Breast cancer support
My mother recently had some cancerous lumps removed from her left breast. The operation seems to have been successful but doctors fear the cancer may have spread to other parts of her body so she is about to embark on an eight month course of chemotherapy. Could you recommend some natural remedies to help support her throughout this severe treatment please?
The herb your mother needs to ask her medical advisors, both doctors and natural health practitioners about, is schizandra. This is an Asian herb that has been shown to help reduce the side-effects of both radiation and chemotherapy in cancer patients.
It is considered especially useful in protecting the liver and helping the body rid itself of chemical toxins, including those introduced by these types of invasive treatments. In a perfect world, using a supplement made from the more potent seeds of the plant would be my advice but currently, no UK or American supplier can source the raw material which means she will need to use an extract made from the fruits.
The daily dose is 200mg, twice a day. Nature’s Plus costs £12.95 for 60 veggie capsules which provide 200mg per tablet and is available from Victoria Health (0800 413596). However, I would also urge you to advise your mother to work with qualified experts to support her through the treatment ahead.
The Bristol Cancer Help Centre (0117 980 9505) has a long and excellent track record for helping cancer patients to make the right choices for them and if this were a member of my family, I would be booking an appointment with Dr Julian Kenyon, a medically-trained doctor and natural health specialist who has a great deal of experience treating cancer patients at his clinic, The Dove Clinic for Integrated Medicine (0207 580 8886 or 01962 718000).