The Importance of Diet and Exercise
- Dave Coulier, known for acting as Joey Gladstone on the sitcom “Full House,” has removed sugar from his diet amid his battle with stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thanks to his wife’s support.
- It’s important to note that it’s certainly not conclusive to say that cutting back on sugar intake is effective in combatting cancer. Of course, every doctor wants people to eat healthy, but the evidence is mixed when it comes to the debate on sugar and health.
- Additionally, experts advise that under no circumstances should anyone battling cancer ever substitute approved treatments backed by data and, or FDA registered clinical trials, for alternative, unproven treatments, and that doing so is extremely dangerous.
- SurvivorNet experts recommend regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management for cancer survivors to lead healthy lives. They may also recommend regular checks for recurrence.
- Gladstone was diagnosed with “very aggressive” cancer in October and has since completed one of six chemotherapy treatments.
- The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the type Coulier has. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common, and you’re more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
It’s important to note that it’s certainly not conclusive to say that cutting back on sugar intake is effective in combatting cancer. Of course, every doctor wants people to eat healthy, but the evidence is mixed when it comes to the debate on sugar and health.
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Coulier, who married his wife 10 years ago, told People, “She has put together a whole nutrition plan for me.”
“My refrigerator has color-coded foods, nutritious protein,” he added, further noting, “She’s taken all the sugar out of my diet.”
Last week, Melissa captioned an Instagram post, featuring a photo of her and her beloved husband, “Dave shared on The Today Show, today that he’s battling Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This journey has been intense, and as his caregiver, I realize my background in holistic wellness has uniquely prepared me for this role.
“In a world full of environmental and dietary challenges, we’re fighting back with a personalized approach, combining Western and Eastern philosophies backed by science. We’re focusing on fueling his body with real whole foods, cutting out refined sugar & processed foods, spending time in nature, and incorporating infrared saunas, breathwork, and massages to support Dave’s strength and comfort.”
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She continued, “Dave’s resilience inspires me every day, and together, we’re doing everything to support his recovery—with plenty of laughter to keep spirits high. To our family, friends and community who have shown us endless kindness and to Dave’s incredible medical team—thank you.
“Your support is invaluable!! For anyone facing a similar battle, consider packing essentials to boost immunity and energy for long days in hospitals. Bring your own water in stainless steel or glass bottles, and pack real whole foods that support your immune system.”
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“Remember, you know your body best. Early detection can be life-saving, so be proactive—schedule your mammograms, colonoscopies, and body scans to catch any concerns early and stay ahead in health. Be your own advocate and take charge of your well-being!” Melissa concluded.
Prior to that, Coulier opened up to People exclusively about his diagnosis, telling the news outlet that his diagnosis followed an upper respiratory infection which led to swelling of this lymph nodes.
After the lymph nodes dramatically increased in size, he underwent PET and CT scans, in addition to a biopsy, which led to his diagnosis just three days later.
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The type of cancer he was diagnosed with is “very aggressive” and labeled as B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
He explained, “I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming. This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey.”
Sugar, The Western Diet And Cancer Prevention
As for how he’s feeling emotionally throughout his cancer journey, Coulier said, “When I first got the news, I was stunned, of course, because I didn’t expect it, and then reality settled in and I found myself remarkably calm with whatever the outcome was going to be.
“I don’t know how to explain it, but there was an inner calm about all of it, and I think that that’s part of what I’ve seen with the women in my family go through. They really instilled that in me and inspired me in a way because they were magnificent going through what they went through, and I just thought, ‘I’m okay with this too.'”
Coulier, who has been coping with cancer by spending time with loved ones and doing things he enjoys, like playing hockey, now insists that others should, “Take great care of yourself, because there’s a lot to live for.
“And if that means talking with your doctors or getting a mammogram or a breast exam or colonoscopy, it can really make a big change in your life.”
Diet and Exercise Considerations for Cancer Patients & Survivors
We think its important to point out that it’s never a bad idea to try to lead a healthy lifestyle. But what should you know about maintaining good health and cancer risk? We’ve got you covered below.[
Thinking about Diet
Healthy diet recommendations for cancer-related concerns can differ depending upon who you ask.
Studies have shown that diet can influence cancer prevention. Heavy alcohol consumption and obesity have been linked to a number of cancers, so it’s a good idea to exercise and maintain a diet that incorporates more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins while decreasing sodium and added sugar intake.
Sugar, specifically, has attracted a lot of attention for a possible role in cancer, but overwhelming medical evidence finds that sugar does not cause cancer. SurvivorNet has previously found that credible sources such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center all came to that same conclusion as well.
But there is still some debate on the subject. Dr. Brian Berman, director of the center for integrative medicine at the University of Maryland, believes sugar does, in fact, fuel cancer.
Below we have shared his views not because it is of equal scientific weight to the sources cited above, but rather because it is a view that does get a lot of attention and press.
There’s also articles that often get published saying “this fruit” or “that vegetable” is the magical cure to cancer. Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily the case.
Leading oncologists say it is always hard to use studies of a single food to make sweeping generalizations about their impact on health.
There is a variety of factors that can determine health risk and it is difficult, and perhaps impossible, to say that a single food such as mushrooms can have a direct impact on cancer risk. Many other factors such as overall diet, environmental risk, genetics and exercise play a role.
Dr. Ken Miller says a healthy diet and regular workout routine are important
Obesity & Cancer Risk
Obesity, which means having too much body fat, increases an individual’s risk of developing a range of dangerous health conditions, including several types of cancer. In addition to increasing the likelihood of developing certain cancers, obesity is associated with worse treatment outcomes.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Stephen Freedland of Cedars Sinai Medical Center said, “Some of the best data we have is that obesity increases the risk of not just getting prostate cancer, but actually dying from prostate cancer. Obese men are 35 percent more likely to die from prostate cancer.”
The risk is significant and that’s why Dr. Freedland counsels his patients on small, everyday changes they can make in their diet which can lead to weight loss.
“I’ve studied this area for a while,” Dr. Freedland added. “I’ve talked to a lot of dietitians, and amazingly there are just two things I can get the dietitians to agree on: trans fats are bad and simple sugars are not good.”
While obesity or a person’s high weight will not always cause them to develop cancer, other conditions associated obesity, like diabetes and heart disease, can lead to complications from cancer treatment if a person already has cancer. In addition, these conditions can sometimes prevent patients from receiving the recommended first-line therapies, as well as increase a patient’s risk of undergoing surgery.
Dr. Andrea Tufano-Sugarman of NYU Langone Health explained to SurvivorNet the benefits of losing weight.
“While all cancers cannot be prevented,” she said, “losing weight is a great way to reduce one’s risk.”
How Can Diet Affect My Cancer Risk?
Dr. Tufano-Sugarman said that this is especially true for women; they lower their risk of developing breast cancer and endometrial cancer when they lose weight and keep it of.
Even without losing weight, adopting a more nutritious diet can help.
“Food choices, independent of weight loss, may also help to reduce risk,” Dr. Tufano-Sugarman said. “Research has shown that the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, fish and olive oil) is associated with a decreased risk of cancer. Whereas diets rich in red meat may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal and prostate cancer.”
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Understanding What’s Valid Health Information Online
It’s important to note that patients who rely on unproven methods outside of the conventional medical realm often end up with fatal consequences; a study released by researchers at Yale University in 2017 revealed that patients with cancer who only use alternative treatments are twice as likely to die from the disease.
How can you know whether the information you read online, especially medical information, is reliable? There are a few ways:
The National Institutes of Health recommends that, as a rule, the sites you get medical information from should be sponsored by federal government agencies. Knowing who or what sponsors and hosts the website you’re reading from is important, too.
- .gov are government agencies
- .edu identifies an educational institution
- .org usually identifies nonprofit organizations
- .com identifies commercial website
Dr. Jason Westin, leader of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma research team at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview: “Make sure if you’re finding information on the internet about something that sounds too good to be true, talk to your doctor about it.”
“Alternative therapies” refer to treatments that people may choose in place of conventional, scientifically backed medicine. These alternative methods can range from mind-body approaches and diet and nutrition choices to supplements, healing crystals, Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. They’re touted all over the internet, and they often sound too good to be true. And that’e because they probably are, Dr. Westin says.
It’s for a beneficial reason that these therapies aren’t used at comprehensive cancer centers: they haven’t proven themselves effective in clinical trials – rigorous studies that test treatments in the population of people they’re intended to treat. Clinical trials test new treatments for safety and efficacy; every drug or treatment approved for widespread use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has to have gone through multiple phases of clinical trials.
It’s also important to note that the validity of scientific data is determined by whether results can be repeated by other researchers, the sample size of the study and the academic credentials of the researchers and journal where the information is published.
Sometimes, the therapies or supplements you read about on the internet can be OK, and maybe even beneficial, if they’re used with conventional medicine, not in its place. These options make up “complementary medicine,” which, when used in tandem with conventional medicine, is called “integrative medicine.”
Many doctors believe in integrative medicine, so long as they remain in the loop and give their patients the go-ahead before combining anything new with their treatment. But the majority of doctors tend to be in agreement about the fact that these options should never replace conventional treatment.
Even if you aren’t planning on foregoing the treatment that your doctor prescribes as you try out something you read online, it’s absolutely vital that you talk to your doctor first. They are the only ones who will be able to tell you whether that “cancer-curing” supplement is going to interact negatively with your actual treatment. It may, for instance, cause the treatment to be less effective. Or it may wind up being harmful, or cause debilitating side effects.
Understanding Lymphoma
Dave Coulier is battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma, one of the two most common types of lymphoma.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system that affects infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. And there are more than 40 different types of lymphoma.
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“Lymphoma is split up into a number of different categories,” Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet.
“The first distinguishing breakpoint, if you will, is non-Hodgkin lymphoma versus Hodgkin lymphoma,” she added, “and those sound like two different categories. But non-Hodgkin lymphoma comprises the majority of lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma is a single specific type of lymphoma.”
Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells. The presence of these cells, which can be seen under a microscope, will help your doctor determine which of the two lymphoma types you have.
There are a few other important differences between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma to note. For one thing, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is much more common. And you’re more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55, like Dave Coulier. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
It should be noted that another difference between these two types of lymphoma is that non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to spread in a random fashion and be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body, while Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to grow in a uniform way from one group of lymph nodes directly to another.
These two different types of lymphoma behave, spread and respond to treatment differently, so it’s important for you to know which type you have.
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Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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