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December 20, 2018Reprinted from: The American Institute for Cancer ResearchBreakfast Energy DrinkFebruary is Cancer Prevention Month – a time to focus on healthy habits that can lower your risk for cancer and other chronic diseases. Getting more fruit and vegetable servings is one important thing you can do today. And it just got easier. This nutritious breakfast smoothie combines leafy super greens, kale and spinach, with seasonal fruits, nuts and seeds for a cancer-fighting kick-start to your morning. Pumpkin will give you plenty of beta-carotene, a compound important in controlling normal cell growth and preventingMakes 2 (about 1½ cup) ServingsPer serving: 231 calories, 12 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 13 g protein, 8 g dietary fiber, 111 mg sodium.2 medium kale leaves, stems removed1 cup spinach leaves loosely packed1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit1/3 cup plain canned pumpkin*3 Tbsp. seeds or nuts1 Tbsp. chia seeds1/2 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp. nutmeg1¼ cups soy or dairy milk1/2 cup water6-8 ice cubes (1 cup)Combine all ingredients in blender or food processer and blend on high until smooth. Let sit for 1 minute to thicken before serving. Comments Off on Breakfast Energy Drink | Category Recipes | Tags: breakfast,energy drink,kale,pumpkin,seeds December 20, 2018Reprinted from:  MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoliday exercise: No Gym Required BY Laura Nathan-GarnerExercising won’t just help your body burn those extra holiday calories before they turn into extra body fat. It also helps curb stress, lower blood pressure and improve your mood, so you can actually enjoy the holidays.Forget the excuses for not exercising this holiday season. Even if you’re too busy for your usual workout, you can still get the 150 minutes of weekly moderate physical activity that help you to maintain a healthy weight and lower your cancer risks. All it takes is adding some heart-pumping twists to the tasks already on your holiday to-do list.Keep in mind that you can break up your weekly, and even daily, workout to fit your schedule. “If you plan to work out 30 minutes a day for five days, you can break those daily minutes into three 10-minute or two 15-minute chunks as your schedule allows,” says Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., professor of Behavioral Science at MD Anderson.Can’t get your full 30 minutes of exercise for the day? Even 15 minutes of daily exercise can increase your life expectancy by up to three years, says recent research.Here’s how to turn your exercise excuses into heart-boosting opportunities this holiday season.Shopping: Use the stairs and carry bags Stop looking for a parking space near the door and park far from the entrance. Or, if you’re taking the bus or train, get off a stop or two early. Either way, you’ll pack in some extra walking.“For walking to count as exercise, you should be a little out of breath and feel your heart beating a little faster,” Basen-Engquist says.While shopping, take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. If possible, carry your purchases instead of using a shopping cart. You’ll get your heart pumping and sneak in some strength training.Hosting guests: Boost your house cleaning activitiesReadying your home for visitors is a great way to slip in aerobic activity, but not just any tidying will do the trick.“The most important thing is to get your heart rate up at a consistent level,” Basen-Engquist says.So, focus on repetitive activities that use large muscle groups, like your legs and back. This includes vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, gardening and even taking multiple trips upstairs to put away laundry or holiday decorations.Traveling: Take physical activity breaksYou can get your heart pumping on the road with these tips:Flying or taking the train or bus: While waiting to depart, take a brisk walk around the terminal — and skip the moving sidewalks. When you reach your destination, make your walk to baggage claim or the exit a quick one.Driving: Add physical activity to gas and bathroom breaks. Kick around a soccer ball, throw a Frisbee® or take a brisk walk.Staying at a hotel or with friends or relatives: Many hotels offer gyms and even exercise classes. If that’s not an option, find an exercise video online, or use an exercise DVD or an exercise app. Or, explore the area by taking a jog, hike or brisk walk.Surrounded by family: Do group activitiesHelp your entire family exercise by teaming up to:Train for a holiday race. Many cities hold a turkey trot on Thanksgiving.Go hiking.Go horseback riding.Ice skate.Extra tips to help you move moreStill can’t work exercise into your holiday activities? Try these tips:Use your lunch hour to jog or take a brisk walk.Take the stairs at work.Schedule workouts ahead of time.Enlist a friend or family member to walk with you during the holidays. Buddying up motivates both of you and gives you a chance to catch up and stay connected.Remember, some things can wait until after the holidays, but your health isn’t one of them. Comments Off on Too Busy For Your Regular Workout? | Category Fitness | Tags: exercise,holiday exercise,moving,physical activity November 6, 2018Christine Stone RN, MSN, OCN, was awarded the 2018 Cure Magazine Extraordinary Healer Award at the Oncology Nurses Society Annual Conference.  Christine was surrounded and celebrated by family, Inova colleagues and hundreds of oncology nurses from throughout the country. It is an INCREDIBLE honor and testament to Christine’s incredible work and career as an oncology nurse navigator to be recognized as the Extraordinary Healer across the entire nation’s Oncology Nurses. Please join me in congratulating and celebrating Christine in this tremendous accomplishment. Comments Off on Life with Cancer Nurse Receives Prestigious Award | Category In the News | Tags: August 15, 2018Thanks to Sharon Palmer, the Plant-Powered Dietitian, for this tasty AND healthy meal!Buddha bowls – light, healthy meals comprised of a whole grain, lots of vegetables, a healthful protein source, and a flavorful sauce – are all the rage.  This bowl combines the star nutrition power of whole grain sorghum and beans with cool green veggies, such as arugula, avocados, cucumbers, asparagus and pumpkin seeds.  Plus, it’s topped with a house-made, Green Goddess Dressing. This yields 4 entrée-size servings + 2 tablespoons dressingIngredientsBuddha Bowl:2 cups cooked whole grain sorghum, cooled1 15.5-ounce can white beans (i.e., Great Northern, cannellini)1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed, sliced4 cups packed baby arugula leaves1 medium avocado, sliced1 medium cucumber, sliced¼ cup pumpkin seedsGreen Goddess Dressing:1 1/2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened plant-based milk (i.e., soy, almond, coconut)1/4 ripe large avocado, peeled, sliced1/4 cup diced cucumber, with peel3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (i.e., dill, parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, cilantro)1 stalk green onion, white and green parts, diced1 small garlic clovePinch white pepper2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezedInstructionsTo make Buddha Bowls (makes 4):Cook whole grain sorghum to make 2 cups, according to package directions, and cool, draining any remaining liquid.Rinse and drain white beans and set aside.Blanch asparagus by cooking it in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, until tender, but bright green; set aside.Arrange 1 cup arugula leaves at the bottom of each large, individual serving bowl (4).Arrange over the arugula leaves in each bowl (4):¼ of the white beans (about ½ cup)½ cup cooked, cooled sorghum¼ sliced avocado¼ of the cucumber slices (about ½ cup)¼ of the blanched, cooled asparagusA dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of Green Goddess Dressing (see below)Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pumpkin seedsServe immediately.To make Green Goddess Dressing:Place all of the dressing ingredients into the container of a small blender and process until smooth.Makes 1/2 cup (4 servings).NotesThis recipe is excellent for meal prep by preparing 4 individual servings in sealed containers and refrigerating it to be enjoyed during the week. You can also serve this recipe in one large dish by following instructions and arranging all ingredients in one large salad bowl instead of 4 individual serving bowls. If you prefer more dressing with the bowls, you may double the dressing recipe, and keep leftovers in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 1 week.Nutrition information for 1 serving (Buddha bowl): 372 calories, 8 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 16 mg sodium, 67 g carbohydrate, 17 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 17.5 g proteinNutrition information for 1 serving (Green Goddess Dressing): 21 calories, 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 0.5 g sugar, 0.5 g proteinTo visit Sharon’s site go to Sharon Palmer The Plant-Powered Dietitian Comments Off on Green Goddess Buddha Bowl (Vegan, Gluten-Free) | Category Recipes | Tags: buddha bowls,gluten-free,grains,vegan,vegetables July 30, 2018This refreshingly cool soup boasts crisp zucchini and creamy avocado.  Fiber from summer squash and the avocado’s healthy monounsaturated fat help you fill up and stay fuller longer.  The vegetable broth and onion base, along with creamy almond milk, provide a delicious flavor boost but still keeps it to only about 100 calories per serving.  Top with a cucumber salsa for a fresh contrasting crunch. Ingredients4 (1 cup) ServingsFor the Salsa:1 peeled and finely diced medium cucumber(about 2 cups finely diced)2 tablespoons lime juice(from about 1 to 2 limes)1/2 cup chopped cilantro or chopped parsleyFor the Soup:2 medium zucchini(around 3 to 4 cups chopped)½ cup thinly sliced green onion, divided1 avocado, halved and pitted¾ cup unsweetened plain almond milk1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth1/8 tsp. ground cumin, optional1/8 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon black pepperDirectionsFor the Salsa:Peel and finely dice the English cucumber.Chop the cilantro; stir ingredients into the bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve with the soup.For the Soup:Peel and roughly chop the onion; trim the ends off each zucchini and roughly chop too.In a large saucepan, over high heat, combine broth, zucchini and ¼ cup onion. Cover and bring to a boil.  Uncover, reduce heat and let simmer 6 minutes or until zucchini is tender.  Remove from heat and set aside for 20 minutes.In a blender, combine zucchini mix, avocado, cumin (if using), remaining 1 Table spoon lime juice and almond milk. Cover and puree until smooth.  Leaving soup in blender, refrigerate it for 2 hours.When ready to serve, re-blend soup. Additional almond milk for thinner consistency, if desired.Pour into serving bowls. Top with salsa and serve.PER Serving: 108 calories, 7.5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 285 mg sodiumReprinted from: American Institute for Cancer Research Comments Off on Avocado Zucchini Soup w/ Cucumber Salsa | Category Recipes | Tags: American Institute for Cancer Research,avocado,cucumber salsa,food,healthy diet,soup,zucchini July 12, 2018One of the most in-depth meditation studies to date shows that different practices have different benefits. By Tania Singer | July 2, 2018As citizens of the 21st century, we face many problems that come with an industrialized and globalized world. We’re confronting climate change and poverty in the midst of plenty; wars and political instability are driving millions of people to leave their homes and seek refuge. At the same time, we’re witnessing increases in stress-related diseases, depression, and narcissism. Skillful solutions to these problems will require new forms of global cooperation, mutual understanding, and compassion across nationalities and cultures.I’m not a lawyer or a politician, but a psychologist and neuroscientist. So research on how to train helpful mental and social capacities is my way to contribute to a more healthy, communal, and cooperative civilization.For the past five years, that research has taken the form of the ReSource Project, one of the longest and most comprehensive studies on the effects of meditation-based mental training to date. Lots of research treats the concept of meditation as a single practice, when in fact meditation encompasses a diversity of mental practices that train different skills and different parts of the brain. Our goal was to study the specific effects of some major types of mental practices and distinguish their effects on well-being, the brain, behavior, and health—and, in particular, discover which practices could help build a more compassionate and interconnected world.Our findings are still emerging, as my team and I continue to analyze a multitude of data. The results so far have been mostly encouraging, sometimes surprising, and crucial to understand for meditation practitioners and teachers.In the ReSource Project, we asked over 300 German adults ages 20-55 to attend a two-hour class every week and practice for 30 minutes a day at home. The lessons and practices were designed by myself together with an expert team of meditation teachers and psychologists over the course of several years. They include a multitude of secularized meditations derived from various Buddhist traditions, as well as practices from Western psychology. Over the course of the study, participants moved through three different training modules, which each began with a three-day retreat:Presence (3 months). This module focuses on training attention and internal body awareness. The exercises include scanning your body, focusing on the breath and bringing your attention to the present moment whenever your mind wanders, and bringing attention to the sensations of hearing and seeing.Affect (3 months). This module focuses on training positive social emotions like loving-kindness, compassion, and gratitude, as well as accepting difficult emotions and increasing our motivation to be kind and helpful toward others. In the Affect and Perspective modules, there are two daily core practices: one classic meditation and one 10-minute partner exercise, with participants assigned to a new partner every week on our mobile application. In the Affect module, partners take turns sharing their feelings and body sensations while recalling difficult or gratitude-inducing experiences in their lives, and practicing empathic listening.Perspective (3 months). This module focuses on meta-cognitive skills (becoming aware of your thinking), gaining perspective on aspects of your own personality, and taking the perspective of others. In this module, the partner exercise includes taking turns talking about a recent experience from the perspective of one aspect of your personality—for example, as if you were fully identified with your “inner judge” or “loving mother”—while the other partner listens carefully and tries to infer the perspective being taken.Three cohorts moved through these modules in different orders, allowing us to discern the effects of a specific training module and compare it to the other modules. In other words, the cohorts acted as “active control groups” for each other. Another group of participants didn’t do any training but was still tested: Every three months, we measured how participants were doing with a barrage of more than 90 questionnaires, behavioral tests, hormonal markers, and brain scans, to see what (if anything) improved after each module.When I first launched this study, some of my colleagues thought a year-long mental training course was crazy, that participants would drop out right and left. But that’s not what happened: In fact, less than 8 percent of people dropped out in total. Long after the study ended, we witnessed people logging on to our app and practicing; to this day, I know of people who still self-organize to practice the 10-minute daily partner exercises together—presumably because they found the practices so transformational.Ultimately, we found that the three training modules had very different effects on participants’ emotional and cognitive skills, well-being, and brains—which means that you can expect different benefits depending on the type of meditation practice you engage in.Attention. According to our study, attention already improved after just three months of training, whether it was mindfulness-based or compassion-based. Participants who completed the Presence or Affect modules significantly improved their scores on a classic attention task. Surprisingly, no further benefit was observed after six or nine months of training, maybe due to the attention task we used (a “cue-flanker” test). It seems, therefore, that attention can be cultivated not only by attention-focused mindfulness practices but also by social-emotional practices such as the loving-kindness meditation.Loving-Kindness MeditationStrengthen feelings of kindness and connection toward othersTry It Now Compassion. Are basic mindfulness practices such as paying attention to the breath or body scan enough to make you a kinder, more compassionate person? Or do you explicitly need to focus on these qualities of the heart in your meditation practice? This question is the source of a big debate in mindfulness research.In our study, one of the ways we measured compassion was by showing participants videos of people sharing stories of suffering from their life and asking them to report how they felt after watching. Ultimately, three months of attention-based Presence training didn’t increase compassion at all. Only participants who had taken the Affect module—which explicitly focuses on care-based social and emotional qualities—became more compassionate.Theory of mind. If we want to resolve conflicts across cultures, theory of mind—the ability to understand other people’s mental states and put ourselves in their shoes—is a crucial skill.We measured theory of mind with the same video stories, but this time we asked participants to answer questions about the person’s thoughts, intentions, and goals. It turned out that only one module—the Perspective module—helped participants improve their theory of mind at all (though these effects were not strong). Practicing attention or compassion in the Presence or Affect modules didn’t help people take the perspective of others. Interestingly, people who got better at theory of mind also showed better self-understanding: They were able to identify more and more parts of their own personality, like that “inner judge” or “loving mother.”Brain plasticity. These different behavioral changes were also reflected in the brain. Using magnetic resonance imaging, my colleagues and I analyzed the volume of gray matter in different areas of participants’ brains.Typically, gray matter thins over time as people age. But after three months of attention-based Presence training, participants actually showed a higher volume of gray matter in their prefrontal regions, areas related to attention, monitoring, and higher-level awareness.After three months of compassion-based Affect training, however, other regions became thicker: areas that are involved in empathy and emotion regulation, such as the supramarginal gyrus. Most importantly, this thickening in insular regions of the brain predicted increases in compassionate behavior.Finally, we observed specific thickening in another set of brain regions after the Perspective module. Gray matter in the temporo-parietal junction, an area that supports our perspective-taking abilities, became thicker in people who also improved at theory of mind tests. This is the first study to show training-related structural changes in the social brains of healthy adults and to reveal that it really matters what you practice—the observed brain changes were specific to different types of training and coincided with improvements in emotional and cognitive skills.Social stress. To measure social stress, we gave participants a notoriously stressful task: delivering a speech and then performing math calculations to an audience trained to roll their eyes, look bored, and point out errors. This makes people feel socially rejected and out of control, like something is wrong with them; it stimulates most people’s bodies to produce a lot more of the stress-related hormone cortisol, which we measured in saliva.Surprisingly, three months of mindfulness-based attention and internal body awareness training didn’t help people cope better with this stressful task. But those who practiced the two social modules, Affect and Perspective, did reduce their cortisol stress response by up to half compared to the control group. We suspect that the daily partner practices in these modules helped ease people’s fear of being evaluated. We face potential evaluation by others every day, and learning to listen non-judgmentally and to be less reactive probably allows us to approach those socially stressful situations more calmly.Gratitude MeditationFeel grateful as you reflect on all the gifts in your lifeTry It Now The fact that the mindfulness-based Presence module did not reduce stress at the hormonal level was surprising at first, since previous research has shown that mindful attention training can reduce stress. But much of this earlier research asks people about their stress levels with questionnaires, rather than measuring biological markers of stress. When using questionnaires, we found the same thing: After three months of Presence practice, people said they felt less stressed, as they did after all the other modules. Even though it certainly matters how stressed people subjectively feel, cortisol is considered the hallmark of a stress response and is linked to important health outcomes. Given that this was not reduced by mindfulness attention training alone, we should be wary of generalized claims about its stress-reducing effects.Social connection. The partner practices, which were part of the Affect and Perspective modules, helped participants feel closer to each other. In fact, they felt closer and closer each week of practice, even in the moments just before doing a partner practice and even when they were going to meet a partner for the first time. Thus, their general feelings of interdependence and interconnection with others seemed to increase over time.Not only did people boost their feelings of social closeness, but they also disclosed more and more personal information about themselves. Earlier in the module, partners were timid and shared less; maybe they’d talk about the difficult experience of missing the bus on the way to work. But after three months, they went much deeper, sometimes sharing about parental conflicts or lifelong personal issues. This is the kind of vulnerability that’s needed for people in diverse groups to cultivate a sense of interconnection and common humanity.Body awareness. One of the most common ways to measure how aware people are of their body signals is through a heartbeat perception task. In this task, people are asked to sit quietly and tap out the rhythm of their hearts, while we’re recording their actual heartbeat. The higher the correlation between such objective and subjective measures, the higher your body awareness.Why does body awareness matter? Research suggests that it’s related to our emotional understanding and our health. We found that the more accurate people are at perceiving their heartbeat, the more they’re able to notice and label their emotions; they score lower in alexithymia, a diminished capacity to recognize your emotions that is common among many psychological disorders like autism and depression. Learning how to become less alexithymic could be a very powerful tool to help patients with emotional disorders.Body ScanFeeling tense? Feel your body relax as you try this practiceTry It Now Surprisingly, people who practiced three months of present-moment-focused body awareness through practices like body scans didn’t get significantly better at heartbeat perception. Why? The simple answer is that three months of practice is too short. Only after six months of contemplative practice did participants’ body awareness improve to a significant level, and after nine months it improved even further. I suspect it would improve even more after another year of practice.Some effects take time to develop—something we should remember whenever we sign up for a weekend meditation course or download a new meditation app promising us big results in just a few minutes or days!To summarize, mindfulness and meditation are incredibly broad concepts, and our research suggests that they should be differentiated more. It really matters what type of mental practice you engage in. Different types of mental training elicit changes in very different domains of functioning, such as attention, compassion, and higher-level cognitive abilities.Every practice has its specific benefits, but looking at the overall pattern of findings in the ReSource Project, it seems that compassion-based social and emotional practices are powerful ways to develop many beneficial skills, including (self-)acceptance, well-being, attention, compassion and altruism, and lower social stress.The good news is that with only about 30 minutes of practice a day, you can significantly change your behavior and the very structure of your brain. However, some improvements, like your capacity to perceive signals from your body, take time to develop. Even nine months is just a start.Our research also showed how objective measures of people’s biology or behavior can diverge from what they believe about themselves on psychological trait questionnaires. When we’re talking about benefits like lower stress or greater kindness, people may think they’re improving while their actions or their bodies don’t actually change.The story about meditation and mindfulness will become more complex over the years. Besides looking at the different effects of different types of mental practices, researchers are also exploring individual differences and how certain genes or certain personality traits influence how much you benefit from different practices. All of this research is moving us to a point where we don’t necessarily advocate mindfulness for all, but can suggest specific practices with specific benefits for specific people.In an increasingly complex world, one of today’s most urgent questions is how we can cultivate greater global compassion and a better understanding of each other across cultural and religious divides. Our findings cast doubt on the notion that simple mindfulness-based mental training aimed only at improving attention and optimizing your own mind will have far-reaching consequences for global cooperation and responsibility. Instead, training that focuses on the interdependence of human beings, on ethical as well as social qualities—from feelings such as compassion to cognitive skills like perspective taking—may be important not only for individual health but also for communal flourishing.This essay is adapted from a talk by Tania Singer, “Plasticity of the Social Brain: Effects of a One-Year Mental Training Study on Brain Plasticity, Social Cognition and Attention, Stress, and Prosocial Behavior,” given at the International Positive Psychology Association’s 5th World Congress in 2017.Reprinted from: Greater Good Magazine Comments Off on What Type of Meditation is Best for You? | Category Mind-Body | Tags: Cancer,meditation,meditation study,mind-body July 4, 2018Eating a healthy diet and being physically active are very important for people diagnosed with cancer, both during and after cancer treatment. HEAL Well: A Cancer Nutrition Guide  from the American Institute for Cancer Research, offers practical, evidence-based  suggestions about diet, nutrition and physical activity.Your oncology healthcare team can provide valuable insights and direction in your efforts for healthy eating and on ways to become more physically active during and after your cancer treatment. However, it’s important you keep them informed about what you are taking and what diet plans you are following. Ask  your medical team if you have any risk factors that need to be addressed when creating your food and activity plan. Comments Off on Cancer Nutrition Guide for a Healthy Diet | Category Nutrition | Tags: American Institute for Cancer Research,Cancer,healthy diet,healthy eating,nutrition June 26, 2018Phytochemicals: The Cancer Fighters in Your FoodsPhytochemicals are naturally occurring plant chemicals (phyto means plant in Greek). They provide plants with color, odor and flavor.  Once we eat them, however, research shows they can influence the chemical processes inside our bodies in helpful ways.Findings from laboratory studies have shown that phytochemicals have the potential to:Stimulate the immune systemBlock substances we eat, drink and breathe from becoming carcinogensReduce the kind of inflammation that makes cancer growth more likelyPrevent DNA damage and help with DNA repairReduce the kind of oxidative damage to cells that can spark cancerSlow the growth rate of cancer cellsTrigger damaged cells to commit suicide before they can reproduceHelp to regulate hormonesWhile research continues, the best bets for achieving the maximum health benefits possible include:Eat a varied diet high in a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beansFavor brightly colored or strongly flavored vegetables and fruits, which are often the best sources of phytochemicalsStick to food sources – phytochemicals in supplement form may not be as easily absorbed as those from food.Thousands of phytochemicals have been identified so far, and scientists have only begun to investigate their promise. This chart lists some of the phytochemicals attracting serious scientific attention, identifies food sources and outlines potential benefits.PhytochemicalsPhytochemical(s)Plant SourcePossible BenefitsCarotenoids (such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin)Red, orange and green fruits and vegetables including broccoli, carrots, cooked tomatoes, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, winter squash, apricots, cantaloupe, oranges and watermelonMay inhibit cancer cell growth, work as antioxidants and improve immune responseFlavonoids (such as anthocyanins and quercetin)Apples, citrus fruits, onions, soybeans and soy products (tofu, soy milk, edamame, etc.), coffee and teaMay inhibit inflammation and tumor growth; may aid immunity and boost production of detoxifying enzymes in the bodyIndoles and Glucosinolates (sulforaphane)Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts)May induce detoxification of carcinogens, limit production of cancer-related hormones, block carcinogens and prevent tumor growthInositol (phytic acid)Bran from corn, oats, rice, rye and wheat, nuts, soybeans and soy products (tofu, soy milk, edamame, etc.)May retard cell growth and work as antioxidantIsoflavones (daidzein and genistein)Soybeans and soy products (tofu, soy milk, edamame, etc.)May inhibit tumor growth, limit production of cancer-related hormones and generally work as antioxidantIsothiocyanatesCruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts)May induce detoxification of carcinogens, block tumor growth and work as antioxidantsPolyphenols (such as ellagic acid and resveratrol)Green tea, grapes, wine, berries, citrus fruits, apples, whole grains and peanutsMay prevent cancer formation, prevent inflammation and work as antioxidantsTerpenes (such as perillyl alcohol, limonene, carnosol)Cherries, citrus fruit peel, rosemaryMay protect cells from becoming cancerous, slow cancer cell growth, strengthen immune function, limit production of cancer-related hormones, fight viruses, work as antioxidantsreprinted from:  American Institute for Cancer Research  Comments Off on Phytochemicals: The Cancer Fighters in Your Foods | Category Nutrition | Tags: colorful foods,food,nutrition,phytochemicals June 26, 2018Yoga is a complementary mind–body therapy that may help people manage cancer symptoms or adverse effects of treatments and improve their quality of life. The summary of research from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health on mind–body interventions suggests that yoga may help with anxiety, depression, distress, and stress in people with cancer.1 Results of studies of patients with early-stage breast cancer and survivors suggest that yoga may help to reduce fatigue. Meditation, one of the tools of yoga, has similarly been shown to address anxiety, stress, fatigue, and general mood and sleep disturbances.Yoga is a synergistic system of knowledge and practices grounded in ancient Indian philosophy, with a goal of stilling the fluctuations of the mind and developing physical, mental, and emotional equanimity.2 It is widely popular in the United States: As of 2012, 9.5% of US adults had reported using yoga, with 8% using meditation.3Physically challenging styles of yoga are less appropriate for patients with cancer coping with health challenges than are hatha, yin, therapeutic, and Viniyoga. Viniyoga adapts the tools of yoga (breath, movement, meditation) to the needs, goals, and abilities of the individual.2,4-6 There is a continuum, ranging from group classes to individual yoga therapy, in which the therapist customizes and supports a program for the client.7,8CLINICAL ONCOLOGY GUIDELINESClinical oncology practice guidelines based on a systematic literature review from 1990 through 2015 detail a growing body of evidence for recommending mind–body therapies as supportive breast cancer care during and after treatment. Specifically, yoga and meditation appear to be highly or moderately helpful for reducing anxiety and stress, improving depression and mood disorders, and enhancing quality of life.9A review of 11 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and 6 non- RCTs found consistent support from the efficacy of yoga to improve mental health outcomes (such as distress, mood and anxiety) during cancer treatment. Some research found improvements in sleep, fatigue, and quality of life during treatment.10 A review of 9 RCTs and 6 nonrandomized studies of yoga use by cancer survivors suggests physical and psychosocial benefits. Preliminary findings show potential relief from fatigue, dyspnea, gastrointestinal issues, menopausal symptoms, pain severity, and improvements in respiratory function, heart rate, and HRV, as well as sleep-related benefits, emotional well-being, vigor, stress, and cognitive functioning.11YOGA CHANGES HOW THE MIND FUNCTIONSNeuroscience and psychology show that the default state of the human brain is mind wandering—ruminating about the past or thinking about the future.12-14 Yoga and meditation shift attention to the interoceptive neural network by directing attention to present-moment interoceptive bodily sensations such as breath. Genetics and life experiences contribute to individual capacity for interoceptive awareness.15 That capacity can improve with training. Regular practice develops an attentional habit and capacity to direct attention to interoceptive sensations.16-18 An increased capacity and propensity to direct attention to bodily sensations (interoceptive awareness) promotes emotional and bodily awareness. In other words, we notice how we are feeling when we get triggered, making it more likely we will make different choices, such as stop and take a deep breath, think and then respond, rather than just react.SELF-REGULATION HELPS MAINTAIN PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL BALANCESelf-regulation is “our ability to control how we feel and act.”19 What self-regulation of bodily tries to do is to maintain homeostasis; and self-regulation of emotional states helps us maintain equilibrium, or balance. Interoception and bodily states are inseparable; interoception and emotional states are inseparable. The autonomic nervous system continuously makes metabolic and vascular adjustments to try to maintain homeostasis (and keep us alive). Conscious awareness of bodily states (through interoception) alerts our mind to make changes in the body or our environment to maintain homeostasis. Good emotional awareness means that someone detects bodily signals and can clearly differentiate how each emotion feels. That awareness enables that person to take steps to alter emotions or situations to maintain, increase, or decrease an emotion.15,19EFFECTS OF YOGAPracticing yoga regularly can potentially support change in the way the mind and body function:Inhibiting cognitive, emotional, and behavioral stress responses (such as negative self-appraisal, emotional reactivity, and rumination)Inhibiting autonomic stress responses (such as vasopulminary constriction, inflammation, and muscle tension and pain)Facilitating viscerosomatic processing of sensory– motor signals20Another theoretical mechanism of yoga effects is that breath regulation (pranayama) during yoga practices improves vagal nerve tone. The vagus nerve contains the main bidirectional perceptual pathway of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). Practicing yoga shifts regulatory systems toward optimal homeostasis, reducing allostatic load and correcting underactivity of the PNS and γ-aminobutyric acid systems.21 Allostatic load is the cost to the body of maintaining stability during reactions to chronic stress (such as high blood pressure and elevated heart rate). In this way, yoga supports the functioning of the autonomic nervous, neuroendocrine, hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems and influences emotional states and thought processes.21 ADVICE FOR PATIENTS WITH CANCERYoga interventions are noninvasive, low cost, and can be adapted for people who have functional or other impairments. Selecting an appropriate style of yoga and an experienced, certified instructor will minimize potential risks of harm for people undergoing cancer treatment, including elderly patients and those with limited mobility. Knowledgeable, experienced yoga teachers often offer private sessions adapted for the individual that can be practiced at home. Certified yoga therapists are trained to deliver individualized therapeutic yoga.22,23Carrie Heeter, PhD is a professor of media and information at Michigan State University. She designs and researches cybermeditation. She is a certified Viniyoga and meditation teacher. Heeter has studied meditation one-on-one for 5 years with her teacher, Marcel Allbritton, PhD.Rebecca Lehto, PhD, RN is an associate professor at Michigan State University College of Nursing. Her research focuses on symptom management and adaptation to cancer.REFERENCESCancer: In Depth. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. 2017 [cited 2017 Dec 13]. Available from: nccih.nih.gov/health/cancer/complementary-integrative-research. Accessed March 29, 2018.Desikachar TKV. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice. Revised edit. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions; 1999:244.Clarke T, Black L, Stussman B, Barnes P, Nahin R. Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among adults: United States, 2002–2012. National health statistics reports; no 79. Hyattsville, MD: Stussman. 2015. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2015. (National Health Statistics Reports). Report No.: 79. nccih.nih.gov/research/statistics/NHIS/2012/mind-body/yoga#pdf. Accessed March 29, 2018.Desikachar TKV. The Viniyoga of Yoga: Applying Yoga for Healthy Living. 1st Edit. India: Quanda Press Limited; 2001: 391.Desikachar K, Bragdon L, Bossart C. The yoga of healing: Exploring yoga’s holistic model for health and well-being. Int J Yoga Ther. 2005;15(1):17–39.Mohan AG, Mohan I. Yoga Therapy: A Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Yoga and Ayurveda for Health and Fitness. Boston, MA: Shambhala; 2004.Chandrasekaran N. Principles and Practice of Yoga Therapy: A Complete Gguide for Learning and Practice of Yoga Therapy. Chennai, India: VHP Publications; 2012.Contemporary Definitions of Yoga Therapy – International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). [cited 2017 Feb 5]. iayt.org/?page=ContemporaryDefiniti. Accessed March 29, 201Greenlee H, DuPont-Reyes MJ, Balneaves LG, Carlson LE, Cohen MR, Deng G, et al. Clinical practice guidelines on the evidence-based use of integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment. CA Cancer J Clin. 2017 67(3):194–232.Danhauer S, Sohl S, Addington E, Chaoul A, Cohen L. Yoga Therapy During Cancer Treatment: Clinical insights. In: The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Health Care. Endenburgh: Handspring Publishing; 2016. p. 339–74.Culos-Reed S, Long R, Walter A, Van Puymbroeck A. Yoga Therapy for Cancer Survivors: Clinical insights. In: The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Health Care. Endenburgh: Handspring Publishing; 2016. p. 375–400.Buckner RL, Andrews-Hanna JR, Schacter DL. The brain’s default network: Anatomy, function, and relevance to disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008;1–38.Killingsworth MA, Gilbert DT. A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind. Science. 2010 Nov 12;330(6006):932–932.Mittner M, Boekel W, Tucker AM, Turner BM, Heathcote A, Forstmann BU. When the Brain takes a break: A model-based analysis of mind wandering. J Neurosci. 2014 Dec 3;34(49):16286–95.Craig AD (Bud). How Do You Feel? An Interoceptive Moment with Your Neurobiological Self. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press; 2014.Farb N, Daubenmier J, Price CJ, Gard T, Kerr C, Dunn BD, et al. Interoception, contemplative practice, and health. Conscious Res. 2015 [cited 2015 Jun 19]. journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00763/abstract. Accessed March 29, 2018.Farb N, Segal Z, Anderson AK. Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2012;8(1).Brewer JA, Worhunsky PD, Gray JR, Tang Y-Y, Weber J, Kober H. Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2011 Dec 13;108(50):20254–9.Mahler KJ. Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System. AAPC Publishing; 2015.Gard T, Noggle JJ, Park CL, Vago DR, Wilson A. Potential self-regulatory mechanisms of yoga for psychological health. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014;8:770.Streeter CC, Gerbarg PL, Saper RB, Ciraulo DA, Brown RP. Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Med Hypotheses. 2012;78(5):571–9.Find a Certified Yoga Therapist. www.iayt.org/search/custom.asp?id=4160. Accessed March 29, 2018.Dec 16, 2017. Accessed March 29, 2018.International Association of Yoga Therapists. Educational Standards for the Training of Yoga Therapists. International Association of Yoga Therapists.c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iayt.org/resource/resmgr/accreditationmaterials/2017_11_Updates-Ed_Stds/2017_IAYT_Educational_Standa.pdf. Published September 1, 2017. Accessed March 29, 2018.Reprinted from Oncology Nursing News Comments Off on Benefits of Yoga and Meditation for Patients with Cancer | Category Mind-Body | Tags: anxiety,Cancer,depression,meditation,mind-body cancer,yoga June 26, 2018Researchers have found that women with breast cancer who have a low muscle mass are less likely to survive stage 2 and 3 cancers. The study titled, “Association of Muscle and Adiposity Measured by Computed Tomography with Survival in Patients with Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer,” appears in the latest issue of the journal JAMA Oncology.Sarcopenia refers to loss of muscle mass. For this study the team of researchers from the Kaiser Permanente, the University of Alberta, Canada, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute compared patients who had low muscle mass or sarcopenia when they were diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 breast cancer with women who did not have sarcopenia.Stages 2 and 3 of breast cancer refer to growing cancer that has not spread to other organs from the site or origin at the breast.The team looked at 3,241 women diagnosed with breast cancer at Kaiser Permanente of Northern California or Dana Farber Cancer Institute between January 2000 and December 2013. Their muscle and fat mass was assessed at diagnosis using CT scans of the abdomen that showed that muscle and fat mass clearly. Sarcopenia was diagnosed in one third of the women (34 percent). It was defined as skeletal muscle index of less than 40. This index was calculated by measuring the muscles at a slice of the abdomen at the lower back (third lumbar vertebra). The square inch of muscle at that site divided by the height of the cross section in meters squared provided the index. For all the patients a follow up of at least 6 years was performed to assess their survival.What the team noted was that lower muscle mass meant poorer survival. The 34 percent women who had sarcopenia were 41 percent more likely to have died earlier than those who did not. Those with highest amounts of fat were 35 percent more likely to die early than those with a low fat content. Patients who had a higher amount of fat combined with sarcopenia were 89 percent more likely to die earlier finds the study.Cross section showing formation of breast cancer. Image Credit: BlueRingMedia / ShutterstockThe researchers speculate that this result could be interpreted in another way – those with a more aggressive cancer may die early and the cancer itself may have led to loss of muscle mass early on during the cancer diagnosis. It is likely that those who had more muscle mass initially at the start of the study are also more likely to survive the muscle loss that the cancer would eventually cause and thus survive longer. As such muscle loss related to cancer progress is associated with 20 to 30 percent deaths. Researchers also suspect that women who have a higher muscle mass are in general leading a healthier lifestyle which improves their chances of survival.The authors of the study recommend a healthy body weight with adequate muscle mass for all women to have a better chance at survival of any disease including breast cancers. For this a healthy diet, lifestyle and regular exercise seems to be the need of the day. Experts suggest that to build muscles resistance training, weight training and strength training might be necessary.Source:https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2677300Reprinted from:  Medical Life News Comments Off on Bulk Up Against Breast Cancer | Category Fitness | Tags: breast cancer,Cancer,cancer diagnosis,diet,exercise,muscle,oncology,pathophysiology « Older Entries Newer Entries »