natural girls
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Went into the city today with a couple of friends for our 6 month thermograph. It was really interesting to see the changes, as my breast finally is starting to get rid of the effects of the rads. It is still really hot around the boost area, one year later. I wish I could detox my breast and get rid of this poison. So I am going to start doing the castor oil warm compresses and see if that helps. We had a great lunch across from Harpo studios( a block from my Dr. office). I wanted to stand out there with my picket signs. LOL But I sat with my back to her studio and just enjoyed a wonderful lunch with two wonderful friends. We shared a lobster salad with avocado and a wonderful vinegarette, and a perfectly flavored monkfish on veggies. It was so yummy! The resturant was almost empty so I guess the big O is not taping now. I bet they make a lot of money when she tapes. So at least I can be happy she brought a good resturant to town. I hope she doesn't own it!
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This is why it's so hard (at least for me) to find the right combo of stuff to take--all the conflicting, ambiguous information. I am going to start with the CoQ10 and an omega 3 supplements along with a multi, calcium/magnesium and one for uterine health (which has folic acid, B6 and B12). My #s from my liver and kidney blood work were fine so I think I will hold off on any detox for now but am always interested in reading about what people have had success with...
FlaLady, we will send you good thoughts for your chemo starting this week.
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Spring... hehe on the blushing... maybe something to discuss on the Mojo thread..hehe...
Most of us who have had our ovary's shut down by chemo ( me) or drugs or removal will have dryness... I could NOT believe it either. I was in SHOCK... I have never had to look into this "matter" but it seems.. most of us do if we want to keep a healthy sex life going....
Blushing....
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I just finished watching the movie about the Gerson Therapy. The Beautiful Truth is its name. Blockbuster has it on-line. Someone started a thread about it somewhere here, but for the life of me, I can't find it now.
Anyway, the movie was good. It brought a few facts back to life about the FDA, (what DO they DO there anyway?) and who really supports that agency. The coffee enema is explained and what it actually does for us. Just thought I'd mention that since your talking about detoxing. The movie did make me think about things.
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Hello! I am sooo glad I found you ladies! Complementary medicine has always been an interest of mine, as has been "clean" eating. For the last 2 years I have stayed away from sugar, white flour, white rice, pasta, etc. and have more of a plant based diet. I also exercise vigorously most days of the week (just completed my first marathon!). Formerly morbid obese, I have lost 170 lbs and am feeling great. My body fat is very low, which I understand will be helpful in preventing recurrence.
I was recently diaganosed with ILC and underwent bilat mast. 5 days ago. Though I don't have my Oncotype Dx results back yet, it is looking like chemo will likely NOT be a part of my regime- just Tamoxifen. I've read through the first 10 pages of this thread, and see that I am already doing what a lot of you ladies are doing- lots of fruits and veggies, flaxmeal, various supplements (multi, Vit D, selenium, Calcium, Mg, fish oil, Acai berry, Milk thistle, Vit C, B complex), green tea,etc.
My question is this- and forgive me if you have already discussed this as I haven't had a chance to read the entire thread- what is your take on sugar substitutes? I drink a fair amount of Crystal Light, like Splenda mixed in greek yogurt or a cup of decaf, and have an occasional treat that has sugar alcohols (like maltitol0 in it. I'm trying to use less of it and more Stevia or Agave Nectar, but I'm wondering what research you have come across?
Thanks much! You look like a wonderful group of people and I look forward to being a part of this discussion.
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Hello ladies. I was wondering if anyone heard of not drinking green tea when doing chemo?
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Rinna, yep, but not until after chemo, and it was one of the Oncs that told me to drink it everyday. If she thought someone should stop during chemo she sure didn't say anything.
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Lori-way to take charge of your health! You must feel great at what you have achieved. I fought the battle of the bulge all my life, and it feels great to get rid of all the excess baggage. Keeping it off is so easy once you change the mindset and eat to live, not live to eat. As far as the sugar goes, coming from a former sugarholic, I must say, that I rarely sweeten anything anymore. Sugar is too much of a trigger for me, and once I stopped using it, the cravings stopped. I love mineral water with lemon and lime, no sugar. For a special treat, use Pelligrino, which I buy by the case at Sam's. I also flavor my mineral water with about 1/4 of OJ in the morning. Once you get use to this refreshing drink, you won't want the other stuff.
Rinna-I never had chemo, but I just do not understand why they tell you not to do healthy things during chemo. Have you read Dr. Ray Strand's book "What your Doctor Doesn't know about nutrition may be Killing you" ? He talks about people who die from starvation from chemo. He believes that proper nutrtion is essential to living through it. If you check out the Blockcenter in Evanston Il, they also treat cancer with an emphasis on nutrition and have a lot of success. So it seems that green tea, would be one of the many good things to do during treatments.
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I just called my oc nurse and asked her and she hadn't heard of green tea interfereing with chemo. I don't want to do anything that is going to hinder this stuff form doing what it should do. If you're going to go through the rough stuff, i want it to do it's best. Hmmmm.
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Hi Lori,
Welcome. Stevia would be my first choice but I don't use sugar, and I try to stay away from any type of drink that would be artificially sweetened. Don't be putting any type of sugar in your green tea... that has to be all natural. We did look into stevia a few years back, that was ok as I recall, but no sugar drinks is better.
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The medical community wants to keep antioxidants down to a minimum during chemo. It's the free radicals that do their thing. How this works is way over my head. You still have to eat, and you'll be eating foods with antioxidants anyway. Green tea does have antioxidants but it doesn't hit any list as being high in antioxidants. I'll go look again to be sure of that. Right after chemo, then you start the high in antioxidant foods, do detox and what have yous.
Saying all that, I agree with Vivre about foods and the book she read. There are healthy foods you should be eating, if you can, that aren't high up on the antioxidant list:
http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/antioxidant-foods.html
Everywhere I look they're calling green tea a powerful antioxidant. That's coming from sites that sell it, of course.
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I'm new to this group. IDC ER+/PR+/HER2- DX'd 2/16/09. I've been on the Budwig Protocol since March....alot of science behind it. Johanna Budwig (a German scientist) discovered that the imbalance of Omega Fats was linked to many illnesses (including cancer). You can find alot of info by googling "Budwig". I joined a yahoo group, www.health.groups.yahoo.com/group/FlaxSeedOil2/, where I've gained alot of knowledge and have read many testimonials of people who have had much success with controlling cancers of all kinds with this protocol. They are a fanatical bunch, but ultimately, I think whatever path you choose to fight cancer, you have to be fanatical about it. I shrugged it off at first (sounded too simple), but if you read the background/research it makes sense. Flax Oil contains high amounts of Omega 3's, which most diets are deficient in. Dr. Budwig found that the way to get the ultimal uptake of the 3's into the system was to bind it with sulphur. The most readily available high-sulphur food product is cottage cheese ("quark" in Germany). I consume 12 TBS of cottage cheese and 6 TBS of Flax Oil each day....alot of fat and alot of calories, in addition to fresh fruits/vegetables/juicing (I actually blend....see GreenSmoothieGirl.com, you get to keep the fiber this way); BUT, I've lost 21 pounds since 3/6th. This tells me that your system processes the oil much differently this way (it's not just absorbed as a fat, it is actually catapulted directly to your blood/cells to help oxidation). I feel great. Meet my ONCO tomorrow for the 1st time and will deny tamoxifen. Luckily, my ONCO score came back low, so chemo isn't necessary (I had said from day 1 that I would not take chemo). My final battle will be radiation. As of today, my
gut says "no" to it as well. My diet is about 85% - 90% raw, no sugar, no gluten, no animal products (other than the cottage cheese), no processed food. If you're worried about the dairy in the cottage cheese, read The China Study (this book will make you shun milk and meat). This researcher (whose family were dairy farmers) found that if your dairy consumption was below a certain percentage (I can't remember the exact number, but it's low) of your total calorie intake, you're okay cancer-wise. The Budwig Protocol is below this number....the yahoo site even contains a pretty detailed calculation in their files to confirm this. Anyway, very long post for my first time. I look forward to reading more on this site, especially the Natural Girls forum, as I am a true card-carrying Natural Girl myself post-cancer DX and I couldn't be happier about my new lifestyle!
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Intersting...I meet with my Onco at UNM Cancer Research Center tomorrow. My surgeon has already told me she will recommend Tamoxifen. I'm glad I now have this article as additional ammo in my arsenal of reasons that I am opposed to taking Tamoxifen. Thank you!
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Hi All,
I'm new to this thread and am grateful for all the information provided on here.
I have a quick question and would like to ask if anyone is on the acidity/alkaline school of thought. It's said that cancer cells thrive in acid conditions and cannot thrive in alkaline conditions.
If this is an age old question, pls point me to a thread. Thanks!
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A Naturopath I visited after radiation recommended 550 mg of green tea extract once a day. I have been taking it since November now, and a nice surprize has been the 15 pounds I've lost since then! I think it increases metabolism. I said no to Tamoxifen, Mbrowning, and so far so good.
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So much here, and much on the last page. I may forget names!
Lori, YOU GO GIRL!!!! What an inspiration! You may want to check out our MOTIVATION thread, we talk about exercise and getting motivated to stay healthy. You would be a great addition!
Laura, I never thought Vaginal Dryness was a big deal until it happened to me!!!! Ouch! So I know how you feel. (Better go to the Mojo thread, do they have good suggestions there?? he he)
I had chemo and my ONC took me off all antioxidents, just allowed a multi-vitamin. I started the antioxident foods again during rads. Now that I look back on it, I think it is stoooooooooopid. But, she said there was a theory that the antioxidents may actually "protect" the cancer from the chemotherapy. I am glad that is behind me.
Verve, you are telling me you can see rads "hotness" a year later? This makes me crazy!!! I have to say, I am finding the rads harder to deal wtih than the chemo. I feel like chemo is done and out of me. I have toenails that are still discolored, but I can see they are growing out and healthy is coming in. This Rads stuff just seems to get WORSE over time, and I do not like this! Lately my tissue in that area is tight, sore, I just can't stand it. I heard from a PS that the effects of Rads may not show up for 18 months. (In terms of impacting your reconstruction). I just am not happy with this. !!!!!!
Spring.
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MBrowning,
Is the flaxseed oil you use have lignans, or is it sans the lignans? How's your cholesterol numbers doing? I was wondering why the cottage cheese, I thought it was the CLA in it. Also a cancer fighter. But it's the sulphur. Very interesting.
Tulip,
I'm just getting into the alkalizing - acid foods myself. It's one of the natural protocols to follow to keep our bones strong, without meds. I read that the alkaline percentage is 80% to 20% acid. We still need some acidic foods too. What have you heard about the ration for cancer fighting?
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MBrowning, that was fascinating, first I"ve heard of this... Thanks for posting. will read!
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Rosemary~
No lignans in the flaxseed oil. Part of the protocol is to grind fresh flaxseeds also with every serving, so you get your lignans from the ground seeds. I make a yummy smoothie twice each day with the FO/CC; almost like a frozen yogurt....I actually look forward to it. The protocol includes much more than FO/CC, but I believe it is powerful. BTW, Barleans sells their flax oil (which is very high quality) direct to cancer patients at a price that is just slightly higher than wholesale; PLUS, it's fresh when they ship it out! Call 1-800-445-3529.
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MBrowning,
I read a little on this, did you stop, or do you not take antioxidents then? I read they may "interfere". And The Flax oil you get, is that refrigerated? I saw some info stating it must be fresh and refrigerated. (!!) Just wondering.
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MBrowing-sounds like you have a lot of info to pass on. Thanks!
Springtime-as far as the hot spot from the therm. Yes it is still there, I finished rads in Jan of 08! It really makes me mad. You have no idea how much I wish I had skipped rads! My doctor told me yesterday to start massaging the lymph more to break up the tissue around the boost area. he showed me how you have to really push the breast tissue towards the lymph nodes to get them to encourage draining. I am also going to start the castor oil compresses which are supposed to draw out the toxins. I this &#%* out of my body!!!!
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Anybody read the Newsweek article attacking Oprah, Suzanne Somers and Christine Northrup?
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Susers, I've always wondered if Suzanne Somers BC was ER+... do you know?
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Springtime~
I started out following Bill Henderson's appoach, which included the FO/CC of Budwig as one of the aspects of his plan. The others include a healthy diet (which I maintain) and ALOT of supplements. The more I got into Budwig, the more I moved away from the supplements. The only supplements I take are Beta Glucan and Barley Power Greens. Budwig really discourages anti-oxidants. Her protocol seeks to increase oxidation, so excessive anti-oxidants are counterproductive. Of course, we all need some anti-oxidants to mop up free radicals in our system.... a healthy (mostly raw, organic) diet, will provide all the natural anti-oxidants you need. On the yahoo group, there was a big uproar this week about ER+ breast cancer patients taking flax oil (because it may increase estrogen levels). However, after doing some googling, I found pretty much the same premise as Budwig takes with anti-oxidants.....phytoestrogens in a natural, food form (as is flax) are fine; it's when we take man-made phytoestrogen supplements that it becomes harmful. I still have much to learn, I'm just 3 months in to my cancer battle. But, the yahoo group that I cited earlier is a wealth of information and I encourage anyone interested in the Budwig protocol to go there. I do like alot of what Bill Henderson says (his book is "Cancer-Free, Your Guide to Gentle, Non-Toxic Healing). I just really had to back away from some of the supplements, at least for now.
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Springtime~
Yes, the flax oil I get is refrigerated. Once Barleans ships it, you have a short period where it is not refrigerated, but you can talk to them live and they will assure you of their shipping methods and that your flax oil will be safe and fresh. Once I get it (I order 4 32-ounce bottles at a time), I freeze them (the oil doesn't actually freeze, but it stays super fresh in the freezer). I've not had a rancid bottle from them yet, but I have bought a rancid bottle from my local healthfood store (regrigerated section) which was a different brand. I'm sold on Barleans!
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Thanks MBrowning.
This is where I feel my head will explode!
- Yes antioxidents, No antioxidents, yes supplements, no supplements (I am now taking a lot!), Yes Flaxseed / Oil, No Flaxseed / Oil, ..... soy.....diary, ... fat.... sugar.... animal vs. vegtable, etc!!!
Someone please beam me to 2525 when we'll have all this figured out!!!
Thanks for the pointer, I found Budwig's book on Albris (low price used bookseller) so will read and see....
Spring.
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Spring,
I fear that if we were here in 2525 they'd still be looking for the cure. The thing to do is to stop getting it in the first place and then we can stop putting band-aids on it. The only way to start that process is to clean up our food supply and fire everyone at the FDA.
Our natural food stuffs have lost a lot of nutrition over the past 50 years. I read it takes 5 apples a day now to do what one use to do in 1960. I picked up a box of some kind of donuts to read the ingredients. I was there for 5 minutes trying to pronounce all the stuff listed and I never got to the end of the list. I think the food industry is in cahoots with the medical industry. One will poison us and the other is waiting with the antidote.
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I think I may have gotten some insight on the soy thing. I was reading a book called The Estrogen Alternative and one doctor was saying that quite often it is the progesterone that is out of wack and that if you get that balanced then the estrogen will come into balance a well. Then later in the book when they were listing natural sources of progesterone it listed soy. I think It may be that soy is good for you if you have low progesterone but not it you don't as it will add too much progesterone and put you out of balance with your estrogen. So I am concluding that perhaps it depends on the person weather or not Soy is good. Your thoughts?
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Anyone heard of Myomin?
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OMG Merilee- When I was talking to my compounding pharmicist today, he mentioned this. I told him I was disappointed that my numbers were not better with I3C, even though they improved a lot and that I was going to try DIM. He said that post menopausal women do not always metabolize these supplements as well and he thought I should give myomin a try. He does a consultation that I am considering. He will go over all my test results and explain the chemical implications of what is what, and how I metabolize everything. I am thinking he may know more about interpreting all these numbers because he is a biochemist. It would sure be nice to get more clarity so I might give it a try.
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