My Choice to Take Control

Despite the lack of definitive results so far, the odds pointed to malignancy. As such, I began my research in earnest. I didn't have much else to do. I was short of breath and now dealing with serious back pain from the two large needles which had been inserted into my back all the way to my lung cavity.

My focus, initially, was primarily on what changes I could make to give myself the absolute best odds of not only increasing my survival but being cancer-free. Diet was the biggest one of course. An increasing number of studies are showing impressive results from ketogenic diets on battling cancer. NOTE: a while back I had stopped reading articles and opinions about things that are researched, but instead I go straight to the actual published study and read it. It is often surprising how news sites, articles, and bloggers completely misinterpret studies and unintentionally spread misinformation.

I lost count of the number of studies I reviewed in my analysis of the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet for cancer patients. I have, in my past, used the ketogenic diet with great success. The challenge was always how inconvenient it is when I'm with other people, including my own family. I don't like to inconvenience people or make them feel awkward. Assuming that cancer is my reason for sticking with a Keto diet kind of gives me an "I don't care anymore" attitude about making other people uncomfortable. I feels good.

The one major thing I noticed among all the studies and reviews was the lack of consistency with how the diet is defined by the researchers and adhered to by patients. In one high quality study, the researchers were able to draw correlation between a patients level of ketosis and their long-term survival rate. There was a bit more to it than that, but it was clear to me that if I was going to do this and I wanted the absolute best outcome then I couldn't go halfway. I would need to go all-in and limit my net carbs to as low as I possibly could.

For those who are not familiar, the Ketogenic "Keto" Diet is where the aim is to limit sugar and similar carbohydrates to a very small portion of total caloric intake and fats and protein represent the vast majority. This might seem simple to the uninitiated, but this means fruit, bread, pasta, potatoes, virtually all packaged foods, virtually all fastfood, almost all desserts and snacks become off limits. Most sauces, condiments, seasonings, and toppings to help enhance food have sugar or similar carbohydrates in them. It requires a level of vigilance and determination that I honestly enjoy...it sort of fits my personality. However, in the past I just didn't have a strong enough motivation. I think that problem has been solved.

Going back to my takeaways from the keto studies, I decided that I would limit my daily net carbs to below 10g. To put this in perspective, many sites define a ketogenic diet as staying below 20-50g of net carbs. Net carbs are defined as taking the Total Carbohydrates in a food item and subtracting only the fiber. Many people like to exclude sugar alcohols which come from alternative sweeteners like xylitol, erythritol, monk fruit, etc. However, due to my personal goal, I decided not to include any of these in my diet nor any artificial sweeteners of any kind. The only one I've decided to include in limited quantities is Stevia.

I know some people who are adherents of the keto diet have strong feelings about these sweeteners. I am making no judgements here. I am simply playing it safe and behaving out of an abundance of caution. Essentially, my mantra is if I have doubt about whether it is the healthiest thing for me then I will not consume it.

I immediately began the diet that very day. I went to the store and stocked up on more keto-friendly groceries. I went home and removed a lot of foods that did not align with the new diet. Additionally, my research went beyond diet but also to vitamins, minerals, and supplements that had clear proof of effectiveness against cancer and specifically lung cancer. Part of my shopping spree included a number of supplements. I may provide the specific list in a later post. Let me know if you personally have interest in that and why.

In summary, my choice to change my diet was based on my firm belief that I am not a victim but will own all my choices and I am responsible for them. Even my inaction is a choice for which I am 100% responsible and I cannot shift blame to others. This does not mean I have full control of outcomes, but I do have full control of my choices. I hope that makes sense. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.

-Jeremy