Here is where I go into more detail about my cancer treatment, and share the things that I still do now to stay healthy. I hope this helps anyone battling or recovering from cancer, or anyone that’s just trying to get to a healthier point in life.
Two weeks after my diagnosis with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, I headed to Mexico. I was terrified of conventional treatment, and I wanted to take a more holistic approach. I met with 2 different oncologists (one from Lafayette and one from Houston) and I still didn’t feel comfortable accepting chemotherapy as a sole treatment.
HOXSEY BIOMEDICAL CENTER
Nestled right in the heart of Tijuana, Mexico sits a remarkable health center that has helped save the lives of countless cancer patients around the world. For more information about the history of the clinic and their cancer-fighting herbal tonic, click here. I was sent home with the Hoxsey tonic, Chinese herbs, a lymphoma herbal supplement, vitamin C, and a multivitamin. I was also instructed to follow the Hoxsey diet; eliminating anything that contained vinegar, tomatoes, pork, refined flour, and refined sugar. I followed the diet precisely for two months before my second PET scan. The results from that PET showed improvement in all of my tumors in my chest/neck area. We were elated! A week after that I had an appointment in New Orleans with a doctor that specialized in high-dose vitamin C therapy. She was thrilled that I hadn’t decided to give in to chemotherapy just yet and praised my decision to take a more natural route. After meeting with her and explaining about my fear of conventional doctors, she referred me to an Integrative Oncologist. He believed in combining plant-based medicine along with Western medicine (chemotherapy) in order to achieve the greatest results. I remember meeting with him for the first time, and crying tears of joy because I knew this was where I was meant to be. This is where the Lord had been leading me all along.
I continued to follow the Hoxsey protocol for another month before starting the chemotherapy regimen, ABVD. My body was exceptionally “clean” which allowed me to bounce back from the harsh treatments more easily and with fewer side effects. I received ABVD every other week for 6 months along with high-dose vitamin C before and after every treatment to help boost my immune system. I was also given a Lupron Depot injection every month that basically put my body in a menopausal state in order to shut down my ovaries and protect my eggs. I continued to take all of my herbal medicine (my oncologist also praised my decision to go to Mexico and obtain these supplements) for the duration of my treatment. Here is a list of things that helped me, and that I truly feel are important for anyone fighting against cancer:
BUDWIG PROTOCOL
Dr. Johanna Budwig has been referred to as a top European Cancer Research Scientist, Biochemist, Blood Specialist, German Pharmacologist, and Physicist. In the 1950’s she developed her “Oil-Protein” Diet to fight cancer. She studied how cancer cells are anaerobic (cannot live in an oxygen-rich environment), but instead can thrive on glucose (sugar). Dr. Budwig discovered that when combining sulfur-rich proteins like cottage cheese with highly unsaturated fatty acids like flaxseed oil, the unsaturated fatty acids bonded molecularly with the sulphuric proteins. This bond made the flaxseed oil water-soluble, allowing it to be absorbed immediately through the cellular membrane. The instant flood of important nutrients and enzymes to the cells acted as a spark to reignite the cell’s ability to burn oxygen, thus restoring all cells to a healthy aerobic state (including cancer cells). Awesome, right?
BUDWIG RECIPE:
2/3 cup organic cottage cheese (Nancy’s brand is the best in my opinion, and you can find it at Whole Foods)
6 tbsp flaxseed oil (Barlean’s is also the best brand- found at Whole Foods)
Blend it all together with an immersion blender until the oil is totally mixed in with the cottage cheese. I used a 2 cup measuring glass to mix it in. I’d also add a little honey and berries to the mixture AFTER the oil and cottage cheese is already completely mixed.
MATCHA
I was never a huge fan of tea until I stumbled upon green tea. It’s the perfect pick-me-up in the afternoon, and the health benefits are pretty impressive. Green tea contains polyphenols known as “catechins” which are antioxidants that help combat against cancer. Matcha green teas are the highest in EGCG (a catechin). I use this one from Amazon, and I find its the best bang for your buck. It is a loose tea (powder) and it’s also organic. You can steep it for 3-5 minutes using only hot water or throw it in smoothies too. My favorite way to drink it is in a latte, and I drink one almost every day.
MATCHA LATTE RECIPE:
1 tsp matcha powder (Viva Naturals from Amazon)
2 tbsp hot water
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup milk of choice (I usually use either homemade coconut milk or organic cow’s milk)
2 tsp honey
First, use a sifter to sift the matcha powder in a mug. Then pour 2 tablespoons of hot water into the bottom of the mug, and whisk until a paste forms. I use thiswhisk from Teavana, and it works really well. Add 1/4 cup of hot water and whisk again. Heat up 1/2 cup of your milk of choice on the stove and add 2 tsp of honey. You can use a handheld milk frother to whisk the milk once it’s heated. Then pour the milk over the green tea and voila!
JUICE
Throughout my cancer-fighting journey, I drank green juices almost every day. Simplicity is the key to juicing, and keeping it basic will encourage you to juice more often. Drinking green juice helps to oxygenate your body’s cells, creates an alkaline environment within the body, helps with digestion, and even fosters glowing skin! I use this Breville Juice Fountain Elite, and cleaning it is really easy. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and try different things, but most importantly have fun with it!
GREEN JUICE RECIPE:
1 cucumber
5 carrots
4 kale leaves
1 beet
1/4 piece of ginger
1/2 apple
Wash all of the produce and cut the tops off of the carrots. Throw it all in the juicer and you’re done! So easy. So good.
ESSENTIAL OILS
I am fully aware of how cliché this sounds, but essential oils have changed my life. At the beginning of my cancer journey, a close friend of mine introduced me to Young Living. I was skeptical at first, but after about a month of using them, I knew they were the real deal. My first PET scan showed that my liver was enlarged, and that was probably due to the buildup of toxins in my body. I ordered GLF from Young Living and put a few drops in a veggie cap along with olive oil and took it every day. My liver is completely healed, and I continue to take it daily for its beneficial properties. I also ingest Sacred Frankincense, grapefruit, Thieves, rosemary, Digize, basal, and I love to add lemon or tangerine in a glass of water. I don’t recommend ingesting oils from any other brand because Young Living is the only company that owns their own fields and has a seed to seal promise. Feel free to message me for more information about these oils, or if you’re interested in purchasing a starter kit.
REBOUNDING
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma affects the lymph system, a large part of the immune system that works to fight infections, parasites, and cancer cells. It normally filters out toxins in the body, but if it becomes too backed up with excess toxins, it cannot eliminate them fast enough. That’s when you end up with disease and other health problems. Unlike many other systems in the body, the lymph system doesn’t have a pump to transport fluid. Instead, it relies on physical movement (exercise) to move the lymph fluid throughout the body. The less we exercise, the weaker our immune system becomes. Rebounding is a great way to move the lymph fluid in your body. When you are at the top of each jump, your cells are allowed to decompress. Once you land with twice the force of gravity on each bounce, your cells then compress. It increases the weight OF gravity thereby exercising ALL of your body’s cells simultaneously. Rebounding also helps improve digestion and elimination, detoxifies the liver, and helps lower cholesterol. I purchased this Rebounder Trampoline from Amazon.
Now that cancer is no longer a part of my life, healthy living certainly is. I have learned so much about the importance of proper nutrition, and how to maintain that oh-so-sought-after “balance” in life. While I am thankful that I am fully healed, I’m also burdened with the mess that prolonged chemotherapy/steroid/Lupron use has made. My body now produces too much cortisol, a hormone made by the adrenal glands that regulate metabolism and blood sugar. I have gained 30+ pounds in less than a year, and it’s a constant reminder of what I have recently been through since I’m still dealing with the effects of the medication that actually helped save my life. I hope to be healed of this soon so I’m currently undergoing hormone testing, and working with a holistic doctor to help reset my adrenal glands. Nothing can replace a healthy lifestyle, and I am so thankful to have learned that at this point in my life. By all means- its perfectly okay to have a donut (or two) every once in a while, but food isn’t just food. It’s our medicine. God didn’t flourish the Earth with beneficial vegetables and herbs for no reason. He had a specific purpose for every single plant He created.
“Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”
Genesis 1:29