Dietary Approaches to Fighting Cancer

california_artist said:

For Carolen her liver and those favorably interested-
About a liver. I have had trouble with mine and on doing research found some studies that used melatonin to help repair liver issues. I believe I googled NASH and melatonin to find the study. Oddly, the combo came to me and was the first thing I thought of in the middle of the night one night when I went to bed wondering what the heck i was going to do make my stupid liver get better.

So, here's the article. I have been trying just 6mg at night. I am unable to get the full text which would most likely give greater info and times of dosing. I assume it's at night so as to reset the pineal gland but don't know. Plan on upping the dose overtime. I take one an hour before going to bed and then one at bedtime. I have noticed that I am sleeping through the night now, whereas before I would sleep for from one and half to four hours and then I'd be up.

Still think getting together to talk out all the possibilities would be a great idea.

I think as lay people we tend to think that all the thoughts have already been examined. I am learning they haven't. Not at all.

I had always assumed, and made mention of here on more than one occasion, that the thought of giving chemo in a manner similar to antibiotics made more sense than slamming a person til near demise and then allowing them to recover. As I was finishing that book Dr. Foldman's War just now, they began to consider that possibility and found out that the basis for that protocol (nearly kill than allow to recover)was just a report based on the results with I think sixteen rabbits, forty years ago. Forty years ago. And no one bothered to question its validity. YIKES! I could look up the specifics on the test, but I would really rather you read the book. There is talk of the validity of thalidomide's role in anti angiogenesis and interferon's use in curing, that is right curing giant-cell sarcoma's.
Any how, here's that study::


The pilot study of 3-month course of melatonin treatment of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: effect on plasma levels of liver enzymes, lipids and melatonin.
Gonciarz M, Gonciarz Z, Bielanski W, Mularczyk A, Konturek PC, Brzozowski T, Konturek SJ.
SourceDepartment of Gastroenterology, St Barbara's Main District Hospital, Sosnowiec, Poland.

Abstract
The mechanism by which nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progresses into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is unknown, however, the major process is oxidative stress with increased production of reactive oxygen species and excessive inflammatory cytokine generation. To date, there are no effective treatments for NASH and the published data with treatment using antioxidants are not satisfactory. Melatonin (MT), the potent endogenous antioxidant secreted in circadian rhythm by pinealocytes and in large amounts in the digestive system, was reported to improve oxidative status and to exert beneficial effects in NASH pathology in experimental animals, but no study attempted to determine the possible effectiveness of MT in humans with NASH. In this study, 42 patients (12 placebo controls and 30 MT-treated) with histological evidence (liver biopsy) of NASH and no history of alcohol abuse, were included. The treatment group took melatonin (2x5 mg/daily orally), while controls were treated with placebo. At baseline no significant differences between the groups were found for age, body mass index (BMI) as well as for plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), glucose and MT. During the study period plasma ALT level and cholesterol concentration decreased significantly in both MT-treated and control groups, however AST and GGT levels decreased significantly only in MT-treated groups. Median value of AST level at baseline was 76.5 (64.2-114.2) IU/L and its percentage decrease at 4, 8 and 12 week was 20, 36 and 38%, resp. Baseline GGT median level was 113 (75.7-210.7) IU/L and its mean percentage decrease at week 4, 8 and 12 was 46, 48 and 47%, resp. Plasma ALP levels did not change significantly during MT treatment. Median value of plasma concentrations of MT (pg/mL) in MT-treated group rose from 7.5 (5.0-14.25) at baseline to 35.5(18.8-110.0), 43.5(17.0-102.5) and 49.5(18.0-99.5) at the end of 4, 8 and 12 week of treatment, respectively. Plasma levels of TG and glucose as well as BMI in controls and MT-treated patients were not significantly different from baseline. This study demonstrates for the first time in humans that three months treatment with MT significantly improves plasma liver enzymes in patients with NASH without causing any side-effect. Plasma MT levels during the whole period of MT treatment persisted above that at baseline. Our findings show that treatment with MT significantly improves plasma liver enzymes in NASH patients, but larger cohort trials and longer treatment with MT are required before this indole could be included into the spectrum of the NASH treatment.

PMID: 21224501 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Free full text


One other thing I thought I'd mention to you, Carolen, is that I have symptoms almost always related to either stress or almonds. True there were a lot of almonds consumed and I know that almonds are usually good for a liver, but apparently not mine. and certainly not with chocolate. My liver is currently much, much less tender than previously.

RoseyR said:

Ginger, Beta Carotene, and Anti-Fungals
Thanks, Jill, for starting to gather all the pertinent information on foods' anti-cancer properties. A huge job, but invaluable to us!

Having read through the responses to her first posting on ginger, would like to add the following:

I'm a firm believer in the efficacy of ginger. Years ago, a very annoying tremor in my leg--which didn't respond within a month to the anti-inflammatories prescribed by my doctor--was squelched after I did some research and consumed 2 capsules of ginger (Nature's Way) every few hours. In just a few days, the tremor that had dogged me all summer disappeared. Coincidence? I don't think so.
Ginger has a powerful anti-inflammatory with a long medical history in Eastern cultures. And few side effects.

But thanks, Jill, for reminding us that when platelets are really low, we should avoid ginger--as well as ALL blood-thinning foods and supplements, such as the following:
a lot of green tea, our beloved berries, garlic, fish oil and vitamin E. These are all BENEFICIAL under normal circumstances but not when platelets are very low. And one of the reasons they are beneficial--not the only reason--is their blood-thininning properties. As cancer patients, we WANT thin blood (blood with relatively low platelet counts), for thick blood (platelet counts on the higher side of normal) tends to encourage metastasis, according to Dr. Keith Block, eminent in the field of integrative medicine.

Likewise, according to Block, we want low levels of INFLAMMATION, measured by CRP levels in our blood tests. (C-Reactive Protein). Low levels correlate with reduced danger of cancer spread. Ginger--as well as garlic, curcumin, green tea, quercetin--all help to suppress inflammatory reactions.

So in effect, if our platelets are not critically low, we WANT to ingest all of these substances.

As for the warnings about beta-carotene: Several analyses of clinical studies explain that beta carotene was surmised, in a few studies, to CAUSE lung cancer because it was used a) by itself (rather than along with the other carotenes) and b) in artificial form. Several writers including Blaylock and Block clarify this point. Beta carotene is GOOD for us, but best when combined, synergistically, with lutein and other carotenes, preferably those derived from the algae dunsinella (sp?) if we are taking "mixed carotene" supplements.

I was particularly struck by one of your comments that "anti-fungals" deserve their own thread. If one reads James Quillen's idiosyncratic book on nutrition and cancer (he has the credentials to be authoriative but tends to be quirky and anecdotal at times; footnoting is sometimes sporadic), he keeps speculating that many cancers may be little more than a FUNGUS. Repeated anecdotal evidence leads to his speculation as he cites several patients, told to "get their affairs in order," with, say, stage 3 lung cancer, who refused more chemo and asked for an antifungal medication--and who, ten years later, were NED. Granted, it's speculative, but many profound findings begin with speculation based on anedcotal evidence. Obvisoulsy they need confirmation through concerted study.

But I think we should all pursue anything we can find on the possible connection between some cancers and fungi and list anti-fungal properties in foods and spices.
Rosemary and thyme, I recall, are powerful antifungals--as is garlic.

Sugar, in contrast, feeds fungal growth, and it was fascinating for me to read, in a book about Chinese medicine, that "uterine disorders" are associated with "too much dampness." Dampness = fungus, does it not?
Eggplant, in the same text, was cited as a vegetable that, in ancient Chinese practice, was always prescribed for uterine disorders.

Best,
Rosey


reply

california_artist said:

Yikes!
I just sent these comments to the lead researcher on the M.D.Anderson turmeric-pancreatic cancer Phase ll Trial. Asked if she could take a few minutes to comment on my concerns and apologized up front for the tone of my frustration, stating that lives were at stake. Perhaps she'll answer. Change requires some risk taking.

Rewriter said:

Just a thin slice of ginger...
I cut a thin slice of ginger, chew it a little bit, and then keep it in my mouth for as long as I can. My goal is to do this daily. Then, I have a slice of whole meal toast with the olive oil, turmeric, and pepper combo--the heat of the toast warms up the olive oil for optimum effect. An hour later, I have an almond milk, flax seed, and banana smoothie. Alternately, I'll have oat bran with banana and almond milk. Lunch might be either a vegetable curry over quinoa or a raw kale salad with lemon/Parmesan dressing and toasted hazelnuts (the acid/alkaline components are balanced here; Parmesan is highly acidic). Dinner is a challenge but I try to keep it mostly alkaline. I never eat sugar; I do drink red wine a couple of times a week; and I have chicken or fish when my body craves it. This is just an example of a typical day for the purpose of giving some of the new women on this board an idea of how to incorporate an anticancer diet.