healthy eating

2

Comments

  • Robyn W
    Robyn W Member Posts: 1,932
    edited March 2015
    Well said ladies!I think it's because they feel that we will somehow believe that we will be 'cured',and then if it comes back,we will question them.I read so much about healthy eating.I would never reject conventional treatment,but I do believe that eating well,and taking care of your body,gives you the best possible chance at staying on top of things.i.e. Side effects etc.We all know that eating a balanced diet with veggies,fruit,whole grains etc.is healthy eating,but for us,and others,that have had a life threatening illness,I think that we need a bit more!Especially when you read the mountains of information that point toward this as being beneficial I , for one,eat on a daily basis,green veggies,fruit,green tea,whole grains,red berries,almonds.I walk a good distance every day,and I feel pretty good.However,I am doing this only from what I have read,and I often wonder if I could fine tune it even more.We have LGFG workshops,how about Eat Well Feel Well workshops! cheers Robyn xoxo
  • Deanne
    Deanne Member Posts: 2,163
    edited March 2015
    Eat Well Feel Well workshops. I would sign up for that! I agree that we need more than just the balanced diet info. I like to think I ate a balanced diet before BC, so feel the need for more fine tuning than is currently offered by the health system. It would be great to have quality info available so we did not have to do all our own research.
    It would be good to encourage each other through a workshop situation too. Great idea, Robyn. :) Deanne xx
  • kittykat
    kittykat Member Posts: 22
    edited March 2015

    Thank for for your post Janet, it was fabulous! 

    I have done a huge amount of research on this issue, and I have also had the pleasure to meet personally people who have recovered from 'incurable' cancer by paying rigorous attention to their physical, emotional and physical health, and I am absolutely convinced that there is much we can do (in fact have the responsibility to do!) to assist with our own healing.

    There is no way I am going to passively sit back and give my power away to my Oncologist, even though I am sure she has the very best of intentions! 

    It is also important to consider that many medical professionals do believe wholeheartedly in a healing lifestyle, but they are NOT ALLOWED to talk about it!  How ridiculous!

    My motto is 'have the guts to try'.  You never know where it will lead you and what's the worst thing that can happen - you get a bit dissapointed if your efforts are not rewarded in the way you wished?  At the every least you will be living in glowing health both inside and out each and every day you are alive.  How wonderful!

    Listen to all advice given, take on what feels right for you and discard the rest!  You are the experts about your own body, tune in to it and give it what it needs.

    And remember, 'difficult' patients (those of us who question and challenge the status quo) live longer!

    But if you don't want to do any of the above, that also is exercising your power of choice. 

    All power and love to you all,

    Cathy XX

     

  • kittykat
    kittykat Member Posts: 22
    edited March 2015

    Hey gals,

    I forgot to mention that I consider my Oncologist one person in my healing team, other members include a naturopath, counsellor/hypnotherapist, compound chemist, chiropractor/masseuse, qi gong instructor and ME!  My approach is to gratefully accept what the traditional medical system has to offer that is beneficial to me, then get myself busy finding other health professionals to help me meet the rest of my holistic health needs. I have learnt (after 4 years mind you), how to politely ignore people (no matter how many letters follow their names) who are unable to support me in my quest for vibrant health.  Betcha if they got cancer they'd be doing everything in their power to get rid of it too!!!!!

    Cathy XX

  • Joey_36
    Joey_36 Member Posts: 51
    edited March 2015

    Cathy,

    That is the best advice I think I have ever been given! THANKS!!!

    Jo

    x

  • VivW
    VivW Member Posts: 266
    edited March 2015

    After my sister was dx with bowel cancer at 46, I have been on a healthy high fibre diet, my first colonoscopy 2 polyps were removed - they are what eventually turn into cancer.  Since then I have taken (eaten/ force fed) 2 tbs of natural psyllium husks per day.  Latest colonoscopy was all clear.  The psyllium husk works like a magnet in the bowels, worth googling. Perhaps I have created a better environment??  They tell me even though I have been dx with bc that I am at greater risk of bowel cancer due to family history. 

    It is not surprising that the same food or food groups keep popping up when researching best anti cancer diets.

    Diet is one thing that we can take control of on this horrid bc rollercoaster, so yes I will eat more cabbage and parsley etc,  and lets not forget Brazil nuts which was a main topic at a BCNA forum in Sydney this year.

    Viv

  • Robyn W
    Robyn W Member Posts: 1,932
    edited March 2015
    Yes Viv,I agree with you when you say ,it is the one thing that we can take control of.Power to us !!!! xoxo. Robyn
  • Cobie
    Cobie Member Posts: 44
    edited March 2015

    wow wot a can of worms i opened!!!!!!

    i was told my my chemo nurses that mushrooms are a good food for my cancer as somehow it has Eostrigen in it or something like that.. im the only one that likes or liked mushies anway so its not a worry to cut them out of the diet.  i have been slowly buying things that will make me healthier. i baught some weight loss powder stuff and still not opened it cos im scared that it will have something in it that will feed my cancer,, i dont want that ever.  i will check out the american  cancer site and the Ian Fawler foundation regarding the book as well. 

    i have enjoyed reading all the comments and thank you all for leaving me some information, i have also been told that Kail is a good food to get into as well,, raw or cooked, i love grwoing my own vegies so i hope i can grow it next season.

     

    thank u all sooo much

     

  • Cobie
    Cobie Member Posts: 44
    edited March 2015

    wow wot a can of worms i opened!!!!!!

    i was told my my chemo nurses that mushrooms are a good food for my cancer as somehow it has Eostrigen in it or something like that.. im the only one that likes or liked mushies anway so its not a worry to cut them out of the diet.  i have been slowly buying things that will make me healthier. i baught some weight loss powder stuff and still not opened it cos im scared that it will have something in it that will feed my cancer,, i dont want that ever.  i will check out the american  cancer site and the Ian Fawler foundation regarding the book as well. 

    i have enjoyed reading all the comments and thank you all for leaving me some information, i have also been told that Kail is a good food to get into as well,, raw or cooked, i love grwoing my own vegies so i hope i can grow it next season.

     

    thank u all sooo much

     

  • VivW
    VivW Member Posts: 266
    edited March 2015

    Just thought I would share this site whilst doing my Google thing, interesting reading, and seems like sound advice. Even for the non believers, nothing recommended on this site is bad for you.

    http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/breast-cancer-breast-cancer-risk-genetics-vs-lifestyle.html

    Looks like mexican tonight with my weight watchers recipe using refried beans, the only way I can eat these pinto beans ,99% fat free, cholesterol fee (now that I am on Arimidex this is a problem), and they are really high in fibre.

    Have a good weekend, enjoy the heat,41 here in Wodonga today,  hey one bonus is that everyone thinks I am just hot from heat,  I am so hot that I cannot tell if it just the weather or my multi hot flushes. Having ovaries removed has given me a double wham with the flushes :( 

    Take care

    Viv

     

  • Deanne
    Deanne Member Posts: 2,163
    edited March 2015
    Everything stated in this article makes sense to me. If I can eat more of the foods that are linked to anti-cancer benefits and these are healthy choices anyway, why would you not? I think the point about breast cancer and cancer in general being very complex diseases is why it is difficult to prove that particular lifestyle choices are of benefit. If you want to be really cynical about it, it seems a lot of research is funded by drug companies who would have no financial gain from finding that lifestyle factors can help prevent cancer. It is kind of annoying that while current medical treatments are not 100% effective in preventing cancer recurrence the medical fraternity seem to want this sort of guarantee before they will recommend certain foods to be of benefit. The general blurb they give about eating a balanced diet could be enhanced with recommendations of including the particular vegetables and fruits that appear to give more benefit.

    Thanks for the link, Viv. It was very helpful. Have a lovely Christmas! Deanne x
  • Robyn W
    Robyn W Member Posts: 1,932
    edited March 2015
    Thanks for an interesting article.Clear and easy to understand.Hot in Sydney today too Viv.Enjoy your Christmas,and stay cool;). xoxo Robym
  • VivW
    VivW Member Posts: 266
    edited March 2015

    Thanks Deanne and Robyn,

    and how easy is it to remember G-BOMBS and then to just put that food item with the initial. 

    I have an ice cream shop, so did a roaring trade today, totally exhausted.

    Merry Christmas and good riddance to 2013.

    Viv

     

  • positive3negative
    positive3negative Member Posts: 323
    edited March 2015

    In answer to your question 'What's the worst that can happen?" the answer, unfortunately, is that you can undermine your treatment.
    I was all set to adopt a high anit-oxidant and reputedly 'cancer fighting' diet until my oncologist advised me that my chemotherapy worked by OXIDISING cancer cells. The diet could have worked against the chemotherapy. 

    While I agree that there is a lot we can do to improve our survivial rates and quality of life by eating well I beleive we also need to be suspect of anyone trying to sell us supplements, books, remedies or miracles. Where there is money there is fraud and this is very true when it comes to cancer. Some of the 'diets' I've found are shockingly unhealthy, including the much touted 'alkaline diet' and another regime that prescribed coffee enemas!

    Interpreting research is difficult because it's written in jargon, so most people just accept that when a journal article reports something has anti-cancer properties, it must be true. I often find that when I check the source research, the writer of the article has completely misunderstood the science or the findings.

    Lots of things kill cancer cells in a petri dish or a test tube (in vitro). This does NOT mean they will kill cancer in something as complex as the human body. If you read that something prevents or cures cancer then see if you can find a double blind human trial with the results published in a peer reviewed journal. If it doesn't meet this standard then it's just 'promising' research. In other words, the substance being studied may OR MAY NOT cure cancer and more research is needed.

    The same is true of research involving rats and other animals. Yes, results are interesting and will hopefully be used to argue for funding for a proper human trial, but don't use those results to conduct your own experiments on your body unless the substance being recommended is generally safe to eat. 

    I don't know why there are people in this feed claiming that doctors can't recommend a healthy diet or a particular food. What's the basis for that claim? Of course a doctor can recommend changes to diet and you should certainly tell your doctor about anything you're doing because you might, without realising it, be undermining your treatment. Several medications come with a list of foods to avoid.

    I think the real issue with food is that because it's one of the few things we can control it's tempting to believe that we can use it to take total control, to cure ourselves or to prevent recurrence. It's very appealing to believe that just by including certain foods or juices or supplements that we can be free forever from our fears and the appeal of that thinking tempts us to place far too much emphasis on the risks and benefits of a healthy diet.

    Don't get me wrong. I believe that eating a healthy diet is one of the best things we can do to support our treatment. When it comes to 'superfoods' or anything 'cancer preventing' there are actually some things out there that pass the double blind trial standard, including omega 3, vitamin D and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. But sorting out the legitimate research from the rubbish involves a lot more than just taking a journalist's word for it.

    Be particularly mindful that having 'doctor' ahead of ones name doesn't qualify someone to give you medical advice. Always check what kind of 'doctor' a person really is, and whether they've been sanctioned for giving poor advice, as so many of the 'doctors' selling online products have been.

  • positive3negative
    positive3negative Member Posts: 323
    edited March 2015

    Nice try and excellent advice. Unfortunately, the desire to be 'in control' and to believe in 'miracle cures' seems to be so strong that there is no way to dissuade people from accepting unsubstantiated and often dangerous advice from dubious sources. It's one of the things I find very frustrating about this site. There's a risk that the misinformation gathers it's own momentum and convinces otherwise sensible people to try dangerous things.