Diet and Survival Rates

I just received some VERY interesting information from my neighbor, Michael (he is the one who is a Gastro Oncology doctor at UCSF whom I wrote about earlier). He just got back from attending an oncology conference and one of the things that was presented there was information about the impact of diet on the success rates for stage 3 colorectal cancer. The researchers of the study (who are affiliated with Dana-Farber, one of the top cancer centers in the US) followed more than 1000 stage 3 colorectal cancer patients and had them chronicle what they ate during the phase of treatment that I am about to enter (e.g., post-surgery chemo) and for 6 months after treatment ended. The foods were defined as being either "Prudent" (fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, fish, low-fat condiments, etc) or "Western" (red and/or processed meats, refined sugar, refined grains, high- and low-fat dairy, etc). Without going into all the statistical details, the summary is basically that there is a significant correlation between eating a healthy, "Prudent" diet and surviving stage 3 colorectal cancer. Specifically, the conclusions of the study said:

> "Compared to patients in the lowest level, those in the highest level of Western pattern intake experienced a tripling in risk of recurrence or death." (tripling!! yikes!)

> "These data suggest that a diet characterized by higher intakes of red and processed meats, sweets and desserts, french fries, and refined grains increases the risk of cancer recurrence and decreases survival."

The day that I came home from having my colonoscopy (and before I was even officially diagnosed) I vowed to change my diet forever. I just knew in my heart that the way I had been eating for years was not as healthy as it should have been. This was due in part to my being a working mom and having no spare time and in part to the fact that I have always been pretty healthy and active and so I took my body for granted and due in part to the fact that I developed some less-than-optimal eating habits when I was younger that I never bothered to change as I got older. For example, I used to eat a disproportion amount of carbs (usually in the form of breads, crackers, and sweets) and I justified this by buying whole grain. I also did not eat nearly enough fruits and veggies; certainly nothing close to the "75% of your plate" that my nutritionist has since recommended. I was also a huge dairy fan...cheese, butter, milk, yogurt...you name it. And, as I mentioned before, Diet Coke was my staple drink. And so, since that day, I have tried my hardest to eat what the study refers to as the "Prudent" diet -- lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, very little dairy, zero red meat, moderate chicken, lots of fish, and loads 'o water and green tea, etc -- and overall I have done great. I have definitely had moments of weakness (like this weekend when we celebrated Luke's 6th birthday and I just couldn't resist having a piece of his yummy carrot cake), but overall, my diet is so much healthier than it used to be. And so I take comfort in the study results and I am grateful that Michael shared them with me since the information keeps me incredibly motivated to make sure that the only things I put into my body are those which will help it to heal and stay strong. The study results fit perfectly into my new "living with no regrets" life plan.