Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

Cancer cells are broken. They ferment glucose and aren't adapted to changes in fuel sources. It is why water-based fasting helps make chemo more effective against cancer and protects the rest of your cells from the damage.

The Warburg Effect is the name of the observed behavior that cancer cells have an increased metabolism for sugar. It is the exact principle at work when they have you do a special diet and fasting before they shooting you up with radioactive sugar for the PET test -- which shows the tagged sugar making a beeline for cancer cells in your body.

Our bodies actually have two fuel sources at the metabolic level, glucose or ketones. Glucose is sugar and our digestive processes can turn most things into sugar. The ketones are actually energy produced when your body is burning fat instead. Cancer cells are maladaptive, they can use glucose but can't effectively use ketones. These effects are further heightened in the CNS.

You can fight back against your cancer metabolically -- if you are willing change your diet to a ketogenic diet.

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

The Brain Microenvironment

Why do we have brain mets? Because we have cancer cell lines with an affinity for the CNS space. It is protected from most chemotherapy medicines due to the blood brain barrier. The observed saturation of drugs getting into the CSF is less that 1-5% depending on surrounding damage to the BBB from the tumor/craniotomy/rads. You can even request to have a lumber puncture done to see how much drug is getting in there. Anyone done that or had it offered?

The brain is also a glucose-rich environment, conditions to culture the very anaerobic conditions our cancers love to be in. Yes, you have cancer cells in your head eating bon-bons right now.

I removed reading how the afternoon cup of coffee boosts glucose and copper leveks in the brain which helps increase cognition in the afternoon. Sugar and copper -- wait aren't those both pro-inflammatory and pro-cancer? Yes. And it isn't discussed, particularly in light of a brain met diagnosis.

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

I first heard about it when I was diagnosed by a friend who was using it on her own health journey two years ago. She told me that since I was so depleted that I should use a modified approach, to help my body restore. I cut way back on carbs and alcohol. I declined desserts or would have the tiniest bit.

Last winter I had chest wall rads at the proton center as part of a trial. I met several people with primary brain cancer including an 11 yo boy and a young doctor who's wife was devastated. A good friend of mine had his wife pass away two years ago from a brain tumor; he works in cancer research locally and he gave me some pointers he learned from their experience. Little did we know what was coming in my future -- HER2 brain mets.

I researched a ton of complementary and emerging practices that could help outside of what oncology was offering to help increase the effectiveness of treating brain tumors. One thing that jumped out again was the brain's glucose-rich environment and using ketosis to alter things.

The ketogenic has been around for almost 100 years. It is a current treatment for certain types of epilepsy that is resistant to treatment. My hair stylist actually uses this diet for her epilepsy. This website is a cornerstone for information about the Ketogenic diet:

http://www.charliefoundation.org

I read this article on Mercola soon after my original diagnosis and found the video at the end really intriguing. His list of lifestyle changes isn't too bad but his woo-woo "it's a big business" is a bit out there so ignore that part. Oncologists are just technicians and they offer the proscribed treatments. If anything they are just complacent. One MO at a leading cancer hospital told me "you can eat Ben & Jerry's ice cream during treatment if that is all you want." Stupidity and ignorance but you don't have to follow their lead.

Cancer: Forbidden Cures | Natural Cancer Treatment
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...reatment.aspx#



This is the book that several others have mentioned here on the boards, I haven't read it yet.

Cancer as a Metabolic Disease: On the Origin, Management, and Prevention of Cancer
http://www.amazon.com/Cancer-Metabol.../dp/0470584920

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

Good Ketogenic Links to Check out

Ketogenic Diet Food List: Everything You Need to Know
http://www.ruled.me/ketogenic-diet-food-list/

Ketogenic Diet Resource
http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.c...food-list.html

Keto Calculator
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com

Shaking up the Salt Myth: The Human Need for Salt
http://chriskresser.com/shaking-up-t...need-for-salt/

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Potassium Supplements : keto
https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/commen...out_potassium/

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

All very interesting. I have always known that sugar can feed cancer cells. I look forward to reading about the ketogenic diet guidelines. My most difficult is all the discipline eating right takes. Thank you for all the information.

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

I have a super low appetite and can't eat much, but have tried to eliminate all carbs and sugar. I've read that one can go into ketosis with a low caloric diet. I have ordered ketostix to see if I am in ketosis.
Thanks for this info and thread. It's important to fight cancer on all fronts and wholistically.

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

I have been doing this diet for 10 days now, after an initial fasting period -- thst I had to do for the PET scan anyway.

I bought the ketone test strips st the pharmacy and I am in a good, moderate state of ketosis. Good confirmation that I am doing this right. I push extra fluids and animal protein and honestly my body hasn't been happier. I bought Morton Lite Salt which contains potassium chloride to make sure I'm getting enough. Except for salad I sauté my veggies. My slow cooker is my friend and meal planning and my freezer keeps it interesting. For snacks I have macadamia nuts, coconut oil, or stuffed celery.

I didn't want the diet change to be weird for my family so I decided to research interesting recipes that are keto or can be made low-carb. Since this is a public board I won't post the link here but PM me and I can send you my Pinterest board.

I find it interesting that my diet mirrors a lot of the advice on this site ss far as foods that are anti-HER2
http://foodforbreastcancer.com/artic...-and-survivors

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

Bump

Someone here on the boards came to this diet from a vegetarian standpoint which was such a useful vantage-point. She was right in that the body tolerates a lot more than what the diet dictates as far as percentages. I've had small quantities of baby carrots, acerola cherries, a tablespoon of blueberries without incident. Eating out can be more scary but I got Arroz con Pollo without the rice and it was great. Korean food is tricky because they add so much sugar, but carefully picking I stayed keto.

You can do this.

Re: Using a Ketogenic Diet to Fight Cancer Metabolically
 

A ketogenic diet is the best solution for those patients who suffer their diseases long term because of its highest capability to kills cancer, promotes weight loss and improve health. It's both helpful to lose weight of fight to cancer. For cancer patient ketogenic diet must be included with 90% fat, 5% protein, and 5% carbs. It increases the metabolism process during which body blood sugar level goes down. A ketogenic diet helps to reduce tumor growth and starve cancer cells of fuel or energy. See more details about keto pills click here: https://thewellnesscare.com/best-keto-pills/
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