How did you behave?
I am curious to hear from those ladies out there who have had Cancer return. As I am only having BC for the first time, and live in hope, I was wondering what you all did to prevent Cancers return. Did you find that no matter how much of an angel you were it returned, or did you go crazy and drink alcohol and eat what ever you liked? I know its a serious question but I was just curious. I know we are all different, but it is a little daunting seeing how many people get Cancer again......so does our behaviour reflect on its return, or is it just bad luck? MMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm?????? Thank you for your honesty.
Comments
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Like you I am doing BC for the first time. But I am not dwelling on whether it will or won't return. We will all pass on sooner or later. It might be a heart attack or a car accident. Life is for living as best we can while we can. Negative thoughts are not healthy and make us sad. But I do think about quality of life with or without cancer and so like to exercise and eat reasonably well BUT I am not fanatical and love chocolate. I carry more weight than I'd like but not unreasonably. Everything in moderation. I do wonder if things like alcohol are really bad or just a little bit bad! I did enjoy a vodka or two!! Can I let my hair down (haha) sometimes without too much damage.... I guess 'everything in moderation' is probably the key.
We can learn from lessons of the past to make things better for the furture. We can dream and make some plans for a future enjoying family and friends. I do worry about my daughters and their children. But I focus on trying to accept the things I cannot change; finding the courage to change the things I can; and having the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time. (Serenity Prayer). I believe staying positive and living in the now as much as possible - finding good and positive things when everything seems so bad - makes a huge difference. Smiling lots helps. Laughing is even better! And maybe a drink or two every now and then!
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I'd be interested to hear what you take! I take
- Citracal + D (2)
- Bio C 1000mg (2)
- Centrum (1)
- Probiotica (1)
- Glucosamine Sulfate 1500mg (1)
But I was taking most of these before BC anyway. What have you read about ones that supposedly make cancer less likely??
Thanks.
Erica
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Gosh I put all this up here recently Erica but can find where it is now but no worries I can do it again.I've read a few books and lots of online stuff about nutrition and cancer. It's hard to know what to take seriously and what is nonsense. But one book in particular had a lot of detailed information about various nutrients that are supposedly good and bad for BC. It was called The Whole Food guide for Breast Cancer Survivors by Edward Bauman and Helayne Waldman. There seemed to be lots of research cited in the bibliography to back up their claims.Probably the most well founded one is vitamin D, then fish oil is supposed to be good. I also take calcium and a hair/skin/nails pill, neither of which are specifically anti-cancer. The one that is a bit unusual is a produt called Breast Balance that I've ordered online from the US. It's main ingredient is diindolymethane which is a derivative of crucifierous vegatables like broccoli. It is thought to help minimise excess estrogen in the body. (so only of use if you're estrogen +ve). There is a study underway at the University of Arizona into whether taking this product with tamoxifen works better than tamoxifen alone. (I am taking tamoxifen too).The other nutrients in Breast Balance are selenium and iodine, both of which are often deficient in women with breast cancer accoding to the Bauman/Waldman book. I have also stopped taking multi-vitamins that have iron and copper in them which the book says are risky in high doses for breast cancer survivors. (Especially if like me, treatment has put you into early menopause.)Having said all that, my impression from all that I've read, is that the best thing you can do is eat lots of vegetables, avoid alcohol and processed food. Green tea, carrots, apples, pomegranates, olive oil, broccoli and all leafy greens, walnuts are some of the foods repeatedly mentioned as possibly having a cancer preventative role. I've also read that Vit C might help and priobiotics too. There's so much to consider!0
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Gosh I put all this up here recently Erica but can find where it is now but no worries I can do it again.I've read a few books and lots of online stuff about nutrition and cancer. It's hard to know what to take seriously and what is nonsense. But one book in particular had a lot of detailed information about various nutrients that are supposedly good and bad for BC. It was called The Whole Food guide for Breast Cancer Survivors by Edward Bauman and Helayne Waldman. There seemed to be lots of research cited in the bibliography to back up their claims.Probably the most well founded one is vitamin D, then fish oil is supposed to be good. I also take calcium and a hair/skin/nails pill, neither of which are specifically anti-cancer. The one that is a bit unusual is a produt called Breast Balance that I've ordered online from the US. It's main ingredient is diindolymethane which is a derivative of crucifierous vegatables like broccoli. It is thought to help minimise excess estrogen in the body. (so only of use if you're estrogen +ve). There is a study underway at the University of Arizona into whether taking this product with tamoxifen works better than tamoxifen alone. (I am taking tamoxifen too).The other nutrients in Breast Balance are selenium and iodine, both of which are often deficient in women with breast cancer accoding to the Bauman/Waldman book. I have also stopped taking multi-vitamins that have iron and copper in them which the book says are risky in high doses for breast cancer survivors. (Especially if like me, treatment has put you into early menopause.)Having said all that, my impression from all that I've read, is that the best thing you can do is eat lots of vegetables, avoid alcohol and processed food. Green tea, carrots, apples, pomegranates, olive oil, broccoli and all leafy greens, walnuts are some of the foods repeatedly mentioned as possibly having a cancer preventative role. I've also read that Vit C might help and priobiotics too. There's so much to consider!0
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Thanks! Seems to support what I already take. For me, being hormone negative, I'm going to look at
- lots of vegetables
- avoid alcohol and processed food
- Green tea
- carrots, apples, pomegranates, broccoli and all leafy greens
- olive oil
- walnuts
Will look into 'Breast Balance' supplement online and also dealing with deficiencies in selenium and iodine and too much iron and copper.....
Can all be just sensible approaches to life style really. Funny how being told to avoid things makes you want them! Alcohol is upper most in my mind!
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Hi Bel , I guess in some ways its a question I really havent thought about too much. If it enters my mind I quickly distract myself because I dont want to think about it. If it happens it happens and I will deall with it then but till then I will concentrate on the Gunnas list.
I was a triathlete in my 20s and early 30s then I went back when I was 50 till 54 but really my lifestyle thwen was naughty I did all the excercise but still ate and drank all the naughty things and not enough of the good things.
i so want to go back again and compete I just love the training and goal setting and joy that I feel when I finish a race and even better if i get a prize.
so as far as changes in diet are concerned that is my driving force ...to get fit again and run and swim but with a healthy body and mind and hopefully with hard work body Im so overweight but its not impossible and I will do it next year. I also want to focus on painting and selling them again I have been told so many times to go back to it so I will now.
Anyway back to the question. I have gone almost completely vegetarian now, bar a bit of fish now and again. juice everyday ( I love the green mean juice), still struggling with 1.5 l of water a day bit still trying, green tea, bake my own bread, growing my veggies ( well its getting there Im still in infancy at present) I take krill oil capsules everyday and spirulina 3 times a day. I eat and mark off 5 vegetables a day on my fridge. Im reading and talking to all who are alternate and up til now i didnt want to listen now i do.
everyday i try and work toward changing my bad habits ...its a struggle at times but I will get there just need to keep trying so i can rejoin my beloved club abd train with my friends again...cheers terry
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Hi girls, I read and researched +++++after my first bout of breast cancer in 2003.In particular,I liked Patrea King's philosophy that having peace of mind and destressing is probably the most important thing you can do.I also like a book called"Foods that fight cancer"written by 2 scientists- can't remember their names as I've lent my book out. The resveritrol in red wine is actually good for you.So are cruciferous vegies,green tea,flaxseed and fish oil.I read where some study showed that flaxseed could possibly shrink tumours and could be used instead of Tamoxifen. So I tried all of the above and I religiously took flaxseed oil capsules each day.Tried to destress and excercise. I was great for 5 years BUT I broke my ankle and had to endure dodgy operations,pain,disability and so all of those good habits went out the door.My ankle drama went on for 18months and I ended up sueing the surgeon for medical negligence.Sooooo lots of stress,bad eating,inability to exercise- breast cancer came back in the same breast, same spot 7 years after the first bout of bc. There could be alot of reasons:
*I didn't follow through with Tamoxifen the first time.
*I was under alot of stress again
*Stopped taking flaxseed and stopped paying attention to my diet.
*couldn't exercise.
*did radiation actually cause a stray cancer cell to sprout to 3cm in a year?
At the end of the day,I really don't know why I got it again after 7 years but I've stopped worrying about it now.It's good to eat healthy and exercise but not get fanatical about it. I truly believe that prolonged stress can damage your health and that it is important to make changes in order to have peace of mind and contentment.So I'm running with that notion until they discover what causes breast cancer.
Tonya xx
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Hi girls, I read and researched +++++after my first bout of breast cancer in 2003.In particular,I liked Patrea King's philosophy that having peace of mind and destressing is probably the most important thing you can do.I also like a book called"Foods that fight cancer"written by 2 scientists- can't remember their names as I've lent my book out. The resveritrol in red wine is actually good for you.So are cruciferous vegies,green tea,flaxseed and fish oil.I read where some study showed that flaxseed could possibly shrink tumours and could be used instead of Tamoxifen. So I tried all of the above and I religiously took flaxseed oil capsules each day.Tried to destress and excercise. I was great for 5 years BUT I broke my ankle and had to endure dodgy operations,pain,disability and so all of those good habits went out the door.My ankle drama went on for 18months and I ended up sueing the surgeon for medical negligence.Sooooo lots of stress,bad eating,inability to exercise- breast cancer came back in the same breast, same spot 7 years after the first bout of bc. There could be alot of reasons:
*I didn't follow through with Tamoxifen the first time.
*I was under alot of stress again
*Stopped taking flaxseed and stopped paying attention to my diet.
*couldn't exercise.
*did radiation actually cause a stray cancer cell to sprout to 3cm in a year?
At the end of the day,I really don't know why I got it again after 7 years but I've stopped worrying about it now.It's good to eat healthy and exercise but not get fanatical about it. I truly believe that prolonged stress can damage your health and that it is important to make changes in order to have peace of mind and contentment.So I'm running with that notion until they discover what causes breast cancer.
Tonya xx
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I was in remission for 10 years and into my 3rd year of ABC. I found as each year ticked over I didn't think much about cancer and put it to the back of my mind. Above all I did not want it to be the focus of my life. That said, i ate well and exercised a lot and always kept my medical monitoring up to date. As the time goes by the fear factor can diminish and living a good life becomes the priority. I don't feel my efforts were wasted as they contributed to my overall well being during the 10 years. Above all enjoy life and still enjoy that glass of good wine and quality chocolate!
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I was in remission for 10 years and into my 3rd year of ABC. I found as each year ticked over I didn't think much about cancer and put it to the back of my mind. Above all I did not want it to be the focus of my life. That said, i ate well and exercised a lot and always kept my medical monitoring up to date. As the time goes by the fear factor can diminish and living a good life becomes the priority. I don't feel my efforts were wasted as they contributed to my overall well being during the 10 years. Above all enjoy life and still enjoy that glass of good wine and quality chocolate!
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