Healthy nutricition and naturally supporting your immune during cancer treatment

This post is in addition to the youtube video 

"Healthy Nutrition & Strengthening Immune During and After Radiation for Throat & Neck Cancer"

It shares the recipe's I used to take care of my dear friend Peter while he was undergoing radiation (neck an throat cancer) and the discoveries we made during that process. But this post may also contain valuable information if you are going trough (or are assisting someone yourself who is going trough) radiation or chemo for any other kind of cancer - or if they are recovering from either one of those regular treatments.

Bottom-line is that the discoveries we made often include the use of natural supplements and choices in diet that are considered beneficial for overall health and/or are being specifically used to battle many other kinds of cancer as well.

Please note that this specific sharing is based upon our personal experiences - we are no doctors. My personal knowledge comes from lifelong-experiences with alternative medicine (since early childhood) and an ongoing passionate self-study on this topic. It also comes from being surrounded by a range of professional herbalists- and homeopath friends with whom I exchange thoughts and idea's, and of course from using herbal medicine myself, which turned out to be a lifesaver for me personally in 2009 and stirred me into the direction of becoming more and more of the natural-lifestyle and mindfulness coach that I am today :)

When working with others I take every case as entirely unique and I do my pre-research as thoroughly as possible. If they want, we will work on both mindset as well as nutrition and lifestyle to re-discover the complete balance that our bodies and souls are naturally craving for, while patiently observing what the gets reflects to us during the process. 

Like with any process this is like peeling the layers of an onion; this takes time and asks above all for a loving compassion for the self. It is nobodies 'fault' they got sick, it is just a natural response of the body, indicating there is a dis balance going on somewhere and  possibly there are things that could be improved for this person.

In this blog I chose to share the most effective outcomes of this first-time full-time care taking situation in which we were dealing with a type of cancer also being treated 'regularly' next to the alternative program, in this case with radiation. We found this enormous field of incredible information that can help assist people naturally, even when they chose to undergo a regular cancer treatment, such as radiation or chemo. And this is what this blog (and the video) is about. Also; If there were any scientific researches out there that I found inspiring, I have shared the links to those with you here :)

Background information:

Peter, at age 72, underwent a major change in lifestyle to support his healing from neck and throat cancer as well as the side effects of the radiation treatments. In this video we share what we learned about healing the mouth and throat using only natural solutions.

The information in the video is based on our personal experiences. Neither of us have any degrees in medicine and we recommend you always make your own decisions based on your own research, experiences, and common sense. We suggest you compare all options (both popular and alternative) and choose that which resonates most with you. 

I work as an artist/designer and life style coach (organic lifestyle and energy consciousness) and have had many personal experiences with natural healing in my own life, which eventually led me to the path of creative life-coaching - which is why I started this blog :)

With Peter I was helping out a dear friend who was committed to a more healthier way of living to combat his neck and throat cancer as well as the side effects of the radiation treatments he was about to begin. After I arrived from Amsterdam in the US where he lives, we experimented for 6 weeks with some incredible results, as you will see in the video. 

We decided to discuss our experiences in 3 videos in total (on mouth care / skin care and healthy nutrition) after many of the doctors and nurses at the Cancer Center in Sedona (AZ), where Peter had his 8-week daily treatments, strongly recommended that we share our remarkable results with the rest of the world.

Below here you will find the list of recipe's from the video on Healthy Nutrition & Strengthening Immune During and After Radiation for Throat & Neck Cancer.

In this blog I have put links, recipe's and further explanation on the following topics: 

- Alkalising the body; step number one

- What we used - A list of Natural supplements

- The comparison between the two liquid feeding tube formula's
  (commercial versus organic)

- Playing with food ~

- Bonus: How classic homeopathy can support radiation and/or chemo treatments 

* PLEASE NOTE : we were not paid to endorse any of the possible products mentioned in this blog, nor were they given to me or my friend for review. These are simply the products that worked for Peter to help him get through radiation - we are merely sharing the results HE personally had with these product in the video. This blog just gives you an overview and some background information on why we chose to use certain products and in some cases where you can find them yourself.

- Alkalising the body; step number one  

In this case my friend switched to a 100% organic and fully alkalising diet even before his

radiation treatments started. 

He came from eating a 'regular' western lifestyle omnivore diet, including smoking (not even much but daily nevertheless), drinking alcohol (moderately),  the typical pop-soda's, cola, coffee, ice cream, taking in the American average amount of table sugars, eating out out a few times per week, consuming mainly processed foods at home, dairy products and meat - and so on, so basically what most western people consider a normal or say 'popular' or commercial diet in this time on our planet. Now of course you may want to calculate in there that he had been eating this way for his whole life (being 72 years) - but there are always other factors included why at any given time a certain part of the body says; 'Hey, I need some attention here'. This is always personal and again - the way I see it - there is no such thing as fault or guilt in any story of dis-ease, it is all about rediscovering the natural balance (if the person is willing)  :)

Now Peter was fully willing to change his whole life around 180 degrees, which is not only very admirable, but coincidentally turned him into a beautiful test-case in a sense - to see what would happen with a person of his age - in this situation - going trough such a big transformation :)

We started with changing his diet in general: he started to eat as alkalising as possible and 100% vegan except for the incidental consumption of eggs and the daily use of a spoonful of codliver oil. 5 weeks after radiation, after praise from his doctors, and when he could eat normally again 100%, he chose to continue a stick to an alkalising vegetarian diet :)

What is an alkaline diet?

I will share with you a quote and a link so you can read more about this and why alkilisation is considered helpful for overall health- but also especially in combating cancer. Below that I will put a basic food chart that shows examples of what are alkaline / and what are acidic (the opposite of alkaline) foods.

" The alkaline diet, which is primarily plant-based and avoids sugar, dairy, wheat and other high-gluten grains as well as an excess consumption of fruits, while emphasizing fresh vegetables and vegetable juices along with cruciferous vegetables and greens, changes the body's intracellular pH to come close to the ideal blood pH of 7.3/7.41  - a key metabolic accomplishment on the path to longevity whether you have cancer or not!  An alkaline diet based on vegetables and fruits creates a less-than-optimal environment for cancer proliferation, while at the same time strengthens the immune function and supports healthy cells in the body through improved nutrition." (read more about this here).

This is a basic chart showing you what are alkaline and acidic foods and drinks:

Whitin the first 4 weeks of his diet transformation my friend lost some weight, which is to be expected if you cut down on meat-products, dairy and refined sugars all of a sudden by, well, a 100% ;) None of the nurses or doctors were concerned about this though and they weighed him at a daily base at the cancre center. After these first transition weeks his weight stabilised at +/- 160 pounds (72,5 kilo), which is not bad for his hight 5"11 / (181 centimeters) considering he had to eat liquids mainly for about 10 weeks throughout and right after radiation. He will probably gain some weight again soon now that he has started eating normally and working out again (now = 7 weeks after his last radiation treatment and doing well). :)

Remarkable pusses were that he experienced increased fit-ness and he even stated he 'felt better then ever' just before going into radiation (after eating in this new way for 3 only weeks). He had no fatigue at all throughout treatment and could keep on hiking at least 2 times per week.

 - What we used - A list of Natural supplements -

What we used:	Natural supplements:
For strengthening Immune Scientifically proven to assist well in the prevention of- and healing from cancer - good combination with either radiation or chemo - lowers many of the side effects of these treatments - strengthens immune - helps avoid infections and works as a natural painkiller.	Curcumin organic-pure powder in vegan capsules Peter used tablets of 500 mg each, 4 to 5 times per day (spread out through the day) during radiation - and afterwards slowly worked down to a maintenance dose of twice daily. TIP: take a tiny bit (half a teaspoon) of any kind of organic cold pressed oil with the intake of the curcumin (best even mixed together- just break the capsule open) to assist the body optimal use and break-down of the supplement. turmeric is fat-soluble, and you want to be able to absorb is magnificent food to experience all of the health benefits it has to offer. When something is fat-soluble, that means it dissolves in fat. Without fat, the active component in turmeric, curcumin, has a difficult time making it past the stomach, into the small intestine, and into the blood where it can offer the greatest benefits. In order to make the most of turmeric, you must take it with a bit of fat. - See more at: http://naturalsociety.com/turmeric-absorption-super-benefits-black-pepper/#sthash.My3cFcRF.dpuf Curcumin is fat-soluble, that means it dissolves in fat. Without fat, the active component has a difficult time making it past the stomach, into the small intestine, and into the blood where it can offer the greatest benefits.  Note; we also used a mouth-rinse/gurgle/ supplement of freshly juiced Tumeric (the ginger-like looking root that curcumin-powder is being derived from) - find more about this on my blog about 'mouth care during mouth/neck radiation'. A very complete and up-to-date is this incredible website - fully devoted to the cancer-healing-benefits of both the concentrated curcumin and fresh tumeric root - (we used both) written by Brian D. Lawenda, M.D. an integrative oncologist.
For strengthening Immune  Many statements can be found online of people who took it in combination with either radiation or chemo (or in cases chemo didn't work) and had incredible experiences with it. Most say it lowered many of the side effects of these regular treatments or fastened up the shrinking or disappearing of tumors. Scientifically here is not a lot of 'proof' out there yet, since western science hasn't tried it in any big studies on humans. There is a study out there though explaining how it helps We chose to use it because of the incredible history of proven healing effects it has in other fields and the amazing statements of previous users and for no other reason. Lowers bloodpressure - strengthens immune. and helps protect healthy cells - no negative interaction with regular cancer treatments - helps avoid infection.	Graviola Organic pure leave and stem powder in vegan capsules, Peter used 2 capsules daily (as advised on the label) mixed into his liquid food-formula when he avoided swallowing due to his temporarily very sensitive throat, and 2 capsules taken whole again when he started eating fully normal again (5 weeks after radiation stopped). He took them in the morning.  TIP: If you have a tendency to low blood pressure - start with half a capsule (break open) and built up gradually to see how it goes, take with some yoghurt or another gentle food - in the evening or before bed. Links on scientific investigation on Graviola so far (if you find any updates please share them below;)) This study, published in two separate journal articles, shows  that the 'pawpaw' compounds (another name for Graviola)  not only are effective in killing tumors that have proven resistant to anti-cancer agents, but also seem to have a special affinity for such resistant cells. Note! This has only been tested in a laboratory (on cells) -currently they are preparing to test it on animals, before they try it on humans.  We bought it since there appear to be a lot of people out there that have been testing it on themselves - and apparently with pretty amazing results (read the references on pure organic graviola on Amazon.com for instance).
For alkalizing the body, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, mildly detoxing, lowers bloodpressure (in combination with baking soda) and lowers cholesterol and bloodsugar response during meals, holds antibiotic properties and pectin which soothe the stomach. holds antibiotic properties and pectin which soothe the stomach - See more at: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/jenessa/apple-cider-vinegar-uses#sthash.wNq5QT5Z.dpuf	Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)   Organic - cloudy version with 'the mother' in it. We used two tablespoons in a glass of lukewarm water daily, and mixed in some baking soda, see recipe below (under baking soda).  Apple cider vinegar helps the body maintain a healthy alkaline pH level. Research shows that higher acid levels (lower pH level) leads to a lack of energy and higher incidences of infection. ACV can also help stave off sinus infections and their related symptoms, such as sore throats and headaches. The vinegar is rich in natural enzymes that can help rid your body of candida—yeasts that are attributed to thrush in humans. Candida also is blamed for creating symptoms of fatigue, poor memory, sugar cravings, and yeast infections. Find more about the health benefits of ACV by google-ing it yourself or click here. fun fact: If used diluted (3 tbsp ACV on a 1/2 glass of water) as a rinse after washing your hair (either no-poos tyle with bakingsoda or otherwise) it will leave your hair super shinyyyy ;) See my 100% conditioner recipe on this blog about that ;)
Alkalizing, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, lowers bloodpressure (in combination with ACV) and lowers cholesterol	Bakingsoda   from the whole foods store, with as its only ingredient Sodium Bicarbonate (a salt that also naturally occurs in our body). Internally we used it as a drink in combination with Apple Cider Vinegar. 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar 1/8th of a teaspoon (a pinch really) of bakingsoda, and you have a friendly and alkalising drink that also gently detoxes, lowers bloodpressure and helps keep infections away. Bakingsoda as a direct medicine for treating cancer? Clinical trials on the use of oral baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) for breast cancer treatments are about to start! Click here to find out about the research that is being done right now :) Bakingsoda alone is no replacement for salt: Baking Soda will cut the Acids and raise the pH, but it does not supply all the other possibly needed Electro-magnetic Energy that comes from natural minerals and assist your system in healing fully. This is why under 'Minerals' in this chart I added another salt as well for on your food, and the use of magnesium flakes (extrenally).
As a bio-available vitamin C source	- Acearola cherry powder  or - Camu Camu powder (in both cases organic with no additives- as a pure powder - no capsules) During the cancer-treatment - we used this spread out over the day, we would use about 1/2 a teaspoon 2 to 3 times per day to get a 'time-released' effect of about 500 mg several times per day. Why this instead of the commercial vitamin C tablets from the store?  Wikipedia on Acearola's and Camu-camu's vitamin C: "The vitamin C produced by the fruit is better absorbed by humans than synthetic ascorbic acid." (this means it is more bio-available to our system). Read more about bio-available vitamin C versus non-bio-available vitamin C here :) Vitamin C is very important in health and thus also in the battle against cancer - in some cases it is even being used as the main ingredient to do so! Interesting-anti-cancer-vitamin-c-research While a sufficient intake of oral vitamin C is of major importance to general health, the vitamin on its own* boosts immunity and assists tissue repair, but is too weak to do all the necessary work to fully work on the cancer as a main treatment. But when brought into the bloodstream via IV this vitamin is an enormous tool. Scientific research is being done right now about the possibilities of fighting cancer fully- using nothing but high doses of vitamin C - read more about this promising research here. * Another very interesting discovery is the (this is orally taken) liposome version of vitamin C, that works way more efficient then 'normal' vitamin C and comes a lot closer to the effects of the IV treatments mentioned above. You can either buy it or make it yourself - google on this if you are interested. We didn't try it - but I can tell you I got very curious when I learned about this - to experiment with this (on) myself, just to see what the effects would be on a healthy person :)
As a bio-available vitamin D source Liquid omega fatty acids	Codliver oil We used this for the omega fatty acids, once daily - a dessert spoon full. An extra reason for using this was that it is a very complete omega-3 containing liquid and it needed to be mixed in with the feeling-tube formula at some point. (most of our supplements were used in the formula during this time). Omega-3 fatty acids are important nutrients that are involved in many bodily processes. The body cannot make these fatty acids and must obtain them from food sources or from supplements. Three fatty acids compose the omega-3 family: alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found in English walnuts, in some types of beans, and in canola, soybean, flaxseed/linseed, and olive oils. The other 2, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found in fish, including fish oil and supplements.  Vegetarian alternative: Algae and seaweed are vegetarian sources of DHA that can be used for supplementing the vegetarian or vegan diet, but DHA extracted from algae contains no EPA. The U.S. News and World Report article suggests combining DHA-rich algae with ALA-rich plant sources that the body converts into EPA to get the proper ratio of omega-3 fatty acids. Vegetarians can find algae supplements in gelatin-free capsules or powders.* Note: due to the challenging health-situation of our oceans nowadays I understand people's reasons not to want to take either of these supplements. In those cases I would just say stick to your daily amount of vegetarian omega fatty acids, from flaxseed oil, nuts and seeds and coconut oil for instance :) Ah and before I forget: keep on signing those petitions and chip in whenever you can when super-kewl ocean clean up plans are asking for crowdfunding <3 mother earth  <3 (happy ocean clean up news-flash :))
As a detoxing agent after radiation	Zeolite clay powder  (liquid version not recommended) Peter started using this asap after the radiation treatment was over to detox from the heavy metals that stay in your body after radiation. Built up gradually and best use it (one dessert spoon mixed in a glass of cold or lukewarm water) in-between or before meals (so not during or close to a meal). 'Zeolite particles are negatively charged nano-cages. Each tiny cage has a negative charge to attract positively charged heavy metals out of tissues and blood and into those cages. Then the cages are eliminated through normal bodily functions without endangering other tissue. While the ingested-with-water zeolite is slowly traveling through the small intestines, the millions of tiny hair-like intestinal villi are coated with the zeolite. The villi are the nutrient absorbing gateways from the intestines to the bloodstream. From there the blood gets purified by zeolite without crossing the blood brain barrier. The mechanics of this process eliminates the possibility of toxic materials re-entering other organ tissues after being flushed out. It’s truly a chelation process.' (source/more info)
As a detoxing agent after radiation	Cilantro-drops You don't have to use anything else next to Zeolite clay, but you might want to read into the strong heavy-metal detoxification you can establish with this herb - as well in drops or its fresh (recommend) organic form. When using the drops: Built up super gradually!!! First use about 1/8th of the amount advised on the bottle once daily and then built up to more and more frequent use - This very concentrated liquid can kick-start quite a release of toxins in your bloodstream which can cause nausea or headache because of that. To 'temper' the side effects it is a great combination with zeolite - since this clay 'encapsulates' the toxins and moves them out of your system easy and without any side effects. This is why we used the combination - Peter never experiences detoxification-side effects. He used the drops and clay together for about a month - starting right after radiation  - and planned on using the clay (also daily) for about 3 months after radiation.
For overall strength, supporting fast recovery after dis-ease and gaining weight after weight loss / or losing weight if you dose differently and work out a lot- nevertheless it improves the built-up of muscle so you may get thinner but gain weight (muscle weight) at the same time; which makes this a popular super food amongst athletes ;) Maca is also being used for: overall stress protection; aids in sleep, cures insomnia; quicker injury recovery; increases metabolism, may help with weight loss / obesity; improve sex drive & cures erectile dysfunction; reduces the risk of developing diabetes; may ease symptoms of arthritis & joint pain; improve workout performance, endurance, stamina, strength & muscle gain; raises testosterone in men & eliminates hormonal problems in women; reduction of allergies to dogs, cats, seasonal pollens, etc; may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s when combined with Rhodiola Rosea; reduces the regularity & severity of asthma attacks; increases brain function leading to better mental clarity & perception; cellulite reduction, eases symptoms of crohn’s & IBS , eliminates constipation; may cure chronic fatigue, relieves depression, aids in detoxification; lowers high blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, increases energy levels; can benefit macular degeneration & night vision loss; psoriasis relief, may reduce scars, relieves thyroid & hashimoto’s disease;	Maca powder 'Maca has been used medicinally for centuries in South America and is known as an adaptogen. What is an adaptogen? In simplistic terms an adaptogen is a biological substance found in rare plants & herbs that help the body adapt to changes & stress. In addition to the carbohydrates, Maca also contains easily digestible, high quality protein, efa’s & minerals such as zinc, calcium & magnesium which have been proven to aid in both performance & recovery. Maca is abundant in amino acids, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids, vitamins (B1, B2, C & E) & minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sulphur, sodium & iron). Maca has the ability to increase energy & stamina, oxygenate the blood, support neurotransmitter production & can increase libido.' (source and more great information about this incredible superfood :)) We used about 1 teaspoon in the morning during and after radiation, this is a very modest amount. The morning is best if you are sensitive to caffeine - since there is a chance then maca will wake you up (and this may last for several hours). Peter was going in and out of needing melatonin for sleeping so we kept the maca at a low dose. He got used to it fast though and may want to dubble the dose soon now to increase the grow of muscle (which he is aiming for now 8 weeks out of radiation). There is no official recommended daily dose for Maca, but to on my link above I found that to benefit from it they recommend to use '...around 15grams, normally taken throughout the day (3 x 5grams doses), as a good starting point. It is also recommended to cycle Maca i.e. 120 days on, 30 days off.' From my personal experience (as a women with a small posture) I would say that is a LOT hahaha- but then again I can be very sensitive and usually need half of what anyone else needs. Like with everything new I would say- built up slowly and see for yourself. And yes- I agree on the on-off policy (have a month-long-break of using maca every once in a while). You can find my personal experiences with maca and a delicious maca-chino-drink recipy here :) <3

Minerals - Salts To support the healing of your system, a complete mineral intake is adviced.  The standard kitchen salts (highly processed and often loaded with added artificial Iodine) do not even come near to the hundreds of important traceminerals our body excists out of and needs refilled from salt.    "Unrefined natural salt on the other hand is good, very good stuff providing many health benefits.Unrefined sea salt is healthy. The blood-pressure-raising effect of table salt can be due to its high content of sodium with not enough magnesium to balance it. This has a magnesium-lowering effect that can constrict the arteries and raise blood pressure. Real salt (of various kinds) contains plenty of magnesium and other important minerals, which is why it usually does not affect blood pressure in a negative way" (learn more about this here) This is why I often recommend people the switch to a natural and ful mineral-compound salt --->

Himalayan or Celtic Seasalt From the healthfoodstore, there are many qualities available, for any budget. Use this on your food as you would normal kitchen salt- you may need a grinder as often it is more rough grained though. Himalayan is a liiiittle more 'sharp' and celtic is more 'round' of flavor. I use the latter in my organic toothpaste and love the taste of it :)

 


 

Alkaline-diet (non-refined-sugar) Sweeteners

What we used as our sweeteners during the radiation-period and directly after were: Stevia (the organic and natural green one- without any additives - this stuff is so strong a pinch replaces a whole teaspoon of regular sugar) and Lakanto (a still relatively but very promising sugar-discovery for the western world, based on the Lu Han Guo fruit - but long known by the Japanese used as both a sweetener and a medicine :)

Cutting out all refined sugars from your diet and starting to use the ACV solution is on itself an incredible way of alkalising your system.

To read more about the different kinds of sugar-options and sugar-replaces, you may want to read my pretty extensive blog on this topic: here :)

COMPARING THE TWO LIQUID FOOD FORMULA'S  (COMMERCIAL AND ORGANIC)

THE COMMERCIAL FEEDING TUBE FORMULA

 

As we share with you in the video my friend couldn't swallow that much and had to use a feeding tube for quite a while during the radiation treatments. The first standard formula (liquid food alternative) he was provided with automatically by the hospital was this one. We scanned the label so we could show you the ingredient list.

He used this artificial formula for about a week / 1,5 weeks, simple because we hadn't found out about the alternative yet - and I must say- it was kinda hard to find on-line...but then we recieved our first load of the natural formula. So apart from this 1,5 week - Peter's healing journey was (apart from the 7 weeks of radiation obviously ;)) 100% organic and based on natural supplements :)

I will not mention the name of the commercial product since it is not my intention to make some frustrated 'anti-commercial' at all - We are just objectively informing about ingredients in general and motivating people, who are interested in this, to look into ingredient lists at all times and - based on that information - make their own decisions.

And again like I said in the video; of course it is a good thing 'emergency-solutions' like this are 'out there' just to make people survive hard-core situations in which they find themselves unable to eat for a while - and yes of course - this stuff can be a life saver! But in case of any long-term use of this stuff - especially when users find themselves over time starting to suffer from multiple immune-issues.... they might find it helpful to look into an alternative that is, lets say, more supportive to the healing of their system then this seems to be.

Find a 'health-foodies translation' of the first 7 ingredients of the label below the picture and you will understand why it begins by saying:

USE ONLY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A PHYSICIAN...


1- Water: So far so good ;) (lol)

2- Corn syrop solids:
Corn syrup is 100 percent glucose, the smallest form of sugar. To make corn syrup solids, food manufacturers dehydrate the syrup until it's only 10 percent water. They use the dried product in powdered coffee creamers, drink mixes and baby formula. Start with corn syrup again, but this time leave it in liquid form and add fructose -- another naturally-occurring sugar -- and you have high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS. Food manufacturers use it to sweeten processed foods and beverages, from soda and cookies to ketchup.
Your body processes glucose a little differently than fructose, but the two sugars have the same effect on certain markers of sugar-associated disease, reports a study published in 2014 in "Current Opinion in Lipidology." You metabolize HFCS the same as other glucose-fructose sweeteners, such as table sugar, fruit juice and honey, according to a 2008 study in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." HCFS is no more responsible for obesity than other refined sugars, adds the author. (source)

(Article on the connection between refined and sugar, and sugars such as HCFS's being a possible direct cause of cancer.)

3- Sodium and calcium caseinates: Sodium caseinate is the biochemical name for casein, which is a type of protein found in the milk from all mammals. Casein, which is Latin for “cheese,” is a major component of commercial cheese and its principle source of protein. Casein is also used as a food additive and for industrial purposes. Some people are allergic to sodium caseinate, and it has been linked to some human diseases, mainly autism and gastrointestinal problems. Most allergic reactions to cow milk and cheese products, aside from lactose intolerance, are due to the presence of casein, according to the textbook “Human Biochemistry and Disease.” Whey protein produces far fewer allergic reactions in comparison. Further, casein breaks down to produce the peptide casomorphin, which acts primarily as a histamine releaser and contributes to allergic reactions, but some research indicates it might aggravate the symptoms of autism, according to "Human Biochemistry and Disease." More research is needed before any warnings are considered. (source) calcium caseinates: According to the book "Diets Designed for Athletes," as dietary supplement, calcium caseinate can slow digestion. This can help athletes and bodybuilders prevent catabolism, the breakdown of muscle proteins. Additionally, calcium caseinate contributes to a feeling of satiety or fullness. Further, this protein has a high content of L-glutamine, an amino acid essential to muscle building. Other than possible allergic reactions, there are no known side effects associated with use of calcium caseinate.Casein has high nutritional value made up of essential amino acids, carbohydrates, calcium and phosphorus. Some people have a life-threatening allergic reaction to casein. An allergy to this protein is not the same thing as lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar, not a protein. (source)


4- Corn maltodextrin:  is the #1 in the list of hidden toxins in supplements. Maltodextrin (from GM corn). Let's start out with the big one first: If you pick up a natural product and the ingredients list says "maltodextrin," chances are very high that the maltodextrin in the product is derived from Monsanto's GM corn. Virtually all the maltodextrin used throughout the natural products industry is genetically modified. Products that are certified USDA organic, however, are not using GMO maltodextrin.
The non-GMO, non-corn replacement for maltodextrin derived from GM corn is tapioca maltodextrin, and you'll find tapioca starch / maltodextrin in many certified organic, non-GMO products. Corn maltodextrin should be avoided unless it's certified USDA organic. Look for tapioca maltodextrin instead (or no maltodextrin at all). (see the whole list of the most commonly hidden toxins in supplements)

5- High Oleic safflour oil: finally one that is considered reasonably okay
'Is this a healthy oil? As far as we know, yes.  High oleic oil is high in unsaturated fat, low in saturated fat, and has no trans fat.  The large amount of monounsaturated fat in high oleic oil has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) without lowering HDL cholesterol (the good kind).  When LDL cholesterol goes down, so do the risks of heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke.BUT STILL...
Should I buy foods made with high oleic oil?
Only packaged, processed foods will contain these oils.  It’s best not to rely too heavily on these types of products anyway, and to focus on eating mostly whole foods.  But if you’re going to buy packaged, processed food sometimes, then yes, look for the term “high oleic sunflower (or other) oil” in the ingredients list. This is a much better option, as far as we know, than trans (hydrogenated oil) and saturated fats.' (source)

6- Sugar: On this one I can only note: ingredient-lists are in order of the quantity (amount) of each ingredient in the product, meaning that in this case water is the biggest ingredient in this list and vitamin D3 the smallest. This one; SUGAR is number 6 in the list. Its says plain sugar so it must be the inorganic refined table sugar, the one that is the biggest cause of an acidic body, in which- as we learnt before - healing can hardly take place. I don't think this needs any further explanation. 

7- Medium chain triglycerides (mcts): MCT's are safe for most people when taken by mouth or given intravenously (by IV). They can cause diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, nausea, stomach discomfort, intestinal gas, essential fatty acid deficiency, and other side effects. Taking MCTs with food might reduce some side effects. Special Precautions & Warnings: Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of MCTs during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Diabetes: MCTs can cause certain chemicals called ketones to build up in the body. This can be a problem for people with diabetes. Avoid using MCTs if you have diabetes. Liver problems: Because MCTs are processed primarily by the liver, they can cause serous problems in people with liver disease. Do not use MCTs if you have cirrhosis or other liver problems.

 

THE ORGANIC FEEDING TUBE FORMULA

Now for who thinks it must surely be impossible to replace this with something home-made; luckily you are wrong ;) ALL of the benefits of these ingredients stated by the people who put that list together - can also be found in whole foods and whole food supplements.

Many of the weird-name things in there are just there to fill you up, so you won't loose weight, this you can do with healthy whole foods just as easy.
All vitamins can be found in whole foods and super foods and the entire list of added minerals can be found in the switch to a natural salt (such as the before mentioned Himalayan or Celtic sea salt). Really it is simple. 

Well simple, it still needs a sharp mind and a lot of love and devotion to create such a healthy alternative of course...but here it comes; someone actually DID just that!!!! :D

A whole food-feeding tube formula with only organic ingredients was put together for het father by a woman called Robin Gentry McGee who was just as shocked as I was about the ingredients in the standard low-budget-bulk-formula-version we just learned more about above.

SO she created her own version, out of love instead of out of thinking about 'what would be cheapest and easiest to produce on a mass-scale'. Her feeding tube formula contains the same amount of nutrients minerals and vitamins, all whole food-based and thus fully bio-available and with no warning messages on the package as it doesn't need those. The amount of calories per serving is the same as the amount of calories in the commercial one. When Peter switched from one to the other there was no change in his weight because of that.

We diluted the organic formula a little by 1/8th of a cup of coconut water and enriched it (turning it even more into food-medicine) by adding all of the before mentioned supplements which we used throughout the day. I hang a chart on the cabinet (next to the holder) so we would always know when to add the vitamin C powder, curcumin, cod liver oil, or anything else, at any given moment of the day :)

Below you see some some pictures I took of the organic formula and in these you can read Robin's ingredient list and the story behind it - it needs no further explaining why we fell in love with this stuff right away - and Peter has been using up until he didn't need the feeding tube any more at all (6 weeks out of radiation).  (read more about this organic formula on their website: functionalformularies.com)

~ Playing with food ~

For a while it seemed like using the feeding tube was tricky for Peter since the new formula, even though it was so healthy, was a lot thicker of consistency.

Now you should know the doctors who had surgically 'installed'  the feeding tube - that went directly into his stomach, had blessed him with a very long tube (lol) ;)

It seemed that because of that, putting pressure on the plunger and pushing the food down into the syringe wasn't something anyone could do without using both hands. And since the tube and the syringe needed to be 'held together' at the same time, for a moment it seemed like someone needed to be there to help him with every single meal (5 times per day) :S

SO - I threw my designer-skills into the mix (I have a degree in the arts ;)) and created this 'feeding-tube holder' for him (using plain wall-hooks from and a plastic lid in which I had carefully cut out a circle from the centre, and some rubber bands for extra grip on the syringe).

A tool he gratefully used whenever I or Adi (the other amazing person who had been helping Peter out before I came in) couldn't be around to assist him with the meals.

UNTIL in an impuls he cut off his tube to a shorter length (which is allowed by the way but he just didn't think of it until then), which then brought us to the discovery that now he didn't need the holder any more since it was a lot easier to push down the plunger by himself now the food didn't have to go down such a long way hahahaha ;) Good thing also because with the shorter tube he couldn't have reached the holder even if he stood on a chair ;) 

Peter using the food-tube-holder

While at it I even put little star stickers on the holder and added the colourful rubber bands for extra grip :) What I am saying by giving this one example (out of many fun things we did) is that playing, in general, is considered to speed up any healing process. This is why I would always promote to drop the 'heaviness' from any kind off challenging situation - as soon as one feels comfortable to do so (without faking or forcing it).
It is this 'new-paradigm' way of thinking that is taking over more and more around that world and amongst people, that I love so much - and love to share with others via my coaching-work :)

((((((((( ❤️ )))))))))

How classic homeopathy can support radiation

and/or chemo treatments

Many people do not yet know that the use of classic homeopathy can also support and heal greatly during and after radiation and/or chemo treatment.
The following link is a list of supporting research and studies about how it helps; click here. By classical homeopathy I do not mean just any 'herbal remedy' (which are also often called homeopathic, but are really phytotherapy:  Traditional phytotherapy is a synonym for herbalism). With classical homeopathy I mean the real 'energy-blue-print' remedies that you usually can't just buy in the store (or even healthfood store) or at least not in the higher potencies. These stronger remedy potencies should be prescribed to you by a well trained and officially registered homeopath.

In severe dis-ease cases like cancer it is not recommended to experiment by yourself with these remedies without professional supervision as what works for the one may not work for the other.

Some general side effects that can be treated and/or prevented rather well by using homeopatic treatment additional to radiation or chemo include:

(in radiation)

• extreme exhaustion and prostration, icy coldness
• nausea and vomiting, anorexia, loss of hair, weight loss
• hair falling, emaciation
• for skin reactions, burning after radiation therapy

(in chemo)

• extreme exhaustion and prostration, icy coldness
• nausea and vomiting, anorexia, loss of hair, weight loss

 •horrible nausea
• total anorexia, can’t eat anything for days after chemo
• mention or thought of food makes them gag
• vomiting and diarrhea, purging
• diarrhea with extreme weakness
• feeling very cold
• liver poisoning
• tendency to bruise and bleed after vomiting
• nausea and vomiting which is relieved by cold drinks, so the patient ask for cold drinks
after chemo

N.B. This is a simplified list so that you can get some clinical feedback on the effect of the
remedies. We have a larger range of remedies but these need the supervision of an experienced
and trained homeopath to give the maximum effectiveness.

More about this specific list and this information to share with your homeopath you will find HERE.

Ok this we have come to the end of this list of supplements and background information :)

I hope it may inspire you or if you have any knowledge that you would like to add to this story we love to read your responses below !!

Wishing you

so much health

so much balance

and

  so-much-love :)

~ ꒰ღ˘‿˘ற꒱ ~ 

Design4awareness