By Brooke Ballenger
Did you know that turmeric has more than 50 cancer-fighting properties? Paul Millea, MD, who specializes in alternative medicine for the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, provided this and other nutrition tips at one of the most popular sessions at Kaiser Permanente’s 3rd Annual Cancer Survivor Day. More than 800 survivors and their family members gathered to connect with and learn from each other and to participate in free wellness activities, informational sessions and various workshops led by Kaiser Permanente’s expert physicians and care teams.
There were 18 information sessions on topics including Immunotherapy, Lung Cancer, Chemotherapy, Living With Advanced Cancer, and many more. The Nutrition Planning session was offered at three different times so everyone who wanted to go could attend.
Dr. Millea has spoken at every Cancer Survivor Day thus far. His presentation each year is a reminder of the breadth of services and expertise Kaiser Permanente offers members in battling cancer – or any disease for that matter. Our advantage is our ability to look at people holistically, not as a disease, which means offering the latest medicines, advanced surgical techniques, and collaboration across a range of types of physicians, but also helping with their mental state, their diet, and their lifestyle.
Dr. Millea’s lively and engaging presentation related back to the central theme, “The news is better than you think.” The “news” Dr. Millea is referring to is healing foods and their power to strengthen the body, build up the immune system, and bolster one’s healthy self. He gave the audience lists of healing foods to reduce the risk of developing cancer and cancer reoccurrences, including: cabbage, kale, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, apples, kiwis, pears, raspberries, and many more. He also provided the audience a packet upon entering the session that provided recipes of healthy meals for people to try at home.
Dr. Millea not only stressed the importance of a healthy diet but also the importance of exercise. He stated, “One of the best exercises you can do is to push away from the table after you’re done eating, get up, and go for a walk!” He was truly focused on motivating the audience to live a healthy lifestyle and to encourage others to do the same.
He concluded his talk by advising the audience to “Serve these healthy foods not only to yourself, but also to the people you love.” It was clear that Dr. Millea was passionate about the power of food and exercise, especially for patients diagnosed with cancer. Everyone who attended his talk left with a wealth of information on how to take the first steps into living a healthier lifestyle.
