Raw honey to help reduce radiation induced mucositis and maintain weight...

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RogerRN43
RogerRN43 Member Posts: 185
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
(Dawn, I apologize if this info is already in the superthread, but please add it if it's not and you think it would benefit)

A helpful member on CancerCompass recommended I drink slippery elm tea with raw honey in it every day as I progress through rads.

I haven't found the tea yet, but I bought some raw honey the other day from a local farmer's store.
Just now I decided to google it.

"In a randomized comparative study conducted at University Science Malaysia for the first time showed a significant reduction of severe (RTOG grade III-IV) radiation induced mocositis among head and neck cancer patient’s undergone fractionated radiotherapy.

In addition to prevention of severe mucositis, we observed positive gain in the body weight. Currently we are conducting a multicenter double blind randomized trial on the application of pure natural honey in the management of mucositis induced by concurrent chemoradiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancers.

Honey being a natural agent available worldwide may found to be a useful and cost effective treatment in radiation mucositis."

Here is a link to a google book that I am unable to copy and paste the excerpt but basically it had 40 patients split into 2. 20% developed mucositis in the raw honey group, 75% in the control group.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=Rmw-VE9NxqIC&pg=PA106&lpg=PA106&dq=neck+radiation+raw+honey&source=bl&ots=_27l5WjDQv&sig=PRtD4FJnj9uqe0NJQz_dpYVeyUk&hl=en&ei=C0u0ToAbxIKAB7-I7JoE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=neck radiation raw honey&f=false

Hope it helps some of you currently undergoing radiation and recovering :-)

Comments

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #2
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    Aack! I hate to be a naysayer but...
    Raw honey can be contaminated with bacteria and someone with a suppressed immune system really needs to be careful.

    I, on the other hand, as the caregiver enjoy it liberally on my English muffin...:)
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #3
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    Pasteurized Honey
    It's unfortunate they didn't use folks consuming pasteurized honey as the control group, instead of no treatment - it's likely that most, if not all, of the value came from the non-living components of honey (which is why, as the book mentions in other places, sterile honey works well on wounds).

    Honey is a humectant, so it attracts moisture to the surface of the tissue (which is soothing in itself) but it also reduces swelling by attracting water out of the tissue cells (by osmotic pressure) which can help reduce both pain and damage.

    Sugar has the same osmotic pressure effect (which might be why the sugar cure for hiccups works) - read "All Creatures Great and Small" for a vivid description of a country vet using sugar to shrink a cow's prolapsed uterus enough to be able to reinsert it. I suspect, however, it is more fun to swallow honey than a spoonful of sugar when you're doing H&N radiation.

    Anyway, I suspect raw is not any more beneficial than pasteurized, and (as was already pointed out) might not be advisable right now.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
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    Two kinds of Honey

    I find that there are two kinds of honey and both are very good for you when going through treatment. The first is the raw honey from bee pollen nature’s way of giving a very good and sweet food that is naturally good for the human body. Then the other honey is my wife caregiver who too is good for the human body when going through treatment and keeping me focus.

    Thanks
    Hondo
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #5
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    NoellesMom - Raw Honey
    Well I need to confess that I was sure that your concerns were or couldn't be correct. But a little research I did find on the LiveStrong site that does support your comments;

    "MedlinePlus.com reports that raw honey can cause food poisoning. Because raw honey is not heat-treated, any bacteria or contamination in the raw honey will not be removed before consumption. If you are receiving treatment for cancer, you should not eat raw honey. This is because the germs that may be present in raw honey can be dangerous when your immune system is weakened by cancer or by cancer treatment."

    Read more: Nutritional Information on Raw Honey

    Best,
    John
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #6
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    Skiffin16 said:

    NoellesMom - Raw Honey
    Well I need to confess that I was sure that your concerns were or couldn't be correct. But a little research I did find on the LiveStrong site that does support your comments;

    "MedlinePlus.com reports that raw honey can cause food poisoning. Because raw honey is not heat-treated, any bacteria or contamination in the raw honey will not be removed before consumption. If you are receiving treatment for cancer, you should not eat raw honey. This is because the germs that may be present in raw honey can be dangerous when your immune system is weakened by cancer or by cancer treatment."

    Read more: Nutritional Information on Raw Honey

    Best,
    John

    Hmmmm. My nutritionist and
    Hmmmm. My nutritionist and RO specifically told me no raw honey.



    EATING SAFELY DURING TREATMENT
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #7
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    Also
    I did have someone give me a jar of raw honey during treatment. I gave it away. Then someone gave me honey that was pasteurized, but that burned my tongue really badly when I tried it.
  • RogerRN43
    RogerRN43 Member Posts: 185
    #8
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    Forgot to mention...
    The way I use it is I eliminate any contaminants/bacteria by putting it in boiling water either on its own or by making tea out of it. Whether this negates the benefits of the "raw" nature of it vs pastuerized, I don't know.
    (I would never just put it in my mouth as is)
    I let the drink cool to a warm and tolerable temp, I imagine that will be room temp later on.
    I drink it twice a day to help relieve that sore lump feeling in my throat I've had for a few days now.

    Then 1/2h or so later, I do mouth care as I don't want it sitting on my teeth.

    Off topic, I much prefer buying 2L club soda on sale, let it flatten, over making the rinses.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #9
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    RogerRN43 said:

    Forgot to mention...
    The way I use it is I eliminate any contaminants/bacteria by putting it in boiling water either on its own or by making tea out of it. Whether this negates the benefits of the "raw" nature of it vs pastuerized, I don't know.
    (I would never just put it in my mouth as is)
    I let the drink cool to a warm and tolerable temp, I imagine that will be room temp later on.
    I drink it twice a day to help relieve that sore lump feeling in my throat I've had for a few days now.

    Then 1/2h or so later, I do mouth care as I don't want it sitting on my teeth.

    Off topic, I much prefer buying 2L club soda on sale, let it flatten, over making the rinses.

    Club soda instead of the
    Club soda instead of the baking soda and salt rinse? Does it do the same thing?
  • RogerRN43
    RogerRN43 Member Posts: 185
    #10
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    sweetblood22 said:

    Club soda instead of the
    Club soda instead of the baking soda and salt rinse? Does it do the same thing?

    Club soda
    My Nurse Practitioner recommended it. Looking at the ingredients, it's carbonated water with baking soda and a few other sodium additives.
    Adding salt I think would make it equivalent to the rinse.

    Carbonation is an irritant so I let it flatten.
    Without the salt, I swish and drink it sometimes, more swallowing practice and hydration, plus being convenient just to be able to pour it out of a bottle, I guess.

    Love the new pic!
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #11
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    RogerRN43 said:

    Club soda
    My Nurse Practitioner recommended it. Looking at the ingredients, it's carbonated water with baking soda and a few other sodium additives.
    Adding salt I think would make it equivalent to the rinse.

    Carbonation is an irritant so I let it flatten.
    Without the salt, I swish and drink it sometimes, more swallowing practice and hydration, plus being convenient just to be able to pour it out of a bottle, I guess.

    Love the new pic!

    Hi Roger
    That is something new I may just give it a try, thanks for the tip.

    Sweet I got to agree with Roger on the new picture, how long ago was it taking, you are a knock out in that picture girl. The dog looks good too...


    :+})
    Hondo
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #12
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    Hondo said:

    Hi Roger
    That is something new I may just give it a try, thanks for the tip.

    Sweet I got to agree with Roger on the new picture, how long ago was it taking, you are a knock out in that picture girl. The dog looks good too...


    :+})
    Hondo

    It was taken at about 9:30
    It was taken at about 9:30 last night. I went out, so I was out of my usual sweats that serve as jammies, and I had actual make up on. Since that is a rare occurrence, I thought it should be documented for posterity. Thus, a new pic with the Nizz.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #13
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    sweetblood22 said:

    It was taken at about 9:30
    It was taken at about 9:30 last night. I went out, so I was out of my usual sweats that serve as jammies, and I had actual make up on. Since that is a rare occurrence, I thought it should be documented for posterity. Thus, a new pic with the Nizz.

    Both Looking Great...
    You look great Dawn, as does Nizzy Noodle...but then he even looks good nekid...

    JG
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #14
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    Skiffin16 said:

    Both Looking Great...
    You look great Dawn, as does Nizzy Noodle...but then he even looks good nekid...

    JG

    Nizzy
    Yeah, I cannot get away with the nekid thing. He is a handsome devil.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #15
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    sweetblood22 said:

    Nizzy
    Yeah, I cannot get away with the nekid thing. He is a handsome devil.

    Lamby Jammies...
    Oh, I just noticed this morning he's wearing his lamby jammies also...too cute, both of you.

    Glad to have you (both) as a friend,
    John
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #16
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    Skiffin16 said:

    Lamby Jammies...
    Oh, I just noticed this morning he's wearing his lamby jammies also...too cute, both of you.

    Glad to have you (both) as a friend,
    John

    Lamby Jammies
    I just washed his yellow ones, so I am changing him today. From now until April, he will have jammies or clothes on most every day. Especially to go outside. Looking for a new pair of the lamby jammies, he has another hole. :( It's getting harder to mend them each time.

    It's great being friends with you and the three girls, too. :)

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