My Nutritional Approach

scouty
scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Some of asked so here it goes. I had read that everyone is exposed to cancer several times in their lives and most of the time, our natural immune system kills it off. My research told me that chemo,radiation, and surgery all treated symptoms of cancer (the tumor/tumors) and was not addressing the root cause. For some reason cancer cells find a body "comfortable" and lives and grows inside of it. My strategy was going to be to reverse the cancer "comfort zone" within my body, while then boosting my immune system so it could spend it time fighting it. I read about all the kinds of toxins that can harm the body and picked the ones I knew I could control and started working on them. No bleached (yes bleached like clorox) white sugar or white flour products. No high fructose corn syrup (it is a sugar replacement found in the late 70's that is not natural so therefore your body can't metabolize it all. What it can't digest just clogs up everything. If you only eat at a fast food restaurant once a week for 10 years, you will gain 10 pounds. Read labels, you will see it in everything including yogurt. It is in all regular sodas. No aspartame (diet sodas). I only buy organic and natural products, dairy and meats included. Natural eggs actually have the good cholesterol while the non free range eggs have the bad one!!!! Eggs get a bad rap because of what the farmers feed the chickens!!!!

Cancer needs an acidic environment to live and grow so I found a list of the acid/alkaline impacts of foods and cut back on the more acidic foods. You need some but it should not be the majority of your diet. Most fruits, veggies, healthy grains and beans are either alkaline or low acid. Most meats, dairy products, alcohol, beer, sodas (all kinds), table salt, sugar and processes foods are acidic.

Cancer also feeds on foods that convert to blood glucose the quickest (sugar). I do eat some natural sugar but make sure I eat it after carbs or protein so it is diluted as it goes into my system.

Cows and pigs are injected with growth hormones to add extra weight for the farmers. An $8.00 injection will add 200 pounds of weight to a cow and ranchers sell them by the pound. Yes the same steriods that we don't allow athletes to take is in our food!!!!! Antibiotics are in the food they eat. There are more people being diagnosed with cancer now then ever. Yes the survival rate is better but something is causing it to grow like it is.

Drink as much water as you can. Dr. Choi told me to drink a gallon a day. That was a little intimidating so I built up to it by 16 oz increments and was there before I knew it. Chemo is poison and can damage your liver, kidney and heart so flush it out ASAP.

Remember that what your stomach doesn't digest, your liver has to finish it up. With liver mets, I chose to try to free up my liver as much as possible, hence the beet in my juicing. It is great for the liver. After the liver finishes with it, undigested food (in a liquid form) goes to the kidneys and ultimately we pass it out of our bodies. If the kidneys get stressed, it can then stress the liver...so drink water to keep your kidneys happy.

I eat at least one salad a day (stay away from iceberg lettuce, it has almost no nutritional value). Leafy veggies are very easy for your stomach to digest and takes the stress of digestion off your liver. The deeper the color of fruit and veggies the more nutrients they have with the exception of cauliflower. That includes potatoes!!!! Cooked tomatoes are actually better then raw one (one of the few veggie that are). I made my own tomato sauce with shitake mushrooms, garlic, onions and spices and would add eggplant, squash and other things. I eat it on pasta noodles, rices, fish, and some veggies too. Asparagus is great for you and it is one of the veggies that does have to be organic. Yes, there is a list of fruits and veggies that retain the pesticides more then others.

If you are really serious about your diet, consult a naturopathic doctor (one with a PhD in Clinical Nutrition). They are trained in the healing powers of food and all the supplements too. There also are excellent products that only "licensed" practioners can sell and you can't buy them in the health food stores. The Omega 3,6,9 supplement I get from mine has much more of the good stuff in it then you can buy over the counter. There are also some supplements that can harm you and others that need complimentary supplements to help your body digest and metabolize the good stuff instead of just peeing it out. You really should consult one if you have other things you want to work on. My blood pressure was a mess after Avastin so we worked on it and I am now off medication for it. Type 2 diabetes is reversable!!!!!! My brother in law has Type 1 diabetes and went to see my doc and after 5 months, he is starting to ween off some of his meds!!!! DO NOT SELF MEDICATE!!!!! I tell my onc everything I do. I did a product called Immunopower EZ while I was on chemo to keep my bloodwork up, but that was before I found Dr. Choi.

An interesting tidbit...Eggplant is a an expellent and can force out things from your body. It is used to induce labor in some cultures. I ate bunches of it to help "expel" my tumors, especially my rectal one.

I do have exactly what I am doing on a seperate attachment but you need to send me your personal email address. You can send it to my email here. It included a list of books I recommend reading too.

I think that's enough for now....I warned you it would be long!!!!

Questions, comments and emotional outburst are welcome.

Lisa P.

Comments

  • kerry
    kerry Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    Lisa,

    Good information. Please send me your reference information to my personal email.

    I can't begin to tell you how happy I am for you. Actually for all of us.........you and Emily are the pioneers.

    Kerry
  • markatger
    markatger Member Posts: 314
    Hi Scouty,

    I echo Kerry's comment...You and Emily really are doing fantastic job with spreading this good information about the power of nutrition to heal.

    I am trying to get serious about juicing and supplements. Thanks for all the great information! I am on a steep learning curve. I have been reading the book, "How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine". I still can get overwhelmed at times. I am little concerned about hurting myself by taking too much of the wrong supplement or food. I read yesterday in "How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine" that it may be unwise to eat more than 4 servings of cabbage family veggies a week because of some kind of thyroid hormone interaction.

    Things like this make my head spin a little. I was all excited to start juicing a lot of kale, broccoli, and cabbage, especially since I don't eat enouhg veggies. But now my pep is a little diminished. But I'm still going to do it. I'm seeing an ND on Friday at the Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center in Seattle. Hopefully I will feel comfortable to trust following their recommendations for supplements and diet.

    Did you ever worry about hurting yourself with supplements? You know how you hear about people damaging their organs. I assume that most if not all of those cases were people taking supplements dosages beyond recommendations made by Naturopaths, if they were under guidance at all. You probably laugh ... as if my chemo and radiation that I am willingly accepting isn't damaging my organs!!!

    Thanks again for all the great info. I am getting on this bandwagon!!

    Maria
  • CAMaura
    CAMaura Member Posts: 719 Member
    Hi Lisa,
    Great info....as usual. Each time that something is posted, it becomes more common to our daily lives.
    May I add something? My sister-in-law is stage IV lung cancer. Each time she talks with me she reminds me that cancer also loves a body which is stressed. We try to remind each other to let go of stressful situations, to not get 'worked up' too much about things and to not hold resentments. It really is negative energy and is hard on our immune systems.
    Not always the easiest thing to do....but like anything else, practice works.....and so does asking ourselves "Is this really worth a meltdown?...hah!"
    Hugs, Lisa - and thanks!
    Cheers - Maura
    Here are some thoughtful words: Alkaline or Acid describes the residue in our system left after metabolism.....my chart adds this to the foods listed:
    Alkaline-forming: Meditation, Prayer, Peace, Kindness, Love -
    Acid-forming: Overwork, Anger, Fear, Jealousy, Stress -
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    markatger said:

    Hi Scouty,

    I echo Kerry's comment...You and Emily really are doing fantastic job with spreading this good information about the power of nutrition to heal.

    I am trying to get serious about juicing and supplements. Thanks for all the great information! I am on a steep learning curve. I have been reading the book, "How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine". I still can get overwhelmed at times. I am little concerned about hurting myself by taking too much of the wrong supplement or food. I read yesterday in "How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine" that it may be unwise to eat more than 4 servings of cabbage family veggies a week because of some kind of thyroid hormone interaction.

    Things like this make my head spin a little. I was all excited to start juicing a lot of kale, broccoli, and cabbage, especially since I don't eat enouhg veggies. But now my pep is a little diminished. But I'm still going to do it. I'm seeing an ND on Friday at the Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center in Seattle. Hopefully I will feel comfortable to trust following their recommendations for supplements and diet.

    Did you ever worry about hurting yourself with supplements? You know how you hear about people damaging their organs. I assume that most if not all of those cases were people taking supplements dosages beyond recommendations made by Naturopaths, if they were under guidance at all. You probably laugh ... as if my chemo and radiation that I am willingly accepting isn't damaging my organs!!!

    Thanks again for all the great info. I am getting on this bandwagon!!

    Maria

    Hi Maria,

    I will give you a specific example of what self medicating can do. While on chemo, I was concerned about my red blood cell count so I bought an iron supplement (this was before I found my ND). My liver counts shot up and I had to skip a week for chemo. I stopped taking it and my liver counts came down. When I talked to my ND, she really pooh poohed iron supplements!!!! She said it could damage your liver...DUH!!!!!!! That is when I knew I was in over my head and I reached out for help.

    Honey, it took me months to absorb it all and even when I decided to stop chemo, I took baby steps. One day at a time. I took out a piece of paper and drew a line down the middle. Then I listed what I thought were the good things I ate on one side while listing the bad things on the other side. Then I prioritzed the bad things and addressed them as I could. I started the process mid November of last year and by Christmas, I was cleaning out my cabinets and donating the non perisable food to a food bank. I just could not throw it out. My freezer and refridgerated items took a little longer, but I did eventually throw them away. As I could afford it, I refilled it all with healthy foods.

    And yes it is terribly overwhelming so just take baby steps. Don't bite off more then you can chew. My experience was an evolutionary kind of thing but with a biology minor in college and my families medical experience I may have picked it up quicker then others.

    I think nutrition needs to be added to the 3 Rs for our next generations.

    Thank you for your kind words. I did cabbage twice a day for months and my thyroid was fine. Remember, they have to warn you of the dangers just like meds but not everyone gets them. I had no problems. But wait until Friday when you meet with your new ND at a great place !!!! Please keep me posted on how that goes. I will help any way I can.

    Hugs honey,

    Lisa P.
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    CAMaura said:

    Hi Lisa,
    Great info....as usual. Each time that something is posted, it becomes more common to our daily lives.
    May I add something? My sister-in-law is stage IV lung cancer. Each time she talks with me she reminds me that cancer also loves a body which is stressed. We try to remind each other to let go of stressful situations, to not get 'worked up' too much about things and to not hold resentments. It really is negative energy and is hard on our immune systems.
    Not always the easiest thing to do....but like anything else, practice works.....and so does asking ourselves "Is this really worth a meltdown?...hah!"
    Hugs, Lisa - and thanks!
    Cheers - Maura
    Here are some thoughtful words: Alkaline or Acid describes the residue in our system left after metabolism.....my chart adds this to the foods listed:
    Alkaline-forming: Meditation, Prayer, Peace, Kindness, Love -
    Acid-forming: Overwork, Anger, Fear, Jealousy, Stress -

    Thank you honey and you are so right. My naturopathic doctor gave me a list of 12 ways for good health:

    1. Less meat, more vegetables. 2. Less salt and more vinegar. 3. Less sugar and more fruit. 4. Less worry and more sleep. 5. Less hatred and more love. 6. Less eating and more chewing. 7. Less riding and more walking. 8. Less anger and more true smiles. 9. Less judgement and more acceptance. 10. Less greed and more giving. 11. Less talk and more deeds. 12. And finally less petty criticism of others and more growth of self.

    Hugs to you all,
    Lisa P.
  • CAMaura
    CAMaura Member Posts: 719 Member
    scouty said:

    Thank you honey and you are so right. My naturopathic doctor gave me a list of 12 ways for good health:

    1. Less meat, more vegetables. 2. Less salt and more vinegar. 3. Less sugar and more fruit. 4. Less worry and more sleep. 5. Less hatred and more love. 6. Less eating and more chewing. 7. Less riding and more walking. 8. Less anger and more true smiles. 9. Less judgement and more acceptance. 10. Less greed and more giving. 11. Less talk and more deeds. 12. And finally less petty criticism of others and more growth of self.

    Hugs to you all,
    Lisa P.

    A wonderful list! This site just gets better and better (sans the loss of people so dear to us).
  • chellesandell
    chellesandell Member Posts: 12
    I would love it if you could email the list to my personal email. My Mom is Stage IV Rectal and it has spread to female parts. She has one more week of 5 day wk Chemo/Radiation and they will do surgery. She has really been good about wanting to read and follow advice about natural foods and supplements. She has just now started feeling weakness and uncomfortable sitting from treatment and Dr. is surprised. But Onc. is thrilled she is using nutrition in addition to traditional. I love reading thru advice for her and the encouragement from and about others is keeping her hopes and spirit up. What a wonderful awesome group you guys are!!

    Thank You!!
    Chelle
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member

    I would love it if you could email the list to my personal email. My Mom is Stage IV Rectal and it has spread to female parts. She has one more week of 5 day wk Chemo/Radiation and they will do surgery. She has really been good about wanting to read and follow advice about natural foods and supplements. She has just now started feeling weakness and uncomfortable sitting from treatment and Dr. is surprised. But Onc. is thrilled she is using nutrition in addition to traditional. I love reading thru advice for her and the encouragement from and about others is keeping her hopes and spirit up. What a wonderful awesome group you guys are!!

    Thank You!!
    Chelle

    Hi Chelle,

    Send me your personal email address to my email on this site and I will send it. This site doesn't allow for attachments.
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    I am very happy that this discussion is taking place. Don't you wish you would have learned all of this in school (like middle school??). I don't know that I would have paid attention, but still.......
    The most important part of all this in my opinion is the mind/body aspect. So many of us have our priorities all screwed up until something like cancer jolts us into the realization of what is really important. Needless resentment, anger, judgement of others is all so harmful to our health and just sets us up for disease. It does not really matter what kind of great diet you are on. As long as you hold on to the yucky thinking. These two approaches have to go hand in hand. Maybe we are starting to realize this, at least on this forum! I think we are all capable of healing ourselves.
    -Susan.
  • CAMaura
    CAMaura Member Posts: 719 Member

    I am very happy that this discussion is taking place. Don't you wish you would have learned all of this in school (like middle school??). I don't know that I would have paid attention, but still.......
    The most important part of all this in my opinion is the mind/body aspect. So many of us have our priorities all screwed up until something like cancer jolts us into the realization of what is really important. Needless resentment, anger, judgement of others is all so harmful to our health and just sets us up for disease. It does not really matter what kind of great diet you are on. As long as you hold on to the yucky thinking. These two approaches have to go hand in hand. Maybe we are starting to realize this, at least on this forum! I think we are all capable of healing ourselves.
    -Susan.

    Well, I hope (and now believe) that we are capable of healing ourselves Susan! I have been the Organics-Queen for years; I really had a good diet. But my life was full of stress....grad school, work, family, relationships. So, now, I am not so shocked that it took cancer to slow me down - or to slow my thinking down. None of this is really new to anyone, but it is important to take care of the home front. Needless to say, cancer has been my wake-up call. And the more we talk about it, the more we can make the effort to make the changes. Thanks!
    Cheers - Maura
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    CAMaura said:

    Well, I hope (and now believe) that we are capable of healing ourselves Susan! I have been the Organics-Queen for years; I really had a good diet. But my life was full of stress....grad school, work, family, relationships. So, now, I am not so shocked that it took cancer to slow me down - or to slow my thinking down. None of this is really new to anyone, but it is important to take care of the home front. Needless to say, cancer has been my wake-up call. And the more we talk about it, the more we can make the effort to make the changes. Thanks!
    Cheers - Maura

    Thanks Lisa. As "mr mum" in this household I have to "try" and be carefull about what I buy when shopping. Things have changed and in some ways fairly radically. Apart from my nutrition, I also think about what I feed my gal..seeing as I prepare almost all of our meals. Now that is pretty tough on us guys......how many hubbies cook for their wives? Jen is trying to lose weight too so I try to keep that in mind as well.
    I am trying to pay attention Lisa!
    mmmm........how does kiwi fruit stand in your view sweetie????
    love, Ross (kiwi fruit extraordinaire...lol!) and Jen (lover of Ross' cookin)
  • markatger
    markatger Member Posts: 314
    scouty said:

    Hi Maria,

    I will give you a specific example of what self medicating can do. While on chemo, I was concerned about my red blood cell count so I bought an iron supplement (this was before I found my ND). My liver counts shot up and I had to skip a week for chemo. I stopped taking it and my liver counts came down. When I talked to my ND, she really pooh poohed iron supplements!!!! She said it could damage your liver...DUH!!!!!!! That is when I knew I was in over my head and I reached out for help.

    Honey, it took me months to absorb it all and even when I decided to stop chemo, I took baby steps. One day at a time. I took out a piece of paper and drew a line down the middle. Then I listed what I thought were the good things I ate on one side while listing the bad things on the other side. Then I prioritzed the bad things and addressed them as I could. I started the process mid November of last year and by Christmas, I was cleaning out my cabinets and donating the non perisable food to a food bank. I just could not throw it out. My freezer and refridgerated items took a little longer, but I did eventually throw them away. As I could afford it, I refilled it all with healthy foods.

    And yes it is terribly overwhelming so just take baby steps. Don't bite off more then you can chew. My experience was an evolutionary kind of thing but with a biology minor in college and my families medical experience I may have picked it up quicker then others.

    I think nutrition needs to be added to the 3 Rs for our next generations.

    Thank you for your kind words. I did cabbage twice a day for months and my thyroid was fine. Remember, they have to warn you of the dangers just like meds but not everyone gets them. I had no problems. But wait until Friday when you meet with your new ND at a great place !!!! Please keep me posted on how that goes. I will help any way I can.

    Hugs honey,

    Lisa P.

    Hi Lisa,

    Hey I was a biology major too! My head still spins though with all the info. But, yes taken one step at a time and with consultation from an expert, I think it will be manageable to make some positive changes.

    I think it will be major for me as someone who has been a lifelong avoider of veggies. As long as the veggie juice doesn't make me gag. I think I will be adding a lot of apples and carrots to start. But actually it has always been the smell and taste of cooked veggies that turn me off. I like a lot of raw ones just fine. This is going to be really cool to see how I feel after "mainlining" some greens for a while.

    Thanks again Lisa ... you rock!
    Maria
  • chellesandell
    chellesandell Member Posts: 12
    scouty said:

    Hi Chelle,

    Send me your personal email address to my email on this site and I will send it. This site doesn't allow for attachments.

    Thanks Scouty! I just checked in and saw your reply and sent the info to your e-mail! I appreciate the advice and tips. She has almost stopped eating now and only has a week left of daily treatments until surgery. Need to try something new.
    Chelle
  • HisJoy
    HisJoy Member Posts: 113
    Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am pleased that I am on the right track. I took refined flour and sugar and high fructose corn syrup out of my diet 2 years ago. I eat whole grains, fruits, and veggies for the most part, with some low-carb yogurt and skim milk from time to time. I haven't taken the step to all organic, however (don't eat much meat to begin with), so I need to look into that prospect some more. Makes sense to me that colon cancer is going to be related to what we EAT. I'm nearly finished with chemo, and so will probably go ahead and complete my treatment, but then want to get really serious about putting the RIGHT FOODS into my body to keep my immune system strong to fight this disease so that it doesn't come back. We have a family history of colon cancer - my great-grandmother and grandmother both died of colon cancer, so something is going on in our genes, but if I make my body a hostile environment for the cancer, then I'm hoping I can accomplish something for health!