When I decided to write a blog every 3 months, I thought I would have a lot of time between posts, but the time has gone by quickly. There have been some changes in the past 3 months. My cancer markers (CA 27.29) have gone up for the past two months, from 109.5 to 136.4. Not a huge difference, but definitely in the wrong direction. For me that means it’s time to do something else.

In 2006, I had good results using a mistletoe treatment. There was cancer showing up on a PET scan then which was not there three months later, after the mistletoe treatment. At that time I was being treated by an anthroposophical doctor who used Iscador. I didn’t know at the time that was a brand name for a mistletoe compound.

I am now working with a Naturopathic doctor who uses a different brand, Helixor. I actually attended a seminar a couple of years ago where I heard a lecture about Helixor, and it is used by many Naturopathic doctors who believe it is more effective. It is made in Germany, but I order it from a company in Canada. Apparently it’s difficult to get it through customs directly from Germany.

It can be administered either with a subcutaneous injection or IV treatments. The current clinical trial going on at Johns Hopkins is giving it IV. I’m starting out with the subcutaneous injections to see how my body reacts, and if all goes well, I hope to get the IV treatment. I have ordered the product and will start my injections on Monday, April 17th. The first one will be done in the ND’s office and then I’m on my own to administer. She will monitor my reactions. Even when I am traveling, she wants pictures of the injection site so she can monitor the size and how it looks. The timing of the next dose is dependent on how my body reacts. (You can learn more about mistletoe in this article.)

I have also gotten more vigilant about my nutrition. I’m reading a pre-publication copy of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer by Nasha Winters, ND, and have been inspired to make some simple changes. I am including more green tea in my diet. I have discovered that a company called Lakanto (www.lakanto.com) makes a Matcha Latte sweetened with monkfruit (0 glycemic index). If I am going to eat or drink something every day, it helps a lot if I like it.

I’m looking forward to doing more fine tuning of my nutrition when I attend the Cancer and Nutrition workshop that Nasha will be teaching in Sacramento on June 17th. In general, I follow a Paleo diet — no grains, low carbs, meat that is pastured and free of anti-biotics, and no sugar. Nasha recommends 9 cups of vegetables a day. That’s more food than I can eat in a day totally, but I’m doing my best to have a variety of vegetables (eat the rainbow) and as much as I can enjoy.

Next week I’m leaving for a 10 day road trip to Orcas Island. Spending time in nature in such a beautiful place is bound to have a positive effect on my health.