can dropping red meat, dairy and sugar stop cancer growth?

Iza, you and I are right on the same page. There are too many   contradictory studies out there. Then they  keep changing their minds from one day to the next.   How can we believe what these researchers say anymore?  I'm also going for the proven-by-thousands-of -years-diet. It sure tastes better! 

I read "Cancer for Two" by Dave Balch when I was first dx. (He wrote a book about his wife's breast cancer and their journey through treatment)  He explained that his wife Chris had always been extremely  diet conscious and ate all the "right" things.  One day, well into treatment, he told her that her favorite healthy-diet magazine subscription needed to be renewed.  She wrote to the magazine and told them to cancel. She said, "I did everything you said and I still got cancer.  So now I eat pie."        LOL. 

  lindasa - I don't know if Sue is of this type, but cows and goats on small farms can produce milk for longer than one year without breeding. Some for very many years....  Big commercial dairies  could never do that, but small holders can. Thousands of years of living in symbiosis did wonderful things. 

Small dairies also do not have to "kidnap" the young away from the mothers - On our farm,  we only milk once a day,  in the morning. The babes are kept in an adjacent stall at night.  They can sleep right up next to mom but just can't nurse overnight. We take the first morning milk and then put them back together all day.  More and more small dairies are using that routine. 

When we couldn't find a place to buy milk (and other food)  that was produced the way we thought it should be, we bought a farm and started making it for ourselves... and we found out we are not alone. There are LOTS of folks out there doing the same.  If you can hook up with them, they almost always have surplus. 

I agree that drinking raw milk from a regular, commercial dairy  WOULD be very dangerous. They can be very sloppy regarding cleanliness because they know the milk is going to be pasteurized.  

A raw dairy has to be meticulous - and in most states where it is legal, they are subject to a lot of testing for pathogens.  If you are afraid of possible problems though, you can do a much better job of pasteurizing at home. Heating milk at a low temp for a longer time does not destroy as much of the good stuff, and tastes much better, too. (The commericials use high heat, and some are  even ultra-pasteurizing now, because it increases shelf life. ARGHH!)  

I really like this site for anyone interested in exploring raw milk:    http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/

The person who runs that site has done a great job compiling info and providing all the reference data. 

 kk69z -   I agree!   So many reasons why we "get it", and none of them apply to me! 

I find it odd that there is one question conspicuously missing from all those lifestyle questions: Why arent' they asking   "how many carcinogens have you been exposed to in your lifetime?"

ie did you live next to a nuke plant? a chemical factory? did you work in one? any unusual radiation exposure?  lots of x-ray's in your history? etc etc

That seems a very fishy omission to me!

I agree that eating the way our grandparents (or for you young gals, great grandparents) makes alot of sense.  Neither of my grandmothers (nor my grandmother's identical twin nor my mother) had breast cancer. Because they were poor, they ate alot less meat than most people do nowadays, but they did eat meat.    And even though they lived in a city, one of my grandmothers kept 3 chickens in her yard for eggs---so she knew what the chickens ate and those eggs were fresh.  And cows in those days were fed grass, etc.  However, for me with estrogen positive BC, it is more complicated---I already have estrogen positive BC so I might want to lower my risk by reducing my intake of foods that contain estrogen.  And I think that is why my integrative doctor suggested that I not have dairy, even organic dairy.  But I am finding the discussion of dairy on this thread very interesting because I sure do miss my cheese!!!!!!

The other factor, which Morgan 513 and Shepherd mention, is the carcinogens in our lifetime.  I have BC and my sister had BC. I am BRCA negative.  There is no other history of BC in our family---so what carcinogens were we exposed to that my mother, grandmothers, etc. were not?  No one ever asks that question.  For example, I know that both my sister and I were directly exposed to DDT as young children; clearly my grandmother was not because they did not use it when she was a child.  As well, all of the plastics for storgage were not available when my grandmothers were young---it was wax paper and or glass containers for things in the refrigerators. While it may not be one of those items, it may be that the sum total of those items adds up.  So I am back to using glass jars for storage and wax paper!!! I use boric acid to combat insects---not as fast as those bug sprays, but it is at least safe.

And it is also possible that I had a weak link of some kind which increased my predisposition to breast cancer.  If so, perhaps diet and exercise will make a difference and prevent or slow down any future recurrence.  At least I sure hope so. 

Sorry to have rambled a bit.

Have a nice day all.

Mandy

Sometimes when I go back and reread what I wrote, I'm amazed at how unclear it was..  I guess I expect everyone to be mind readers... sigh... I'll try to say it better this time - 

I agree that we as patients should not stress over trying to figure out what caused our illness. But I'm horrified at the lack of   formal research into environmental factors. 

Although, I did come across this interesting publication:  

State of the Evidence
The Connection Between
Breast Cancer and the Environment
2008
F I F T H E D I T I O N
Edited by Janet Gray, Ph.D.

http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/pp.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=206137

You can download it as a free PDF. 

It bothers me that so many women believe it was their fault, somehow. 

Hey girls... love the thread!  I have too chosen a low fat, free range meat, sugarless diet.  I fall off the wagon now and again and get back on the band wagon.  Regardless if it stops cancer or doesn't stop cancer I feel better.  Which means my immune system is strong, which means I can fight cancer better

 I'm going to add another piece to our breast cancer puzzel.  I have not only detoxed my food but I have detoxed my house to the degree that I can.  Things like detergents, household cleaners, certain cosmetics, soaps etc.  Guess what girls... they are not good for you.  The average female is latering herself in chemicals before she even get to work.

 Environmental toxins from every day household items... Bishphenol A (found in plastics and metal cans), triclosan (overuse of antibacterial detergents), bromate (fire retardant), phalates (used in cosmetics)...etc. etc...  Companies are making a lot of mula off of making us sick. Know what is in the product that you buy!  It's the same rule with food.  "If you can't pronounce it, if your grandmother doesn't know what it is... don't eat it and don't spray it on yourself!. LOL

If you want to read a good book, pick up "Slow Death by Rubber Duck"... very eye opening.

 Thanks girls... had to add my 2 cents worth!