Vitamins

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ruthbru
ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
edited June 2014 in Working on Your Fitness

 I went to a very interesting speaker the other day. She is a doctor, nutrition specialist, and an eleven year breast cancer survivor. Here are some of her tips for staying healthy:

1. We all know we should eat more fruits & veggies, whole grains, less red meat, processed food etc. so I am not going to go into any of that.

2. EVERYONE should be taking a multi-vitamin. Make sure it says ‘Complete' on the label. Make sure it contains iodine, Vitamin K, selenium and folic acid along with all the other good stuff. Interesting facts about why multi-vitamins are important:

* older women with the lowest levels of vitamin B-12 were at the greatest risk for breast cancer

* taking acid-blocking medications make you less able to absorb B-12

* she recommends 400 mcg of folic acid a day. It works with the B-12 (studies have found that folates may help to make chemo more effective and decrease side effects)

* B 6 is important in lowering the risk of breast and colon cancer

* she recommends 90 mg of vitamin C

* 30 iu of E

3. Omega 3.....either eat oily fish twice a week or use fish-oil supplements (make sure it says EPA and DHA approved) 1000 mg a day. It's associated with decreased risk of cancer, heart disease, inflammatory disease, depression and more.

4. Vitamin D....a big deal.....she recommends getting it tested (should be between 40-50 ng/dL). She recommends 2000 iu a day to maintain a good level. Many, many conditions are associated with low vitamin D; heart attack, cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, muscle weakness, asthma, diabetics, multiple sclerosis etc. etc. etc. There are over 200 different body tissues that have been identified so far that have receptors for the vitamin D hormone and they need it to work properly.

* adequate Vitamin D levels has been shown to reduce the side effects of taxol based chemotherapy

* Adequate Vitamin D has shown to reduce the side effects of aromatase inhibitors

* start with a multi-vitamin, drink milk, eat yogurt (check and make sure it has vitamin D added), and most people will also need a supplement to keep that high of levels

5. Vitamin K, should get 100 mcg a day. Check your multi-vitamin, not all of them have it added.  Inadequacy leads to an increased risk of various cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis and kidney problems.

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Comments

  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited March 2011

    Nice thread.I dont have anything to add to this just yet....im looking for info myself.....

  • lrr4993
    lrr4993 Member Posts: 937
    edited March 2011

    Interesting - thanks for posting.  

  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited March 2011

    Ruth..I take a multi and in addition to that flaxseed, milk thistle, d3, biotin, aspirin (not a vitamin..I know)..calcium,  CO q 10..plus exercise 30 minutes per day (brisk walk or jog)..just had  CBC done..and it was absolutely perfect...

    I don't know if it was the vitamins and/or exercise but you know what..I think something is working

  • marybast
    marybast Member Posts: 138
    edited March 2011

    Thanks for this. It's also important to maintain a blood D-level of 40-60 when taking Arimidex or its generic equivalent, which is tied to bone loss and fractures. In addition to 5,000 IU of D-3 daily I take other bone supplements recommended by my preventive medicine doctor: Osteo-B Plus, Strontium Support II, and MK-7. And exercise, of course. I bought a relatively inexpensive treadmill ($499) and walk on it every day, use free weights for arms and - don't laugh - I talk to my bones while I'm exercising.

  • marybast
    marybast Member Posts: 138
    edited March 2011

    Titan, I just got some flaxseed oil; is that the form you take it in? Mixed with something? Or a spoonful?

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited March 2011

    I thought that flaxseed was bad if you were estrogen positive. ?????

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited March 2011

    I found this in one of the BCO files:

    Flaxseed is a phytoestrogen, a substance derived from a plant which has estrogen-like properties. Whether or not these agents have any effect on the growth of breast cancer cells -- either to promote the growth or inhibit the growth of these cells -- is somewhat unclear. It is very difficult to do research in this area and to actually measure the biological effects of these dietary supplements or products. As far as I know, there is no new data from this new meeting regarding the dietary intake of phytoestrogen. In general, most medical oncologists recommend that patients avoid large-dose supplementations with phytoestrogen; however, small doses or small amounts taken in the diet are probably safe.

  • shannonW
    shannonW Member Posts: 186
    edited March 2011

    Do u guys take all your vitamins at the same time?

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2011

    I spread the D out (I eat the calicum chews) but take the others in the evening.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2011

    Hello gurls,

    Thanks ruthbru for the list.  Am also wary of any phytoestrogens, seems the jury is still out on this one.  I take the calcium/magnesium combo in addition to the multi, apparently we cannot get enough of these two.  I would add to get the "natural" as opposed to the "synthetic" multi-vit.  Latest data on folic acid has also me wary.  Vit D a huge deal.  Have added CoQ10, still pondering about melatonin.  Have found Fenugreek seeds (pill form) for red blood count (still low and feeling sooooo tired) on Tamox though.  Also taking baby aspirin, lowers inflammation, the source of all evils apparently.  Will have to find high dose biotin, as hair regrowth is way too slow for my comfort Cry  I find that if I forget to take my Omega 3 for a few days, I get depressed, so it's really working for me.  The re-bounder (have had it for 10 years and never used it).  Tried it on reggae, latino, instrumental, rock, etc. never worked.  Only electro will do for me, can't stop !

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2011

    Try Nioxin Shampoo & conditioner. That helped my hair grow back nice. I am making myself eat two serving of oily fish a week instead of the fish oil. And I also take a low dose asprin every day too.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2011

    Thanks ! will try anything...

    Hope we're all doing the right thing Smile

  • tracie23
    tracie23 Member Posts: 598
    edited April 2011

    Hi Ruthbru Which Nioxin Shampoo's do you use?

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2011

    On the advice of my hairdresser, when I was doing chemo, I still shampooed & conditioned my head as usual with the 'for chemically treated hair' product (as I was being chemically treated from the inside out), and when I was done I switched to whatever the regular plain old hair one is until it had all grown in, then I switched back to my regular shampoo. It seems like I did some nioxin scalp conditioning treatments too. I don't think it made the process any quicker, but when my hair came back it was nice and full.

  • marybast
    marybast Member Posts: 138
    edited April 2011

    Oh gadzooks, no flaxseed then. I hadn't heard about its estrogen-like qualities. I'm OK with dumping it, though; flaxseed oil isn't very tasty.

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2011
  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,946
    edited April 2011

    Oy!!! No flaxseed? Thought it was a must do with breast cancer....CoQ10 is also a must for heart so I am goign to check with both my oncologist and the cardio team this week. Thanks for the list Ruth!

  • marybast
    marybast Member Posts: 138
    edited April 2011

    Sandeeonherown, I hope your onc and cardio team are open to non-traditional approaches; I've found that my onc and her P.A. aren't up on anything but the allopathic approaches and/or "scientifically proven" results. I pay attention to both traditional medical and alternative possibilities, look for the commonalities. At first I thought their narrow focus would be a problem for me, but I find they're open to my views and support me. For example, I thought my toes were numb from the Arimidex; the P.A. said she'd only heard of it if preceded by chemo, which I didn't have to have. She reviewed my list of supplements from the alternative medicine doc and suggested I might be taking too much zinc and/or too much B12. With a little experimentation I figured out it was too much B12. So, long-winded response to "is flaxseed a must with breast cancer or is it a problem with estrogen-sensitive cancer?" I suspect there's no definitive answer, but my intuition says anything that might mimic estrogen is good for me to stay away from.

  • texaslonghorn31
    texaslonghorn31 Member Posts: 65
    edited April 2011

    My mom is friends with a Dr. who amomng many things has his own line of vitamins and supplements and he had an entire box of stuff sent to me when I was going through RADS that was specifically designed for me, my diet, and to help counter some of the effects the radiation was having on my body. It included such things also as antioxidents, immune support supplements, and others. These REALLY helped me. If anyone wants to know about this stuff I can get the info. There were several pills which were a pain to take each day but worth it! A multi vitiamin wasn't cutting it for me so I was glad he was nice enough to send me the stuff.

  • marybast
    marybast Member Posts: 138
    edited April 2011

    Yes to antioxidants and immune support. I just started a series of three intravenous glutathione injections yesterday with my preventive med. doc, supported by daily oral glutathione (which takes longer to have an effect). My program from him is based on blood, urine, and hair analysis, so it's specific to my needs. Seeing him is costly because it's not covered by insurance, but I feel so supported in my efforts to give my body good nutrition and get rid of any toxins possible. (This site has some great information, e.g., search on "cosmetics" and you'll find suggestions for safer ones to use.)

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2011

    Hello everyone - I am soooo torn about antioxydants - don't know what to do about them - just found this link www.drlam.com/articles/cancer_and_antioxidants

  • duckyb1
    duckyb1 Member Posts: 13,369
    edited April 2011

    Hi Ladies................Just read the same thing about Flaxseed the other day, when it comes to ER+ diagnosis..............also the same thing with Vitamin E..............Honestly who knows what is good, but they did speak highly of Vitamin D...........Seems everyone is on board with that one, and my M/O did recommend it too............It is in my mulit- but I am going to take extra.......of course first I will google to see how much it too much.

    Threw away my flaxseeds, and omitted the vitamin E too.......I have a mild heart problem, but the fish oil should take care of that instead of the vitamin E.  Thanks for the info

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2011

    ooopppssss...check the source !!

    Antioxidants may interfere with breast cancer treatment

    Think that vitamins can only help--but never hurt--a condition? Although that's true in many cases, some vitamins can be harmful to certain people or under special circumstances.

    Now a new study shows that many breast cancer patients take powerful antioxidant vitamins during radiation or chemotherapy--despite evidence suggesting that antioxidants may be more harmful than helpful during such treatments.

    "It is possible that if you are taking concentrated high-grade antioxidant vitamins in significant doses, it may interfere with your treatment," says Dr. Marisa Weiss, the president and founder of advocacy group Breastcancer.org and the author of several books, including "Taking Care of Your Girls: A Breast Health Guide for Girls, Teens, and In-Betweens."

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2011

    While doing chemo and/or rads, my oncologist said to just take a multi-vitamin and nothing else. If you are going through those treatments, you want to make sure you aren't taking anything to interfer with them working as effectively as possible. You add the other things once you are done with treatment.

  • duckyb1
    duckyb1 Member Posts: 13,369
    edited April 2011

    Hi Ladies.....................Just researched anitoxidants, and cancer treatment, and found what Drl Weiss says is very contraverdial....................Google Can Antioxidants interfere with Cancer Treatments, and there is much to say about it helping and not hurting...........Try to find the article from the Kimmel Cancer Center, at Jefferson Hospital in Philly..................Very interesting, worth a look, if your going to do Rads, or Chemo.  They claim in some of the Chemo drugs, it can even help them to work better, so I guess the jury is still out on this one............It even says Vitamin E. is good to take too, now read just the other day that it wasn't..................I guess its a case of whichever one the Dr.'s favor...........go figure, just another thing to confuse us.

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited April 2011

    I was told by my MO not to take vitamin E, antioxidants and grapefuit/grapefuit juice during chemo because the all interfere with the chemo's efficacy... There was another vitamin too, but I can't remember which one.  I take multi-vitamin w/D, calcium, allergy meds, blood pressure meds, beta carotene (for exzema) and then some chemo drugs (steroids etc)

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited April 2011

    I wonder JB whether thats because they would contain no or

    Less nanoparticles - after GMOs one more thing to worry.

    About !! Fly me to the moon !!!!!

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited April 2011

    My MO told me not to take antioxident (vitamin A & E) while doing BC treatment of any kind.  I am now taking tamoxifen and he said after I finish tamoxifen I can go back on them but that there are studies that show antioxidents make the bad cells (cancer) multiply just they do the good cells and that is what he is keeping me away from.

  • duckyb1
    duckyb1 Member Posts: 13,369
    edited April 2011
    Ladies...........I have been told "no chemo", so anything about chemo would be alien to me.  I am having radiation,and found the article from Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center informative considering all the hype that is being generated about Vitamins and cancer........as I said I read things about Vitamin E also., but it was more to do with it helping cancer to grow, the causing problems with treatments................I guess the bottom line is "your damned if you do, your damned if you don't..................Just toss the coin Undecided
  • lisa1313
    lisa1313 Member Posts: 51
    edited April 2011

    Does the flaxseed have to be ground or can it be in pill form? I have the ground but at a loss as to what to put it on so I can eat it, taste like ground cardboard. I have heard that it is good for you, any suggestions, I am new here

    Thanks

    lisa

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