Chemptherapy and Fresh Juice

My mother has been fighting cervical cancer that spread to her lymph-nodes for almost a year now and is on the 2nd treatment of 6 in her round of chemotherapy.  I was away at University for the first treatments last year, consisting of radiation, and 6 doses of Carbo-platin and Topo-tekin, so was unable to guide her nutritionally. 

She had her last treatment December 2008, hoping all her cancer would be gone, but 3 lymph-nodes were left so February started the second round of treatments.  (I cannot remember the name right now but will update later).  I decided to stop going to graduate school and come home to be with her during this time while I look for a job.  It turns out that was a very good decision because she really does need my help right now. 

My new year’s resolution was to have only raw food for breakfast each day, and what better then Green Smoothies, right? So I began making them every morning in January and my Mom started sharing them with me.  All the super foods I pack into them were helping her feel better and certainly improved her digestion (which has been afflicted with the radiation and chemo). 

Water retention runs in our family I think, as my Grandmother has very swollen ankles often, and my weight will fluctuate 5 lbs easily due to water.  One of my mother’s biggest side effects from the chemo has been swelling, especially in her right side.  That ankle is typically twice as large, he blood pressure is notably higher on the right side, and she has even blown a few veins in her calf as a result.  It makes her more uncomfortable because she can only wear sandals since it fluctuates so much, and she doesn’t want to buy larger shoes.

I am frustrated by the water I retain, and upon reading David Wolfe’s Eating for Beauty he has a section talking about the health benefits of cucumbers.  He said they hydrate your body, and as a result cause it to release stored fluids, acting as a natural diuretic.  I made some cucumber juice for myself almost immediately as an experiment and shared half with my mother. 

The next morning I woke up and came out to find her sitting and chatting with my Grandmother.  She greeted me and quite excitedly lifted her right ankle saying “look, look! the swelling is gone!”  I was amazed.  Her ankles had been swollen for well over 6 months now, even after she’d take a diuretic and throughout 1 month break from treatments.

You see, the doctor had prescribed diuretics for her to take, but she doesn’t like to add more medication to her body on top of chemo, and used them only when absolutely necessary.  This cucumber juice naturally and effectively reduced her swelling over night.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from swelling due to water retention, I highly recommend you try this juice:

• 1 Cucumber
• 1 Apple
• 4-6 stalks of celery

I made it for her daily ever since for a week, then we ran out of celery.  After 2 days not drinking the juice she began asking me about it frequently because she started feeling bad again.  I think allot of her side effects are related to the water retention.

Moreover, I read of the health benefits of young coconut water and feed her that as often as possible.  I also make wheatgrass juice for the both of us daily, and I am confident all these actions help keep her blood levels from crashing.  Since I have been feeding her these juices and the smoothies she has not needed the shot to bring her red-count back up.  She was receiving it regularly before.

I want to share this information for anyone going through a similar situation, just in case it helps.  Peace and much love to you all.