FlaxSeedOil2 Forum

The FlaxSeedOil2 Forum could really be called the "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Budwig Diet Protocol."  It is an amazing resource!  Last month David shared about his journey with pancreatic cancer  and one of the treatment decisions he has made is to follow the Budwig Diet protocol.  He mentioned the FlaxSeedOil2 forum on yahoo and here is how to access the wealth of information on this dedicated forum...

Click here at FlaxseedOil2 to check them out.  It is free to join the group, just click on the + Join Group and enter your information.  The members are amazingly generous with encouragement, information and support.

FlaxSeedOil2 is owned and moderated by Sandra Olson.  From their group description she shares:

   "The purpose of this group is to stop cancer and other health problems through the discussion of Dr. Johanna Budwig's Diet and Protocol and compatible treatments. Members give personal experiences and information for educational purposes. This should not be taken as medical advice. If medical advice is needed, it should be sought from those who are qualified. Everyone is responsible for their own choices.

FlaxSeedOil2 is one of the best sources of reliable information on the Budwig Protocol..."

I have joined the group and found much to inspire.  In particular, the moderator clearly lays out the 15 Key Points of Dr. Budwig's Plan... it is easy to understand and is so very do-able.

The 15 Key Points are based on Dr. Budwig's books:

The Oil-Protein Cookbook

and

Cancer-the Problem and the Solution

In addition, Sandra offers a wealth of information at her website:

Budwig - Videos, Healing Recipes for Healthy Living

I encourage you to spend time exploring these resources.  In the name of transparency, there is a small fee to watch the videos, but if this is a protocol that speaks to you, I would be the first to say it is well worth it for the abundance of information and recipes the site provides.

As we navigate the minefield of pancreatic cancer, we find Hope in journeying together... sharing the good, praying through the bad, and above all offering Grace for the struggling.

David has found success in combining the Budwig Diet Protocol with his cancer treatment and urges all fellow cancer warriors to "inform yourself as much as possible - don't let your treatment happen to you - be in control - that's very calming."

There is power in knowledge... may these links offer more avenues of research and help guide your own treatment plan.  And as always, talk with your medical team before adding/changing anything in your therapy protocol!

So humbled to be walking out this journey with you,

In Grace, Always,
Jane

Pancreatic Cancer Update

Last month, we met David ... fellow cancer warrior, fighting a good fight.  He shared his journey with us, candidly and with Hope.  One of the principal therapies that he uses is the Budwig Diet protocol and he details that with positive results.  He also shared a number of valuable links that have also offered encouragement in the fight.

It's so good to welcome him back to share his latest Update:

April 1, 2018:

Hi, Here's an update on my status.  No real change, feel fine.  I passed 6 months since diagnosis (median death is 6 months).  Next target is 15 months, next after that 2 years - one week at a time.  From my point of view at least I will be learning and improving my self until the end whenever that may be.

Since I last wrote I have explored a few things to help improve and maintain my overall health

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

EFT is similar to acupuncture but using tapping rather than needles.  It is supposed to be a way to communicate with the subconscious. It can be used to treat phobias, PTSD, depression, anxiety, pain and many other things. It has been used effectively in veteran’s hospitals in the US to reduce symptoms of PTSD. I have just used it to cure a lifelong fear of heights - useful since I could easily measure the results (by bending over a 13^th floor balcony at the hospital and looking straight down).  Surprisingly it worked - how I don’t know but I am trying to use it for more things. More controversially the claim is you can use it to improve energy flows in the body of Qi/Chi. The Chinese medical system TCM believes that blockages in the flow of Qi (electricity flows) are responsible for most illnesses. Does Qi exist – ask western doctor and they will be very sceptical – ask a Chinese doctor a lot less so and they often integrate TCM with western allopathic medicine. 

Qi Gong

Having been a long time runner and lately cyclist and one time rugby player, I have not been able to exercise since diagnosis except for gentle walks with my dogs and my fitness has declined. The feeling is the stress hormones released in hard exercise promote cancer growth. An alternative is Qi Gong (or Tai Chi similar) if you had asked me before I would and have rejected such options as being a bit weird and not very manly sort of embarrassing. I wouldn’t say any of those things now and will probably continue for the rest of my life. I have been learning some exercises. It’s based on slow repetitive slow movement stretching but it builds fitness, flexibility and strength without damaging joints – you don’t need a teacher just a decent book. So far doing about 25 min a day ( 6 exercises x8 – starting to get easier at first quite a lot of small pains which are always troubling but have gone now and I think were only due to stretching post-operative scars as well as underused muscles/tendons and ligaments.

Healing Art of Qi Gong   - Hong Liu / Paul Perry cost me a few dollars on Amazon is an interesting read written by a Chinese born doctor about his life which includes detailed descriptions of 8 general health promoting exercises. There are thousands.

Blood Tests

Blood Marker	Value - Normal Range 0 - 35	Date	Chemo
CA-19-9	818	Oct 7th	Yes
CA-19-9	584	Oct 22th	Yes
CA-19-9	1141	Nov 13th	Yes
CA-19-9	~5000	Nov 28th	Yes
CA-19-9	21043	Dec 12th	Yes
CA-19-9	~22000	Jan 5th	No
CA-19-9	12497	Feb 2th	No
CA-19-9	~30000	Mar17th	No

So I have started using Qi Gong mainly as method of increasing electrical flow in the body but at least I will be fitter, have better balance and much more flexibility as for the rest it can’t do any harm. EFT has been beneficial and I have clear evidence it can work at least to some extent and the time involved is minimal. 

On the medical front the last blood test was a bit disappointing - cancer marker was back up but the doctor wasn’t that worried and didn’t suggest restarting chemo and I still have no symptoms. I have adjusted what I am doing more strictly to the Budwig protocol and feel very well and we shall see in another test in 5 weeks.

Cheers,

David

Links:

EFT 

 Emotional Freedom Techniques – Paul Ardennes  - free for kindle

https://www.emofree.com/english/eft-tutorial-en/eft-tapping-tutorial-en.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/invisible-wounds/201202/ptsd-energy-therapies

Qi Gong

Healing Art of Qi Gong   - Hong Liu / Paul Perry

Simple Qigong Exercises for Health

https://ymaa.com/sites/default/files/book/sample/Simple-Qigong-Exercises-for-Health.pdf

My Journey with Pancreatic Cancer

It is my humble pleasure to welcome David to the blog's front porch today.

David is sharing his journey with pancreatic cancer and how he has chosen to treat his cancer.  His story is rich with Hope and is truly a must read for each of us.  Not only does he detail specific details of his treatment plan, but he also includes many links to the research that has guided the medical decisions he has made.

When mom was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer we would have given anything to have met David and been encouraged by his uplifting story.  In his generous way, he is giving you the gift of his experience and what he has learned along the way.  

If pancreatic cancer has touched your life, please join me and be inspired by David's story:

My journey with pancreatic cancer

Mine started with a lump in the umbilicus, which led to a CT scan and a diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer (PC). Out of nowhere I had no symptoms and no idea apart from the lump which I thought was a boil or infection.

The tumour was 4 x 3 cm in the tail of the pancreas – the tail is more rare and even more fatal as I remember but at least the operation is easier with less side effects as pancreas bile duct etc all continue working normally as most insulin is made at the head of pancreas.  They decided it was operable and it was removed along with the spleen. They removed the lump at the umbilicus and all the cancer they could see on the CT scan and took random tissue scrapes from around the internal area. The lab result showed the umbilicus was also cancer and two or four lymph nodes removed also tested positive plus many of the tissue scrapes were also positive - so stage IV cancer.

Medical Treatment So Far

After 8 weeks of recovery we decided to do some chemotherapy and after discussion with the doctor I agreed to try the FOLFIRINOX. This is the latest best option – most effective but most toxic chemotherapy regimen. The doctor admitted many people cannot tolerate the treatment. Because I am relatively young and healthy he put me on the maximum dose. It involves two days in hospital on intravenous drip every two weeks depending on how your immune system holds up.  Basically White Blood Cell count must stay above 3000 or you have to wait another week or lower the doses etc. I had it for 5 treatments over I guess 10 weeks and my immune system held up fine and I was mostly okay just very nauseous for the two days of treatment plus usually one or two more.

Side Effects

I lost weight mainly as it is difficult to eat whilst taking the drugs due to nausea and general ill feeling and for a day or so after. Felt some nerve endings deadened in the feet and hands but not much and it went away quickly after each treatment. I was taken off it as the cancer marker dropped on first treatment but spiralled upwards afterwards so the doctor concluded it wasn’t working and we did a second CT scan at about 5 months after the initial scan. The scan showed 3 cm tumour in the liver plus 3mm in the lung classic metastases in PC. The doctor recommended a second regimen of chemo therapy but was honest in agreeing it was not nearly as effective and largely palliative I declined and since then have had no further treatments and am now just doing monthly blood tests and am still luckily symptom free – the tumour in the liver is in ‘good’ place away from the main blood supply and not pressing on anything.

Now this might seem very bad and is classically fatal since chemo cannot remove a tumour just shrink or stop the growth both temporarily. However the surprise for the doctor was that I only had two tumours given the initial start point of spreading and subsequent rises in the cancer marker.

So What Else was I doing

In parallel to the conventional treatment I started to look around at other options and eventually came across the Budwig protocol. I was attracted by the theoretical basis for the protocol, the quality of the scientists who researched it, including Warburg a Nobel prize winner who put forward an alternative scientific explanation for cancer the basis for the protocol but not the solution. Budwig put forward the solution which could be done from home.

So after two treatments of FOLFIRINOX I started doing Budwig as well. In fact I did it even in the hospital since I had a private room with refrigerator. I have been on it ever since and as far as I am concerned it can’t interfere with conventional treatment as it is based only on normal food. Anyhow I reasoned it’s not a gamble to try alternatives if the outcome of conventional medicine is likely death.  It’s an easy protocol in principle but a big shock to most people’s diet  absolutely no processed foods, flour, eggs, meat, fish, sugar, coffee, black tea, dairy except for the cottage cheese required, cooking oil of any kind including olive oil to name some of the exclusions. Basically you can’t eat out at all and I haven’t except for drinking green/herbal  tea while my wife eats. The main issue of the protocol is it takes typically about 4 – 5months to start to turn around blood tests so you must stay alive that long - that’s partly why I agreed to the chemo to buy time. Due to the poor outcomes of conventional treatment and their toxicity I have always considered Budwig to be my primary treatment and worried mainly if Chemo would affect Budwig not the other way around.

The protocol and advice can be found in detail on the flaxseedoil2 forum on yahoo.

Leaves

Whilst I was looking into alternatives we started asking locals here what they did (I live on the edge of a tropical forest) and most don’t have the money for chemo or doctors.

Piper Betel

So we heard about Piper Betel leaf which locals widely chew for health and as cure for cancer. I met several people who claimed they cured their cancer with the leaves alone – I have no reason to doubt them - one is a nun the other my gardener (who showed me dormant lumps all over his body the nun did not). I searched the internet and found research papers out of India/China which support the view that it clearly has anti-cancer properties based on research on mice and is non-toxic. And a whole host of other health benefits.

Further research showed up other leaves also with research including Papaya Leaf long used by the aboriginals for cancer and  Phyllantus Niruri.

I take Piper Betel 8 leaves a day (vile tasting but hot and spicy). Most local here people grow the vine.

Papaya leaf two medium leaves juiced with red cabbage and a green apple (low sugar) to make it taste a bit better and take half in morning rest in the evening.

Phyllantus I take in capsule form 4 a day or 2 gm (2 x2)

Supplements

Vitamin B (the protocol is Vitamin B deficient), turmeric 2gm a day(4) and 4x grape seed extract.

Vitamin D but only through daily 20 min of sunbathing – vitamin is included in the Budwig protocol (sunbathing) as its anti-cancer and very supportive of liver and most cancer patients have low levels.

Conclusion

I have no idea if the leaves (or anything else) are helping but I know they are very supportive of the blood system and general health.

So that’s where I am continuing with my leaves and the Budwig protocol with dropping cancer markers. I have discussed this with my oncologist and he agrees something I am doing is helping and I have his backing to continue as I am since he doesn’t have anything better (or even as effective) to offer. Is it a temporary turn around I don’t know. All I can say is I have done the research and made my decisions and am okay with whatever happens - confident that I won’t die regretting I didn’t try this or that.  If it doesn’t work I may return to chemo but that’s an admission you are going to die but it may buy time. I am far from that at the moment.

Support

I have the tireless support of my wife (her family) and our 5 dogs they all play a big part in me enjoying my time and comforting me in the odd moments of doubt when medical tests have been poor. I live in a very beautiful place and am finally fully content in my life, which would be the saddest part of dying leaving them behind. I have also listened to many of the teachings of Adjan Brahm an Australian Buddhist monk who talks on variety of subjects every Friday with his own unique look at life including pain, illness, end of life issues, meaning of life, life after death, reincarnation, consciousness, meditation etc among huge array of topics about life in general  and how to deal with it -  which have been and are very comforting and calming and are available online at

https://bswa.org/teachings/?teaching_topic=560&teacher=564

What would I do different

If I could redo I would have started Budwig the day after diagnosis. I would still have had the operation since the operation is big factor in living longer but I may never have done chemo. I may have decided to wait and see for a couple of months and just done testing – I’ll never know. 

General

It is now coming up to 7 months since diagnosis and I have no symptoms. I have stayed in total control of my treatment listened to the doctor’s suggestions but done my own research, not just general comment but to the research papers that support a particular regimen, so I am very well informed to ask a lot of questions. Research alternatives and don’t be afraid to try since the conventional treatment will probably result in death what you risk at most is months against a possible different outcome.  I have been surprised about how uncertain the treatments are considering how long research has been going on, for ongoing treatment we have CT scans, how you feel and somewhat unreliable cancermarkers like CA-125, CA-19-9 and from these few clues interpret what is going on – and you can only do CT scans intermittently so it comes down to mainly how do feel -  its more of an art than a science. Since the site originated in the States I see CA-125 seems to be commonly used but the paper below suggests for Pancreatic Cancer CA-19-9 is better - read and ask I would. If I remember I will ask my oncologist about that when I see him in about a week.

Throughout I have been/am very certain I am not going to die. It’s not a conscious decision it comes from very deep – 6^th sense you might say. I have never asked the question “how much time do I have to live”, partly as it is somewhat unfair on the doctor, but also it’s also a very pessimistic way of looking at things – maybe leading to acceptance. Perhaps I will get to that stage but I am far from that now. All medical experience shows a positive outlook tends to create positive outcomes. I can see the statistics but I am only interested in what I can do to change the accepted outcome.

I am still slightly revising my regimen and probably will continue to do so as I learn more about Budwig and other alternative options.

I include some of the links I have saved - look at them and look for more to inform yourself as much as possible - don’t let your treatment happen to you - be in control - that’s very calming . Good luck!

Piper Betel Research

https://academic.oup.com/carcin/article/34/7/1558/2463075

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4301554/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4129089/

http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/content/7/5/477

http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/ex1401511.html#tosupp

Papaya Leaf

https://beatcancer.org/blog-posts/papaya-leaves-a-powerful-cure-for-cancer

https://papayaleaves.wordpress.com/

Essiac Tea (Ruth Essiac canadian)

http://www.healthfreedom.info/cancer%20essiac.htm

http://www.cloudstrust.org/order.html

Phyllantus Niruri

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20192590

https://www.rainbow.coop/library/antimetastatic-effects-of-phyllanthus-niruri/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2016/9729275/

http://www.rain-tree.com/chanca.htm

Tumeric

https://www.superfoodly.com/best-turmeric-curcumin-supplement/

http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2007/10/report_curcumin/Page-01

Reactive Oxygen Species

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880197/

Alkaline Food Charts

https://www.avocadoninja.co.uk/pages/list-of-alkaline-foods

http://www.phmiracleliving.com/t-food-chart.aspx

Tumour Markers

http://www.hvm.bioflux.com.ro/docs/2015.75-78.pdf

Vitamin D

I sunbathe 20 min a day - the best way to get Vitamin D

https://www.cancercenter.com/community/newsletter/july-2013/vitamin-d-and-cancer/

https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=150182

EFT

 Emotional Freedom Techniques – Paul Ardennes  - free for kindle

https://www.emofree.com/english/eft-tutorial-en/eft-tapping-tutorial-en.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/invisible-wounds/201202/ptsd-energy-therapies

Qi Gong

Healing Art of Qi Gong   - Hong Liu / Paul Perry

https://ymaa.com/sites/default/files/book/sample/Simple-Qigong-Exercises-for-Health.pdf

Thank you David for sharing your journey... You raise hope and offer an encouraging hand out to each of us traveling this path.  Knowledge does indeed give power, and your words inspire us to research and ask questions until we find that calm place of peace and control... Praying for continued health and blessing as you journey on!

And as always, we want to remind each one reading here to check with your cancer team, always, always... each pancreatic cancer case has unique challenges and it is so important to go over all treatment plans and therapies with your oncologist.  Nothing on this website should be construed as medical advice... we share these words to inspire, to encourage and to offer options for the fight.

None of us travels alone.  Together is so much better!

Graced to be walking this road with you, Always,
Jane

April 2018 Update

The Budwig Diet Protocol

The first on our list of Alternative Pancreatic Cancer treatments is the Budwig Diet Protocol.

We call it the Flaxseed Oil and Cottage Cheese Diet...

And I'm going to start this series off by saying that we don't have any personal testimonies to share with most of these treatments.  I so wish I did.  I would love to tell you that you MUST try this.  Your cancer will hate it!

But... all I have to go on is the testimony of people I have never met.  In my more cynical moments I have a tendency to doubt all the miracle promises.  Because, truly, if this was the miracle for curing pancreatic cancer wouldn't everyone be on the band wagon?  Like, why doesn't my doctor know about this?!!  Hello... I'm dying here... Is he holding out on me?! 

Well, you get the gist.  I get a little dramatic.

However, there is a part of me that does believe some of the explanations... most alternative treatments or therapies are natural... the Big Pharmaceutical companies can't make a dime on them.  (More cynical moments on my part.)  I'm thinking that if the Drug Companies can't make money on the alternative treatments then I'm assuming they won't be promoting them, hence the doctors won't be prescribing them...

So no miracle pancreatic cancer treatments...

But...

What if the cure for pancreatic cancer really did lie in a deficiency in our bodies? 

A scientist in Germany wondered the same thing.  Her name was Dr. Johanna Budwig and out of her research she developed a diet aimed at correcting the unhealthy balance in our bodies.

Her diet protocol has been in use for several decades and according to her followers it has been very successful in helping reverse many types of tumors, even pancreatic cancer tumors.

Dr. Budwig’s research centered on the important role of essential fatty acids in our body. They are called essential because they are critical to good health. We all need essential fatty acids, but our body doesn’t make them. We have to eat them or include them in our daily diet.

Did you get that?   We have to eat essential fatty acids in our daily diet because our body doesn't make them.

Essential fatty acids are found in vegetables, fish, seeds and nuts. There is one thing about these oils though. They will spoil quickly if left in the heat or sunlight for any length of time. So the food industry has developed ways to chemically alter the oils to give them a longer shelf life. These new chemically altered essential fatty acids are turned into harmful, processed oils that are now called hydrogentated or partially hydrogentated fats and oils.

Another news flash... The "new" processed oils or hydrogenated oils are not good for our body.


Dr. Budwig realized that because most people were now consuming the new processed oils (harmful), they were not eating the good essential fatty acids that the body needs.  She found that many people were becoming deficient in two particular essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6. Both of these fatty acids play a big role in protecting our bodies from cancer.

Our bodies use these essential fatty acids, mostly the omega-3, to line and protect the cell membranes. Each and every cell membrane in our body. When we don’t have enough essential fatty acids, the cells are “unprotected.”

Dr. Budwig proposed that there is very likely a connection to the deficiency of essential fatty acids and cancer. She believed that cancer was a result of not “too much” cell growth, but of “faulty” cell growth. When the cells tried to grow and divide, there wouldn’t be enough of the essential fatty acids to completely cover the new cell, so it would remain in the mother cell, but with a full set of new chromosomes. Not normal. Cells gone awry. Cancer potential.

The omega-6 essential fatty acid is primarily used in the production of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is essential for carrying oxygen to all the cells. Again, critically important to our good health.

Starting to see the significance of essential fatty acids yet? Our body doesn’t make them. We have to eat them. But many of us are deficient in these good essential fats.

Enter Dr. Budwig's Diet Protocol to increase the good essential fatty acids and remove the harmful hydrogenated oils...

Flaxseed Oil and Cottage Cheese Recipe

1 cup cottage cheese
4 tablespoons flaxseed oil (actually started out with 2 tablespoons and worked up)

Mix with blender until oil disappears.  Then add:

Now once the FO and CC are well mixed grind 2 Tbps of whole flaxseeds and add to the mixture. Please note that freshly ground flax seeds must be used within 20 minutes after being ground or they will become rancid. Th - See more at: http://www.budwigcenter.com/the-budwig-diet/#sthash.ZCEyio5u.dpuf

2 tablespoons whole flaxseed, freshly ground
frozen strawberries to taste
1 teaspoon honey, we actually added a little more to sweeten mixture up

Mix all together in blender and refrigerate in covered container. Eat small portions throughout the day.


Here’s why Dr. Budwig combined these two very different products into one diet. She found that the body absorbs the natural essential fatty acids best when combined with a sulfur-based protein. Flaxseed oil is an extremely rich source of both the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Cottage cheese is a perfect sulfur-based protein. Put the two together and there you have the basics for the Flaxseed Oil and Cottage Cheese Diet.

If you are considering trying this diet, there are just a few more things to know:

- only use unrefined, cold-pressed flaxseed oil that is sold in a dark, light-blocking bottle and kept refrigerated at all times. I found the Barleans brand at our local health food store.

- always mix the oil and cottage cheese together in a blender or mixer to ensure the essential fatty acids are binding with the sulfur-based proteins.

- when on the flaxseed oil and cottage cheese diet, Dr. Budwig did have some dietary restrictions. She recommended cutting out all animal fats, salad oils, margarines and even butter from your diet, as well as any unrefined sugar, although she allowed unsweetened grape juice and honey. I’ll be honest, we didn’t get quite that restrictive, but in order to be fair and give the diet a chance these are the suggestions she makes.

- start slow at the beginning. Increase the amount of oil gradually. As you know, pancreatic cancer can drastically affect the normal digestive process. Adding in a sudden, huge dose of oils, even good ones, can cause stomach upset. So start slow.

Mom was able to sample the Flaxseed Oil and Cottage Cheese Diet, but we found this information too late in her pancreatic cancer journey to really tell if it made any difference.  We shared her experience on our website here.

If you are interested in learning more about the Budwig Diet Protocol, check out The Budwig Center Website.  You can read some of their actual testimonials here.

And as always, please check with your healthcare team before beginning any new treatment, diet or protocol...

Join us as we continue to pursue Alternative Pancreatic Cancer Treatments as we walk through our series  Mapping the Journey.


Graced to Journey Together,
                                        Jane