Finding Strength in Helplessness

Sep 20

Finding Strength in Helplessness: A Journey with Culinary Medicine

When you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, your world is turned upside down. I understand how overwhelming this news can be—fear, confusion, and helplessness all come flooding in at once. There's a loss of control for the person diagnosed and uncertainty about the future. You want to do everything to support your loved one, but it’s hard to know where to start and what to do.

In my journey of treatment and recovery from cancer, culinary medicine played a significant role. With Deliciously Healthy MD, I’ve created an online resource dedicated to the transformative power of culinary and integrative medicine for cancer patients and those suffering from chronic illness. It’s not just about healthy food, but about using the healing and nourishing powers of food, including herbs and spices, in recovery. We truly are what we eat!

When facing serious illnesses, including cancer, focusing on our food choices and quality becomes even more important. I would love to help you navigate this maze with my knowledge and tools, and to individualize your healing process through the various options I offer on my website—whether it's in-person cooking classes, online resources, or an in-office integrative medicine consultation.

The Power of Food in Cancer Care

Every stage in the battle against cancer is different, as many of you know or have already experienced. That's why it's crucial to have a personalized nutrition plan tailored to your ability at each stage to consume, tolerate, taste, and digest food. Most importantly, choosing the right foods that can reduce cancer recurrence, fight inflammation, and enhance immune support is key. A plant-based diet has proven beneficial in preventing and reducing recurrences of many types of cancer. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower contain cancer-fighting compounds and should be a staple in your diet.

Additionally, the powerful variety of mushrooms known for their cancer-fighting and immune-boosting properties have been used for years in cancer hospitals across China and Japan.

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Through the Journey: Personal Perspective from Dr. Priya Deshpande, Cancer Survivor

(pictured 2018-2019)

Healing Through Food
Food is medicine! Most medications were originally derived from plants before being synthetically manufactured. Making healthy food a priority in our busy lives can be challenging, but I'm here to show you how to prepare recipes that are delicious, quick, and of course, healthy. Incorporating batch cooking into your routine can save you time for other activities, and adding nutrient-dense microgreens can easily boost the nutritional value of your salads, sandwiches, or soups!
It's important to take your prescribed medications if you're being treated for cancer or other chronic illnesses, but that doesn't mean you can't also include healthy nutritional approaches and complementary functional medicine techniques to improve your health. Become an active participant in your own well-being.
Utilizing mind-body techniques like mindfulness, paying attention to the sensory experiences of food, avoiding distractions while eating, and sharing meals as a family are all ways to enhance the joy of eating and support your hormonal and digestive health.

Starting the Journey

It’s easy to feel lost when battling cancer, whether as a patient or a caregiver. However, starting with something as fundamental as food can be both comforting and empowering, offering a first step in reclaiming a sense of control. Nutritional support through culinary medicine can be a powerful, supportive, and comforting way to navigate your cancer care journey.

Having personally walked this path, I am committed to guiding you so that you are not alone. Choosing the right dietary strategies for yourself or your loved one can make a meaningful impact on health. Every meal is an opportunity to nourish, heal, support, and show love to a friend or family member.

Let’s embark on this journey together and make Culinary Medicine a source of support and strength in this battle for yourself or your loved one.

Warmest welcome to Deliciously Healthy MD!

Dr. Priya Deshpande