D 6 n n Sunday, May 22, 2016
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Lung cancer diagnosis takes runner by surprise
slow n’t who d i nd er ss, atio rla Wy een h i d a w a t R n c s be dow mile . 3 s ran tment a tre
to make an appointment with her doctor, who took an X-ray. “They told me that I had mild pneumonia and treated me for that,” says Wyss. “A year An avid runner since shortly before her 40th birthday, Carla Wyss didn’t realize she later, I had the same symptom, so they took another X-ray and saw the same spot that I would soon be running for her life. had from that X-ray a year earlier. This time Lung cancer, the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in both men and women in the U.S. they told me this probably isn’t pneumonia. I had it biopsied, and they said it was and worldwide, showed up unexpectedly adenocarcinoma of the lungs.” in the life of this vibrant wife and mother That diagnosis took Wyss by surprise. of three. Cigarette smoking is the principal risk facUp to 25 percent of the people who get lung cancer have no apparent symptoms at tor for developing lung cancer, but Wyss had never smoked. the time of diagnosis. For others, common The doctor did a partial lobectomy to resymptoms can include a cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain and cough- move part of the lung. That was April 2013. ing up blood, shoulder pain, hoarseness or After that, Wyss received checkups every three months. difficulty swallowing. Her doctor saw a nodule growing again In 2012, at the age of 41, Wyss noticed afin her lower lungs. Although it appeared ter running that she felt like she was coming down with the flu. She also experienced right after the lobectomy, they had to wait about a year and a half before it was a small pain in her lower chest. That led this Weatherford, Texas, resident big enough to get another biopsy done By Stefanie Forney
Special Sections Editor
because adenocarcinoma takes a long time to grow. A November 2014 biopsy showed that her cancer had returned. Wyss wasn’t satisfied with the treatment recommendation she received in Texas. After 18 months of receiving no treatment, she contacted Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa for a second opinion. There she received robotic radiosurgery radiation. She recently finished five rounds of this stereotactic radiation treatment, which is a non-invasive alternative to surgery that treats cancer cells with pinpoint accuracy, sparing surrounding healthy tissue. “I haven’t had any side effects at all,” Wyss says. The most common side effect of standard radiation therapy is fatigue. Prior to her cancer diagnosis, Carla was active and ran 3 to 4 miles three to four times per week, as well as 5Ks, 10Ks and half-marathons.
Undergoing treatment hasn’t slowed her down. In fact, the first week of treatment involved receiving radiation on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Wyss ran 3 miles Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday of that same week. Wyss also has a strong faith that has carried her through this battle. “My faith in God has helped me. This whole experience has made me grow stronger in the Lord, and I’ve grown closer to Him,” Wyss says. “It’s true that adversity builds character. It will either make you stronger and better or it can destroy you,” she adds. “It has made me stronger, and I wouldn’t change this experience for the world. I’ve been able to see how God has worked in my life. I have a greater love for life after going through this.” Editor’s note: No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results.
Singing is good Learn how to speed up your metabolism for your health (MS) — If you sing along to songs in the car or belt out a few tunes in the shower, you may be doing yourself quite a bit of good. Many studies point to singing as a great way to boost both mental and physical health. Professor Graham Welch, Chair of Music Education at the Institute of Education, University of London, has studied the developmental and medical aspects of singing for more than 30 years. Welch consistently advocates for singing, saying it can serve as an aerobic activity that promotes a healthy heart. Singing can help to alleviate stress by releasing oxytocin, a natural stress reliever, into the blood. Singing, particularly group singing, can lessen feelings of depression and loneliness. Group singing may sync the heart rates of participants and could actually serve as a type of guided group meditation. A study by researchers in the Department of Music at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, indicated that you don’t even have to be a good singer to reap the benefits of singing. The study found that singing “can produce satisfying and therapeutic sensations even when the sound produced by the vocal instrument is of mediocre quality.” That means everyone can benefit.
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(MS) — When attempting to lose weight, you can expect to hear or read a lot about your metabolism. It’s the process by which the body converts the foods we eat and the beverages we drink into energy, and it’s widely misunderstood. You may have heard that a naturally slow metabolism might be to blame for your weight gain. But according to The Mayo Clinic, a slow metabolism is rarely to blame for excess weight gain, which can most often be attributed to both poor dietary choices and inactivity. Certain conditions that slow metabolism, such as Cushing’s syndrome or hypothyroidism, can cause excessive weight gain, and people who have been diagnosed with such conditions should consult their physicians for advice. But people without conditions that affect their metabolisms may need to make certain lifestyle adjustments that can speed up their metabolisms and help them lose excess weight.
• Start strength training. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even when the body is at rest. Building muscle is a great way to speed up metabolism. Each pound of muscle your body has burns roughly six calories per day just to sustain itself. That’s three times the calories that each pound of fat burns.
• Stay hydrated. Dehydration takes its toll on the body in myriad ways, including affecting metabolism. Even mild dehydration can slow metabolism. When the body is dehydrated, its ability to use fat as fuel is compromised, slowing metabolism as a result. In addition, muscles need water to generate energy, so dehydrated muscles will not be burning as many calories as those that are fully hydrated. Make an effort to stay hydrated throughout the day.
• Snack, but snack healthy. Healthy meals benefit metabolism, but unhealthy snacks can derail your dieting efforts. Metabolism speeds up and burns calories each time the body eats, and many people adhere to the concept of 'grazing' for that very reason. Grazing involves eating several small meals every three to four hours throughout the day rather than the more traditional three full meals each day. Grazing devotees feel that the approach burns more calories than more traditional diets, but the difference in calories burned may be negligible. Still, healthy snacking can speed up metabolism and help you avoid overeating at meals. In lieu of snacking on potato chips or baked goods, opt for healthier fare such as Greek yogurt or a serving of fruit or vegetables.
• Eat enough protein. The thermic effect of food refers to the process by which the human body uses energy to absorb, digest and dispose of the food it ingests. Protein stimulates the thermic effect of food more signifi-
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strength training is a great way to build muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even when the body is at rest. cantly than foods that are high in fat or carbohydrates, so the body will burn more calories digesting dietary protein than it will other foods. In addition to speeding up your metabolism, dietary protein also helps people feel full longer, reducing their risk of overeating. But don’t super-size your serving of protein. Adults in the U.S. are encouraged to get 10 to 35 percent of their day’s calories from protein foods. That’s about 46 grams of protein for women and 56 grams for men. For instance, a small 3-ounce piece of meat has about 21 grams of protein, while typical 8-ounce piece of meat could have over 50 grams of protein.