Physical aging appearance
Comments
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I posted this a couple other places on the boards, but it might also be helpful here:
I went to a very interesting speaker the other day. She is a doctor, nutrition specialist, and an eleven year breast cancer survivor. Here are some of her tips for staying healthy:
1. We all know we should eat more fruits & veggies, whole grains, less red meat, processed food etc. so I am not going to go into any of that.
2. EVERYONE should be taking a multi-vitamin. Make sure it says ‘Complete' on the label. Make sure it contains iodine, Vitamin K, selenium and folic acid along with all the other good stuff. Interesting facts about why multi-vitamins are important:
* older women with the lowest levels of vitamin B-12 were at the greatest risk for breast cancer
* taking acid-blocking medications make you less able to absorb B-12
* she recommends 400 mcg of folic acid a day. It works with the B-12 (studies have found that folates may help to make chemo more effective and decrease side effects)
* B 6 is important in lowering the risk of breast and colon cancer
* she recommends 90 mg of vitamin C
* 30 iu of E
3. Omega 3.....either eat oily fish twice a week or use fish-oil supplements (make sure it says EPA and DHA approved) 1000 mg a day. It's associated with decreased risk of cancer, heart disease, inflammatory disease, depression and more.
4. Vitamin D....a big deal.....she recommends getting it tested (should be between 40-50 ng/dL). She recommends 2000 iu a day to maintain a good level. Many, many conditions are associated with low vitamin D; heart attack, cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, muscle weakness, asthma, diabetics, multiple sclerosis etc. etc. etc. There are over 200 different body tissues that have been identified so far that have receptors for the vitamin D hormone and they need it to work properly.
* adequate Vitamin D levels has been shown to reduce the side effects of taxol based chemotherapy
* Adequate Vitamin D has shown to reduce the side effects of aromatase inhibitors
* start with a multi-vitamin, drink milk, eat yogurt (check and make sure it has vitamin D added), and most people will also need a supplement to keep that high of levels
5. Vitamin K, should get 100 mcg a day. Check your multi-vitamin, not all of them have it added. Inadequacy leads to an increased risk of various cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis and kidney problems.
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Ruth thanks for the info.
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Ruth - thankyou for the great information. The only thing I am concerned about is the folic acid (folate). There appears to be some controversy about taking this as I have read research suggesting it could stimulate breast cancer cells.I started a thread about this recently (I think it was entitled 'folic acid and breast cancer').I was about to start taking it and am now somewhat leery.
Sam
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I wouldn't take extra; just whatever amount is in the multi-vitamin.
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thanks ruth
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You're welcome. Also her take on flax and soy, which there also has be controversy about, is that it OK to eat some in your regular diet, but not a good idea to add them as a suppliment. She also reminds us to be very careful of the 'research' we read on the internet. Sites with .edu at the end are more likely to be information that is more reliable. And never trust the' research' of somebody trying to sell you something!
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lago...me too!!Had all salt and pepper come in after chemo.. and i was auburn!!Now i am a dark golden brunette, Box color.. the 10 min one from Loreal and does the job for me after it grew back.
Thanks Ruth for the great info on vitamins. Any info like this is always so impt to have and know!With chemo brain, i need all the reminders I can get!!thanks!
Home sick today and hate when i fly, always after I fly. I can be in a classroom of sick kids and i a, fine...grrr. I am a sub and had to call in for a sub.. feels so wrong!!!lolol!
tomm bones density test and then a gift to myself.. whitening my teeth at the dentist. Chemo did a number on me and never really had white teeth from all the Pencilin I had as a child.
Be well and stay strong!
Donna
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Had my vitamin d tested hereis what they said d1-35 d2-8 d3-35. is this within the normal range?
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I don't know because I've never seen it broken down like that. Just that the overall should be between 40-50 ng/dL. Anybody with more knowledge out there?
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ruthbru I was'nt sure either, but thank you for responding. I don't post much, but read daily. salty
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Hi Ladies! Yup--I look older now----dark under eyes--never had that before-:( gained weight--i think the Femara did it----and sagging under chin--:(
sounds pretty----haaaa--i am working on it--:)0 -
I could have sworn I clicked submit when I wrote this post before, but it isn't showing up so it must have gone into that black hole where things sometimes go on the computer....So Voracious...did you take the plunge and go gray? My gray hair is about all I like that comes with aging and I was just lucky with that or misinformed. I always thought only people with black hair or really dark hair got the nice silver gray, but I lucked out and get lots of compliments on the color. I am going to check that book out. Loved the one Norah Ephron wrote I really Feel Bad about My Neck....liked that one better than the second one she did on aging. I agree on finding shoes that are comfortable...I don't wear sneakers, well sort of do at work, but they are very expensive sneakers, but I do get shoes that are comfortable and support my feet like Clarks or Born....however, no sandals for me, Not with the things I have that are supposed to be toenails....need to keep those babies covered up. They told me it takes 18 months for a nail to grow back, but mine seem to be taking longer. And Lago, thanks so much for the compliment.....I am not a sea hag or anything, but have seen better days. The bubble butt may be a big of an exageration, but it certainly did look large when I was trying on clothes the other day and eating lbs of Garrett's popcorn did not help things. I think a lot of us lost the eyebrows and lashes after treatments were finished, but they will come back. My brows are not nearly as thick as they were before and also not as dark, but they are there and the good thing is I no longer have to pluck them.....hey there's another positive outcome from chemo that I overlooked.
I am going to have that surgery on my lids after the cataracts are done. Saw the cateract specialist last night and he said they are ready and that when they do the surgery...it will be one eye at a time, a week apart....they really stretch the eyelids and the skin doesn't always shrink back to where it was (I can just about guarantee mine won't since I think the elasticity is gone). He really wanted to pull some eyelashes out that were touching my cornea, but I told him to leave them since the opthalmologist I see tomorrow and who will do the lid surgery is documenting where they are to see it the ones that grow whacky are always in the same location.
The eye surgery I am doing because it is needed and hopefully will improve my vision, ( I konk my head on cabinet doors because I don't see that they are open) but if I had a choice and was doing for cosmetic surgery strictly for looking younger, for sure I would do my chin (s) and get rid of my jowls. But until they find a reason for ins to pay for that, I will just live with what I have and be thankful that I at least feel good in general.
Am editing this to add about Vit D....no one has ever said a word to me about my Vitamin D levels so should I just assume they are where they should be....they certainly do enough blood panels and screenings each month,but maybe this is not something they check. Did you ask to have it checked.? , Stage IV, 0/19 nodes, mets, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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I didn't ask to have my Vit D levels checked. On my first visit with my Onc she wanted me tested for it. At that time, had no clue to ask about it. SO glad she did. My level was a LOW 17. With supplementation it went up to 37.5 in less then 3 months. I will be tested again in about 2 weeks. My Onc said she would like to see me at a therapuetic level of around 70-80 because of my cancer history. Anyway, she tested because she believes it is important factor with the breast cancer. I have read of others dr's that don't or haven't tested them for it. Seems all of them do things a little differently. Maybe you've been checked and your levels are fine. But I would definitely ask about it!
Also wanted to add that because of this I had my 18 yr old daughter also checked. She was low too...19. So she is also now on supplementation and about to be rechecked as well.
I believe this is important for us and should not be overlooked.
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Is that your daughter in the picture? Or is it you and you are just kidding us and amazingly well-preserved? Whomever is beautiful.
I will ask about the Vitamin D tomorrow.
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Marybe- absolutely on the vitamin d levels...it appears to be one of the only common factors across the board for virtually everyone i have ever talked to that has had BC that had their levels...they were very low...mine was 18 as well..after less than 2 months supplementation actually way up there at 123! Hahaha...it will fall back a bit since the dumbutt onc put me on vitD2 50,000 mg 2 x week instead of the preferred D3. The total is a combo of the two types and the D3 type is apparently the desired one. Funny, even the pharmacist admitted when I asked if there was a prescription version of the D3 - she said nope...buy the over-the-counter (OTC) version of D3- much better for you.....after my exchange surgery tomorrow I will be beack on everything and of the D3 I will be taking 3000mg per day. Some docs do not test for it as they are egotistical enough to believe it is some new craze like the same ones who look at you like you are nuts when asking for a full hormone panel every three months...
Sheesh I look 150 tonight
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Annette - good luck with your exchange surgery tomorrow! I'm sure you'll be up and running by tomorrow night!
Marybe - my onc actually checked my Vit D, too. Although she is apparently up-to-date enough to be aware of its importance, she thought my level of 27 was good. I don't, so I starting supplementing it myself with 3000 i.u. per day.
I just wanted to tell the ladies that have been worrying about coloring their hair: I forgot to ask my onc about it when I saw her for my 3-month appointment. I'm almost 6 months PFC, and I was tired of the gray and I happened to have a box of Clairol Natural Instincts (temporary color that lasts about 20 shampoos). I just jumped in and did it, and it came out perfect! I did totally coat it with the follow-up conditioner and leave that on for about 10 minutes. I also left the color on my bangs (grayest area) for an extra 5-10 minutes. I thought they would look fried, but they look very nice. Ha! Bangs is kind of stretching it, but I mean the "bangs area".
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Heart & Soul....show us a pic of your hair. Good luck with the exchange Annette tomorrow.
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Marybe ,will you ask if you add all your d levels together or how does that work!! If its not to much trouble.
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Salty, It is no trouble at all....I will ask them. But I better write it down now or I will forget.
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Marybe.... YES you need the 25 hydroxy D3 test....don;t believe any doc who believes the bottom 32.5 is good enough...you need to get to at least 60+. Also if they prescribe 50,000 per week and your pharmacist fills it with D2 "because that is all they have" don't accept it...run..do not pass go...to your supplement store and buy a reputable brand of D3 and take at least 10,000 at day instead of the D2. My husband is currently doing the stupidf D2 because the pharmacy only has D2 in 50,000...he isn't listening to me even though I have a drawer full of D3. Listening to his doc may kill him.
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Marybe, Bless you!
that is me in the picture. It was taken this past summer. Well preserved...well that was a few months before my cancer dx.... I feel like I've aged since then. No chemo for me but just the stress and surgeries I think. And why I am in this thread. but thank you so much for the compliment...so much nicer then the "you look tired's" I get more often now! 0 -
Eastcoast.....All I can say is WOW.
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I know many use coconut oil for their face and dryness--does it also help with tightening/toning? I swear, just since January, my chin has started sagging. Not pretty. I need something for that area.
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I'm 53 and don't have much gray hair IMO. But my husband keeps pestering me to have it colored. Maybe I'll give it a shot. Has anyone tried INOA?
So far my genes have held up through chemo and Femara. My 11 year old daughter's friends think I am below 40 or not older than their own parents. the problem I have s with hyper pigmentation from staying out too long under the sun during chemo. I was telling this to a salesperson in a dept. store where I was ready to blow big bucks on anything that could help. She seemed to take pity on me and said Clinique & co., including La Mer, would be just a waste of money. Why don't I try lemon juice and onions instead? Has anyone had success lightening hyper pigmented patches in the face?0 -
I can see the lemon working...but onions???
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thanks all for commenting on the Vit D. My MO did my test last month and mine was 42. He has me on D3 2,000 IU's. I will see him next Friday and see what he says about it, but I was wondering what other Dr's say a good level should be.
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I take 5,000 IUs a day and think I'm doing better ache-wise than before.....don't know what my levels are/were.
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Barbe, same here. I started 5,000 a day about 3 months ago. I was having severe joint pain with femara. Not sure what my level is now......started at 31, but I have absolutely NO joint pain. It's unbelieveable to me, and Vit D is the only thing I can really attribute it to..
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I got lost in part of this thread....ladies, what coconut oil do you use for your skin? There are so many to choose from - Nutiva or Tropical Traditions is good, right?
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Fearless - I get lost in threads, too. I bought 2 jars of coconut oil, one for cooking and one for body care. I bought Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - got a 2-pack from Amazon. The Extra Virgin part is important. This stuff has a very light coconut scent, and it looks just like the old Crisco our moms used to buy. Hard to imagine smearing that on our skin, but I remember when my mother would open up a new stick of butter, she would smear the wrapper on her arms. I just thought, you're going to attract bugs! Now here I am.....0
