It’s been a long weekend, both cos of the New Year’s holiday, and because we are just waiting… I’m feeling quite subdued – there’s a lot on my mind and though so much is going on around me, my mind keeps drifting back to this. I wake up thinking about it, and it’s the last thing on my mind at night. It’s good to keep busy though, and I enjoyed dressing up and going out with Chinya to New Year’s Eve parties, hanging out with the family on New Year’s Day, going to the bookstore with Bianca, and doing all the normal everyday things. The pain around my arm pit is completely gone and I worked out at the gym on Thursday - felt great. Looking forward to setting up a routine where I do it nearly every day. We are still juicing and trying new healthy foods (beets taste a lot like carrots, I think), so overall I can’t complain at all.
I got answers to my questions from Dr. Robert by email: Tamoxifen is not as effective in cases where a patient is ER+ but PR-, and our treatment options will not be restricted by the insurance company as we do these tests to help determine the need for chemo. An interesting issue that a pathologist friend brought up was that research has shown African-Americans with breast cancer have not fared as well as the general population – could be because of more aggressive strains or just because of the level of treatment. (I brought this up to the doctor as well so he can consider all these factors.) Another thing I learned was that the Oncotype test results will also help the doctor determine what type of chemo, if we go that path, would be best. I wondered if chemo would destroy the “probably benign” lump I have, if it's actually malignant – seems that the chemo treatment you get is tailored for the type of cancer you have, so I’m leaning towards wanting to at least get it biopsied but I'll wait to hear from the docs. I'm trusting that through prayer we will be led the right way.
Thank you Lord for another day!!
The Breast Cancer-Fighting Diet
ReplyDeleteBy: Diana Grant Dyer :http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/the-breast-cancerfighting-diet.html?pageNum=3
So What Should I Eat?
The daunting truth was -- and is -- that scientists still have lots of questions about the best anticancer diet.
My Diet Plan
Here's the healing plan I devised, the one I wish I'd been given by my cancer center after my last diagnosis.
3 to 6 servings a day of whole grain foods
I threw away my white rice and now use a variety of whole grains such as brown rice, bulgur, and wheatberries.
1 or 2 servings a day of beans
A handful of nuts several times a week
9+ servings a day of fruits and vegetables
Cruciferous veggies: broccoli, broccoli sprouts, brussels sprouts, cabbage,
Once a week, I eat shiitake mushrooms for their anticancer activity, and fresh or water-packed artichokes for their silymarin content.
1 or 2 servings a day of low-fat dairy products
1 or 2 servings a day of soy products
Fatty fish two or three times a week
The omega-3 fats in fish such as salmon, mackerel, white tuna,
Every herb or spice increases your intake of phytochemicals that may fight cancer. (And they lend great flavor to my low-fat recipes!)
1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed a day
Flax is a source of lignan precursors, which are converted inside the body to a weak antiestrogen that may be useful in preventing or treating estrogen-responsive tumors. Flax also supplies a plant form of omega-3 fats. The optimal amount of flax to consume is the subject of much current research.
4 to 6 cups a day of green tea, either hot or iced
I make a half-gallon pitcher of iced green tea every other day. I drink it for the promising anticancer activity of a compound it contains called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Extra virgin olive oil or canola oil for cooking
In the Roughage
Before I started this diet, my fiber intake was the paltry American average of about 12 g a day. As a dietitian, that is hard to admit! Now, thanks to the vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, and nuts that I eat, I naturally consume a healthy 25 to 30 g of fiber a day.
Moving Right Along
Regular exercise is now a must for a healthy weight and to strengthen my immune system. When I really examined how often I exercised prior to this latest cancer, I had to admit that I did it "whenever I could." I now regularly walk 2 to 3 miles, 5 to 7 days a week.
If it's icy, I have a stairclimber and exercise bike that I can use indoors. But I try to be outside daily -- sometimes it's only to fill the bird feeders -- to offer my thanks for feeling the sun, wind, or rain on my face. Good research now shows the benefits to cancer patients of being in nature.
And yes, I've started supplementing my diet with modest amounts of vitamins, minerals, and herbs. (I didn't take supplements at all while I received chemotherapy.)
Soy for Breast Cancer: Good or Bad?
Natures Answer to Breast Cancer
ReplyDeleteThe National Cancer Institute has begun to focus on diet as a preventative measure to avoid certain cancers. It has been found that certain fruits, vegetables and grains possess potent cancer fighting and protective compounds known as phyto-nutrients (naturally occurring and non-toxic plant chemicals).
Perhaps the most powerful phyto-nutrient plant food discovered to date is flaxseed. This ancient grain contains a phyto-nutrient called lignan, that once ingested is converted to compounds that compete with estrogen for binding sites on estrogen receptors. The net result is a flushing of excess estrogen (linked to high incidence of colon and breast cancer) from the body. Ironically, lignans may someday replace the need for estrogen therapy in post menopausal women due to the fact that they resemble estrogen on the receptor site, but without the potential risks of estrogen therapy.
Lignans in Flaxseed Possess the Following Attributes:
Anti-tumor
Anti-estrogenic abilities
Estrogen Mimicking Effect without risks associated with estrogen therapy
Powerful Antioxidant Capabilities
Anti-viral properties
Anti-bacterial properties
Anti-fungal properties
Women consuming lignan flaxseed oil products generally report a reduction in breast tenderness, bloating, hot flashes and other symptoms related to PMS and menopause. Lignans in flaxseed also regulate women's menstrual cycle. In one study, women consuming lignans in flaxseed did not miss a single cycle, compared to the control group that missed several cycles. In addition to lignans anti-tumor and estrogen mimicking capabilities, they have also been found to be powerful antioxidants, possessing anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
Many women report the unexpected benefit of improved nail strength, improved skin texture and appearance, lustrous shiny hair and lack of cravings for fat laden and junk foods when supplementing their diet with flaxseed oil.
A Consumers Guide to Choosing the Right Product
SOY: - peviously posted infor on flaxseed, now Soy..
ReplyDeleteSaid to have cancer fighting effects for reoccurence....provides a less dense tissue of breast allowing for easier testing results....
'does soy help prevent breast cancer recurrence?' Like many bioactive compounds in food, the question has a potential negative side - soy has components that could potentially cause harm to breast cancer patients:
Soy foods are rich in isoflavones, a major group of phytoestrogens that have been hypothesized to reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, the estrogen-like effect of isoflavones and the potential interaction between isoflavones and tamoxifen have led to concern about soy food consumption among breast cancer patients.
The question is worth keeping in mind when people give you dietary advice that is supposed to help treat or prevent disease. The in vivo effects of anti-oxidants, isoflavones, and what not are not always clear, and there is often a legitimate concern about the potential for harm if you take them in some highly concentrated form like a pill.
This is helpful - I will especially add flaxseed to my list of things to buy. The part about soy leaves me confused - maybe I should just avoid it. I'll also add nuts a few times a week. We usually do lentils - so I'll add so I eat some at least twice a week. Usually get grains in my granola/cereal... The chart we have on the fridge helps cos we can just look at it and plan the next days meals, or after work snacks. Hope you are making the change too - this can help all of us!
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