Need advice for friend w/cancer

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

 

My name is Lorraine Barnes. I live in Bellingham and have been

studying raw foods for about 5 years. I have worked at several

festivals and have taught classes at the Food Co-op.

 

I was called suddenly to Seattle by a friend of mine who was diagnosed

with a type of cancer which attacks the bone marrow. My friend's name

is Salma. She is renting an apartment near the treatment center where

she has received chemo therapy treatments etc. I am here because her

primary caretaker died suddenly of a severe infection following a

dental cleaning last week.

 

Salma's kidneys have shut down and now she needs to go for dialyses 3X weekly.

In addition to that, she is being treated for an eye infection (I

think the doctor said it was herpes) and thrush in her mouth.

 

She is waiting for a stem cell transfer, and although the cells have

been harvested, the medical team think she is not strong enough to

have the procedure, so are encouraging her to put on weight.

 

The person I took over from was feeding her anything......and I mean

anything to get calories into her. But the information given her by

the kidney doctor says she needs to watch potassium and phosphorus

levels. At the same time, because of the kidney failure, she can only

consume a maximum of 3 cups of liquid daily plus what she urinates.

 

So one of my questions is: what can I feed Salma to increase weight

but at the same time nourish her body to give her strength? The

kidney doctor has said no avocado or nuts except pecans....anyone know

why that would be? I will try to call him and ask today.

 

I'm planning on making nut mylk for her this morning, but, as I said,

she can only have three cups of liquid daily and has pills to take 4

times a day. Last night I steamed some cabbage and mixed that with

cooked quinoa and olive oil. Any other suggestions would be greatly

appreciated.

 

Salma is a divorced middle aged Lebanese woman. She has two children,

a son age 17 and a daughter 21 who have been living in Bellingham on

their own since she was diagnosed last year. Her only company are

friends like me who drive from Bellingham to help out. Before she was

diagnosed, she had just started working at Haggen's, a grocery store,

and was so excited to be self sustaining. Now she is by herself in

Seattle struggling financially.

 

Since then, her mother died and now her good friend and care giver.

She feels her life is in shambles right now, but she's determined to

get through this, reminding herself of her blessings, instead of

dwelling on the negative.

 

This is one of many messages I am writing because I believe in divine

order and the power of the universe. I also believe that supporting

others is a gift of opportunity for us, because ultimately, the

blessing is ours.

 

Lorraine

[Guest guest]

Lorraine,

 

Sorry to hear about your friend, both about the cancer issues, as well

as the medical " answers " .

 

The kidney issues remind me of when my brother was going through his

cancer " treatment " . He had kidney issues when the chemo compromised his

white blood count and some bacteria and virus in his system attacked

his kidneys with no resistance. If that is the case here, then I would

think boosting her " immune system " would be key. Many people in the raw

foods movement have heard about digestive leukocytosis, which is the

immune system's reaction to cooked food. According to the findings

(though I have not read the original study) cooked food causes an

increase in white blood count, though raw food causes no such increase.

This suggests that cooked food is considered a threat to the body and

it's immune system. Something in the cooking (altering) of the food

causes this taxing effect on the body's white blood cells. This is why

I feel this issue is key for any " disease-fighting " . If anyone has a

need for an improved " immune system " then shouldn't they be on an

all-raw (and organic) diet?

 

Regarding the kidneys, reducing their workload is understandable,

that's why the concern about the amount of liquids. Personally, I would

be concerned about putting toxins (IMO - like chemo & other drugs) into

the body, which the body's organs then have to clean out. Too much

protein (concentrated proteins, like meats) can cause an acidifying

effect on the body. The body then has to neutralize the PH of the

blood, using calcium it takes (steals) from the tissues of the body

(including bones). This blood (with calcium) then needs to be cleaned

by the kidneys, putting an additional burden on the body (especially

the kidneys!) I have long suspected that chemotherapy drugs (as well as

other medications) are acidifying (as are aspirin, alcohol and

caffeine) and can challenge the kidneys, though have not confirmed

this.

 

So... I would think that eating primarily raw organic greens might be

the best hedge against some of the effects of the " therapy " . Greens

will help alkalize the body, as well as give it wonderful minerals and

other nutrients, including enzymes. As they are not cooked, there

should be no digestive leukocytosis, which can compromise the white

blood count. If someone's body is very toxic, a raw diet would be very

cleansing, which may affect the kidneys, but if I were wanting to

improve my life, that is the direction I would go... all raw organic,

focussing on greens (not nuts). Even avocados and other sources of fats

can fill the blood stream with fats, restricting available room for

more vital nutrients (like oxygen, etc.). One key is to disease

prevention is oxygen, which means get lots of fresh (outside) air, deep

breathing and a low-fat, raw organic, vegan diet, focussing on greens

(IMO).

 

This type of raw diet may not increase her weight, but I would be

trying to improve my health first and foremost.

 

Jeff

[Guest guest]

Lorraine,

 

Here is a link to one of my websites. It is a list of pages with

extensive nutrient tables. They may not list potassium and phosphorus,

but do have many other nutrients. I provide a link back to the USDA

Nutrient Database to look up detailed nutrient data for foods (just do

a search for the desired food.)

 

Regarding the consumptions of liquids, I believe humans are actually

not meant to be consuming the amount of liquids that we do. There are

lots of days where I hardly consume any " liquids " . I may only have a

sip or two of water. We (IMO) are meant to get our hydration from the

(raw, plant-based) foods that we eat. I can be plenty hydrated simply

by eating raw organic produce. I have even gone on 15-mile jog/hikes in

the heat of summer, drinking no liquids. I carried a knapsack full of

fresh organic nectarines and simply munched on those throughout my

hike. I was never dehydrated. So, this idea of minimum or maximum

liquid consumption is deceiving. If someone is consuming all raw

produce there is no need for the supposed " 8 glasses a day " of water! I

understand this concept may have originally meant, not " water " (or even

" liquid " ) but the equivalent in liquid. If someone consumes enough

hydrating produce, there is no need for the " liquids " . I suspect, in

the case of someone with weak kidneys, the kidneys would be grateful

for the nourishment from the organic produce. Of course, the fresh

produce may also be cleansing, which may stress the organs, especially

when in a body full of toxins. At the same time, do we want to improve

our health or not?

 

Jeff

 

On Mar 3, 2006, at 8:04 AM, Lorraine Barnes wrote:

 

> But the information given her by

> the kidney doctor says she needs to watch potassium and phosphorus

> levels. At the same time, because of the kidney failure, she can only

> consume a maximum of 3 cups of liquid daily plus what she urinates.

[Guest guest]

Hi Lorraine,

 

We met when I lived in Bellingham.

 

My heart goes out to you and your friend.

 

You may get some great info from Avery Martin at Country Clinic in Mt.

Vernon. He's a raw food chiropractor. His passion is health, raw

nutrition. He has helped people all over the country out of severe

cases of cancer. He may be able to mention specific foods and may be

able to help you with what pace of raw food as to not over toxify the

blood stream as Salma detoxifies. His phone # is 360-856-5562.

 

When I lived in Bellingham, I went to him for chiropractic care and he

introduced me to the raw food concept. If you call him, please say

helllo for me.

 

All the best to you and your friend,

Jocelyn Cooper

 

 

Lorraine Barnes <lorrainehbarnes

RawSeattle

Fri, 3 Mar 2006 08:04:15 -0800

[RawSeattle] Need advice for friend w/cancer

 

Hello all,

 

My name is Lorraine Barnes. I live in Bellingham and have been

studying raw foods for about 5 years. I have worked at several

festivals and have taught classes at the Food Co-op.

 

I was called suddenly to Seattle by a friend of mine who was diagnosed

with a type of cancer which attacks the bone marrow. My friend's name

is Salma. She is renting an apartment near the treatment center where

she has received chemo therapy treatments etc. I am here because her

primary caretaker died suddenly of a severe infection following a

dental cleaning last week.

 

Salma's kidneys have shut down and now she needs to go for dialyses 3X

weekly.

In addition to that, she is being treated for an eye infection (I

think the doctor said it was herpes) and thrush in her mouth.

 

She is waiting for a stem cell transfer, and although the cells have

been harvested, the medical team think she is not strong enough to

have the procedure, so are encouraging her to put on weight.

 

The person I took over from was feeding her anything......and I mean

anything to get calories into her. But the information given her by

the kidney doctor says she needs to watch potassium and phosphorus

levels. At the same time, because of the kidney failure, she can only

consume a maximum of 3 cups of liquid daily plus what she urinates.

 

So one of my questions is: what can I feed Salma to increase weight

but at the same time nourish her body to give her strength? The

kidney doctor has said no avocado or nuts except pecans....anyone know

why that would be? I will try to call him and ask today.

 

I'm planning on making nut mylk for her this morning, but, as I said,

she can only have three cups of liquid daily and has pills to take 4

times a day. Last night I steamed some cabbage and mixed that with

cooked quinoa and olive oil. Any other suggestions would be greatly

appreciated.

 

Salma is a divorced middle aged Lebanese woman. She has two children,

a son age 17 and a daughter 21 who have been living in Bellingham on

their own since she was diagnosed last year. Her only company are

friends like me who drive from Bellingham to help out. Before she was

diagnosed, she had just started working at Haggen's, a grocery store,

and was so excited to be self sustaining. Now she is by herself in

Seattle struggling financially.

 

Since then, her mother died and now her good friend and care giver.

She feels her life is in shambles right now, but she's determined to

get through this, reminding herself of her blessings, instead of

dwelling on the negative.

 

This is one of many messages I am writing because I believe in divine

order and the power of the universe. I also believe that supporting

others is a gift of opportunity for us, because ultimately, the

blessing is ours.

 

Lorraine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeff,

 

> Lorraine,

>...Regarding the consumptions of liquids, I believe humans are actually

> not meant to be consuming the amount of liquids that we do.

 

I will agree with that. The amount of hydration is a factor of the

environment and the average cooked food eater is dehydrated for a

variety of reasons. Therefore they need to consume more water than a

typical raw foodist. First and foremost, cooked food is dry from the

heating process. There is an adage in the chemical industry that goes

" The solution to pollution is dilution " . That dilution technique can

actually be observed on a cellular level after the consumption of a

cooked meal, the cells close off protecting themselves from the

foreign invaders (toxic-cooked molecules), which cause an anomaly

where there is actually more water outside of the cells than inside of

the cells. In this situation people feel dehydrated even though they

might have just consumed water, because at that moment the cells

aren't interested in letting anything in, including water. This

circumstance is one of the major reasons cooked food eaters get

sunburns and raw foodist typically do not. So if the solution to

pollution is dilution and I believe it is, just look at inflammation

or bloating, it's mostly water weight, then if you can't dilute the

situation your body has no choice, but to become more toxic. Your

cells will literally drown in filthy surroundings that could otherwise

be avoided. So if you want to reduce your internal toxicity hydrate

when thirsty (I wish I could underline the thirsty part).

 

There are

> lots of days where I hardly consume any " liquids " . I may only have a

> sip or two of water. We (IMO) are meant to get our hydration from the

> (raw, plant-based) foods that we eat.

 

I've heard this argument a number of times before, yet I have never

observed a positive effect on myself or anyone else who uses that

strategy. If you look in nature you'll see that animals get their

nutrition from foods, but get the majority of their hydration from

water. Anybody ever seen elephants fight for space at a watering

hole? The benefit moist foods do provide is lowering the amount of

dehydration caused by digestion. If you study the ATP digestive cycle

you'll understand why water is almost invariably lost during

digestion, rather than gained. During the conversion of ATP into

energy a water molecule and ATP are converted into CO2 (Carbon

Dioxide) and energy. In otherwords every time your body is making

energy you're loosing water. Water is also lost during exercise and

warm weather (hardly an issue where you guys live . It also

provides lubrication for joints during movement and is of course used

by the body to dilute waste, pending elimination through the urinary

tract. Therefore I can't in good conscience condone the notion that

one can thrive on a waterless or intentionally low water diet.

 

From Wikipedia:

" Civilizations have historically flourished around rivers and major

waterways; Mesopotamia, the so-called cradle of civilization, is

situated between two major rivers. Large metropolises like London,

Paris, New York, and Tokyo owe their success in part to their easy

accessibility via water and the resultant expansion of trade. Islands

with safe water ports, like Singapore and Hong Kong, have flourished

for precisely this reason. In places such as North Africa and the

Middle East, where water is scarcer, access to clean drinking water

was and is a major factor in human development. " While plants will

grow and thrive in areas where the water table is much lower due to

roots, humans have always found it easiest to get their water at

ground level in lakes, streams, and oceans (desalination of course

required on that one).

 

One notable problem with water is that when unnaturally added to a

digestive process already under way, it will lower the stomach's

acidity and slow down digestion considerably. Therefore I recommend

not drinking your last sip any closer than 30 minutes before you start

a meal, nor within 2-3 hours after a meal. I believe this is the main

quarrel with water than most health luminaries have or should have.

 

>I can be plenty hydrated simply

> by eating raw organic produce. I have even gone on 15-mile jog/hikes

> in the heat of summer, drinking no liquids. I carried a knapsack

>full of

> fresh organic nectarines and simply munched on those throughout my

> hike.

 

While I'm glad you are able to do so, and don't see why you couldn't

travel such a distance without becoming thirsty or drinking

afterwards. I am not aware of Olympic and professional athletes

avoiding their water bottles. No they take it in, so they can burn

some calories and sweat like nobody's business.

 

>I was never dehydrated. So, this idea of minimum or maximum

> liquid consumption is deceiving. If someone is consuming all raw

> produce there is no need for the supposed " 8 glasses a day " of >water!

 

Because our diets, physical exercise, and body mass are so different I

am going to avoid a discussion on quantity. However, if you are

thirsty then I recommend drinking. If the foods you eat are making you

noticeably more dehydrated than others, they should be avoided

entirely dehydrated foods and grains, or consumed in a reduced

quantity nuts and pods (like carob).

 

Cheers,

Christian Blackburn

[Guest guest]

Hi Lorraine,

 

As a matter of coincidence I would like to recommend that you buy or

borrow a copy of Cancer Doesn't Scare Me anymore by Dr. Lorraine Day:

http://www.drday.com/. I think it'd be a good way for your friend to

learn how/why chemotherapy and radition are harmful. I disagree with

Dr. Day on the concepts of grains, juicing, and the foundation of

health through religion (being an Atheist), but she does have some

great anti medical establishment information and was an orthopedia

trauma surgeon. One thing Dr. Day doesn't mention is that Dr. John

McDougal and others got a law passed in Hawwai which requires doctors

to tell patients that their chances are no better with or without

chemotherapy and or radiation. What they really ought to say is that

your chances are worse , you'll die sooner, spend tons of money, and

have your hair fall out, but at least your doctor will be able to

afford that leather convertible mercedes he's been dreaming about.

You can't patent apples and until then, they'll always recommend

inferior, unnatural, and chemically manufactured solutions. Nature is

the cure, a fix, while chemicals are a therapy, a mask. Drugs and

other radical therapys hide symptoms while simultaneously increasing

one's toxicity, and increasing the amount of time to heal. If you

have a headache, your body will resolve the toxicity naturally in

time, if you take an aspirin the head ache goes away sooner. However,

the toxic condition remains, once the body has eliminated enough of

the aspirin (newer and bigger issue) it will once again deal with the

head ache. So while drugs might create the impression of a solution,

they couldn't be further from actually being a solution. Not only

does the body have the original problem, now it has another one to fix

as well. Friends don't let friends take medicine .

 

Cheers,

Christian

[Guest guest]

Hi Christian!!

 

Wow! Great to hear from you!

 

I have both of Lorraine Day's tapes and that was one of the first

things I introduced to Salma.

Her message is a powerful one and I'm sure some seeds were planted.

 

As a cancer survivor, I can tell you, regardless of such information,

other factors

play a role which keep cancer patients reliant on traditional medicine,

even though

as you know, chemo and radiation will hinder more than help.

 

I spent from Thurs. afternoon to Sat. afternoon with Salma, encouraging

her to eat live.

 

During that time, her kidneys seemed to be starting to work, her energy

levels increased and her whole demeanor improved.

 

Are you still at Evergreen Christian? Since speaking with you last, I

have spent 3 months at the Tree apprenticing in the cafe and worked

with Chad Sarno at the Fresh Festival in Somerset England in October.

That was, as usual, phenomenal!

 

Hope you are doing well,

 

Lorraine

On Mar 9, 2006, at 9:17 AM, Christian Blackburn wrote:

 

> Hi Lorraine,

>

> As a matter of coincidence I would like to recommend that you buy or

> borrow a copy of Cancer Doesn't Scare Me anymore by Dr. Lorraine Day:

> http://www.drday.com/. I think it'd be a good way for your friend to

> learn how/why chemotherapy and radition are harmful. I disagree with

> Dr. Day on the concepts of grains, juicing, and the foundation of

> health through religion (being an Atheist), but she does have some

> great anti medical establishment information and was an orthopedia

> trauma surgeon. One thing Dr. Day doesn't mention is that Dr. John

> McDougal and others got a law passed in Hawwai which requires doctors

> to tell patients that their chances are no better with or without

> chemotherapy and or radiation. What they really ought to say is that

> your chances are worse , you'll die sooner, spend tons of money, and

> have your hair fall out, but at least your doctor will be able to

> afford that leather convertible mercedes he's been dreaming about.

> You can't patent apples and until then, they'll always recommend

> inferior, unnatural, and chemically manufactured solutions. Nature is

> the cure, a fix, while chemicals are a therapy, a mask. Drugs and

> other radical therapys hide symptoms while simultaneously increasing

> one's toxicity, and increasing the amount of time to heal. If you

> have a headache, your body will resolve the toxicity naturally in

> time, if you take an aspirin the head ache goes away sooner. However,

> the toxic condition remains, once the body has eliminated enough of

> the aspirin (newer and bigger issue) it will once again deal with the

> head ache. So while drugs might create the impression of a solution,

> they couldn't be further from actually being a solution. Not only

> does the body have the original problem, now it has another one to fix

> as well. Friends don't let friends take medicine .

>

> Cheers,

> Christian

>