Author avisha Categories Blog, Cancer Coaching, Lifestyle Posted on 0 Comments

Breast Cancer Treatments and Heart Disease. What You Need to Know

February is Heart Month in Canada. It is a time during which awareness is raised about the importance of cardiovascular health and ways to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease are discussed.  Coinciding with Heart Month is a recent release in the journal Circulation.  In this issue the American Heart Association warned that breast cancer patients and survivors who have undergone certain chemotherapy and radiation treatments could be at risk for heart failure and other cardiac problems both in the near term and sometimes years after treatment. The American Heart Association was quick to state that they are not recommending that treatments should be avoided. What they are saying is that the study offers to us the understanding that counteracting these possible cardiovascular side effects of treatment should be attended to by breast cancer patients and their oncologists.

I found this excerpt from the study of particular interest:

Improvements in early detection and treatment of breast cancer have led to an increasing number of breast cancer survivors who are at risk of long-term cardiac complications from cancer treatments. For older women, CVD (cardiovascular disease) poses a greater mortality threat than breast cancer itself.

So what does attending to our cardiovascular health look like after treatment?

I don’t think that is it surprising to learn that the primary tenets of a heart healthy lifestyle include regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.

Regular Exercise

Exercise has many positive effects on our cardiovascular health, including managing weight, regulating cholesterol and controlling blood pressure.  Exercise is anything that makes you move your body and burn calories.  For overall heart health American Heart Association recommends

  • At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 5 days per week for a total of 150
    OR
  • At least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity at least 3 days per week for a total of 75 minutes; or a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
    AND
  • Moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 days per week for additional health benefits.

Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy diet is vital for heart health.  A heart healthy diet should:

  • include a wide variety of whole foods
  • be devoid of processed foods
  • be primarily vegetarian
  • be as organic as possible
  • aim for 30-40 grams of fiber a day

Diet and lifestyle are where we must start in building a heart healthy lifestyle after breast cancer treatment. And this is a plan for life.

When we know the possible side effects of treatment we can start to build a strategy to get ahead of them, at worst minimizing them and at best avoiding them all together.

 

 

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, Cancer Coaching, Food & Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

Dhaya Integrative Health. Focusing on Integrative Cancer Care

 

Introducing our new website for Dhaya Integrative Health

 http://dhayahealth.com

I am very proud to be a part of the team at Dhaya Integrative Health.  Our clinic focus is on cancer prevention and supporting patients and their caregivers throughout a cancer diagnosis.

Dr. Chamandeep Bali is the founder of Dhaya Integrative Health and HimaPure Research Labs.

“Dr. Bali’s unique approach to cancer care is garnering attention of oncology circles globally for his ability to seamlessly fuse time proven traditional wisdom with conventional evidence based medicine“

It is because of Dr. Bali’s strong belief that nutrition and nutritional therapies play a significant role in a complete cancer protocol that I am a member of his team.

“Our specialized team is dedicated to providing the most effective adjunctive cancer care and to the advancement of research and development in the field.“

Thanks to all of the people that have worked so hard to reflect a website that captures our essence.

Live Life Naturally

 

Dhaya Integrative Health Website

 

Author avisha Categories Lifestyle, Recipes Posted on 0 Comments

Sleeping…A Cancer Fighting Powerhouse

The science of sleep is fascinating.

Sleep is, or at least should, be a part of our daily lives yet we’re just beginning to understand all of the ways it affects our health.

Lack of sleep can effect our mind and our body. People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk for health issues like diabetes and heart disease not to mention effects like slower metabolism, weight gain, hormone imbalance and inflammation. Lack of sleep can effect our mood, our memory and decision-making skills.

And how well we sleep may also have a vital role in how well our body fights certain cancers.  Studies have shown that sleeping irregularities may suppress our immune system decreasing our ability to fight cancer.  As well, inadequate or irregular sleep can result in a deficiency of melatonin. Melatonin has been shown to have anti-proliferative effects in certain cancers like breast and colorectal cancers.

It is clear that getting a good night’s sleep needs to be a priority.  As adults we should strive to get 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night.

Tips for better sleep

  • The biggest tip is definitely to try to get yourself into a consistent sleep schedule. Make it a priority and you’re more likely to achieve it. Go to bed at the same time each evening.  Get a routine going.  It signals to your body that it’s sleep time.
  • Balance your blood sugar throughout the day. Eat less refined and processed foods and more whole foods full of blood-sugar-balancing fiber.  Make sure you’re getting some protein every time you eat.
  • During the day get some sunshine and exercise. These things tell your body it’s daytime; time for being productive, active and alert. By doing this during the day it will help you wind down more easily in the evening.
  • Sleep in a dark, cool room and keep your electronics out of the bedroom!

Make your bedroom a sanctuary.  A place of peace and calm where you can retreat and sleep for your better health.

 

Additional References

http://www.thepaleomom.com/gotobed/

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/hacking-sleep

 

 

 

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, Food & Nutrition, Lifestyle Posted on 0 Comments

How Important is your Waist Circumference to your Health?

Let’s look at your waist circumference.

What you weigh can matter but your weight circumference may matter more.

Waist Circumference (AKA “Belly Fat”):

Do you remember the fruity body shape descriptions being like an “apple” or a “pear”? The apple is round around the middle and the pear is rounder around the hips/thighs.

THAT is what we’re talking about here.

Do you know which shape is associated with a higher risk of sleep apnea, blood sugar issues (e.g. insulin resistance and diabetes) and heart issues (high blood pressure, blood fat, and arterial diseases)?

It’s the apple!

And it’s not because of the subcutaneous (under the skin) fat that you may refer to as a “muffin top”. The health risk is actually due to the fat inside the abdomen covering the liver, intestines and other organs there.

This internal fat is called “visceral fat” and that’s where a lot of the problem actually is. It’s this “un-pinchable” fat.

The reason the visceral fat can be a health issue is because it releases fatty acids, inflammatory compounds, and hormones that can negatively affect your blood fats, blood sugars, and blood pressure.

And the apple-shaped people tend to have a lot more of this hidden visceral fat than the pear-shaped people do.

So where your fat is stored is more important that how much you weigh.

Am I an apple or a pear?

It’s pretty simple to find out if you’re in the higher risk category or not. The easiest way is to just measure your waist circumference with a measuring tape.

Women, if your waist is 35” or more you could be considered to have “abdominal obesity” and be in the higher risk category. Pregnant ladies are exempt, of course.

For men the number is 40”.

Of course this isn’t a diagnostic tool. There are a lot of risk factors for chronic diseases. Waist circumference is just one of them.

Reducing the size of your waste circumference is a positive step for improving your health.  Here are some suggestions to get you going.

Tips for helping reduce some belly fat:

  • Eat more fiber. Fiber can help reduce belly fat in a few ways. First of all it helps you feel full and also helps to reduce the amount of calories you absorb from your food. Some examples of high-fiber foods are brussel sprouts, flax and chia seeds, avocado, and blackberries.
  • Add more protein to your day. Protein reduces your appetite and makes you feel fuller longer. It also has a high TEF (thermic effect of food) compared with fats and carbs and ensures you have enough of the amino acid building blocks for your muscles.
  • Nix added sugars. This means ditch the processed sweetened foods especially those sweet drinks (even 100% pure juice).
  • Move more. Get some aerobic exercise. Lift some weights. Walk and take the stairs. It all adds up.
  • Stress less. Elevated levels in the stress hormone cortisol have been shown to increase appetite and drive abdominal fat.
  • Get more sleep. Try making this a priority and see how much better you look and feel.

 

Recipe (High fiber side dish): Garlic Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

1 lb Brussels sprouts (washed, ends removed, halved)

2-3 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

dash salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. In a bowl toss sprouts with garlic, oil, and lemon juice. Spread on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake for about 15 minutes. Toss.
  4. Bake for another 10 minutes.

 

Serve and Enjoy!

Tip: Brussel sprouts contain the fat-soluble bone-loving vitamin K.

 

References:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/research-abdominal-fat-and-risk

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/visceral-fat-location

http://www.drsharma.ca/inspiring-my-interest-in-visceral-fat

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-definition/abdominal-obesity/

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/weights-poids/guide-ld-adult/qa-qr-pub-eng.php#a4

https://authoritynutrition.com/6-proven-ways-to-lose-belly-fat/

https://authoritynutrition.com/20-tips-to-lose-belly-fat/

 

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, The Health Hub Posted on 0 Comments

This Week on TheHealthHub…Pet Psychologist Katherine Andrews

Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada.   Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.

This Week on TheHealthHub…

Founder and Owner of the Animal Psychology Center in Philip, South Dakota, Katherine Andrews is a pet psychologist and animal behaviorist. Her passion is to train and rehabilitate dogs with behavioral issues. Through her early love for animals, she developed it into a lifetime career and commitment. Backed with 20 years of animal training experience, she takes pride in making life better for people and pets through her animal psychology services. Communication is the foundation of what she does; communicating with animals, communicating with humans, and getting them to communicate with one another.

Katherine’s Website

http://www.animalpsychologycenter.com

 

 

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