laboratory scientists at CTRC. A third of the participants were
assigned to a yoga class designed for their specific needs by Nydia Tijerina Darby, PT, DPT, MS, owner of Nydia’s Yoga Therapy in San Antonio. Another third were assigned an individualized comprehensive exercise program designed by Dr. Hughes, and the others were encouraged to engage in three hours of physical activity a week on their own. This study yielded lots of data and
results that they are just beginning to sort through. One aspect of the study that made
a big impression on Dr. Hughes was the way experts from different fields— from laboratory scientists to behavioral health specialists—brought their unique perspectives to a complex situation to help everyone understand it better. “I’ve learned that we really need to
look at this information holistically, and include all the variables,” Dr. Hughes says.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods Dr. Ramirez is also principal investigator on another unconventional study funded
by Susan G. Komen, with co-principal investigator Michael Wargovich, Ph.D., who holds the CTRC Council Distinguished Chair in Oncology. Dr. Wargovich is teaming with Chef Iverson Brownell to teach breast cancer survivors how to incorporate foods with anti-inflammatory properties into their diets. People’s dietary choices can affect inflammation, the process the body uses to protect itself in response to irritants or injury, Dr. Wargovich says.
While inflammation is an important
part of the body’s immune response to things like wounds and infections, if it becomes chronic, inflammation is linked to causing illness, like cancer. Some beneficial anti-inflammatory foods are deep marine fish, dark leafy green vegetables, bright multi-colored vegetables, black and green teas, and many spices and herbs. Sarah Pascual, a breast cancer
survivor who participated in the cooking demonstration and lectures, says she already feels the benefits. “I find myself with more energy,
healthier, and I feel like I sleep better,” Pascual says.
Dr. Kaklamani, who
heads the breast cancer program at CTRC, hopes that a careful examination of all the studies will help us better understand how to ward off cancer in the first place. “What we know is obesity increases
Dr. Kaklamani
the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer,” Dr. Kaklamani says. “We know that exercise helps prevent breast cancer, independent of obesity. We think that what happens is that exercise and a healthy diet change our gene expression, helping the good genes work better. By understanding the mechanisms behind all this, we can design new strategies to prevent cancer.”
Elizabeth Allen is a media relations officer at the UT Health Science Center in San
Antonio. To learn more about the UT Health Science Center, visit www.
uthscsa.edu; to learn more about the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC), visit
www.ctrc.net.
NaturalAwakeningsSA.com
May 2015
21
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