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Archive for the ‘Cancer info’ Category

Dr. Mercola’s How to Starve Cancer Out of Your Body – Avoid These Top 4 Cancer-Feeding Foods


This is an excellent article, well worth reading for cancer prevention or cure tips.  Below is the link to the online article. Enjoy!  

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/14/dr-christine-horner-interview.aspx?e_cid=20120122_WNL_art_1

Kathy

By Dr. Mercola

Dr. Christine Horner began her career as a board certified general- and plastic surgeon, performing breast reconstructive surgeries on women who’d had full mastectomies due to breast cancer.

In this interview, she shares her extensive knowledge about breast cancer—its causes and its cures, and the pro’s and con’s of various screening methods.

Her interest in breast cancer began while she was still in college, when her mother developed the disease.

Thirteen years later, when her mother’s cancer returned, Dr. Horner became very active with the American Cancer Society.

For a time, she was a vice-president and the Kentucky state spokesperson for the American Cancer Society on breast cancer issues.

“We were trained to say that we don’t know what causes breast cancer and we have no known cures; the best things that women can do are breast exams and mammograms,” she says.

“… In my practice, I was watching women get younger and younger when I was doing breast reconstruction on them.

Finally, I was doing women in their 20s. I thought something is way wrong with this picture.”  I thought why don’t we just look through the medical literature and see if there’s anything that research shows that women can do, that’s within our control that will lower our risks. I had no idea what I was going to find… But when I looked, I instantly found thousands of studies that show exactly why we have a cancer epidemic…”

What’s Causing the Cancer Epidemic?

What Dr. Horner discovered was that there are a number of habits we’ve stopped doing in our modern culture that are highly protective. We’ve dramatically altered our diets—shunning our native, whole-foods cuisine for highly processed fare—and engage in very little physical activity, for example.

“We’re telling women that all they can do is mammogram [screening], and it’s extremely disempowering,” Dr. Horner says. “You feel like you have no control over it.  But if you look at epidemiological studies… we know that people that live in Asia have a very low incidence of breast cancer or prostate cancer… [W]e have the studies showing that if an Asian woman moves to the United States and adopts our American diet and lifestyle, within one generation her risk will match that of an American woman’s.  It’s like “Hello? What are we doing or not doing that they’re doing or not doing that’s making such a big difference? “

Dr. Horner was eventually introduced to the system of Ayurvedic medicine, and the more she learned about it, the more she felt there were answers therein that needed to be shared with people on a wider scale.

‘[T]here are so many really simple things people can do that can have a dramatic effect on their health,” she says. “Basically, the more you learn about natural medicine, the more you’ll realize that we’re just telling our patients lies– not on purpose, but from what we have been taught from the pharmaceutical companies and so forth.”

She pitched the idea to television stations in Cincinnati to let her talk about complementary and alternative medicine, and ended up being the first syndicated segment on the news related to complementary and alternative medicine, which ran from 1999 through 2002. At that point, she decided to quit her surgery practice to focus on teaching people how to become and stay healthy naturally, and wrote the book: Waking the Warrior Goddess: Dr. Christine Horner’s Program to Protect Against and Fight Breast Cancer, which contains all-natural approaches for protecting against and treating breast cancer. Dr. Horner’s book won the IPPY award in 2006 for “Best book in health medicine and nutrition.”

“[W]e have the answers to the breast cancer epidemic,” she says. ”We truly do– and it’s very simple. If you have a terrible diet and lifestyle and you do just one thing, you cut your risk in half. You do more than one thing and they will multiply up together. They don’t add up together. They multiply up together, so it becomes extremely easy to dramatically lower your risk of breast cancer.”

It’s worth mentioning that the same strategies apply for other types of cancer as well. Prostate and colon cancer tumors, for example, are similar to breast cancer tumors, as certain hormones cause them all to grow. Hence, protective strategies that are effective against breast cancer also work on these other types of cancer. Cancer prevention strategies will also virtually eliminate most other chronic disorders.

The Problem with Conventional Cancer Screenings

While diagnostic screenings have their place, some cancer screens are just about worthless… The wisdom of using the PSA test, for example, which checks for prostate cancer, has recently been questioned. Ditto for mammograms.

“Looking at the diagnostic tests that are currently available, none of them are perfect,” Dr. Horner says. “Everything has its pros and cons…  [M]ammography produces radiation, which has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. It’s like, “Why are you doing the test to look at a disease when it’s actually causing the disease, too?”  … It does pick things up at earlier stages, but the problem is that it’s not very specific. So when it looks and it sees something… that looks suspicious, it is wrong 80 percent of the time. In the United States, there’s roughly a million breast biopsies done per year, and 800,000 of them are unnecessary.”

One of the best cancer screening methods is self-examination. But you need to make sure you’re doing it correctly. For more information about how to do a breast self exam, please see this previous article.

MRI’s, which do not use ionizing radiation, are not a practical tool as they are very expensive, and, like mammograms, MRI scans are not very specific. Ultrasound is another technique used in Western medicine. The traditional ultrasound can see whether a mass is cystic or solid. But while a solid mass is generally considered to be something that might be of concern, this is not 100 percent certain either, as cancer tumors can sometimes have cysts in them.

“Now there’s a relatively new ultrasound that uses a color mode,” Dr. Horner says. “It’s called elastography. But there aren’t very many centers in the United States that use it. I go to the Center of the Hoxsey Clinic, to Dr. Arturo Rodriguez at Tijuana. It has a color scale that measures the elasticity of the cell membranes. Cancer cells are very stiff, whereas normal cells have more fluidity to them. It’ll show up as red if it has a lot of stiffness to it, as a cancer cell, or blue if it has elasticity… It’s a very good tool.”

On Thermography

Another form of cancer screen, which is still considered controversial in conventional medicine, is thermography, which gives you an infrared image of your body. By looking at heat and blood vessel patterns you can determine whether there are areas of concern.

“[B]efore you even get a tumor formation, the very first thing that happens is new blood vessels start to grow into the area where the tumor may form. Those blood vessels grow abnormally. They grow an abnormal amount of patterns and they produce an abnormal amount of heat. That’s what thermography is checking for,” Dr. Horner explains.

As with most new technologies, thermography hit some snags in its earlier stages, and fell out of favor in the early 70s. However, the technology has gotten a lot more sophisticated over the years, and is now computerized; eliminating the need for highly trained technicians to evaluate the results.

“The problem we still have today with thermography is that we don’t have standardization,” Dr. Horner explains. “We don’t have a uniform way that people are tested and trained with uniform equipment, and so forth… But there’s definitely a movement… to do standardization, and to get that technology available for women, because this is a technology that has no health detriments associated with it. It does not use radiation or anything harmful to your body.”

Unfortunately, the advocates of mammography perceive thermography as a threat to their business model. So there’s tremendous pressure against it, including from the federal regulatory agencies.

“It’s unfortunate,” Dr. Horner says, “but our country is run by big business. It’s just is, so anytime we want to shift anything culturally like that, and we’re going against established business, we have trouble because it’s all about money.”

For example, many of the presidents of the American Cancer Society were members of the Radiological Association, which is the industry supporting the mammography component. The entire medical field is littered with massive conflicts of interest.

‘We can see that everywhere. You look in the FDA—there are people from Monsanto that work in the FDA. Unfortunately, people think, “the United States is not very corrupt.” But actually, it’s extremely corrupt,” she says.

Still, there are many good reasons for considering thermography. To ensure you’re getting the highest standard of care, Dr. Horner recommends using a practitioner certified by the International Academy of Clinical Thermography, an independent non-profit organization that provides objective, third-party certifications. Their website lists qualified thermography centers across the US, Canada, and some other countries, such as France, Trinidad, and Zambia.

Most Natural Prevention Strategies Can Reduce Your Cancer Risk by Half…

Through her research, Dr. Horner has gathered a large number of cancer-prevention strategies—about 50 in all! Even more astounding is the rate of effectiveness of many of these strategies.

“[I]f you look at the studies, virtually every single thing that has an influence [causes] almost a 50 percent reduction in cancer risk… and if you combine them, like I said, you’ll get these synergistic results where they’ll multiply up as far as their effect is concerned.

I’d say the most important thing is what you do or do not put in your mouth… because you can have huge influences by the foods you consume– the spices, the herbs, and so forth. And, the things that you avoid, that’s going to give you the biggest results. … Vitamin D cuts your risks in half. Turmeric and anti-inflammatories cut your risk in half. I could go through each thing—and I’m telling you the research shows that there’s about 40 to 50 percent reduction [in risk]—so… to say that one is necessarily better than anything else, that’s a really hard thing to claim.”

The Top Four Cancer-Promoting Foods

Dr. Horner brings up an excellent point, and that is that in order to be effective, you must first STOP doing that which is promoting cancer growth (or poor health in general), and then all the other preventive strategies have the chance to really have an impact. Addressing your diet should be at the top of your list, and rather than adding certain foods, you’ll want to eliminate the most dangerous culprits first.

Naturally, processed foods and soft drinks do not belong in a cancer-preventive diet…

Dr. Horner, believes red meat from animals reared in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO’s) is also a MAJOR contributor to cancer. These animals are given antibiotics, growth hormones and other veterinary drugs that get stored in their tissues. Additionally, cooking the meat over high heat creates heterocyclic amines, which further add to its carcinogenic effect.

While I do recommend eating meat, I agree that there is absolutely NO benefit to eating CAFO beef. The ONLY type of meat I recommend is organically-raised, grass-fed meats. It’s hard for a lot of people to grasp the difference between CAFO and organic meat, but truly, they are like two different species in terms of their nutritional content. One is health harming while the other is beneficial.

So when we’re talking about the detrimental impact of red meat on your health, especially in terms of feeding cancer, please understand that we’re talking specifically about CAFO beef, aka “factory farmed” meat. Next on the list of cancer-promoters is sugar (this includes ALL forms of sugar, including fructose and grains).

“To me, sugar has no redeeming value at all, because they found that the more we consume it, the more we’re fuelling every single chronic disease,” Dr. Horner says. ”In fact, there was a study done about a year ago… and the conclusion was that sugar is a universal mechanism for chronic disease. It kicks up inflammation. It kicks up oxygen free radicals. Those are the two main processes we see that underlie any single chronic disorder, including cancers. It fuels the growth of breast cancers, because glucose is cancer’s favorite food. The more you consume, the faster it grows.”

Next is the type of fats that you consume. It’s important to remember that every cell membrane is made out of fat, as is your brain. According to Dr. Horner, bad-fats in the diet are a major contributor to ill health and cancer. On the list of fats to eliminate are:

  • Animal fats from CAFO-raised animals
  • Trans fats
  • Partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated fats

Healthy fats of particular importance for cancer prevention are omega-3 and omega-9. According to Dr. Horner, omega-3 in particular serve to effectively slow down tumor growth in estrogen-sensitive cancers such as breast-, prostate- and colon cancers. Fourth on the list of cancer promoters is ANY item that contains xenoestrogens (chemicals that mimic estrogen). This can become a rather long list once you start including any food contaminated with such estrogen-mimicking chemicals, such as BPA, found in the linings of canned goods and in plastics. The list gets truly unwieldy when you include personal care products that contain such chemicals as well…

“There are case reports of five- and six-year-olds going through secondary sex characteristics because of the shampoo that they were using… There are all sorts of different sources where we’re exposed to these chemicals from our foods and from the products that we use.

What we’re seeing is younger and younger puberty. Around the world, the average age is about 16  years old. In the United States, it’s 10 years old now, and sometimes even younger. The problem is that with each menstrual period there is a surge of estradiol, which is the strongest, most abundant form of estrogen, and the one that’s most associated with breast cancer. If you start your period very young, you’ll have more periods in your lifetime than what a person would have, obviously, if they started at an older age.

In addition to that, when a girl goes through puberty, her breast cells become really sensitive to environmental toxins, radiation, and so forth. They’re considered immature. They haven’t differentiated– as a more scientific term for it– so there’s a longer period of time that they’re exposed to these toxins where they have a greater sensitivity.”

Dr. Horner reviews a number of other important factors that influence your cancer risk, so for more details, please listen to the interview in its entirety, or read through the transcript.

Eating for Cancer Prevention

According to Dr. Horner, the research clearly shows that the one food that is the most important for optimal health is plant foods.

“Plants are packed full of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are crucial for our health. They also have hundreds of phytochemicals in them. These don’t have any nutritional or caloric value, but they are like natural medicines, and some of them behave exactly like chemotherapy,” she says.

“Every plant has some anti-cancer properties to them. There are some that are standouts. Cruciferous vegetables are something that I really recommend. They’re a family of vegetables that include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, and Brussels sprouts…

All of them have several different chemicals in common. They’ve got indole-3-carbinol, Calcium D-glucarate, and sulforaphane. They have big anti-cancer properties to them, and they inhibit the growth of breast, prostate, colon cancer and a variety of other ones. Of all the families of vegetables to consume, [cruciferous vegetables] are the ones to be aware of, so you can make sure you’re including that in your diet frequently.”

Naturally, you’ll want to make sure the vegetables are fresh, and ideally locally grown and organic.  Besides cruciferous veggies, another standout plant for cancer-prevention is flax seed. The lignans in flax seed inhibit the growth of cancer in about a dozen different ways, including the exact same mechanism as the anti-cancer drug Tamoxifen and Arimidex, which shut down an enzyme in fat cells called aromatase that converts androgens into estrogens.

“I hear from patients, “Oh! My oncologist told me not to take flaxseeds, because they’re estrogenic,”" Dr. Horner says.”They don’t understand how plant estrogens or “phytoestrogens” work.

There are all sorts of different strengths to estrogens. Let’s say estradiol, which is the strongest, most abundant form– if it hooks on to the estrogen receptor, it may cause a thousand cell divisions. But if a plant estrogen hooks on, it may cause one. When you flood your system with these plant estrogens, I’d say it’s kind of like a game of musical chairs. There are only certain numbers of receptors, and whoever gets their first, gets it. They’re blocking the strong estrogens from getting on, so that’s why it has an inhibitory effect.”

Other Lifestyle Factors that Influence Your Cancer Risk

Other lifestyle factors that have been found to have an impact on chronic disease and cancer include:

  • Vitamin D—There’s overwhelming evidence pointing to the fact that vitamin D deficiency plays a crucial role in cancer development. As mentioned earlier, you can decrease your risk of cancer by MORE THAN HALF simply by optimizing your vitamin D levels with sun exposure. And if you are being treated for cancer it is likely that higher blood levels—probably around 80-90 ng/ml—would be beneficial. The health benefits of optimizing your levels, either by safe sun exposure (ideally), a safe tanning bed, or oral supplementation as a last resort, simply cannot be overstated. In terms of protecting against cancer, vitamin D has been found to offer protection in a number of ways, including:
    • Regulating genetic expression
    • Increasing the self-destruction of mutated cells (which, if allowed to replicate, could lead to cancer)
    • Reducing the spread and reproduction of cancer cells
    • Causing cells to become differentiated (cancer cells often lack differentiation)
    • Reducing the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, which is a step in the transition of dormant tumors turning cancerous

    To learn the details on how to use vitamin D therapeutically, please review my previous article, Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency.

  • Getting proper sleep: both in terms of getting enough sleep, and sleeping between certain hours. According to Ayurvedic medicine, the ideal hours for sleep are between 10 pm and 6 am. Modern research has confirmed the value of this recommendation as certain hormonal fluctuations occur throughout the day and night, and if you engage in the appropriate activities during those times, you’re ‘riding the wave’ so to speak, and are able to get the optimal levels. Working against your biology by staying awake when you should ideally be sleeping or vice versa, interferes with these hormonal fluctuations. According to Dr. Horner:

    “If we, for instance, go to bed by 10, we have higher levels of our sleep hormone melatonin; there’s a spike that occurs between midnight and 1am, which you don’t want to miss because the consequences are absolutely spectacular. Melatonin is not only our sleep hormone, but it also is a very powerful antioxidant. It decreases the amount of estrogen our body produces. It also boosts your immune system… And it interacts with the other hormones.

    So, if you go to bed after 10… it significantly increases your risk of breast cancer.”

  • Effectively addressing your stress: The research shows that if you experience a traumatic or highly stressful event, such as a death in the family, your risk of breast cancer is 12 times higher in the ensuing five years.
  • Exercise—If you are like most people, when you think of reducing your risk of cancer, exercise doesn’t immediately come to mind. However, there is some fairly compelling evidence that exercise can slash your risk of cancer.One of the primary ways exercise lowers your risk for cancer is by reducing elevated insulin levels, which creates a low sugar environment that discourages the growth and spread of cancer cells. Additionally, exercise improves the circulation of immune cells in your blood. Your immune system is your first line of defense against everything from minor illnesses like a cold right up to devastating, life-threatening diseases like cancer.

    The trick about exercise, though, is understanding how to use it as a precise tool. This ensures you are getting enough to achieve the benefit, not too much to cause injury, and the right variety to balance your entire physical structure and maintain strength and flexibility, and aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels. This is why it is helpful to view exercise like a drug that needs to be carefully prescribed to achieve its maximum benefit. For detailed instructions, please see this previous article.

    Additionally it is likely that integrating exercise with intermittent fasting will greatly catalyze the potential of exercise to reduce your risk of cancer and stimulate widespread healing and rejuvenation.

More Information

For more information, please see Dr. Horner’s book, Waking the Warrior Goddess: Dr. Christine Horner’s Program to Protect Against and Fight Breast Cancer. You can also learn more about Dr. Horner on her website, www.DrChristineHorner.com

Source:  Video Transcript

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Detoxing the Body, Mind and Spirit


BODY

There are so many views by nutritional experts that it is a confusing subject.  I have studied different theories and diets in the past 5 years with an eye to healing my body of cancer.

I have discovered that while there are many differences in nutrition theories, there are also many common elements.  There are many benefits to incorporating good nutrition: better health, lower medical costs, increased mental concentration, more consistently high energy levels, less hyperactivity and improved behavior.

  1. Organic–grass-fed–pastured–local–non GMO (genetically modified organism): It is best to eat foods with the least possible amount of pesticides, chemicals, processing, and tampering (genetic modification).  The more organic, pastured, grass-fed, and process free food is–the better.   Some terms, like cage free and free-range, leave wiggle room.  What you want to ask is “Did this animal eat grass and bugs?”   Poultry and eggs from pastured chickens are especially important.    Except in seasons when there is no green grass outside, you will see a dramatic difference in pastured chicken eggs.  The yolks are very orange from pastured chickens.  These eggs are packed full of nutrients.  A local source for pastured chicken products is Prairie Crossings in Grayslake, IL.  Pastured foods (meats, eggs, dairy products) differ chemically from grain fed meats etc.  They are radically better for our bodies.  Animals store toxins in their fats which is marbled throughout the body.  Fats from grain fed animals store the pesticides used to treat the grain.  These meats are so unhealthy, whereas the fat from grass-fed animals is actually good for you.  As far as organic versus non-organic, it takes only minimal reasoning to know that organic food is better.  What goes on a plant goes into the plant then into us when we eat it.  Pesticides will not completely wash off produce. They are absorbed into plants just as our body absorbs a portion of the things we put on our skin. It may seem like bad economics to buy organic, grass-fed and pastured.  However, consider the alternative in higher medical costs and bad health.  Also, unprocessed foods are cheaper than processed. (By processed, I mean anything which changes food from it’s original garden-fresh state.)   Processing removes nutrients and adds toxins.  When you stay with organic and unprocessed versus non-organic and processed, you may find that the cost balances out.  The best source for garden foods is to raise them yourself.  Start converting your flower gardens.  We have started front and back yard veggie gardens and it is great fun–no complaints from the neighbors yet.  It is possible to make food gardens look quite lovely.  The second best source is local farmers.  Check out farmer’s markets.  They may or may not be good resources.  Ask specifics about how they raise their products to decide.  Third in line are dependable stores.  Whole Foods, Costco, Mariano’s, selective Kroger’s, and Giant Eagle stores have organic produce plus some organic and grass-fed meats and dairy products.  There is some question about fish being safe because of mercury levels, but it is best to eat cold water, smaller fish wild caught from places like Alaska, or Norway.  A good source is http://www.vitalchoice.com/newsletter_index2.cfm
  2. Include Raw.  It is good to add raw produce into our diets at least to the level that it comprises at least 1/3 of our total diet.  This can be fresh fruits and veggies, smoothies, or even cooked or dehydrated foods if they are cooked below 105 degrees. Raw foods have more vitamins, and live enzymes.  Frozen foods lose some vitamins but they are still better than canned.  If you are in a rush, give your child frozen veggies–they thaw almost immediately in warm water.  You don’t even have to cook them. They make great finger food, and kids enjoy them if their palates are not spoiled by sugar and processed foods.  There may need to be a re-education process of your whole family’s palates, if they have some bad food habits.  The pain of withdrawal and change is well worth it in the long run.  My experience is that it takes 2 weeks of misery to get over my addictions to sugar and processed food.
  3. Sprout.  Sprouted seeds and nuts have more nutrition than non-sprouted.  Soaking and sprouting also provide fresh greens especially  in winter. Sprouted foods are delicious,  Here is a website on how to sprout.  http://www.raw-food-diet-magazine.com/how-to-sprout-seeds.html  E-Z Sprouter is the product I use to sprout.  I looked on Amazon for the cheapest price and copied the website:  http://www.amazon.com/Sproutamo-Easy-Sprout-Sprouter/dp/B000GHUD86  This one is $14.50.
  4. Look for food intolerances.  I eliminated dairy from my diet and feel that it would be beneficial for many people.  Certainly non-organic milk is loaded with horrible things including hormones, chemicals, antibiotics and more.  Of course, that carries over to cottage cheese, butter, and cheese.  Ideally, if one wanted to use dairy products, the closest to mother’s milk is organic goat’s milk.  In an earlier time and place, we had a herd of dairy goats.  We gave our sons raw goat milk because they had obvious and severe cow milk allergies.  We also had grass-fed cows for beef and organic gardens before they were dubbed with those terms.  Besides dairy there are many common intolerances.  Gluten is another common intolerance.  There are many others.  You can check out an elimination diet to help with this: http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/file/11270/handout_elimination_diet_patient.pdf
  5. Veg out.  Many agree that veggies should be the staple of most people’s diet.    It is easy to cut up a sweet potato or raw red peppers.  Kids love these–so do adults.  Or throw in some organic carrots or celery for a road trip.  Everyone needs a minimum amount of protein and fat. This cannot be ignored, especially in children.  However too much meat in a diet is not a good thing either.  There must be balance.
  6. Reduce sugar.  Refined sugar, white flour and processed fructose in a diet beat up the pancreas. They contribute greatly to obesity.  They cause spikes and plummets in blood sugar levels. Keep in mind that if you or your family have blood sugar level problems, these other foods may need to be eaten more sparingly also.  Grains, when digested, also become sugar in the body.  Even whole grains, while giving good nutritional elements, can contribute to high sugar levels.  Beans, except lima beans, break down into sugar.  Potatoes produce spikes in blood sugar levels also. Fruits, especially sweeter ones like bananas must be eaten with moderation also, as they can cause sugar levels to increase.  However, these things are much easier on the body than refined sugar, fructose and white flour.  In a whole different category, soda is not only harmful in the ridiculous amounts of sugar it contains, it is also harmful in the many chemicals and carbonation.  (Soda pop should be the very first thing to go in our family’s diets.)  In many people, overconsumption of  sugary foods cause the blood sugar levels to fluctuate between too little sugar in the blood to too much sugar in the blood.  Eventually the body can develop insulin resistance, then pre-diabetes, then diabetes.  In families with genetic predisposition, mindfulness is even more necessary.  Blood sugar related diseases are at epidemic proportions in America now.  These diseases include diabetes, yeast and many fungal infections, and secondarily many other ailments.  Even in children, these conditions are increasing.  A great cookbook for the whole family is Internal Bliss. It gives recipes that foster health by lowering sugar.  By lowering sugar, you will eliminate the hyper periods your kids get from sugar highs.  No longer will your kids have the dramatic energy drops when their blood sugar crashes down after a sugar high.  You will have kids who are healthier hence fewer doctor visits and sick days.  Your family’s concentration level will also drastically increase.  I have read that sugar is more addictive than cocaine.  Determine to hang in for the long haul on conquering sugar’s hold.  It will be a battle.  Work on it a little at a time.  First eliminate sodas and store bought juices.  Pasteurized juices are high in sugar and have many of the nutrients destroyed by pasteurization.  Just give your kids organic milk or filtered water.  Next remove all desserts as we typically think of them and replace them with fruit.  Next change processed and sugary snacks to fruits / veggies/ dried fruits and veggies/ nuts and seeds.  Replace cereal breakfasts with pastured eggs and veggies.  Throw in occasional banana peanut butter “pancakes” and or fresh smoothies from veggies and fruit.
  7. Eat in a probiotic way.  Many people are overrun by candida (yeast) and harmful bacteria because of the standard American diet (SAD).  Diets need to promote starving these bad bacteria and feeding the good bacteria.  There is a whole science to this–a diet focused upon creating good flora balance in the gut is called Probiotic.  Starving the bad bacteria is promoted with low sugar diets such as the diet in the cookbook Internal Bliss.    The second component of this and similar diets is feeding the good bacteria which aid in digestion.  This is done by eating pro-biotic food and supplements.  Pro-biotic food is fermented allowing the good bacteria to proliferate.  Sauerkraut and yogurt are familiar to us all.  There are many more like Kimchi, Kombucha, Kefir, Miso, Dill Pickles and Tempeh.  However, one cannot just run to the typical grocery store for these.  Many at the grocery store are loaded with sugar, or are an imitation made with vinegar rather than true fermentation.  You can either make your own or find a source such as Bubbie’s brand and King’s brands.  These can be found at Whole Foods.  Other stores such as Jewel will often special order these upon request.  If you are interested in making your own a good website that I found is http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2008/06/baby-steps-eating-cultured-and-fermented-foods.html.
  8. Filter your water.  Unfiltered water can be another source of toxins.  Put a filter on your kitchen faucet.  Ideal is to have one that filters out bacteria, chemicals and chlorine. A great website to keep up on tests of your city’s water is EWG.com. They also give test results on produce to buy organic and non-organic based on testing for pesticides.  They tell which make up, baby products, sunscreens etc are the safest.  If you want to take detoxing a step further, install a filter on your shower to take out the chlorine that would be absorbed through the skin.
  9. Exercise.  Another great way of detoxing is exercise.  I find the best way to exercise is to multitask.  It makes exercise more interesting.  Walk with a friend.  Do the treadmill or Nordictrak while praying.  Do a quick set of weights to maintain strength while listening to praise music.  Don’t forget energetic dancing with the kids or grandkids to upbeat or worship music. This detoxes body and spirit in one fell swoop.
  10. Vitamin D  Especially in the north, we are all deficient in vitamin D because we do not get enough sun.  A great way to get vitamin D into ourselves and our family is cod liver oil.  It is best when from Alaska or Norway.  Fish from there contains less toxins as well as containing more good fats.
  11. Use safe cleaners etc.  Using natural skin and cleaning products is another way of detoxing.    Vinegar, peroxide, borax and baking soda all make great cleaning products.  Vinegar is antibacterial and antifungal.  Peroxide kills germs without harm to people in your house.  Borax is a powerful cleanser but is much safer than detergents.  Baking soda is a good scrubbing agent and neutralizes odors. Norwex cleaning cloths are a good product to clean without any chemicals.  I have been using them for washing my body and I am having much fewer problems with dry skin. For dry skin, I use coconut oil or rose hips oil.  I use jojoba oil as a hair conditioner.  I use just a drop or two spread on my hands then on damp hair before I dry it. Petroleum based products like baby oil and many ingredients in make up, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens, moisturizer, as well as most cleaning products contain toxic ingredients.  We can save money and decrease toxins in our homes by making our own.  It is very simple and fast.  I buy the gallon plus bottle of white vinegar at Costco, as well as their largest peroxide and baking soda.  Borax also is very cheap.  I just save my old soap and shampoo bottles to make these.  I bought a few new spray bottles so that I would not have chemical residue contaminating my homemade cleaning supplies for my kitchen and my body.  These homemade products are  not only easy and safe–they are much less expensive.
  12. Gadgets that help.  I have gone through many kitchen gadgets and experimentations in making a healthy yet easy-to-do diet.  I am so not a cook.  I started juicing raw veggies and fruits after my first cancer.  Freshly made juices are beneficial because they are loaded in concentrated nutrients and are easy for the body to digest. If you get a juicer I recommend the Breville Juice Fountain.  I have gotten years of hard use out of mine.  You can find it at Bed Bath and Beyond or online.  However, I have had problems with extracted fresh juices as they are more concentrated in sugars than whole fruits and veggies (even though the sugars are natural sugars).  I have finally gravitated towards making whole juices.  I use an expensive gadget called Blendtec.  It can be purchased online or at Costco.  I use it many times a day.  It will grind grains, even flaxseed which most grinders will not.  Additionally, it will grind coffee beans.  One can make smoothies, whole juices, soups, sauces, ice creams and sorbet in minutes.  The cookbook that came with it is not super healthy or helpful, but I am gradually making a retinue of recipes which I will put in my blog (healingdiscoveries.com) gradually.  Another gadget that makes my life easier is The Vidalia Onion Chopper.  I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond.  It is $20 and you can always use coupons.  It sounds superfluous but it makes salad and veggie prep fast and easy, and it is a cheap tool.

MIND

  1. Eliminate the toxins.  I have found that nourishing the mind is similar to feeding the body.  If you put good quality in, it functions much better.  This really eliminates most of TV and much reading material.  One needs to be as selective in feeding and exercising the mind as the body.  This includes toxic thoughts and words.  One cannot help what passes through the mind, but there is always a choice on what planes you allow to land in your airport of a mind.
  2. Feed the brain good food.  The Bible is the best food to feed the brain on planet earth.  It makes wise the simple, it is living and active and transforms in a really good way.  Of course, it can be abused and misinterpreted, but that does not detract from the absolute goodness and power of The Book when used in conjunction with the Holy Spirit’s guidance.  I recommend an easy to read translation like the NIV or NLT.  The Message is great for just reading.
  3. Exercise the brain.  I love to do online scrabble to challenge my brain.  It is like any other part of the body.  It needs to be pushed to work its best.

SPIRIT

Honor, give, forgive.  The best way to detox the spirit is honoring, giving and forgiving.  The Bible says that as we give, we will receive; as we judge we will be judged; and as we forgive, we will be forgiven.

You could restate all of this as an inverse golden rule.  As you do to others it will be done to you.

I think if any of these 3 things were easy, then we would all live in peace and harmony in a loving world.  The truth is that these things have a supernatural component.  God must help us.

Firstly, true honoring is seeing someone as God sees him and treating him or her as a true child of God (as a brother or sister that we cherish).  Everyone is to be honored.  It is not a treatment that Is to be earned.  To see people through God’s eyes, we must have the Holy Spirit within us.  This means that we must have accepted the payment that Jesus made for us on the cross and have given him reign in our hearts.

Next, giving can be motivated from many directions.  Only one type of giving makes a lasting difference.  Again, that is the giving led by the Holy Spirit.  Wrong giving can enable, stop personal growth, or interfere with God’s loving processes.  When giving is guided by the Holy Spirit, it accomplishes God’s purposes.

And lastly, forgiveness is the heart of the Bible’s message.  God made it clear that forgiveness is not optional.  Yet, forgiveness is a losing battle unless we enlist God’s help.  We think an offense is long gone only to discover dregs of bitterness in our hearts.  If we recognize repeated bad fruit in our life, often the source of this is unforgiveness, resentment or bitterness lodged in our hearts.  In actuality, we often cannot see the bad fruit in our own lives.  It takes a bold, kind and honest loved one to point it out.

The best way to detox our spirit is prayer.  Pray for God to show us the root of the bad fruit.  Pray for forgiveness in the ways we have judged others (labeled them or put them in a box of our perceived limitations–failed to honor them).  Pray for God to give the gift of forgiveness to us in letting go of offenses and hurts to us.  Pray blessings upon the ones who hurt us.  Give restitution to the ones we have hurt.

Amazingly, one of the best sources for detoxing our spirits is right at our fingertips.  It is the Bible.  The Bible is most useful when it is interpreted to us by the Holy Spirit.  For a non-Christian reading the Bible is like reading history.  For one filled by the Holy Spirit, it is like reading God’s love letters, teachings and admonitions from someone who is speaking to me personally.

The most effective way I have found to detox body, mind and spirit is to hang out with God.  That means many different things–the Bible, dancing with him, talking to him, singing to him and I am sure that I will discover more as I hang around him.  This is something that I am just learning to do after many years of being a Christian in a very dry and rules-oriented way.  It is an adventure that I want to share with everyone.

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More Cancer Tips


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Tip 13: EWG’s Cancer Prevention Tips

According to a report from the President’s Cancer Panel, environmental toxins play a significant and under-recognized role in cancer, causing “grievous harm” to untold numbers of people. Our groundbreaking research into umbilical cord blood has found that children are being born pre-polluted with nearly 300 industrial chemicals, pesticides and contaminants, many of which have been found to cause cancer in lab studies or in people.
Four of every 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and two of every 10 will die from it. Beyond talking to your doctor about lifestyle changes that are known to make a difference — stopping smoking, reducing drinking, losing weight, exercising and eating right — there are things you can do to reduce your risk.
Here are some simple ways you can reduce your exposure to potentially cancer-causing chemicals:

1. Filter your tap water. Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon tap-mounted filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of some of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help. Learn about your tap water and home water filters at EWG’s National Tap Water Database.
2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more from EWG.
3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. “Fluorochemicals” related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellants on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. To avoid them, avoid greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home. Download EWG’s Guide to PFCs.
4. Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun’s cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG’s sunscreen database.
5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.
6. Eat EWG’s Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG’s Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. (And for EWG’s Dirty Dozen, buy organic.) Learn more at EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
7. Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies. To avoid them, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA. Get EWG’s tips to avoid it.

8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you’re shopping, don’t buy products that list ingredients with “PEG” or “-eth” in their name (chemicals often tainted with contaminants linked to cancer).
9. Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks — read the label before you buy. Californians will see a “Proposition 65″ warning label on products that contain chemicals the state has identified as cancer-causing.
Read EWG’s news release about the President’s Cancer Panel report.

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If I Perish, I Perish


In my experience, there are phases of dealing with life after cancer or life with chronic cancer.  The first phase is shock and horror.   A big red C is constantly hanging in front of your face.  This is the adjustment phase.

The next phase involves finding and pursuing  your chosen path in reaction to the cancer–medical, nutritional, spiritual, any combination of these or remaining status quo.  This is the proactive phase.

Finally comes the acceptance phase.  Ultimately control is not in my hands.  God numbers my days.  I am sure that my choices affect what happens to me, however even with all of my efforts I cannot be in the driver’s seat.  I have finally come to the place where I can relax and say as Esther did in the Bible,  ”If I perish, I perish.”  I am rejoining life instead of clinging to it.  It feels good.

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Dr. Mercola’s summary on probiotics


This is reprinted from Dr. Mercola’s website.  It is a great summary on probiotics.

The History Behind Fermented Foods and Their Health Benefits

History provides us a few clues on how different cultures promoted their intestinal health before modern times. Years ago, people used fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut – as food preservatives and as support for intestinal and overall health.

Raw Yogurt DrinkAncient Indian culture (as well as today),
promoted intestinal health with a raw yogurt
drink called lassi – full of probiotics

Here are a few examples…

  • During Roman times, people ate sauerkraut because of its taste and benefits to their overall health.
  • In ancient Indian society, it became commonplace (and still is) to enjoy a before-dinner yogurt drink called a lassi. These Indian traditions were based on the principle of using sour milk as a probiotic delivery system to the body.
  • Bulgarians are known both for their health and their high consumption of fermented milk and kefir.
  • In Asian cultures, pickled fermentations of cabbage, turnips, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, squash and carrots still exist today.
  • People of the Ukraine consume probiotics from foods like sauerkraut, raw yogurt, and buttermilk.

The interesting thing was most of these dietary habits were born from tradition… at the time, no one really knew or understood why they were so healthy to your digestive system.*

How Probiotics Got Their Start – An Uphill Battle
Against Big Pharma

Well, things changed in the early 1900s, when Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff (Nobel Prize 1908) proposed that the Balkan population enjoyed excellent health due to consumption of large quantities of fermented milks containing beneficial bacteria.*

These ‘good’ bacteria were later defined as probiotics, which comes from Greek terminology meaning ‘for life.’

In the 1950s, the USDA licensed a probiotic formula for use in the digestive tract of pigs. Later on in the 1970s, the effectiveness of the probiotics in that role in pigs was discovered. Probiotics were later pioneered for human use.

So, what took so long to bring probiotics to the forefront in human health enhancements?*

I believe that the mere fact that large pharmaceutical companies were able to leverage millions of dollars to market their products pushed probiotics out of the way… relegated them to the back-burner.

But today, the health trend has clearly begun to shift toward natural nutrition. And that has allowed probiotics to resurface and gain the attention they deserve.

And that’s why I spend so much of my time researching factual data on how to provide you with the best probiotic formula available.

All this is well and good, but…

Why Are Probiotics So Vital to Your Health?*

Mother Embracing her BabyWhy do many caesarean-section infants have
less-than-optimal health after birth?

From the very first breath you take, you’re exposed to probiotics.

How so?

On the way through the birth canal during a normal delivery, a newborn gets dosed with bacteria from their mother. This event starts colonization in the infant’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract of ‘good’ bacteria. Compelling new research now shows many caesarean-section infants have less-than-optimal health after birth. This is most likely because they are not exposed to the mother’s healthy bacteria in the birth canal which would then serve to populate its own GI tract.

As you mature, you’re faced with many threats to the beneficial bacteria in your gut… from chlorinated drinking water… to overly-processed foods.

The ‘good’ bacteria in your gastrointestinal system can only provide you with optimum health if the proper balance of different types of bacteria is maintained in your gut.*

This is where probiotics can have a profound effect… not just on your GI health, but on your overall health as well.* Keep in mind, 80% of your immune system actually lives in your gut.

Probiotic formulas are available with many different types of bacterial strains… with the most common being Lactobacillus acidophilus. But as you’ll find out shortly, not all probiotics are created equal… and not all probiotic formulas are properly produced to provide optimal benefits.*

In general, if formulated properly, the major benefits of a high-quality probiotic are to…

  • Aid you in digesting food, particularly hard-to-digest foods and foods to which some individuals are more sensitive.*
  • Enhance the synthesis of B vitamins and improve calcium absorption*
  • Help you keep a healthy balance of intestinal microflora*
  • (In women) Promote vaginal health*
  • Support your overall immune function*

And more…

I strongly believe the key to an optimal probiotic formula is through science-backed research by a qualified non-biased laboratory… and through a manufacturer with rigorous high-quality process standards in place.

You’ll see more evidence of this unwavering belief I have coming up…

When’s the Best Time to Take a Probiotic Supplement?

One of the confusing issues with probiotic supplements hinges around timing… when is the best time to take them?

Medicine IntakeWhen’s the best time to take a probiotic?
See my recommendations here

Recommendations are pretty much all over the place on the best time to take them around meal times.

I can tell you when it comes to this, my team and I have carefully researched this issue and even consulted with the one of the foremost authorities and pioneers on probiotics…

The bottom line… my recommended approach and timing for taking a probiotic supplement are…

  • Take it prior to eating breakfast with a glass of pure water
  • Wait 10-15 minutes after taking it before you eat because stomach acid from your meal could impact some of the ‘good’ bacteria (you could lose 5-10%)
  • Avoid taking it within 3 hours of taking any antibiotic

And talking about meals and probiotics, something I hear quite often is…

“If I Eat Yogurt, Should I Still Take Probiotics?”

You are probably wondering why using nearly any commercial yogurt might not be as beneficial as a probiotic supplement. Afterall, traditional cultures have been consuming cultured, fermented foods like yogurt for years for digestive health promotion.

Eating YougurtMost commercial yogurts are not a good source
of probiotics. Heat pasteurization significantly
reduces most of the ‘good’ bacteria benefits

The problem arises because…

  • Traditional yogurts were phenomenal sources of beneficial bacteria due to their raw and unpasteurized state.
  • Most of today’s yogurts are pasteurized, unless specially purchased raw and unpasteurized from a local farmer. Sadly, pasteurization radically reduces most of the benefits.
  • Even most of the yogurts certified organic by the USDA are pasteurized in some fashion.

So what, in my opinion, is wrong with pasteurization?

Well, it basically kills or sterilizes most of the beneficial and other bacteria during the heat processing. And some yogurts (particularly the frozen ones), don’t contain any live bacteria at all.

So, as great-tasting as many of them are, don’t be fooled by yogurt products advertising live cultures beneficial to your digestive system… many have likely had the beneficial bacteria already reduced or wiped out by heat-intensive pasteurization processes.

To me, this is one of those cases where it appears that in our collective zeal to rid ourselves of every trace of infectious agents in our food supply and homes, we may have outdone ourselves.

As a whole, we’re less exposed to bacteria now than in the past, including beneficial bacteria. Antibacterial products, hand sanitizers, and the like have made for a world that’s a whole lot cleaner, but is it really that much healthier?

Due to strict food safety regulations, less bacteria (including the ‘good’ ones) survive the manufacturing process. Many overly-processed products, just like yogurt, undergo pasteurization or sterilization, which may destroy beneficial bacteria.

While this may be helpful in some ill-health prevention, it also means we are exposed to less health-enhancing bacteria.*

And with helpful bacteria less available in our food, I’m even more convinced how crucial it is to consider supplementation with high-quality probiotics.

But, I first must raise the caution flag and give you fair…

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Cancer info, Diets for Healing, Nutrition

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Blood Sugar


High blood sugar and cancer are linked.  This is a complex cause effect relationship which is not as simplistic as “Sugar feeds cancer.”  However, to me it is functionally that simple.

Here is an article from Dr. Mercola’s website about this.  Following that is a link to a great article by Tom Cowan on blood sugar, diabetes and ways to control this.

 

More Evidence Sugar Feeds Cancer

Growing tumor cells can crowd out other cells and cut them off from oxygen-carrying blood vessels, necessary for their survival. When this happens, some cancer cells have developed the ability to bypass the need for oxygen and instead switch to the glycolytic pathway, which they use even when oxygen is restored.

Researchers from the Harvard Medical School have now found that blocking one of the glycolytic pathway’s enzymes, LDHA, may be an effective anti-cancer therapy.

The researchers shut down glycolysis in breast cancer cells by blocking LDHA and implanted the cells in mice. Among the LDHA-deficient mice, only two died, one at 16 weeks and the other at 18 weeks, and 80 percent were still living at the end of the four-month study.

In contrast, the control mice, which had tumor cells with a working glycolytic pathway, died at 10 weeks or before.

The researchers concluded that LDHA may be a weak point in the glycolytic pathway, and knocking out the pathway could be an effective way to fight cancer.  

Sources:

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:
 


Cancer is now the number one cause of death in the United States; it surpassed heart disease last year.

Does anyone think that might be related to the obesity epidemic that we are in the midst of? Two out of three Americans are overweight and 73 million Americans have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Elevated insulin and leptin levels are usually major contributing factors in both of these diseases.

It is vital to understand what insulin actually is. Insulin is something you need as without it you would go into hyperglycemic coma and die, but many have insulin levels that are too high.

Your pancreas releases insulin — produced by beta cells — after you eat carbohydrates. This causes a rise in blood sugar. Insulin ensures your cells receive some blood sugar necessary for life, and increases glycogen storage. However, it also drives your body to use more carbohydrate, and less fat, as fuel. And, insulin converts almost half of your dietary carbohydrate to fat for storage. In other words, when we eat too much carbohydrate, we’re essentially sending a hormonal message, via insulin, to the body (actually, to the adipose cells).

The message: “Store fat.”

Not only do increased insulin levels tell your body to store carbohydrates as fat, they also tell it not to release any stored fat. This makes it impossible for you to use your own stored body fat for energy. So the excess carbohydrates in your diet not only make you fat, they make sure you stay fat.

High levels of insulin can cause major damage to your body. The most recognized of these is diabetes. In addition, hypertension, obesity, high levels of cholesterol and other lipids, heart disease, kidney disease, female infertility and neurodegeneration are all caused by eating too many carbohydrates, resulting in high insulin levels.

If you want to use more fats for energy, the insulin response must be moderated. Diets high in refined sugars release more insulin thereby allowing less stored fat to be burned.

Insulin is the Key to the Vast Majority of Chronic Illness

Getting back to the study, though, I find it somewhat tragic that this is not really new information. The article mentions Otto Warburg, who was the German physician that was awarded a Nobel Prize over 75 years ago for first uncovering cancer cells’ massive dependence on sugar as a fuel source.

Yes, you read that correctly. Physicians have been exposed to this information for 75 years, when most of your great grandparents were alive and kicking.

It is reassuring to have Harvard researchers confirm this again, though. But do you think for one moment this will change the clinical protocols for the average oncologist?

Don’t hold your breath.

It is just shocking to me that they don’t understand this basic fact and integrate it into their treatment program.

This is likely why exercise has consistently been shown to be associated with lower cancer rates.Exercise is a powerful way to improve insulin and leptin sensitivity, which helps to keep your fasting blood sugar below the magic 100 level.

My feeling is that you start to dramatically increase your risk for cancer once your fasting blood sugar rises above 100. The higher your blood sugar level the higher your risk of cancer.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait another 75 years to benefit from this information. Just because your physician may be clueless about insulin’s influence on cancer doesn’t mean you have to be.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or are overweight you are best served by avoiding all sugars and most grains. Yes, even whole organic grains as they are not vegetable carbs, and all grains, even alternative ones like spelt, millet, amaranth and quinoa, will tend to raise your insulin levels.

Of course you will also want to participate in an effective exercise program.

How do you know you are doing good enough?

Simple, just have your doctor run a fasting insulin level and if it is below 4-5 you win.

 

Treating Diabetes: Practical Advice for Combatting a Modern Epidemic PDF Print E-mail
Written by Thomas Cowan, MD

   http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-diseases/diabetes/587-treating-diabetes 

 

 

 

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I Am Not Against Traditional Medicine


It was brought to my attention that I may be giving the impression of saying “Don’t listen to your doctor and don’t do traditional treatment.”  Sorry if I gave that impression– I firmly believe in using all the weapons available for the battle.

Chemo scares the fool out of me.  That said, if the chances were good that it would cure my cancer, I would do it in spite of my trepidation.  It has never been offered as an option for me.  At this point, chemo does not effectively treat  follicular lymphoma, it merely beats it back somewhat to extend life for a period.  As far as radiation, I did have radiation just as my doctor recommended.  If I could go back, I would change that to having an immediate mastectomy without any radiation.  At the time, I did not know that was another medically recommended option.  Plus hindsight is 20/ 20.  One can always say:  should have, would have, could have.  There is no need for regrets when you are walking with God even if it seems you made a wrong decision.

So to those of you who are faced with decisions–I say don’t think traditional vs. alternative.  Think what does God tell you to do?  Ask him every step of the way, then don’t look back with regrets.  Most of my decisions were made after asking God, and He has never let me down.  There is not a formulaic answer in choosing your path except in this one thing–consult and trust God.

It seems to me though, that however one achieves healing through traditional medicine, alternative medicine, or an outright miracle, something needs to change. Disease in your body seems to me a warning sign that you are not doing proper temple maintenance.  That is what this blog addresses, in addition to healing of the soul and spirit.

The other advice I would give to those going through cancer plus to their loved ones is this:  do your research and be your own advocate.  There are many choices along the way and the best intentioned medical people do not have time to educate in all of those options.  Once you know your options plus know the disease you are facing, you know better how to pray and how to choose.

If you or a loved one are facing cancer here is a great verse to mediate on:  Isaiah 45:3   I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

 

 

 

 

 

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A Letter by Nan Sugg to Her Sunday School Class–March 6, 2011


On March 6th in Ken’s Sunday school class, prayer requests were being shared.  There were about eight in a row concerning cancer.   Some of them were updates on people the class had prayed for before, and some were new diagnoses.  There was a report of a fellow church member whose cancer had returned for a third time.  This lady had been diagnosed twenty years ago.

As the reports continued, the gloom deepened.  Finally, I couldn’t stand it any longer.  I got up and said, “I wasn’t planning to share this prayer request here this morning, but I think I need to.  My sister is in town.  She came down from Chicago to be with her friends, Marguerite and Bill, because Bill has cancer.  He was diagnosed a week ago and he is expected to live for about another week, maybe two.  Bill hasn’t been a believer very long, but now that he is, he and his wife are rejoicing in the knowledge that when this illness is over, he will step into the presence of the Lord.

Yesterday afternoon, the three of them sat down and wrote Bill’s obituary.  Bill remarked, “This is really strange writing your own obituary.”   He is growing weaker before their eyes, and they know that he doesn’t have long, but they are rejoicing in the Lord because they know were Bill is going.

“As we consider all the prayer requests for all the people dealing with cancer and other illnesses, we need to be lifting them up to the Father asking Him to bless them with a keen awareness of His love for them and the fact that He has prepared a place for them.  We need to pray that they will have joy in the Lord even as they face the reality of impending death to their bodies.”

“And as for those of you who don’t know me, I’ve got cancer, too.  My having cancer just means that I’ll make my exit a little sooner than I had thought.  One thing I am keenly aware of is that nobody gets out of this life alive.  Those of us with cancer get to check out and go be with Jesus sooner than the rest of you.  My having cancer means that I will never become a decrepit old lady.”

“And life is so short.  Scripture compares the brevity of life with a mist, a vapor, a breath.  We’ll all be in eternity with the Lord for a long, long time, but life in this world is like grass.  We are here today and will be with the Lord before we know it.”

“So our prayer for all these people with cancer and with other illnesses, needs to be that they will keep their eyes on Jesus, delight in Him and rejoice that he has prepared a place for us.”

It was interesting to observe the expressions on the faces of class members as I spoke.  Their expressions changed.  I could see people visibly relax and smile.  They exchanged glances and nodded.  Several spoke up and thanked me for reminding them of who we are in Christ and of our need to have a Christian perspective on illness and death.

After class, and for weeks following, people have come to me to thank me for sharing.  A number have asked about Marguerite and Bill, and have asked me to tell them how encouraged they were by what I shared with them.

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Game Plan for Eating


Here are the things that I have blended together that have really worked from the different diets and all the study on healthy eating.

I kept the oatmeal in the mornings from the Gerson plan.  I use steel cut organic oats (ordered online), soaked overnight with a little lemon juice or vinegar to break down the phytic acid.  I add ground flaxseed when I eat it– a couple of heaping tablespoons a day to add fiber.  Flaxseed does not do well with heat—it breaks down and is no longer good for your body.  It must be used raw.  Also, I use an alternative to dairy, like almond milk.  I make sure it is not sweetened.  As of yet, I have not ventured to make my own nut milk.

The mainstay of my diet is organic veggies.  I don’t eat potatoes, sweet potatoes or corn as these are very high on the glycemic index.  Generally speaking it is best to keep your blood glucose level down as cancer loves sugar.  In the Gerson diet, they recommend no meat or fish on the premise that protein feeds cancer.  I found I could not function without protein–my energy was at sub-basement level.  So I added a  little wild caught fish.  I still try to keep it down to 10% or less of my diet.  I eat fruits, organic when possible, but try to minimize the super sweet ones as they contribute to higher blood sugar plus they make the body more acidic.  Also acidifying to the body are meats and grains, so I stay away from those.  This is a recent change.  It may just be necessary for me as I have blood sugar level problems and a strong genetic predisposition towards diabetes.

Nuts are fine if they are soaked overnight so that they are sprouted.  Gerson does not allow them because of the fat, however eating sprouted almonds keeps me sane with all the other restrictions.  I sprout a small amount each night so that they don’t spoil.  The healthiest nuts are almonds and walnuts.  Raw almonds are pretty easy to find in grocery stores.  Roasted nuts cannot be sprouted.  Peanuts are not the best nuts because they tend to have a lot of molds from the storage process.  Organic  nuts are best if you can find them.

Juicing provides lots of nutrients plus live enzymes of which people with chronic diseases (like cancer, fibromyalgia, lupus, etc) have special need.  These are a very powerful weapon for fighting disease and growing healthy tissue.  They are building blocks for healthy cells.  Using a variety of veggies and minimal fruits in your juice is a good idea, but getting to that point is best done in stages.

Cooked veggies are easier to digest so soups and stir fried dinners are a great addition.  Smoothies are also easier to digest, so these are also good for a healing body.  Eating asparagus often, either cooked or raw, is extremely alkalizing for the body (which is good).  Cancer loves acid and hates alkaline.

Bone broth from organic pasture raised livestock, specifically chickens, seems like a great way to get minerals. My body does not seems to do well with pork or beef.  When I make it I skim off all the fat after it has cooled.

If I absolutely have a need for sweetener, I use stevia which has an unpleasant aftertaste.  I hide this by adding the tiniest bit of honey.

I also take daily probiotic (Klaire Labs Therabiotic Complete Powder) which has made my life so much better.  And I take a daily dose of Norwegian cod liver oil.  Supplements are constantly changing based on what I have read or what Jen, my nutritionist daughter in law, tells me.  Fairly constant are a multivitamin made from food sources, vitamin C, selenium, Co Q 10, kelp, biotin, alpha lipoic acid, niacin and now vitamin E.

Another wonderful source of probiotics are Bubbie’s pickles and sauerkraut and King’s Kim Chi.  These are available at some grocery stores.  Jewel ordered them in for me.

Good snacks are apple or celery slices with nut butter.  Avocados are not allowed on the Gerson diet but if I am desperately needing fat, they fill the bill.  I have noticed when I eat more fats, the night sweats, which are a symptom of cancer, increase. Gerson may be right– eating fat may not be a great idea.

Decaf green teas are healing and spices are generally good.  Jalapeno peppers are rumored to help fight cancer which makes sense to me because they increase blood flow, thereby oxygenating.  Cancer hates oxygen.  That is why exercise is one of the most powerful things you can do to fight cancer.

Now, if things look good with the lumps on Friday, we will see if this diet has helped.

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Cancer info, Diets for Healing, Nutrition

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Summary of My Choices and What I Would Do Differently


This week I discovered a bunch of lumps in my pectoral muscles and also between the implants and both clavicles (collar bones). Initially, I thought there were just a few lumps, but either they kept increasing in number or I missed palpating some. This coming Friday, June 3, I will see the oncologist. I have had non-cancerous lumps before, and prayerfully these are also.

However, there have been changes in my lifestyle since I had the last MRI that showed the lymphoma was shrinking:

1.) I started wearing a bra again, even at night, because the alloderm holding my implants in place is deteriorating. In my vanity, I was trying to make the implants last as long as possible. However, bra wearing decreases lymphatic flow which in turn decreases healing and detoxifying of the tissues. See my paper in this blog on this subject.

2.) I also relaxed significantly in my diet, so much so, that after our trip to Ireland my blood sugar went to above the normal range.

3.) I included meat in my diet– quality, free range meat, but still meat. In retropect,I think good quality meat is fine for healthy people, but those with chronic disease may not be able to handle the acidifying effects that meat has on the body.

I am blogging about this in order to encourage others to stay the course in changing your lifestyle in factors which may have contributed to disease. Again, I am not saying that diet heals. God heals, but bad diet and lifestyle can prevent health from lasting.

Here is a summary of the actions that I would do the same or do differently based upon my experiences.

1.) I would do the mastectomies right off the bat, and I would not do radiation or reconstruction.

2.) I would do the Gerson diet until the cancer is gone with very few modifications. I would take out all grains like the GAPS diet. I would do serious probiotics as recommended in the GAPs and Clean diet. I would eat no beef, chicken or pork, minimal fish, and no simple carbs like sugar. I would do organic veggies and fruits as much as possible as well as small amounts of wild caught fish.

3.) I would do my adventure with cancer as a spiritual journey with Jesus knowing that he would have blessings and gifts for me in the process Never has anything in my life gifted me or grown me like this interlude with cancer. Because of all that my Lord carried me through, I know that I know that I know Jesus loves me forever. Nothing will ever take that from me.

4.) I would detox my life spiritually, physically and mentally. “Simplify, purify and be transparent,” would describe my lifestyle.

5.) I would make decisions based more on health and less on vanity.

6.) I would find ways to eat my chosen way without being drawn into social eating or compromise. In truth, I still have not figured this one out–nor have I found a way to travel and eat in a way that is consistent with my diet plan.

Blessings to each one who reads this– hold firm. The most important part is staying the course with Jesus. You can make every other decision wrong except for the choice to belong to Him. If you belong to Him, it will all turn out for the good. It is a promise that you can build your life upon– an eternal life. />

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Cancer info, Christian, General Health, Healing the mind, Nutrition, Spiritual

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Table Comparing Components of Healing Diets


Here is a link with a very cursory listing of diet components in various diets that are designed  to heal.

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Cancer info, Diets for Healing, Nutrition

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Comparison of Diets Promoting Health


This is a brief summary.  I will do an element by element breakdown in chart form when I have more time.

Dr. Lorraine Day-- Eat organic vegan, no processed food, as much raw as possible, no dairy, no eggs, no sugar, low grains.  Do fresh juicing.  Stay away from medicines, chemo and radiation.  No end point to this diet.  She does not recommend supplements.  She had stage 4 breast cancer and beat it.  She also includes other practices like exercise, prayer, cleaning out the toxins from your environment and other disciplines.

Dr. Max Gerson– Eat vegetarian, no salt, low sugar, low fat, low grains.  Both raw and cooked.  Includes frequent fresh juicing, vegetable stews, supplements and coffee enemas.  Stay away from foods that are common allergens, like berries and wheat.  No eggs or dairy.  Very regimented and difficult diet.  It is recommended for a limited amount of time –3 years or so then is less rigid.  It also recommends other life style changes like detoxifying your cleaning cabinet and make up.

Hulda Clark’s program–This is a very complicated way to address parasites through eating, supplements, teas, and zapping (which I will not even attempt to explain).  She feels that parasites are a large component in causation of cancer.

Asparagus diet–  Eat asparagus daily to de-acidify your body.

Lemon diet–Eat lemons as they are anticarcinogens.

Jalapeno diet– Eat jalopenos every day as the populations that do this have lower rates of cancer.

Block Diet–by Dr. Keith Block– Eat vegetarian for the most part, low fat, high in raw content, low in sugar, low in processed foods.  Use supplements.  Exercise.  Create an environment that is conducive to healing and not to cancer.

Clean diet by Dr. Alejandro Junger–  Do periodic 3 week long cleanses. ( once or twice a year, or more if desired).   These include foods that alkalize the body for the most part, in raw, juiced and smoothie forms except one meal a day.  This meal is  to be in the middle of the day.  He advises the elimination diet which is a very restricted list of foods that you can have which are for the most part alkalizing.  He eliminates grains, common allergens, most meats and most fat.  The idea is to make the food easy to digest as well as alkalizing so that your body can focus on detoxing.  The really crux of his diet is giving your body a long period of rest every day without having to digest so that toxins can be ejected.  There is no eating from dinner to breakfast.  He has extensive recommendations on other ways to detox your life including meditation, exercise, and right thinking.

GAPS plan– Gut and Psychology Syndrome plan developed by Dr Natasha Campbell McBride.  This is the diet that I am currently on with some modifications.   It is my understanding that this diet is to correct the balance of good and bad flora in the gut and thereby achieve health in the other organs also.  It involves eating cooked veggies and broth made from boiling bones for many hours.  It also involves supplementation including probiotics in food and supplement form.  The idea is to let the inflammation in your gut heal by providing healing nutrients while also eating food which is easy to digest.  It is also a no sugar, processed food, dairy, grains, potatoes, or simple carbs diet.     http://www.gapsdiet.com/GAPS_Outline.html

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Cancer info, General Health, Juicing, Nutrition

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Temple Maintenance


My sweet husband let me know that I have been mis-communicating big time in my  blog and in personal conversations.  This entry is an effort to correct those miscommunications.

My belief is that God and God alone is healing me (0r has healed me).  The diets that I have tried, and all the things that I have changed in my life are an effort to do better temple maintenance–they are not what I am relying upon for healing.

It seems when you have a chronic disease, like cancer, it is often a statement that you were not following the owner’s manual in doing proper temple maintenance.  In the case of humans, the owner’s manual is the Bible.  All of my experiments and delving for information have been simply to find those pieces of the puzzle to fit together in order to get a better picture of how to take  care of my body.

In the course of my investigation, I have read what the Bible says about nutrition.  And I have explored many other expositions on this subject.  Many of you who personally know me, may chuckle over my many forays into trying different diets.

This is the subject for another and much more in depth blog.  Believe it or not, I feel like I have benefitted greatly from those diet trials in the sense of getting a big picture view and making a workable healthy temple maintenance program.  I will summarize and review that in depth in another entry.

In this entry, I just want to say–to God be the glory.  The last CT scan showed that the lymphoma is receding and I believe, God since then may have completely healed me.  It is God alone who deserves all honor and credit.  Amen!

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Cancer info, Christian, General Health, Healing the mind, Spiritual

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Methods of Breast Reconstruction and Alloderm


This entry is meant to give information not complaint.  It is information that I wish I had previous to my reconstruction.  I may still have made the same decision because breasts, even artificial ones, are near and dear to a woman’s heart.  However, I am putting this info out there so that women know what they are doing with this type of breast reconstruction.

Before I had my mastectomies, I read about reconstruction.  However,  I did not dig deeply enough.  My understanding of the process was grossly incomplete.

I only recently found this out when I started investigating.  My searching began because the Alloderm, a fabric made from cadaver skin,  is failing around my implants  which are now  directly under the skin in places instead of being held snugly in place by the Alloderm fabric.  The plastic surgeon instructed me to watch and wait .  And he said those dreaded words, “Be careful.”  If the skin is stressed enough, the implant can push through it to the outside.  At that point another surgery is inevitable.  ( I have already had 4 surgeries related to the reconstruction, 2 of which were unplanned.)

Since the Alloderm failure around my implants, I have checked online for side effects and problems with this cadaver fabric. I also read about the surgical procedure. ( These are searchable on the web from reliable sources.)

The most common method of breast reconstruction in North America is the type which I had.  In this type of reconstruction the lower portion of the pectoralis major muscle is detached from the bone so that it rolls up like a shutter.  The implant is placed under the upper pectoralis muscle which is still intact and held in place by alloderm, a mesh type fabric made from the skin of cadavers.

It is hard to make decisions when your life has become chaos because of cancer.  But I offer the info from my experience to women considering reconstruction.  Additionally I tender the following advice:  Ask many questions.  Dig deeply.  Make informed decisions.  You may trust your doctor, but you deserve all of the facts laid out before you.

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Cancer info

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Glycemic Index


One of the main things usually recommended in anti-cancer diets as well as general health diets is to eat foods which are low on the glycemic index.  Generally, more processed foods are higher on the GI as well as very starchy foods like potatoes and rice, especially white rice.  Soft drinks and white sugar are at the top (worst) end of the scale.

Most diets laud a diet low in processed foods, simple sugars, and simple carbohydrates.  The Atkins diet took this to an extreme saying that you could keep your weight under control by avoiding carbs and eating mostly proteins like meat plus fats, while severely limiting carbs.

However, the body is meant to have a balance of good and nutritious foods.  Eliminating whole groups of healthy foods may not be the wisest thing.  Most anti-cancer diets do recommend a low meat or no meat diet for the reason of alkalizing your body.  Virtually all legitimate anti-cancer diets support a diet that is filled with veggies and to a lesser extent, fruits and whole grains.  Eating this way will help your blood chemistry.

If you are trying to eat a diet that would reduce your blood sugar levels, which is recommended for cancer prevention, sweeteners may be an important component of that.  Here is a list of sweeteners and their GI.  This is from the website:  http://www.fitsugar.com/Glycemic-Index-Where-Do-Sweeteners-Fall-3031565

Sweetener GI
Glucose 96
Fructose 22
Lactose 46
Sucrose (white sugar) 64
Brown sugar 64
Barley malt syrup 42
Brown rice syrup 25
Raw honey 30
Agave syrup 15
High fructose corn syrup 62
Stevia less than 1
Sugar cane juice 43
Evaporated cane juice 55
Maple syrup 54
Black strap molasses 55

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Cancer info, General Health, Nutrition

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What to Say and Not to Say to Someone Grieving


Recently, I was in the situation of trying to give comforting words to someone grieving and to someone who is currently waiting for the other shoe to drop. Lately, I have also been, in both of those positions myself. Amazingly, having been in the grieving role and the waiting role previously did not bring great words of healing immediately to my lips. This entry is not meant as an indictment to myself or others for not having right words at the ready, but more as an exploration.

It is not my desire to awaken any false concerns. So, before starting this exploration, let me just say that of late I had some aches and pains that could possibly have been cancer related. In various places around the rib cage, I was having pain. After the return of the test results (which were all good), I came to this theoretical explanation of the pain as a physical therapist: when one has breast reconstruction and the pects are stretched over implants, the dynamics are changed. As activity increases, naturally, there will be some soreness. However, all of that is an aside and not the subject of this entry.

When I shared that I once again had the sword of Damacles hanging over my head, my small group had very little to say to me. They listened and asked a few very caring questions. They looked at me with love in their eyes, and they prayed for me. My sweet Lee and a good friend in Canada did exactly the same. Never did I feel any remonstration for sharing my concerns or for being transparent. Nor did I feel that I needed to put on a fake front in any way. When I had a temporary relapse into my old false refuge of junk food, they all just let me know that they were giving me prayer support and that today is a day to start afresh. With help like that, I was able to return to return fairly quickly to resting peacefully in my Father God’s arms.

That being the good example of comfort, let me share a not so great one: “I had a friend with cancer who tried (whatever the person has chosen for treatment), and she is dead now”. Death may be part of life, however, relating victories would be more helpful in encouraging someone to fight the good fight. Also, keep in mind that even if you think what they have chosen for treatment is stupid, they made the decision with all the resources available to them. And, battling cancer may involve a different pathway for each person.

Here are other words that are always welcome: “I love you.” “I am here for you.” “I am praying for you.” “I am hurting with you.” “I am so sad that you are going through this.” and “How can I help?”
When those words are sincerely meant and backed up with action, they are powerful.

A simple hug can be tremendously healing. Someone sharing your hurt silently can be a great comfort. Tears without any words can be helpful also. The right Bible verse at the right time can be perfect.

To conclude this small exploration, words are important. Being thoughtfully prepared to comfort hurting people is important. With God’s help, we will all improve in this.

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Cancer info

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Miracles


Recently, I was introduced to a woman with the words, “You had a miracle and so did she.” These words resonated with me and I later decided they were very true. First, I will tell Robin’s (not her real name) story then I will explain why I have had a miracle.

Robin is quite young, maybe in her 30’s, and beautiful. She is married and has young children. At some point she began having shoulder pain. Upon investigation it was found that she had extensive cancer spread through her body. It was thought at first to be pancreatic cancer–then finally cancer of unknown origin. In spite of medical treatment, the disease progressed and finally her family was told she would die within hours. Her mother was in her hospital room praying. She then climbed into the hospital bed to be close to Robin as she left this life. After a while the sytems monitors started to sound much different. Robin’s mother called in a nurse. Robin had suddenly and amazingly stabilized.

She still went through chemo and is now at the status “no evidence of disease”. However, Robin is not taking her health for granted. She is looking at ways to support and strengthen her body, and is considering doing the Gerson program. That means in many ways she is where I am.

However, as far as I know, there is still evidence of cancer with me. The CT scans actually increase your chances of cancer so my oncologist is severely limiting them which makes total sense to me. He said, “If we look hard enough we will find something. Go by how you feel. “ This was an encouragment actually. I took it as meaning this–if we look hard enough at anyone (even “healthy people”), we will find something.

So now for my new thinking on miracles. In my mind previously, if I had no evidence that the disease was gone, then I had no miracle. However, today I feel great. I have no pain and I have energy. I am almost 4 years past my first cancer, diagnosis with a second breast cancer tumor, and a blood cancer in the interim. Even if technically I still have the diagnosis of follicular lymphoma, God has given me a miracle.

When Jesus healed in biblical times, he never repeated the steps to healing in the same way. I view it that way for my miracle and Robin’s. With a superficial look, maybe we are not technically the recipients of text book miracles. But to feel good and not oppressed by cancer is a miracle. Someday, I also hope to have evidence of being completely healed. But maybe that would lead me back into mediocre nutrition and care of my body. We are fearfully and wonderfully made and our bodies deserve to be treated as the awesome creations that they are.

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Cancer info, Christian, Spiritual

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Wearing Bras Post-Mastectomy


Wearing a bra or tight clothing is not a great idea for healthy people without cancer. It promotes lymphatic back-up and toxin build up. However someone who has had cancer should not risk this added trauma to a damaged area.

After a mastectomy and reconstruction, you are always more prone to infection and damage, especially if you have had radiation. These tissues which have been so traumatized around the breast with tests, radiation, surgery, and possibly with implants do not need another battle to fight.

So ladies, throw away thoses bras. You don’t need to compromise your modesty. Wear camisoles under your tops. Just be sure to cut any elastic which may constrict.

The great thing after reconstruction is that you no longer sag. What possible reason would there be for post mastectomy patients to ever wear a bra? To hide your scarred breasts? Well if you get an infection, your breasts will have even more scars. Plus, it is only reasonable to assume based on the evidence in the paper linked below that recurrence or metastis are more frequent with constriction of lymphatic and blood flow.

Bras were invented by someone in the fashion industry to line their pockets. Leave constrictive clothing behind and be kind to your body.

http://www.breastnotes.com/bc/bc-massage-mclaughlin.htm

(The above link is to an article that provides the references and research to back up these claims.)

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Cancer info

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Things That Go In and On Your Body


This entry is a hodge podge of my newest discoveries about things that go in and on your body. Excuse the meandering.

First, organic rose hips oil is great for moisturizing. Put it on damp skin or under any other product. You can order it online–I have tried various companies. Here is one: http://www.herbalremedies.com/

A great moisturizer for hair is Jojoba oil. Put it on after shampooing when you hair is damp. You just need 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. spread on your palms then distributed evenly and lightly through your hair. A good source is Trader Joes.

Some excellent products are Simple Green Naturals. They are borax based with botanicals and are inexpensive. I have found them at Lowe’s.

Have you looked for a natural bug repellant? The only proven one is lemon eucalyptis oil. You can get it at high cost, diluted with other ingredients as a bug spray from REI or online. You may also just order it full strength at a lower cost. I ordered an organic product from New Directions: http://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/eucalyptus-organic-essential-oil-lemon-p-378.html?=. They were prompt and cost effective.

Healthy sunscreen and make-up have been an ongoing search for me. I have finally settled on Burt’s Bee’s sunscreen (which I also use as concealer for under my eyes), Physicians Formula organic liquid foundation and mascara, and Burt’s Bees lipstick for blush. There are many other alternatives rated by the Environmental Working Group –
http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

As for things going into your body, my new discovery is the WonderMill
http://www.thewondermill.com/ This grain mill grinds enough flour for bread in a few seconds to any degree of coarseness that you desire.

And for assisting regularity, amazingly effective is milled flax seed. I put it on shredded wheat, oatmeal, salads or grapefruit. It has a nutty taste and adds lots of fiber. The organic version is available at most grocery stores.

And a cheap source for those who want organic food to juice is Sams. They have organic carrots, raspberries, spinach, and greens. And for those doing the Gerson program, they have organic coffee.

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Cancer info, General Health

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Casein


The last time I went to Dr. Block’s office and had the routine tests, I happened to watch a cooking demo by one of the nutrtionists. He used a milk substitute in his recipe, and another observer asked why not use fat- free milk.

The nutrtionist said, “If you are going to cheat on your recommended Block diet, we would rather that you had a big juicy steak than any dairy at all. It is not because of the fat, but because of the casein.”

Of course this got my curiosity aroused and I googled “casein and cancer” when I got home.

In a nutshell, a study was done on lab animals with cancer. The cancer growth could be speeded or retarded by adding or removing the casein.

I am putting two opposing responses to the study and the interpretation of the study and you can make your own judgenent. Wheras, dairy was an area or cheating for me previously, that is no longer true.

Here is the link which is pro going no dairy.
www.ezhealthydiet.com/casein-protein.html

Here is the opposing view.
www.westonaprice.org/The-China-Study-by-T.-Colin-Campbell.html

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Cancer info, General Health, Nutrition

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