Article re sugar

Alaska, how does chemo affect testosterone levels in women?

I've been tweaking this recipe forever. Original appeared in " Cooking Light" magazine. Low sodium, low fat, NO REFINED SUGAR, high fibre and almost every vitamin and mineral you can think of. Good start to the day.

1 3/4 cups wheat bran (toast first if you want to, I couldn't be bothered, as long as you soak, you're good)

1 cup whole pitted dates (the container I buy is sometimes a little more than a cup. I throw them all in, doesn't make a difference)

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup fat-free buttermilk (or use skim milk with a teaspoon of vinegar added.

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)

2 tablespoon olive oil (if texture is a concern for you, use olive oil. If you don't mind mushy, just sub additional apple sauce at 1:1 ratio. I don't mind, so I use no fat, just apple sauce. Definitely poorer texture, but it's a good trade-off to me).

2 tablespoons unsweetened Apple sauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 and a 1/2 teaspoons low sodium baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt (I've left this out too and still turned out ok).

4 egg whites (I use tetra-packed whites to avoid waste. If you're ok with yolks, sub with 2 whole eggs instead)

Pre-prep...bring oj and dates to a boil and simmer for twenty minutes. Let cool to room temp. Takes a long time to cool so I refrigerate to hurry it along. Liquify in food processor or blender.

Add all liquids (including date mixture, banana, apple sauce etc. to the bran and let it soak about 1/2 hour.

Assemble dry ingredients in large bowl. Add your liquid bran mixture, stir to combine.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or so. My oven's a bit off so just do the toothpick test after 25 minutes.

Makes 12 large

Note: won't give you the nice mushroom cap on top, but still not heavy or too dense for a bran muffin.

I am another one who refused AI's after initial diagnosis and surgery, choosing to try the healthy lifestyle route alone instead-- and wound up three years later with extensive mets throughout my skeleton, around my right ovary, and in my pericardial fluid. I have been on treatment meds almost six years and have been NED for two and half years. I still eat a very healthy diet, avoid sugar and processed foods, take supplements twice daily and toss back the green drinks almost daily. I have no doubt all this helps my body fight this disease. But I would definitely not be alive without treatment.

Deanna, baking is my least favorite thing....stuff rarely turns out for me, so this is just a guess, but I assume oat bran would work. It's just fibrefill, I think. I wouldn't try oats, but that's because I'm cheap and would hate to throw out a batch of dates that cost an arm and a leg. I suck at baking substitutions unless an ingredient affects my health, so don't listen to me:) I really know nothing and don't want you wasting your time and money. Did I mention I can't stand baking?

Deanna, isn't that the truth...sigh. No matter what we do, there is still the chance of recurrence. I think the only thing getting me through right now is knowing that at least I'm doing everything I CAN to hopefully reduce a chance of recurrence, and if I do recur--I will know I took everything, did everything, and that kitchen sink too--so it was just my luck of the draw. I think I try to live with no regrets or look-backs or "gee, I wish I hads". You know.

Nothing is guaranteed. I have a very, very good friend who mentored me through bc--recommended PS, MOs, etc. Her bc hasn't returned, but 10 years after her dx she was dx with multiple myeleoma (sp) and there's no treatment for that...it's just a wait and see, and if she doesn't get worse in 2 more years or so, she's probably going to be okay.

Claire/R

Yes, Claire, it's immensely frustrating that some women can do all the wrong things, like eat a typical American diet and drink alcohol, and never get a bc dx, while some of us who take really good care of our bodies end up with it -- although I suppose many of those people end up with other health issues. Not to wander off topic, but I personally think stress is such a major contributor because of the way it changes the environment of our bodies -- maybe somewhat the way sugar does -- allowing bc to get a foothold or recur. And I'm so very sorry to hear about your friend, but also kind of surprised to hear there is no tx. That seems strange. Is she seeing a multiple myeloma specialist?

Hi movingsoccermom, I think the nurses study regarding recurrence and exercise (it's a famous one, you can find it online) recommended 3-5 hours of moderate exercise per week. More doesn't seem to make much difference, if you can take heart in that!

I have read that too much exercise can cause stress and inflammation in the body in itself (Google it). 2 hours per day would seem to fall into that category, at least in my opinion as a former couch potato. It would definitely stress me out mentally to think I needed 2 hours per day to prevent recurrence, because I could never achieve it.

I just came across a recent article/study that recommends 150 mins. per week (not per day) of moderate to intense exercise. That sounds far more realistic.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/do-only-3-percent...

Also not sure if this is the same study or just a coincidence, but here's another (?) one from a different source (U's of Oregon/Mississippi) that quotes the same dismal stat re. the number of healthy vs. unhealthy Americans.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/1603...