By Colin E. Champ, MD, CSCS – Radiation Oncologist
It’s the most wonderful time of the year again! Can you believe we are already nearing the end of 2022? Soon we will enjoy Thanksgiving, then we rush into Christmas, and before we know it, we’re ringing in another year. It is a busy time filled with family get-togethers, office parties, and meetings with friends we only see once a year. And what do all of these gatherings have in common? They’re all filled with food and drink to the point that we have to start the new year making resolutions focused on getting the weight off that we just put on.
You may be asking yourself what my overeating has to do with cancer so let’s take a moment not to throw hate at the holidays but to make wise decisions about how we enjoy these special days. Studies show that many of us gain weight during the holidays and fail to get it off during the new year. Much of the excess weight people accumulate throughout their adulthood can be traced back solely to the holidays.1 What did we learn during last month’s pink breast cancer awareness campaign? We learned that weight gain and high blood sugar (from all that pumpkin pie) contribute to this deadly disease.
So, does this mean you must skip the holidays this year and live in isolation? No. It simply means that we should look for other ways to celebrate and engage with our friends, family, and coworkers that don’t center around stuffing ourselves with unhealthy food and drink choices. We can focus on what we are thankful for and the joy of giving rather than Christmas cookies and bread-stuffed birds. Additionally, we can look for ways to make our holiday favorites healthier and engage in what Dr. Colin Champ, in his blog post from November of 2016, refers to as his “Anti-Cancer Thanksgiving.”2
Let’s take a look at some of his suggestions.
Turkey: Of course, no Thanksgiving meal is complete without a turkey. Turkey is full of things that are good for us. Did you know that they contain “anti-cancer omega 3 fatty acids and a plethora of vitamins and nutrients that help our cells and immune system function optimally”? Dr. Champ suggests purchasing a pastured turkey free from steroid and antibiotic injections often used in commercial turkeys to fatten them up.
Stuffing: Did you know you can stuff your bird with grass-fed ground beef instead of bread crumbs? This substitution in your stuffing recipe adds “extra vitamins, nutrients, cancer-fighting conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and omega-3s”!
Potatoes: How about substituting mashed sweet potatoes for regular mashed potatoes? Sweet potatoes contain “more vitamins (especially vitamin A) and fiber to feed our gut bacteria, with less carbohydrates overall.”
Brussel Sprouts: These green veggies serve as “part sustenance and part medicine as the bitter chemicals within them stimulate our immune system to fight infections and cancer.”
Bread: Skip it! Don’t waste calories.
Pumpkin pie: How about forgoing the crust and making pumpkin mousse instead? Or you could switch out the flour-based crust with a pecan and butter one instead.
Alcohol: Dr. Champ suggests skipping the cocktails and beer and enjoying a nice glass of red wine with your meal. Look for reds loaded with “high amounts of polyphenols, flavonoids, and other chemicals that stimulate the immune system and antioxidant production.”
In short, don’t ruin the wonder of the season by adding extra weight and increasing your blood sugar. As mentioned before, these two factors can lead to breast cancer (among other health problems) and are very difficult to reverse. Adding just 3 pounds each year and not being able to get those off in the new year adds up to 15 pounds over just five years.
Most of us can’t afford to gain 15 pounds and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Instead, let’s enjoy the holidays in a way that adds to our life (in joy, peace, and love) instead of adding to our waistline and our risk of diseases such as cancer.
To read Dr. Champ’s entire post, please follow the link below. He includes suggestions for recipes and where to buy healthier versions of the foods mentioned here.
Dr. Colin Champ, MD, CSCS
Dr. Colin Champ, MD, CSCS, is a radiation oncologist with board certifications in radiation oncology and integrative and holistic medicine. Dr. Champ is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, and his research interests include the prevention and treatment of cancer with lifestyle modification, including exercise and dietary modification.
INSPIRE EXERCISE MEDICINE
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References:
1. Yanovski, J. A. et al. A prospective study of holiday weight gain. N.
Engl. J. Med. 342, 861–7 (2000).
2. Champ, C., M.D. (2022). My Anti-Cancer Thanksgiving.
ColinChamp.com. https://colinchamp.com/anti-cancer-
thanksgiving/