10 Home Remedies for Chemothery Side Effects

This is my second "go round" with cancer and chemoptherapy, this time I'm much more educated in helping myself deal with side effects and would like to pass my remedies on to others.

Chemotherapy affects the stomach in a very devastating manner from the top to the bottom and though the prescribed Katrill was a life saver, it doesn't do it "all". Here are a few home remedies your oncologist will not tell you about...he's busy with the chemical aspect of treating the disease and not much into home remedies....I am!

1. Ginger

Ginger has long been known as an anti-nausea agent....I used fresh ginger, sliced it up thinly and put it in the freezer. I would put a few slices from the freezer into a cup of hot water and sip it as tea. I was surprised to read that they have a clinical trial going on using ginger in capsule form to treat nausea in chemo patients...worked for me!

2. Aloe

Aloe is another soothing agent to the stomach and intestinal tract and aloe water is tasteless and can be found in any supermarket in the produce department. It's inexpensive and helpful...I personally know a man that cured himself of bleeding ulcers with aloe juice, his doctor was amazed.

3. White food

Now for eating....I read many years ago that eating "white food" was a good idea as most white food doesn't have a strong smell or strong taste....I can't say that it worked for me but it could work for you. I'm a believer in organic food and foods made from scratch....we have enough chemicals racing around our body, we don't need more. You might want to check out the "Budwig Diet" on the internet.

4. Baldness

Your oncologist will tell you if you will lose your hair....for me it was somewhat of a blessing, not having to shave my legs, no blow drying etc. Cut your hair very short and once it starts falling out, shave it! The American Cancer Society will give you wigs free of cost....I prefer my baldness as I live in Florida and I also have a nicely shaped head. My eyebrow are very sparse and rather than pencil them in, I use eye shadow that I apply with a brush....it's more natural looking.

5. Attitude

Should you experience depression...fight it, talk to yourself, convince yourself that depression will not help you and imagine yourself healthy again....and smile as you talk to yourself...I don't know why, but it works.

6. Acupuncture

I went to an acupuncturist during my first experience with cancer....it helped so much with the horrendous headaches and the nausea. I don't know why I didn't do it through this battle.

7. Water

Drinking water is of the utmost importance and I'm sure your doctor will tell you that, but he doesn't tell you to drink mineralized water which will put your body in an alkaline state

8. Exercise

DO NOT let yourself become a couch potato....even if you must force yourself to walk around the block, it will be helpful. Somedays you must force yourself to put one foot in front of the other....but do it. Exercise helps your body, but it also helps your mind. You will feel good about yourself and proud.

9. Grooming

Keeping yourself well-groomed can be an effort on some days, but it's a must! I found on the days I HAD to go out and groom myself with make-up etc....something magical happened and I'd feel better....the effort was great but well worth it......I try and do that everyday now. I mean beyond taking a shower and brushing my teeth.

10. Power of Prayer

I think one of the most important remedies is prayer....it has such power and has gotten me through some really rough times. I don't know how it works, IT WORKS.

Oops! Forgot something.....dealing with constipation. I hate the thickness of prune juice and read on the internet to combat that... put dried prunes in a cup, pour boiling water over them... drink the liquid while warm and then eat the prunes. One woman told me her nurse told her to add a bit of butter to it... I chose to pass on that one but the woman found it quite effective. Flaxseed is also quite effective and you can add them to your cereal or mix them in a salad or just eat a teaspoonful... of course, taking laxatives work but they are not a good idea unless it's an emergency as your body will come dependent of them.

Good luck to all you "warriors" and I hope that I've helped you in your battle... it's a tough battle but it can be won... keep positive... it's the attitude that will get you through this... fight on and beat it!

By Donna Parra  

Brain Cancer - Symptoms of Brain Cancer

Brain cancer is a disease of the brain where cancer cells (malignant) grow in the brain tissue. Cancer cells grow to form a mass of cancer tissue (tumor) that interferes with brain tissue functions such as muscle control, sensation, memory, and other normal body functions. Tumors composed of cancer cells are called malignant tumors, and those composed of noncancerous cells are called benign tumors. Cancer cells that develop from brain tissue are called primary brain tumors. Statistics suggest that brain cancer is not rare and is likely to develop in about 20,000 people per year.
There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain cancer starts somewhere else in the body and moves to the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly.
Primary brain cancer rarely spreads beyond the central nervous system, and death results from uncontrolled tumor growth within the limited space of the skull. Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced disease and has a poor prognosis.
Metastatic brain tumors are made of cancerous cells from a tumor elsewhere in the body. The cells spread to the brain from another tumor in a process called metastasis. About 25% of tumors elsewhere in the body metastasize to the brain.
Symptoms of Brain Cancer
Brain tumors can damage vital neurological pathways and invade and compress brain tissue. Symptoms usually develop over time and their characteristics depend on the location and size of the tumor.
Cancers are typically painless at first. As they grow, the first symptom is often a mild discomfort, which may steadily worsen into increasingly severe pain as the cancer enlarges. The pain may result from the cancer compressing or eroding into nerves or other structures.
The symptoms are caused by the tumor pressing on or encroaching on other parts of your brain and keeping them from functioning normally.
A sign is also an indication that something is not right in the body. But signs are defined as things that can be seen by a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional. Fever, rapid breathing rate, and abnormal breathing sounds heard through a stethoscope may be signs of pneumonia.
As the skull is made of bone, there is a fixed amount of space for the brain to take up. The growing tumor increases the pressure inside this fixed space. This is called 'raised intracranial pressure'.
Motion sickness is a very common disturbance of the inner ear that is caused by repeated motion such as from the swell of the sea, the movement of a car, the motion of a plane in turbulent air, etc. In the inner ear (which is also called the labyrinth), motion sickness affects the sense of balance and equilibrium and, hence, the sense of spatial orientation.
Brain tumors can often present different symptoms depending on the location of the tumor. There are general brain tumor symptoms that need to be checked out by a doctor if they are experienced.
Fits are one of the commonest symptoms of brain tumors. About 1 in 4 people with a brain tumor first go to their doctor because they have had a fit. A fit can just be jerking or twitching of a hand, arm or leg.
At the late stages of the disorder, dramatic changes in blood pressure may occur. Seizures are a common symptom of benign brain tumors and slow-growing cancers. Tumors can cause a part of the body to weaken or feel paralyzed. Hearing, sight and the sense of smell can be affected.

By Corwin Brown

How Is Leukemia Treated?

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. There are two types of leukemia, chronic and acute, which are treated differently and have different symptoms. Acute leukemia rapidly progresses and needs immediate, aggressive treatment. Chronic leukemia can take months or years to show symptoms and may not need immediate treatment but will require ongoing monitoring.
Chemotherapy utilizes chemicals to treat the cancer. It causes many side effects such as hair loss, nausea and decline of the immune system. The complete course of therapy can be from two to five years including maintenance. This is the most common form of treatment for leukemia with the desired result being total remission. Even without symptoms, ongoing monitoring must occur to guard against relapse.
Radiation therapy is another form of treatment. It is painless and in low doses causes very few side effects. Where the radiation is concentrated and the exposure levels will determine the side effects, if any, and the severity of them. Damage to the skin, swelling and infertility are among the possible side effects.
A bone marrow transplant is an effective way to prolong the life of cancer patients. It is, however, a risky surgery and requires a donor which can be difficult in attaining. These surgeries should be performed at state of the art hospitals specializing in cancer treatment. This surgery has a high mortality rate and is therefore used only in life threatening cases.
Immunotherapy is a means to stimulate the immune system so the body can attack the cancer cells. This type of treatment is still in its early stages and continually under development. It is believed that this type of treatment may prove less harmful than chemotherapy or radiation therapy and may someday supplant these treatments as a method for treating cancer.
Long term effects of leukemia treatments may cause anemia. This side effect can be treated by blood transfusions or platelet transfusions. There are risks with transfusions but it is believed transfusions will help reduce the threat of additional complications such as heart attacks. Doses of antibiotics are also generally prescribed to leukemia patients to help counteract the danger of infection cause by declined immune system or treatment side effects.
There are currently almost 200,000 people in the United States diagnosed with leukemia and an estimated 35,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year. It is the leading cause of death for people under the age of 20. There are many treatment facilities throughout the United States specializing in cancer treatment. Early diagnosis, aggressive treatment, and monitoring will help prolong life and increase chances of a person going into remission.

Gray Rollins