Survivors who had chemo etc and are into Complementary medicine
Comments
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Suze,
I so agree with you that organic tastes so much better. I thought I only paid for not eating pesticide, but the fish, the eggs and from what my DH says even the chicken taste so much better! The tomatoes and cherrytomatoes and fruit are wonderful and fresh, you can smell them, and for me living in a big, polluted city that's a luxury! I would say 30 min a day of doing something, anything, is so good; I don't think one should be too hard on oneself, in France the government (we have small ads in the real ads saying 5 fruits & veggies a day and 30 minutes of exercise daily, don't eat too salty, too fat or too much fastfood, so I guess you're on the right track ;-)
I'd love to grow myself, but I'll just have to wait until I have a house in the south of France...*sigh*
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I think you have to stop thinking about food as calories. Calories can be good for us or just empty crap. We noticed the biggest changes started happening when we looked at the benefits of certain foods and ate it for what it could offer us in a quest for good health.
However, if calories are something you like to track, check out the nutritional info that make up those calories. 100 calories in an cookies does not compare to 100 calories in a serving of fruit.
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Well said Pip.
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Agree with you PIP.
When DH and I first started dating we did different things. I did ballet, he lifted etc. We kept trying what the other guy liked (well, he never did want to try ballet!). Now our exercise time together is precious to us, Quality time together we both really miss if we're not doing it. Works out great because surely there are some days he's not into it and some days I'm not and yet the other guy talks you into it and it really keeps us on track
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pejkug3: I understand the organic can be a little expensive when you make that choice. I can tell you that my husband and I decided to do organic and bought less meat and it made a difference in our bill. We now spend less on groceries cause of the change. Though I know where you are coming from.
I know what you mean about Tricycilites. Mine were at 1000 at one point in my life. My Dr informed me I was on my way to having a heart attack if I did not make some serious changes. That was the beginning of making changes. The Dr did put me on some meds to take care of it. It changed and I can say I make better decision and my Tri's are about 180. I wish you the best in the changes you are making. You will be pleased and it is so worth it.
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Great advice, all! I always forget after a lifetime of calorie counting that they ain't all equal. There is clearly room for improvement in my world.
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Melmes,
why do you have to wait until after chemo to juice?
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Carola30. I was told no raw vegetables during chemo. I guess there is a chance with our systems being compramised we could get food sick from the raw food. I was also told to wash fruit before cutting it, and remove the skin from all foods.
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I am juicing in between treatments.
My MO wanted me to stop 48 hours before and after infusion. During that time I can drink 4 oz only, but usually don't feel like it. She didn't want me loading up on antioxidants in that window. She didn't want me to be drinking "bags of carrots" which I don't when juicing. I juice to bump me to up approx 11-12 servings of veggies/fruits per day. And to give me variety.
I assured her I wasn't juice loading and Im not, my serving are approx 6 oz twice a day. I'm following her instructions and I do not wish to impede the efficacy of chemo.. After the 48 hour window I juice items I can peel to avoid bacteria etc. Once I am out of nadir, I juice some greens, but I soak them in water and purification tablets to kill any contaminants. Then I rinse them with boiling water.
This enables me to feel like I am optimizing my nutrition during a time my body need nutrient dense food to aid with recovery.
I do not take antioxidant supplements during chemo, either in the chemo window or out. I will wait until I am completely finished tx. I do take a multi, fish oil, magnesium and glutamine. I drink green tea, but outside the chemo window.0 -
Oh yeah that's right Kira. I interpreted this advice I also got from oncs and nurses (because your immune system is low about 6-8 days after chemo for some days) not to eat raw meat, raw eggs, mayonnaise (like I was going to shock my chemo-stomach with that kind of fatty foods) and tuna. Stuff that normally can make you sick if they're not fresh.
I was careful during the 'low blood count' period (did not have Neulasta) and I've been fine for 5 months (FEC & Taxotere). I ate a lot of raw veggies (didn't really think they had bad bacteria, but hey, e-choli infected beansprouts killed off 30 people in Europe last month..!) and non-peeled fruit. I have a veggie & fruit brush, it's very important to eat really thouroughly washed stuff, even when they're organic. If you cut in non-washed for example, the pesticides or whatever gets in to the 'flesh' and you're going to ingest very bad chemicals. The only thing I peel is cucumber, especially when they tried to find the cause of people dying of e-choli in Germany, Sweden etc. (the Germans were very quick blaming Spanish cucumbers resulting in the destruction of crops for thousands of euros, in the end it was German produce which was infected...) and boil it. Better safe than sorry!
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Count me in ladies!
I have really up my vegatable in-take. I am doing just about any and everything to prevent a relapse.
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I am ready for some raw veges. Have had a stomach bug and have not bean able to eat them. I think tonight might be the night
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I just found out about a trial here at the University that supplements tamoxifen with DIM for 18 months. It would be 300mg DIM/day for one group in addition to the tamoxifen and a placebo for the other. Anyone know anything about this dose of DIM? I know it is an extract from cruciferous vegies like broccoli and kale but that's about all I know.
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AnneW - I also love Clean Eating - great magazine! Another one I like is Vegetarian Times.
Carola - I am also interested in the Blood Type diet. I am A, too, and have done so well on a meat/dairy/sugar free diet. I have some wild fish and the occasional organic egg white, but mostly just veggies/fruits and whole grains. A vegan protein mix I like Lifetime Life's Basics Plant Protein - 22 grams of protein and it tastes pretty good! You can buy it cheaply on Amazon.
Omaz - if you find out about the dosage for the DIM, let us know. I will definitely supplement with DIM.
Thanks - great thread!
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I think this may be what Omaz is referring to:
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Thanks Caerus!
I just called - the current dosage is 75mg 2x a day (150 total). They are meeting in August to talk about upping the dose, based on how the first 10 women do. They will also open the program completely at that point. They need to enroll 170 women total - they currently have 10 doing the study, with a few waiting for them to open it up in August. If you live in Tucson, contact Julie West - her phone number is in the press release.
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Sweetbean
I'm in Western MA,happy with Arimidex - but can't wait to hear more about this trial.
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Thanks!
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Quick question. Does anyone know how good or bad are V8 vegetable and V8 Fusion drinks? When travelling if you can't take your juicer with you, like when camping (yes I will be bringing fresh stuff too), are these drink OK or are they empty veggies/fruits?
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V8 Veggie is super high in sodium, I think. And check the sugar content on the Fusion drinks -they may be pretty high. If you can get the V8 in a low-sodium version, it may be OK, but I'm not sure.
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The DIM I take is 150 mg per capsule and I take 2 each morning on an empty stomach.
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I'll let you guys know how it goes - Julie is going to call me back in a week after I read through the documents she sent me for the study - DIME is their name - The Diindolylmethane Efficacy Study. I have to talk to my onc first though. Thanks - the dose for the next part of the protocol is 300mg/day0
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I'd love to know what supplements people take-- I take:Vitamin D, Calcium, Iodine, Green tea, DIM, calcium-d-glucarate, fish oil, tumeric, immunotix,baby aspirin, and of course..aromasin..
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Omaz and Christine, I take DIM (300mg), myomin, grapeseed extract, bromelain, D, a multi, a probiotic, boswellia, wobenzyme, turmeric, red yeast rice (my cholesterol is borderline high so I am trying this), fenugreek, fish oil, AHCC and milk thistle.
The first three modulate your estrogen production into the 'good' estrogen. I am not taking an AI due to family history.
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They make it low sodium, but it's mostly tomatoes. Which are a fruit, and consequently have very different glycemic implications than green leafys.
Edited to add: I stand corrected. Tomatoes have the same glycemic index as other veggies, it appears: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/7670/2
They are not as anti-inflammatory as other greens.
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hi sorry to ask but barbaraA, please what do you mean by you are not taking al's due to family history. please i only ask as my my mum is on al's and i dont understand what is wrong or diffrent with having family history ect on al's, sorry if i sound thick but i just want to know every thing i can so i can help my mum as much as i can, i am looking to buy her some dim asap and get my mum eating alot more mushrooms and a host of other things bless her cotton socks she must be sick of me, but any advise on this would be grate and i am sorry to seem to butt in to this post, i just got a little confused sorry every one.
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Christine2000 - I am taking CoQ10, Vitamin D3, B6/B12 (this one for about another six months because I did DD Taxol), Calcium/Magnesium, MultiVitamin. I use to take Mitake Mushrooms but stopped when I started chemo, need to find out if it will interfer with Tamoxifen which I start tomorrow before I start taking it again. Also drink tumeric tea w/ginger and green tea. I need to get off the Ativan, so I think I will be taking Melatonin with my Vit D3 at night. Looking into other supplements if the changes I am making to my diet aren't sufficient, but first I need to see the acupuncturist and find a Neuropath in my area.
I am trying to make good healthy changes. I think I am making progress but sometimes I think I am going too slow with the changes.
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So do the organic tomatoes, cucumber and carrots I received in my coop box counter the Cheetoes I ate with them?
Jana0 -
I sure hope so!!! Kind of like a diet soda negating the candy bar
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Just like many others I am trying to change aspects of my life...sometimes despite my best intentions Ding Dongs and Cheetoes call my name. I take many of the supplements mentioned on this thread. I began taking Synthroid right before being diagnosed and have had the dose increased since finishing chemo. Reducing stress has been the biggest change... I believe it was the major contributor to my cancer.
Jana0
