For Informed People Using Alternative Treatments
Comments
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I need to find out more about flaxseed. Can you buy it everywhere? What foods do you add it to? How much on a daily basis? -
Momine...I think I read somewhere that olive oil is best when not heated? Something about it turning into a 'bad' oil if heated?
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yes, olive oil is best raw. -
Dogsandjogs, flaxseed is pretty easy to find. I've gotten it at regular grocery stores (in the natural foods section) as well as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I think it's best to buy it whole rather than ground, because it becomes rancid quicker once it is ground. I usually grind up a bunch and keep it in the fridge. I try for 25 g a day of ground flaxseed, which is about 4 TB (25 g of whole flaxseed is only 2 TB, but when it is ground it expands) That's the amount they are using in the clinical trial at the University of Chicago.
Usually I put the ground flaxseed in with oatmeal or on cereal, or put it in soup, chili or spaghetti sauce. My Mom puts it in her smoothies, too. It's also pretty good on a piece of whole grain toast with some almond or peanut butter. Or you could do like they did in one study and make flaxseed muffins! -
About flaxseed: try borrowing from the library - a book called Cooking with Foods that fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau & Denis Gingras, molecular biologists who are researching such foods - it has a great section on flaxseeds & how they might help. A couple basics: buy whole seeds & keep in the freezer - there are 2 varieties I know of gold, and brown. Do not buy pre-ground. Just grind yourself as needed in an ordinary coffee grinder or something like a Magic Bullet. They are very high in omega-3 fatty acids which quickly turn rancid once ground, but they must be ground to be useful to the body. Also super high in lignans which, when ground, turn into active phytoestrogens which, unlike soy isoflavones which promote the growth of mammary tumors in mice, "typically induce tumor regression". - quoted from the book. Buy at bulk food stores & health food stores - or there are likely a zillion places to buy them in the US. Use in baking or sprinkle on cereals etc. There are recipes for flaxseed muffins-in-a-cup, in the microwave! I think there are probably a lot of differing opinions over the use of flaxseed. -
hi everyone,
Fallleaves, awesome article on the forbidden rice. Going to try it. Black, blue, orange seem to all be pretty powerful, for overall health if nothing else. I love flaxseeds too, but I've really been iffy about them since they didn't seem to help a couple of women. They were combining them with loads of dairy daily too. I think both women were premeno. i've always wondered if that made a difference. Wish they'd finish those studies so we know what we're working with there.
Natty, those are pretty impressive stats about the aspirin. I've been taking curcumin and green tea. Will reconsider switching them up.
Momine, I've read from various sources that cheap refined olive oils made w/ poor quality olives, or olive oil that contains higher than 3.3% oleic acid is actually considered to be unfit for human consumption. I believe that safety with everything we put into our bodies has to be considered.
Speaking of olives MSK says that olive leaf lowers cholesterol.
http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/olive-leaf
In regards to the black seed oil, MSK says that there are rarely adverse effects with Nigella Sativa (black cumin seed oil) but can be toxic in high doses. I wonder if the toxic aspect is what makes them potent against MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/nigella-sativa
I can personally vouch for some other benefits of black seed oil, such as providing a noticeable improvement in rheumatoid arthritis and digestive problems.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22162258
Flannelette and Madpeacock, welcome aboard our tidy little ship. Madpeacock, I use lugols iodine and selenium too. It changed my body completely. I never thought I would be riding my bicycle and walking so much. Breastcancerchoices.org has some good info about iodine too. They are looking into iodine now as preventative. I really wish I had known that many years ago.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC314438/
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/09/foods-to-help-reduce-your-breast-cancer-risk/ -
Thanks for this thread. I am happy to see such a positive thread on alternatives. I opted out of chemo by saying I was going to make up that small percentage with lifestyle changes. Standard of care for me was chemo. Problems with tamoxifen have forced me to get serious about that. I have just seen a naturalpathic doctor and am awaiting the results of blood work. I am following a plant based diet, mostly organic, limiting alchohol ( to a degree) , exercising, supplementing with baby aspirin and D and will be sure to add more when I get the results from my new NP. I am also taking melatonin. I was never a sleeper and realize now how bad that was for my health.
Looking forward to learning and sharing here! -
Hi ladies. I am still not sure how a 100% alternative thread went so conventional. Either way I am all for combining science and alternative treatments. I just think there is so much that Dr.s don't know - especially about people like me who are BRCA2 positive. This is my second go round with breast cancer. I kid you not my surgeon called me at work and made me cry the first time because I refused to do chemo. This is really personal to me. My mother died from breast cancer after an 8 year battle and the chemo she had was horrible and life altering for me to witness as a young girl. I treated my first cancer successfully with sugery and hormonal treatments so that is what I will likely do again (I haven't met with my oncologist since my surgery two weeks ago). Either way, I have an awesome Oncologist who lets me question him to my hearts content. I hope this new thread works out!! -
Soooo nice to see some new faces on here! Perhaps due to the better level of comfort? Anyhow, makes my heart S M IL E!
Light....I take iodine as well. I get horrible bromide detox when I take the iodine. If I take the iodine w/ lipo vitamin c right after, I have less reaction. I spoke with iodine expert Lynn Farrow and she said it was ok to take iodine w/ C. But, I have read that it may lessen the effect of iodine? What is your thought on this?
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I, as well, wish I would have known about iodine AND the benefits of vitamin D years ago...I always stayed out of the sun. I have also led a very very stressful life. I feel this has all had a contribution to my DX.
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Has anyone here had their iodine levels checked?? I am interested in the whole iodine thing and know you can get your levels tested but am not sure where. -
Light, you mention your friends who were heavy into dairy and that was me, too. Mainly vegetarian (except for occasional fish) since I was 13, but also a lover of milk, cheese and ice cream. I've read that dairy has a lot of IGF-1, which may contribute to the growth of breast cancer ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2715202/), so I'm glad I decided to go (mostly) vegan last January (I do eat wild salmon). That was actually before my diagnosis.
Jojo, I think staying out of the sun may have been a contributing factor for me, too. And lack of iodine. Trying to make sure I get enough D now, and am interested in trying iodine. I need to find a good naturopathic doctor and ask some questions. By the way, I just saw a study that lactobacillus reuteri (a probiotic) increases serum levels of vitamin D by 25 % so I'm thinking of adding that to my supplements, too. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23609838) -
I had my iodine levels checked and they were very low, after about 3 and a half months on iodine supplements I had my levels tested again to see if I could lower the dose (the supplement I was using is quite expensive. Turns out my intracellular levels remain unchanged which is very disappointing. My naturopath is trying to find out how to dose effectively. Other than that I'm on the Dr Wilsons protocol for adrenal fatigue, vitamin D drops, tumeric and milkthistle drops, vit C, and magnesium, all practioner only supplements.
By the way thank goodness someone had the"wherewithall" to start this thread, it was becoming frustrating sifting through all the poisonous sludge of off-loadings to find the positive information of the like minded people wanting to share. A good detox was in order!! -
YES! A GOOD detox was in order! (What they didn't seem to understand is that many of us don't 'care' if there is proven studies etc ....although that would be nice) We just want to share some info!...without being questioned and attacked. Thank goodness for LightnWind! Hopefully this thread will stay on a positive note. I know one of their concerns was if 'newbies' see this info without checking ALL of the available info....maybe there should be a disclaimer at the top of these threads to appease?
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I have not had my iodine levels checked but would like to....breastcancerchoices.org has testing info, I believe?
Interesting study about probiotics helping Vitamin D levels...I do take probiotics, but there is also so much conflicting info on what kind to take. Someone somewhere had posted that the refrigerated kind contains mold? I take Mercola's brand, which is refrigerated. So, now don't know which way to go.
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Hipz, I'm so sorry that you are not only dealing w/ the loss of your mother, but are now facing another occurrence. I know that it is very hard to hold up against the kind of pressure you are facing. When I see the outcome of mothers and sisters dying before us, that have taken chemo, then read new research, about how chemo may encourage cancer cell growth, then told that it is wrong to question this aspect of conventional treatment, told that I will die if I don't, my question is how does anyone know I won't die if I do take that route?. How does anyone know that I won't die sooner if I destroy my immune system and weaken my overall health with chemo? How can anyone push chemo on another person, when they can't answer that question? Why do they want to gloss over the new information about chemo, as though the information doesn't exist? It is plain to see that we all want to believe that our choices are the right ones, but because it is a crapshoot, no one can say with any certainty what the right choice is in any situation in regards to bc. I With all that said, I believe conventional treatment has come a long way over the years too, and it is true that there are some stage IV women who have attained some stability while taking current chemo meds. Is there another way to achieve that stability for the sake of overall health? I don't know. I am no expert, but I know there are many people outside of these boards that believe that it can be done. I believe that everyone on these boards believe that they have your best interest at heart, but they, nor anyone, can tell you who you are, or what will happen as a result of your choice. I feel that until someone can answer why so many women are still dying following conventional treatment, we are at a stand off. I simply see no point arguing over a matter of preference. Most of us here are seeking new information, support and communing w/ like minded people, letting new information guide us. I am here for you no matter your choice. You are not alone. It is super that your oncologist is open to discussing all your questions with you.
I once had a heart to heart w/ my oncologist about the alternatives I was using in combo w/ femara. He was very open to the conversation, and discussed the health benefits and studies regarding the use of iodine w/ me. He tested my thyroid which was normal but refused to test my iodine levels so I don't know what they are. I do take a drop or two daily. Is it enough to thwart cancer cell growth. I don't know that, but is it enough to improve the quality of my life? yes it is. Anyway, my oncologist told me that he and his colleagues are anxious to get out of the chemo business, and was hopeful that new research would take us on a whole other path re cancer treatment.
Right now, it is what it is, supporting you here in your decision and on your journey. Big hug, Light -
Light, you definitely do not want to eat low-grade, cheap olive oil. Especially Spanish olive oil has had issues in the past with toxic extraction methods.
Most good olive oil has way less acid than 3.3%. Also, I happen to live in the homeland of the olive - Greece - so friends and acquaintances supply me with oil from their own, clean trees, but even in the supermarket you can get perfectly safe and decent olive oil here. On the other hand, there are not many other choices available, no rape seed oil, for example, so we tend to default to the olive oil. -
Thanks so much everyone for the information about flaxseed! I really appreciate it; you guys are great! -
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Light, I got my iodine tested at FFP Labs. Dr. Flechas is an expert in this test and you get to talk to him to explain the results. http://cypress.he.net/~bigmacnc/FFPLab/home.htm Apparently there are other labs doing the 24 hour urine test but you don't get to talk to an MD about the test. -
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Thanks for your support Lightandwind! Here is the thing - I am all about research and finding proven alternatives - that is how I found my first treatment (zolodex and tamoxifen). I was getting frustrated on the other thread because I love to question and research but I was not getting that tone from the conversation - it was more question everything and give no alternatives. Maybe I was being too sensitive. Who knows! Basically I think it is my job as a cancer survivor to go out there and seek information and then research the crap out of it to see if it is something I want to try. That is how I found info about taking Bromelain, Arnica Montana, and Vitamin A & C before my reconstruction surgery. Of course when I asked my PS about them he was clueless about the first two listed. I pointed out that multiple plastic surgeon's recommended these supplements before and after surgery and the handout I had was from a PS office. He was fine with me taking them (the hospital did not want me to take Bromelain for some reason - (even though the pre-surgery person didn't even know what it was!) I do think the combo of supplements helped my overall recovery. Is that help all in my head? Possibly, but it has not hurt anything!
Prior to my recent surgery I read through my old Dr. notes from my radiation oncologist, surgeon, and oncologist from 2001. Those letters actually made me chuckle because they all said the same thing "patient refuses chemotherapy due to past issues with mother" BUT I was happy to see that my radiation oncologist and oncologist both made note that they were impressed with my thorough research in "credible" medical journals and credited me with finding my own treatment (now of course in 2013 many others are recommended for this treatment but in 2001 with the crappy internet it took me weeks to find anything and it was all from Europe!) By patients questioning and seeking alternatives we help make Dr.'s less complacent and good Dr.'s like finding out new things from my experience. Anywho, the main reason I came to this thread (and the other one) was for ideas and things that are working for other survivors. Like I said -- it is my job to research things after I read about them and I would hope that is what most everyone else does too. Sorry to rant ladies! -
I think I am going to just ask my oncologist about the iodine thing - he will probably look at me sideways but he is used to me! I do know that my oncologist is doing a clinical trial for BRCA positive clients (that is me!!) giving them Vitamin D supplements so I am going to ask him if I should be taking this supplement as well. Thanks for all the good info ladies!! -
Sunflowers - I am a vegetarian so I use whey powder pretty regularly to get some protein (I used it a lot before surgery). I buy mine from Sam's Club because it is a lot cheaper there - I get the Muscle Tech brand - it is a huge 5 pd bag for like $34. Just make sure whatever you get doesn't have a soy blend -- I have noticed soy protein is mixed into a lot of powders, shakes and bars. The brand I buy has none. -
Those of you starting iodine...Please make sure you also take selenium or you will destroy your thyroid! There are also other companion nutrients to take which is part of the iodine protocol.
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Hi hjpz, just wanted to mention a website for protein powder I use for my husband (he's a triathlete) truenutrition.com
The cool thing about it is they have a lot of vegan and vegetarian protein sources, and you can make a custom mix if you want. I didn't think it was too expensive, but I tend to buy a bunch at once so I can spread the shipping cost over more things.
I've been trying to avoid soy protein isolate, although I'm not afraid of tofu or edamame or any of the less concentrated soy items. I know soy is very controversial, though! -
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Thanks Fallleaves! I will give it a look!
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