PHARMICA

So here I'm sharing the things I take.  Compiled by visits with nutritionists, friends and my oncology doc.  Lots are natural supplements to combat neuropathy, digestion and nausea but also to keep any future rogue cancer cells at bay.  More are for just good health and ammunition.  In addition to pills, gels, powders, bars, herbs I've found acupuncture extremely helpful (especially after treatments) as well as meditation,  yoga and, well- expression (don't know what else to label it).  I'm a trick of all trades master of none.  I love music, movies, tv, writing movies, writing tv, writing books, sculpture, pottery, exercising (thou thats a bit difficult at the moment), sports (ditto) skeet shooting (yes, I wrote that as I'm a man. What that has to do with expression I have no idea), vintage cars (ditto) and motorcycles (ditto).  Pages and pages, images and images, recordings and recordings, sculptures and sculptures, shells and shells, carburetors and carburetors all siting in either a room, drawer, my garage or in the ether of a hard drive.  For me the point is to express whats going on inside my body and mind.  I joke about the skeet and motorcycle but they help to encourage the warrior spirit that's necessary when one's in battle and can't use a bench press.  I need these outlets of expression to release emotions.  Bit of a rant there, but maybe it can resonate.   

I'm not going to be illustrating the various expressions, yoga, meditation and acupuncture on the post (I think you get the point by now) but they're as important as the herbs and supplements I've gathered for myself.  Its all balance in my mind.  So, as far as supplements and herbs here's what I've come up with.  Maybe this could save someone some time and one less consultation fee. 

My Routine:

I start every morning first with…

…brushing my teeth.  

With treatments I'm trying to up the brushing to three times a day.  My dentist convinced me to use a fluoride toothpaste at least once a day to stop any budding infection.  The rest of the day I use a Baking Soda paste.  Plus floss, plus Dr. Shulze's Oral therapy mouthwash.  Takes a bit to get used to but does a good cleaning.  I haven't worked my way up to the tongue scrapper.  Maybe I will one day.  Just haven't wrapped my head around the idea of shaving my tongue with a piece of bark.   

THEN! 8 oz glass of water.  I'm a firm believer of keeping an eye on the first thing you swallow in the morning.  I don't mean sexual.  What I mean is… what I mean is, well get a good water filter and drink a glass of water.  Water filter of choice on the stuff page. Or will be.  (btw is my goal to drink 3 liters of water at least throughout the day).  I then down a probiotic.  There are two I use, both don't require refrigeration.  Dr. Ohhira's and Jarrow-Dophilus EPS.  Again everything will eventually land on the stuff page. 

THEN! I wait half an hour until shake time.  In that half an hour I try and meditate.  I highly suggest if you don't already.  Look up mindfulness meditation techniques to get yo started.  Here's a somewhat medicinal website but with some useful info (http://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-practice/mindfulness-the-basics).

THEN! Shake:  I'm a convert to Dr. Shultze's formulas.  He has a great company and blog https://www.herbdoc.com/blog/.  I use his Super Meal shake combined with Berri Health's Black Raspberry freeze dried powder.  I found out about the powder from nutritionist Carolyn Katzin at the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology.  Apparently these black raspberries are amazing anti cancer fighters.  I also add some D3 liquid and some manly omega 3 oils (they also come in womanly formula).   For neuropathy I add at least 10g of L-Glutamine powder.  Never can have too much of that.  I'll go over the wonders of neuropathy in another post.  All in a blender with a little organic juice, water and half an organic banana.  Organic is a must all the time but particularly during treatments.  I want the least amount of toxins in my body and that unfortunately means spending a little more for organic produce.  

THEN! for my second breakfast, about an hour later, its sort of a free for all.  I sometimes have organic oats, or a fruit shake or a green shake or toast or one of Dr. Shultze's Super Food bars, or eggs all in the service of giving my stomach some help in absorbing a fist full of supplements.  The idea of smaller meals throughout the day help in the nausea department.  Plus its just a healthier way to eat, apparently.  The supplements I shove down are...

Ultimate E (good for skin and everything), Green Tea extract (great anti oxidant), 5-MTHF (red blood cell builders and aids in neuropathy side effects), Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate (an absorbable B6), Ginger Root (anti nausea), Zinc Glycinate (good for everything), 100mg Coenzyme Q10 (immune boosting) and Tumeric (anti inflammatory).  

The supplements combined with the shakes provide enough vitamins and minerals to propel me into the delusion or conviction that I'm giving as much as I can to the body under its siege and fatigue.  And it works.  I have more energy, less side effects and generally not so grumpy all the time.  Thats good for everyone.

During the day I travel with my holistic little buddies. I pop five pearls of whatever I think I need whenever I need them.  They are...

Nux Vomica (for what it sounds like- anti vomica), Cadm.Sulphuricum (ditto), Silicea (for constipation and fatigue).

So thats the supplements and holistic goodness, now the comes more fun.  One of the side effects of chemo for me is 2000 yr old looking skin.  Okay maybe I'm exaggerating, lets say 1000 yr old skin.  My amazing friend Tara sent me Nature's Aid to the rescue.  Its amazing aloe based cream which speeds cell regeneration.  You see I learned late that Chemo kills fast dividing cells.  Your skin, hair, stomach, nails and mouth are full of fast dividing cells.  So they take the brunt.  This cream is great.  And whats greater is that you don't need to have chemo to enjoy the benefits of healthier skin.  I'm going to put it on my dog as soon as I get one.  

Finally there is the medicinal marijuana.  Yes, the magic herb and yes it does help with anxiety, nausea and appetite.  I wasn't a pot smoker before and I don't know if I will be once this is all done, BUT with the right buds (high in CBD less in TCH) and my amazing PAX vaporizer I'm currently a pot head.  Well, really only at night and only until I pass out.  Thats fair, right?  Seriously I think its a wonderful helper along the way.  You won't become a drug addict unless you are one already, in which case don't get any.  In this game you need to channel common sense in the amounts and the herb itself.  I'm only now getting interested in CBD and TCH oils.  For me the one stop information portal is http://phoenixtears.ca.  Rick Simpson is the pioneer.  But I warn you it is seriously potent stuff.  I also think its not to be mixed too heavily with chemo.  Remember run all this stuff by the oncologist.  I'm not an "ist" of anything.

So thats pretty much my routine- combined with as many small bites as I can manage.  Much of this will stay with me after chemo is gone.  The companies I buy from are what I find to be the best in what they do.  That means I don't shop at GNC or Walmart.  Most big box store vitamins and minerals are full of everything but the name on the label.  There's been plenty of stories about it (here's one http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/03/gnc-target-wal-mart-walgreens-accused-of-selling-fake-herbals/).  You get what you pay for and unfortunately good herbs and organic food require more work to produce.  I'm opting to put the best possible stuff into my body.  Even if it breaks me.  Which its close to doing!  If I get my way I'm going to start a charity to provide some help for others in this department.  Lets see how I do.  In the mean time wash your hands, balance the holistic with the medicinal and medical.  Speaking of, Burt came off today so I can finally take a shower.  Its a good day.