Calling Bill Henderson's Protocol followers

sarika_for_mama

Calling Bill Henderson's Protocol followers

sarika_for_mama

Hello fellow members,

I know a couple people on this board who have followed some parts of Bill Henderson's protocol. Please respond to this thread if you have followed his protocol.

If yes, then have you drastically changed your diet to all vegan, natural fruits and vegetable and only gluten free breads? Seems like a very dry and tasteless diet. Please share your experiences.

erickcarpenter

My wife chose Bill Henderson's protocol. She was researching the various methods that other friends reccomended, and books she read, as well as web research. She poured through several volumes, I found items on the web, and gave them to her for her review, and she finally came across Bill Henderson. I believe it was our sister-in-law who reccomended his web site, as she is a naturopath, and also a bc survivor.

Yes, she is now a Vegan, based on research done for the China Study by T. Colin Campbell. Some fruit for PH balance (PH balance and regain your health). We purchased a Vitamix blender that makes some wonderful veggie smoothies, peanut butter, and soups, among other things. It is actually a very tastey diet, however, it does require prep time, which most people today do not want to do. Lynda is going on 2 years of cancer free from having a mastectomy and no chemo or rads. (stage 3a, er+/pr+ I believe). Her markers are low normal, and she also does the urine test he reccomends as it is touted to be more sensitive and accurate. She is also healthier than she has ever been. Down from 140 to 120 or 125, and looks stunning. (and darn proud to have her on my arm). anyhow, if you want what she chose, let me know, she has a write up on it.

anondenet

I'm glad your wife is doing so well but The China Study has been widely criticized for inaccuracies. People who improve weight, etc., generally do better because they don't eat junk food, not because they don't eat animal protein.

There was a China Study nutrition group in my town for about a year. Then one by one they begain reading the Weston A. Price Foundation criticism of the book and the group has mostly disbanded.

See: http://www.westonaprice.org/bookreviews/chinastudy.html

twirlgirl

Hi!

I just got his book "Cancer Free" today. Am reading with an open mind, but know already I will not become vegan...been there, done that. I've been raw food, just about everything you can imagine. Extreme diets of any type are not for me and I feel do more harm emotionally/socially than they help me physically.

But I am interested to read the book and see what parts might be good to take away. I am working with a new naturpath doc who has a special emphasis on BC and eat to beat cancer in general and she is going to do some testing on all my levels, which should be interesting.

I'll keep you posted. 

erickcarpenter

The reason she quit eating animal protein is not to decrease weight, but to reduce the potential for cancer. I do believe there is a considerable amount of truth to his research, in that animal protein is not the "cause" but more of a transport mechanism to the cellular level. Lynda decided to do all she can to reduce the risk of reoccurence, and to do her best to find scientific fact on the matter, not just someone's opinion. She felt that Dr. Campbell did a pretty good job of presenting his research, and she pursued the vegan diet. and with that, the nice side effect was the weight loss. Each person gleens something different from the same book or data source. The catch is to follow your instincts, and let those guide you. With that, almost 2 years cancer free! No chemo, no rads.

anondenet

I didn't mean to imply it was a weight reduction diet but often that is a result. My main point is that it is badly researched book, using interpretive secondary sources rather than primary sources. There is a lot of spin. The fact-checkers out there have gone after the author big time for cooking the data.

The material on hormones alone is a mess. Confusing one hormone with another, lumping them all together. Not knowing progesterone is antiproliferative, not reading the WHI study to which he refers but clearly never read. It's like he pulled his prejudices out of the sky and wrote a book to support them.

He started to respond to his critics but quickly saw they had the facts on his side and he had belief. So he stopped the debate.

The China Study is a book that was widely discussed in my town so I may be coming on too strong. I apologize for that if it offends anyone. Some scholars I respect have pointed out how he has actually misrepresented the cultures he claims to cite.

erickcarpenter

No offense taken in any way. Everyone takes what they will from whatever book is written. I simply found it interesting that there might be a pretty significant correlation between the intake of animal protein and the potential for cancer to set in. My question would be is your town more of a "meat eaters" kinda place? Did his book offend someone or a group of people in your town? Just curious.

I tend to take anything I read with a grain of salt, it is easy to lose sight of any objective, or "cherry pick" the data much like the pharma's do. and it may be that Dr. Campbell did just that. I also find that if someone gets offended, often it is because we have violated a belief system they had.

I have not personally read the book in exquisite detail, instead, skimmed through, got the general concept, and came to my own conclusions. and one of those conclusions I have learned to live by.

Everything in moderation.

We roll the dice, and see what may be. I simply love my wife for being willing to do her own research, find her own path, and stick to her guns. Bottom line. She is clear almost 2 years later. That is good enough for me! If vegan works for her, then right on, with her all the way. Again, reduce the risk of reoccurence in what makes sense to you. To some, vegan meets their goals, to others, it does not. Regardless, no offense taken, always like to hear the other side of the story.

althea

I'm not familiar with Henderson's protocol, but there's a number of sources out there who are proponents of a vegan diet.  I'm not a big fan of legumes and I love to both eat and bake cookies and cakes, which take butter and eggs.  So I'm definitely a reluctant recruit to go vegan, although I'm giving it serious consideration if that's what it really takes to be healthy. 

Twirlgirl, did you have a favorite cookbook while you were a vegan?  What kinds of foods do you eat now?   Did you decide there's other food options that are just as healthy as being vegan?  

As for me, I've been juicing every day for weeks.  I dusted off my juicer in December and started juicing 2-3 times a week. I love fresh juice, and I feel like I'm taking in very healthy nutrition when I juice.  Since early March, I've added superfood to my daily routine.  The serving size on the bottle says 2T, and so far 1T is all I can manage at a time.  I'm starting to like it more, especially when I know the lift I get from it starts happening as soon as I drink it. 

So I plan to stick with superfood.  I'm nearly finished with my very first detox.  I was hoping to be charging around like the roadrunner, which is probably too lofty a hope, but my activity levels are steadily increasing.  I am so pleased, especially since I'm hypothyroid and I was getting zero help from my doctors.   There's two more detox kits, and I intend to do all three.  I think it just makes good sense to conquer disease with good nutrition and helping our overloaded intestines filter out all the stuff that we don't need.  Is that the main message of the henderson protocol also?

twirlgirl

In the reading I've done, the diet that the most people who have beat cancer with is macrobiotic. It's a fantastic way to work on heart health and a score of other things, too.

I'm most committed to a whole-foods, all organic diet. I won't eat meat cooked at high heat or from sources I don't know and trust. I don't eat any wheat or much gluten at all. So most baked goods are out, unless I bake them and then I know what is in it. I eat very little dairy (mostly goat yogurt), but feel eggs are a healthy part of a well rounded diet. I keep my sugar low, my fiber high and have taken some of the macrobiotic things like sea veggies and miso into the plan. It's very individual. Everyone has to take their own path and I don't think there is one right way. For me, the social aspect of sharing food and enjoying meals with others is part of being healthy. I don't want to be too restricted in my foods. I would rather eat a food not on my "good" list than hurt someone's feelings, in certain social situations. And I feel better with more lean protien in my diet than I did as a vegan. That happened as I hit my 30's, my body needed something different.

A book I really like and recommend is "The Self-Healing Cookbook", whole foods balance, body, mind and moods, by Kristina Turner. It's excellent, easy to understand, gentle in tone and a great resource. I've used it for 15 years. She really teaches you how to tune into the wisdom of your body. Included is how to do a seasonal cleanse. 

I started juicing after my dx and it's been great. I also drink 2 qts of green tea a day. I am trying to get the bulk of my antioxidents from whole foods, not supplements. But my new doc will be testing to see where my gaps are in a few months, after I am a bit farther away from radiation treatment and then I'll know where I need to add supplements.

So far, the Henderson book is interesting. I am skimming the rants on the medical system because I don't need to be angry, just need more info on healing. The fomat of the book with so much bolded text makes him seems like a ranting lunatic, but I will hold my judgement and see what there is to learn. 

I really respect everyone's opinion and learn so much from you all on this board. Thanks for the great conversations! 

anondenet

Erick, I'm so glad your wife is doing well.

No, our town isn't a meat and potatoes type of place. It's full of what you might call East Coast intellectuals who read closely and challenge assumptions. There are authors on every block and they often give public readings, so I see the questions fly fast and the information formerly known as fasts get identified.

I was a vegan for two years and my mother was macrobiotic for five. So I have been there (and nevermind that I hate the thought of eating animals). I also love legumes. So the issue here is not about personal preference but about a book that has been proven notoriously inaccurate. 

There is no "principle" based on populations. If the author wanted to look at populations, he could look at the Masai, the Eskimos or the Amish.

The China Study theory is only the author's marketing gimmick.

althea

anom, what's the difference between vegan and macrobiotic?  Why did you stop being a vegan after being one for two years?  I'm curious about your food choices now if you don't mind sharing.  I guess I'm grasping for a diet that's healthy that includes my homemade cookies with all their butter and eggs.  LOL 

anondenet

Althea,

A vegan diet excludes all animal products. A Macrobiotic diet can include animal products-- it depends on your diagnosis, whether they think you are too yin or too yang. I am simplifying it. They are also big on tradtional foods such as miso and brown rice.

A lacto-ovo vegetarian might eat eggs and dairy products but no fish or meat.

My journey started out with 1980s vegetarianism. Then I went vegan. Then I began introducing raw dairy. My energy and mind improved immediately. Then I added organic chicken and felt even better. People started telling me my skin and color looked great.

I'm ashamed to say, I didn't know you could really research this stuff back then. I thought it was just a preference.

Next I saw a retired cardiologist give three powerpoint presentations on the research of Weston A Price at a medical conference (which I crashed).

After that, my life really changed. I remember somebody gave me some bread with raw, organic butter from cows milked in the spring. The taste was amazing and I said, "what is this?"

Anyway, I read more of their books. Read about how good fats facilitate mineral absorption. Read about the enzymes...

I could go on and on. They are having their next conference in November in San Francisco. It always sells out at about 1500 people.

http://www.westonaprice.org/conference/2008/index.html

juliebb

I like Bill Henderson and have talked to him on the phone. My mother is the one with cancer and I cannot get her interested in his philosophy. I however now have a big alternative cancer treatment book library. Cancer Step Outside the Box, by Ty Bollinger is a good book too.



My latest interest is the macrobiotic diet, but why do they recommend tofu?



Sherry Rogers MD has books on environmental medicine, this has also been a new interest for me.

abigail48

macrobiotics not enough fruit too much salt & that deep fried sea food couldn't help.  recent study, & someone on this thread, the originator I think, mentioned that animal products carry the cells elsewhere & a new? study did find that the "bad" colesterol ldl? was the carrier for cancer cells to migrate to different parts of the body.  the bad colesterol is in animal products.  I've been cutting down, but after all long ago I injected milk sugar, the usual cut for heroin, very difficult to stop.  I quit cheese 7 years ago & soon no more bleeding from the back end.  but cream?  don wanna