Natural health: Recovering after cancer

Acupuncture and massage are brilliant treatments to support your body in dealing with the effects of the chemotherapy, says Megan Sheppard.

Q. I am looking for ways in which to help recover some sense of health after undergoing chemotherapy for cancer for the past six months.

Anything you can suggest would be greatly appreciated.

A. This must have been a long and difficult journey for you, and you will no doubt be feeling exhausted both emotionally and physically.

Regaining your sense of self and having the motivation to implement and commit to lifestyle changes can feel overwhelming at the best of times.

It is important that you are looking at ways in which you can support the healing process right now, as it does show a significant level of dedication to your wellbeing and recovery.

The best place to start is with your energy levels.

Vitamin C can be a huge help, along with the other important antioxidants — vitamins A, E, and selenium.

While you can get great supplements combining these vitamins with selenium (you should be getting around 200mcg selenium daily), I would suggest you supplement with vitamin C in addition to this type of formulation, as there is a wealth of evidence to support the role of vitamin C in rebuilding your immune function, repairing tissues and cells, and improving your energy and stamina.

I would suggest you use sodium ascorbate powder instead of other vitamin C preparations since you will likely require larger therapeutic doses for some time before getting back to ‘regular’ dosage levels.

Sodium ascorbate is a very gentle form of vitamin C that is not acidic. This means it is much easier where the digestive system has been impaired, or if digestive sensitivities are an issue as well.

Sodium ascorbate is very straight-forward to use. You simply stir the desired amount into a glass of water and drink it down.

I usually recommend taking 1,000mg at any one time (a quarter of a teaspoon), every hour or two, until you reach tolerance point. It is important to keep track of how much vitamin C you take so that you can work out your specific dosage.

When you find that you are experiencing frequent gas or loose stools, then this indicates that you have found your tolerance limit.

Dial the dosage back by 500-1,000mg from the amount you have ingested before reaching tolerance point so that the following day you know how much to take before you experience these symptoms.

For some people this is as little as 4,000mg, for others it can be as high as 25,000mg depending on how healthy your system is at the time, and how much your body needs this nutrient. It is likely that you will need at least 6,000mg daily.

Eating a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables is crucial to rebuilding your health, but also to maintaining a healthy system.

At least half of your food should be fresh and raw (preferably organic or at least spray-free) fruits and vegetables.

Juicing is a great way to pack in the nutrients with relatively little effort — especially when your energy is still very precious and limited.

Acupuncture and massage are both brilliant therapeutic treatments to support your body in dealing with the effects of the chemotherapy and also to restore your sense of physical and emotional energy.

Chemotherapy affects your hair, skin, nails, gut, organs, along with immune function and blood tissues, so by all means, please remember to take it easy.

When you feel up to it, you might like to check out some of the natural dietary therapies that have helped many other folks in their cancer journey, such as Gerson Therapy.

There is a seemingly endless supply of information and a dizzying number of different natural approaches, so try not to get too overwhelmed by it all.

Implement changes one step at a time, and try not to get frustrated with how long it can take to get back to even remotely feeling like yourself again.

You have already been through so much, and it will be a very gradual process getting yourself back to good health and vitality once more.

Do you have a question for Megan Sheppard?

Email it to [e-mail]

or send a letter to:

Feelgood,

Irish Examiner,

Linn Dubh,

Assumption Road,

Blackpool,

Cork

NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a subsitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.