ER+/PR+ -- what can I do?

saturn

I am newly diagnosed, but getting a quick education on things.  I have a question-- because I'm ER+/PR+, I undertand there are some good/bad foods, but also am reading about EVERYTHING else I encounter from make-up to laundry soap and everything inbetween.  Do most of you ER+/PR+ people follow those rules?   What kind of cosmetics, lotion, soap, etc. would be best?    All the info on the internet gets overwhelming about avoiding certain ingredients (of course they're all in MY cosmetics!), but I'm seeing no particular brands of any products that are okay.

Lynda

nene2059

Hi LL, post this topic on the natural girls thread and you will get tons of responses as well.  It is funny we pretty much had the exact same diagnosis.  I have been exactly where you are now about all of this.  Here is what I do: I buy cosmetics, haircare products, body wash, etc. without parabens and petrochemicals.  There are lots of brands and most everywhere carries Burt's Bees or a similar paraben free line.  I use chemical free laundry detergent and a scoop of Borax in every load.  I buy dish soaps that are natural.  All of this I get at Target, Walmart or a grocery store.  My makeup is primarily Bare Escentials.  I avoid soy in my food but if you call the American Cancer Society and get a consult with a dietician, which is free, they will give you the truth about what you should avoid.  It is best to separate that at the beginning or else you will be driving yourself crazy as each new "fad" carcinogen is announced.  Basically, I have settled down a little on having to control EVERYTHING I come in contact with and am just trying to live as healthy a life as possible.  I know  that if  you look at the Natural Girls thread someone posted a list of brands for us.  Hope that helps and best wishes!

saturn

Hi Nene,  Thanks for the reply.  I'm trying to find the natural girls thread but not sure where it is...  Greeat tip on talking to ACS.  I hope they are there this week.  So hard to reach anyone anywhere these next two weeks.  Thanks again for your help!   Now I'm ready for my coffee... still wondering if THAT is bad too!

nene2059

Lynda I was wrong, natural girls is a topic on alternative/holistic/complementary thread. Click on that thread and you will find natural girls.  You can also post this as a topic on there and you will get lots of info.  My only advice....find where you can live and where you are comfortable....some of the posters will have you fearing everything I think....and we can't live in a bubble so enjoy life. No harm in living a healthier lifestyle though. Enjoy your coffee, I haven't given up that or Diet Pepsi..I love them too much:)

saturn

Thaks Nene... What is wrong with Diet Pepsi??  I am already afraid to drink milk now, so my dialy one or two lattes has been sorely missed.  I will see how they come out with steaming rice milk or almond milk, but I'm not expecting much.  Right now I AM afraid of everything.  From shampoo and soap to the hair mousse... now I don't even want to put on the Shiseido make-up tht I just got hooked on (and spend $$ on!).  I know this will get better.  I spoke to my aunt who had ER+/PR+ (but she is post meno) and she said she doesn't worry about what she eats because she feels the hormone pills take care of it.  But isn't that just taking care of the estrogen your BODY produces, not what you consume or absorb?

saturn

I was reading posts about tomatoes, specifically heating them.  What is the deal?  And what about canned tomatoes?  I like to make a "soup" with diced canned tomatoes, seasonings, and added vegetables so I wanted to make sure not a problem for ER+/PR+. 

nene2059

Uh oh...and so it begins..lol! We have all been where you are now.  You will find a balance.  I go to starbucks and get my skim milk lattes and do not stress it but at home I use organic milk if I have the rare bowl of cereal or run out of creamer for my coffee.  I used rice milk for awhile and liked it but not NOT in coffee....it adds nothing to it at all.  Almond milk is good but I found the same thing with it and coffee. Maybe if you used the rice milk that is vanilla that will help.  I still get diced tomatoes but I buy organic.  I don't think there is anything in the tomatoe itself whether you heat it or not that creates estrogen.  I think there may have been some talk about the canning causing some type of carcinogen or something.  This is why I say call the ACS and talk to a dietician because they dispel some of these and explain others.  There is always going to be a new cancer causer or curer and it will have us running from one side to the other if not careful.  One day it is raspberries (insert anything else in place of  them) that has been shown to decrease the incidence of breast cancer, or cancer in general, so we all fill up on raspberries and share our raspberry recipies and then boom it is all over CNN that raspberries cause cancer and we all swear them off and can not believe that we ever ate a raspberry and people will swear that is the root of their cancer.  I don't say blow it all off, I am very careful about the products I put on my skin, read labels to avoid soy and buy organic whenever possible.  I was crazy about this when I was going through treatment and for quite a while after. I don't eat any meat that has been touched with steroids, antibiotics, or hormones (well ok I don't eat red meat or pork but not because of cancer) but chicken and seafood.  I will, however, eat chicken or seafood from a restaurant and not look back.  Can't control everything I guess.  I don't think there is anything wrong with diet pepsi btw but it is probably loads of chemicals but I am not giving it up as we all have to have a vice..lol.  Your soup sounds delish and not at all dangerous:) perfect time of year for it too.  I would probably use up the makeup you have unless you just can't bear it and then find brands that are paraben free.  I use a Lorac concealer and face primer that are paraben free and then Bare Escentuals for most everything else.  I use Burt's Bees lip products because their lip shimmers are fab.  My grandmother had BC in 1968 and had the radical mx but no chemo, rads, hormonals, and did not do anything careful with her diet and she will be 90 next birthday. No recurrence ever.  Who knows what works but I am definitely for taking some precautions.  This is a stage (worrying about what you eat, use, etc) that you will have to walk through too but hopefully eventually you will "regress towards the mean" like most of us. It is not a bad change to be aware of what we put in and on our bodies.  Oops, I meant to tell you about Dr. Bronner's body washes and soaps too.  I love them and they are at Target, Walmart, GNC, loads of places.  I went through a juicing phase too btw, now my juicer collects dust..hehe:)

saturn

Nene-- its funny, even as I'm thinking all these thoughts, I'm aware that I am being a bit obsessive, but still can't help myself!   Thanks for all the good information.  I am planning on calling ACS, just haven't had a chance yet.     You mentioned the "rare" bowl of cereal... what do you usually eat for breakfast?  I've been having smoothies bc I love fruit, and eggs occasionally, but I'm confused about yogurt-- good or bad? (probably need to go organic??)  I know, the questions keep coming!! lol

lago

Diet Pepsi… actually all diet colas are not good for your bones. If you are peri- or post menopausal and/or on a Aromatase Inhibitors and worried about your bones I would highly recommend limiting your intake. I used to drink at least one diet Dr. Pepper a day (since 1983) till this October when I started chemo. I have only had 1 since then.

I don't think this applies to diet sodas that are clear/citrus like Sprite.  Granted caffeine intake should be minimized as well.

saturn

I don't drink a lot of diet colas, only usually when at a restaurant.  I do however, drink Sugar Free KoolAid (or Crystal Light) like a fish!   Didn't see anything on ingredients that stood out as bad, but I'm sure there's something in there I can't have!  Right not I'm drinking DECAF, BLACK coffee--- yuck!

Tundra

Hi Lynda et al... just wanted to say I'm enjoying this thread. I'm newly diagnosed and have been having similar questions come up for me.

Do you know about this site? :  http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

nene2059

Happy Holidays to all!  Lynda I usually don't allow much extra time in the morning for a sit down breakfast so I usually eat a Larabar (they are fantastic, you can recognize and pronounce every ingredient and all grow naturally not in a lab somewhere) and a piece of fruit.  I do like cereal, but I have to eat Gluten free due to a wheat allergy so I usually buy an organic, gluten free cereal and eat it in Greek yogurt as a snack...yummy! On the weekends I do have a bowl of cereal with organic dairy or rice milk occasionally and the only reason that it is occasional is that I forget that I have it:) I drink Crystal Light Iced Tea quite a bit too and don't think that there is anything wrong with that or Kool Aid.  My breast surgeon's wife works in his office and one early afternoon apt I needed a drink and grabbed a diet dr. pepper from my bff and when I went to check in his wife greeted me with a toast of her diet dr. pepper.....I think everything in moderation is ok. 

Tundra, welcome, and I have been to that website it is a great resource, I had forgotten it so thanks for posting:) 

encoremom

We've all been at this early stage and here are a couple of other thoughts.  When I asked my oncologist about lotions, ingredients, etc, he told me to definitely stay away from products with tea tree oil and lavender in them.  They have estrogen like ingredients.  When I asked about parabens, I was told the verdict is still out, don't be too obsessive, but if I can choose something without parabens to do it.  Beside Burts Bees products, I use the paraben free "Say Yes To" carrots, cucumbers, etc line of products at Target.  I'm post memopausal and they even have a Say Yes to Blueberries" line for older skin.  I also like the Jane Iredale line of cosmetics. 

As for food, I was told to stay away from red meat as much as possible but otherwise to exercise and maintain a healthy weight.  It's a balance that all of us have to find that we are comfortable with.  Hope this helps some.

handsamboy

I would highly recommed limiting your intake. I have been exactly where you are now about all of this.

bodybuilding

high jump

Colodisneylover

Thanks for posting this question. I am wondering what is good/bad, too.

saturn

I saw a nutritionist and STILL don't know!  I'm back to doing decaf and adding a little rice milk along with a splash of organic 1% milk.  Getting used to it.  So is decaf ok to drink??  I'm frustrated w. nutritionist that my onco center set me up with because all I got out of it was to increase my protein during radiation.  Not much help!  All I know now is veggies=good, sugar=bad...  and processed white flour, sugar are bad.  Have seriously cut back on my carbs (sniff, sniff). 

Colodisneylover

I met with my oncologist yesterday and asked him about soy, flax seeds, etc.  He said, "Everything in moderation." It really sort of irriated me because it seems like being ER/PR+ these are serious.  I'm wondering if I should I see a nutritionist or some specialist?

saturn

I think my nutritionist said that "everything in moderation" crap too! I coulda gave myself THAT advice, and saved the $60!!

mdg

I am dealing with the same thing and questions ladies.  I have changed body care products and make up to be all sulfate and paraben free and organic if  possible. I am using PHysician's Formula Organic make up and Aveda make up.  I like Burt's Bees, Jason and Giovanni products for soaps shampoos.  I have also tried the Organix brand shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products.  As far as food, the best website I have found information on is www.foodforbreastcancer.com.  I have found the studies helpful.  I have tried to eliminate as much soy as possible, red meat, safflower/sunflower oil and all refined products.  I still eat turkey and chicken but it needs to be hormone, chemical and antibiotic free - natural fed or organic.  I eat only low fat organic dairy in moderation because I have dairy issues, but low fat dairy is good for BC patients.  I try to include 8-10 glasses of water per day and 5 fruits/veggies per day when I can do it!  I started baking with honey to avoid the refined sugar and am enjoying low sugar, whole grain muffins and brownies..my 4 year old even likes them.  I am increasing the fiber and whole grains too.  As far as oils, I am sticking to olive oil and canola oil.  I am trying to do all of this when I can (at home) but not freak out if we are at a restaurant or at a friend's house - I will eat whatever then.  Just an FYI - I am not a fast food gal really, but Chipotle does offer hormone free meat and organic veggies!  If you do choose to eat out, it can be done with less guilt.  Oh and the biggy....I have stopped drinking wine.  I will save it for special occasions only now....alcohol and BC has a direct link unfortunately.  When I finish chemo I am celebrating with a glass of prosecco though....guilt free!  I can't wait!

slinky

mdg, Thanks for the info.  I am still in a quandry about my diet and intake.  I still eat alot of red meat, but cut out all soy from my diet.  I still have two cups of coffee a day and eat lots of veggies.  I don't care for fresh fruit, but added fruit juice (even though I don't like the additional sugar intake).  I know I should go organic, but I don't know how to incorporate it into my life with two teens and a husband.  It seems very daunting to change my diet, much less three other peoples way of eating. 

How do other people handle changing their diet with others in their household? Both adults work full-time jobs...suggestions would really help!

Colodisneylover

Another question...can anyone recommend a chapstick that does not contain soy? I have used Burt's Bees forever and it has soy in it. I asked on the organic thread and no one answered me.

 Slinky-I understand what you are saying about trying to change everyone else's diets too.  It's hard!