I've not seen B12 discussed, though it should be considered.

I've recently discovered the benefits of Dandelion greens. These are commercially available (Dandelion #4615 www.littlebearproduce.com) making their way from Edinburg, Texas to Montréal here in the north. Not organic. I chop a handful of greens with tomatoes, mix with hommus, lemon juice, some other veggies and greens. Quite envigorating. Or make a pita sandwich.

I am sure caring massages will also assist healing. And a calm environment free of chatter, buzz, bustling visitors.

It seems important that both patient and family understand the causes and healing approaches to illness, but it's rarely the case. Such people probably avoid sickness.

________________

I do believe the peace we have when we submit to God is a major agent in healing. Spiritual ailments can be the root cause of physical maladies.

asygo,

For cancers that involve immune suppression, indolamine 2,3-dioxigenase is often behind that, though other mechanisms such as interleukin-10 (an immune system suppressant that is often abbreviated as "IL-10" in the scientific literature) are often used by cancer cells for that purpose. You have to do some research to find out what mechanism might be behind it.

I have researched this particular enzyme in the scientific literature because it has had profound effects on my life. I have asthma and allergies and irritable bowel syndrome (often indirectly caused by the effects of the allergies). This enzyme is an immune suppressant, so is helpful to my condition, but at the same time, it is a double edged sword. It destroys tryptophan by metabolizing it into breakdown products. This makes tryptophan unavailable to the brain so that it cannot make serotonin. The result can be anything but desirable because you end up with a deficiency of serotonin and you can also end up with an excess of dopamine, depending on what happens. I have learned to use this to control the asthma to some degree, but, to put it bluntly, its very dangerous and I have to be very, very careful. Based on the scientific literature and the research results available there, I think it is theoretically possible to cure my asthma and allergies and irritable bowel syndrome, but to do that requires things that are not available to me or my doctor at present. I believe that will change in the relatively near future. In the meantime, I am doing research to find ways to accomplish that, if possible, through natural means. What I need is not yet available, but I know what to look for, or so I think.

Now, here is a list of things that I have found in the scientific literature which suppress indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase. This is copied from my research notes and includes comments I made to myself about each of these items. The "PMID" numbers are a reference number in the National Library of Medicine (web address: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/) and you can go to that library and type in the number and search for it and the specific article or its abstract (a summary) should come up for you to read. Observe that in my notes, copied in below, I abbreviated indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase as "IDO", which is commonly done in scientific literature.

1. Baicalein (note that in one study of animals, baicalein seemed to have no effect on blood sugar - PMID: 19358881) (PMID: 20847417).
2. Berberine (PMID: 20847417) Berberine also increases tissue factor, which increases the risk for heart attacks or stroke (PMID: 19014947). “Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonists suppress tissue factor overexpression in rat balloon injury model with Paclitaxel infusion. “ (PMID: 22140576 ) (see for side effects, some drastic: http://www.healthline.com/natstandardcontent/berberine). There are some ways to reduce tissue factor production, so berberine might still be useful. PPAR-gamma can reduce tissue factor.
3. EGCG from green tea (gallate is from gallic acid) inhibits IDO “by down-regulation of STAT1 activation and COX-2 expression in IFN-gamma-stimulated murine DCs [dendritic cells, which find things that should not be in the body and presents them to cells that then go look for the trouble makers].” (PMID: 17270146). Also, Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, an immunomodulatory protein, is suppressed by (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) via blocking of gamma-interferon-induced JAK-PKC-delta-STAT1 signaling in human oral cancer cells (PMID: 19928918). Note that EGCG is an alpha glucosidase inhibitor that apparently is rather strong, so inhibits glucose absorption in the intestine (PMID: 20443596).
4. “Interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 have been shown to control IDO expression by antagonizing the effects of IFN-gamma in different cell types.” (UK PMCID:PMC2486430)
5. p-Coumaric acid inhibits indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase expression in murine dendritic cells. (PMID: 17466914)
6. Rosmarinic acid (found in rosemary) inhibits indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase expression in murine dendritic cells (PMID: 17229401).
7. Palmatine (PMID: 20847417).
8. Jatrorrhizine (PMID: 20847417).
9. Vitamin D3 can block the constitutive activation of STAT1 in macrophages (PMID: 19701245), which is opposite its function in stimulating IL-10 production. IL-10 can stimulate IDO. But vitamin D3 also can stimulate IDO because it in and of itself can stimulate IL-10 production, so has the opposite effect here. Overall, the general evidence favors that vitamin D3 is a blocker of cancer and heart disease.


Some things that can stimulate indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase are also in my notes, which are:

1. Chromium picolinate. However, chromium itself can cause cancer, so must be very sparingly used (100 micrograms per day or less) or something else substituted where possible.

3. interferon gamma (PMID: 21079151), the main stimulator of IBS in which it correlates with IBS symptom severity and with kyneurenine:tryptophan ratio (PMID: 18823288). Sunlight produces interferon gamma in the skin.
4. Interleukin-10. Vitamin D3 produces interleukin-10, which in turn produces IDO.
5. Vitamin D3, activates IDO through interleukin-10
6. soluble cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 , which is abbreviated CTLA-4 (PMID: 21079151)
7. Sulfasalazine (a drug) blocks IDO (PMID: 20884048)
8. soluble CTLA4 (there is a drug to block this now)(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2746500/?tool=pubmed)

11. resiquimod (TLR7/8 ligands) (a drug)(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2746500/?tool=pubmed)


16. dexamethasone (an inducer of glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor ligand [GITR-L]). Dexamethasone is a drug.
17. prostaglandin E2 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2746500/?tool=pubmed)
18. HDAC inhibitors (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2746500/?tool=pubmed) Note that these can also be helpful to cancer because, though they may stimulate IDO, they may also cause cancer cell apoptosis by other mechanisms, such as green tea polyphenols. Alpha lipoic acid and vitamin E have structural similarities to HDAC inhibitors. HDAC stands for histone deacetylase and inhibitors of these suppress the action of certain genes.
19. IFN-beta (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2746500/?tool=pubmed). Unfortunately, it also increases IL-12p35 (which is good for cancer but not so good for asthma or rheumatoid arthritis), though it does increase IL-27 and IL-10 and decrease IL-23 (PMID: 19783688).

Some of the numbers above are skipped because they are things that you can do nothing about, not even through your doctor.

If one has cancer, do not assume that your cancer is producing indolanime 2,3-dioxygenase unless your doctor can confirm it is the kind that does this. He may have to do some research before he can answer a question about this because likely he never learned this in medical school. It is new information and he is probably not in immunology and is 5 or more years behind in his reading. He is too busy making a living to read everything that comes out in the scientific literature. It would take him all day every day just to keep up. so he has to be practical and make his living and read however much he can in very limited time. That makes him far behind in his reading and not up to date on things. You are wise to do your own research where you can.

Wendell, sorry to read about the physical ailments you are dealing with. I do appreciate your transparency and sharing what you have learned. I agree in your first post when you stated that it is very complicated and your caution message regarding using natural remedies was very appropriate.

It becomes very complicated especially when we try to control the intrigate & complex chemistry interactions between natural remedies, drugs, our ailed body chemistry releases, etc... When we start trying to control all of these, we are playing little gods.

I do understand that when we have an illness we need to make our own research and be aware of the medication the doctors prescribe and know how it intereacts with other stuff which is largely what you are sharing.

However, would you agree that having health should be simpler than that? And I even would say that it is a free gift from G-d.

To my understanding health isn't complicated if we target in dealing with the source of the problems(which largely is of spiritual and emotional nature that directly effects our lifestyle choices). Most people target in relieving symptoms and that's the foundamental problems with the mentality of using natural remedies.

If I recall Dr. Days testimony, after a year of lifestyle changes, her breast cancer grew larger to the size of a grapefruit. It is only after a spiritual renewal that it started to regress and completly disappeared over time.

Recently, I heard of a sister that changed her lifestyle(80% raw/exercise/water etc...) after being diagnose with cancer. Her cancer did regress but after 3 years(she remain on her lifestyle changes etc...) it came back and now she's very close to death. I believe that she never address her spiritual/emotional problems to begin with.

What people don't realize is that a spiritual condition like a fearful mind causes direct physical damages and is a serious and main immuno suppressor, DNA damager, amongs many other things. That's why, lifestyle changes alone is not a solution even though a person is tackling the "cause" of the problem. It is often not all the causes of the problem, nor the most influencial one.

Elle,

I agree that healing should be simpler than that, but sometimes it is not. Life is inherently complex because God did not make simple organisms when he created man. Thus, when something goes wrong, you can be sure that there is the possibility that it is a complicated situation. Perhaps we think it should be simpler, but it just may not be, much as we think it should be.

God has his own purposes for each of us. Sometimes he heals without even being asked. Sometimes he does not heal even when we ask him. You could consider the case of Hezekiah, I think it was, the king who was told he was to die, but prayed and the clock went backwards. He had extra years. As a result of that, his son Manasseh was born and he was probably one of the worst Kings Israel ever had. God knew that this would happen if he lived, yet he let him have more time. I am sure he was glad to have the extra time, but think what history for them might have been had he not had it. So, sometimes God does not heal for reasons we cannot see. There is a lesson in it for us.

In my case, I have prayed about it, but God has said no for now. Sometimes I have felt extremely frustrated by it all, but for some reason God thinks it best to leave it this way. That does not mean the answer will always be no, but for now that is the way it is.

As for dealing with spiritual healing and emotional healing, I think that often times people can benefit from it and healing may follow it. Or sometimes healing may precede it. Consider some of the healings Jesus did. Sometimes he just showed up and healed people and disappeared. They did not have to even know anything about him and he did this for them, no spiritual healing required. Why? In other cases, he required people to express faith in him before he healed them, thus showing some degree of spiritual healing. It all depends on what God wants.

In my case, I have a four year degree in biology and can manage many of these things, but many others cannot do so for they do not have the education which is needed. They must rely more upon either natural methods and God or else on the doctors, or both.

I put that information on this forum because it might be of help to someone with cancer, and may not, depending an the type of cancer they have. Their doctors will not likely have this information and will not have the time to find it, for sure.

Wendell, Sorry for coming back with my comments to stress a point that I personally view as important. I mean no offence.

I agree with you... as you say "It all depends on what God wants." That's why I mentioned in my first post that "healing" shouldn't be the pursuit, but to surrender to G-d's will should be what is most important.

Not that we have this ability to surrender either of our own. That too is a gift as much as healing is. However, when we surrender, then all goes in its proper place --- G-d can be G-d, and we become a receptive ignorant creature in His hands by which He can lead us to the proper food by giving us "cravings" for certain things, rebalancing hormones with the peace of mind, repair genes, etc... This can take place instantly, or over a long period of time, without asking, etc... as what you say. Healing is truly a gift and is very complex, that He gives to anyone He pleases in His own time for His own glory while fulfill His perfect plan.

So really, our part is really that simple, but G-d's job is complex. As soon as we start putting weight on which "natural remedies", which appropriate foods, what hormonal or protein interactions, etc... for an unique individual with a messed up background and living condition, then we step out of the simplicity of it all and advocate to take on the complex job of G-d.

I'm not advocating ignorance of the laws of health or not learning our situation, but we need to be aware of our tendencies to take "control" of our life and be little gods, instead of surrendering to G-d the mover of all things and letting Him lead us to His will and solutions for our problems. This is call being as sheeps following the sheperd's voice. This is how true salvation(also known as healing) is found.

Elle,

I took no offense at what you said, so don't worry about that. And I very much agree with you that we tend to become our own little gods. It is really amazing how much we tend to do that, and I include myself in saying this.

I realize that in my situation, God sees fit to delay healing for reasons he knows. I have felt impressed that I am to continue my research into the scientific literature, so I do so whenever I can. I believe that in my case, it is possible that God will bring healing through the knowledge gained by research scientists. Sometimes he does things that way. Or maybe it will be through divine means and the research is to serve another purpose later, though what that would be, I do not know. Meanwhile, I think that it is very important that I look to know God as well as possible. I am no saint, so make a lot of mistakes, but I do believe that God has a plan, one that for some reason includes the problems I have right now. Someday that will no longer be a problem.

Vegans should not be confused with health.

Vegans can drink alcohol.
Vegans can eat sugar.
Vegans can eat vinegar.
Vegans can eat refined flour.
Vegans can eat much of the junk food that most people eat.

But true ones don't wear leather shoes for whatever that's worth!

Being a vegan should not be confused with being healthy.

Very true. Yet most vegans choose to be vegan on account of their health, and tend to be more conservative than the average person in all other aspects of health as well. For example, a study on obesity is likely to find fewer obese vegans per capita than other groups.

Anyone can can drink, eat sweets and vinegar, consume refined foods, etc. The average carnivore likely does all of these far more than the average vegan.

This is precisely the reason for the cancer problem to be so baffling. Why are vegans dropping with cancer? They may have less heart disease, less incidence of diabetes, less illness in general--to the point where one would view them as healthy and with good immune systems--and yet, they die quickly when faced with cancer.

I should probably start a different thread on this. I just got more info a couple days ago on B12 that may be relevant to fighting cancer, which may be why vegans are at a disadvantage.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Did that help answer your question?


You could illustrate by describing how those vegans you know who have cancer eat. Do they eat healthy? Or do they eat they drink, eat sweets and vinegar, consume refined foods, etc? Are they overweight?