Pancreatic Cancer with Radiation and Chemotherapy
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Sharon
Posted on: April 9, 2000

Currently I’m researching the Web for Herbs that could possibly help my father endure his pancreatic cancer. He has had radiation, now he is doing his chemotherapy. I’ve looked at your product line and can’t figure out which herbs to select. Can you send me some suggestions?

Some of the most protective foods against pancreatic cancer and against radiation damage are organically grown fruit (especially citrus) tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, carrots (and all orange and dark green vegetable, which contain carotenes) legumes (soy beans, lentils etc.), reishi mushroom, seaweeds and cereal grasses (wheat grass, barley grass). Yogurt protects the digestive tract and improves appetite. Foods to avoid include red meat, bacon, ham, cold cuts, margarine and all oils except extra-virgin olive oil, all tinned foods.

While on chemotherapy, it is important to drink lots of pure water (10 to 16 large glasses a day) and support the immune system and the liver, which is working very hard to detoxify chemicals. Susun Weed, in "Breast Cancer? Breast Health!" (Ash Tree Publishing) describes herbs that are useful in radiation and chemotherapy for all types of cancer. Among them are the following:

Slippery elm bark powder protects the digestive tract and help in constipation or diarrhea.

Kelp is protective in preventing drug toxicity without hindering the cancer-killing effects of chemotherapy.

Astragalus improves immunity and energy

Echinacea improves immunity. Your doctor must be advised if echinacea is taken, because it increases the white blood cell count. The doctors may think that this is due to infection and increase the chemotherapy dosage.

Burdock protects immunity and helps to eliminate the chemotherapy toxins after they have killed the cancer cells

Milk thistle, taken immediately before or after chemotherapy sessions, protects the liver but does not interfere with the therapy.

Schisandra chinensis helps to prevent liver and intestinal damage and improves energy.

Dandelion root and Yellow Dock root improve liver function.

Nettles (Urtica dioica) strengthen the blood to help prevent anemia and improve energy.

For more information, please see other replies to cancer inquiries on our website at http://www.richters.com. Choose "Q&A" from the main menu, then choose "Search Richters Q&A", and enter the word "cancer" for the search.

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