Showing posts with label Mushrooms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mushrooms. Show all posts

Friday, 19 June 2020

Lots of great info online: Trew, Wigwam, Sabbage and more

So many questions!
One of the good things about C-19 is the range of online courses, talks and groups seems to have grown enormously. In recent years there have been growing numbers of resources and in addition to those, it seems like every other week there is some big US conference with info related to people living with cancer. 

At the moment there are two days left of ‘The Mind, Body & The Vagus Nerve Connection Summit’ (i). I’ve only dipped into a couple of their talks - there seems to be a growing knowledge about the importance of the vagus nerve. It has also been called the “10th cranial nerve” and is the longest, largest, and most complex of the cranial nerves. Researchers are linking its activity to migraines, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, arthritis, and many other illnesses. It has been interesting to become more aware of this key nerve but can see we are only just beginning to understand it’s complexity (ii).
 
However I also want to note a 'health warning'; I have a tendency to throw myself into learning rather than actually making time for the being. Yes I love understanding more - and for some of us that is key - but am also aware, understanding is only a tiny part of the picture - and as we know only too well, alot of the views can be diametrically opposed. So take care when embarking on learning more! However having said that I think the stuff below is very useful!


Online Wigwam Cancer Support Group and Forums

Two weeks ago I started working a few hours a week for Yes to Life on their Wigwam Cancer Support project. I have already co-founded the Stroud Wigwam (iii) more than 18 months ago and been involved supporting the new developments around Wigwam, but am delighted to now be more involved in helping build the website, groups and Forum. We have been doing fortnightly free Forums on a range of topics including fear, exercise, functional medicine and mindfulness. The last one had over 70 people on Zoom; there is a chance to ask questions but you can also remain anonymous if you wish. We are planning more (with a break in August) but also welcome ideas for future Forums. 

Wednesday 24th June at 4pm - 'Mushroom Bioscience to promote quality of life’ - this is the next Forum and is with Hania (BSc, LicAc, BHSc, MBAcC), who has worked in the health and wellness sphere for over 10 years. She draws her experience of working in 5 star wellness resorts and in clinical practice as a traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturist, Naturopath and Life Alignment coach. Book here (iv)

Wednesday 1st July at 4pm - Online Wigwam Cancer Support Group - this is different from the Forum and is about a small online group of people living with cancer, coming together regularly to support each other, and explore and share information about lifestyle and cancer care choices. Seven people have expressed an interest or joined the first meeting and would love to welcome a few more to this next meeting. The group is initially being facilitated by myself and Clare who is a Yes to Life Trustee, Mindfulness tutor and experienced her own cancer journey. Once you are signed up we will send you details of how we will connect on Zoom. To join, please complete the Get Involved Form, ticking the 'Join an Online Group' box here (v). You can also hear more about the Support Groups in this new radio show with myself and Clare: https://www.ukhealthradio.com/player/?ep=21463

Access to Wigwam resources - The 'Get Involved' form (v) is a great way to connect if you are interested in other aspects of the charity, but it is also worth noting that you can join Wigwam. To do this go to the top of the Home page and 'Register'; this will give access to the 'Resouces' section which will contain recordings of all the previous Forums.


Introducing the ‘Trew Health Taster Series’

23rd- 25th June - 3 days of free health, healing & inspiration masterclasses

Well, like many I was disappointed to miss Trew Fields Festival this year - it is such an inspiring event. You can see my long or short film of last year here. Anyhow the wonderful news is that there is a chance to get a bit of a 'Trew-fix’ next week. Here’s the programme;

• Masterclass with Dr Nasha Winters- Treat the terrain not just the tumour  – 23rd June, 8.15pm
• Meditation with Naomi- Naylou Holistics – 24th June, 7pm 
• Breathwork workshop with Nicola Price – Inspirational Breathing- 24th June, (after the meditation with Naomi) 7pm 
• Chronobiology & Herbal Medicine, ‘How to’ talk with Dr Sam Watts: Mind-Body Medical, 25th June, 12.30pm 
• Why all mushrooms are magic, a talk with Martin Powell, 25th June, 7.30pm 



Just released; videos of last years Trew Festival speakers

Fi at Trew Fields last year
I have just been revisiting these four films of speakers from last year that have just been made public. They are so worth a revisit and give those who haven’t experienced Trew a flavour of the quality of talks they put on.

Fi Munro's talk at Trew Fields 'Live Like You’re Dying’ is very powerful with so much food for thought even on a second listen - see here (vi). Fi’s not so well at the moment but if you follow her on Facebook she still has this amazing ability to bring joy and live her mantra 'Live Like You’re Dying’ - a total inspiration and I also recommend her book - see here (vii). 

Rob Verkerk's talk 'Keto- fad, fake or breakthrough?’ Gives me food for thought as big questions around ketogenic diet and prostate cancer. I’m still getting my head around all that - one day a blog is coming! See his talk here (viii).

Leanne and Saima
Dr Nasha Winters 'Treating the Terrain, Not Just the Tumour' is wonderful and so comprehensive. I remember the speaker who came after her, Sophie Sabbage, made a lovely comment recognising how daunting it might be if you were to try all the aspects of the terrain - to me this is to be worked on over a long period of time - so don’t be too daunted listening into this here (ix)!

Leanne Pero and Saima Thompson talking about cultural challenges for ethnic minorities - see here (x). I did a quick blog here last year (xi) as this issue still doesn’t get enough attention - that is an understatement.


Transformation in the Time of Coronavirus 
 
A masterclass in shifting fear, loneliness and grief

I’ve been doing this excellent course online and it seems like you can still join it. Sophie Sabbage, author of my favourite ‘cancer book’, 'The Cancer Whisperer'  launched this 10 week course for $149 to look at how we can 'shift fear, loneliness and grief’ and 'lead us to experience the greatest connection we have ever know’. There are discounts available. 
 
Previously I have been on a one day course with Sophie and she is certainly one of the most experienced facilitators that I’ve come across. She is living up to that in this course looking at life shocks and how we can learn from them - well its more than that - and brings to life her second book ‘Lifeshocks And How to Love Them’. Unfortunately the regular webinars are the same night each week so with other commitments I’ve missed some but they have recordings of them available so you can still be a part of it all. I’m learning lots but I does require time in your week - this really is an investment in wellbeing not a quick fix. More info at: https://www.moretolife.academy/
 
What else?
 
Well some of the other cancer charities like Maggies and Penny Brohn have got some good online workshops and courses at the moment - I joined a nutrition one at Penny Brohn that was great. Lastly my next blog will look at a website that I've come across with some really useful info....

Notes

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Monday, 25 May 2020

Balancing oestrogen

Pumpkin seeds
This blog gets to explore what I’m planning to do around balancing oestrogen. We know that hormones can be a driving force in many cancers - not just prostate and breast. In previous blogs I’ve covered my protocol before, during and after radiotherapy. My most recent blog is a useful intro to this blog (see here).
 
Now that my hormone injection is wearing off it feels OK to try and balance my hormones - tackling oestrogen before might have impacted on the efficacy of the treatment? I was unable to establish how true that might be but it didn’t feel right adding more of anything into the body before the chemicals have made their way out….? I’d welcome others thoughts on this.

Hormone tests


Linseeds/Flaxseeds
Back in November 2017 I did have my oestrogen measured and it was normal. I then started six months of hormones following my transurethral hyperthermia treatment so by December 2018 it was way above normal (see here). I then restarted hormones last year ahead of my radiotherapy; the impact of them is starting to get less. I am considering a further test now but am now aware that there are there different types of tests. Urine is used in research but not so common in clinical practice. Previously I used blood serum but it is argued by Nasha Winters and Jess Higgins Kelley in their book ’The Metabolic Approach to Cancer’ that that is great for some hormones but limited for hormones like oestrogen. They suggest saliva is best for evaluating oestrogen.


Ideas for my plan of action

1. Environmental Oestrogens - I touched on this in my last blog (see here) - and I have attempted to remove these from my life for many years but got much stricter after my cancer diagnosis. Nasha and Jess’ book lists some of the common ones to remove like dioxins, bisphenol-A, phthalates, papabens and more.

2. Stop eating commercial meat and dairy - I have also stopped this since diagnosis but will share in another blog more details about this. 

3. Detox - all hormones are processed by the liver so protecting and supporting the liver during an oestrogen detoxification protocol is paramount.. The latest adjustment to my protocol, a month ago, was to include a 4 week Liver Detox. There are loads of these around and I sought advice for my own situation from a naturopath; the Renew Life was recommended but I understand that the make up of it in the UK has changed and the newer version would not have been so suitable for me. However I was fortunate to find one of the last old packets on sale. In the morning the key ingredients of the capsule are dandelion root, turmeric root, artichoke leaf extract and tinospora cordifolia stem powder. In the evening they have powders of L-Methionine, N-Acetyl-Cysteine, DL-Alpha-Lipoic Acid and L-Taurine. A number of these I’ve covered previously in blog posts.

The impact of detoxing varies widely and in previous detoxs I’ve managed well with few side effects. However this time I have had a fair few headaches and feeling grotty at times. It is often hard to distinguish what is causing what. Certainly there is also an impact in terms of stress from staying and working at home and the last effects of the hormone injection that I had prior to the radiotherapy. The hot flushes have been worse and waking me several times at night again; could this also be the detox as well as the stress?

I have not managed to keep up with my four saunas each week, at times only managing once a week, however the evidence is clear that they can help. I also have not tried fasting for a host of reasons including my low body weight. While I won’t explore fasting now (despite significant benefits), I will recommit to the saunas. 

Another option to help with the detox which I was taking before is Milk Thistle (i); there are over 120 published studies in PubMed on the effects of milk thistle on the liver. However I have stopped this, as to do this alongside the Renew, would be overkill!

4. Eat healthy - key are phytoestrogens - these are weak forms of oestrogen and work the same way as human oestrogens. Nasha and Jess claim they are largely misunderstood in Western medicine and that it is the chemical oestrogens that should be avoided. If we eat a balanced diet with naturally occurring phytoestrogens our hormones will be balanced. While Chris Woollams writes about the importance of a Rainbow diet (vi). He highlights among many other useful tips that; "Pulses, beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, green vegetables, carrots, red peppers, broccoli, cabbage and herbs all increase your phytoestrogens and protective carotenoids. In 1900 we derived 30 per cent of our protein from pulses; now it is less than 2 per cent. That is an example of how much our natural protection has declined".

Here are some of the suggestions I've come across from various sources:

- Soy - some doctors will say avoid but the evidence is much less clear and points in my mind to soy being totally possible in my plan: see my previous blog here. Update 8/07/20: See this article re soy and breast cancer: https://nutritionfacts.org/2020/07/09/what-does-drinking-soy-milk-do-to-hormone-levels/

- Cruciferous vegetables - including broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, radish and more. Studies show that DIM and indole-3-carbinol (I3C) are the active components. The highest concentrations are found in garden cress and mustard greens. I3C is released when these foods are chewed and converted to DIM by the action of the stomach acid. Interestingly fermented cruciferous veg doesn’t have the same amounts of I3C but they do have other benefits so I won’t exclude them but I can’t include them as being key in the hormone balancing plan! Indeed I eat lots of cruciferous veg, raw and sautéed daily but have also previously supplemented with the I3C (i) and am considering restarting supplementation to support the rebalancing. It is worth noting that curly kale is among the highest concentrations of lignans - more on lignans below - and also kale has the highest amount of kaempferol - another important factor for those of us living with cancer - again more on that below.

- Apples - they have calcium-D-glucarate in higher quantities than many other fruit and veg - this stuff apparently helps balance the microbiome and helps the body excrete oestrogen and environmental toxins. Smaller, green, wild crab apples are best - less sugar and more phytonutrients - but I struggle to get hold of any of those other than when the neighbours tree fruits. Indeed it is hard to get even green apples if you want organic.

- Ground flaxseeds (linseeds) - these have high concentrations of lignans and have been part of my protocol since soon after I was diagnosed. However I had not appreciated for a long time, that freshly ground flaxseeds easily oxidise, so should not be stored for longer than five hours or used in cooking. If you have to store then store in fridge. Amazingly in one study flaxseeds were shown to be just as effective as tamoxifen in reducing the reoccurrence of breast cancer and can slow the growth of breast cancer (ii). It seems ground flaxseeds lignans bind to oestrogen in the bowel and help eliminate it. They also can bind to male hormone receptors and promote the elimination of testosterone which Nasha and Jess suggest is helpful for prostate cancer prevention and management. Flax oil and whole flaxseeds do not have as much effect. See also previous blog about flaxseeds and their impact on Alpha-Linolenic Acid (iii). Suggested amounts of ground flaxseeds vary - but up to two to three tablespoons per day sounds liek what many are recommending.

- Sesame seeds - like flaxseeds they are a good source of lignan’s and have found to be just as beneficial as ground flaxseeds. They are thought to be one of our oldest foods and have been found to have many other benefits including immunoregulatory and anti carcinogenic activity. They are also prone to oxidation so keep in fridge and don’t cook at high temperatures. See more below about sesame seeds.

- Coumestans - Nasha and Jess note these ‘hormone-balancing stars’ are found in a variety of plants; highest in red clover sprouts, spinach and Brussell sprouts. Red clover is used to help with menopausal symptoms and has been shown to inhibit some cancers like ovarian but they warn that your doctor should monitor your body response. 
I have recently sprouted some red clover and also have in the past been a drinker of Sir Jason Winters tea! He does several varieties of tea that include red clover and some have suggested they could be useful for cancer. He makes no such claims. One of the tea recipe mixes has chaparral and one has sage. Well, sage is supposed to be great for those of us with hot flushes; they didn’t seem to help. I am also aware you need to take sage with care as it can interact with many drugs and is poisonous if taking too much. Having said that a friend found it very useful in a tea several times a day to help manage his flushes. Chaparral has much less research and no evidence re impact on cancer - it also needs care when taking, as among other things, it can impact with the liver and also should be taken with other herbs like uva ursi or borage. Red clover is also a key ingredient of the Essiac tea; a famous brew that I have also tried but that is for another blog. It is worth noting that it is often the synergistic effect of the herbs that makes them more potent and useful in tackling cancer.

- Flavonols - another ‘hormone-balancing star’ is found in cocoa (over 85%), onions, kale (yet again), cranberries and romaine lettuce. These dietary flavanols have been found to reduce breast and pancreatic cancer risk. It is the flavanols that include compounds like quercitin and kaempferol - these have been found to be useful - particularly kaempferol where it can be used to help reverse breast cancers resistance to some of the chemotherapy agents.

- Rosemary - a sacred plant with several anti-cancer and hormone balancing properties. It seems it can help remove oestrogen and also protect against the nasty HCAs that come from meat cooked at high temperatures - that’s why they say throw Rosemary on barbecue meat.

- Thyme - has anticancer effects and one study showed it induced significant cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells (iv). Nasha and Jess suggest a few sprigs in your warm lemon water in the mornings.

- Mushrooms - there is a lot of research around breast cancer and oestrogen so it was great to see this two minute film from Michael Gregor here (vi) when he looks at the top seven veg that has an impact on oestrogen - bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, celery, green onions, and spinach dropped aromatase activity by about 20%, but it was mushrooms that forced down the estrogen-producing enzyme more than 60% - even button mushrooms were shown to have an effect. Research since doesn’t have quite the same huge results but still strong indications that mushrooms are likely to have an impact on cancer.

Update 24 Note 2024: Latest research supports the idea that white mushrooms may help to prevent prostate cancer progression: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20241112/Study-uncovers-why-white-button-mushrooms-may-help-prevent-prostate-cancer-progression.aspx

- Nettle root - see blog post in next days on this and my visit to an intuitive herbalist - update 28/04/20: see blog re nettle root here.

 - B vitamins - update 28/04/20 - it was suggested this is one key item I missed off this list; B3 for example is key in oestrogen metabolism and detoxification while B6 binds to oestrogen helping to detox excess amounts of these hormones. B1 and B2 have been shown to get rid of oestrogen in rats. However there are also some studies showing that B vitamins may play a role in the creation of oestrogen in some situations so do check it out; on balance where I am at I will do a short course of B vitamins as they are also very helpful with stress.

- Boron - update 28/04/20 - another suggestion since completing this blog is boron - I have taken this on and off since being recommended in Germany while on my hormone treatment. Apart from other benefits previously covered Boron is also necessary for the metabolism of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen - researchers believe that boron influences estrogen receptors by allowing the body to more easily use the estrogen available.

Seed cycling

I’ve not tried this but it intrigues me...Seed cycling is basically a naturopathic remedy that aims to balance oestrogen and progesterone levels by eating flax and pumpkin seeds during the first half of the menstrual cycle and sunflower and sesame seeds during the second half. However Nasha and Jess suggest it could be useful for men too. So it would work like this:

Days 1-14 (after the new moon for men or following menstruation for women); 1 tablespoon each of ground flaxseeds and ground pumpkin each day - can add fish oil if suitable during this time.
Days 15-28; 1 tablespoon each of ground sunflower seeds and ground sesame seeds each day - can add primrose oil during this time. Sesame seeds are available with their hulls intact (unhulled) or with the shells removed (hulled). The unhulled are higher in calcium, which has been shown to reduce symptoms in the luteal phase but are high in oxalates which may not be appropriate for some people.

Sprinkle your ground seeds into oatmeal, on salads, in yogurt, or blend into smoothies. It is apparently useful to avoid the seeds you are not having ie in days 1-14 avoid sunflower and sesame seeds. However it seems there is no medical evidence (bar that on the flaxseeds) to support the impact of the seed cycling but I’ve now seen a number of claims about it being helpful (v).
Laser cut paper by Rogan Brown; imagining a microbiome

What else?

I’ve probably missed lots….clearly this is a tricky area and as always check out with your doctor and I say again this is only my thoughts based on what I have read. Do do your own research for what you need and check into your intuition (vii). Other key factors to consider include ensuring good sleep and ensuring your liver and microbiome are working well. The focus of this blog has been oestrogen; there are of course other important hormones like cortisol which needs at least one blog to itself! Melatonin is another key hormone  that also impacts on oestrogen - Chris Woollams of CancerActive writes of it:
"Importantly, it regulates our natural oestrogen and growth hormone levels, has 5 epigenetic ways of correcting cancer cells and will affect the receptor sites that oestradiol would like to jump on. Research suggests supplementation, and even top US cancer center Sloan Kettering feel it has a clear action against estrogen-driven cancers and helps relevant drugs become more effective” (vi).
I have also written about Melatonin here (viii) but at the moment it still does not feel right for me to supplement with it.


Update 4/7/22: 'first direct evidence that human prostate progenitor cells are estrogen targets and that estradiol in an androgen-supported milieu is a carcinogen for human prostate epithelium': https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3100619/
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Friday, 12 July 2019

What now after mineral and fatty acids tests?

Cartoon by Jo
In the last two blogs I’ve covered tests I've had looking at my mineral and the Ethythrocyte Essential Fatty Acids levels. Some positive developments but still some areas of concern and what looks like poor absorption of fats. I have some of the symptoms of poor fats absorption (i). So here is some of what I have been doing in terms of supplementation. Again I note that this is only a part of my approach to tackling cancer.

Nutrition
My diet is largely plant based vegan with no sugar or gluten and reduced high Glycemic Index carbs. In coming weeks I will add a small portion of organic grass-fed beef and wild oily fish once a week (salmon is one of the fish with lower mercury levels). I’ve also continued with apple cider vinegar and/or lemon juice before eating plus sauerkraut a few times each week and a probiotic supplement. I’ve still not managed to blog re my diet/nutrition but will do one eventually - it seems a challenging on eto write as there are constant adjustments! Anyhow...


Some of the changes to my protocol already noted

Zinc;
Zinc citrate two times a day plus one food state zinc; on an empty stomach and in evening where possible.

Magnesium; 
(a) I will try a Magnesium Oil spray although in the past it has made my skin tingle and sting and I am aware that those on low blood pressure need to avoid or take care. Apparently stinging can be a sign of deficiency.
(b) A 20 minute bath once a week with Magnesium Flakes (Magnesium Chloride) or Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulphate). While both contain a similar level of elemental magnesium, the flakes are wholly soluble, so will elevate cellular magnesium levels when exposed to the skin and are said to be absorbed more readily by the body. Some suggest the flakes can also be purer.
(c) Continue with a Magnesium supplement but change brand.

B6 Vitamin (P5P form); 
Pic from Russ
B-6 is used in activating nearly 120 enzymes and 19 of our body’s 20 amino acids. All this is critical for DNA repair, healthy immune, hormone, and cognitive functions, as well as prevention of many conditions including some cancers like prostate. Research has found that men with the best survival records were those who had localized-stage prostate cancer at the start of the study and also had the highest B-6 intake (ii). It would seem that high levels of the vitamin were most effective when the cancer was newly diagnosed and had not yet spread beyond the prostate. Men who had the highest intake averaged 2.2 to 2.9 mg of B- 6 daily; this is roughly twice the recommended intake.


Additional changes

B12; 
Back in February I had my B12 measured at the GP surgery and it was 163  (normal range is 180-1000 which some commentators consider is too low for 'normal' health). However my low reading wasn’t low enough to warrant injections at the surgery so I have used a supplement. The cause of my low B12 is likely to be my switch to a largely vegan diet or possibly connected to lack of absorption for some reason? A friend with prostate cancer recently raised the question of higher levels of B12 being linked to prostate cancer. However looking more closely at the research it seems that only if you take very large doses of folate or vitamin B12 that there might be a link (iii). This is certainly not the case for the amount of supplementation I am doing.

Update 19/0819: I read that it might be better to have oral supplements rather than injections - plus Vitamin B12 is best supplemented in the form of methylcobalamin as this is a superior, activated, body-ready form of vitamin B12. See Nutri Advanced article here.

Omega-3 supplements;

Last year, Cochrane, a well-respected organisation that compiles and evaluates medical research for the general public, released a meta-analysis – a study of studies – to determine whether or not omega-3 pills, one of the world’s most popular dietary supplements, reduced the risk of coronary heart disease. After comparing 79 trials involving 112,059 people, the researchers could find “little or no difference to risk of cardiovascular events, coronary heart deaths, coronary heart disease events, stroke or heart irregularities” (iv). Update 7/04/20: I've just read BMJ article about a study of over 400,000 people - the researchers found that those who took fish oil supplements regularly had a 16% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t supplement with fish oil: https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m456

Fish; It is said that eating one to two meals of fatty fish weekly is considered safe, despite concerns about the high mercury levels, PCBs, and other contaminants in fish. However in cases where omega-3 is not being absorbed well (like me) it maybe necessary to supplement. It is worth noting that some supplements are supplied from areas that have much less pollution and some companies filter and purify the oils. Basically the fish get their omega-3 fats from eating the algae and krill and there is by far the most research showing health effects from these fish oils than the other oils. They are also the cheapest!

Krill; research strongly suggests that krill oil made from a small shrimp, has similar effects to fish oil in the body and because krill are at the bottom end of the ocean’s food chain, they don’t have time to accumulate high levels of mercury or other contaminants. Although some krill are exposed to the same pollutants as fish. The oils don’t repeat like fish oils which is nice if that is a problem! However I have ruled out further use of Krill as the more I discovered the more it is clear that it is not sustainable. When krill was introduced it was supposed to tackle some of the threat of overfishing resulting from the demand for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is some of what we are after - it makes up about about half of the fatty acids in the brain and is associated with all sorts of great health benefits established. Sadly the decline of animal populations that rely on krill has raised serious concerns, prompting conservation organisations to raise an alarm (v). On top of this I have a further concern with Krill as the brand I was using contained choline (see below).

Algae; until recently algae only contained DHA but now you can find it with the crucial Eicosatetraenoic Acid (EPA) - both DHA and EPA are also in fish oil and can both be used instead of ALA to gain omega-3 fats. Some supplement companies add antioxidants to protect the fats from rancidity. There is much less research around algae and questions about how much DHA some contain. However after much consideration I am switching to these for now.

Update 6/08/19: I thought it was worth adding that some research warns that: 'Antigenic stimulation (e.g. pathologies associated with persistence of viral, bacterial, and, perhaps, tumor antigens) may require optimal, but not excessive, dietary intake of EPA and DHA.' Plus research showing 'increased prostate cancer risk among men with high blood concentrations of LCω-3PUFA. The consistency of these findings suggests that these fatty acids are involved in prostate tumorigenesis.'



Choline dangers?

Choline is crucial for liver, brain, muscles, nervous system and overall metabolism function plus brain and nervous system function, DNA synthesis, and carrying cholesterol from your liver. So we need it! Studies have shown higher choline intake to be linked to a decreased heart disease risk, as well as a 24 percent decreased breast cancer risk among 1,508 women studied. However there are concerns about choline and prostate cancer. Choline is so concentrated in cancer cells that if you track choline concentrate in the body you can track a cancer’s progression. 
In a large study eggs and poultry led to a significant increase in prostate cancer; the later could be the cooked meat carcinogens but the eggs point to another issue. Men who consumed more than two and a half eggs per week had an 81% increased risk of getting lethal prostate cancer compared to those having only one egg a fortnight. Researchers have concluded that the choline in eggs increases the risk of getting cancer, having it spread and killing you. The Harvard researchers argue that it leads to greater inflammation and promote the progression of cancer. I’ve not had choline levels measured but it feels like I should avoid additional choline where possible (vi).


Cannabidiol (CBD); 

Research is clearly needed and many say it is too early to make any claims about CBD for cancer treatment. However there have been many indications like a 2016 study that found that cannabinoids seem to inhibit the growth of many different types of tumor cell in both test tubes and animal models. The authors did also noted that some dosages or types of cannabinoid might suppress the immune system, allowing tumors to grow unchecked. Of course there are also side-effects like low blood pressure which folk like me have to watch. This topic really needs a blog or even a book! 

It is of course also important to note that CBD is not the same as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is an active cannabinoid in cannabis that causes a "high" when a person smokes or ingests it. Having read lots on this I can’t help but think that both CBD and cannabis could be helpful re cancer. However I head Jane McLelland’s warning: "I do not include THC in the cocktail in my book despite its MMP-2 blocking effects. THC supplementation led to worse results in trials on patients using a PD-1 or PD-L1 check point inhibitors, i.e. it has negative effects on the immune system.” However there is also evidence that cannabis can impact on cancer (vii).

Anyway at the moment I have been taking a high quality CBD oil for a few weeks. It is interesting that Omega-3 has been shown to improve the effectiveness of CBD so I wonder if my lack of absorption of Omega-3 maybe impeding my uptake of the CBD (viii)?


Enzymes

Digestive enzymes act as catalysts in speeding up life-preserving reactions in the body; breaking down larger molecules into more easily absorbed particles so that the body can actually use to them (ix). There are three main types:

• Amylase breaks down starches and carbohydrates into sugars.
• Protease breaks down proteins into amino acids.
• Lipase breaks down lipids, which are fats and oils, into glycerol and fatty acids.

This topic is huge and I am only just starting to understand some of the basics. Could one of these enzymes help with my lack of absorption? One suggestion was to try Choline Bitartrate but again I was cautious because of the choline. I am first  trying the Polyzyme to see if it will have an impact.

Biocare Polyzyme forte; Blocare write that this is a "high potency combination of vegetable-derived enzymes such as bromelain, 'fat digesting' lipase, protease, amylase, cellulose, lactase and maltase with Lactobacillus acidophilus live bacteria."

It is also worth a read here to see how pancreatic enzymes are being used to treat cancer, more from Dr Gonzalez about the history of cancer and enzyme therapy here and lastly more here about enzyme use.

Mico-men

In terms of my protocol I have also made a significant change. I've introduced some serious mushrooms for 5 weeks....and at the same time I have stopped a lot of the other supplements covered in my previous blog here. It seems healthy to take a break from supplements but also I have been intrigued by the research around mushrooms.

At Trew Fields this year (see last year here) there was an excellent workshop that also raised questions about the brands selling mushrooms and the quality of many products; for example Chaga, or the "King of Medicinal Mushrooms" as some like to call it, holds many wonderful benefits if wild-harvested from birch but soem are cultivated and do not contain the key cancer-fighting ingredients. Reishi is another one that is key to know how it has been grown; apparently some mushrooms it is less important.
Mice-Men has been described as: "Mico-Men (Prostat) helps to maintain an adequate quality of life of the nutritional status. It contains a variety of bioactive ingredients which come from mushrooms that are beneficial for health: β-glucans, α-glucans, triterpenes, oligosaccharides, proteins, antioxidants, essential amino acids, trace elements, vitamins, minerals, etc….Mico-Men (Prostat) is an unique Mycotherapy formulae. It contains the highest concentration of bioactive compounds (antioxidants, β-glucans, α-glucans, triterpenes, essential amino acids, etc.) and vitamins (E, A and D) which come from Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Royal Sun Agaricus (Agaricus blazei), Maitake (Grifola frondosa) and Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). Mico-Men (Prostat) also contains Myrciaria dubia.”

MicoMen packaging
There is a useful blog on the Yes To Life website (xi) about these mushrooms plus a code to get 30% off! You'll need that as these are certainly not cheap. I do also question their outrageous packaging; each dose comes in a plastic squeezy thing that doesn't release all it's contents so you have to sort of wash it out. Also a warning to some as it comes in agave which may make it a no-no for those being super-strict re sugars. At some point I'd love to write more about all this! Indeed every blog leads to more!


Notes

(i) https://www.healthline.com/health/malabsorption#symptoms
(iii) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/causes/ and
(v) https://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2012/algae-dha-healthy-as-fish-oil/
Dr Axe video talking about CBD  oil and cancer: https://vimeo.com/312596488 
Cannabis and Prostate Cancer list from a closed group Facebook post:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12746841?dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22594963
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15753356
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10570948
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19690545
(viii) https://highlandpharms.com/cbd-oil-effective-omega-3/

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