Detoxing and Supplementation…..

Yesterday I had an appointment with my Naturopath to discuss the next steps I need to take regarding this whole health crisis (I’m being a little dramatic here, lol), and detoxing is right at the top of the list.  Chemo is full of toxic chemicals (duh!) and heavy metals and now I’M a little full of radiation and they’ve done their part and are no longer needed.   They are, however, still ‘hanging out’ with me and it’s time for them to go elsewhere.  Enter the ‘Heel’ Detox Kit which is a homeopathic prescription that will “stimulate the key organ systems involved in the detoxification and drainage process”.   I will do it for 2 weeks, take a one week break, and do another 2 weeks and while I’m scared (mainly that I won’t have the will-power to make it through haha!), I’ve never done a detox before and am very interested to see how I handle it (and how I will feel after all is said and done).
Here are the 3 key ingredients that come in 3 separate bottles that I will drop into a big bottle of water every day (I will start with the minimum amount, 5 drops, and eventually, when we see what’s happening to me, ramp it up to the maximum of 30 drops):

~Nux Vomica-Homaccord: stimulates the liver as well as the gastrointestinal excretion pathway.

~Berberis-Homaccord: activates the kidneys and gallbladder.

~Lyphosot: activates the lymphatic system.

Sounds like quite the cocktail, huh?

My ND has given me a list of the effects of detoxing and explained to me that people who have gone through cancer treatments and are eliminating them from their bodies, well, they can sometimes feel like they are actually going through chemo…..AGAIN.  Ugh!  Good times!  Oh well, gotta do what I gotta do, right?  And aside from the bout of neutropenia I experienced (and the crazy-ass Neupogen headaches), I made it through chemo pretty damn well considering I was basically poisoning myself, lol.

Detox Reactions can include the following:

~increased frequency of urination (fun!)
~’change’ in bowel activity (I laughed at the word ‘change’, how polite lol)
~bloating and flatulence (more fun!)
~mild skin symptoms (I’m assuming breakouts??? Argh, just when I was really happy with my skin!)
~fatigue
~lightheadedness
~headaches

The good news?  This is usually in indication that toxins are being eliminated.  If any symptoms become too extreme and unmanageable though, I can back off of the drops by a bit.

With detoxing, along come diet modifications.  Luckily, my diet is pretty good and the things I have to avoid (see list below), won’t be all that difficult to avoid with the exception of sugar and caffeine (for me, in the form of CHOCOLATE!).  My main issue will be when I work and am supplied lunch, and subsequently, dessert.  I will have to be on my game and really make an effort to bring my own lunch etc.  It’s a pain in the butt, but millions around the world do it every day, so why can’t I?  Michelle, my ND, told me that while I should avoid certain things, I also shouldn’t beat myself up over it if I do, in fact, falter a bit, but to really try to adhere to it as much as I can (with doing the drops, you don’t HAVE to have a special diet, but it does help and why detox if you’re just going to eat things that hinder it and make it less effective?).

Avoid:

~dairy
~wheat
~sugar
~alcohol
~artificial sweeteners
~colourings and preservatives
~limited amount of meat
~caffeine

I am also to follow a more alkaline diet and avoid foods that are acidic (different from actual foods that taste acidic…….meat is actually an acidic food), although it’s not written in stone and I don’t have to be militant about it.  Just a guideline to help out with the process.

As for my constant supply of supplements, well, that has gone up (as has my ND bill, hahaha!).  I don’t mind though (my bill has NEVER been low, lol, something Michelle always feels bad about), it’s helping and this is what I wanted, to finally take my health seriously and not just ‘think’ about it.  Eventually the amount of supplements that I take will decrease, but some, due to cancer, will play a more vital role in my life for years to come.  Along with my Omega 3 fish oil, vitamin D, melatonin, and green tea extract, the following have been added:

~DIM: this is a more natural way to balance hormones, enhance my immune system, and manage my estrogens and their elimination pathways.  It will work to get rid of the strong estrogens so that the weak, beneficial estrogens, can bind to the receptor cites.
This is the actual product link to the one I am taking:

Click to access 99598.pdf

~Inflammatrix: this is an anti-inflammitory enzyme therapy that also contains curcumin (found in turmeric, very anti-cancer).  Curcumin has antioxidant effects, can prevent cell damage, and can reduce the production of inflammatory ‘signals’ (it can also work to block the growth of abnormal cells, ie: cancerous ones).  It is also recommended to lower bad cholesterol and fight bacteria.  My DIM also contains curcumin, but not enough of it so Michelle wanted me on more.  *I had really tried adding organic turmeric to a lot of my food, but let’s be honest here, it makes it taste like a tree that a dog took a crap on, so that was soon ruled out.

~Modified Citrus Pectin: read link below, has been recommended to me by a few different people (no, not my Onc, lol), and works agains’t metastasis which is a huge bonus for me!  Something about cancer cells being sticky and sugar and MCP not allowing these cells to stick to bones, liver, lungs etc. (all the areas that are a risk for me).

http://www.aor.ca/html/products.php?id=147   (look under ‘research’ tab for more info)

~Whey Protein: D and I have been taking whey protein with our smoothies for a little while now and Michelle wants me on 1 to 2 scoops of it a day, especially during my detox to make sure I am getting enough quality protein and keeping my immune system up.  Even though whey is kind of considered dairy, most of the ‘dairy’ component is removed so it’s not like consuming a glass of milk (and it’s not as allergenic either).  The one that we’ve been using (AOR Advanced Whey) is pretty awesome and contains Alpha-Lactalbumin, Lactoferrin, and Sialic Acid which work to lower (bad) cholesterol, are anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and immune-enhancing.

http://www.aor.ca/html/products.php?id=14  (look under ‘research’ tab for more info)

I’m also taking a liquid calcium/magnesium supplement with added vitamin D since I’ll be off of dairy, and even though I eat lots of veggies rich in calcium, my estrogen is probably low right now due to the fact that I’m in ‘chemo-pause’,  therefore my risk of osteopenia leading to osteoporosis is greater in the long run and I’d rather avoid that.  See, my onc’s wanted to chemically put me into menopause and deplete my estrogen that way, but in doing so, it puts me at a high risk for ‘broken-hip-syndrome’ (I mad that up 😉 ), as early as my 50’s.  Like I NEED that!!!  Jesus!

So that is what is going on, and what is ABOUT to go on, in my body at this moment in my life.  Sounds like a lot (and I probably sound like a ‘Sucka’ haha!), but I’m okay with it.  I’d feel like more of a ‘sucka’ if I just randomly took drugs without helping my body to deal with them (and without any testing…..more on that later).  So regarding the Tamoxifen, nope, I haven’t started it yet (my onc would want to kill me).  Whatever.  What’s the point if I’m just going to detox it out of my body and add more stress to my liver during that time with drugs?  There’s no point, so I’m not doing it.  Once my detox is over with and hormone tests are done, then I will make my decision.  Could I possibly draw this out any longer????  Don’t think so!

Happy weekend everyone!!

XO

S