Has anyone continued to drink acai juice or eating flax seed oil DURING chemo therapy?
I’m about to begin chemo. I am a generally health conscious person and although “alternative” therapies are ignored by doctors- I still want to drink 2 oz of acai juice daily to help keep my energy up. My doc is opposed to it. Said there aren’t enough studies and it could cause an adverse reaction to the chemo… ?? I won’t drink the wheat grass due to no control over what could be on the grass (unknown bacteria)- but, a bottle of acai juice from WHole Foods Market? Has anyone had NEGATIVE reactions during chemo while still drinking Acai or eating flax seed oil?
Oh…oh… What can I say that will help you understand the methods of chemotherapy? I love acai juice, and I am health conscience just like you. That is the best way to be! But not when you’re on chemo. Let me explain…one of the best ways, and yes, it’s not a great way, but the only way as of yet that physicians have learned to help treat cancer is chemotherapy. It’s basis is that the body is given a dose of medicine that destroys delicate DNA; DNA is most vulnerable during replication, hence, the target is rapidly dividing cells, and cancer cells are dividing out of control. This also means the chemo will destroy other rapidly dividing cells, like blood cells which they will monitor. You will hurt your body to help it. I know, it is not great. So, chemo is basically a dose of free radicals – free radicals are destroying the DNA. Antioxidants combat free radicals, that is why we should eat them…because in essence damaged DNA can cause cancer. Are you with me? The treatment for cancer with chemotherapy depends on your body NOT interfering with the free radicals. Acai juice is one of the strongest antioxidants, it will totally make the chemo less effective. If you drink it, it will decrease the chance the chemo will work to destroy the rapidly dividing cells, the cancer cells. I’ll tell you what, when you are done with chemo and your doc tells you THEN do as much as you can with helping your body heal. Then drink the Acai juice and whatever else healthy you want. And when you are free of cancer, indulge in it daily to help prevent any new DNA damage that could lead to cancer. I hope this made sense. 
And my best to you, I will send all of my thoughts and healing energy to you this moment. Dana
October 11th, 2008 at 4:19 am
Oh…oh…
What can I say that will help you understand the methods of chemotherapy? I love acai juice, and I am health conscience just like you. That is the best way to be!
But not when you're on chemo. Let me explain…one of the best ways, and yes, it's not a great way, but the only way as of yet that physicians have learned to help treat cancer is chemotherapy. It's basis is that the body is given a dose of medicine that destroys delicate DNA; DNA is most vulnerable during replication, hence, the target is rapidly dividing cells, and cancer cells are dividing out of control. This also means the chemo will destroy other rapidly dividing cells, like blood cells which they will monitor. You will hurt your body to help it. I know, it is not great.
So, chemo is basically a dose of free radicals – free radicals are destroying the DNA.
Antioxidants combat free radicals, that is why we should eat them…because in essence damaged DNA can cause cancer.
Are you with me? The treatment for cancer with chemotherapy depends on your body NOT interfering with the free radicals. Acai juice is one of the strongest antioxidants, it will totally make the chemo less effective. If you drink it, it will decrease the chance the chemo will work to destroy the rapidly dividing cells, the cancer cells.
I'll tell you what, when you are done with chemo and your doc tells you THEN do as much as you can with helping your body heal. Then drink the Acai juice and whatever else healthy you want. And when you are free of cancer, indulge in it daily to help prevent any new DNA damage that could lead to cancer.
I hope this made sense.
And my best to you, I will send all of my thoughts and healing energy to you this moment.
Dana
References :
registered nurse
October 11th, 2008 at 5:02 am
with flax seed you have to make sure you check with your doctor because flax seed will interact with your other meds, he can tell you which meds you cant take with it.
References :
friend with canser.
October 11th, 2008 at 5:39 am
My friend's mom drank Ensure during chemotherapy to help her meet her nutritional needs. It's not an alternative therapy but, it seems to be approved by doctors.
References :