Posted by: Denise on: October 5, 2018
Shopping for a future pickle at our local Farmer’s Market.
Last night my husband and I had what we call “fast food†for dinner. Don’t raise your eyebrows; it’s not what you think. I tend to cook an elaborate dinner, in quantity suitable for leftovers, about three times a week. After that, we either eat leftovers combined with freshly steamed vegetables or a raw salad, or we make “fast food.†In this case, it was slow-fried eggs, corn on the cob, and steamed brussels sprouts.
Why is this fast? Dinner took considerably less than a half hour, and it was delicious! Before I get into recipes or cooking techniques (like what is “slow-fried�) I need to make another point. Success in the kitchen, as measured by truly healthy and nutritious meals and snacks that taste good, require more than kitchen skills. They require shopping!
Shopping Time!
Yes, if you want to beat this CLL thing, and you want to do it naturally, you have to spend some time in the supermarket and, if available, your local farmer’s market. This is another case of failing to plan is planning to fail. You have to shop the stores in your neighborhood until you find the best places for abundant organic fruit and vegetables. Yes, I do eat eggs, chicken, fish, and sometimes even beef, but I still eat a plant-based diet. The animal protein is more of a side dish.
Times have changed.
It wasn’t long ago that I had to go to health food stores for a fairly limited and often dried-out selection of fresh veggies. Today, even the corporate behemoths (like Kroger, here in SE Michigan) have an impressively well-stocked organic produce section. My personal choices these days are Kroger, Trader Joe’s, and the local Royal Oak farmer’s market. They all have their good and bad points. We (hubby and I) often go to two markets in one evening for a quick, targeted shopping trip. We know each store’s layout and can get in and out quickly. Even with these quick trips, keep in mind that you will likely have to do this at least twice a week. Some vegetables keep only so long, and if you’re doing it right you’ll find that your refrigerator has an ever-dwindling selection of fresh produce
Another time saver is stopping in on the way home. Hubby does this more than me, especially in the summer, as I take my dog, Tina, to work, and I don’t like to leave her in the car unless it’s cold outside. (It’s cold outside today now…sigh.)
Another side note: sometimes your organic produce choice won’t look so good. Sometimes conventional might be a better choice, in which case please soak in 50-50 white vinegar and water to cleanse as much pesticide residue as possible. Another choice to shop more than one market. If the selection at the first isn’t so good, you still have one more chance to get your organics.
And where do I buy all my animal protein?
This is not an answer set in stone. We still buy eggs from our local farmer’s market. They are consistently better than the organic eggs at any supermarket. The yokes are orange rather than yellow, and they are delicious! In the past my meat sources have been Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, farmer’s market, other specialty stores. You have to continually be aware and look for the best places. Your local Weston A Price chapter can help you source local good foods.
The point is to BE PREPARED.
Shop ahead and get the best organic veggies and fruits in season. You can rinse and freeze the fruit. Store the leafy greens and other veggies in a loosely closed plastic bag so that some air can get in. This works for me, and it’s fairly simple. Simple is good. The more complicated you make your food gathering, the more of a task it will seem.
Of course, it’s not all about veggies and fruit. Also keep stocked with organic pastured free-range chicken and grass-fed pastured beef, wild caught white fish and salmon, and pastured free-range eggs. An extra freezer is wonderful, if you can afford it. Beyond that are the seasonings and sauces. I’m honestly not the most skilled cook, but I do keep tapioca starch (flour) on hand for mixing with water and seasonings and pouring over a stir fry when almost done. It turns into a delightful gravy reminiscent of a Chinese food dish.
Also keep organic, extra-virgin olive oil in the cupboard, along with apple cider vinegar, other vinegars (I love Eden-brand umi-plum…yum!) and balsamic vinegar as well. (all organic, please) A supply of fresh lemon is great to add to dressings and sauces, and also to squeeze into a morning glass of water for your alkalinity and digestion.
Coming soon to a blog near you!
In another post soon, I will write about some of my favorite cooking techniques. Not only should your vegetables be organic and fresh, and your animal protein free-range, organic and pastured, but nothing should be over cooked at temperatures above 300-degrees Fahrenheit.  This is a challenge I’ve managed to overcome by checking out advice on Google and youtube, and by experimenting on my own. I am happy to share and will do so soon.
In the meantime, get out to your local market and start checking out the best sources and prices. You’re in this for the long haul. As environmental doctor Sherry Rogers wrote, “The Cure is in the Kitchen.†I would add, in order for that to happen you have to get to your grocery store first!
Happy shopping! – Denise
PS A good cancer cookbook is The Cancer Fighting Kitchen. There is an earlier addition at a greatly reduced cost on Amazon.
Posted by: Denise on: March 18, 2018
Reading time with Naomi and Moshe. Life is good!
Dear CLL Reader,
And…here’s the important part: at some point I learned that if my doctor wasn’t sounding alarm bells, then I just wasn’t going to get nervous either. What I also learned was to take a day (maybe two) to allow myself to be upset and depressed. Then it was time to do research and find ways to improve the blood test scores. So you’re on the right track by writing me. (Although by no means should I be your only source of answers.) Check each of your markers and do a Internet search. There are many examples below.
CLL WBC natural treatment.I just did this search and came up with this page:Â http://
The next question is: do you cook “low and slow”? This means at low temperature for a longer time, making certain never to burn or totally dry our your food. If you’ve been grilling or overcooking food, this is a place you can make an improvement.
Eat bone broth soup and fermented veggies. This is more advanced, as in not what people will start to do the moment they decide to take control. However, learning to make your own fermented vegetables provides probiotics that far exceed the numbers in those pills we buy online or in the health food stores! See this article: http://darwinian-medicine.com/ask-eirik-how-many-bacteria-are-there-in-sauerkraut/. And at least three alternative doctors/practitioners told me personally to have bone broth soup specifically for leukemia. These are both healing foods. The Weston Price Foundation is all about both these foods. They have local chapters that teach classes on how to make your own sauerkraut and other veggies, and also how to make bone broth soup.
D’limonene and CLL. Are you eating citrus? I was doing very well eating whole oranges 5X/week. I had them in my smoothie. (Organic, of course.) (I’m not able to do that anymore for a non-CLL reason, but this is a very healthy thing to eat. The peel has d-limonene, which is specifically anti-leukemia.) So if you’re already having a smoothie, add that orange (or lemon or grapefruit or lime). Here is a study about that from a search on “Dlimonene Leukemia”: https://www.ncbi.
Vitamin D3 and CLL. What about vitamin D3? have you had it tested? Your level in a Vit D hydroxy test should be somewhere between 70 and 100, in order to battle cancer. I takek 9000 IU of vit D3 every day, and test my levels about 4X a year. (It’s a blood test.) I also take at least one vitamin K2 pill/day to balance out my vitamin D3!There are also studies that indicate that D3 helps people with CLL. Here is one from a “Vitamin D Leukemia” search: https://www.
Other ways to get well. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you avoiding toxins? Are you taking Peak Immune by Daiwa? (check out LuckyVitamins.com, for the best deal.) I have a comprehensive list of what to do in this article: http://www.
Remember that the C in CLL is for Chronic. Generally, this is a slow-moving illness, giving us time to work on our wellness. An important part of getting well is to think of yourself as well, and to expect to be here for the long haul. Visualize yourself in your eighties. Think of what life will be like then. I know it’s really hard to conquer the fear, but there is joy and life on the other side! I remember when I first became Macrobiotic in 2005. That is what helped me conquer the fear. At that time, my WBC had jumped into the 20s, so like you, I felt the end was near. It wasn’t! But early July, it will be 17 years and counting. If it’s like this for me, it can be like this for you, too. Hang in there, and allow yourself some happy thoughts. Do something fun and get away from it for a while, and then double down with one or two new things to add to your wellness plan.
Posted by: Denise on: January 25, 2017
My two pill boxes. (My daily/weekly pills will not fit into one box.) And most of my pill bottles. I keep a dispensary of back-up bottles (not seen) in my cupboard.
I recently was emailed a request to update my CLL supplement list. My list of supplements is long, but not everything I take is because of CLL. I’m 61 (and a half), so like most people, I have other issues as well. I will therefore give a reason for each supplement I take.
The first is technically not a supplement. It is a glass of ACV (apple cider vinegar), lemon, and honey. To be more specific, a ‘splash” of ACV, half a squeezed lemon (or 3 tablespoons of ground whole lemon my husband makes in the vitamin with water and ice and saves in a jar in the fridge–nice hubby, eh?), and about 1 tablespoon raw local honey (we buy at farmers market or health food store). Add filtered water and stir. Drink with a straw. Rinse and brush teeth after drinking. It’s a great way to start the day!
Vitamin D3
5000 IU in the morning
2000 IU at lunch and dinner
for a total of 9000 IU.
People with cancer tend to be low in Vit D3, which we normally get from sun exposure. Mine was 19 when first tested.The goal for those with cancer is to get their vit d3 hydroxy test up to somewhere between 80 – 99. Mine has been as high as 100. Test frequently, and drop down the amount if you get too high. (I used to take 10,000, and now I’m down to 9000/day in divided doses.)
Ubiquinol
(a form of Co-Q10)
200 mg/breakfast
This is good for the heart. Both my parents have/had heart issues. I take this as a preventative. (I think it’s good for everyone, but do your own research.)
Krill Oil
667mg @ breakfast
this is the Omega 3 oil that everyone should take. Many people take fish oil. I prefer the krill. No fishy smell.
Astaxanthin
4mg/breakfast
This is one of those super antioxidants. If you take it during the summer, it protects against sun burn. (Doesn’t do the whole job, still have to be vigilant about that.) I take this one for general health.
B-17/Laetrile
500mg- bfast/lunch/dinner (total 1500mg)
This is an anti-cancer pill. Laetrile (found in apricot seeds, apple seeds and other natural parts of fruits) kills cancer cells and leaves normal cells alone. You may read that it’s dangerous because it is cyanide. Only half of that is true. The pill does act as cyanide in the body, but only when in contact with those cancer cells. I’ve been taking this dose since 2007 and I’m just fine. My source is tjsupply.
Curcumin
1000 mg/total, 500 at bfast and dinner
There are articles about curcumin and CLL, and other cancers. No side effects, and I believe this helps.
Vit E tocotrienol
50mg — just three times a week, @bfast
(I dropped to this level when I started taking the next two pills)
Vit E succinate
200 IU daily
Biotin
10,000mg daily
(The above two — biotin and Vit E Succinate — are part of a prescription from an alternative doctor to help regrow my ever-thinning hair. Not sure how well it’s working for the hair, which is doing okay for now, but my CLL numbers do well while on this also. While this is a prescription from a compounding pharmacist, both ingredients are available either at health food stores or online.)
Allicidin
one pill each day @bfast
This is a garlic extract that is supposed to boost your immune system. No icky garlic smell, small pill, but significantly more expensive than garlic pills. If you’re trying to cut costs, I’d try garlic pills as an alternative.
Olive Leaf
500mg divided between bfast and dinner
Pau D’arco
3.3 grams divided betweeen bfast, lunch, dinner
there are articles about pau d’arco being a leukemia fighter. The 3.3 grams is 9 pills/day (three at each meal) Not sure if this is a winner, but I consider it to be part of my arsenal.
Nettle Leaf
2610 mg/day (six pills total– two pills each meal)
This is another leukemia fighter. Do a search on “nettle leukemia” and read what you find. I’m committed to these as well.Neither this nor the pau d’arco are that expensive.
Digestive Enzymes
I use Life Extension. Other brands might be good. I take one/meal. As you (ahem) get older, you lack the enzymes to properly digest and assimilate (absorb) your food and supplements. I believe that my CLL came largely as a result of lifelong chronic bad digestion. Digestive Enzymes are on my must-take list.
Biosil
This is a silicon, and one of those hair-skin-nails pills I take for my beloved hair. : )
Does it work? I know my hair started falling out in sheets when I stopped it. So, despite how expensive it is, I keep it on my list.
Peak Immune
1 pill, 4X day (bfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime). This one is on my MUST TAKE LIST for CLL. I used to have problems with low neutrophils. When neutrophils get low enough, it can be life threatening. This is because neutrophils are on the front line of fighting infections. So when they tell you you won’t die of the CLL, but “with” it, it could mean you die of a secondary infection. So check your neutrophils. If the number is low, take these. I get them for $35/bottle from Vitacost, cheapest when you’re on automatic re-purchase. I’ve paid as much as $46/bottle. When you start you take 12 pills/day, and work your way down to 4/day. I take extra when I’m ill or very stressed. I believe in these. When I stopped taking them, my neutrophils tanked. When I restarted, up they went. (The medical establishment prescribes neupogen, which is not that safe, look it up.))
Amino Acid Complex
4 capsules, divided…2/bfast, 1@ lunch and dinner
These are for my low protein count. I take this both for CLL and for my hair. My protein tends to the low side, despite the fact that I eat red meat once every week or two.
Selenium
200mg @dinner
100mg @bfast
I’ve read about selenium having anti-cancer properties. I can’t really measure how well this is working for me. However, it’s on my list as I don’t take a multi-vitamin.
Calcium
250mg @dinner
Magnesium
1000mg divided @brast/dinner/bedtime
Change-o-life
2 pills/2X day (bfast and dinner)
I started it for my hair (zero effect), but it does help with energy and stamina. (Alternative doc said not to take as some of the ingredients are related to breast cancer. However, I take less than the dose recommended on bottle.)
B-Complex
Megafood brand balanced B complex
I take as directed on the bottle. Part of my multi-vitamin alternative, and was recommended for hair.
Thyroid Energy
Take 2/bfast
I take it because every alternative doc I’ve been to tells me to go back on the dessicated thyroid and I don’t want to. So I take thyroid supporting pills. These are one of them. Part of getting well means treating your whole body, not just the CLL.
Primrose Oil
2600 divided between lunch and dinner
(for my hair…again)
Iron
(ferrous sulfate)
130mg each day
I’ve had a low ferriten count which is related both to my tendency to have a low RBC and also (you guessed it) to thinning hair. So I take these every day. They cause constipation. Yup. So I take the next pill to deal with it. Works like a charm. Note: ALWAYS TAKE IRON SEVERAL HOURS APART FROM MINERALS;this means with no dairy (calcium) and no other mineral-containing supplements. This can be a challenge, and until I learned it, I had a hard time getting my ferriten score up. (I take my iron at lunch with vitamin C and other, non-mineral supplements.)
Triphala
I take NOW brand, but others are probably fine.
1.5 pills/day.
.5 at bfast, 1 at dinner
(see above) When I was taking a smaller dose of iron, I took less triphala. You have to experiment and see what works. It can take a few days till your gut settles down to business. Be patient!
Vitamin C
1000mg at bfast lunch dinner (total 3000mg)
For all around good health, and also at lunch it helps to absorb the iron. (See Iron above.)
Energyzing Iron
by Enzymatic
I take two/day at lunch, along with my regular iron pills. Not sure if this one is working that well, but afraid to stop because my ferriten is finally climbing.
Iodine
12.5mg/breakfast
this is another thyroid support item
Methyl Folate
1000mcg @bfast
recommended by two alternative doctors for general CLL support (can’t remember why) : )
Colostrum
1 pill at bfast and dinner
This is supposed to boost immune system
Elderberry
575mg @ lunch
generally supports immune system
K2/MK7
1 pill
helps coagulate blood (good for low platelets)
generally recommended to balance your vit D intake
D’Mannose
as needed for UTIs (which thankfully I don’t get much any more)
I take these when I THINK I might get one, and never travel without it!!!!
Maitake D Fractions
These mushroom pills are well touted as being therapeutic for cancer. I did well without them, but added it to my list becuase it was so well recommended.
Baking Soda
about 1/8 teaspoon in a glass of water before bed
this keeps my urine alkaline, which is supposed to be helpful for general health and for cancers
this is a cheap one! Just buy the box of baking soda in the super market and use!
(I use it for cleaning as well, instead of Ajax or Comet.)
Grape Seed Extract
@ bfast and dinner
also good for general health
Zinc
1 pill, bfast and dinner
part of my multi-vitamin set
Betaine HCL
This another digestion booster. The HCL is for hydrochloric acid. Some bottles say to take AFTER meals. I take it with meals, or eventually I forget to take them. When I stopped for six months, my dental visit showed more plaque. So apparently it breaks down plaque and other ickies in our digestive system. Worth a try, I think.
Hemp Protein Powder
5X/week with my breakfast smoothie
take as directed on bottle,
I’m trying to avoid dairy, as it causes congestion.
So this about sums up my daily pills. There are others I take, as needed. Bromelain (pineapple extract) for pain and inflammation. NAC and ALC for my Menieres, as needed. There may be more, can’t think of them now. Please feel free to post any questions on this post and I promise to answer asap.
To your good health!