For those interested in research on diet and cancer

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Wow - you are following some healthy diets!

Annie81 - Re the flaxseed - because I haven’t had anything to crush it with (impossible with a pestle and mortar) I’ve been soaking in rice milk and usually leave for about an hour and then eat when gloopy. Much, much prefer the idea of drinking them though! I wonder if there is any research to back this up at all?

Sarahlousie - what you’re doing sounds terrific. The only thing I would say is to ensure that you have enough unjuiced vegetables. I’ve posted quite a bit of academic research on here recently about the benefits of fibre, particularly veg fibre. I’ve actually cut down on the juice and increased my veg intake.

I’m not a believer in supplements although if there is no sunshine I do supplement Vit D3 which I was advised to do by an oncologist and breast care nurse. The research evidence is strong enough for me to think that’s worthwhile.

Evening primrose oil - my understanding is that this a good form of Omega 6. However even so it needs a good balancing with Omega 3. OIly fish are good and so too walnuts. flaxseed is also.
Annie 81 - can I ask why you take this?

My dietary changes started just over 2 years ago and I’ve built on them:

No dairy - I use Kara coconut milk, rice milk and a little soya milk.
Occasional red meat but not beef, I do eat organic chicken, and I do eat eggs.
Can’t eat oily fish or walnuts because of acid reflux problems since chemo but can tolerate flaxseed which I have every day.
Very occasional alcohol but usually just a red wine spritzer made with tiny bit of wine for flavour.
I still drink ordinary tea, cut back on coffee and do like organic white tea which I find less bitter than green tea.
I don’t eat much fruit (again because of acid) mainly bananas or pears and prunes or figs.
Lots and lots of vegetables of all varieties.
Lots of pulses particularly red lentils which I love made up into dal.
Lots of wholegrain brown basmati rice.
I also have porridge and use brown rice flour or wholemeal flour if I bake a cake.

My weaknesses are still sugar and white flour for bread. Trying to cut back on those, completely cut them out during first 9 months after diagnosis but they’ve slipped back!

Like Finty - I’ve cut out chemical skin products, shampoos and cosmetics. I use ordinary toothpaste too. Also low chemical, environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Ninja - I can’t anything on this fennel issue. I’ll have anotehr look. Elinda x

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On the fennel issue I’ve found this on the Food for Breast Cancer site. There are research links at the bottom:

foodforbreastcancer.com/foods/fennel

My view is that I would definitely not use any processed fennel (such as teas) and keep fresh fennel to a minimum. Elinda x

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Thanks - was just going to have the vegetable roasted - will look into it some more. But there are other sources of folic acid so not a problem. x

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I’ve had a quick look at a number of the research articles on flaxseed on Pubmed. Those involving humans (breast or prostate cancer) all have used ground flaxseed.

That is not to say that the soaking method isn’t effective but I haven’t seen any research evidence to support it.
In contrast, there is some good research evidence with regard to ground flaxseed much of which has been posted on this thread before. Elinda x

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An American study found that flaxseed does not control hot flushes:

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_112853.html

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Ladies,

Would you mind if I pick your brains please? My chemo brain is not up to reading all the relevant research at the moment!

Is it okay to eat flaxseed with oestogen +ve BC?

Many thanks,
Kate xx

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Thanks for that research Roadrunner - that’s a shame. Oh well not primarily taking flaxseed for hot flushes.

Kate - we are not allowed to say whether it’s okay or not to eat flaxseed. What I would say is look at the academic research and that should help you make your decision. If you go to this link you’ll see quite a bit there:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=flaxseed%20breast%20cancer

My cancer was 8/8 ER+ and 8/8 PR+ and flaxseed is now part of my daily diet. Elinda x

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Great thread ladies, I like hearing what others are doing.

Couple of things:

Finty, regarding the green tea, are you concerned with the effect the caffeine in it has on insulin levels? I like green tea, but am very sensitive to caffeine and always got mild hypoglycaemia when I used to drink coffee, so am concerned that green tea will cause insulin spikes.

Elinda - the Revel Wet and Dry coffee grind is one of the best £25 I’ve spent. Whizzes up flax seeds and other nuts, makes brilliant pestos. Great for sauces with garlic, chilli, ginger etc as it saves chopping and blends to a very creamy mix. Small and easy to clean.

I’m currently reviewing my oestrogen limiting tactics (I’m still not taking tamoxifen against my oncs advice). Really enjoying the Chris Woollams books and also an interesting book called "Cancer is not Disease’, working on the idea that tumours are the symptom, (of poor immunity and liver function), rather than the disease. Controversial for this site, I know, but interesting all the same.

Along with all the usual stuff, I’m trying to limit EMF exposure and so trying not to spend too much time on the computer, which can be difficult with my job. I turn off the wifi and phone every night too. Most of my windows are open all day and I also sleep with the windows open.

Trying to ensue I get enough good quality sleep as melatonin, a hormone released after 1.5 hours sleep, is very effective against oestrogen. (lots of research links higher rates of cancer to shift workers). I go to bed before 9.30pm several nights week!

Just taken up Ceroc dancing, a mix of salsa and jive. Not only good exercise but huge amounts of fun. Convinced laughter is a good medicine too.

Just as a bit of encouragement to those who have made radical diet changes: a friend has pancreatic cancer, with a 3% survival rate. She has been on a very strict regime for over a year, her markers have come down and she is NED. She takes a lot of enzyme supplements too.

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Finty,
I ordered sight unseen from a local kitchen shop a £12 hand seed grinder, specifying I wanted it for flax seed. It has ceramic bits that do the grinding and is the size of a pepper mill. I recently took this away with me. It is a little tedious to use.
I’ll still be adding seeds to bread as it does soften and become edible.

Everyone,
Diet wise I’ve never eaten white carbs except some sugar in baking. Now, when I (rarely) bake cakes / muffins I use dates for sweetness. I boil them with a little water and when soft mash up in a food processor and add to whatever mixture I’m making.

I’ve cut out dairy except once every 2 or 3 weeks I have organic goat / sheep feta cheese in a spinach dish. I do without butter or use peanut butter instead. Use Olive and rapeseed oil.

I supplement with Vit D3, Omega 3, and IP6 when I remember, plus various minerals for osteoporosis, and glucosamine & chondroitin for the arimidex old lady bones. Can’t be faffed with juicing but I make smoothies of banana, organic cocoa powder, vanilla essence, pineapple or other fruit and org soy milk and ice.
Always eaten loads of varieties of veg and fruit so no change there. I rarely have beef - still got it in the freezer and I eat NZ lamb, org chicken, fish, org eggs and increased on beans and lentils.

I’m drinking a mix of green and white tea - two tea bags, or leaves if I’m home and I make these last all day as I am intolerant of caffeine.
Work days (3) I manage a brisk lunch time 25 min walk over a bumpy hilly field, but my interest in 2 hour walks during the weekend is waning as I keep thinking one thigh is going to collapse - not pain just an odd feeling. Since I started the walking and supplements the osteoporotic region of my spine is now pain free.
I still want to lose another stone but I am eating too much and struggle to keep a stable weight.
cheers

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Hi Kate - I sympathise with the chemo brain - reading research papers is difficult enough at the best of times. So I will very briefly summarise the best piece of research we have found on flax seeds:

The study took a small group of American post-menopausal women of all breast cancer hormone types who had just been diagnosed by biopsy. In the month or so before their surgery, half were given flax seeds daily and the other half were the control group. After the surgery they compared the tumours to the original biopsies to see what difference the flax seeds had made. They found in the flax seed group the tumour activity was reduced by over 30% and the spontaneous death of cancer cells (apoptosis) was increased by over 30%. In addition, for those that are HER +ve, the measurement of HER aggressiveness was reduced by over 70%.

Note that these were post-menopausal women of all different hormone types - but whilst this is very promising it’s not possible to extrapolate this to individual circumstances - for example if you are pre-menopausal - and the research doesn’t cover post-surgery either.

I hope that has been of some help.

finty x

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Surfie - thanks, I’ll check out a hand grinder. x

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Where is that particular research from Finty?

If it is the link cited above, that concerns mice !!??
May just be me being thick !!

Julie x

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Im wondering if im having enough flaxseed ? I have about a tablespoon a day grinded up with sunflower seed over my morning cereal. I read somewhere its meant to help with menopause symptoms HAHA its not helping mine, im really going through it at the moment the hot flushes during the day get really bad & night sweats you could paddle a boat on my body, but I didn’t take flaxseed for this purpose more so for the other benefits.

Just wondered how much most of us have daily ?

that was interesting about the lady who does all the veg & fruit juicing I dont juice my veg although I do end up with alot of carrots throughout the week so was thinking of juicing them, I love my greens stir fried in olive oil & lots of herbs garlic & onion. I juice fruits now especially if im full after a meal (when I have fruit) then I will wizz up my fruits as a drink instead. I eat blueberries everyday (even frozen once) which I find better juiced great to have with the powdered wheat grass. I have quite a lot of fruit throughout the week & try to get as many different ones (colours) in as possible & change it about from week to week … love all the berries Blue, black, raspberry, black cherries, bananas oranges manderines, necterine/ peaches, apples pears papaya, passion fruits, plums.

Changes Ive made

I try to have organic but if its a skinned fruit Ill peal it same with veg I always have organic salad veg as I eat this everyday lunch time then good variety of other vegetables with my evening meal. Not a great lover of beans & pulses I do have wholegrain rices & pastas mainly potatoes I usually have sweet potato but usually only twice a week. I do have organic goats milk & a little organic cheese maybe twice a week but im TN …OH & I do like a bit of yougurt love the organic plain bio types in big tubs … Green teas is what I mainly drink I have the Matcha, sencha & gyokuro variety.Gone right off black tea. I still have a coffee a day but even this im not crazy about like I used to be used to drink so much in a day.

I never add sugar or salt to anything as all the natural foods have plenty in Ive even cut out fruit juices from a carton even the ones that claim to be 100% natural have too much frucose & sucrose in them. If I fancy something sweet I use 100% oven baked dried fruits just love strawberry , black cherry & mango these are lovely added to savory too.

Wholegrain breads … NO white flour I used wholegrain spelt flour

Meats not much now may have a little organic mince beef (if doing it for family) but maily organic chicken & white fish haddock I eat more fish than meat & still have 3 days in the week where Im eating a rice dinner I do with roasted veg (maily) peppers aulbecine garlic onions with a homemade tomato sause YUM family even starting to like this too.

If anyone has a great alternative to salad cream/ I dont think im getting my homemade mayo right ? ! :frowning: Id love to know ? I miss this most & sometimes fancy a change from the oil dressing I make.

A nice thing to add to cakes or even foods … if you buy organic oranges. manderines or lemons keep the skins bake oven on low temp until dry, cool & wizz up in the grinder keeps in the fridge for ages in an airtight container.

Finty Im also making changes to the cosmetic & household side too which I was finding over past year I was getting sensitive to household sprays in particular So wont miss them as for bath products I prefer them shame the rest of family dont as I sure am noticing when they have had bath & used their normal shampoo gels & sprays :frowning: BUT IM WORKING ON THEM LOL

Mekala X

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Julie,
I think the same study Finty was referring to was mentioned on this link flaxhealth.com/breastcancerupdate.htm under the heading Effect of flaxseed on women with breast cancer.

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Hi Julie

No - definitely real women not mice! It’s here:

clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/11/10/3828.full.pdf+html

I think you are HER +ve from memory? If so, I’m afraid I’m not very familiar with it as I’m -ve so I don;t understand all the terminology, but this study refers to c-erbB2 as a measurement of HER aggressiveness - so look out for those figures.

finty x

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Gretchen - that’s an interesting query about insulin - will do some digging.

Surfie - great link, thanks.

finty x

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Mekelar we aren’t aloud to recommend dosages of anything, and I wouldn’t know anyway - so I will just tell you that in the trial on post-menopausal women they were given 25g per day (baked in a muffin), so I follow that!

finty x

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Gretchen - I missed your post for some reason and just seen it. Thanks for the make of your grinder. I’m definitely going to invest. Elinda x

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Gretchen - I’ve done some reading and you are quite right, caffeine reduces insulin sensitivity by about the same amount that diabetic drugs like Metformin increase it! Green tea is generally much lower in caffeine than other teas and coffee, but the really good ones that only use the flower and first two leaves - which is the type I buy - are higher in caffeine than other green teas. But, green tea also contains a substance called theonine which is a caffeine antagonist and mitigates many of caffeine’s effects - but I don’t know if the effect on insulin is included in the list. Apparently if you want to minimise caffeine intake you poor off the water after 45 seconds and poor fresh water on the same leaves, as caffeine is released very quickly but the good stuff isn’t. I think I’ll start doing that.

So definitely something to balance against the well-known advantages of green tea. But I’m also thinking it may be much less of an issue for me as I work hard to keep glucose levels low and steady anyway - although that could be wishful thinking!

Thanks for raising the issue.

finty x

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RoadRunner - thanks for that report on flax seeds and hot flushes. It was interesting that a third of both the flax seed and the control group reported a 50% reduction, but they don’t say whether they consider that to be the placebo effect, or could it be something in the bars both groups were given? Odd.