More on leukemia....

Hannah Kroegler writing on natural remedies notes that beets and celery root are good for dealing with leukemia. Maureen Salaman, another natural remedies advocate says: "I was recently at a healing clinic in China where they used beets to heal leukemic children. Hannah Kroegler also used this remedy in Germany. --Bestways, Nov. 1987.

Prevention, magazine notes that Vitamin C can suppress growth of leukemia cells in culture. --Prevention, August 1985.

Suzanne

Thank you very much Suzanne. That is great information.

I believe there is another missing ingredient that helps the body fight its own wars. I don't feel free to mention it because of a finacial interest. Maybe you could email me privately. The more we learn how our amazing body works the more we appreciate the Designer.

Yes, and as so of Nettles, Broccoli, Blueberries, etc.....
and a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables prepared in as simple a manner as possible.

What I find interesting in such articles are this:
My first question is, that if I've been drinking dandelion tea, and then get cancer and have to take chemotherapy, does that mean I have to stop drinking the tea? Does eating fresh fruits and vegetables interfere with "health", quote/unquote?

But then again, people who drink dandelion tea and similar things, probably don't get cancer.

Perhaps we should consider this: If chemo interferes with dandelion tea, maybe chemo is not so good. Hmmmm....

So before going through chemo, consult your naturopathist first. LOL

There are many natural compounds that are useful in cancer treatment, some of which have been altered to make them more potent and useful in treating cancer. The problem with natural things, however, is that while they may be "natural," they are in fact composed of chemicals also (contrary to popular opinion) and interact by the same laws that govern the artificially made compounds. Some of those interactions may in fact be harmful to you if you are undergoing cancer therapy.

The reason this is true is that there are a number of cancer drugs that work by damaging the DNA of rapidly dividing cells (note that not all of them do this). This damage to the DNA then starts a cascade effect in which certain alarm signals are then set off in the cancer cell, ultimately resulting in the cancer cell undergoing a process of programmed cell death called apoptosis (it is a kind of preplanned orderly shutdown process found and available for use in almost all cells).

Certain natural chemicals such as, for example, quercetin, which is found in a number of natural products, can interfere with the first step of damaging the DNA. It usually prevents such damage, which means the cancer cell will not die. Quercetin can prevent cancer because of some things it does, but if you somehow get cancer anyway (and it can happen even with a good diet), then the quercetin is incompatible with the drugs you may be taking that are designed to kill the cancer and save your life. It is incompatible because it prevents apoptosis from occurring. This is also true of radiation therapy, which causes the same effect. Quercetin can interfere with radiation therapy and fewer cancer cells will die if you are using products that have much of it in them wen exposed to radiation.

Of course, you can use this effect to good advantage too. If you are expecting to be exposed to radiation or are being exposed to it for some reason and it is exposure that you do not want, you can block much of the damaging effects of it by eating things containing much quercetin. There are other things that are more effective in preventing radiation damage, but most of them work on the basis of the same principle.

The obvious conclusion is that you should talk to your doctor first before trying to use natural things to treat cancer. Some of them can be helpful, but some can in fact reverse what you and your doctor want to accomplish.

AFTER the chemotherapy or radiation therapy is over, then some of these natural things might be of help to you, but that requires someone with sufficient knowledge of them to know what to use and what not to use. Of course, if you have a degree in science and want to do your own research to find this information, then have at it, but it will probably take you longer than you want - by far. There is a huge amount of research material out there to wade through.

Now in some cases, some natural products can actually enhance the effects of radiation or chemotherapy. But to do this you need to find a doctor who is really up to date on the research so that the right products can be selected which will enhance the desired effects rather than creating problems.

I do not know if use of dandelion will prevent cancer, but even if it does, that is not a guarantee. Be aware of that if you are going to use it.

A new area of research is to use the immune system to eliminate the cancer. There are a number of factors that must be accounted for in doing this and it is still at an early stage because not enough is known about the immune system to do this for most, but not all cancers. I have looked at some of the research on this and it is quite complicated. Certain enzymes, such as indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase, tend to suppress the immune system and these are turned on in some cancers. When the immune cells show up at the site of a cancer to attack the cancer cells, this enzyme shuts down those immune system cells in the local environment so that they do nothing to the cancer cells. Turning off that enzyme, where it is turned on, is important for killing cancer with the immune system. Its also a good idea to prevent it from being turned on as it can cause certain cancers to survive by preventing the immune system from attacking the cancer. But that isn't so easy to do if you don't know it is being produced.

So, it is complicated.

If a person decides to try the conventional route, use it with the natural remedies in the right way with expert advice from people who know what they are doing with them. But do be aware that because of the DNA damage that some treatments cause, there may be other cancers or damage that might result later. But sometimes this is the only thing that works. Not all cancer treatments cause DNA damage, but can still be affected by natural products that may interact with the treatments in other ways, so always check with the doctor and get the help of a person with expert knowledge of natural remedies.

About 1/3 of cancers overall disappear on their own for unknown reasons, but most likely because the immune system finally got the best of the cancer and destroyed it.

Very good points, Wendell. Care and prudence are definitely warranted with any course of treatment.

The info on indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase is fascinating and enlightening. It shows that "just strengthen your immune system" may not be a sufficient solution in every case, and that some "natural" agents may actually inhibit the immune system. Hemlock is also natural.

But while I consider myself an amateur scientist and am a big fan of the scientific method, I am also a big fan of revelation. I believe that obedience to God's lifestyle instructions will eliminate most of the diseases many today think are common. I lean heavily toward the "use scientific discoveries to help the God-designed immune system to work better" school of thought, as opposed to the other way around.

In just the last few months I have been made aware of the number of cases of vegans with cancer who seem to have insufficient reserves with which to fight it. Vegans may be healthy and strong until they get cancer. Then they are just blown away by it. I've learned of numerous cases of late where vegans have died of cancer in the age range of about 35-50. There must be some reason why this is the case, and I'm still looking into it.

Vitamin B12 may not be the only reason.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Hi Arnold, I hope we can help your friend.

I've been vegetarian for twenty-two years, since I heard the health message, before joining the church. No meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk. Many years were vegan, other years I ate low-fat yogurt.

Three years ago I opted for a low fat vegan diet after studying the causes of Heart Disease & Diabetes. (Thanks to Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., MD)

The best choice is to view God's ways as the best ways. Unfortunately we've been raised to view Kraft Foods & McDonald's as the norm.

Many vegan SDAs probably feel isolated because the Church is backslidden in diet reform. This is a great shame, especially for the ministers & officers, who could be lending their influence and encouragement to the message.
Nevertheless, the cause of illness should be determined. Submission to God's restorative power will bring peace. But so often the health reformers need sympathy, love and support. Many of us are ill prepared to give this because we are in open or hidden rebellion. But if we do not prepare, we will not not go through.
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