How Weight Loss Is Beneficial When It Comes To Fighting Cancer
- “Sister Wives” reality TV star Christine Brown Woolley, who shares five daughters and one son with her ex husband Kody Brown, recently lost 40 pounds and is feeling more energetic than ever before. Now she’s urging others to take control of their health through diet and exercise.
- Remember, although her diet, which included the use of a weight loss supplement, may not be far from what SurvivorNet experts or U.S. government agencies like the CDC or the OASH recommend, anyone looking to lose weight should go about the best way to do so with the advice of a health professional.
- As millions of people across the U.S. who are trying to lose weight, whether for appearance or health reasons, it’s important to understand that as per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, a healthy eating plan consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, a variety of protein foods, and a diet low of added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.
- It’s also important to understand that being overweight or obese is clearly linked to an overall increased risk of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. One of our experts say “losing weight is a great way to reduce one’s risk” for cancers. Conditions caused or exasperated by obesity like diabetes and heart disease can pose problems for people who’ve already been diagnosed with cancer.
Christina, who shares five daughters and one son with her now ex-husband Kody, took to Instagram this week to share a before-and-after photo of her body, writing, “Down 40-lbs. Hot flashes gone, tummy issues gone, sleep like a baby, cravings, and bloating gone… and energy.
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It seems the diet plan Christine is referring is healthy eating, with the help of a weight loss supplement. However, although her food intake may not be far from what government agencies and SurvivorNet experts recommend, there’s no evidence that the powdered diet supplement she’s promoting, called Plexus, is completely safe.
Regardless of the supplement she’s taking, her positive outlook on her health journey is certainly admirable and contagious.
Expert Resources On Healthy Living
- Facing Cancer: How to Turn Stress into Strength
- What to Know About Diet and Exercise if You Have Cancer
- Exercise and ‘Chemo Brain’: Can Physical Activity Save Breast Cancer Patients from Brain Fog During Chemotherapy?
- SurvivorNetTV Presents ‘How Not To Get Cancer: Diet’ — The Power of Prevention & Healthy Habits
- Zero Booze is Best For Cancer Prevention & Five Hours Per Week Of Exercise! New American Cancer Society Prevention Guidelines
- New Hard Evidence That Exercise Measurably Reduces Anxiety– 150 Minutes Per Week Makes The Difference
- 8 Secrets to a Long, Healthy Life: Jacques Houot and the Fountain of Youth
In another Instagram post, Christine shared a Mel Robbins quote reading, “Knowing what you need to do to improve your life takes wisdom, but pushing yourself to do it takes courage.”
She continued, “This quote really resonates with me! It’s one thing to recognize the changes you need to make in your life, but having the courage to act on them is a whole new level.
“I’ve been on that journey myself, stepping into happiness and self-love after years of uncertainty. If you’re standing at that crossroads, just know—you have the strength within you to make that change. What’s one courageous step you’re taking today? Let’s lift each other up!”
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In another post, Christine shared footage of herself cooking, working out, and spending time with loved ones, writing alongside the video, “One of the most important things I’ve learned is to keep promises to myself. If I can’t trust myself to follow through, how can I believe that I can achieve anything else?
“I promised myself that I would be loved, that I would be happy, and that I would choose joy every day. I made a commitment to do the things that would bring me peace, fulfillment, and make me a better version of myself.”
Christine, who has since married David Woolley in 2023, two years after ending her relationship with Kody Brown, continued, “The key to growth is keeping those promises and building that trust with yourself. What promises are you making today? #KeepYourPromises #ChooseJoy #SelfLove #Empowered.”
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Diet and Exercise Considerations for Cancer Survivors
It’s never a bad idea to try to lead a healthy lifestyle, and we’re happy Christine Brown is doing so herself and encouraging others to do the same. 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.
How Can Diet Affect My Cancer Risk?
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.
Sugar, The Western Diet And Cancer Prevention
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.
Exercising as a Cancer Survivor
According to the National Cancer Institute, physical activity is beneficial for cancer survivors. The NCI cited findings from a report of the 2018 American College of Sports Medicine International Multidisciplinary Roundtable on physical activity and cancer prevention and control in saying that exercise is generally good for cancer survivors. The roundtable also found:
- Strong evidence that moderate-intensity aerobic training and/or resistance exercise during and after cancer treatment can reduce anxiety, depressive symptoms and fatigue and improve health-related quality of life and physical function.
- Strong evidence that exercise training is safe in persons who have or might develop breast-cancer-related lymphedema.
- Some evidence that exercise is beneficial for bone health and sleep quality.
- Insufficient evidence that physical activity can help prevent cardiotoxicity or chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy or improve cognitive function, falls, nausea, pain, sexual function or treatment tolerance.
Still, it’s important to note that other experts like Dr. Sairah Ahmed, associate professor in the Division of Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, say being in good shape during your cancer battle is very beneficial.
In fact, studies suggest that physical activity can be a powerful antidote for side effects of cancer treatment like “chemo brain” and, according to Dr. Ahmed, the more physically fit you are during cancer treatment, the less side effects you’ll have and the faster you’ll get back to your normal quality of life.
“In terms of cancer, oftentimes patients feel that they don’t have any control over any part of their life, and that’s not true,” Ahmed told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. “Diet, exercise, and stress control are extremely important when going through cancer therapy, as well as once you’re done treating your cancer and trying to get back to the rest of your life.”
Dr. Ken Miller says a healthy diet and regular workout routine are important
And Dr. Ken Miller, the director of outpatient oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, recommends these four things for cancer survivors to do to try and avoid another cancer diagnosis:
- Exercise at least two hours a week, and walking counts
- Eat a low-fat diet
- Eat a colorful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables—doctors recommend two to three cups a day
- Maintain a healthy weight
Dr. Andrea Tufano-Sugarman of NYU Langone Health previously explained to SurvivorNet the benefits of losing weight, saying “While all cancers cannot be prevented, losing weight is a great way to reduce one’s risk.”
And 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.”
SurvivorNet experts agree that diet and cancer risks are closely related. Overcooked red meat, processed foods like bacon, as well as fatty meats have all been associated with an increased cancer risk.
However, removing these suspected triggers does not always stop cancer from developing, and indulging in them does not necessarily mean a person will get cancer. There is a bit more to understanding cancer risk than that.
We are exposed to carcinogens (substances that can cause cancer) throughout our daily lives, such as when we prepare food. But many people will not go on to develop the disease, according to Dr. Robert Wright, chair of the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at Mount Sinai.
“We create carcinogens all the time in our foods when we cook them, and very few of us get cancer because our bodies can handle them,” Dr. Wright told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.. “But some people have susceptibilities to these environmental carcinogens, which might be genetic or might be caused by combinations of carcinogens.”
It is important to understand that no one trigger is going to definitively cause cancer, Dr. Wright says, but it could be a combination of triggers in the environment.
No matter what anyone tells you, as far as we know, there is no single food that doctors can point to, with absolute certainty, and say it decreases cancer risk. That does not mean that healthy eating habits are not important.
When it comes to dietary advice that applies to everyone, Dr. Wright is straightforward saying simply eat more vegetables and stay active.
Meanwhile,
Blockbuster Weight Loss Drugs – A Weight Loss Revolution
Although Christine Brown prides herself in losing her weight naturally, there are a variety of drugs available right now for weight loss, like injections Ozempic (semaglutide), Wegovy, (semaglutide), and Zepbound (tirzepatide) injections.
Various drugs used for weight loss exist, including Nova Nordisk’s semaglutide—sold under brand names Ozempic, Weygovy, and Rybelsu—and Tirzepatide, sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound. Others include Phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira), a prescription medication which lessens one’s appetite, Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion), and bupropion (the generic form of Wellbutrin).
And while it’s widely understood that eating heathy and getting enough exercise has been linked to better living and a reduction in various health risks, it appears these weight loss drugs available to the public are offering the same type of benefits for people across the U.S.
Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide, the highly popular new drug known under the brand names Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsu, has been shown to offer long-term weight loss effects for patients taking the injection, which is an FDA-approved prescription medication for adults with type 2 diabetes.
The drug, which is administered as a weekly injection, assists the body by helping the pancreas make more insulin, ultimately lowering blood sugar levels. Although the medication has not been FDA-approved for weight loss, the drug has been prescribed by some doctors.
Another weight loss drug on the market is also weekly injection, called tirzepatide, sold under brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound. Mountjaro was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2022 to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, as an addition to diet and exercise.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Mounjaro works by increasing insulin levels in your body, which decreases your blood sugar (glucose). While you take this medication, you’ll undergo monitoring in the form of a simple blood test called the HbA1C (A1C) every 3 to 6 months. This test will measure your blood sugar control over the last 2 to 3 months.
Zepbound was later approved by the FDA in November 2023 for chronic weight loss management for adults with obesity. At the time of the approval, John Sharretts, M.D.,a director in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement, “Obesity and overweight are serious conditions that can be associated with some of the leading causes of death such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In light of increasing rates of both obesity and overweight in the United States, today’s approval addresses an unmet medical need.”
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Obesity
Meanwhile, prescription appetite suppressant Lomaira (phentermine) and Adipex-P (phentermine) are approved for people ages 17 and older for weight loss.
And back in September 2014, a naltrexone-extended release plus bupropion extended release was approved under the brand name Contrave as the fourth medication approved for long-term weight management in obese patients.
Other drugs approved for weight loss, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), include orlistat (Xenical), phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), liraglutide (Saxenda), and setmelanotide (IMCIVREE).
The NIH explains on it’s website, “The FDA has approved five of these drugs—orlistat (Xenical, Alli), phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), liraglutide (Saxenda), and semaglutide (Wegovy)—for long-term use. A sixth approved drug, setmelanotide (IMCIVREE), is limited to people who have been diagnosed with one of three specific rare genetic disorders, which must be confirmed by genetic testing. You can keep taking these medications as long as you are benefiting from treatment and not experiencing serious side effects.
“Some weight management medications that curb appetite are approved by the FDA for short-term use only, for up to 12 weeks. Although some health care professionals prescribe them for longer periods, not many research studies have looked at how safe and effective they are for long-term use. Never take weight management medications if you are pregnant. If you are planning to get pregnant, you should also avoid these medications, as some of them may harm the fetus.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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