Breast Cancer Awareness for You and Me!

October 25th, 2018

This past month I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Kristi Funk, founder of the Pink Lotus Foundation, breast surgeon, and author of the book, “Breasts: An Owner’s Manual”.

It was inspiring to hear her personal story of how she came to be a breast surgeon, and how she wants to help women maintain their best breast health.

I was fascinated to hear how the majority of breast cancer is NOT the result of genetics (at least, not specific mutations, that we know of), and that lifestyle choices play a major role in this disease. Isn’t it true for so much illness these days? It seems the “Mad Men” lifestyle is not sustainable or even suggested. Too bad, although I don’t really feel so great after a three martini lunch anyway…

Dr. Funk recommends the usual suspects to stay healthy and avoid breast cancer: exercise, sleep, reduce stress, and diet. All of these are great ideas generally. And, from all that I have read, making these adjustments reduces inflammation in the body, which has been implicated in the development of many health disorders.

Now, while taking steps to lifestyle change can reduce inflammation and improve health, it is not a silver bullet. Some people have propensity to cancers, and that’s just the way it is. We still don’t know enough to say who will get it and who won’t. It’s a game of risk reduction and probabilities.

So, even though I appreciate the advice from Dr. Funk that the best way to reduce breast cancer risk is to become vegan, that is not a dietary choice that works for me, personally. I don’t eat a lot of meat (only chicken and fish, and not regularly), and because of lactose intolerance don’t eat much cheese. I love grains and fruits and vegetables… meals made from foods that people call “whole”. But, I’m going to continue to eat eggs, and the occasional slice of pizza (who am I kidding? The occasional half a pizza) because that works for me.

I want to be healthy, but I’m not going to make myself crazy trying to manage every aspect of my and my family’s diets. Life, for me, is a balance. And, I don’t think the stress of vegan meal-planning is worth the slim percentage of cancer risk reduction that diet might provide.

My favorite advice from Dr. Funk, that I will definitely make a concerted effort to follow, is to spend time with people you love. And even though they may be a source of stress for some, friends and family are a support network. They are a release valve for built-up tensions. They are people who love you in return. And, that in itself, is something to invest in.

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Totally Shameless

November 17th, 2008

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Shameless Self-promotion

November 14th, 2008

I’m going to be on TV national today!!! At least, I think so. A few weeks ago I was flown down to LA by the producers of a show called The Doctors to be their food science expert for an episode of the show.

I had almost given up hope that it would ever air when, yesterday, I happened to check the episode schedule for this week. At the bottom of the list was the episode of which I was a part, and it was scheduled for today.

Yikes! So, barring being completely edited out of the episode, I’m going to be on TVs across the nation for a whole 5 minutes. That’s right. A whole five minutes.

During the recording session, I talked with one of the docs about acidity of sodas, sugar versus saccarine, taste buds, Miracle Fruit, and iron in cereals. The shortness of the segment forced me to talk in soundbites, but sometimes that’s what it takes to get a message across.

I am most excited to be making the jump from podcasting into network television. There is a certain amount of validation for the work I am doing in new media with this invitation to be a part of the larger media realm. We’ll see where it goes from here.

I would love a full half-hour of TV time to talk about science. Anyone want to hire me as the face of science? Science’s spokemodel? I’m throwing my hat into the ring. A half hour a week is all I ask.

In the meantime, check me out if you have the time today — The Doctor’s Local Listings.

Update: I have already been seen in the NYC area. That’s awesome. 🙂

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