What foods are you eating to reduce recurrence?

Jinx27

Hey Ladies,

Just wanted to post in here a book that I read the first week I was diagnosed.

The Whole Foods Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors by Edward Bauman

This is book really good! I was just diagnosed and have been reading up on what causes triggers hormone receptive breast cancer. It explains things in detail.

Another book is Beating Cancer with Nutrition by Patrick Quillin

5 star rating, my only complaint is that the books content is scattered at times. This a book to have at home to refer to. Never lend it to a friend.

pandorashealth

mysunshine48, here are the only negative things I could find about turmeric (which may have implications for smokers and ex-smokers especially):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC269113...

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1002/ijc.2...

Anecdotally, I had been taking turmeric for a couple of years when I was diagnosed, so it didn't seem to help me with anything. I don't take it anymore. On balance it's probably pretty healthy as food, and I do eat Indian food (very happily).

Jinx27, Patrick Quillin's book rocks! That's where I found out about the combo of mushrooms and green tea reducing breast cancer rates by 90 PERCENT. Awesome! I hopped on that bandwagon really fast. LOL re: "Never lend it to a friend." :-)

One of the things I eat multiple times a week (and used to eat daily) is a raw 14-grain cereal. I love it, it's a way for me to increase the % of raw food in my diet, and it's nourishing. I just wrote up the recipe I use, but it's a really flexible recipe, the main idea is to get a lot of different organic grains, seeds and nuts:

http://pandorashealth.com/2015/10/20/how-to-make-d...

sas-schatzi

Many here have donated . Thank you !........Wandering around and cheerleading again

Donate today, make a difference directly in all our lives. By supporting BCO, we support each other. Thanks and Hugs

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/110/topic/834331?page=1

Link to the mainboard donation page

https://secure3.convio.net/bco/site/Donation2?df_i...

zinny

Hi all - Help! I saw a great and practical link on here with lots of dietary do's and do not's with references - and I lost the page and have searched for a couple of hours in vain. Anyone know which one I am talking about?!

gypsyjo

Was this it?

ER+PR+ Foods to Eat and Avoid

pandorashealth

The Food for Breast Cancer page is pretty good. It's here:

http://foodforbreastcancer.com/

zinny

thanks!

cp418

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/19/the-fats-...

The Fats You Don't Need to Fear, and the Carbs That You Do

HomeMom

Falleaves - thanks! We just updated our kitchen and I have not had a smoothie in a while. Time to find my Ninja and get back to it! I've made note of those books mentioned and will be looking for them. The biggest change I've made so far is upping my Vit D intake. Being deficiant in that really puts you at risk I think.

Anonymous

lala1-in what form are you taking ginger? I have been researching different foods and supplements since my August diagnosis and started taking Gaia Tumeric and magnesium (the magnesium is just a cheap brand, so maybe I need a better brand?). Is there a ginger supplement, and if so, what brands are best, do you think? I was taking Vitamin D before diagnosis and my RO told me to be sure to continue taking it. I was also taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil prior to diagnosis, but ran out and didn't purchase more due to cost, but seeing that you were told to take fish oil, I may reorder or buy another type. All this self-research is so time-consuming and with a large family, I want to do what is right for myself and them, so I guess it is all worth it in the end! Thanks for any info you can provide me!

flaviarose

There has been some controversy lately about the quality of fermented cod liver oil: http://chriskresser.com/important-update-on-cod-li...

It is so hard to keep up with everything, and things change all the time, which makes it even harder.

My nutritionist says this: "Use fish oil capsules for omega-3 fats. Buy capsules, not liquid because omega-3 is fragile and exposed to oxygen, light or heat rapidly oxidizes. Keep your fish oil in the freezer. Eating enough fish to get your Omega-3 would be mercury toxic." and "an inexpensive source of omega-3 fish oil is the Kirkland brand from Costco. It is the freshest (due to produce turnover), good quality at a great price. It is not concentrated so the daiy dose is 9-10 soft gels per day. Now Foods super EPA double strength is concentrated, so you'll only need 5 per day. I frequently get questions from clients about products advertising that they have the only fish oil that is pure and effective, etc. As a rule, all supplement companies get their raw materials from a relatively few manufacturers of the elements in question. All fish oil is either molecularly distilled or undergoes ultra-filtration. Both remove toxins and fat-soluble vitamins from fish body oil. Look for price and convenience, not inflated advertising claims."

For a while I was taking the cod liver oil to also get Vit. A and D. and this is what she wrote: "Carlson Cod Liver Oil 1 tablespoon, always take before the meal to prevent burping. On the 8/16 (this is an intermittent fasting program where you only eat during an 8 hour window and fast for 16 hours) your first meal should be the largest of the day. This product contains your omega-3, as well as vitamins A and D.

Add Now Foods Super EPA Double Strength to the cod liver oil dose to equal 5,000 mg combined EPA and DHA

zinny

Here's a little recipe of deliciousness - it is my copy of something they sell at a juice bar in town...

They use almond milk, but I swapped for cashew... easier to make!

2cups water, 1/2 cup soaked raw cashews, 2 Medjool dates, vanilla ( 1/2 tsp or so,) fresh grated ginger ( 1 tsp or so - to taste), 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, and a few shakes of turmeric.

Blend it up and enjoy:) Nice way to get in some protein and some ginger and turmeric!!

zinny

My new favourite cookbook is

http://www.rebeccakatz.com/the-cancer-fighting-kit...

Fit for foodies...the dahl is amazing, the minestrone fantastic...so delicious and not at all bland or pedestrian.

mkinoly

Since my diagnosis I have changed my diet in several ways. I was already vegan for years, so I didn't have to worry about cutting out meat/dairy, but I did have to change my junk food ways! I've seen a naturopathic oncologist twice who gave many of these recommendations, have done tons of research, plus am majoring in nutrition in college, so I feel good about the things I've chosen to change/implement.

Have a serving of berries or red/black grapes each day
Have a serving of cruciferous vegetables each day (sulforaphane)
Eat 5-8 servings of vegetables each day
Eat 3-5 servings of fruit each day
Have ground flax seeds
Avoid refined grains/flour - eat whole grains
Have whole soy foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame) 2-3 times a week
Keep coffee to 16 ounces or less daily
Avoid known inflammatories--wheat, sugar
Make and drink carrot juice
Have green or fruit smoothies

I don't succeed at these recommendations every day, but I do try. I still use sugar in my coffee and do have some refined grains. I don't juice or have smoothies nearly as much as I should. And it's awful being a vegan who doesn't like vegetables! Overall, my diet is much better than it used to be and includes much more veggies and fruit and much less processed soy (soy isolates), refined grains, and sugar. I also eat smaller portions than I did and have miraculously stopped binge eating.

I want to mention that the naturopathic oncologist I saw twice and knows my cancer was ER+ said ground flax seeds are ok--flax oil is not. He also said whole soy foods are ok and are even recommended--processed soy foods with isolated soy protein are not (like energy bars, lots of high protein snack items, fake meat items). Both of those items are very beneficial and should be included in an anti-cancer diet.

Other than the diet changes, I also have a supplement regimen and walk briskly while repeating positive affirmations to myself 25-30 minutes 6 days a week. I've lost 21 pounds since diagnosis in early July this year (as my doctor reminded me, 2+ pounds of that was breast tissue!!). I have about 35 more pounds to lose to get to a normal BMI of 24.

I am highly motivated to follow my plan because I am refusing all traditional treatment aside from surgery (I had a left mastectomy and recently a prophylactic oophorectomy)--no chemo, no radiation, no medications. I'm all in on this lifestyle change to avoid recurrence.

ChiSandy

I was told by my RO to avoid antioxidants (either supplements, or as foods in large quantities) during radiation therapy, as during active treatment the goal is to PROMOTE oxidation--paradoxically, free radicals are your temporary friends. If you are protecting yourself against cell damage, you’re also protecting the cancer cells, which defeats the purpose of radiation and chemo. Just as radiation can’t tell the difference between cancer and normal cells, nor chemo the difference between cancer and other types of rapidly-dividing cells (hair follicles, epithelial, etc.), your normal cells become collateral damage. The converse of that is that antioxidants can’t protect just your normal cells and leave cancer cells vulnerable to free radicals. So I have been warned off my krill oil caps, green tea, resveratrol (no more than 2 sm. gl. of red wine a week), alpha-lipoic acid, etc. until after I’ve completed radiation. (Kinda tough to explain to the sushi bar waitress today why I didn’t want the green tea, nor the free bowl of miso soup, which is soy and not the wisest food for ER+ tumors).

marijen

So not all cancers are hormone positive, so maybe Flaxseed oil or seeds is good for other kinds of cancer? I have thin blood so was afraid to use the flax oil. Bill Henderson recommends it with cottage cheese. It really is very confusing. Maybe one reason doctors stay away from alternative medicine. I read that antioxidants aren't good for melanoma cancer. I have the article if you are interested.

lala1

ElishebaJoy---I usually buy my ginger from Amazon just because it's a little cheaper. I order the NOW brand most of the time. My holistic doc said he wasn't too concerned with the brand of ginger as much as he recommended the Gaia Turmeric. He also recommended SloMag magnesium which is sold at Walmart. SloMag is magnesium chloride. I also bought some magnesium from Vitamin Shoppe which is magnesium glycinate. I actually take the VS one in the am and 2 SloMag in the evenings. I've been going to the gym alot lately and find that sometimes my muscle pains are increased so upping my magnesium has helped. The type of magnesium you take is critical. Some types are not processed correctly by the body...these are usually the cheap ones!! Google which types of magnesium are helpful for muscle and joint pain. And you must up your dose to the point that your stools are softening and then either maintain or decrease a bit.

And my doc also said no antioxidants during rads (although I didn't do rads) and another doc has said flaxseed is ok but not flaxseed oil.

Anonymous

Thanks, lala1, for the information. I will check into these brands and also google about the magnesium.

Anonymous

Zinny, Thanks for the cookbook link! I was checking out different cookbooks specifically designed for cancer and was seriously considering the one you mentioned.....even checked out the Amazon reviews. Now I feel better about purchasing it since you like it so well. It is hard to find recipes that our large family of six all enjoy, especially since I am trying to make healthier choices for all of us. Hopefully, this cookbook will be the start of a new lifestyle!

abigail48

cheese is too heavy. I had a lot of problems in the morning for years which stopped when I gave up cheese entirely. the milk proteins are also too big, they're for calves not for humans, but I cant give up half and half. organic only. & all dairy contains bad viruses, perhaps not goat dairy, don't know but cow dairy certainly.

abigail48

when i tried to stop half 7 half my finger nails got soft. I need them hard. lots of calcium vegetables would work I'm sure but doing that is a different project'

LM070917

Organic vegetarian diet with some fish and chicken, no red meat, no dairy, no sugar, no refined carbs (white bread, white rice etc), no alcohol. Lots of superfoods; tumeric, green tea, green smoothies and blueberries. I'm 90% ER+ so i make sure i cut out the above to ensure my liver is working properly at getting rid of excess estrogen. Also take probotics and slippery elm to keep digestive system is on track.

Wenrisa

has anyone read the book "Anticancer:ANew Way of Life"? I'm only on chapter 8 but it seems pretty interesting so far.

mysunshine48

Wenrisa, Yes, I have this book.....a lot of good information, but I have to admit, I have not read all the chapters......just picked out some topics. I should READ it.

labelle

I've read it and enjoyed it. I have incorporated many of the author's suggestions re: diet and excercise into my daily life.

ChiSandy

Only 70% ER+ but 97% PR+. Trying to keep it low carb per doctors' orders, so occasional red meat and wine is okay, since the weight is a bigger factor than alcohol for me. I gain on vegetarian, even vegan diets. Most of my protein is poultry, fish and eggs. Lots of green leafies and berries.Full-fat dairy ok (but only organic). Different strokes......

zinny

Wenrisa - I bought it but haven't read it yet!!…mostly because I got half way through "Eat to Live" and was too frustrated to listen to anyone evangelical about diets. Not that I do not believe that eating a plant based diet is good, and that I should increase my fruit and veg substantially and cut down red meat and simple carbs.

Nash54

Zinny....I think you summed it up in a nutshell.  

Wenrisa

I've been continuing to read it (cover to cover the first time only) and I'm really enjoying the way the information is presented. I'll probably read the pertinent sections again as time goes on. But it's not like a lot of the other books I've read like this... I'd reccomend it for sure.

labelle

The author of AntiCancer: A New Way of Life tells his story as a survivor of brain cancer, making this not only a self-help/guidebook but an autobiography of sorts.

His story alone was interesting enough to keep me reading. He's definitely not evangelical nor does he advocate an extreme diet (not vegetarian only suggesting one stay clear of hormone fed meats, lots of eat organic and avoid processed foods advice) mostly presents well researched information and not just on diet, but exercise and lifestyle changes including the importance of stress management. A little of this, a little of that and a great story. I've been told the colorful and helpful charts do not translate well in the Kindle version, so buy a hard copy of the book instead.