What are you doing differently?

Taking 11 supplements, all researched with the help of the wonderful women here, with my onc's blessing. Food mostly organic, no red meat, very little fat and/or sugar. Rigorous daily exercise (though I did that before BC) and have now added yoga and Pilates to the mix. Having massages as often as I can afford. Most importanlty, I'm treating myself with renewed respect and life with a huge amount of gratitude and joy. The net result is that I feel not only physically healthier, but emotionally as well. I now know how to be kind and live with serenity.

This is probably more than you were going for with that question, huh?

~Marin

I guess the biggest change was giving up being a vegetarian after 20+ years.  I quit eating soy, and started eating salmon and poultry.  I'm also careful to eat either organic dairy or dairy without added hormones.  I actually use less supplements now because there's so little research on most of them, but I have added a few that seem beneficial and safe such as vitamin D3 (2000 iu daily), green tea, astragalus, DIM, and a few others whose names I can't remember, lol.  And, I've been using xylitol in my hot tea instead of sugar.

I plan to get active one of these days to help protect my bones and maybe give me more energy.

Cynthia 

I have cut out almost all dairy, except for very small amounts of aged raw milk cheese and butter from grass-fed cows (maybe once a week). I will eat meat, but only pasture-fed and from small local farms where I know they weren't given hormones, etc.   I've also added in freshly ground flaxseeds to my morning smoothie, wheat grass tablets and chlorophyll tablets, Bromelain enzymes, and cod-liver oil (Omega 3 and vitamin D all in one package!)  Oh, and I have cut out almost all refined sugar (very hard for a chocaholic!).

I now walk at least 3 hours a week and try to do yoga 2 hours a week.  I also use a crystal deoderant and eliminated all parabens from shampoos, makeup, lotions, etc.

Having done all that (a lot of which I was already kind of doing), I'm thinking that 18 years of being on birth control pills is probably what contributed most to my cancer, and, of course, those are long gone. 

Mostly, I'm just trying to let go and just be.

I grind 3-4 tablespoons of golden flaxseed and mix it with yogurt for breakfast.  Not the tastiest breakfast, but not horrible either, and so worth it for me.  I'd been having constipation problems since starting tamoxifen and flaxseed is my saving grace.  I didn't like taking anything in pill form before bc, and I don't now either.  So solving that problem with food was a double blessing for me.  Plus, flaxseed has a long list of benefits, such as lignans (don't recall what they are exactly or why they're good, but it was listed as a benefit), omega 3 fatty acids.  I think there's a longer list, but that's all I can recall right now. 

Chemo really got me in the habit of having something to drink nearby at all times.  Oh how I was thirsty all the time during that phase.  And I was getting through with arizona tea drinks.  And since I won't touch anything that says diet on the label, that meant I was consuming mega calories from my drinks.  By the time I got to rads and wondered how on earth I could be gaining weight, I finally did some math on what I was drinking -- 1,000 calories in a day!  From drinks!  I've studied many many labels searching for beverages without corn syrup.  I have a short list of beverages now.  LOL   

I swim and do everything else in moderation.

Genesis,

I bought brevail but they said ER+ people should not take it? I know this is an area of controversy.

 Are you ER+?

Thanks,

Joanne 

Dear Joanne,

Yes, I am ER+.  Please do your research on Brevail.  I have been on it since May.  I address Brevail more in my "Natural Healing" conversations if you want to go there.  I'm here if you have any more questions.

Wishing you the best,

Genesis

Hi Althea,

I think it is GREAT that you got your juicer out and are using it!!!  Believe me, you won't be sorry!!  Hope you are using organic carrots...I know it takes many to get even a cup of juice but it is worth it!  Juicing is like giving yourself a blood transfusion...you might want to try adding some habenero peppers to it as well.  It gives it quite the kick but the spicy is soo good for you!  Please keep up with it - you will start feeling the results.  Also, we are really blessed to have a store that we can buy 25 lb. bags of organic carrots for $12.99/bag.  I always look for the big fat carrots cause it cuts preparation time down so much.  You can also get 8 or 16 oz. canning jars and juice some ahead.  You have to fill the jar to overflowing and then place the lid on and secure tightly so it seals itself.  These can be kept in your refrigerator for up to 4 days (for vegetables) and 3 days for fruits.  Carrots are wonderful but don't limit yourself to just that!

Keep it up, Althea!!

Genesis

Hi Joanne,

Should have added this as well for your information. It is from the same site.

Genesis

With all these cancer fighting effects, not surprisingly, many studies show that women who have the highest level of lignans in their body have the lowest risk of breast cancer. Flax seeds contain 100 times more lignans than any other known plant source and are one of the most power foods you can eat to lower your risk of breast cancer. The most respected researcher on flax seeds is Lillian Thompson from the University of Toronto. She has published hundreds of studies documenting the various protective effects that flax has in protecting against and fighting breast cancer, including flax's dramatic ability to shrink breast tumors and enhance the effectiveness of the anti-cancer drug Tamoxifen.

These are the important points to remember:

1) you should never take a genistein supplement

2) plant estrogens, although referred to as estrogens, actually are very different from estrogen

3) dozens of studies show eating foods high in "plant estrogens" has a significant protective effect against many diseases including breast cancer

4) effectively protecting yourself from breast cancer or improving your chances of successfully fighting it does not come from "one" thing -- it comes from the sum total of all of your diet and lifestyle choices.

Here is some info from Sloan Kettering which seems to warn against plant substances like flaxseed.

"Since flaxseed has phytoestrogenic effects, patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) type of breast cancer should use flaxseed with caution."

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69220.cfm#Warnings 

It seems they experts are still on the fence about it.

Hi Joanne,

Traditional medicine has not been the avenue I have chosen to do.  I do not put any stock in what they say regarding natural healing.  I am only interested in the experts that are IN natural healing.  We all have to make our individual choices.

Genesis

Dear Joanne,

Wishing you happy reading!  My husband and I are forever amazed for all the things we have learned since my stage IV bc dx in March.  We feel so blessed to have been led down the path of natural healing.  It is for real and it does work!!  We are so thankful to have been told about Dr. Richard Schulze because there is so much "out there" regarding alternative healing and Schulze's program is so much common sense.  It is hard work but such a joy to be doing something you just know God led you to.

Wishing you a beautiful and blessed Christmas,

Genesis