Any suggestions for fighting OVC through diet?

Christine B.

I am at almost 3 months out from surgery and 3 chemo treatments for Stage IV . I have struggled with weight for years, and now wonder if it had anything to do with the crap that's probably been going on in this 54 year old body for years. I struggled with infertility to have my son for 9 years and had surgery for endometriosis. The dr. said at that time that I was so messed up he would have taken it all out if I were not trying to conceive. (Now I wish he had.) Long-long story short my son is a very high tech person not only in the way he was conceived, but he turned out to have a very rare genetic physical challenge. (Not to do with the above.) Doctors 20 years ago said he'd not ever walk or live independently, but with many surgeries and a high tech prosthesis and a fighting spirit he walks, drives, and goes to college and works toward transferring to perhaps University of Southern California and pursuing his career in journalism. He is a testament to not listening to doctor's worst predictions! My son is my hero, and I want to live to see him reach his goals.

I lost more than 20 pounds through all of this and am concentrating up building my strength and outlook through walking and and keeping active as I can. That is when I am not kicked in the b**t from the chemo and worries so much that I don't feel like getting up.

My question is, are there certain foods that we should eat that fight this sort of cancer? I am staying away from refined sugar as I read that it feeds cancer. Caffeine is not recommended either. I've also read about keeping to a balanced PH and tryng to keep to a slightly PH alkaline vs. acid level. Broccoli, garlic, onions, green leafy veg. are supposed to be good and whole foods. I have started using my juicer to make carrot/apple juice. That was something I learned about when my younger brother was fighting colon cancer and I was trying to help him. (He died 2 years ago at 50 after a 4 year battle, my surgery was 2 years later to the day, Sept. 10th) I also use 1 MG Ativan to help me get through this terrifying roller coaster ride when I feel like jumping off.

Worrying and creating worst case scenarios in my mind is the worst part of me in this fight. I should have learned better from my son. I am learning to trust in God to give me courage and strength and have support through old (including my husband of 31 years who is there 1000%)and new friends with this, instead of hanging onto all the words of doctors and the statistic from internet searches. I am thankful for this group, although so saddened by the hurts I read about.

Can anyone make any suggestions like diet, activity, meditations, to fight this monster and not interfere with treatments?

Thank you,
Christine

poopergirl14052

Diet
Seems to me you have what you need. eat whole foods lots of beets and kale and spinich. we still need protien in good amounts.I 20lbs but gradually gained it back when i started to feel better.now i want to lose it but can't. not now. When i feel sick after chemo i suck on a candycane. this time of year they are everywhere. there is a cancer diet called budwig diet. Google it and maybe you can find what you a looking for. I wish you and your son the best.

Hissy_Fitz

Christine....
If you like
Christine....

If you like statistics, infertility is a risk factor for OC, as is obesity. But there are plenty of us who had ZERO risk factors (like me) or family history of cancer (like me) who got it anyway.

Taking out your ovaries would not necessarily have helped, however. Primary Peritoneal Cancer is basically Ovarian Cancer in women who have no ovaries. There are several members here who have PPC.

I have decided not to worry too much about my diet, other than the obvious and general: all things in moderation. I have read that sugar "feeds" cancer, also citrus and other acidic foods, that asparagus cures it (as well as garlic and a whole host of other things). I do not personally believe any of this to be true, but if a special diet makes you feel better, then you should go for it. I don't want to be laying in bed one day, hooked up to a feeding tube, and suddenly realize that I haven't tasted cheesecake or pecan pie in years and it didn't do me a damn bit of good to give all that stuff up. I would be thoroughly pissed, let me tell you.

Dance like no one is watching, and live like there is no tomorrow. That's my motto. And please send me all the Christmas goodies that you are gifted with and don't want to eat. Except fruitcake.

Carlene

Cindy Bear

HI
Hey there.. I was just reading an article on Yahoo today about quinoa (SP?) it's a seed/grain and it's supposed to be extremely healthy for you, full of amino acids, proteins, anitoxidants etc. I think they said it's in the spinach family .. You can find it at health food stores and I think some upscale groceries might carry it. Worth checking out.. LOL about Carlene's fruitcake comment.. reminds me of a great old movie that I love, The Apartment, with Jack Lemon and Shirley McClaine.. If you've ever seen it you'll understand the reference at the end of the movie about fruitcake.

azgrandma

Cindy Bear said:

HI
Hey there.. I was just reading an article on Yahoo today about quinoa (SP?) it's a seed/grain and it's supposed to be extremely healthy for you, full of amino acids, proteins, anitoxidants etc. I think they said it's in the spinach family .. You can find it at health food stores and I think some upscale groceries might carry it. Worth checking out.. LOL about Carlene's fruitcake comment.. reminds me of a great old movie that I love, The Apartment, with Jack Lemon and Shirley McClaine.. If you've ever seen it you'll understand the reference at the end of the movie about fruitcake.

I agree with Carlene
Eat what you want and enjoy life. I was staying away from sugar, but decided if I want a piece of pie one small piece a day is about the only sugar I am getting so i decided to have it, also some decaf coffee.

I am trying to eat beans each day as well as fruits , veggies, yogurt is good , i am also trying to learn to juice, all things in moderation.

Live life to its fullest

God Bless

Mum2bellaandwilliam

azgrandma said:

I agree with Carlene
Eat what you want and enjoy life. I was staying away from sugar, but decided if I want a piece of pie one small piece a day is about the only sugar I am getting so i decided to have it, also some decaf coffee.

I am trying to eat beans each day as well as fruits , veggies, yogurt is good , i am also trying to learn to juice, all things in moderation.

Live life to its fullest

God Bless

My mum is eating more now
My mum is eating more now than she ever has, she was terrible, she would have a slice of crisp bread for breakfast and a small evening meal, that's it!!
Since her diagnosis she is eating a lot more , all healthy stuff though which I think is good, I think you need to try and eat a good variety of foods whilst on chemo and fighting the beast after to try and keep your body in tip top condition. Mum has Sailed through her chemo with not to many ill side effects.
She does still drink her wine! A few glasses in the evening, she insists that is why she doing so well!!! Lol.

lindaprocopio

Mum2bellaandwilliam said:

My mum is eating more now
My mum is eating more now than she ever has, she was terrible, she would have a slice of crisp bread for breakfast and a small evening meal, that's it!!
Since her diagnosis she is eating a lot more , all healthy stuff though which I think is good, I think you need to try and eat a good variety of foods whilst on chemo and fighting the beast after to try and keep your body in tip top condition. Mum has Sailed through her chemo with not to many ill side effects.
She does still drink her wine! A few glasses in the evening, she insists that is why she doing so well!!! Lol.

I think the specialized diets just make you feel in CONTROL.
I've eaten an organic high fiber diet all my life and was never bigger than a size 6 even in my 50's, and I still got cancer with no risk factors. One of the things that helps psychologically with that helpless out-of-control anxiety when you have cancer is to try and establish some sort of control of 'the beast within', and I think that's what all these specialized diets are about. If restricting what you eat makes you feel more empowered, then there is certainly a lot of science to the anti-cancer diets.

I continue to eat the healthy well-balanced diet I always have eaten and I believe it allows me to live largely symptom-free as the months (years!) of treatments go on and on and on. But for me, I'll have the cheesecake and the tira miso and all the richness that makes life on this earth delicious and satisfying and joyful. I believe savoring delicious food is as important to my surviving this journey as turning my face to the sun and allowing that warmth to reach my soul and make me smile. I want to soak up all that is good on this beautiful earth before I have to leave it.

Everyone is different. If eating only juiced wheatgrass with tumeric and black pepper on top makes you feel you are doing everything you can in your battle, then do it. Or if dunking Oreos in milk with your grandson makes you feel you are 'living large', then do that. I fall in with the latter.

pattysoo

Hissy_Fitz said:

Christine....
If you like
Christine....

If you like statistics, infertility is a risk factor for OC, as is obesity. But there are plenty of us who had ZERO risk factors (like me) or family history of cancer (like me) who got it anyway.

Taking out your ovaries would not necessarily have helped, however. Primary Peritoneal Cancer is basically Ovarian Cancer in women who have no ovaries. There are several members here who have PPC.

I have decided not to worry too much about my diet, other than the obvious and general: all things in moderation. I have read that sugar "feeds" cancer, also citrus and other acidic foods, that asparagus cures it (as well as garlic and a whole host of other things). I do not personally believe any of this to be true, but if a special diet makes you feel better, then you should go for it. I don't want to be laying in bed one day, hooked up to a feeding tube, and suddenly realize that I haven't tasted cheesecake or pecan pie in years and it didn't do me a damn bit of good to give all that stuff up. I would be thoroughly pissed, let me tell you.

Dance like no one is watching, and live like there is no tomorrow. That's my motto. And please send me all the Christmas goodies that you are gifted with and don't want to eat. Except fruitcake.

Carlene

I totally agree with you,
I totally agree with you, Carlene, except I love a good fruitcake - especially if it's been soaked in brandy.
Seriously, I have eaten well for years, weight has always been normal to thin, all things kept in moderation, etc. Still have cancer. I do believe that daily exercise will help you tolerate the chemo much better. Preferable it's outside exercise too.

pattysoo

Cindy Bear said:

HI
Hey there.. I was just reading an article on Yahoo today about quinoa (SP?) it's a seed/grain and it's supposed to be extremely healthy for you, full of amino acids, proteins, anitoxidants etc. I think they said it's in the spinach family .. You can find it at health food stores and I think some upscale groceries might carry it. Worth checking out.. LOL about Carlene's fruitcake comment.. reminds me of a great old movie that I love, The Apartment, with Jack Lemon and Shirley McClaine.. If you've ever seen it you'll understand the reference at the end of the movie about fruitcake.

Quinoa is great, easy to
Quinoa is great, easy to cook, very tasty, and as you said, high in protein. It was one of my go-to foods during chemo to help keep blood levels at acceptable levels. I cook it in a broth rather than plain water. It's available in our regular grocery store in the health foods section.