Snapshot of Nutritional Routine that seems to be working in my mom's recovery

For this blog, I really wanted to update it daily with the nutrition I have been providing my mother but the journey of cancer is so exhausting that I hardly have the energy to write at the end of the day. However for the sake of getting the information out and also to share a little bit of my experience of this cancer journey, here is a letter I wrote a friend of mine detailing the latest and highlighting the nutritional diet we have her on. Over time, I will continue to contribute more detailing each product. However if you are looking for some direction quickly, look at the highlighted items and research them to see if they will work for you.

Dear Erika,

As you know, when I arrived my mother was laid out in insufferable pain. She could not sleep through the night, she had nightmares, she couldn't get by with pain killers, she was vomiting, she was not eating etc. etc. At her worst, she weighted 81 lbs, lost her ability to walk and could not get out of bed due to the pain. Throughout the process both my father and I (though working separately) remained diligent in our commitment to nourishing her body with the maximum capacity of cancer fighting, tumor reducing, body regenerating nutrition. Additionally we massaged her and encouraged her relentlessly. As nothing else has been given her, I have to attribute her recovery to these factors. Currently she is self sufficient again. She can walk up and down stairs. She can get food for herself. She can wash her own hair. She is hand washing laundry and yesterday I found her in the kitchen scrubbing the walls and cleaning the oven. She stopped taking all pain killers and has been off of them for over three weeks now. Additionally she is sleeping through the night peacefully and is starting to gain weight again. This is a result of a combination of chinese herbs (red ginseng, red dates, longan, lychees), brazilian herbs (pau d'arco and graviola), flower tinctures (astragalus, milk thistle, echinacea), mushrooms (reishi, maitake and a complex of mushrooms called life boost), the indian spice turmeric, garlic, alpha lipoid acid, glutamine, b-17 apricot seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, brazil nuts, colostrum, a powder mix of 45 whole grains and green vegetables, noni juice from tahiti, fucoidan from Japan, electrolytes, orgain (the healthy version of boost and ensure) and a fresh juice concoction of cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, beets and blueberries (nature's top cancer fighting foods). In between all this are meals made by either my father or I rich in fruit, vegetables, seafood, omega, protein and whole grains. Her nutrition bootcamp starts at 7am and goes until midnight which is when I juice for her. I started noticing that if she consumes the juice before she goes to bed, it helps her get through the night. This is the culmination of all the work done since I got here, experimenting with this and that until we finally, FINALLY found a diet that seemed to be working and bringing in results. Lastly, love. Love, true love, is never to be underestimated. 

Much love,

Life Booster/Mushrooms - Immune Cell Recruiters

An Advertisement of Life Boost 

Three Times a Day, My mother takes the following combination mixed with 50 ml warm water:

• 3 Life Boost capsules
• 2 Maitake D-Fraction capsules
• 1 Reishi capsule
• Topped with the alcohol free extracts of either Astragalus, Kidney Tonic, Pau D'Arco or Graviola Cat's Claw

For more detailed information on the mushroom products we take and its healing effect on her body, please read on.

One of the supplements that my mother has been taking since she was first diagnosed over a year ago is the supplement LifeBoost made by a company called Green Pharm. Above is an advertisement of the product in a Chinese newspaper displaying the wide array of immune boosting mushrooms. Life Boost is formulated with 11 different kinds of mushrooms found to be effective against cancer. Here is a link to the site of the company that distribute Life Boost.

http://www.greenpharmaus.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=54

A little history of the healing factors of fungi:

The first anti-biotics came from fungi. Penicillin actually was derived from the extraction and synthesis of mushrooms. Mushrooms have long since been cultivated and developed by the Asian culture because they contain the proponents known to increase the body's resistance to disease. Due to the indigestible cell walls of mushrooms, they must be cooked in order for the nutrients to be released. Additionally, some mushrooms like Shiitake contain a chemical substance called Agaritin which is carcinogenic unless neutralized through cooking. 

Mushrooms are the superfoods of cancer and many other diseases because most of the medicinal versions contain complex sugar molecules (polysaccharides) that increase DNA and RNA of immune cells made in the bone marrow. More immune cells means more help to fight the invaders so mushrooms are like the phone call to the President of the body to send in more troops.

We focus on supplementing my mother's body with Reishi and Maitake Faction D mushroom capsules in addition to the Life Boost supplement. Then on top of that, I make it a point to use organic shiitake and maitake mushrooms in my cooking as often as possible. 

My mother has trouble swallowing pills so she breaks up the capsules into some warm water in order to consume them. She takes 3 Life Boost capsules, 2 Maitake D-Fraction capsules and 1 Reishi capsule 3 times a day. Each time, we add one of the following extracts into the mixture: Astragalus, a Kidney Tonic, Pau D' Arco or Graviola-Cat's Claw. I will go into these tonics in another post. For now, I just want to focus solely on the mushroom benefits. 

Shiitake                                                                                                                                                 

Source of Vitamins B1, B2, B12, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium and Vitamin D. It contains all 8 essential amino acids in more balanced proportions than eggs, milk, meat or soy.     

Cancer fighting property is a chemical called Lentinan. Lentinan has already been approved as a drug in Japan and is administered  to prolong the survival rates of patients with cancer and AIDS. It is also thought to prevent the chromosomal damage caused from anti-cancer drugs. It inhibits metastasis, prevents tumor growth, improves host resistance to bacteria, viral and parasitic infections, protects the liver, has a positive effect on the cardio vascular system and regulates the immune system. Additionally shiitake mushrooms lower blood cholesterol by as much as 45%!

Reishi                                                                                                                                                         

This mushroom has been cultivated by the Chinese for over 2000 years. In Japan, it is listed as a superior medicine with the nick name of "God's herbs", and in China, it was known as the "Elixir of Immortality" and is considered to be in the highest class of tonics. 

Cancer fighting properties include the enhancement of white blood cells (immune cells), platelets, hemoglobin and other various tumor fighting cells. It can reduce side effects of chemo, prolong survival, minimize metastasis and in some cases, prevent recurrence. It has a high Germanium content which is said to neutralize pain during the final stages of cancer. Additionally it is known for enhancing the quality of the skin and treating lupus, allergies, heart diseases, regulating blood pressure and reducing caffeine effects by relaxing the muscles.

Maitake                                                                                                                                                       

Compared to Reishi and Shiitake, Maitake does not have thousands of years of research behind it. However there is fast interest of science research backing its popularity because of its anticancer properties.

Cancer fighting properties include increased immune protection and activating the body's self healing powers by stopping normal cells from carcinogenesis, inhibiting tumor growth, preventing metastasis of tumor cells and reducing side effects during chemo. 

D-Fraction is a stronger form of Maitake. It is a result of a different extraction process. For maximum enhancement, take a D-Fraction capsule along with a D-Fraction extract. We do this with the Life Boost as the Life Boost has 11 mushroom components in its capsules.

Coriolus Versicolor (also known as PSK and "Turkey Tail")                                                                                

Currently our version of PSK comes in our Life Boost supplement but I am going to order an additional extract today after all the research I discovered on it. 

PSK is an approved anti-cancer drug in Japan and has over 20 years of research behind it. In the studies done on it, PSK has shown to yield extended survivor rate for patients with cancer. PSK stimulates the primary white blood cells that are responsible for dissolving tumors and inhibiting them. It has been used with chemo in successful results of producing remissions and extended survival time. 

In Conclusion                                                                                                                                         

The consumption of mushrooms whether or not you have cancer are nothing but beneficial to you if you choose to include them in your diet. Mushrooms are like little miracle bars that nature has scattered throughout the forest and eating mushrooms (with a little garlic - another power food) 1-2 times a day can prevent the risk of heart disease, diabetes, liver damage and cancer. If you have had cancer there are studies which prove that the consumption of mushrooms as a preventative course has been both effective and successful. 

As for my mom, one of the little triumphs we experienced in our cancer journey is that this concoction has calmed her stomach down when it starts acting up. At this point, my mother is no longer reliant on pain killers and this is from a woman who was on a 24 hr dilaudid drip for one week straight! For us, chemo is not an option even if we wanted to because her cancer is so advanced. The doctor told us that the contrast and the no food after midnight would be enough to send her down. Given this fact, it is a relief that we have found this concoction to be beneficial. On another note, when my mom was first diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer, she took this combination everyday until it went into remission, complete remission. Had she not done a complete relapse from nutrition and awareness, maybe it would still be in remission today...but then I wouldn't have a blog up sharing all this information which might be helpful to others in similar situations. 

Camu Camu - Vitamin C Powerhouse

My Camu Powder arrived today. Camu Camu is a low shrub found throughout the array of swampy river passageways in the Amazon rainforest of Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. I bought it because of its very high vitamin C contents, 30-60% more than the vitamin C of an orange. It also has beta-carotene, potassium and amino acids.

Additionally, it is known in those areas of the world to be the medicine of nature that treats eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma, depression, headaches and asthma. Japan is the buyer who put the large scale cultivation of this natural medicine on the market. The tree is known for being resilient in floods. It can remain intact with its roots 4-5 months submerged under water. Who wouldn’t want something fierce like that as part of their body’s molecular and cellular force?

Also, vitamin c therapy is known to be a recognized form of alternative cancer treatment. I figured since we couldn't get the intravenous injections of high dosages of vitamin c, this grassroots healing is the next best thing.

In the war that is cancer, Vitamin C is like the air force flying around capturing oxygen free radical cells. They also back up a force known as killer cells. Oxygen free radical cells are like out of control saucers crashing into buildings.

Note for my mom to take her Camu Camu everyday with her Noni Juice.

Cancer Fighting Miso Soup Recipe

One of the dishes that is easy to make quickly is miso soup. Here is the recipe to the one I make for my mom.

Miso Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

Organic Miso Paste (we use the brown rice miso)

Cabbage

Maitake Mushrooms

Shiitake Mushrooms

Garlic

Kombu (wild harvested)

Wakame flakes 

Soft tofu

Green onions

In a small pot of water, I add the cabbage, garlic, kombu and wakame and bring to a boil. The minute it starts boiling, I lower the heat and add the tofu and mushrooms and let cook for about a minute or two. I then turn off the heat before I add the miso paste because the enzymes are alive and boiling water will kill the nutrients. I mix and then top it off with some green onions. 

Juicing: The top super-foods you need most.

GREAT VIDEO ON ANTI CANCER VEGETABLES. GREAT WEBSITE TOO.

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/1-anticancer-vegetable/

Last night after I watched this video, I made my mom a juiced concoction of the following:

•     Cauliflower
•     Broccoli
•     Spinach
•     1 Golden Beet
•     Cabbage
•     Blueberries

She has been having difficulties sleeping at night. She has been experiencing the following ailments:

• ·      Extreme chills/shivers
• ·      Extreme dry throat and thirst (wakes up grasping for water)
• ·      Severe numbing sensations throughout her hands

After drinking this concoction a couple of hours before bedtime, she had one of her smoothest nights to date. She experienced light numbness in her hands in the earlier part of her sleep but other than that; she pretty much slept through the night which is rare for her.

Some tips on juicing:

•     More nutrients are absorbed when the stomach is empty.
•     Nutrients should be consumed immediately but if you have to refrigerate. Place in an airtight glass container and consume within 24 hours.