Vitamin Supplements- one more time for the dummies!!

oh, Emily..............................

Yeah...where is the "natural wonder-lady", that peaceful Emily?

My wife, Jerri, is taking supplements and some stuff with aloe extract (among other "stuff'). We've read similar reports as you, and hear the same replies from Jerri's doctors. But we definitely hear more good than bad about this. If you use good judgement (like maybe starting out with somewhat smaller doses at first to see how you react to them or tolerate them), and be patient to look at the long term benefits, I see no harm in them. I'm sure you'll get lots of advice on this topic.

Take care. Jimmy

Hi Reini,

An excellent question. I will give you my opinions. I am stage IV with mets to one lung and liver (dxed march 2004), I did 8 months of chemo and my body and spirit just could not take it anymore. In the meantime, I read loads of books and research on nutrition and alternatives approaches. I started with the one book I recommend over all others to start, "Beating Cancer With Nutrition" by Dr. Patrick Quillin. He is the nutritional director for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (one of the few places you can go where they incorporate all the best of both western and eastern medical practices).

Now, back to my story. I did all this research and was amazed at how many different books recommended so many different supplements. I was overwhelmed and they can be expensive, so I found a local naturopathic doctor to help me. I picked one that had experience and success with helping cancer patients. I did phone interviews with 3 before I chose one.

I went to see her 2 weeks before I was going to decide whether to stop chemo or not. I weighed my options and chose to stop chemo in Novemeber 2004 after my tumors were at a stagnant stage and give my body/immune system a chance to fight the cancer. My docs deemed my cancer inoperatable so I haven't had anything cut out yet. I do have a "tempy colostomy bag" from a bout of acute perotinitis after my colon perforted from a rectal tumor. I completely changed my diet and started juicing twice a day (all natural and organic, which means no refined sugars, flour, or processed foods). I also take supplements that my naturopathic doctor recommends. She saved me a ton of money over what I would have done if I had self medicated.

My last test results in April (I go again in 2 weeks) showed that the tumor is my lung was healing and was not even referred to as a lesion anymore, one of the 2 tumors in my liver was deemed "scar tissue" and the other was "less conspicuous", which means it was healing too. There was no mention of my original rectal tumor, but some of that is because my colostomy bag and the fluid for CT scans don't always show tumors below the stoma.

I have no idea what my next tests will be, but I can tell you emphatically that I feel the best I have in almost 2 years and everyone that sees me can not believe I am supposed to be dying from cancer. I have less grey hair then I did 3 years ago and my skin is much better. I hope that I continue to heal inside and feel that the postive comments I get from my outside appearance fuel that.

I wish you the best of luck as you continue on your discovery process. I will help you any way I can if you like.

Lisa P.

Hi Reini!

So nice to hear from you again. Well, most of the Western docs will probably not speak adamantly about supplements, but the literature is overwhelming. I would read as much as possible - even on the net....but I might fish through articles which seem to be merely selling things.
I am no expert, and my oncologist asked me not to take supplements during chemo. But I had to stop chemo beause the chemicals were affecting my liver....so supplemens are cleaning my organs out - go figure. They are also strengthening my immune system and helping to keep my RBC high enough. The dietary changes - a mostly Alkaline diet (including a ton of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables and juicing, very little or no red meats, addtional soy products for protein, nuts, good oils, whole grain products and as little refined sugar/grain products as possible) cleared my diarrhea completely. I haven't gone full scale yet - not juicing as much as others here on the site, but I do not think I would have recovered as well as I have - had I not taken matters into my own hands. The docs are clueless about nutrition and helping to keep a body strong.
You are correct about high levels of Vit C going through us quickly, but there are different forms of VIt C; some may be easier for your body to take. Also, Cal/Mag will do the same thing. Is it possible for you to find a Health Food Store with someone who will take some time with you? it would be great. Nothing you have listed seems crazy - although I normally see Selenium offered at half the intake as Vit E....they seem to work well together.
I would also ask or read about Cleaning your liver out with some supplements or herbs and really concentrate on drinking a lot of water to flush things out of your bloodstream and system.
Many here have found really good Naturopathic Clinicians to help them with specific needs. I haven't found one yet, so I have just tried to make sure that I don''t overdose and mix things which will hurt my system. I ask a lot of questions and start small with the doses.
I really feel better....so it is win/win situation for me. I crave sweets a lot less, and to be honest am finding all of the changes really easy to put in to everyday use. Even going to a restaurant is easy; I just mix and match what I would like and ask the server if the chef will be able to create a specieal dish/salad for me. I also take things easier on weekends with the dietary stuff.
Nothing you have listed seems crazy or over tthe top. And you can always go easy on the numbers you have listed and see how your body tolerates them.
You can also seek out a good Nutritionist - Naturopath; they can be pricey because they sometimes want to do their own labwork.
Let me know what you think....And if you are having problems finding info about an Alkaline diet, I am happy to send paperwork to you. The difference in how my intestines feel and act is amazing! And it is nice to feel in charge of my body - after feeling whipped around during chemo.
Best of luck to you.
Cheers,
Maura