What foods are you eating to reduce recurrence?

Yes, there are shakes w/o soy.  I use Naturade Vegan Smart all in one nutritional shake. It is dairy/soy/gluten free. I get it at the Vitamin Shoppe.

Bosum, ok, so it is not critical at least, which is good. I am not sure what is wrong with eggplant parm. The cheese?

Try not to be afraid of food. I went through a period of imaging cancer-promoting nasties in virtually every food in the store, and it did cause some excessive weight loss. Also, something like eggplant parm, if you like it, make it yourself. Use wholegrain bread for the crumbs, cook in olive oil, make your own tomato sauce and cut back on the cheese (or omit).

But really 19.5 BMI is really good. I used to be 20 lbs heavier too, but I am so glad to be back down to a more normal (for me) size.

No soy, no artificial sweeteners. (Perhaps there's some stevia hidden in the "natural" denotation, though).

http://shop.mercola.com/product/pro-optimal-whey-vanilla-1905-oz-per-container-1-container,67,23.htm

Who knows if it will help but I feel great and have been doing the following: no processed foods, eliminated carbs like chips, crackers etc. I snack on nuts if anything. I make sure I get my fruit and veggie allowance each day before anything else. I drink a (probiotic) kefir with flaxseed mixed in every day. I have not eliminated meat but have cut down on it and eat more lentils, brown rice etc than I used to. Oh yes, and bring on the dark chocolate in any form!!

Yep, I've seen the same contradictions you noted Kimag. My surgeon does not have a problem with it and it seems to have a lot of benefits for me. You have probably stumbled across the fact that there are at least two institutions currently doing NCI funded studied on the effect of flax seed on breast cancer risk reduction. No results yet last I checked. From my experience, surgeons will be quick to say that there is no proof that nutritional choices have any effect and they just give you the usual platitudes about eating properly. On the other hand, tI have seen peer reviewed literature where some oncologist at least feel it's worth studying more closely. I continue to look for new/recent info on this topic. If anyone has seen any and can point to it, I'd be appreciative. Thx.

kimag, I wonder how accurate the claims are on the "food for breast cancer" site. I personally find the information there to be anxiety-provoking ... Everything seems dangerous. I take it with a grain of salt.

Gemini - it seems the site refers to some study too, I did not find it anxiety provoking although I do suffer from anxiety and not much I need to have panic attacks I included the link as it is first time I hear about flax and contamination, and though maybe someone could be interested, I used flax seeds before quite a lot and now struggling because of 2 different opinions but if I use it I will check the source for now on. I knew about root veggies like carrots, parsnip etc. that it is important to know the source as they accumulate heavy metals from soil - in the guide for first solids for babies I have it as an argument why it is better to include pumpkin and squash (thick skin) not carrot unless source known.

My MO also has had no comments on diet, only mentioned exercises, I asked about vit D and this also he said no need to take...

Bosum I feel your pain - I also would love to go to a naturopath but I am not working, my hubby has no benefits and we have 3 kids... so I try for now get as much info from other ladies who consulted naturopath..

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/flaxseed-can-prev...

The article above claims that flax seeds are beneficial for breast cancer. based on: "a new meta-analysis on flaxseed and breast cancer published in the journal Integrative Cancer Therapy this month."

My holistic doctor suggested I take Vitamin D (2000 i.u.), ginger, turmeric and magnesium (specifically Slo Mag which I buy at Walmart). My chief complaint to him was the joint pain from Tamoxifen as well as my worry about heart issues (had a sister die at 39 from heart attack) that could be exacerbated by Tamoxifen. He said the ginger and turmeric were good anti-inflammatories which would keep my heart healthy and as an added bonus help with the joint pain. The magnesium is also for the joint pain. Don't know which one worked but I've gone from hobbling around the house and waking up all night with pain in my hips and knees, to hitting the treadmill 5 or 6 days a week. I do still have days that I have pain but it's very manageable. I am also taking a fish oil with 900 mg of DHA (he said to try to get 800-1000 and it's very hard to find fish oil with that much DHA!) plus a multivitamin. Add all that to my Tamoxifen plus an aspirin twice a week (once a week made my bruise too easily and my MO said this dose worked just as well.) and you have my complete medication list! He also said to eat lots of mushrooms and broccoli as well as the usual fruits and veggies which I'm terrible about doing. All this advice cost me $150 for an hour long session and was really worth it. He is a holistic dr that trained in breast cancer and has now retired to my area (how lucky is that?!). I saw him about a year ago and I think I may try to get the money together to go see him again just to be sure I'm on the right path. I do know that my Vitamin D has gone from a 27 to a 40 which my MO thinks is fine but I may try to see if I can get it higher.

Hope this helps! Oh and btw, he also wrote a book on BC and your health which I bought so if anyone has any questions, I can look to see if it's mentioned in the book.

Sometimes I make myself feel good about all the things I am doing to prevent a recurrence. (Yet I know it is really a crap shoot, and that there are no guarantees with this disease.)

Things I do/take.

I take metformin - http://www.lef.org/magazine/2012/2/can-diabetes-dr...

I take melatonin, 20 mg at night: http://www.lef.org/magazine/2004/1/report_melatoni...

I have gotten my Vit D. level from 26 to 50 by taking 9000 units a day

I have reduced my dairy intake - no longer do I drink milk or eat yogurt, but I still have butter and a little cheese

I have reduced my meat intake

I still battle with my sweet cravings

I take an array of supplements, including a cruciferous vegetable extract, mushroom extracts, green tea, resveratol, CoQ110, etc.

I am on arimidex

I try to exercise daily - need to build up because I'm still very out of shape

I have dabbled in things like: graviola, essiac tea, artemisinin, apricot kernels, etc.

sigh. Life is never the same, is it?

Ladies, I am not sure where post this question so maybe here, I was wondering how do you manage to get 7-8 servings of veggies/fruits which is recommended? I try, really I try but it seems I am at the 5 rarely 6 servings... would that count more if in general I do not eat a lot?. Can someone post sample of a day meal snack schedule? I usually have a bit of oats in the morning with sunflower seeds if I remember or would have a sandwich with cheese I try to add some cucumber or tomato if i remember, but it is not a full serving defined like 1/2 of cup or so.

Then I will try to have an apple or banana as snack, then during next meal I will have one or one in a half serving of veggies , then at supper time usually tomato or other veggy on the sandwich if I try hard I would eat cooked or raw broccoli or carrot and apple,

I do not know how to get more veggies/fruits in my schedule, most of the day I run doing groceries, laundry with a toddler on board, them cooking so the rest coming back home from work/school would have warm meal... so during the day I forget about healthy snacks and then it gets late evening and I realize that I should now eat at least 2-3 servings of veggies/fruits

Maybe it sounds stupid but I am just not sure how to make it work it seems i do not have time to fit it in and I know I should..

If I should remove this question somewhere else please let me know

Momine, thank you, when you picture it like this it seems easier I think the issue I have is that when I cook for others, my sons and hubby - who are a meat eaters sometimes it is hard to cook a side something different for myself so I tend to eat less of what they have but do not cover that loss with extra veggies... I tired to switch them more to veggies but I have given up, they need to eat, and whenever I try to do something with more veggies I end up with hungry boys who after few bites would not eat the meal...

So do you substitute meat each day if you don't have it like instead of meat - lentils ? or you do not watch this closely?

Cee67 ... If you despise beets (the purple ones), have you tried the yellow ones? My husband wouldn't touch a purple beet if his life depended on it, but I slipped some golden beet shavings into his salad one day and he loved them!!! Both cooked- and raw, golden beets have a much milder, smoother taste... more like a carrot.

Momine, Brookside - thanks a lot , that way I could potentially fill my veggies intake! The beans and lentils which I know are healthy is another story, no one except me and the toddler would touch them and we are in minority

Selena - I have just seen golden beets in the store first time wondering what that is and how it taste I grow up on regular red beets so am familiar with them but this golden looked different and I was not sure - I will try then next time!

kimag, what about split pea soup? Most people like that. Also beans baked with sausage or pork.