Exercise / Healthy Diet after BC
Comments
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Gee, and this is what I don't like, is to see us all beat ourselves up over the WHY? what WE did or DIDN'T DO! As everyone who has ever had BC we have all seen the diversity of us all and yet none of us fit the CRITERIA of the experts?? exercise and a healthy diet are great just normally but has nothing to do with Breast Cancer and certainly doesn't have anything to do with recurrence. How do you explain the healthy people who get BC and change their diet up even MORE and get a recurrence?? its like seeing really fit people dropping dead of a heart attack?? NO SENSE! there are no common denominators and the more the EXPERTS come up with another millionth brilliant idea about what causes it, plummets every single one of us into DOUBT of what did WE DO WRONG!!! Ladies don't do it to yourselves 95% is random and it doesn't discriminate...live a healthy happy life that you want, that's the only key...whatever that looks like for you. Melinda xo1
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I'm really surprised that no doctor asked you those questions. My breast surgeon and my oncologist both asked me numerous questions - when did I start menstruating, how regular was my cycle, how long was I on the OC pill for, which OC pill did you take, had I ever taken any other hormone medication, how many pregnancies/miscarriages, at what age were my pregnancies, how long did I breastfeed, had I ever smoked, how much did I drink etc. I was told that the information was collected from all cancer patients to help to try and work out various risk factors and prognoses.TonyaM said:I often wonder if it would be helpful to ask us questions at the time of our bc diagnosis. No doctor asked me anything eg. do you smoke? Drink?Had IVF? ever had mastitis? ??
It's funny now but immediately after going through my pathology report and discussing whether or not to do chemo my oncologist hit me with the 1000 questions. Imagine being told how likely you are to die from breast cancer and then try to remember the name of the pill you were taking more than 30 years ago!
I could barely remember my own name!!1 -
I had wanted to start a topic on this. I know everybody says it's indiscriminate and it's just bad luck but I keep asking why it happened to me (although I am asking less now). I do accept that I was diagnosed with BC but I really want to try to work out why (ok I will try not to!) I find it hard that nobody has the answer, even our doctors would never ask us about our lifestyle etc and just treat us. It's left to me and myself to try to figure things out and I know i shouldn't too lol.
I do feel that I lived a very unhealthy lifestyle in 2016. I was a regular mum who works from home and I am a workaholic and a perfectionist. I survived on coffee and sugar (yes I do eat my veges hardly fruit), I sleep very little as I needed time to work. Life with two young kids is crazy. It's full on. I hardly exercise except walking my dog! I was very stressed with some work issues middle of last year and I have had a very emotional time with my pet's passing that I took many weeks to grieve over. In short 2016 is about the most stressful year I have ever had in my life! So I believe there is a reason, so many factors added up - diet, lifestyle, exercise and STRESS! In addition, I was an unhappy wife last year, lots of conflicts with hubby and was brooding over lots of issues in our marriage.
I definitely have made a radical change to my life now on top of treatment. I make sure I get enough sleep now 9pm-6am. I can't really exercise now cos I am a little tired, still recovering from mastectomy and have a port to my chest! I do walk daily if I can. I have gone as organic as I can, lots veges, some fruit, little meat and carbo. I try to have alkalising diet and finally started to use the alkaline water machine hubby bought many months back. Whether this is going to make a difference, I am not sure but I sure know i feel much better. Even my skin has become smoother and I think the diet is a positive step forward. And I learn to manage my stress as much as I can.
BC happened to me. I never ever expected this and there is no family history. Now I know it does not take any family history! I was 42 when diagnosed. I never had a mammogram before this and never knew the starting age to do that is 40!!! But I am also thankful for all the positive changes I have made to my life within a short time. And I hope to maintain this.
Well, once a while a little sweets will be a bonus to me.
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Both my BCs have come to the surface after times of intense stress. There were ten years between them, which tells me that the disease never went away but my immune system was able to cope with it. Until things went wrong.
I wasn't surprised when I was first diagnosed. I wasn't surprised when it came back. I was, and still am, a drinking, smoking rooting, tooting piece of work. On occasions I'm a great big fat example of bad health. Sometimes I'm an unstoppable exercise junky who does wicked things when there is wine, food and drugs around. Phfft. Does it really matter? Sort of like pranging the car then having buyer remorse because you bought the wrong model.
Rear view mirrors are useful until you hit something you didn't look for. Then it's too late.
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Thankyou all. Glad I'm not the only one. Most of the time these things don't worry me, but lets face it when you get down, things go wrong your not completely sane ... and these things get to you. Like the vit C during chemo - a no no they said - of course this was halfway through my chemo and guess who took vit C??? They asked me at diagnosis about very few of my lifestyle habits apart from drinking/smoking and the never ending hormone replacement therapy?? How many years have they been studying the effects of Hormone replacement therapy, when will they get an answer. And I have to say (as many others have) that my cancer came after a very stressful time in my life too.0
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I feel guilty that I always had my mobile phone tucked into my bra exactly where my lumps were! Did that cause it.... ?0
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@fairydust I am so in love for what your saying! I will certainly join with you, and toast for this moment we are here with a glass of wine, cheese and crackers maybe strawberries, grapes and chocolate too......fairydust said:I suppose live life to the fullest is not a bad idea. So join me in a glass of wine ,cheese and crackers maybe strawberries ,grapes chocolate too. Lets toast that at this moment we are here and life is good tomorrow is tomorrow.1 -
I was and am overweight and had a very stressful time with my father maybe eighteen months or so before I was diagnosed. At diagnosis I was very happily retired enjoying my life with my husband, family, friends, dogs and my quilting. I have wondered whether the extreme stress with my father contributed to my cancer, or was it simply my fault for being overweight or just bad luck. I had mastitis with my first baby. I didn't take the pill for long and never took HRT. A light drinker most of my life. An intermittent excerciser. I had a benign lump removed from the same breast that got cancer many years ago. It was always a lumpy breast. I used to check the lumps there but ridiculously didn't find the lump of my cancer, now wish I had found it earlier. Thank goodness for Breast Screen Australia and regular mammograms. No family history of BC. I feel guilty about my weight. What overweight person doesn't? But thin fit healthy eating women can get BC and all the overweight women out there don't all get it, just some of us. I don't suppose I will ever know why I got it. I will die a long time in the future I hope without medical science solving that conundrum. My oncologist said, the main causes of BC are being a woman and age. I am glad he did not lecture me on my weight.1
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Oh hun, I am skinny lol hope that gives you some comfort. It's not fat or skinny. I do not have family history either. I really do think lifestyle and stress are big causes to spark off some craziness in our body. I had mastitis and now i can't even remember if it's right or left breast but I think it's the same breast that had cancer. Now my mindset is all changed and I will do anything to reduce stress in my life mentally or physically. Not easy with young kids but I have to constantly remind myself to be thankful that I can be a mum!!! Yes i have seen women who are vegans and who exercise a lot get BC too. I hear that over exercise can cause BC too go figure! At least we do not get prostate issues! xxKarenhappyquilter said:I was and am overweight and had a very stressful time with my father maybe eighteen months or so before I was diagnosed. At diagnosis I was very happily retired enjoying my life with my husband, family, friends, dogs and my quilting. I have wondered whether the extreme stress with my father contributed to my cancer, or was it simply my fault for being overweight or just bad luck. I had mastitis with my first baby. I didn't take the pill for long and never took HRT. A light drinker most of my life. An intermittent excerciser. I had a benign lump removed from the same breast that got cancer many years ago. It was always a lumpy breast. I used to check the lumps there but ridiculously didn't find the lump of my cancer, now wish I had found it earlier. Thank goodness for Breast Screen Australia and regular mammograms. No family history of BC. I feel guilty about my weight. What overweight person doesn't? But thin fit healthy eating women can get BC and all the overweight women out there don't all get it, just some of us. I don't suppose I will ever know why I got it. I will die a long time in the future I hope without medical science solving that conundrum. My oncologist said, the main causes of BC are being a woman and age. I am glad he did not lecture me on my weight.
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Who knows? Don't do that anymore lol. I am pretty careful with my mobile only place i tucked it is my bum pocket. But I still got it. xxSoldier Crab said:I feel guilty that I always had my mobile phone tucked into my bra exactly where my lumps were! Did that cause it.... ?
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You are so brave. I do believe our immune system is such so amazing until something goes wrong. It's much like garden soil. I remember a lesson learnt a few years ago while I was into gardening. When the soil in the patch was so good, the vegetables grew so well and no bugs came to attack them. I was so amazed that i needed no extra protection like netZoffiel said:Both my BCs have come to the surface after times of intense stress. There were ten years between them, which tells me that the disease never went away but my immune system was able to cope with it. Until things went wrong.
I wasn't surprised when I was first diagnosed. I wasn't surprised when it came back. I was, and still am, a drinking, smoking rooting, tooting piece of work. On occasions I'm a great big fat example of bad health. Sometimes I'm an unstoppable exercise junky who does wicked things when there is wine, food and drugs around. Phfft. Does it really matter? Sort of like pranging the car then having buyer remorse because you bought the wrong model.
Rear view mirrors are useful until you hit something you didn't look for. Then it's too late.
or sprays and need not be diagnosing diseases among the veges. But there were many times when the soil somewhere else in the garden were not good and plants grew and full of insect attacks and they grew poorly. Sorry for the gardening rant :P
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Hi everyone. This article was shared with me and I thought you would find it interesting.
'Bad luck' mutations increase cancer risk more than behavior, study says
When I first read the comments in this discussion, I was reminded of Hong's story where she said that Vietnamese women often think people get breast cancer because of karma. This can lead to stigma and being ostracized. I thought that was very sad. People don't do anything or not do something to get cancer. It's mostly just bad luck.0 -
Oh I don't believe in karma because lots of evil people out there are living a good health! But I do believe you do reap what you sow at some point on your life journey, is that karma? Haha...Cosette_BCNA said:Hi everyone. This article was shared with me and I thought you would find it interesting.
'Bad luck' mutations increase cancer risk more than behavior, study says
When I first read the comments in this discussion, I was reminded of Hong's story where she said that Vietnamese women often think people get breast cancer because of karma. This can lead to stigma and being ostracized. I thought that was very sad. People don't do anything or not do something to get cancer. It's mostly just bad luck.
It's so sad that it's just luck. I don't wish to believe that. I want to believe there is a reason why things happen the way it did. I really do feel that stress plus a lot of factors last year caused things to go wrong for me as it was the most difficult year I ever had. But well, I also shouldn't ask too much it's no point, it's good I am making positive changes in my life, that's truly what matters.
And for me, I want to say without God, I wouldn't be able to go through all this. I will probably go into melt-downs each day get into some mental institution or die of cancer (which I never want to!!!) So I am just going to keep trusting Him for my health with all the positive changes I am making. xxx
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Thanks Cosette!
I do believe in Karma LOL but Cancer doesnt have anything to do with that...and karma is different it comes around in different and unexpected ways.
I too was at a very stressful time in my life when I had my first diagnosis...my Mum had passed suddenly, I lost my Marriage, I sold my home, and had to move my 2 kids and myself and work full time. Lots happening and then bam!! Though 2015 life was pretty good, not stressful or things going on...so there you go.
What I have learnt in 6 years though is this, for me its partly about self awareness and self nurture. Things there are just not time for and I realised as in 2011 and 2015 I still hadnt learnt that lesson for myself. So for me it wasnt about diet or exercise, but more about nurturing, putting me above everyone else for the first time in my life even when I felt I shouldnt and couldnt....I did. I learnt I was important I take time for me...big lesson for me...so everyones different. BUT NOBODY does anything to bring it on themselves. x1 -
Thanks @Cosette_BCNA for the article. But I say...for really true stats on familial genetic cancers they need to start doing dna testing on all women diagnosed..bet they'd find new abnormal significant genes then.0
