Survivors who had chemo etc and are into Complementary medicine
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elmcity, I've starting doing that too! Glad you posted it because people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I mash up cauliflower and use it instead of mashed potatoes. I like it so well I'll put it in the oven just by itself to brown the top a little. I can sit down and it half a pan at once. I now think regular mashed potatoes taste too bland. (I did try adding a little brocolli in once--yuck)
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Mashed cauliflower! Brilliant - off to farmer's market to get some! thank you.
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I will have to try the mashe califlower. Sounds yumo
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Anyone heard of 'Kangen water'? Supposed to create an alkaline environment.
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Hello, all. I'm in the middle of chemo, with rads and many months of Herceptin to go. I was raised a vegan, and mostly been a vegetarian since, altho my DH is carnivorous : ) and is doing most of the cooking. His favorite way to keep up my 95g protein daily is with organic animal meats, but I do get my black beans several days of the week.
I did tons of research and worked with a naturopath to come up with a restorative diet. 95g protein, 30g fiber daily. Half the protein is thru a whey protein I add to milk and drink morning and lunch. The fiber is easy if I stick to my black beans, but smoothies, oatmeal, etc, help on meat days. The whey protein the ND recommended is Beyond Whey by Natura - it's expensive ($43 for 300g container) and not very tasty, so I mix it half and half with vanilla Whey Factors.
The naturopath worked with another ND in Oregon, I think, who developed a "taxane blend" to support the body during taxane treatments. The bottle says Vitanica Dietary Supplement, Tx Blend. I found a website, vitanicapro.com that lists the ingredients (NOT vitanica.com - that site has all the other vitanica products, but not the ones developed for chemo - they offer an AC Blend, as well - I have no idea why it's a different site.)
4days of the week, I take my Tx blend, CoQ10, l- carnitine, n-acetyl l-cysteine, B6.0 -
Kangen water is really big here where I live. One pharmacy will give it to you for free as long as you are a cancer patient. I know several people who believe it helps them--with GERD. I used it for about 3 or 4 months--tastes good but it was too much of a hassle and the lady at the pharmacy is really an pain (so much that I filed a complaint with the state bureau regarding pharmacy's). Everytime I saw her it was upsetting and I thought my mental health was more important than getting free water. They also sell the filters for around $4000. I know several people who have purchased them. The whole concept is that "everyone" in japan uses them and have lower rates of cancer. BUT--the Japanese do have higher rates of stomach cancer--so if the water is so good for you, then why more stomach cancer--no one has been able to answer that question for me yet.
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Thanks VJSL8 for the info!0
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VJ ~ Interesting post. I think I went to the same pharmacy shortly after my lumpectomy, and came home with a huge container of water I never drank! The pharmacist assured me it would cure my bc without the mast that had been recommended for me or chemo. He even put me on the phone with a doctor associate of his who told me he'd cured 8 people with various types of cancer, and he was absolutely positive it would work for my bc -- which, by the way, he never asked me anything about. As natural health-minded as I am, I still cringe when I think where I'd probably be if I'd believed him, especially since UCLA found 3 additional lesions left behind during my lumpectomy. Unfortunately, while that pharmacist no doubt helps a lot of people with a lot of health issues, I think his medical advice to me was downright irresponsible and dangerous.
jackifp, thanks for sharing your regimen and whey protein recommendation. It's interesting to me how much protein you're taking. Hopefully, it will help you sail through chemo with few SEs. And the taxane formula sounds interesting, too. Deanna
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Is it true the Kangen water is sold via multi-level marketing?
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I am not sure what multi-level marketing is but I got the impression from the person who offered me a sample of the water that they might be involved in selling the machines.
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Omaz, I'd say you guessed correctly.
I did a bit of googling and found that the Kangen water ionizers are sold by the MLM (multi-level marketing) company Enagic. Basically how an MLM works is that you persuade your friends and family (your "downline") to buy from you. The more you sell, the more you make and the higher up the distribution level you go. This is not to say that the product itself is bad, just that the method of marketing it one that is often criticized for the way it exploits personal relationships.
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MaryNY - Yes, I felt awkward when she was offering it to me, pressured like. She is an acquaintance but still is she going to bring it up every time I see her?0
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One of my close relatives started the same thing with Amway and tried to convince me to buy the products. He's not a "close" relative anymore....even though he no longer belongs to the Amway family.
Usana products are marketed the same way, I believe. Of course, Avon does the same thing, but I don't have any relatives or acquaintances who sell it, so I'm okay!
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I agree hillck...
Post it where it belongs.
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Oh please...
We all know you are against chemo and I feel that your article does not belong on this thread.
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The link does not belong here Patzee. This thread is for gals who have already gone through treatment and are seeking information on holistic living post treatment. Your chemo story belongs on a alternative only thread.
JMO
Bren
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Actually, no one on this thread has really talked about chemo. The conversation has been almost entirely about complementary measures. That link is closer to being spam than on topic - especially since it is crossposted elsewhere.
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(oh this is too funny.)
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LOL!
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The link patzee9 posted is not to a news story, but to a blog written by Dr. Chris Teo, a retired professor of botany who provides herbal remedies to cancer patients.
Dr. Teo's own website says: "We do not substitute medical doctors. We advise you to seek proper medical help."
The story linked to by patzee9 says that it involves "wrong diagnosis" -- giving chemotherapy and herceptin when not indicated by a correct diagnosis is indeed a serious medical mistake and injury. But that's an entirely different issue from the indicated use of chemo and other adjuvant/neoadjuvant treatments based on a correct diagnosis!
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I'm sure chemo does much harm to our bodies Patzee, there's no question about it, the substances are even carcinogenic..I've questioned it many times, especially when suffering big time from SE's..But, atleast I get to keep my breast thanks to FEC and Taxotere. Lucklily I only had to do x 8 sessions, if they would have recommended more I probably would have declined the offer. In the beginning the oncs told me 'Sorry, but you'll probably lose nipple and half of your breast in surgery if neo adjuvant chemo doesn't work'. The treatments shrank the tumour enough, so imagine my relief when they told me the good news. I just wanted to keep my nipple, which is retracted and surely will stay that way after surgery, but it is MINE :-D I have a lot of respect for women having mastectomy, because it is a hard decision and probably a very painful one.
Currently I suffer from neuropathy since a couple of weeks, it's been quite bad the last 10 days; like I've been to the dentist and got a numbing shot you know, but over my whole body. It started out with my pinkies, spred to my face and head and then to my limbs, torso and back. Day before yesterday I couldn't put my right arm out straight, it hurt so bad. Neither could I grab anything with my hand, it was like having pieces of glass in the nerves. I was so angry and even questioned my programmed radiotherapy, so afraid the SE's weren't reversible. I'm still weary about thinking of radiotherapy, but it's not intul later this year, so I concentrate on today and my upcoming surgery in two weeks time.
Yesterday I visited my acupuncturer, who soothed my angst. He claims neuropathy IS reversible, it just takes time depending on the individual, and that neurons, nerves and cells come back renewed. He explained that the toxins, like all other drugs, are stored in the fatty tissues of the body and that elimination & detoxification was on of the keys to getting better and not experience SE's for too long; not to gain weight but lose it with clean, fresh food and drink, and of course exercise. This goes for after treatment too, keeping your body in shape and the extra bad estrogen at bay. For the first time he put a needle in the upper part of my belly, aswell as the feet and calves (for liver cleansing) like he always does. Yesterday evening I felt so tired, queezy and strange, but guess what? I woke up today and I am in no pain, I even emptied the dishwasher! I don't know if it's the acupuncture, my mind playing tricks or just the nerves growing back out, but lucky me! We'll see how it goes..Just wanted to share :-D
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I don't know who is "fighting" or "attacking" -- I posted further context for a link provided by another poster.
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No one attacked you Patzee .. my feeling was your link was inappropriate for this thread.
Bren
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Carola -- great report of your acupuncture experience! Thanks!
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I'm just having a giggle attack. Not directed at anyone specifically. Happens.
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Carola, I swear by acupunture. It sometimes takes a few visits but other times I have immediate relief. Keep it up and your neuropathy will be gone.
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Patzee.......a lot of us choose to believe our doctors as opposed to all the "heal yourself through living right and feeling good" stuff out there in cyberspace.
The one I can personally think of is that I want to live.
I suggest that you learn about "evidence-based medicine" and "scientific method". I don't care how many degrees you might have. If you don't understand these basics (and everything you have posted to date indicates you don't) you are woefully uneducated.
This lack of education and understanding on your part is why you continue to spew out "advice" which most of the women on this thread are wise enough to ignore.
So please leave us alone. No sulking about being "misunderstood" either. Go get yourself some education woman!!!!!
Or you can continue to post the "feel good" messages on your other page. I don't care. - Claire
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Carola -- While many of the ancient Chinese medicine remedies seem strange to those of us in Western societies, I have to think that, if they didn't work, they wouldn't still be around! It's not as though there's any immense profit to be made that keeps them going. The good news is that slowly but surely many of these remedies are being studied and incorporated into western medicine.
So glad to hear that the acupuncture seems to have given you relief, by the way! And for most, neuropathy from chemo is reversible. Even the nerves severed in mastectomy surgery let us know when they're reconnecting (ouch, ouch!). And it's always wonderful to hear from our sisters in Europe and around the world.
Hugs, Linda
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Blue, I think I got the giggle attack I'm having from you, then!
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Claire
You hit the nail right on the head!!
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