Radiation recovery
Comments
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Good to here this about sugar. Here is what I just found on alcohol on the moderators page.
- Question from R Silverman:Is there a safe amount of alcohol that one can drink without increasing one's risk of breast cancer? Has alcohol been proven to increase one's risk of breast cancer?
- Answers -Cyndi Thomson, Ph.D., R.D.:It's not as straightforward as we thought. About five years ago, evidence suggested that even one alcoholic drink per week might be problematic. However, it's now more clear that the effects of alcohol on breast cancer risk are dependent on a woman's folate (a B vitamin) status. If a woman has normal to high folate levels in her blood, the negative effects of alcohol drop significantly. But if a woman's folate levels are low, even low levels of alcohol intake can increase risk.
- Marisa Weiss, M.D., Breastcancer.org president and founder:If you enjoy drinking alcohol and want to find out whether moderate amounts are okay for you, please ask your doctor to measure the folate levels in your blood.
- Cyndi Thomson, Ph.D., R.D.:Folate levels can be increased through diet or B vitamin supplements. Dietary sources of folate include green leafy vegetables, citrus, and fortified breakfast cereals, all of which should be part of a healthy diet.
- Marisa Weiss, M.D., Breastcancer.org president and founder:How does folate protect your body against alcohol?
- Cyndi Thomson, Ph.D., R.D.:I think the bigger issue is that alcohol intake can lower folate levels, and lower folate levels can increase your risk of cancer.
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ceezetheday...I for one am proud to call myself your imaginary friend! Thanks for the homework and the article. It is interesting. I lost my beloved Golden Retriever, Sampson, to a rare cancer a few years ago. He was four at diagnosis and lost him just seven months later. The incidence of cancer in dogs has skyrocketed...it is crazy. My grief brought me to a Golden Retriever forum and a lot of new friends there. So many of us share the grief of losing one of ours. I remember growing up with dogs who ate garbage diets and lived forever. Now many of us have become neurotic about canine nutrition and yet still this hideous disease takes too many of our beloved furry ones.
Merilee, thanks for posting and doing your homework as well. As always more questions than answers but it is sure interesting to read!
I think a lot about this and realize while there is much we can do to increase our odds, some things we have no knowledge of and therefore no control. I do believe we have poisoned the environment, too many cars, too many fumes, etc. Look at chemicals and preseratives in foods. They are everywhere...in the food we eat and the air we breathe, the water we drink. Today a new study will tell us that artificial sweeteners are safe. Tomorrow that will change of course, and long long after I have left this earth the controversary will rage on. About so many different things....and yet this disease will continue to mystify and perplex even the best researchers. It is a quandry. In the meantime, I think I will just hang around and enjoy the ride while I am able!
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Hi everyone
Remember how we would lie on the radiation table and think of where we wanted to be and how we would celebrate after rads. My imaginery was Hawaii.
Today I leave for Maui. I wish I could take you all along. Take care. See you in a few weeks.
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bb226......wow, that is absolutely awesome! I hope you have a wonderful, worry free vacation. Enjoy it, and make lots of memories!
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bb that is fab, I am green with envy but so so so happy for you!
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Bb226 have a fabulous time.
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bb have a wonderful trip!!! We will be thinking of you.
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bb226 - how wonderful! Enjoy your trip.
Janis - here, here! I have gone back and forth about changing my diet to something more "anti-cancer", even spent the past couple of days studying the cancer diet. My conclusion? I will do my best to eat healthy, and to watch my portions, but I am not going to eat today out of fear of tomorrow. I want to enjoy today. The past six months have taught me that, if nothing else.
BTW - I also lost a beloved golden retriever to cancer, and a favorite cat, too. The rise of cancers in all living things should give us all pause. It seems everywhere I turn someone or something I know and care about has been diagnosed with cancer.
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neecee, I am so sorry for the loss of your cherished baby. I have two Golden's now, both rescues. I am so in love with this breed but I always have that cancer fear in my head. We feed a grain free diet, all natural but they are spolied and get lots of snacks!
My surgeon and I were discussing the whole cancer issue and speculating on causes. One thing he pointed out was the U.S. diet in general. Terrible he said, and this is true. Basically I often feel we are screwed no matter what choices we make. Real butter.....fat and cholesterol. Margarine? Heavily blessed with lots of chemicals. I eat butter only but it is a personal choice. Real whipped cream if I use any, no Cool Whip. For me though these choices are born out of taste, not science. Our foods are just so full of preseratives, color and flavor enhancers, etc. I absolutely believe moderation is the best thing we can do. Now if I could only stick to that when I am making Marzipan, or cake balls....rut roh. I am making many batches of both for our kids for Christmas. I am an excellent taste tester!
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bb have a fantastic vacation
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bb, soak it all up!!!
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Ok, BB, how big are your pockets? I think we'd ALL like to make this trip with you, I know I do!
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Janis, You are a beautiful person inside and out. I wish I lived near you so we could be friends in person. I, too, am trying to enjoying being alive today without worrying so much. I was a constant worrier, but I got BC anyway. I hope it never returns, but if it does, I want to be able to look back on a grand life.
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Elizabeth......ah, you are going to make me cry! I thank you so much for your sweet, sweet words. I would love to live close to you! I have no idea where you are. I feel like I live in an isolated place sometimes. My sons live in Wyoming/Colorado so far away. My sister is also in Colorado. It is hard being so far from loved ones. We have lived here just 17 months and I am still yearn to be "home".
I read someplace once that something like 94% of the things we worry about never happen. That struck me as being a lot to worry about unnecessarily! I know though often it is hard not to. It is odd, I never feared cancer for myself. My dogs though, YIKES! I have lost two dogs to cancer and it took a piece of me with each loss. I have two Golden's now, and funny how I always have that fear for them at the back of my head. Of course in humans I hate it as well. I lost my mom to cancer, she was just 65. Cancer has changed my life many times, profoundly. It has also taught me so much. I hate the disease, but I must say it is a profound teacher.
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Janis, I live in Massachusetts--very far away, unfortunately. We do have some sad things in common. My mother died from lung cancer at the age of 67. She never had any serious health issues until then, but her disease progressed so rapidly.
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Elizabeth....Wow, that is strange about your mom. My mother was gone so suddenly, what a shock. Lung cancer is so unforgiving.
Yes we are a few miles apart. I have never been back east. I have always wanted to go. Maybe someday it will become a reality! I never give up hope.
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Okay girls, when am I going to get my energy back? I'm one week out today and did some shopping this morning and wanted to crawl onto the couch and not move this afternoon. Unfortunately, I had work to do. I'm over this. I want to feel normal again!
Words of experience? Tell me the fatigue gets better!
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OK, Ceezetheday and others concerned about diet and lifestyle...it would tickle me to no end to eat sugar again without worry. I do want to caution though that controversy remains about sugar, white foods, beef, dairy and of course our beloved red wine. I really enjoyed reading Servan Shreiber's book anti-cancer; all of his suggestions were evidence based (though new research may be available.) I also suggest the movie Forks over Knives, which addresses some of the issues with the mass produced diets we are eating. Sorry if you have heard me recommend these before, I don't want to be a nag but I think it is important that we are fully informed and consider all views.
StephN I felt just like you at one week out. It DOES get better. Just avoid sugar (haha.)
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I've read AntiCancer, too, SAB. I liked it a lot. It's like supportive therapy for our bodies, making our bodies as healthy as possible so they are able to fight off illnesses, including cancer. I hope to be able to move my family toward a more healthy lifestyle.
This is not the first time I've heard of Forks over Knives. I'll have to look on Netflix to see if it's available. My teenage son watched Supersize Me last year and it completely changed his outlook on fast food, especially the golden arches. I have Food Inc on my Netflix queue right now, too.
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm so ready to be back to a somewhat normal routine.
Steph
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I have dropped all processed sugar. You would be surprised the places it is hiding in our food however. I am a label reader and nine times out of ten I put things back on the shelf due to the sugar content, even at the health food store. I don't miss the sugar, I thought I would.
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Steph....the fatigue gets better, I promise. The hardest part is trying to do everything at once. I know it is difficult, but just remember your body is healing and fatigue is a sign to slow down. My energy came back in funny little bursts and I really loved the surprise and wonder of it all! Just don't push yourself too hard. Listen to your body. It won't be long, I promise!
I admire you Merilee and your no sugar appraoch. Why am I so addicted to the stuff? I can go for awhile and be good, but when I am bad...oh my. I quit smoking easily, why is this so tough? I think I need a 12 step program. Plus all the support I can get from you gals who are so much more disciplined than I am. Help!!!!
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I felt great last Friday which was awesome because it was my son's last football game. Saturday I slept all day! Haha! The energy is definitely coming back in fits and starts. Thanks for the encouragement.
I'm addicted to sugar, too. I do better when I plan meals so I don't get hungry and eat on impulse, but I'm not great about that!
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As one who has kicked the sugar habit, I can tell you it is like an addiction. As you eat things high in processed sugars, your body starts to crave it. Weaning yourself off sugar is hard, but like stopping smoking, once you get past the craving cycle, it is easy.
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janis - Golden Retrievers will forever be my favorite breed of dog. I have shared life with many breeds, but nothing compares to a golden!
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Neecee.....my avatar photo is one of my boyz. Murphy. He is resting his head on his very favorite stuffie, Buzzy. Yeah, we name his toys and he knows each and every one of them. Murphy and Sampson are both rescues. We got Murphy when he was an older pup. Sammy was pulled from a shelter in SW Colorado to a rescue near Denver. We drove from Wyoming to get him. He was about a year old and had been an outside tied dog and neglected. OMG he is the best dog, ever. He really appreciates his new life!
Oh ladies that sugar thing. I just have to quit but I know how hard it is. It is my only addiction LOL.
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Some of you know that I use creative visualization often.
When I am tempted with sugar I picture a rogue cancer cell opening its mouth to receive the sugar so it can clone itself. It is enough to make me think twice.
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Hi there! I have been out of the loop for awhile. I gave myself a birthday gift of a trip to the Washington DC area to attend a womens writers conference. It was such a positive experience. I didn't think about cancer the whole time! I too am a sugar fiend. I go long periods of time leaving it alone, and then I go periods of time when I have small amounts. I love the stuff, but I am always trying to leave it alone. Sometimes are easier than others. Holidays are a time for some moderation, but some enjoyment too. We have been through a lot together this past year. My MO says moderation in all things. I like her approach. I follow it. Is anyone else experiencing the very tight pectoralis muscle these days? I finished my rads Sept. 1. I wake up with a very rigid chest muscle some days, and when I take my bra off, it spasms. Sometimes after some lifting I feel it the next day. As for the energy level to answer you Steph, I feel pretty energetic most days, but some days I really fizzle out. When those times come, I just go with it. I think I remember reading somewhere that we can expect fatigue to be a part of things for as long as six months. Hope you are all doing well for the most part and enjoying the idea of the upcoming holidays. I have started to watch the occasional Christmas movie, just for some cheer.
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I am good about sugar because I never crave sweets, but my downfall is salty foods. Anything said about cancer and foods high in salt content? Thank goodness I don't have high blood pressure.
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I try to eat sweet fruits to satisfy cravings--they do have natural sugars but the body absorbs them differently than refined sugar. I also allow myself a square of dark chocolate some days. Like Merilee I am putting back a lot of foods with hidden sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and white flour these days. But the bottom line is that I am not hungry, nor am I suffering. I have tried to find yummy substitutes--whole grains, fruits and veggies, nuts. I did drastically reduce the amount of red meat I eat, but I am NOT dieting, nor have I started exercising much more than in the past, yet I find that I lost 16 punds since the beginning of September when I got serious about changing my shopping list. It's a process...
I love goldens too...Do you ever read Koontz? He wrote a book about hyper intelligent goldens I think it was called "Watchers" (not positive tho.)
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Yes to the tight pecs
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