Lucy Curci Cancer Center at Eisenhower Medical Center hosts day of caring

The sixth annual Day of Caring, hosted by Eisenhower's Lucy Curci Cancer Center, focused on education, prevention, detection and treatment.

The Cindy DeLucca Memorial Golf Tournament sponsors this annual event. It was a day of personal sharing and making new friends over brunch outdoors in the Healing Gardens of the center.

The adjacent Harry and Joy Goldstein Cancer Resource Center was filled with exhibitors including Gilda's Club, Healthy Steps, authorJane Sterett, American Cancer Society, Desert Cancer Foundation, My Therapy Buddy, Eisenhower Schnitzer/Novack Breast Center, The Pendleton Foundation and Serenity.

“Women share and experience certain things that are very specific to women regardless of the cancer diagnosis,” said Alison Sachs,community outreach and patient support services director at Eisenhower Lucy Curci Cancer Center. “Some of these things are how to take care of themselves, balancing their roles as a wife, mother, sister or just as a cancer survivor.”

Patricia Avila, medical director of the Eisenhower Wellness Institute, spoke from her heart about The Daily Journey of Health and Healing — Learning How to Overcome Emotional Obstacles for Optimal Health and Healing. Her talk included women's physical, mental, spiritual, relational, social and environmental health issues.

“My hope today is to help you transform yourselves as you move forward in life,” Avila said. “There can always be improvement, and there are always new ways to bring joy into your life.”

The second featured speaker was Sherry Lebed Davis, an author, activist, lecturer and authority on the use of movement and therapeutic exercise after cancer, lymphedema and chronic illness.

Lebed Davis is also author of “Thriving After Breast Cancer, Essential Healing Exercises for the Body and Mind” and is a breast cancer survivor who shared her personal journey.

Audience participation hit an all-time high when she instructed the ladies to spring to their feet and start dancing to the music of “YMCA” by the Village People. They were soon dancing, blowing bubbles, tossing balls around the auditorium and waving magic wands. Her humor was infectious, invigorating and utterly contagious.

“We have to find that child again in us and look for laughter everywhere,” Lebed Davis said. “If you don't do something special for yourselves, what will you have left to give to special people in your lives? And remember to get rid of friends and relatives that give you stress.”

B12 for Vegans

One of the many nutrients ALL people need is vitamin B12. All healthy diets require some planning regardless of whether they contain animal products or not. In fact, many nonvegans are deficient in vitamin B12. But for vegans, this vitamin is often a hot-button area that stirs up plenty of discussion and even some debate.

This vitamin is created by a bacteria and is entirely vegan. But since the bacteria lives inside many mammals’ intestines (including human intestines) and since this bacterial isn’t found in unfermented plant foods, the most common way to obtain B12 is through eating animal products. Because of this, people who eat a vegan diet and people who eat very few animal products may not get enough B12 unless they take a vitamin supplement or unless they eat fortified foods.

Luckily, you don’t have to choose. You can do both if you want since there doesn’t appear to be any risk of overdose from B12. Take a vitamin and/or eat fortified foods… it’s up to you!

 

vegans should do one of the following:

1. Eat fortified foods two or three times a day to get at least three micrograms (mcg or µg) of B12 vitamin a day or
2. Take one B12 supplement daily providing at least 10 micrograms or
3. Take a weekly B12 supplement providing at least 2000 micrograms.

Nonvegans and newbie vegans often ask me where I get my B12. I usually tell them my preference is to eat fortified foods. But when I say “fortified foods” many people look at me bewilderingly. They’re not exactly sure what that means.

 

 

 

Vitamin B6 Deficiency

Since vitamin B6 can be easily obtained from food if we have a healthy and balanced diet, the occurrence of vitamin B6 deficiency is very rare. Deficiency usually occurs when some medications which affect the absorption of vitamin B6 are taken for treatment. If you are on a protein-rich diet your requirements can be increased but shouldn’t exceed 100 mg/day or you will be at risk of vitamin B6 toxicity.

The symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency are similar to the symptoms of vitamins B2 and B3. People affected with vitamin B6 deficiency generally experience anemia or skin problems (dermatitis, acne), confusion, depression, overall weakness, etc. Vitamin B6 deficiency can affect the immune system at the same time. B6 can help boost focus  

 

Vitamin B6 Toxicity

As with other vitamins there shouldn’t be any problems when taking vitamin B6 from food is in question. However, we have to be careful when taking high doses of vitamin B6 supplements. Of course this is sometimes necessary during the treatment of certain diseases but extreme doses can result in nerve damage. Please note that this kind of damage can be permanent. and you should also speak with a medical consultant if you are taking high doses. 

B6 also helps as a mood enhancing supplement  

Note: The highest dose a person should have in a day shouldn’t exceed 100 mg/day. In this amount we count vitamin B6 from both food and supplements. 

 

What is B6??

B6 is very important for physical and mental health. It is vital for assisting in the metabolizing of energy and helping in balancing the mind and body. It is water soluble and comes in three types of B6, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal. Like other vitamin B's, the Vitamin B6 is great for your overall health. 

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is the ultimate B nutritional. It has the chemical name of cyanocobalamin, and is particularly useful in blocking anemia. This was very first found out when sufferers suffering from anemia obtained therapy with some other food items until eventually liver was found to possess an advantageous effect. B12 plays a major role in helping regulate mood and hormones. It can boost mental wellness and act as a mood enhancing supplement .

Vitamin B12 can also be found in shellfish, eggs, and milk products. 

 

Vitamin B9

Vitamin B Complex -9 or folic acid as it would be more commonly known is important for producing and maintaining cells in your body. Like any b vitamins folic acid plays a major role in energy and hormone regulation. Folic acid is known as a mood enhancing supplement.  If you are not looking for taking a supplement, then make sure you eat plenty of greens.