The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center is proud to partner with Ann’s Place, a community-based cancer support team that offers the Art Therapy and Living with Stage 4/Incurable Cancer support groups held on-site at the Leever Center.
The concept of organic farming is not new. In fact, “traditional farming,” now called “organic,” has been practiced for thousands of years.
As consumers, we are barraged with nutrition information, and it is often hard to determine what claims are legitimate. The most recent debate concerns something that has been around for a long time: ultra-processed or highly processed foods. It’s helpful to know what this means.
What is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water?
If you guessed tea (and had a HUGE hint from the title of this article), you are correct. The annual worldly consumption of tea is 3.6 billion cups.
“If you eat certain superfoods, you won’t get cancer (or heart disease or diabetes or high blood pressure or arthritis or Alzheimer’s.” The concept of superfoods was originally developed by the United Fruit Company, banana importers, around World War I as part of a marketing campaign touting the many benefits of eating bananas, including the fact that they came in their own germ-proof package.
Americans spend more than $30 billion a year on vitamins, herbals and other supplements. It is not uncommon for our patients to arrive to their oncology consultations with a large bag (or long list) of the supplements they are taking. It has been estimated that 65%-80% of all cancer patients take one or more vitamin or mineral supplements, and many of these patients START taking supplements just prior to starting their treatment.
The lines of cars outside Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks every morning attest to America’s love affair with coffee. In fact, 64% of Americans drink just over three cups of coffee a day, for a total of 400 million cups consumed daily.
“I’ve been told to avoid all sugar and white flour since it can make my cancer grow. Is this true? Do I have to give up everything that I love?” The question about sugar and cancer is undoubtedly the most frequently asked nutrition question at the Leever Cancer Center, and it often creates fear in patients who are already anxious. The answer is complex and brings up many issues about the role that our food plays in preventing and/or promoting health and disease.
OPEN MOUTH. INSERT CHOCOLATE. CLOSE EYES. SAVOR. SMILE.
Chocolate is one of America’s favorite foods and is often associated with love, comfort, and well-being. In fact, every year, Americans consume about eight billion pounds (11 pounds per person) and spend over $22 billion on chocolate. Halloween and Valentine’s Day are all about chocolate.
Next time you could use an energy boost, try one of these quick pick-me-ups.