Life Over Cancer Blog

Defying the Odds: The Art of Visualization

A couple of months back, we shared a wonderful and inspiring letter that a patient, Bob Linden, wrote.  He has written another piece that we believe is powerful and important.

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Written by Bob Linden

The player stands at the line, ball in hand. The entire arena is focused on him. He, in turn, is focused on the basket.  The routine is the same as he has done many times before in games and practice.  Eyes on the rim, three dribbles, left hand is the guide hand and the right hand is under the ball as well as the right elbow.  Ball on fingers no palm.  Knees bent.  Upward launch and the ball releases off the fingertips.  The wrist bends down and the arm extends as if to grab the rim.  The ball sails toward the basket, proper rotation, until it majestically falls through the cylinder, hitting no part of the rim, only nylon net, completing the perfect free throw.  The player opens his eyes and has just practiced the perfect art of visualization.  He is at home, preparing for the real game in his mind.

Everyone uses visualization in some form.  Sports figures have done it, generals see plans for battles in war in their minds, ordinary people see events coming up and plan way ahead of time, and business persons see new ventures and how to achieve success or how to handle a crisis.  The battle with cancer is the perfect opportunity to use this technique.

Be Fit or Be Fatigued!Exercise to boost cancer survival

Written by Dr. Keith I. Block, MD

If you have or have had cancer, you’re likely aware that doctors generally advise patients to rest and cut down, or even cut out, any physical activity.  This is a bad idea.  In fact, a very bad idea!  If you do have cancer, and particularly if you are in treatment, you may in fact be fatigued and tired and hearing advice to rest and forget fitness may sound great.  But beware!  This is definitely not the time to become a couch-tomato!  Ok, ok, couch-potato.  Because increasing your activity and committing to a fitness routine can actually counter fatigue.  And the fact is, you are better off with more, rather than less, activity!

Chemobrain: Clearing up the Mental Fog Associated with Chemotherapy

Written by Dr. Keith I. Block, MD

We all have “those” moments.  When, in mid-sentence, we lose our train of thought.  Or, we put down our car keys and run for the phone, forgetting where we left those keys just minutes later.  Generally, we laugh these moments off, attributing them to a lack of sleep or simply being too busy.  However, for cancer patients, these moments may be far more profound and more distressing, and are usually attributed to what oncologists refer to as “chemobrain.”  This is because one of the unfortunate side effects of many chemotherapy drugs is damage to the nervous system, including the brain, which can result in mild cognitive impairment (chemobrain).  People who complain of chemobrain may experience memory lapses or problems remembering names or other things they previously had no trouble recalling.  They often seem unable to find the right words to finish a sentence.  They may seem easily distracted, unable to focus on what they’re doing, have trouble multi-tasking, take longer than usual to finish tasks, or seem disorganized and have trouble learning new skills.

Does Sugar Feed Cancer?

Written by Jacki Glew, MS, RD, LDN - Clinical Nutrition Manager for the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment

Does sugar feed cancer?  Well, yes and no.  Um, OK – yes.

All cells use sugar – aka glucose – for their primary fuel source, so sugar does indeed feed all cells.  But if you’ve ever had a PET scan, you know that before you get your scan, you get to drink a lovely shake of radioactive glucose or get an injection of a similar concoction.  Cancer cells are very greedy; they like to gobble up glucose much more quickly than non-cancerous cells, which is why the cancer cells light up on the screen during your scan.

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Two Killer Complications:Thromboembolism and Cancer-Related Pain

Written by Dr. Keith I. Block, MD

With my recent blogs, I hope you are starting to understand why I believe an integrative medical plan can save your life.  Yes, while most cancer patients don’t die from their disease, they unfortunately and unnecessarily can die from the complications associated with the disease and its related treatments.  This posting will focus on methods for preventing two of the most deadly complications:  emboli and pain!