I was wondering if you have eliminated sugar from your diet after your diagnosis.
I did, when I was first diagnosed. I seemed to find the discipline to do it when I was scared everything was new. I think the 25 mg dose of Revlimid made me not feel like eating that much. Now, after 5 months at a reduced doses of Revlimid (10mg) and the addition of Velcade, I'm starting to feel more like myself again. I'm back to my old habits, eating bread, ice-cream, pasta, yogurt and cheese when I feel like it.
I also lost a lot of weight. Last year at this time I weighed 150 pounds (68 kg). Now I weigh 128 lbs (58 kg). I''ve been reading a lot about people's experiences with SCT. I might be having one in the fall and I'm thinking I don't have anywhere to go if I lose another 10 to 20 pounds during the process.
I started thinking, I'm just going to eat what I like. I like fruit, and although I'm not a big fan of vegetables, I try to include some green stuff every day. I do eat chicken, fish, pork, and occasional beef. I get hot flashes and sometimes wonder what's causing them ... menopause, multiple myeloma, or sugar? I have read that sugar can feed cancer cells, so I really enjoy my ice cream, eating it slowly and savoring every spoonful. Then I feel guilty for eating it.
How much difference do you think diet really makes at this point? What has been your experience?
I guess I'm feeling like, if I'm going to get nauseous and lose my sense of taste in a few months, I might as well enjoy my favorite foods now.
Forums
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
The other day I read a Mayo Clinic article about some myths about what causes cancer. Once was whether sugar causes cancer. This is what it said:
"Myth: People with cancer shouldn't eat sugar, since it can cause cancer to grow faster.
Fact: Sugar doesn't make cancer grow faster. All cells, including cancer cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to cancer cells doesn't speed their growth. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar doesn't slow their growth.
This misconception may be based in part on a misunderstanding of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which use a small amount of radioactive tracer — typically a form of glucose. All tissues in your body absorb some of this tracer, but tissues that are using more energy — including cancer cells — absorb greater amounts. For this reason, some people have concluded that cancer cells grow faster on sugar. But this isn't true.
However, there is some evidence that consuming large amounts of sugar is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including esophageal cancer. It can also lead to weight gain and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, which may increase the risk of cancer."
Here's a link to that article:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-causes/art-20044714
I'm guessing that like most foods, sugar should be eaten in moderation. I also wondered if sugar can cause cancer to get worse. If you analyze the food you eat, it would be very difficult to eliminate sugar since most food has some sugar in it anyway. I never gave up food with sugar and don't plan to but I do try to limit them to some extent.
"Myth: People with cancer shouldn't eat sugar, since it can cause cancer to grow faster.
Fact: Sugar doesn't make cancer grow faster. All cells, including cancer cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to cancer cells doesn't speed their growth. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar doesn't slow their growth.
This misconception may be based in part on a misunderstanding of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which use a small amount of radioactive tracer — typically a form of glucose. All tissues in your body absorb some of this tracer, but tissues that are using more energy — including cancer cells — absorb greater amounts. For this reason, some people have concluded that cancer cells grow faster on sugar. But this isn't true.
However, there is some evidence that consuming large amounts of sugar is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including esophageal cancer. It can also lead to weight gain and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, which may increase the risk of cancer."
Here's a link to that article:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-causes/art-20044714
I'm guessing that like most foods, sugar should be eaten in moderation. I also wondered if sugar can cause cancer to get worse. If you analyze the food you eat, it would be very difficult to eliminate sugar since most food has some sugar in it anyway. I never gave up food with sugar and don't plan to but I do try to limit them to some extent.
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DallasGG - Name: Kent
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 6/20/2013
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
I agree with the earlier statements that all cells require sugars to function and the simplistic notion that "sugar feeds cancer cells" is not accurate.
However, processed sugar can lead to blood sugar spikes, which can in turn cause stress on one's body. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2399351/SUGAR-real-reason-feel-stressed-Learn-CAN-break-habit.html
I happen to personally believe that stress is an important factor to consider when trying to keep cancer under control (there is a clinical study going on right now to determine if this is the case with SMM and MGUS: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01955395 )
And, of course, there is the entire issue of simply improving overall health by reducing sugar and calorie intake in one's diet.
So, while I think the simplistic reason typically touted for avoiding sugar if you have cancer ("sugar feeds cancer cells") is not accurate, I think there is a lot of merit to reducing one's sugar intake if you are trying to keep your multiple myeloma at bay.
One of my specialists, Dr. Berenson, also mentioned this as one of the top couple of things for me to consider when I asked him about diet concerns and multiple myeloma.
Anyway, just my two cents.
However, processed sugar can lead to blood sugar spikes, which can in turn cause stress on one's body. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2399351/SUGAR-real-reason-feel-stressed-Learn-CAN-break-habit.html
I happen to personally believe that stress is an important factor to consider when trying to keep cancer under control (there is a clinical study going on right now to determine if this is the case with SMM and MGUS: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01955395 )
And, of course, there is the entire issue of simply improving overall health by reducing sugar and calorie intake in one's diet.
So, while I think the simplistic reason typically touted for avoiding sugar if you have cancer ("sugar feeds cancer cells") is not accurate, I think there is a lot of merit to reducing one's sugar intake if you are trying to keep your multiple myeloma at bay.
One of my specialists, Dr. Berenson, also mentioned this as one of the top couple of things for me to consider when I asked him about diet concerns and multiple myeloma.
Anyway, just my two cents.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
I only have MGUS, but since they found my M-spike this spring, I've drastically changed my diet. I try to get most of my energy from high proteins (I don't worry about fats) and lots of veggies and fruits. I also include nuts and drink lots of water. I try to eliminate grains, especially gluten. So I don't eat bread, pasta, french fries. I do have one grain a day, usually in the form of oat meal. I try to eat squashes instead of potatoes.
I do all this to have a more efficient input of calories. And I definitely eliminate sugar. However, maybe a few times a month, I"ll have ice cream when I go out with the kids. It's fun to do and we usually go to an ice cream shop with fantastic ice cream. I was eating TONS of sugar without realizing it.
Honestly, I just feel tons better. I don't feel so sluggish. And by coincidence, I've lost about 20 lbs. However, I am in the obese category, so this has been a very good thing for me.
Really, you cannot go wrong by eliminating sugar, greatly reducing refined/processed foods and drinking water. Oh, I no longer drink fruit juice because it's better to eat the whole food.
I had never heard of the sugar/cancer thing though. Glad I read this.
I do all this to have a more efficient input of calories. And I definitely eliminate sugar. However, maybe a few times a month, I"ll have ice cream when I go out with the kids. It's fun to do and we usually go to an ice cream shop with fantastic ice cream. I was eating TONS of sugar without realizing it.
Honestly, I just feel tons better. I don't feel so sluggish. And by coincidence, I've lost about 20 lbs. However, I am in the obese category, so this has been a very good thing for me.
Really, you cannot go wrong by eliminating sugar, greatly reducing refined/processed foods and drinking water. Oh, I no longer drink fruit juice because it's better to eat the whole food.
I had never heard of the sugar/cancer thing though. Glad I read this.
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Toni - Name: Toni
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self - MGUS
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 51
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
Our cells derive energy from the breakdown of sugars such as glucose, to derive ATP (adenosine triphosphate). In people the cycle of glycolysis has an end product of lactic acid. This is the sort of biochemical pathway that seems to be present in most animals, e.g. there is an anaerobic version of it which produces pyruvate, in yeast.
It is not as simple as deleting sugar from your diet to control cancer, since we use sugars (hexoses) for our metabolism.
But excess weight (obesity) has been implicated in cancers, and of course diabetes requires that one regulate one's blood sugar levels. I think that eating foods that are more natural are the best, since the digestive system will process them at a slow rate. For example, eating fruits and vegetables is said to be healthier than drinking fruit juice on its own. Taking in 'empty calories' in the form of foods that are not nutritious isn't all that good for our health.
I think it is interesting that PET scans have made use of the knowledge that cancer cells are dividing more rapidly than our normal cells. Thus, the faster rate of metabolism, which involves the breakdown of sugars to produce energy, shows up in the radioactively labelled glucose which is being 'fed' to the patient, intravenously. For myeloma patients, this could indicate a 'plasmacytoma', or 'tumour' of cancer cells.
I haven't eliminated sugar from my diet but try to eat mostly more healthy foods.
It is not as simple as deleting sugar from your diet to control cancer, since we use sugars (hexoses) for our metabolism.
But excess weight (obesity) has been implicated in cancers, and of course diabetes requires that one regulate one's blood sugar levels. I think that eating foods that are more natural are the best, since the digestive system will process them at a slow rate. For example, eating fruits and vegetables is said to be healthier than drinking fruit juice on its own. Taking in 'empty calories' in the form of foods that are not nutritious isn't all that good for our health.
I think it is interesting that PET scans have made use of the knowledge that cancer cells are dividing more rapidly than our normal cells. Thus, the faster rate of metabolism, which involves the breakdown of sugars to produce energy, shows up in the radioactively labelled glucose which is being 'fed' to the patient, intravenously. For myeloma patients, this could indicate a 'plasmacytoma', or 'tumour' of cancer cells.
I haven't eliminated sugar from my diet but try to eat mostly more healthy foods.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
I read about the sugar thing when I was first diagnosed and decided to give it a go. After a few days of waking feeling dizzy and sick until having something to eat I started to have more energy and hunger decreased. I did a couple of weeks of absolutely no refined sugar and now have occasional treats. Don't find I have to eat the whole bar of chocolate or packet of biscuits; now I can stop at one or two. Found an article that recommends natural sugars under 4gms per 100 gm of product and stick with that. I don't know if it will help fight my multiple myeloma but being healthy for the battle is important. Eating plenty of fruit and veges as well.
What I'm curious about and want to know more about is what causes MGUS and some people to progress to multiple myeloma. Have I done something that caused this? I've always considered myself reasonably healthy. Never had the flu (or vaccinations). But the things people have told me cause cancer amaze me! From not washing new clothes before wearing them (I do wash first anyway) to standing too close to the photocopier, not to mention all the food things, cell phones, living too close to power pylons, the list goes on!
Some days I feel stressed thinking I should be living by a set of paranoid rules and, other days, say what the hell! I also worry it's my fault after joking with friends about drinking Coke Zero that I'd rather have brain tumors than dementia (family history). I guess there is a God and he's decided 'don't joke with me, your trying to cheat and there is no easy way out of anything!'
I've pretty much decided that I'm here until I'm not and in the mean time need to be healthy and make the most of every opportunity, including my treatment. Stem cell transplant next month, can't wait but slightly terrified!
Have found the Beacon and everyone fantastic, as I don't know anyone with multiple myeloma, so thanks to you all!
Keep smiling!
Jen
What I'm curious about and want to know more about is what causes MGUS and some people to progress to multiple myeloma. Have I done something that caused this? I've always considered myself reasonably healthy. Never had the flu (or vaccinations). But the things people have told me cause cancer amaze me! From not washing new clothes before wearing them (I do wash first anyway) to standing too close to the photocopier, not to mention all the food things, cell phones, living too close to power pylons, the list goes on!
Some days I feel stressed thinking I should be living by a set of paranoid rules and, other days, say what the hell! I also worry it's my fault after joking with friends about drinking Coke Zero that I'd rather have brain tumors than dementia (family history). I guess there is a God and he's decided 'don't joke with me, your trying to cheat and there is no easy way out of anything!'
I've pretty much decided that I'm here until I'm not and in the mean time need to be healthy and make the most of every opportunity, including my treatment. Stem cell transplant next month, can't wait but slightly terrified!
Have found the Beacon and everyone fantastic, as I don't know anyone with multiple myeloma, so thanks to you all!
Keep smiling!
Jen
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NZMum - Name: NZMum
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March2014
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
A few points to consider.
The PET scan uses sugar to highlight tumor cells because they use sugar faster than other cells. Fructose in its pure form is sweeter than refined sugars and therefore require less. It's found in fruits and vegetables.
Since starting Revlimid, my appetite has dwindled and I've lost 20 pounds. Sweets, for whatever reason, seems to be the one thing that doesn't tend to make me nauseous or feel full very quickly. I'm now eating more sweets then I ever have, wasn't a big fan to start with, to keep up some energy level, even a quick one.
It is thought that in man's evolution a sugar need was created to ensure an intake of vitamin C. If that's true, then leaning on fruits to satisfy a sweet tooth would be the way to go. Personally, I think there is some truth to it in my experience. When our kids were little we pushed fruit on them and they were somewhat neutral on other sweets, even when they were offered them.
The PET scan uses sugar to highlight tumor cells because they use sugar faster than other cells. Fructose in its pure form is sweeter than refined sugars and therefore require less. It's found in fruits and vegetables.
Since starting Revlimid, my appetite has dwindled and I've lost 20 pounds. Sweets, for whatever reason, seems to be the one thing that doesn't tend to make me nauseous or feel full very quickly. I'm now eating more sweets then I ever have, wasn't a big fan to start with, to keep up some energy level, even a quick one.
It is thought that in man's evolution a sugar need was created to ensure an intake of vitamin C. If that's true, then leaning on fruits to satisfy a sweet tooth would be the way to go. Personally, I think there is some truth to it in my experience. When our kids were little we pushed fruit on them and they were somewhat neutral on other sweets, even when they were offered them.
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Wayne K - Name: Wayne
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself, my sister who passed in '95
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/09
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
Jen,
Don't beat yourself up about the possibility that you did something "wrong" that caused you to get MGUS. And don't worry about the possibility of doing something else "wrong" that will cause MGUS to progress to myeloma. It's just not that simple.
When you have cancer (or MGUS) you can live your life in fear.
Or you can live your life, period.
I choose the latter every day.
Mike
Don't beat yourself up about the possibility that you did something "wrong" that caused you to get MGUS. And don't worry about the possibility of doing something else "wrong" that will cause MGUS to progress to myeloma. It's just not that simple.
When you have cancer (or MGUS) you can live your life in fear.
Or you can live your life, period.
I choose the latter every day.
Mike
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mikeb - Name: mikeb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009 (MGUS at that time)
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
My husband didn't eat anything with the word "sugar" in the ingredients list (he would eat honey, etc, occasionally) for 25 years prior to being diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Obviously, that didn't keep him from getting cancer.
After diagnosis, he said he was going to enjoy things, as life is too short. He still doesn't go overboard (has less of a sweet tooth than I do), but he finds that the occasional bowl of ice cream actually helps his stomach feel better on chemo days, and he likes when I bake.
It's all about balance, I think.
After diagnosis, he said he was going to enjoy things, as life is too short. He still doesn't go overboard (has less of a sweet tooth than I do), but he finds that the occasional bowl of ice cream actually helps his stomach feel better on chemo days, and he likes when I bake.
It's all about balance, I think.
Re: Sugar - have you eliminated it from your diet?
Sugar has no effect on cancer growth. I had a healthy diet for years, no fast food, no sugary drinks, kept a healthy lifestyle with a healthy weight range, exercised, drank filtered water, no alcohol, no cigarettes, no drugs (not even a Panadol), and I walked into hospital with the highest recorded myeloma protein level the attending doctors had ever seen. I should have been dead according to them.
I survived, not with quackery, but with good modern science and medicine, with the use of Velcade, melphalan, a stem cell transplant, etc. Four years later, I am doing very well, and much better than expected. Stick with modern science, not useless and ultimately futile attempts with Internet scams and false information.
I survived, not with quackery, but with good modern science and medicine, with the use of Velcade, melphalan, a stem cell transplant, etc. Four years later, I am doing very well, and much better than expected. Stick with modern science, not useless and ultimately futile attempts with Internet scams and false information.
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George - Q
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