Glycemic Index and Load
The "glycemic index" is recognized by the World Health Organization and it measures the quality of carbohydrates and their impact on your blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that break down slowly, encouraging stable blood sugar levels, rate well or "low" on the glycemic index. Glycemic load is basically a combined ranking measure of how much refined sugar is consumed and in what portion size.Those carbohydrates that rate higher on the index break down too quickly and cause your insulin levels to spike and your body to store fat while also leaving you hungry soon after a meal. It's the difference between "good" carbs and "bad" carbs and how much total load or stress you put on your pancreas for insulin response.
Glycemic Load and Cancer
Medical publications support the idea that a high glycemic load diet increases risk for at least endometrial, ovarian and colorectal cancers. Is monitoring your diet for low glycemic index important during treatment as well?First of all a low glycemic, "good carbs," low fat diet combined with optimal amounts of protein and fiber is generally regarded as a healthy diet which is at the very least "heart healthy." Based on complementary medicine evidence it is also the optimal immune potentiating combination of foods. In that regard, although it is not a substitute or alternative treatment for ANY Cancer, this low glycemic load dietary approach may certainly be a very reasonable complementary strategy during treatment or recovery. Thus in addition to a "preventive" strategy for cancer, the idea can be applied to prevention of recurrence as well.
How Glycemic Load Might Impact Cancer
Several points regarding a low glycemic load diet and cancer are important to discuss. First, the concept that simple sugar or glucose preferentially "feeds" cancer is more of a myth than reality. Sugar "feeds" all of our cells, so it does not discriminate, although there are some alternative viewpoints out there that tie high glycemic index foods and insulin response to worse outcomes.We also know from Positron Emission Tomography (P.E.T.) scans that radioactive sugar is certainly consumed at a higher rate in metabolically very active tissues, like cancer. That is how they find the cancer by using this scan. However, any connection between cancer outcomes and sugar and insulin levels is a very gray area lacking solid evidence.
Practical Points
An important point is that some people may confuse "carbohydrates" with "sugar" and cut out ALL carbohydrates from their diet. This is a BIG mistake. It is true that sugar is a simple carbohydrate, and one that has a high glycemic index. But complex carbohydrates such as legumes, vegetables, whole grains and fruits are generally low glycemic index foods rich in nutrients that are extremely important in nutritional support. Think of this as being similar to "bad fats" and "good fats." Everyone needs some good fats to maintain normal physiology. Similarly, good carbs are also critical.There are numerous books and papers on this topic. If you don't have time to look all the details up regarding what to eat or what to avoid, consider specially prepared diets like a NutriSystem package . Any name brand reputable company that has made a science of combining the right foods to create a low glycemic load diet that is healthy and very palatable is reasonable to consider.
As always, make sure your discuss any dietary modifications with your treating physician(s).
