An Alternative approach to Stage IV Health and choices

PipersMom

I've been using akaline water filtration system costing thousands since 2004. I was subsequently diagnosed with Stage IV BC in 2008. 

Having said that, I think any simple filtration system would still help as it can filter off the rust from old water pipes etc.. 

Edit to add: I came across this thread re Gerson Therapy:-

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=53153

Paula O (Stage 3) shared how she did it even though she had progression. I didn't post this to say that it doesn't work (just like the alkaline water) but just to let you know the details. Paula mentioned that it did work for some BC ladies but I suspect HER2+ is fairly aggressive and Gerson Therapy alone may not be sufficient. This is only my personal opinion 

The other point to note is, Paula said she did not have surgery before she did Gerson, as advised by Charlotte Gerson. I'm not sure if the end result would have been different if she surgery prior to Gerson. 

Hope this helps. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc&feature=player_embedded

Dr. Terry Wahls gives a talk on her dietary cure for her MS. I think her story is really inspiring and is very relevant to us. Her diet looks a lot like mine, maybe just a cup or two less of the fruits and veggies. Organ meats also much less, but would have no problem upping. I like that she calls this a strategy of minding mitochondria in the brain. As cancer patients we need to mind mitochondria everywhere, particularly where our tumors are. I wonder if infusing antioxidants locally would do the trick. If only it were that easy. Anyway exercise is another way to repair damaged mitochondria. Exercise affects every tissue in the body, at least in mice. Weightlifting can improve mitochondrial health as well as moderate endurance exercise.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/can-exercise-keep-you-young/

Heidihill:  Thanks for posting that video..it was interesting and inspiring.  My boyfriend has MS that is now progressing so we are fighting hard to keep it stable.  When I was dx with bc this past year, we both dramatically changed our diets to the hunter gatherer variety and began a supplement program.  In addition we get weekly vitamin infusions, and he get chelation therapy to remove metals from his body.  We've both lost a lot of weight and we feel better than we have in a long time.  Initially we thought it would be a real challenge to stay on the diet, but it is actually very easy.  It helps that we both have a common goal...to improve our health and rid ourselves of our respective diseases. 

Hi Ladies, I've just caught up with this thread though I had to skim through a lot as my brain is struggling atm.  I mostly come on BCO to read the research pages.  For the first time in my life I went into some sort of depression at the end of last year and lost the desire to be reading and typing.  My word finding and reasoning abilities are letting me down so I find it depressing to read and not understand things like I used to.  I intend to take coconut oil each day to see if it helps, but I could never stomach the taste or smell of coconut in any form so I need a way to disguise it. Any suggestions?

That's Life, I see you mentioned me in regard to Metformin and funnily enough I mentioned it to my MO on Monday and she is also following the research.  She said she'd managed to get some patients onto it as they had borderline blood sugar levels or were very overweight and would recommend a good endochrinologist if I need one and asked me to get a blood work up with my GP.  Unfortunately she needs some clinical reason to approve it but I appreciate her open mind and that she doesn't get irritated with my independant research like many doctors do. I'm undecided on whether to take it or not.

Here are some Metformin links:

Metformin Prevents Tumors From Growing In Human Cultures

Diabetes Drug Shows Promise in Reducing Risk of Cancer, Study Suggests

With Metformin- regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol  - To import without a prescription.  I don't know how reliable this is.

Researchers identify cancer cell mitochondria as 'Achilles' heel' of tumor growth

Diabetes Drug Shows Promise in Reducing Risk of Cancer, Study Suggests 

Metformin Selectively Targets Cancer Stem Cells, and Acts Together with Chemotherapy to Block Tumor Growth and Prolong Remission

Thanks Heidi, I'll try those.

I'd suggest you do a BCO search for posts by me that contain the words- metformin calorie restriction.  That should do the trick.

That Gatenby interview is fascinating, JLW. I've read that cancer can use ketones and glutamine for energy as well, so I do think changing strategies is important. My intermittent fast last year was actually interrupted every two months for about two weeks due to school / summer holidays.

I have been trying to decide as well whether to take a 3-month Femara break along the lines of the SOLE (Study of Letrozole Extension) trial. The rationale is that the surge of estrogen during this period actually kills cells long deprived of it. Under this and Gatenby's theory it may well be good for us to have a food orgy every once in a while. Hey, I could have my cake and my estrogen, too! Thats-life, maybe estrogen and progestorone is like the air we breathe for some cancer.

Of course, the big question underlined by Gatenby for me is whether stable is better than NED even in earlier stages. He seems to be saying the former. It probably is an individual thing, depending on how adaptable one's particular cancer is. With an adaptable cancer there are too many variables not even a mathematical oncologist could quantify.  Maybe earlier stages are less adaptable or local control is easier to achieve given the much higher survival rates there.

There is that one alternative cancer treatement called IPT (Insulin Potentated Therapy) whereby the patient is given a large amount of glucose just before the administering of a low dose of chemo.  The theory is that the cancer cells open up to receive the glucose and then the chemo comes in and kills them off...something like that.  It's done at the Oasis of Hope in Arizona and I think the Dr.'s name is Lodi.  It sounded like something I would be willing to try if I needed chemo treatment because the dose of chemo is not as toxic, so you don't get the debilitating SE's that you get from conventional chemo.

Kaara, Last time I checked, years ago, we didn't have IPT here in Australia.  It's not accepted by medical science but I can't see why not.  If I had progression I'd investigate further and consider selling the house if I had to, to get it, but I'd need to know the long term statistics and why it's not an approved treatment. Also I'd be thinking of the mathematical oncologist's beliefs that such sweeping treatments could result in the cancer becoming resistant and spreading faster later on.  I wish it were more straight forward.

If going on the "no starch" diet is any indication of the body using fat cells to get their energy, then it is working on us, because we've been on the diet since October, and I've lost close to 20 pounds.  Keep in mind that I wasn't heavy to begin with...weighed between 138 and 142 and I'm 5' 4" tall.

 Most of the weight I lost was around my middle where all my fat cells were stored.  Really... we eat like rabbits..salads, veggies, fruits, nuts, and lean protein like fish or chicken.  We cheat occasionally but not often.  Our diet is also 99% gluten free.  We keep our bodies in a constant alkaline state, as I've read that cancer thrives in an acidic environment.  I'm hoping this is going to work for me.  I rolled the dice and passed on radiation, which everyone said I was foolish to do.

 I am trying tamoxifen, but I have my doubts that I will stay on it very long.  I did it as a compromise for my conventional doctors who were freaking out that I wasn't doing anything.  I also see a naturopath and get weekly IV infusions of Meyer's cocktail and some cancer additives, plus a boost of glutathione and alpha lipoic acid at the end.  All that and enough supplements to open a vitamin store...I pray it is successful.

Intermittent fasting lowers glucose and insulin levels

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc156352/

Abstract: Dietary restriction has been shown to have several health benefits including increased insulin sensitivity, stress resistance, reduced morbidity, and increased life span. The mechanism remains unknown, but the need for a long-term reduction in caloric intake to achieve these benefits has been assumed. We report that when C57BL/6 mice are maintained on an intermittent fasting (alternate-day fasting) dietary-restriction regimen their overall food intake is not decreased and their body weight is maintained. Nevertheless, intermittent fasting resulted in beneficial effects that met or exceeded those of caloric restriction including reduced serum glucose and insulin levels and increased resistance of neurons in the brain to excitotoxic stress. Intermittent fasting therefore has beneficial effects on glucose regulation and neuronal resistance to injury in these mice that are independent of caloric intake.

Elevated insulin increases breast cancer risk

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709170819.htm (quote below)

Notably, the link between elevated insulin level and breast cancer was strongest among lean women and weakest among obese women (who, in general, have higher insulin levels compared with lean women). "This finding is potentially important because it indicates that, in postmenopausal women, insulin may be a risk factor for breast cancer that is independent of obesity," says Dr. Kabat.  However, because the number of lean women was small, this finding is preliminary.

Estrogen and insulin work together - Tamoxifen acts to reduce serum IGF levels (insulin-like growth factors)

http://erc.endocrinology-journals.org/content/13/2/279.full

Exercise lowers insulin in breast cancer survivors

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070604090259.htm

"Our findings suggest that the effects of exercise on breast cancer prognosis may be mediated, at least in part, through changes in insulin levels and/or changes in fat mass or deposition," said Ligibel. "Exercise has benefits all through treatment and afterwards. It's an investment in a woman's health and hopefully will prove to lower her risk of dying from breast cancer."

A.A.:  I think if you tend to be on the slender side and eat anything you want, including sugars, starches, etc.  you could be at risk, but if you watch what you eat and as a result lose fat deposits in places where estrogen is stored, I don't see how that could be harmful.  IMO it would benefit you, since most of the information out there suggests that estrogen is stored wherever the body has fat deposits.  My goal is to get rid of mine as much as I can.  The carb restricted diet has helped me to do that when no other diet ever could, so naturally I'm a believer that it works.

Joy - you mentioned tricking the cancer by alternating between therapies and times.  That is what I have done since I found the mass, I call it transitioning. I go from one hard therapy to the next, and continue to use the ones I just used but not as strong.  Then return to them again.  Your references to food, interesting to me, the changeableness of that strategy.  I never do anything with food just perfect as planned and always feel rather guilty, but maybe I could be grateful for my inconsistency.

Last week I had a bioenergetic test that validated suspicions of what my cancer is all about, besides the driven estrogen that is. 

I was 'resonant' with several antibacterial protocols that I am now using, six fold of what I would have ever done for myself.  But the antibacterial supplements that ended up on my list all pieced together into a protocol that I was able to realize because of all the research I have done and in reading so many experiences.  I may have done one at a time and now am on all 6 at once and full force for awhile. 

This happened after I had a tooth extracted where the oral surgeon found a cyst at the end of root and bacteria in the root and pulp of tooth and the crown had been put on loose, very WRONG!  Very interesting.  So am now on MSM-Collodial Silver protocol 3x a day w 1 T each time of the Mesosilver, and MSM-LIPH water protocol, and highdose antibiotic (wouldnot let oral surgeon touch me without this started), Vitamin C infusions for 3 1/2 hours each week, and Bacteria Fold homeopathic drops, and Olive Leaf Complex by Barlean's 3 T a day which is a lot and quite awful tasting... I follow the MSM-Silver protocol with the T of Olive Leaf Complex for more punch.

Anyway, there is a possibility a root canal was there but the last dentist who set the porcelain crown pulled the root canal 'wires' out to save the tooth from being extracted, and thus could have cost me my life when I was attempting to regain my health.  In a trial there were 150 women checked and all had breast cancer, and 147 of them had root canals, 3 had bone cavitations, that's 100%.  In thermographies, a line can be seen connecting the root canals to the breast tumors and lymph nodes affected.

Undoubtedly a link and for me, a reason to have these removed to be safe. But one seems to have been left, and I am grateful it is out now.  Still could not believe the bioenergetic test showing these powerful natural antibiotics on the day after the extraction.

That's Life - I hope I was right in my take on the Metformin info.  I studied IPT therapy a bit, actually found my Integrative MD listed on the IPT Therapy site too, so knew I was on right track with him.  In using Met for cancer, it is another way for me.

The bone scan was clear, the ctc and such fine.  Still with the pain, I am not certain all is well, but must imagine it is for today.  Perhaps the new DIM I started today will make the difference in pain because the shooting and burning pain in right breast sure feels like something is hitting something or else cancer cells are clearing themselves out.  I opt for the latter.

Essa, you brought up a subject which is very painful for me.  After my treatments I had to work on dehoarding my mother's house and getting her moved several times as she had early Alzheimer's but didn't realise it and thought she was taking all her medications, even though her insulin sat almost untouched in the fridge.  She threw emotional fits every time we tried to pack her belongings.  When she ended up in a hostel with staff to administer medications it was a relief for us but she was beside herself so I was staying at my sister's a lot so I could visit more often.  I was hardly home during this time.

I remember just after the last move, I was worrying about a dark mark on my front tooth at the top.  I'd been to the dentist before starting treatment so didn't think it could be much so soon. I feel bad that I didn't see the dentist straight away.  My mother could have gone without a visitor for a day!  Well I needed a filling and a year later I got a toothache and the root was infected.  I had a root canal done a few weeks ago but it's obvious that there's a lump at the top of the root just under my nose.  I have an appointment for a checkup in a couple of weeks and will probably have the tooth pulled, but what happens to the infection?  And then I'll need a denture, one I'll need to wear each day.  Oh dear, I feel like an old lady now.  It feels worse than when I knew I'd need a BLMX.  

I read all about Weston A Price and his theories at least a decade ago but have no idea if he's right.  He says BC appears the same side as a root canal and that's not the case with me.  They say mercury fillings cause chronic fatigue yet my close relative who had it for years has never had a single filling.   So I don't form any opinions on such claims.

My new dentist is the best I've found as a person and she lectures at a major university so she knows her stuff, albeit conventional treatments.  The previous one who did the filling may have left something behind as, when it went bad, there was no visible decay and it must have gone bad from inside where she filled.

Thank goodness I said no to bisphosphonates when I found I had osteoporosis.  I could have been at risk for jaw necrosis.  No matter how careful we are with our teeth, they can go bad.