natural girls
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Hi Reen
I read about the flax seed cottage seed mix. I think I decided that because of the estrogen I would pass on it.
I have gone to organic foods and use green tea, Synergy tea and a list of supplements including DIM, tumeric, milk thistle, D3, C, and a good multi vitamin. I also start the day with Green Goodness juice, and eat brocosprouts everyday.
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seaotter ~ Yes, I did -- but only after extensive research and seeking multiple opinions -- which didn't always agree with each other. I really had to prove to myself that the benefits outweighed the risks, and that I wasn't just going along with the "standard of care." In the end, it came down to never wanting to wake up with a recurrence and wishing I'd done more. Are you trying to decide on one of those now? Feel free to PM if you ever want to chat off the board ~ Deanna0
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Reen--Welcome! The book I got started with which is still my "bible" is Anti-cancer--A New Way of Life by Dr David Servan-Schreiber. (I may be spelling that wrong) Excellent and if you don't want to read the whole thing now (but it is excellent) there is a handy section in the middle for quick referral for foods.
Good luck and enjoy!
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Seaotter-I have never had your problem. LOL I am short and have always been unable to lose, until I changed to a healthier diet and finally got down to a reasonable weight. Still wish we could just trade! Anyway, try eating some of the high calorie healthy snacks like avocados and nuts, and eat lots of them. Also eat things like brown rice and whole grains. Dip that bread in olive oil for a healthy snack. Also, don't worry so much about the weight as you do the muscle. Start doing some free weights. It will add muscle mass, which will make your lean frame look healthier and we can all be envious!
I guess I will have to start cleaning my veggies even more. The things I learn from you gals! At least when my own stuff comes in I won't have to worry. The spinach is looking almost ready. I still have my whole garden under screening because these darn cottonwood seeds are everywhere. If I do not cover the garden, I will have masses of weeds. I would cut the trees down, except they are huge and have a wonderful sound when the wind rushes through them. But for a couple of weeks, they are a real mess. My yard looks liked it snowed, my porch is a total mess, and all my flower beds are covered with this white crud. I sure wish folks would have planted oak trees instead! Don't ever plant a cottonwood!
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Yay Deanna! fabulous!
do you take two a day? if so, do you take them both at once or one in the morning and one at night?L
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This looks like a good thread with a lot of information. I am trying to deal with my symptoms more through diet than meds, but I don't have a great deal of willpower and my husband does not want to go on the same diet (although I think he would greatly benefit from it). If the wrong food is in the house I can only resist it so long. My diet has definitely gotten better, but it is not where I would like it to be. I did the chemo after much deliberation and mostly because I wasn't sure I could beat this through diet alone with out better support at home. Skipped the radiation and had bilateral mastectomy instead. I started taking Tamoxifen, but within two months my joints were so bad I could barely function. I am now on Arimidex, but am losing energy and strength and suffering from mild edema. I'm ready to quit the drugs and just go natural. I have a huge garden in my back yard and have planted fig, lime, lemon, papaya and avacado trees. I can't believe I already have figs, just waiting for them to get ripe. Now if I can just avoid all the refined foods!!
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haykat57--It gets easier if you don't have them in the house--you really do get used to eating a different way. Luckily my husband was up for the diet change--and has actually seen his blood work #s come into the right ranges in only a few months. Ditch the crackers, pretzels, cookies, etc. Tell your husband if he needs to have them, keep them at work or hide them from you in the house. Snack on dried fruit and nuts. I also do celery and peanut butter. One fav is apple chunks, diced celery and walnuts with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. Like a salad without the lettuce although of course you can do that too!
Chocolate is fine too just get the 70% caoco or higher kind--lots of antioxidants without all the sugar and fat.
You can do it!!
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Lorraine ~ I take 1 @ nite & 1 after breakfast. How about you?
Welcome, haykat! Sounds like you're on the right track! And I'm so envious that you have figs. Our fig tree hasn't produced any fruit this year, possibly because we were so distracted with bc, we totally neglected to trim it back last summer. Do you trim yours every year?
As far as your DH not being supportive, I think it's more a process of introducing new foods & dishes, rather than saying we're on a new diet and going cold turkey on what he's used to. Then, you can eat more of the healthy dish, and let him have whatever it is he enjoys. Eventually, he'll get used to having healthier things around -- at least that's how I've been doing it, and it seems to be working. Deanna
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I'm confused do you ladies take the DIM ,Myomin instead of or with lets say Femara?
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Vivre - those are some great tips, thank-you. I love nuts and all the other stuff! I'm worried about doing weights again because of my arm. Don't want it to swell and become a mess! I'm getting out and doing some walking but not enough. I'm afraid if I walk a lot I will lose more weight
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Thanks for the tips. I'm going to check out the book. Question, How does the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil mess with estrogen?
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Haykat-I am so jealous of all your fruit trees. Especially the figs. They do not do well up north. My grandfather did manage to keep his alive in Chicago, so I am looking for a hardy variety I can try. Figs are one of the best antioxidants around. Eat up! And ditto what Deanna said. Then men will come around. Impress upon DH that your health depends on eating healthier and it might keep him from having to go through what you have.
I was intrigued by the story of the young boy who was forced to do chemo, even though his parents were against it. Here is a good analysis by Dr. Mercola, and some info on the importance of vit
Saltykm-studies have shown that there are more natural ways to lower estrogens, and block the estrogen receptors than tamox or arimidex. That is what DIM,I3C, and myomin do. We have discussed them at length here and many of us use variations of the three. If you read through this thread, you will see lots of links to these supplements. If you also google them, you will find lots of info.
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If you want to talk about dipping oil. My DIL sent me some blood orange olive oil as a gift a couple of years ago. I've been hooked ever since. There's olive oil for dipping and then there's blood orange. The place where I get it also sells Persian lime olive oil, terrific when your frying up fish. What a flavor it gives to fish. I also use a little when I stir-fry vegetables.
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Deanna:
I saw one reference of yours to "metanx" but could not find any other info. I must have missed something because I scrolled through several pages of posts. I used to be able to do the search feature on this web site in the "discussion group" section but can't seem to find out how to do it any more.
What is "metanx"? How much do you take?
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Nail polish?
Is there a "safe" kind of nail polish? I was reading in the "Estrogen Dominance" article someone posted (yesterday I think) that things like this can be bad for us.
I'd hate to give up the paint on my toenails, given they are still discolored from chemo! Does anybody know of a "safe" nail color option?
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http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153096.php
Many Cancer Patients Use Antioxidants during treatment Despite Possible Consequences
I Found this article interesting. WOW..this thread I'm soooo behind!!!
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Spring..Opi and Salli Hansen have stopped using all the "bad" junk n nail polishes!
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I went back to read some more from estrogen dominance too. I saw this the other day about B6 and magnesium intake. I didn't want anyone to miss it:
10. Deficiency of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium. Both of these are necessary for the neutralization of estrogen in the liver. Too much estrogen also tends to create deficiency of zinc, magnesium and the B vitamins. These are all important constituents of hormonal balance.
I feel good about reading this because those 2 are the very first vitamins and minerals I started to take early on. I thought I was taking them for heart reasons, and I see there's a nice extra benefit.
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I take a supplement of B6 (25 mg). How much Magnesium do you take Rosemary? (I also supplement with Inositol - B-8 and Choline (B-p)!!
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Spring,
I take 500 mgs of magnesium citrate. Where did you find B6 at 25 mgs? I've been looking for it. All I can find is 100 mgs, but that amount is taken (with magnesium) when you first get hand pain. That combo works pretty good too. On a daily basis, I'd rather do B6 at 25 mgs.
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Deanna! I do the same one in the morning and one at night.
I hang out in my local health food store all the time, according to the gals that work there, there isn't a safe nail polish or nail polish remover as yet, I REALLY miss painting my nails! I used to wear the fake ones, acrylic, for years and years, it honestly didn't occur to me that it was bad! You would think the smell while they were putting them on would have been a heads up! I will have to check out Sally hansen and OPI!
Have a great day my sisters!
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Rosemary, I thnk I found it at Vitacost? It was hard to find. (No it was not there, I just looked!) Rosemary, I will have to investigate. I am going to have to check my multi and the magnesium. I agree, from what I've read, it takes B vitamins (and protein) to metabolize estrogen...
No safe nail color.
Crap!!! You know, I just squirted my glasses with something that smells, that's probably not safe either!!!Spring.
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peeps ~ Metanx is a high dose B vitamins prescription: http://www.metanx.com/
Lorraine and I were both coincidentally given an RX for it recently. I was skeptical at first that my body would like anything that's RX'd, but I trust my PCP, and I'm so happy I tried it. My PCP RX'd it for my homocysteines, which were high for the first time ever due to chemo. But it seems to be helping me feel better all around and I'm also sleeping better. Deanna
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Spring--I have compromised and only paint my toes now since I hate "naked toes"! Still have them do my fingers so they look nice, just no polish. And OPI did take out the formaldehyde which was one big offender but I'm sure the rest of the chemicals aren't too great either...
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Ok, girls I'm confused! I was taking a B-Complex pill each day during chemo/rads and the nutritionist told me I really didn't need to continue them once they ran out.
So I'm currently taking a multi, Salmon oil, Calcium w/D&K. I am thinking of getting some more B-Complex and also adding Milk Thistle (I'm currently on the Avastin trial and my AST count went up 2 points above the normal range)...I'm on Tamoxifen also.
Any thoughts on what I should be adding??
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k,
Doesn't your multi already have all the B vitamins in it? I'd add magnesium citrate to the list. Take it at a different time then when your taking calcium. I've read that calcium will override mg, and mg won't be absorbed as well. So mg with the multi for B vitamins that aid in mg absorption.. then wait a couple of hours to take the calcium and D. Have you had your D level checked?
I also like C, divided doses at 500 mgs each with alpha lipoic acid and to round it out, coQ10.
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Rosemary, my multi does have B vitamins, will double check the label tonight! I'll check into the magnesium. I haven't had my D levels checked, what is that checked for?? I'll also have to check out the alpha lipoic acid and coQ10, not sure exactly what those do??
Thanks for your help, I'm clueless sometimes!!
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k,
A lot of us have found out that we're low in vitamin D. It's a blood test. I think there could be an association between being low in D and BC. So it's important to know what your level is. I was taking D for more than a year at 1000 I.U.s and when I finally went for the test, I came up at only 36. Closer to 70 would be good for us. I've upped my dosage to 3000 I.U.s now.
Alpha lipoic acid does a few things, but it helps to keep our antioxidants running around our body longer as antioxidants. Antioxidants turn into free radicals so the importance is to keep them as anti's and always be adding to them as the day goes on. So we take our vitamins at different times during the day, and snack on antioxidant foods during the day.
CoQ10 was researched and was found to aid in shrinking a tumor, plus its a must for those of us on statins and it's heart healthy. Not to worry, we all were clueless when we first got here.
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Appreciate it Rosemary!!
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welcome to the thread haykat. Hope all your trees produce lots of fruit. I'll help pick avocadoes when they're ready.
I finally got through the article by Sherrill Sellman that someone linked to. This passage especially caught my interest: "Tamoxifen acts as a weak estrogen by competing for estrogen receptors much as phyto-estrogens do. Like phyto-estrogens, tamoxifen has mild estrogenic properties but is considered an anti-estrogen since it inhibits the activity of regular estrogens" If this is true, why do medical professionals hem and haw over natural foods containing phytoestrogens while they write out the scrip for tamoxifen?
Also, this paragraph caught my attention: "There is also convincing evidence that natural progesterone has an important role in breast cancer treatment and prevention. A study conducted in 1981 at Johns Hopkins University revealed that when a group with a low progesterone level was compared with a normal-level progesterone group, it was found that the occurrence of breast cancer was 5.4 times greater in the women in the low progesterone group. That is, the incidence of breast cancer in the low progesterone group was over 80 per cent greater than in the normal progesterone group. When the researchers looked at the low progesterone group for all types of cancer, they found that these women experienced a tenfold increase in all malignant cancers, compared to the normal group."
Ever since I read books by Dr Christiane Northrup, I've been so puzzled that progesterone gets so little attention. In a nutshell, estrogen is in charge of cells cycling in, and progesterone is in charge of cells cycling out. You don't have to be a nobel scientist to realize that maybe we should do more studies on progesterone instead of giving women estrogen-inhibiting drugs that have devastating side effects.
On one hand I'm so happy to see an article describe actual studies on progesterone that indicate positive results. On the other hand, I'm disheartened to see this article is over 10 years old and progesterone continues to be treated like an ugly stepchild.
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