Pinktober

 

The month of October is very commonly associated with breast cancer awareness. During the month you may see and hear about many fundraisers, sweet treats, social events, and screening opportunities all associated with breast cancer.

Throughout all the celebration festivities, do not forget to PASS on the sweets/treats. Despite if they are cute and appealing in the color pink!! 

Elevated blood sugar levels, elevated IGF-1 levels, and an elevated Hgb A1C is NOT something that you should be striving for. Specifically, if your family has a history of breast cancer, if you have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, or if you have completed previous treatments for breast cancer. 

The thoughtfully crafted and designed pink treats given out and/or sold for Pinktober do just that. These items typically consist of sugar-rich snacks, drinks, and/or desserts, which can negatively affect your body's blood sugar level. 

Pink cookies

Pink cakes

Pink candies

Pink alcoholic beverages 

Pink cupcakes

.. and the list goes ON!

Increased consumption of foods such as those listed above can increase your likelihood of developing a higher body fat mass (adiposity). Excess adiposity on the body, increases circulating free estrogens, which is a growth factor for most forms of breast cancer. 

Excess circulating estrogens can be triggered by body system imbalances such as blood sugar and/or metabolic system imbalances. 

Your goal should be to keep your daily sugar consumption (natural sugars) to 25 gm per day. You should strive to limit and/or avoid added sugars. This can help reduce your body's circulating IGF-1 level and can assist with weight loss (specifically, adiposity loss). 

And let's NOT forget about the beautiful alcoholic beverages that restaurants make and promote during the month of October. These are typically filled with sugar, which was previously addressed as being something we should be avoiding. Secondly, alcohol intake increases risk of breast cancer development as well. Alcohol recommendations for females is <1 drink per day and <2 per day for a male. 

Overweight/obesity and alcohol intake are both modifiable risk factors for breast cancer development. This October, try to focus your breast cancer awareness strategies on events, fundraisers, and foods that do NOT negatively affect your health. 

Sugar cookie image from: Pink Ribbon Sugar Cookies - Breast Cancer Awareness (cookinglsl.com)

Pinktober image: Pink Your Drink {Cocktail Recipes} // Hostess with the Mostess® (hwtm.com)

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

 

 

Ingredients:

1.25 lean ground chicken

1 large egg

3/4 cup Italian Breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

1/4 tsp pepper (optional)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 1/2 cup buffalo sauce

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs (or oats), and seasonings. Roll the meat mixture into 14 balls (about the size of a golf ball, or about 2 tbsp each) -- or put into mini muffin tin! 
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs in oven for 30 minutes or until they pass the clean toothpick test!

Recipe revised from www.dashingdish.com

Rethink Your Drinks

 How much water should you drink in a day? 

Does fruit juices count as "water"?

Can I drink coffee?

Those are all frequently asked questions when it comes to the topic of fluid intake. Consumption of fluids does not necessarily equate to hydration. 

Daily water intake recommendations from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is 8 8-oz glasses of water each day. This equates to approximately 64 oz of water. 

While fruit juices and/or juice-based drinks do contain water, they also contain added sugars, chemicals, preservatives, etc. which cause more harm than good. Unless your juice is labeled as "100% fruit/vegetable juice", it is beneficial to your health to limit or avoid consumption. If there is a certain type of juice that you enjoy, try consuming the whole food version of it. For example, orange juice. You may find more nutritional benefits (antioxidants, fiber, etc.) from consuming the fruit in its natural form, compared to consuming a processed orange juice.

Coffee (caffeine) is considered a weak diuretic. Therefore, it can have a slight negative affect on your hydration status. If you are balancing your water intake with your caffeine consumption, then coffee can be beneficial to your health. Coffee actually contains a variety of nutritional properties that provide anti-cancer benefits. HOWEVER, this does not include the sugar-loaded coffee beverages of today's society. When making your coffee in the morning before work, re-think and re-consider what you put in it. You may be negating its health benefits with the items you add into your cup. 

Another healthy alternative to providing some caffeine within your day is tea. If your tea has caffeine, it may also be a weak diuretic. Therefore, ensure that you are balancing your tea consumption with water intake throughout the day. EGCG in green tea has shown a wide variety of anti-cancer properties and benefits. Up to 5 cups per day can be helpful in your oncology journey (check with your MD or RD if you are currently on active treatment, as this can interfere with some medications). Herbal teas, such as ginger tea, can help settle the stomach and assist in nausea management within your oncology journey as well. 

There are a WIDE range of beverages on the market. But when you start to read the labels on these items, it will open your eyes. Water is your best source of hydration. Strive for 48-64 oz of water each day to help you maintain adequate hydration. Your mind, skin, and body will thank you for staying hydrated. 😁

** Before significantly increasing your daily water intake, please discuss with your Registered Dietitian or medical team. Some health conditions, such as CHF, some stages of CKD, SIADH, etc. may require fluid restrictions). Therefore, increasing fluids significantly may lead to other health implications. 

Citation for Image: Water. (n.d.). Nutrition Education Store. photograph. Retrieved September 29, 2023, from https://nutritioneducationstore.com/products/drink-water-poster?gclid=CjwKCAjw69moBhBgEiwAUFCx2BqOfgDcyS4Jydb1VQmkDhfnsrmFk-K0HGixom9aiFVDXW5NG-pfkRoCcE0QAvD_BwE.

 Did you know that working with a Registered Dietitian during your treatment care and help improve the outcome of your treatment.

Preventing malnutrition (undernutrition) during treatment can:
- decrease hospitalizations
- increase your chance to stay on schedule with your treatment
- improve your outcome and tolerance of treatment
- improve your quality of life during treatment
.. and so much more.

Most cancer care centers do provide nutrition support, guidance, or in person assessments to patients with the hopes of PREVENTING malnutrition. They follow a reactive approach - a consult is placed once signs of malnutrition are present.

Your goal, as an oncology patient, should be to PREVENT onset of malnutrition. Once your body is in a malnourished state during cancer therapy, it is very hard to play catch up.

Work with an Oncology Certified Registered Dietitian during your cancer treatment/therapy to help maximize your nutritional status during treatment!

If you or someone you know is going through cancer treatment therapy, and their facility does not offer nutrition services, please schedule an appointment with me, a Board Certified Oncology Dietitian.

Schedule an appointment

I would love to help guide you through your journey

-- Allison