Preparing for Surgery: Nutrition

Anxious? Of course! Sad that I’m losing my boobs? Definitely! But I want the cancerous tumors out of my body even more. In fact, I can’t wait till they’re out!

So, how do I prepare my body for my double mastectomy that will last around four hours? The next few posts share what I do… I begin with nutrition. What I put in my body matters!

Detox Green Shake:

I blend the ingredients in my Blendtec and drink it each morning. Added bonus, my skin has a healthy glow!

Ingredients:

1 large handful of kale or 3 kale leaves

2 handfuls of spinach

8 sliced strawberries

1-inch slice of fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 ½ cups of alkaline water (I sometimes infuse the alkaline water with fresh lemon and cucumber and let it sit in the fridge)

1 scoop protein powder (optional)

Press the “smoothie” button, and voila, it’s done!

Here’s the Blendtec I use:

http://www.blendtec.com/blenders/classic-570

Protein Powders:

Here are pics of my various protein powders. Three are whey and the Total Vegan is plant-based. You could use that one if you're allergic to dairy since whey is dairy. 

Greens Powder:

I sip another 16 ounce green drink throughout the day called 7.2 Greens made by The Alkaline Company. It’s important to keep my pH more on the alkaline side. I don’t want to be too acidic. I love this stuff and it tastes good! Besides, cancer can’t live in an alkaline environment.

http://www.sevenpoint2.com/cart_productspage.html

Meeting with a Nutritionist:

I meet with Carolyn Katzin, a nutritionist at the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology. So helpful! She tests my body and recommends that I eat lots of protein, especially after the surgery to rebuild my body and to prepare it for the chemotherapy that will follow. She also recommends the protein powders listed above. I restrict my diet from soy and flax because my cancer is hormonally driven (ER+: estrogen receptor positive) and both soy and flax are estrogen producing.

Probiotic:

I take a refrigerated probiotic every morning. If you can, it’s best to wait 30 minutes after taking it before eating. Start small with one drop, then work your way up. 

http://www.ascendedhealth.com/products_Anti_Aging_Superfood.htm#ProAlive

Supplements:

I also take mushrooms, turmeric, bromelain (pineapple stem), and drink Pau D’Arco herbal tea.

http://www.herb-care.com

Baking Soda and Water:

I’ve also tried a ½ teaspoon baking soda in an 8-ounce glass of water. That’s been said to raise your pH to a more alkaline level.