start now or wait for cancer treatment to be over?
eponine1976
Posts: 143 Member
Last year I had just barely started trying to switch to Paleo (did it for like 3 days) when I found out I had stage 4 breast cancer. As soon as I started chemo I wasn't up to the extra cooking of paleo and my appetite was so flaky that half the time the only thing I could stand to eat was french fries therefore I dropped the paleo and just did my best to eat whatever I could. I'm now in remission but I'm still doing the radiation portion of my treatment. Because I also started back to work and I'm doing radiation after work I'm not getting home until after 7 pm at which time my husband and I work together getting the kids in bed.
So here is the thing, I still want to go Paleo and I'm convinced I'll feel better once I do. However, there are a few issues to starting right this moment:
1) Is it a good idea to submit my body to carb flu when I'm already inflicting radiation on which is messing up my digestive system (they are radiating my tail bone and hitting my bowels some) and also the radiation is causing me some pretty severe fatigue. I just wonder if it might be better to get past the treatments and side effects before asking this of my body
2) since i'm getting home so late my husband is doing the cooking and while he will eat new recipes if I'm the one who cooks them, he is not willing to try cooking new recipes. So I would basically have to make a meal for myself at 8pm if I was going to do this right now
3) I'm also just starting back to exercising again and I wasn't sure if starting Paleo at the same time as starting a new exercise routine might also be over-doing it.
So even though I kind of want to start right now those are the things that are making me think I should wait. I'm especially wondering if anyone here has tried to go through carb flu while undergoing cancer treatment? The cancer treatment makes me SO tired and wiped out and getting home from work and radiation so late isn't helping. I know the right food might be able to help with that but I'm not quite sure how to make it work when I'm currently not the person doing the cooking at home (I'll start cooking again after radiation is done in a month).
So here is the thing, I still want to go Paleo and I'm convinced I'll feel better once I do. However, there are a few issues to starting right this moment:
1) Is it a good idea to submit my body to carb flu when I'm already inflicting radiation on which is messing up my digestive system (they are radiating my tail bone and hitting my bowels some) and also the radiation is causing me some pretty severe fatigue. I just wonder if it might be better to get past the treatments and side effects before asking this of my body
2) since i'm getting home so late my husband is doing the cooking and while he will eat new recipes if I'm the one who cooks them, he is not willing to try cooking new recipes. So I would basically have to make a meal for myself at 8pm if I was going to do this right now
3) I'm also just starting back to exercising again and I wasn't sure if starting Paleo at the same time as starting a new exercise routine might also be over-doing it.
So even though I kind of want to start right now those are the things that are making me think I should wait. I'm especially wondering if anyone here has tried to go through carb flu while undergoing cancer treatment? The cancer treatment makes me SO tired and wiped out and getting home from work and radiation so late isn't helping. I know the right food might be able to help with that but I'm not quite sure how to make it work when I'm currently not the person doing the cooking at home (I'll start cooking again after radiation is done in a month).
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That is most fortunate about being in remission. Congratulations on that!
I have neither had cancer nor went through much of a carb flu since I transitioned so gradually three years ago when I went paleo. So all I can offer is some basic insight that perhaps you have already considered.
I would say the main consideration would be how uncomfortable you want to be. That is to say, I would doubt there's any real health risk to going paleo during these otherwise already taxing times. You'll have to decide (and gamble on) how unpleasant the transition will be and decide if it's worth doing or not.
That's the way I see it. Please note, I'm no doctor. But I am partial to the idea that healthy eating is not unhealthy, even when your overall condition is not up to snuff. I guess I'd say the same thing as above, if it were just a case of pneumonia or the flu rather than cancer, is what I mean.
Good luck with your treatments. And welcome to the club, if you decide to join it sooner rather than later.
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Hi,
I'm sorry about the cancer diagnosis and well done for doing so well.
I'm going to put my radiotherapy hat on. The way that radiotherapy works is that a target is drawn on your initial CT scan and they will plan to treat this area, and avoid as many of your organs at risk (e.g. bowel, etc...). This assumes you are going to look like that everyday. One of the problems that we have is when people change internally - increased/decreased gas/mass in the bowel/rectum/etc.. This can move organs in/out of the treatment field and worse still move the target out of the treatment area. I would consider it very unlikely that it will make any difference to you, but I would ask the doctors if it matters if your diet changes (even if it's for the good). This tends to be a problem with pelvis patients versus anyone else - if it's the bone they're treating I'm sure it won't make any difference to you, but just incase.
I also think that you are probably trying to take on too much changing it all at once. How about trying to cut gluten out of your breakfast or lunch. These you can have pre-made. Focus on healthy snacks, fruit/veg/nuts. You can start this now, then work on another meal.
Instead of kicking off on trying to get to the gym, getting a walk is a good start.
Most importantly, be nice to yourself. Make small changes, then try to make some more. Congratulate yourself on all improvements.0 -
Congratulations to you on your remissions. It seems to me you have enough on your plate right now with the treatments, working, and your children. I would let it wait. Just visit with us here when you are able and start to lean more. Whe you are less tired then you will be ready and well equipped.0
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Some great advice here. You already have so much happening in your life that adding in a change in the way you eat is a big ask especially when you would have to get home and cook.
Maybe take this next month until your treatment is finished as a chance to experiment with paleo without trying to be perfect about it. It could be a chance to ease gently into paleo by making small changes that should help you avoid carb flu when you decide to go completely paleo.
Perhaps just trying to change one or two meals a day will help you make the transition slowly. Change your breakfast to paleo (e.g an omelette) and maybe a salad with some protein for lunch? Then just go with whatever your husband makes for dinner until you feel strong enough further down the track to make that last change.
All the best with your treatment:-)0 -
Some great advice here. You already have so much happening in your life that adding in a change in the way you eat is a big ask especially when you would have to get home and cook.
Maybe take this next month until your treatment is finished as a chance to experiment with paleo without trying to be perfect about it. It could be a chance to ease gently into paleo by making small changes that should help you avoid carb flu when you decide to go completely paleo.
Perhaps just trying to change one or two meals a day will help you make the transition slowly. Change your breakfast to paleo (e.g an omelette) and maybe a salad with some protein for lunch? Then just go with whatever your husband makes for dinner until you feel strong enough further down the track to make that last change.
All the best with your treatment:-)
That's an Awesome idea! You could take the chance to gradually ease into it. No stress. Just make healthy choices. If they are paleo great. If you want pizza that's fine too though.0 -
Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I will do what you are suggesting and just try to cut down on non-paleo foods where I easily can and then wait to make the 100% jump into paleo after my radiation treatments are done. Perhaps if I'm cutting back gradually I can even make the carb flu mild when I go into it later. I've already figured out recently that dairy is not my friend so that is the first thing I'm getting rid of. I'll hang out here and read and learn while I start making my slow changes.0
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I just wanted to add - cooking Paleo doesn't have to be through complex recipes. Grilled chicken/fish/meat, steamed or roasted veggies, etc. KISS. Keep it simple. There are ways to combat carb flu without eating non-paleo foods (e.g., if you're craving carbs, eat a sweet potato; if you're craving sugar, eat berries/fruit - then lower the carbs and sugar once you get acclimated).0
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Congrats on your remission.. sounds like your doing great! Keep in mind that not everyone gets carb flu, some say it affects them worse than others. I didnt really notice it at all, other than my energy level was sky high>0
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