natural girls
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I even slip tumeric and ginger in my morning smoothie.
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Ladies who don't do dairy, any helpful suggestions on how to deal with "pizza" and things like this? It's the cheese that's hard adjustment in the real world. Maybe you just get used to it? No Pizza? No Italian?
GET THIS!!! 2/3 of the Kashi cereals on my shelf have Soy Lecithin!!! The only one that didn't is "U". I am shocked!!! You think healthy with Kashi.
Now, about that "Trader Joe's" dark chock with no Lecithin, I want Vivre to investigate. Vivre, you are the undisputed QUEEN on uncovering Soy Lecithin in chocolate, Woman! I think you should have a business that gives the Vivre "stamp of approval" on chocolate! I would find that valuable!!!
Althea, bummer about Green Blacks, They are sneaky! Not on their web site that I could find! I had to crack up about your comment, "Well, at least they answered the question and didn't beat me over the head with reasons why I should think it's ok to eat soy." LOL LOL LOL... Thanks for making me smile and laugh!!! LOL
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Well I'm eating my dark chocolate from Romolos...my favorite...and I don't care what is in it! I don't eat it often enough to worry that one little bite is going to affect me.
We walk around all day in a sea of chemicals.....that we can't stop, only limit. So I'm not going to worry about my chocolate! Just my opinion! I'm going to live...not live in fear!
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I know Welbutrin interferes with Tamoxifen. Does anyone know if Welbutrin interferes with DIM?
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Spring,
It's funny that you mentioned Kashi cereals today. I was just looking at their Go Lean and it has soy protein, any type of protein will be soy based. Their other cereal, Heart to Heart doesn't have it.
This is very hard to read knowing that we've been eating this and giving it to our kids, but for those who can get through it all without feeling sick, as I did, then you'll see why some of us are giving up soy based foods of any kind. We should be the ones who will "just say no" directly to the companies who are adding this to their products:
http://www.thedoctorwithin.com/soy/Magic-Bean.php
It's long but worth the read. If we can only import soy from Japan where these practices are not in use, it would be a different story.
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I did some more reading about soy lecithin. It is allowed in products that are otherwise organic because at the time some of these rules were enacted, an organic source of soy lecithin was not available. Nowadays, organic sources of lecithin from non-genitically modified soy is available, but probably won't be widely available until regulations are updated.
Springtime, I also thought it was sneaky of Green and Black to gloss over the soy factor in their website. I like very much that they are supporting farmers in poor countries to produce cocoa in organic, sustainable fashion. Yet, a search for 'soy' on their website yields zero results. For all the patting themselves on the back for being organic, you'd think they'd be first in line to purchase the organic soy lecithin that is now available.
Meanwhile, I've lost track -- did someone find a chocolate bar without soy lecithin?
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Hi Rosemary!
I did notice that Kashi was very clear about their ingredients, though. In bold, at the bottom, the say, "Contains Wheat, Soy", etc. I appreciate this! I am printing out the article now, thx for posting...
Lisa, I hear what you're saying. I'm still eating my Green & Blacks!!!
Althea, I lost track too. I think the last one was from Trader Joe's by Simvog. I think I won't believe there is a chocolate without soy lecithin until Vivre gives her okay. LOL. Go Virve!
Spring.
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Article on Vitamin D....nothing we didn't already know, but good to read!
http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/news?NewsItemId=43586
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Lisa I also agree on the soy lecithin in chocolate comment--I am not going to stress out about it.
Spring, I did note on the Scharffberger label that lists the soy lecithin that it is non-GMO, so at least that is good. ALSO, I see that I wasn't completely losing my mind--on the website it has images of the backs of most of their chocolate labels so you can see the ingredients. The 82% that we eat at home doesn't have soy lecithin in it (only trace amts b/c of where it is processed). And no coco butter either. See link: http://www.scharffenberger.com/nutr3oz.asp
Sadly they don't do the 82% in the bulk packaging...oh well. Have a great weekend everyone!!
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Lisa--good article on vit. D. I had mine tested and it came back in the low end of the normal range. I have to look at my multi-vitamin to see if I am getting enough. I also had other things tested like iron, folic acid, vit. B-12 and thyroid. has anyone used a website that tells what the ranges should be? I only got that info on the vit D...
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Ok, one more thing from me!
I was reading about vitamins and ran across this from Dr Weil about iron levels. Apparently if you are post-menopausal you shouldn't be taking iron supplements (or have any in your multi-vitamin) unless directed by a dr. It can build up in your system over your lifetime and is only eliminated by bleeding (why it is ok for pre-meno women to take it). But it is in a variety of foods (not just red meat) so really anyone eating a balanced diet doesn't need it. Very interesting. I have some in my multi but may look to get one without it even though I am still pre-meno. Here is the link if you are interested in reading:
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Allie ~ You will find that most higher quality supplements that are formulated for a woman no longer contain iron. However, I also think that chemo and radiation messes up our blood so much, that you can't go by what it is appropriate or recommended (RDA) for a woman who hasn't been through bc treatment. Best to get your specific levels checked and treat at needed, even if it's just temporarily.
vivre ~ I found that comment you made yesterday about a pill changing our molecular structure very thought-provoking. I hadn't chimmed in much on the soy debate, but the nutrition info' they give you at UCLA has always said soy is fine for us now, in moderation, with the exception of soy isolate, which is soy protein powder and the protein ingredient used in many energy bars. Anyway, based on the discussions here about staying away from soy, to be prudent I haven't been using any soy foods, but because of UCLA's info, I haven't worried about the miniscule amount of soy lecithin in supplements. In fact, other than when I replace something, I haven't even gone back to check what I already have on the shelf. But your comment has me re-thinking the issue of soy in our supplements, because you're right, it doesn't take very much of something chemical to alter our balance. So interesting!
And, Spring, I am shocked at soy in Kashi cereals. What is with these natural food manufacturers? Is anyone sounding the alarm? The issue of cleanliness and pesticides and what vivre shared about it being a sludge product is what now concerns me. I must remember to ask the UCLA nutritionist about that. In fact, maybe I'll email her and see if she'll comment. Deanna
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Thanks Allie for the info on scharffenberger chocolate. I will look for it and give them my preference, if it's an option. I won't let the soy lecithin stand between me and my chocolate either, but I'll definitely give preference to non-GMO soy any day.
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Please advise on Dr. Weil?? I missed something...there are so many posts! I take vitamins but want to make sure I am incorporating the right ones and supplements!!
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Do y'all ever wonder if you're losing your marbles? And have examples to back it up?
Just today I received the iodine loading test kit. I knew in advance that there's a designated 24-hour period for measuring and that I'll take 50 mg of iodoral. As I'm reading the instructions, it refers to the 4 tablets of iodoral to take for the test. ... .... The light bulb fizzles in my foggy brain. For FIVE months I've been taking 62.5 mg per day of iodoral thinking it was 50. Yes, I knew each tablet is 12.5 mg, and yes I can do simple math, yet I somehow came up with 5 tablets = 50 mg. Talk about a Homer Simpson moment! Doh! Sometimes it feels like chemo happened just yesterday.
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Wow, a lot has been discussed here in the last few days. I thought I would chime in now that I have caught up with the past posts. I see an integrative medical doctor who has done my estrogen tests. I did have the 2:16 alpha-Hydroxyestrone ratio done in October (while still undergoing chemo) and then again in May after finishing chemo and taking DIM since January. My ratio was worse after the 5 months on DIM! Ugh! So he now has me taking Breast Protect from Bio Immune Incorporated. It has DIM(100mg), Calcium, and Resveratol in it. I take 2 in the morning and 2 at night and will recheck in September. Someone asked about alpha lipoic acid. I take 150 mg twice a day. It is a potent antioxidant and helps regenerate glutathione-an antioxidant in our cells. Some research has shown that alpha lipoic acid helps restore T cell function and it helps with heavy metal chelation. I have also had my homocysteine level checked...another inflammation marker. We don't want a high homocysteine level especially if we have had cancer. I have been taking high doses of B-complex since January and in May my homocysteine level had dropped from 21.4 to 5! I have been taking 5000 IU of Vit. D since October and my vit. D level is now up to a respectable 65. I'm hoping all this is helping and that the Breast Protect improves my 2:16 ratio. I haven't had any dairy since December. I loved cheese but once I got through a few days without dairy it wasn't hard to do without.
Chocolate...I love dark chocolate and can't get through a day without some. I buy Trader Joe's 100 calorie 72% dark chocolate bars. They're so good. I don't think they have soy lecithin in them but will have to check when I buy them again. It is so hard to avoid soy lecithin. It seems to be in everything.
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Vivre
Are you still taking your B-12? I need to start that !
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NO SOY. It looks like it's either soy lecithin or liquor. I take the liquor.
80% Extra Dark Organic Chocolate - 2 oz
- Certified Fair Trade by TransFair
- Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth, Inc.
- Certified Kosher-Dairy (Square K)
- Gluten-Free
- Manufactured on shared equipment with products containing wheat, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts
Ingredients
Organic Dark Chocolate (organic cocoa beans, organic evaporated cane juice, organic cocoa butter), organic cocoa liquor.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/item.php?RID=110
365 Everyday Value Organic Swiss Dark Chocolate Bar Rated
Ingredients: Organic raw cane sugar, organic cocoa liquor, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla extract.
Pure organic choco
http://www.nutsonline.com/nuts/cacao/organic-nibs.html
Organic Cacao Nibs are a real chocolate treat. These raw nibs are the original chocolate chip. Crunchy, flavorful, and packed with powerful nutrients and natural mood lifters. Try them straight, or sweeten with bananas and dates for a truly healthy chocolate. Perfect for mixing into smoothies or trail mixes. The possibilities are endless for this crunchy antioxidant pick me up.
Ingredients
Organic cacao nibs
0 - Certified Fair Trade by TransFair
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I finished chemo!
I sat down with my onc to discuss plans. She told me I did great and that I should put the cancer behind me and enjoy my life. I was NED before I started chemo, chemo was just an extra to be on the safe side. On June 12, I will have my port removed; on July 1, I go for another CBC blood test because I go in the Caribbean in July and I want to make sure by blood is ok. August is my test month for the prophylactic mastectomy (which will be in September) thermoscan and MRI. I also have a schedule for colonoscopy and gynecology (hormones testing, too). Also, I will have the full blood test to check for liver and kidney, vitamins, minerals, tumor markers, etc. After the results are in I will choose the supplements and discuss it with her. My onc is specialized in hematology and internal medicine, besides oncology. I've already told her I am not taking Tamoxifen and she did try a couple of times to try to convince me to reconsider, but I said no. I told her I want to take the alternative route and she said she would help me as much as she can.
October is for PET scan (1 year), blood and heart (I took Adriamicin and I need to check my heart yearly). After that I will have 6 months check for a year (every 3/6 mo alternative surgeon and onc) with regular blood work for tumor markers, vitamins and minerals and hormones. Yearly I will go for thermoscan (my choice, the doctor didn't ask for it but she will look at the results), colonoscopy, heart, and gyno checkout. The blood and hormones test I will keep them at 6 months until everything is back to normal. I don't know yet about PET scans.
I did not celebrate today. I am very tired today and can't eat or drink yet. I am looking at a sleepless night in front of my (for the last 12 wk I was not able to sleep more than 2 hrs in the night I took chemo). I am planning to celebrate the removal of port June 12.
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C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S on being done with chemo, simvog! Hopefully, the next week or so will go smoothly for you -- not too many SEs. And that's great news that your onc will support you in choice of the natural route over Tamox! Deanna0
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Congratulations simvog !! Rest
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Lili-I had the same problem with a year on I3C, not changing my ratio much. My doctor looked at my urine test carefully and saw that the problem could be something called methylation which has to do with how we metabolize things. So she had me add enzymes to my supplements that contain betaine, which should help. She also told me to take a bit more magnesium. Sometimes we can take a supplement that will not make a difference if our bodies do not uptake it well. Look at how many women have Vit D deficiencies, even after lots of supplementing. It took me almost a year to get my Vit D levels up.
Sim-congrats on finishing chemo. It is onward and upward from here!
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I just had my vitamin D levels checked along with some other things and mine is only at 32--I guess the normal range is 25-80 so I guess I will up my vitamin D amounts since my multi has 1,000 I.U. but I guess that isn't enough. I do believe there is a lot in how your body--or IF your body--can absorb the nutrients.
Lili46--wow, sounds like you found a great dr! I will have to look into all of that.
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I had posted this previously in a thread about soy being good or bad. It was really difficult to eliminate soy from my diet, as it seems to be in about 60% or so of our foods....even white bread, wheat breads, etc.
Here is an interesting resource site about soy...from the politics of why it is now in so many foods to published preclinical toxicological research papers. Judge for yourself.
http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/
Check out some of the testimonials from people who have had issues with consuming too much soy. I too was a health conscious person (exercise, running, low fat/little or no red meat, salmon 1 or 2 x weekly diet, fresh vegetables and fruit, etc) who also took soy supplements for menopause symptoms for 3 years. Had some problems similar to those that others experienced and stopped the supplements abruptly and went on a soy-free diet. My problems resolved within a short time. However, after having some breast cysts that started while on soy...I now have breast CA. I have reported this to the FDA via the voluntary MedWatch reporting system out of concern for others who may take these types of concentrated soy supplements along with eating a diet rich in soy.
In the US, the FDA doesn't seem to have much control over dietary supplements; however, they do log complaints/concerns into a safety database to be analyzed. Any suspicious side effects or events won't be logged if consumers don't report any concerns to them. Easily done through the FDA.gov website (go to MedWatch reporting section).
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Thanks for the site Rmom,
A lot of people aren't aware of the thyroid issues also connected with soy. I've stopped eating bread because of the lecithin, that stuff is poison. I am ordering chocolate w/o soy on-line. The photo of that chocolate bar that was posted here looked too good to pass up.
The FDA could stop the soy lecithin and soybean oil in our foods, they know what's in it, and they won't. It's not just vitamins they don't have control of. They lost control of everything out there. Whichever company has the most money, gets their junk into our foods. And we allow it to happen. We don't care.
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Vit
get about 1K in my multi (no iron) and calcium, and then take 4K more each day. I saw my levels go up doing this. Last I was checked, I was in the normal range, but on the lowish end, so I am keeping on with the Vit D!Lili, thank you for the info on alpha lipoic acid and having your homocysteine levels checked (inflamaiton marker). I had not heard of this and am making a note!! Someone else recently mentioned C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) - (two proteins in the blood that are associated with chronic inflammation) and I am going consider this as well.
Deanna, I believe I am developing the same sort of feelings/philosphy about Soy as you - I am trying to avoid, and checking things out now when I buy new, but not freaking out about little soy in supplement (as long as it is not the soy isolate.) Soy seems everywhere!
Rufu - I've also heard stories of women developing BC (or seemingly so) from concentrated soy supplements, thinking they're being healthy...sad...
My non dairy update: I am thinking I am sticking with Almond Milk. I have been trying many different types and configurations (almond, oat, hazlenut) and the Organic Pacific Almond low fat I am finding I can deal with! I don't know if it's just a journey to get used to milk alternatives, but I think I have arrived there!
Rosemary, lecithin in bread too. Ugh. Another thing to check!!!
SIMVOG!!! Wooo! You go girl! You must feel so good to be done. I assume no rads for you. I remember being done with Rads (after chemo, surgery) was the happiest period of my life! To be done with treatment and onto living a healthy life, what a wonderful feeling! Enjoy!
SIM I bookmarked all those chocolates! Thank you!!
Thyroid issues: I have been hypothyroid for years and take synthroid. I am now also supplementing with Iodine and will have my levels checked again this summer. I've heard it bounced around that some speculate about a connection between thyroid issues and breast cancer. I thought that was interesting...
Spring.
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Bread has a lot of crap in it--you can buy better kinds but I am making my own--no preservatives and I know exactly what is in it! Also I find if I keep in in a ziploc on the kitchen counter, it keeps more than a week.
I love broccolini! Always ate broccoli pretty regularly but like the baby broccoli better. You can really put it in a lot. I am doing more "asian stir-fry" kind of stuff like sauteed broccolini, shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, and tumeric and sometimes curry powder in. (With some veggie broth) So good over brown rice...
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Rosemary ~ Thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding me about potassium for water retention! Since I try to eat bananas, I thought I was probably getting enough. But the bloating was just so bad that I bought some potassium, and I can't believe the difference in just a couple of days. It really seems to be doing what nothing else I've tried has.
Firni ~ Thanks for the info' on alpha lipoic acid. I need to look for that. In addition to my hands swelling a lot, especially when I walk (4.5 miles this a.m.), I've noticed my toes are starting to hurt. When I was on chemo I'd used B6 for neuropathy, and that seemed to help a lot. But that's in the Metanx stuff I'm taking now, so I guess I'll try alpha lipoic acid. You mentioned that you have severe swelling in just one foot. Is that lymphedema? Deanna
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Deanna! How are you doing on the Metanx? I have been taking that too, I seem to being doing really well on it, I have a lot more energy and my libido is a little off the charts LOL!! My hubby is VERY happy!!
Lorraine ox
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Doesn't almond milk/vanilla almond milk have oil in it that's NOT good for you? I was reading the label and it mentioned two types of oil.
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