Happy New Year. Have you made any resolutions to serve as health goals for the upcoming year? At survivingbreastcancer.org we feel it is crucial to our well-being to have a "surviving" mentality.
Ongoing research is investigating the risk of developing secondary cancers is affected by lifestyle or environmental factors. "However, most studies have been based on data from cancer registries or medical records, which generally don’t have data on these potential risk factors." according to the NIH Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
Studies show that compared with the general population, adult cancer survivors have a higher risk of developing a second primary cancer and an even higher risk of dying after such a diagnosis. The risk of developing a second primary cancer among adult cancer survivors has increased significantly in the last 15 years, likely due to the growing number of long-term cancer survivors, and especially those who have been exposed to carcinogenic treatments and/or certain lifestyle-related cancer risk factors (for example smoking, obesity, alcohol use, toxic cleaning chemicals & make up, etc., and certain infections).
While there is no cure for cancer (yet), and we are still tying to understand why some people are predisposed to developing cancer and others are not, we highly recommend the following healthy eating and exercise tips (if possible):
Reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption.
Study your medications. (Work with your oncology teams to stay on top of developments in the field).
Work with a nutritionist and/or exercise coach to develop a realistic plan. It is not uncommon to hear that women on Tamoxifen or an Aromatase Inhibitor gain weight or struggle to lose weight. This is most commonly associated with the lack of estrogen /hormones in the body and the effects of menopause (either naturally or medically induced). By working with a nutritionist and exercise coach, they can assist you in designing a plan that works for your lifestyle!
Join our community, or similar ones, that offer substantive webinars, diet/education resources, exercise coaching & partnering and yoga***.
*** At survivingbreastcancer.org we have created a buddy system utilizing WhatsApp to assist in the ongoing community exercise program. Please remember there is no shaming. If you can lift 100 lbs and I can only lift 10 lbs then be cognizant of the delta. We are here to support, encourage and assist. We have been through an extraordinary year, and the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over yet so be safe, remain socially distant, and by all means wear a mask and get the vaccine.
Lastly please consider our upcoming webinars and podcasts as we discuss ways to insure a healthy and positive new year.
List of events:
Thursday Night Thrivers Meetup
Breast Cancer Book Club
Empowered with Exercise
Benefits of yoga
Boosting Immunity through Balanced Nutrition
RSVP here.
What resolutions are you making for 2021?
Let us know at hello@survivingbreastcancer.org.
Articles:
Even in the best of circumstances, when cancer is cured, survivors may be left with long-lasting adverse effects of treatment and an increased risk of developing other cancers in the future. disturbingly increased risk of second primary cancers first became apparent in survivors of childhood and young adult cancers, and was thought to be due to genetic cancer predisposition syndromes that can cause multiple malignant diseases at a young age as well as to the aggressive and carcinogenic treatments they often receive.
I’ve been living with metastatic breast cancer for 18 years and have found that consistent exercise—such as walking or yoga—has been great for my bone health. —Terlisa Sheppard
“Since my years ago, I’ve continued to live a full and meaningful life. I start my days in private with prayer and meditation. I enjoy baking, I walk 2.1 miles at least five days a week, and I am active in my community. I also speak at breast cancer awareness events, which feels liberating.” —Karen Stock
If you do have an illness or chronic condition, walking is often more accessible (and sometimes more palatable) than other forms of exercise. And it still brings big benefits—for instance, improved function and reduced fatigue during breast cancer treatment, better blood sugar control (when done after eating) if you have diabetes, and improved quality of life if you’re a cancer patient or survivor.
A breast cancer diagnosis may increase the risk of developing T2D. Therefore, identifying strategies for T2D prevention among breast cancer survivors may play a key role in improving their survival outcomes. One approach may be through a diabetes risk reduction diet (DRRD), a dietary pattern comprised of 9 components that has been associated with 40% lower T2D risk in a previous Nurses’ Health Study publication.