For Informed People Using Alternative Treatments
Comments
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Thanks cp418. I always have kale, broccoli, brussell sprouts cooked.
Started my Selenium in addition to the drops of Iodine ( kelp) 2 days ago, and I SWEAR I have more energy, maybe a placebo reaction, which is FINE WITH ME if it is....will be interesting to see what my TSH is when tested next month. Haven't had T3 or T4 tested in years so will be doing that too. Boy, would LOVE to get off the generic synthroid...one less med? YEAH!!!! -
Lightandwind… Your comment references whether cancers result from a low pH or the low pH results from cancer, as in which came first, the chicken or the egg, right? This is different though .In our context cancers are the byproduct not the cause. I’ll share a couple of points to clarify. The body self-regulates its core systems through the process of homeostasis. pH balance is one of these. The process depends largely on the body’s ability to manufacture the hormones that communicate the need for systemic adjustments to the parts of the system that require them. Blood pH for instance, is homeostatically maintained between 7.35 -7.45, a very tight range. Saliva pH, on the other hand, changes on a daily basis and can even vary from one time of day to another. These two systems are different but related. Please forgive the analogy but think of this in terms of the cruise control on your car. The car’s speed remains constant but car uses more or less gas as you travel up or down hills. If there is gas in the tank the system works. If the tank starts to run dry, it won’t. So, the point is… If your blood starts to turn acid, the body takes neutralizing agents from other parts of the system to compensate. You’re blood pH remains stable, but really, you’re running on your spare tank. This is illustrated by the long term drop in your saliva pH. If all the essential elements are available to reproduce and replace those agents, the saliva pH recovers and the systems remain in balance. If not, one continues to cannibalize the other, draining the one that has no ability to replenish those resources. The system continues to degrade and the domino's begin to fall one after the other. The Saliva pH is a window to the health of the internal homeostatic system. Cancer cells are floating around our bodies all the time but are normally kept in check. A continuing low saliva pH indicates an ongoing deficiency that the body is unable to recover from that leads to a breakdown of the core system that keeps cancer cells from multiplying. When I connect the dots from my own reading, one of my conclusions is that cancer is one of many byproducts of a low pH but not the cause of it.
A good place to begin an inquiry on this topic is Wikipedia/homeostasis and expanding that to include pH balance from various sources.The other points you brought up were about diet and whether cancers could be reversed after normal pH is restored have been topics I’ve been interested in also. -
Where and how do I do Iodine testing? Is it by blood, urine, or saliva?
Can you tell me the dose of iodine and the other supplements in the protocol such as selenium, magnesium, and the rest?
I found this info regarding raw kale interesting:
http://www.theholisticchef.com.au/blog/news/item/85-perhaps-say-no-to-raw-kale
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Flaviarose,
My naturopath wants my vitamin D to be between 80-90 for cancer. Even though I was outside without sunscreen for at least 8 hours a day for months in the summer before I was diagnosed, my vit D level was only 19! So clearly I am one of the people who do not absorb D from the sun.
The MD I was seeing at the time said she had never had a patient have too high of a vitamin D level. It is possible the concern about too much might be changing.
The 2,000 IUs that is often recommended can be too low for some people. It is hard for me to keep my level high enough though. Seems like I need 11,000 IU per day. I take a liquid. The pill I tried was worthless. Took me years to get the level raised. Luckily I see doctors recommending a weekly dose which is easier for me.
Will check in from time to time to see what I can learn from this group! Thanks for starting it. -
I too am one of those people who don't get enough Vit. D from the sun - nor did 5000 units a day get me above the mid 40's. I am looking forward to checking it again next month.... I'd be happy to get mine up to 60. My husband had his tested once the the doctor told him it was the lowest he had ever seen - and prescribed D2, not D3 (arghh). My husband works outdoors. go figure. Husband also is anti-supplement, no matter what kind of literature I show him. you can lead a horse to water.... -
I was reading on another board and came across this: "I have read that evening primrose oil should not be used by women with a history of ER+ tumors. It's frustrating to try to make sense of so much conflicting information out there!"
I have been very excited to learn that evening primrose oil or GLA can increase the effectiveness of Herceptin for Her2neu positive cancers, went out and bought a bottle, and now I hear this.... where is the truth? -
I really need to get my vitamin D level checked. I don't even know what it is. I assumed it was low because I really don't spend much time in the sun, so I've been taking 2,000 IU twice a day since last summer. But when I brought up D, the MO said I should call my primary physician to ask for a blood test, and I hate calling that place. Interesting that you all are shooting for high numbers. I thought I read somewhere that 40 to 60 was actually the best range for some reason (better look back through my raft of studies!) -
flaviarose, I'm pretty sure I wrote what you quoted. I don't recall where I heard that, but here are some links with info that doesn't show a risk for ER+ --
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401109/Is-Evening-Primrose-Oil-Safe-After-Breast-Cancer.html
Interesting quote from Memorial Sloan-Kettering's site -- maybe this is where I was led to believe it was risky?
"Although evening primrose oil does not have intrinsic estrogenic properties, some commercial products combine evening primrose oil with phytoestrogens. Therefore patients with hormone-sensitive cancer should use evening primrose oil products with caution."
Here's the link:
http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/evening-primrose-oil
Hope this helps -- I think I'm going to try it myself to see if it might help heal some skin patches from eczema and possibly hot flashes. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good EPO (especially one that's pure and not combined with anything else)? -
My MO will include the D test, but I have to ask him. he thought the mid range was good until the naturopath who teaches at a naturopathic college let him know it should be higher.
I started with dry D2, but for me it didn't help much. Took 2000 IU of dry D for 6 months. Then took 2000 IU of liquid D and it helped but my level was still low. Even at 5000 IU, I was still below 40.
D is also good for our bones and depression too. It is an inexpensive test so I will pay for it when I am curious.
Georgie -
Hi ladies,
The more I read the more confused I became, so I found this article to help me better analyze what is right for me. You might find it helpful:
http://www.nature.com/news/policy-twenty-tips-for-interpreting-scientific-claims-1.14183 -
Hi new, the recommended process is to decontaminate for two weeks, then start in with iodine and for the first week start taking about 12 mg lugol's solution per day. This would be 5 drops of lugol's 2%,( about 2.5 mg per drop) 2 drops of Lugol's 5%(about 6.5 mg per drop), or one tablet of 12.5 mg iodoral. All the same stuff, different dilution or form. The next week increase your dose by one additional increment to 10 drops of 2% or 4 drops of 5% or 2 tabs. In the third week raise it again and in the fourth week you would be at about 50 mg per day. After about three months, test your saturation level then either continue if you are still low, or drop to a maintenance dose of about 12 mg per day. -
New- I forgot to mention that your saliva is what you test. In all the cases I've seen iodine will bring a pH to neutral. Mine was 6 and went to 7 within a month and has stayed there. Its had nothing to do with diet. My friend tested at 4.5 and has been on her iodine protocol for 7 weeks now. Her pH had been stuck at 5 the whole time and would not budge. She called me three days ago saying she was up to 7 now. I asked if she experienced any fatigue or headache before the change and she said she had a headache for two days around the same time. Same thing happened to me. We think this was an indication that our receptors had finally opened up again. When they start to flush, the contaminates go back into the bloodstream on their way out through the urine and you feel ache and lethargic for a day or two about a month into the protocol. She did a complete salt detox before she started the iodine. -
More good info being shared every day! I'm really enjoying reading about everyone's experiments and experiences with traveling the alternative path.
Was thinking about something the other day. I don't get sick. I don't have any chronic illnesses that require frequent monitoring, like high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, acid reflux, etc. So, I rarely go to my PCP. The last time I was even there was for a physical in June 2012. I see my Onc every six months, my breast surgeon every six months, and the rad onc annually now. I'm healthy. Honestly, when I went to my PCP, I didn't get a lot of love for my supplement use. When I gave my list to them, the nurse just asked, "Why do you take all of this 'stuff'?" They grudgingly admitted I was very healthy and they could find nothing to treat or throw a prescription at, or even a reason to come back any time soon. So I haven't.
My onc, who is very supportive of supplement use, just wanted me to justify why I took each specific one so she could understand my reasoning for it, since I quit tamoxifen after a couple of months. She admitted she is curious about how my path unfolds versus conventional treatment, though she can't endorse it for everyone since long-term compliance is unlikely and interactions with medications for other illnesses are a factor. All I am treating are autoimmune thyroid and breast cancer, which as we have discussed already, have a lot of overlap in supplements, especially for estrogen positive folks like me.
So, I guess I feel like I am traveling down my path on my own, without "professional" endorsement from the medical world. However, hearing support and information from like-minded people such as this group is encouraging and reaffirms that I am doing the right thing for ME, even if people around me look at my pile of pills at each meal and think I'm "sick" (my mother-in-law, especially, who has several ailments and takes a boatload of prescription meds). Anybody else feel this way? HA! I think I just figured it out for myself after that last sentence - all people see is a pile of pills and assume you are sick - not that I am working to improve my health! I even overheard my MIL say to her sister about "poor" Joanna - she HAS to take so many pills! (She's 88 and lives with us, so I get to hear lots of goodies from her...)
Sorry for the ramble. Thoughts? -
kayb - mine was 17. Takes me 8,000ius vitamin D3 in bran oil to get it up to 42. Also, I don't have dairy of any kind. Adding a few drops now, and will retest in about 6 months, tho at a different lab, so may be apples & oranges.
What is the "test" for PH levels, miffwine. Very interested to learn more about this.
Does anyone use Iodine other than Lugol's.
I get my Liquid Iodine with Kelp (1 drop = 150 mcg as Potassium Iodine and 2 mg. kelp) , not sure how this compares to Lugol's. I like getting the brand my local health food co-op sells under its own label.I use one drop a day, taken in water, at same time I take all supplements, now with Selenium. -
Excellent article, Schoolcounselor! I'm going to share it with my high school senior, as well. He's deep into cell structure with AP biology, but I'm not sure they spend any time learning how to critique scientific studies. -
thanks, Gemini4. I've also read the EPO can help with side effects from aromatase inhibitors, which I will start soon, so another reason to take it. -
what is your protocol, madpeacock? I too take a huge pile of pills. -
In terms of iodine, I take this https://www.standardprocess.com/Products/Standard-Process/Prolamine-Iodine
I used to go in a hot tub all the time that was treated with chlorine/bromine. fortunately don't drink fluoridated water. turns out that those 3 chemicals displace iodine in the body. when I first started taking the iodine, sometimes I'd burp or taste bromine! -
Going back to medicinal mushrooms, I was looking at Bastyr University's Integrative Oncology Research Center and saw this page about their research on turkey tail mushrooms: http://www.bastyr.edu/news/general-news/2012/11/fda-approves-bastyr-turkey-tail-trial-cancer-patients
The studies are for use of turkey tail as complementary medicine, in conjuction with conventional medical care. The links for the studies didn't work, so I couldn't see any specifics, but I think it's neat that this is a collaboration between Bastyr and the University of Washington, with funding from NIH. Looks like they are a year underway.
Coincidentally, I am moving to about half a mile away from Bastyr (I may want to peek at their library)! -
GREAT article SchoolCounselor, thanks so much for sharing!!
I am right there with you also Joanna, people look at me taking my upteen supplements and think, "poor thing" as they scarf down their cheesburgers and french fries!
Well all.......the crazy diet and upteen supplements are finally paying off!!!!
I just got back from having my 3 month Ultra-Sound check-up and have some GREAT news!! All my breast tumors have shrunk significantly since my last Ultra-Sound. So much so that the doctor, herself, came in to ask me specifically (normally its a tech that does all the work ups), "What Have YOU been doing!!" and " You HAVE to tell your Oncologist so he can take notes on this!" The Tech & the Dr were stunned, and very happy, so much so that they got emotional with me as well. We chatted about my protocol for several minutes. The simply couldn't believe my results and are very excited to have me come back at the next 3 month check to see the progress. The Tech & Dr have been monitoring me all this time since last year and know my history so to see the smile in their eyes this time was incredibly touching and shows me how much they really do care.
This is a Very Merry Christmas indeed!!
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Scandophile, what awesome news! I am so happy for you. Sounds like you got the best Christmas present ever !
I have a feeling everyone is going to be interested in your protocol. To borrow from "When Harry Met Sally": "I'll have what she's having!" -
Scandophile - HOW WONDERFUL!!!!!! So good to hear GOOD NEWS....it's been a hard year, lost a good friend from this website, still hurts sometimes to log in.... -
Scando, that is wonderful news. -
http://www.gcmaf.eu this is interesting -
another interesting link: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2012/nov2012_Epigenetics_Breast_Cancer_02.htm -
Hi Sunflowers, the test I use is a simple ph strip graded numerically from 1-14, with a easy to distinguish and different color for each number. The strips you don't want are those that ask you to choose from 14 shades of the same color. Makes in nearly impossible to tell. test first thing in the morning before you drink, eat or brush. I kept a log to monitor the change. I went three weeks before anything changed then it seem to happen over just a few days. -
Hi everybody,
Scandophile, tears came to my eyes while reading your last post. I'm sooo happy for you!
Flaviarose, that was an informative link from lef. I haven't looked in to gmaf but someone posted on here about it before.
Mfwine, yes, I use iodine/lugols daily, and have since diagnosis. I didn't realize though that it contributed that much to a balanced ph. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us about it.
Falleaves, sounds like an interesting venture regarding Bastyr, please report back on your investigative efforts.
I'm inspired by the amount of information and experiences everyone has shared here. Just want to encourage those who are new to share any recent research on bc and alt treatments you come across. I'm so impressed by the continual give and take that is occurring here. I think we are stronger in mind, body, and spirit, when we work together, one by one putting together the pieces of our own health and slowly coming to understand this complicated disease.
Love, blessings, and peace everyone! -
Hi, I asked on another alternative thread if anyone knew what the US cost of a VITD3 test is but they werent sure as it was covered by insurance. Would any of you know here? Thanks if anyone can help. -
great news scando!!!! -
My oncologist just gave me an order for a Vitamin D blood test- mine is covered by insurance as far as I know
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