Diet and Lifestyle
Comments
-
Ha! I am late to the party! All this time, I thought everyone was out enjoying their summer and not posting. I agree it's a shame - so much good info on there that I did not write down. So I guess going forward, I will have to jot everything down as I see it. Also sorry that HapB stopped posting - she is such a kind person.
Has anyone had elevated liver enzymes that turned out to be nothing? I will have another blood test on 7/5 to see if there has been a change (40 and 56 levels for the two different kinds - which they said are okay levels for normal people, but not for my history). So in the meantime, I am eating brussel sprouts and kale everyday for lunch. I am trying to increase my exercise intensity and get proper sleep every night to see if that improves my numbers and rules out a fluke. The last test was 3 days after vacation where I had eaten whatever was available and not slept well a couple nights before the test.
0 -
I did read that! Yeah, I'm confused sometimes. Even about beets too. They're full of glutamine and according to that book, can only be eaten raw, but are listed as anti-cancerous elsewhere.
I'm still confused about how any fruit is bad too. I understand that it is all about moderation. But, I would think any type of organic fruit should be good for you.
Is it that more information is actually more confusing?!
0 -
Hi GoKale- sorry you’re dealing with that. I know that milk thistle is good for the liver. But I’ve never had any experience with elevated enzymes.
0 -
Warrior, I love avocados, so I have no problem using them up. They are great in almost any kind of salad. Also nice in a tortilla with some scrambled eggs, and, of course, guac.
0 -
Nonomimi, what a beautiful salad.
Speaking of beautiful, I just came from working out at the local "gym." The gym being the old stadium down the street. It has a running track and public areas all the way at the top, with a fantastic view of the sunset and the Acropolis. Lots of people work out there at sunset (less heat). In addition to the Acropolis view, it also draws beautiful boys showing off on the double barre or "yoguing" (like voguing, but with difficult and impressive yoga moves). I may have ogled just a little
0 -
Momine - do you live in Athens?
Warrior - You are right. I think there is too much information out there about what you can and can not eat. I even bought a book by Dr. Mark Hyman called FOOD What the heck should I eat? So I decided to just stick to one book about breast cancer by Dr. Funk.
GoKale - We need more kale recipes. Hope your elevated enzymes go down.
0 -
The thing is, as we all learn quickly (if we didn't realize before!), is that people cherry pick and interpret studies different ways. So even if there are 50 pages of references to studies, without checking the actual studies, you can't assume anything. Everything is a rabbit hole! I like reviewing the different options and then cherry picking from those and whatever consensus I find. I don't know that anyone has all the answers.
0 -
Nonomimi, yes, I do.
0 -
Thanks everyone for the inspiration pics and recipe ideas. I am saving them now in a separate file.
Mimi - that is a beautiful salad! I love roasted veg like Brussels sprouts. I will try that one.
Momine, the lentil salad looks good and I have all the ingredients in the fridge.Now I know why you exercise frequently. All that eye candy with no sugar and no calories!
Welcome back GoKale. One of my liver enzymes was a bit high last time - ALT was 40 and should be < 36. But I have heard they can vary quite a bit. It may well be because of your vacation.
Chelsea, I know what you mean about different opinions. I tend to default to /https://foodforbreastcancer.com/ but you have to read the fine print.
Bottom line, we need more research on nutrition.
0 -
DearLife,
Eye candy is all I got left, have to make the most of it.0 -
GoKale, my liver enzymes were quite elevated (a factor of four above normal) about three months after starting tamoxifen, but it appears it was the virus I had at the tim. They started going down after a month or so and have remained low. The MO ordered an abdominal ultrasound which came back happily unremarkable. I was relieved that the cause of the high liver enzymes wasn't the drug.
0 -
Thank you for all the positive thoughts on liver enzymes. I will know in a couple weeks if my efforts have paid off.
Currently, I have been watching many videos on the How Not to Die website. I learned quite a few things. There is a connection between having high cholesterol and getting breast cancer. There is also a connection between having terrible acne as a teen, eating animal products/dairy and getting breast cancer. When I was first diagnosed, I asked the MO if there was a connection btw cholesterol and BC and he either said no or didn't know. Anyway, tons of information on that How Not to Die website about cancer being a metabolic problem. So now it's all starting to make sense when I hear about diet being the most important thing to prevent recurrence. I had terrible acne as a teen and young adult, and I have had high cholesterol since my 30's. I blamed the cholesterol on genetics and the acne on bad luck/genetics. Now I know I can do something about it.
Kale - I also just saw online that the most beneficial way to prepare kale is to steam it. No surprise, I guess. So that's what I am going to do going forward. I buy a big bag of already chopped and washed kale and now instead of saute-ing it in olive oil, I am simply just going to steam it. Then for each lunch, I put kale in a container with frozen brussel sprouts, onion, edamame, garlic, sweet potato, ground flax seed, and anything else I feel compelled to add - beets, sauerkraut, leftover tofu stir fry etc.
0 -
After reading some of this thread (I'm behind), I am going to rethink my supplements. I already quit CoQ10 3 weeks ago after learning that it can indeed elevate liver enzymes. I am undecided about DIM. I will quit the fish oil and tumeric when I run out of them, but I will probably keep the Vit C and Evening Primrose Oil and baby aspirin. Three people in my office that I work in close proximity to got the flu over the winter and were out sick for 1-2 weeks, but I didn't get it. So I think it was the Vit C. I will add tumeric spice/pepper to my lunch everyday and eat fish more often.
I also love the idea of grinding up oatmeal to make oat flour to replace white or wheat flour. I think about almond flour, but I can't get over the price.
Giving up dairy will be difficult - I love eggs and cheese!! But maybe if I take a long break from those and then eat just a little bit every once in a great while, I will be okay.
0 -
Momine- too funny
GoKale- thank you for the kale recommendations. Very good idea with the leftovers as lunch.
Another article on cancer metabolism, and new drugs being developed. It discusses triple negative BC as well. https://www.mdedge.com/jcso/article/158894/breast-cancer/hallmark-tumor-metabolism-becomes-validated-therapeutic-target?channel=192
Here's an interesting excerpt:
“Finally, several drugs that are renowned for their use in other disease settings are being repurposed for cancer therapy because of their potential effects on cancer cell metabolism. Ritonavir, an antiretroviral drug used in the treatment of HIV, is an inhibitor of GLUT-1 and is being evaluated in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Meanwhile, long-term studies of metformin, a drug that has revolutionized the treatment of diabetes, have revealed a reduction in the emergence of new cancers in diabetic patients treated who are treated with it, and the drug has been shown to improve breast cancer survival rates. Its precise anticancer effects are somewhat unclear, but it is thought to act in part by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation. Numerous clinical trials of metformin in different types of cancer are ongoing."
Once again, the idea that controlling blood sugar levels can effect BC
Edited to fix typos.
0 -
Hi,
I am so glad this thread is continuing. Hope the link I posted below works. It was the only link I had saved because I thought the study was interesting (wish I had bookmarked more). The title is "Greater Survival after breast cancer in Physically active women with high vegetable-fruit intake regardless of obesity". I don't remember who the original poster was, but I don't think it has been reposted here. I may have marked it from the triple positive thread. If the link does not work you can always google the title - it was posted on the Journal of Clinical Oncology web site.
http://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.2006.08.6819
Thank you to everyone posting. I enjoy reading the articles and keeping up with new information.
0 -
Great article CCNC! Another reminder to eat plenty of fruits and veggies. I like the 50% reduction for sure!
0 -
CCNC, yes, the research on exercise is fairly solid at this point, as far as I can judge. It may also tie in with some of the other things mentioned here, like lower blood sugar etc.
0 -
http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/exercise-boosts-health-of-survivors
Posted on BCO in reference to article of Jan. 22, 2018 by the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Read the abstract of “Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Metabolic Syndrome, Sarcopenic Obesity, and Circulating Biomarkers in Overweight or Obese Survivors of Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial
"Many people don't know the No. 1 cause of death for breast cancer survivors is heart disease, not cancer," said Christina Dieli-Conwright, assistant professor of research at the University of Southern California Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy and lead author of the study.
At the beginning of the study, 78% of the women in the exercise group and 76% of women in the usual care group had metabolic syndrome.
At the end of the study, the researchers found that women in the exercise group had significant improvement in health measures compared to measurements taken at the beginning of the study:
- 15% of the women in the exercise group had metabolic syndrome (a decrease of 63 percentage points) compared to 80% of the women in the usual care group (an increase of 4 percentage points)
- women in the exercise group saw their waist circumference go down by about 7 cm; the waist circumference of the women in the usual care group increased by about 2 cm
- blood triglyceride levels in women in the exercise group dropped from 248.1 mg/dL to 151.8 mg/dL; blood triglyceride levels in women in the usual care group increased from 231.8 mg/dL to 233.7 mg/dL
- blood glucose levels in the women in the exercise group dropped from 109.6 mg/dL to 93.0 mg/dL; blood glucose levels in the women in the usual care group increased from 103.3 mg/dL to 108.1 mg/dL
- body fat levels in the women in the exercise group dropped from 37.1% to 33.4%; body fat levels in women in the usual care group increased from 36.7% to 39.9%
- BMI in the women in the exercise group dropped from 33.5 to 28.0; BMI in the women in the usual care group increased from 33.3 to 34.4
- lean muscle mass in the women in the exercise group increased from 53.8 kg to 56.7 kg; lean muscle mass in the women in the usual care group decreased from 53.0 kg to 49.0
We need to keep moving!
0 - 15% of the women in the exercise group had metabolic syndrome (a decrease of 63 percentage points) compared to 80% of the women in the usual care group (an increase of 4 percentage points)
-
I went on a 4 1/2 hour forest hike yesterday with a group of hikers. Up and down hills too. Thought I would be stiff today but my regular workouts over the last couple of months paid off. This thread has been my inspiration. So yes, let’s keep moving!
0 -
If you run fast enough, the cancer can't catch you!
0 -
I'm reading a very interesting book called "Keto for Cancer," by Miriam Kalanian. I'm not an MD, but she spends a lot of time going over the science and citing many studies. The fundamental thesis is that we can starve cancer cells of sugar by eating a lowcarb diet. The thing that is problematic for me is that a lot of other places are telling me that a high fat diet is bad for cancer. I asked my MO but she hadn't heard of the ketagenic diet for cancer and just said she thought dietary changes could be a positive addition to my treatment.
Thoughts anyone? Peace -
0 -
Our bodies *make* sugar. They convert what we eat, incl protein and fat to sugar, as well as converting stored fat to sugar. Our bodies, and especially brains, run on sugar.
Every cell in the body runs on glucose which the cell converts to ATP which is what cells run on. The idea that you can starve cells of sugar in such a blunt manner doesn't make sense biologically. (if anyone is interested in the cell biology of it Crash Course biology on youtube has several 10-15 min videos on the Kreb's cycle and ATP synthesis)
We do know that cancer cells are exceptionally good at uptaking sugar (hence they light up on PET scans really well) & this may in some cases be why end stage cancer patients waste away - the cancer cells are just stealing everything.
I do believe excess sugar is inflammatory, can lead to weight gain and pre diabetes or diabetes and has a host of other negative impacts.
And there is some intriguing preliminary research about blocking some cancer cells ability to uptake sugar - but we don't have the evidence for this yet, and it seems to require much more targeted biochemical intervention than a ketogenic diet.
If you're interested in reading the "flip" side, Dr Gorski from Science Based Medicine did a thorough write up of it.
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/ketogenic-diets-f...That's my two cents & then I'm out of the discussion. Keto fans can be very passionate lol (that's ok, as a passionate vegan I get it - but I don't have time or energy for keto wars LOL )
0 -
Barbi - I notice that contradiction as well. You can eat a lot of foods from good fat, like avocado, nuts, seeds, fish, dark chocolate, olive oil and cut down on the fat from red meat, etc., This way your still getting a lot of fat per the Keto diet but still eating healthy and mostly plant base per other diets. Keto diet is like the Atkins diet where I lost a lot of weight after child birth etc., but eating so much meat can't possibly be good for you. IMHO
0 -
Hi Barbi- I’ve been reading that book as well. It is a good one. I like how in depth and science based it is. I’ve focused on keto over the past weeks but am also vegan which has been said to be restrictive, which it definitely can be. However- I’ve added in occasional quinoa, minimal brown rice if a recipe calls for it and I’ve been contemplating adding in some organic beans. I just read the plant paradox for a different point of view, and I have a pressure cooker, so I might see how my stomach handles them since they are very nutritious. It’s also hard for to me to add extra fat when it isn’t needed.
The real paradox lies in that, like moth said, our bodies will always produce as much glucose and glutamine as it needs in order for our cells/bodies to survive. I think the question lies in who gets it first- healthy cells or cancer cells. I want to make sure that there isn’t an overabundance of sugar/glucose/insulin but yet, I don’t want to starve the healthy cells either...
I posted a link back a bit ago that discusses just this and that some drugs are now being created upon these theories, trying to attack the metabolism of cancer cells. But when it comes to these drugs for BC, they are mainly for triple negative types of BC.
Breast cancer cells have different receptors than other types of cancer cells. The hormones. While BC cells do use glucose as a food source, if the BC is hormone positive, it’s the hormones that the cancer cells thrive on. That’s my understanding.
0 -
Foods and spices that reduce the risk of ER+/PR+ breast cancer
The foods and spices listed below have been found to reduce the risk of ER+/PR+ breast cancer. It is important to obtain these nutrients by consuming food rather than supplements.
- Apples, Arctic char, Artichokes, Arugula, Basil, Beans, dry, Bell peppers, Black cumin, Black pepper, BlackberriesBlueberries & bilberries, Buckwheat, Bok choy, Boysenberries, Broccoli & broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, Butternut squashCabbage, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery & celery heartsCherries, sweet or tart, Chicken, organic,,, Collard greens,Cranberries & ligonberriesCucumbers, Currants, black. Flaxseed & flaxseed oil, Garlic, fresh,,GingerGrapes, red & grape juice,, Green tea,, Greens, HerringHoney, minimally processed*, Horseradish & wasabi, Hot peppersKale, Kefir, Lake trout,, Leeks, Lettuce, romaine, MackerelMushrooms, especially white button & related, Mustard, Mustard greens,, Olive oil, extra-virgin, & olivesOnions, all types, Parsley & cilantro,, Pomegranates & pomegranate juice, Pumpkins,, Raspberries, Rice, brown, black, or purpleSaffron,,Salmon, wildSardines, Seaweed, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turkey, organic, Turmeric,Turnips, Walnuts & walnut oil, Watercress & garden cressWatermelon, Zucchini
0 -
Thank you for that list. Very thorough.
Speaking of supplements- anyone taking DIM? I eat broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower almost everyday but is it enough? I remember going back and forth about flax, soy and this supplement before....
0 -
I enjoyed reading HapB thread to! I also thought something was wrong with my phone! I loved the information that was shared and was so appreciative of it!
0 -
So thanks to all of you here, I have started walking. It has only been a week, but I'm starting to have less joint pain from the tamoxifen. Or maybe it's just a good tamoxifen week, who knows? I have a long way to go with this and some weight to lose from the long winter, but tomorrow we are celebrating our anniversary with dinner out at our favorite Italian restaurant. Ignoring all of my rules for one night!
0 -
Princess Buttercup, congrats on starting a walking program! One night out won't hurt. It's everyday patterns that matter and regular walking is excellent.
Vargadoll, glad you found our revived thread!
Warrior, about DIM and other supplements. I like this explanation of why food is best:
“It has been found that cancer can be promoted by large doses of some compounds that are chemopreventive when consumed in foods. Famous examples are beta-carotene and vitamin C. This is one reason why we tend to de-emphasize supplements. Often there appears to be a U-shaped curve in which both low and high levels of a given micronutrient promote cancer but we simply do not have enough information to determine the dosage that aligns with the cancer-preventive sweet spot at the bottom of the curve. It is not that we do not understand the attraction of genistein, DIM, ellagic acid, resveratrol, etc. However, based on the available evidence, consuming micronutrients in pill form whose safety and effective dosage have not been established is as likely to be harmful as helpful. Food is best."
https://foodforbreastcancer.com/articles/how-to-optimize-your-breast-cancer-diet
We also need to tailor our diet for our stage of treatment. More info here:
“Women undergoing treatment for breast cancer should adopt a healthy diet that emphasizes the specific foods that have been found to increase the effectiveness of the treatments. Below are links to web pages that provide detailed information and food lists for specific treatments:
- Breast cancer diet during radiation treatment
- Breast cancer diet during Adriamycin chemotherapy
- Breast cancer diet during Taxol chemotherapy
- Breast cancer diet during cisplatin chemotherapy
- Breast cancer diet during Herceptin treatment
- Breast cancer diet during aromatase inhibitor treatment
- Breast cancer diet during tamoxifen treatment
I think we are all passionate about food. That is why conflicts can arise over which diet is best. The good thing is that we are assessing our values, other health conditions and scientific evidence before choosing the diet that we think is best for our own situation.
A ketogenic diet has its supporters, especially for short term weight loss, but staying on it long term can be dangerous if you are not getting blood levels regularly assessed. There is more info on the Paleo Pals thread.
0 -
I think I'm the oddball. I'm not passionate about food. I'm like whatever is the the opposite of being a foodie. Sure there are things I like a lot (good artisan style bread is pretty much my biggest weakness) but I can easily eat the same stuff over and over again. Bread and water always sounds like a good thing - if it's bread like this: crusty and fresh and just the magic of wheat or rye + yeast + water
I am passionate about animal welfare though :P so that makes me passionate about some food choices but the food itself is secondary.
And I really, really hate cooking
0
