Dairy products or calcium supplements?

Rewriter

I've spent days researching the pros and cons of calcium supplements (specifically, Solgar's calcium citrate with added D3) and calcium from dairy. Neither source seems appealing, particularly to cancer patients; but I nevertheless need to get close to 1500 mg. in my diet.

My doctor does not want me to take supplements, and I don't want to take dairy. However, after several days of tracking my foods and seeing that I barely exceed 800 mg. of calcium a day, I was looking for a quicker fix. Tonight, I went out and bought organic skim milk, lowfat cheese, and yogurt.

Now, the question is which will do me in more quickly? Can I feel safe having a cup of fat-free yogurt and a cup of skim milk a day or, alternatively, a cup of one or the other combined with plant and fruit sources of calcium.

Does anyone else worry about this stuff? I will continue to chart my meals, and I thank all of you again for the tools with which to do that. I would just be interested in whether you all are having this dilemma and how you are handling it.

Fayard

No dairy for me
My doctor told me to take supplements. I do not eat any kind of dairy, so I rather take the supplement since it is very difficult to get the 1400 mg just from food.

Rewriter

Fayard said:

No dairy for me
My doctor told me to take supplements. I do not eat any kind of dairy, so I rather take the supplement since it is very difficult to get the 1400 mg just from food.

That's my problem
I don't want to eat the dairy, but I don't want to take the supplements either. I'm just wondering which is the worse decision. Maybe I just need to realize that I am in for a tough time trying to get my calcium from other sources.

daisy366

Rewriter said:

That's my problem
I don't want to eat the dairy, but I don't want to take the supplements either. I'm just wondering which is the worse decision. Maybe I just need to realize that I am in for a tough time trying to get my calcium from other sources.

ER/PR negative
I'm certainly not an expert in this area. I know we talked alot about this in the past. Hormone tests showed that I am ER/PR negative and my doc told me it's OK for me to consume dairy. He really puts little stock in diet, though.

So for me, since I am not hormone sensitive, I consume dairy. I drink mainly skim milk, greek yogurt, and some cheese in moderation.

Jill, I am putting alot of emphasis on weightbearing exercise - walking and some weights an hour a day. I think that counts significantly toward overall bone health and maybe we don't need to worry so much about consuming so much calcium. When we look at people who live in the "blue zones" - where people live to very advanced ages - the one common thread found in all these cultures is EXERCIZE. My first gyn. onc. told me before he moved away (traumatic event) that best way to prevent recurrence was exercise - it surprised me that this was his only advice! Multiple benefits from several sources tell me that exercise plus a good balanced diet should do the trick.

Mary Ann

Rewriter

daisy366 said:

ER/PR negative
I'm certainly not an expert in this area. I know we talked alot about this in the past. Hormone tests showed that I am ER/PR negative and my doc told me it's OK for me to consume dairy. He really puts little stock in diet, though.

So for me, since I am not hormone sensitive, I consume dairy. I drink mainly skim milk, greek yogurt, and some cheese in moderation.

Jill, I am putting alot of emphasis on weightbearing exercise - walking and some weights an hour a day. I think that counts significantly toward overall bone health and maybe we don't need to worry so much about consuming so much calcium. When we look at people who live in the "blue zones" - where people live to very advanced ages - the one common thread found in all these cultures is EXERCIZE. My first gyn. onc. told me before he moved away (traumatic event) that best way to prevent recurrence was exercise - it surprised me that this was his only advice! Multiple benefits from several sources tell me that exercise plus a good balanced diet should do the trick.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann and the benefits of exercise
Thank you so much for your comments. I had been walking about 14 miles a week until this awful heatwave started, but I have been more sedentary lately and using my writing deadlines as an excuse to sit on my butt. My plan is to find a routine that works for me and to get back to walking a few miles each day. Also, I think I am going to buy some hand and ankle weights and do some lifting while listening to music or watching TV.

As for the dairy, I now have fat-free or low-fat versions in my fridge and will try to add a cup of milk/yogurt or an ounce of 50 percent light cheese a day. By the way, I was looking at the ingredients of Cabot's low-fat cheddar cheese: the 50 percent light is "natural," but the 75 percent light contains all kinds of chemicals. Just another reason to read the labels.

I love my new PCP, who is committed to keeping me healthy through diet and exercise...and not meds or supplements. We'll see how it goes.

Jill

jazzy1

daisy366 said:

ER/PR negative
I'm certainly not an expert in this area. I know we talked alot about this in the past. Hormone tests showed that I am ER/PR negative and my doc told me it's OK for me to consume dairy. He really puts little stock in diet, though.

So for me, since I am not hormone sensitive, I consume dairy. I drink mainly skim milk, greek yogurt, and some cheese in moderation.

Jill, I am putting alot of emphasis on weightbearing exercise - walking and some weights an hour a day. I think that counts significantly toward overall bone health and maybe we don't need to worry so much about consuming so much calcium. When we look at people who live in the "blue zones" - where people live to very advanced ages - the one common thread found in all these cultures is EXERCIZE. My first gyn. onc. told me before he moved away (traumatic event) that best way to prevent recurrence was exercise - it surprised me that this was his only advice! Multiple benefits from several sources tell me that exercise plus a good balanced diet should do the trick.

Mary Ann

Ladies~
It's almost like a "catch 22"...you do this, but then it can have adverse affects, etc. I can't say most things in life are BLACK OR WHITE...so much in the GRAY area.

Here's my take, I'm hormone sensitive (cancer is MMMT), so I don't ingest much dairy, if any. I know soy has so much unknown for us, but a prominent doc told me to limit soy to 2 servings per day. Notice soy does have some good protein which we need as well. Now if we can't consume dairy the list of calcium foods has lower amounts, therefore, must eat quite a lot of them. I figure to get more dairy I must take a few supplements, so that's where I am today.

There's a lot of information out there on Vitamin D and how it can affect our calcium levels. Once I increased my D to the "new" levels my need for supplemental calcium should go down or completely go away. You then might get enough from diet. The soy milk is fortified w/ calcium so this is what is helping in addition to all the veggie-based calcium I am probably getting. You know that calcium and D are closely tied, so w/ the increase in D, there is increased absorption of calcium. I think this is how we are meant to work....higher D (as if we were outside) and calcium from the diet. I think we are very brainwashed to worry about calcium (probably from the dairy industry) and of course w/ osteoporosis, worry w/ that one too.

Have you had your calcium and vitamin D levels checked? Might be a good start. I have a great nutritionist who does help guide me, plus my doc.

Mary Ann, I agree 100% on the exercise as well. I attended a conference where the doc had done lots of studies on exercise and cancer. Her take...get out and move as it keeps the cancer at bay. Now no guarantee it will NEVER come back, but better hope with exercise then without. Cancer cells cannot survive in an oxygenated environment. I go out and huff and puff while I'm working out and visualize the sweeper cleaning out all the body parts. By the end of the exercise I feel I'm clear as a bell...NED!! Then add in the weights and we're helping our bone density, possibly a great alternative when we're challenged on our calcium intake.

FYI I've backed off on my calcium supplements today, as not ready to stop cold turkey. What I want to do is use the website someone suggested yesterday and follow what vitamins I'm getting from my dairy intake. Then I can see where I set with my calcium and other valuable nutrients.

Lots of good stuff ladies...love this topic!!
Jan

jazzy1

Rewriter said:

Mary Ann and the benefits of exercise
Thank you so much for your comments. I had been walking about 14 miles a week until this awful heatwave started, but I have been more sedentary lately and using my writing deadlines as an excuse to sit on my butt. My plan is to find a routine that works for me and to get back to walking a few miles each day. Also, I think I am going to buy some hand and ankle weights and do some lifting while listening to music or watching TV.

As for the dairy, I now have fat-free or low-fat versions in my fridge and will try to add a cup of milk/yogurt or an ounce of 50 percent light cheese a day. By the way, I was looking at the ingredients of Cabot's low-fat cheddar cheese: the 50 percent light is "natural," but the 75 percent light contains all kinds of chemicals. Just another reason to read the labels.

I love my new PCP, who is committed to keeping me healthy through diet and exercise...and not meds or supplements. We'll see how it goes.

Jill

Jill
As mentioned earlier I do walk approx 1 hour per day or at the gym. When going outside to walk I get out early --- 6am -- as heat here in St Louis is miserable as well. Heat is cumulative so the more you're in it, the more used to it you'll get.

Just a thought...
Jan

kkstef

daisy366 said:

ER/PR negative
I'm certainly not an expert in this area. I know we talked alot about this in the past. Hormone tests showed that I am ER/PR negative and my doc told me it's OK for me to consume dairy. He really puts little stock in diet, though.

So for me, since I am not hormone sensitive, I consume dairy. I drink mainly skim milk, greek yogurt, and some cheese in moderation.

Jill, I am putting alot of emphasis on weightbearing exercise - walking and some weights an hour a day. I think that counts significantly toward overall bone health and maybe we don't need to worry so much about consuming so much calcium. When we look at people who live in the "blue zones" - where people live to very advanced ages - the one common thread found in all these cultures is EXERCIZE. My first gyn. onc. told me before he moved away (traumatic event) that best way to prevent recurrence was exercise - it surprised me that this was his only advice! Multiple benefits from several sources tell me that exercise plus a good balanced diet should do the trick.

Mary Ann

Interesting Topic
Since Jill started this interesting discussion, I have been re-evaluating what I am doing. I do have some dairy as I just do not seem to get enough calcium in my diet. I have been eating a slice of Jarlsberg Lite Cheese with lunch most days (Ingredients: Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Rennet, Salt, Vitamin A (Not Found in Swiss Cheese) Acetate, Culture). I don't drink milk but occasionally have some Organic Yogurt. I have been taking supplements but am definitely rethinking that!

Mary Ann is right....exercise is probably one of the best things we can do! And an hour per day is GREAT!!!

I want to live a balanced life and not head down a path that is so hard to follow that if I "fall off the wagon" I feel guilty. I think we are all doing so many positive things to stay NED that the chances of us succeeding is very good!

So....I plan to kick up my exercise, be more thoughtful about eating more foods that will provide calcium and cutting back (cutting out) my calcium supplements. I am thinking that eating a little cheese or yogurt to increase calcium is probably healthier than the supplements.

Good health to all!!

Karen

Rewriter

jazzy1 said:

Ladies~
It's almost like a "catch 22"...you do this, but then it can have adverse affects, etc. I can't say most things in life are BLACK OR WHITE...so much in the GRAY area.

Here's my take, I'm hormone sensitive (cancer is MMMT), so I don't ingest much dairy, if any. I know soy has so much unknown for us, but a prominent doc told me to limit soy to 2 servings per day. Notice soy does have some good protein which we need as well. Now if we can't consume dairy the list of calcium foods has lower amounts, therefore, must eat quite a lot of them. I figure to get more dairy I must take a few supplements, so that's where I am today.

There's a lot of information out there on Vitamin D and how it can affect our calcium levels. Once I increased my D to the "new" levels my need for supplemental calcium should go down or completely go away. You then might get enough from diet. The soy milk is fortified w/ calcium so this is what is helping in addition to all the veggie-based calcium I am probably getting. You know that calcium and D are closely tied, so w/ the increase in D, there is increased absorption of calcium. I think this is how we are meant to work....higher D (as if we were outside) and calcium from the diet. I think we are very brainwashed to worry about calcium (probably from the dairy industry) and of course w/ osteoporosis, worry w/ that one too.

Have you had your calcium and vitamin D levels checked? Might be a good start. I have a great nutritionist who does help guide me, plus my doc.

Mary Ann, I agree 100% on the exercise as well. I attended a conference where the doc had done lots of studies on exercise and cancer. Her take...get out and move as it keeps the cancer at bay. Now no guarantee it will NEVER come back, but better hope with exercise then without. Cancer cells cannot survive in an oxygenated environment. I go out and huff and puff while I'm working out and visualize the sweeper cleaning out all the body parts. By the end of the exercise I feel I'm clear as a bell...NED!! Then add in the weights and we're helping our bone density, possibly a great alternative when we're challenged on our calcium intake.

FYI I've backed off on my calcium supplements today, as not ready to stop cold turkey. What I want to do is use the website someone suggested yesterday and follow what vitamins I'm getting from my dairy intake. Then I can see where I set with my calcium and other valuable nutrients.

Lots of good stuff ladies...love this topic!!
Jan

Checking Vitamin D and calcium levels
Getting my Vitamin D level checked was important to me, but I had to request this test at my recent physical. My level was normal--yay--so I had been doing something right. My calcium level was also normal. However, and this is a big however, I had been taking a calcium citrate supplement that contained 1000 mgs. of D3.

Now that I am tossing my supplements, I am facing a challenge. I am going to increase my exercise, chart the foods I eat, add some low-fat dairy (with extreme trepidation and very limited amounts), and do my best to include as many non-dairy sources of calcium as possible to my daily diet.

I apologize for being obsessed; but when I talk to friends outside of this board, their eyes glaze over.

Jill

Rewriter

kkstef said:

Interesting Topic
Since Jill started this interesting discussion, I have been re-evaluating what I am doing. I do have some dairy as I just do not seem to get enough calcium in my diet. I have been eating a slice of Jarlsberg Lite Cheese with lunch most days (Ingredients: Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Rennet, Salt, Vitamin A (Not Found in Swiss Cheese) Acetate, Culture). I don't drink milk but occasionally have some Organic Yogurt. I have been taking supplements but am definitely rethinking that!

Mary Ann is right....exercise is probably one of the best things we can do! And an hour per day is GREAT!!!

I want to live a balanced life and not head down a path that is so hard to follow that if I "fall off the wagon" I feel guilty. I think we are all doing so many positive things to stay NED that the chances of us succeeding is very good!

So....I plan to kick up my exercise, be more thoughtful about eating more foods that will provide calcium and cutting back (cutting out) my calcium supplements. I am thinking that eating a little cheese or yogurt to increase calcium is probably healthier than the supplements.

Good health to all!!

Karen

Falling off the wagon on occasion
is probably very GOOD for our health. Enjoying our lives is what living is all about. Last night, I had Chinese dumplings for dinner--shrimp, probably white flour, and definitely too much sodium (although I stayed away from the dipping sauce). This place was written up on Yelp and Chowhound, and I just HAD to check it out. So there you go--every once in a while, I don't think about what I am eating.

Today, however, I am having a raw kale salad for lunch and some leftover curried chickpeas and tomatoes (Karen's recipe) for dinner. Also, I plan to take a long walk.

Enjoy!

Jill

Fayard

Rewriter said:

Falling off the wagon on occasion
is probably very GOOD for our health. Enjoying our lives is what living is all about. Last night, I had Chinese dumplings for dinner--shrimp, probably white flour, and definitely too much sodium (although I stayed away from the dipping sauce). This place was written up on Yelp and Chowhound, and I just HAD to check it out. So there you go--every once in a while, I don't think about what I am eating.

Today, however, I am having a raw kale salad for lunch and some leftover curried chickpeas and tomatoes (Karen's recipe) for dinner. Also, I plan to take a long walk.

Enjoy!

Jill

Supplements
Jill,

Can you please tell me what are the risks of taking supplements?
I am about to start B12 and Folic Acid,since I do not eat animal products except for organic eggs and fish occasionally.

I am not consuming dairy, because I read it feeds cancer cells as well as red meats ans processed sugar.

Rewriter

Fayard said:

Supplements
Jill,

Can you please tell me what are the risks of taking supplements?
I am about to start B12 and Folic Acid,since I do not eat animal products except for organic eggs and fish occasionally.

I am not consuming dairy, because I read it feeds cancer cells as well as red meats ans processed sugar.

Fayard
In a separate thread "anti-cancer diet and calcium," I included some links to articles discussing the dangers of calcium supplements. Other supplements do not pose the same dangers, but studies show that vitamins from food are more readily absorbed than vitamins from supplements.

I take a B-100 supplement because I have terrible peripheral neuropathy and the B vitamins help me cut down on Neurontin. My goal, though, is to also get more B from foods.

I encourage you to do your own research and make your own decision. This is just my approach.

Jill

kkstef

Rewriter said:

Falling off the wagon on occasion
is probably very GOOD for our health. Enjoying our lives is what living is all about. Last night, I had Chinese dumplings for dinner--shrimp, probably white flour, and definitely too much sodium (although I stayed away from the dipping sauce). This place was written up on Yelp and Chowhound, and I just HAD to check it out. So there you go--every once in a while, I don't think about what I am eating.

Today, however, I am having a raw kale salad for lunch and some leftover curried chickpeas and tomatoes (Karen's recipe) for dinner. Also, I plan to take a long walk.

Enjoy!

Jill

Jill....good to hear!
Jill, I know what you mean by other folks rolling their eyes or glazing over when we talk about nutrition, etc. That's why I love this discussion group.

I am also happy to hear that you do throw caution to the wind occasionally....that is good for the soul!

What all do you put in your kale salad? I need to liven mine up a bit!

Good eating!

Karen

jazzy1

Rewriter said:

Fayard
In a separate thread "anti-cancer diet and calcium," I included some links to articles discussing the dangers of calcium supplements. Other supplements do not pose the same dangers, but studies show that vitamins from food are more readily absorbed than vitamins from supplements.

I take a B-100 supplement because I have terrible peripheral neuropathy and the B vitamins help me cut down on Neurontin. My goal, though, is to also get more B from foods.

I encourage you to do your own research and make your own decision. This is just my approach.

Jill

Vitamins --- Bioavailability & Synergism
I used to rep for a company which offered powder vitamins and one thing I learned, need supplements which our bodies can work with and breakdown for digestion. So many pill forms of supplements don't break down and never enter our digestive systems, therefore, end up in sewage not used in our bodies.

Jill, you mentioned...."studies show that vitamins from food are more readily absorbed than vitamins from supplements". Given the proper kind and formate of supplements they can be helpful. Also many supplements when taken with another one can be beneficial or non-beneficial. Note....more reason to try and get most of our nutrients in our daily food intake.

Few points ---

Bio-availability----It isn't what you take - it is what your body can absorb that is important. In order to be effective, nutrients must be in a form that can be readily absorbed by the body. These delivery systems ensure quick, optimal absorption for improved efficacy.

Synergism----It is not understood by some the importance synergy plays in the nutrients we take. Many vitamins and minerals only perform at their best when combined with other nutrients. Many nutrients by themselves can be good, but when in combination with another nutrient it can be even more effective. A match and a gasoline soaked rag are tools by themselves - but in that combination - you can truly see a picture of synergism.

Rewriter

kkstef said:

Jill....good to hear!
Jill, I know what you mean by other folks rolling their eyes or glazing over when we talk about nutrition, etc. That's why I love this discussion group.

I am also happy to hear that you do throw caution to the wind occasionally....that is good for the soul!

What all do you put in your kale salad? I need to liven mine up a bit!

Good eating!

Karen

Caesar salad with kale and hazelnuts or almonds
Karen--

I make a very modified Caesar salad dressing--lots of lemon juice, olive oil, just a touch of dried mustard, and a pinch of anchovy paste (omit the Parmesan cheese, which is highly inflammatory)--pour it over finely chopped raw kale, throw in some toasted almonds or hazelnuts, and gobble it up.

Yes, I confess to being a foodie who craves pizza and dumplings on occasion. Remember, healthy diets can be a "most of the time" endeavor.

Jill

Rewriter

jazzy1 said:

Vitamins --- Bioavailability & Synergism
I used to rep for a company which offered powder vitamins and one thing I learned, need supplements which our bodies can work with and breakdown for digestion. So many pill forms of supplements don't break down and never enter our digestive systems, therefore, end up in sewage not used in our bodies.

Jill, you mentioned...."studies show that vitamins from food are more readily absorbed than vitamins from supplements". Given the proper kind and formate of supplements they can be helpful. Also many supplements when taken with another one can be beneficial or non-beneficial. Note....more reason to try and get most of our nutrients in our daily food intake.

Few points ---

Bio-availability----It isn't what you take - it is what your body can absorb that is important. In order to be effective, nutrients must be in a form that can be readily absorbed by the body. These delivery systems ensure quick, optimal absorption for improved efficacy.

Synergism----It is not understood by some the importance synergy plays in the nutrients we take. Many vitamins and minerals only perform at their best when combined with other nutrients. Many nutrients by themselves can be good, but when in combination with another nutrient it can be even more effective. A match and a gasoline soaked rag are tools by themselves - but in that combination - you can truly see a picture of synergism.

Bioavailability and synergism
Thanks, Jan, for sharing this important information. This is also the reasoning behind combining turmeric with warmed olive oil and ground pepper for greatest effect.

Bluebird Bush

Dairy products and supplements
I have been a milk drinker all my life, changed over to skim after I found out I am developing atherosclerosis, then went back to whole milk after the doctor told me that my cancer is treatable but probably not curable. Also, her assistant looked at a list of supplement pills that I used to take and said it is o'k to start back taking them (things like vitamins, magnesium, calcium, flax seed oil and condroitin and glucosamine. I don't think I can stop drinking milk, it's like I am addicted to it. Why should we not drink milk? I can stop the pills easily enough - they are kind of a pain to get them all taken each day anyway. What should I do? Should I ask my doctor? Should I do research - and where? Thanks to anyone with suggestions. Geni

upsofloating

Rewriter said:

Mary Ann and the benefits of exercise
Thank you so much for your comments. I had been walking about 14 miles a week until this awful heatwave started, but I have been more sedentary lately and using my writing deadlines as an excuse to sit on my butt. My plan is to find a routine that works for me and to get back to walking a few miles each day. Also, I think I am going to buy some hand and ankle weights and do some lifting while listening to music or watching TV.

As for the dairy, I now have fat-free or low-fat versions in my fridge and will try to add a cup of milk/yogurt or an ounce of 50 percent light cheese a day. By the way, I was looking at the ingredients of Cabot's low-fat cheddar cheese: the 50 percent light is "natural," but the 75 percent light contains all kinds of chemicals. Just another reason to read the labels.

I love my new PCP, who is committed to keeping me healthy through diet and exercise...and not meds or supplements. We'll see how it goes.

Jill

I've been mostly lurking and
I've been mostly lurking and just taking in all the great info being posted! Thanks all.

Re exercise, while still in the hospital post-debulking surgery, my gyn-onc insisted I walk, walk, walk. He told me it's a subliminal message to the body that you want to live. I keep this in mind continuously and it does help me on my less-than-motivated days to do something! He knew something about this as just a few years prior he had an accident, broke his neck and had potential for being a quadriplegic, then spent a year in recovery. He was relatively young, with 2 young sons and a great determination to not just survive, but to thrive. And today he is active and a great surgeon.

So ladies, exercise, exercise, exercise, and most importantly walk ;-)
Annie

daisy366

Bluebird Bush said:

Dairy products and supplements
I have been a milk drinker all my life, changed over to skim after I found out I am developing atherosclerosis, then went back to whole milk after the doctor told me that my cancer is treatable but probably not curable. Also, her assistant looked at a list of supplement pills that I used to take and said it is o'k to start back taking them (things like vitamins, magnesium, calcium, flax seed oil and condroitin and glucosamine. I don't think I can stop drinking milk, it's like I am addicted to it. Why should we not drink milk? I can stop the pills easily enough - they are kind of a pain to get them all taken each day anyway. What should I do? Should I ask my doctor? Should I do research - and where? Thanks to anyone with suggestions. Geni

Annie's doctor
Annie, your comments about your doctor is a wonderful testiment to the mind-body connection!!!!! Check out O. Carl Simonton's writings.

That we may all be such THRIVERS!! Thank you so much.

Mary Ann

Rewriter

Bluebird Bush said:

Dairy products and supplements
I have been a milk drinker all my life, changed over to skim after I found out I am developing atherosclerosis, then went back to whole milk after the doctor told me that my cancer is treatable but probably not curable. Also, her assistant looked at a list of supplement pills that I used to take and said it is o'k to start back taking them (things like vitamins, magnesium, calcium, flax seed oil and condroitin and glucosamine. I don't think I can stop drinking milk, it's like I am addicted to it. Why should we not drink milk? I can stop the pills easily enough - they are kind of a pain to get them all taken each day anyway. What should I do? Should I ask my doctor? Should I do research - and where? Thanks to anyone with suggestions. Geni

Geni
I would suggest doing some research by Googling "dairy and cancer risk" or even "dairy and endometrial/uterine cancer risk." Here's a link to one article:

http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/ebm/record/21717454/abstract/Milk_dairy_intake_and_risk_of_endometrial_cancer:_A_twenty_six_year_follow_up_


Many of us here follow the anti-cancer diet, as put forward by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber in his book of the same name. As Fayard noted, dairy is thought to feed cancer cells.

Again, though, I encourage you to do your own research and make your own decisions. My opinion, though, is that most doctors follow an "eat whatever you want" approach to their patients' treatment.

Jill

RoseyR

Rewriter said:

Fayard
In a separate thread "anti-cancer diet and calcium," I included some links to articles discussing the dangers of calcium supplements. Other supplements do not pose the same dangers, but studies show that vitamins from food are more readily absorbed than vitamins from supplements.

I take a B-100 supplement because I have terrible peripheral neuropathy and the B vitamins help me cut down on Neurontin. My goal, though, is to also get more B from foods.

I encourage you to do your own research and make your own decision. This is just my approach.

Jill

Jill's Calcium/Dairy Dilemma


Jill,

I agree that most calcium supplements don't bode well for our systems.

I try to get more of my calcium from greens and sardines these days--but although I was never a big milk drinker, I did sometimes eat yogurt in recent years (good quality low-sugar yogurt) and lord knows that CHEESE was always my favorite form of dairy: the hardest of all foods to give up entirely.

Indeed, do we need to give it up entirely IF we are sure we're ingesting cheese from grass-fed cows fed no hormones? I often lately have a kale salad with almonds, a few chuncks of apple, and a few chunks of organic cheddar cheese: divine.

Have you stayed away from dairy because your tumor is Estrogen-receptive? Or because dairy has been entirely proscribed by your doctor or your own research? (YOu likely know that grass-fed cows produce milk and cheese that's high in CLA --conjugated linolenic acid--which is, by all counts, a preventer of cancer!).

As for your Peripheral neuropathy (caused by chemo, I assume?), have you tried the following?

alpha lipoic acid (600 mgs a day)
Vitamin E succinate (400 to 600 mgs a day)
Bentathione (derivative of thiamine that not sure I'm spelling correctly here) or "Nerve Support Foumula" available online
Vitamin D (adequate blood levels)
Vitamin B 6

If not, have collected lots of web sites on how to address and better yet, prevent during course of chemotherapy. (Glutamine taken first four days of chemo can markedly reduce incidence of Peripheral Neuropathy).

Best,
Rosey