My healthy addiction.

To tell you the truth, I’m getting tired of cooking and eating those healthy soups. And on the top of it I’m so busy lately that I don’t even have the time to cook anymore. So I was searching frantically for other, easier way to get my healthy nutrients. And I found it! —ENSURE – NUTRITION SHAKE – TO HELP GET STRONG ON THE INSIDE – COMPLETE, BALANCED NUTRITION – # 1 DOCTOR RECOMENDED BRAND – 8 FL. OZ – VANILLA OR THE OTHER FLAVORS. Great! This shake has lot more good stuff in it, than my soup. And how very convenient! And honestly, I like the taste of it. Of course, I have to eat some food beside this, but one or two shakes on a busy day will keep me going. I have to stay in shape, just for the case if “MR. UGLY” (cancer) will decide to invite me some day to some Arm Wrestling Match……. or something……  You never know. This Monster is very sneaky.

My friend told me: “You are going to get fat drinking this stuff”. So I told her: “I’m going to worry about this WHEN or IF I get fat”.

And my neighbor said: “How do you know if this stuff is doing you any good?” And I told him: “Hey, I’m alive, no?”

And my other friend told me: “You look good, you don’t need this stuff”. And I told him: “I look good, because I’m drinking this stuff”.

Some people are so very skeptical……. Try it for yourself. Maybe you can skip one not so very healthy meal a day and enjoy something “good for you and easy”. Cheers!

843 thoughts on “My healthy addiction.”

    1. My sister has Adenocarcinoma II B Wet; she just got her first mouth sore and is looking for foods with less acid. Do you know how to find out the acid content?

  2. I too had to find some thing, anything that would be easier than staying in the grocers and the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I still keep to all things good in the kitchen and during the day; however, I have slipped a protein shake in for the mornings.

    So far, I haven’t met with any naysayers. I don’t believe in getting fat just from giving our bodies what it needs/what we need in order to be healthy.

    I’m happy to be a survivor and will do what is necessary to stay one. From the tone of your posts you sound the same.

    Cheers to being healthy!

  3. I love your sense of humour even for a serious thing. That, I guess is the first thing that stood out to me in this post. Thank you for sharing this.

    1. When Linda had breast cancer I became a basket case. Some vows that I took (in sickness and in health) had tolerable or fun ramifications but the “till death do us part” part…I never took seriously. When Linda was in treatment, making recovery, I bided the time, waiting for the day we could go back to our former “glory days.” We celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary yesterday. We’ll never fully recuperate what was lost. Instead we have grown and hope to continue appreciating all the wild ups and downs. It has been a rollercoaster ride and we love it!

      Don’t give up (especially when it seems impossible). Take the word “wonderful” (http://mlbergitn.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/word/) and apply it to work, faith, and love. You can do it!

      It is difficult to organize for the unknown. I tried to chronicle our journey. I was asked to expand my “lessons learned” into instructions for all men. (Anyone could add to these on http://caregivermanual.blog.com/caregivers-manual-for-men/ if they desired.) Next I tried to create a Men’s Caregiver Support Group program because not all of us are reached through reading. The “In Their Names” (ITN) agenda was offered as a stop gap measure (instead of “we’ve got nothing” there is now a “we’ve got a proposal but will it work…has anybody else implemented it…what else could we try…” alternative). This recognizes that Grief Support Programs don ‘t target reducing the cause of the grief, only the consequence of grieving situations (which may have ties to becoming better caregivers).

      The harsh reality is that nobody wants to learn about becoming a caregiver; persons thrust into caregiving situations want to learn about becoming better caregivers. To become the best caregiver you can be, a person must not wait to start learning about giving improved care to care-receivers. But I yammer. Most of my work in caregiver advocacy is largely unknown. However I built several structures to house these resources in the event future generations or present collaborators wish to tackle the problem. It’s not my problem but each of us becomes an expert of sorts. Here is an opportunity to do something with that expertise. I look at it like philanthropy without a dollar sign.

      So back from Global to Local: We all win lotteries. Some just have more $$$$.

      Dan

  9. Those protein shakes are a GREAT way to supplement a diet. Packed with nutrients and loaded with protein, they are a perfect replacement for a greasy hamburger and plate full of fries! They may not taste as good, but they are a helluva lot better for you.

    Here you go…go to a store like GNC and buy the protein powder and mix your own shakes. You can tell your friends you are working on building muslce mass. LOL Truly, making your own is THE way to go if you like these. All you need is a blender or milkshake maker. You can add all sorts of fun things to the mix. I’m partial to slightly over ripe bananas. 🙂

    1. Great advice Chuck. I’ve used protein powders and bars almost every day for the past 3 years. This has key to helping me maintain a weight loss of almost 60 lbs.Thanks, Anna for the post.

  10. Hi Anna, I see that you’re reading through my posts, and that makes me smile! Thank you for checking them out. I have found a Blog called “Finding Subjects”. You will see it on my blogroll. This is “Tony” and he has turned to photography/blogging as he fights a heart disease and is now a stay at home kinda guy. He is wonderful and his work is inspirational. I think you might enjoy it! Hugs, from Sue

  11. Also, wanted to mention that if you take Ensure or Boost, and blend it with some ice cubes, and a little ice cream, very good! This has been one of my husband’s favorite standbys, as his appetite at this point in his illness. The doctor said, just make sure he gets at least one nutrional drink a day, and that will “ensure” the vitamins and minerals that he needs to have.

  14. I’ve learned over the years you have to do what you think is best for your body and health. Others may have their opinions but they are just that.. opinions!

    Glad you found something you like to replace the soups. Variety really is important in any lifestyle choice!

    Reikae

  15. I have a fellow blogger — some call him a scammer — who regularly comments on my blog esp regarding health issues. I don’t think he is. He is a Doctor. Anyway even if he is he really contributes to the discussion. Good to meet you

  16. First of all, let me say that I very much appreciate your visiting and then deciding to follow me. Secondly, I have read several of your posts and find that I must just be doing all the things you recommend without knowing they were good for me except that I am now 80+ and doing pretty well. I average 4 hrs a day at pottery and then another 4 hrs doing my novel writing. My wife died 7 years ago from lung cancer. Thank you again for being in touch with me and I hope that somewhere along the line I learn your name. ;-} – Blessings and Aloha.

  17. Whoa! Sorry, but you’ve been mislead. The first four ingredients of Ensure are: Water, sugar, corn syrup and maldextrin. Water, you can get out of your kitchen sink. The next three ingredients are sugar. Refined white sugar, corn syrup and maltodextrin all have very high glycemic index values and are ingredients that are well correlated with such diseases as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and obesity. You would do better to take a multivitamin and eat something solid. Ensure is often suggested for elderly and seriously ill people who need to gain weight. Why? Sugar is a known appetite stimulant: the more sugar you eat the more you crave, which eventually leads to weight gain. You seem like a nice lady and I’d hate to see you deceived by false advertising. And don’t ask your doctor for nutritional advice. They spend minimal time studying nutrition in school and are worse than drug dealers when it comes to peddling endorsements for junk like Ensure.

  19. YIKES!!! Isn’t Ensure FILLED with sugar?? and Cancer loves sugar. I know it used to have tons of sugar in it. Yes!! try protein shakes and throw in lots of greens. Alkalize alkalize. Cancer can’t survive in an oxygen environment which alkaline foods provide. And there are lots of natural sweeteners out there…No sugar in my house…I use Stevia or fruits like bananas.

    1. Thank you for liking my post oneanna65! Just wanted to comment, that I would not recommend Ensure either. My grandmother who is very ill was drinking this last time I saw her, and when I picked it up and read the label I was shocked. One of the first ingredients is sugar, and the next was milk or milk protein – which has specifically been contributed to cancer growth (The China Study by T. Colin Campbell). I would suggest trying green smoothies instead, with minimal fruit, like soulspiceadventures recommends to alkalize. The PH Miracle by Robert O. Young is a great resource, and also Victoria Butenko’s green smoothie recipes http://www.rawfamily.com/recipes. David Wolfe, a raw foodist, also has some great smoothie ideas. You don’t have to get complicated with them – I’ve made lots with little effort – and the benefits are so worth it.

  21. Ha ha ha I was drinking Ensure for a while. Vanilla and the Coffee flavor were my fav. I try to do more natural things now. I love my smoothies in the morning. I mix both blends of veggies and fruits. However, I’m stuck in hotels til July as I’m traveling through Europe. I brought my magic bullet and EVERYTHING ha ha but yeah…hotel fridges aren’t cold enough to store anything. Oh well. Thanks for stopping by!! xoxoxo

  23. I applaud your vigor and your attitude. If you find that Ensure has too much sugar for your liking, consider a simple yet healthy alternative. Put a few ice cubes, a cup of unsweetened almond milk (vanilla flavored works really nicely. You can find this at most grocery stores.), a half cup of plain greek yogurt (tons of protein, no fat or sugar if you buy that kind) and about a cup of either frozen strawberries or a banana (the berries have more fiber and less sugar), a half cup of frozen spinach and blend and enjoy. It’s ugly but delicious. You’ll want to sweeten it a bit so use either a small half teaspoon of agave nectar (caloric like sugar but sweeter and with a lower glycemic index so a little goes a long way). An excellent sweetener you can get at the health food store is stevia extract with vanilla. Like vanilla extract with a no calorie, no sugar sweetener. Since cancer likes sugar, you may prefer to deny it that pleasure. But with the vanilla/stevia extract you don’t have to deny yourself. Best of luck. Enjoy!

    1. I agree with Debby! Natural is always the best way to go instead of using packaged meals/drinks. I totally understand the annoyance of cooking all the time, but remember shortcuts may make things easier and faster, but lack the quality as well.

    2. I agree as well. Those shakes aren’t all that great. Just don’t use the agave. It is higher in processed fructose that high fructose corn syrup, gets stored in your body and helps promote fatty liver.

  25. I rejoice with you that you’re a survivor! I can hear it in your writing that the enemy messed with the wrong person! Keep on keeping on, the scripture states “a merry heart doeth good like medicine!”

  26. Hi Anna, many thanks for your interest in my blog, I really appreciate it. I hope you are well and having a good week, whatever you’re up to! Best wishes, Steven 🙂

  27. Hello there – so bizarre to have strangers read the blog I am writing for family and friends back home (but pretty cool – thanks!). For the last two years I’ve been using Isagenix meal replacement shakes and other products daily and I’ve never felt whole mind and body healthier – I

  28. whoops.. that posted before I was done. As far as I can remember, Isagenix shakes have more protein, more nutrients and vitamins, and less sugar then a number of other meal replacement shakes. Let me know if you want any more information. 🙂 (And it’s DELICIOUS).

  32. Hello. Thank you for visiting my blog earlier! I adore your sense of reality and humor. Ay age 49 I had stage 1 breast cancer 3 years ago. Then found chaos and finally calm. I am still awaiting the 5 year anniversary. Except for scars I forget that it even was,
    Love your happy attitude!
    I am also from a photography blog; goodbrenda,com hosted on wordpress too! Y have yet another but that one is not a happy one…..

  34. Hi there, thanks so much for liking my blog post…I am now following you as I love your positive attitude!! I look forward to some more posts….I post a photo every day…In some small way I hope that brings a smile to peoples faces 🙂

  35. beachbody has the most AMAZING protein shake. Only 140 calories and much less sugar and a ton more nutrition than your ensure. the name of the shake is shakeology and it comes in Strawberry/Chocolate or Greenberry. Sounds like a perfect meal replacement for you.
    http://www.beachbodycoach.com/conniemterry
    you will see the link to the right. also comes with recipes to switch it hope. You get 10% off the price if you become a Club member.

    http://www.beachbodycoach.com/conniemterry

  37. I stay away from processed food as much as I can. The nuggets of information such as No 1 Doctor certified and all that is just marketing, to me. If you were to ask them which doctor, or how many doctors recommend it, verify the doctors’ credentials, you’d begin to see the truth. Some ‘health foods’ don’t even meet half the mark of being healthy. Take ‘cereal’ brands for example. Some are made from corn. Corn has little more than carbs as their nutrient. Most corn flakes that have all their redeeming properties destroyed in the process of making what’s ‘corn flour flakes’ with vitamins and artificial (chemical) flavouring added, and then have a lot of sugar added to them. If they’re low on sugar, they’re high on aspartame, which to my knowledge, is bad for me.

    Making a fresh soup shouldn’t be that difficult. What I do is to sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until it’s brown and fragrant, add let’s say organic spinach or sliced mushrooms to it, sprinkle in your choice of herbs and salt if desired, sautee. Add water. Then throw everything into a blender. Blend, reheat for a little while. You’ve got a fresh soup without MSG, cream, transfat and all those preservatives and additives that are dangerous to good health.

  38. From Ensure’s website:http://ensure.com/products/ensure-powder

    Ingredients [–]

    CORN SYRUP, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR (SUCROSE), CORN OIL, SODIUM AND CALCIUM CASEINATES, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, ***ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR***[What flavouring do they use? Vanilla? Where does the Vanilla flavour come from? ], POTASSIUM CITRATE, MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CITRATE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, SOY LECITHIN, ASCORBIC ACID, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, ZINC SULFATE, dl-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, NIACINAMIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, CUPRIC SULFATE, THIAMINE CHLORIDE HYDROCHLORIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, FOLIC ACID, BIOTIN, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM MOLYBDATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, SODIUM SELENATE, PHYLLOQUINONE, CYANOCOBALAMIN, AND VITAMIN D3.
    CONTAINS MILK AND SOY INGREDIENTS; GLUTEN-FREE; SUITABLE FOR LACTOSE INTOLERANCE.

    Artificial vanilla flavoring is a solution of pure vanillin, usually of synthetic origin. Because of the scarcity and expense of natural vanilla extract, there has long been interest in the synthetic preparation of its predominant component. The first commercial synthesis of vanillin began with the more readily available natural compound eugenol. Today, artificial vanillin is made either from guaiacol or from lignin, a constituent of wood, which is a byproduct of the pulp industry.”
    (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanillin)

    ” Although trivalent chromium is far less poisonous than hexavalent, chromium salts are generally considered toxic.” Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromium%28III%29_chloride

    I could go on.

  39. Another factor you might want to look into is bioavailability of Vitamins and perhaps minerals. Nutrients from food are easily absorbed into the body. However, synthetic nutrients generally don’t have it so easy. Many ‘health food’ nutrients have very low bioavailability compared to real food. Sorry for hogging on your comments page, but I really do care enough. 🙂 Thanks for visiting my blog. 🙂

  40. I find it so strange how people crawl out of the woodwork when they feel that you are handling your own recovery or healing process ‘wrong’ – here’s to your choice as you live the one life you’ve been given to the full! (Protein shake held high to clink…)

    2. I read the ingredients list of Ensure and the only thing it will ensure is a quick demise.

      It contains many gmo ingredients. I am actually really disturbed by this whole comments section full of people praising a toxic product without reading.

  42. I’m a long time cancer survivor. 8 years ago, pacemaker, 4 years ago aortic valve and bypass. I swear by the benefits of ensure and only wish they had it many years ago. It was easy to get and keep down, wasn’t as difficult to eat as regular food, easy on the digestion, and ensured I had a minimum healthy diet. Stick with it and dont worry about weight. Good luck to you.

  44. Thanks for stopping by my blog! Congratulations on your 65th birthday. My mom drinks Ensure as a nutrition supplement and says it tastes really good. I’m going to have to try it.
    Glad you enjoy blogging. I do, too.

  47. HI and Hello!!! Thank You so much for following my blog site and also for visiting!!! I greatly appreciate it.

  50. Dear Anna, thank you for visiting my blog. I like the way you write, as well as your sense of humor :)… About fighting cancer – I strongly believe that (right) food cures (not only cancer). Wish you all the best and a lot of happy and healthy days. 🙂

  51. When my mom was going through cancer treatments she would get dehydrated… one thing she swears that helped her get through the treatment was COCONUT WATER… She bought the flavored (mango, pineapple, etc.), which when chilled is quite refreshing! So just in case you are ever in need… I wanted to share that with you! Thinking of you…!

  52. Thanks so much for coming to my blog and sending me a LIKE. It brought me here to you and I love your blog. I look forward to keeping up with your posts. First, I love Ensure. My daughter and I drink these when we feel like we’ve gotten off track. It just helps us get back on track. Second, don’t you love the comments. It makes you not want to tell people what you’re doing. I think you gotta do what works for you and these are certainly healthy enough to keep you on track. 😀

  53. I like trying different things but I found that working out and eating smaller meals work for me. You have to find what works for you

  55. That is so funny, I just said to someone today “I give up, I’m just going to let myself go” because I wanted cheesecake and it’s ‘not healthy’. Thanks for making me feel better about giving myself a break occasionally 🙂

  57. Might give that a try. So many times I just haven’t time for lunch, and then I end up grabbing something horrendous at the cafeteria. If I were to keep a few of these in stock, that needn’t happen. Thanks for the idea.
    Oh! And thank you for coming to visit my Musings.
    Monika

  58. Dont worry too much about your health by doing healthy things. Health stays with you when you are mentally strong and healthy. I want to stop smoking, but if i would have worried so much about cancer the past 22 years … 🙂

  63. Thanks for coming to Water for the Soul…I hope you come back…Interesting stuff about what is going on in your neck of the woods…I’ll be back to see what’s new at ONEANNA

  66. I tend to pick up junk food at work for lunch.. I think you’ve inspired me. Thanks! Even if it does make one fat.. it can’t make me any fatter than a greasy burger and fries would, I’d wager. This way I at least get vitamins!

  67. Yup, I have been doing that. Enjoying cookies and chocolates and blah blah blah right after I would leave the gym or the tennis court. Now to think about it, I should stop. And you my dear writer, should know your limit before you pass it and gain weight!
    Good luck with that (:
    Maria.

  68. I took ensure during some of the very sickest times of my life and helped when I barely was able to put take in any food. I don’t know if I’m weird but actually like it (the vanilla flavor) I always found humor in doing what you got to do to keep the health going. I now take a drink something similar but for renal/kidney patients. It helps me when I’m out and about so I avoid eating bad fast food 😉

  69. As a nutrition professional, I feel compelled to just add a few things. There are foods that fight cancer and help you avoid it. However, there are many factors at play, such as genetics and environment. We can make smart choices about what we ingest, such as avoiding the many chemicals in processed foods, especially those known to promote cancer (nitrates, nitrates to name a couple), avoid fruits and vegetables with the highest insecticides or buy organic, etc. Supplements are needed at times, particularly while you are battling cancer and the side effects of the treatments, but not necessary when you are healthy and eating a balanced diet. Besides, there are many more benefits in the whole food than the supplements, such as fiber, phytochemicals (also anti-carcinogenic), etc. They help you feel fuller so you don’t overeat too. One can also overdose on vitamins and minerals – some have toxic levels.
    So, this is just to say, beware of claims online or elsewhere, that seem too good to be true – they are. If in doubt, ask a dietetics practitioner (RD or DTR) who has trained in nutrition science, and rely on impartial resources like “.org,” “.edu” or “.gov” sites, over .com sites, who are usually commercial and selling something that may or may not be good for you.
    Continued best wishes for your good health.

  74. I used to drink a diet drink called Sego when I was a kid. To me, Ensure tastes a lot like that. I was a fussy eater and my Mom gave Sego to me between meals to boost my calories. Nearly 30 years later, I haven’t dropped dead. I think used as a supplement it’s fine.

    On another note, I lost my mom to cancer last year and I also refer to it as the “monster.” Keeping that beast at bay requires support. It looks like you have it. Love the upbeat vibe of this blog.

  76. I wish you the best in beating cancer, and I think that is very wonderful and brave and unique of you to make a blog about your journey through DEFEATING cancer. You are in my prayers, good wishes 🙂

  78. FYI–there is a new blender called the Nutribullet that will blend up into liquid (fiber and all) all raw fruits and veges which allows your body to completely absorb all the nutrients. It is super easy to use and clean (unlike a blender, juicer or food processer). Maybe you already know about it, but I was not sure. Good luck and good wishes!

  79. Also of note: to increase my own Protein intake, I am drinking about 2 shots a day of a product called Pro-Stat 101 (there is also a Pro-Stat 65). It is some 17g-25g of protein per shot, which is better for me on days I’m hosting Mr. Nausea than the 8-16oz Whey or Soy protein Isolate shakes.

    The Pro-Stat liquid protein “sludge” are produced to feed Coma patients the necessary amino-acids and protein precursors to stay alive. They are in business because Coma Patients are fed through a Tube, and do not complain. It tastes like @$$, but I am consuming at least the minimum RDA to stay alive, every day, and sometimes more than once a day.

    As a Crohn’s and Ankylosing Spondylitis survivor, every morning is both Hell and a Victory. Gaining or especially Losing weight is serious business to me. I’m 6’3″ (~2 meters), and my average adult weight has been 230-240 lbs (~110Kg). I weigh 205lbs (~95Kg) today. I’d weigh less or be dead without the Pro-Stat and the Soy & Whey Isolate drinks.

    Just my $.02.

    Choose to be Happy. It’s not easy, but it sure is a Hell of a lot more fun!

  80. Happy Belated Birthday!!!! Ensure is great… and Im sure it will continue to woek wonderfully for you. What an inspiration you are – your mentally is strong and you will beat cancer – you are stronger than it… If you can read Joseph Murphy ‘The Power of Your Subconscious Mind’… LA xoxo

  81. Thanks for following my blog and best of luck to you. My mother and father are both cancer survivors (so far). Mom about 10 years, Dad more than 20. Never let any disease get the best of your spirit.

    Chris

  82. My husband is diabetic, and he enjoys that drink as well. With a bit of fruit, it gives him just what he needs for that occasional meal when I don’t feel like cooking. Due to gastro-intestinal issues I eat very sparingly and carefully as well. There are many attractive options for us today! 🙂

  83. Part of being healthy [probably the most important too] is believing it. Unconditionally believing in the healing. When you feel that something you do is truly good for you, stick to it! keep it up, keep being healthy and smile! Thank you for your posts.

  86. I hate milk, I know where it comes from! I am a little addicted to grapes. They take them to people in hospital and they are full of vitamins and minerals and so must be good for me. I always look far healthier than I feel. People kept telling me to eat more and put on weight. I have a belly like a pregnant woman now!

  87. I think that once you find something that really appeals to you, you’re golden. And I know it is not always easy — both my parents had cancer (my mom is a survivor), and food was a toughie. So yay Ensure for making you happy and keeping you full. Stay strong.

  88. I tend to suggest the occasional thick slice of part-skim mozzarella – if a reputable brand with traditional flavor. I’m older than thee – 🙂 – and sometimes my wife hollers at me to keep protein consumption up.

    Cheese is a good protein source and mozzarella is a boiled-milk cheese, healthier enzymes.

  89. 🙂 My doctor has recommended drinking it to me before. I have a tendency to feel nauseous for some reason when I eat breakfast too early, but I’m fine drinking liquids. They also gave it to my grandfather when he had cancer, so I’m guessing it’s not so bad for you…

  92. Thank you for visiting my site. 🙂 Need to look into the Ensure thing, I am diabetic. Never considered the stuff. Have a great day!

  93. thanks for visiting my blog, i haven’t tried Ensure or any of that kind of drink. But have you heard of USANA’s Nutrimeal? They say it’s good. My friend took it for 5 days, and she lost 10 pounds.

    Just sharing though. =)

    Again thank you! Hope to hear from you soon. 😀

  95. Hello beautiful! Firstly – thank you for following my blog! And it is my pleasure to follow you back.
    Secondly I am in awe of your amazing determination and strength and I say this as a nurse with many years of experience in ITU where I have seen people, for various reasons, decide to live or decide to die irrespective of what medical intervention was involved. So you keep fighting until you feel your time has come (as it does to all of us) as you have MANY years left in you yet!
    And on this note and the subject of nutrition – yes, eat well and nourish your body, but the occasional blowout does not undo that work and it does lift the spirit! Namaste beautiful! ❤ xxx

  96. I know that Ensure is pretty good as well as healthy (my grandmother gave my great grandmother Ensure to help her get her strength back after an awful stay in the hospital) but your friends are simply showing how much they care for you so I hope you don’t take their comments in a negative way.

  97. My mom lives with us. She’s 92. She gets her own breakfast each morning and I cook the main meal every evening. She drinks Chocolate Ensure every afternoon for her lunch (unless I happen to get her a chocolate milk shake!) She’s doing very well! We told her we’re planning her 100th birthday!

  102. Thanks for following my blog! My grandfather had Leukemia several years ago. During the time that he was diagnosed he did two things that I truly believe helped him heal (He’s been in remission for 10+ years). My grandfather began seeking God’s will for his life by focusing on a relationship with him. He also bought a juicer and drank carrot juice (and other kinds) every day. If you haven’t already, you might look into juicing and it’s benefits!

  105. I like the taste of it, too. Does that make us weird?? Ha ha! Have a great day and I wish you the very best on your adventures of healing. Every obstacle is a chance to probe we can overcome them. Thanks for liking my poem!

  106. Good for you for finding something that works for you! Positive thinking will carry you through! If you’re happy with your food choices then you are doing better for yourself than moaning over a required food you don’t like. Keep up the great work and your awesome blog!

  109. Very good , Ill be 53 in July, and am really putting alot into encouraging my body to show signs of life again, the Ensure is a good product, i tried it once looking for a quicker meal as well, and it does taste good. my partner and i are involved in a fish, and vegetable diet, that seems to be working for us, but i would suggest as you have the Ensure, especially for days or weakends your traveling or know every moment is skeduled. You have a great sense of humor and thanks for looking in at the Observer, ill hope you have a good day,

  115. Hi there, thanks for popping by my blog, I loved this post, its true grabbing something that has what you need is a great deal, I had used ensure for my friend who was going through chemo. It really helped keep the energy up. If you have time to make your drinks, soy milk and protein powder blended as smoothies are also a fantastic treat, berries, spinach and anything you like can be tossed on in as well. They are great if you are near your kitchen.

  116. Actually this is given to underweight, malnourished (and/or anorexic) people to give them the nutrients and good stuff they need, so it will surely be good for you, too! If you’re underweight, you are supposed to drink it in addition to all of your other meals, so you surely won’t get fat ;). And if so, who cares? Health is much much more important than thinness. Stay positive! 🙂

  121. Happy Belated birthday. Thanks for stopping by the Vampire Diet blog. We’ve been pretty busy too, but that turned out to be a chance to re-discover our ‘crock pot’ for soups. I had to use ensure after a stroke…just don’t like the taste of any of them. More power to ya!

  123. I have no clue if this particular shake is healthy our not…

    Like everything a really close inspection of the ingredient label is needed. If you see stuff your grandma wouldn’t recognise: “E” numbers etc then a little in moderation would be fine but long term…`? not so sure.

    I think I’d rather go with juicing…
    (prepare everything for throwing into the juicer the previous evening, then it’s really really quick in the morning, probably cheaper too, and best of all you know what’s in it!)

    In the end do what you feel is right for you… 🙂

  125. Thank you for stopping by and liking my post about my grandpa. When I worked in a sales in a two story 40,000 square feet store, I drank ensure all of the time– sometimes I didn’t have the opportunity to eat food. Worked great and kept me going.

  126. I have learnt not to care too much on my weight because life is to be lived and I can’t find myself living without good tasty food although they can be unhealthy depending on the intake. I just won’t eat excessively.

  127. Indeed protein shakes are very good for you, in fact protein is responsible for muscle and tissue recovery along with setting the pace for your metabolism for the start of your day. People that know a thing or two about fitness will tell you that the right amount of protien actually promotes a good weight maintenance regimen, it does NOT make you fat. Ensure is nice but look for protein from brands like EAS, Muscle Milk and others you may find from the Vitamin Shoppe(far cheaper than gnc, same leading products)which you can get premixed as a drink or in powder form where you can mix in anything you want like fruits for example. Some of these will actually taste better than ensure and have even more nutrients!

  131. Your reply to the comment about getting fat reminds me of when I was quitting smoking. I gained 5 pounds in the first week, but I knew that I had to concentrate on just the quitting, and then work on the eating habits later.

  132. I’m terrible about stuff like that, about a year ago I bought some slimfast shakes, but I just kept drinking them all the time, instead of a meal replacement. Right now I keep telling myself to start getting some exercise, but I keep putting if off to do “more important” things, I’m driving myself nuts!

  133. (I’ve read a lot on your blog, so this will be disjointed, lol)
    Happy belated birthday! There is nothing wrong with Ensure. Naysayers :p Pthhhhh…. For a self-professed “non-writer” you have a wonderful well-written blog 🙂 I wish you nothing but health and happiness; I’ve read over a lot of comments made to you and you obviously inspire and help many more. Thank you, my husband had non-hodgkins lymphoma when he was younger, I’m inspired reading about others who’ve fought and won. And lastly: thank-you for reading my poems, I appreciate it!

  135. Well said! 🙂 I have chronic pain since 6 years ago: eating healthy is essential but now & then I need my candy! 😦 I completely agree! 🙂 Good luck!

  143. Love the part where you are like “I’ll worry about that WHEN and IF I get fat” 😀 Thanks for liking one of my posts! We just started the blog yesterday, and I went on this morning and was all like SOMEONE LIKED US! So anyway thanks, and your blog is really really good!

  145. thanks for visiting today. if you continue following you will find a lot of short cuts for fast and easy meals. hope to see you there again. all are welcome to visit and add to the comments their own recipes for fast tasty and easy ways of eating healthy.

  146. Hello. I really like your blog. Best wishes to you. May you have many years of healthy living.

  147. Thank you for sharing your inspiring stories. I’m glad to see that your focus is living life rather than fighting illness. I hope that whatever life holds for us doesn’t get in the way of enjoying every blessed day.
    I’m enjoying my princess status with my feet up for the morning. Thanks or visiting my blog!
    Sheri

  149. Btw, if you place the shake in the freezer for a short time, just long enough for it to begin to freeze and it tastes so good! Or just keep them in the freezer and take them out individually an hour or so prior to “meal time” then shake it well! Delicious! 🙂

  152. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog. Reading yours is an inspiration. I hope you realise just how remarkable the effect of your writing is. It’s an inspiration.

  153. Quick yes. I do the same at times. I usually toss a V-8 in my lunch bag. Makes me think that I am drinking a bloody mary for lunch Ha! Though, my wife likes to say that for the same amount of calories you feel more full with food. Thanks for stopping by my blog too. I have found that it is a good outlet for myself; and, well, I like that others like it to. Cheers

  154. To be perfect.y honest with you, ensure is good (and good for you!) but you may want to look into some of the body building products. Not all of them are designed for weight gain, for example, Muscle Milk is a product that comes RTD or in a powder form, and you can also buy necessary amino acids in powder form. Protien powders are available in Walmart in the health isle and may be less expensive…..

  155. Those Ensure people should be writing you a check. Thanks to your words, I am going to try some. Appreciate the nutrition advice. And thanks for liking a post on my site. God’s Peace.

  156. On the other hand yesterday I peeled turnip carrots parsnips onions chucked them into a pan and let them all boil cheerily away drank the liquid ate the solid and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
    Thoroughly enjoyed your post also – spiritually nutritious! Thanks.

  157. ENSURE is doctor recommended. 1.) Do they honestly endorse it? 2.) If indeed they are actually being honest. A potential problem is that doctors aren’t nutritionists. Find me a nutritionist who genuinely believes in this stuff and I’ll be surprised. I’ve read that all those nutrients packed together is not natural and is not helping the body, If these drinks are packed with liquid sugar then they could be contributing to type 2 diabetes. I think that anyone in the know would would recommend real food mostly in the form of fresh fruits and veggies. The stuff tastes kinda gross too doesn’t it…

  158. Ensure and your positive attitude are the real heros here, for sure!!! Thanks for visiting my blog and please become a follower!!!! Cheers to you and ensure!

  160. Hi, I just found your blog and I need to say that you’re so brave and such an inspiration. Will pray for you and congrats on the progress you are making ^_^

  161. Thanks for liking my last blog post; I always check out everyone I that can. I particularly liked your blog post about Ensure. I almost died last summer, and Ensure basically kept me alive until I was well enough to have an appetite again. Good post, and well written!

  166. That is amazing that you are a cancer survivor. Right on!! I will keep reading to see how the ensure pans out. Always looking for something healthy and quick and easy for lunch and dinner. I am married to not only my husband, but my job, and I try to make time to have hobbies and exercise, so cooking becomes a real nuisance sometimes lol.

  169. Thanks for liking my cauliflower post! Great blog – well done on reaching 65. I, like everyone, have had people close to me suffer from cancer. Looking forward to following your stories.

  170. I like Ensure and think that it is a great convenient alternative when you are not up to, can’t get to or need addtional nutrition. My dad and mom both use it as supplements to their diet and I on occasion will grab one as a healthier alternative to fast food when I’m running late.
    In good health!

  171. This made me laugh out loud. You tell ’em! When we’re pressed for time we all reach for things that aren’t so good for us. I completely agree with you…frozen dinner vs. Ensure shake? Not even a question. Great blog!

  172. Just read your post on the Ensure, I think its great that you are looking into new ways to keep your nutrition up. Have you tired making green smoothies before, there was a comment mentioned above with almond milk and spinach, they are great ways to get that nutrition in without the chemical preservatives. Let me know if i can send you more information on vegetarian supplements! Without the chemicals your body will thank you even more, and some of these shakes really give you a great energy boost! Here’s to living healthy!

  176. Hey- the Ensure shakes ARE great! My husband is a marine and we both prize health and fitness and we drink Ensure on days when the schedule doesn’t allow a proper meal, and they do provide the essential nutrients, are a great source of protein, and they are delicious in my own, humble opinion. I’m glad you found they work for you as well!

  177. Instead of cooking your soups, make raw soups and dark, green leafy smoothies whose enzymes and chlorophyll help build a strong immune system. Chia, Flax seeds etc provide good omega 3 fats. There are various recipes on my site and my 75 Plant Minerals article on the tab at the top might be of interest. Wishing you vibrant health.

  178. If you are talking about Ensure with these ingredients: water, sugar (sucrose), corn maltodextrin, milk protein concentrate, soy oil, canola oil, soy protein concentrate, corn oil, potassium citrate, natural and artificial flavor, magnesium phosphate, sodium citrate, soy lecithin, calcium phosphate, magnesium chloride, salt (sodium chloride), choline chloride, ascorbic acid, carrageenan, potassium chloride, ferrous sulfate, dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, zinc sulfate, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, cupric sulfate, vitamin a palmitate, thiamine chloride hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, chromium chloride, biotin, sodium molybdate, potassium iodide, sodium selenate, phylloquinone, vitamin D3 and cyanocobalamin.

    THEN: You are kidding yourself! SUGAR is the basic food to grow cancer cells. Artificial Flavors are NOT safe! If you have had Cancer, then care enough for yourself to take the time, you claim you do not have, to eat natural fresh and not chemical. NO SUGAR! If you don’t have the time, then your time is running out. Your Choice. … Janr Ssor

  179. Love your upbeat attitude!! Ensure is not a bad option for bossing some healthy calories, I’m not sure its meant as a meal replacement but if it works for you, its better than not eating!

    If you have time, and the desire, try making some smoothies–I have a Ninja but there are so many new “blenders” that have travel cups its pretty easy t mix and go. Depending on the mood I use fresh/frozen fruit, milk/almond milk/cold coffee and spinach or other veges–very filling, and refreshing on a hot day.

    I guess the main thing–stay strong and fight the Monster with all you have!

  180. People ARE so skeptical, and don’t want to try anything that, gasp!, might be good for them. Good for you for being stronger and smarter and leading the way.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post, “One more cup of coffee.” Come back again and maybe we can have Ensure and coffee some time.

  188. Thank you for visiting my blog and I have been reading your posts with admiration, I am also 65 and am a survivor my daughter has just had a grueling year struggling with chemo for lymphoma and I completely understand your frustration sometimes. Look forward to reading more.

  190. What a fantastic blog and I think there’s a wealth of useful information which crucial here. Quite rightly a strong belief that you’ll beat it is the most crucial element in the battle. I appreciate you sharing. JJ

  193. Thanks for liking my blog today. Ah yes, healthy addictions. I’m a firm believer in treating oneself. I raise my glass to you. Cheers!

  199. Loved reading this. You remind me of my Aunt Sharon.. talk just like her, and she beat cancer. ;D

    I don’t know why many people are commenting upon you drinking Ensure. It seems like it makes PERFECT sense. But that’s because it has a lot of different nutrition that a lot of us are missing in our own diets, and it’s our own fault. I should probably start drinking it as well.

  203. Your the best! Keep drinking the Ensure – for me too. I tried it and almost threw up. Reads good, looks good but my body says ‘NO WAY’. So have to respect the body. Only one I have.

  204. Ah well, I always ate healthy food and had plenty of exercise…and got breast cancer anyway. We cannot choose our genes, so keep drinking the healthfood drinks peps and keep eating the good stuff, but when your number is up it’s up…thanks for stopping by my post. I enjoyed reading your blog.

  205. Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! I love your outlook on life and surviving cancer! Blessings to you!

  206. As a fellow cancer survivor, I have come to hate the taste of the Ensure shakes. While I was in chemo they were force feeding me one of those nasty Ensure shakes at each meal. After nearly 8 months of chemo it finally came to the point where I cannot stand the taste or smell of the Ensure shakes no matter the flavor.

  208. I’ve been trying to gain weight for the longest time. I can’t have Ensure because it contains milk. I topped out at 119 lbs. this week, up from 114. (I don’t have cancer.) Good luck.

  209. I use a protein shake for the same reason. Ensure is not super healthy for you, but I have found one that is: Juice Plus. It has a vanilla and a chocolate protein shake that really gets you through the day!

  210. Hi there – thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to like one of my posts!

    I’m an Ensure and Boost fan also (though I lean more towards the latter). This morning I tried an experiment of adding a big teaspoon of my Boost dry powder mix to a cup of coffee – Voila, instant healthy mocha! 🙂

  211. Thank you for your visits today, I am truly humbled! It is an honor! And with all things, enjoyment and beauty are in the eye of the beholder – drink that shake with pride! Ur friend doesn’t know what they are missing 🙂

  214. Thanks for visiting my site. I am a dietitian, and as such, am very interested and passionate about good nutrition and “super foods”. Since perfection – whatever that is! – does not exist in an absolute way when it comes to everyone’s nutrition needs, we can only aim for the best we can manage for ourselves. Ensure is certainly healthy, balanced, and CONVENIENT. If that is what you will get to, that is super. It will not make you fat, unless you end up consuming more calories than your body needs. Best to you. You sound like a person with a great attitude!

  215. One tablespoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar (like Braggs) in a glass of water, twice a day. Voila. Monster gone. Yea, it’s not my favorite drink either, but the results speak for themselves. You can also try incorporating sheep sorrel greens and burdock root (gobo) into your diet.

  221. Shoot, my husband is required to eat butter, sour cream, whipped cream… all the fattening, energy producing food I can get into him. But me? I can’t each much of that stuff. I haven’t wasted away like he did after his last bout with pneumonia. I cook. I try to get him to eat “good” foods and not eat too much of them myself. He’s 83 and gonna live to b 91 like his daddy did, and I’m 76 and have lived decades longer than either parent did. Life’s a gamble. Enjoy!

  222. Thank you for your visit to my blog! Healthy, quick recipes are my to-go-recipes during the work week! Sometimes on a slow day, I’ll cook several dinners ahead of time to help if I know my week is going to be super busy!

  223. Thanks for dropping by my photo blog, i4Daily. I appreciate the like. But with regards to this post, it reminds me of a little OLD black lady (in her 90’s) I met years ago. When I went in to exterminate her house, she followed me around until we got to the kitchen. There she began to complain about what her family was making her eat (to keep her healthy). I’ll never forget what she said: “I want some bacon, some biscuits, and some jelly…how long do they ‘spect me to live, anyway?”

  226. Thank you for stopping by my site. Cancer is a monster and it has to be stopped! Kudos to you and for writing this blog with dignity, grace, and a sense of humor. Be blessed!

  227. Good perspective. Find what works for you and makes you feel better. I actually used to use those shakes myself as quick shots between meals, and I’m a young buck! All of my friends would make fun of me for it, but it was better than a lot of the junk they were putting into their systems. Keep up the blogging!

  228. My daughter’s a nurse, and when she worked at a nursing center, Ensure was the go-to when a patient needed nutrients. I think you’ve found a good, healthy alternative for days when you don’t want to cook.

  229. Ensure helped my mom through many a morning/afternoon hunger moments. She was diabetic so she needed to find something she could drink that would give her nutrition, but not spike her blood sugar. Thanks for posting!!

  231. Thanks for liking my first entry!

    You’ve now convinced me to drinks shakes for breakfast. I hate skipping, but I also hate losing time in the morning (Wake up early? Yeah, right!) making something besides cereal. I’m on it, now.

  233. As someone who has had to live off only that for nine months, it isn’t health for you.
    My health issues caused my inability to eat food. I have more health issues because of it. They are loaded with sugar. There are healthier, but more expensive, alternatives to it.

  234. Hi,
    Yesterday was the launch of my new blog and my new career as a writer so I was pretty nervous. Thanks for the like, it really means a lot to me.
    It’s great to see a blog with ideas for healthy living rather than so much rubbish which often appears. Keep it up!

  235. An alternative to Ensure is something relatively new, Orgain. http://drinkorgain.com

    I have to pay attention to my protein intake and started using this a couple weeks ago because alternatively its better than relying on natural intake especially when I’m not a meat eater.

  236. (thanks for stopping by my bog & liking “Happy kombucha tea” ) it was my very first post

    … Vancouver friendly would love have you as one of it’s followers.

  238. Sometimes you just need a break from trying so you do it in the healthiest way you know how. I know I get tired too. I did something recently. I had been sprouting mung beans and I decided to make a green smoothie. I dropped them in the blender, added yogurt, a frozen banana and a tsp of honey. Blended it and dropped ice cubes in till it became the consistency I wanted. It did have a green taste but sweet at the same time. It wasn’t as hard as what I usually do and it felt good going down and didn’t take much effort. I went and laid down on the bed and drank my smoothie and just rested. I tell people “Inch by Inch, life is a cinch! I can tell you are a trooper. Appreciate you. Thanks, Jan

  241. Love your blog musings! Hey, I like Ensure- drank it quite often and over 50, feels it time I added on a couple of poundage:) Never too late to start lookng good & feeling healthier, just because!

  242. Hi. Thank you for liking a post on my blog. I really appreciate it. I wish you nothing but the best health in the future! I hope the shakes are really working.

  243. I actually use to drink Slimfast for the same reasons. I think its a cool idea IF you are busy (which most of us are) of course, its better just to cook your own meals. Good Post 🙂 thanks for sharing.

  246. Hi. Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate it! I love drinking slim fast, yohoo, and ensure. I mostly did because I needed the extra calories during one of my jobs. I got to the point where I was dropping wieght dangerously fast because I was buring through more calories than you could belive. I had to have a 3,500 calorie diet just to maintain my body weight. I really love all of the above drinks, but I can’t drink them anymore. Something about the preservitives in them my body doesn’t like.

  247. Even if you ended up getting fat, you’d be happy while doing so. No point in filling up on what you don’t like. Where’s the fun in that? If you’re going to be gaining, enjoy yourself doing it.

  249. Haha. Loved this post. You tell ’em! It’s ok, I’ve learned that some people comment on our endeavors to dishearten us due to their own insecurities in regards to trying what we are trying or so that they may say, “I told you so” if it doesn’t work out.
    You can do it. 😉

  250. Hi, thanks for liking my latest blog post. Appreciate it very much. Had a read through your blog and I love it! Well done and thanks for sharing 🙂

  253. One of the best things to eat/drink/ is coconut oil and coconut milk .. Ensure is very good too, it gives you those important nutrients needed..I have done lots of research and there is a book called Coconut Cures by Bruce Fife, he has the science data to back his information. One woman had brain cancer and told she was not to be long but she took Coconut Milk and Oil and has it no more. There is so much data in this book. But if you add a ,smoothie daily with coconut milk, 1/2 raw beet, 1/2 cucumber and 1/2 banana and then add a cup of greens, other fruit if you like, with a little ice, then put in a scoop of protein powder your resilience will be amazing, they did research on beets, they said those that have debilitating illness or weakness, just by eating some beets, their blood was oxygenated and their endurance went up 10 fold. it saved my life literally to add this smoothie to my diet when I was unable to eat… I do a lot of research for cancer and other illnesses but the secret ingredient that attacks cancer is in the coconut oil.. Just 4 tablespoons a day which is easier to do then you think.. PLUS it does no harm to your arteries, in fact it goes straight to your liver for energy needs. The smoothie alone with 1/2 cup coconut milk gives you 1 tablespoon oil, then you can add another tablespoon in a hot cup of hot coffee or tea, then you can get another if you saute’ up a few veggies on the stove, takes less then 3 minutes, and then you can add 1 tablespoon to rice etc.. But energy levels skyrocket, not to mention a persons immune system.. Anyway this book is amazing and I tell everyone about it, I was skeptical when I went to buy it but got impressed fast with the science data to back it up, then with my own experience with using coconut.. The Polynesian islands had virtually no cancer, heart issues, or diabetes when they mostly lived on coconut as their regular food, that is until modern civilization snuck in the chemical foods to their diet. Anyway, take care, great post and very inspiring.

  254. We try to eat healthy and by preparing food at home we can control and know what goes in our food. And thank you for visiting my blog. Hope you are enjoying your milkshake!!

  255. I drank Ensure when I was recovering from open heart surgery a few years ago. It was OK until I was well enough to actually taste it.

  256. Thanks for the like on my blog post. My son is a cancer survivor. I wish you the very best. During his year and a half of chemo and radiation, I worked around the clock to pump his body full of everything I could find to help heal his body. I can’t so for certain what did and what didn’t work, but he is still with me today. Best to you.

  257. Hey!!! Thank you for stopping by my blog! When I was a child, I was very sick. For about 5 years, we had to worry if I were going to die because no one knew what it was. Some days I couldn’t get out of bed, I couldn’t move or even have the strength to chew, and my mum gave me Ensure so I could keep the getting the nutrition I needed. It made a big difference for me. You should try Frosted Flakes with Vanilla flavor instead of milk. Thanks for sharing your story! 🙂

  258. When I’m not writing, I take care of Senior Citizens, sick, and dying people. Of course, the dying people weren’t drinking Ensure at the time! LOL! I know that Ensure is a very nutritous drink that is commonly given to helps sustain many people’s lives. God bless you and I hope you are doing well!

  260. Sorry is this has already been said, but I would suggest getting a juicer and making fruit and veggie juices. I try to as much as possible, and without fail feel better after drinking. Super good for you and energizing as well.

  263. Thank you for sharing and making sense of the crazy world we live in! We can go our whole life eating well, not drinking, smoking, using too many drugs, becoming paranoid about the possiblities so much that we worry so much we cannot enjoy the life we have!
    Only God knows when we will be born and die and we need to leave it to Him – not worrying unnecessarily.
    I have given up worrying with various ‘things’ wrong with my body it’s easier to just eat what I can and enjoy it (because others have so little) as even the doctors are unsure what’s wrong with me and their diagnosis is just a well it isn’t anyhting serious like cancer and we don’t know what it is so we’ll call it IBS (not Irritable bowel syndrome but ‘It’s Bowel something or other)

  264. You *really* want to fight off cancer, you should look into Moringa Oleifera, the world’s most nutritious plant. 90 nutrients, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant. And a chocolate shake is already out, though not publicly available for a few more weeks. http://melkirk01.myzijastory.com/liquid-nutritionals. It’s for real, widely studied in medicine for years, including the likes of John Hopkins & NIH.

  266. Thanks for your thoughts and visits – I’m not so sure about ensure – yes, probably better than junk absolutely -and I must confess that I used it for my Dad, but I can’t help but thinking that eating real food is better. Of course that’s hard all the time. But maybe even a shake with fruit? k.

  268. Hey…thanks for dropping by my blog. you show amazing strength in great adversity…very beautiful! About Ensure, I absolutely agree with you. When my sister suffered from severe anorexia our doctor put her on a regime of 3-6 glasses of Ensure per day. She packed on weight and got healthy in under 6months…great post 🙂

  273. I really hope that things are progressing in a positive way! Are you feeling up to writing anything? Thanks for visiting/liking my posts!
    — YUR

  274. When my dad had cancer, and before he died, at some time during his treatments and illness, he had no appetite. We bought Ensure in bulk and that’s what he had. It was so long ago, I was just a teenager and working on, well, you know, graduating and leaving for college. I do wish now that I’d paid more attention. Thanks for the post and the tip and the reminder…

  277. You’re so brave!! I’m so glad to be following your blog. My next-door-neighbour is a breast cancer survivor (after receiving radiation, chemo and surgery)… and she’s going STRONG, such an inspiration to me! Loving your posts… keep on truckin’. 🙂

  279. I have been drinking protean shakes for about a year after my workouts and when in a rush. My Doctor said there ok. He even suggested Ensure when I cannot make a meal.

  284. Sending you lots of positive thoughts and wishes. Also I keep a bag of protein powder handy for busy days, great to thrown into smoothies or milk, nut milks or or non dairy alternatives for days when I’m really hectic. Might be worth looking into. I use a non whey isolate from my protein.co website.

  285. Notice you liked our product. Glad you found us! From the sound of this post you seem exactly like the person we designed Kize for. Actually it is the kind of people we are… busy and not willing to sacrifice health. But we need healthy to be quick and satisfying. I would love to have you try our product and see what you think as an addition to your sake regimen. Its what I do! I hear ya!

  288. Have you looked into natural cancer remedies (as a supplement to healthy eating)? Fungi which grow on birch trees, such as chaga (inonotus obliquus) and birch polypore (piptoporus betulinus) contain betulinic acid absorbed from the birch bark, which is strongly anti-tumor. Drinking tea made using these mushrooms has apparently cured cancer in Russia and elsewhere for decades. Note: This is not medical advice, just something to look into on your own!

  289. Hi there how are you today? Thanks for liking my photos. I’m joining a choir locally next week that is for those who have survived cancer or know someone who has fought it. Guess that means its open to everyone really in reality. Looking forward to it. Singing is good for the soul:)

  290. Thank you for your blog site. I like how you write. i have been told recently that i may have Mesothelioma Cancer, so this site of yours is nice to see. I still do not know for sure as the Doctors are sitting on their hands, but even if i do not have it i appreciate your blog. Thank you once again. I love your attitude also about the shakes you are drinking! LOL! :-))!

  292. Better Ensure than those Energy bars that are glorified candy bars. I was never much of a cooker til now cause I want to have better control over what I eat and know what’s in what I’m eating. On a hot day after coming home from work,yes,the last thing I want to do is cook. That’s why I have to plan and prepare ahead. Packing food for on the go is challenging but can be done!

  293. Thank you for sharing. I am a writer, but also a hospice worker, so I really appreciate your stories, inspiration and sharing. One great recipe book that a lot of cancer patients here use is called ‘Goes Down Easy’. I think you can find it on Amazon, and it was put together by Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. A great resource, and just plain common sense. Sending you hugs!

  294. Thanks for reading my blog! I have a hard time cooking every day as well. I find it easier to cook a big portion at the beginning of the week and reheat smaller portions of it during the week.

  297. It sounds like you are working very hard to stay healthy and it is absolutely wonderful to be proactice. I would like to inform you however that Ensure might not be as healthy as you think it is, despite it’s convenience.

    Though it is fortified with multi vitamins and minerals, that your body needs, if you look at the list of ingredients—they are GARBAGE for the body, being comprised of very little natural nutrition: corn maltodextrin is sugar, then sugar, then [canola oil—health status debatable but still GMO], corn oil????????? This product is a marketing scam of the largest variety, especially since it is promoted by doctors and hospitals, who ought to be recommending to avoid processed sugars and inflammation promoting substances. see here an ingredients list:

    e.g. Butter Pecan Ready to Drink

    Ensure Plus Ready-to-Drink Butter Pecan / 8-fl-oz (237-mL) Bottle / Case of 24

    Water, Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar, Milk Protein Concentrate, Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soy Protein Isolate. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Whey Protein Concentrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Citrate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Soy Lecithin, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Salt, Carrageenan, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenate, Potassium Iodide, Phylloquinone, Vitamin D3, and Cyanocobalamin.

    However do not despair: there are so many products on the market that use anti-inflammatory ingredients and green foods in combination to deliver vitamin and minerals as well as good taste.

    Try: http://paradiseherbs.com/products/orac-energy-protein-greens/ or even better the Vega Line of vegan whole food health optimizers. Compare the list of ingredients:
    Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer – Chocolate Ingredients:

    Organic hemp protein, yellow pea protein, organic brown rice protein, whole flax seed, ChlorEssence (high CGF chlorella), Frutafit Inulin FOS (from chicory root), organic gelatinized maca root, protease I, protease II, amylase, lipase, cellulase, wild blueberry, blueberry, black raspberry, cherry, marion berry, blackberry, L. Acidophilus, B. Bifidum, natural chocolate flavour, xanthan gum, stevia leaf extract

    You will notice: no processed sugar, only hypoallergenic, low inflammatory, ingredients, healthy oils, fruits and sea vegetables, probiotics/good bacteria for your gut and immune system. Sweetened with stevia, which does not increase blood sugar.

    All the best with your journey towards recovery !

    Dr Millie Lytle
    Naturopathic Doctor, Masters of Public Health

  300. Anna, I enjoy your sense of humor. Your blog is funny and inspirational. Thanks for making us all think and laugh, too. I also need to breathe better. Thank you for visiting my blog and liking posts!

  305. I too thought that if I’m alive I’m not doing anything wrong…but I live in chronic pain daily.
    I’ve noticed when I eliminated gluten and dairy it helped sooo much! And I eat mainly organic. Like 10% of what I eat is not. But if you want to see why…YouTube “Robyn O’Brien on Ted X” and it will really be an eye opener! My dad recovered from stage 3 colon cancer and since he’s my dad I’m at high risk for cancers too! So I’m trying to eliminate anything processed to heal my body. If you look at other countries, milk goes bad in 2 days after buying…like it should. Here it has a shelf life of 3 months before opening and 2 weeks after. Sooo what are they putting in the milk?!? With bread it’s the same. The preservatives are not preserving us! Not to sound like a funny activist…but if you were to look at a bottle of childrens vitamins they put antibiotics in them….I was fed antibiotics all my childhood and all it did was kill my gut and make me sicker. They never once treated the CAUSE ony the symptoms. Since I eat healthier I don’t remember when I got sick. If you want a natural antibiotic, try raw local honey or tea tree oil. I trust those sources.
    So look at the ingredients, if you can’t pronounce them or it’s not natural, it may end up bringing the cancer back. But thats just my opinion from years of research…
    If you are sick of being in the kitchen make big meals and freeze in individual portions. 🙂

  306. I worked in a nursing home and Ensure was what we fed tube feeders and that was all they had, some got fat on the stuff or a least they did not lose weight while that was their only nutrients. It is good stuff.

  307. Thank you for visiting my blog! Nice to meet you here. I too had cancer and love that I can fill my body with healthy organic fresh foods now! I believe in preventative medicine as much as possible! Take care!

  308. I was looking at the ingredients of Ensure and they are acutally really bad. A lot of the ingredients are derrived form teh most commonly genetically modified ingredients. The most common GM crops being SOY, CORN, CANOLA and COTTONSEED.

    Look at these ingredients!

    Ingredients [–]

    WATER, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR (SUCROSE), CORN SYRUP, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, COCOA POWDER (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), SOY OIL, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CANOLA OIL;LESS THAN 0.5% OF: CORN OIL, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM CITRATE, SOY LECITHIN, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SALT (SODIUM CHLORIDE), SODIUM CITRATE,

    BE CAREFUL PEOPLE. A better supplement is Vital Greens. I personally take it and it is far better than this gmo drink.

  309. Hi! I love your writing! I do have to recommend that you contact me to try an Isagenix shake. Nutr If you’d like some nutrition information about Isagenix shakes, please let me know! I’ll be watching your blog! -Linda

  310. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I enjoyed this post. Several members of my mom’s side have died of cancer including my grandmother and aunt, so I always wonder what I should be doing, but I end up just keeping the same ole routine hoping that I get lucky.

  312. I’ve done the Ensure thing in my youth. It was meant to help me with my stunted growth because I was shorter and thinner than most kids my age and what they thought was acceptable for me. The doctors encouraged me to drink it as a shake mixed with wheat germ. It was not my favorite drink to have. I’m older now and can appreciate what it does for your health. I cannot handle it now since I am lactose intolerant. Maybe one day they’ll come out with an alternative that does the same thing. Until then, I say, Drink to your health.

  316. thanks for visiting my blog! and I admire that you can just drink a couple of these shakes (: I live to eat, and nothing makes me happier than having to prepare or buying food – drinks don’t do it for me!

  321. I’d like to give you the recipe one more drink to help fight Mr. Cancer. You may do this already, but if not. It is promoted by Dr. OZ and is a “Green Drink”. Ingredients: 1C Apple Juice, Juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 apple, 1 stalk celery, 1/2 C Spinach, handful of broccoli, 1 carrot, 1/2 cucumber. Put in blender and whip up on high for one minute. Delicious, cancer fighting, nutrition.

    If you live near and Adventist hospital make an appointment with one of their nutritionists. They will set you up with the best cancer fighting nutrition plan ever. All the best!

  323. Dear Ann,
    Ensure is certainly not the worst thing you can drink. That it contains D3, which the natural, available type of D3 is a great plus. Ensure does contain a lot of corn, however. 90% of US Corn is GMO.
    Have you heard of Dr. Mercola? http://Www.mercola.com You will find important health and cancer information on his site.
    I believe you would be better off finding a source for raw milk that is clean and safe and using Dr. Mercola’s Whey Protein Poweder for your shake vs. Ensure. Raw, pastured milk contains a wealth of dietary nutrients and enzymes that are not found in commercial dairy.

  324. Anything in moderation is ok. Ensure is a good product. You might want to look into the WalMart house brand. It tastes pretty similar, has identical nutritional properties, and is a little cheaper!

  329. wow, the big C. ouch! by the way some researchers are considering the possibility that cancer is the bodys last ditch effort to survive a hyperglycemic/glucose intolerance problem. cancer also takes in sugar and pushes out lactate which is good for you, the lactate that is, when a person is deplete in fat soluable vitamins like d, k, a, and calcium, handling glucose becomes a problem for the body. so maybe the solution to cancer avoidance is a low carb high fat soluable diet, lots of sunshine produced vita d diet.? go to stephanie seneff home page and click on the silver lining slides. really enlightening for me, maybe for you too.
    rose

  332. I once got malnourished (long story) & my Dr. recommended drinking Ensure to help get me healthy again. It did the trick and was enjoyable to drink as well.

    Thanks for “liking” my bean post @ andonthatfarm.wordpress.com :)…

  333. The last thing a cancer patient should worry about is getting fat. Keeping up your strength is the best thing you can do for yourself. My dad drank ensure when he was fighting cancer & it was a great way for him to make certain he was getting everything he needed. You just keep doing what you do, you’re doing great. Trust your instincts. God bless.

  334. Hi, Anna. I’m glad you’re doing well on the Ensure. I may try it one of these days.I appreciate your following my blog.

  335. Thanx for liking my blog “americaunhinged” I enjoyed this article about ensure. I like to keep a diet shake around for times when I’m hungry and don’t want to eat any more because I have taken in enough calories for one day. I like that I know how many calories I am getting and it takes away the hunger.

  338. i likee it too! altho i drink the gluten free ones. they’re definitely not bad considering the other options. keep on fighting the fight sister and thanx for visiting my blog! : )

  342. Just editing a section of my first book dealing with the importance of healthy eating and exercise when recovering from anxiety disorder and then came across your Blog which has inspired me even further to finish editing by the end of the day 😀 Hopefully I can upload a short excerpt by the end of the weekend as well, so thanks for the inspiration.

    http://www.revolutionwriter1.wordpress.com

  346. After surviving cancer of the lower tongue four years ago, the radiation treatments left me with the inability to tolerate, at first the taste, then, the texture, of most solid foods. I’ve been drinking seven bottles of ENSURE PLUS every day for almost five years. I have almost no body fat, and have not have ANY kind of illness since my recovery, not even the sniffles. I’ve not had an upset stomach even once, and am VERY “regular”. I excersize regularly at the gym and at home. I run, and I dance. Without Ensure, I might not be alive today. The sugar is not as high as some of your commenters have suggested. I eat no junk food, and no desserts. I can now eat fresh salad greens, portabello mushrooms, pop corn (Who knew?), and even an occasional scallop and shrimp. Over time I’m learning to eat more and more things, but I depend upon the Ensure for my protein and calories. I’m 64, and look 50. Most likely, I “eat” better than anyone I know. It never hurts to put good stuff in your body, and Ensure is my favorite stuff.

    Thanks for the “like” on my Blue Ridge photo blog. I love living in the North Carolina Mountains.

    http://www.blueridgeimpressions.org Regards, Vann

  348. Ensure shakes are a great start. I’ve also blended those healthy soups with my own fresh ingredients – shredded chicken, beans, cheese etc. to give them a little more “oomph” but keeping the process pretty low maintenance.

  352. When i was 13 I nursed my sick grandmother and she had a cabinet full of ensure, I tried one and i liked it alot too! Nowadays all my shakes are Slimfasts, maybe time to switch it up a bit! 🙂

  355. Thx for visiting my blog – My Blankity Blank Diet. I have no anti-cancer emphasis nor a specific product to buy but one can assume that any program of better healthy actions will influence all disease in the long run. I have learned, at 76, that 2 things will determine a long life – good genes and a happy attitude. The 2nd one is FREE.!

  356. First I want to say thank you for liking my blogpost. Now I want to say that my best friend use to buy that for her elderly mom and it was good for her. Some people, although they might mean well, always want to give unsolicited advice. Stay strong! Be well! Peace.

  357. Eating healthy is the way to go!!! My mother was admitted to sloan kettering last year and one drink that she had, and continues to drink, was like the Ensure drinks, but it came in an adult size juice box. It was made by the makers of Ensure, but instead of a milky drink, it was juice. It definately keeps you stronger!!

  358. Do what works for you! You aren’t hurting anyone else, and as long as you feel good about it, that’s absolutely all that matters. Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post!

  360. You are such an inspiration!!! I love your positiveness, I’m going to try and be a bit more so myself. 🙂 Good luck with your health and invite me to your 70th birthday party – please! 🙂

  361. It was falttering to get a like on one of my posts from such a witty and seemingly popular blogger, thankyou and many blessings

    Also, i love the ensure shakes, especially bannana

  363. Thanks for liking my posts! I hope you stay healthy and cancer FREE! You could do much worse than drinking an Ensure or two 🙂

  366. Hi, thanks for checking out my blog. I enjoy Ensure too, my family has been drinking it for years. The best is the chocolate shake with ice, absolutely delicious and great as a meal on the run. Keep up the good work, eating healthy is so important.

  367. Thank you for dropping by my blog. I used to think Ensure was for older folks until a doctor recommended it for my then sick brother. I’ve been sneaking out some from his can since, haha!

  368. Great post. I’m amazed at how many naysayers tried to discourage you from having Ensure. My best friend has Crohn’s Disease and she usually has one of these every day. It’s got vitamins, minerals, protein, and lots of other good things, plus it’s easy to digest. And it’s definitely isn’t going to make you FAT – that’s just silly!

  370. ha ha ha!!! people love to be skeptical! They say we’re ‘lucky’ when actually we’ve been working our a$$e$ off to be better, do better, feel better. Luck my eye!

    Keep on keepin’ on!!

  371. My son “drank” Ensure when he broke his jaw. My brother, a RN, told me about Ensure. He said it would keep my son from loosing muscle mass. He was right!! By the way, check out the film “Forks over Knives”. I have become Vegan, take B12 and I am in the best health of my life at 58 years old. Keep blogging.

  376. Thanks very much for the likes and visiting my blog 🙂 If you need a healthy protein shake I suggest buying a container of Whey Protein Isolate. I use New Zealand Whey. It has no added chemicals, sugars, artificial flavors and about 30 grams of protein. Add a banana, some kale, stevia if you like it sweet, some almond milk and there you have it 🙂 If you have it on hand you will never have to go for Ensure again.

  380. Right now I’d be interested in some of your soup recipes. I’m giving this ‘healthy eating’ thing a 6 month committed try. I’ve found an Isagenix shake that I feel the same way that you feel about the Ensure shake. However right now I’m focusing on eating stuff that has as little human manipulation as possible.

  382. Hi and thanks for stopping by my blog. I only started it yesterday so it’s lovely to have a visitor already. I’m hoping to be able to really improve my health and that of my family too and can see myself developing my own addiction to health! Best wishes xxxx

  383. Thanks for your life about my post on “inspiration”. I came by to return the favor when I suddenly realized the connection as my girlfriend is recovering (quite well) from breast cancer. I’ve been on the lookout for cancer fighting foods for her. I never thought about “Ensure” working in that regard, but wondered if it would help me stop snacking during the day.

  385. Love your attitude! I think people think that they’re helping, but it really seems like a lot of “off the cuff” responses are usually negative and/or skeptical. So, great job demonstrating that you stand behind your research & opinions! Keep up the good fight.

  386. I’m so sorry about your cancer but your attitude ROCKS! While I was taking care of my mother in law 6 months before her death (when we found out – she was already metastasized ) I told her to drink the Ensure and she didn’t like it but she did feel the difference when she wouldn’t drink it. She would try her best to choke it down. She took the Chemo route trying to fight it the fastest she could. It has been a painful 1 year and 2 months tomorrow (the 15th) that she passed. On a positive note my daughter would get a supplement of Pediasure in a sippy cup (I also found out and caught my son drinking my daughters cups- he loved it also) and then she lived on a mixture of Pediasure and Ensure for 3 years while she was tube fed. She did GREAT! So yes they do help and work wonders! (I wasn’t suppose to have my daughter past the age of 5 years due to her genetic missing material.) She is 12 years old this year!!!! You are doing great and keep up the fight! God Bless

  388. Love your attitude. Cancer, or not, this is the way many many people should live. But quick suggestion, you’ve probably heard of this, Zrii Original Amalaki, I’ve heard of peolpe who drink this stuff and get a lot stronger to face chemo, or if you’re into the shakes, Zrii also has an option called Achieve, I’ve personally tried this,and it’s really good. All of Zrii’s products are sugar free, gluten free, it’s kosher, has the halal certification,vegans can eat them, athelete’s can eat them, pretty much everyone can eat them. These products have helped tons of people with several illnesses or just to stay healthy.youshould try them, who knows, they might help you feel better (:

  390. Thank you for stopping by … i grew up eating kale,spinach etc and had to fish refused to hunt but we did eat vinison when given …raised chicken ..Eating healthy laughing and loving !!! YOU are doing great ! God Bless

  391. Hello Anna, I too agree that Ensure+ is a superb supplement. I have had occasion to see it in use and have observed the benefits it can provide, I too would recommend it. Regards Supernova.

  392. Thank you for visiting me. I have no illnesses but I was a tad overweight so I do a meal replacement diet. This means that I take a shake, or a soup instead of a meal. I like them and I have lost weight. Breakfast and lunch and be carefull what I eat for my evening meal, not to undo everything I have achieved during the day. Take care..

    1. Thanks. Blogging is great !!! You just write – publish – and read you E – mail……… And if you can inspire one person, that person may tomorow inspire one …. You know…. Good luck to you !!!

  395. As a farmer, I cannot support the consumption of Ensure. Seriously, it is not made up of whole fruit and vegetables, comes in a can lined with BPA, and the cost per can is prohibitive when compared to fresh fruits and vegetables. The farmer just cannot support an attempted justification for Ensure; I’m on the side of healthy soups.

  398. Ensure is great; I used to work in an MRDD facility, and it was great for some of the residents who didn’t really have an appetite; it is a great supplement for someone who doesn’t have or take time to actually sit down and eat a meal. I think it is great for single, elderly folks who don’t necessarily want to cook for just one person. Of course, you still need to eat to get a well rounded diet. I also take fish oil supplement, as recommended by Dr. Oz for heart health. I would also recommend it.

  400. Thanks for the Like! I’m currently assisting a Yoga class for cancer survivors & caregivers at a hospital nearby and do I love this group! Is there a resource for this type of free yoga class in your area? I might like to add this to your healing regime…

  401. The healthiest addition is Dark Chocolate. Dont take my word for it Google Chocolate and Health you will find all the latest research on Dark Chocolate and health. Milk Chocolate is not as healthy because its mainly sugar and milk fat. Go Figure?!

  404. Thank you for visiting my blog, it’s how I found yours 🙂 I can completely relate to getting tired of cooking and eating healthy for the sake of trying to beat cancer at its game. I’m not opposed to eating healthy, it’s just the idea that it’s one more way that cancer tries to run my life. I’ve read that cancer feeds on sugar, so even though I’ve always liked sweets, especially chocolate, it seems like the more I try to restrict them from my diet the more I crave them! I wonder, is it really me craving them, or is it the evil cancer cells craving a sugar fix? Anyway, I’m glad to have found your blog, and although I’ve heard about Pau d’Arco for cancer, I had not heard about Ginger. Thanks for the info here, and for sharing your journey.

  407. My mom used to give me Ensure…as a child! Then my pediatrician yelled at her and told her that I didn’t need it yet 😛

    By the way, happy belated birthday by many many months 🙂

  412. Awesome blog! There must be some kind of killer energy here because I was drawn here after you liked my post about my music therapy article. Many thanks by the way! I am 25 and have been suffering from two unhealthy internal problems, which require me to be on many meds and mostly a liquid diet. I lack nutrients all of the time and I constantly struggle to find something to eat/snack on during my school day that won’t make me sick. I picked up some of these drinks to try and they are great! They are OK for lactose intolerant individuals (like myself) as well! Thanks for the post!! Way to stay positive!

  416. I truly appreciate your looking at my blog posts. I am looking at your own situation, and I can only say that I am beaming all the good thoughts that I can in your direction. All power to you!

  417. Thank you for passing by my blog. Cancer is an ever present evil in this life, it took both my father and grandmother far too early! There are few words of comfort I can give except never stop learning, eat well and never say die!
    Do to others as you would be done by and you won’t go far wrong!

  419. My father-in-law has cancer. He drinks those shakes, too. Whatever you can do to get in nutrients and keep active, right?! We make our own shakes at home, like another reader recommended above, and I’d say try that too if you have the time, but since your post was about the convenience, I say, do what works for you!
    You’re an inspiration. Thanks for writing!

  423. Hi, I’m glad you liked my Smoked fish crostini recipe, as I’m currently on my very own health diet I’ll be posting a lot more really healthy really easy to make recipes and tips.
    I hope you’ll like them too!

  424. I love Ensure. Used to drink the Chocolate ones when recovering from a relapse from Multiple Sclerosis. My weight really dipped and this helped me so much!!

  425. Wonderful items from you, man. I have bear in mind your stuff previous to and you’re simply extremely fantastic. I actually like what you have received here, certainly like what you are saying and the best way wherein you are saying it. You’re making it entertaining and
    you still care for to stay it wise. I can’t wait to read far more from you. This is actually a tremendous website.

  428. My wife and I make a great smoothie most every morning when I go to work and have little time for a longer breakfast – and sometimes for other meals as well – The main ingredients are Spirulina (makes it so nice and dark green!) and Alive! Powder from Nature’s Way – the best place to buy is iHerb.com. Yum! I call it “cosmonaut food”.

  431. Thanks for sharing your story! Our best wishes for your health, for staying strong, and overcoming this extremely difficult challenge.

  433. Thanks for the like on my blog! I would really appreciate it if you would follow mine as well. As for drinking ensure, I too like the stuff. On days when i dont have time or just dont feel like cooking or making breakfast or lunch I can drink on of their shakes and t gets me by until my next meal. I was skeptical the first time i purchased some but I actually think it is really good!

  435. Anna you are a god-send.
    Only last night I decided that I should begin eating better for my life. My two sisters are dying of cancer right now.
    I have tried whey protein but now I will go and get some Ensure.
    Thanks so much!

  436. That’s an interesting take on things. Ensure drinks are full of calories. When a friend of mine had severe anorexia, she was forced to drink Ensure. I think your friend was right in saying you would gain weight by drinking them, but skipping a meal for one definitely isn’t healthy.

  439. Thank you for liking my post/blog 🙂
    This looks good too :-). Enjoying reading.
    I’ve another blog documenting, I guess, the creative path? on my website 🙂

  440. I love the taste of Ensure as well, especially when it’s cold. I thought it had too much sugar in it though. But I’m craving one now! I respect people who watch what they put into their bodies. It really is important. Keep being healthy!

  441. Hi there

    This is a good post. A few years ago, I when working 12-hour shifts daily and subsequently not eating on time, I was put on Ensure by a Fatigue Doctor. He said that it contained all the nutrients found in a full meal. I prefer meals and actual food to supplements so I concentrated on eating better during that hectic time.

    It was not till I had my wisdom teeth extracted, and I coudn’t eat solids, when I decided to use Ensure. My flavour of choice was chocolate and it was delicious. Unfortunately, I only lasted 2 days on Ensure and could no longer stomach the shakes. I am too much of a food lover.

  442. There were so many comments that I didn’t read them all, but I wanted to make a suggestion. “They” recommended that my husband drink Ensure to increase protein intake prior to cancer surgery. I checked the label on the Carnation Instant Breakfast drink, and the nutritional values are almost the same, and, the cost was less than half the price of the Ensure. So we bought the Vanilla Carnation Instant Breakfast Drinks and made smoothies, adding some yogurt, bananas or berries, etc. That made it healthier and you could vary the flavors a lot. Enjoyed your post!

  444. My mom was diabetic so she took Glucerna instead. She liked the butter-pecan flavor since vanilla is very common. They say those who eats have a better chance of beating the odds so keep doing what you feel is right for you. Cheer up!

  446. If it’s something you like the taste of and your body can tolerate it, why not? Unless you want to spend hours creating your own drink with all the vitamins and protein and other things you need, Ensure is fine. I cared for my mom when she was ill and she liked it and she was an RN. The only thing she did was thin it out a bit ‘cos sometimes it was too thick and she liked to use a straw.

  451. I admire your attitude towards health. Also, Ensure is very good for staying healthy – I was perscribed by a doctor to drink it when I had serious problems with my health. I did not “get fat” from drinking it, and neither will you or anyone else who uses it wisely. By the way, thanks for stopping by my blog!

  456. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I dont know you, but you visited my blog, and I just found yours. What is it you are taking?? Ensure? I have not found it on your site, but I have not had too much time to check it out either. Tell me more. Thanks and may the Lord God Bless you richly!!!!

  457. Have you not just replaced a healthy, natural meal instead of “a not so healthy meal” as you suggest? Protein shakes and supplements should not be used as a replacement to eating real food, merely as a source of the extra things you need (as the word supplement suggests). What soulspiceadventures says about Ensure possibly feeding the cancer worries me. If you have difficulty eating, are underweight or want to build body mass, protein shakes seem the way to go, otherwise making natural smoothies, like some people already suggest, is delicious and full of goodness!!!!

    That being said I love your positive, strong attitude and humour in your writing. And obviously it’s up to you, these comments are mostly just opinions, but it might be worth looking into the real pros and cons.

  458. Well you’re right to ignore your friend who worries about you getting fat – a bit of fat isn’t the monster it’s made out to be – my last girlfriend was 6′ and a size 22 (not sure how that translates into American, but big) and beautiful – and no big deal compared to your ‘monster’. If you’re happy and healthy, go with it. Our bodies are pretty good at telling us what we need – it’s us not listening, or worse, fooling ourselves that’s the problem. Your positive energy is infectious. Stay strong, love.

    Andy.

  460. Thanks for liking my post. Your blog is really interesting and informing. Could you please re-post my post on your blog?
    If so thank you.

  463. Thank you for reading through my posts, I’m glad you found something to bring you back.
    As for shakes, I also use them instead of an unhealthy snack when I crave something sweet or simply different.
    Good luck on keeping “The Ugly” as far away as possible, your sense of humour will definitely help with that:)
    Laura

  464. Healthy food , healthy mind
    bear a healthy spirit to you ….
    Chose what you want –
    A life full of moments
    or a moment filled with life true ….

    Anna …your spirit is infectious ..god bless u.

  465. Good health isn’t about “looking” good, it’s about feeding your body with vital nutrition to be “good” on the inside too! Thanks for visiting my Skinnyfat page so I can discover yours- will be checking my reader keenly for further posts 🙂

  467. Thanks for dropping in…and gotta say, I’m with you on the protein shakes. It’s a heck of alot easier to have breakfast and lunch in two minutes flat with no dishes left over than to cook in a rush–and it’s far, far healthier than fast food! 🙂 Looking forward to more posts!

  468. You have such a great attitude I love your humor. I think it’s probably one of the most important things about surviving any serious illness. It is for me. Thanks for making me chuckle…And for liking my posts. You’re a Queen all right!

  470. Thanks for stopping by Life Out Loud and liking my post. Feel free to stop by again and again. I dropped by to reciprocate and found that I love the honesty and transparency of your blog. And am charmed by your zest for life. As you may know from my blog, I have a son with cerebral palsy. Because of that, he is unabale to eat common foods, however he has thrived on a diet of Ensure for nearly fourteen years, with excellent results. So cheers to good health and long life. And Write on!

  477. I took care of an aunt with Alzheimer’s for some years till she passed away. She took Ensure daily, but when the supplier ran out, I substituted Ovaltine for it and found we got the same results for substantially le$$ cost. You might want to check it out. Also, I love Sunrise Energy Bars. I buy them at Costco. They only cost $8 for 32 bars and they are loaded with nutrients.

    Tony

  480. I drink my breakfast every morning. Many of the items that go in it have cancer fighting properties. I start with coconut milk, half of an avocado, handful of baby spinach, banana, berries, spoon of natural peanut butter and I add one teaspoon of tumeric, ginger, and cinnamon. Sometimes I add extra dark choc hershy powder. Tumeric is great for fighting cancer and you can also drink a tea made from it…Tulsu tea, and greeen tea is also good. coconut milk has many healthy properties and also keeps your metabolism fired up.

  482. Thanks for stopping by my Teen Hiker blog! You’re post on Ensure is very interesting and your blog is really well written! 🙂

  484. I have used Ensure, or the cheaper generic products like it, for health reasons like you did and it really was helpful. I had lost my sense of taste so I didn’t have much of an appetite but I knew I had to get the right nutrition or I wouldn’t get my health back. I had recommended Ensure to a friend a couple of years earlier who was having trouble fixing himself meals when he didn’t have any one around (he was paralyzed from the waist down in a motorcycle crash in 1975 and up until a few years ago he was able to live alone and do almost everything himself because of having really strong upper body strength and being incredibly stubborn) and he practically lived on them for 2 years and they really worked to help keep him healthy and he swore that my recommending drinking it saved his life at the time.

  485. I used to see a lot of people getting Ensure when I worked at a store. And a lot of them would say something along the lines of ‘My doctor said I need to drink this.’ From what I’ve heard it’s great! ANd if it’s better than soup and keeps you going, then have at it. 😀

  487. Hi I’d like to share what I make for my wife and I every day since we gave up meat a few years ago. 1 banana + 1/3 peeled cucumber+1 medium carrot peeled+1 cored pear or apple+1 stalk of celery+ 1 whole Kale leaf center spline removed+ 1 Blueberry or any other flavored yogurt preferably a red or blue fruit+3/4 cup Coconut /Almond Milk+3/4 cup Orange Juice or a few oranges peeled+ handful of ice crushed or cubed= from this basic shake you can add sunflower or pumpkin seeds for a crunch or wheat germ or flax seed to get your Omega’s, BLEND WITH ICE add a scoop of protein powder for more protein. We have gone days where this was our only nourishment plus fresh water on cleanse days. This will improve your bloodstream and cells immediately! I hope you enjoy! Merry Xmas

  489. I have actually drank those for years. They are my breakfast and theyre delicious. I am 20 and probably have as many problems as my grandmother. have stomach problems and feel nauseaus every single morning. I love food but I can’t take a bite until late in the day. when I drank Ensure I felt much BETTER every morning compared to just water.

  493. Thank you for visiting my blog. I would love some tips from you about getting more readers because you seem to have a great following. I feel like only 5 people read my blog : ) Again, thanks for visiting!

  494. Thanks for stopping by my Veranano blog. You might look into Meal Shakes through Amway. I think they must be healthier. Chocolate is a great flavor. I’ve used them when I have no time for a solid lunch.
    Blue Skies,
    CricketMuse

  496. I recently watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead on Netflix and inspired me to juice and drink only fresh veggies and fruit for 30 days (except Christmas and New Years, of course 😉 ). I’ve lost lots of weight and haven’t felt this good in a long time. It’s a little time consuming but fun.

  502. hahaha! i should try this. Been eating a lot of instant noodles lately, something that really causes cancer… oh well… ENSURE… good tip! 🙂

  505. Sorry but that shake does not sound good… luckily I don’t have to worry about that! 🙂 Thanks for the visit, hope you stop by again.

  509. I like the upbeat attitude and the hope for a better tomorrow. I wish you luck in future endeavors and wish you good health for as long as possible. Thank you for liking my poetry as well!

  511. Great blog. We all can use advice from a survivor in the battle for life. BTW, I am going to borrow something from you on my blog “I’m Off My Meds Again” on Jan. 22. Thanks for the inspiration.

  513. I could have written that. One of my “rocket scientist Neuro” Botoxed my throat. NOT cosmetic- I have an orphan Neuro disorder (Dystonia). I could not swallow for about 3 weeks. I lost 18 lbs. I weighed 82 lbs. I had to drink Ensure, Walgreens protein drink, etc/ I don’t know about you, but it’s much easier for me to lose weight than to gain weight- NOT bragging. It took me YEARS to gain that weight back. Because I have a movement disorder, my body is NEVER truely at rest. I spasm 24/7. I feel terrible bitching to you. I am merely explaining my lot in life.

    You are one tough woman- I mean that with the utmost respect. You do what you have to do to survive. YOU deserve a metal for merely being you :-))

  514. Thank you for liking my post.

    I have lost my loved ones to cancer and still see the surviving ones battle and continue to Live, in its true sense.

    Thank you for sharing what you go through and showing the rest of us, there is Life after and with humour too. Have a beautiful year and keep blogging!

  517. Awesome! Now, I’m not big on the whole health-products thing myself, but because of my medical condition it’s often difficult for me to eat properly. I’ve tried those shake things a few times in the past and meh…. but this one sounds like something that might work for me. So thanks!

  519. Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your website?
    My blog is in the exact same niche as yours and my users would definitely benefit from a lot
    of the information you present here. Please let me know if this
    okay with you. Many thanks!

  521. Any way you can find to avoid or battle the big “C” is worth trying! Here at the local Indian Reservation there is a man who will, If you ask him, make up a concoction for you depending on what ails you. He mixes up different herbs and things in Gibley’s gin that you supply. He will not use any other kind and this seems to be the cheapest at the store. I have known people personally who have used it while treating cancer that it helped them be able to eat while on chemo and made them feel better over all. One was even told by their doctor after some bloodwork results came back “whatever it is your’re doing keep doing it”. Oh and thanks for the “Like” on my last post!

  523. It’s probably not a way to save as much time… But I’ve found making you’re own smoothy-type shakes works well. If you have a blender they take minutes to make. And you avoid the preservatives, artificial flavours and colours, and flavour-enhancers so many of the shop-bought shakes are packed with as well as all those valuable nutrients.
    I do agree, they are a useful as they are so quick: Personally though I prefer to use those kinds of products on the occassional day where time is an issue. It’s not that my body is a temple, or I’m trying to sell “organic”. It’s just I’m aware of how things which are “good” for you today are “bad” tomorrow, and all those “bad” things from yesterday turn out to be “good”!
    “Everything in moderation” seems the watch phrase?

  524. Hi Anna. Hope this finds you feeling well and having an enjoyable day. Just wanted to stop in. Pretty busy this week.. Hope I can make myself stay away from the computer, though. I’m a little addicted. Ps. So glad you appreciated the “Fido”.

  529. I think the greatest bane to our modern existence is the cultural belief that we are not allowed to practice medicine on ourselves – who else knows as much about how we feel inside? Kudos to you for following your heart and may you enjoy good health – with or without the shakes! :>)

  530. Hey, try “Rumble” is a more natural nutrition drink. I’m in the organic and natural food industry and these guys are pretty passionate and dedicated to their product. There’s actually success stories with multiple illnesses in customers and worth a look to check out their website. Really, wish you all the best to you and your health.

  533. great post, if you havent already, check out the nutribullet, its amazing, ive been juicing with it, a handful of kale, handful of tropical fruit mix (frozen from sams club) some almonds, carrots, banana, and soy milk, I am now to lazy to eat solid food I just love these juices, I have so much energy and it really does make me full!!!

    also you can grind coffee, and make soup in it, it gives you a huge recipe book too. man I should work for these guys lol, honestly try it, u can always return it if u don’t like it!

    xoxoxo
    -emma

  538. Hi Anna, how goes it? I see you haven’t posted in awhile, I hope all is well on your side of the fence 🙂

    Thanks for your recent visit to my blog. I was looking around your site for a description of your blog to add to my readers’ page (http://yourdailydoseblog.com/2012/10/11/a-page-dedicated-to-my-readers-your-blogs-please-help-me-finish-it-by-describing-your-blog-in-10-words-or-less/) but couldn’t find one. Would love it if you could pass on a 10-word-or-less description to add beside your name? Thanks so much 🙂

    xoxo

  546. HI, new to your blog. First of all, I want to say, Congratulations on surviving and thriving with cancer!! Cancer Prevention and Natural Remedies…this subject intrigues me!
    Ensure?!? Have you tried supplements with greens in them? There are a lot of green drinks out there. Get a bunch antioxidants in one cup of this green drink. I drink one every morning.

    Love what you have here. I will be checking out your other posts. Thanks for sharing your interesting life experiences.

  547. Thank you for stopping by my blog, you are the first person to ever go by and leave a message. please stop by, I will be posting pictures of the beautitudes that I have been lucky enough to come by =)

  553. Ensure shakes ingredients are horrible – find something more natural –
    Water, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, Soy Oil, Soy Protein Isolate, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Pea Protein Concentrate, Canola Oil. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Corn Oil, Magnesium Phosphate, Cellulose Gel, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Carrageenan, Potassium Hydroxide, Ferric Orthophosphate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium

  559. Thank you so much for stopping by at my blog and letting me know you were there with the “like” option. I’m really sorry to learn of your health struggle.

  561. It is pretty obvious that you have quite a following, so I was wondering how such a prolific blogger found my blog, and why one such as yourself would have liked it. As a newbie, any information would be helpful