natural girls
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Let-It-Be - welcome! Glad you found us too! I am thankful every single day that I found these ladies!
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welcome let-it-be!!! I am just checking in, I have been gone all day and haven't had time to read and catch up! I will be back tomorrow, sweet dreams my lovelies!
L
ox
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Vivre, let us know if the vision clears up when off the DIM, etc.
Deanna, Anti-Cancer - A New Way of Life author suggests Turmeric is best absorbed with black pepper (and oil).
I found this one http://www.vitacost.com/Doctors-Best-Curcumin-C3-Complex-With-BioPerine. But I am going to look locally first. (I think BioPerine is pepper stuff)
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Hello Let-It-Be!
Next on my to-do list is to look at all my skin care products and replace them with natural ones. Anyone done this and have any tips?
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Calypso - The most important tip I can think of is to ignore the labels that say "natural". It's a meaningless term. Even toxic products have this label as companies jump on the bandwagon and try to "greenwash" their nasty products. Looking for USDA certified organic will help weed out a lot of junk. Here's a link that lists certifed manufacturers:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/links.cfm
If you can't find an item you need made by an organic company, the next best thing are the signers of the Safe Cosmetics Campaign:
http://www.safecosmetics.org/article.php?list=type&type=51
That site lists the companies that have made the pledge to eliminate known toxic ingredients.
My very favorite make-up participates and the quality beats most expensive dept store brands I used to use: http://www.janeiredale.com
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How interesting. I need to replace makeup, and wanted to go paraben free. I assume given the above that there are other "not so great" ingredients as well. Will check out those links Shep!
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calypso, I've been using coconut oil on my skin and really like it. It's good for you inside and out, but I haven't incorporated it into my kitchen yet. Look for cold pressed. You should be able to find organic virgin and also organic extra virgin. If I remember to actually use it every day, I can actually keep the hangnails at bay.
I've also been seeking out handmade soaps and lotions from local festivals and farmers markets. I now have a mosquito repellent with a beeswax base that smells and feels divine. Apparently soaps that are in liquid form, like shampoo, are more involved and I haven't found a local shampoo alternative. If anyone has a shampoo they're especially happy with, I'd like to hear about it.
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Here's another site to check for the safety of hair, makeup and cosmetics products:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
As Shepard pointed out, I've occasionally bought natural products in markets like Henrys/Whole Foods, checked them out against this database, and been totally surprised to find out that they had very poor safety ratings. Deanna
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Calypso-The only thing I use on my skin now is coconut oil. It is my moisturizer and lip balm. It feels great and is a natural antioxidant-also cheap. We had some links a while back about coconut oil.
Oh, I forgot to add that I eat a couple of pickled beets everyday. They are great for estrogen metabolism or something-my hormone doc recommended it.
LetItBe-most of us here are looking for alternatives for Tamox, because of all the side effects of the drugs. That is why we call ourselve Natural Girls. I know there are some here who still rely on it, but we started this thread so we could discuss the natural route. I am not saying you are not welcome-YOU ARE. I am just saying that we generally do not offer any advice on tamox, except for the alternatives to it. It is not safe to stay on it for very long. Hopefully, as you become healthy again and learn about all the other things you can do, you will understand where we are coming from.
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Let It Be, I am on tamoxifen as well, although I eventually want to stop taking it, don't want to chance being on it too long. You PM me if you want to discuss it more.
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Thank you for this http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
Very helpful!!!!
Estee Lauder stinks. Gotta change...
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I replaced all of my skin care and makeup, took ages!!! I run everything through the cosmetics database.........I use dermablend foundation its the lowest I could find of brands that I know of, I tried the organic foundations and they just didn't work for me. I use an organic mascara and then an eye shadow from Boots line at Target in Fudge which was a zero on the cosmetics database, Victorias Secrets black eyeliner is also a zero along with Neutrogena lip gloss in Glimmer. I was a product queen, so this is a bit like a junkie coming off heroin for me
I did fall of the product wagon this week and used a smidge of creme de la mer!! I had a small pot, its fab!! couldn't help myself LOL!! oh well!! I use organic apricot kernel oil on my body, and Moroccan oil shampoo and conditioner. Its like having another job keeping up with all this stuff!! Have to share this, a couple of weeks ago, I was in the shower, shaving the pits and under my arm was a little bump.......needless to say, and I am sure you can understand my panic!! I almost threw up, I was terrified, a bump!!! Long story short, didn't get much sleep, the next morning still panicked I ran over to the oncs office (across the street) and burst in the door "can someone look at my armpit please!", the nurse was awesome, she understood, anyhoo it was an ingrown hair!! whew!!
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Althea, my favorite shampoos are made by Aubrey. They're very pleasant. It's expensive, though.
Once in awhile, when I have a big bill week, I can't afford the good stuff and I have to go back to the "regular" shampoos - it's torture. I stand there sniffing all the bottles and want to throw up. (Once you get used to the natural fragrances in the good products, the phony-fruity stink of the mainstream products is really off-putting.
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Lorraine ~ LOL ~ I'm with you on Creme de la Mer! Luckily, it's waaay too pricey to use very much of it! I alternate or apply it along with a bit of straight squalane oil, which makes it go further.
Glad your onc is so close by! It sounds like you were in quite a panic! And glad to hear the bump was nothing. D.
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I just started using Dr. Bronners soaps - all made with natural un-refined oils. I bought it for my body but used it for my face too this am. My skin is really really dry right now with the season change. Hmmm, what is wrong with creme de la mer - when I could afford it, it was my impulse buy. Im almost out of my shae butter but in the past I used avacado oil and loved it but I find shae is less oily. Vitamin E dosent absorb well unless you put a warm compress over it. - Make sure to get 'unrefined' as well as cold pressed or first press. Watch for deodorizers as well gals - triclosan is a deodorizer used in body care which has had some bad press. Its in most products which have one global formula.
Glad the bump was an ingrown hair
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Ok, I am going to try this one more time because I did not get a response the first time and I would really like your input
OMG Fairy! You take all those supplements, work full time, sex full time! run a lot, you are definitely Wonder Women!!!!
I need some help with these supplements. Pretend that you are married to a teacher. You send your one and only kid to a private school (because you don't like government run anything!) you work part time are you getting the picture?? What supplements would be THE most important ones to take? I do take dim,iodoral, atp cofactors, c, Q10, d3, b complex, cal d glucarate, sele +e, biotin, green tea and grape seed. If I have to keep adding more and more we will be in the poor house!!!!! Thanks for any input.
Patty
t ladies
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Sea, those are important ones you take. If I had to pick, Iodoral + cofactors and DIM would be my top 3. Calcium and D3 also high. Can you take them all? I would not cut any of those out if I was you.
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Hey Natural Gurls! Wow so much action on this thread since I last logged on!
Thanks you everyone for the warm welcome!!
Also for clarifying the tamoxifen stance. My tumor was huge, with nodes, stage 3, so I am taking all angles. I understand completely the desire NOT to take it. So far, I am not having side effects and I think this has something to do with my diet. But, who knows for sure!?
I am always interested in what else I CAN do to reduce my risks. I3C seems like a good add and apparently works synergistically with tamoxifen.
Since I changed my diet, my skin cleared up really nicely so I haven't been wearing make-up!! Yippee! But I have switched to all creams without parabens etc.
I'll keep following all your posts because you are a lively bunch and so positive!!!!
Thank you again,
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OMG Lorraine, ingrown hair lump. I would have FREAKED OUT!!! I just read your post more carefully. I somehow missed this being engrossed in friggin make up!!!!
NO LUMPS IN ARM PITS *(unless of course they are ingrown hairs)*.
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Seaotter - I have thought about this too as my list of supplements keeps growing and growing and my wallet keeps shrinking and shrinking, especially now that our household is dealing with two cancer patients!
I would say that if I could only take 3, I would take D3, Iodoral and Curcumin. I think those would be my top 3.
Fairy - WHHEEWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks ladies! Deni, how are things going for you guys? Have you been able to get the house ready to sell? I am still praying! I wish I lived close by so that I could help you! Yep, the ole wallet is shrinking like the witch on the Wizard of Oz and I'm screaming all the way!!!!
Fairy, I wish I had an onc across the street!!! I would be running over everyday I fear!!!
Let It Be, welcome and good for you not wearing make-up, lol
Patty
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Patty - we are hanging in there. Thanks for asking! My husband has to go for cystoscopy tomorrow (where they stick a tube up his peenie to look at his bladder and urinary tract) to see whether or not things are contained. He is not looking forward to this to say the least. The good thing is, they gave him time off at work with pay to get himself healthy.
As for the house, since the market is so bad right now, we may hold off for a bit until things improve. We are working with a friend who is a realtor on a market analysis. So we don't know yet what we are going to do.
THank you for your prayers! I feel them. Please keep them coming!
If my onc was across the street, I'd be there 24/7. Now with my husband, we would both be running over there - could you imagine. I think we would drive him out of town!
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I was using that Web site Deanna recommended (and others I think) "Skin Deep" to check the toxicity of cosmetics, etc.
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php
I came upon this site I wanted to share, called Healing Scents. They have lots of products, including cosmetics, at UNREAL prices. Very low by comparison to others, especially the cosmetics! i am going to order some and will report back. all items seem to be 0 or 1 on the Skin Deep "check" site...
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Here's the "regimen" I've worked out for my healing process. I would like it to include a few more hard to get items, but until I can get my hands on them, I do my best. I recently fell off the wagon and had a real binge on sweets and the bad stuff - sigh- but I'm back on track and going in once more.
Sea Otter, I don't like taking supplements, so I use as few as possible. I have changed what I use during the course of my treatment, too. What you take can depend alot on where you are in the treatment cycle.
Supplements:
Fish Oil
Antioxidant (modified dose during chemo and rads) Citrus CoQ10 - (to protect heart during Adriamycin) Melatonin- (anti cancer plus helps sleep) D3 - I always take this one II I I plan to refuse tamox, so when the time comes I'll start Cal D glucarate and the others that take care of estrogens.
My Diet do's:Raw milk or yogurt smoothie with fresh or frozen fruit and coconut oil.
Kefir soda for probiotics. Lacto fermented Pickles, kraut and or kimchee **see note below 3 Brazil nuts daily for selenium.
Bread, pasta and cereal - whole grain only
9 servings of fruit and veggie - at least one cruciferous per day (yuk!) Sardines, herring and salmon.
Beans, pea or lentils. Homemade Cheese Eggs - organic, free range. Limit to Grass fed meat - chicken, venison and lamb on occasion. Olive oil for salads, Peanut oil, butter or animal fat for cooking.
Use organic.
My diet don'ts:
Cured meats.
White sugar, white flour, corn syrup - instead use stevia, sucanat or raw cane juice.
Veggie oil - Use homemade, olive oil mayo only.A lot of the philosophies I am following came from Jerry Brunetti (non-Hodkins lymphoma patient given 6 months to live, who refused chemo and rads - treated himself with food and supplements and now does public speaking about what he did. You can see some clips about him on you tube.)
I am planning to add some of the more powerful, anti cancer supplements that he recommends in his DVD "Cancer, Nutrition, and Healing", as I can afford them -
**note:
"Studies repeatedly have shown that daily consumption of lacto-fermented vegetables helps in reestablishment and maintenance of beneficial intestinal flora, increases the strength of your immune function and digestive system (70% of your immune system is located in your digestive system!). These raw fermented vegetables relieve constipation and are associated with decreased allergies and infections. Fermented cabbage is an excellent source of a protective factor called DIM, which is lost by standard cooking methods"0 -
Seaotter-I do not know what to tell you about how to do this cheaper. It is maddening that my insurance will spend $300 a month just for arimidex alone, but not $100 for supplements. I do not see any cheap way around it. I feel like I just cannot get enough nutrients in diet alone. I just do not eat enough, and eating organic is even more expensive. I guess the things I am more vigilant about are vit c, vit d, idodoral, magnesium and selenium. Curcumin and cinnamon are very cheap, and since I now found a spice store that sells a bag of the good kind for around $5, I can save even more by making my own capsules or just taking a small amount orally, if I can stand it. I guess I just feel that I can skip going out to dinner a couple of times of month and buy supplements instead. My health is my number one priority.
Shepard-that looks like a really good list. You might want to switch to coconut oil only for cooking. It does not get rancid like other oils(which causes acidity in our bodies), and it is suppose to be antioxidant. Peanut oil is not good for you. As long as you like pickled foods, add some pickled beets. They help with metabolism.
As far as soap and shampoo. I only use castile soap now. It is all natural. I use it for everything. It is easily found at Trader Joes, Target, and most major grocery chains.
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vivre... stupid question, I'm sure... BUT, here goes... are y'all talking about just plain old cinnamon? Also, why are you vigilant about vitamin C? I'm reading and trying to learn from y'all!
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Ah yes, the vitamin C! Very important. I don't think about it because most of the C I get is via IV. If I wasn't doing the IVs, I would certainly need to add more supplemental C into my regime. Vivre is right, there is no cheap way to do it. But, if you have to cut supplements out, make sure that your diet is ultra clean.
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vivre-
I use the peanut oil cooking because it does not break down under high heat like other veggie oils.
I had not heard it was associated with problems - what makes it not good for you?
Castile soap - do you use Kirk's? It's very easy to find in my area and not expensive at all.
More easy to do at home health and beauty items:
Cornstarch for powder - this was GREAT after my axillary dissection when my underarm felt like it was RAW was the nerve damage, BTW.
Toothpowder - salt and baking soda. Mint extract adds a nice taste.
Vinegar makes a good astringent and cleans away soap scum - but it is pu -ie! But soak a little lemon peel in it and it takes on a nice lemony fragrance - ( I use the "lemoned" version for a laundry rinse, for dusting, and also in salad dressing when I don't have fresh lemons on hand)
You can also really alter the scent of vinegar by adding essential oils of your choice. It makes a big difference.
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vivre, it is very maddening to say the least. We have cut back on quite a few things in order to get my vitamins. I will keep taking what I am now. It seems like we are finding more and more new ones to take. I have changed my entire eating habits. I juice, eat as much organic as possible, no sugar if possible and no meat.
Thanks Shepard for the great ideas!
I saw this on fox news this morning:
Estrogen fuels breast cancer yet doctors can't measure how much of the hormone is in a woman's breast without cutting into it. A Canadian invention might change that: A lab-on-a-chip that can do the work quickly with just the poke of a small needle.
Several years of study are needed before the experimental device could hit doctors' offices, but the research published Wednesday opens the tantalizing possibility of easy, routine monitoring of various hormones. Doctors could use it to see if breast cancer therapy is working, tell who's at high risk, or for other problems, such as infertility - maybe even prostate cancer.
"It's thought-provoking to think, 'What could I do with a tool like this?"' said Dr. Kelly Marcom, breast oncology chief at Duke University Medical Center, who wasn't involved with the new invention. "It opens up an avenue of investigation that without tools like this, you couldn't explore."
The University of Toronto researchers used a powerful new technology to measure tiny droplets of estrogen from samples at least 1,000 times smaller than today's testing requires. Called digital microfluidics, it uses electricity to separate and purify droplets of the hormone from a mix of other cells - all on the surface of a chip no bigger than a credit card.
"Droplets essentially can be made to dance across the surface," said University of Toronto engineer Aaron Wheeler, who co-invented the device and calls the project "the most fun I've had in science."
The research was published in a new journal, Science Translational Medicine.
Here's the problem: Scientists have long known that estrogen plays a role in many breast cancers. While hormone tests traditionally are done with blood, estrogen is particularly concentrated in breast tissue and breast cancer patients have much higher levels than other women. But measuring breast estrogen requires a fairly substantial biopsy, a painful and invasive procedure with its own risks. Then come hours of intense laboratory work to extract and purify the estrogen from the mishmash of other cells. So that breast-testing is hardly ever done.
If doctors had a way to easily monitor breast estrogen levels, they could track which cancer survivors are responding to widely used estrogen-blocking therapies - tamoxifen or drugs known as aromatase inhibitors - that aim to avoid a recurrence. They might even shed light on who's at high risk for developing cancer.
"The breast makes its own estrogen," explained Toronto gynecology specialist Dr. Noha Mousa. "We have solid evidence that measuring estrogen inside the breast is important. No. 1 is to see if these medications are working."
The Toronto team put the multi-step lab processing onto the surface of the new chip. Electrical currents move droplets around the chip, allowing solvents and other chemicals to dissolve a dried tissue sample and remove other biological substances until just droplets of estrogen are left. The team took small breast tissue samples - the amount pulled from a needle instead of an open biopsy - plus blood samples from two breast cancer patients, and reported that the chip allowed accurate estrogen measurement.
Next up: Mousa will use the technique to measure estrogen levels in a soon-to-start study of more than 200 Canadian women at high risk of getting breast cancer, who are testing whether taking those estrogen-blocking aromatase inhibitors for a year lowers their risk.
But the technology is applicable to more than breast cancer. Mousa points to infertile women who have large amounts of blood drawn several times a month to see if treatment is sparking ovulation, saying she's also testing whether the chip might substitute pinpricks of blood.
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