Anyone willing to share diet/lifestyle?

kerri72 · June 2012

kerri72 · June 2012

Hi, I know this is a lot to ask and that everyone posting on this forum is dealing with important, difficult stuff. But I wonder if anyone here would be willing to share details about your diet and/or lifestyle after your initial BC diagnosis and prior to your recurrence.

I'm at high risk for recurrence myself and am really struggling with these decisions about dairy/no dairy, some sugar/no sugar, occasional glass of wine/no alcohol whatsoever. If I could hear women who've been diagnosed with mets say either, "I kept eating meat and white flour and now I wish I hadn't," or else, "I stuck to a strict vegan diet and my cancer still came back," I think it would really help me - and maybe others - make these decisions. It won't qualify as a legit study, but I put a lot of stock in anecdotal evidence. I really want to learn from the experience of others, and if any of you are willing to share yours regarding diet and lifestyle and exercise habits before your diagnosis, I'd really appreciate it. But if you have too much going on to bother, I understand.

Thanks and best wishes to all of you,

Kerri

stellaratovsky · June 2012

I changed my way of eating by cutting all red meat, potatoes. Pasta, bread and all sugars. I basically eat fish very little chicken and lots veggies and some fruits. I walk every day and take oscal with vitamin D twice a day. I have to say I feel so much better I know this will cure me but it makes me feel better and my body does not hurt as much.

kerri72 · June 2012

Stellaratovsky, I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better on your new diet. It sounds like you made these changes since you were diagnosed with a recurrence? What about after your first BC diagnosis? Meat, sugar, alcohol, exercise? Thanks so much for your input.

stellaratovsky · June 2012

Honestly I changed the way I live after i got cancer again. But my doctor always told me to stay away from sugar. Don't eat carbs and go to the gym or walk do something. I sort of blame myself for not listing sooner because you never know.

exbrnxgrl · June 2012

Kerri,

Some of the diet recommendations make good sense for being healthy in general. Sugar is my downfall so I am still struggling in this area but have cut down considerably (baked goods and chocolates are my problem). I don't eat red meat often and have switched to organic foods whenever possible. I use almond milk in my morning coffee and cereal but do eat Greek yogurt and cheese (occasionally). I take a number of supplements too. This was not a major change from my pre- bc diet and I was only stage II for 3 months. I do let myself enjoy treats when I really crave them and I think I am far happier with this moderate regimen than I would be on a more restrictive diet. Happiness counts to in the bc fight! BTW, my younger sister would have been 52 today. She passed away after a 4 month struggle with uterine cancer. She led a super clean life style, right down to her cleaning and personal care products, for over 30 years. In the end, it didn't change a thing for her. Caryn

kerri72 · June 2012

Stellaratovsky, even though I understand the blaming yourself part, I wish you didn't. It's hard to believe that cutting out sugar would've prevented your cancer from coming back. But this is exactly why I want to get as much information about other people's experiences as possible. I don't want to look back and have too many regrets. I'm thinking I need to go from having sugar several times a week to maybe once or twice a month.

Caryn, thanks for sharing your perspective. And I'm so sorry about your sister. It's not fair for anyone to get cancer, but especially someone so young who took such good care of herself. It just so happens that my grandfather died this morning at the age of 97 after a lifetime of eating sugar daily, dairy at every meal, and at least a drink or two a day. No cancer in 97 years, and a quick peaceful death. Anyway, I like what you said about moderation...good luck with everything...

mdg · June 2012

I ate healthy before bc but made additional changes. I cut out most sugar - I bake and use other ingredients like agave, honey or stevia instead. I avoid white flour, rice, pasta. I only eat organic or hormone free cheeses. For meat - I eat chicken (organic only), ground turkey (free range or organic) and occasionally organic ground beef. I don't eat any soy and try to avoid foods with soybean oil. I only cook with olive oil. I drink wine occasionally - not as much as I did at all before BC. I always exercised but now I do it even more....5-6 days a week. I teach aerobics one day a week, do yoga (started after BC), run 6 miles a few days a week, do the elliptical a day or two a week and try to do some weights here/there.

edwards750 · June 2012

kerri - I havent changed my lifestyle that much except that I exercise more and eat less red meat. I am sure there is evidence that restricting sugar is beneficial and aids in preventing recurrence but good grief you could say the same thing about heart disease and diabetes. I believe in everything in moderation. I personally do not think changes in your diet - unless you OD on red meat or sugar - has that big of an impact on the recurrence factor. Being sedentary is not good regardless of what ails you. Just like why do people who never smoked or been around someone who smoked get lung cancer? I have a friend who was in great shape and was one of those people but when she had a chronic cough and was fatigued she went to the dr and was dx with stage 4. How fair is that? She died from brain cancer and was young. So some people will smoke and never get LC and frankly its the luck of the draw. I think the gene factor plays a part in whether you get it or not and if it comes back. My mother had bc and both my sister and I both have it. My mother died several years ago but not from bc. So I think I would do what is best for you regardless of what others think.

Blossoms · June 2012

Kerri, I changed my diet to be mostly raw vegan, 95% of the time absolutely no sugar, a piece of salmon maybe a couple times per year. I did this because I had a local recurrence after only one year. The radiation oncologist said that it will be back within a year, after knowing what they are dealing with (I.e. recurrence so quickly). It has been 1-1/2 years and I haven't had recurrence. But I may be facing one now. I had a node biopsy yesterday that I am waiting for results. So, I am even more vigilant, absolutely no glasses of wine, now! I thought my regimented diet was enough, apparently not. It is a hard lifestyle change, but I would rather live than have that cake or wine. :-).

kerri72 · June 2012

Thanks for the responses. Blossoms, I'm so sorry to hear about your possible recurrence - did you get results from the biopsy yet?

susan3 · September 2012

before recurrence i added lots of berries to my diet. grown in my own back yard, and grow most my own veggies too. i am a runner so the execise part is good, i am not over weight and have a wonderful family. go figure. it came back anyway. now i try to get the power 10 foods and keep up the execise. someone posted a juicing reciepe, apple, beets, carrots, red cabbage , and juice and kale. she said it gave her more energy. i have been doing that for a week and i am feeling a lot more energy. so many foods go right through but the juice stays in, so im getting the vitamins. i also have cut way down on "bad" foods unles i have a food tantrum..lol i just kept trying thing till I felt good. it is different for all of us. eveyone should do moderation, but eat the good foods that make you feel good. good luck girls. im getting togeher with my cousin next week so we can cook all our own frozen foods. when life gets busy i grab the wrong things, his should make it easier, and soooo much fun to do!!!!

surfgirl · September 2012

Hi Kerri,

Prior to my cancer diagnosis I ate pretty well, excerised daily and enjoyed my wine or beer. Now I try to eat better, still excercise daily but have cut my alcohol intake in half. I have had four high school classmates diagnosed with cancer all at a young age so I think environmental factors played a part. I was raised in a small mining/oil town.

evergreen9 · September 2012

Hi Kerri, I use a book called "Foods That Fight Cancer" by a cancer researcher named Richard Beliveau...

http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Fight-Cancer-Essential-prevent/dp/0756628679/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348977625&sr=1-1&keywords=foods+that+fight+cancer

Also-

http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Fight-Cancer-Essential-prevent/dp/0756628679/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348977625&sr=1-1&keywords=foods+that+fight+cancer

In addition to diet changes, I try to exercise 30 min daily, to the point of sweating, as per Dr Susan Love's advice

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_13?url=search-alias=stripbooks&field-keywords=dr+susan+love's+breat+book+6th+edition&sprefix=dr+susan+love,stripbooks,570

I'm not sure if there is any guarantee that these diet and exercise factors are any guarantee to prevent recurrence; I think genetic and biological factors that are as yet not totally understood play a role beyond our control sometimes. However, all things being equal, I think we do no harm and much good in paying attention to diet and exercise. The research on exercise and weight control seems promising!

Re what I do?
No alcohol, butter, cheese or added sugar at all. Sencha green tea 3 times daily,omega 3 fish twice a week, berries, purple grapes, and citrus daily, as well as the cabbage family veggies, walnuts or almonds, chicken occasionally, red meat rarely.Most of my diet ideas come from the books named above. And I enjoy what I eat, so it's not a sacrifice.
Good luck to you!

Heidihill · October 2012

http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Nutrition/Supplements/melatonin_helps_prevent_breast_cancer_0929120422.html

cp418 posted this link in the Clinical Trials and Research Forum. Most of us could do with more sleep. Unfortunately my body doesn't react too well to melatonin supplements, but it does feel happier with more sleep. I had heard that melatonin was anti-estrogenic, but I didn't know that it actually suppresses aromatase activity.

I also try to get more Vitamin D, mostly from sun exposure. Last week I was at my onc's office though and they gave me 300,000 iu.

As for diet I limit alcohol but only up to the point that I don't feel deprived. Same for other good things that are bad for us. I try to prioritize getting at least 8 servings of fruits and veggies so there's less room for pasta, white bread, sugar, etc.

Before my diagnosis, I exercised about once a week. Now I exercise daily and have done so since I started treatment 5 years ago. Muscle contraction and expansion, along with massage and deep breathing help with lymphatic flow among other things.

LuvRVing · October 2012

I believe in eating all things in moderation. I do limit my sugar and other "white" processed stuff because I am a "not-overweight" type 2 diabetic - have been for 11 years. But whether one is vegan, eats only organic food, raw, paleo, you name it - there are those who have gotten breast cancer in spite of doing everything "right." If only they knew what "right" really was. In the meantime, all these "studies" that show one diet or another - those just foster the idea that it's one's own fault for getting breast cancer. And that is hogwash.

Eating a healthy diet and getting some exercise will help you get through whatever health issue that may occur. But unless you can completely control your environment, including the air you breathe, the chemicals in the ground, in our water, you can't control anything.

And until they discover the true causes of the breast cancer epidemic, we remain at risk in spite of whatever we eat or drink.

kerri72 · October 2012

Heidihill - thanks for posting that link. It's interesting info about melatonin. Personally, I'm sure that poor sleep contributed to my cancer because in the three years prior to diagnosis I was sleeping (or struggling to) in a room with lots of ambient light and electronic equipment. Between that and my glass or two of wine most nights, I think I was fueling the fire. And that's the thing - It's been really easy for me to give up the wine because of the studies about alcohol and because I have a strong gut feeling that it fueled my cancer. Now I have a glass or two a month because it allows me to not deprive myself completely and I don't think it's enough to promote recurrence.

Other dietary decisions are so much harder for me - partially because of the lack of scientific evidence, and partially because I don't know what, if anything, in my previous diet contributed to my cancer. I ate mostly whole grains and veggies, heavy on soy, which I figure I should avoid now. For years I followed a sort of modified macrobiotic diet and ate lots of sesame (seeds and oil), which I now understand may have contributed to my ER+ cancer. Who knew? It seemed so healthy to eat a sprinkling of sesame on my brown rice most days.

Anyway, I really appreciate everyone chiming in. Thanks, evergreen for the link to that book - I've heard about it but I think it's finally time to buy a copy.

And thanks LuvRVing, surfgirl and susan for sharing. I agree with all of you that there are factors beyond our control that determine whether our disease progresses. I'm sticking to what you said, LuvRVing - all things in moderation. Good luck to everyone!

Anyone willing to share diet/lifestyle?

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