Supplements for Breast Cancer

Well it's very difficult at times to decide how you'd like to go - conventional medicine or holistic!

I had my appointment at Sloan with an Integrative Medicine Doctor and well I learned a few things to help simplify my journey to try and keep cancer from returning.

Sloan Kettering as with most will only go on what has solid studies.  What this means is yes there are studies out there that have been done on mice for example, but they need to be studied in humans.  Some of the exciting things I have heard about just don't have the studies to let the doctors say yes- go ahead and take that.  It was a bit sad to me, but in the end it's my decision weather to try something or not.  And I'm not that brave at this point.

I was given this sheet on a study that had to do with exercise- I need to do 30 minutes a day of aerobic activity!  He calls this the 4th meal of the day!

I was happy to hear that yes- they will recommend
Vitamin D- at least 2000/a day
Now this is my dose because I have low vitamin D
You need to have your levels tested to see where your levels are and then your doctor can tell you how much you should be taking.
Vitamin D is very important even if you are not dealing with cancer- get checked and make sure you have the right amount- it's very important for your bone health as well as they are finding people with cancer often have low Vitamin D.  I'll blog more about D when I get all my info together.
There is the normal range which some say is between 30 and 80 and then there is the number you want- I'm shooting for 50- I'm at 31 too low for my comfort. 

I have linked to iHerb so if you click on the bottles it will get you there!

Curcumin- the pill- all that turmeric talk is for real.
Dose:  1 capsule- 2xday

GreenTea- the pill- drinking the tea is not enough to make a difference- you will need the pill.
EGCg- 1 Vcap/2xday

Omega-3

2 soft gels/2xday

I will also be taking my iron, baby aspirin, and a multivitamin along with these- Oh and my Tamoxifen! 
Here's the sheet he gave me : I was told of things NOT to take- being I am a hormone positive breast cancer survivor.

Exercise is very important- so he also suggested stretches for me because of my back.  I slouch- and it's worse since my surgeries - he gave me a website to look up stretches that I should be doing at work because of sitting at a computer.

 Find good stretches for the office- HERE and HERE

Dr. Deng gave me a great advice sheet and I LOVE the mini-vacation every night! 

And last but not least he told me to eat better he said they recommend high protein - low carbs

Proteins being beans and light meat

No white stuff- sugar - white bread - rice- potatoes

He even mentioned South Beach Diet

He did say to limit intake of high Glycemic food and gave me this sheet: 

Maricel if you are reading this - I miss ya!  Make sure you get in your mini-vacations!  

 updates 12/01/2010-

Vitamin D- updated up top

Taking Iron for Anemia

I am taking iron and well I sometimes feel nauseous- I also noticed a change in my stool.  This article really helped me with my iron supplement questions:

Iron Question Answered HERE