ER+ ladies, what do you eat?

alesta29 · January 2012

Current research in the UK states there is no evidence to link dairy to BC and no reason for women with BC to stop with dairy. I'm still doing half fat milk, cheese and low fat yoghourt as alongside my liver and lung mets, I have bone mets and take calcium

I have been vegetarian for 30 years; used to drink occasionally but don't drink now. No history of BC. Not overweight. Breastfed my kids for 2 years...

I'm trying to ensure I eat a low fat, lowish carb diet. I'd love to believe that diet has some answers for me but not sure, however I feel good on my current diet so will carry on.

Laurie

Mandalala · January 2012

Thanks alesta, I'll stick to that!

lulubee · January 2012

Laurie, dairy practices in the UK may be healthier than here in the US (one can only hope cows are still being treated according to their nature somewhere on this planet!), so I would caution that UK studies may not apply to women in the US. The corporate agri-plex over here has turned natural cows into hormone-fueled machinery.

The corporate dairy milk we buy in the stores now doesn't taste anything like the fresh milk my parents grew up on. I bought my son some fresh, raw, whole milk from pastured cows last month, and he was absolutely astonished at the difference. "THIS is what milk is supposed to taste like? DANG, we're being cheated!" Exactly, son.

Kale and other greens are excellent sources of calcium. Almonds, also... which is why almond milk is such a good substitute for cow's milk. Goat cheeses are good choices, also. I have switched my cheese habits from cheddar to Greek feta made with goat's milk, and it is delicious.

alesta29 · January 2012

Good point Lulubee.

Not sure if we are any better to our cows over here...

Think i'll give almond milk a try - hadn't thought of that so thanks!

Momine · January 2012

Mandalala, about the sesame. That is exactly the kind of thing that drives me nuts. I clicked to read what that list said about sesame, and after reading it I am still not sure if sesame is ok to eat.

Mandalala · January 2012

It seems like if you eat healthy food, sesame is probably good, and if you eat unhealthy food, sesame is probably neutral or bad. But if you eat Tamoxifen (which I am supposed to start doing again today) – then you should stay away from sesame.

(Official Swedish diet advice says nothing about avoiding any food at all. It recommends a lot of sweet foods that I can't see how you could recommend to anyone. It says that fruit and vegetables are good, but everything else seems to be fine, too ...)

Shrek4 · January 2012

Chamomile and star anise? why in the world? They have abolutely no hormonal effect or influence.

Momine · January 2012

LOL, about the Swedish diet advice. Told you that you guys have a cooking problem Tongue out

What kind of sweet foods do they recommend?

Mandalala · January 2012

Oh, the sweetened surströmming of course, and ... Innocent

No, for real: rosehip soup (which is always ready-made and unbearably sweet), "gourmet yoghurt" (≈ sugar, chemicals and a little yoghurt), sweet ready-made rice pudding, soda (!) ... All of these are recommended for people with poor appetite, for getting enough calories, but anyway – soda!

Anita333 · January 2012

Calcium rich foods:

- Spinach raw 100gr has 99mg of Calcium (10% od daily intake for adults)

- Collard greens 100gr has 210 mg of Calcium (21%)

- Chickpeas have 49 mg (5%)

- Kidney Beans have 37 mg (4%)

- Kale 72 mg (7%)

- Bell pepper 10mg (1%)

- Orange 1/2 cup 52 mg

- White beans 3/4 cup - 120mg

- Navy beans 3/4 cup - 94mg

- Black Turtle beans 3/4 cup - 75mg

- Instant oats, 1 pkt - 165mg

- Sardines in oil, tinned, 100 g - 500mg

- Salmon, tinned, 100 g - 91mg

- Almonds roasted 1/4 cup - 93mg

- Almond butter 2 Tbsp - 88mg

- Cabbage/ bok choy 1/2 cup - 190 mg

- Turnip greens 1/2 cup - 104 mg

- Broccoli 1/2 cup - 33 mg

Momine · January 2012

Dang, the interwebz ate my post.

Anita, thanks for the calcium list. I do eat canned sardines, but had no idea they had so much calcium.

Mandalala, I guess the idea is that getting calories is more important than good nutrition, but I have seen similar lists and found them odd too. That said, I ate some pretty nasty stuff after some of my taxotere TXs. That stuff really does a number on your appetite, stomach and taste buds.

Mandy1313 · January 2012

Actually, Day, camomile seems to have a hormonal effect. Like everything else, there seems to be a split as to whether it is good or bad for us. It seems to definitely be good for Her2 positive women. Here is a link http://foodforbreastcancer.com/foods/chamomile

I was told at one point by an integrative doctor that camomile tea could act as a natural aromitase inhibitor, but this article does not say anything about that. Then my onc thinks soy is ok and no one else seems to.

I have come to the conclusion that no one actually knows what to eat and what not to eat for cancer prevention. To some extent, I agree with my English cousin, who lived to be 96, that the secret to a healthy diet is everything in moderation---to eat a wide variety of foods. And I have cut out or reduced my intake of some foods, buy local organic as much as possible, but if I am in a restaurant or at a freind's house and they serve me something that I would not normally eat, iI don't have a fit and just eat a small portion.

Mandalala · January 2012

Anita – great list of calcium foods!

Momine – yes, I see. I haven't had chemo, so maybe it's just easy to say ... There is also an FAQ which states that cancer will take the energy it needs no matter what you eat, so you could just as well eat sugar. I won't argue for it, nor eat sugar, but that's another way of seeing it.

Momine · January 2012

The chemo definitely throws you for a loop. On taxotere I had days where I couldn't bear the thought of most foods, yet I would be hungry, very hungry. I wasn't even nauseous or puking, it was a different kind of queasiness. Very odd. Then in the middle of that I would cravings for the strangest things, mostly starchy stuff.

I am under no illusion that a change in diet will keep me cancer-free. But certain changes do seem to make sense, and if it is somethng that is not likely to harm me or be overly difficult, I might as well do it, it seems to me.

lulubee · January 2012

Okay, somebody please tell me how to eat sardines. You open the can... and then what?

Seriously, I've had a can in the pantry for six months and I think I'm too scared to open it.

Help.

Momine · January 2012

Lulube, I take a slice of dark, whole-wheat country-style bread. I open the can of sardines. I take the sardines out, one by one, with a knife or fork, leaving most of the oil behind. I arrange them on the bread and mash them a little. I top that with sliced tomato and onion, sometimes thinly sliced garlic too. Then I eat it openface sandwich style, with a knife and fork.

It does smell a little like cat food, but it really tastes fine, in my opinion, and it is such an easy and cheap meal.

Mandy1313 · January 2012

I agree Momine. I have made some changes in my diet too. They are healthier eating in general and cannot hurt me and might even help.

Merilee · January 2012

Not to mention that if, God forbid, I ever have to enter chemo again, I want to be at the top of my game and not caught off gaurd like last time.

Momine · January 2012

Good point Merilee. I was in pretty good shape when this ovely merry-go-round started, and I am quite sure it helped me get through.

lulubee · January 2012

Thanks, Momine. I'll try to be brave and open the tin... someday soon.

Momine · January 2012

LOL, lulubee, it won't bite you, I promise.

Pat634 · January 2012

I asked my Onc straight out if there are any foods I should avoid regarding recurrance and he said no.

Momine · January 2012

Pat, that was what my onc said too. But the rad doc told me to avoid sugar, for example, so it seems that even docs can't agree.

exbrnxgrl · January 2012

I exercise daily and having a trainer familiar with bc has helped* I'm going back to work next week so I hope I can keep up the exercise. I am making a commitment to it but won't beat myself up if I have to skip a day. I teach first grade, so I am not sedentary at all! My diet was always pretty clean but I've pretty much eliminated sugar . So difficult for me, but I make exceptions for special occasions and I already have the champagne ready for the birth of my first grandchild in March. I know that I could not follow an extremely restrictive diet since food is great pleasure and adds to my QOL.

Caryn