Jeanne Wallace, PhD, a nutritional consultant for brain tumor patients and lecturer for the Brain Tumor Society, says “yes”.
In an article written for the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Feb-Mar 2005, Dr. Wallace and Bill Asenjo describe the story of a woman who had a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM IV), the most aggressive of brain tumors.
This woman, Cheryl Clark, follows a nutritional protocol outlined by Dr. Wallace… in addition to the traditional treatments of surgery, radiation, and Gamma knife.
Excerpts of the article describe very specific and very effective dietary changes and supplements:
Wallace created a healing protocol of diet, nutritional and herbal interventions. First, she had Clark greatly reduce sugar intake. Sugar suppresses the immune system and feeds cancer cells. Wallace emphasized omega-3 fats, found in fish and flax, to slow tumor growth and strengthen Clark’s immune system. The protocol also included Siberian ginseng, astragalus, cat’s claw and mushroom extracts (Maitake D-fraction, Chinese reishi, shiitake, cordyceps and Coriolus versicolor).
“Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are not the only ways to make an impact on cancerous cells,” says Wallace. “Select agents can slow the growth of new blood vessels to the tumor (angiogenesis), preventing tumor progression. The immune system can be strengthened to more effectively identify and eliminate cancer cells. Inflammatory processes, which fuel tumor growth, can be interrupted. Certain substances tell cancer cells to mature into healthy cells (differentiation) or to undergo natural cell death (apoptosis).”
The most prominent natural substance in Clark’s regimen was IP6 (inositol hexaphosphate combined with inositol). Research reveals IP6 inhibits tumor growth, stimulates immunity, and prompts cancer cell differentiation. While including 16 IP6 capsules taken daily on an empty stomach, Clark’s regimen also encompasses soy genistein, bromelain, berberine, glutathione, quercetin, alkylglycerols, St. John’s wort and proanthocyanidins.
Nutrition & Radiation
Rather than blindly accept whatever treatment her doctor chose, Clark insisted on working in partnership with her oncologist. After weeks of researching radiation, chemotherapy and brain tumors, she refused chemotherapy and chose radiation therapy.
Because radiation alone is ineffective against GBMs, Wallace recommended select herbs and nutrients to make the tumor more vulnerable and reduce side effects. Since low oxygen levels increase tumor resistance to radiation, Clark took 500 mg. of niacin daily and germanium (GE-132, 1000 mg. daily) to increase the flow of oxygen-rich blood and antioxidants to the tumor. “Although some oncologists hold the outdated belief that antioxidants are contraindicated during radiation and chemotherapy, 30 years of research reveals taking antioxidants during radiation and chemotherapy can be helpful,” explains Wallace.
An hour before her daily radiation treatments, Clark took vitamin C (1,500 mg.) and vitamin E (800 IU) to protect healthy brain tissue and reduce swelling. To maximize radiation effectiveness and further protect healthy brain tissue, Clark included shark liver oil (200 mg. daily), melatonin (5 mg. nightly), St. John’s wort (900 mg. daily) and whey protein (4 tbs. daily). “Research suggests these supplements can maximize radiation’s effect while protecting healthy tissue,” Wallace says.
As a result, Clark had no fatigue, side effects or complications from radiation. An MRI revealed the tumor responded well. Encouraged, in June 1998 Clark chose an experimental therapy: gamma-knife radiosurgery, which directs high-intensity radiation from many angles. Once again, Clark’s nutritional regimen kept her free of side effects. Since then, her MRIs have been stable and she has foregone further conventional treatments, but maintains nutritional and herbal support. Today, Clark is free of any signs or symptoms of the tumor, has no neurological deficits and requires no medications.
More Than a Physical Fight
Rather than just limit her struggle to the physical body, Clark’s holistic approach included acupuncture, Belle Ruth Naparstek’s visualizations for cancer, affirmations, prayer, massage (zero balancing, polarity, Shiatsu), and a positive attitude.
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My goal in shrinking my own benign brain tumor, a meningioma, started as a nutritional journey with things I just took as common sense. I was so pleased to find more targeted nutritional remedies from Dr. Wallace’s notes from the 6th Annual Brain Tumor Conference (linked her on my blog) and have continued to seek out her nutritional articles. After writing this post, I searched for her website and discovered it at:
http://www.nutritional-solutions.net/
I am not yet doing everything that she recommends but it was encouraging to see that, by accident or divine guidance, I was doing a lot of things right… like switching to whey protein, reducing sugar intake, taking high dose fish oil, taking high dose antioxidants, and so forth. Even the increase of oxygen to my brain due to my fitness regimen fits what she recommends.
If you are looking for natural ways to shrink a brain tumor, her nutritional remedies are definitely a good place to start.
Filed under: Comments on health-related news stories, diet | Tagged: brain tumor, health, meningioma, natural healing, nutrition, nutritional healing, townsend letter
i like the way u have posted the kind of example may bbe it help my mother fighting brain tumour.its realy a good noble thing to help people. thank you
Thanks for the information on how healthy eating might be able to shrink brain tumors.
We recently wrote an article on brain stimulation on Brain Blogger.There are so many ways to improve cognition, memory, and brain power — from eating celery to meditation. In this article we review a number of ways to get results.
We would like to read your comments on our article. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Kelly