Just checked in (don't spend much time even on conversations lately).... glad to hear that it's what they thought and not the other. re: caffeine... reducing your caffeine intake really helps! And helps the stress management too. Take it from an ex-caffeine junkie. At my worst, 2 cups of coffee and 6-10 diet cokes a day!! (I LOVE diet coke in a can!) I've been caffeine free for 3.5 years now! Well, mostly caffeine-free, it's hard to avoid it completely... I was never a chocoholic (I didn't even like chocolate until my mid-thirties!) so I don't eat much of it... but I haven't given it up. I also drink decaf coffee... which does have small amounts of caffeine. I may have a caffeinated root beer by mistake once in a while (some, like barq's, has caffeine, some, like A&W, doesn't). I don't drink real coffee. In fact in the past 3.5 years the only real coffee I had was that first summer while touring in Scotland and it became more of a problem to get decaf than just drink the stuff... and I wasn't fully weaned. now, I'd just skip it! I cut back in a couple of steps... went from 8-10 diet cokes a day to 2, keeping my cups of coffee at 1-2, or drinking decaf if it was just as available. I was very proud of myself. I remember the conversation with my doctor, though, when telling him I had "cut back" from nearly a case of diet coke a day. "That's really good!" he said. "Now Quit." I have noticed the differences of being caffeine free. The withdrawal week was tough, but not as tough as I expected. Now, I am less cystic (my are mostly POS-polycystic ovarian syndrome), have less headaches, and show better stress management. Not too long ago I was out to dinner. When dessert was served I dug in, took one bite, and could "feel" the espresso hit my blood stream. And it wasn't pleasant. I was eating Tiramisu, made the "right" way! I don't eat tiramisu anymore, either!! Good Luck!

It bothers me that soy is touted as a healthy food, and many people are eating it thinking it's a good thing. But it's NOT. I avoid all types of soy, and I've never had cancer. I've considered almond milk, rice milk, etc. but have you read the labels on these products? Carrageenan is in them all, another thing I avoid. It's also in a lot of dairy, so I read labels to find products without it. Soy, carrageenan, aspartame, the list goes on of poisons we consume. The worst of all may be genetically modified foods, and most everyone is eating loads of GMO "foods" and they don't even know it. The only way around it is to eat a whole-food, organic diet with no pre-packaged foods, snack items or restaurants. This is very hard, time-consuming and expensive. But boy can I tell a difference in the way I feel. I'm just coming off of several months of lots of eating out and snack foods, and it is hard but I'm determined to get back to a healthier diet. From the studies I've read, soy is very bad for those with cancer and thyroid, but it also is bad for anyone. Just be aware of all the other bad things in our food supply, and take the time to read up about GMO's. It opened my eyes about the FDA, for one thing, and made me realize that we are all on our own for finding healthy foods to consume.

I am so amazed at everyone here. We all have a story to tell. Some are harder then others. When it is said that you don't know until you have walked in their shoes, this is truier then you could ever imagine. I remember my sisters last battle with cancer. She decided not to do any treatment. Her doctor was wonderful to her. He told her if it was his mother facing this he would advise her in the same way. We had thought we would have my sister through the hoildays. She died two months later on September 4th. Sadly, it was on my youngest daughter's 30th birthday. I lived about an hour away and went every other day to spend time with her. When we knew time was running out I packed my bags and told my hubby I wouldn't be back until it was over. I am so thankful I was there. My grandma died a horrible death with cancer. I saw her for the last time on my wedding day. We went to her house after the ceremony. While on my honeymoon I called every day to check on her. We came home early so I could see her one last time. She died 30 minutes before we got there. She was a fabulous lady and only 54 years old. I have lost 17 loved ones from both my family and my hubbies.. It changes a person's life forever. For myself, I don't think of it often. I go get checked when I need to and live my life to the fullest every day. I worry about our daughters and grandaughters having to someday deal with this. But, that being said, we can't sit back and wait for it to happen. If it happens we will do all we can to stand together and deal with it.. Cancer is no longer a death sentence like it was years ago. I also know when you are first told it is the first thing to come to a person's mind. It is hard not the think this way. I pray everyone here has the best that life has to offer them. For me I think of my wonderful father-in-law so much. I know when I have a really great day he is smiling down at me and saying, "Great job, Susie." Some days I really feel like he is patting me on the back. Enjoy all you have..

I grew up in a small Southern chicken farming town so I made the healthy chicken choice back in the 70's. I did skim a couple articles just curious about 'woody' having never heard of it. Seems to still be a problem but many factory worker final packagers have developed a fell for the firm 'woodiness' and toss those aside for grinding into sausages and the nugget market. ..."Broiler chickens have been bred to strengthen the genetic markers for large breast meat, and this is thought to be a factor in the development of woody breast in recent years. One indication of this is the Athens Canadian Random Bred, a broiler chicken that has been maintained since the 1950s for research purposes. Lesions indicative of woody breast are found in this heritage breed, but not to the extent of the typical modern broiler chicken. According to Glisson, selecting genes for growth and yield has caused breeders to inadvertently select for woody breast, too." article here I do agree with this... “Whether organics are worth the price difference depends on whether you think it’s important to have food raised with fewer pesticides and no antibiotics. I do,” says Marion Nestle, a U.S. food expert and professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University. “Taste is also personal. I think organic chicken tastes better. It should. They have to be cared for more carefully to survive not being treated with antibiotics.” article here