Cancer Diet: One Month Anniversary

The first weekend after my diagnosis Brad took me to Hong Kong’s Gold Coast for a quiet weekend where we could soak in views and sit by the pool. It had been a rough week of tests and trying to get myself into most appropriate head space for someone with statistically only months left to live.  I read Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips on the drive there and remember being inspired to eat a moderately healthy meal at the fancy hotel: shared lobster bisque, Caesar salad, and most of a glass of red wine.

Saturday morning I started reading Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds (so inspiring!). For lunch we went to a trendy Vietnamese restaurant where I had a raw vegan papaya salad, vegetable dumplings, and only two sips of my basil gin cocktail before handing it over to Brad.  Writing this now I realize that’s probably the last cocktail I’ll ever have.

By the time I finished my morning coffee on Sunday, I was dedicated to tackling my cancer with diet and kicked off a 36 hour fast.  Everything I’ve put in my body since then has been with the goal of making me healthier.

Today marks a month since I started that fast.  Here’s my progress and a few of my learnings so far:

• Even my water should be pure.  I used to be so proud of drinking tap water everywhere I go.  Since that fateful Sunday I’ve been trying to drink only distilled, spring, or boiled water.  Sorry, environment, I’ll make it up to you another way.  My plastic bottle usage should drop soon as Brad is working in installing a water filter in our apartment for me.
• Fasting feels right. While originally I expected to fast more, I’ve only done 3 of 31 days.  I still practice intermittent fasting and generally only eat from 4-8pm.  Nevertheless, there have been plenty of days when I needed food to keep medicine down in the mornings or I was straight up hungry earlier in the day. I don’t deprive myself if my body wants food.  Perhaps as I increase daily calories (see below) I’ll increase fasting periods.
• I need to eat more protein.  I’ve averaged 17.5g of protein on non-fasting days.  I’d like to get this up to 50 or 60g per day.  I’ve focused on this the past few days and know it will be possible as I get more comfortable adding foods beyond leafy greens and turmeric into my diet.
  
• I need to eat more calories in general. I’ve averaged fewer than 600 calories per day excluding fast days. I know a part of this is due to lack of appetite earlier in the month and I’m on the right track.  1200-1600 calories per day is my goal. I think I’m just used to drinking most of my calories 🙂
  
• Other macros have been great.  I’m averaging 24g of net cabs, 18g of fiber, and 38g of fat on non-fast days with fiber increasing over time.   Hopefully I can increase my protein without net carbs increasing too much. As I become fat adapted, however, I’ll be comfortable letting net carbs go as high as 50g a day.  Since I only consume good fats from nuts, seeds and fruits, I’m not concerned about those.
• I haven’t been super good about taking supplements.  I blame it on the week of vomiting whenever I put anything in my stomach. I’ll be better.

Overall, I’m on the right track and feeling good!