Don't Forget
ProtonPals on FB
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Join your Pals at the Wednesday night dinners. The locations rotate among various restaurants in the Houston Medical Center area. See the schedule at the reception desk.  Click the icon above for Proton Center Facebook Page in order to see Wednesday Night dinners schedules and other News. Tell your ProtonPal friends about Joe's House to find housing in the Medical Center area. This link is also on the website and on MDACC website.
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Greetings!
HOUSTON, TX: Happy Fourth of July.
This summer the newsletter staff (:>) is on a vacation and the articles will be short but hopefully helpful. We have a new contributor to the newsletter. Melinda Givens, the Registered Dietician who covers the Proton Center patients as well as the M.D.Anderson Bay Area Regional radiation center has joined ProtonPals staff by volunteering to write articles for us. She's had a vast experience in the nutrition field and has seen fads come and go. She consults with many patients at the proton center refered to her by the medical staff. If you want a specific consult for your questions and situation please let your nurse know.
Dr.John Mendelsohn, past president of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in his introduction of Dr. Dean Ornish at a spring session in 2010 had the following to say - " What we're going to hear tonight is not only about prevention but about therapy. My dream for M.D. Anderson someday is that when a patient comes in for treatment they will see their medical oncologist, their surgical oncologist and radiation oncologist just like today but they will also be seen by their behavioral oncologist. Because it turns out that proper diet and exercise, weight control actually affect outcomes. Not only they make you feel better and provide you with a chance to not only prevent cancer but to treat cancer."
It's enough to make one cynical how there seems to be the supplement du jour that will help cure your cancer. Wait six months and the headlines will change and alert us to a new study - as the article below says about caffiene - 6 cups of coffee prevents aggressive cancers. It turns out that there are essential dietary and micro nutrients that have been shown to affect outcome only not so evident as deficiencies of Vitamin C causes scurvy; Vitamin D and rickets plus many diseases you see in developing regions of the world. For example this clip from an article about fortified rice - Ultra Rice - "Micro nutrient deficiencies threaten the health, development, and productivity of millions of people worldwide. According to UNICEF and the Micronutrient Initiative, each year: - Severe iron deficiency anemia results in the death of more than 60,000 young women during pregnancy and childbirth. In the developing world, iron deficiency in children 6 to 24 months of age may impair the mental development of the 40 to 60 percent of children who suffer from it.
- Vitamin A deficiency compromises the immune systems of approximately 40 percent of children less than five years of age and causes about one million deaths in the developing world.
- Folic acid deficiency is responsible for approximately 200,000 severe birth defects in 80 developing countries.
- Mild to moderate zinc deficiency affects more than a third of people worldwide and compromises growth and immune function in children.
One approach to alleviating malnutrition is to fortify staple foods with micro nutrients. On a large scale, food fortification can be cost-effective and sustainable, and it allows people to get more nutritional value from the food they already eat. To bring fortification to vulnerable rice-consuming communities, PATH developed a manufactured "grain" called Ultra Rice, which, when mixed-in with traditional rice, provides nutrients that local diets may lack."
The Wednesday morning Beam News meetings are continuing through the summer. Yesterday I attended one where Carolyn Allsen, Nurse Manager and Beam News coordinator presented "Biology of Cancer". The meeting was very well attended. The next meeting is on Wednesday, July 11, where Dr. Anita Mahajan, Medical Director of the Proton Therapy Center, will be the main speaker. You can follow the activies of the Proton Center by joining Facebook and liking both the Proton Center and the ProtonPals.
Follow Proton Center on Facebook
In Gratitude,
Joe Landry and your ProtonPals team.
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| Eating for Health | The Pals New Contributor - Milinda Bivins, RD, CSO, LD
Although I am fairly new here at the Proton facility, I have been a dietitian with MD Anderson for 22 years and most of that has been working with radiation.I have talked with many, many people about their eating habits. One thing for sure, not everyone eats alike! We all have different taste preferences and our eating patterns are different. Just the other day I ran across a man that doesn't eat red meat, or chicken but does eat fish and snakes! Many people don't eat breakfast but they do eat something mid morning. Ever heard of oatmeal with pepper? Cottage cheese with radishes and onion?
The big question is whether the way we eat can affect our health and the possibility of developing or preventing cancer. The answer to that question is, yes! Most definitely. Each month we will be looking at subjects related to nutrition and healthy eating. I look forward to discussing with you healthy eating and related nutrtition topics.
We all have a daily relationship with food, it is not solely for energy. Coffee for a jump start, chocolate for sanity(it is the one of the required food groups, isn't it), gotta have that popcorn if I am watching a movie and of course my family has mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and yours has mashed. Food speaks to us with through our eyes with it's beautiful array of colors. It speaks to us through the aromas that excite our tingle our noses and make our stomach's growl. Food also is the component of a meal that brings people together and allows us humans to share with each other.
Check out these articles that address factors that influence how we eat!
Foods that make you do bad things
First Bite Warning
Food images alter taste perceptions
Read more about Food Images
Link between overeating and pleasure
Read more about overeating
Are you frustrated that you are eating the same volume of food you use to eat but nevertheless, are gaining weight now? Do you feel like every time you turn around you find another food is not good for you? Do I really have to eat soy? What question is on your mind today? I'm the Proton Center the first part of the week and the receptionist knows how to reach me or email me at:
mbivens@protonpals.net
Melinda Bivins is a RD LD with 35 years of experience in the field. She has been with MD Anderson for 22 years and is passionate about empowering patients to eat for their health.
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| Nutrition Guidelines for Cancer Survivors | Supplied by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
If you follow Dr. Myers blog you'll recall that a key part of his PCa Growth Arrest Program is the Mediterranean Diet or a standard heart healthy diet and lifestyle that fits the recommendations of the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Do yourself a favor and download this 28 page guide and take the ACS Nutrition and Activity quiz. Download the Nutrition Guide. and start your own PCa Growth Arresting Program.
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| The Magic Incantation | "by ePatient Dave" deBronkhart
 I'm speaking today at the annual Health Fair for Rich Products employees in Buffalo. They're proactive about a family attitude, responsibility, and consumer engagement, and that extends to health.
In preparing for this speech, they asked me to be sure to offer takeaways - specific, concrete to-do's for people to use after the day is complete. Here they are:
The Magic Incantation (introducing yourself as an e-patient):
Here's what I say when I meet a new clinician, to explain my appetite for understanding:
"I'm the kind of patient who likes to understand as much as I can about my health."
"Could I ask some questions?"
Shazam: you're an e-patient! Empowered, engaged, equipped, enabled.
It's exactly what I said when I met the dermatologist who removed my skin cancer last week. So after our first meeting, when I did have questions to ask, it was natural.
Five starter questions:
When you or your family encounter a diagnosis, here are some basic questions to use:
- How can I learn about my condition?
- Good websites or pamphlets?
- What are my options?
- How much does this cost?
- Are there any other options?
- Do other doctors offer anything else?
- What are the risks?
- How strong is the evidence?
- Can I connect with other patients?
Don't worry, these questions aren't rude! By asking them you're being a responsible, activated, engaged patient. That's great, because throughout medicine one of the most widespread complaints is about patients who aren't engaged.
Remember, e-patients are empowered, engaged, equipped, enabled, educated, sometimes expert ... in your travels you'll take this wherever it takes you. And don't forget to use your Health Advocate benefit!
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Read On! Dave deBronkart, known online as "e-Patient Dave," is the leading spokesperson for the e-Patient movement-Empowered, Engaged, Equipped, Enabled. A high tech executive and online community leader for many years, he was diagnosed in 2007 with Stage IV kidney cancer, with median survival 24 weeks. He used the internet every way possible to partner with his care team; today he is well. His first book on healthcare is "Laugh, Sing and Eat Like a Pig."
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| Two More Videos By Ban Capron | Stars at Night are Big and Bright ...
If you liked the Texas the YouTube presentation which was a series of personal photos set to music by our Pal Ban Capron then you'll like the following.
With photos of both the upper and lower canyon.
Ban has published yet another video reflecting his long and generous work with Russia after Glasnost. Here's his note to friends.
Russia by Ban (Upgraded Version)
"As most of you know we lived in Russia 1992-1993 and traveled back to Russia/Ukraine several times each year until the end of 1997. We also returned to Russia in 2010 to visit our friends in both Moscow and St. Petersburg. Over the years I've taken thousands of pictures. This short 4 minute video with a few of my favorite pictures taken in favorite places. The title of the background music is Moscow Nights which many Russians have sung to us.
For the most part the pictures are identified.
The video ends up in Stalingrad (now Volgograd). As you know World War II turned there. The Russians lost over 1,000,000 people in that one city which is many more than the US lost in the entire war including fighting Japan." Ban Capron June 2012
Ban Capron, co-founder of the ProtonPals has had some spare time when his foot and lower leg were in a cast and he has put that confined time to great use. He took some slides from his vast collection of photographs over the years to put on a slide show on YouTube. This video is loved by Ban's friends and fellow Texans so much so that it has a huge viewership.
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Where is Your PHR?
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 | | Health Records |
Personal Health Records are Very Popular
The AHIMA Foundation, originally founded in 1962, supports health information through research and initiatives and strives "To be the preeminent foundation in health information education, leadership, policy and research." With that mission statement they are supporting the use of PHR with a site called myPHR. At that site you'll find a quick 7 step guide on creating your very own personal health record as well as a way to choose your own personal health record system. Read more. Choose a PHR Using this tool from myPHR, I find that there are 44 web based fee systems and many free systems. For example Patient Power's "My Medical Folder" is free and this information can be synched with an iPhone application. For Patient Power there are 3 levels of fee paid service.
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| A Woman's Facebook PHR Saved Her Life |  Facebook is a Lifesaver!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2011 The article tells of a woman who arrived at an emergency room in Wisconsin complaining of chest discomfort, and soon slipped into a coma. The woman was a single mother with no family members nearby. Thanks to the detailed accounts of her health she had posted to her Facebook, and her son's mention of the account, doctors were able to tap into a wealth of vital knowledge on her health. She had posted hermedications, symptoms, hospitalizations and conditions for months. She had dates, times and descriptions of how she felt and what was occurring with her body. As the article points out, this personal chronicle of her health was far more complete than her medical records (wherever they were) could have possibly been. She made a full recovery. There is no doubt that the immediate demands of this woman's health depended on her personal health record. The information she kept shaped her doctor's decisions, in a way that effectively addressed her personal situation. The article asks, "What does this case tell us about the future of medicine? Like everything in society, social media is having an enormous impact on our personal lives, in ways we never imagined. Everyone self-publishes their own stories." Social media can do wonders for our health-mobile apps track medication schedules, online forums connect patients and resources-but the article falls short of crediting what truly saved this woman's life: her personally kept health record. This story reminds me how crucial our health information, and that of our loved ones, can unexpectedly become. It seems well worth the effort to improve our chances for successful health outcomes by being diligent of our personal health. Sometimes, it is our own storytelling that enables the best possible care.
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| PSA Testing |  FDA OKs New Prostate Cancer Blood Test
A blood test for prostate cancer billed by its manufacturer as "an answer to the current PSA testing controversy" has won FDA approval, the company said. Full story
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| Yea or Nay? |
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Drinking Coffee Reduces the Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer
As a tie in to my comments about nutrition and supplements, just wait a while and you'll see some findings that you like, like this one. I love this one because I love coffee. Probably as a result of my Acadian/French mother who served up demitasse of black coffee every morning. What a way to wake up. Now when I've got time I roast my own green beans which I order from the West Coast to a medium roast coffee out in Marcia's art studio. Yes, I try to be a coffee snob but it's just as difficult as being wine connoisseur. By the way your oncologist will probably advise you not to drink too much coffee, but don't quit caffeine completely when you start treatment. You may end up with severe headache that you think either the treatment or the hormone therapy is causing and in my friends case, it was just withdrawal symptoms. By the way he's from the same neck of the woods where I'm from. My doctor says you should watch your diet but everything in moderation. Don't make any drastic changes without speaking with your doctor. According to the report in the Journal of National Cancer Institute men who drink at least six cups of coffee a day may be reducing their risk of advanced prostate cancer. Based on data from observing 48,000 men, the coffee drinkers odds of developing a lethal prostate cancer were 60% lower. Full Text of Research The authors believe this study is significant because given the lack of identified risk modifiable behaviors this is one that stands out. They point out that there are many confounding factors in this study and caffeine may affect other aspects of your health - so please read carefully and talk with your doctor.
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| The Power of Sustainable Changes in Diet and Lifestyle |  Pioneered in Houston 33 Years Ago Dean Ornish, M.D., founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California was the featured speaker at an April 2010 community event. Dr. Mendelsohn introduced Dr Ornish, hence the comments at the top of the newsletter, and the entire session was video taped for access by M.D. Anderson patients and the public. The video runs about an hour Dr. Dean Ornish To read more about Dr. Ornish's current work link here |
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About the ProtonPals Organization
Thanks for subscribing to the newsletter and using the ProtonPals website. We won't sell or give your addresses to anyone. You'll receive one or at most two mailings a month from us. If you're a new subscriber you may want to note that the past newsletters are archived back to May 2009. Newsletter Archives
We're a group who chose proton beam therapy to cure their cancer and were treated at University of Texas M.D. Anderson Proton Therapy Center in Houston, Texas. The "Pals" formed a network in order to:
Stay up to date with treatment cure resultsProvide support to others and Center activitiesBe informed on any side- effectsPromote proton radiation since it's widely regarded to have a significant advantage over conventional x-rays.Attract and nurture more Pals who support our cause, patient-to-patient and friend-to-friend
Support ProtonPals by letting us know how you're doing. That is so important to newly diagnosed men and their wives and partners. As a former patient we'd all welcome your help in getting the word out about proton radiation and how you're doing. Please donate using the Donate Icon below or mail a check made out to ProtonPals, Ltd.(we're a tax deductible non-profit) at my home address. Read more about about it on the website How to Help - Giving
Sincerely, 
Joe Landry, Founder
ProtonPals, Ltd.
ProtonPals, Ltd. is a 501 (c) (3) public charity incorporated in Texas.
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