Sunday, February 20, 2011

Response to Comment about Diet-Lifestyle causing this Cancer

RESPONSE TO THE COMMENT BELOW:

I very much welcome the posted comment below.  It gives me a chance to dissolve the myths about the cancer I have.  Esophageal Cancer is often due to the list below.  However, the type of esophageal cancer that I have is due to two conditions alone, plus missing out on good health care when we are without insurance and a doctor missing all my symptoms repeatedly while assuring me I was all right.  The first condition causing my cancer was years of reflux disease. I was born with acid reflux, as were one of my children and two of my grandchildren.  I have had acid indigestion all my life, plus ulcers from the acid.  Prior to my first pregnancy, at age 21, I was told that my pancreas malfunctions and produces full meal acid all the time.  I was prescribed various acid control medications and antacids over the years.  This acidic condition caused hyper emesis during my pregnancies which also herniated the muscle at the top of my stomach where the stomach attaches to the esophagus.  This causes acid to roll up into your throat whenever you lie down, especially at night.  I did as doctors prescribed over the years, I did not eat late, I took my meds, and I slept sitting up with a mountain of pillows to prevent the acid from choking me as I slept.  I have had a prominent hiatal hernia for over 25 years due to the severe vomiting during the pregnancies.  The second condition that contributed to the cancer is the cancer gene my family carries for rectal/colon cancer.  My mother died from melanoma stage III, and her three sisters died from colon cancer.  One sister was known to be the oldest living colostomy patient for many years.  She died in 2005.  These two conditions caused my cancer, and if I had been constantly under the supervision of good doctors, one of them may have recognized my symptoms before it was too late.  That was another pitfall.  My physician for the past ten years was a PA not an internist.  I presented my symptoms to him as early as 2008 and he brushed them away.  When I switched to an internist, in January 2011, she immediately diagnosed and found the cancer.

This condition also places my youngest brother, my oldest son and his son (my grandchild), and my daughter’s girl (also my grandchild) in a very vulnerable place.  Their chances of getting this cancer are very high.  They been told and be screening carefully.  I wish someone had told me.  At least I can feel that something good has come of this because they will be forewarned and may survive it with an early detection.

The things you say about health and nutrition are very true and very right.  They should be followed religiously by all every day of their lives.  I had already begun eating healthier two years before I was diagnosed.  That is why the consistent weight loss did not surprise me at first.  I contributed to eating better and exercise.  Even now, I am following a raw foods and organic foods diet.  The hard part is eating enough foods that are high calorie so I can keep my weight up.  Eating food that are good for you tend to help with weight loss not add to weight.  Believe it or not, I was very healthy, energetic and full of life even when I was overweight.  I am still trying to eat well and obtain extra calories while doing it.  It’s hard and requires many high priced and special foods.  I spent $200 at Whole Foods trying to maintain just a week’s worth of needed calories.  It shot our budget to hell, and I had to cut way back the rest of the month.  It gets tiresome focusing on just bananas and avocados for meals, and smoothies to drink, but that’s my current menu.  If I am allowed the surgery, I was told to expect a weight loss of 25-50 pounds in the first two months, which will hopefully be followed by a regular small weight gain if everything goes well.  My current frame is about 160 pounds and that loss will be quite devastating.  I guess we’ll see how it goes.  I have been strained to just maintain the same weight, but loss another five pounds in three weeks.  So, anyway, I totally agree.  And I have been doing raw foods and smoothies, while also adding maybe 10% high calories junk foods, only because I am having trouble maintaining my weight for the surgery.  Honestly, all the smoothies in the world will not help me gain weight.  I drink them all day long.  After a while, you are almost forcing them down despite their goodness just because it is the same thing over and over again.  I want to thank you for taking the time to look something up and share it with me.  I do appreciate it, and I appreciate the exchange it provided between us.  

----- Original Message -----
THE MESSAGE FROM MY COMMENTS SECTION:
From: Anonymous
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 10:04 PM
Subject: [Dying Wishes - Can you help fulfill mine?] New comment on Filling the last days.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Filling the last days":

Hi,

I didn't know much about esophageal cancer so I read about it. I found the list of risk factors.
risk factors include:

•Alcohol use
•Male gender
•Obesity
•Poor nutrition
•Smoking

I'm not going to make judgements but I assume you had at least one of them - poor nutrition (since you were obese and looking at your food choices...). So... if what you used to eat contributed to your condition now, why not try to radically change your diet? It might add time to your life, or at least give you more energy in the time you have left. From your other post - "I make every one else a regular meal and then decide between cottage cheese, jello, pudding, and instant breakfast mix for myself." Is this you giving your body the best nutrition possible? I think your priority should be buying fresh, healthy food for yourself.
You should buy and read (or may be the library has it?) the book called 80/10/10 diet. It is an eye opener for most people. It's not a short term "diet" it's a lifestyle people should live in order to have the best health possible.

The book goes into great detail which you shouldn't miss out on. But i will give you the gist of it - Everything besides raw fresh fruits and vegetables is detremental to your health. This info is not new, it has been around for a long time. The author of the book just put it into simple terms so more people can understant it.
Anyway, eating should consist of mostly fruit, daily greens (spinach, celery, lettuce...) and some (very little) nuts or fatty fruit like avocado. Most of the calories should come from fruit. It's the food our digestive system is designed for. People have cured multiple diseases with this way of eating.
It doesn't have to be expensive. You can get overly ripe bananas for a cheap price. You can get frozen fruit to make smoothies with. You said that you can only eat soft food, well this is perfect for you then! You can make smoothies and drink them all day. You don't have to be hungry or live on poor nutrition (jello?? c'mon!) So.... I really hope you will read the 801010 book. You can also check out the forum where we (801010 followers) can ask questions and talk to the author. He is great at supporting and answering questions.
http://www.vegsource.com/talk/raw/

Best of all to you. I hope you will give your body the best nutrition so it can give you want you want - life.

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