We all know that phrase. I remember hearing it in elementary school in the 60's! Yet, it seems that our country forgot the importance of nutrition. We have replaced healthy eating with quick, easy microwavable meals. Processed so far down that the foods in the box taste nothing like what they are supposed to. For a long time, health food stores and food collectives were considered a haven for tree hugging hippies or the terminally ill trying any last ditch effort on their way to the grave.
Some things have gotten better, such as the introduction of organic produce into most supermarkets, Farmers Markets becoming important and far more accessible in our communities. Those are good changes, but in sharp contrast look at the levels of obesity (child to adult). Diabetes on the rise. Several cancers on the rise. We are not getting the message! And worse sometimes there is no message. After my surgery, I was on a feeding tube until I learned to swallow. When I was taken off of it, my doctor gave me a list of things that I could drink, one of them being soda. I remember being shocked! You would have to be raised under a rock to not know that soda is not a healthy choice. But after asking some questions it became clearer that there was in fact no message to hear. I asked several nutritional questions and got the following responses. Eat enough calories and protein. OK....Is that all? You can take a multi vitamin if you want to.
In the book, Beating Cancer with Nutrition, by Patrick Quillin, PhD, RD, CNS on of the most surprising statistics to me was that over 40% of cancer patients actually die from malnutrition not the cancer itself. Reading further into the book, and I wasn't as shocked because it is revealed that the top 3 vegetables in America are Ketchup French Fries and Onion Rings. Follow that with the fact the 2 of the top 10 grocery items were cigarettes (some of the other items included processed cheese and soda). I don't really think I grew up that much differently than the rest of the world, but I have always believed in proper nutrition. Believed in being the operative words here. I didn't end up going to weight watchers because I was eating a perfect diet. But I knew that upon receiving my diagnosis, nutrition was going to factor quite heavily into my survival. I have no plans on shaking up my world and going crazy with it. I believe that moderation is the key to success. Especially for me. If I did nothing but juice, eat raw foods and work out, the pendulum would eventually swing, knocking me into the nearest Mexican restaurant where the binge would begin. Later Ken would find me moaning under pizza delivery boxes and tubs of Popeye's fried chicken and the process would have to start all over again. Better not to take that route.
Our insurance is thru Kaiser, which I love. They are a very proactive company. Work to help people get healthy thru quiting smoking, exercise and nutrition. My question to them, is where is all of that when someone actually gets a disease, especially one as serious as cancer? Now it feels that we are left alone to figure this out (or not, as I am sure so many people end up doing. My doctor didn't say anything about nutrition and cancer so why should I worry?) Thank God, that I had an amazing group of people step up with information and advice from the very beginning. I had know people who's story with cancer I'd never heard until my diagnosis and have had others introduced to me. I call them my "Survival Team". (and a little teaser here, I have talked to some of them about contributing to this blog. Their storey's have touched and guided me and I can't wait to share them with everyone).
We are all here on this planet just trying to figure it out. In times of health or disease, we go on the best way we can. The thing here is that the times of disease remind you that you need to get it figured out as soon as possible or miss out on the health. So I read, study, Google search, pray and most of all get by with a little help from my friends!
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