Hello,
I just wanted to reinforce how important it is to buy organic dairy products. My dad has seen many articles linking IGF-1 ( which is made when the cows are given synthetic hormone RBGH) increases levels of Cox2 and Her2. Unfortunately, I don't know how to post articles on this site(Help Joe!), but as I understood it, all milk not labeled organic have cows treated with the RBGH hormone. Be as careful as you can about eating these dairy products.
Anne

Anne,
Highlight the address of the website on the status bar, right-click the mouse on the highlight and scoll to copy, (or go to edit and click copy), start your message and paste the link into the message. We'll get it.
Al

Anne, I reached the same conclusion about dairy products and also meat and poultry (not fish). My husband and I have gone on a no-meat, no-dairy, no-sugar diet and have learned to love soy substitutes and fresh vegetables and fish and brown rice. It's hard at first, but soon your whole food cravings change. Actually, when I first went on chemo suddenly all desire for sugar ended. It became repulsive to me. And I've lost 40 pounds!

My diet has changed too - no dairy, no red meat, no starches except for oats or brown rice, including no sugar. My husband's diet is not restricted at all but we have learned to share what we can and eat differently. My lab results clearly do show the difference.

A.A.

Al thanks for the lesson. Will try it next time I run into something interesting but I am technically challegned just to let you know. Wish me luck. Anne

Hey guys,

I am all for the healthy diet. After working as a food writer, recipe editor and pastry chef I was deep into sugar.

That was all before cancer. I have since worked as consulted with a major food manufacurer researching food and health trends. It is old news that our health is related to what we eat. Ask your mothers, read old cookbooks.

The weight and health problems is also how much we overeat of certain items in the USA, the land of plentiful inexpensive snack foods. We also sit in our cars too much.

But, please recall that part of the human experience of nourishment is a social and pleasurable one. Plan for and inluced in your diet things you enjoy in moderation. In my case, that is the best dark chocolate money can buy. In moderation. Sitting down. Enjoying throughly.

I promise you, if you never eat another piece of fried chicken, or a pizza made without organic cheese, it is not goin to cure your cancer or extend your life a year. Holding your nose and chugging down Essiac tea followed by flaxseed oil and fish oil is not going to make you live forever. Or prevent recurrence. I speak from experience.

Don't forget to do the things you enjoy. Go outside, see nature, eat well and with friends.

Enjoy the life you are being given by herceptin. I am.

From Isabelle,
now in treatment for brain mets and eating 50g of extremely dark choclate a day.

Hi Isabelle -
50 grams of dark chocolate a day - let's see, that is 1/2 a large bar per day. Real restraint there, if it is very good quality!

I have gone for the organic milk for the small amount we use. I think the hormones given to the dairy cows are bad for us, so avoid them as much as possible.

As for dark chocolate, I have discovered something delicious, rare and not expensive! PLANTATIONS Arriba Chocolate, shade grown in Ecuador. I get the 75 and 90% cocoa kind. There is no vegetable fat or vanilla added.
The cocoa beans are roasted slowly to preserve the high antioxident levels of pure cocoa.
The Arriba is considered an "heirloom" cocoa varietal, that is preserved through the efforts of the Rain Forest Alliance and their partner in Ecuador.
Check out www.chocolates.com as it may not be in your local natural food stores yet.

Happy munching!

Steph thanks for the recommendation. I put cocoa in my decaf and soy milk quite often. Cocoa also is a good source of iron, did you know that?

A.A.