were you vegan/vegetarian/organic before you diagnosis?

LtotheK · May 2010

This is very interesting to me. I am your classic healthy organic vegetarian-sometimes-vegan no chemicals (for the most part) in the house paraben free living even with chlorine filter on shower. I've been that way since I was 17, 22 years ago. And here I am with BC. Did I also mention that I was heavily into dance, yoga, and biking?

On the other hand, I've worked around toxic art materials, grew up in the nation's #1 superfund site, and worked in NYC post 9-11. I think I'm a poster girl for the environmental or stress card in this game, but as my oncologist says, she knows she won't have the answer in her lifetime. And she's 33.

GryffinSong · June 2010

I don't believe that anyone knows the exact cause of cancer, and they might not during my lifetime, as MHP70 just said. But I'm guessing it's a combination of genetic, dietary, and environmentmental factors. Has anyone here read The China Study? He talks about genes that may be activated by poor diet or environment. That the gene might lie dormant for a lifetime if it weren't for the contributing factor.

All I know is that since going vegetarian I've been losing over a pound a week, have lowered my blood pressure so much that I've gone off diltiazam and am going to talk with my doctor tomorrow about ramping down my metoprolol, and I'm really excited about the evidence that a plant-based diet will help my osteopenia, lessen the risk of a breast cancer recurrance, and positively affect my cholesterol.

My only regret is that I didn't give up meat (and most dairy) much sooner!

CrunchyPoodleMama · June 2010

Funny, since posting on this thread, the more I've become convinced that I developed cancer BECAUSE of my former veganism. I was chronically deficient in B12 and probably CLA and other nutrients that are much more bio-available in animal products. Anyway, not going to rain on this parade but it's interesting how we can read the same studies and come to completely different conclusions about things....

Raili · June 2010

I hear ya, Julia. I was veg for the past 9 years (hmm, same length of time it takes to grow a 1cm tumor?), and just a couple months before dx, started craving (and eating!!) tuna and salmon. I had this intuitive sense that I needed vitamin D and omega-3 and whatever else was in the fish, right away. Turns out I had a major vitamin D deficiency. Now I eat sardines regularly!!

whitedove · July 2010

BS says it takes 8 years ave. to form a tumor big enough to palpate.

apple · July 2010

there are many people who blame their breast cancer on meat consumption.. no need to berate your self (ves)

whitedove · July 2010

am BRACA neg.

raro · July 2010

I always ate a healthy diet (whole grains, little junk or processed foods, etc.). I have no history (or DNA) for breast cancer, but interestingly, 3 out of my 4 grandparents died of different cancers (in very different places, times, etc.), and my brother had testicular cancer. So I am thinking that while I may not have the BRCA gene, I probably have some tendency in me towards getting cancer. Add to that environment and diet, and, well...

I like the Anticancer book premise, that while no one thing will cause or prevent cancer, the idea is to create an environment that is not conducive to growing cancer. I spent the past year or so eating carefully, but the cancer was relentless in steady growth, through several different drugs. Then I decided not to eat red meat (unless it is both organic and grass-fed, which, since it costs like 5 times as much as "regular" meat, means pretty much never). I switched to organic milk and eggs, ate much fewer dairy products because so much yogurt,cottage cheese, sour cream, etc. is not organic. I haven't totally eliminated things, but really cut down. And my last scans showed that I'm stable, finally. The doctor thinks it's the latest drug, which it probably is, but I think my body is finally working with the drug instead of fighting against it.

3monstmama · July 2010

I agree with apple---if you surveyed the list, the vegetarians and vegans would NOT be in the majority of those of us with breast cancer. There are just too many factors at play here. Same thing on soy---whats the rate of breast cancer in asia where soy consumption is higher than the usa or west in general? How do you know that your cancer wouldn't have been BIGGER if you hadn't been vegetarian or consuming soy?

I don't think there is anything that I did that made me get this stupidbreastcancer. I do think there is lots that I can do to make myself stronger, less stressed and more capable of dealing with both the stupidbreastcancer and whatever is to come.

jan57 · July 2010

Greetings - I was vegetarian prior to my diagnosis. It is important to remember, however, that cancer takes years to form into a palpable tumor. My surgeonn aged mine at about 10 years. They say the first 40 years of your life will dictate how you spend the second 40. Tumors were growing inside of me long before I understood what was happening and before I became vegan.

Congartulations on getting animal products out of your system and losing 144 pounds! Animals are disease carriers - they have cancer, too, and are given hormones, antibiotics and pesticides en masse. The FDA allows for tumors to simply be cut off of an animal before it is slaughtered. However, we know that cancer cells circulate in the blood. Cancer is an immune system disorder - everyone has cancer, but a properly functioning immune system keeps those cells from going awry and from the DNA being morphed. Try getting a juicer and drinking fresh vegetable juices daily - this will also give you an incredibly high intake of the antioxidants that will fight your cancer! God has given us 8 natural laws of health - Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Air, Rest and Trust in Him! That spells NEWSTART! Man's ways all have side effects - God's plans are perfect! Praying for you!

jan57 · July 2010

Hi - I became vegetarian 14 years ago, yet my quest for health was an evolutionary one. There are many unhealthy vegetarians, who, as you note in your post eat tons of processsed "fake" meats and textured soy products. Merely substituting one unhealthy product for another is not the answer. True health requires our desires and lifestyle to change completely. I have now learned the "Back to Eden" approach and realize that my body was created to eat foods in their most natural state possible - I cook once or twice a week and est mainly raw, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. I go to several stores each week and check the organic section and buy what is on sale at each of them. I am off refined sugar, drink distilled water with fresh lemon, and have a juicer where my husband is kind enough to make fresh veggie juice for me most days. I had a mastectomy but have declined other toxic treatments and am trusting God for my recovery, not man. It's interesting - I'm sure we all know someone who went the "standard of care" route - surgery, radiation and chemo - and then died. No one questions why they chose that route. But if I were to die using a natural approach, many would say I died because I didn't use the latest drug. My surgeon at Mayo Clinic freely admitted that the majority of people who receive radiation don't need it. However, for the small percentage that do, they recommend it for nearly everyone - and for the ones it saves they feel it is worth exposing everyone to it. She also said that lung cancer has no cure - but the brutal therapies they recommend are only to prolong life - usually by less than six months. The surgeon said they do this so people won't lose hope. Personally, I woud rather hope in the living God - we are sojourners here on earth for a short time - my true home is being prepared for me, and I look at this cancer as just a trial to make me stronger and function as a test of faith. "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord, for tjose who are the called according to HIS purpose!" Romans 8:28

Best wishes to each of you in your quest for truth- Be aware that fear is a strong motivater, however, and that cancer is a huge, multi-billion dollar industry in this country. There's no money or patents on carrot juice, exercise, water and temperance. True lifestyle change takes a huge commitment and, much like overcoming alcoholism or other addictions, God is the power source.

Jan

CrunchyPoodleMama · July 2010

Jan, I agree that factory-farmed animals are disease carriers -- that's why, after a failed vegan phase prior to my diagnosis, I only consume grass-fed animal products in moderate amounts. They don't have the pesticide/disease/etc. problems that factory-farmed animals have. Are you vegan? How do you obtain vitamin B12, CLA's and other animal-based nutrients we need?

texasrose361 · July 2010

so weird- i was raised in Washington state, i had eaten vegetarian for MONTHS before my diagnosis (but i had suspected bc before the switch) i only started this new diet after my step dad was diagnosed with bc (he still lives in washington) and i had done research and stumbled across gerswins (spelling) therapy so i went vegetarian on the path to veganism.... make me go hmmm and wonder about environmental factors that i might have been exposed to

Member_of_the_Club · July 2010

I had been a vegetarian for 21 years when I was diagnosed, so I am certain i sprung my cancer while being a vegetarian. Never been one for fake soy products -- yuck. I'm still a vegetarian and I believe it is a healthier diet for a lot of reasons, but preventing breast cancer isn't one of them, in my book.

firepotstoodin · July 2010

I was wondering... the women here who already had a healthful diet before BC, did your diet include a lot of crucifer vegetables? It seems like it would be easy to be vegetarian or vegan and still not regularly include a lot of the (supposedly) cancer-preventing foods...?

tea · July 2010

Another healthy eater here with cancer before age 40. To answer the previous poster, I ate broccoli or cauliflower 3+ times a week in the 3 years or so prior to diagnosis (only veggies my toddler would eat!). Before that, I probably ate crucifers 1-2 times a week.

AmyIsStrong · July 2010

I was not a total vegetarian, but my children were, so I never had meat at home, and rarely elsewhere. Lots of cruciferous vegetables.

BUT - I had LOTS of soy - lots and lots of tofu, soy crumbles (fake ground beef for tacos), soy protein powder in breakfast shakes many days and a soy burger EVERY SINGLE day for lunch. This was for years. I thought it was healthy. Don't the recommendations say to eat lots of soy products?

My tumor was highly er+ and I certainly wonder if it had to do with the high amount of soy I ate. It certainly wasn't the meat (in my case).

I had very little family history and none of the major cause factors. (I had my kids early, breastfed, was not overweight, etc.)

I know there is no definitive answer and we will never know. But I think back on all those veggie burgers (soy) and the other stuff and wonder...............

were you vegan/vegetarian/organic before you diagnosis?

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