Cancer Score Card Companion

The following information is here to add meaning or definition to the questions being asked on the Cancer Score Card.

Diet

  • Corn and potato are not vegetables.  Serving size ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw
  • Cruciferous vegetables: arugula, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, horseradish, watercress, turnips, radish, mustard seeds
  • What constitutes “processed food”: anything that comes in a box, bag, or can. Natural foods are things that existed more than 100 years ago. Processed foods tend to have a lot of ingredients and come packaged. Processed food is “Man-made” food. Example: Doritos, honey nut cheerios, all fast food, bread, etc.
  • Carbs – Total carbohydrates, not Net carbs. You can log your food into an app called “Carb manager” or “Myfitnesspal” to get an idea of how many carbohydrates you are eating per day. Everyone needs to do this as excess carb intake is one of the greatest driving causes of most chronic degenerative disease, including cancer.
  • Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO):  Unless the product says “NON GMO” you can assume it is genetically modified if it has corn, canola, or soy in it.
    • Most commonly manipulated GMO foods include: corn, soy, canola, dairy, cotton seed oil, sugar, zucchini, yellow squash, papaya.
       

Exercise

  • Walking does not count as exercise. It’s wonderful “activity” and a very healthy part of your lifestyle and is always encouraged. But when we reference exercise, we are defining it as activity that elevates your heart rate into Zone 2 or greater for a sustained period of time.
    • Zone 2:     Calculate your Zone 2 range using the Maffetone method detailed in this article.  “180 – age = upper limit”  of Zone 2.
    • Zone 2 Forces your cell to increase the number of mitochondria you have and stimulates your cells to make energy. This has tremendous benefit for overall health, fat burning, and sets the stage for tougher workouts later.

 

Toxins

  • Look for artificial sweeteners in flavored drinks, condiments, protein powders and protein bars. Here is a list of common ‘”unhealthy” offenders:
    • Aspartame – “NutraSweet, Equal, Sugar Twin, Spoonful”
    • Neotame (like aspartame)
    • Sucralose – “Splenda”
    • Acesulfame Potassium – “Sunett, Sweet One, Sweet ‘n Safe”
    • Saccharin – “Sweet N Low”
  • Check out Skin Deep (EWG.org) for a list of “clean” products
  • Here is link to some of my favorite “clean” products.

 

Weight

Mindfulness

  • Watching TV does not count as meditation or “stillness”.
    • “Stillness” is an easy starting point. Check out this simple exercise:
       
    • Check out our “Meditation 101 - for Beginners” article.  
       
    • Dr. Huber’s video explores the meaning and understanding of “meditation”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PbSm9KZXVo&list=PLrmy2zA1FefAqi3G5YZY45pSemJXZ09T6&index=9

 

Stress

  • Measure resting heart rate when seated in a comfortable chair at true rest, belly breathing, and relaxed.
  • Heart Rate VARIABILITY, not simple heart rate, can be easily measured using a simple chest strap (Polar H-10). HRV is reporting your internal neurologic balance and is a great reflection of your level of physiologic stress. Watch these two videos to learn more about HRV:   Part 1 - What it is & Why Bother,  and Part 2 - How to engage and interpret.  
     

Sleep

  • Not interested in what your Fit-bit or apple watch is saying as those devices are a crude estimate and not as accurate as your own observations. I want your personal assessment of these issues.
    • “Awakenings” – simply how many times do you note that you have awakened in the night. Not gotten out of bed, simply awakened.
    • “Dream” – do you awaken and realize you were dreaming?
    • “Snore” – need to ask your partner on this one.
       

Coffee & Tea

  • Green tea means you took actual tea leaves and steeped them in water.
  • Bottled green tea that you buy at the store often contain very little green tea and typically will have sugar or artificial sugars. Do not count this as drinking green tea since there is very little actual green tea in these drinks.

 

EMF’s

  • Cell phone contact constitutes physically touching, holding in your pocket, or being within 12 inches of devices.
    • iPhones, ear buds, iPad, Laptop, Apple watch, FitBit, etc.

 

Lab Results  

  • Glucose & Insulin:  ideally your glucose is <100, 2 hours after a 70 gram carb load, and your insulin is <10.  How well you manage glucose and insulin is a key risk factor for cancer. Lifestyles habits rich in carb intake and devoid of exercise or fasting will greatly increase this risk.
    • Standard fasting glucose measures will miss 40% of diabetics or people with insulin resistance. Hemoglobin A1c measures are only positive if your glucose is elevated 24 hours per day so often misses those early in the disease process.
       
  • CBC – LMR: Complete Blood Count (CBC) looks at your red and white blood cells. The Lymphocyte:Monocyte Ratio (LMR) is a good predictor of survival in cancer. Healthy lifestyle changes correlated with a rise in LMR so we will follow this trend.
     
  • Glutathione is your primary “detoxification” antioxidant and if this level is low then you are exposing yourself to great er risk from the toxins you come in contact with.

 

No cancer risk score is perfect but it serves to highlight actions that you may not have been aware of. This score card serves to increase your awareness and offers a guide to better choices so you don’t go through life on autopilot. Be intentional with the things you allow into your life. Use this tool to help highlight your personal areas of greatest risk and simply work to reduce those areas over time.

 

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