Nutrition - Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association

In June 2015, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Dr. Walter Willett provided a webinar for the LFS Association entitled:  Nutrition and Cancer.

Insights:  Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has offered some simple infographic tips on healthy eating cancer patients.

Though we know having LFS greatly increases the risks of women developing breast cancer, Dr. Karin Michels’ recently published research discusses the diet (and chronic inflammation) and the increased risk of developing early onset breast cancer.

DFCI’s Insight: “What Should I Eat During Cancer Treatment?” The Harvard School of Public Health proposes some eating tips worthy of attention – not only what foods to eat, and how much, but they also provide guidance on food safety, such as cleanliness, presentation, storage, and even potentially safe(r) growth methods.

Sabrina Fuoco has been relentless with her fight against multiple cancers for the past 30 years. She shares her story of LFS, her love of life, and her love of food. Read how Ms. Fuoco has incorporated healthy eating into her very busy and productive life. (Toronto Star)

Ohio State University’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science: Hope grows for cancer survivors. Colleen Spees, PhD, Med, RDN, FAND, discusses LFS in her family, and how important environmental factors, and diet, are in influencing cancer risks.

Protein 101: are you getting enough protein? Are you ingesting “complete” proteins? MD Anderson recommends plant proteins, over animal proteins.  See why, and how.

Cure magazine: “You are what you eat…” “A Recipe for Cancer Recovery:”  Khevin Barnes writes about how his relationship with food had changed since being a cancer survivor – “Cancer has no definitive markers, no dependable parameters to allow us to formulate our future, and so we are left to find our own, often simple therapies to combat our disease.” Unlike genes, “chance,” and some environmental exposures, food choices can be controlled – read how Khevin has incorporated healthy choices in his diet with greens, spices, and a juicer.

AICR’s Foods that Fight Cancer: See their list and learn what research is saying about the potential role of certain foods in cancer protection – you’ll also find links to other recent AICR articles, cooking tips, recipes and more.

NBC News: Could Too Much Citrus Cause Skin Cancer? “Just because something is natural doesn’t mean that it can’t contain lots of very toxic substances,” advises Dr. Walter Willett. Although much more research is needed, here’s an interesting article regarding orange juice and grapefruits and the potential for increasing the risk of melanoma. This supports the old recommendation that people should eat a varied diet and not too much, or too little, of any one thing. “Variety is a good thing to have because it means that you are not likely to miss out on something important and it also means you not likely to miss out on something that is good for you,” Willett said. Still, overwhelmingly, the use of sunscreen remains recommended.

Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health: Take Action – How to Reduce Your (Salt) Intake. It is well known that too much salt can contribute to chronic health problems, to include osteoporosis – the amount of calcium lost in urination increases with the amount of salt eaten. Here are some great tips to reduce your intake.

DFCI’s Insight: What’s the link to diet and melanoma? Here’s a very interesting article on factors that can increase and reduce your risk of the skin cancer.

DFCI’s Insight:  View Senior Clinical Nutritionist Emily Biever’s presentation on  Nutritional Considerations while Living with Gastrointestinal Cancer.

iPhone or Android, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s “Ask the Nutritionist: Recipes for Fighting Cancer” app helps you find recipes for staying healthy, getting through treatment, and living and eating healthy. It is designed to help find the optimal diet for any type of cancer. You can search by common symptoms while undergoing treatment and find recipes and healthy eating tips for creating healthy food choices.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Insight: 5 foods to help ease nausea through cancer treatment

On Wednesday, March 25th, at 1:00PM, EST: In recognition of National Nutrition Month, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will be hosting a live webchat on the best foods and diet for cancer treatment and survivorship.

Targeting cancer with food:  Maybe with more research, one day we will be able to target cancers with specific nutrients from our foods. Until then, avoid malnutrition by eating healthy and staying physically active. Certainly, ask your doctor if your condition (or any treatment you are receiving) has resulted in poorly absorbed nutrients, and ask if you should take any vitamin supplements. If your exposure to the sun is limited, consider D3 vitamin supplements, but check with your doctor. Meanwhile, eat well washed fresh vegetables (include vegetables in a variety of colors as well as dark leafy greens) and fruit, along with whole grains, nuts & seeds, legumes, fish, and the healthy oils, such as olive and coconut. Avoid trans fats, red meats & deli meats, refined sugars & flours, minimizing processed and chemically preserved foods such as boxed cereals & margarines, white breads & cakes, and other artificially flavored & colored foods, to include soda pops & carbonated tonics – eat as organic as possible. Avoid over cooked & charcoal blackened foods and limit alcohol drinks. Be aware of food storage and its exposure to toxins in the air and other contaminants. Avoid microwaving food stored in plastic – use glass containers for food storage and beverages, as practicable. Some studies have suggested that the spice turmeric may help calm cellular inflammation, but more research is needed on this, as well.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on the top 5 cancer-fighting foods: “The key is color. That is where the phytonutrients, or cancer-fighting properties, can be found.”

Sugar and cancer – the volume of information can be overwhelming, and sometimes misleading. MD Anderson dietitians explain how sugar impacts your health.

DCFI’s Insight: Eat better. “… small changes to what we eat can make a big difference” in cancer prevention and survivorship. Watch the webchat – discussion includes managing side effects like nausea, weight loss and weight gain, as well as tips for incorporating more healthy ingredients into an everyday diet.

DFCI’s Insight: Registered Dietician Stacey Kennedy, MPH, addresses the age-old question, “Does sugar feed cancer?” Read what she has to say about what should be an easy answer.

Cancer Today: Got tea? Have a cup – it may help reduce your risk of ovarian cancer.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute:  Drink well during cancer treatment – and beyond! See the video.

Cancer Today:  Harvard’s Dr. Walter Willett on research regarding diet and cancer risks, Eating Well.

National Cancer Institute: Eating hints:  before, during, and after cancer treatment.

National Public Radio: Getting a “leg up” on health in the “blue zones” of longevity – lifestyles of 5 clusters of centenarians around the world. They move naturally, they wake up with purpose, they eat until they are 80% full, they eat plants and plenty beans, and they have faith. Here are 15 of their eating habits.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute presents Em Biever, MS, RD, LDN, Senior Clinical Dietitian, on “Nutrition Considerations while Living with Gastrointestinal Cancer.”

DFCI’s Insight: Certainly, speak to your doctor and/or dietician regarding your cancer treatment and nutritional needs, but here’s some clarification  on what should be considered in Should Cancer Patients Avoid Fish Oil?

Magnolia is a meal delivery program provides nourishing meals to households affected by breast cancer for up to two months. Check eligibility, and see if you, or a loved one, lives in area where Magnolia is available (currently available in some areas of New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, etc.)

Harvard H. Chan School of Public Health’s “Healthy Eating Plate” simplifies healthy eating, and covers deficiencies in other models. (Harvard University, 2011)  Now, it is available in 14 more languages!

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: “The key is color. That is where the phytonutrients, or cancer-fighting properties, can be found.”

Part 1: Nutrition Basics – American Cancer Society’s presentation on Nutrition During Treatment.

Part 2: Managing Side Effects – American Cancer Society’s presentation on Nutrition During Treatment.