While doing some online research, I came across the thoughts of someone who said that cancer patients who blindly follow standard medical treatment aren't truly fighting cancer; rather they are passive bystanders. This bothered me. While I am one of those who has decided that there are better options than standard medical cancer treatment, I do not agree with this sentiment. In fact, I find it insensitive. I don't know how anyone could tell a cancer patient who is actively engaged in using every medical weapon available against their cancer that they're not really fighting.
In my mind, the only way a cancer patient is "not fighting" the cancer is if they truly ignore the fact that they have cancer, make absolutely no lifestyle changes, seek absolutely no treatment of any kind, and let the cancer take its course. There are people who choose that path. But to say that anyone who chooses a treatment path that differs from yours isn't really fighting cancer is ludicrous. There are many different methods and treatment options, all of which, I believe, qualify as "fighting cancer."
Just because not all cancer patients fight the same way, doesn't mean they aren't all fighting!
Having said that, I do understand that the person who made the comment was trying to get across the importance of not just blindly and passively doing whatever the doctors say. Doctors don't have all the answers, and, as in most medical issues, there are lots of doctors who disagree among themselves what is best! Doctors, the medical industry, pharmaceutical companies, and lobbyists on their behalf clearly have their own bottom lines as their foremost motivations rather than individual patient's best interests. I think most people would agree that the more knowledge one has on a subject, the more effectively one can fight. I believe it is vital to do one's own research and educate oneself thoroughly in order to make informed, intelligent decisions regarding one's own health. It is completely unnecessary, and I believe unwise, to blindly and passively accept treatment for any medical condition!
It comes down to each individual cancer patient being convinced and comfortable that the choices made are right for them, and then moving confidently forward with those decisions.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Thursday, May 22, 2014
One Year Down...
One year ago today, I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. It's hard to believe that it has already been a year, and it's weird how normal life has been for most of that year! I have experienced no physical hardships, and no one would know by looking at me that I had/have cancer. It is constantly on my mind--not in a bad way because I worry or stress about it, but because I am very aware of it, and its presence has affected choices I make in almost every area of my life.
There are many things for which I am thankful. I praise God for the people He used over the past year to bless me and my family. I'm thankful that I have experienced no physical suffering whatsoever, and the mental/emotional stress from having cancer has been minimal. I have gained a lot of knowledge that I may not otherwise have gained. Having cancer has deepened the meaning of self-control, God's grace, and His holiness.
I have been very encouraged by reading the Psalms. So many times David was under duress and expressed his feelings of despair and helplessness...but he always followed the indication of his emotional state with his belief in the unchanging attributes of God--His love, faithfulness, steadfastness, righteousness--and praised God despite his situation.
Psalm 54:4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the
righteous to be moved.
Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God
who shows me steadfast love.
Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
A common sentiment I've heard expressed to me by other people goes something like this, "I agree with what you're doing, and I know you're probably right, but I just don't know if I could do it!" On the one hand, I do understand because it can be intimidating to stand up to the medical establishment, plus choosing to eat healthy when constantly surrounded by the temptation of unhealthy foods is always a challenge. But on the other hand, I feel that it's not really as hard as people think. Educate yourself and then follow the best course--simple, really. It concerns me that so many people seem to think that I'm doing something that they would never be able to do! Really? Making healthy changes is harder than going through chemo and radiation and suffering all those nasty side effects for months on end? Not in my opinion! For me it comes down to self-control and God's grace--neither of which I possess in and of myself.
Choosing to eat healthy foods instead of unhealthy foods is no different than choosing to go to work or school when you'd rather stay in bed, or choosing to be pleasant to others even though you're grumpy, or choosing to do your work when you'd rather be doing something else. Obviously, some choices are easier than others, but making any good choice becomes easier the longer you do it. It's not like I have some super-human strength that the rest of you don't have. I have simply used the brain God gave me, educated myself, and chosen to follow the path I think is best.
It is also obvious and expected that none of us sin-depraved humans make the right or good choice every time. At times we give in to our sinful nature and rebelliously choose to indulge our flesh. We fall. We fail. But we don't give up. We repent, ask forgiveness, and get back on the right path. Which brings me to the second aspect, God's grace.
My pastor has long taught that God's grace is more than just His undeserved favor, especially in regards to salvation; it is God's enabling. Not only does God enable us to seek His salvation, His grace enables us to do what He calls us to do minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. He enables us with His strength to choose right over wrong, to get through difficult trials by trusting Him, to say no to sin and yes to Him, to put others before ourselves. Since we can trust God to enable us in the big things, than why do we think He won't enable us in the "little" things...like saying no to junk food and yes to fruits and vegetables; like refusing processed food and choosing to eat whole, raw, real food; like choosing to exercise instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer. After all, choosing to do what you know is best for your health really isn't a little thing at all. It is the huge responsibility to be a good steward of the body God gave you...and that makes your choices very important.
I also find it concerning that many believers would never think of drinking alcohol or using tobacco or drugs--after all, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit--but they see nothing wrong with consuming large amounts of caffeine (which is a drug) or sugar (also addicting), and demonstrate a complete lack of self-control where food is concerned--all of which can do significant damage to our temples. Pretty hypocritical, don't you think?
I have made my choices, and I am trusting in God's grace to help me follow through on them and to face whatever he allows in my life in the future--however many more years that may be.
There are many things for which I am thankful. I praise God for the people He used over the past year to bless me and my family. I'm thankful that I have experienced no physical suffering whatsoever, and the mental/emotional stress from having cancer has been minimal. I have gained a lot of knowledge that I may not otherwise have gained. Having cancer has deepened the meaning of self-control, God's grace, and His holiness.
I have been very encouraged by reading the Psalms. So many times David was under duress and expressed his feelings of despair and helplessness...but he always followed the indication of his emotional state with his belief in the unchanging attributes of God--His love, faithfulness, steadfastness, righteousness--and praised God despite his situation.
Psalm 54:4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the
righteous to be moved.
Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God
who shows me steadfast love.
Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
A common sentiment I've heard expressed to me by other people goes something like this, "I agree with what you're doing, and I know you're probably right, but I just don't know if I could do it!" On the one hand, I do understand because it can be intimidating to stand up to the medical establishment, plus choosing to eat healthy when constantly surrounded by the temptation of unhealthy foods is always a challenge. But on the other hand, I feel that it's not really as hard as people think. Educate yourself and then follow the best course--simple, really. It concerns me that so many people seem to think that I'm doing something that they would never be able to do! Really? Making healthy changes is harder than going through chemo and radiation and suffering all those nasty side effects for months on end? Not in my opinion! For me it comes down to self-control and God's grace--neither of which I possess in and of myself.
Choosing to eat healthy foods instead of unhealthy foods is no different than choosing to go to work or school when you'd rather stay in bed, or choosing to be pleasant to others even though you're grumpy, or choosing to do your work when you'd rather be doing something else. Obviously, some choices are easier than others, but making any good choice becomes easier the longer you do it. It's not like I have some super-human strength that the rest of you don't have. I have simply used the brain God gave me, educated myself, and chosen to follow the path I think is best.
It is also obvious and expected that none of us sin-depraved humans make the right or good choice every time. At times we give in to our sinful nature and rebelliously choose to indulge our flesh. We fall. We fail. But we don't give up. We repent, ask forgiveness, and get back on the right path. Which brings me to the second aspect, God's grace.
My pastor has long taught that God's grace is more than just His undeserved favor, especially in regards to salvation; it is God's enabling. Not only does God enable us to seek His salvation, His grace enables us to do what He calls us to do minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. He enables us with His strength to choose right over wrong, to get through difficult trials by trusting Him, to say no to sin and yes to Him, to put others before ourselves. Since we can trust God to enable us in the big things, than why do we think He won't enable us in the "little" things...like saying no to junk food and yes to fruits and vegetables; like refusing processed food and choosing to eat whole, raw, real food; like choosing to exercise instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer. After all, choosing to do what you know is best for your health really isn't a little thing at all. It is the huge responsibility to be a good steward of the body God gave you...and that makes your choices very important.
I also find it concerning that many believers would never think of drinking alcohol or using tobacco or drugs--after all, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit--but they see nothing wrong with consuming large amounts of caffeine (which is a drug) or sugar (also addicting), and demonstrate a complete lack of self-control where food is concerned--all of which can do significant damage to our temples. Pretty hypocritical, don't you think?
I have made my choices, and I am trusting in God's grace to help me follow through on them and to face whatever he allows in my life in the future--however many more years that may be.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Posting Your Bra Color Doesn't Help Me Fight Breast Cancer
"Post your bra color as your Facebook status for Breast Cancer Awareness." "Take a 'no make up selfie' for Breast Cancer Awareness." " 'Like' this picture to support Breast Cancer Awareness." "Share this on your Facebook page to promote Breast Cancer Awareness." Take this quiz. It goes on and on.
I don't think any more "awareness" that breast cancer exists needs to be brought to the forefront--that has already been accomplished by years of pink marketing and the fact that since 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with an invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, just about everyone knows someone who has or has had breast cancer.
I have long wondered how participating in these activities helps in any way. Unless money is being raised directly as a result of the activity, I don't see any benefit. How does knowing YOUR bra color help me? How does a photo of YOU sans makeup help me? It seems to me that more attention is drawn to the person participating than to the actual patients or the cause--not always, but most of the time.
Raising money that goes to a cancer or medical organization is mostly a waste of time, too. Very little of that money actually goes to research or helps real patients in any tangible way. In my opinion, it's better to raise money for an actual cancer patient and their family and give it to them directly.
And why is it always for "breast cancer"? Why not prostate cancer? Or bone cancer? Or pancreatic cancer? Or leukemia? Or lung cancer? Or childhood cancer? All of those cancers involve agonizing battles and take lives, too. Is it because our society is so infatuated with women's breasts, and they are so much more appealing and marketable than someone's prostate, lung, or bones?
I'm not saying it's wrong to post your bra color or take a quiz with a bunch of mind-numbingly stupid questions--I just think it's silly, pointless, and a waste of time. So why do people do it? Maybe it's their way of "doing something." One small thing to show they care. I get that. I don't want to minimize people's concern and genuine sympathy for those fighting cancer--and I can't tell you how much it means to know so many people are supporting me in my fight! But there has to be a more impactful way to help.
"Ok, since you're so critical of our meager efforts to show support, what do you suggest?"
Since you asked, I'll share a few ideas--most of which I and my family have been recipients. :)
1. Pray. Prayer is one of the most powerful tools at a human's disposal. Never underestimate it.
Prayer is communicating with the almighty sovereign God who is in ultimate control.
2. Be deliberate. Rather than using two or three clicks of your mouse to help you feel like you're
making a difference, take the time to consider someone who is actually battling a disease, find
out their specific needs, and make a plan to do something for them--something that helps them in a
tangible way without just drawing attention to yourself. If you don't know anyone personally to
help, then find someone! Visit the cancer ward at a children's hospital, or a nursing home.
3. Be creative. You might be gifted at organizing a benefit. It may be money to help pay for
medical expenses, providing a meal, a gas card, gift cards, free babysitting, a ride to an
appointment, a card or flowers for encouragement, lawn work, house work...you get the idea.
4. Be anonymous. Obviously this isn't always possible or necessary, but I know for myself that not
knowing whom to thank ensures that God rightfully gets all the glory!
5. Pray. Pray for God's leading. Pray through each step of the process, no matter what you decide
to do. Pray that God will use it to bless that person.
I don't think any more "awareness" that breast cancer exists needs to be brought to the forefront--that has already been accomplished by years of pink marketing and the fact that since 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with an invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, just about everyone knows someone who has or has had breast cancer.
I have long wondered how participating in these activities helps in any way. Unless money is being raised directly as a result of the activity, I don't see any benefit. How does knowing YOUR bra color help me? How does a photo of YOU sans makeup help me? It seems to me that more attention is drawn to the person participating than to the actual patients or the cause--not always, but most of the time.
Raising money that goes to a cancer or medical organization is mostly a waste of time, too. Very little of that money actually goes to research or helps real patients in any tangible way. In my opinion, it's better to raise money for an actual cancer patient and their family and give it to them directly.
And why is it always for "breast cancer"? Why not prostate cancer? Or bone cancer? Or pancreatic cancer? Or leukemia? Or lung cancer? Or childhood cancer? All of those cancers involve agonizing battles and take lives, too. Is it because our society is so infatuated with women's breasts, and they are so much more appealing and marketable than someone's prostate, lung, or bones?
I'm not saying it's wrong to post your bra color or take a quiz with a bunch of mind-numbingly stupid questions--I just think it's silly, pointless, and a waste of time. So why do people do it? Maybe it's their way of "doing something." One small thing to show they care. I get that. I don't want to minimize people's concern and genuine sympathy for those fighting cancer--and I can't tell you how much it means to know so many people are supporting me in my fight! But there has to be a more impactful way to help.
"Ok, since you're so critical of our meager efforts to show support, what do you suggest?"
Since you asked, I'll share a few ideas--most of which I and my family have been recipients. :)
1. Pray. Prayer is one of the most powerful tools at a human's disposal. Never underestimate it.
Prayer is communicating with the almighty sovereign God who is in ultimate control.
2. Be deliberate. Rather than using two or three clicks of your mouse to help you feel like you're
making a difference, take the time to consider someone who is actually battling a disease, find
out their specific needs, and make a plan to do something for them--something that helps them in a
tangible way without just drawing attention to yourself. If you don't know anyone personally to
help, then find someone! Visit the cancer ward at a children's hospital, or a nursing home.
3. Be creative. You might be gifted at organizing a benefit. It may be money to help pay for
medical expenses, providing a meal, a gas card, gift cards, free babysitting, a ride to an
appointment, a card or flowers for encouragement, lawn work, house work...you get the idea.
4. Be anonymous. Obviously this isn't always possible or necessary, but I know for myself that not
knowing whom to thank ensures that God rightfully gets all the glory!
5. Pray. Pray for God's leading. Pray through each step of the process, no matter what you decide
to do. Pray that God will use it to bless that person.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Thermography vs. Mammography--I choose Thermography!
Let's compare thermography and mammography in relation to detecting breast cancer:
Neither thermography nor mammography can diagnose breast cancer--only a biopsy can do that--but they are both used as early detection methods.
Thermography is a completely safe, non-invasive procedure using infrared sensors to produce a thermal image of the body; biochemical processes (those indicating cancerous activity) produce heat which appears clearly on the thermograph. Mammography uses ionizing radiation, which increases one's risk of future cancer, and compression which can spread cancer cells.
Thermography is unaffected by hormone use or large, dense, or fibrocystic breasts, all of which can cause reading difficulties for mammography.
Thermography can detect forming breast cancers 10 years before mammography would detect them, and is often the first sign that a problem may be developing.
Thermography can detect inflammatory breast cancer which is undetectable by mammography.
An abnormal thermograph is the single most important marker of high risk for developing breast cancer--it is 10 times more significant than a family history of breast cancer, and a persistent abnormal scan carries a 22x higher risk of future breast cancer.
Thermography has an average 90% sensitivity in all age groups (10% of cancers may go undetected); mammography has an 80% average sensitivity in women ages 50+, but the sensitivity decreases in younger women.
When used as part of a multimodal approach (clinical examination + mammography + thermography) 95% of early stage cancers will be detected.
Based on extensive clinical trials, thermography significantly augments the long-term survival rates of its recipients by as much as 61%.
*********
Based on the facts above, any woman desiring routine early breast cancer screening, ESPECIALLY younger women, should go with thermography first. Then if there are suspicious areas, get an ultrasound, and only after that, if indicated, get a mammogram. It is unconscionable to me that doctors and breast cancer/medical organizations still recommend regular mammograms when there is a completely safe and significantly more accurate alternative available! The technology has been around since the 1950s, and it was approved by the FDA in the 1980s.
I am due for my six month re-evaluation next month, and I plan to get a thermograph done which I will show to my oncologist when I meet with him. If needed, I will have another ultrasound, not a mammogram. Since we don't know if I have cancer in my lymph nodes, I am very interested to see what the thermograph shows. It should show any areas of concern, including the lymph nodes. According to my oncologist, he will only order further scans like an MRI if I develop symptoms or my blood work indicates that cancer is growing. I think it would be very beneficial to know about any suspicious areas before the cancer has grown to the point where it is causing physical symptoms! On the other hand, if the scan shows a bunch of suspicious areas, that would be scary. I guess I'm prepared to deal with that since my pathology wasn't the best and I'm betting that surgery did not eliminate every cancer cell from my body.
Note: I did find an article in which the FDA warns that thermography should not be used to replace mammography. I'm not surprised since I wouldn't trust the FDA as far as I could throw it, and mammograms are one of the cash cows of the cancer industry, so they're not going to throw them over easily.
Note: I did find an article in which the FDA warns that thermography should not be used to replace mammography. I'm not surprised since I wouldn't trust the FDA as far as I could throw it, and mammograms are one of the cash cows of the cancer industry, so they're not going to throw them over easily.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Sugar Feeds Cancer--But Maybe Not ALL Sugar
I first wrote this post one year ago, but I have learned more about sugar and cancer since that time. Cancer cells are "obligate glucose metabolizers," which means that the source of their energy is sugar. One of the most common questions I get asked goes something like this, "If sugar feeds cancer, then we shouldn't eat fruit, right?" My standard answer used to be that any harm from naturally occurring sugars in fruit is balanced by all the beneficial cancer-fighting nutrients in fruit.
Since then I have become aware of some brand new research (it hasn't even been published yet) being done by Dr. Tony Jimenez and his colleagues at the Hope for Cancer Center. They have discovered that natural sugar molecules are "levorotatory" (they spin to the left) while sugar molecules from processed, refined, man-made sugars spin to the right. Guess what? Their research shows that cancer cells only process right-spinning sugar molecules! When I first heard this, I was so excited that I was practically jumping up and down, because it is so cool! It appears that while all bad sugars feed cancer, naturally occurring good sugars do not.
All this time that I've been saying that ALL sugar feeds cancer, I may very well have been wrong--and that is a very good thing! This discovery fits right in with my belief that all naturally-occurring, God-created foods are beneficial and necessary for keeping our bodies healthy. It had always kind of bothered me to think that the sugar in fruit may be causing people to avoid it, when there are so many important nutrients in fruit.
Fruit, especially dark-colored berries, contains many of the nutrients that are most effective against cancer. Black raspberries, blackberries, acai berries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sour cherries, and pomegranates are packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants such as ellagic acid, quercetin, fisetin, and resveratrol. Pineapple core contains the enzyme bromelain, which has proven more powerful than one chemo drug in animal studies. Apples are high in pectin, which has been shown to eliminate cancer cells and prevent them from growing and spreading. These are just a few examples.
The compounds in God-given fruits and vegetables that fight and kill cancer cells do so without harming normal cells, and this "selective cytotoxicity" ability is only found in natural compounds. There is not a single man-made chemotherapy drug available that is capable of having that effect--chemo drugs are indiscriminate in their cell destruction. Again, man has been unable to improve upon what God has already provided. Everything I read continues to reinforce this truth, subsequently reinforcing trust in my all-knowing, loving God, whose ways are far above man's ways!
Following is my original post on sugar and cancer:
Sugar feeds cancer. ALL forms of sugar. But not all types of sugar affect cancer cells in the same way.
Fructose is the worst offender in regard to cancer. Cancer cells specifically use fructose for cell division--which means that fructose causes proliferation (growth and spread) of cancerous cells. Fructose is found naturally in fruit and has a low glycemic index--which leads many people to think it is a healthy sugar. Fructose in fresh fruit is accompanied by high levels of antioxidants and many other nutrients contained in the fruit which mitigate the harmful effects of fructose. Fructose from refined sugars and processed foods is much different. Plus, most Americans consume 300-600% more fructose than is needed--and those excessive amounts of fructose are not due to eating extremely large amounts of fresh fruit! Excessive amounts of fructose cause it to be toxic to the body. Fructose is present in one form or another in at least half--and maybe all--of the top 10 sources of calories in America. (The top calorie sources are 1. Grain-based desserts 2. Yeast breads 3. Chicken/chicken mixed dishes 4. Soda/energy drinks/sports drinks 5. Pizza 6. Alcoholic drinks 7. Pasta/pasta dishes 8. Mexican dishes 9. Beef/beef dishes 10. Dairy desserts.)
Glucose is used as fuel by cancer cells, producing lactic acid as a byproduct. The large amounts of lactic acid produced by this fermentation process is transported to the liver. The conversion of glucose to lactic acid, which is a very inefficient waste of energy, and the resulting build-up of lactic acid results in the creation of an acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as general physical fatigue. Cancer patients become tired and undernourished, and the cycle continues, causing the body wasting which is common among cancer patients.
The idea that sugar feeds cancer has been around for 80 years, and there have been many tests and experiments over time that prove it. So why don't doctors and oncologists inform their patients of this crucial bit of information? Again, it seems that most doctors have little knowledge or interest in how nutrition and diet affect health.
The following article explains the connection between sugar and cancer in detail with many cited sources as well as further advice for preventing and fighting cancer:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/29/is-this-simple-sugar-a-major-factor-in-the-failure-of-the-war-on-cancer.aspx
A video presentation:
http://draxe.com/how-sugar-can-cause-cancer/
Another article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130916103646.htm
Since then I have become aware of some brand new research (it hasn't even been published yet) being done by Dr. Tony Jimenez and his colleagues at the Hope for Cancer Center. They have discovered that natural sugar molecules are "levorotatory" (they spin to the left) while sugar molecules from processed, refined, man-made sugars spin to the right. Guess what? Their research shows that cancer cells only process right-spinning sugar molecules! When I first heard this, I was so excited that I was practically jumping up and down, because it is so cool! It appears that while all bad sugars feed cancer, naturally occurring good sugars do not.
All this time that I've been saying that ALL sugar feeds cancer, I may very well have been wrong--and that is a very good thing! This discovery fits right in with my belief that all naturally-occurring, God-created foods are beneficial and necessary for keeping our bodies healthy. It had always kind of bothered me to think that the sugar in fruit may be causing people to avoid it, when there are so many important nutrients in fruit.
Fruit, especially dark-colored berries, contains many of the nutrients that are most effective against cancer. Black raspberries, blackberries, acai berries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sour cherries, and pomegranates are packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants such as ellagic acid, quercetin, fisetin, and resveratrol. Pineapple core contains the enzyme bromelain, which has proven more powerful than one chemo drug in animal studies. Apples are high in pectin, which has been shown to eliminate cancer cells and prevent them from growing and spreading. These are just a few examples.
The compounds in God-given fruits and vegetables that fight and kill cancer cells do so without harming normal cells, and this "selective cytotoxicity" ability is only found in natural compounds. There is not a single man-made chemotherapy drug available that is capable of having that effect--chemo drugs are indiscriminate in their cell destruction. Again, man has been unable to improve upon what God has already provided. Everything I read continues to reinforce this truth, subsequently reinforcing trust in my all-knowing, loving God, whose ways are far above man's ways!
Following is my original post on sugar and cancer:
Sugar feeds cancer. ALL forms of sugar. But not all types of sugar affect cancer cells in the same way.
Fructose is the worst offender in regard to cancer. Cancer cells specifically use fructose for cell division--which means that fructose causes proliferation (growth and spread) of cancerous cells. Fructose is found naturally in fruit and has a low glycemic index--which leads many people to think it is a healthy sugar. Fructose in fresh fruit is accompanied by high levels of antioxidants and many other nutrients contained in the fruit which mitigate the harmful effects of fructose. Fructose from refined sugars and processed foods is much different. Plus, most Americans consume 300-600% more fructose than is needed--and those excessive amounts of fructose are not due to eating extremely large amounts of fresh fruit! Excessive amounts of fructose cause it to be toxic to the body. Fructose is present in one form or another in at least half--and maybe all--of the top 10 sources of calories in America. (The top calorie sources are 1. Grain-based desserts 2. Yeast breads 3. Chicken/chicken mixed dishes 4. Soda/energy drinks/sports drinks 5. Pizza 6. Alcoholic drinks 7. Pasta/pasta dishes 8. Mexican dishes 9. Beef/beef dishes 10. Dairy desserts.)
Glucose is used as fuel by cancer cells, producing lactic acid as a byproduct. The large amounts of lactic acid produced by this fermentation process is transported to the liver. The conversion of glucose to lactic acid, which is a very inefficient waste of energy, and the resulting build-up of lactic acid results in the creation of an acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as general physical fatigue. Cancer patients become tired and undernourished, and the cycle continues, causing the body wasting which is common among cancer patients.
The idea that sugar feeds cancer has been around for 80 years, and there have been many tests and experiments over time that prove it. So why don't doctors and oncologists inform their patients of this crucial bit of information? Again, it seems that most doctors have little knowledge or interest in how nutrition and diet affect health.
The following article explains the connection between sugar and cancer in detail with many cited sources as well as further advice for preventing and fighting cancer:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/29/is-this-simple-sugar-a-major-factor-in-the-failure-of-the-war-on-cancer.aspx
A video presentation:
http://draxe.com/how-sugar-can-cause-cancer/
Another article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130916103646.htm
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