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Can Sugar Cause Cancer

TAMayorga
TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
edited November 26 in Debate Club
I fear that I am at a crossroads. I recently allowed myself to be talked into doing a genetic test for breast cancer. The results came back negative, but based on family history, I was still given a 57.4% chance of having cancer. Anything above 20% is considered high. (I am a 53 year old woman.)
I was sharing this information with a co-worker. We were talking about how to react. What's the point of having this projection if you aren't going to do anything with it? She is on a low/no sugar diet. She says that sugar is an inflammatory agent and that living with low levels of inflammation over a long period of time can cause cancer.
One of the behaviors that has helped me be successful at weight loss (4.5 years at goal) is the reward of cookies with dabs of peanut butter that I eat for dessert every evening. I tailor my daily intake and my exercise in order to make caloric room for this treat every day. I am truly afraid that if I try to delete cookies from my diet that I will start to overeat other foods to mentally/emotionally/psychologically compensate. I have seen this behavior in the past when I would give these cookies up for lent.
Do you have any recommendations (not fruit or any other healthy option, I've tried that) for websites that will allow me to research this topic? Maybe if it comes from a scientific study, I can convince myself to do what needs to be done.
Thanks.
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Replies

  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    Glucose does feed most cancers. In fact PET scans basically just shows where there is very high glucose which is where cancer will be found. If you want the science, look into the Warburg effect.

    As I understand, highers insulin and glucose levels does tend to make it a bit easier for cancer to get a hold rather than being eliminated as it normally is. Glucose is the main building block of all carbs like flours, sugars, veggies and fruits.

    Researchers are looking into using very low carb diets as complimentary cancer therapy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4215472/ It makes sense to me that if the diet can be used to help reverse cancer, it could also be used to prevent it.

    Could you look into low carb cookies? I've had peanut butter cookies made without any grains or sugars - was quite good.

    Thank you for responding. Sadly, these are very specific cookies to which I have become addicted. One option that I am planning to try is protein balls made with oatmeal, nut butter, dark chocolate chips, and protein powder. They might give me the "decadent jolt" that I get from my current treat, without some of the problems associated with processed junk food.
  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
    I agree with the recommendations of natural food strategy for prevention. Consuming antioxidant rich foods as well as watching your inflammatory food intake would be ideal. There are several foods that promote inflammation besides sugar. The cleaner you can eat, the better.

    So, a balance. More antioxidant foods with fewer cookies. That's doable.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Can sugar cause cancer? I don't know. It's sort of one of those 'life is terminal' things, in my opinion. I'm sorry you're faced with those odds. But knowledge is power, and how far you are able/willing to take that knowledge is up to you. If reducing or eliminating added sugar makes you feel as if you are taking a positive step toward reducing your risk, by all means do it.
  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    TAMayorga wrote: »
    I fear that I am at a crossroads. I recently allowed myself to be talked into doing a genetic test for breast cancer. The results came back negative, but based on family history, I was still given a 57.4% chance of having cancer. Anything above 20% is considered high. (I am a 53 year old woman.)
    I was sharing this information with a co-worker. We were talking about how to react. What's the point of having this projection if you aren't going to do anything with it? She is on a low/no sugar diet. She says that sugar is an inflammatory agent and that living with low levels of inflammation over a long period of time can cause cancer.
    One of the behaviors that has helped me be successful at weight loss (4.5 years at goal) is the reward of cookies with dabs of peanut butter that I eat for dessert every evening. I tailor my daily intake and my exercise in order to make caloric room for this treat every day. I am truly afraid that if I try to delete cookies from my diet that I will start to overeat other foods to mentally/emotionally/psychologically compensate. I have seen this behavior in the past when I would give these cookies up for lent.
    Do you have any recommendations (not fruit or any other healthy option, I've tried that) for websites that will allow me to research this topic? Maybe if it comes from a scientific study, I can convince myself to do what needs to be done.
    Thanks.

    Does your friend have any medical or educational background that would lead you to give weight to her opinion?

    Veggies, fruits, dairy, and whole grains have sugar, and are prominent in the diets of most traditional cultures. I believe the idea that "sugar is inflammatory" is still a point of research. At most the idea would be that a diet high in sugar could be a risk factor, and I doubt a couple of cookies every night would qualify. Perhaps if you were eating a diet full of processed sweets and soda, but it doesn't sound like that's the case.

    I would start out looking for the websites of prominent hospitals that specialize in cancers, and see if they post preventative guidance or link to other sources you can learn from. There are lots of blogs with lots of theories, and unfortunately lots of horrible people who prey on the fear of cancer to make money, so vetting sources really is important.

    I'm going to go out on a limb and guess no oncologist has ever looked a patient in the eye and said "You were perfect in every way, except those cookies. Despite eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly, the cookies gave you cancer."

    I'd add that high stress levels are proven to be bad for your health, so don't get so caught up in the minutiae and random theories that you cause yourself more harm than good :flowerforyou:

    I found these 2 that were interesting:
    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-causes/art-20044714

    https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/may-2014/inflamation-cancer-diet.html
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    TAMayorga wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    TAMayorga wrote: »
    I fear that I am at a crossroads. I recently allowed myself to be talked into doing a genetic test for breast cancer. The results came back negative, but based on family history, I was still given a 57.4% chance of having cancer. Anything above 20% is considered high. (I am a 53 year old woman.)
    I was sharing this information with a co-worker. We were talking about how to react. What's the point of having this projection if you aren't going to do anything with it? She is on a low/no sugar diet. She says that sugar is an inflammatory agent and that living with low levels of inflammation over a long period of time can cause cancer.
    One of the behaviors that has helped me be successful at weight loss (4.5 years at goal) is the reward of cookies with dabs of peanut butter that I eat for dessert every evening. I tailor my daily intake and my exercise in order to make caloric room for this treat every day. I am truly afraid that if I try to delete cookies from my diet that I will start to overeat other foods to mentally/emotionally/psychologically compensate. I have seen this behavior in the past when I would give these cookies up for lent.
    Do you have any recommendations (not fruit or any other healthy option, I've tried that) for websites that will allow me to research this topic? Maybe if it comes from a scientific study, I can convince myself to do what needs to be done.
    Thanks.

    Does your friend have any medical or educational background that would lead you to give weight to her opinion?

    Veggies, fruits, dairy, and whole grains have sugar, and are prominent in the diets of most traditional cultures. I believe the idea that "sugar is inflammatory" is still a point of research. At most the idea would be that a diet high in sugar could be a risk factor, and I doubt a couple of cookies every night would qualify. Perhaps if you were eating a diet full of processed sweets and soda, but it doesn't sound like that's the case.

    I would start out looking for the websites of prominent hospitals that specialize in cancers, and see if they post preventative guidance or link to other sources you can learn from. There are lots of blogs with lots of theories, and unfortunately lots of horrible people who prey on the fear of cancer to make money, so vetting sources really is important.

    I'm going to go out on a limb and guess no oncologist has ever looked a patient in the eye and said "You were perfect in every way, except those cookies. Despite eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly, the cookies gave you cancer."

    I'd add that high stress levels are proven to be bad for your health, so don't get so caught up in the minutiae and random theories that you cause yourself more harm than good :flowerforyou:

    I found these 2 that were interesting:
    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-causes/art-20044714

    https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/may-2014/inflamation-cancer-diet.html

    That's so funny, Mayo and MD Anderson were two that I was going to mention and then decided not to because it was just my personal preference and I'm certainly no authority :lol:
  • brandigyrl81
    brandigyrl81 Posts: 128 Member
    This was a good discussion.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    I really don't think your cookies are going to cause cancer, and it's unethical of your doctor to give you that percentage number without followup or advice. My guess is what you need to be doing is living a healthy lifestyle at a healthy weight while monitoring your breasts closely, as compared to someone without a heightened risk. You don't test positive for the genes so there's a possibility that what caused your family members to have cancer is not something you even share.
  • anothermfpuser
    anothermfpuser Posts: 84 Member
    TAMayorga wrote: »
    Anything above 20% is considered high....

    I have zero basis on any of this but in opinion, I'm surprised it's 20%. I'd think 20% is quite low. In fact (again no basis)... I'd think 50% chance of almost getting anything is the norm.

  • elizabethmcopeland
    elizabethmcopeland Posts: 167 Member
    TAMayorga wrote: »
    Sadly, these are very specific cookies to which I have become addicted.

    I just love this line. I can almost hear your lament. :)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    TAMayorga wrote: »
    Anything above 20% is considered high....

    I have zero basis on any of this but in opinion, I'm surprised it's 20%. I'd think 20% is quite low. In fact (again no basis)... I'd think 50% chance of almost getting anything is the norm.

    Last I knew, lifetime risk of breast cancer was somewhere in the range of 1 in 8 women in the US, plus or minus, just looking at population-wide risk. 20% would be 1 in 5, so substantially higher.

    (Men can get breast cancer, too, BTW: It's just that it's fairly rare.)
  • iowalinda
    iowalinda Posts: 357 Member
    There's a lot of opinions being thrown around here, and I don't know how many are from qualified experts. I know I am not an expert, so I will just say that I try to eat as healthy as I can with lots of veggies and keep my weight in check. I know that I feel better when I avoid junk food. Good luck figuring out what works best for you :)
  • leesakline
    leesakline Posts: 6 Member
    TAMayorga wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    Glucose does feed most cancers. In fact PET scans basically just shows where there is very high glucose which is where cancer will be found. If you want the science, look into the Warburg effect.

    As I understand, highers insulin and glucose levels does tend to make it a bit easier for cancer to get a hold rather than being eliminated as it normally is. Glucose is the main building block of all carbs like flours, sugars, veggies and fruits.

    Researchers are looking into using very low carb diets as complimentary cancer therapy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4215472/ It makes sense to me that if the diet can be used to help reverse cancer, it could also be used to prevent it.

    Could you look into low carb cookies? I've had peanut butter cookies made without any grains or sugars - was quite good.

    Thank you for responding. Sadly, these are very specific cookies to which I have become addicted. One option that I am planning to try is protein balls made with oatmeal, nut butter, dark chocolate chips, and protein powder. They might give me the "decadent jolt" that I get from my current treat, without some of the problems associated with processed junk food.

  • leesakline
    leesakline Posts: 6 Member
    I have made these protein balls many times! They are rich and in my opinion, will satisfy the craving!! I have mine with hot tea or iced coffee and enjoy!
This discussion has been closed.