[seekay]

sorry, I meant, “inhospitable” to cancerous activity. I proofread, but always something slips the eye.

[seekay]

Hi June,

You might want to check out the Omega 8003 juicer, which is like a Champion, only it is a lot lighter (15 lbs.), produces a drier pulp (meaning it extracts more of the liquid from the vegetable), and is much easier than the Champion to clean.

We bought it for $205 shipped from this website:
http://juicers.livingright.com/item211.Omega-Juicer-8003.html.

I researched juicers a lot before deciding on this one. You will get a much higher quality of juice from a triturator than a centrifugal (e.g., Jack LaLanne or Breville), although even a centrifugal produces a juice far more live and potent than the Nakeds and Odwallas.

Just compare, for example, the foamy texture of the freshly pressed juice next to the thickened, soupy texture of a store-bought one.

For the juice to do its trick, you should drink it right after juicing. In any case, no more than one half hour after juicing.

I’m not sure about the iron question, but I do know that juicing greens will help your dad’s body to detox and also to give his cells phytochemicals that have an “anticancer” effect. Also, drinking organic green juices, esp. juicing organic romaine lettuce (and those other things I mentioned before) will create an alkaline environment in his blood and fluids, which alkalinity is inhospital to cancerous cell activity.

It might be that the oxidizing effect of the juices reduces the body’s need for iron? I don’t know, just thinking out loud.

If you search back a few months, Marla, Patti, I and some others (Chuck?–I think it was his question that started the discussion) shared an informative exchange about juicing.

Look to real food, primarily, rather than vitamin and mineral supplements for the nutrients. There are many co-factor minerals and phytochemicals in vegetables that aid the body’s absorption of the vitamins contained in them, for example. When one “eats” equivalent amounts of vitamins or minerals in supplements, the body is less able to utilize them because that natural context is missing. Also, one cannot obtain many of the vast array of phytochemicals from supplements. There was a public debate many years ago about whether certain of these phytochemicals, identified in fruits and vegetables, should be labelled vitamins or not. Because the quantities that the body needed were comparatively small so as to be considered non-essential, there was a decision made not to refer to them as vitamins any more. (I think I have this somewhat right. Anyone, please feel free to correct/clarify.)

It is unfortunate that these phytochemicals have fallen out of the general lexicon, because most folks don’t really know too much about them these days, and yet they are the proven disease fighting, anti-cancer agents in food. I’m talking about things like quercetin, resveratrol, allicin (in garlic, onions, leeks), flavenoids, carotenoids, etc.

Perhaps at that time, it was felt, generally, that people would be eating them anyway, since we were eating fruits and vegetables, so why bother complicating the issue? We see today, however, that people are moving away from eating real foods, in favor of processed items: juices that claim to contain all the antioxidants you need (think of Pom juice for example, which is from a concentrate and not at all the same as eating a freshly picked pomegranate), vitamins and supplements we buy by the dozen at Costco (which can never take the place of eating the fruit or vegetable that contains the vitamin/mineral you seek).

Also, a second important factor that Jimbob mentioned is the quality of the soil in which our fruits and vegetables grow. Standard, store bought produce comes from soil depleted of natural nutrients; hence, the store-bought carrot of today is far less nutrient dense (and usually far more chemically-tainted) than the carrot grown, say, in rural France today, or the small farms of rural America many decades ago.

Here’s a short and illuminating excerpt touching on some of the cancer fighting and detoxing mechanisms of these phytochemicals, from The Case of the .005% Survivor (about Michael Gearin-Tosh), by Carmen Wheatley. The entire case study appears as an appendix in Prof. Gearin-Tosh’s book, Living Proof: A Medical Mutiny. Also, the case study can be accessed at the canceraction website I mentioned before.

“This is just one component in Gerson’s fruit list. When we look at Gerson’s chosen vegetables, a similar picture of intuition borne out by current scientific nutritional research emerges. Highlighted Gerson vegetables are cauliflower and radishes, along with cabbage and broccoli members of the cruciferous family. Crucifers are rich sources of isothiocyanates, which can modify carcinogen activation by altering the metabolism of nitrosamines. (46) Garlic and the rest of the allium family also feature high on Gerson’s list: a common volatile component of garlic, diallyl sulphide, is a natural detoxifier and has been demonstrated to be a strong inhibitor of cytochrome P450 2EI (47), an inducible liver isoenzyme, known to be activated in hepatic, colon and head and neck cancers, and which can activate carcinogens, including nitrosamines, hydrazines and carbon tetrachloride. Diallyl sulphide suppresses oxidative demethylation by competitively inhibiting P450 2EI. (47) Selenium, for which the allium family – onions, leeks, scallions, chives – are also a good source, has been demonstrated to enhance DNA repair mechanisms (48), which apart from cancer chemo-prevention may also be essential in switching cancer activity off.

Gerson’s fruit and vegetable diet could be subjected to exhaustive analysis in the light of modern nutritional oncology research. One can go on. Resveratrol, a phytochemical in grapes, has been shown to induce phase II enzymes, such as quinone reductase, in the liver. (49) Phase II enzymes are the liver’s detoxifiers, and, as Gerson posited, efficient detoxification in the liver is essential in both the prevention and treatment of cancer. To summarize, however, the World Cancer Research Fund’s Report for 1997 lists the following compounds under continuing investigation in plant foods as having proven or potential cancer activity: dithiothiones, isothiocyanates, sulfuropanes, terpenoids, isoflavones, protease inhibitors, phytic acid, polyphenols, glucosinolates, indoles, flavonoids, plant sterols, saponins and coumarins. Gerson did not have any of this scientific knowledge, yet, empirically, he devised a method which ensured that a large range of these compounds would be delivered to the cancer patient intact and in pharmacologically active doses: the intensive fresh juicing regime, with 12 juices daily, one every hour. The juices, which are ‘whole’ juices in that the juicing method ensures virtually nothing is discarded, are also rich sources of Vitamin E, carotenoids and retinoids for which an extensive literature and clinical work have demonstrated differentiating and apoptotic effects in cancer. (26,50,51) Both carotenoids and retinoids regulate gap cell junction communication. (50,52) It is via the cell gap junctions that growth regulatory signals are transmitted. Since cancer cells have poor gap junctions and consequent impaired communication, their growth is deregulated. Carotenoids and retinoids can reverse this and thus interfere with their proliferation and growth.”

Christine

[seekay]

Dear Lizy,

Not to scare you, but have you considered or are you aware that parts (perhaps all?) of Colorado have (has) very high levels of uranium ore, because of the geography of that state. Radon exposure, for example, is a big issue in places like Telluride. I would always consider the environmental implications of one’s present location and the proposed one as well.

[seekay]

Wow, Chuck, that is great news! I can’t remember if you also are taking the Nordic Naturals fish oil or arctic cod liver oil? or flax oil?

I have found that the juicing keeps all of us here pretty regular, which I also think is very healthy. I can’t get my kids to drink green juices in any sizable quantities, but they will take a few sips of the carrot-apple juice in the morning. I think I have to find an even lower sugar juice to make.

christine

[seekay]

Dear Patti,

I am so sorry to hear about your mother in law. I have been so impressed by the close relationship you have with her; you are like her flesh and blood.

The path you took, choosing natural, nontoxic means to help her body deal with the MDS, was a brave and worthwhile decision; and I believe it allowed her a much healthier quality of life than if she had chosen conventional drugs alone.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us on this forum. I know it has helped me and others. I am thinking about all of you during this difficult time.

With love,

Christine

[seekay]

I meant “had to say” not “see.”

you might want to google “orthomolecular medicine” and “orthomolecular oncology.” Also, you can read about Michael Gearin-Tosh’s success living with Multiple Myleoma (MM) with a strict regimen of diet and supplements. His student’s case study of him is available at http://www.canceraction.org.uk, or something like that. You will find it when you google “orthomolecular oncology.”

He was an Oxford University and Stanford overseas (my alma mater) professor who looked at chemotherapy for several months, before deciding instead to do the Gerson therapy with additonal natural, non toxic supplements. He lived for 11 years after diagnosis, a very healthy 11 years, until he died from a tooth infection when he did not take antibiotics soon enough. Apparently, with MM, the humoral arm of the immune system is impaired, although through his diet, he managed to compensate enough to allow his body to function very well.

I corresponded with him briefly before he passed. He was very kind and helpful.

Sincerely,

Christine

[seekay]

Dear June,

Glad to see what Neil and Patti had to see. They are very kind and wise.

Whole Foods carries Nordic Naturals Fish Oil, which is the brand that Patti recommended awhile back; and if you search for discussion on this forum, you will find at least two people who had pretty amazing responses after starting with their Arctic Cod Oil.

After reading those posts, and some thought, we are now taking the Nordic Naturals Fish Oil, and Barleans Organic Flax Oil, also avail at Whole Foods. Pure oils are better, I think, than capsules, in terms of potency. Those two oils are very high quality.

I’m not sure about whether fish oil or cod liver oil is better. I seem to recall some concerns about more possiblity of contamination from the liver oil, simply because of its source. On the other hand, those results I read on this website were from persons who were taking the Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver OIl, and that company seems to be doing a very fine job of making a pure product.

The other general thing to do is to try to remove all contaminants/toxins from your father’s daily life. Hard to do. Start with his drinking water–I would look into getting a whole house carbon filter that removes chlorine and also make sure he is not drinking fluoride. We just installed the $164 whole house activated carbon filter from Pure Water LLC in Denton, TX: http://www.pwpgazette.com. Their main man, Gene, is an (older-sounding) courtly gentleman who will generously share his wealth of information about water purification: 940) 382–3814

I wouldn’t rely on reverse osmosis to remove fluoride. I think the only failsafe method is steam distillation. If you need to, you can buy distilled water from a reputable company for your dad to drink.

And then there’s diet & juicing. There’s a lot of info on this site (Marla, Patti, and myself and some others). As a start, it is good to avoid salt (includes baking soda, but not powder), sugar, transfats, all processed foods, and dairy. Eat as close to the earth as possible: organic and biodynamic produce, grassfed and free-range if you need to eat meat and eggs.

many more vegetables and fruits than animal proteins. cook only in stainless steel or glass. as much organic salads as he can stand. you can get huge quantities of phytochemicals from greens from juicing them. romaine, kale, endive, inner beet leaves, green apple, 1/4 of organic green bell pepper– this makes a great medicinal-quality green juice that will give the cells a vital kick.

I really feel in my gut that it is our toxified environment, and exposure to certain toxins combined with organ weaknesses (either genetic or acquired through life patterns) (e.g., liver) that “causes” this disease. The toxins can come from past drug use, exposure to benzene, horse fly repellent, paint thinners, jet fuel, you name it–when someone’s body is exposed to higher than average quantities of certain toxins for a period of time, it can cause a break down of the body’s ability to protect itself.

So, it follows, for me anyway, that getting the toxins out of the body, and supernutrifying it helps the immune system to regain its ability to heal.

It is anathema to the conventional medical world, however, even to consider that nutrition and detoxification is the cure to cancer. Obviously, $$ plays a big part in cancer treatment, but also, the way that doctors view the body, piecemeal rather than as a whole, has much to do with it.

Sincerely,

Christine

[seekay]

Dear Aleksandra,

So sorry to hear about your mom. Has she considered taking either cold, fresh organic flax oil or the amazing Nordic Arctic Naturals fish oil capsules (see Patti’s prior posts for more info). Good brands for flax oil are: Omega Nutrition and Barleans. If you can’t find those, you might have access to Flora brand oils in Europe. Omega 3 fatty acids are proven to be remarkable immune system enablers, allowing the B and T cells to communicate. The body needs them to function properly; the Western diet is woefully deficient in them; and one cannot manufacture them–you must get them from food and supplements. I would think that one could locate a high quality product in Poland.

Here in California (in Jan/Feb) we “took” garlic in many forms to combat viral and bacterial infections that tried to overtake our bodies. It really helped me and my husband not to be overtaken by a threatening flu virus. The virus had me down (just with aches, no vomiting) just one day, then the next I was fine.

Garlic is probably the most effective completely natural and nontoxic killer of germs we have. Raw is best (just sucking/chewing on a garlic clove is good). We also made garlic tea with a little lemon and honey, and we roasted whole garlic by cutting off the tops, drizzling olive oil, and putting in a covered pan and roasting for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees Farenheit or so. It is delicious spread on some sprouted Barley bread.

A high quality goldenseal extract might help. It also is a proven virus killer. We use Nature’s Sunshine brand.

Sincerely,

Christine

[seekay]

Katie Bear,

Patti posted a lot about Nordic Arctic Naturals Fish Oil. Your aunt might do very well to try that as well. Essential Fatty Acids, both in a high quality fish oil and organic flax oil might really help her immune system fight the cancer.

Also, you can search past posts for lots of recipes and discussion on juicing. I agree with Patti; when you juice organic veggies, especially greens, you are giving the body extraordinarily high amounts of oxidizing enzymes and phytochemicals that are known cancer fighters, and the body has to do virtually no work to absorb the nutrients from these large quantities of raw vegetables that one otherwise would have to chew and to digest.

The best way to juice is to use a Champion or Omega type juicer and then a hydraulic press to squeeze more juice from the pulp. These “pressed” juices are like potent medicine that also will help detoxify the body, so one must be very careful if the liver is not working well (for example, if there is constipation or light colored and/or hard bowel movements), because they will strain the already clogged up liver. With the pressed juices, one should start slowly, perhaps with two or three 4 oz glasses spread out throughout the day.

Even a Jack LaLanne or Breville juicer will help a lot, if that’s all that’s available. One could start with just daily glasses of organic, freshly pressed carrot juice.

Christine

[seekay]

You mentioned Vienna. Here is a contact in Vienna–

DR THOMAS KROISS
The Kroiss Cancer Center for Alternativ Cancer Therapy
Vienna, Austria
Tel: (+431) 982 5767
Fax: (+431) 982 6992
E-mail: kroiss@dr-kroiss.at
Web: bp.nwy.at/KroissCancerCenter/

I didn’t find any physicians or organizations in Poland.

–Christine

[seekay]

Dear Aleksandra,

Have you looked here for information on phytochemicals that are proven anticancer agents? http://www.canceraction.org.gg/005.htm

There also is information on the website about European-based physicians and organizations that are knowledgeable about orthomolecular medicine.

You also might look at the orthomolecular medicine website for info on the other substances you mentioned. There may be information there.

Here is an extract from “The .005% Survivor” about Oxford Professor Michael Gearin-Tosh who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and lived for 11 years after diagnosis, eschewing chemotherapy in favor of the Gerson Therapy and other natural, nontoxic treatments. I find the patient study very informative. It was written by Professor Gearin-Tosh’s student, Carmen Wheatley, who apparently runs the website and the UK-based organization with which it is affiliated.

Incidentally, Professor Gearin-Tosh passed away recently, not from cancer or his treatment, but from septicemia relating to a tooth infection he had that overwhelmed his body when he failed to take antibiotics soon enough.

Here is the excerpt with info on Resveratrol. Best to you–Christine

Gerson’s fruit and vegetable diet could be subjected to exhaustive analysis in the light of modern nutritional oncology research. One can go on. Resveratrol, a phytochemical in grapes, has been shown to induce phase II enzymes, such as quinone reductase, in the liver. (49) Phase II enzymes are the liver’s detoxifiers, and, as Gerson posited, efficient detoxification in the liver is essential in both the prevention and treatment of cancer. To summarize, however, the World Cancer Research Fund’s Report for 1997 lists the following compounds under continuing investigation in plant foods as having proven or potential cancer activity: dithiothiones, isothiocyanates, sulfuropanes, terpenoids, isoflavones, protease inhibitors, phytic acid, polyphenols, glucosinolates, indoles, flavonoids, plant sterols, saponins and coumarins. Gerson did not have any of this scientific knowledge, yet, empirically, he devised a method which ensured that a large range of these compounds would be delivered to the cancer patient intact and in pharmacologically active doses: the intensive fresh juicing regime, with 12 juices daily, one every hour. The juices, which are ‘whole’ juices in that the juicing method ensures virtually nothing is discarded, are also rich sources of Vitamin E, carotenoids and retinoids for which an extensive literature and clinical work have demonstrated differentiating and apoptotic effects in cancer. (26,50,51) Both carotenoids and retinoids regulate gap cell junction communication. (50,52) It is via the cell gap junctions that growth regulatory signals are transmitted. Since cancer cells have poor gap junctions and consequent impaired communication, their growth is deregulated. Carotenoids and retinoids can reverse this and thus interfere with their proliferation and growth.

[seekay]

Dear Debster,

I seem to recall that the drug manufacturer’s website (http://www.vidaza.com??) does contain eight or so case studies of patients whom they list as their clinical trial for Vidaza. Perhaps you need to click on the professional health provider option to bring up their info. It might be informative to look through how those patients responded to Vidaza. I looked at it about a year or so ago because a friend of mine was considering taking it.

[seekay]

She should be eliminating, with a full softly shaped bowel movement, at least once or more a day. The bowel movements should be dark in color and approximately the width of the lower colon. If they are light colored and thin, or if they are not soft, these all indicate possible problems with the liver and colon.

Think of a newborn baby and how often they eliminate, and the quality of their movements. This is what you are aiming for, in a sense. This is the norm for all adults; unfortunately, many adults do not have adequate waste removal because of diet usually.

Ways to promote soft bowel movements and stimulate regular movements (1-2 or more a day) are: drinking organic freshly pressed juices (look on this website at my previous postings for discussions on juicing and juice recipes), taking high quality herbs such as milk thistle, burdock root, and dandelion (which also can be juiced, if you can find organic dandelion leaf). Also, organic flax oil I have found to be helpful–1 large teaspoonful in the morning with the juice. Good brands are Omega Nutrition, Flora, Barleans brand. Always have the oil cold and do not use if it tastes bitter–that is a sign the oil is rancid and should be thrown out.

My apology if this seems too graphic, but it is so important to healing and rarely is addressed, I find.

Christine

[seekay]

I think that night sweats as you described are a common symptom of MDS and other blood related cancers. I think that the night sweats are one way the body is attempting to mount an immune response, a “healing response” if you will, to the malfunction in the body. Perspiration and fever are one of the secondary means the body has for ridding itself of waste matter. The primary one is through the liver, via bowel movement. If that avenue is not working properly, or fast enough, the body will resort to other secondary means to rid itself of waste.

Another common symptom in MDS, I am told, are ongoing respiratory secretions. Again, respiratory secretions are another way the body has to rid itself of waste.

It is interesting what the person from Stockholm reports reL CoEnzyme Q10 and Goji Berries. I know that CoQ10 provides liver support. Perhaps the Goji Berries do as well, thus, helping the liver to do its very important job, and eliminate, or reduce, the body’s need to turn to the secondary avenues for eliminating waste.

Basically, the four avenues for eliminating waste are:

Liver
Kidneys
Lungs
Skin

Waste and toxin elimination are very important when fighting chronic disease. I would try to focus on liver support, if you want to address the night sweats, although it is good that her body is responding with night sweats because it shows that the immune system is working to some degree.

Suppression of any secretions would be the wrong avenue to take, if you accept the premise as outlined above. I wouldn’t let the doctors give you anything to suppress any secretions as that will only make it harder for the immune system to work and will add to toxic/waste build-up in the body.

Best,

Christine

[seekay]

Dear Chuck–

Good to hear from you and to hear that you are doing well. What came to my mind, though, reading your post, is “Rest.” Don’t know how much skiing or other exercise you do, but it does seem to me that giving your body real, substantive rest, including regular, restful sleep, is vitally important to the healing process. Your body needs all its resources in its efforts to try to return to a normal, balanced state. Even when you are feeling really well, it is good to keep that in mind and to adjust accordingly.

Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Christine

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