Cancer ~ Nutrition ~ Facts & Myths

Nutritional Guidelines During Cancer Treatments -Facts and Myths

I wanted to post these notes from Dr. Steve Chaney who is active in cancer research at UNC . Please read his bio below.  There is much confusion on what patients should do during cancer treatments. Some of that misguided information  is given by the doctor themselves. Remember that most doctors get little nutritional education and in many cases discourage patients from taking any nutritional support when in fact it is helpful for many to make it successfully through cancer treatments.  If someone is going through cancer treatment it is very important to inform their doctor of any supplements they are taking.

Notes from a presentation by Steve Chaney PhD and Barbara Lagoni on Nutritional Support During Cancer Treatments

These are their opinions based on their research and experiences and are not mean to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Both have active Shaklee businesses for over 25 years.
Steve Chaney PhD Dr. Chaney holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Duke University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UCLA.
Currently he’s a professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina where he teaches first year medical students and has headed an active cancer research program for 30 years.
Dr. Chaney has published over 95 papers in peer reviewed scientific journals, plus 12 reviews and two chapters on nutrition for one of the leading biochemistry textbooks for medical students today. He’s also been named “Teacher of the Year” several times by the first year medical students and currently holds a Medical Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professorship.

Barb Lagoni Nutritionist with a degree from Cornell and speaks all over the US about Health and Nutrition.

Nutritional Support for Cancer

Common Myths Re: Cancer & Supplements

Myth #1 “ Vitamins feed cancer cells.”
Withholding  nutritional supplements is like destroying the village to save it.
The only way to selectively starve cancer cells is to withhold glucose (carbs) and keep the body alkaline
Normal healthy cells use carbohydrates, protein and fat for their energy. Cancer cells ONLY use glucose (carbohydrates) and require acidic conditions to metabolize the glucose.

GOOD CANCER STRATEGY

Keep blood sugar low
Keep blood alkaline ( Shaklee Alfalfa tablets and  vegetables). Avoid sugar, meat and dairy as they make blood acidic.
Myth #2:  Vitamins interfere with chemo drugs”
No good clinical studies have ever shown that supplements interfere with chemotherapy.
To be cautious, stop taking antioxidant supplements 2 days before chemo until 2 days after.  ( only antioxidants. Other supplements can continue)
Chemo drugs are designed to leave the body rapidly after they do their job
Some time between chemo treatments is required for normal cells to recover

Traditional Side Effects of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy non-selectively damages all rapidly growing cells in the body,                      Affecting…Hair, Lining of Digestive Tract, and Bone Marrow
Causing skin lesions, Sores in the mouth
Digestive side effects are nausea, vomiting, and dehydration
Chemo causes neurological damage– “chemo brain”
Some drugs adversely affect the blood, damaging platelets, neutrophils, and lymphocytes
All essential for the immune system

Products that address Digestive Issues

For nausea – Stomach Soothing Complex
For dehydration – Performance
Optiflora to restore essential probiotics
EZ Gest provides all the digestive enzymes needed to digest fats, proteins, carbohydrates, etc if needed.

Big concern … Bone marrow Damage

Bone marrow is the reservoir for undifferentiated stem cells for all blood cells–
Platelets (for clotting), neutrophils & lymphocytes (white cells)
Blood cells have a life span of a few weeks to a few months, so they need constant replenishing.
The conversion from stem cells to mature cells requires cell division and, therefore, is potentially damaged by various chemotherapy drugs
This is why blood counts often drop with chemotherapy drugs.
It is Critical to Provide Nutrients the Bone Marrow Needs to Replenish the White Blood Cells and the Platelets.
Protein – critical to keep calories & protein up
Vitalizer – Feed healthy marrow cells with Vita C, Vita E, Zinc, B Complex,                                                 Carotenoids, and Vita Lea   (All in Vitalizer)
Nutriferon – stimulates interferon production – which causes the bone marrow to make more immune cells.( This is critical)

What About Red Blood Cells

Red blood cells are less affected than white cells and platelets, but anemia can still be a problem.
B Complex –very important for red blood cell production
Iron Plus C — sometimes needed
But the most life-threatening event is the weakening of the immune system from loss of white blood cells
Patients can succumb to infections from fungus, bacteria, yeast, etc.
Or get internal bleeding or stroke from loss of platelets.
Immune system is critical to fight the cancer cells

Consuming Bad Fats can be a cause of cancer

Reduce BAD fats– increase good fats
Eicosenoids are hormone-like substances that control cell growth.
Bad eicosenoids are made from bad fats omega-6 fats, saturated & trans fats – these are found in fried foods, foods made with vegetable oils like safflower, corn oil, sunflower oil etc, such as chips, crispy snacks, baked goods, processed foods, some salad dressings, beef, pork and lamb fed corn to fatten them
Good eicosanoids are made from good fats omega-3 fats in fish –Vitalizer & Omega Guard
Omega Guard Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Extra omega 3 fatty acids –to reduce the eicosanoids that stimulate cancer growth.
Omega 3 fatty acids –produce “good” eicosanoids that inhibit cancer growth.
Omega 6 fatty acids –produce “bad” eicosanoids that stimulate cancer growth.
Saturated fats & trans-fats may also stimulate cancer cell growth

Restrict Sugar and carbohydrates

Cancer cells rely exclusively on glucose to grow.
Cancer cells grow best in an acid environment
Therefore Keep blood sugar very low. (no sugar, starchy snacks)
Eat protein and vegetables.
Alkalize the body with alfalfa and vegetables

Detox the blood and liver

Chemotherapy drugs are poisons
They are designed to attack their targets and then leave the body all within a few days.
Help detoxify the liver with Liver DTX

Purpose of chemotherapy

The effectiveness of chemotherapy is directly proportional to the number of treatments that can be given to eradicate the cancer cells.
If the patient becomes too weak, if the white blood cells drop too low, treatment must stop.
So the goal is to keep the patient as strong as possible during treatment so the full round of chemotherapy can be administered…
That is why it is essential to strengthen normal cells between chemo treatments.

What Normal Cells need to recover between chemotherapy treatments

Nutrients needed by normal cells – Vitalizer
Repair damage of normal cells – Vivix and Protein:
Cinch (aka. 180), Energizing Soy, Mealshakes, Physique…
It doesn’t matter which they use.. whichever they like … but it is essential to keep protein and calorie levels high.
Immune nutrients–
Nutriferon, Vitalizer, FlavoMax, Carotomax
(PreVitamin A, controls cell growth)

Additional Nutrients

Defend and Resist Echinacea ( 1 week on 1 off)
Nutriferon – causes production of interferon. Interferon stimulates production of more immune cells

Radiation

Usually given daily
Avoid antioxidants so as not to protect cancer cells from the radiation ( C, E, carotenoids, flavonoids, Vivix, and Vitalizer, Cinch and Meal Shakes as they have antioxidants in them)
BUT take the supplements that are NOT antioxidants … Nutriferon, B Complex, Energizing Soy Protein, Instant Soy Protein Mix, Optiflora , Zinc,

To Review – The “Take Home” Lessons

There are no clinical studies showing whether or not supplementation interferes with chemotherapy
Because of the uncertainty some caution is prudent while the chemo drugs are in the body.  So we stop antioxidant supplements 2 days before through 2 days after Chemo, as the drugs leave the body in about 24-48 hours.  Then we resume them to help the normal cells recover between rounds of chemo so that more chemo treatments can be given

Clinical studies do show supplements can improve quality of life on chemotherapy

To Review– during chemotherapy

Stop antioxidant supplements 2 days before through 2 days after chemo.
Antioxidants are Vita C, E, CarotoMax, FlavoMax, and Vitalizer, Cinch and Meal Shakes (as they have antioxidants in them) and Vivix.
Continue to take Nutriferon, Optiflora, B Complex, Energizing Soy Protein shakes, Instant Soy Protein Mix, and Zinc.
The only time B vitamins are not recommended is when taking methotrexate & related drugs.
Antioxidants should be avoided during radiation treatment

Thoughts from the Professor

Chemotherapy is “the best of times and the worst of times”

• At its best, it offers miraculous cures
• At its worst, it exerts a terrible toll on the normal cells in our body

A prudent approach to supporting our normal cells while minimizing the interference with chemotherapy offers the possibility of:

• Minimizing side effects & improving quality of life
• Maximizing the number of chemotherapy treatments that can be given