Hi There,
I have read the Anticancer book, and it is very good, sound advice. I was a bit disappointed however, because I am someone that did all these things; eat well, exercise, no smoking, hardly drink, eat fish, take your vitamins...etc.
No real major issues except for the sugar dilemma. My Aunt gave me this book and insisted I throw out a box of shortbread cookies nearby. I am pretty sure that cookies did not give me breast cancer. Every cell in out body uses sugar to function, whether it is a part of the cell wall, or fuel for movement. I agree this is a really great starter book for those that have never had a healthy lifestyle. But for those that feel they have taken such great care of their bodies, and are still baffled by their cancer diagnosis, it is disappointing that there is no great secret at the end of the book.
A good book to live by.
Peglove.
Peg, I agree that books like this do not answer the core question of what causes cancer because we all know people who follow every tenet of good health and still get cancer. Some people point to the increased presence of chemicals in our environment as an sort of underlying toxicity that can defeat even the healthiest of us, but women have been getting breast cancer for centuries, so clearly there are causes to breast cancer beyond environment. The kind of data that this book uses tends to be incidence of cancer in large groups and changes in those large groups over time. I'm not convinced that the suggestions in this book will change a particular person's chance of getting cancer, but they are healthy habits that would lead to better overall health and that has merit.
As you point out, our bodies must have sugar to live. Every morsel we eat is converted to glucose (or eliminated). We do know that too much sugar puts a strain on the pancreas, and can lead to diabetes. So as far as I'm concerned, you can enjoy those shortbread cookies in moderation. A nutritionist told me to have my cookies with milk, peanut butter, or another protein to keep the blood sugar from spiking.
The only harm I see to this book is the possibility that some people will feel guilty if they can't follow every suggestion and will blame themselves if they do get cancer or have a recurrence.
Phyllis you nailed it..when you said, that these books may make ppl guilty..
when I was first diagnosed with BC I was puzzled..I was 31, weighed only 112 pounds, exercised daily (have been doing so since high school),never touched alcohol and never smoked, and yes did I say I am a vegetarian too...I my initial daze to find a reason..you know how we human beings try looking for a reason behind every thing, I looked up some such books..one such booked talked about cancer being related to personality..they called it The Cancer Personality..which was described , out to please every one, trying to keep up appearances, keeping up a cheerful attitude even in dire circumstances, and who would not want to think the above describes them..I immediately thought..all those times when I was being nice to ppl who were mean to me, I was giving myself cancer..I felt so guilty..gladly that phase lasted only a few days...now I know..there need not be a reason behind everything..all we need to do is deal with it and make the most of what life throws at u....
Btw, I still do believe in excercise and healthy eating to beat this devil..and I have promised myself to start getting back into pretty much the same shape I was as soon as all this cancer madness ends...it might take years ..but I will get there..all my life I have treated my body with respect..and will continue doing so...and this should help me a lot in getting across....:)
I read this book and found it very well-written and interesting. There were some specific diet suggestions that I have adopted. Instead of just "eat more turmeric", he says to use 1/4 tsp turmeric, a pinch of pepper, and 1 1/2 Tbls of olive oil. I mix it with cottage cheese and find it edible enough. Instead of just "drink green tea", he says what kinds of green teas, 3 cups a day, and that the tea has to be drunk within 2 hours of brewing. He also cites certain sugar substitutes. I've started using one of them and find it much more palatable than what I had been using.
Will this beat back my breast cancer recurrence? I don't know, but I figure it can't hurt, either!
Calico
I knw eating turmeric..plain from the box..ugghh I would choke...
But there are two other means of ingesting turmeric in a more agreeable way..
1. Indian food..we use turmeric in every dish, it is like salt to us
2. Add turmeric to the milk you drink, drinking warm (all most hot) milk with turmeric added is a home remedy for sore throat in India..and most times it works coz turmeric has anti bacterial and anti inflammatory props....
One's level of physical health will not prevent them from getting cancer. Of course, it's not a bad thing to eat well and excercise regularly, but I know there is no way to avoid cancer by what you eat or how much you excercise.
How do I know this? I am a advanced breast cancer survivor. Before I was diagnosied, in 2002, I ran 20+ miles a week, ate healthy foods and didn't smoke or drink. Of all the people in my circle of friends and family, I would've been the least likely to get a serious illness - or so you would think.
I do beleive there is a connection to between cancer and emotional health, being as I was very stressed immediately prior to my diagnosis. If we internalize issues, or even deny their existence, those problems are going to manifest in some other form to our detriment.
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I like the sound of this, Phyllis - sensible, and attainable. I especially like that he adds the mind-body element of meditation, and resolving past issues to avoid stress. I'm a firm believer in the connection between stress and illness, including cancer. Looks like I'm going to have to be checking this one out of the library! Thanks- PJH