Hi,
this decision keeps coming back to me from time to time, but then I have another chemo and have to settle for eating what my body craves or can cope with. While on treatment I think personally you should nurture your body as it has so much to fight with being poisoned regularly. I cringe when people say I’m not bothering to eat because it tastes horrible, as what has your body got to fight and repair with if you don’t. Apologies to those who are sick and this is not an option. Rest and good food are stores for the good cells to regenerate. When chemo is finished, I think you move into another area and that is when I will start to try to get and be healthier. According to Susan Love, the renowned BC doc in the US, she sees the biggest risk of recurrence coming from being overweight so she encourages healthy eating, maintaining a good weight and regular exercise. That would fit into what most people regard as sensible. They have found that obese teenagers have a higher risk of BC, so that is an area we can help our daughters and sons have improved chances, now they have a close relative link. I am fighting one of my daughters to give up smoking and will resort to emotional blackmail soon. Obviously the alcohol levels are something to think about too.
I think you have to find the right path for you. Some things are known like not taking supplements while on chemo, don’t want to boost the bad guys too. Others will unfold over coming years about soya, etc from people going on trials and raising money for research.
Good luck guys and hope we are all sitting reading the latest BC news for a long time.
Lily x
Hi,
I meant to add I read the Jane Plant book, no started and abandoned it as not really into organic wheat germ suppositories for the rest of my life and other disgusting sounding things. People will be walking around breaking twigs off trees to eat soon, saying they are organic, natural and part of the earth!! I think some dogs get more nutritious dinners that some of the extreme diets point too, we do descend from cavemen not rats. Sorry a bit over the top there. Anyway I think the Plant diet was only about 64 women and not the thousands/ millions of the rest of us so very very small number. Good luck to her that she is fine ( she might have been without doing that, who knows) but so are a lot more people who were true to how they want to live. Organic cows are not given hormones like other cows but then isn’t tamoxifen, etc supposed to be blocking all that for us, or have I got that wrong? If most womed get BC later in life, it poses the question as to how they lasted that long on their usual diet? The big BC USA doc Susan Love says that being overweight shows the greatest link to recurrences. So losing weight and exercise could be the way to go if necessary. they are finding a big link from obese teenagers, so we can help our daughters and sons with that, now we they have a close relative link. Smoking and too much alcohol we all know about and make our choices. I vote for the smile and be happy therapy
Good luck to you all
Lily x
So do I Lily,
what is life without quality. Yes of course, when I can get my eating back to normal post chemo, I will. More often than not, I will feed my body the best that I can, I will also feed it the Feel good factor, chocolate does it for me… I will exercise and have taken note about keeping the weight off. I refuse to go on any weird ‘diets’ that make life completely miserable. Food is a very important part of our lives, physically, mentally and socially. I will try to keep well rounded and not box myself into a tight, joyless corner.
I want to live, not just exist.
hope you know what I mean,
take care all
Chris x
thanks Irene and Lily for taking the time to respond. I do eat healthily and have made the effort to do juicing throughout treatment aswell as eating a normal healthy diet. Though I have to admit since being on Taxotere and having larger amounts of steroids i’ve definitely had increased apetite and more cravings for sweet things and my weight has increased quite a bit! I have 2 more Tax to go and then i s’pose bit by bit I can tackle the weight thing, don’t think I’ve got the energy at the moment I seem to be really tired with this tax but hopefully when treatment finishes I can focus more on fitness actually fancy starting yoga.
thanks again for your comments.
Best wishes
smiler
x
Hi
I’m not overweight (never have been), am 5’ 7" am small boned and weigh just under 9 stone and was extremely active (ski-ing, going to the gym 4 times a week and belly dancing!). I’ve never smoked and never drank to excess.
I’ve lived with b.c. for 14 years and 4 years of those with secondaries so Jane Plant’s theories just don’t do it for me I’m afraid.
I also have the BRCA2 gene so it’s probably always been on the cards for me that I’d develop breast cancer and no diet or exercise in the world would probably have made a difference.
The main thing for me is that I’m still here and still enjoying my life and I’ll eat (within reason) what I want although I don’t really drink that much alcohol now as part of my secondary diagnosis involves my liver.
Hi Momathome - no, I don’t think you’re mad and thanks for your comment!!!
Hi
Interesting comments, all.
I have to say that I subscribe to the ‘everything in moderation’ theory for food.
I’d just like to say that I was first diagnosed in 1993. I then gradually gave up smoking, lost weight, took more exercise, cut down on alcohol, improved my diet. Subsequently had a second primary diagnosed in 2004.
I know I’m a statistic of one, but I mention my own situation because I think the causes behind the rising incidence of breast cancer are extremely complex and go way beyond what we eat and drink and how we exercise. A good diet is good for you, no doubt about that. But the genetic picture is far from complete and I don’t think enough attention is paid to environmental factors. For example, I remember reading not long ago (probably in my son’s New Scientist or something similar!) that the percentage of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere has been falling for some time, due to pollution and overpopulation. That oxygen deprivation can’t be good for any of us, including unborn generations - and there’s nothing we can do about it in the short term.
If I’m wittering, people, I’m sorry (had some Taxotere a couple of days ago).
S
my take on it is that there are a huge number of toxins that our bodies and esp our liver and immune system now need to deal with (anything from alcohol, to air fresheners to smoking), and depending on our genetic make up one or more of these could trigger cancer,alcohol and diet being the major one for hormone related BC
not sure changing diet etc makes a big difference after initial dx tho…i think most important factor in recurrence or spread is whether they got it all out of body in first place
i think in this modern life our immune sys is constantly fighting cancer and it just depends whether it is strong enough at a partic time of stress/risk…lots of people i know found the lump after time of major stress…break up/divorce, death of loved one etc…when we are at our weakest…
sorry if that is all obvious to you…its late!!
i just wanted to add that when i was first diagnosed i was convinced that i would completely change everything unhealthy about me…but i haven’t unfortunately…because of the depression that the cancer has caused and the loneliness (i’m single and still hurting from a horrible break up) i still rely too much on treat food and wine…think i need counselling coz i’m still not valuing myself and my health as i should be…kind of not sure where life is going and what my role is now so no motivation to get fit and healthy…and now have such a poor body image that it seems a mountain too high to climb…not interested in men…etc etc…have been using the excuse of going thru treatment but its now over and i’m 2 stone heavier than i was…which makes me 4 stone overweight…yikes!!
definitely in a rut and need a huge kick up the arse …if i did some exercise and lost some weight it would do wonders for my self esteem but can’t seem to find the strength…feel like an old woman at 38! live on my own so its easy to just be naughty and no-one will know
any advice ladies???
It’s easy to say but get out and walk - anywhere.Just open the front door and away you go.If you live in a horrible neighbourhood you don’t have to take it in -put some good thoughts in your head and keep plodding along.If you’ve got a problem you can mull it over.I find the more worries I have the faster I walk! If you’re into comfort eating get out there before you raid the fridge- even if it’s with a jam doughnut in your hand! Start with ten minutes either way and work up to whatever you like.You’ll reap the benefits.They wont be physical at first but you’ll feel a whole lot better in yourself…Good luck!
Hi everyone
Great thread! I am also overwieght since treatment, gained another stone! Was overweight before and am interested in observations that this can cause recurrence.
I have a theory about my BC. Could be away with the fairies, but will run it past you anyway.
I was given the Mirena coil 8 years ago because I couldn’t have hysterectomy due to PE and DVT. Within a very short time started getting cysts on a regular basis. Didn’t have periods from begining of coil being fitted, they also produce hormones?
I asked if there was a link between the cysts and the coil but it was brushed away!!
If anyone has any information would love to here from you.
Meanwhile, I think it takes a really strong person to be able to change their lifestyle/diet as well as coping with everything else. I finished treatments/hysterectomy in July this year and started Arimidex side effects are so awful I am rarely going out ,as for exercise, walking is a problem, ther is’nt much of me that doesn’t hurt. I hope this will improve but to be fair it has got worse each day.
I have ordered a swimming costume to start getting myself motivated ans someone suggested yoga on one of the forums but I feel like my bones will break if I try and get in the LOTUS POSITION!!!
Sorry for going on
Laffeyj2008
Have you got a BC group near you that you could join. I have been to our local one quite recently and believe me the support is excellent, because everyone is in the same boat I feel it will boost your self esteem just feeling like you are part of a ‘family’.
Love to all
Elaine
I