Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Gynecological Cancer Survivors ppt

Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Guidelines for Gynecological Cancer Survivors Gynecological Cancer Survivors Gynecological Cancer risk is influenced by several fac

This handout contains simple advice that

has been specifically

has been specifically designed for ovarian, cervical, and

designed for ovarian, cervical, and

endometrial cancer survivors

endometrial cancer survivors

Nutrition and Physical Activity

Guidelines for

Guidelines for Gynecological Cancer Survivors

Gynecological Cancer Survivors

Gynecological Cancer risk is influenced by several factors Some of these factors are controllable.

factors Some of these factors are controllable

Controllable lifestyle factors that are known

Controllable lifestyle factors that are known

to influence cancer risk include eating habits and

to influence cancer risk include eating habits and

physical activity

physical activity

The following guidelines can help you to boost

your body’s ability to resist cancer.

your body’s ability to resist cancer

Control Body Weight

• Overweight and obesity increase the risk of

cer-tain cancers amongst other common chronic dis-eases

• Risk of endometrial cancer increases with

in-creased body fatness and abdominal fatness So,

aim to be as lean as possible within the normal

weight for your height

• If overweight, any reduction in body fatness can

reduce risk!

• Watching portion sizes, eating a plant-based diet high in non-starchy vegetables, cutting down on high-fat foods, and increasing physical activity

can help lower weight and reduce body fatness

Body Mass Index

(BMI)

• BMI is calculated

from a person’s

height and weight

and can be a

reli-able indicator of

body fatness

• A BMI between

18.5 and 24.9 is

equated with a

“healthy” weight

• Use the chart on

the right to

deter-mine where you

are

Move Towards a Plant-based Diet

Goal: Make unprocessed cereals (grains), non

Goal: Make unprocessed cereals (grains), non starchy vegetables, fruits, and starchy vegetables, fruits, and legumes (beans) the focus of every meal!

legumes (beans) the focus of every meal!

• These foods are typically high in nutrients, high in dietary fiber, and low in energy density

• They provide a feeling of fullness without the added calories and can help prevent weight gain

• To find unprocessed grains, look for “whole grain” on nutrition food package labels as one of the first three ingredients for packaged foods

• Beans are a great low-fat, high protein alternative to meat

• Starchy vegetables like potato, yam, and cassava are also included in a plant-based diet

as are nuts and seeds

• Nuts and seeds provide protein and heart-health fats, but do have a higher energy density, so watch your portion size

Eat More Fruits & Vegetables

Goal: Eat 5

Goal: Eat 5 or more or more or more servings a day! servings a day! servings a day!

• Eat a variety all year round More variety means more protective elements (antioxidants)!

• Evidence suggests that non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach,

mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, leafy greens, and beets decrease cancer risk particularly of ovarian and endometrial cancers The more you eat, the greater the risk reduction!

• Carotenoids are antioxidants found in carrots and in dark green leafy vege-tables Eating carrots has been shown to play a role in decreasing risk of cervical cancer

• To reap the most rewards of eating fruits and vegetables, eat them in their whole form versus as juice or supplements

Additional Nutrition Advice to Help Control Weight and Reduce Cancer Risk

Limit Intake of Red Meat

ounces of red meat a week

ounces of red meat a week!

• Evidence suggests that increased intake of red

meat increases risk of endometrial cancer

• Red meat includes beef, pork, and lamb

• Choose lean cuts of red meat with little or no

visible fat Lean meats provide protein, iron,

zinc, and vitamin B12 with less saturated fat and

calories

• Avoid red meats that have been processed by

smoking, curing, salting, or the addition of

chemical preservatives

• Replace red meat with seafood, fish, and skinless,

white meat chicken or turkey

Lean Beef

Lean Beef

Arm roast Chuck roast Extra lean ground beef Flank steak

Ground chuck Ground round Round steak (rump roast)

Sirloin Tenderloin

Lean Pork

Lean Pork

Tenderloin Loin chops

Loin roast

Increase Fiber Intake

Goal: Aim for 20 Goal: Aim for 20 30 grams a day 30 grams a day 30 grams a day!

• Food high in fiber are typically low in fat and calories while helping you feel full and satisfied

• High fiber intake can reduce blood levels

of estrogen which may decrease risk of developing or promoting ovarian and en-dometrial cancer cells

• Some surgeries or procedures used to treat GYN cancers may required following

a low fiber diet Check with your MD or

High Fiber Foods

High Fiber Foods

Include these foods at each meal to boost fiber

• Bran cereal

• Fiber One cereal

• Whole wheat bread

• Brown rice

• Beans: kidney, lentil,

pinto, lima, etc

• Spinach

• Broccoli

• Corn

• Raspber-ries

• Figs

• Prunes

• Pears

What are you drinking?

Goal: Limit alcohol intake to one drink a day or less Abstain entirely if able! Goal: Limit alcohol intake to one drink a day or less Abstain entirely if able!

• Evidence shows that even minimal amounts of alcohol intake increases cancer risk

• Since alcohol increases blood estrogen levels, it can promote ovarian and endometrial cancer cell growth

• All alcoholic drinks have the same effect in regard to cancer risk

• If you decide to drink alcohol, limit consumption to one drink a day: 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 1/2 ounces of liquor

Goal: Avoid sugary drinks!

Goal: Avoid sugary drinks!

• Sugary drinks are drinks with added sugar like soda and fruit punch

• In general, sugary drinks supply added calories with little other nutrition value

• Since sugary drinks do not induce a feeling of fullness, people tend to over consume them which leads to weight gain

Get your nutrition from diet alone! Get your nutrition from diet alone!

• Dietary supplements are not recommended for cancer prevention

• High or “mega” doses of supplements could increase cancer risk

• Supplements do not provide energy since they do not have any calories

• Discuss supplement use with your physician

or a Registered Dietitian

• If you do decide to take supplements, look for the USP, NSF, or Consumer Lab

symbol on the bottle which indi-cates the manufacturers have partici-pated in voluntary testing of their product to ensure quality and purity

of the product

• Studies on soy have produced conflicting

results in regard to cancer risk

• Do not start eating soy foods solely for

the purpose of cancer prevention

• If you are already eating soy foods as a

part of your regular diet, up to three

servings of whole soy foods a day is

considered safe and acceptable!

• Do notnotnot use soy powders, pills, or other

soy supplements

Physical Activity

Goal: 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 or more days a week! Goal: 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 or more days a week!

• Physical activity in any form protects against certain types of cancer and against

weight gain

• Evidence shows that increased physical activity reduces risk of endometrial cancer

• Every minute counts, so start with what you can do now and work up to 30 minutes

at a time Ten minutes done three times a day is a good place to start if you can’t

do 30 minutes continuous

• Get permission from your physician first! Get permission from your physician first!

• Choose the right exercise for you

∗ Do what you feel you are able to do and something you enjoy doing

∗ Go to a group class or find an exercise buddy to feel a sense of camaraderie and for extra motivation Moffitt offers group classes like Yoga!

• Set attainable and realistic goals that are important to you

• Get involved in a support group to talk about your thoughts and challenges

• Talk to health care professionals like a Personal Trainer or Physical Therapist for exer-cise ideas

• Keep a journal It’s one of the top tools for success!!!

∗ Track how you feel about the process

∗ Track and monitor your progress

• Be flexible Allow yourself a little bit of wiggle room

• Avoid negative self-talk Keep positive!

• Reward yourself with a massage or similar treat

• Fit exercise into your busy life Making time for exercise is

making time for yourself

∗ Exercise with kids/spouse/friend

∗ Make exercise dates

Take the stairs, walk at lunch

Recipe for Success

What is Moderate Activity?

Moderate physical activity gets you moving, gets your heart rate up, makes breathing a little more difficult, generates body heat, and is something you couldn’t do all day or while singing a song!

An example would be brisk walking