Keto Diet

Ha! Ha! That is what both my MO and RO told me - exercise is sooo very important and more so for bc patients I started using a 'dreadmill' (treadmill) and go on it daily for 30 minutes give or take, usually 2 x 15 minutes while watching a tv show...I will never be an exercise buff, but will do my best to keep at it.

I went Paleo/Primal 3 years ago. It’s somewhat close to Keto in eating, but not as restrictive so people are more likely to stick to it. It’s more a lifestyle which includes exercise as key along with the food. I couldn’t lose an ounce of the ton of weight I gained during treatment! Fast forward and I’m 56 lbs lighter, replaced 18 lbs of fat with muscle, and delve into the male dominated weights area of the gym. My blood labs according to my doc have gone from looking like Bart Simpson’s report card to ‘perfect’ (doctor’s word). Energy through the roof, tamoxifen SEs gone, acid reflux gone, ulcerative colitis gone! Rarely hungry! It’s not a diet! Yay!

I cannot recommend Paleo/Primal enough! Try it (or Keto) for 7 days...betcha’ you see a surprise on the scale....I lost 7 lbs the first week and a steady 2-5 lbs per week thereafter.

Too bad it didn’t do anything for wrinkles, skin does look better though. ;

This article as well is supportive of it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5624453/

I'm starting a clinical trial with the keto diet, that is assuming I can stomach it. Just finished my first week of Xeloda and made me plus my smell is so sensitive now so between the 2, I'm having trouble tolerating a lot of foods...

Egads007, Thanks for the heads up. I am not too worried about the docs. I have learned it is my life, and I know my body best. I also know what I am currently doing is not working and nothing will change unless you change something. Something new, something different. Like you said, I can try it for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I will keep you posted.

Therese

This really interests me, I've read so much about it! I've been low carb for 2 years but started on keto. I started mainly to lose weight and avoid type 2 diabetes, but recently have learnt so much more about its use in cancer. I've never followed macro percentages, just counted carbs and (higher)protein because I go to gym regularly. I’ve never eaten anywhere near the high amount of fat recommended.

Anyway I’ve finally restarted keto this week. I’m obese and desperate to lose weight, especially since I know it is so bad for breast cancer. But this time I’m following the recommended macro percentages to loose weight. I’ve spent hours this week organising all the recipes I’ve printed over the last 2 years and put all keto into one folder. I’ve just started recording these recipes on Chronometer, previously I used an Australian app recommended by the dietician, but this has heaps more information on it and is actually easier to use. I’ve inputted most of the keto recipes now so tracking should be easy. And it links with my Fitbit, which is really helpful.

I also do intermittent fasting/restricted feeding most days. I’m feeling more positive and in control now that I have plenty of recipes at my fingertips, and have already worked out most of what I will be eating tomorrow by inputting it into the app, so I can try a few different things to ensure I meet my targets. I will have to supplement more as I simply will be unable to eat some of the healthy carbs like the Greek yoghurt and berries I used to have daily. Actually the only fruit I’ll be able to eat with any regularity is avocado! The dessert I made tonight (to meet my fat target) had 50 grams of berries for 4 serves, which is a far cry from the punnet 125g I used to eat daily! But it was the Only fruit I ate because fructose is supposed to be the most unhealthy form of sugar.

How are other people on keto monitoring ur intake? I told my Medical Oncologist last week that I was going back on keto, she was not concerned and just commented that I needed to lose about 6kg to meet the BMI required by the plastic surgeon for the DIEP flap next year (BMI28-30). I told her I wanted to lose a lot more than that and would just put it back on as the 12 months neared if I decided to proceed with reconstruction.

JFL, do you have information or a link to this article. I would be interested as I am on the Keto diet and have not had adverse side effects but I’m always willing to learn more.

Libb

HeidiHill,

Thanks for the article. It's fascinating. Here's the TL:DR:

"Similarly, acute fasting in rodent animal models is also sufficient to dramatically increase tumor growth.22Goodstein ML, Richtsmeier WJ, Sauer LA. The effect of an acute fast on human head and neck carcinoma xenograft. Growth effects on an 'isolated tumor vascular pedicle' in the nude rat. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1993; 119:897 - 902[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]Both of these experimental conditions (diabetes and fasting/starvation) are known to be highly ketogenic and, thus, are consistent with our current hypothesis that ketone production fuels tumor growth. Finally, given our current findings that ketones increase tumor growth, cancer patients and their dieticians may want to re-consider the use of a "ketogenic diet" as a form of anti-cancer therapy."

Wow.

For now, I'm keeping to a diet that regulates blood sugar, and is low in animal protein.

Again, wow.

I'm dying to know what Z thinks. I know she's been mighty busy, but she is a great compendium of knowledge.

Not sure if the data from rodent models, applies to humans. If we had good data on humans, it would certainly trump any rodent model studies. Perhaps this is the closest we have yet to a clinical trial in humans:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC47269...

H

This is a trial that is not yet recruiting, but is for breast cancer patients:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02744079

I've recently started the keto diet but for weight loss purposes, not to fight cancer. I need to shed at least 20 lbs and ever since I've started the anti-hormonal therapy it's been VERY difficult losing weight, especially since 2 surgeries and radiation in a relatively short time put me into a state of severe fatigue and I've managed to put more fat on my butt than I'd like. Since I feel like a million bucks now and doing well on Kisqali, I'll also try to start some exercise along with the diet.

I started with a 1 day bone broth fast and moved on to a low calorie (1200 cal) keto daily regimen: 20 g carbs, 65 g protein, 100 g fat. Getting enough fat is difficult. Yesterday I drank a shot of olive oil before bed just to keep up with the numbers.

Celebrate_Life avocados have a lot of fat and are vegetarian as well! The only problem with avocados is that it's kind of hard to eat more than 1/2 without feeling nauseated.

I'm not sure it will help with cancer, too many conflicting studies. But it's great for weight loss, I'm really having a hard time getting the 1200 calories, I feel full all the time! After I lose all the fat I want I'll move on to a low carb diet, with about 50-60 carbs a day. probably not enough to keep me in ketosis, but enough to keep me slim and not have cravings.

Eva - I average 60-80 carbs a day and still lose weight. 100 approx on workout days. I think ketosis shouldn’t be a constant state, everything in balance in my mind. The carb crave only hits me if I have an occasional paleo treat that includes a bit of honey. As for fighting cancer, I think any lifestyle that holds a healthy body weight improves odds, so IMHO low carb/real food living does indeed arm us for battle. Glad to see it’s working well for you

I know that being obese has its own risk factors, and with my huge belly I worry about being ER positive. I'm on tamoxifen which blocks oestrogen, but don't know enough about it, ie if any gets through. I would love to lose 20 kilograms, but think I might do it in stages. Perhaps 5kg then back to low carb for a while, then keto again for the next 5kg. I am able to have DIEPreconin May next year and the PS said not to lose too much weight as my BMI needs to be between 28 and 30. But I may not proceed with it so would like to reach the "healthy" BMI range in the meantime. I've been unable to loseweigh T the usual calorie restricted way since menopause, and keto does work for me. But I do find it very restrictive and very difficult to make the macros. I have thought about drinking olive oil to meet the fat level but have been too chicken to date! Lol