Community Corner
Are Pop Rocks And Coke Fatal?
The sweet combo probably won't kill you, but it is important to eat healthy in order to fight cancer.
Have you ever tried Pop Rocks and Coke?
No, it won't make your stomach explode. That's just an old wives' tale — I hope. That combo isn't fatal, but I hear it can feel like a mule kick to the gut.
I know the feeling. I checked into the Marin General Hospital emergency room in 2010 with what I thought was food poisoning. My wife had to help me from the car to the lobby because I could barely walk.
The doctors at first weren't sure what the problem was, but they knew it wasn't a simple case of bad sushi. Turns out, a large carcinoid tumor was strangling my appendix and lower intestine.
There were probably signals before then, but I didn't know enough to recognize them.
The lesson? Listen close to your gut because all those twinges, strange gurgling sounds and pressure might be an urgent message.
Marin General's Center For Integrative Health & Wellness can help you interpret that message with the free class "What's Your Gut Telling You?" The session meets Thursday, March 29, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Marin Cancer Institute. Call 1-888-996-9644 to register.
Sure that half-pound burger with bleu cheese sounds great. Add some beer-battered onion rings and a chocolate shake and your taste buds will be singing. That's fine every once in a while, but eat it too often and your stomach will be groaning.
An unhealthy diet can do more than just add inches to your waist. It can kill you.
Marin Gastroenterology physician Tim Sowerby, M.D. and nutrition counselor Sharon Meyer will lead Thursday's presentation and help us find digestive health through a better diet.
Food that tastes good and is good for you has been a regular theme in the Center's lecture series. Meyer revealed last week the amazing healing power of spices.
One Bite At A Time by Rebecca Katz is an incredible cookbook loaded with cancer-fighting dishes. There's a recipe for almond chocolate chip cookies that I'm saving for my next snack attack.
Using advice from nutritionists at the Marin Cancer Institute and the local abundance of organic foods, I've tried to change my diet over the past year. I've found some great recipes for beef fajitas, chicken potpie and pizza — all tasty and all healthy.
So don't worry, eating healthy doesn't necessarily mean a plateful of lentils, tofu, or beans. It is possible to enjoy what's on your plate and enjoy a healthy life.
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