Question for R.B. or anyone else....

[RhondaH]

I probably shouldn't respond to your post as I will end up saying something I shouldn't, but what the heck. I'll be honest with you, prior to my dx, my "views" were pretty much non existant, my diet was BEYOND attrocious (1 month prior to dx, I had been allergic to fish and fowl and just found out that I could eat fish, but since I was 4yo, I ate NOTHING but, beef, pork and sugar...lots and lots of sugar). Since dx, I pretty much LIVE the Breast Cancer diet I preach (though, yes I do give myself 1 "splurge" day a week), but in my opinion, I mistreated my body for the 1st 40 years of my life, now the next 40 years of my life, I was going to treat it well. Everything I read has said that supplements provide only 10% of what the actual food provides and as far as I was concerned, no food (or lack of food) was worth going through chemo again (NOT that diet and exercise alone are the answer, but I wanted to walk away knowing I did everything I could; surgery, chemo, rads, Herceptin, diet, exercise and prayer). I buy VERY little processed food (if you can call it food), eat REAL sugar and butter (I don't have much but, I just KNOW that like aspertame etc that made from sugar "splenda" can't be good for you, and I've read articles about margerine) eat fat (my MAIN fat comes from olive oil, canola oil, organic butter and 1% milk, fatty fish and yes, I DO still have meat though organic from a local farmer once a week). I'm considering about either writing a blog or book regarding how since the turn of the LAST century, all the "conveniences" that have been created to make our life easier has not only complicated our lives health wise (I know on here there is a study about housework and cancer and I can't help but feel that there is some truth to it), our lives in MANY ways are sedintary, but especially those of us w/ children, are "encouraged" to put them in every "activity" known to man, no one has TIME to cook from scratch any more ( I use VERY little packaged food and while my grocery bill is higher, it is due to all the fresh foods I buy...ironic, but there are NO coupons for the food/products I buy as all the coupons are for the latest and greatest food and product...curious, when you go shopping look at other peoples grocery carts and I BET they have WAY more frozen/packaged food than fresh, I know Meijers in GR, just expanded their frozen food section, it's HUGE), no one "rests" or sleeps anymore and it just seems like in MANY ways all the progress we have made (but not all) has set us back...just THINK of all the conveniences we have and what the ultimate price has become for it. Our local newspaper had an article today on consumption, but I can tell I'm starting to wander and will leave THAT topic alone. I read a book called the Omnivores Dilema and it is VERY interesting as to the entire food process, past and present. Bottom line, supplements are insurance for what you don't get enough of, but there is no substitute for real food (my salad for this week will have collard greens and cabbage, now if THAT isn't bitter...but I let the salad dressing marinate it to cut down the bitter). I had better quit, but I REALLY wonder if a "true" cure is possible due to the pharmaceutical companies (don't get me wrong they HELPED me, but to me medicine should be as short a term as possible) and the people making money off of the drugs. I'll probably regret "sharing" my opinion, but please this only "my" opinion. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[Mary Jo]

Hi Pink......I hear ya. Loud and clear. I often wonder the same thing(s). It's never easy to understand any of the "to supplement" or "not to supplement" talk. Some of it seems to make sense BUT just when I think it's making sense - a new study is released and I'm as confused as ever.

Simple - there's something to say about that. Simple meaning - healthy food - lots of sunshine and plenty of exercise. I like that!!!!!!!! BUT just incase simple isn't enough - maybe I'll throw in a couple supplements for good measure.

Rhonda, thanks for the informative post. You are right on the money in your thinking - in my opinion (for what it's worth) Although, I don't eat NEARLY as well as you do (but wish I did) you make me strive to do better and better each day.

So for today I'll take my D3, Magnesium, Folic Acid BUT maybe next week when new studies are released I won't.

I'm off to go sit on my confusion couch for now. Anyone want to join me.

Love & HUGE hugs,

Mary Jo

[Bill]

Hey Pinkie! No, the human body was made perfect. Wow, you have opened the floodgates here. Smarter, more educated people can correct me, but for now, I'm "gonna go with what I know". Aeons ago, we were created perfectly, (I'm tired of being grammatically and spelling correct all the time, it's the writer in me, forgive me), the food we ate was all natural, grains, hand-gathered fruits, berries, etc., and being omnivorous creatures, the animals we hunted and caught, and ate, as well ate those same foods, free of preservatives and chemicals. There was a natural "balance" within the food chain. A balance between the omega-3's and omega-6's and whatever else. The animals we ate were "balanced" in their composition in an ideal manner for we humans to consume. Thesedays, we feed our animals processed foods and chemicals and inject them with all sorts of growth hormones and antibiotics, and in my opinion, therein lies the big problem. In my opinion, to answer your question, most "supplements" need to be thrown into the ocean. (still trying to decide about the coq10, though) Simply eat as many fresh foods as possible, almonds, walnuts, blueberries, yogurt, fresh caught cod, haddock, salmon, spinach, broccoli, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onions,red and orange peppers,bean sprouts, various mushrooms, you name it. Start a small "bucket garden". It's easy to grow carrots and spinach and other veggies, and it gets you out of the house and into the sunshine. I used to be a vitamin nut, but I gave it up years ago in favor of eating as many fresh foods as I could, and I feel so much better now. I love you all, Bill