chemotherapy and white blood cell count

[supercarrot]

do any of you have experience with supplements or foods that would help keep a chemo patient's white blood cell count up, but not interfere with the effectiveness of the treatment? my mom's WBCs don't seem to be regenerating themselves very well. and this time of year, everyone is sick, so that's a terrible combo. thanks!

Comments

[owlsie]

I'm sorry, i don't know anything about white blood cell counts, but i've heard spirulina and chlorella have other positive effects on chemo patients.

[supercarrot]

thanks! :-)

i don't know if mom'll go for that though. she's mildly adventurous, but i think spirulina may be way off the charts for her. :-) i'll see if i can find a small jar. hehe.

[brokentealeaf]

I take chlorella in pill form, if that helps.

[catnip13]

The remedies listed in Susun Weed's "Breast Cancer? Breast Health!" which is actually a pretty good general reference for the use of herbs in supportive care with life threatening illness, suggest echinacea, St. John's wort,poke root, Siberian Ginseng, usnea, astragalus, reishii, honeysuckle and burdock are useful in supporting a healthy WBC count while undergoing chemo.

Susun Weed is on the board of the Weston A. Price foundation, and is pretty anti-vegan, but that book is the best and most readable reference on natural medicine in treating serious stuff I've ever found.

[supercarrot]

fascinating! thank you so much! i'll see if my library has it in their catalogue.

[miss_bonzai]

Look into Gerson Therapy! It's a diet/lifestyle based cancer treatment (really big on juicing) I have a friend who's mother recently cured her cancer by following Gerson's teachings, and I've known others who coupled it with chemo with great success. Chemo is so hard on your body so it only makes sense that nutrition and diet would become very important.

Good luck, and my good thoughts for your mother. =)

[supercarrot]

oh! we have a juicer (actually 2). i'll have to lug them up to my mom's for the time being. she admits she isn't eating many veggies, and says she's been eating soups, but i bet fresh juices would help her out so well! thanks for the tip!
(and also thanks for the well wishes. :-) i'll definitely mention the gerson stuff to her. i remember listening to a podcast that had her as a guest, and found it to be fascinating, but totally forgot about it before mom broke the news.)

[lavajin]

I don't have any knowledge on the subject to share, but I can share *hugs*!

[supercarrot]

that always helps! <3

[supercarrot]

thanks. :-)

they have her on a 3 week on, 2 week off cycle, so i wonder if miso would be good for the off weeks. hmm. i'll do some research. thanks again!

[megamuphen]

Nagasaki