Alternative Therapies To Detox Post Rad Treatment

Shayne

Just wondering if there are therapies for detox after rads?  Planning on having Internal Rad therapy if path report comes back as expected.  

Anonymous

Shayne, I've been getting a series of scans, X-rays and MRIs, and I make sure I take my certified pure bio-cultured chorella every day.

Evaluation of Radioprotective Action of a Mutant (E-25) form of Chlorella vulgaris in Mice

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jrr1960/34/4/34_4_277/_article 

You can click on the PDF, it's free 

The following are also protective: kelp, ginseng, ashwaganda (recently found to regrow nerves), zeolites, fulvic acid, nascent iodine, reishi mushroom, sea salt (also salty miso), botanical (plant-derived) or lipo- vitamin C, magnesium (chlorophyll), selenium (brazil nuts), coconut butter

Lots more in my buried notes 

Shayne

oh great! 

now are these for POST rad only?   I read somewhere not to take DURING rads.....at least on some of these....

? 

Anonymous

I did not take any supps during chemo or rads, just because some of them potentiate chemo/rads, no thanks, they were harsh enough for me. I can't see how food, e.g. mushroom, brazil nuts, can hurt, really.

Good luck with your treatments  

fredntan

Maud is there a good book on all this stuff?



I have a holistic integrated dr who will guide me. I think i am getting confused. There seems ti be so much stuff to research.



I just finished with tx. To start tamox soon.

I have vitamixer, going organic, almost vegetarion, joined gym



Think i will probably drive myself crazy, i will do anything to not get C again. That was so hard. I will even eat dandelion leaves. Seems like every thing i read about on here looks like i should be taking



Thanks

SelenaWolf

My team had no problem with my taking supplements during treatment - calcium, Vitamin D, fish oil and a multivitamin.  They said that there wasn't any definitive medical evidence suggesting that any of the above interfered with treatment in the amounts that I was taking.  Mega-doses of antioxidents; however, they were against, but more because the dosages were potentially harmful in the long run.

 I've been lucky though; my MO is very supportive when it comes to supplements and natural remedies.  She just likes me to check with her first to ensure that what I'm taking is safe and won't interfere with my hormone therapy.

Anonymous

Shayne, I had forgotten about this, wish I had known when I was doing rads:

MD Anderson Cancer Center (Texas) researchers reported that cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy had twice the survival rates if they took astragalus during the treatment.

In the West some herbalists routinely provide chemotherapy and radiotherapy patients with Astragalus, and apart from boosting the immune system (which of course both orthodox treatments damage) it also seems to stop the spread of malignant cancer cells to secondary healthy tissues'

http://www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=536

"In summary, we have demonstrated in the present study that total Astragalus saponins could inhibit human colon cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo, with known mechanism of action. In contrast to orthodox chemotherapy using cytotoxic drugs, the use of this herbal extract imposes less toxicity while its anti-tumor effects could remain. This suggests the possibility of further developing AST as an alternative treatment option, or perhaps using it as adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent in colon cancer therapy"

http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/28/6/1347.full

Fredntan, it is overwhelming, I totally agree.  Took me two years of research to put my protocol together. Loads and loads of research out there, more and more on natural substances. Unfortunately, a lot of the latest research is not accessible, eg. one has to pay to read the study. 

I have tons of books on alternatives and it's hard for me to list them all. I believe you got a few titles on another thread, that's a good start  plus the Natural Girls thread has a wealth of info, priceless

Sherryc

After doing research for my immune system I started taking Astragalas.  My immune system was really low at the end of rads and I was breaking out with fever blisters even though I was on daily preventative medication.  I take one pill twice a day and have not had any fever blister out breaks in quiet a while.  That is the easiest way for me to judge how my immune system is.  Also I increased my vitamin D3 to 5K a day and it finally came up to 87.  So now MO wants to see if I can maintain on 2K a day.  I think both of those have been invaluable for my immune system.  I have been reading about taking Chorella for detoxing after rads.  I am going to look into this.

Anonymous

Sherryc, glad to hear !! 

Shayne

Thanks Maud!!  Will be picking your brain a few more times as my Rad therapy gets closer.....

I keep astralgas on hand.....will start using! 

Anonymous

You're welcome Shayne, will be very happy to help, if I can...

Infobabe

Shayne, I cannot speak from experience....yet.......but I understand that you need a lot of protein to help heal and rebuild your healthy tisue. 

I would make sure it is organic because animal products ar so loaded with anti biotics and hormones.  Chicken being espeicially so.  Do you have a Whole Foods where you are? We don't here.  Wish we did.  Mexican food is essentially vegitarian with been/corn combined.  That is what I would go for.

Anonymous

Hi Shayne, more info on prevention of radiation damage from the University of Maryland Medical Center:

These nutritional tips may help reduce side effects from radiation therapy:

- Eat foods high in B-vitamins, calcium, and iron, such as almonds, beans, whole grains (if no allergy), dark leafy greens (such as spinach and kale), and sea vegetables.
- Eat cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower), for antioxidant support.
- Eat antioxidant foods, including fruits (such as blueberries, cherries, and tomatoes) and vegetables (such as squash and bell pepper).
- Avoid refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and sugar.Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy) or beans for protein.
- Use healthy cooking oils, such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Reduce or eliminate trans fatty acids, found in commercially baked goods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, onion rings, donuts, processed foods, and margarine.

These supplements may also help:

A multivitamin daily, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, the B-complex vitamins, and trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and selenium.

Probiotic supplement (containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus), 5 - 10 billion CFUs (colony forming units) a day, may help reduce diarrhea in people receiving radiation therapy for cancer in the pelvis or abdomen. Some acidophilus products require refrigeration - check labels carefully.

Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, 1 - 2 capsules or 1 tablespoonful oil daily, to help decrease inflammation. Be careful if you are taking blood thinning medications like aspirin or warfarin (Coumadin) while taking fish oils, as fish oils may increase bleeding in sensitive individuals.Vitamin C, 500 - 1,000 mg daily, as an antioxidant.

Higher dosages of vitamin C may be used. Lower dose if diarrhea develops.

Herbs

Herbs are generally available as standardized, dried extracts (pills, capsules, or tablets), teas, or tinctures/liquid extracts (alcohol extraction, unless otherwise noted). Mix liquid extracts with your favorite beverage. Dose for teas is 1 - 2 heaping teaspoonfuls per cup of water, steeped for 10 - 15 minutes (roots need longer).

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) standardized extract, 80 - 200 mg one to three times a day, may offer some protection from radiation damage, although more research is needed.

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) standardized extract, 250 - 500 mg daily, for antioxidant effects. You may use caffeine-free products. You can also prepare teas from the leaf.

Panax ginseng (Panax ginseng) standardized extract, 100 - 200 mg twice daily, may offer some protection from radiation, although more research is needed. Some studies seems to show that ginseng may reduce fatigue, which is a common side effect of radiation therapy. Ginseng may interact with a number of medications, so ask your doctor before taking it. You should not take ginseng for more than 3 months. If you have diabetes, heart disease, an autoimmune disease, insomnia, or schizophrenia, you should avoid ginseng.

Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) standardized extract, 400 mg daily, may offer some protection from radiation, although more research is needed. You can also prepare teas from the root. Holy basil may increase the risk of bleeding if you take blood-thinning medications such as warfarin (Coumadin) or aspirin.

Chamomile oral rinse (Kamillosan), used 3 - 4 times daily, for mouth soreness or ulcers due to radiation therapy.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) topical cream, apply externally to irritated skin 2 - 3 times daily. One study of women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer found that using calendula ointment at least two times a day reduced skin irritation, pain, and redness.

Aloe vera (Aloe vera) topical gel or cream, applied externally to irritated skin 2 - 3 times daily. Studies are mixed about whether aloe helps reduce skin irritation and pain from radiation.

Homeopathy

Radium bromatum is specific for radiation poisoning, especially followed by arthritic complaints. Acute dose is three to five pellets of 12X to 30C every 1 - 4 hours until symptoms are relieved.

Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/radiation-damage-000139.htm#ixzz1uqqbZmUo

Shayne

Thankfully this is already my diet.....and i plan on eliminating all meat after this is over. 

I keep reading NOT to take any immune boosting supplements during rads.  (Hopefully Im doing 1 week INTERNAL rads) - but that it interferes with the rad therapy..... including Vit C. 

Anonymous

Shayne, I believe the items in that list are not so much immune boosting as protective, except maybe Vit C, in which case its antioxydants benefits may outweigh its immune boosting benefits. Actually, some of these enhance radiotherapy, see green tea extract below.  If you've got the diet going for you, then you're already one step ahead   Calendula cream works, take my word for it

I thought I'd relay the info coz the sources are trustworthy but you have to sort it out for yourself and determine what you are comfortable with

I.e. re ginseng

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3659296 

http://mutage.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/4/237.long 

Re: green tea and more

Antioxidant use and radiation therapy

"A survey of cancer patients found that 63 percent use vitamins and herbs (including antioxidants), and the majority combine them with conventional therapies (Richardson MA et al. 2000). Critics argue that excessive nutrient-derived antioxidant use during radiation therapy could, in theory, protect cancer cells against the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species or oxidants, which are formed by radiation. This could occur by the antioxidants directly scavenging reactive oxygen species or repairing cellular damage in tumor cells (Salganik RI 2001). However, this theory has never been confirmed by clinical studies, and antioxidants can have protective effects that have nothing to do with oxidation (Block KI 2004).

Furthermore, there is no controversy surrounding physician-prescribed antioxidants such as amifostine (Ethyol®), an FDA-approved orphan drug for the prevention of xerostomia (dry mouth) in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. Amifostine has been clearly shown to reduce the incidence of side effects (xerostomia and mucositis) in patients receiving head and neck irradiation (Schuchter LM et al. 2002). It has also been used in combination with radiation therapy in the treatment of lung, prostate, breast, cervical, and esophageal cancer patients, with much success. The problem with amifostine is that it causes intolerable nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping, which limits its use.

The use of supplemental antioxidants is further supported in that they may help protect normal cells from the increased damage and side effects caused by radiation therapy (Lamson DW et al. 1999). Moreover, it has been shown that levels of antioxidants are decreased in cancer patients in response to radiation therapy (Sabitha KE et al. 1999). Thus, supplementation with dietary antioxidants (such as vitamins C and E) may improve the efficacy of radiation therapy by increasing tumor response and decreasing some of its toxicity on normal cells (Prasad KN et al. 2002)"

http://www.lef.org/protocols/cancer/radiation_therapy_01.htm 

ETA: my hot links don't work in the new format 

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3659296

and 

www.lef.org/protocols/cancer/radiation_therapy_01.htm 

Shayne

Thank u so much Maud!!!

peggy_j

Re: eliminating meat. I'm mostly vegetarian. The nurse said that our bodies need extra protein during/after rads so the tissue can heal. (more than usual but not as much extra protein as we'd need during/after chemo) FWIW, I chose to add in some fish (salmon) and made a point to eat other protein, like beans and lentils. I think we've all heard the same thing, but I'd definitely discuss any supplements with your rads docs. This isn't a supplement but I highly recommend walking 1/2 hr during rads cuz it helps w/ your energy level and gives a little boost to the immune system. Plus it's a calming, happy habit, one I still have today!

Shayne

http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2012/05/24/no-antioxidants-during-cancer-treatments