Emails from AA Survivors

As promised, here is John Hopkin's response to the information circulating (guilty as charged):
http://www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org/index.cfm/cID/1684/mpage/item.cfm/itemID/1016

On a brighter note, here are some questions I asked and answers I received from AA survivors who did it naturally, based more or less on the Gerson Therapy (http://www.gerson.org/):

1. If you were to be diagnosed TODAY with AA, knowing what you know....what would your diet look like TODAY? what foods, herbs and/or vitamins would you do? which ones would you avoid? I know we're all different, I just wonder what you would do...having already tried many things.

BRUCE: Grains, greens, beans, roots and fruit - Dr. Sherry Rogers, MD and Environmental Sensitivities expert, suggested 50% grains, 25% greens and 25% beans. Then compliment that with carrots and fresh fruit.  I juiced organic carrots for about 6 months and was on the grains, greens and beans diets for about the same amount of time.  Bruce also highly recommends seeing an allergist and specialist in Environmental Sensitivities to find out any allegies I might have.


MARLA: If I were to get diagnosed today what would my diet look like? Hmmm. That might take some time to document, but at first blush, I would not go completely vegan like I did in the beginning. I notice personally my body works better when I have some animal products. Doesn't mean you need a ton, just some every so often, like in one meal a day. I would probably go back to juicing about 4 to 8 cups a day, and do mostly greens than carrots. I think I over did the carrots and go a bit orange in color skin-wise. I would probably do daily potassium broths. Have you heard of Bieler's broth? I would go along those lines and may also combine that with a bone broth. I would not go completely raw like I did at one point, but do some raw and some cooked. I think there is benefit to both cooked and raw foods regarding live enzymes and also depending upon how well your digestive system works. I would go easy on anything sweet, but make sure to include salt when necessary since that is important for the adrenal glands. I would make sure to get seaweeds in each day for microminerals. And of course as much of my foods and juices would be organic or biodynamic. Avoid chemicals as much as possible. Get some sunshine and fresh air each day. Walk each day if you can, and balance up time to down time. That is, make sure to get enough rest to make up for the time you are up and around. The body needs some down time to regenerate and heal.


So those are my thoughts at first blush. Oh, if you find that you react negatively to anything, avoid them instead of trying to get yourself to acclimate to them. Find things that make you laugh since happiness boosts the immune system. If you're inclined, I would also recommend rebounding. I think that helps to get the cells flowing in areas that don't normally get movement. The herbs I would take would depend upon my current symptoms like if I feel tense or restless or sleepless, etc. I would avoid taking too many foods that might thin my blood too much like too much garlic and onions. It's okay to have some, but I tend to use a lot, so if my plts were to get low, I would cut back on them just to make sure I didn't cause easy bleeding. I would also be moderate with spices. Some spices help to stimulate the function of the liver, but too much makes it sluggish. So moderation with spicy stuffs.


2. Did you follow all the Gerson vitamin protocal? Potassium, Niacin, etc. etc. 

BRUCE:  I do an infrared sauna at least every other day and take the following vitamins
Before a 45-50 minute sauna: Recancostat, Niacin, Alpha Lipoic Acid, first Tyler Multiplex -1 Without Iron, , first 1000 Mg C, Glycine
After: copper, folic acid, B-Complex, Liquid Magnesium, Cal-Mag Citrate, E-Gems, Second Tyler Multiplex -1 Without Iron, Second 1000 Mg

MARLA: No, I did not follow the Gerson vitamin protocol. Being that I didn't follow their protocol, I don't feel qualified to judge how good it might be.


3. This is perhaps the most important question. You said that your platelets began to hold. How did you know they held? If you got a reading of say 4, would you just put the transfusion off a day and see if the next day read at 4?

BRUCE:  By holding, I guess it was that they stopped going down at every visit. It was a long time ago, but I seem to remember that they finally stabilized at about 8 and have not been below 10-15 in a really long time. For most people that is unacceptable but for me I seem to be able to deal with it.  I do try to get the fresh air and exercise as I mentioned, I try to avoid stress and I do not exert.

MARLA: My hemo and I had an arrangement wherein she provided me and my procedure center with standing orders. What that consisted of was a form letter/order sheet that gave the procedure center permission to transfuse me whenever my CBC showed my hgb below 8 and plts below 10K. I would go into her office 2x a week for a CBC at first to see my counts, then I would make my own transfusion appt with the procedure center. As I got a better feel for my hgb transfusion needs, I started to get CBCs weekly. So when I started to feel that my counts were holding in the 4K-8K range, I would hold off of transfusion as long as I could before the next CBC. For instance, if I went in and my hbg was 7.5, but I felt that I could manage, I would not schedule a transfusion and gauge day by day. If the next day I felt I needed the blood, I would make an appt for the next day. Being that I had my CBC in hand, I didn't need to see my doc to decide this.


4.  Which blood counts recovered first for you?

BRUCE:  Red Blood Cells first, then White Blood Cells and Platelets are still only at about 15-20 but it works for me.  Bruce has been transfusion free for 8 years.

MARLA:  WBC, RBC then Platelets


So I know my dietary needs seem to change daily.   I just spent most of the last week as nearly vegetarian (I know my acupuncturists are rolling their eyes at me right now)....and well,  I think that perhaps a little animal protein is in order.   The issue is this:  my liver is struggling to detoxify the body from whatever it was that I was exposed to.   Animal proteins tax the liver to digest.   Yet while I was drinking more bone broth two weeks ago, my red blood cells lasted 17 days.   As a more (not totally) vegetarian, they lasted 13 days.   So the experiment continues.   Please stand by.....

In the meantime I am consulting with a Nutritionist of thirty years who has training in both Eastern and Western methodologies.    If I could only open the files she sent me.....I've totally destroyed my Microsoft situation.  Ug.

Though I trust the Universe to provide the most ideal situation, I must admit I am a little concerned about the end of my great living situation on August 10.   Please let me know if you have any ideas, locations, or situations that you might think appropriate.    Blessings and hope.