Diet and Lifestyle
Comments
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Dearlife, yes, one huge advantage with a mostly veggie/pulse diet is that you get full without a lot of calories. I like to eat, and I am NOT nice if I am hungry, so diets were never an option for me.
Warrior, probiotics is one of the few supplements I swear by. I have yet to find any downside, and the advantages are plentiful. Another benefit for those of us in menopause and/or on hormone blockers, is that probiotics help maintain healthy mucous membranes, i.e. protect against yeast infections and UTIs. That is how I became a convert. I had a period with chronic yeast infections in my 20s. Finally got rid of them for good when someone gave me a bottle of acidophilus pills. I took probiotics all through chemo and had minimal problems with thrush etc.
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Now that I'm on the other side of surgery, chemo, and radiation, am thinking about exercise. I will never be a runner, with my bad knees, but I can think about a walking program. My husband and daughter use an app (which I've had a few false starts on) called Map My Walk, so I'm going to try that again. My bone density test came back great, and at age 57 I somehow have the bones of a 20 year old. I do have some arthritis, though. I guess the main thing is to start burning calories and get the metabolism going.
As for diet, I hope that I never see mac'n cheese or scrambled eggs again! Those two meals got me through chemo, but I need new inspiration. Thanks for all of the helpful ideas on this thread.
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Good morning all! Hope everyone has a nice day today.
Momine- what type of probiotic do you take? There’s so many options available nowadays. I find that with a vegan diet, a too strong of a probiotic can cause bloating/digestive issues for me.
Hi Princes! That sounds like a good app! I use the Nike running app. It’s kept track of my miles for years so it’s great to see the numbers/miles add up
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Princess, another idea to try when walking is listening to podcasts. Radio podcasts are often an hour long and proved great stimulation. I subscribe to a couple of series and it makes the time fly by.Music is good too but I need some new playlists. Have heard the same mixes over and over now!
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Warrior, I have been using a standard acidophilus one from my local health food store.
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DearLife,
Thank you for reposting the bit on tactical breathing - it is used by army and medical personnel in the field to control their sympathetic response to outside stressors - at about a HR 120-140 your hands shake, above 140 vision is blurry and around 170-180 you may have control of bladder/bowel issues. Deep breathing in a rhythmical fashion is one of the only we know that slows the heart down and counteracts the effects of adrenaline by reflex receptors.
Moth you are right - the problem is the definition - some stress is positive - cognitive training which may be stressful is an adjunct to rehabilitation in the frail. But there is a point - we kind of know the physiological variables that defines this point but rarely actively measure them, at which stress is very very harmful - students no longer actively learn material they just clam up, and we know from experience that few of us function at our best under heavy stress. Take that level over time and keep repeating and I thinking the ties to chronic illlness are clear.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC51379...
Ref is because the immune system has been mentioned, but there is it more in the article.
Does stress cause cancer? My personal belief is that cancer is the result of a conglomerate of things in one specific person at one point in time. BC is so heterogenous - it has to be multofactorial in cause or at least triggers.
Do I think the stress in my life caused my BC - No. But certainly I have become much more self protecting and aware of both food and environment in my life - a little self centered perhaps. I know could have taken better care of myself and enjoyed certain things more, and independent of my cancer outcome I am pleased to have motivation to drive changes and stick with them.
Yeah I think minimising stress or high stress and getting a good night sleep is a good thing
If 2016 in Medicine was about autophagy ( and fasting if you wish) 2017 - Nobel for Med went to Circadian rhythms and their importance in health - I guess Momine recognition of the importance of routines and regular habits is spot on.
😊🌷🐣
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Warrior...Regarding the suggestions from you integrative onc: for how long after surgery did she recommend taking Arnica? Any particular dosage? Thank you.
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She said anytime after. She just had surgery too and is using it. I’m currently a little over 6 weeks out.
I’ve personally never heard of it or have taken it before but it seems to help a bit. As far as how much and when, she recommended following the dosage on the dispenser which is 5 pellets 3 times a day. I haven’t taken that much as of yet. I’ve done 5 twice a day for the past couple of days.
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Warrior....Thank you for the information
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You’re welcome over70 😊
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My hold on "How Not to Die" came in from the library and even from my first review, I think I might need to buy this one--fascinating. And if you weren't aware, there's an app that goes with it that ties to the author's Daily Dozen—called Daily Dozen, crazily enough! You can find a link on the HNtoD website NutritionFacts.org. I love checking things off a list!
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Thanks Chelsea for the reminder about the daily dozen app. It came up on our old thread and is a nice simple app. I like checking things off too.
Out of curiosity, I compared Greger's Daily Dozen with Funk's Favorite 15. Here are the differences:
- Funk replaces one serving of legumes with soy (Greger says 3 legumes, Funk says 2 plus 1 serving of soy)
- Funk lists turmeric as a separate checkpoint, Greger lumps it in with spices. Both docs suggest 1/4 tsp/day of dried turmeric or 1/4 in. of fresh versus a supplement.
- Greger lists exercise as a separate checkpoint
- Funk says 9 servings of fluids, water/green tea etc. a day, Greger says 5.
- Funk includes Omega 3 and methylfolate as specific supplements for some people: “you know who you are “ she says . Omega 3 is found in walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, soybeans, salmon, sardines.
Methylfolate is Vitamin B9 (love that name 🙂) and needed for those who have an MTHFR mutation and can't metabolize it.
Both docs recommend B12 and D as supplements for a plant based diet. B12 is found in dairy, fish, poultry, meats, so a supplement is essential for vegans.
I like the fact that these docs mostly concur, and their info on supplements is clear. They both recommend flaxseed.
I find it hard to eat beans three times a day, also 9 drinks is more than I can handle. We eat dairy/fish so I am working with a variation of the daily dozen. Maybe more legumes as I find new ways to prepare them.
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DearLife..That is a great comparison of the plans by Christi Funk and Michael Greger. I've been reading both of their books. Maybe others know this, but I learned about sulforaphane formation from Dr. Greger. In order for sulforaphane to be released from cruciferous vegetables, we need to either eat the vegetables raw, cut up veggies 40 minutes before cooking, sprinkle mustard powder on the cooked vegetables, or add some fresh greens to the cooked greens. Any of these methods will cause the sulforaphane precusor to mix with an enzyme and create sulforaphane. I was sprinkling everything with mustard powder tonight.
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Great comparison and I will try the mustard powder! I was just eating flax seeds and berries as I read this thread - I just don't like how it gets stuck on your teeth!
Dearlife - I am not only plant based now, as you said. I added fish. It makes more sense and I am not as tired.
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Dearlife, keep in mind that a "serving" is usually defined as half a cup (unless these docs have a different definition). When I eat a chickpea or lentil salad, my "serving" is equivalent to 2-3 half cups of pulses plus 2-3 half cups of vegetables.
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Dear Life - thank you😊
Over70 - I will add the mustard powder - I have seeds I can use.
It makes sense and it made me think of India and their diet - their rarely boil their greens or vegetables.
1 in 22 women in India will get breast cancer - of those half will die of their disease.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-an...
1 in 8 women n Australia will get BC - 20-30% will have recurrence - it is then treatable but there is no cure - most of those women will at some point die of the disease.
https://breast-cancer.canceraustralia.gov.au/stati...
When you take Japanese or Indian women and expose to a western lifestyle their incidence of BC rises.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-an...
It's pretty hard to deny diet is not central - quality of produce, how we eat and how and when we cook.
😊🌷🐣
And yes I am chasing some yummy recipes from those cultures.
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I just finished a serving of rasperries and stared at an unopened package of flaxseeds someone gave me for Christmas. It is so hard to change habits. I also stared at packets of probiotics (80 billion, very expensive) for months and eventually threw them away. I buy things that are good for me and then discard them. At least I get my exercise in and enough servings of pulses, fruit and veggies.
I think the stats are the same here as for Aussie women.
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Heidi, I use VSL - it's similar to Vivomixx in Australia - 400-450 billion. I don't take a sachet everyday - probably two a week - after high ruffage meals - it has a mild laxative effect - diarrhoea being listed as a side effect when used in IBD/Ulcerative Colitis. Yes it's not cheap
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Momine, you are right about one serving of legumes = 1/2 cup. I will try measuring and maybe I can get my beans in 1 or 2 meals. Just can’t face lentils for breakfast!
Also, a correction to my numbers: Kristi Funk says 2 servings legumes, 2 servings soy. She does suggest soy milk, which surprises me. I have switched to almond milk
Heidi, I love raspberries and berries of all kinds and they are in season now. Both docs say one serving a day of berries. So what happens to you if you have 3 servings of berries in a day??
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DearLife - I think you can have more servings of berries. They just take up all your fruit servings for the day then. So instead of having a banana and an apple for example, you could have more berries. I eat a generous serving of local organic blueberries pretty much every day. I buy tons & freeze them for the whole year.
When they're available fresh, I definitely eat a lot more.
I'm going to pick up some local June strawberries today. They're so much better than the everlasting...
About the lentils etc for breakfast - I think changing to a savoury breakfast can be something to play with. When you think of the old English manor breakfasts, they were often savoury & hot. One thing I tried recently was a chickpea flour omelette - made with leftover veggies from the night before. I didn't spice mine enough when I made it and wasn't quite in love with it. It's fluffy but tastes nothing like egg. I'm going to try it again this week https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/leftover-v...0 -
Thanks Moth. I hoped you would chime in. I am glad I will not turn into a bear if I eat extra berries. This is a great year for strawberries 🍓.
I will try the chickpea flour omelette. Kind of like a crepe maybe?
WildPlaces definitely diet is a factor when you look at incidence in other cultures. Also the spices used in Indian cooking - turmeric, mustard seed, hot peppers. I love Indian food but sometimes too rich with ghee (butter).
Here is an “Indian" way to cook cauliflower. Lots of turmeric and you could add mustard powder at the table. Or as Over70 says (thanks for the great info from Dr. Greger!), just cut it up 40 minutes before cooking and let it rest. The resting period activates the sulforaphane, which provides cancer protection.
https://www.theendlessmeal.com/roasted-turmeric-cauliflower/
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AWESOME recipes DearLife and moth!!! Yum!!
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Roasted cauliflower is great, with and without spices. It is one of my staples all through winter. Only problem is how to fit enough in the oven to last more than one meal.
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The cauliflower with lemon looks soooo good!
I had my probiotic for lunch - Greek yoghurt with garlic, capers and olives. I've weaned myself from sweetened yoghurt for the most part. Will have raw milk cheese for dessert.
Here's a list of prebiotic foods: chicory root, garlic, onions, leek, burdock root, jicama root, yacon root, apples, flaxseeds, resistant starch, dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichoke, chickpeas, wheat bran, asparagus, bananas, barley, oats, seaweed.
These help feed the gut bacteria and may be as or even more important than probiotics.
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Hi Ladies - Today is my last rad. Yeah! I can't wait to get back to my "new normal" life.
I listen to the Audiobook of Dr. Kristi Funk, Breast, and at the end, it always let's me send free copies of the book to friends. If you would like me to send you a copy (it's $20 on Amazon) please PM me your email. You just have to download it I believe on the Audiobook app which is Amazon so it is safe.
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Congratulations Mimi! It is a great feeling of freedom to be done. 👍😊🌈
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So I made lentil salad, again, today. Because we have been talking serving sizes etc., I measured all the stuff. It has:
2.5 cups cooked lentils
2 small cukes
1 avocado
1 yellow bell pepper
4 medium tomatoes (seeds and innards removed to keep it from getting soggy and sad)
1 bunch of parsley
The veggies totaled 7 cups (cukes, pepper, avocado = 4 cups, tomatoes = 3 cups)
The parsley totaled 2 cups by the time it was chopped (4 cups unchopped).
So, 2.5 cups lentils and 9 cups veggie stuff. I will most likely get 4 meals out of that. Dressing is just fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Will add some nigella seeds.
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Congrats on finishing rads nonomini!!!
Momine- that looks nutritious and delicious! Soggy and sad 😉 too funny! I keep buying avocados but end up throwing them out before I get a chance to use them. I’m so unaccustomed to using them in recipes. Incorporating them in salads is a great idea.
Just read this book- Steven R. Gundry M.D.
The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in Healthy Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain
I think it seems pretty similar to a keto diet and the foods that are eaten on it, but it doesn’t put all the focus on fat. It does have good explanations about lectins and what they do to the gut. But, I was hoping it would involve different foods then I’ve already been eating. There are some good recipes that I’ll try.
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Warrior - I read that book, too. It tells you not to eat night shade vegetables like eggplants, pepper, tomatoes, etc. I am not sure I can eliminate more food since I already eliminated so many things. When you get to that part, let me know what you think. They say night shade vegetables have Glycoalkaloids that are like natural pesticides and bad for some people, but it is anti-cancerous, makes cancer cells self destruct along with good cells, so I think night shade veges are actually good for us.
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spinach salad with roasted balsamic Brussel sprouts with carrot, walnuts and strawberries. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper dressing.
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