Category Archives: Traditional Therapies

Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) Makes Chemo Safer and Stronger

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MCP has been part of my supplement regimen for 2 years. I usually go with my intuition when I take recommended supplements, and so far have been pretty good at predicting what my body likes and doesn’t like. This is one supplement my body seems to like, witnessed by the fact that I don’t forget to take it, and don’t feel it’s a chore to mix some up to drink.

There have been some supplements (out of about 23) that I keep leaving behind … and when I did an energy test on myself with those, the result confirmed my hunch!

MCP comes in capsule or powdered form. It is not inexpensive, but when it comes to products that help discourage cancer formation, that is not a huge consideration.  I bought 3 jars online that were on sale from a Vitamin shop, so if you do a little research you can get it at a reasonable price.

I am also happy to say that I will be meeting with Dr. Eliaz in the next 2 weeks, and will be excited to post about my visit.  Am also attending his 2 day retreat in Santa Rosa on the 22nd and 23rd of this month (Sept. 2012).

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New study shows MCP makes safer, lower chemotherapy doses possible

When it comes to cancer prevention and treatment, a strategic combination of diverse approaches might mean the difference between life and death. In fact, new research published in the journal Cell Biology International suggests just that.

The study analyzed a combination of Modified Citrus Pectin and the chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin, and found that using the two compounds together dramatically increased their anti-cancer effects, in this case against prostate cancer.

As an integrative physician, I rely on strategic combinations of the best treatments suited to an individual’s unique needs and requirements. In some cases, this involves the use of certain pharmaceutical compounds which can be more effective and less toxic when combined with specific natural therapies. This published study is an excellent example of such synergy, highlighting a key strategy in successful integrative cancer therapy.

Making a Deal with Doxorubicin

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an effective anti-cancer drug, but it’s also one of the most toxic. Nicknamed “The Red Devil” or “Red Death” for its serious side effects, Dox can cause severe heart and immune damage among other complications. The doses needed to impact tumors are not well tolerated by patients; however, researchers may have found an answer with this latest study.

Results demonstrated that combining Dox with Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) increased the anti-cancer activity of Dox. This finding bodes well for prostate cancer patients, especially those too weak for normal chemotherapy regimens. Combination therapy using MCP may allow for lower doses of Dox with greater clinical impact and reduced toxicity.

Results of the Study

The study tested whether combining Dox with MCP would increase effectiveness against prostate cancer cells in vitro. It did, significantly. The team used two forms of prostate cancer: Androgen-dependent (LNCaP) and androgen-independent (DU-145). The results were impressive, as the combination treatment reduced cancer cell viability by more than 67 percent in both types. Specifically, the researchers were looking at the cell cycle, the cell division process, and apoptosis—the programed cell death mechanisms which destroy abnormal cells and are often impaired in cancers.

This study demonstrates that MCP enhances the cytotoxic effect of Doxorubicin in both androgen-dependent but more importantly in androgen-independent prostate cancer. This is especially important because prostate cancer patients who do not respond to hormone therapy and require chemotherapy are often the most in need of advanced treatments.

Androgen-dependent prostate cancer is often treated by depriving it of hormones. Androgen-independent prostate cancers no longer respond to hormone therapy, having developed new mechanisms to grow and thrive. The combination treatment worked against the androgen-dependent form by shutting down the cell cycle. The treatment killed the androgen-independent cells by boosting apoptosis.

MCP Cancer Research

This is the latest in a series of studies that have substantiated MCP’s ability to fight cancer. As early as 1995, a study by researchers at Wayne State University found that MCP inhibited metastasis to the lungs in animals with prostate cancer. A phase I clinical trial in 1997 and a phase II clinical trial published in 2003, showed MCP slowed cancer growth in human subjects. A study in 2007 at Albert Ludwigs University in Germany found clinical benefit for advanced cancer patients receiving MCP treatment. And a study in 2010, conducted at Columbia University, showed MCP induces apoptosis and reduces proliferation in aggressive cancer.

MCP: The only proven Galectin-3 blocker

The powerful cancer-fighting abilities of MCP have attracted the attention of researchers and doctors around the world. MCP’s most significant anti-cancer function comes from its unique ability to disarm the dangerous Galectin-3 molecule. Decades of research show that excess Galectin-3 in the body fuels the growth and metastasis of cancer and makes the disease more aggressive. MCP is thus earning a prestigious reputation as the only natural compound proven to enter the blood stream and bind to excess Galectin-3 molecules, blocking their disease-causing effects.

Furthermore, as a versatile natural therapy, MCP supports other angles of cancer prevention and treatment. MCP is proven to provide dramatic benefits for immune health; reduce chronic inflammation and safely remove heavy metals from the body.

Successful Integrative Medicine

The ability of such a safe supplement to decrease the needed dosage of Doxorubicin is very significant. Combination therapy using MCP allows lower levels of Doxorubicin to be used with greater effect on inducing rapid cell death in the hard-to-treat androgen-independent prostate cancer, and halting the viability of the androgen-dependent prostate cancer. The lower doses and increased effectiveness are a win-win.

This type of synergistic strategy is an excellent example of successful integrative medicine hard at work to fight disease while simultaneously promoting the health of the patient with targeted, scientifically substantiated natural solutions.

Link to the Study:  Combination effect of PectaSol and Doxorubicin on viability, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in DU-145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines. Cell Biol Int. 2012 Jan 4. [Epub ahead of print].

~ Be Well. ♥

Cancer is Not a Death Sentence: How to Survive Cancer (and Chemotherapy)

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Below is a must read article that does a wonderful job of outlining the issues with traditional Cancer Treatment, and the wonderful natural products that may be just as effective, and a gabillion times safer than toxic Chemo drugs.

I have written posts on each product mentioned in this article, and they quote Dr. Ralph Moss who was the first Complimentary and Alternative Therapy specialist I consulted with.  He was one of my Dream Team members I mentioned.

For the past 18 months, I have been taking all of the products mentioned in this article.

Please read or forward this article to anyone you know who is facing the difficult decision of treatment options, or who has gone through the process of treatment and is needs to do whatever they can to prevent recurrence.

I have copied the opening section to get you started…

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We all know someone who has been touched by cancer. This disease is personal, no matter who you are. And unfortunately, it’s only getting worse…
President Nixon declared a “War on Cancer” when he signed the National Cancer Act in 1971. Since then, many health authorities have pointed to statistics that supposedly illustrate our progress. Most often, they cite an increasing survival rate. But they’re missing the full picture.

Modern technology and aggressive screening programs detect cancer at a much earlier stage.  Plus, researchers include non-threatening cancers in the survival  statistics. So if your cousin Harry is still alive five years after he had that mole removed from his hand… he’s counted as a “survivor.”

Regardless of how the numbers are presented, cancer continues to increase. Since the 1970s, the incidence rate, the mortality rate, and the number
of diagnoses have all gone up.
A hundred years ago, one out of every 33 people was diagnosed with cancer  in their lifetime. Today, nearly one out of every two Americans will be diagnosed.

If there is a war on cancer… modern medicine is not on the winning side.  But the good news is: There is a winner – and it doesn’t have to be cancer.

Cancer is NOT an automatic death sentence

Mainstream medicine has made virtually no strides in the fight against cancer. But that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been progress. We now know how to reduce your risk of cancer almost entirely. And there are proven breakthroughs for treating the disease if you (or someone you know) have already been diagnosed.
You won’t hear about these treatments from an oncologist. He could even lose his license for recommending them. But they are safe, inexpensive and highly effective.  And most important, they improve the outcomes of standard treatment, while reducing side effects.

The “Business” of Medicine

Unfortunately, the goal of modern healthcare is not to make people healthy. It is to make a profit.

Treating and managing disease is enormously profitable. Preventing it is not. And nowhere is this more evident than cancer… In May of 1986, the New England Journal of Medicine published a candid report. The co-author was Dr. John C. Bailar, a 20-year veteran of the National Cancer Institute who served as director of their Cancer Control Program. His report commented on modern cancer treatment. It stated that, “The main conclusion we draw is that some 35 years of intense effort focused on improving treatment must be judged a qualified failure.

But Dr. Bailar and his colleagues did not just point to this dismal failure. They raised a solution. Dr. Bailar argued that the only way to win the “war” on cancer is to shift our focus to prevention.

Read the rest of the article here:  http://naturalhealthdossier.com/issues/nhd_august2012.pdf

~ To Your Health ! ♥

Powerful Remedies for Chemotherapy Side Effects

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Dealing with the side effects of Chemotherapy is huge distraction from the business of doing what you should to support and expedite healing from cancer.

You now have a whole new set of issues to treat, many of which can leave you feeling depressed and caught up in a downward spiral.

Take heart.. this too shall pass. The worst days for me were day 3 – 7 after treatment. Thankfully I didn’t have a big problem with nausea because I took Compazine starting day 2 through day 4, and after that I didn’t need them, thanks to the powerful supplements I was taking to minimize drug specific side effects.

Working with an experienced Nutritional Oncologist was my saving grace.  Although she was in another state, I consulted with her and her amazing staff by phone and email, every step of the way.  They recommended specific blood tests (based on Oncometabolic factors) every month or two so they could anticipate and address issues before they became a problem.

My Allopathic Oncologist had no idea about these, and only tested me for blood cell count, and weighed me to ensure I wasn’t losing too much weight.

I felt it would be helpful to share remedies for the most common side effects, that are natural and without side effects of their own! I want to thank my lovely support team at nutritional-solutions for the wealth of knowledge they have given me over the last 2 years.

CAUTION: Make sure to talk to a nutritionist (contact me for a referral) to make sure there are no possible Drug-Nutrient interactions with your particular prescriptions.

Preparing for Your Chemo Treatment

My bf came with me to every chemo session. We made sure to get fixed appointments at times when his work schedule would allow him to join me.

I can’t emphasize how helpful it is to ask a supportive friend or upbeat family member if they are free to drive with you to your appointment and back, not that you can’t do it alone, it just makes the experience, and in my opinion the effectiveness of the treatment, so much better.

Your mind-set, your attitude, and your thoughts before and during a chemo treatment will program your brain, and hence your body’s response, with either positive confidence that the drugs are working to heal you, or with worry and doubt that they can.  You can help the process by holding on to a happy, strong attitude, or dampen the body’s ability to heal with negativity, ambivalence and sadness. Which program will you choose?

The power of our thoughts is tremendous, “mind over matter” is not an empty saying. You’ve heard of people who have walked on hot coals, or have survived outdoors in harsh, cold climates. Harness the power of your mind by feeding it confidence that the drugs are zapping every cancer cell. Imagine that you’re playing a game of PAC-MAN at each treatment… it really works.headshot

J and I took snacks, cards, Yahtzee and a good book each. If you have a small DVD player, then take a funny movie along! I firmly believe that Laughter boosts the effectiveness of medication. We made sure to find things to giggle about.  ‘

I also asked the nurse to tape a photo I brought along on the chemo drug bag, of my spiritual guide. A pic of St. Francis, or a heart, or any healing, religious or spiritual symbol that is meaningful to you is great.  Why not infuse the chemo with divine energy?

VERY important: Take a large thermos or two of ICE COLD lemon water, or mineral water with a splash of orange blossom water (avail at health food and middle eastern stores), and a container of ICE.
We took ice in a large Tupperware container because they had none at the clinic. Drinking icy cold liquids or sucking Popsicles during treatment helps limit damage to your intestines, by contracting the blood vessels. The lemon helps keep your liver happy.

Weight loss / Nausea

It’s very important to maintain your weight during treatment. Although it’s difficult to think of food when you’re nauseous or when everything tastes like cardboard, you’ll have to force yourself a little. Cancer is called a ‘wasting’ disease, so address any symptom that keeps you from eating well. Controlling nausea is a high priority.

  • Eat small amounts of food all day long instead of large meals
  • Drink plenty of tea, water and lemonade (sweetened with stevia not sugar). Don’t get dehydrated!
  • Don’t wait until you’re hungry to eat… have a snack every couple of hours… sliced apple with a little almond butter, rye crackers with hummus, a pear, almond cheese on whole grain toast, etc.
  • Don’t eat fatty foods the day of or after Chemo treatments.
  • Eat toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon, whole wheat crackers with a thin slice of rice or almond cheese, or a boiled egg for breakfast. You don’t want liquids first thing on days you’re dealing with nausea.
  • Ginger ale (low sugar, like Reed’s brand at health food stores) or bubbly mineral water with a squeeze of lemon can help settle your stomach.
  • I had a huge problem with an awful bitter taste in my mouth that lasted a week after treatment, and made everything taste flat. Sucking on a lemon wedge sprinkled lightly with salt, or swishing salted water in my mouth helped.  I wanted spicy or tangy foods.  Find out what works for you, and hold fast to the thought that this is TEMPORARY! 
  • ZINC supplements can help restore your sense of smell and taste.
  • Fresh air, and sitting upright help minimize nausea.
  • Avoid smoking or smokers.
  • Avoid strong cooking odors. I found a few of these really bothered me. Even some dish soaps were intolerable!
  • Schedule weekly acupuncture treatments, they helped me with symptoms and moving the toxins out of my body

Foods that are easy on the stomach if nausea is an issue:

  • Broths
  • Diluted juice (apple or grape) not acidic juices
  • Club soda or mineral water with a hint of lime or a mint leaf
  • Fruit smoothies, no dairy
  • Oatmeal
  • Toast
  • Ginger tea
  • Mashed banana
  • Cream of rice

When you are able to tolerate foods, add the following to boost your Calorie intake:

  • Tahini (has protein and boosts white blood cell count)
  • Coconut milk
  • Almond butter
  • Dry roasted Nuts (almonds, walnuts and pecans) not peanuts
  • Avocado
  • Whey protein mixed in cool water, between meals (it has anti-tumor qualities too!)
  • Seeds, sunflower
  • High omega-3 eggs
  • Olive oil in your salads
  • Coconut oil, I used 2 tsp. on whole grain toast twice a day

Moderate walking a half hour before you eat will help with symptoms and stimulate appetite.

Fatigue

This is a biggie.  Most people experience various degrees of fatigue during Chemo which impacts their ability to resume normal life activities. Fortunately, the reasons for the fatigue are known, and can be targeted with Supplements and foods.

L-Carnitine: this supplement was a life saver for me. My energy level remained at about 50- 60 % of normal, which is so much better than the majority of patients. I took 750grams, 2x a day in water.  The brands I tried were Ecological Formula’s powder version, and more recently Designs for Health ‘Carniclear’ liquid.

You want to increase foods that are high in potassium, which is depleted during Chemo and can contribute to Fatigue.

Try to have several of these a day:

  • Avocado
  • low-sodium V8 juice
  • prune juice
  • Yams
  • Acorn squash
  • Portabella mushrooms
  • butternut squash
  • medium banana (no spots)

Diarrhea

Foods to avoid:

  • Dairy products
  • High-fiber foods (whole grains, flax seeds, green leafy veggies…)
  • Fried or fatty foods
  • Spicy food
  • Seeds and nuts
  • Desserts
  • Raw veggies and fruit
  • Caffeinated drinks (except unsweetened black tea)
  • Beans
  • Dried fruits

Just like when our kids were little, it’s best to follow the BRATT diet until your bowels are happy again:

  • Bananas (no brown spots on skin)
  • Rice
  • Applesauce
  • Toast
  • Tea, black no sugar

P.S. In the Middle East we advise boiled rice with a little plain low-fat yogurt to cure diarrhea, and it works every time. I think the active cultures in yogurt are responsible.

Supplements that support the GI tract are:

L-Glutamine: this is another supplement that I took religiously during treatment.  Not only does it heal the lining of your gastrointestinal lining, it helps wounds heal faster. So if you have any kind of surgery, make sure you have glutamine powder around to help.  My doctors were surprised how well I healed after my lumpectomy, and the removal of my arm port.

Mix 30 or 40 grams of Glutamine powder with slightly cold water or apple juice and sip slowly. It is tasteless. It is most effective if taken between meals.

Carob: Buy raw carob powder, and mix 1 Tbs.with unsweetened rice milk for a treat and a cure! Can be cold or warm (but not hot).

Tannalbit: (500mg.cap, 3-4 caps 3x/day) A tannin-rich plant extract that has remarkable anti-diarrheal and cancer inhibiting properties.

If you feel you need more immediate relief, over the counter medications like Immodium or Maalox are an option.

Constipation

Another possible side effect depending on the drugs being used for Chemo, or a side effect of the anti-nausea drugs.

You want to increase your intake of insoluble fiber:

  • Greens, cooked or raw
  • Unpeeled fruits
  • Raw vegetables
  • Nuts
  • Popcorn (low-fat)
  • Supplemental fiber  – grind flax seeds and mix into foods or drinks, or add oat bran fiber mixed into oatmeal or soy yogurt
  • Dried prunes and figs

Exercise will help as well as taking a daily dose of probiotics.  I buy Klaire Labs brand. Keep in refrigerator and take 1/4 tsp. a day sprinkled on food. I have been advised to keep taking probiotics for at least a year after Chemo. Make this a habit.

I also learned that chewing xylitol sweetened gum (since we’re avoiding sugar) will trigger our brain to send a message to our bowel. According to a study people were given chewing gum 3x a day after colon resection  surgery, and their intestines recovered faster and they were able to have bowel movements sooner than patients who did not chew gum! (Meta-analysis of Randomized Studies Evaluating Chewing Gum to Enhance Postoperative Recovery Following Colectomy; Sanjay Purkayastha, BSc, MRCS; Henry S. Tilney, MRCS; Ara W. Darzi, MD, FRCS, KBE, FMedSci; Paris P. Tekkis, MD, FRCS)

Foods to Avoid:

  • Simple carbs
  • Carob
  • Rice Milk
  • Calcium
  • Bananas
  • Black Tea

Pain

Make sure you’re able to rest well and get enough sleep. It actually helps your ability to deal with pain.

A link has been made between

Depending on your chemo drugs, you may or may not be able to take high doses of Vitamin C, but if your nutritionist (someone who is well versed with oncology and drug interactions) says you can, then 3000+mg a day may help.

Studies on therapeutic levels of  Vitamin C, and Pain:

Can Vitamin C Prevent Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Use of antioxidants to treat pain in chronic pancreatitis

Foods that may help:

  • Blueberries
  • Onions
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Blackberries
  • Cherries

Foods to Avoid:

  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Tobacco
  • Potatoes and peppers
  • Foods that cause allergies

Again acupuncture is advised for all treatment symptoms.

Herbal remedies like this one are also promising: A Chinese Herbal Formula for the Treatment of Pain and Associated Symptoms of Cancer.

Low White Blood Count

Take note of your WBC test results. Your oncologist will most likely keep track of your count and give you a shot if needed before treatment, but there is much you can do to keep your level up.

Astragalus Root was prescribed for me , and I still take it occasionally. It has a long history in Chinese medicine for immune health.  Thanks to this herbal formula I didn’t have a problem with my WBC during treatment.

I also took a supplement called Esberitox, that combines three powerful immune boosting herbs; Thuja, Echinacea, and Wild Indigo. The pills are chewable and taste like caramel!

Platelet Support

I mentioned Tahini above. This is a tasty way to help your platelet count. Make hummus heavy with Tahini, or drizzle 1 – 2 Tbs. on salads. I love tahini spread on bread with a sprinkle of cinnamon and Stevia!

Foods that can help

  • Eggs
  • Sardines
  • grass-fed beef
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Asparagus
  • watercress
  • Broccoli and Cabbage

Take Care of Your Liver

Your liver will be vulnerable during Chemo, as it processes all those toxins, so you’ll need to pay extra care to keeping it as healthy as possible.

I started most days with a glass of lemon water (1 lemon squeezed into 8 ox of water).

Some things you can do to help the toxins move out of your system, and take some of the load off your liver are:

  • Drinking 6 – 8 glasses of water a day. (squeeze lemon into each)
  • Moderate exercise, walking 25 – 30 minutes a day
  • Deep breathing
  • Eat nuts, seeds, cruciferous vegetables, apples, vinegar, carrot juice, greens and artichokes

REMEMBER TO STAY POSITIVE!

WORRY WILL HAMPER YOUR HEALING.

NEGATIVE EMOTIONS ACTUALLY HINDER THE HEALTHY FUNCTION OF YOUR ORGANS.

Be Well! ♥

What Every Woman Needs to Know

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Finding cancer early is the most successful way to treat it and beat it.

Here are four important steps you should take:

  1. Know your risk and lifestyle factors (how much exercise, foods you eat, stress)
  2. Educate yourself.. learn how to prevent breast and colon cancer
  3. Get regular screenings and do breast exams
  4. See your doctor if you have any of the symptoms

Breast Cancer Bands 3

Breast Cancer Quick Facts

More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump, 26% would not have been visible by Mammogramy!

Early breast cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms. But as the tumor grows, it can change how the breast looks or feels. The common changes include:

  • A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
  • A change in the size or shape of the breast
  • Dimpling or puckering in the skin of the breast
  • A nipple turned inward into the breast
  • Discharge (fluid) from the nipple, especially if it’s bloody
  • Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola (the dark area of skin at the center of the breast). The skin may have ridges or pitting so that it looks like the skin of an orange.

Other Imaging Tests

There is a little controversy around the safety of exposure to radiation from mammograms.  The proof is that a woman’s age and recommended frequency of breast screening has changed.

Personally, I think MRI’s should be the method of choice. Now that I have had breast cancer I will not have mammograms.

Look into your insurance, and talk to your doctor about your concerns and options.

  • Ultrasound: A woman with a lump or other breast change may have an ultrasound test. An ultrasound device sends out sound waves that people can’t hear. The sound waves bounce off breast tissues. A computer uses the echoes to create a picture. The picture may show whether a lump is solid, filled with fluid (a cyst), or a mixture of both. Cysts usually are not cancer. But a solid lump may be cancer.
  • MRI: MRI uses a powerful magnet linked to a computer. It makes detailed pictures of breast tissue. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue.

Before starting treatment, you might want a second opinion from another doctor about your diagnosis and treatment plan. Some women worry that their doctor will be offended if they ask for a second opinion. Usually the opposite is true. Most doctors welcome a second opinion. And many health insurance companies will pay for a second opinion if you or your doctor requests it. Some companies require a second opinion.

Biopsy

A biopsy is the removal of tissue to look for cancer cells. A biopsy is the only way to tell for sure if cancer is present.

You may need to have a biopsy if an abnormal area is found.  In this case, doctors can use imaging procedures (such as a mammogram, an ultrasound, or MRI) to help see the area and remove tissue.

Your doctor may refer you to a surgeon or breast disease specialist for a biopsy. The surgeon or doctor will remove fluid or tissue from your breast in one of several ways:

  • Fine-needle aspiration biopsy: Your doctor uses a thin needle to remove cells or fluid from a breast lump. Please be wary of procedures that cut through or make a hole in a mass. I believe the risk is greater than any medical practitioner is willing to admit, since it is costs the Insurance company more to allow a surgical biopsy.  You have to assess the risk you want to take: 1) the risk of spreading the cancer if indeed it is malignant, 2) the risk that comes with any surgery.
  • Core biopsy: Your doctor uses a wide needle to remove a sample of breast tissue.
  • Skin biopsy: If there are skin changes on your breast, your doctor may take a small sample of skin.
  • Surgical biopsy:Your surgeon removes a sample of tissue.
    • An incisional biopsy takes a part of the lump or abnormal area.
    • An excisional biopsy takes the entire lump or abnormal area.

Colon Cancer Quick Facts

Risk Factors

  1. Having IBD (inflammatory Bowel Disease)
  2. Personal or family history of colon cancer, or polyps in the colon
  3. Genetics (some cancers may be genetic)
  4. Not eating enough fiber
  5. Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
  6. Being overweight
  7. Eating too many foods with high fat content
  8. Not getting enough exercise
  9. Drinking alcohol
  10. Smoking

Recommended Tests

  • Fecal occult blood test
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy (flex sig)
  • Colonoscopy

Treatment

1. Surgery for early-stage colon cancer
If your cancer is small, localized in a polyp and in a very early stage, your doctor may be able to remove it completely during a colonoscopy. If the pathologist determines that the cancer in the polyp doesn’t involve the base — where the polyp is attached to the bowel wall — then there’s a good chance that the cancer has been completely eliminated.

Some larger polyps may be removed using laparoscopic surgery. In this procedure, your surgeon performs the operation through several small incisions in your abdominal wall, inserting instruments with attached cameras that display your colon on a video monitor. The surgeon may also take samples from lymph nodes in the area where the cancer is located.

2. Surgery for invasive colon cancer

If your colon cancer has grown into or through your colon, your surgeon may recommend a partial colectomy to remove the part of your colon that contains the cancer, along with a margin of normal tissue on either side of the cancer.

3. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be used to destroy cancer cells after surgery, to control tumor growth or to relieve symptoms of colon cancer. Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy if your cancer has spread beyond the wall of the colon or if your cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. In people with rectal cancer, chemotherapy is typically used along with radiation therapy.

4. Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses powerful energy sources, such as X-rays, to kill any cancer cells that might remain after surgery, to shrink large tumors before an operation so that they can be removed more easily, or to relieve symptoms of colon cancer and rectal cancer.

5. Targeted drug therapy

Drugs that target specific defects that allow cancer cells to proliferate are available to people with advanced colon cancer, including bevacizumab (Avastin), cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix). Targeted drugs can be given along with chemotherapy or alone. Targeted drugs are typically reserved for people with advanced colon cancer.

yoga

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the cervix.

The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus (the hollow, pear-shaped organ where a fetus grows). The cervix leads from the uterus to the vagina (birth canal).

Risk Factors

Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this with their doctor.

Infection of the cervix with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common cause of cervical cancer. Not all women with HPV infection, however, will develop cervical cancer. Women who do not regularly have a Pap smear to detect HPV or abnormal cells in the cervix are at increased risk of cervical cancer.

  •  Giving birth to many children.
  • Having many sexual partners.
  • Having first sexual intercourse at a young age.
  • Smoking cigarettes.
  • Using oral contraceptives (“the Pill”).
  • Having a weakened immune system (Keep up your antioxidant intake!)

Symptoms

There are usually no noticeable signs of early cervical cancer but it can be detected early with regular check-ups.

Have regular check-ups, including a Pap smear to check for abnormal cells in the cervix. The chance of recovery is better when the cancer is found early.

A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:

  • Vaginal bleeding.
  • Unusual vaginal discharge.
  • Pelvic pain.
  • Pain during sexual intercourse.

Treatment

1. Surgery (removing the cancer in an operation) is sometimes used to treat cervical cancer. The following surgical procedures may be used:

  • Conization: A procedure to remove a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix and cervical canal. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. Conization may be used to diagnose or treat a cervical condition. This procedure is also called a cone biopsy.
  • Total hysterectomy: Surgery to remove the uterus, including the cervix.

2. Radiation – There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer.

3. Chemotherapy may be given at the same time as radiation therapy (chemoradiation). Compared with radiation alone, chemoradiation improves survival. It is usually used as the primary therapy or after a hysterectomy.

In the News: Integrative Medicine: Antioxidants and Chemotherapy

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Hurray!

That’s my reaction every time I read a published article on the critical role antioxidants play in our health and healing.

Today I want to share this article with you from the Sacramento Bee. It reaffirms my own experience and what my blog is all about.

Please Share widely!

Antioxidants and Chemotherapy

By Drs. Kay judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden
Published: Thursday, May. 31, 2012

Inflammation, and the use of antioxidants to put out inflammatory fires, is a hot topic these days. What do we mean by inflammation?

Inflammation is a natural and necessary response in the body whenever we are accosted by harmful germs or when we injure ourselves. When this occurs, our immune system steps in to fight foreign invaders and to bring our body back into balance so that we can heal.

Inflammatory chemicals are produced during this process, which can be harmful to our tissues, but antioxidants in our foods, such as vitamins C and E, help to quell this response and restore order to our tissues.

Inflammation can run amok, however, and cause persistent damage to healthy tissue, especially if we smoke or if we are overweight or obese. Chemotherapy drugs that are used to treat cancer also produce severe inflammation in the body, and this particular inflammatory response helps to kill off cancer cells. But it also harms healthy tissue in the process.

Many oncologists have been fearful of having their patients take any antioxidants during chemotherapy for fear that antioxidants might reduce the effectiveness of the chemo.

In a recent article in the journal Alternative and Complementary Therapies, Dr. Keith Block, a renowned integrative cancer specialist affiliated with the University of Illinois, discussed his review of more than 2,300 studies on the use of antioxidants during chemotherapy, and his report is very reassuring.

In summary, antioxidants often help to reduce side effects from chemotherapy, and this may allow patients to complete their full course of medication without interruption, which itself leads to better outcomes. Certain antioxidants also enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy, reduce long-term toxicity and improve survival.

Not a single study reviewed by Block showed any evidence of antioxidants interfering with the effectiveness of chemotherapy. In fact, a recent article looking at the impact of antioxidants in Chinese women undergoing treatment for invasive breast cancer found that use of antioxidant vitamin supplements in the first six months after diagnosis resulted in a reduced risk of both mortality and cancer recurrence.

Other studies have suggested survival benefit in certain cancers when patients take melatonin, as well as reduced toxicity from chemo with the use of glutathione and coenzyme Q10 among others.

So if you are affected by cancer, what should you be thinking about to protect yourself during and after chemotherapy? First and foremost, begin by eating a super-healthful, plant-based diet that is loaded with dark-colored fruits and veggies so that you maximize your intake of antioxidants from your food, which is the most powerful way to get them.

You can also consider supplementing your diet with some of the more powerful antioxidants, such as fish oil, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium, though we recommend that you meet with an integrative cancer specialist first so that you can determine which supplements are ideal for you, given your particular tumor as well as your treatment regimen.

And for those of you who have been affected by cancer, either because you or a loved one have faced this disease, there is a conference coming to Sacramento in September that you should know about. It’s titled “Cancer as a Turning Point, From Surviving to Thriving,” and it is a gathering of some of the best and most inspiring experts in this business.

Cancer as a Turning Point is sponsored by the non-profit organization Healing Journeys, whose vision is that everyone touched by cancer or any life-altering condition be empowered to move from surviving to thriving. This conference is usually offered in two cities across the country every year, and this year we are fortunate to have it in Sacramento.

The fantastic lineup of speakers in September will include Dr. Lise Alschuler, a naturopathic physician who is also a renowned integrative cancer specialist, as well as Marianne Williamson, a spiritual teacher and writer. The conference is free to all attendees, though donations are greatly appreciated to offset the cost, and donations are also tax-deductible. For more information, and to register, go to http://www.healingjourneys.org.

And for more information on an integrative approach to cancer treatment, look at Block’s 2009 book “Life Over Cancer“ (Bantam, $28, 608 pages) or Alschuler’s gem that she co-wrote with Karolyn Gazella, “The Definitive Guide to Cancer: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing” (Celestial Arts, $25, 496 pages), now in its third edition.

~ Be Well! ♥

Chemotherapy

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Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with drugs that can destroy cancer cells by impeding their growth and reproduction. Though chemotherapy is an effective way to treat many types of cancer, chemotherapy treatment also carries a risk of side effects. Some chemotherapy side effects are mild and treatable, while others can cause serious complications.

The drugs used are made to destroy fast-reproducing cells. However, some healthy cells also grow quickly and cancer treatments destroy these cells as well.

The fast-growing, normal cells most likely to be affected by certain treatment drugs are blood-forming cells in the bone marrow, as well as cells in the digestive track, reproductive system, and hair follicles. Thankfully, most normal cells recover quickly when treatment is over. Therefore, most side effects gradually disappear after treatment ends. During the course of your cancer journey, you may experience many, a few, or no side effects.

Some newer anti-cancer treatments — such as Herceptin for breast cancer — may cause heart damage as well, although the effect is often temporary and reversible.

If your doctor is considering using a chemotherapy drug that may affect your heart, you may undergo heart function testing before and during treatment. Be sure to ask questions if you have any misgivings.

Chemotherapy drugs that may cause nausea and vomiting

Certain chemotherapy drugs are more likely than are others to cause nausea and vomiting. Some medications associated with significant risk of these side effects include:

  • Altretamine (Hexalen)
  • Busulfan (Busulfex, Myleran)
  • Carmustine (Bicnu)
  • Cisplatin (Platinol)
  • Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
  • Dacarbazine
  • Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
  • Epirubicin (Ellence)
  • Estramustine (Emcyt)
  • Etoposide
  • Ifosfamide (Ifex)
  • Lomustine (Ceenu)
  • Mechlorethamine (Mustargen)
  • Procarbazine (Matulane)
  • Streptozocin (Zanosar)
  • Temozolomide (Temodar)

You will most likely be given a prescription medication to help with these side effects.  There are also nutritional foods and supplements that can help.  Acupuncture has been known to reduce the occurrence of nausea and vomiting, and is a wonderful complimentary therapy.

Hair  Loss

Chemotherapy may cause hair loss all over your body — not just on your scalp. Sometimes your eyelash, eyebrow, armpit, pubic and other body hair also falls out. Some chemotherapy drugs are more likely than others to cause hair loss, and different doses can cause anything from a mere thinning to complete baldness. Talk to your doctor or nurse about the medication you’ll be taking.

I found that a wig helped me through this phase, and I bought eyebrow tattoos online that worked well.  A light eyeliner helped me feel better about losing my eyelashes.  Three weeks after the end of Chemo, my hair began to grow back.

‘Chemo Brain’

Chemo brain is a common term used by cancer survivors to describe thinking and memory problems that can occur after cancer treatment. Chemo brain can also be called chemo fog, cognitive changes or cognitive dysfunction.

Signs and symptoms of chemo brain may include:

  • Being unusually disorganized
  • Confusion
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Difficulty finding the right word
  • Difficulty learning new skills
  • Difficulty multitasking
  • Fatigue
  • Feeling of mental fogginess
  • Short attention span
  • Short-term memory problems
  • Taking longer than usual to complete routine tasks
  • Trouble with verbal memory, such as remembering a conversation
  • Trouble with visual memory, such as recalling an image or list of words

Signs and symptoms of cognitive or memory problems vary from person to person and are typically temporary, often subsiding within two years of completion of cancer treatment.

Again, there are many nutritional supplements and foods that can help you with Chemo Brain.  See my post on Managing Side Effects.

Books:

  1. Questioning Chemotherapy (1996) Equinox Press. ISBN 978-1881025252
  2. Integrative Strategies for Cancer Patients: A Practical Resource for Managing the Side Effects of Cancer Therapy;  Elena J. Ladas , Kara M. Kelly 
  3. Living well with cancer: a nurse tells you everything you need to know about managing the side effects of your treatment; by Katen Moore, Libby Schmais

Help with Chemotherpay Side Effects – Glutamine

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I took straight Glutamine powder during Chemo and didn’t have problems with nausea  or diarrhea, and after surgery it accelerated my healing. Seacure® is a supplement with Glutamine that is highly recommended for patients going through Chemo treatment.

Founded in 1994 by Dr. Donald Snyder and headquartered in Reading, Pa., Proper Nutrition, Inc. is built on a record of innovation stretching back to the early 1960s, when Dr. Snyder, as the head of a U.S. Department of the Interior Fisheries Research Laboratory, led the charge against world hunger. At that time, protein deficiency was determined to be the most common and serious aspect of world hunger.

Alarmed by starvation and malnutrition among third world nations, particularly among children and infants, many nations joined forces to launch a major worldwide humanitarian project to find an inexpensive source of protein to solve this problem. Dr. Snyder, as a member of a special committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, was instrumental in developing an economically feasible method of providing protein to the world’s hungry.

A breakthrough came in the form of revolutionary FPC (Fish Protein Concentrate) technology, which allowed quality protein, retaining all of its original nutritional value, to be delivered to the body in a highly absorbable form. FPC was made available to the World Health Organization of the United Nations to aid in famine relief.

Today, Dr. Snyder and Proper Nutrition, Inc. offer revolutionary dietary supplements, including Intestive®, available directly to consumers; and SEACURE® and SEAVIVE®, professional products available for distribution by healthcare practitioners and retailers.  Proper Nutrition supplements offer proven alternatives for the support of the gastrointestinal tract and the promotion of immune system health.

Seacure® (click to read more) is rich in glutamine. What is glutamine? Glutamine is an amino acid (protein building block) that is the preferential fuel source for the cells that line the digestive tract. Just as the brain loves to use glucose for energy, the cells that line the digestive tract love to use glutamine for energy. In fact glutamine helps the cells that line the digestive tract to deal with stress more effectively.

So why are the cells of the digestive tract stressed. Well, these cells divide rapidly just like cancer cells. The lining of the stomach completely renews itself every 4 days! Unfortunately, chemotherapy hits the cells of the digestive tract just as hard as it hits the cancer cells. This is why chemotherapy medications so often produce nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite.

Seacure® strengthens the cells of the digestive tract so that they can handle the stress of being hit by chemotherapy medications without interfering with chemotherapy’s effects on cancer cells.

Scientific research has found that when glutamine is given with chemotherapy or radiation, it not only protects the individual receiving the treatment from the side-effects of these therapies, it also increases the selectivity of the therapy for the tumor. Click here Scientific Reference if you would like the details of this research which was conducted in 1996.

So why not just supplement with glutamine instead of Seacure®. The glutamine in Seacure® is better absorbed by the digestive tract than pure glutamine supplements. Why is this? Studies on human digestion have found that the digestive tract preferentially absorbs protein in the di-peptide (2 amino acids joined together) and tri-peptide (3 amino acids joined together) form.

Four Cornerstones of Healing and Good Health

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I can’t think of a time when listening to our intuition and participating in our healing is more critical than after being diagnosed with cancer.

During the first few weeks, while you adjust to the news it is important to choose an ally, someone close to you who is positive and available, to go to appointments with you and take notes, and to be your cheerleader.  Trust me that you will forget much of what is discussed while your mind sifts through a deluge of information.  It is also important to ask questions and go with your gut when treatment or surgery recommendations are made.

I believe wholeheartedly that our reactions, our actions and our attitude have just as much, if not more, to do with our progression to good health than any other factor.  There are several links and quotes on this site that address the need to control our mind-body connection in a way that promotes recovery.

Over the past few years I have done considerable research on Complimentary and Alternative Cancer therapies.  My own experience with cancer led me to contact some of the leading CAM medical/nutritional practitioners in the country.

I consulted with several on Integrative approaches, since I believe that our body has immense capacity to aid the healing process if we allow it to.  ‘Allow it to’ means to have faith in its wisdom, give it the nutrient support it needs to function optimally, enhance its repair processes by remaining positive and focused, listening to its prodding to make necessary changes or its warning to about certain things.

I found that the protocols suggested to me by the 5 CAM practitioners/researchers had several things in common. Based on these I worked out a diet/nutrition/lifestyle regimen that worked for me.  At first it was challenging to make the changes necessary, but I had the determination and willpower to keep at it until I found a rhythm that worked. Since I am an avid cook and had a catering service for many years, coming up with recipes that met the nutrition guideline became a happy challenge!

If you go this route, you must believe in your heart that your protocol is as powerful as the conventional therapies you may also receive.  In some cases exercise and diet changes offere patients greater benefit than traditional treatment. You should consult with your CAM practitioner to address your particular case.

If a body is not strong it will struggle to weather the toxic effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation, so it’s important to know which supplements and foods will help counteract those effects, during and after treatment. There is evidence from clinical studies funded by the NIH that some spices, like Cinnamon, can actually enhance the benefits of Chemotherapy!

I can put you in touch with nationally respected CAM practitioners who will consult with you via phone on an approach that will work for you, as well as devise a specific supplement and homeopathic regimen to aid in your healing.

The four cornerstones of complimentary therapies are:

1. Diet / Nutrition

2. Stress Reduction

3. Mind-body health

4. Supplements / Homeopathy

You may select each topic from our menu more information.

~ Be Well. ♥