The Budwig Diet
The Gerson Therapy Diet
The Ketogenic Diet
It would seem that the predominant alternative pancreatic cancer treatments are diets.
But perhaps "diet" is too simplistic of a term to describe these protocols. Each therapy or "diet" is devoted to destroying the cancer's ability to grow, hence reversing the pancreatic cancer in its tracks.
Each therapy ascribes to a specific goal.
The Budwig Diet believes that a deficiency of Essential Fatty Acids is the root of the cancer and aims to rectify that deficiency thru a strict diet including the daily addition of Flaxseed Oil and Cottage Cheese.
The Gerson Diet rests on the premise that our bodies natural, immune-system is the perfect healing machine and the goal is to restore our bodies to their full healing potential thru a rigorous plant-based, juicing, coffee enema, and all natural supplement diet.
And today we have The Ketogenic Diet.
This "diet" in essence is built to starve out the cancer cells. The belief is that cancer cells thrive in a high sugar environment... So, the Ketogenic diet calls for the patient to remove all sugars and reduce carbohydrates to a minimum, then replace them with healthy fats and proteins. The patient's body then adapts from using the sugars (glucoses) to using ketone for energy. Cancer cells lack this ability, so when you remove their sugar "fuel" they actively starve themselves to death. A definite Win for the Pancreatic Cancer Patient!
But does it work? That would be the million dollar question...
This diet came to my attention several years ago. It was in the months following mom's passing. I so wish she had been alive to discuss the possibilities surrounding this diet.
In August of 2012 I shared about the Ketogenic Diet here on the blog...
"Could something as simple as a change in diet really make a difference in the pancreatic cancer fight?
I'm not sure, but there's a growing tide of interest in the Ketogenic Diet. As you can read in this link, the ketogenic diet is not for the faint of heart. Removing all sugar, carbohydrates and fruit from your diet is severe in the extreme.
But...
If it worked? Can you imagine? If a diet could slow or even stop the progression of the disease?
Mom suffered thru the harsh realities of radiation and chemotherapy. I think she could have handled the deprivation of sugar... that seems like a walk in the park compared to the brutal side-effects of the current traditional therapies.
And yet, I'm always cautious. Claims that seem to good to be true... And so, I invite you to visit with Martin. He's an amazing gentleman, husband and father. He also just happens to have pancreatic cancer. He is documenting his journey on a blog called Fighting Pancreatic Cancer. And fighting he is. With all that is at his disposal. One of his weapons is the Ketogenic Diet. If you are at all interested in this diet, I encourage you to read through some of his experiences here and here.
As you can see, Martin is using the diet in conjunction with many traditional medical treatments. This is the premise behind a new study at The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa. This clinical trial is currently recruiting participants. They are seeking to answer the question:
"Can a ketogenic diet exploit a fundamental flaw in cancer cell metabolism and increase the effectiveness of treatment for non-small cell lung and pancreatic cancer? They are working off the premise that relative to normal cells, cancer cells require more glucose to overcome a defect in their mitochondrial metabolism. The high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet deprives cancer cells of glucose and forces them to rely on their flawed mitochondrial metabolism. This causes oxidative stress in the cancer cells and appears to make them more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation. This clinical trial has been funded to investigate whether this diet can improve outcomes for patients with these cancers."
As always, I strongly encourage you to talk with your healthcare provider or oncologist before leaping into a new diet. But if you are even a tiny bit interested...
Seriously, have we got anything to lose?
Except possibly those loathsome cancer cells..."
In the ensuing 2 years since that post, I have continued to research and here is a Very Important Update...
Shortly after writing the above post, I was heartbroken to learn that Martin had lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.
He believed in the Ketogenic method and truly seemed to respond in the beginning, but to no avail. Hopes were crushed that maybe, perhaps, surely, he was on to something...
Since then, I have stumbled across other assessments of the Ketogenic Diet for the cancer fight. One of those concerned about its use is Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, who is a strong proponent of natural, holistic treatments for the cancer patient.
Here he is in a video discussing the Ketogenic Diet. If you are considering the Ketogenic Diet, please listen to this interview carefully...
Dr. Gonzalez obviously does not believe that the Ketogenic Diet is a viable option for the cancer patient and his concern is grounded... As he says, There is no data to support the success of the ketogenic diet to defeat cancer long-term.
Discouraged? Me too... the Ketogenic Diet sounds very plausible on a scientific level, but where are the long-term survivors? I have searched and searched and can find no credible pancreatic cancer survivors that have used this diet...
In this case, "Survivors Trump Science"
~ Chris Wark
So what's a pancreatic cancer so-journer to do? Get back up, dust the dirt from our knees and keep on moving... Forward, always Foward... Is the Ketogenic Diet a complete wash? Maybe, maybe not. I wait with you for a clear testimony to its long term effectiveness. Then, perhaps, the Ketogenic Diet can make a claim towards the healing of pancreatic cancer.
Until then, we're moving forward in the Journey...
In Grace, Always,
Jane
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