Learn about nutrition expert Sharon Palmer’s cancer journey, as well as her top 5 tips for practicing self-care when faced with a new health diagnosis.
One month ago, I joined the ranks of the 18 million people worldwide who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. It all started on a typical morning on March 1, 2021. I was applying moisturizer to my neck as part of my daily routine, when I felt a hard lump under my jaw. More than 6 months later, after numerous scans, tests, and probes, I finally received the diagnosis. And so, yes, I am part of a great big family, even though my particular cancer—a type of lymphoma—is quite rare, with only 450 new cases diagnosed each year in the US. And just like everyone who hears the dreaded word “cancer,” I’ve been on my own private journey, which I’ve decided to make public this week. Certainly, it gives me pause to be open about something that causes so much discomfort, both to the individual fighting cancer and to those surrounding them. But as a dietitian in the public, I hope I can provide a forum for discussion on how to fight this disease, as there are just so many of us out there dealing with it, and I just happen to have 35+ years of professional nutrition experience to share.
The good news is that the cancer battle has changed; survival rates have improved dramatically. The majority of people now diagnosed with cancer are still hanging in there at the five-year mark, thanks to earlier detection and improved treatments. But life forever changes, and the journey is fraught with many challenges, from dealing with the anxiety of the unknown and the side effects of treatment, to access to good care. For me, as it is with so many others, the fight started with wondering how it came to be in the first place. “How could this happen to me? I’m eating and living the cancer-fighting lifestyle.” Indeed! Yet, I have moved past this, reflecting that my lifestyle is probably what staved off cancer all these years, as lymphomas commonly afflict even the young.
While I have taken great care to reduce my exposure to pollutants in my daily lifestyle, I am reminded that we live in a polluted world (90% of streams sampled had five or more pesticides in water that exceeded at least one aquatic-life federal standard), where the impacts of environmental risks on cancer—in particular lymphomas—have been documented; pesticides, herbicides, and other work-related chemical exposures have been linked with increased risk. It’s important to note that we don’t have enough research on the risks of environmental pollutants on cancer development. And I’m sure many of my colleagues might scoff at the potential for such pollutants, like pesticides, to raise cancer risk. However, this concept is recognized among many well known health organizations, such as the NIH, Department of Health & Human Services, and American Cancer Society. Here’s a shocking report on the 25-year water clean-up project in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County (where I lived for 30 years), after they discovered in 1979 that contaminants had spread freely throughout the water basin aquifer. See what I mean?
While there is so much about cancer that seems out of one’s control, I do know that healthy eating and lifestyle can significantly increase your chances of surviving cancer, as well as decrease your risk of developing another cancer or heart disease—a common side effect of this disease. A diet rich in whole plant foods—packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds can boost the immune system. In addition, numerous foods and plant compounds have displayed unique benefits for cancer protection, from berries and leafy greens to mushrooms and cruciferous vegetables. Over the next several weeks, I’m going to be sharing tidbits from my own personal and professional experiences on my cancer journey, from my daily antioxidant smoothies (shown above) to my stress reduction routine, as I focus on wellness and disease protection on my blog, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
