What I wish I knew BEFORE I had a mastectomy

For anyone facing a possible mastectomy- please consider having both breasts removed at the same time! I wish I had thought to ask for that if a mastectomy became necessary. That is my biggest regret!

On March 9, 2011 I went to Poudre Valley Hospital for an outpatient lumpectomy to remove a large lump that was suspected to be cancerous. I awoke from that procedure checked into a hospital bed having undergone a complete mastectomy of my right breast. It was a much larger mass than suspected, and was indeed cancer. In addition, the surgeon removed 15 lymph nodes, 7 of which tested positive for cancer. The diagnosis- metastasized Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.

Not knowing the extent of the cancer, or even if it was cancer yet, I had agreed with my surgeon that he should use his best judgment during the procedure as to how much of my breast to remove. Even as much as the whole breast if he deemed it necessary. I think he did that, and considering the extent of the cancer, he made the best possible decision.

Because I did not really even expect to be dealing with cancer, let alone as much as was found, I was unprepared for the ramifications of a complete mastectomy. Mainly, I quickly discovered that I HATED being lopsided. Being large breasted for the past few decades, meant I now had one large breast and one no breast. Clothes no longer fit well, and I became very self-conscious. I started down the path of trying to find a comfortable prosthetic breast for my right side. The most lifelike was made of rubber- hot and heavy. The most comfortable was a puff of fibers stuck in my bra- totally not lifelike did not move with my body, and needed constant adjusting. Three years, and lots of body-image therapy and workshops later, I still hated being lopsided, AND I hated wearing a prosthesis.

For anyone facing a possible a mastectomy- please consider having both breasts removed at the same time! I wish I had thought to ask for that if a mastectomy became necessary. That is my biggest regret!

Secondly, I quickly learned about the complications of lymphedema. Having lost so many lymph nodes, a chain in the front of my chest and a chain down my back, my scar area was not just the red line across my chest as I had seen in pictures. It was a large mass from my breast bone around my right side (under my arm) to my back. It was like a tight sheath that I wore under my skin every day. That sheath took almost two years to soften and stop being painful. Nerves were sacrificed in the procedure so some areas on my right side have never returned to normal.

I was warned while in the hospital that I might never regain the strength in that arm, and that I should be very vigilant not to injure it. Also that I could never again have a blood pressure test on my right arm, or any blood taken or injections given on that side. All to prevent any injury to that fragile side. Injury could induce a lymphedema episode.

For the first year I did not experience any lymphedema. Then one day about a year after the surgery I woke up with an elephant arm. It hurt! I had to learn to wear a tight, stretchy sleeve every day to bring down the swelling and pain. That made my hand and fingers puff up and ache, so I also had to wear a tight fingerless glove as well. I found a good lymphedema physical therapist to bring it under control. Now I get lymphedema massage every other week. And I've learned to be on guard for any signs of swelling and to wear my sleeve and glove as a preventative measure.

Three years after my mastectomy and diagnosis, I had a second surgery to remove some suspicious remaining breast tissue on the right side, and to remove my left breast. Turns out the suspicious tissue was just scar tissue and not cancerous. Meanwhile, I am so much happier to be flat-chested and not lopsided!

2nd Surgery to Complete the Mastectomy

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been 3 years since the surgery which diagnosed the original cancer. For the most part I have been doing very well and in many ways I feel I am healthier now than ever before. A PETscan from last May showed no evidence of cancer anywhere in my body. However, as many of you know, the original surgeon left behind a dangerous amount of breast tissue when he did the mastectomy. That breast issue has become very suspect and 2 lymph nodes on either side of the tissue have lit up recently with cancer.

So this Tuesday, March 18th, I will reluctantly be having another surgery to remove the problematic tissue on the right side. At that time, if possible, the surgeon will also remove one of the cancerous lymph nodes. This will allow some extensive testing on the cancer in the node that will help us determine if this is the same cancer, and what treatments would work best to stop it from spreading. The best news about this surgery is that since I will already "be under," they will also do a full mastectomy of my remaining breast. FINALLY, I will no longer be lopsided! I look forward to a summer of not having to wear a hot, rubber prosthesis. I plan to embrace flatchestedness and skimpy summer dresses.

I will be at the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland this time around. It is the big new hospital on I-25 near Hwy 34. Surgery will be around 10am in the morning (Tues, March 18), and I will have to stay over at least one night. Since my original surgery was planned as a simple outpatient lumpectomy, and turned into a full mastectomy with overnight hospital stay, I take comfort in knowing more what to expect this time.

Many of the loving people who know me have been asking what they can do to help or to support me during this time. My Beloved Ken will be there for me before, during and after the procedure. He is my rock! After my experience last time I know I will not be very coherent for any visitors on Tuesday. So if you would like to visit I suggest Wednesday. I hope to be discharged Wednesday late afternoon.

I would welcome prayers, candles, and visions of gentle, easy surgery and recovery all day Tuesday. One of the surgery-prep books suggest visualizing me on a pink healing cloud during the procedure and sending more pink clouds after. I've been using this time to create a Surgery Checklist full of ideas to prepare and recover. I also love cut flowers and think every sick person and every hospital room should have them. But if you are coming by you might consider bringing fresh, organic berries as I can't think of a more delightful break from hospital food.

I expect to be home at the Laporte House by Thursday, but I would prefer to have a quiet day to adjust to the recovery process on that day. However, by Friday I'm sure I would love visitors. In fact, I'm sure by Friday Ken would love to get back up to the land to continue the rebuild, so people to stay with me during the days from Friday March 21 through Thursday March 27th would be very welcome and give Ken a much needed break.

They tell me I will not be using my arms for some weeks afterwards. No driving for up to 6 weeks. So cooked meals would be a great blessing for both Ken and me. I imagine soups and stews would be easiest for everyone, but we would be open to any ideas. My main dietary restrictions are all organic foods, no sugar and no soy, and I can not tolerate strong spices, but we do eat meat and stevia is my very great friend. Ken is putting together a schedule for visitors and food, so please call him at 970-305-0678. He is recording three things- people who can stay with me for a half day or a day, people who can bring food, and people who would just like to stop by for a quick visit. This way he knows when he can get away to SunHaven.

Ken and I are doing well and are comfortable with this decision to have the surgery, although it complicates the home rebuilding process. On the SunHaven front, the upper windows for the loft are finally installed. We hope to complete the large, lower windows and install the two downstairs doors soon. There are still parts of the SIPs walls that need to be completed, and the roof is only about 1/3 done. In spite of the slow process and my surgery, we still plan to be living there in May. We have no choice as our insurance will no longer pay for in-town rent after May. We may be camping out for the summer, but at least we will be home!

 If you are close by and have to time to visit or bring food Ken and I would both be very grateful. If that does not work for you, or you live far away, we would welcome your prayers and good wishes. Either way, know you are in my thoughts and are an important part of my healing circle. I am very grateful that you have been a part of my life!

Magic Waters - Healing Waters

It’s true. Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. We all need water to survive. BUT at the same time bad water can be deadly. In contrast, there are what I call the “magic" waters- water that heals while nourishing the body.


In our town of Fort Collins, Colorado we supposedly have exceptionally healthy city water, with little chlorine taste or smell. Nonetheless, this city-treated water is full of chlorine, fluoride (mandated by the City and gotten cheap from nuclear-waste sources-ugh!), plus other people’s hormones and prescriptions that are still in the processed toilet water we are drinking. On top of that, most of our purchased (supposedly clean, filtered) water has questionable sources, questionable filtering, and is distributed in plastic containers.

Why does this matter? Cancer compromises your overall health. So when you are fighting cancer (or trying to stay alive during chemo) everything you put in (and on) your body can adversely or positively affect your health. This is just common sense. So Cancer Thrivers are careful to eat nontoxic, organic, nutrient-dense foods. We eliminate body products with toxic chemicals. And we need to find quality water sources.

Why care about plastic containers? Plastic water containers are made of a resin that releases plastic estrogen into the water. Even the so-called BPA-free plastics do this if they are heated and cooled with liquid in them. The softer the plastic bottle, the more likely you are drinking plastic estrogen. My cancer is estrogen-receptive, so one of the first things my doctor suggested was that I NEVER drink from a plastic bottle again. I do use 3 gallon plastic bottles to transport my water from the store to home, but I keep these containers sterile and in a temperature controlled environment until I can transfer the water into a glass dispenser.

Ways I Use Water to Help me Thrive 1. Never drink from a plastic bottle again. You do not know how long that water was stored, and at what temperatures, in the warehouse. Get glass drinking bottles and containers. They are pricey, or you can get Voss Drinking water in 12 or 24 oz bottles for only about $3 at your health food store. Drink the water, save the bottle. I also get a $3 foam bottle holder with a carrying strap from Walmart and protect the Voss bottle in it. 2. Buy Reverse-Osmosis filtered water. It is cheap (about 25 cents a gallon) and it is the only filtering process that removes EVERYTHING. Trouble is, it removes EVERYTHING- even good-for-you minerals and electrolytes. So I re-filter my reverse-osmosis water in a Nikken water filter (which filters through minerals and has rocks on the bottom adding healthy minerals to the water), or add Prill Beads once a year to my glass kitchen water dispenser to get minerals (like magnesium) into the water for drinking. 3. Put a filter on your shower head and bath faucet. Chlorine, fluoride, and other people’s hormones and prescriptions will enter your body through your pores and your skin if you do not filter them out. If you are lucky enough to have your own well, test it for drinking. Our well at our mountain home is 500 feet deep and tests as extremely healthy and pure. So at the mountain home we do not worry about consuming or bathing in this deep-well water. 4. Drink a glass of lemon water every morning. Squeeze a fresh lemon into 12-16 oz of very pure, warm water. Drink it before getting out of bed if possible- it’s a positive thing your partner can do for you every day. It starts your day with a nurturing act for you and your body- it is very good for your liver and your gall bladder, activates your internal organs, gets you vitamin C, helps alkalinize your body, stimulates your colon, and just plain feels like you are taking good care of yourself. Drink it first thing, then wait 20 minutes before consuming anything else (except water) for the day. 5. Uncle Charlie’s Magic Spring Water- Just north of Black Hawk, Colorado is Uncle Charlie’s Ranch. He has a spring at 10,000 foot elevation that has some of the purest, healthiest water on earth. So pure it is routinely studied by Colorado State University. So pure and healthy my doctor recommended it. He will only sell it in glass containers, and you can bring your own glass containers for refill. When you visit the ranch you can have him fill a cowboy hot tub of this pure water and soak in it. We get gallons every time we are in the area. I drink 12-16 oz of Uncle Charlie’s Magic Water every morning before getting out of bed, even before drinking my lemon water! www.unclecharliesranch.com 6. Drink lots of pure water every day. As a general rule you should take your body weight, divide by 2, and drink that many ounces of water a day! So if you weigh 128 lbs, you only need to drink 64 ounces (1 gallon) of water a day. For 256 pounds, you need 2 gallons of water a day. 7. Use water to alkalinize your body. Some people drink "alkalinized water," but I have not researched or tried this. I use a product called MyPH11 (get it online or I get it at my doctor's office thehealinggardens.org) as an deodorant spray. It is simply water alkalinized to PH11 in a glass spray bottle. By spraying it directly on my skin under my arms this alkalinized water goes directly into my lymph area near where my cancer exists. Cancer can not survive in an alkaline state (nor can bacteria which is why this makes a great natural deodorant). It is super cheap ($3 for a refill) and effective. 8. Use natural products for hot tubbing. Standard hot tub products keep the water clean at the expense of what the harsh chemicals do to your skin and health. I love to hot tub and use it therapeutically to keep my mastectomy site flexible and comfortable. I use Colloidal Silver to condition the water and keep it clean. Again it is simple, easy and cheap! I get Hot Tub Silver online and it costs about $50 for 4 bottles that last about 1 year for our 300 gallon tub. Plus it conditions your skin and promotes your overall health while you are soaking in it.

Kate’s Anti-Cancer, Anti-Estrogen Food Choice Guidelines

My anti-cancer food choices are based on some simple concepts.

• I choose high-quality, nutrient-dense, more traditional, fresh or frozen foods.
• Plus I take high-quality nutritional supplements to support my immune system and body terrain. 
• Diagnosed with Estrogen-Receptive cancer. I do not feed it estrogenic foods and I eat anti-estrogenic foods daily.

There are foods I NEVER eat-

• #1 Sugar feeds cancer!
• NO Cane Sugar, Beet Sugar, Honey, or Maple Syrup.
• Agave Syrup does not seem to feed cancer,
• BUT the way it is processed is toxic.
• Avoid it unless you know the manufacturing is pure.
• For a sweetener I use the Stevia plant.
• Other people successfully use Xylitol or Erythitol.
• Dried fruits are concentrated sugar.
• NO Whites- Flour, Rice, Potatoes
• Soy Feeds Estrogen- No soybeans, soy sauce or tofu!
• NO Processed Cheeses and Meats, No Farmed Fish
• NO Wheat (except sprouted wheat breads)
• NO GMOs or Corn, Soy or Canola oils
• NO Vinegars (except Apple Cider Vinegar)
• NO Yeasts or Mushrooms (except Shitake, Reishi and Cordyceps- they have cancer-fighting properties)
• NO Margarines or hydrogenated Fats
• NO Peanuts or Peanut Butter, Pistashios- Peanuts and Pistashios have cancer-causing fungus. Switch to organic Almonds and Almond Butter

Some food products are not really food.

Know the difference!

NO ARTIFICIAL Sugars, Flavoring, Coloring

NO Nutrisweet, Sacchrin, Preservatives or MSG!

With an Estrogen-receptive cancer,

I also do not consume Estrogenic foods or products-

NEVER again drink water from a plastic bottle.

NO Soy. Especially not GMO-Soy. No Edamane, Soy Sauce, Tofu, Tempeh. I do occasionally eat traditionally fermented Miso.

NO Sunflower seeds (switch to Pumpkin Seeds)

NO Flax seed oil (fresh ground flax seeds are ok)

NO Alfalfa Sprouts, Licorice, or Clover

Then there are foods I eat everyday-

Dark leafy greens- like Kale, Romaine or Spinach, Cucumbers, Celery and/or Parsley

Cultured/Fermented foods- Sauerkraut, real Pickles

Bone Broth, Walnuts and Almonds

Dark Berries- Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Marionberries

An Egg- organic, pastured-raised (read more... )

I drink Coconut Water and Green Tea,

      and LOTS of pure, filtered WATER everyday

Some foods are known to kill cancer cells and prevent cancer-

Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, Seaweeds. Seeing a pattern here?

Some foods are Anti-Estrogenic- I choose daily from

Hemp and Chia seeds, Dark Berries, Eggs, Fish Oils and Salmon, Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Onions and Garlic

There are more foods I eat (but not necessarily everyday)-

Choose high-nutrient, high QUALITY foods.

  Choosing Organic matters.

Choose from a range of high-quality proteins-

      Grass-fed Beef including organ meats like liver

      Wild Caught Salmon and Trout

      Organic Chicken and Turkey (read more... )

      Raw Cultured Dairy- yogurt, butter, cheeses

nonDark Leafy Green Vegetables- Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potato, New Red Potatoes, Peas, Green Beans

Whole Grains- Amaranth, Quinoa, Brown or Wild Rice, Barley, Millet, Oatmeal, Sprouted Wheat Breads, Lentils, Garbanzo, Lima Azduki and Black Beans

Choose organic nuts, seeds and fruits for snacks.

      Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, Filberts, Coconut flakes

      Pumpkin, Sesame, Flax, Chia, Hemp seeds, Buckwheat

      Tart Cherries, Purple Grapes, Pear, Grapefruit, Peach

      Avocado, Kalamata Olives

OILS- use ONLY ORGANIC Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil (with MCTs), Avocado or Walnut Oil

Vinegars- use ONLY organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Great Spices- Turmeric, Cinnamon, Ginger, Garlic

Kate's Daily Food and Supplement Protocol

Wakeup- 16 oz very pure water
This is the perfect time to rehydrate your body with very pure water. Whatever you consume at this moment will be taken quickly to your dehydrated cells. I buy from a 10,000 foot high spring in Colorado (see www.unclecharliesranch.com).

Next drink - ½ fresh squeezed Lemon Juice in 16 oz warm, pure water

Wait 20 minutes before eating
This lemon water replenishes and “wakes up” your organs. It is especially good for your liver and gall bladder, encouraging their ability to rid your body of toxins. I usually have a healthy bowel movement during the 20 wait.

Breakfast Smoothie- every morning
This starts my day with plenty of healthy, high quality nutrients. I use a VitaMix or NutriBullet blender.
8 oz Coconut Water
½ C Steamed Kale, Parsley, Spinach, Beet Greens, or Chard
If uncooked these have too much oxalic acid and make my kidneys ache. So I steam and freeze them for morning smoothies.

½ Cucumber- cubed
1 stalk Celery- chopped (or Asparagus or Broccoli) 
1 C Dark Berries – Blue, Black, or Marion Berries (or organic Purple Grapes with the seeds)
Buy organic frozen berries- they are easy.
1 Organic, Pasture-raised Egg
1 TB Hemp seed- for more protein
2 TB Flax Seed
Handful of soaked Walnuts

I add all my liquid supplements to this smoothie-

Fermented Cod Liver Oil – 3ml (3000mg Omega 3s)
Emulsified D3 drops – 20,000UL
Zinc liquid – 65mg
Selenium drops - 200mcg
Plus for flavor- 1 dropperful Stevia – Berry or Chocolate flavor

I take these supplements with my Breakfast Smoothie-
Probiotic – 10+ strains, 50+ billion
Ubiquinal CoQ10 – 200 mg
Niacin – 500mg
Red Yeast Rice – 800mg
Quercetin/Vit C – 2000mg
Turmeric – 800 mg
Shark Liver or Krill Oil – 1500 mg (Omega 3s)

Plus from Natura-
Vital Adapt – 2ml
And these from Healing Gardens-
XenoProtex – 2 caps
MethylProtect – 1 cap (or B12 – 1000 mg) 

After Breakfast (or sometime during the day)
Get 30 minutes Sunshine

Snacks- Green Tea- hot or iced
Choose- Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, Hazelnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Kalamata Olives, Avocado, Organic Pear, Peach, Apple, Cherries, Grapefruit, or Almond Butter on Celery

For Lunch-
Choose a Salad and Protein- such as wild-caught Salmon, organic Chicken, or grass-fed Beef
Or Salad and a high-nutrient Carb- like Sweet Potato, Squash, Sprouted Wheat Bread, or other whole grains

Dinner- Vegetables/Protein

A Fermented Vegetable- Sauerkraut or traditional pickles 

Cancer fighting Greens- Kale, Cabbage, or Broccoli

With the largest meal of the day I take these supplements-
Black Currant Seed Oil – 2 gels
Digestive Enzymes
Niacin – 500mg
Red Yeast Rice – 800mg
Quercetin/Vit C – 2000mg
Turmeric – 800 mg
SOD – 250 mg

Plus these from Natura-  
Inflamaway – 2 caps
Cell Guardian – 2 caps

Bedtime-
2 oz Cannabinoid tonic (marijuana tonic)
2 oz Distilled Aloe Vera juice (George’s is my favorite brans- it has no bitterness)
Magnesium Taurate – 125 mg
Quercetin/Vit C – 2000mg
Herbal laxative - if needed

The Scoop on Chickens and Eggs

How to Buy Chickens and Eggs

Skinless Chicken can be a great source of protein. Eggs are not only a good source of easily digested protein but a good source of healthy fats (in the yolks).

The problem is today’s chicken and egg factories are riddled with disease and horrible food raising practices. No wonder their products are packed with antibiotics.

For instance, the FDA warns us all about the “dangers of salmonella.” In fact, chicken meat (and eggs) CAN NOT develop salmonella while sitting on your counter- UNLESS the chicken was diseased before being sold or the egg was laid by a diseased chicken. Instead of cleaning up the chicken factories creating the salmonella, the FDA put their funds into educating the public about how to eat diseased foods without getting sick.

So What Do the Labels mean? 

• Organic- government regulated and enforced means – NO pesticides or other artificial chemicals in the feed or environment. 
• Cage-free- can mean 10,000 chickens stuffed in a barn with no cages. 
• Free-Range- may only mean this barn has an opening to a concrete pad. 
• Natural- only means no antibiotics or hormones were added after slaughter. Has no meaning for how animal was raised or fed. 
• Farm-raised- has no meaning. All chicken factories call themselves farms. 
• No hormones added- has no real meaning, but is used to confuse in marketing- since USDA does not permit added hormones in any chicken (or pork). 
• Air Chilled Chicken- means instead of being submerged in cold chlorinated water with all the other dead chickens, this chicken was hung individually in a cold environment for processing. It means less transmission of harmful organisms, cuts out the chlorine, and avoids water retention in the flesh.

So What to Choose?

• Good- Organic
• Organic, air-chilled chickens
• Organic, cage-free, free-range eggs
• Better- Pastured (pasture-raised), organic chicken and eggs
• Best- Direct from Farmer
• Find a chicken farmer at the local Farmers Market who loves what they do, learn their practices and get your poultry directly from the source.
• Awesome- Raise your own backyard chickens! They are easy and fun. 
• Most towns allow a limited number of backyard chickens. Six chickens will produce 4-6 eggs a day! They need fresh water every day. They will eat all your kitchen scraps, plus some grain or chicken feed. 

Eat More "Traditional" Foods

Enjoy healthy meats, friendly fats, and high-nutritional foods by eating more "traditional" foods.

The bottom line is that we have evolved to eat a diet that contains enough fat and protein to cause
satiety, lots of green vegetables and minimal amounts of fruits and starchy vegetables.

Our bodies really can't cope with huge levels of refined carbohydrates and processed foods as have
recently been added to the modern diet.

More detail about the benefits of traditional foods as well such as raw milk, organ meats, bone broths
and fermented foods can be found in books such as Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

Healthy Protein-dense foods-

• Pastured, organic, small family farm raised
• Eggs
• Pastured, organic, small family farm raised
• Chicken and Turkey
• Wild caught Alaskan Salmon
• Lean, grass-fed Beef and Liver
• Buffalo
• Game foods (Venison, Elk, Moose)

Friendly Fats-

• Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil with the MCTs
• Walnut or Avocado Oil
• Cultured, Raw, Grass-fed Butter
• Kalamata Olives
• Avocados
• Nuts- *Walnuts, *Almonds, Coconut, Pine Nuts
• Seeds- Pumpkin, Flax, *Chia and Hemp

For Non-protein, non-fat FOODS-
Choose from the Nutrient Density- ANDI scale (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index scale)

1. *Kale – ORG only
2. Collard Greens – ORG only
3. Bok Choy
4. Spinach – ORG only
5. Brussel Sprouts
6. Arugula
7. *Cabbage
8. Romaine Lettuce – ORG only
9. *Broccoli
10. Cauliflower
11. Green Peppers – ORG only
12. Artichokes
13. Carrots
14. Asparagus
15. Strawberries – ORG only
16. Pomegranate
17. Tomato
18. Blueberries – ORG only

Fermented Foods-

• *Sauerkraut- cultured, fermented without preservatives
• Cultured Pickles
• Greek-style Yogurt and Kefir
• Cultured Raw Milk, Cream and Butter

*Marks Known Cancer Fighting Foods

Known Cancer Fighting Foods also include-

• *Turmeric
• *Ginger
• *Shitaki, Reishi, and Cordyceps Mushrooms

Let Food Be Thy Medicine

My anti-cancer food choices are based on some simple concepts.

• I choose high-quality, nutrient-dense, more traditional, fresh or frozen foods.
• I take high-quality nutritional supplements to support my immune system and body terrain.
• My tumor was diagnosed as Estrogen-Receptive. So I do not feed it estrogenic foods and try to eat anti-estrogenic foods daily.

There are foods I NEVER eat-

• #1 Sugar feeds cancer  (see the proof on your own PETscan)
• NO Cane Sugar, Beet Sugar, Honey, or Maple Syrup.
• Agave Syrup does not seem to feed cancer,
• BUT the way it is processed is toxic.
• Avoid it unless you know the manufacturing is pure.
• For a sweetener I use the Stevia plant.
• Other people successfully use Xylitol or Erythitol.
• Dried fruits are concentrated sugar.
• NO Whites- Flour, Rice, Potatoes
• Soy Feeds Estrogen- No soybeans, soy sauce or tofu!
• NO Processed Cheeses and Meats, No Farmed Fish
• NO Wheat (except sprouted wheat breads)
• NO GMOs or Corn, Soy or Canola oils
• NO Vinegars (except Apple Cider Vinegar)
• NO Yeasts or Mushrooms (except Shitake, Reishi and Cordyceps- they have cancer-fighting properties)
• NO Margarines or hydrogenated Fats
• NO Peanuts or Peanut Butter, Pistashios- Peanuts and Pistashios have cancer-causing fungus. Switch to organic Almonds and Almond Butter

Some food products are not really food.   Know the difference!
Say NO to ARTIFICIAL Sugars, Flavoring, Coloring
Say NO to Nutrisweet, Sacchrin, Preservatives or MSG!

There are foods I eat everyday-

Dark leafy greens- like Kale, Romaine or Spinach
Cucumbers, Celery and/or Parsley
Cultured/Fermented foods- Sauerkraut, real Pickles
Bone Broth, Walnuts and Almonds
Dark Berries- Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Marionberries
An Egg- organic, pastured-raised
Drink Coconut Water and Green Tea,
      and LOTS of pure, filtered WATER everyday

Some foods are known to kill cancer cells and prevent cancer-
Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, Seaweeds. Seeing a pattern here?

Some foods are Anti-Estrogenic- I choose daily from- Hemp and Chia seeds, Dark Berries, Eggs, Fish Oils and Salmon, Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Onions and Garlic

There are more foods I eat (but not necessarily everyday)-
I always try to choose high-nutrient, high QUALITY foods.
  Choosing Organic matters.

Choose from a range of high-quality proteins-
      Grass-fed Beef including organ meats like liver
      Wild Caught Salmon and Trout
      Organic Chicken and Turkey
      Raw Cultured Dairy- yogurt, butter, cheeses

nonDark Leafy Green Vegetables- Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potato, New Red Potatoes, Peas, Green Beans

Whole Grains- Amaranth, Quinoa, Brown or Wild Rice, Barley, Millet, Oatmeal, Sprouted Wheat Breads, Lentils, Garbanzo, Lima Azduki and Black Beans

Choose organic nuts, seeds and fruits for snacks.
      Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, Filberts, Coconut flakes
      Pumpkin, Sesame, Flax, Chia, Hemp seeds, Buckwheat
      Tart Cherries, Purple Grapes, Pear, Grapefruit, Peach
      Avocado, Kalamata Olives

OILS- use ONLY ORGANIC Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil (with MCTs), Avocado or Walnut Oil

Vinegars- use ONLY organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Great Spices- Turmeric, Cinnamon, Ginger, Garlic

My Story and Diagnosis- Why I decided to say NO to chemo and radiation

My name is Kate Taylor. I was born in 1955. I am blessed to live in the mountains outside Fort Collins, Colorado. Before my diagnosis, for over 15 years I published a local holistic magazine that I founded and created. For 5 years, until his death, I provided care and support for my father after his devastating stroke which left him completely paralyzed and voiceless. He taught me the power of mind over body. In 2008 I took over the primary care of my brother who is completely paralyzed and voiceless due to ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease). I still manage his care. He inspires me to treat everyday like an adventure. One year before my diagnosis, I cared for and lost my mother to colon cancer. She taught me about unconditional love. My adult daughter (who is not my biological daughter) has beaten cancer twice using chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. She is my inspiration for "kicking cancer's butt" and she taught me that everyone has their own "best" way to heal themselves. My son taught me to look inside myself and believe in my own inner wisdom. I am enjoying my second marriage to a loving and supportive man.

Most of my adult life I have had lumps in my breasts. Over the years I learned that eliminating sugar, caffeine and stress would cause the lumps to reduce and disappear. But the September after my mother's death the quarter-sized lump in my right breast would not go away. It hurt and I knew it needed to be checked out. My doctor stated the AMA party-line- "Get a mammogram." I thought this was silly as mammograms only tell you if you have a lump. I knew I had a lump. I also knew that if your lump is cancerous, sometimes a biopsy will spread the cancer. I wanted a lumpectomy, so the lump could be removed and analyzed. Five months later, I was able to find a doctor who would refer me to a surgeon IF I had a sonogram (ultrasound) first. The radiologist doing the sonogram sent me directly to a surgeon for a lumpectomy. By then it was March of 2011.

Scheduled for an outpatient lumpectomy and removal of 2-3 sentinel lymph nodes, I told the surgeon to use his best judgment on how much of the breast and nodes to remove. When I awoke I found my entire right breast had been removed plus 15 (2 chains) of lymph nodes. The surgeon knew he was dealing with a lot of cancer, and in spite of my shock, he followed my instructions in hopes I would not need further surgery. (See"What I Wish I Knew BEFORE the Mastectomy.")


Pathology on the tumor and lymph nodes showed
a 3.7cm invasive ductal carcinoma was removed
7 of the 15 lymph nodes were positive for cancer
The cancer is
Estrogen Receptive
Progesterone Receptive
HER-2/neu negative A PETscan revealed the cancer was in more lymph nodes still in my body. Because these cancerous lymph nodes were not located in my right breast area, it was determined the cancer had metastasized and I was labeled "stage 4." Prognosis-- a 12% chance of living 5 more years. Further testing suggests the cancer is not in my bloodstream or bones, nor are there more tumors in my body.

I visited two oncologists. The first one was a "my way or the highway" kind of doctor with a top-notch reputation. She said as a stage 4, I could not be cured, but could increase my chances of living past 5 years by 20-30% with a full course of chemo, then radiation, then at least 5 years of chemo-pill estrogen inhibitors. Had I been diagnosed stage 3 she would have given me 75-85% chances. She would not agree to work with me if I chose any natural, holistic, or alternative treatments during her protocol. The second opinion doctor (now my current oncologist Dr Miho Scott, MD) encouraged me to do the chemo and radiation, but was willing to work with me to monitor my progress while I investigated more natural alternatives.
I immediately found a local holistic doctor who would monitor my "body terrain" (using nutritional tests etc). Then I began my research into what kind of treatments made sense for me.

I could not get onboard with the medical philosophy of trying to out-poison the cancer. It seemed to me that I stood a 70% chance of dying from their treatments. And the treatments are dreadful. My own belief system encouraged me to reduce toxins and poisons, while supporting my body to heal and manage the cancer itself. My own theory is that having cancer in your lymph nodes is a good thing as it allows the lymph to do its job of removing bad things from the body. I just need to support it in doing that.

With the help of my holistic doctor (Dr Jacqueline Fields, MD), a botanical practitioner (Jonathan Treasure), and nutritional/hormonal blood testing SpectraCell and Berkeley), we developed a nutritional/nutracuetical protocol. In addition, I learned to manage my stress, put my self-care first, refine my diet and supplement intake, live life like I might lose it and do the stuff on my bucket list. My oncologist (Dr Miho Scott, MD) keeps a close eye on my progress with exams, blood tests, cancer markers, and PETscans. Eventually the evidence of cancer in my lymph nodes lessened until only a few "suspicious" areas remain. My cancer markers are low and stable. The CTC (Circulating Tumor Count) shows a consistant ZERO for any cancer in my bloodstream. Estrogen is measuring consistantly lower than 20 (my goal).
I believe I am healthier now than before my diagnosis. I am certainly happier.