Happy Healthy Long Life

Dr. Servan-Schreiber's People's Pharmacy Interview: The Top 5 Reasons for the Increase in Cancer Today

Dr. David Servan-Schreiber is one of my favorite health experts and I recently had a chance to listen to his interview with Joe & Terry Graedon on The People's Pharmacy.

A partial summary follows:

Who is Dr. David Servan-Schreiber?

I first wrote about Dr. Servan-Schreiber back in Sept. 2008, and you can read that post here.  

Fifteen years ago, when Servan-Schreiber was a 31-year old ambitious neuroscientist he used himself as a research subject when a volunteer failed to show up for an MRI brain scan.  He was completely taken by surprise when the scan revealed he had a brain tumor.

After surgery and chemotherapy, he asked his oncologist what he could do to lead a healthy life style and hopefully avoid a relapse. The oncologist replied, "Lead your life normally.  We'll do CAT scans at regular intervals and if your tumor comes back we'll detect it early."  Servan-Schreiber went back to his usual lifestyle. Coke, McDonald's, working too hard.

The cancer returned and this time Servan-Schreiber took his health into his own hands. After 9 months of research he began to understand how he could help his body "protect itself against cancer."

 Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, is currently a neuroscientist and clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He co-founded the Center for Integrative Medicine there. He is also a founding member of Doctors Without Borders.  

Why Has Cancer Risen Dramatically Since the 1940's?

According to the World Health Organization, cancer will soon be the Number 1 cause of death, supplanting heart disease.  Rates have risen dramatically since the 1940's & they can't be explained away easily by saying, "The population has aged--and cancer rates increase in older populations."  Or by saying "We have better detection and screening methods."  According to Servan-Schreiber, age & screening tools explain at most 50% of the increases. 

1. Consider this: cancer rates in children have increased steadily at a rate of 1-1.5% per year--children's ages always stay the same---and kids aren't screened for cancer!
2. Look at regions where cancer rates haven't changed at all--like remote provinces of China.  These are regions where no breast cancer exists, even when women are screened by modern methods.  Since these same women develop cancer in 1-2 generations when they move to Western cultures, the obvious conclusion is that they are protected by their lifestyle, not by their genes.

What Are the Top 5 Reasons for the Cancer Rate Increase in Western Countries?

• Sugar Consumption.  The rate of sugar consumption has climbed steadily in the U.S.  In the 1800's we consumed on average 12 lbs. of sugar per person, per year.  In 2000 we consumed on average 154 lbs. of sugar per person, per year.  Cancer cells can only feed on sugar--and we even use that property to detect cancer in the body with PET scans, by injecting the body with radioactive glucose to scan where it accumulates!  Glucose accumulates in cancer cells.  The more sugar we eat, the more we feed cancer cells.  Sugar isn't a carcinogen, like tobacco--it doesn't cause cancer--It Just Feeds Cancer.  One of three New Year's resolutions is to eliminate sugar.  So far, so good.
  

• Fats we consume.  The kinds of fats we consume has changed dramatically since the 1940s.  We consume increased amounts of inflammatory omega-6 oils, like: corn, soybean, safflower, sunflower and assorted other vegetable oils.  They're in practically everything we eat--if we buy processed foods. Trans fats--think French fries- (hydrogenated oil) became popular in the 1940's when butter was rationed & margarine gained favor.  In the 1950s the American Heart Association encouraged us to use vegetable oils, under the mistaken belief that it would prevent heart disease.  (click here for the history of trans fats).  These kinds of fats also contribute to the growth of cancer--and they can double the rate of breast cancer in women if you compare the cancer rates in women who eat more, with women who eat less.

• Environmental chemicals.  The number of chemicals in our environment has increased dramatically since the 1940s.  Never before have people been exposed to as many chemicals as they are now.  Many of these chemicals can change our bodies--like Bisphenol A, (BPA)-- the chemical in hard plastic which has been in the news lately--and I've written about (click here & here)  And that's just one example.  It leaches out of containers that are heated up, like baby bottles, water bottles, canned goods & plastic tea kettles.  BPA promotes the growth of cancer cells--it's known as an endocrine (hormone) disruptor--and it can promote the growth of breast, prostate and uterine cancers.

• Exercise.  Think of our grandparents, and many of our parents--they all walked to school--unlike kids today.  For that matter, most of our grandparents (and parents) didn't drive much--they walked everywhere.  Physical activity protects us from "growing cancer".  It's been researched widely. Click here, here, here, and here.

• Social Networks.  Our social networks--our family, friends, community involvement & religious institutions--aren't what they used to be--and they've been fraying at the seams since the 1940s.  We move on average every 5 years--and families are separated by too many miles.  Bowling leagues & club memberships--they're history--think Robert Putnam's  Bowling Alone.  When things are going well social networks aren't all that important--but in times of stress--like now!--social networks are the No. 1 factor to alleviate stress.  How do our social networks protect against cancer?  High levels of stress produce nasty chemicals, like cortisol and norepinephrine which contribute to the growth of cancer.  And besides--if you want to be happy--it's all about that social network and showing up for each other!

Today's Cancer News Story

High Insulin Levels Raise the Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women- Need any more evidence of the sugar-cancer link?

Higher-than-normal levels of insulin place postmenopausal women at an increased risk of breast cancer, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University report. Their findings, published in the January 7, 2009 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggest that interventions that target insulin and its signaling pathways may decrease breast cancer risk in these women.  Higher insulin levels mean insulin resistance--and the question we should be asking is:

What causes insulin resistance and how can we prevent it?

"How does insulin resistance happen? First, there is a genetic tendency. The family history of someone with insulin resistance often includes heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol. This genetic tendency is then accentuated by improper diet.

Second, if susceptible individuals are exposed to high levels of insulin for prolonged periods of time, their bodies lose their responsiveness to insulin and begin to develop more resistance to the effects of insulin. The same is true of many other substances including alcohol, painkillers, and most medications as well as hormones such as insulin.

The treatment of insulin resistance is relatively straightforward and effective. The goal of treatment is to lower insulin levels, and keep them low long enough for our bodies to regain their sensitivity to insulin. In order lower insulin levels, we must avoid the two main causes of high insulin: 1) SUGAR, as well as any foods our bodies convert to sugar rapidly, and 2) Large meals.

Therefore, the person with insulin resistance should be sharply reducing sources of sugar from their diets. They should also be limiting those foods such as bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, cereals & excess alcohol, which our bodies convert rapidly to sugar. They should also be eating smaller, more frequent meals as opposed to larger meals once or twice a day."    According to Drs. Mark Liponis & Mark Hyman (authors of Ultra Prevention)

Serendipitous Saturday--Finding Norman Fischer's Simple Yet Astounding Ways to Calm Down

 
Photo: Olaf Gunderson


The Definition of Serendipity: A Seeming Gift for Finding Something Good Accidentally

This morning, through a circuitous route I accidentally found my way to a blog that linked to Norman Fischer, the very wise Jewish Zen master from whom I learned to meditate over 3 years ago.

Norman is the person who gave me: The Best Advice You Can Ever Give Your Grown-up Kids.  It was the subject of one of my earliest posts. You can read that post here.  And he was the one who taught me a Meditation for Dummies technique I blogged about here.

So here's the serendipity part.  I always have things I want to write about--too many.  The problem is, it takes a lot of time to put thoughts to paper (or rather--to computer) and frankly, I've got lots of other stuff to do today.  Like plant flower bulbs, put away my laundry, call my aunt, go for a walk, bake cookies for the new neighbors and hang-out with my husband. I've been mulling over writing posts on multi-tasking; strategies from positive psychology to get through tough economic times; yoga as medicine; and lessons from cultures with lots of centenarians & so on.

So, to continue.  I get to the Norman Fischer link.  It takes me to his newsletter where I learned that Norman not only has a new book out: Sailing Home, but he wrote an article in the September 2008 issue of O Magazine (as in Oprah), called  "Simple Yet Astounding Ways to Calm Down".
As with everything related to Norman, the article is wise, kind, thoughtful, and easy to read.

Forget about reading anything I have to say about multi-tasking, getting through tough times, yoga & longevity.  Read Norman's article!  It's all right there.

And by the way, even though Norman advises against giving advice to grown-up kids, in this case I disagree.  So, Son #1, Son #2, Daughter-in-law #1, if you are reading this, I know you guys are crazy busy.  I hope you have a chance to read Norman!  It will serve you well.

Simple Yet Astounding Ways to Calm Down

Norman Fischer
appearing in O Magazine, September 2008

Illustration: Jillian Tamaki

If you're so crazed that you have to pencil in time for a deep breath, here's how to become more relaxed—and efficient—in less than a minute. All together now: Ahhhhh…

You keep a to-do list, but you can't get through it by the end of the day, and you're frustrated because you feel like you haven't been able to get enough done. You find that things take longer than you thought they would. And when people ask how you are, "Fine" has been replaced by "Too busy."

Welcome to the "too busy" club.

In this technology-driven world, we can do more, so we do—and we love it. We feel effective and powerful as we check items off our lists and use our cell phones, BlackBerrys, and computers, sometimes all at once. We're multitasking, doing as much as we can in the least amount of time. We're active, creative, and engaged! In demand! Being too busy makes us feel as though we're making an impact.

On the other hand, feeling too busy drives us crazy. Falling ever further behind as the to-do list relentlessly grows (each item generating many more items almost as fast as we can think of them) is nerve-racking and stressful. We begin to feel like prisoners of the list, prisoners of our lives and our desires, prisoners of time. There just aren't enough hours in the day. It's as if we're doing battle with time—and losing.

But the point is not how many things we have done or will do in a given amount of time; the point is how we do what we do. If we're rushed and frantic, we're too busy. If we move through our tasks with equanimity, patient and composed, we're not.

In the Zen Buddhist tradition that I've been practicing for many years, there's a story that illustrates this point: A monk is sweeping the temple grounds. Another monk comes by and says, "Too busy!" The first monk replies, "You should know there is one who is not too busy."

Our sweeping monk may have been moving quickly, and so he looked "too busy" to his brother monk. But inside—in his mind—he wasn't busy. In the midst of his vigorous activity, he was in touch with "the one who is not busy."

Most of us judge how busy we are by how much we have to do. When there are too many things to do, we think we're busy, and when there isn't much to do, it feels like we're not busy at all. But in fact, we can feel busy when there isn't that much to do, and we can feel relaxed even when there's a lot going on. The states of "busy" and "not busy" aren't defined by how many things there are to do. Contrary to popular opinion, there is no such thing as multitasking; the brain can tend to only one thing at a time. Being too busy or not being busy is an interpretation of our activity. Busy-ness is a state of mind, not a fact. No matter how much or how little we're doing, we're always just doing what we're doing, simply living this one moment of our lives.

That moment may seem long or short. Time is an internal, not external, reality. Have you noticed that half an hour in the dentist's chair lasts longer than half an hour at a fun dinner party with friends? And five minutes waiting on hold on the phone passes more slowly than five minutes watching a movie. Time is how we live it, not what's measured by the clock (after all, the watch was invented fairly recently, in the 16th century). To be sure, our world operates on clock time, which is convenient and necessary; how else would we make it to that dentist's appointment or dinner party? But the clock is supposed to be working for us, not the other way around. If we feel too busy, we've mistaken a feeling for an objective reality and are held captive to that reality. It needn't be that way.

Okay, you say, good theory: We think we're busy, but we're not—we're just doing one thing after another. But the habit of being convinced we're too busy is hard to shake. What can we do about this persistent mania of feeling task- and time-driven?

Understanding something differently is only a beginning. To change the way we live, we have to practice what we've come to understand until it becomes a natural part of us, a habit of thought, feeling, and body. There are many simple techniques that can help us with this. Take three conscious breaths (try it now, as you're reading). This will change your mind. Whatever you're feeling will become less compulsive, less driven. There's a measure of detachment and equanimity even after the first breath. You become more present to your surroundings, to the basic awareness of being alive. Try it the next time you're feeling overwhelmed; it doesn't take much time, and it will help you remember "the one who is not busy," the part of you that's always right there, even when it looks or feels like you're too busy.

Walking meditation—intentionally bringing awareness to your body as you move—can lift you out of a busy-ness-induced, semiconscious funk. If you can become conscious of the way you're moving and the sensation of each movement, you'll feel refreshed instead of rushed. I know what you're thinking: "I'm too busy to go for a walk." But this is something you can do on your way to and from the bathroom. (And if you're really feeling busy, you're probably overdue for a trip there anyway.)

Sometimes just a phrase can help: "Not busy." Remembering our two monks, you can say this softly to yourself when you feel overwhelmed. I do this when I feel crazed; with the repetition of the words, I immediately recognize that it is my feelings and my thoughts that make me feel pressured, not the tasks I have to do. They will get done—or not, and the world and I will survive. Even if I do have a crucial deadline, I'll have a much better chance of making it if I feel "not busy" and can proceed with a calm mind. Feeling frantic doesn't make me more efficient. Quite the contrary, it makes mistakes and glitches more likely.

It goes without saying that if you've bitten off more than you can chew in a day, or in a lifetime, you'd better step back and change your circumstances, if at all possible. Let go of a few activities: Peace of mind is more important, and healthier, than those few extra accomplishments. But if you can't or don't want to change your circumstances, you need to find the most serene and beautiful way to live the life you have. In the end, if you persistently and unpleasantly feel too busy, remember this: It's not a fact; it's a choice. There is one who is not busy. That one is you.

What the Experts Recommend: What to Eat for a Good Mood and Less Stress

"Let food be thy medicine..."     Hippocrates

This morning I got caught up on my favorite health blogs and was inspired by the Foods to Fight Depression post from the Chicago Tribune blog, Julie's Health Club. But, I like to take the positive approach when it comes to food-- So for me it's all about: "Foods for a Good Mood and Foods to Lower Stress."

The Basic Principles Behind What to Eat for a Good Mood & Less Stress

• We need the neurotransmitter serotonin to insure a good mood, and to handle stress. According to Princeton neuroscientist Barry Jacobs, PhD, "Stress is the most important precipitator of depression!  Something to think about!
• But our brains need tryptophan to produce serotonin.  Tryptophan is found primarily in protein and the highest sources are: soy, eggs, turkey, yoghurt/milk, garbanzo beans and lentils.  But, there's a CATCH!  Tryptophan cannot cross the blood-brain barrier to produce serotonin without CARBOHYDRATES! 
• To feel good, make sure your diet contains at least 40% of high quality carbs in the form of whole grains or fruits and veggies. Try to combine the carbs with a little protein (especially those high in tryptophan) at every meal or snack.
• Sugar is a simple carb that will raise your "feel-good" DOPAMINE levels quickly, but it also causes a sharp rise in insulin that will make you crash just as fast.  Go for the slow-release whole grain carbs combined with a little protein to insure that your body will keep producing "good-mood serotonin" all day long.

What Are the Best Foods to Eat for a Good Mood?

• Oatmeal, soy milk and two scrambled eggs. Here's the perfect breakfast to get your day off to a good start.   It's packed with 500 milligrams of tryptophan--the serotonin building block--& a whole grain to help the tryptophan cross the the blood-brain barrier while at the same time, slowing down the release of insulin into your bloodstream.  Dr. Susan Kleiner recommends 1 whole egg a day because the lecithin in the yolk does wonders for the brain.  If you are sensitive to dietary cholesterol (like I am) substitute egg whites, dairy or soy in order to get the tryptophan effect. 
• Dark leafy greens--kale, chard, collards or spinach.  Greens, beans & citrus are one of the best sources of folate--in addition to other B vitamins.  Dr. Brent Bauer of the Mayo Clinic's Complementary and Integrative Health Medicine Program says that lack of the B vitamin folate may  play a role in depression in some patients.  Dr. James Gordon, of DC's Center for Mind Body Medicine also advises supplementation of the B vitamins to prevent depression and manage stress.
• Quinoa.  Here's the perfect "good mood food" rolled into one. It's a complete high-quality protein--it's a whole grain carbohydrate--it's got fiber--and it's got just the right amount of high quality fat.  It slows down the release of insulin and provides a nice slow-drip supply of the mood-lifting serotonin building blocks straight into your brain.  It's delicious as a breakfast cereal or as a gourmet savory dinner.  Check out my quinoa recipes here and here.
• Cold water fatty fish high in Omega-3s or an Omega-3 supplement.  Omega-3s are one of the best things you can do for your brain and here's why.  According to Dr. Susan Kleiner, "Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the membranes surrounding brain cells play a role in every step of serotonin function, including boosting mood and keeping it elevated. Brain cells must be relatively fluid in order to put the serotonin to work sending messages efficiently and effectively.  High concentrations of Omega-3s (a type of PUFA found in fatty fish) are critical to fluidity."  If you're afraid of the contamination of PCBs or heavy metals sometimes found in fish, take a high quality fish oil supplement &/or add ground flax seed & walnuts to your diet. Be sure to take a look at the very short YouTube video link that you'll find in the Comments section of this post! It's from Susan Allport, an expert on Omega-3s. You'll see rats who had the benefit of Omega-3's & rats who didn't!
• Broccoli and blueberries.  All the nutritional experts agree that these 2 are nutritional super foods loaded with antioxidants.  When you are under stress your body produces free radicals, which promotes inflammation and takes a nasty toll on your body.  Eating foods high in antioxidants will neutralize the effects of inflammation-induced stress.  As an added bonus, animal studies have shown that blueberries boost the brain's cognitive funciton and may help prevent Alzheimers.  Stay tuned.
• Vitamin D.  Dr. Bruce Hollis, the world's Vitamin D maven, says D has been shown to prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties and increases the flexibility of cell membranes which helps the brain's neurotransmitters to work better.  Dr. Hollis advocates Vitamin D supplementation to be increased to a combined level of 2000 IUs a day (the current recommendation is just 400 IUs) and perhaps more for those living in Northern latitudes between October through April. Dr. Susan Kleiner advises her Seattle clients to get 15 minutes of sun exposure every day & increase their Vitamin D supplementation to improve their mood.  It has worked for them.

What Should You Avoid to Insure a Good Mood & Less Stress?

• Ditch the Red Meat!  Meat, corn oil, and some vegetable oils are high in Omega-6s, which are pro-inflammatory.  You need to increase the Omega-3s and decrease the Omega-6s.
• Fried foods.  Fried foods are high in saturated and trans fats.  They are counter-productive to maintaining the "fluid brain cell membranes" necessary for serotonin production. For "brain fluidity" you'll need Omega-3s that are found primarily in fish.  Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is the vegetarian precursor to Omega-3 and it's found in soy, canola oil, flax seed and walnuts (and the oils of these foods).
• Junk food of all kinds.  Stay away from white foods--white sugar, white flour, corn syrup, high fructose syrup, and refined foods.  They lack the nutrients and fiber to keep you on an even keel.  As Dr. James Gordon says, "You'll often experience a feeling of well-being from the sugar when levels are high, but when it's low you experience a letdown or fatigue."
• Alcohol and caffeine.  Alcohol is a DEPRESSANT.  You might think it lifts your mood, but beware.  Keep amounts low and never drink before sleep.  It actually depletes the brain's supply of serotonin (the good mood chemical). Caffeine in small doses can give you a charge, but too much can make you jittery.  Dr. Kleiner strongly suggests limiting coffee intake to the morning only. According to registered dietitian Molly Siple, caffeine can block GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid), the brain's "feel-good" neurotransmitter.  GABA calms the mood, as well as the digestive tract.  And coffee and donuts are a double whammy according to Siple.  "Refined foods and caffeine tend to raise the blood glucose. The drop is route to depression."

It's All about Timing and Combining

• Don't get too hungry.  Try to eat a meal or a snack every two or three hours.  Even before bedtime, Dr. Kleiner advises a night cap of hot cocoa, made with nonfat or low fat milk or soy milk, and real (not Dutch processed) cocoa.
• Every meal or snack needs a balance of carbs, fats, and proteins.  Never snack on only carbs, even fruits and veggies. Add some nuts, nut butter or low fat cheese.
• Proper timing & combining will lift your mood, help you manage stress, and give you a boost in energy.  Really!

Do These Foods Work for Me?

• Yes! I'm almost always (knock on wood!) in a good mood. But I definitely notice that my mood sinks and my ability to handle stress drops when I fall off track; not eating every 3 hours; eating too many sweets; and having too much coffee.
• The coffee-GABA connection was news to me, and to be honest, I think it's about time to ditch my morning coffee habit.  It really does make me too wired.
• I noticed that lentils, garbanzos and soy beans are high in tryptophan, and as beans they are both a carb & a protein.  Sounds like another perfect food to me!
• Now that I understand how important the Omega-3's are to brain cell fluidity, I'm not going to skip my fish oil supplements, and I'm going to make a concerted effort to eat more fish.
• If you missed my  My Top 12 Super Food Favorites, you can check it out here.  Who knew that they were also the top foods for a good mood?
• I can't leave out the importance of regular exercise to maintaining a good mood & handling stress! Food-Exercise-Sleep!  The mighty three.

Good Mood Books

There is a lot of good science-backed advice out there about food & mood.

• The Good Mood Diet.  Dr. Susan Kleiner - I heard her speak before her book was released. Her advice is backed both by research and her experiences with pro-athletes, CEOs, and regular moms.
• SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life.  Dr. Steven Pratt
• Unstuck. Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression.  Dr. James Gordon
• SuperFoods Rx Diet.  Dr. Wendy Bazilian & Dr. Steven Pratt
• The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.  Dr. Jonny Bowden
• The Serotonin Power Diet.  Dr. Judith Wurtman (one of the first researchers to study food & mood) & Dr. Nina Frusztajer Marquis