19 Aug SEEDS OF HOPE: How Gardening Can Improve Health Outcomes for Cancer Survivors

Posted at 15:46h in Cancer, Nutrition by

Cancer survival rates indeed continue to rise with ever-evolving improvements in prevention, early detection, and treatment. However, it is essential to note that cancer risk can largely be attributed to lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, inadequate nutrition, as well as certain environmental exposures. These lifestyle factors also significantly contribute to many comorbid conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and sarcopenia. Cancer survivors are at greater risk of experiencing adverse health effects associated with comorbid conditions, not to mention those that coincide with cancer treatment. Aside from smoking cessation, it is especially important to focus on lifestyle practices that provide opportunities for physical activity and adequate nutrition, like gardening!

There is an increasing amount of research completed that evaluates the impact gardening has on health outcomes for cancer survivors. An overwhelming majority of studies show that participation in the preparation, maintenance, and harvest of fruit/vegetable gardens significantly improves several adverse health effects faced by many cancer survivors. More specifically, these health concerns include body composition: excess adiposity, loss of muscle mass; biomarkers of comorbid conditions: blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, inflammation; nutrition: fruit/vegetable intake; factors of quality of life: depression, fatigue, physical function.

Research shows that basic gardening tasks for at least 30 minutes, three days/week, significantly increases physical endurance, mobility, strength, and sense of self-worth. Studies also show that participants had significant increases in fruit/vegetable consumption as well as improved dietary patterns overall. The combination of increased physical activity and improved nutritional patterns provided participating cancer survivors with desirable decreases in blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and inflammatory markers.

One of the most important outcomes of this research is that almost every participating cancer survivor adopted gardening into their lifestyle outside of the research studies due to the positive impacts it had on their physical health and mental wellbeing. In doing so, they will continue to reap the fruits of their labor for years to come.

As research surrounding the benefits of plant-based diets becomes more and more compelling, home gardening may be an ideal strategy for anyone looking to improve or their health. A systemic review of the association between fruit/vegetable intakes and the burden of diseases reveals that increasing fruit/vegetable intake to just 300 grams (1 ¼ cups)/day may decrease the burden of chronic disease by 10-30%. For the first 100 gram(~1/3 cup)/day increase in fruit/vegetable intake, there is a 2% decrease in risk for cancer.

Below is a comprehensive overview of evidence-based recommendations to keep you healthy!

  Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2015-2020) American Institute for Cancer Research (2018) American Cancer Society (2012)
Body Weight Achieve and maintain a healthy weight (BMI 18.5-24.5). Keep your weight within the healthy range and avoid weight gain in adult life. Be as a lean as possible throughout life without being underweight.
Physical Activity At least 150 min/wk of moderate-intensity, or 75 min/wk of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Be physically active as part of your everyday life – walk more and sit less. At least 150 min of moderate-intensity, or 75 min of vigorous-intensity activity each week, preferably spread throughout the week.
Produce Consume 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit, daily. Choose whole fruits and vegetables from all subgroups – dark green, red, orange, legumes, starchy, and other. Make whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes such as beans and lentils a major part of your usual daily diet. Eat at least 2 ½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day.
Meat Consume a variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products. Eat no more than moderate amounts of red meat, such as beef, pork, and lamb. Eat little, if any, processed meat. Limit how much processed meat and red meat you eat.
Sugar & Energy Dense Foods Consume less than 10% of calories/day from added sugar. Drink mostly water and unsweetened drinks. Limit consumption of “fast foods” and other processed foods high in fats, starches, and sugars. Limit intake of high calorie foods and drinks as keys to help maintain healthy weight.
Supplements Nutritional needs should be met primarily from foods. Do not use supplements for cancer prevention. Aim to meet nutritional goals through diet alone. Food is the best source of vitamins and minerals.

Research shows that performing basic gardening tasks for at least 30 minutes 3 days/week significantly increases physical endurance, mobility, strength, and sense of self-worth. Studies also show that participants had significant increases in fruit/vegetable consumption as well as improved dietary patterns overall. The combination of increased physical activity and improved dietary patterns provided participating cancer survivors with desirable decreases in blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and inflammatory markers.

One of the most important outcomes of this research is that almost every participating cancer survivor adopted gardening into their lifestyle outside of the research studies due to the positive impacts it had on their physical health and mental wellbeing. In doing so, they will continue to reap the fruits of their labor for years to come.

As research surrounding the benefits of plant-based diets becomes more and more compelling, home gardening may be an ideal strategy for anyone looking to improve or their health. In fact, a systemic review of the association between fruit/vegetable intakes and burden of diseases reveals that increasing fruit/vegetable intake to just 300 grams (1 ¼ cups)/day may decrease the burden of chronic disease by 10-30%; and for the first 100 gram(~1/3 cup)/day increase in fruit/vegetable intake there is a 2% decrease in risk for cancer.

Below is a comprehensive overview of evidenced-based recommendations to keep you healthy!

 

References:

Demark-Wahnefried, W., & Spees, C. (2018). Seeds of Hope: Garden-based interventions improve health outcomes for cancer survivors. [Recorded lecture and notes]. Retrieved from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Yip, C. S. C., Chan, W., Fielding, R. (2019). The associations of fruit and vegetable intakes with burden of diseases: A systematic review of meta-analyses. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 119(3), 464-481.

 

Definitions:

*comorbid condition – a medical condition typically referring to a chronic disease that exists simultaneously with and usually independently of another medical condition

*sarcopenia – loss of skeletal muscle mass

*burden of disease – the impact of a health problem on a given population and can be measured using a variety of indicators such as mortality, morbidity, or financial cost.

Garden Fresh Recipe: Zesty Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

25 whole tomatoes

3 onions

2 green bell peppers

2 red bell peppers

8 jalapenos

2 zucchinis

4 carrots

13 oz tomato paste

1 cup fresh basil

6 Tbsp garlic (minced)

4 Tbsp olive oil

1-2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

3 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp salt

Directions:

  1. Very finely chop all vegetable ingredients (a food processer works well), keeping chopped tomatoes separate.
  2. Drizzle olive oil in a large pan and sauté onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapenos, carrots, and zucchini until softened.
  3. Add the tomatoes and all remaining ingredients.
  4. Simmer until slightly thickened (30-45 minutes), then skim any foam off the top.
  5. Use and immersion blender, upright blender, or food processer for smoother texture if desired.
  6. Sauce can be stored in the freezer or is suitable for canning.