Are sweets bad for you during treatments

rush1958 said:

Sweets
Homer,

I'm a stage IV base of tongue cancer survivor. I've had surgery, chemo and radiation. So I know where you're coming from.

I have been warned by both my dentist and my radiologist that the decrease in saliva production after radiation could make me more prone to tooth decay. So I guess sweets could be a problem in that regard. I use a prescription floride toothpaste these days for teeth trays and I brush my teeth as often after eating as possible.

This may be a bit unconventional for advice, but I'd say for her to enjoy some sweets while she still can. A very common problem is the loss of taste during treatment and post treatment. For me, the sense of 'sweet' was the first to go. I lost it completely near the start of treatment and it was about four weeks post treatment before I ever had a hint of 'sweet' again.

The sense of 'sweet' was the last 'taste' to come back to me. It's five months post treatment and it is still not completely back. I can taste sweet things for about two to three bites, and then it is completely gone. I never had much of a sweet tooth, but it is amazing how much of a factor 'sweet' plays in the taste of other things.

Rush

Skiffin16 said:

Sweets
About the only thing that I can a to this topic.....

If she can taste sweets now, enjoy it. It seems that most, including myself loose the ability to taste sweet after this ordeal. If anything it is very very slow to return.

I'm 18 months post, and sweet is about the only thing that hasn't made a lot of improvement. It is much better than the first year or so, but a lot of the things that I once enjoyed aren't quite back to what the once were.

That being said though, I do enjoy a lot of things, and most have improved greatly.

I much prefer my life than the alternative.

Best,
John

Pam M said:

Sweets to the Sweet
Homer,

I was diagnosed diabetic just after learning about my cancer (base of tongue with lymph nodes involved). When I expressed concern about eating sugar, my docs said they weren't concerned about it - if I ate tons of it, they would be. People may be prepared to argue vehemently on both sides of the issue. I will say, I did notice that if I had a heavy carbohydrate meal (lots of sugar, bread, crackers, etc), I would feel very tired afterward.

Nice picture

adventurebob said:

sweets
The evidence for cancer feeding on sugar is very well documented and acknowledged in all health professions with the exception of conventional western medicine and especially oncology. As sweets are not good for the human body when at its healthiest, they are especially harmful to a human body weakened by cancer and cancer treatments. That is just a fact. What we all choose to do with that information is up to each one of us. I have done my best to remove sugar from my diet and try not to purchase any products with added sugar. Once I started looking it amazed my how much sugar is in our food (and salt). It has changed how I eat and to be honest has removed a little bit of the joy of eating. Switching to smoothies and beginning to use the PEG for feedings has also been a bit of an adjustment. For me, I'm stacking the deck as much in my favor as I can. I'm willing to forgo sugar to be cancer free. When I find myself in a situation where it's a matter of getting the calories with sugar or none at all though, I'll take the sugar calories every time. I have found many delicious alternatives to sugar through diligent searching and would be happy to recommend some if you are interested. All my best to you and your wife.

Bob

Scambuster said:

Good & Bad Sugars - Big Difference
Well, as this thread has exposed, there is a lot of controversy over whether 'sugar feeds cancer', whether we 'should or shouldn't eat sugar', and 'will it hurt us ?'.

I believer Bob is correct, and here is why:

1) Free sugars or simple sugars, are known to be bad for us because they mess with our Insulin production, hormones and they change the way and result from when we metabolize proteins and other amino acids in the body. Such sugar is the refined white stuff you may put in your coffee, is used in making sweets, candies, ice cream, sodas, and all things nice. While our bodies need sugar, we do NOT need these simple or free sugars.

2) The body will convert complex carbohyrates (Vegetables, fruits and whole grains) into sugars all by itself. The way these complex sugars are processed is very different and well...healthy. If you eat simple carbohyrates like white bread, white pasta/noodles, made from white flour, white rice (Processed), then the conversion of the carb to the sugars happens much faster and it too messes with the insulin, hormones etc like simple sugars though not quite as bad.

3) It has been known that tumor growth (cancer cell activity) is accelerated by an excess of sugar. By only consuming Complex sugars (ie by eating fruit, vegetables and whole grains as mentioned above) the body regulates the sugar intake and hence the cancer cells don't get to pig out to the extent they do when you dish them up the free sugars. Make sense? As such we should also limit some foods like carrots and watermelon which have a high glycemic index. When I say limit, many of us have carrot juice which uses a big bunch of carrots, where you would normally just have a couple of carrot as whole veges on your plate, so just don't overdo it with the carrot juice.

4) As Bob wrote, we have (or we may still have some rogue cells of) cancer in us. Our goal is to try to stop it in it's tracks, and rid ourselves of this disease completely, and we probably should do everything in our power to make that happen. If free sugars are bad for us, and are shown to increase the risk or promotion of cancer (and other diseases), why not eliminate that risk altogether ? The 'moderation argument', the 'feel good = make me happy' argument all have some merit, but the 'eliminate totally' (at least till we are out of the woods) argument has my money.

While I may miss my ice cream, I am happy to give it a miss and not miss seeing my kids grow up. That is just the way I am taking on my fight. Excuse me for elaboratoing here but I decided not to **** around with 'maybes'. If it looks like a dog, smells like a dog and it barks, well it probably is one.

There are 1000's of web article on this. Many try to suffocate the hard truth, but usually advise to 'limit' sugar intake or flat out admit to 'eat your fruit and vegetables' as a preferred source of sugar. (HELLO ! Woof Woof)

I found a very succinct web article here by a nutritionist which elaborates on this post and I hope it helps in your choice.

All the best to everyone.

Scam

http://www.thedietchannel.com/Cancer-and-Diet-Does-Sugar-Feed-Cancer.htm

Here is an excerpt:
Good sugars and bad sugars
Why does sugar take the rap when hormones are really the problem? Sugar does cause the body to release growth-promoting hormones, but that is not the whole story. Sugar is very important to life. However, just as there are good fats and bad fats, there are good sugars and bad sugars.

Bad sugars, often referred to as simple sugars, are those in foods that do not offer any other nutritional benefit. Examples of simple sugars include foods like soda, sweets, sugar cereals, juice drinks, and refined grains.

Good sugars, or complex carbohydrates, are present in foods that provide nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Examples of complex carbohydrates include foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

END of EXCERPT

Skiffin16 said:

Sugar and Cancer: Is There a Connection?
Bob, no disrespect, but I don't necessarily buy the line, "It's just a fact", as stated above and in many sources and locations. Sugar is necessary for our bodies, even if you completely eliminated it from your diet, your body will make it.



Here is one source, and a quote;

http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/sugar-and-cancer-is-there-a-connection.htm

//The facts about sugar and cancer can be confusing. They often are presented in a way that is misleading and anxiety-producing for people with cancer. However, if you learn a bit about the science behind the connections between what we eat and cancer risk, you can make wise nutrition choices for better health.

The concept that sugar feeds cancer is not useful. Sugar feeds every cell in our bodies. Our bodies need glucose, or simple sugar, for energy. Even if you cut every bit of sugar out of your diet, your body will make sugar from other sources, such as protein and fat.

So cancer cells need sugar to grow, just like healthy cells. It helps to remember that there is nothing particular about sugar that “feeds” cancer cells any more than sugar feeds all cells in our body.//



Here's another source and quote;

http://breastcancer.about.com/od/cancerfightingfoods/a/cancer_sugar_myth.htm

//This familiar saying, "cancer loves sugar" has been around since the 1924 publication of Dr. Otto Warburg's paper, "On metabolism of tumors." Warburg was a Nobel Prize winning cell biologist who wrote, "Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar." Many people who referred to his work in later years misquoted Warburg's statement by saying, "cancer loves sugar."

It's OK to eat some natural sugars on a daily basis. Sugar in your diet does not cause cancer to develop. Starving all of your cells of sugar won't kill or prevent cancer, but it will deprive your healthy cells of a necessary source of energy. Keeping a balance of nutritious foods and a regular exercise routine can give you a healthy body weight and normal insulin levels.//



So to say that "It's a fact", leaves me a little skeptical and that it might actually be more opinion, or personal belief. Could be, but with so many papers amd research on the topic. I find it hard to consider it a fact. But then again, I'm not a medical professional or doing research (professionally) on the topic.

Anyways, food for thought.....

John