I am a fan of the Stars Wars movies. In that movie series, the dark side represents evil.
I think every cancer patient has a dark side too but the dark side here represents the negative thoughts that engulfs a patient every now and then. In my case, you have seen me blog about it many times. All these arises out of fear. These fears include:
- The Fear Of Suffering (or of Nothingness)
- The Fear of Being Alone
- The Fear of Being a Burden
- The Fear of Abandoning Your Children and
- The Fear of Unfinished Stories
I will write about the above fears in a separate post based on what I read and also my own experiences. I am lucky because through counseling, I have identified them and also learn how to manage them. It's still work in progress for me though.
Many friends and family members often reminds me to be positive and not to think or talk about the illness or to have death thoughts. I take a different view and have no problems talking or even reflecting upon it.
Dr. David Spiegel, who has been supporting seriously ill patients for the past 30 years, believes firmly the importance of humor and optimism to stimulate the body's natural defense system. But he often reminds his patients not to let themselves be locked in what he calls "the prison of positive thinking". There is every reason to believe that the solitude the seriously ill impose upon themselves when they don't talk about their fear of dying contributions to making their conditions worst.
Further, some cancer patients are also fearful of socializing. They are embarrassed with their cancer and prefer to live in isolation. In fact, studies have shown that the connection between social isolation and the risk of death is great. Anything that prevents us from having a genuine connection to others is in itself a step towards death.
The realist credo: What's most important is to always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
My Sleeping Saga
Yesterday evening, after many weeks of searching, I finally managed to find and buy a top over mattress. I realised not many furniture and mattresses shops sells top over. This two inch layer which is super soft, is put on top of an existing mattress helps cancer patients or older people to sleep with less pain. As such, they are rather expensive and also have a limited market. Perhaps that's why many shops do not carry stocks or sell them.
I found two mattress shops (at Section 19 and SS1) that sells but they don't seem to have stock for single bed and if I order now, the delivery will be after Chinese New Year. The thought of waiting for another week for delivery was too much for me. Sensing my urgent need for one, the shop owner at SS1 offered me her display mattress at RM599 (US$195) plus a 50% discount. Well except for a few finger marks on the protective cover, it was in perfect condition. Well I just have to wash the protective cover.
I thought I can have a good night's sleep yesterday but it turn out to be false. While the mattress was very comfortable and I did not feel any pain when sleeping, it however caused me some other pain. Perhaps, the mattress is too soft, so I had back ache instead. Oh dear...
I found two mattress shops (at Section 19 and SS1) that sells but they don't seem to have stock for single bed and if I order now, the delivery will be after Chinese New Year. The thought of waiting for another week for delivery was too much for me. Sensing my urgent need for one, the shop owner at SS1 offered me her display mattress at RM599 (US$195) plus a 50% discount. Well except for a few finger marks on the protective cover, it was in perfect condition. Well I just have to wash the protective cover.
I thought I can have a good night's sleep yesterday but it turn out to be false. While the mattress was very comfortable and I did not feel any pain when sleeping, it however caused me some other pain. Perhaps, the mattress is too soft, so I had back ache instead. Oh dear...
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Surviving Cancer Program
This 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program developed by the Puna Wai Ora Mind-Body Cancer Clinic and Healing Center, has been designed to educate you on how cancer came to be present within your body, so you can take the necessary steps to heal within.
Step 1 – Healing Emotions / Eliminating Internal Stress
This area is most often neglected or in denial or totaled dismissed by some cancer patients. Emotional stress (anger, hurt, grief, hate) causes cancer at the cell level, by causing a depletion of adrenaline, which results in a build up of sugar, leading to low oxygen levels, fermentation, and cell mutation (cancer). Healing emotional pain (anger, hurt, grief, hate) is the most CRITICAL step in recovering from cancer. It is the first step in your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program.
Step 2 – Avoiding / Removing All External Stress
Any external stress will feed cancer at the cell level by causing a depletion of adrenaline. ALL stress should be avoided, without exception.
According to Lothar Hirneise, world-renowned cancer researcher, late stage cancer survivors have all made considerable SYSTEMS CHANGE. This means they have either changed jobs or stopped working altogether, ended relationships or marriages that are stressful or depressing, moved house, moved to a peaceful location etc, all for the purpose of removing ALL stress from their lives.
Step 3 – Reducing Stress Hormone Cortisol Levels
Finding additional ways to remove / reduce stress inside your PHYSICAL body will help to calm the autonomic nervous system and lower stress cortisol Levels that have been proven to suppress immune system function. Those with cancer have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Regular aromatherapy massage, yoga, tai chi, meditation, relaxation techniques, and regular laughter, will all help to lower stress cortisol levels. Lowering stress cortisol levels is an important part of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program. A DAILY regime of one-two or more of these relaxation techniques should be a minimum requirement for those recovering from cancer.
The use of laughter should be strongly considered. There are many instances of cancer patients who have used laughter therapy (i.e. Watched VERY funny movies/comedies everyday during their recovery) without using mainstream medicine and have fully recovered. Laughter is found to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, and boost immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being.
Step 4 – Increasing Melatonin Levels
Those with cancer have abnormally low levels of melatonin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland of the brain during deep uninterrupted sleep. This is important because 1) Melatonin is responsible for inhibiting cancer cell growth and 2) because melatonin is the hormone responsible for regulating the immune system. Those with cancer have low melatonin levels because the internal stress they feel means they have difficulty sleeping well.
Daily meditation has been shown in studies to significantly increase melatonin levels and should be strongly considered as a key element of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program. It has also been shown that those who meditate regularly, have very low incidence of cancer.
Step 5 – Boosting / Supporting The Immune System
High stress cortisol levels, parasites, pathogenic microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungus), chemotherapy and radiation will all significantly weaken the immune system, whose job it is to keep the body healthy and to destroy cancer cells and other harmful pathogens in the body. Therefore it is vitally important to support the immune system during recovery from cancer and during remission.
Intravenous Vitamin C Therapy can also be used for this purpose and should whenever possible, be used PRIOR to chemotherapy and radiation.
Step 6 – Cleansing the Body of Microbes and Parasites
Prolonged stress suppresses the immune system. When the immune system is suppressed, somatids (tiny healthy organisms necessary for life that live in our body and our blood) - pleomorphise (change) from harmless (spore like forms) to harmful viral, bacterial, and fungus like forms.
Cancer cannot exist without these viral-bacterial-yeast-like fungus that a) ferment the glucose in normal cells, breaking the (oxygen) krebs cycle of the cell, causing cell mutation and the birth of new cancer cells and b) ferment the glucose in cancer cells, providing a natural growth factor for cancer cells and tumors to grow within the body.
It is also important to de-worm larger parasites within the body. These parasites weaken the immune system and secrete toxins in the body. A herbal formula such as Clarkia or another parasite cleanse should be undertaken every 6 months.
Step 7 - Detoxifying the Body
What are toxins? Toxins include “mycotoxins” or acidic waste products caused by 1) microbe and parasite secretions, 2) a poor diet, 3) chemicals, alcohol, tobacco, 4) anti-biotics, 5) chemotherapy agents, 6) fermentation of stress hormones, 7) poor exercise regime causing build up of lactic acid, 8) dead microbes and parasites, and 9) dead cancer cells.
These toxins build up primarily in the liver – the master immune system organ. When the liver is overloaded with these toxins, your immune system is weakened, you feel sicker, and cancer and virus-bacteria-fungus thrives. It is very important to have an on-going detoxification plan to detoxify the liver (the master immune system organ), the colon (intestinal immune system), the gall bladder and the kidneys, to prevent toxins building up within your body.
When you are killing microbes and parasites or using an alternative or orthodox cancer treatment to kill cancer cells, it is important to detoxify the body at the same time, as your liver cannot remove from the body all the dead microbes and cancer cells that are being killed in the process.
Step 8 - Cancer Nutrition / Re-Alkalizing the Body's pH
Cleansing your body from the inside out also means making sure whatever you put in your body from now on is free from toxins. It is PARAMOUNT - as part of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program - to stop smoking and to stop drinking alcohol and to change your diet to one rich in anti-cancer foods. These are foods whose compounds have been proven in studies to fight and kill cancer cells in the body.
It is also essential to have a strategy to re-alkalise the body's cells to a pH of 7.0 or greater. Cancer cells can only survive in a low-pH environment and this is why nearly all those with cancer have a low pH of between 4.0 - 6.5pH.
This low pH is caused by the excretion of "mycotoxins" which is the acidic 'waste product' of the fungus-microbe in the cancer cell. And the presense of the fungus-microbe itself is caused due to prolonged emotional stress and poor nutrition.
As cancer cells find it difficult to survive in a high pH alkaline environment and cannot survive in a pH environment of 8.0 or greater, it is therefore essential to include a 3 step protocol to restore correct cell pH.
Step 9 – Overcoming the Subconscious Death Wish
All late stage cancer survivors have a strong inner belief that they can beat their cancer and overcome it. This is because all cancer begins with a 'subconscious wanting to die', and if this can be reversed, then the patient will survive.
This strong will to live sends direct messages to the immune system to 're-activate' and destroy cancer cells in the body. Those who feel cancer has beat them, or who feel tired of life and have lost their passion and joy for life, in other words have lost their will to live, send subconscious messages to their immune system to shut down and stop working altogether. It is important to understand that cancer is only a warning that you have momentarily 'lost your will to live' and that you can regain it at any time.
Step 10 – Connecting To God / Accepting Divine Healing
Those who have faith in God to heal them have a much higher rate of survival according to many cancer studies undertaken in this area. Prayer is a calling to God that you want to live, and this helps overcome the subconscious death wish, mentioned above.
Step 11 - Choosing An Alternative Cancer Treatment
The final step of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program is to choose at least one alternative cancer treatment that feels right for you. In most cases you should only need to choose one treatment in addition to the above steps of the 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program.
We highly recommend that your alternative cancer treatment at least include one dietary cancer treatment such as the Johanna Budwig Diet, the Gerson Therapy Diet, the Bill Henderson Diet Protocol (which is based on the Budwig Diet) or the Brandt Grape Cure (if you are up to it). These are a few examples and there are more. Very important: Always choose a diet you enjoy, as it is important that everything you do in your life bring you joy, not misery.
Step 1 – Healing Emotions / Eliminating Internal Stress
This area is most often neglected or in denial or totaled dismissed by some cancer patients. Emotional stress (anger, hurt, grief, hate) causes cancer at the cell level, by causing a depletion of adrenaline, which results in a build up of sugar, leading to low oxygen levels, fermentation, and cell mutation (cancer). Healing emotional pain (anger, hurt, grief, hate) is the most CRITICAL step in recovering from cancer. It is the first step in your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program.
Step 2 – Avoiding / Removing All External Stress
Any external stress will feed cancer at the cell level by causing a depletion of adrenaline. ALL stress should be avoided, without exception.
According to Lothar Hirneise, world-renowned cancer researcher, late stage cancer survivors have all made considerable SYSTEMS CHANGE. This means they have either changed jobs or stopped working altogether, ended relationships or marriages that are stressful or depressing, moved house, moved to a peaceful location etc, all for the purpose of removing ALL stress from their lives.
Step 3 – Reducing Stress Hormone Cortisol Levels
Finding additional ways to remove / reduce stress inside your PHYSICAL body will help to calm the autonomic nervous system and lower stress cortisol Levels that have been proven to suppress immune system function. Those with cancer have abnormally high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Regular aromatherapy massage, yoga, tai chi, meditation, relaxation techniques, and regular laughter, will all help to lower stress cortisol levels. Lowering stress cortisol levels is an important part of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program. A DAILY regime of one-two or more of these relaxation techniques should be a minimum requirement for those recovering from cancer.
The use of laughter should be strongly considered. There are many instances of cancer patients who have used laughter therapy (i.e. Watched VERY funny movies/comedies everyday during their recovery) without using mainstream medicine and have fully recovered. Laughter is found to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, and boost immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being.
Step 4 – Increasing Melatonin Levels
Those with cancer have abnormally low levels of melatonin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland of the brain during deep uninterrupted sleep. This is important because 1) Melatonin is responsible for inhibiting cancer cell growth and 2) because melatonin is the hormone responsible for regulating the immune system. Those with cancer have low melatonin levels because the internal stress they feel means they have difficulty sleeping well.
Daily meditation has been shown in studies to significantly increase melatonin levels and should be strongly considered as a key element of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program. It has also been shown that those who meditate regularly, have very low incidence of cancer.
Step 5 – Boosting / Supporting The Immune System
High stress cortisol levels, parasites, pathogenic microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungus), chemotherapy and radiation will all significantly weaken the immune system, whose job it is to keep the body healthy and to destroy cancer cells and other harmful pathogens in the body. Therefore it is vitally important to support the immune system during recovery from cancer and during remission.
Intravenous Vitamin C Therapy can also be used for this purpose and should whenever possible, be used PRIOR to chemotherapy and radiation.
Step 6 – Cleansing the Body of Microbes and Parasites
Prolonged stress suppresses the immune system. When the immune system is suppressed, somatids (tiny healthy organisms necessary for life that live in our body and our blood) - pleomorphise (change) from harmless (spore like forms) to harmful viral, bacterial, and fungus like forms.
Cancer cannot exist without these viral-bacterial-yeast-like fungus that a) ferment the glucose in normal cells, breaking the (oxygen) krebs cycle of the cell, causing cell mutation and the birth of new cancer cells and b) ferment the glucose in cancer cells, providing a natural growth factor for cancer cells and tumors to grow within the body.
It is also important to de-worm larger parasites within the body. These parasites weaken the immune system and secrete toxins in the body. A herbal formula such as Clarkia or another parasite cleanse should be undertaken every 6 months.
Step 7 - Detoxifying the Body
What are toxins? Toxins include “mycotoxins” or acidic waste products caused by 1) microbe and parasite secretions, 2) a poor diet, 3) chemicals, alcohol, tobacco, 4) anti-biotics, 5) chemotherapy agents, 6) fermentation of stress hormones, 7) poor exercise regime causing build up of lactic acid, 8) dead microbes and parasites, and 9) dead cancer cells.
These toxins build up primarily in the liver – the master immune system organ. When the liver is overloaded with these toxins, your immune system is weakened, you feel sicker, and cancer and virus-bacteria-fungus thrives. It is very important to have an on-going detoxification plan to detoxify the liver (the master immune system organ), the colon (intestinal immune system), the gall bladder and the kidneys, to prevent toxins building up within your body.
When you are killing microbes and parasites or using an alternative or orthodox cancer treatment to kill cancer cells, it is important to detoxify the body at the same time, as your liver cannot remove from the body all the dead microbes and cancer cells that are being killed in the process.
Step 8 - Cancer Nutrition / Re-Alkalizing the Body's pH
Cleansing your body from the inside out also means making sure whatever you put in your body from now on is free from toxins. It is PARAMOUNT - as part of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program - to stop smoking and to stop drinking alcohol and to change your diet to one rich in anti-cancer foods. These are foods whose compounds have been proven in studies to fight and kill cancer cells in the body.
It is also essential to have a strategy to re-alkalise the body's cells to a pH of 7.0 or greater. Cancer cells can only survive in a low-pH environment and this is why nearly all those with cancer have a low pH of between 4.0 - 6.5pH.
This low pH is caused by the excretion of "mycotoxins" which is the acidic 'waste product' of the fungus-microbe in the cancer cell. And the presense of the fungus-microbe itself is caused due to prolonged emotional stress and poor nutrition.
As cancer cells find it difficult to survive in a high pH alkaline environment and cannot survive in a pH environment of 8.0 or greater, it is therefore essential to include a 3 step protocol to restore correct cell pH.
Step 9 – Overcoming the Subconscious Death Wish
All late stage cancer survivors have a strong inner belief that they can beat their cancer and overcome it. This is because all cancer begins with a 'subconscious wanting to die', and if this can be reversed, then the patient will survive.
This strong will to live sends direct messages to the immune system to 're-activate' and destroy cancer cells in the body. Those who feel cancer has beat them, or who feel tired of life and have lost their passion and joy for life, in other words have lost their will to live, send subconscious messages to their immune system to shut down and stop working altogether. It is important to understand that cancer is only a warning that you have momentarily 'lost your will to live' and that you can regain it at any time.
Step 10 – Connecting To God / Accepting Divine Healing
Those who have faith in God to heal them have a much higher rate of survival according to many cancer studies undertaken in this area. Prayer is a calling to God that you want to live, and this helps overcome the subconscious death wish, mentioned above.
Step 11 - Choosing An Alternative Cancer Treatment
The final step of your 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program is to choose at least one alternative cancer treatment that feels right for you. In most cases you should only need to choose one treatment in addition to the above steps of the 11 Step Cancer Survivor Program.
We highly recommend that your alternative cancer treatment at least include one dietary cancer treatment such as the Johanna Budwig Diet, the Gerson Therapy Diet, the Bill Henderson Diet Protocol (which is based on the Budwig Diet) or the Brandt Grape Cure (if you are up to it). These are a few examples and there are more. Very important: Always choose a diet you enjoy, as it is important that everything you do in your life bring you joy, not misery.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Another Alternative Cancer Treatment Drug
I have been following the blog of another cancer patient, Liz and in one of her postings, she reported of a drug called Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). She has started taking the drug and I am very keen to monitor the progress of her recovery. She has also opened another complementary treatment avenue for me.
I have checked out the resources and it seems that LDN have described beneficial effects on a variety of diseases:
In human cancer, research by Zagon over many years, the increased endorphin and enkephalin levels induced by LDN, work directly on the tumors' opioid receptors — and, perhaps, induce cancer cell death (apoptosis). In addition, it is believed that they act to increase natural killer cells and other healthy immune defenses against cancer.
As of mid-2004, Dr. Bihari reported having treated over 300 patients who had a cancer that had failed to respond to standard treatments. Of that group, some 50%, after four to six months treatment with LDN, began to demonstrate a halt in cancer growth and, of those, over one-third have shown objective signs of tumor shrinkage.
The good news is that LDN can be obtained by prescription, not expensive, approved by FDA (50mg size, though not for cancer treatment) and virtually no side effects (other than having some difficulty sleeping).
The usual adult dosage is 4.5mg taken once daily at night. Because of the rhythms of the body's production of master hormones, LDN is best taken between 9pm and 3am. Most patients take it at bedtime.
Notable exceptions:
Cautionary warnings:
Rarely, the naltrexone may need to be purchased as a solution — in distilled water — with 1mg per ml dispensed with a 5ml medicine dropper. If LDN is used in a liquid form, it is important to keep it refrigerated.
The therapeutic dosage range for LDN is from 1.5mg to 4.5mg every night. Dosages below this range are likely to have no effect at all, and dosages above this range are likely to block endorphins for too long a period of time and interfere with its effectiveness.
More detailed information about LDN can be obtained here.
I have checked out the resources and it seems that LDN have described beneficial effects on a variety of diseases:
| Cancers | Other Dieases |
| * Bladder Cancer * Breast Cancer * Carcinoid * Colon & Rectal Cancer * Glioblastoma * Liver Cancer * Lung Cancer (Non-Small Cell) * Lymphocytic Leukemia (chronic) * Lymphoma (Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's) * Malignant Melanoma * Multiple Myeloma * Neuroblastoma * Ovarian Cancer * Pancreatic Cancer * Prostate Cancer (untreated) * Renal Cell Carcinoma * Throat Cancer * Uterine Cancer | * ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) * Alzheimer's Disease * Ankylosing Spondylitis * Autism Spectrum Disorders * Behcet's Disease * Celiac Disease * Chronic Fatigue Syndrome * CREST syndrome * Crohn's Disease * Dermatomyositis * Emphysema (COPD) * Endometriosis * Fibromyalgia * HIV/AIDS * Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) * Multiple Sclerosis (MS) * Parkinson's Disease * Pemphigoid * Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) * Psoriasis * Rheumatoid Arthritis * Sarcoidosis * Scleroderma * Sjogren’s Syndrome * Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) * Systemic Lupus (SLE) * Transverse Myelitis * Ulcerative Colitis * Wegener's Granulomatosis |
In human cancer, research by Zagon over many years, the increased endorphin and enkephalin levels induced by LDN, work directly on the tumors' opioid receptors — and, perhaps, induce cancer cell death (apoptosis). In addition, it is believed that they act to increase natural killer cells and other healthy immune defenses against cancer.
As of mid-2004, Dr. Bihari reported having treated over 300 patients who had a cancer that had failed to respond to standard treatments. Of that group, some 50%, after four to six months treatment with LDN, began to demonstrate a halt in cancer growth and, of those, over one-third have shown objective signs of tumor shrinkage.
The good news is that LDN can be obtained by prescription, not expensive, approved by FDA (50mg size, though not for cancer treatment) and virtually no side effects (other than having some difficulty sleeping).
The usual adult dosage is 4.5mg taken once daily at night. Because of the rhythms of the body's production of master hormones, LDN is best taken between 9pm and 3am. Most patients take it at bedtime.
Notable exceptions:
People who have multiple sclerosis that has led to muscle spasms are advised to use only 3mg daily and to maintain that dosage.- For intial dosage of LDN in those patients who have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis with hypothyroidism and who are taking thyroid hormone replacement medication should note the cautionary precautions.
Cautionary warnings:
- Because LDN blocks opioid receptors throughout the body for three or four hours, people using medicine that is an opioid agonist, i.e. narcotic medication — such as Ultram (tramadol), morphine, Percocet, Duragesic patch or codeine-containing medication — should not take LDN until such medicine is completely out of one's system. Patients who have become dependant on daily use of narcotic-containing pain medication may require 10 days to 2 weeks of slowly weaning off of such drugs entirely (while first substituting full doses of non-narcotic pain medications) before being able to begin LDN safely.
- Those patients who are taking thyroid hormone replacement for a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis with hypothyroidism ought to begin LDN at the lowest range (1.5mg for an adult). Be aware that LDN may lead to a prompt decrease in the autoimmune disorder, which then may require a rapid reduction in the dose of thyroid hormone replacement in order to avoid symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
- Full-dose naltrexone (50mg) carries a cautionary warning against its use in those with liver disease. This warning was placed because of adverse liver effects that were found in experiments involving 300mg daily. The 50mg dose does not apparently produce impairment of liver function nor, of course, do the much smaller 3mg and 4.5mg doses.
- People who have received organ transplants and who therefore are taking immunosuppressive medication on a permanent basis are cautioned against the use of LDN because it may act to counter the effect of those medications.
Rarely, the naltrexone may need to be purchased as a solution — in distilled water — with 1mg per ml dispensed with a 5ml medicine dropper. If LDN is used in a liquid form, it is important to keep it refrigerated.
The therapeutic dosage range for LDN is from 1.5mg to 4.5mg every night. Dosages below this range are likely to have no effect at all, and dosages above this range are likely to block endorphins for too long a period of time and interfere with its effectiveness.
More detailed information about LDN can be obtained here.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Incessant Rantings
There has not been any improvements around my neck and my back areas. The pain is still lingering. The coughing has become worst today and I am not sure if I cough up fresh blood for I could taste my blood, though it was very mild. The phlegm also showed traces of blood. There are also some needle like pain on the left and right sides of my ribs.
I have not been sleeping well for a while now. Previously I can't sleep on my sides because it's painful to rest on the ribs. Now I also can't sleep face-up as there would also be pain on my buttocks. The position I sleep most often now is facing down. It's the least painful position but is also the most uncomfortable.
I have modified my lugol drops intake to only three times a day as I discovered that my thyroid is still hyper active. The blood test also shows my TSH has not improved. Perhaps that's the reason why I lost weight. Also, my left side of my neck is swelling much more.
I don't know how long this pain cycle is going to last, but I do hope it ends soon. I am feeling very tired.
I have not been sleeping well for a while now. Previously I can't sleep on my sides because it's painful to rest on the ribs. Now I also can't sleep face-up as there would also be pain on my buttocks. The position I sleep most often now is facing down. It's the least painful position but is also the most uncomfortable.
I have modified my lugol drops intake to only three times a day as I discovered that my thyroid is still hyper active. The blood test also shows my TSH has not improved. Perhaps that's the reason why I lost weight. Also, my left side of my neck is swelling much more.
I don't know how long this pain cycle is going to last, but I do hope it ends soon. I am feeling very tired.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Choose Your Food Well
I would like to continue with the post on the link between Sugar and Cancer.
Glycemic Index
All scientific literature seems to point to people who want to protect themselves from cancer should seriously reduce taking in process sugar and bleached flour.
You should choose food according to its glycemic index. Cancer patients should should be selective of the food they take, even though it may be classified under low glycemic index.
Source: McMillan et al. (2006)
Glycemic Index
All scientific literature seems to point to people who want to protect themselves from cancer should seriously reduce taking in process sugar and bleached flour.
You should choose food according to its glycemic index. Cancer patients should should be selective of the food they take, even though it may be classified under low glycemic index.
| High Glycemic Index (avoid) | Low Glycemic Index (take) |
| Sugar (white or brown), honey, syrups (mapel, fructose, dextrose) | Natural sweetners: agave nectar, stevia (a Pacific plant), xylitol, dark chocolate (>70% cocoa) |
| White/bleached flours, white bread, white rice, overcooked white pasta, muffins, bagels, croissants, puffed rice cakes | Mixed whole-grain cereals: multigain bread (not just wheat), leavened ('sourdough') bread; Basmatic rice, pasta (preferred multigain) and noodles cooked al dente; quinoa, oats, millet, buckwheat |
| Potatoes, especially mashed potatoes (except for the rare Nicola variety) | Lentils, peas, beans, sweet potatoes, yams |
| Cornflakes, rice krispies and most other bleached or sweetened breakfast cereals | Oatmeal (porridge), muesli, all-barn, special K |
| Jams and jellies, fruit cooked in sugar, fruit in syrup | Fruit in its natural state, particularly blueberries, cherries and raspberries, which help to regulate blood sugar levels (use agave nectar for sweetening if necessary) |
| Sweetened drinks: industrial fruit juices, sodas | Water flavored with lemon, thyme, or sage |
| Green tea (without sugar, or with agave nectar), which combats cancer directly | |
| Alcohol | One glass of red wine a day with a meal |
| Onions, garlic, shallots (when mixed with other food, they help lower insulin peaks) |
Source: McMillan et al. (2006)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
No Sugar Please
As the days passed, I am finding sitting more difficult, especially on hard surfaces. Besides the pain in the buttocks, my thighs becomes painful while resting on the chair. I think I will need to sit on a soft doughnut cushion. Sigh...
Cancer Feeds On Sugar
Many have heard this phrase before. What is the link between sugar and cancer?
Sugar and flour are foods that have a high glycemic index - which means blood level of glucose rise rapidly in the body. When this happens, the body needs to immediately release a dose of insulin to enable the glucose to enter cells. During the release of insulin, the body also releases another molucule called IGF (insulinlike growth factor) whose role is to simulate cell growth. So sugar actually nurishes and makes them grow faster. At the same time, the insulin and IGF promotes factors of inflammation which besides simulate cell growth, are also fertilizers for tumors and also have capacity to invade neighbouring tissues.
Nobel price winner for his discovery, German Otto Heinrich Warburg found that the metabolism of maglinant tumors is largly dependent on glucose consumption. Researches have found that after injecting breast cancer cells into mice, the cancer cells are less susceptible to chemotherapy when the mouse insulin system has been simulated by the presence of sugar. Studies of Ache Indians living in Paraguay showed that when there are no refined sugar or white flour, there are no peaks of insulin or IGF in the blood. The human body cannot tolerate the refined sugar that we are putting into our bodies. World consumption of sugar per person at the end of the twentieth century has grown to a shocking 70kgs (150lbs) a year.
There you have it. Do your bid to help yourself. Stop consuming refine sugar and if you have to take sugar, please consider molasses instead.
Cancer Feeds On Sugar
Many have heard this phrase before. What is the link between sugar and cancer?
Sugar and flour are foods that have a high glycemic index - which means blood level of glucose rise rapidly in the body. When this happens, the body needs to immediately release a dose of insulin to enable the glucose to enter cells. During the release of insulin, the body also releases another molucule called IGF (insulinlike growth factor) whose role is to simulate cell growth. So sugar actually nurishes and makes them grow faster. At the same time, the insulin and IGF promotes factors of inflammation which besides simulate cell growth, are also fertilizers for tumors and also have capacity to invade neighbouring tissues.
Nobel price winner for his discovery, German Otto Heinrich Warburg found that the metabolism of maglinant tumors is largly dependent on glucose consumption. Researches have found that after injecting breast cancer cells into mice, the cancer cells are less susceptible to chemotherapy when the mouse insulin system has been simulated by the presence of sugar. Studies of Ache Indians living in Paraguay showed that when there are no refined sugar or white flour, there are no peaks of insulin or IGF in the blood. The human body cannot tolerate the refined sugar that we are putting into our bodies. World consumption of sugar per person at the end of the twentieth century has grown to a shocking 70kgs (150lbs) a year.
There you have it. Do your bid to help yourself. Stop consuming refine sugar and if you have to take sugar, please consider molasses instead.
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