Weight Loss

Sprouts

The Chinese discovered the potential of sprouted foods over 3000 years ago and now, with modern methods of food analysis, their wisdom is being recognised by the rest of the world. Sprouting is a natural process; the seed is transformed from a state of latent energy into a completely living form with the assistance of water and air. As the seed begins to sprout, those elements contained in it are used to provide energy. The nutrient quality and digestion of the seed, grains and legumes is improved.

Sprouted seeds are one of the best sources of’live enzymes’. Enzymes are the catalysts for all living development. There are very few foods in this world which are able to supply the amount of enzymes found in sprouts. They also supply an excellent source of certain  vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin G, vitamin K, vitamin U and amino acids.

Alfalfa is probably the most common sprout known to man. Alfalfa means ‘best food’. Alfalfa contains an abundance of alkaline minerals, as well as protein, vitamin Ñ, Â group vitamins and traces of vitamin Â12. It also contains at least eight known enzymes that enhance healthy digestion and provide new life to body cells.

Wholegrains and Legumes

Barley, oats, rye and wheat contain high amounts of lignan. Lignan blocks harmful oestrogens, and may prevent hormone-induced cancers such as breast and colon cancer.

Grains, such as brown rice, buckwheat and barley contain an immense array of health benefits. Phytic acid, found in all grains, binds to the mineral iron and prevents it from causing free-radical damage that leads to cancer. Grains are rich in the amino acid arginine, which is a potent cancer-fighting nutrient.

Barley helps prevent some forms of cancer (due to protease inhibitors, which suppress the action of various carcinogens in the intestinal tract). Brown rice may decrease the incidence of breast, colon and prostate cancer. Wheat bran, although quite harsh on the digestive tract in its raw form, is believed to decrease the incidence of colon cancer.

Legumes are rich in protease inhibitors which help to prevent cancer by counteracting toxins within the intestines.

Wine

Wine, especially red wine is believed to prevent carcinogens from causing dangerous chromosome mutations that lead to the onset of cancer. This is due to the high gallic acid content found in red wine. However, it should be drunk in extreme moderation as alcohol is also known to be carcinogenic itself.

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Fasting/Cleansing

Regular detoxification increases immune response, gives the immune system a chance to repair, heals damage and prolongs life. Fasting rapidly builds lost energy levels.

Herbal Medicines and Neutraceuticais

A number of herbs stimulate the immune system in a variety of ways. These include pau d’arco, echinacea, ginsengs, licorice root, burdock root, astragalus, osha, mistletoe, lomatium and many others. Their benefits include macrophage stimulation, increased phagocytosis, increased natural killer cell counts, increased interferon and increased lymphocyte production.

Neutraceuticais are a new range of healing medicines such as lactoferrin, glucans, alkyglycerols (human milk, shark liver oil), shark cartilage, bovine cartilage and transfer factors. These are natural products that are powerful immune system boosters derived from nature.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy can be used effectively in the treatment of immune depression and emotional rebalancing. It is a subtle, yet very powerful healing modality.

Hydrotherapy

Alternating hot and cold showers or applications of hot and cold compresses mobilize white blood cells to effectively combat localized infection. Hydrotherapy stimulates general resistance and vitality. There are many different forms of hydrotherapy that can be used.

Laughter

Try to cultivate a good sense of humour, have fun and laugh often. Laughter has an anti-stress effect on the body. It can lower serum cortisol and adrenaline, and ease the body’s stress response and preserve immune function. Smile and laugh more often.

Magnetic Induction Therapy

Using magnetic induction devices at the correct low frequencies benefits the health of the entire body. Magnetic Field Therapy has a positive effect on cancer, emotional illnesses and immune system deficiency.

Medicinal Mushrooms

Shitake, reishi, maitake, cordyceps and ganoderma to name a few mushrooms, have the ability to stimulate the production of interferon and white blood cells and provide many other positive immune system effects. These ancient medicinal mushrooms are extremely powerful immune system boosters.

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One question that may haunt us when we discover we have cancer is ‘Whom should I share this personal information with?’ Many people with cancer find the best choice is to share the diagnosis with close friends and family, to give them the opportunity to offer their support and understanding. Others find it easier to hide their fears and hopes rather than sharing them.

Life is an impermanent cycle of change, death and growth. With this knowledge in mind, we know that no-one lives forever. Since life is so short, we should make the most of every single moment and learn not to take the gift of living for granted. By telling loved ones, you give them the opportunity to support you and carry some of your emotional baggage for a change. I’m sure many loved ones, friends and family are in a stronger position than you are at this stage to help carry some of your burdens.

Eventually, if you plan to go through with orthodox treatment, it will be difficult to keep this news from those you love. Symptoms and side effects may begin to become apparent to those around you.

Cancer not only affects your life but it also affects those closest to you. You may feel like keeping it from those you love in the initial stages, however if you continue orthodox medical treatment you may need help from those you love, both physically and mentally to get through this difficult and exhausting time. Often, we like to keep things to ourselves to save others the stress or anxiety of worrying about us. Many people with cancer dislike pity, which unfortunately is how many people express love. We must remember everyone is different and we can’t expect people to react exactly the way we want them to.

You will know from your own personal experience, the souls you can trust to keep your secrets and who is really a true and honorable friend. Ask yourself ‘Why do I want this person to know?’, ‘Can I really trust them?’ and ‘How will this help me? It is important to think about yourself when you have cancer and not how other people feel. This is your time to re-evaluate your present situation, put energy into your own healing and to clear any blockages in your life.

Of course, many cancer patients find it easier to keep the details of their condition to themselves from most people, depending on the type of relationship they have with friends and loved ones. Just because someone is family, it doesn’t mean they are completely understanding or empathetic to your needs. Many people realize when they develop cancer just whom they can really trust. You will certainly discover who your true and trusted friends are with a condition such as cancer.

Friends to whom you confide your condition may pretend to understand and vow to be there for you during your treatment. In the long run, this may turn out to be untrue. Some people will contact you initially with best thoughts, admirable words and well wishes, and then over time the news and good thoughts may ease off.

I find many so called ‘friends’ may use your illness as a way of propping up their own lives. It is human nature to judge our own life by the lives of other people. Why do you think newspapers and news programs filled with tragedy are so popular? We hate and love human tragedy. Seeing someone else’s tragedy makes many souls feel better about their own lives, choices and existence. Friends who are not real will spread the news around that you are sick like wildfire, as a means of uplifting their own status and justifying their own method of living.

So think carefully about whom to share your illness with. Tell only loved ones and friends who love you unconditionally and will be there for you through ups and downs, highs and lows, tears and laughter and who have the ability to keep a secret, if you so desire. It is certainly a great time of self-discovery and you will no doubt uncover the answer to who your true and trusted friends really are.

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Diet

Eat a wholesome diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and fresh fruit and vegetable juices diluted with water.

• Make sure you eat adequate protein, including deep water fish, nuts and seeds, legumes, cottage cheese/flaxseed oil mix, soybeans, organic chicken breast/thigh and grain-fed red meat, (no more than 3 times/week.)

• Add a protein supplement to your juice or smoothie or alternatively, try making a protein/energy shake.

• Avoid energy robbing foods like sugar, alcohol, fats, caffeine, white flour products and highly processed foods.

• Try to eat one fresh salad daily with a variety of different coloured vegetables. For extra energy, make up a salad dressing from organic flaxseed oil and pure apple cider vinegar.

• Try not to skip any meals and eat a wholesome breakfast that includes a protein (source such as egg (no more than 3 to 4 a week), cottage cheese or fish. Porridge eaten in the morning provides a long-term source of energy.

• Energy boosting foods include bananas, grapes, cabbage, kelp, carrots, dates, figs, oatmeal, onions, peas, prunes, raisins, soybeans, cayenne pepper, spinach, borage and strawberries.

Vitamins and Nutrients

• It is recommended to ask your doctor for regular injections of vitamins, particularly  group vitamins such as  complex, vitamin B12 and vitamin C. This guarantees that your body is receiving adequate nutrients to produce energy. Alternatively, take a good  complex supplement rich in vitamin Bl, B3, B5, B6 and choline.

• Check for vitamin Â12, iron and folic acid deficiency.

• Check for any signs of Candida — if present, supplement with lactobacillus acidophilus and avoid yeast foods.

• It can be difficult to absorb nutrients as orthodox therapy tends to destroy the microvilli, digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid. To improve absorption in the gut, take digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid supplements with meals (if deficient). This increases absorption of nutrients, giving the body the correct nutrients to make energy.

• Bee pollen, a few granules daily for 3 days, often has a marked effect on energy levels.

• Free form amino acid complexes are great for improving energy levels.

• Spirulina, barley grass, wheatgrass or chlorella are great whole foods sources providing abundant energy-giving nutrients.

• Vitamin Ñ and the amino acid tyrosine will aid energy levels by boosting adrenal gland function.

• Acetyl L Carnitine, alpha keto gluterate, lipoic acid and coenzyme Q10 (180 – 360 mg per day) are key nutrients in energy production in the mitochondria of the cell.

• Vitamin B3 in its active form, NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is extremely useful in boosting energy production.

Herbs

• Ginseng root, licorice root (do not take if you have high blood pressure), gingko biloba, damiana, yerba mate, star anise, cayenne pepper, oatseed and gotu kola leaf.

• A tea brewed from burdock root, dandelion and red clover promotes healing by cleansing the blood and enhancing immune system function (2 to 4 cups/day).

Note

• One of the most common causes of fatigue during chemotherapy is diminished absorption of nutrients in the gastro-intestinal tract. If your digestive system is only absorbing fifty per cent of nutrients, the body switches to survival process and puts its energy in maintaining vital body system functions rather than producing optimal energy.

During cancer and cancer treatment, it is highly recommended to supplement with digestive enzymes (to increase absorption), apple cider vinegar (to maintain good hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach to absorb proteins that help to create energy) and try taking a supplement containing (aloe vera, fructo-oligosaccharides, glutamine, glucosamine, slippery elm and a soft, soluble fibre) to maintain the health of your microvilli in the bowel area. This guarantees optimal absorption of valuable vitamins and minerals from your diet allowing for improved energy production.

• Try to get regular exercise and go to bed early. Remember, the hours slept before midnight are twice as valuable as the hours slept after midnight.

• Detoxification of the liver is important. If the liver is congested with toxins and drugs, the body is unable to produce energy efficiently.

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Recreational and Prescribed Drugs

Recreational drugs and prescribed drugs, such as marijuana, LSD and valium, in large amounts may also contribute towards the growth of cancer cells. Long term use of marijuana is believed to suppress the body’s immune system. Marijuana use has been linked to cancer of the testes and cervix.

Tobacco Use

Tobacco use contributes to twenty to thirty per cent of cancer cases. A person who smokes two or more packets of cigarettes a day is 20 to 25 times more likely to develop cancer. Cigarette smoking represents the single most avoidable cancer-causing agent in the world. Tobacco smoking is carcinogenic because it contains many harmful chemicals, including polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Around ninety per cent of lung cancer cases are contributed to tobacco smoking. In the past 30 years, the rate of males smoking cigarettes was much higher than females. This was the primary reason why lung cancer was more prevalent in males. However, in recent years, the amount of women smoking has increased dramatically. This has caused a scary increase in the number of women being diagnosed with lung cancer. Smokers also have an increased risk of cancer of the mouth, stomach, anus, pancreas, penis, nasal passages, throat, oesophagus, kidney ovaries, cervix, testes and bladder.

Viruses

Viruses are rare but possible causes of cancer. Liver cancer may be linked to the incidence of hepatitis  and C. Cancer of the cervix may be due to a virus known as human papilloma virus. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and helicobacter may be other viruses that could increase one’s risk of developing cancer.

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Syphilis is transmitted through sexual or other intimate contact with an infected person, or from mother to unborn child. A person who has sex with another person who has active syphilis lesions has about a 30 percent chance of becoming infected. The chancres or sores of primary syphilis and the rashes and skin lesions of secondary syphilis are very infectious, so people with syphilis are most infectious during the primary and secondary stages of the infection, although the disease can be transmitted during certain later stages as well. The blood, semen, and vaginal secretions of an infected person may also be infectious.

Not only oral, anal, or genital sexual contact but even touching infected areas can result in transmission. People can transmit syphilis even if they are not symptomatic. Common routes through which the bacterium may enter the person being infected include breaks in the skin (which may be so tiny that they are invisible to the naked eye) or contact with mucous membranes.

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The cost of the medications can be a problem. Taking them for five days during an outbreak—the most commonly recommended course of treatment for recurrences—costs between $25 and $30, whereas taking acyclovir every day for suppression usually costs between $ 100 and $130 a month. Several drug companies have recently begun manufacturing acyclovir at a reduced cost. It is much less expensive and probably just as effective as the original medication (although it should be noted that the studies cited in this section were performed with the original acyclovir). Talk with your health care provider about this option if cost is a major deterrent to treatment.

If treatment is unsuccessful with the dosages and schedules listed earlier, then you may take certain steps to obtain relief from symptoms:

— Make sure that other medications you are taking do not interfere with the antiviral ones (probenecid, for example, can interfere with antiviral medications) and are not suppressing your immune system.

— Keep lesions as dry as possible; this will speed healing.

— Have yourself tested for other health problems that could be causing suppression of the immune system.

— If one of the antiviral medications doesn’t work, try a different one.

— Make sure that you are taking the appropriate dosage.

— Consider trying alternative therapies (described in the next section).

— Keep track of triggers in your environment that may be causing your outbreaks (such as stress, specific foods, or lack of sleep) and try to modify them.

—As a last resort, have the virus tested for acyclovir resistance (this is rare in otherwise healthy people).

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Podofilox is a treatment option for people who are traveling or are otherwise unable to get to a health care provider easily. Although (at approximately $65 a bottle) it is expensive, it may nevertheless be economical if a person does not have to visit a health care provider for treatment. It has a clearance rate of 45-88 percent and a recurrence rate of 33-60 percent. It should not be used during pregnancy.

TCA stings when applied and may cause more scarring than podophyllin. It can be used safely on warts on the mucosal surfaces of the body, such as the inner labia and the vagina, as well as on external warts on the genitals and around the anus. It is applied only to visible warts. After treatment with TCA, a follow-up visit is recommended in about a week, when the irritation from the first treatment has healed, to determine whether the wart has persisted. TCA has about an 80 percent success rate in clearing the visible wart after treatment and a recurrence rate of 36 percent. It is safe to use during pregnancy.

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Male condoms made of latex have been tested more extensively than plastic condoms, but so far the plastic ones appear to be just as good (studies are still under way to verify this). In the laboratory, condoms do not allow the passage of HIV, herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. They may not provide complete protection (although they do offer some protection) against herpes and other infections, such as genital warts. This is because a person could have infection with these viruses outside the area that a condom protects and thus still transmit these infections.

Practicing with condoms usually helps a man use them more effectively and feel less awkward about it. Studies show that most condom failures are a result of inexperience in using them, or using them incorrectly, not flaws in the condoms themselves.

Most men can find a brand of condom that works well for them. If not, then female condoms (discussed later in this chapter) may be an option for heterosexual couples. There is no difference in effectiveness between the different name brands of latex condoms. Some men find that they like the newer plastic condoms better than the latex ones, because they believe that sensation is improved with the plastic ones. Some have an allergy to latex, which prevents them from using latex condoms, and the plastic ones offer an alternative. The best suggestion is to try different types and see which one works best for you or your partner.

All condoms are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and each individual condom is tested to make sure it is not defective. You do not need to “test” the condom yourself before using it, and in fact this may cause the condom to break during use. Do not leave condoms exposed to the air or sunlight for lengthy periods of time, because they can become brittle and break more easily.

Condoms with spermicide (nonoxynol-9) on them are not any more effective in preventing pregnancy or STD transmission than condoms without it. Only a tiny amount of spermicide is used on a condom that comes prelubricated with spermicide. As will be described however, using nonoxynol-9 foam or cream in addition to the condom helps prevent unwanted pregnancy and may help prevent the spread of some STDs.

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Doctors are also working to make the PSA a more meaningful and specific test. Some new approaches to PSA include:

PSA Density. This technique begins with a theory, that most men in the age group for prostate cancer also have at least some BPH, which can elevate the PSA concentration and make diagnosis more difficult. One way to distinguish between BPH and cancer, some doctors believe, is PSA density—the blood PSA score divided by the volume of the prostate, as determined by transrectal ultrasound. Basically, if you have benign disease, your PSA should not be more than 15 percent of the weight of your prostate.

In a preliminary study of sixty-one men, scientists found a difference in PSA density in prostate cancer and BPH; the average PSA density value for forty-one men with clinically localized cancer (confined to the prostate) was 0.58; for the twenty men with BPH, it was 0.04. About 83 percent of the men with prostate cancer who had a normal PSA test had an elevated PSA density score; only two men with prostate cancer had a PSA density under 0.05. The highest PSA density reading for any of the men with BPH was 0.117; most men with BPH had a PSA density level under 0.10. This study also led investigators to develop a probability curve for PSA density that helps doctors gauge a man’s likelihood of having prostate cancer.

Results from this and other work suggest that PSA density may be most helpful for men with a PSA score that is higher than normal (between 4 and 10); and that if a man has a slightly elevated PSA score and a PSA density level greater than 0.15, he has a greater chance of having prostate cancer.

PSA density, concludes one study, may be “a useful tool for helping physicians decide which patients with a high normal or mildly elevated serum PSA level to subject to prostatic biopsy and which to (simply) follow.”

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