New Years Resolutions

January 2nd, 2013 by tanya No comments »

NewYearsResolutionResizeAt this time of year, everyone is making their New Years Resolutions. But how many of you keep them. According to Forbes Just 8% of People Achieve Their New Year’s Resolutions. How do they do it. They Keep it simple!

Many people use the New Year as an opportunity to make large bucket lists or attempt extreme makeovers, whether personal or professional. The average person is being pulled in so many directions that this type of approach is doomed to failure. This year keep your resolution simple. Pick one and stick to it. Use social media to make you accountable. Post your goals on facebook or blog about it. Here are some great examples I found on the internet to get you started.

1. Get out of debt.
After a woman named Anna Newell Jones ran more than $23,600 into debt, she made a New Year’s resolution to work her way out of it–and publicly. As part of that effort, Newell Jones launched a blog, And Then We Saved, to chronicle her attempt to go from shopaholic to spendthrift; in less than a year and a half, she’d paid off her debt.

2. Get Fit
Kathy Johnson, 50, of Royal Oak, Mich., discovered that last year. Starting March 1, inspired by another friend, she decided to use Facebook not just as a tool for her marketing company, but as an informal support group for her fitness goals. Whenever she went to work out, she reported it as a status update.

The “You go, girl!” comments — usually two or three per update — buoyed her. And if she skipped a day or two, the questions about what was going on did too.

“I’d see people who I’m Facebook friends with,” Johnson said, “and if I hadn’t posted anything lately, they’d say, ‘Are you still working out?’ ”

It was those questions and support that especially kept her motivated and helped her drop two sizes to a 6.

3. Be more creative
Megan O’Neill used tumbler to keep her New Years resolution. In 2011 She planned to embark on one creative project per week and launched a Tumblr blog to keep track of her progress. Each time She completed a creative project She posted text, pictures, and/or video to the Tumblr and was overwhelmed by the positive feedback She got as a result.

“The fact that I was keeping track of my resolution publicly, and getting support from my friends via this public tracking, encouraged me to keep going. Although I only managed to complete 40 creative projects in 2011 I still felt very good about what I accomplished, and I’ll always have the record of my resolution to look back at on Tumblr.”

4. Quit Smoking
Many people prefer to quit on their own, but they’re looking for a bit more help and guidance. Tobacco Free Florida has an online program called the Web Coach® that has proven to work for many people.

This free online program helps you create a personalized web-based quit plan that you follow at your own pace and in private. Motivational and educational e-mails will be sent to you throughout your quit plan.

For more information about the program, visit:
www.quitnow.net

What ever your New Years resolution is, support is the key to accomplishing that goal. A friend of mine posted in facebook today that it had been a while since he made a New Years Resolution. Like most of us the laundry list was too large and he ultimately lost focus. He decided to keep it simple this year and resolve himself to one thing. Being Better. A better husband, father, friend, etc. He posted it on facebook to be accountable. As one of his friends I will help support him, and check in from time to time to see remind him of his goal.

Set a one goal this year. Let me know what it is so I can help support you in that goal. Happy New Years!

No comments »

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags:

Integrative Oncology

November 19th, 2012 by tanya No comments »

Donna Karan and Keely Garfield
photo by Everett Meissner

Plato said, “The part can never be well unless the whole is well.” The team of doctors, technicians and staff at The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology take this maxim pretty seriously, and so not long ago they welcomed Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program (UZIT) into their midst, actualizing their faith in integrative medicine and the power of combined healthcare strategies towards optimal wellbeing. As the clinical coordinator for the UZIT program, I have witnessed the program’s astounding growth over these months. It continues to unfold and blossom in the perfectly tended soil of this medical oasis through the careful cultivation of everyone who has worked to give it life. This includes the UZIT volunteers and the patients themselves who have listened to their doctors’ urgings to try an UZIT session. For this, they are rewarded with a truly integrated healing experience in an environment of collaborative care.

What is an UZIT session? Generally scheduled right after radiation treatment, it provides one-on-one time with an integrative therapist and usually lasts approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Sessions combine gentle yoga, restorative yoga, breath awareness, meditation, aromatherapy, reiki and contemplative care to address a variety of symptoms including pain, anxiety, nausea, insomnia, constipation and exhaustion. Initially, most patients seek relief from stress and fatigue, wanting to feel more relaxed, and also have more energy. What they discover is a way to help themselves during and after cancer treatments as they go back to their lives with new and simple tools they can use daily. The techniques they learn help them to breath easier, deal with tension, and alleviate pain and discomfort. They begin to realize the importance of self-care and are empowered to make postive changes in their lifestyles beyond recovery. Indeed, they discover, as one great teacher put it, “The land of healing lies within, radiant with the happiness that is blindly sought in a thousand outer directions.”

How does it work? Essentially, our nervous systems are working overtime and the body cannot tell the difference between “good” stress and “bad” stress. Reacting to this or that, the body ratchets up the load of sugars, fats, and hormones such as cortisol we need to take action. We never get a chance to truly rest and recover. Most of us don’t get enough sleep and even when we do, true relaxation can be illusive. Integrative therapy is an invitation to practice active relaxation, amplifying the body’s own ability to repair and renew. Another outcome is the sense of power to be found in regaining control over our lives as we begin to see ourselves as participants in our healing journeys, cure or no.

On a typical day at Farber I can be found working with patients perhaps leading a chair-yoga sequence to boost energy, offering reiki to restore balance, using essential oils such as grapefruit or peppermint to assuage nausea or dizziness, meticulously folding blankets to create a restorative pose that will ease back pain, teaching someone how to stand in tree pose to help focus the mind, guiding another through a body-scan meditation or practicing simply for the joy of it! Being with my patients and holding the space for whatever needs to arise or fall away is vital.

A decade ago, I lived near-by The Farber Center and was caught up in the terrible events of 9/11 that ultimately precipitated my own journey back to life. To be on this turf again, now sharing all of the potent therapeutics that have helped me and that I so passionately believe in, feels like a miracle. My patients share my gratitude and awe for this work, and together we acknowledge the The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology for its leadership, compassion, and vision in creating a home for Urban Zen Integrative Therapy.

Many Bows,
Keely Garfield

Keely Garfield is a certified E-RYT 500 and an Urban Zen Integrative Therapist (UZIT). Having acquired her clinical training at Beth Israel Medical Center, Keely is currently the clinical coordinator for the UZIT program at The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology where she is also an UZIT therapist. Additionally, Keely holds a BA and an MFA in choreography,and her path has been shaped by her work as an acclaimed choreographer and dancer. Keely is also blessed by being the mother of two beautiful beings.

No comments »

Posted in Bladder Cancer, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Lung Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Parotid Cysts, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer, Uncategorized

Tags:

What does Pinktober mean?

October 24th, 2012 by tanya No comments »

Some say that Pinktober ignores breast cancer patients who can’t be cured. Some feel that Pinktober is the barrage of pink-themed promotions, events and activities that seem to highlight early detection — and stress that cancer detected early is almost certainly curable.

But are those facts really true? According to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, 155,000 women and men in the United States have metastatic breast cancer, or cancer that spreads, and some 40,000 die each year. Up to 30 percent of women who survive early-stage breast cancer will eventually find it in their lungs, brain, liver or bones. Some are diagnosed with metastatic cancer from the start.

The focus on the pink ribbon seems to be on those who have beaten the disease. What about those who are living with this disease, who have no cure? Who is going to raise awareness for them?

The Metastatic Breast Cancer network is trying to change that. MBCN is a national, independent, nonprofit, patient advocacy group dedicated to the unique concerns of the women and men living with metastatic breast cancer . They strive to help those living with stage IV breast cancer be their own best advocate through providing education and information on treatments and coping with the disease. Their mission is to raise awareness of metastatic breast cancer by putting a public face on the metastatic experience. They give those living with stage IV disease a greater voice and visibility in the breast cancer community, the medical community, the research community, and with the public-at-large.

Please click here to get the patient/advocate kit: Patient/Advocate Awareness Kit! you can click here to download 13 facts about metastatic breast cancer 13_Facts_About_Metastatic_Breast_Cancer

No comments »

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags:

Marijuana linked to testicular cancer

September 10th, 2012 by tanya No comments »

Scientists at the University of Southern California say they’ve detected a link between recreational marijuana use and a greater chance among young males of contracting a particularly dangerous form of testicular cancer called non-seminoma tumors, according to a small study published this month online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

Victoria Cortessis, one of the study’s authors and an assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles and her colleagues analyzed the self-reported recreational drug use of 163 young men who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Among those patients who acknowledged indulging in pot, just over half (51 percent) told medical researchers they puffed or ingested cannabis more than once per week.

The team then compared the illegal drug histories of 163 men ages 18 to 35 who were diagnosed with testicular cancer between 1986 and 1991 with the lifestyle habits of 292 healthy men of the same age and ethnicity. Inside the data, they saw that men who had used marijuana recreationally were twice as likely to develop mixed-germ-cell tumors, including the deadlier non-seminona tumors.

It’s not clear how marijuana may increase testicular cancer risk. The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, binds to cannabinoid receptors in the body, which are present in the brain as well as the gonads. THC may impair testicular health by disrupting the signals of the compounds that normally bind to cannbinoid receptors, the researchers said.

There are those that disagree with the findings pointing out that the rates of testicular cancer in California didn’t increase in the 1960s and 1970s when pot use went up. Also arguing that If there was a true cause and effect relationship you would see a increase in testicular cancer rates associated with greater use of cannabis.

This study is in contrast to a recenter study that showed marijuana helped with cancer. Clearly more research needs to be done. Madrid Study

The recommendation is that if you are using marijuana medicinally, you should understand all the risks and benefits. Talk to your doctor.

No comments »

Posted in Prostate Cancer, Uncategorized

Tags:

How To Prevent Cancer

August 15th, 2012 by tanya No comments »

The data out there is that as many as 70% of known causes of cancers are avoidable and related to lifestyle. Of course, your first line of defense is to avoid tobacco products. But here are a few more tips that you might not know about.

1. Lose 10 lbs. Acccording to the American Cancer Society, being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men. Did you know that even if you’re not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers.

2. Marinate your meat. Processed, charred, and well-done meats can contain cancer-causing heterocyclic amines, which form when meat is seared at high temperatures, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which get into food when it’s charcoal broiled. If you do grill, add rosemary and thyme to your favorite marinade and soak meat for at least an hour before cooking. The antioxidant-rich spices can cut HCAs by as much as 87%, according to research at Kansas State University.

3. Walk it off. Moderate exercise such as brisk walking 2 hours a week cuts risk of breast cancer 18%. Regular workouts may lower your risks by helping you burn fat, which otherwise produces its own estrogen, a known contributor to breast cancer.

4. Get immunized. Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Talk to your doctor about immunization against: Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine is routinely given to infants. It’s also recommended for certain high-risk adults — such as adults who are sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, men who have sex with men, and health care or public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids.
Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine is available to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn’t have the vaccine as an adolescent.

5. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you’re shopping, don’t buy products that list ingredients with “PEG” or “-eth” in their name (chemicals often tainted with contaminants linked to cancer).

6. Eat a plant based diet. The best diet for preventing or fighting cancer is a predominantly plant-based diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A plant-based diet means eating mostly foods that come from plants: vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and beans.

No comments »

Posted in Bladder Cancer, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Lung Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Parotid Cysts, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer, Uncategorized

Tags:

Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema

July 19th, 2012 by tanya 2 comments »

Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema (BCRL) is one of the most dreaded side effects of breast cancer treatment and may occur in close to 50% of patients following axillary node dissection and radiation therapy (XRT). It can be seen in up to 20% of patients even following limited axillary dissection (sentinel node biopsy) followed by XRT. BCRL is a chronic debilitating condition that is frequently misdiagnosed and treated too late. It is the abnormal accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the interstitium which results in limb swelling, chronic inflammation and reactive fibrosis in the surrounding tissues.

What you should know is that recent evidence supports the notion that if diagnosed in the subclinical stage, BCRL may be reversible or at least its progression may be significantly halted. BCRL may be divided into subclinical (stage 0) and clinical (stages I,II,III) presentations, the difference being that the subclinical stage is not visible to the naked eye. Subclinical BCRL may exist for month or years before overt BCRL occurs and is more easily managed than advanced stages.

Appropriate surveillance for lymphedema onset is essential and medically necessary. There is a new device that is FDA approved and every breast surgeon should have one. ImpediMed’s L-Dex® technology utilizes the characteristics of frequency dependent current flow to quantify changes in extracellular fluid in the patient’s arm. These changes can aid medical providers in clinically assessing patients for lymphedema of the arm in women. L-Dex technology is specific for extracellular fluid. As fluid accumulates, L-Dex values increase. The device provides an immediate result and is provided with software for tracking changes in patient’s L-Dex values over time. Regular perometry or bioimpedance spectroscopy screenings (L-Dex) pre-surgery and in the years after successful cancer treatment can improve quality of life and reduce fear and the development of irreversible lymphedema.

If you have lympedema and have to wear a compression stocking, I’ve found a great site that was founded and developed by a breast cancer patient who wanted a nicer alternative. www.lympherdivas.com take a look at some of them below. Outcome is directly related to compliance so have fun with it.

2 comments »

Posted in Breast Cancer

Tags:

Donna Karan at The Farber Center

July 12th, 2012 by tanya 1 comment »

photo credit: Everett Meissner

Dr. Marnee Spierer, Donna Karan, Dr. Leonard Farber photo credit: Everett Meissner

For those of you who missed our newsletter, we were happy to have Donna Karan pay a visit to The Farber Center this past month to get an update on her integrative therapy program in our center. Donna Karen had a vision of health care. She imagined a healthcare system where the patient is treated, not just the disease. She imagined a system where eastern healing techniques, yoga therapy, essential oil therapy, and nutrition are used in combination with western medicine in a holistic approach to patient care.

In 2009, the Urban Zen Foundation launched a new program designed to meet this vision: The Urban Zen Integrative Therapy (UZIT) Program is a 500-hour advanced program focused on integrating multiple therapies into patient care. This UZIT program now spends its time at The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology. As you may have read in the last news letter from Keely, the UZIT program has been warmly received by our patients. For the patients it means that they are rewarded with a truly integrated healing experience in an environment of collaborative care.

The UZIT program at The Farber Center has been running for almost a year now, and we were happy to welcome Donna Karan to The Farber Center to see the integrative practice at work. Donna spent time meeting with Dr. Marnee Spierer, Dr. Leonard Farber and a few of our patients to discuss the program. She spent a long time talking to each patient about their experience and story and how the UZIT program has helped them.

Donna with patients Hollie and Marcel photo credit: Everett Meissner

Donna with Patient Kristina photo credit: Everett Meissner

Our goal at The Farber Center is to expand the program so every patient can see an integrative therapist every day of their treatment. To read more about her visit or learn about the program click here: www.urbanzen.org

If you missed the last newsletter you can read it here: Newsletter

1 comment »

Posted in Bladder Cancer, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Lung Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Parotid Cysts, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer

Tags:

July is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month

July 5th, 2012 by tanya 7 comments »

Each year, almost 71,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed in this country. Men, Caucasians and smokers have twice the risk of bladder cancer as the general population. Almost all the people who develop bladder cancer are over 55 years old. When it is diagnosed in the early stages, bladder cancer is usually highly treatable.

There are three types of bladder cancer that begin in cells in the lining of the bladder. These cancers are named for the type of cells that become malignant (cancerous):

Transitional cell carcinoma: Cancer that begins in cells in the innermost tissue layer of the bladder. These cells are able to stretch when the bladder is full and shrink when it is emptied. Most bladder cancers begin in the transitional cells.
Squamous cell carcinoma: Cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that may form in the bladder after long-term infection or irritation.
Adenocarcinoma: Cancer that begins in glandular (secretory) cells that may form in the bladder after long-term irritation and inflammation.

Cancer that is confined to the lining of the bladder is called superficial bladder cancer. Cancer that begins in the transitional cells may spread through the lining of the bladder and invade the muscle wall of the bladder or spread to nearby organs and lymph nodes; this is called invasive bladder cancer.

The choice of treatment and the long-term outcome (prognosis) for people who have bladder cancer depend on the stage and grade of cancer. When deciding about your treatment, your doctor also considers your age, overall health, and quality of life.

Treatment options may include:

Surgery to remove the cancer. Surgery, either alone or along with other treatments, is used in more than 9 out of 10 cases.
Chemotherapy to destroy cancer cells using medicines. Chemotherapy may be given before or after surgery.
Radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells using high-dose X-rays or other high-energy rays. Radiation therapy may be given as part of the treatment for earlier stage bladder cancer, after limited surgery, as the main treatment for people with earlier stage cancers who can’t have surgery, or as part of the initial treatment for advanced bladder cancers
To help prevent or treat symptoms caused by advanced bladder cancers.
Immunotherapy. This treatment causes your body’s natural defenses, known as your immune system, to attack bladder cancer cells.

Bladder cancer has a better chance of being treated successfully if it is found early. The most common symptom of bladder cancer is bleeding in the urine (hematuria). Most often the bleeding is visible to the naked eye, episodic, and is not associated with pain. However, sometimes the bleeding may only be visible under a microscope or may be associated with pain due to the blockage of urine by formation of blood clots. There may be no symptoms or bleeding for prolonged periods of time between episodes. Some types of bladder cancer may cause irritative symptoms of the bladder with little or no bleeding. The patients may have the desire to urinate small amounts in short intervals, inability to hold the urine for any length of time after the initial desire to void, or burning sensation while passing urine. If you are experiencing any of theses symptoms it is important to see a urologist.

7 comments »

Posted in Bladder Cancer

Tags:

Is Your Sunscreen Safe

May 16th, 2012 by tanya 5 comments »

Twenty-five percent of 800 tested sunscreens are effective at protecting your skin without the use of potentially harmful ingredients, according to the 2012 Sunscreen Guide released Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group.

To make the watchdog group’s safe list, sunscreens must be free of oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate (a type of vitamin A), not have SPF above 50 and protect against UVA and UVB sunrays. Although The American Academy of Dermatology says oxybenzone is safe. “Oxybenzone is one of the few FDA-approved ingredients that provides effective broad spectrum protection from UV radiation, and has been approved for use since 1978,” said Dr. Daniel M. Siegel, president of the academy. The Environmental Working Group and other toxicology experts believe that oxybenzone is linked to hormone disruption and potentially to cell damage that may lead to skin cancer. The Environmental Working Group says 56% of beach and sport sunscreens contain the chemical oxybenzone. The primary function of oxybenzone is to absorb ultraviolet light, but some research shows oxybenzone can be absorbed through the skin. The Environmental Working Group also warns consumers to avoid retinyl palminate. Government-funded studies have found that this particular type of vitamin A may increase risk of skin cancer when used on sun-exposed skin. However, these reports have been in mice and evidence has been inconclusive for humans.

Understanding SPF:
SPF is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. Here’s how it works: If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer — about five hours. Studies show that sunscreen with SPF 15 can block about 93% of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97%. SPF 50 blocks 98%. A product with SPF 100+ blocks about 99.1 percent of the UVB rays. The Environmental Working Group said consumers should not purchase sunscreens with SPF greater than 50. SPF (sun protection factor) works by absorbing, reflecting or scattering the sun’s rays on the skin.

You can go to the site and see if your sunscreen is listed or to find a sunscreen that is safe and will work for you EWG list

5 comments »

Posted in Uncategorized

Tags:

Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May 2nd, 2012 by tanya 3 comments »

Did you know that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer, followed by Melanoma, which is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old. Facts to know about tanning:

  • Frequent tanners using new high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure. 1
  • Ten minutes in a sunbed matches the cancer-causing effects of 10 minutes in the Mediterranean summer sun. 2
  • Indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors. 3
  • People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. 4

What can you do to prevent skin cancer:

  • Do not burn
  • Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths
  • Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen
  • Examine your skin
Check out our previous post on skin cancer treatment: click HERE

1. Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Link. Accessed January 24, 2011.

2. World Health Organization. Sunbeds. World Health Organization. 2010. Link. Accessed October 25, 2010.
3. Lazovich D, Vogel RI, Berwick M, Weinstock MA, Anderson KE, Warshaw EM. Indoor tanning and risk of melanoma: a case-control study in a highly-exposed population. Cancer Epidem Biomar Prev 2010 June; 19(6):1557-1568.
4. Karagas MR, Stannard VA, Mott LA, Slattery MJ, Spencer SK, and Weinstock MA. Use of tanning devices and risk of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002; 94:224; doi:10.1093/jnci/94.3.224.

3 comments »

Posted in Skin Cancer, Uncategorized

Tags: