The one year anniversary of Ray’s surgery is fast approaching. I think back to that time period, and what I was doing the most was poring over any internet article I could find on Prostate Cancer and what we could expect, from treatment options, possible effects the surgery might have, recovery time frames, nutrition to help him heal better etc.
There was a lot of information overload, and mostly, I felt helpless. This thing had invaded our lives and I felt woefully inadequate in my ability to fight it. The one thing that i was primarily responsible for in our relationship was food preparation, so that’s what I focused on.
There were a lot of websites on the subject so I began reading up on what foods to eat, and what foods to avoid. Lets start with foods to avoid. Sugar is a big no-no, and at the top of our list. Refined sugars tend to spike insulin levels and feed the growth of cancer cells. High fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners are equally offensive. I have tried to replace them with healthier alternatives such as organic stevia or honey, or if using sugar, using a less processed organic alternative to refined white sugar.
We have substituted canned foods with fresh as much as possible. That in and of itself has been a process for me. Preparing with as many fresh products and seasoning from scratch has been a challenge. Honestly, Americans are all about their convenience, and I am included in that group. Chili used to be a can of chili beans, two cans of tomatoes with green chilis, and ground turkey. and sauteed peppers and onions. Now it consists of as much organic as possible, ground white meat turkey 95% lean or better, diced fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers, beans (and the whole soaking process that goes with them), chili powder, ground cumin, fresh ground pepper, and ground sea salt. It’s still experimental, trying to get the seasoning just right.
Ray’s new diet consists of as many fresh, organic products as possible, and I gotta say that Pinterest has been a lifesaver. I have found many of the recipes in our new dietary lifestyle while scrolling through Pinterest. You can check out some of the things I’ve pinned to my Eating Well Board here.
As we decide which of our recipes will be our favorite, I’ll add them to the recipes section here on the blog. Until the next time…
Live well!
Wife of a wonderful, crazy man named Ray who is dragging me along with him on his get healthy journey.