy-saving light bulbs? Have you changed your mind as a result of this study?

Photo courtesy Pablo S Rios via Flickr.com.

Morag, founder of Touch for Cancer, is a wealth of knowledge, and I learned so much from her. The main thing I want to tell my readers is this: It’s important to feel good during and after cancer, and I believe that spa treatments—particularly massage—can help reduce side effects and produce pain-killing endorphins. It is equally important, however, to educate yourself, and find an esthetician or massage therapist that knows what he/she is doing. Particularly if you’ve had lymph nodes removed, be very cautious in your selection. A therapist who doesn’t know any better may perform the wrong technique or massage too close and increase your risk of lymphedema, a long-term condition that can create chronic and painful swelling.

“Studies of massage for cancer patients suggest massage can decrease stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue and pain,” Morag says. “A physical connection through touch is really important for any person when not feeling well, and with any health challenges as it provides comfort.”

She goes on to warn, however, that regular spa treatments and pressure may trigger lymphedema, or exacerbate an existing case of it. Other things that may put you at risk of injury include a recent surgery, fragile skin (that may tear), pain, neuropathy, wounds, or radiation burns.

The main thing to remember is to be gentle, gentle, gentle, and follow these tips:

1.  Avoid all aggressive therapies during cancer treatments, including deep tissue massage, hot stone therapy, Swedish massage, Shiatsu, sports massage, and anything that feels too rough.

2.  Call before you go to the spa. Ask about licenses and certifications. Check the website. And ask if anyone on staff has experience working with not only cancer patients, but you’re particular condition. Check Morag’s website for a list of certified oncology estheticians in your area.

3.  Observe when you go for your appointment. Does your esthetician ask questions? At the very least, he/she should have you fill out an extensive form detailing your medical treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, lymph node removal, ports, incision locations, white blood cell count, etc. Someone who doesn’t take the time to know this about you isn’t educated—go to someone else.

4.  Ask about the type of products they’re planning to use. Ask to see the bottle and the ingredient list. Allow them to use only safe and nurturing formulas that are fragrance-free and made without sulfates, phthalates, and other potentially harmful ingredients. (Take our ingredients to avoid card with you.)

5.  Stop anything that feels uncomfortable. If anything hurts or feels uncomfortable to you, tell the esthetician to stop. He/she should be more than willing to listen to you and make adjustments. If not, care enough about your health to leave.

Have you found a great esthetician or massage therapist? How did you do it?

Photo courtesy the Total Woman via Flickr.com.

Most of my readers know that when I was 16 years old, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. I was told initially that I would need a year of chemotherapy and some radiation. Because I responded so well to treatment, I had to undergo only seven months of chemotherapy and didn’t need radiation at all. As you can imagine, this was great news, and everyone—including me—was happy about it. The cancer was gone sooner than expected, and I was given the official “okay” to go back to my life.

Time to celebrate and move on, right? At least that’s what I was hoping, but it didn’t work out that way. I was glad the cancer was gone, but instead of feeling elated, I was like, “Now what?” How was I supposed to go back to school and face all the social pressures teens experience with no hair, a heavier body weight (I’d gained weight as a result of my treatment), and a muddled sense of my own identity? Everything had changed, and I had no idea how to get back to “normal.”

I looked different. I felt different. Yet I was told to “move on.” Certainly everyone around me had done so, and they wanted me to as well. But I didn’t know how. I was confused and had no one to talk to. I felt guilty holding on to my cancer experience when everyone else was elated at my “survival,” but when it came down to it, I had nothing else to hold on to.

Most survivors experience some version of this, and the easiest way to describe it is to call it post-traumatic stress and depression. Similar to what a victim of a violent crime experiences, a cancer survivor struggles to make sense of what happened to her. While we’re actually going through the battle, we have little time to reflect, or to even bring our feelings to a conscious level. We’re too busy going to the hospital and getting our wigs fixed and figuring out our medications and finding something we can eat when our mouths erupt in sores. We may cry on some nights, and feel lost and confused at times, but that doesn’t even come close to processing the experience in its entirety. Most of us don’t even know how to begin processing it.

Fortunately, the medical field is just starting to recognize the seriousness of “survivor stress and depression,” and cancer centers and hospitals are now putting into place several programs to help people cope. When I went through it, however, I had access to none of that, partly because neither my parents nor I thought I needed it. I lived in a family where expressing emotions just wasn’t the norm. A product of another generation, my parents believed that you just “bucked up” and went on. Why are you making such a fuss? they would say. You’re alive! You’re well. Be grateful! You can go on with your life now!

I tried to play my part. Not only did my family expect it, but my friends, teachers, and doctors did, as well. Oh, there’s the girl who had cancer and beat it! Their eyes would peer at me with an almost morbid curiosity. How does she look now? The pressure was nearly unbearable. I felt judged on how well I was surviving. Everyone wanted their happy ending, but I had no idea how to give it to them. It felt like a race. How do I get to “normal” from here?

I had lots of support from my parents and friends while going through treatment, but I never attended a support group, never talked to a counselor or social worker, and never connected with other kids my age who had survived cancer. Everyone around me just wanted me to move on, but I had all these overwhelming feelings and didn’t know what to do with them. So I turned to the one thing I could control—what I ate. What a relief. Finally I could feel again some sense of power over my own life. As I got into it, the weight started to drop off, and I regained my figure—and soon became even thinner. My hair grew back—though way too short for my comfort—and together with my new figure, I felt attractive again. And of course, I loved the attention I got from that.

Of course, my elation was short-lived, because I never really dealt with my cancer experience. I just hid behind the problem. Controlling my food and weight (to the point of anorexia) gave me a sense of false power, which distracted me from the “real” pain underneath. In truth, I never really dealt with it completely until I started Cinco Vidas three years ago—almost 18 years after treatment! I started this blog, wrote my book, developed a skincare line to help with compromised skin, and reached out to help other survivors. Back then, however, all I ended up with was an eating disorder—my way of coping with all the overwhelming feelings—which of course, only complicated things.

I’ll talk more about my recovery in future posts. In the meantime, stay tuned for our upcoming teleclass which will provide you with many tools, much support and resources to help you transition from cancer patient back into living your life fully.

Have you experienced stress, depression, or other setbacks during your recovery from cancer? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy the Enzo D. via Flickr.com.

It’s called the “corcyceps” mushroom. Cordyceps is actually the name of the genus—it includes hundreds of species of mushrooms, including “militaris,” “unilateralis,” and “sinensis (shown here).” So far, it’s “sinensis” that’s getting attention from scientists.

This mushroom was used in ancient Chinese medicine to restore energy, stimulate the immune system, and promote long life. It’s naturally found in the mountains of China, in Japan, and in the eastern U.S., but it’s usually grown in laboratories because it’s tough to find it and collect it from the wild. So strong was its reputation that back in the 1950s, scientists isolated its chemical constituents (which include protein, amino acids, fatty acids, D-mannitol, and others), and determined that it had power as a cancer treatment. Research went so far as to create a drug, but it was found to be ineffective because it broke down too quickly in the body.

Researchers weren’t about to give up, however. In the 1970s, a study showed that cordyceps inhibited the production of DNA and RNA synthesis in cancer cells (Plageman and Erabe, 1971). In the 1980s another study showed antitumor activity on bladder, kidney, colon, and lung cancer (Hubell et al., 1985). There were more in between. Finally, in 2009, scientists at Britain’s University of Nottingham started a new line of research to combine the cordyceps formulation with other drugs to help it last longer in the body.

So far, Nottingham researchers have found that cordycepin (the name of the formulation) inhibits the uncontrolled growth and division of cells and prevents cells from sticking together, blocking growth. With this new knowledge, they can predict what types of cancers may be sensitive to treatment with it, as well as narrow down the list of possible partner drugs.

The good news is this is all really promising. Researchers are serious about finding natural options for the treatment of cancer, and so far mushrooms are one of the top-running candidates. As far as cordyceps, however, we’re still in the infant stages—test tube and animal studies. Science needs time to branch out into significant human trials. What can you do in the meantime?

Proceed with caution. Cordyceps can have hypoglycemic effects, so diabetics need to monitor themselves carefully. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center also recommends caution for those with prostate cancer and myelogenous (blood) type cancers. Cordyceps has stimulated the growth of red blood cells and testosterone in animal studies. Always check with your doctor. If you want to take advantage of the nutritional benefits of this fungi, buy from a reputable manufacturer, and try a supplement with standardized extract of cordyceps mushroom.

What do you know about cordyceps mushroom? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy Thanh Giang20101 via Flickr.com.

On the news recently I heard that the Center for Science in Public Interest (CSPI) filed a petition with the FDA stating that the caramel coloring used in colas like Coca-Cola and Pepsi contains cancer-causing chemicals that should be banned.

When I first heard about this I was alarmed, for sure. Apparently it’s all about the artificial brown coloring—which doesn’t affect the taste at all, by the way. According to CSPI, it’s made by reacting sugars with ammonia and sulfates under high pressure and temperatures. Chemical reactions in the process produce 2-methylimidazole and 4 methylimidazole, which in government-conducted animal studies, caused cancer.

“Carcinogenic colorings have no place in the food supply, especially considering that their only function is a cosmetic one,” said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. The National Toxicology Program has joined CSPI in asking the FDA to ban these colorings made with an ammonia process, and the state of California recently added the chemicals to their list of chemicals known to cause cancer.

The beverage industry disagrees, saying that their colorings do not cause cancer. The FDA is looking into it, and really, there’s no way to know for sure the extent of the risk until we see more research. What concerns me is that a large part of our population is drinking a lot of soda. The per capita consumption of all carbonated soft drinks increased over 100 percent from 1970 to 2005. According to ABC News, the average American drinks 20 ounces of cola a day, making it the number one source of calories in our diets. All this soda has been linked with our current obesity epidemic, as well as with the increase in type II diabetes.

It’s not just the beverages themselves—though high fructose corn syrup and now these chemicals are not good things to be putting into our bodies—it’s the fact that for many Americans, soda has become the beverage of choice, replacing milk, water, and other healthier alternatives.

If you’ve become convinced that regular consumption of soda is just not worth the health risk, here are five ways to break the habit.

1.  Take small steps. If you’re used to drinking four sodas a day, for example, start with replacing just two of them with something else.

2.  Make your water taste better. Refrigerate it or add ice. Try some lemon, or add some liquid supplements (like those from Pure Inventions), which add flavor and nutrients.

3.  Experiment with other beverage alternatives. Try mixing a little soda with some fruit juice, like cranberry, or try tea, milk, soy milk, seltzer, juice, coffee, and other options.

4.  Bust your cravings. If you’re craving something sweet, try something healthy like strawberries with a little melted dark chocolate, cut-up pears, or apples dipped in unsweetened, flavored yogurt.

5.  Keep a “soda journal” so you can track your consumption and reduce it over time. Make notes about how you feel each day—most likely as you get over the initial cravings, you’ll start to feel healthier without so much soda in your life.

Have you cut back on your soda consumption? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy the athousandcleverlines via Flickr.com.

A recent report by the FDA shows that we may need to be aware of one rare form of cancer and it’s potential link to breast implants. Recently, the FDA announced that it’s investigating a possible connection between implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a rare form of blood cancer affecting three out of 100 million women nationwide who do not have implants, but which has been found in 60 women out of 5-10 million worldwide who do have implants—a higher ratio.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a possible association between saline and silicone gel-filled breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL),” the report says, “a very rare type of cancer. Data reviewed by the FDA suggest that patients with breast implants may have a very small but significant risk of SLCL in the scar capsule adjacent to the implant.”

If you’re a woman with breast implants, this is scary to hear. Remember that even though the FDA suspects a connection, they’re a long way from being sure, and even if there is one, it affects only a very small number of people. In addition, the 60 cases reported in this announcement are difficult to verify, as not all were published in scientific literature, and some may be duplicate reports. For now, the FDA is requesting more data from healthcare professionals, and has planned an update of its review in the spring of this year (2011).

The important thing when hearing news like this is not to panic. This study is a long way from being conclusive, and as we know from prior scientific studies, they can often be flat wrong. The important thing is that the FDA is checking up on it. Until we know more, they recommend that you watch for the following signs, and if you notice any, be sure to check with your doctor:

• If you have late onset, persistent fluid around the implant (a seroma), be sure your doctor rules out ALCL.
• Monitor your breast implants yourself and notify your doctor of any changes. Signs of ALCL include swelling and pain—experts say “you can’t miss it.”
• If you haven’t yet decided on reconstructive surgery or implants, discuss the health risks with your doctor.
• This cancer is extremely rare—there is no need to change your regular checkups.

Do you have breast implants? What health concerns do you have?

Photo courtesy the Digg Pirate via Flickr.com.

I received a firestorm of comments in response to what is actually one of the older posts on the blog entitled, “Could Resentment be a Risk Factor for Cancer?” You can read the post and the comments, and the conversation didn’t stop there—it continued on our Facebook page as well. Some people were in agreement that repressed emotions can negatively affect our health, but others were incensed that I would even suggest this to be a possibility, especially where cancer is concerned.

Here’s what was interesting to me—in reaction to this one post, I was told I was “doing a disservice to the men and women affected by cancer” with the headline and general message, and told it “wasn’t fair” to say that stress and emotional problems are the “only thing” that causes cancer and other illnesses. Other responders jumped on the “positive thinking” idea, commenting on how expecting cancer patients to be upbeat all the time does more harm than good, and that the pressure many cancer patients feel to “be positive” is very damaging.

Here’s the thing—I don’t mention “thinking positive” once in the post. Not once. Nor did I say that emotional problems are the only thing that causes cancer. Far from it. We all know that any disease is the result of a myriad of factors, from diet to activity level to genetics to environment to viruses to chemical exposure to you name it. I have posted about all of these factors on this blog, with the number of posts about emotional factors making up only a small minority of the total.

I was told I was silly for suggesting that fixing bad moods would keep you cancer free. Never did I mention “moods,” or any fleeting emotions. Never did I say that fixing your emotions would keep you cancer free. I spoke solely about one lasting, particularly difficult emotion—resentment—and what science is saying about its potential link to cancer.

Some comments suggested that looking into the possibility that resentment could have an effect on health—and potentially on cancer—is just another way to “blame the patient.” But I don’t understand why, when talking about emotions, we jump to the conclusion we’re blaming, yet we can talk about diet and activity and everyone accepts it as perfectly fine? Don’t we have equal control over what we eat or how much we move as we do over how we handle emotions? We may not be able to control how we feel, but we do have control over what we do about it—and science is showing that learning how to deal with negative emotions could be just as important as learning to eat less sugar! Think of it this way: We may not be able to control our sugar cravings, but we can and do control whether or not we eat that chocolate cake. Why can’t it be the same when we’re dealing with emotions?

Some people commented that Louise Hay—whom I mention in the post—is “irresponsible” for promoting emotional therapy as a cure for cancer. I happen to admire Ms. Hay because her books have helped me, personally. Of course I wasn’t there during her cancer. Her story is her story, and it’s a very individual one, as all our stories are. Whether you believe she cured her cancer or not really doesn’t matter. The point is that she is a prominent figure who has helped a lot of people with her theories, one of which is that resentment can be damaging to your health. She says it was to hers. And she’s still here, and cancer free.

The bottom line is that this post has nothing to do with positive thinking or bad moods or fleeting emotions causing cancer, or about blaming the patient. It’s all about how resentment—that negative emotion you hold inside you for long periods of time—has been shown in scientific studies to be damaging to your health, particularly to the immune system, in ways that have been linked to cancer. My purpose in publishing it was to help make people aware of this connection. I have done the same with a myriad of other risk factors, including an unhealthy diet, inactivity, exposure to chemicals, and more, and I’m going to continue writing about risk factors, whatever they are.

Just to be clear: could resentment be a risk factor for cancer? Science says it could. Will getting rid of resentment cure cancer? Doubtful. No one thing is a magic bullet. Could getting rid of resentment help you avoid cancer? Who knows? But if it is a potential risk factor, why not do all we can to decrease that risk? Why not, while we’re eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising at least 30 minutes a day, learn how to let go of such a toxic emotion? We’d all do better, feel healthier, and “perhaps” live longer if we forgive more often, and unburden ourselves.

Now, as to the whole “positive thinking” thing, since that’s what so many people commented about. This is a totally different animal, and it’s obviously a hot topic—one that’s on a lot of people’s minds. In the cancer community, “positive thinking” has come to mean “thou shalt think and say only positive things no matter how awful thou feels.” Has there been too much of this mantra in the cancer community? Obviously, yes!

What started out as something that was supposed to help people stay strong and fight the disease has turned into a “demand” that many people just can’t live up to. To tell a dear friend to “think positive” when she has just been diagnosed is absolutely ridiculous, but our current cancer culture has created a “groupthink” that makes people do just that.

My stance on all this positivity? I believe in being positive in my life. I like looking on the bright side of things whenever I can. I think it makes life easier to live. Never would I tell someone who’s emotionally down, however, to “buck up and be positive.” That would only serve to make them feel worse. What I would encourage—and what I think is of utmost importance to our health—is to process those negative emotions. Talk to a friend, journal, listen to music, paint, exercise, talk to a therapist, scream, cry, punch a pillow, or curl up in a ball if that’s what it takes. Make an appointment with yourself if you have to! Feel that pain or that sadness or that despair or whatever it is and take the time to feel it fully. Then, and only then, let it go and move on.

An example: Researchers found that breast cancer patients who coped by expressing their emotions surrounding the cancer had fewer medical appointments, enhanced physical health and vigor, and decreased distress.¹ In a study on women with breast cancer who used online support groups, those who expressed both positive and negative emotions experienced psychological benefits.²

The key thing here is express the emotion in a healthy way (don’t kill the dog, in other words), then let go. Do what it takes to get the emotion “through” you. It’s when we don’t take the time to feel things—when we stuff them down to deal with “later” (as in resentment)—that we can encourage health problems. If nothing else, it encourages stress—and haven’t we all agreed that stress can influence our health?

Where does the “think positive” come in? Once we process our emotions—take the time to feel them and pay attention to them—this frees us up to then summon our positive energy again. We can go out with friends, do something that makes us feel good, and work on generating good feelings. That’s the only kind of “positive thinking” I can endorse. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind we hear about most of the time surrounding cancer.

We are emotional creatures. That’s one of the beautiful things about human beings. We are meant to feel. To tell anyone—especially those experiencing all the traumas of disease—to just ignore all the negative feelings and focus only on the positive, will only make everything worse. What we can do is encourage ourselves and others to pay attention to those feelings, address them, do something about them, and then let them go.

In summary: Science says that there may be a link between resentment and cancer—good to know. I believe we can feel healthier when we learn how to fully feel and process—rather than stuff down—our emotions, whatever they may be. But this is totally different from the “think positive” idea as it relates to the cancer community, and when it comes to that, I agree with most of you—it’s time to accept our feelings, wholeheartedly…and then learn how to better deal with them in ways that benefit our health.

I’m looking forward to blogging more about this issue in the future! In the meantime, please, write in, whatever your thoughts. I don’t care if you agree or don’t. The more we discuss these things, the better chance we all have of not only living healthier lives, but understanding more fully the complex, beautiful creatures we are.

Thanks again for all the input. Light and love to you all!

Britta

Do you have thoughts on how emotions may affect our health? Or on the whole “positive thinking” culture surrounding cancer? Please share!

References

1. Stanton A.L., Danoff-Burg S., Cameron C.L., Bishop M., Collins C.A., Kirk S.B, Sworowski L.A., Twillman R. Emotionally expressive coping predicts psychological and physical adjustment to breast cancer. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000 Oct;68(5):875-82. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11068973?dopt=Abstract.
2. Jeong Yeob Han. Expressing Positive Emotions within Online Support Groups by Women with Breast Cancer. Journal of Health Psychology Vol. 13, No. 8, 1002-1007 (2008) DOI: 10.1177/1359105308097963.

Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

Looking around the shopping areas near me, however, I’m a little disappointed at how difficult it can be to get something for our loved ones that isn’t full of fat, salt, sugar, chemicals, and all sorts of other things that are not very good for them. Fortunately, I have alternatives—and lots of them! If you’re looking for something safe, nourishing, and healthy for that special person in your life, here are some great ideas.

1) “Do it yourself” bath and body recipes. Tired of trying to find massage oils, foot scrubs, or bath products that aren’t full of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances? How about making your own? My friends at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics had a great idea—instead of buying something that’s full of ingredients you can’t pronounce, why not make it yourself? You’ll avoid all the chemicals and add that special ingredient—your love. Their site has some really inventive “recipe cards” for making your own bath and body products, and they’ve put them in cute card formats that you can e-mail your friends and loved ones. It’s easy, thoughtful, personable, and fun!

2) Dark chocolate. If the person on your mind has a sweet tooth, you can still get her something good for her by wrapping up some blissful dark chocolate. It has more good-for-you antioxidants than even blueberries, green tea, or red wine, all from the main ingredient—cocoa beans. These antioxidants have been linked to great things like cardiovascular health, healthy blood pressure and healthy cholesterol levels. In addition, dark chocolate can provide a healthy pick-me-up with his naturally occurring stimulating ingredients. You’ll find lots of Valentine’s gifts touting their dark chocolate content this year, but for the healthiest option, just choose the plain dark chocolate with a high antioxidant content, and leave all the cream fillings and frosted toppings behind. Better yet, melt a little bit and combine it with some fresh strawberries. Yum!

3) Fruit basket. Fruit is sweet and it’s good for you. What better combination on Valentine’s Day? EdibleArrangements.com has some adorable holiday fruit baskets you can have delivered right to your loved one’s door. We’re talking fruit that looks like flowers. You can even make one of your own—follow the recipe on this site.

4) Heart-shaped anything. When you think about it, you can make any meal feel like a special Valentine’s meal by using heart shape. Try heart-shaped whole-grain pancakes with blueberries for a healthy breakfast, heart-shaped vegetable sandwiches, Jello low-calorie heart treats (just use a heart-shaped cookie cutter after the Jello has set)—the possibilities are endless. Best of all, you control the ingredients!

5) Donating to a foundation in someone’s name. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone who has lived with cancer, make a Valentine’s donation in his name to his favorite cancer organization. That could be a nearby cancer center, or any of the many organizations working to find a cure. ( Think Before You Pink, Immerman’s Angels, Spa 4 the Pink, and the Breast Cancer Fund are just a few possibilities.) Then send a card to your loved one that announces the donation.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Do you have healthy ideas for this holiday? Please share them with our readers!

Photo courtesy the ediblearrangements.com.

The evidence is overwhelmingly positive for men. What about women? Well, it’s not so clear-cut for us.

The whole idea of married people living longer is not well established in women, with some studies showing marriage has no little to no effect on life expectancy for females. Bad marriages affect both genders, but the health risks are higher for women, with heart disease and stroke at the top of the list of potential problems. Women tend to put on more pounds after marriage (whether or not they have kids), are more likely to get sick as a result of arguing, and suffer more from failed marriages than men. According to one study, husbands create an extra seven hours a week of housework for wives, despite the fact that most women now work a full-time job.

Other studies, however, have found benefits for married women. They experience more financial security. They have a lower risk of cancer, dementia, and pneumonia, as well as a better capability to deal with stress. Most studies confirm, however, that these benefits come from happy marriages. Unhappy ones cause all kinds of physical damage, with marital stress increasing, among other things, the risk of a second heart attack in women.

Enough to leave a girl a little confused, right? Well, here’s the good news. While we may be unsure whether or not that cute guy is good for us, we can be absolutely positive that our girlfriends are. According to Girlfriendology.com, “A friend of mine is currently taking classes at Stanford University, and she wrote me that the head of psychiatry there told the class that ‘one of the best things a man can do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a women, one of the best things she can do for her health is to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.’”

Science confirms this idea. When women are with their girlfriends, their bodies produce more “feel good” hormones, helping to reduce stress and boost the immune system. Harvard researchers found that older women who had a “confidante” were more likely to enjoy physical vitality. An Australian study found that women with more friends lived 22 percent longer than women with few friends. A University of California study showed that women turn to friends in times of stress, and a Manchester University study showed that more women contacted their friends on a daily basis than men.

Girlfriends play a big role in helping us get through cancer as well. One study found that women with advanced ovarian cancer who had weak social support were more likely to have a protein related to more aggressive types of the cancer. And a 2006 study of 3,000 nurses with breast cancer found that women without close friends were four times as likely to die from the disease as women with 10 or more friends.

“Friends help you face adverse events,” says Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D., psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University. “Friends encourage you to take better care of yourself.”

“Being able to connect with women on various emotional levels can assist in lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol,” says Dr. Joan Silk of the University of California. “The more friends a woman has, the less likely she is to develop health problems as she becomes older.”

In today’s busy world, it can be tough to carve out the time to spend with your friends, but now you know–it’s great for your health. Do you need any more excuses to schedule that girl’s night out?

Do you rely on your girlfriends when the chips are down? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy graur codrin via freedigitalphotos.net.

Sometimes this thinking serves me well, like when I realize that I probably contracted a cold because I was pushing myself too hard and didn’t get enough rest. (Note to self: Work rest into your schedule no matter what!) Other times, however, it can be difficult to find meaning in your life’s experiences. Especially if those experiences include cancer.

“Why me?” is a question many of us ask when cancer comes knocking at our doors. I remember thinking that when cancer hit me as a teenage girl. I was healthy, active, and socially involved. Why did I have to go through chemotherapy and operations and hair loss and weight gain and night sweats when most girls my age had concerns no bigger than their hairstyles or makeup choices?

It’s taken me years to find my own meaning in the experience, but I’ve succeeded, and I feel more grounded and on-purpose than ever before. Looking back, I realize that my battle with cancer prepared me to help my father through his cancer journey, which led to my desire to create Cinco Vidas and give back to the entire cancer community. I realize now how my experience with cancer gave me the insight and empathy to communicate with other fighters and survivors, as well as the knowledge that health is a gift, and I must work everyday to protect and nurture it.

Some people don’t need this deeper “meaning” to go with their cancer experience. They realize that cancer can happen to anyone, and when it happens to them, they just figure they were dealt a certain hand and they learn to live with it. If you’re someone like me, however, who looks for the connections and mysteries in life, you may need to spend some time delving into your own psyche.

“How do you make meaning?” asks creativity coach Eric Maisel. “By letting go of wondering what the universe wants of you, by letting go of the fear that nothing matters, and by announcing that you will make life mean exactly what you intend it to mean.”

This is good news. Just when cancer makes you feel that your life is out of control, you can realize that the meaning of the experience is totally up to you. How do you go about finding that meaning? It takes time. For me, it took years. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get started.

David Simon, M.D., co-founder of the Chopra Center, wrote a book called Return to Wholeness, and in it, he suggests that to get started on your quest for meaning, you ask yourself the following questions:

• If I knew that I had only one more year to live, what changes would I make in my life now?
• If I were able to speak directly to my cancer, what positive message would it have for me?
• Imagining that it is five years from now and my illness is behind me, what would I tell someone else in my situation about the meaning of my illness?
• If I were able to speak directly to my God, what would he or she say to me about the meaning of my illness?

Give yourself some quiet time to answer. Journal about it. Talk to a good friend. Maybe the cancer has given you a chance to reevaluate your life in a way you never have before. Maybe this is your chance to make some changes, or to adjust your point of view. Maybe you’re just the person to share your experience in a way that would help others. Maybe the shock of the whole thing will set you on a brand new path to a new future. The possibilities are endless. What matters most is that you find the meaning that suits you.

Maisel tells us to ask, “How do I make myself proud?” The answer to this question, above all, may be the most important one for your future.

Have you found meaning in your cancer experience? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy Frenz64 via Flickr.com.

In a nutshell, Kombucha tea is much like any other tea—it has some health benefits, but it’s no cure-all, and if used extensively, it can actually be dangerous.

The tea is made from what many refer to as a mushroom, but which isn’t technically a mushroom—instead, it’s a colony of bacteria and yeast that is said to resemble a pancake. To prepare it, you take a starter sample from an existing culture and grow a new one in a fresh jar. You then add this “mushroom” to sugar and black or green tea and allow it to ferment. When it’s finished, you have a liquid that contains a number of chemical compounds, including B vitamins and several acids like acetic, butyric, glucuronic, lactic, malic, and more.

At this time, there has not been a single human trial reported in a major medical journal that details any health benefits from drinking Kombucha tea. This doesn’t mean there aren’t health benefits—in fact, some old studies (performed between 1940–1960) reported some benefits on intestinal health, wound healing, and cholesterol levels. Even then, however, one Russian researcher warned that the possibility of any anti-cancer action lacked any foundation from a scientific-medical point of view.

The interest in Kombucha as an anti-cancer agent stems mostly from its perceived ability to help detoxify the body. Researchers have hypothesized that one of the acids in the tea may assist the liver in cleaning toxic waste, thereby making it more difficult for cancer cells to take hold. However, this is all speculation at this point as no studies have confirmed or denied such a possibility.

Meanwhile, if you’re considering adding Kombucha to your diet, it pays to employ a few safeguards. Cleanliness is especially important, as during fermentation you run the risk of growing unwanted contaminants that can later make you sick. People with compromised immune systems, especially, need to be overly cautious and ensure all utensils and containers are free of germs and that the proper temperature and pH levels are maintained.

Even if you’re buying the tea from a health food store, again be extra careful if you are fighting an illness. (Check out this post for more information.) Next, realize that there have been some reports of Kombucha causing stomach upset and allergic reactions, most likely because of the bacteria and yeast. Finally, the American Cancer Society reports on a couple cases of severe life-threatening reactions in people consuming a lot of the tea, specifically severe “acidosis”—an abnormal increase in acid levels in bodily fluids. No direct link to Kombucha tea was proven, but the drink is highly acidic and the FDA warned consumers to use caution. Because of this high acidity, the liquid can also leach lead from ceramic containers, so consumers are warned not to use ceramic pots for brewing.

If you or a loved one is facing cancer, determining what to use in the battle for your health is a very personal decision. Just be sure you use your head as well as your heart, do your research, and realize that those peddling Kombucha as the next miracle cure are more interested in your wallet than your health. (The Mayo Clinic recommends that until we have more studies, it’s best to avoid using the drink.) Remember too that over the years, we’ve seen miracle cures come and go. If they really worked, wouldn’t we all be cancer free by now?

What do you think about Kombucha tea? Please share.

Photo courtesy Tarek Maassarani via Flickr.com.

Of course not everyone has a tendency to become a sugar-aholic, just like not everyone has a tendency to become addicted to drugs. If you’re fighting cancer, however—or if you know you eat too much sugar—you probably want to cut back and up your intake of good-for-you fruits and vegetables. Science still isn’t sure whether or not sugar plays any role in cancer, but one study has shown that a certain type of sugar—fructose—contributes to cancer cell growth in the lab. Besides, when you eat sugary foods you’re consuming empty calories when your body desperately needs nutrition. I’ve been off sugar for some months now. You know, after a while, my body doesn’t crave it anymore.

How do you cut back when your body says, “Feed me cake?”

First, let’s get rid of the self-blame. Your body is probably craving sugar for a lot of reasons. Here are a few:

1. Stress: When you’re stressed out, your body looks for ways to create more feel-good neurotransmitters. Eating sugar creates a chain reaction that supplies more neurotransmitters (like serotonin) to your brain, satisfying your cravings, but only for a short time, after which you have to eat more.
2. Lack of sleep: When you’re body doesn’t get enough sleep, it naturally craves carbohydrates, particularly the refined kind you get from donuts and pastries and white bread.
3. Hormones: That time of the month tends to lower not only hormones like estrogen, but neurotransmitters as well, tricking your body into craving sugar to replace those neurotransmitters.
4. Insulin resistance: If you’re used to consuming a lot of highly refined and sugary foods, your body can get to the point where it’s resistant to insulin, which helps sugar energy get into your cells. Since the energy isn’t crossing the cell barrier, your body thinks you’re still low on sugar and pushes you to eat more.
5. Depression: If you’re feeling low in other areas of your life, you may crave that feel-good feeling that comes with a chocolate bowl of ice cream or a big messy brownie.

There are other reasons for sugar cravings, but the main idea is this: refined, sugary foods give you a quick energy hit that the brain craves, but isn’t so good for the body. The nice thing about knowing why this happens is that you can be more aware of what’s going on. Say you feel like a donut. Ask yourself: Do I really want this donut, or do I just need to get to bed an hour earlier? Or maybe get a massage? Or get out and get some sunshine? Most of the time we eat when we’re not even hungry. Make sure there isn’t some other reason you’re reaching for a sugar treat.

There are other ways to give your body the positive jolts it wants from sugar. Here are a few:

1. Strive to eat a balance diet. I know you’ve heard it before, and it can be particularly difficult during cancer treatments, but try to add fresh fruits and vegetables into your daily plan, and keep some high-protein goodies around like nuts, lean meats, yogurt and peanut butter. (Protein helps slow down sugar breakdown, helping your body last longer on a meal.) Diet is all about habits, so the more you eat the good stuff the more you’ll want it.
2. Play a game with yourself. See if you can eliminate just one serving of sugar a day. If you normally put it in your coffee, skip it or cut back. If you have a cookie after lunch and cake after dinner, choose only one or the other. If you usually have soda with lunch, choose Perrier with lemon instead. It may feel lousy for a few days, as your body can actually go through sugar withdrawal, but what about after five or six? You may find your system evening out to where you feel much more stable.
3. Put protein in the mix. As I mentioned, protein helps slow the breakdown of sugars to help balance blood sugar and insulin levels. Make sure you eat protein with every meal.
4. Check for patterns. Do you always have a high-sugar treat before bed? Always down a huge soda at the movies? Always swallow a donut when you get to work? Your brain will pick up on these associations and lure you into continuing them every time no matter what. Try breaking any pattern you notice, and teach your brain to crave variety instead.
5. Look for other ways to sweeten your life. Food is so easy, isn’t it? We just buy it off the shelf and enjoy it. However, it’s also one of the least healthy options when it comes to helping you feel good. Take an inventory of other ways you can boost your mood, then commit to adding one or more to your schedule every week, and see if you can make sugar take a back seat to other options.

How do you deal with sugar cravings? Please pass on your tips.

Photo courtesy awynhaus via Flickr.com.

“I am about 8 months out of treatment for head and neck cancer,” says one survivor on Cancer Compass, “and along with other things, I cannot get warm! I’m freezing no matter what the temperature is. Has anyone else experienced this cold all the time after treatment?”

“I’m always cold too,” says another survivor on csn.cancer.org, “and it’s definitely been since treatments started.”

Is it possible that cancer treatments can affect how we experience temperature? A lot of survivors seem to think so, so I decided to look into it. Seems there are a lot of reasons a person can experience more cold than usual. Below are a few, along with some coping techniques. \

Iron deficiency: If you’re not getting enough iron, or if you’re body is unable to process it as well as usual, you could be experiencing an iron deficiency, which can make you feel cold. Iron plays a role in regulating body temperature and carries oxygen throughout the body. If you’re iron deficient, you may also tire easily. Colon cancer can cause the condition, but so can an unbalanced diet, insufficient vitamin C, peptic ulcers, and even vegetarianism. Your doctor can test for the condition, and then assist you with treatment.

Sweating: If you’re perspiring more than normal, that can also contribute to a colder feeling. Sometimes treatments or side effects can cause extra sweating, particularly if you’ve been thrown into early menopause. Some women experience “cold flashes” during treatment in a similar manner to the typical hot flashes. Other times, the sweating can be a separate reaction to the medications. Check with your doctor, then get used to taking an extra shirt around with you so you can change out of damp clothes and avoid getting too chilled.

Circulatory issues: Blood flow gives you that feeling of warmth throughout your body, so if you’re feeling cold, it could be that your blood isn’t circulating as efficiently as it should. Thyroid conditions can sometimes cause this—the thyroid is responsible for releasing a hormone that’s used in regulating the body’s use of energy and vitamins. If it’s not producing enough of that hormone, you may feel cold. (Other symptoms include weakness, depression, and dry, scaly skin.) According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, some drugs used in chemotherapy, like Sunent or Gleevec, can cause or worsen hypothyroidism.

Raynaud’s disease also affects circulation, causing small blood vessels to narrow, particularly in the hands and feet. Certain drugs used in chemotherapy have also been linked with Raynaud’s.

Low blood platelets: If treatment has lowered your white blood cell count, that may explain why you feel cold. Platelets are one of the three kinds of blood cells that circulate oxygen throughout the body. If you don’t have enough of them, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen, which means you can develop anemia—which causes you to feel cold, among other things.

Weight: Body size and shape affect how you respond to cold climates. If you’ve lost a lot of weight through treatment, that could be why you’re feeling colder. Larger body masses produce more heat. Particularly if you’ve lost both fat and muscle, you’ve given up a significant portion of your insulation, so to speak, and your body will respond by feeling colder.

Of course, these aren’t the only reasons you may be feeling colder than usual. Causes vary from person to person, depending on your treatment and your overall health condition. The point is that treatment can affect body temperature, and several survivors have experienced it. Talk with your doctor, and try these coping techniques:

• Get used to wearing layers. Try one of the many brands of light long underwear under your clothes, and take an extra sweater or jacket with you wherever you go. (Nothing beats wool for real warmth!) Consider also stocking up on hats, scarves, and gloves. Silk socks under your regular socks can help keep your feet warm during cold days.
• Wear socks and gloves to bed if it makes you more comfortable. You can also try a warm foot bath before bed.
• Take a personal heater with you to work.
• Exercise daily if you can. Exercise encourages blood circulation, which can help you feel warmer for hours afterward.
• Consider getting an electric blanket or electric throw for snuggling in your bed or living room.
• Preheat the car before you leave the house—start it up and let it run for about five minutes (make sure to open the garage door to air out the exhaust).
• Humidity holds heat, so if you live in a dry area, install a humidifier in your bedroom, or anywhere in your house that you want to feel more comfortable.
• Try a canopy bed. Having some sort of material enclosing you overnight will help hold in heat to keep you warmer.

Do you feel cold all the time after treatment? Please share any tips you may have.

Photo courtesy graur razvan ionut via freedigitalphotos.net.

To help you handle any anxiety you may be facing, I’ve gathered several tips below. The one thing you don’t want to do is just ignore it and hope it will go away. It won’t. Taking action to process your feelings can go a long way toward easing your stress and helping your body to remain strong.

1. Write about it. Write down everything that’s bothering you, from the huge (I’ve got cancer!) to the miniscule (I don’t like my new couch). Somehow the process of getting it down on paper makes it more manageable. Once you have everything on paper, make yourself two lists. Title one “things I can change” and the other “things I can’t control.” Divide your list of concerns accordingly. For those things you can change, sketch out a quick plan to do so, and commit to doing something toward those goals every day until they’re accomplished. For those things you can’t control (like “I have cancer” and many other things), get support. Join a support group, talk to a friend, go to a counselor, talk to your pastor—whatever will help you feel better.

2. Do something you enjoy! When we’re anxious, we have a tendency to wallow in those anxious thoughts. The last thing we think about is doing something fun, so do just that—ask yourself what sorts of activities you enjoy, then do one of those activities. Go out with friends, play a round of golf, take a drive, spend a weekend away, whatever will stoke your “feel good” fires. Once you have a few more positive emotions pulsing through you, you’ll feel more capable of handling your anxieties.

3. Exercise. Even if you’re exhausted and wrung out from chemo, doing something rather than lying on the couch stewing in worry soup is bound to help. Go for a short walk in a pretty location. Watch a favorite movie while walking on the treadmill—even if it’s only for 10 minutes. If you just can’t pull yourself out of bed, sit up and stretch your hands, your arms, and your neck. Getting your circulation moving will spawn other changes in your body that will help you feel better.

4. Get answers. Most of the time we are anxious about the unknown. This is particularly the case with cancer and cancer treatments. We don’t know how these things are going to affect us, or what to expect, so do your research. Make a list of questions to ask your doctor or oncology nurse. Research on the Internet. Talk to people who have experienced the type of cancer you have. (Imerman’s Angels can hook you up with someone for free.) The more knowledge you have, the more you can come up with ways to deal with your situation, which will help ease anxiety.

5. Ask for help. This is a hard one for many people. Most of us like to be independent and believe we can take care of ourselves, but cancer isn’t something to be faced alone. Ask for help. If you have people offering to do things for you, accept. Remember that helping you will benefit them as well—it’s healthy to give to others. And if you’re getting help with meals, pet care, or transportation, that’s less that you have to worry about.

6. Believe in a power greater than yourself. The amount of anxiety I experience is directly related to the distance between myself and God. Turn over all your fears, worries and anxieties to whatever higher power you believe in so you can let go of worry and trust that everything will be as it should be.

How do you deal with anxiety? Please let us know.

Photo courtesy clarita via morguefile.com.

I’m not talking just any sugar, however (even though I am skeptical and try to stay away from all sugar). Instead, science is looking at one particular kind that’s already a source of worry and controversy when it comes to health—high fructose corn syrup.

Researchers from the University of California wanted to understand if the body really does process different sugars in different ways. Before we look at their results, let’s look at why sugar isn’t always just sugar.

Most of us think of sugar as one thing—that which adds sweetness to our foods and beverages. But in reality, there are many different types of sugar or sweeteners. The most well known, from which table sugar is derived, is called “sucrose,” and comes from sugar beets or sugar cane. But then there are others, like fruit sugar (fructose), milk sugar (lactose), malt sugar (maltose), and sugar from honey or sweet fruits (glucose). All these natural sugars have different chemical makeups, and so theoretically, could act differently in the body. (I’m not even going into artificial sugars here like aspartame and xylitol—that’s another post.)

So where does high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) come in? This sweetener doesn’t naturally exist like the ones mentioned in the previous paragraph. It comes from corn syrup, which is made from corn, but then it’s processed to convert some of its natural glucose content into fructose (a sweeter sugar), all to produce a sweeter product used as a sugar substitute. The idea is to make high fructose corn syrup particularly sweet so that less is required to sweeten foods and beverages, which all adds up to more profits.

HFCS is so cheap and effective that manufacturers love it. Consequently, it now shows up in not only soft drinks and desserts, but breads, cereals, breakfast bars, yogurts, lunchmeats, soups, and condiments. If you’re not reading your ingredient labels, you could be consuming lots of HFCS on a daily basis. In fact, between 1970 and 1990, our consumption of HFCS increased by more than 1,000 percent!

That fact alone is believed to be contributing to our nationwide obesity epidemic. Sugar of any kind fills the body with empty calories, and if you eat too much, you’re bound to put on the pounds (and suffer all the health effects related to excess fat). But HFCS, in particular, is also suspected of creating other health problems. Because of how it’s processed, it may be less healthy than other types of sweeteners. So far the science has produced mixed results, but researchers are on the case, and new evidence is coming to light.

Which brings us back to our UCLA study. The findings show exactly what many have suspected—that all sugars are not the same, and that the body does react differently to different kinds. In this case, fructose sugar caused cancer cells to reproduce and spread in a way that glucose did not. In tests, pancreatic cancer cells quickly fed on refined fructose and used it to divide and proliferate rapidly in the body. This wasn’t the case with glucose.

“Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different,” says the research paper. Author Dr. Anthony Heaney added, “Hopefully, at the federal level there will be some effort to step back on the amount of high fructose corn syrup in our diets.”

You know how long it takes our regulatory agencies to make any changes, so for now, avoiding HFCS is up to you. It’s simple—just read labels, and don’t buy foods with HFCS on the ingredient list. Check out the organic aisle for more HFCS-free options.

Do you avoid HFCS? Have any tips for shopping healthy?

Photo courtesy kertong via Flickr.com.

Cathy Bossi, a flight attendant and cancer survivor, says TSA agents stopped their pat down when they got to her right breast. “She put her full hand on my breast and said, ‘What is this?’ And I said, ‘It’s my prosthesis because I’ve had breast cancer.’ And she said, ‘Well, you’ll need to show me that.’”

According to the TSA website, security officers aren’t supposed to require you to remove your prosthetic device, but these agents did.

“I do believe in security,” Bossi said. “But I do believe it has gone too far.”

Tom Sawyer, a former high school teacher from Michigan, is a bladder cancer survivor and thus wears a urostomy bag. During his pat-down, agents didn’t listen to his explanations, squeezed the bag until it ruptured and ended up spilling urine on him. The TSA later apologized to the man, but it was a case of too little, too late. He had to go onboard and travel with no bag and urine all over his clothes.

I wish I had an easy solution for anyone with medical issues going through these new invasive pat-downs, but the only thing we can do now is voice our opinions. This is all supposed to be about safety, but so many Americans are questioning whether or not these measures are really making us any safer. Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has called on TSA officials to soften their approach. “We’ve got to do more,” she said. “The outcry is huge.”

If you want to speak out against the new pat-downs, you may want to review this petition to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Otherwise if you have a bad experience, report it to airport security and/or the TSA.

Some airports insist you go through either the body scanner or the pat-down. Others, however, won’t pull you aside unless you fail the metal detector. Whatever you experience, here are some tips to help you out:
• If you are wearing a medical device, warn the agent ahead of time. TSA says a very small percent of people actually have to go through a pat-down. Remember if you are required to go through the pat-down, you can always request a private room and a same-sex agent. You can also request that a witness be present.
• Don’t wear anything with metal that could set off the detector. If you have a belt, take it off and put it through with your shoes. Also remove metal watches, jewelry, pens, hair accessories, eyeglasses, keys, and anything in your pockets.
• Avoid big, bulky clothing, like flowing skirts or multiple layers, as it looks like you could be carrying something underneath. If you need that extra sweater, take it off before you go through the metal detector.
• If you have to choose between the electronic body scanner and the pat down, consider this: the scanner is faster, but it does expose you to a very low level of radiation. The pat down is quite intrusive and takes more time, but it does save you the radiation exposure. Consider what you would prefer ahead of time.
• Choose your top carefully—if you have to go through the body scanner, you’ll have to put your arms above your head. Depending on how you feel about your underarms, you may want to wear shirts with sleeves, and shirts that will stay down over your tummy when your hands are up.
• For more information, check out the TSA’s website.

How do you feel about the new pat-downs? Do you have any recommendations?

Photo courtesy Crazy Lady Rocks via Flickr.com.