Taking a poll: What are you taking as prevention??

Joanne, I have read several  books and they all say no iron, except for pregnant women. It makes cancer grow or something.

As for the flax Jason, like soy there are different opinions about it , for ER pos BC's like mine, depending on its processing. I think it is okay if it is ground up, but used in moderation. I avoid anything controversial so I avoid it completely, as well as soy and dairy.

I use the vanilla flavored rice milk with cereal and have learned to drink my tea "straight up". Now that summer is here, I make my own blends for ice tea, mixing different flavors of herb tea with black and green tea. Since I gave up soft drinks, I drink a lot of tea so I have to mix it to cut down on the caffeine.

I use to be a huge dairy consumer. Now if I want some cheese, I buy the European stuff because they are much stricter about what their cows are fed and injected with.

Jason, give your Mum Dr. Jane Plante's book on the dairy link to BC. I can't remember the name of it right now, because I lent it to a friend, but google her name and you can read all about it.

Since lack of vit d is a major link to BC I take a megadose supplement of 5000 IU. On my last blood test, my vitamin d level was still on the border pf good and low. I read it is hard for menopausal women to maintain Vit d.

That is the bogus Sloan Kettering party line that Vitamin C put in a test tube makes cancer grow. This is embarrassing for them. How dare they extrapolate from a test tube? Not even rodent studies????

I remember when this study came out years ago, the conclusion from the medical community was that it meant nothing. You can put just about anything in a test tube and make cells grow or die--given you use the right concentration.

If there was anything to this theory, they would have tested vitamin C on mice by now.

I am an R.N.by trade, in my life I have grown to hate cancer and arthritis. They cause so much pain and mutilation.  For preventative / follow up the best in the world is to fix your acid body and take a Homeopathic formula called Acid Clenz.  It is the best in the world at balancing out an acid body and then if you research it, cancer cells can't live.  This is the best preventative you can have.  I do realize that  side effects happen from all your surgeries as well.  But the root of your problem is the acid body.  I will beg you to research that aspect of your recovery.  If you want more information I have spent a short 6 yrs researching and helping / advising people.  More and more are starting to listen.  That makes my heart sing.  So you have a wonderful day and hope you research this.  On a note here,  if you don't believe me then ask & I will give you a pH stix to test yourself.  I bet your body is in the low 6's.  take care            healthgirl

How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine by Michael Murray, Tim Birdsall , Joseph E. Pizzorno

My naturopath and I used it during treatment and after as well.  I can't "prove" this but let me tell you my story.  I was diagnosed in 2004.  On New Years Eve '04 the scans confirmed that my tumor was in fact 5 CM in size.  There was debate of whether to do chemo before AND after or just after.  We opted to do surgery first, no chemo.  I worked with my oncologist and naturopath, changed my diet, added supplements noted in the above book and when I had my bilat mast on 2/14/05, the tumor came back as .9, .7 and .5.  NOT EVEN ONE CM!!!!  I "escaped" chemo all together as my lymph nodes came back clear as well. 

I believe in the power of food and supplementation...

Hello ladies,

I am glad I found this post--it has been interesting to see what preventions other people do, and I have wanted to share with  the ladies what I do--I am coming up a 10 year Survivor Nov 17--(See I am there) without Jesus, prayers, and preventions I don't know where I would be.

Now for my list!!

Vitamin C 

Vitamin E

Vitamin B12

Flax Capsules

IP-6 Cell Forte'

L-Lysine--(great for mouth sores)

Chromium

Cinnamon Bark

Gingko

Gingseng

Calcium

Magnesium

B6

Selenium

ProvexCV(Cardio Protection)

I think that is all--I have been on different chemos' on this journey and I am blessed to still be here without and less of complications that the side effects bring.  Right now I am doing Tykerb and Navelbine for chemo.  Thanks for letting me share.

I go and read up on these items to see if I think they might help my Cause--then I decide, I can't imagine life without these.  I eat pretty much what I want in small amounts.  I am diabetic and have an A1C of 5.9 could stand to loose some pounds, however, have managed to keep 40 lbs off for 13 yrs.

Everyone take care!!!

Linda C

Hello everyone,

I am just finished my first round of chemo for metastatic breast cancer.  I am at a loss as to what to take now to build me back up again for the next round.  Any ideas?  I was thinking of Curcumin as this first round of chemo did not kill all of the tumour in my liver and left the tumours in my lung (small) unchanged.  Thanks for your help.

Sunny,

Just don't do the curcumin during the chemo as it has been shown to interact/interfere with some chemo drugs (check the Slone-Kettering website on complimentary treatments and their risks, efficacy, etc.). It is fine to do the curcumin after chemo. There is also some interesting research on ketogenic diet as a treatment for advanced cancer, including breast cancer. Google search ketogenic diet and cancer. I beleive Albert Einstein school of medicine is doing a clinical trial in which people do the diet for 1 month. You have to follow it perfectly for it to be effective. I did it for 3 weeks just as an experiment, found it doable.

Wishing you well. Allyson

Congrats Linda on your almost ten years mark -- we should all follow your prescriptions But I don't even know what half those things are, and we dont have the kind of health food stores here where you can buy all this stuff. What does cinnamon bark do, for example/ It's in my ktichen,should I chew on it.



You mentioned mouth sores -- I keep getting them but no one told me it's related to the cancer or the treatment.

Carol, count me in. I am lucky that I finally found a doctor(chiro) who is willing to guide me through the process of getting healthy without traditional drug therapy. I am 6 months post lumpectomy and radiation and I am not even going back to the onc. I just felt so unsuppported by her after letting her know that I would not go on a drug. I also opted for thermography instead of another mammo, and I am in no mood to argue with her that I should not do this. It just makes me furious that they will not or cannot combine traditional and holistic medicine. All I can say is, that I am feeling great and have no worry that the cancer will return because I truly believe that I am doing the right things now. I might not be so rebellious if my BC was worse than stage 1,   but since I was blessed to have caught it early, I just thank God for that and will never

 take my health for granted again.

I have learned a lot from others who are of a similar mindset, and I hope that we can continue to encourage  and teach other.

By the way, the thermograph was great. I was amazed that my breast still showed the effects of radiation after 4 months. No wonder it is still so tender. The doctor also did a breast exam, and reassured me that everything seems normal. I will follow up again in 6 months.

My doctor has started me on indole 3 carbinol for the last month because it brings up the good estrogen to combat the bad. I will do another blood test in a couple more months to see if my estrogen levels have changed. The doc. who did the therm really believes in this stuff. He says that studies are showing it to be more effective that tamox with no side effects. It is basically a high dose of cruciferous plants like broccoli and cabage, which we all know is good for us. There is lots of info about I3C on the web, but since it is cheap, it does not get much attention.

Hi, I was doing some research on the internet yesterday in regards to flax seeds, as I also have a bowel disease and was taking this before my cancer diagnosis. From what I could see flax has estrogen in it, so if you have estrogen positive breast cancer I would imagine it's not something you want to take without checking with someone who is knowlegeable able this stuff.

Linda, I have read about I3C too. but I haven't seen it in the stores...I have wondered the same thing as you about why the med doctors will not mix holistic and modern meds. I think it has something to do with the FDA approval...maybe it would hurt their licensing... most supplements are not regulated by the FDA and the docs I work with state there is no proof that what it says is in the bottle is really what is in there, because no one is monitoring the quality and quantity of whatever is in the supplement.

This doesn't stop me from taking the supplement, I am a nurse and know that prevention and treating the cause is great vaalue for health...

But I do want to use reputable sources...so I think it would be of great value if we shared what is working and the brands we are using.

One thing I have found is that my surgeon is up on most every supplement....he will not recommend them, but smiles when I mention them and then gives me the OK if they do not interfere with treatment. Many BC girls use alternatives.

my med onc tells me he knows very little about the effects of supplements on BC, states he doesn't encourage a lot of supplements, yet he ok'd CoQ10 and flax with the tamoxifen.

My rad onc seems to know about most any natural supplement...OK's them all...but I had to ask...she didn't suggest any use of them during rads....but when I brought up the different ones I thought would be beneficial, she seemed glad I had asked and said by all means I could take them.

so in many ways, medical professionals are cornered not to suggest natural...Due to no FDA regulations.

In regards to flax, apparently it is controversial in ER+, but I have read more good than bad....studies of decreasing tumor size and of those in remission (whether ER+ or -).

http://www.cancerrd.com/FAQs/FAQ77.htm

http://www.flaxhealth.com/breastcancer.htm

http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/11/10/3828

the last website is a lengthy article, but most imformative

Consumerreports.org tests some supplements and for about $20/yr you can get the info. I use their tests to guide my buying decisions.

Joanne 

Speaking of vitamin potency, I've heard that a major factor is bio-availability--some vitamins/supplements having more trouble than others.  Two of the ones in particular that I've heard of is C0Q10 and iron.  I've heard that the iron particles in some multivits are so large that you can actually pick them up with a magnet if you crush the pills!  (I've not tried that experiment)  And with iron especially, the body cannot digest it so it has to be small enough as is to be absorbed.  Not sure what the problem with CoQ10 is. 

Anyone know where you get vitamins with no iron or copper?  As I said previously one of the oncs told me she thought the amount present in multis too small to make a difference, but might as well do what you can do.  I know there are some very pricey ones out there, but I don't even know if they are any good.

Thanks,

Joanne

Hi all-

haven't read all the posts but skimmed a few.  I recently saw a naturapath who specializes in women's health and has been treating breast cancer patients for over 20 years (my breast surgeon recommended her to me and has been referring her BC patients to her for over 20 years as well).  My point...the naturalpath was adamant(sp?) to avoid iron in vitamins, since if fuels cancer cells.  I'm anemic and was told to avoid iron at all costs but was told to increase my dark green vegetables and made a few other diet recommendations. My regular MD's said that they never heard of iron fueling cancer cells but I have read of studies that have said that iron does fuel cancer cells.  Most conventional doctors do not have much knowledge on supplements and naturalpaths are the opposite.  I also read about some confliting studies and vitamin C but my naturalpath feels that it is a powerful antioxident and usefull for BC. Just wanted to share what I was told. 

Liz