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Thrivers Lifestyle Changes

Printed From: TNBC Foundation
Category: TNBC Forums
Forum Name: TNBC Talk
Forum Description: A place to chat
URL: http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=13824
Printed Date: Mar 28 2024 at 6:56am
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Topic: Thrivers Lifestyle Changes
Posted By: 123Donna
Subject: Thrivers Lifestyle Changes
Date Posted: Jul 17 2021 at 12:38pm
One of our friends, Marymom, had a great suggestion to start a thread for Thrivers to discuss and share lifestyle changes they have adopted.  We are looking at the whole body approach to diet, exercise & mind.  What have you done that's helped you?




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DX IDC TNBC 6/09 age 49, Stage 1,Grade 3, 1.5cm,0/5Nodes,KI-67 48%,BRCA-,6/09bi-mx, recon, T/C X4(9/09)
11/10 Recur IM node, Gem,Carb,Iniparib 12/10,MRI NED 2/11,IMRT Radsx40,CT NED11/13,MRI NED3/15




Replies:
Posted By: Marymom
Date Posted: Jul 17 2021 at 8:09pm
Thank you Donna for starting this thread…Steve offered to help me to start it too! You two are amazing in many ways.
So, my story is that when I was diagnosed I was in the best shape I had been in for years. Always a yo yo dieter I had adopted a low carb lifestyle.  I quickly learned meat and cheese was not good with tnbc. 
I read a lot and after chemo and radiation decided to really get serious about weight loss in a different way.  I had gained weight from the steroids and went up to 179 pounds.  So, I became a bit of a sponge and absorbed everything I could from this website and other reading materials.  If it was negative…I did not read it, only the helpful stuff.  The following is what I do:
Exercise and eat vegetables, cabbage and celery especially.  I rarely eat meat and cheese and eggs, only occasionally/very rarely.  I do eat nuts and beans. I do intermittent fasting…I eat within a five hour window every day *my big meal is lunch.  I journal and write down what I eat,  I do not drink alcohol and stay away from sweets. To be fair the fasting takes time to adopt that lifestyle…but I did it and am living it.  Today I weigh 153 pounds and am looking to get to 147 pounds and hopefully stay there. I exercise everyday and say my prayers every morning.  I also still work a full and part time job.  Work is good therapy for me.
Now, to be fair…I do go off and enjoy special occasions and when I crave something, I have it, I just don’t have the entire cake or the entire submarine sandwich! I eat to live…and no longer live to eat.  As far as supplements/medicine/vitamins I take a vitamin D3 each day, metformin, baby aspirin and an immune vitamin every day.  I am not a doctor nor an expert in nutrition.  But, this is what I have put together a long the way.  I am coming on four years since diagnosed (12/17/21) 1.6 cm, lumpectomy with clear margins. AC x 4 and taxol x 12 and 16 rads with 4 power blasts no nodes, grade three stage one. I lost my hair and eyebrows and my nails got funny during treatment, the only side effect I had was I slept.  This was kind of a gift…because before cancer I never slept.  During treatment I slept and slept. I have no neuropathy and I believe that was because I was devout in icing my hands and feet during infusions and I have no lymphodema.
In closing, this is what I do and I am in no way shape or form a professional. I consulted all my doctors on everything I have listed and everyone should always do the same before they take it upon themselves to make any lifestyle changes…your doctors need to be on board and aware of what we are doing. At the end of the day…I am not sure if any of what I do is helping me.  What I do know…is I am doing something and feel great.  Read and research and if any lifestyle change causes you stress than it is not a good lifestyle change for you.  Last but not least, I really try to ward off stress.  If I am experiencing stress..I reason with myself and allow myself to stress for a short time and then finally I release it.  Worry is like sitting in a rocking chair…you just keep rocking and you don’t get anywhere. Be kind to yourself.
Godspeed to all!


Posted By: SagePatientAdvocates
Date Posted: Jul 17 2021 at 8:50pm
Thanks Donna, for getting this topic started and a special thanks to MaryMom who has shared her program with us. Delighted it is working and delighted you have other family members who are doing well.

My daughter took up yoga, 5 days a week and whenever she travelled she took her mat.
She found that the yoga helped her getting fit and also helped her psychologically. Because of the BRCA mutation she inherited from me she decided on having bi-lateral mastectomies as risk-reducing surgeries. And she found out that her pectoral muscles were compromised and she was unable to do certain yoga positions. She received guidance from one of her yoga instructors and learned how to avoid problems and has taught sessions to other yoga instructors so that they could become knowledgeable and help women who have had extensive breast surgery to avoid injury and at the same time enjoy yoga.

She has also suggested that the instructors ask women, at the start of a session, to not do certain positions if they have had surgery and to contact them privately to get some guidance on some alternate positions. This has all been done as a volunteer and I am very proud of her efforts.

She also embraced the Mediterranean diet which helped her be more fit.

Finally, she teaches art to young children at a Montessori school and I think that puts her focus on an activity she really enjoys.

MaryMom, Donna thank you for this thread and I hope we will hear more inspirational stories.

with my love to all here,

Steve


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I am a BRCA1+ grandson, son and father of women affected by breast/oc-my daughter inherited mutation from me, and at 36, was dx 2004 TNBC I am a volunteer patient advocate with SAGE Patient Advocates



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