Monthly Archives: April 2012

Healthy Food Choices; controlling our moods

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How Food Affects Mood:  Research Revealed

By Cindy Collins, PhD, RD
According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk for developing depression is directly linked to the average American diet. Current research has enhanced our understanding of the link between mood and food. The ideal goal would be to affect our moods in a positive way through the control of our dietary intake. Another very beneficial result of controlling our diets is to optimize our brain function with consumption of certain nutrients or combinations of nutrients.
Healthy food choices just might provide a piece to the puzzle when it comes to mood.  A study published in the 2010 British Journal of Psychiatry, concluded that a dietary pattern consisting of vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and whole grains was associated with lower odds for depression when compared to the typical American diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains and sugary products.
In 2004, a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, scientists determined that depression is strongly associated with C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of levels of inflammation in the body that is also linked to promotion of recurring disease. This suggests that we should consume foods which contain which are nutrient dense, specifically with foods that have natural anti-inflammatory properties. These include nuts like almond and walnuts, fish oils and turmeric to name a few.
These findings and others suggest that foods may have the potential to aid in the enhancement of mood. And, don’t throw out the carbohydrates altogether. Complex carbohydrates may play a role here too. When the body receives a balance of fruits, vegetables and lean protein it has a better energy source to carry out important biological functions more effectively.  When consuming carbohydrates, there is an increase in the blood glucose level, which opens biological pathways for amino acids (proteins) to reach the brain to send out the euphoric feeling sent out by the brain neurotransmitter, serotonin.  Drew Ramsey, M.D., co-author of The Happiness Diet believes, “A well-nourished brain will usually take care of itself,” thus demonstrating the importance of good nutrition patterns.

For some examples of good food choices and more information on this topic please refer to:  http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=12988&Section=Nutrition&utm_source=DailyHealthBulletin&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Nutrition&utm_content=Body+ContinueReading&utm_campaign=DHB_120412

The Dietary Benefits of Fiber for Cancer Patients

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By Cindy Collins, PhD, RD

 

Fiber is the ever important part of the diet that many of us tend to neglect in our daily meals. Besides the fact that fiber can help us to feel full and stay satiated longer, it provides other health benefits. In fact it plays an important role in the digestive process of our food, in heart health and helps to regulate blood glucose levels.  Fiber is actually the part of food that is indigestible, but it is a vital key for carrying food through the body. The other critical function of fiber in the GI tract is to push everything along and provide good digestive balance. In that role fiber helps maintain regularity and prevent colon cancer.
Here are some easy ways to get fiber in your diet:
Navy beans, bran cereal, kidney beans, split peas, lentils, pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas, artichokes, flax meal.
For more on fiber choose your favorite beans, cereals, veggies and fruits or refer to www.RD411.com

 

 

SFRO Announces “Survivorship Clinic” for Cancer Patients

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Coming soon………… Survivorship Clinic.
SFRO is there for you as a cancer patient. We care that you have services available to support you during your treatment and after. Beginning June 1st, our nurse practitioner Judy Armstrong, will coordinate and lead a Cancer Survivorship program. Judy is certified in oncology and specializes in teaching, assessing and treating patients with cancer, as well as their families.

Benefits of Survivorship Clinic
Services Offered:
Counseling
Dietician
Support Groups
Meditation/yoga
Research
Cancer Navigator services
Cancer Survivor Contacts
Wellness Clinic

Please call us today to register and to speak to Judy. She can be reached at 1-877-930-7376.

Dietary Concerns During Cancer Treatment; Protein- The Framework of the Human Body

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Protein: The Framework of the Human Body

By Cindy Collins, PhD, RD
Many patients new to cancer treatment ask how they can prepare for the road ahead.  The most important building block responsible for healing is protein. Most of the human body is made of muscle, including the organs.  It is so important to consume protein because the body uses it to build, maintain and restore tissues.  Protein nutrition enables the biological system to facilitate many functions that restore skin, muscles and regulate hormone secretions.  Without protein, the body is unable to heal and carry out its essential natural mechanisms.  This is why it is of utmost importance prior to, during, and after treatment to keep more than an adequate protein level in the diet. Protein will aid in your recovery and restore energy that is expended as you move along in the treatment plan.
The next question most patients have is how to increase protein in the diet.  There are several ways to increase the protein into your daily regimen. The important thing is to eat foods you like that are high in protein as well as lean.

Align your emotions during this process with the physical aspects of treatment. It may seem like a lot to handle or remember at times. For this reason, the best thing to do is evaluate what you eat and compare it with this list of excellent sources of protein.  If you fall short, then here are a few examples of how remedy your protein levels.

Ideal Meat Options
Beef (lean):  ground round, round steak, rump roast, sirloin, short ribs, heart, liver
Chicken: breast, dark meat, liver
Pork:  chop, tenderloin
Turkey:  breast, cutlet, dark meat
Veal:  tenderloin, chop, roast
Lamb:  leg, sirloin, roast, chop
Fish/seafood:  tuna, salmon, tilapia, sardines, scallops

Best Dairy Picks
Cheese:  cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, cottage cheese (hard to soft cheeses are lower fat)
Milk:  low fat (rice or whey protein powder increases the protein level when added)
Yogurt: plain, or low-fat

Amazing Bean Selection
Pinto, chickpeas, lentils, black-eyed peas, red, navy, black and white beans

Good Nut Sources
Walnut, pistachios, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, macadamias, pine nuts

For more information on nutrition and healthy eating go to our SFRO Resources page with “Helpful Links” which will provide you with all the source info you will need to answer questions.  www.sfrollc.com/resources

American Lung Association supports CT screening for smokers

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American Lung Association supports CT screening for smokers.
Based on mounting evidence that lung cancer screening with CT can save lives, the American Lung Association today recommended CT lung cancer screening for smokers and former smokers. The move is a major step toward the development of a population-based CT screening program in the U.S.
April 23, 2012

Head and Neck Cancer Support Group

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SFRO Head and Neck Cancer Support Group

Beginning June 6th, Wednesday, at 6 p.m. SFRO will offer to patients and their family members, a support group for head and neck cancer survivors and patients.

It will be held the first Wednesday of each month at the Jupiter office. Please click here for more information:  http://www.sfrollc.com/images/sfr_images/PDFs/sfro_jupiter_support.pdf

The coordinator is Cathy DeStefano, RNC, OCN,  561- 275-1820,

The Benefits of Antioxidants

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The Benefits of Antioxidants
by Cindy Collins, PhD, RD

Antioxidants are a wonderful way to support as well as assist in repair of our biological functions. Three vitamins are particularly powerful antioxidants. They are Vitamins A,C and E. When included in the diet at an optimal level, these antioxidants carry out many important tasks.

Below you will find the roles and the best food source for each:
• Vitamin A (Beta-carotene) supports vision, bone growth, and the immune system. Some food sources include carrots, spinach, kale, cantaloupe, apricots, papaya, mango, and tomatoes.

• Vitamin C repairs cells, arterial walls, and boosts the immune system. Some food sources include peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, romaine lettuce, and kiwi.

• Vitamin E optimizes heart, eye and brain functions. Some excellent food choices are almonds, spinach, mango, wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, olive oil, and hazelnuts.

For more information about this topic, please refer to www.rd411.com

Keeping Your Bones Healthy

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Keeping Your Bones Healthy

by CIndy Collins, PhD, RD

Human bones are under constant construction throughout the aging process. Bones are stimulated by a delicate balance of breaking down and rebuilding within the marrow.  As the human body ages, the process slows down, and as a result, less regeneration occurs. The older we get, the less rebuilding of the bone. If we can stimulate bone activity, we can enhance the rebuilding side of the equation.  A healthy balance of calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium rich foods facilitate the processes of bone activity.  Here are a few reasons why these nutrients assist in maintaining the integrity of the bones as well as other body functions, and a few examples of good food sources.
•    Vitamin D is essential in overall bone health. It is currently being studied to show the role it plays in heart health and control of blood sugar levels.  Some excellent foods rich in vitamin D are salmon, tuna, eggs, and fortified milk/juice/cereals.

•     Calcium is a key component in the regulation of blood pressure and bone strength.  Yogurt, sardines, cheese, almonds, spinach, and fortified milk/juice/cereals offer a variety of ways to get calcium from food.

•    Magnesium is a critical mineral which maintains the health of bone, muscle and body cells. It also supports the regulation of blood pressure.  Some examples of foods containing this effective mineral are halibut, almonds, peanuts, cashews, wheat bran, brown rice, and spinach.

For more information on this topic refer to www.rd411.com

Study Shows New Option for Children with Tough to Treat Leukemia

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WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) — Additional chemotherapy may a better option than bone marrow transplant for some children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who don’t respond to an initial intense regimen of chemotherapy called “induction therapy,” a new study says.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

According to study co-author Dr. Ching-Hon Pui, failure to improve after induction therapy is rare, happening in just 2 percent to 3 percent of children with ALL. But when it does happen, these children’s risk for a bad outcome rises considerably, so they often then become candidates for a bone marrow transplant.

However, the new study suggests that that option may not always be the only one.

“Some patients and their parents will be relieved to know that transplantation is not necessary for cure,” said Pui, chair of the oncology department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. His team published their findings in the April 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In the study, Pui and his colleagues tracked more than 1,000 children with ALL who did not go into remission after four to six weeks of induction therapy. The patients’ cancer was diagnosed when they were between the ages of 1 to 5 years.

The overall survival rate for children with ALL who fail to go into remission following induction therapy was 32 percent. However, the rate was 72 percent in a subset of patients who had additional chemotherapy instead of a bone marrow transplant.

Pui’s group noted that this type of patient had a form of ALL that begins in white blood cells destined to become B cells (B-lineage ALL). They accounted for about 25 percent of the more than 1,000 patients who did not go into remission following induction therapy.

 

Exercise Improves Quality of Life during Breast Cancer Treatment

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CORAL GABLES, FL (April 13, 2012) Women undergoing treatment for breast cancer might fight off distressing side effects and improve psychological well-being by staying off the couch. According to the University of Miami (UM) study, women who are physically active during treatment have less depression and an enhanced quality of life and report less debilitating fatigue.

“Women who are physically active may also have more confidence in their own ability to continue with family-related, household, work-related, or social activities, which bring meaning and satisfaction to their lives,” says Jamie M. Stagl, M.S., doctoral student in Clinical Health Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at UM and lead author of the study. “This may lead to appraisals of lower fatigue, heightened quality of life, and less depression.”

UM researchers studied the reported physical activity of 240 women recently diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer and recruited from four to 10 weeks post-surgery. Participants attended a 10-week, group-based Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) intervention, or a one-day psychoeducation “self-help” comparison group. In addition, researchers monitored the women’s reported physical activity levels.

While these researchers have previously shown that stress management improves breast cancer treatment, the current study reveals that there are additional benefits for women who are also physically active through treatment.

“Women who increased the amount of time they spent being physically active between the weeks after surgery and their adjuvant therapy had less ‘fatigue disruption’ — their fatigue did not disrupt their ability to perform everyday activities,” Stagl says. “They also showed a decrease in depressed mood and an increase in quality of life.”