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Carbs and Cancer


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I just read an interesting tidbit in this month's Prevention Magazine.

What I can take from this is that the theory about cancer/sugar may not be so far fetched after all....

Of Carbs and Cancer

The screaming headlines got it wrong. Carbohydrates don't cause cancer, but certain types may raise your risk.

A new Harvard Medical School study, which compared the eating habits and cancer histories of 38,000 women, found that those who ate the most carbohydrates with a high glycemic index -- foods that quickly raise blood-sugar levels -- ran a higher risk of colorectal cancer than did women who ate the fewest.

The bad actor? Refined carbs, the type found in table sugar, white flour, fruit juice and sodas, says lead researcher Simin Liu, MD.

Women at a lower risk ate unrefined carbs -- whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Written by Barbara Loecher

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Here's what they told me at the Block clinic about this--they said they want people like us to eliminate the refined sugars because it causes irregular activity in your pancreas to produce insulin to process the stuff--that is something they don't like to see happen. They want blood sugar and glycemic levels to pretty much stay level.

This is something I'm gonna work on--and it will be one of the tougher feats about this new diet, but cutting back right now is what it's all about. I want to concentrate on the process not the destination....

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Yes, it is a process. I lost 45 pounds twice and gained it all back twice. Then I was going for the destination and not the process. When I hit my goal weight I was confused and not sure what to do next.

And I think all of our processes are a little different of course. But at least we are not sitting in a corner waiting . . .

gail

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Chloesmom ~

I don't think it will be as difficult as you think it will be. I really don't!

Yes, if you like candy it may be a hard thing to break, but no one says you can't have anything SWEET. You just have to make a few changes!

I make the BEST banana nut muffins -- and instead of regular old refined white flour and sugar, I use whole wheat pastry flour and brown rice syrup for a sweetener (made from brown rice, it doesn't affect your blood sugar levels the way regular sugar does). Spread a little almond butter on top, they make a great breakfast with a soy milk/berry smoothie.

I read in the beginning of my nutrition journey that once you cut out the refined sugars and your body adjusted to the change, you will actually start to notice the natural sweetness in certain foods. It's so true! Now I think that brown rice and carrots are so sweet and nothing satisfies my sweet tooth better than a rasberry/strawberry/blueberry cup for dessert.

YOU CAN DO IT! :wink:

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You ladies are the best! I am starting to move in that direction--found myself checking out vegetarian websites today. I know how my mind works and I just have to get used to this to make some progress.

Heather--you sound like such a great cook from your posts that I read. I agree with you too==nothing tastes better than berries. That's what I mean--I'm not really that far away from what they think is best, but I'm gonna be gradual about it.

It is about changing the way you look at food too. I did the South Beach Diet for two weeks earlier this year because I was so frustrated about not being able to get this extra weight off. I couldn't stand the diet--couldn't wait for two weeks to be over with because that's the time I committed to it, and gained back all 5# I lost within the next couple of weeks.

This is such an interesting topic to me though--at least it is something we have some control over. With most of the rest of this cancer process, it's not really anything that's in our control and that is so disconcerning to me.

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Guest bean_si (Not Active)

I read in the beginning of my nutrition journey that once you cut out the refined sugars and your body adjusted to the change, you will actually start to notice the natural sweetness in certain foods. It's so true!

Right! Ever try acorn squash mixed with an orange, add some cinammon, maybe a dash of nutmeg? Cook the squash, sccop it out, mix it with an orange, blend it, add the spices. Yummy in the tummy.

I even eat grapefruit without sugar because once you're into natural sugars you realize that even grapefruit has it's own sweetness.

People can't understand how I can eat certain foods, such as sweet potatoes, without all that falderol - brown sugar, etc. Sweet potatoes are marvelous and so sweet without adding sugar! How can they not see that!? (or rather taste that) :D

Cat

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Actually the way I understood the carbohydrate question is as follows: Cancer cells have an anaerobic, glucose based metabolism rather than oxygen based; this is the basis of the "oxygen therapies", because oxygen supports the surrounding normal cells at the expense of tumour cells. Likewise diminishing the supply of glucose (derived from simple as opposed to complex carbohydrates) deprives the tumour cells of their fuel for growth.

If we take it a step further and accept that we all at times have mutant cells present, but in normal health our immune system disposes of them. What glucose would seem to do is help them to survive rather than actually cause them. :roll:

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Guest bean_si (Not Active)

If we take it a step further and accept that we all at times have mutant cells present, but in normal health our immune system disposes of them. What glucose would seem to do is help them to survive rather than actually cause them. :roll:

I believe that cancer cells are present in most everyone's body. I know I've read research that supports that idea. I believe it's a combination of a breakdown in our immune system and a diet and lifestyle that allows the cancer to multiply. Yes, I do believe cancer feeds on sugar. Indeed, I thought that was common knowledge. Guess not --- since the last time I was in the hospital on the oncology floor, the head nurse expressed amazement when I talked about that. I recall saying I wanted to be off the IV solution since I felt there was no need for it and it was sugar water. (Maybe it's just me but I thought feeding me that, given the circumstances, was ludicrous). I almost disengaged it myself.

I believe that cancer sits there liking a gargoyle, waiting for the right environment. So.......... if we can allow (so to speak) an environment that encourages cancer, can we not then build an environment that discourages or kills cancer.

Unfortunately, there are many things we can not control - such as toxins in our environment, pesticides in our foods.

Cat

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Bean-si

I know what you mean. When my mum is having chemo, the staff bring aroung big jars of sweets for the patients to snack on. Mum now takes a bag of almonds with her to share with the other patients. It's quite amazing how many people (especially health-care providers!) do not seem to be aware of the likely link between cancer and sugars. (By the way, Karel is my Dad, so of course I concur with everything he says!!).

All the best

Karen

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Dear Friends,

When I was in chemo I made a decision to do everything I could to increase the effectiveness of the chemo. As I researched the mechanism of action of the chemo I was on, I found that it was picked up most readily by "high metabolic rate" cells. The idea is that cancer cells will have a higher metabolic rate than normal cells.

Now we also know that cancer cells are a magnet for glucose. That is, they suck up the glucose so quickly that they deprive the normal cells of the opportunity to take up the sugar. So I tried to take advantage of those facts as follows:

On the day of my chemo and for 2 days afterwards I would purposely eat candy bars and other known sources of simple sugars. At all other times I tried as best I could to eat as little sugar as possible.

I did this knowing that the cancer cells would suck up the sugar faster than the normal cells and that the sugar would further increase their already higher metabolic rate. Since the chemo is targeted at the higher metabolic rate cells, I reasoned that this should increase the overall effectiveness of the chemo treatment.

I mentioned this to my oncologist and he really didn't have an opinion on the subject. I've never seen any discussion of this anywhere. It's just my idea and I did it because it made sense to me.

Best Wishes,

Dave S

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Unfortunately, there are many things we can not control - such as toxins in our environment, pesticides in our foods.

Cat -- while I do agree that we can't control toxins in our environment (unless you call writing endless letters to the powers-that-be to eliminate pollutants "control") we CAN control toxins in our "personal space", so to speak, by using natural, non-toxic household cleaners, organic lawn fertilizers, non-toxic paint.......

As far as pesticides in our foods, I have one word: ORGANIC!!! :wink:

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Dave s.

I have come across the idea of short term stimulation of the cancer cells once before - I think it might even have been our oncologist. Not belonging to the orthodox stream of thought she did no more than that. Meets common sense criteria 'though, doesn't it?

Bean-si,

I truly was not trying to imply that the idea of widely present cancer cells in healthy individuals was mine. However, it does need wider acceptance. Work is being done on provoking an immune response by vaccines, and one day we should also discover how cancer cells are able to hoodwink the immune system into accepting them as normal, and correcting it.

Best wishes,

Karel

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Guest bean_si (Not Active)

Hebbie,

We used to have a marvelous organic store nearby with tons of organic produce, etc. It shut down. It was actually closed down. They found mold in the ceiling from rain, etc.!! There are still a couple health stores but they concentrate on packaged goods and have very little produce. I sure miss my organic veggies and fruits. I do use Seventh Generation and similar products for cleaning. As to the lawn, etc., I live in a condo and hate how they pesticide everything.

Karel,

I didn't mean to imply that you implied anything. :lol: I do believe, though, that cancer cells exist in most people & that something triggers them to become "live".

DaveS

I don't know. I just can't get with the picture. I've heard that before. I believe some (few) nutritionists believe in stuffing cancer with sugar before chemo. But I think our digestive/biochemical processes are more complicated. I mean - how could we be sure that the sugar is being processed at the correct time? What if the body decided to keep the glucose in reserve until it was needed at a later time? If chemo irritates the stomach lining, wouldn't it interfere with the digestive process? Hmmmm........

Cat

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bean-si,

I'm not sure just what part of the picture you can't get. The picture is pretty simple really. Consider the PET scan technique for a moment.

Radioactive sugar is given to the patient. 45 minutes later the cancer cells have picked up the sugar and therefore show up on the scanner. That's how reliably and quickly the cancer cells pick up the sugar.

I offer my opinions on this board to help those who are sufficiently motivated to seek out the slight advantages needed to give them long term survival. I always try to make it clear when I'm giving my OPINION and therefore everyone is forewarned and can make their own decisions accordingly. None of us should ever make any treatment decisions without having satisfied ourselves first about the advisability of whatever it is we are comtemplating.

There are way to many of us suffering and dying here despite the best organized medicine can offer to us. We simply must help each other. We have some of the best and brightest minds around right here on this board. Our collective wisdom is an impressive force indeed.

Regards,

Dave S

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bean-si,

I can't figure out what happened here!!!!

You said you didn't get the logic behind what I said. Now if I don't respond in some way, readers will think I have changed my mind and the whole thing is garbage. Well it's not garbage and it just might help save someones life.

I tried to give an understandable and reasoned response. If somehow that offended you I'm sorry. We need to give people here the opportunity to help themselves.

I don't know what else I can tell you. I'll admit I'm on tons of pain meds right now, but I still don't think my post was flawed. I'll ask if anyone else reads this the way you did to please let me know. If I'm making inappropriate posts then it it I who should stop posting.

Dave S

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Time out! :wink:

I don't think that anyone is out of line here, I think it was just a misinterpritation. Sometimes when writing it is difficult to "hear" the intended tone of the conversation.

We are all here to give support and exchange information so that we can all make better informed decisions.

Now, as I told my crazy bickering family today -- CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!!! :lol:

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Well I'm going to step in here with Hebbie and say this, Lets all just get along. Cat, you may or may not be aware at this time, but your under a LOT of stress right now and sometimes when we are under that much stress our emotions get the best of us and we don't even know it. I honestly don't feel that Dave S was being mean or nasty to you. I think he was just being Dave S. He was just trying to put some light on things, and you have to all admit this is a Questionable subject, and None of us are doctor's that I know of. I hope you two will shake hands and make up. I don't want to see either one of you make mention of leaving this board.

Cat, from what I can see from Dave's last message to you, he has apologized to you. Maybe you could do the same???? I hope so! It's a good day to be alive! God bless us all.

Hugs to All,

Connie B

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