natural girls
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I used Stevia and agave as a sweetener as I was trying to wean myself off of sugar. Now I find I do not crave sugar so much so I do not use them anymore. After a while I have come to prefer the taste of things that are unsweetened. I think getting the sugar out of my diet is the #1 reason I was finally able to win the battle of the midriff bulge. It is so nice to not have that roll over my jeans, and the back fat bulge anymore, so I am staying sugar free(except for the little bit I get in the dark chocolate. I am not a martyr!)
Amber, I take a grape seed supplement, not as an oil. I do use grape seed oil to stir fry because olive oil burns faster. I also mix the grapeseed oil with the coconut oil for my homemade body butter. I figure putting these antioxidants directly on the skin makes it extra beneficial.
Laura, you forgot your free sample!
Rose, I still avoid as much soy as possible. Fortunately, I do not like it.
Amber, I now have a house on well water. I love having my own well. I do not trust the municipal water anymore. It must be good water, because I have a lot of really really old neighbors around here. LOL I use a water softener that has a sediment filter for the whole house and an osmosis system for the drinking water. I have an indoor hose hookup under my sink for watering plants, with totally untreated water. My cats will only drink this water. They do not like the stuff out of the faucet. They beg me for a drink of this water whenever I water the plants. So it must be good stuff. But it is full of iron, because their bowl is always brown! I do not buy bottled water any more, but I am totally addicted ot Pelligrino with a splash of OJ or lemon or lime juice. It comes in glass bottles so it tastes really clean. I use this as my soft drink substitute now.
Here is another danger to look out for: MSG
I always try to stay away from processed foods because of the MSG, but it is really maddening how many things contain it, even when you think it does not. Cornstarch! Who knew?
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Cornstarch!? for pete sakes...
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FREE SAMPLE?????????????????
Hi sweet Bev... I have clients here that use them... naturapath.. so I made the call.
My medical team... ALL OF THEM at the BREAST CANCER CENTER.. think it is fooy.
soooo..
Blessings!
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Hi Ladies,
Thanks for the welcome Amber!
How often do all of you check in with your oncologists? I was dx Sept. 25, 08. I have been back to the onco in January for a CBC Also in February, but that was for more extensive genetic BART test. I am reluctant to return, I always feel so bad when I go there. Of course I will go, I just want to go as little as possible. My oncologist wants me to take Tamoxifen and I tried it for 13 days in December and knew that it wasn't for me! They also put my name on someone else's blood in the lab, and the numbers weren't even close to all my previous blood work. My Alternative, Holistic MD brought that to my attention when I took all my previous blood work info to him.
Thx in advance for any thoughts or help
such a comfort to be among like minded people!
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Just saw your every 3 month, alternating surgeon and oncologist post Amber, oops!
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Whew yes this is such an active thread it's hard to keep up!
Love it...!On the sugar--here is an exerpt from the Waking the Warrior Goddess book (pls excuse the goofy title--it actually has good info). Also same stuff in the Anti-Cancer book that is like my bible...
"Your pancreas responds to sugar (that you eat) by releasing insulin, the hormone that escorts sugar into your cells. When you eat refined simple sugars such as table sugar, candy, cookies or other sugar-laden food, your blood levels rise quickly. Your pancreas responds by releasing a lot of insulin. That's not good. High insulin levels are one of the biggest risk factors and promoters of breast cancer. Women with high insulin levels have a 238% greater risk of breast cancer.
...the biggest reason is that both normal breast cells and cancer cells have insulin receptors on them. When insulin attaches to a receptor it has the same effect as when estrogen attaches to its receptor--it starts cells dividing. The higher the insulin levels are the faster breast cells will divide; the faster they divide, the higher your risk of breast cancer and the faster any existing cancer cells will grow.
Also insulin attacks a portion of the estrogen cycle making more estrogen available to attach to the estrogen receptor in breast tissue."
It also mentions that sugar knocks down your immune system too.
Right under this section it mentions stevia and says it has some good health supporting qualities and actually helps lower blood sugar levels...
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Also, on tamoxifen, I know a lot of people don't like it as they don't want to take a drug, however it has been in use for many years and has very good reported numbers for lowered recurrence and spread of cancer. The rates of other cancers are very low. Some women do report bad side effects (you can read a lot on this site) however keep in mind for anyone who hasn't tried it--SEs really vary by individual and many women have no or tolerable side effects. I have been taking it for 2 months and so far so good--no SEs at all. I researched it and wanted to at least try it. My onc says younger women tend to do better on it and for those who are pre-meno, the endometrial issues don't tend to occur.
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Patrick Quillan's book calls Stevia and Stevioside, "... the safest and the most recommended of the artificial sweeteners available today." Trader Joe's also carries it.
Spring, I'm glad you asked about finding a naturopath. I've been wondering the same thing. I know many of them are very good, but I really hesitate to trust my life -- which I feel is what we're doing once we've had bc -- to someone who may not understand bc even as well as most of us do at this point. One thing I like about UCLA is that they have a whole dept. of complementary medicine. But, as cutting edge as they are in this regard, they would never totally substitute natural for traditional therapies. So I'm still in a quandry about whom to trust for advice when it comes to actually substituting a natural therapy vs. just using it along with traditional tx. (Hope that makes sense...)
I had my first ever bone density test today. Will get the results tomorrow. Has anyone else had one of those?
Spring ~ I should have waited a few days to order that Life Over Cancer book. The advance copy I was so excited to find on-line doesn't have an Appendix or Index. So, there's no way to look up a specific topic, like Stevia or Aromotese Inhibitors! Deanna
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Laura...Truvia isn't pure stevia, here is information from their website:
TruviaTM Natural Sweetener Ingredients:
Rebiana consists of the best-tasting components of the stevia plant. Different from most of the stevia products that exist in the marketplace today, rebiana is a consistent product with a clean, sweet taste that can be used in a wide range of foods and beverages.
Erythritol is a natural sweetener, produced by a natural process, and is also found in fruits like grapes and pears. Since 1990, erythritol has been commercially produced and added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness, as well as enhance taste and texture.
Natural Flavors complement the clean, sweet taste of TruviaTM natural sweetener.
FAQ page
Are TruviaTM natural sweetener, rebiana and stevia all the same thing?
No. TruviaTM is the brand name for the sweetener product to be commercialized by Cargill. Rebiana is the common or usual name for the new extract derived from the stevia plant that is contained in TruviaTM. "Stevia" is used either to describe the stevia plant or to loosely describe various products derived from the stevia plant.
Both stevia and rebiana come from the leaves of the stevia plant. However, rebiana, developed by Cargill, is a high-purity, fully characterized and consistentI'll stick with the stevia!
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Forgot to mention... someone was asking about water filters... When we redid our kitchen a couple of years ago, we installed a simple undercounter unit by Aquasana. My DH had researched them, and this one had the best reviews in its price range, which was around $200, as I recall. I can't put my hands on the booklet, but if anyone's interested in the model # I'll find it and let you know. We've been very pleased with it. Deanna
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Cebula - you might read this article
http://www.dslrf.org/breastcancer/content.asp?L2=6&L3=5&SID=381
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Hummm isn't that interesting - thanks for the infor. on Stevia everyone
I'm getting the same vive Vivre - I've just decided to stay away from soy no matter what kind.
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Allie, That was the BEST descirption of sugar/insulin I've seen! I can even understand it! I also take Tamoxifen, and have no SE's, almost 4 weeks.Though I can understand and respect others who decide not to. No Trolling!!! lol.
Deanna, I was thinking of a Neutropath in addition to my regular doctors. I can't really talk to them about idodine, ATP cofactors, green tea supplements, herbs, vitamins, etc. My MDs are good, but I fear they'd just tell me to eat healthy, which I do, etc. I was hoping for someone to help me with all this "other" dietary stuff, etc. I found two in the area and will email them . I'll report back on what I find out! I know what you mean though, neither is a BC specialist, we'll see.
Bone density test, I just had one on Tuesday Deanna! my third in 6 years. It is to test for osteperosis (sp) and if you trend low, you can maybe get infustions of Zometa, at least this is what I am interested in. (Studies show it prevents bone mets, but where I live, it's "off label" for bone mets, so she is seeing if I qualify just on bones, which I think I will..) It is not at all like a bone scan to detect bone mets or anything. Hope this makes sense.
Rose and Vivre, I also avoid almost all Soy.
Spring.
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Welcome Lucky-I know just how you feel. My doctors kept insisting I take arimidex. I would have extreme panic attacks every time I took the pill. They refused to acknowlege my fears and just kept telling me to try it for a while. I just do not like the idea that there are no long term studies done about it. It started out as a chemo drug for stage IV, and had success and was very quickly put on the market for all menopausal women as opposed to tamox. It just seem very fishy to me that this drug came out as soon as the patent on tamox ran out. It costs $300 a month! I lasted only a few days, and I said forget. I decided to find a safer way. That is when I got serious about everything else, diet, exercise, my environment, etc. I feel 20 years younger now that before I had bc instead of 20 years older the way women who are on arimidex complain. I do not understand why doctors continue to scare those of us who are low risk of recurrance, to take the high risk of using this drug. From all I have read, I am convinced that I3C, antioxidants, and my lifestyle changes help me more than this drug would have. I also no longer go to my onc at all. I really liked her a lot, but there was no reason to go back since she only wanted to monitor my arimidex use. I have found other doctors who now do my exams and blood work.
Allie-thanks for taking the time to write out all the info on sugar. I have read a lot of the same thing in many books, but I was too lazy to type it all! LOL I know others feel that sugar does not feed cancer, but I also believe my addiction to sugar compromised my body chemistry and THAT was one of the reasons I got cancer. As an addict, I know that even a little bit can trigger a binge so I really try hard to no use it. It is not always easy. I will never give up my chocolate. However, I do balance my insulin by eating nuts with any sugar and taking cinnamon supplements daily, which also balances insulin levels. There is a lot of diabetes in my family. I figure breast cancer has saved my from that. I do not eat all the pastas that my Italian relatives eat either, that mess with insulin.
Lisa-thanks for showing the difference in Stevia/Truvia. I figured Truvia was just a trade name. As soon as any natural food or supplement becomes popular, companies will find a way to duplicate it to make money.
By the way, Lipton's has a green tea with mandarin orange that is yummy. It even comes in those neat little triangular tea bags. No sugar needed.
Finally, for anyone interested, Anom just posted a great link on the Suzanne Somers BHRT thread about bc and hormone replacement. If you are interested, check it out. I still maintain that the evidence is becoming more and more clear, that BHRT actually helps prevent bc and not cause it as we have been led to believe. It is not the same as HRT, so really look at the differences.
Rose-I am so frustrated that my test results are still not back. It has been 2 months! The first one broke in transit, so I had to wait for another kit, then do it again. I called yesterday, and my doctor still does not have the results. I am so mad. I really wanted to see what my hormone levels were and make a decision about progesterone. I will let you know if I ever get it back!
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You are right Vivre! Pepsi or Coke, can't remember which right now, wanted to jump on the "natural" bandwagon and they teamed up with the make of Truvia so they could come out with a "natural soda"......
Like I have always said! We live in a "buyer beware" society!
Heading...catch up with all of you later!
Make it a great day!
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I was (or am, not sure yet) of the same mind on soy--but thought I would include info from the same book on the soy controversy. The author (an MD) said, and I'll summarize, that the concern came from a 1996 study where they had woman taking genistein supplements. Genistein is one nutrient in soy. That study showed that the women taking the supplements showed increased levels of estradiol (the powerful, "bad" estrogen).
Apparently when it is separated from whole soy it is digested differently which may be why it had a different effect than other studies with soy re: cancer. Her opinion is that eating whole foods is better in general b/c you are not depending on someone guessing what parts of the food make it healthy--also food acts synergistically so the sum of the parts isn't the same as the original whole. that makes sense to me and is actually the reason I am hesitant to take supplements. I'm sure I will with the proper direction--I am going to meet with a nutritionist who specializes in cancer. But I thought it was good info...have a great day ladies!
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Apple which of the article was it on the site? It shows me a blank page.
Thanks everyone for the different links, I feel so much better about my decision now.
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Ok Vivre - Let me know when you get your results - hopefully it will be very soon. Fed X should of paid for your test this time! I'll send you my numbers when I get the written report. From a phone consultation - my good estrogen was low so she wants me to double my IDC - and eat more greens/califlower. Then recheck in a couple of months.
I picked up the Stevia and at this very moment I'll having my green tea
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vivre, rose ~ What test are you talking about??? Sorry if I missed it above, but you have me intrigued about what sort of test you're both up to ~ Deanna
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I was just thinking - wouldn't the caffeine in green tea increase estrogen levels?
Deanna - My naturapath sent me a urine test kit to test my estrogen level - it's one you mail off to a lab and get the results in a few weeks.
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Thanks for the confirmation Vivre, I think the chemoprevention drugs are all fishy. I personally had many SE. Excuse me if I have missed something but what is the IC3? I too used stevia and cook with agave nectar now. I really have no sugar cravings to speak of.
Also I saw something about the taste of green tea. I buy the organic Arbor Teas Gen Maicha with the toasted rice. Yum!! Not sure about the estrogen, but the tea I drink says low amounts of caffeine. Doesn't sound very scientific, but hey, can't give up everything!
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On green tea, I read decaf is just as good as regular for the benefit.
I am now wanting this test Vivre and Rose are talking about! Maybe I should do one now, and then after starting my DIM stuff ... hmm.
Can only a naturapath test urine? Would regular doctors do it? (does anybody know?)
Spring.
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It's actually better to have your hormones tested via a saliva test. Here is a good website where you can order the different tests...the results have to be sent to a doctor.
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Why would I want my hormones tested?
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What section of the grocery store would I find stevia in?
Janet
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Naturapath told me that decaff reduces the antiox. I got Stevia at Walmart - but it's in the pharm. section because it's a natural herb. I heard that too salvia/urine is still better than having a blood test. I think any dr. could do it - but I can't imagine one doing was I asked. They would look at me like I was crazy - lol. I don't even see my onc. anymore - all he wanted to do was push the tamox. pill. My BS orders my mammo/tests etc. so I'm being checked on.
Lucky12 - that sounds good!
Cebula - I want to lower my bad estrogen level and get my good estrog. up.
Vivre - I'll hunt for the Pelligrino
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Lisa, my doctor explained to me that the saliva test is good for different reasons than the urinalysis. I think they both give specific information that is different,so it depends on what you are looking for. She debated which test to give me, and decided that in my case, the urinalysis would give her more information. She is a former ob/gyn who now specializes in hormone balance, so I have a lot of faith in her expertise. I just wish I did not have to wait so darn long for these results! I am really losing my patience.
I do believe everyone should have hormone testing done so that you can see if whatever you are doing is making any difference at all. One of the reasons I got rid of my more traditional doctors is because they wanted to put me on drugs without even testing my hormones. I just could not see the logic to this. How would I know if it made any difference? I just got really mad that they were putting into a one size fits all box. My first non traditional doctor had me do two blood tests which gave me the information that the I3C had made a difference because my estrogen numbers had really gone down over the 6 months in between. However, both tests showed my progesterone was nil, and even though my estrogens were low, I am still estrogen dominant because I have no progesterone to balance it. This worried me. I really started to study estrogen balance. That is why I looked for a doctor who specializes in hormone balance. I went to my local compounding pharmacy who gave me the names of doctors they work with and went from there. When my test results finally come back, we will then decide about adding biodentical progesterone, or testosterone. In any case, it is very important not to do this without a doctor who understands it and who can continue to monitor our hormone changes. By the way, she is also going to interpret my iodine loading test, which she does have the results for, but I have not conferred with her yet on this. I am looking at my low thyroid numbers too with her. All of these things are so important to avoiding a recurrance. All of these systems are interrelated.I have learned it is not just a matter of blocking estrogens as most oncs prescribe. I believe that it is only a matter of time before bioidentical hormone therapy becomes the norm for all women and drugs like tamox and arimidex will be used only for chemotherapy, as they were originally intended.
Lucky, there are several lenghty threads on I3C and dim. Rather than rehashing it all here, check out those threads. There are links there to lots of studies on them.
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Rose, you better stock up on the Pelligrino fast. The government is slapping a big tariff on it because the EU refuses to buy our hormone/antibiotic tainted beef and dairy. It really makes me furious! I don't blame the EU for not wanting to eat the stuff, I don't either. The Italians will have a fit about the Pelligrino, the French will have a fit about their cheese, etc etc. Get ready for a trade war and the prices will skyrocket. I buy cases at Sams Club for about $12. I am stocking up!
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Thanks Vivre, I do know about the dim, will check out I3C. I have the good fortune of having an excellent alternative MD in my area. Dr. David Brownstein, he is actually listed in the back of one of Suzanne Somers books. He ran blood tests on my homocystine, FT-3, Liporotein (A), Phosphorus, Iron, Iron Binding test, Immunoassay, nonantibody, progesterone, free thyroxine, lipid panel, blood uric Acid, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), Ferritin, Fribrinogen, Gonadotropin (FSH), molecule isolate nucleic, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, also an allergy and a mutation Identity.
I had no copper, no iodine, no B12, no iron and no magnesium. I am still trying to digest all the tests and information. My test were based on blood and hair, although I have heard saliva is considered more accurate.
I am taking Iodine pills, I give myself a natural, not synthetic, shot 1 cc of B12 every morning (.my family cringes
I am taking DHEA, pregnelione (sp), magnesium, DMG complete, MSM, copper, paba and of course my glucosamine, COQ10, and vitamin D3 I am also waiting to see a fairly renowned radiation oncologist who is practicing nutrition based on blood type and the nuclear grade, size, oncotype number etc.
Also, read up on the green tea I am drinking. 20-30mgs. per cup depending on brewing, compared to 80mgs in a cup of coffee and yes one of my questions for the Dr. will be does all the caffeine convert to estrogen and what are the estrogenic foods. I have read that things like licorice and chamomile are estrogenic. So much to learn!
Love to hear all the tests that we are all exploring. I know that there is an answer out there. Vivre can't wait to hear about your bioidentical therapy and how it goes! Obviously, personalized treatment and care are the wave of the future. I have always believed that one broad stroke of a brush can't treat us all!
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Lucky, now I know why you chose that name! You are indeed lucky to have Dr. Brownstein. I have read one of his books! I am so envious, but happy for you that you are in such good hands. It must be wonderful to have a doctor who gives you all these tests without having to ask for them! I hope you know we will be grilling you about what Dr. B is having you do. Your radiologist sounds really interesting too. I hope you will keep us all informed!
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