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Category: inflammation
December 4, 2021

Exercise is now prescribed for cancer patients

💢CANCER & EXERCISE💢, an essential combination. Really you say? Yes, I say, because COSA says so. (Clinical Oncology Society of Australia). – I AM SOOOOOO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS!!💯

I received my treatment at Icon Cancer Care in Northlakes. The staff there are incredible. They turn a day of sitting in a chair, having a chemotherapy drug infused into your body all day, into an almost enjoyable experience.


☹️Nearly everyone is affected by cancer one way or another. You either have it or someone you know has been diagnosed with it. Please, if is you, or someone you love, share this information with them, and encourage them to keep active. 🏃


👉Myself, I have been living with Leukaemia for over 9 years now. And I have a beautiful client that is bravely dealing with the effects of her breast cancer every day. 👩‍🦰


🏋️‍♀️I never stopped exercising through my 6 months of chemo. I would train as hard as I could the morning of treatment & the day after. By the 2nd & 3rd day after I felt quite rat shit, so very little exercise, if any. But then back into it after that. And the cycle continued. When I say “as hard as I could”, that was no way near what I could do pre-chemo. I was nauseous a lot, and very short of breath, but I did what I could.


🧑‍🔬COSA’s Position Statement on Cancer Care is that:

🟣All people with cancer should AVOID INACTIVITY and return to normal daily activities as soon as possible following diagnosis (i.e. be as physically active as current abilities and conditions allow)

🟣 All people with cancer should progress towards and, once achieved, maintain participation in:

🟣at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g. walking, jogging, cycling, swimming) each week; and

🟣two to three resistance exercise (i.e. lifting weights) sessions each week involving moderate to vigorous-intensity exercises targeting the major muscle groups

🟣Exercise recommendations should be tailored to the individual’s abilities noting that specific exercise programming adaptations may be required for people with cancer based on disease and treatment-related adverse effects, anticipated disease trajectory, and their health status.

Exercise Helps to Treat Cancers


An extensive review of research shows that exercise:


• reduces the side effects of chemotherapy treatments including nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and increases bone strength and muscle mass (Curr Treat Options Oncol, 2008;9:135-46)
• increases the percentage of people who are able to complete full-dose chemotherapy regimens (J Clin Oncol, 2007;25:4396-404)
• can increase tumor sensitivity to chemotherapy (Cancer Prev Res (Phila), 2013;6:925-37)
• reduces heart damage from chemotherapy (Circulation, 2011;124:642-50)
• markedly reduces arm swelling from extensive breast cancer surgery (N Engl J Med, 2009;361:664-73)
• is associated with a 50 percent increased survival rate in patients treated for breast cancer (JAMA, 2005;393:2479-86) and colon cancer (J Clin Oncol, 2006;24:3535-41)
• is associated with a 70 percent risk reduction of high-grade, advanced or fatal prostate cancers (Arch Intern Med, 2005;165:1005-10)

A regular exercise program reduced carcinogenic inflammation, strengthened the immune system, and improved mental processing by increasing apoptosis and by lowering cancer-inducing insulin-like growth factor 1, DNA damage, and gene mutations (Br J Cancer, 2011;105:S52-73). Exercise reduced cancer patients’ anxiety, depression, and fatigue, and exercise specifically can reduce the massive upper arm swelling and fluid retention common in women treated for breast cancer (Med Sci Sports Exerc, Nov 2019). Exercise also helped to prevent cancer patients’ inactivity that increases the risk for heart failure (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2010;42:1409-1426).

Rules for Exercise for Cancer Patients
Cancer patients should check with their doctors prior to starting a new exercise program. If possible, most people with cancer should try to exercise at least three times per week, at a moderate intensity such as brisk walking, for at least 30 minutes, and if possible, they should also try to lift weights twice a week. I can recommend no specific exercise program for cancer patients because the amount of exercise a cancer patient can do is limited by the level of fitness, the extent of disease, treatment regimen, and other variables. In general, all exercisers – healthy or not – should follow these rules:

• Stop exercising when your muscles start to hurt, burn or feel tight. If you keep on exercising, your muscle fibers can start to tear and run out of their stored sugar supply. Your body always talks to you and tells you when this is happening. Failure to listen to your body is the most common cause of exercise injuries.

• Take the day off when your muscles feel tight or hurt after you have warmed up for five minutes or more. It is normal for muscles to feel sore when you first get up in the morning, but they should feel better after you have exercised for five to 10 minutes. Soreness after warming up means that your muscle fibers are damaged and are at increased risk for tearing if you exercise that day. Sometimes you can get away with exercising at reduced intensity on days when your muscles feel sore, but often it is best to just stop for the day.

• Stop exercising immediately if you feel increasing soreness in one spot, which can mean that a muscle is about to tear or go into a spasm. You can prevent many injuries just by stopping exercising when you feel pain in one spot and do not have pain in the same spot on the other side of your body.

#cancer #cancercouncil #canceraustralia #cancertreatment #cancersuck #leukemiawarrior #leukaemeia #leukaemiafoundationau

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , , ,
November 5, 2021

Could you be chronically stressed? Is your high cortisol ruining your ability to lose fat as your nervous system is spending too long in a sympathetic state?

Are your high cortisol levels sabotaging your fat loss efforts?

😲The Sympathetic autonomic nervous system or state is our “Fight or Flight” or “Stressed Out” state.
💣It of one of the two autonomic nervous systems which control specific body processes, such as circulation of blood, digestion, breathing, urination, heartbeat, etc.


🧠If in this state for an extended period of time, you could experience:

❌ poor digestion/indigestion

❌constipation

❌diarrhea

❌anxiety

❌ shallow breathing

❌increased heart rate

❌poor quality sleep

❌restlessness

❌ night sweats

❌ decreased libido

❌fatigue

❌nervousness

❌ increased agitation/irritability

❌increased muscle tension

❌increased inflammation and

❌increased susceptibility to infections (i.e., frequent illness).


♨️This will all then derail your fitness goals of weight loss and muscle gain, if not controlled. So we need to manage our stress hormone “Cortisol”.


✅Studies have shown that there is an inverse relationship between Cortisol and Testosterone. Yes, ladies, we need testosterone too. If due to chronic stress, our Cortisol is consistently elevated then our average testosterone levels will then decline. 💯👉This in turn would see you struggling to build muscle and lose fat. 👎 😲

Cortisol draws glucose into the blood, and it just sits there. This triggers the pancreas to release insulin. Usually, this insulin would cause our muscles to draw up the glucose, but in our modern world of non-physical stressors, our muscles don’t need the glucose.

This excessive exposure to unneeded insulin makes chronically stressed people increasingly insulin resistant, and the more insulin resistant someone is, the harder it is for them to burn fat (1,2). Finally, cortisol inhibits the process that creates essential neurotransmitters such as serotonin (3,4). Serotonin is the “feel good” molecule most commonly associated with that feeling of euphoria you get after a good workout. The challenge is that with consistently elevated cortisol levels, the body loses its ability to regulate this and other neurotransmitters properly.

This is why people suffering from depression often show both low serotonin and high cortisol (3,4). This is a dangerous place to be when they need to lose fat because when someone feels stressed out and unhappy, a common solution they look to is to eat.

It doesn’t end there. Serotonin not only helps us feel happy, but it’s also a necessary precursor to melatonin, an important signaling molecule in the sleep cycle. When your body loses its ability to regulate serotonin, it also impacts its ability to make melatonin, and then not only is your stressed-out client unhappy, they can’t sleep either.

THERE IS HOPE – our goal is to get you out of a chronically stressed sympathetic state where cortisol is high all the time and into more of a stress rhythm where cortisol is limited to the mornings and around training sessions. The rest of the time you should be in a parasympathetic state to give your body the opportunity to build and recover.

✅ You need to engage in more parasympathetic (resting) activities. Try yoga, pilates, a massage, meditation, walk in nature. Try Dr Joe Dispenza, Mooji, or John Vincent on YouTube, they have excellent guided meditations.

✅ Aim to get 8 hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep. Start a wind-down routine, turn off sources of blue light (phones, tablets, computers) or put on a filter.

✅ Eat a good anti-inflammatory diet. Some foods that may help to keep cortisol levels stable include dark chocolate, bananas and pears, black or green tea, probiotics in food such as yogurt, and probiotics in foods containing soluble fiber. Don’t forget to stay hydrated.

✅ Exercise -Being physically active is beneficial to health and can improve a person’s mood. The appropriate amount of exercise depends on various factors, including a person’s physical fitness, and these factors play a part in how much cortisol the body will release during exercise. Not intense exercise.

✅ Supplements – Both fish oil and an Asian herbal supplement called ashwagandha have shown the ability to reduce cortisol levels, so taking these supplements alongside a healthful diet could be beneficial.

  1. Geer EB, Islam J, Buettner C. Mechanisms of glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance: focus on adipose tissue function and lipid metabolism. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2014;43(1):75-doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2013.10.005
  2. Kersten S. Mechanisms of nutritional and hormonal regulation of lipogenesis. EMBO Rep. 2001Apr;2(4):282-6. doi: 10.1093/embo-reports/kve071. PMID: 11306547; PMCID: PMC1083868.
  3. Tafet GE, Toister-Achituv M, Shinitzky M. Enhancement of serotonin uptake by cortisol: a possible link between stress and depression. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2001 Mar;1(1):96-104. doi:10.3758/cabn.1.1.96. PMID: 12467107.
  4. Tafet GE, Idoyaga-Vargas VP, Abulafia DP, Calandria JM, Roffman SS, Chiovetta A, Shinitzky M.Correlation between cortisol level and serotonin uptake in patients with chronic stress and depression.Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2001 Dec;1(4):388-93. doi: 10.3758/cabn.1.4.388. PMID:
    12467090.

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , , , , ,
March 30, 2020

Sweet Potato Chickpea Patties

  • Sweet Potato Chickpea Patties –
    high in Vit A, Vit C, Potassium

Sweet potatoes are starchy, nutrient-dense root vegetables that are rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. They’re also high in antioxidants that protect your body from free radical damage and chronic disease.

What are Free radicals? They are unstable molecules that can damage DNA & trigger inflammation.

Sweet potatoes also contain fibre and antioxidants that promote the growth of good gut bacteria and contribute to a healthy gut.

Also rich in beta-carotene and anthocyanins, antioxidants that may help prevent vision loss and improve eye health.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are part of the legume family.

As a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, chickpeas may offer a variety of health benefits, such as improving digestion, aiding weight management and reducing the risk of several diseases.

Additionally, chickpeas are high in protein and make an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Print

Sweet Potato Chickpea Recipe

High in vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium this delicious Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers Recipe is the perfect dinner for meat-free Monday. 

Keyword chickpea, sweet potato, vegan, vegetarian
Servings 5 people

Ingredients

  • 600 grams Sweet potato, peeled cut into 3 cm chucks
  • 400 gram Can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
  • 1 Small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 Lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp fajita or smokey chipotle spice blend
  • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup raw couscous
  • olive oil

Instructions

  1. Cook the 3cm chunks of sweet potato either in the microwave or saucepan of water until just tender when tested with a skewer. Drain any excess water. Smash with a fork then transfer to a bowl. Cool for 15 minutes.

  2. Combine chickpeas, onion, garlic, lemon juice and spice in a food processor. Season, process until mixture almost comes together.

  3. Add to the sweet potato with the parsley, breadcrumbs and raw couscous. Shape mixture into 6 – 10 patties. Place on a lined baking tray, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up if time permits.

  4. Place a flat tray into the oven. Preheat oven and tray 220°C fan-forced. Spray both sides of the patties with oil. Place onto the hot tray. Cook 15 minutes, turn and cook a further 10 minutes until lightly golden.

  5. Serve with a salad. Veggies & rice or with a burger bun with lettuce, tomato and onion.

Lea Wagner No Comments , , ,
August 12, 2014

Diindolylmethane (DIM): anti-cancer, fights inflammation, reduces hot flushes

Diindolylmethane (DIM): Is This Right for You?
by The Dr. Oz Show

Looking for a superantioxidant to help prevent cancer and other chronic diseases? Diindolymethane (DIM) may be the supplement for you. It’s both an antioxidant and phytonutrient. It can be found in a variety of vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts. However, in order to get the recommended amount of DIM, one would have to eat at least two pounds of these vegetables daily.

Some experts also recommend DIM to fight chronic inflammation in the body, especially as it ages. With inflammation, it gets harder for your body to absorb nutrients from food, to keep it’s immune system under control, and fight pain.

Is DIM Effective?
The cancer-fighting data on this supplement is preliminary and mostly done in animal or in-vitro studies. Because it’s a newer area of research, there has been little research on humans. There is increasing research evidence of its effects on estrogen metabolism, which is important since some dangerous cancers, including breast cancer, can be fueled by excess hormone exposure.

Currently, there are clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that are focusing on using DIM to treat breast, cervical and prostate cancer.

Is DIM Safe?
If taken appropriately, DIM is mostly safe. However, taking higher than the recommended dose can cause excess gastrointestinal distress and headaches, especially at doses of 300 mg and above. Women who are pregnant or lactating should avoid this supplement because there is insufficient safety evidence.

If I Decide That DIM Is Right for Me, How Much Should I Take?
People who are at a normal, healthy weight should take 100 mg per day. Take 200 mg instead if you are overweight or have significant health concerns because of PMS, menopause, chronic inflammation or a family history of cancers. Always speak with your doctor first.

While seeking the right supplement, look for DIM complex as an active ingredient. Also, some recommend looking for a product that also contains black pepper, which increases absorption.

Don’t take this if you are currently on a cancer treatment regimen. DIM may interact with one of the medications you’re taking.

Lea Wagner No Comments , , , , ,