CALLING ALL SURVIVORS .... AND THAT MEANS ALL OF US

One of the things that frustrates me is that I THOUGHT I was eating pretty healthy.  I ate the whole grains and the supposedly healthier, less sugar, less fat foods.  Now since my dx, I read the labels more carefully.  Corn syrup, sugar, and soy is in everything!  And when there are so many ingredients that I can't pronounce, let alone know what they are, I wonder what exactly is it doing to our bodies.  I find it so sad and frustrating when I see people buying all of these so-called healthier foods when really the only thing healthy about it is that the company substituted whole grains for enriched.  It's still mostly junk.  It's so deceptive.

 It's also hard to pass up and I have a problem when I'm at a party or gathering and there is NOTHING truly healthy (not even water) to eat or drink.  I eat what I consider the lesser of evils or eat nothinig. 

I can't find a homeopathic doctor in my area.  No one seems to know of any.  I struggle with what supplements to take or not take and how much of each is appropriate.  Besides these boards, I feel like I'm on my own trying to figure this out with no one to help me. 

One positive note is that I have found a couple discount grocery stores that carry organic food and a better selection of them than the regular grocery stores or Walmart organic section. 

Does anyone know of cookbooks with juicing recipes or recipes that are really healthy and great tasting too?

Here are two more pretty good books about nutrition.

What to eat if you have cancer - Maureen Keane **this book does a good job explaining how cells work in plain English.

Challenge cancer and win - Kim Dalzell

Flalady

I try and read the labels of anything I put on my skin and if it contains parabens I won't use it.  I was surprised that many very respected and/or expensive cosmetics contain parabens (and often several kinds in one product). The facial creams I love the most (of the ones which do not contain parabens) are from the Origins range.  They smell lovely too.  Hopefully the more women are educated about this and avoid parabens the less they'll be used.

The good Lord knows he has to hit me upside the head with a 2 x 4 to get my attention.  I have been a lactor-ova vegetarian for over 20 years.  I keep reading about all the foods to help prevent cancer which I eat because I like them.  I am a diabetic and for the last several years you would never know it based on what I ate.  Just prior to the diagnosis of DCIS I decided I needed to get serious about diet - of course, once I got the diagnosis I fell off the bandwagon - fell, hell, I jumped!

Here's my story.  Five years ago I was going to give up cigarettes.  Was thinking about buying another pack when I had a mini stroke and landed in the hospital overnight.  I told you God knew I had to have a 2 x 4 to get it.  I quit smoking and have stayed smoke free for 5 years.

The following year I was getting checked out by a cardiologist on the treadmill when I had an arrest, had to be shocked back into breathing and spent 3 days in the hospital having angioplasty.  Learned nothing from that.  The good Lord tries but sometimes I just get plain stubborn.  As my Mother used to say, "you'll argue with God on judgment day."

When first diagnosed with diabetes I did not touch sugar for 9 years.  I don't know what happened after that but sugar became my best friend.  As a result, I have severe neuropathy.

I would like 2009 to be my year of vast improvements.  I need to start moving - walking, walking, walking.  I am tightly controlling my diet (most days).  In my entire life I never ate oatmeal.  Now I can't get enough of it - with the steel cut oats.  Yum, Yum.  I read that oatmeal is so good for diabetics we should add it to everything.  And I'm going to get that tea that marejo mentioned.  I am going to start taking supplements like CoQ10 and a vitamin every day.

Giving up wine or alcohol is not a problem for me because I never drank it.  I could take or leave diet sodas.  Sugar is another story.  I, too, could eat sugar as a meal but will be better about it.

I think my days of cavalier disregard for my health are over (big sigh) and its time to take care.

Thanks for all the wonderful tips. 

I have lived pretty much on a healthy diet, exercised most of my life, and tried to do the right things for me and my family..Guess what? Got BC anyway.

I must say the if we are "heavy laden" in 'cancer genetics", we more than likely will end up with some type of cancer sometime in our lives.It has gotten to epidemic proportions, with hearing new cancer plaguing stories almost weekly.

With that being said, since my diagnosis I have been preparing meals more so ' out of the box' than ever before. I don't let food rot in the frig anymore....everything gets prepared. For instance i made a stir fry the other day and everything went into it, including a half a bag of fresh spinach that was usually only used for salads.I have learned to read a little more carefully, the ingrdients in things. Just because it says "Wheat" doesn't necessarily mean it's totally healthy wheat. If it doesn't say 'whole' it doesn't go in the cart. Some things contain very little amounts of wheat. So also, I upped my intake of 'anti oxidants' and I say a few more prayers! It's a gamble.....we never know when the big C comes lurking around. God willing it won't!

Blessings and health to you all, Artsee 

Flalady-

I know many of these cleanses are not to be done while in treatment- do you know (or know ehre I can find out) about doing cleanse while on hormonal therapy?

Thanks....Elaine

FLlady, I haven't heard of a cleanse quite like that one.  I've read about those little green balls, though.  Isn't it true that they float?  I have the impression that step number 12 is done visually, but I'm not sure your description quite conveys that.  If you could clarify please.  It might alleviate an 'ewwwww' factor for someone.    Me, for example. 

Thanks for all your info, help, willingness to answer many many questions!

E

Hello to everyone,

I am so glad that I found this thread.  I just had my follow up appointment with my oncologist and radiologist and will start in their surviver program tomorrow. 

I was healthy before I got diagnosed back in April.  I took vitamins and exercised.  BUT.....I did like my cheese and red meat though.

I have changed a little at a time after I was diagnosed.  I eat a lot more veggies and fruit.  If I can not get fresh fruit I eat Larabars (all organic and NO SOY).  I have become a BIG label reader (especially since I am ER/PR +).  I am trying to cut down my phytoestrogen intake....especially soy (but I will not give up Susi).  I could not believe that soy is in everything!!!  Has anyone found a vit. E that does not contain soy?

It has actually been hard for me to exercise....I still get really fatigued easily.  To keep track on my walking I now wear a pedometer everyday. 

The biggest change has been my work habits.  I tend to be a work-a-holic.  I no longer work through lunch and I leave on time (or close to it).  I have also have been taking tai chi classes for the last couple of months to help reduce stress.   

Of course, I do most of the above. Lately, I have added resveratrol to my supplements. I make my own resveratrol. It is just a matter of boiling a pot of water and throwing a fistful of red sorrel (hibiscus flowers) in it, then let it sit for as long as possible.

The resulting juice looks exactly like deep, deep red wine. You can add some honey and lemon juice to make a delicious drink. I drink mine unsweetened.

Before BC: ex smoker - quit 15 years ago. Have been living 'supposedly' healthy life with lots of exercise since 2008. Before 2000 bad eating habits, yoyo weight.

My weight is still fluctuating 30 pounds up and down unfortunately and my binge attacks have been more severe with Femara (  compared to tamoxifen)

Following is the regimen that I am following (usually)

Summary of Complementary Nutrition / Life style


Water : Alkaline Water
Sleep : At least 7 hours although it is interrupted 4-5 times due to hot flashes.
Workout : No more than 2 workouts a day, and no consecutive 2 workout days. total 13 hours workout/week.

Before Breakfast:

Probiotics- Primadophilus - Reuteri - 5 Bln CFU

                                         Lactobacillus rhamnosus

                                         Lactobacillus reuteri

                                         Lactobacillus acidophilus
!/2 lemon juice with warm water

Modified Citrus Pectin : 7.5 gr

After Breakfast:

Curcumin C3 Complex : 1050 mg Turmeric Root.. 6 mg Bioprene

Strontium  Citrate        : 680 mg + 400 IU Cholecalciferol D3 - (fish)

Super C                      : Calcium Ascorbate 1000mg, calcium Ascorbate 18 mg.

                                    Grape Seed Extract(anthocyanins-5mg) - 25 mg

                                    Cranberry extract     - 25 mg

                                    Red Cabbage Extract(anthocyanins< 1mg)  - 10 mg

                                    Orange peel - 25 mg

                                    Lemon Peel - 25 mg

Vitamin K-1                  : Phytonadione - 100 mg

Vitaminb B complex

Mid morning:

Green tea extract:  Green tea extract 125 mg ( equivalent of 12-15 cups green tea)

                             Concentrated extracts of goji/wolfberry,Lo Han Kuo(fruit),Astragalus

                              (root), chinese licorice(root) 1mg 

Vitamin B12-mc- sublingual : Methylcobalamin 1000 mcg

                                           Folic Acid   100 mcg

After Lunch:

Red  Yeast Rice&CoQ10: Niacin(inositol hexaniacinate) 100 mg

                                      Red Yeast Rice(Monascus Purpureus) 1,200 mg

                                      Coenzyme Q10(ubiquinone) 60 mg

                                      Inositol( inositol hexaniacinate) 25 mg

CoQ10                          : Coenzyme Q10 200 mg, Ubiquiinone, USP- Japanese

Beta Glucan                   : Beta 1,3 200 mg

Vitamin E 400 IU           : D- Alpha Tocopherol
Super C                        : ( see above for breakdown)

mid afternoon:

Modified Citrus Pectin : 7.5 gr

Liqui D3                     : cholecalciferol 8000 IU

After Dinner:
Femara

Before going to bed:

Liquid Calcium Magnesium Citrate : Calcium Citrate 600 mg

                                                     Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol) 400 iu

                                                     Magnesium, citrate, aspartate 300 mg

Magnesium  Citrate                       : 400 mg.

Curcumin C3 Complex : 1050 mg Turmeric Rotg.. 6 mg Bioprene

Melatonin                                     : 10mg

Other:

Kale, broccoli, wheat grass and other vegetable juices  adding fish oil :

Omega-3, Purified Fish oil

                            EPA 825 mg

                            DHA 550 mg

                            Other Omega-3's 350 mg

                            Total Omega-3's   1725 mg

                        Oleic Acid (Omega-9)  290 mg

1/2 cup organic low fat cottage cheese, mixed with 2.5 Tbsp freshly ground flaxseed. as a snack most of the days.

Trigeek:

I have to join FloridaLady in congratulating you. You go girl!

I thought I was doing great, but reading you makes me feel not completely adequate.

I work out 1 hour every 2 days (high impact, though).

Morning:

2 eggs "a la coque,"  which I season with Turmeric and another spice, accompanied with pumpkin seeds and natural fish sauce. I get my probiotic from a mixture of fermented cabbage, beets, and sometimes another vegetable. I add sea salt, and a little bit of olive oil on top. I eat that with Ezekiel bread (7 sprouted grains, 2 thin slices).

2 large cups of green tea,

I take 1 good multivitamin,

200 mg of CoQ10 (another 200 in the evening),

1 garlic pill and another one in the eveninng (Galieze is the best, because it preserves all the properties present in raw natural garlic, as described by peer reviews)

1 Stamets mushrooms blend (another one in the evening)

1 magnesium pill, 5000 mgs of Vitamin D3 (from my Doctor), another one in the evening.

1 quercetin pill (to keep allergies at bay)

30 drops of olive leaf tincture, an antibacterial and antivirus, in a little bit of (always filtered) water.

1 glass of resveratrol which I make by dumping a fistful of dried red hibiscus flowers (sorrel) into a pot of boiled water (prepared ahead of time so I can take it cold and delicious, perhaps with a little bit of honey and lemon juice).

1 teaspoonful of fish oil (Omega-3)

Some cinnamon in my second cup of green tea

Now for lunch, I am lucky: my work cafeteria has gone mainly organic (no kidding), so I am able to make myself a blend of 7-9 organic vegetables in a salad (Yeah, I realize how fortunate I am to have such a cafeteria).

In the evening, I don't have to worry about my diet: By then, I've already done way more than my 5-a-day. So (if I am in the mood), I treat myself to all kinds of exotic foods (like millet or baobab pulp porridge, quinoa in a little salad, chia seeds) or stews with a large variety of spices.

By the way: I have been going ALMOST 5 months without a cold or flu, despite the multiple epidemics this winter. I like to believe that my apparently strong immune system has something to do with my diet and supplements.

While I am not doing quite as well as you, Trigeek, I am certainly trying hard for First Runner-Up, here.......

I -- work a lot less and work at home -- spend more time with my kids who make me laugh -- try to let go of having everything be perfect (its just NOT going to happen) -- let the house be a mess -- read support boards like this which are so awesome for putting it all into perspective -- eat a lot more veggies esp dark leafies -- bought a juicer and juice daily -- take lots of supplements and herbs including vitmain D3, l-glutamine, paw paw, omega 3 oils, broccoli extract, resvaratrin, milk thistle, immunoglobulins, nettle seed, flax seed, vitamin , turmeric force, Dim, CoQ 10, probiotics, melatonin -- see a nutritionist -- get accupuncture -- sleep more -- eat more fish with omega 3s fatty acids -- eat only grass fed beef and eggs -- eat only organic -- test my ph levels periodically to remind myself why eating well matters -- no alcohol -- drink more green tea -- drink lots of water. I also gave up wheat and dairy since being on chemo made me realize something was wrong and I was diagnosed as being gluten and dairy intolerant. I admire all of you who keep up your exercising...its so hard for me to get it moving when chemo saps the old energy. I'll remember these post this week when its time for yoga.  

Way to go, Brenda_R.....Planting your own garden..... Great!

Karen- where do you find apple cider vinegar in caps?

Elaine