Limit Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation.

Nausea. Vomiting. Loss of appetite. Diarrhea. Anemia. Hair loss. Fatigue. Mouth ulcers. Yeast infections. Depression. Anxiety. Insomnia. Pain.

No, those aren't symptoms of cancer. They're some of the common side effects of two medical treatments for cancer: radiation (tumor-killing x-rays) and chemotherapy (tumor-killing medications).

"More often than not, cancer patients become very ill as a result of their treatment," says Doug Brodie, M.D., an alternative physician in Reno who has treated hundreds of cancer patients. "By using alternative remedies in addition to conventional treatment, some patients can go through radiation and chemotherapy with hardly any side effects at all."
Some alternative remedies may even improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation, says Charles Simone, M.D., director of the Simone Protective Cancer Center in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

MAITAKE: Banish Nausea and Boost Energy
This mushroom from Japan contains the food chemical beta-glucan, which can help banish nausea, sharpen appetite, and boost energy while strengthening the immune system's white blood cells that are responsible for killing cancer cells.
"An extract of beta-glucan from maitake mushrooms is one of the best home remedies to help prevent side effects from conventional cancer treatment and to beat cancer," believes Robert Rountree, M.D., cofounder of the Helios Health Center in Boulder, Colorado.
Dr. Rountree's patients take two to three droppers a day (about 30 drops) of such an extract in a product called maitake D-fraction. Other extracts of beta-glucan are available that may be derived from shiitake or reishi mushrooms as well as maitake. All three are rich in beta-glucan. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

MCT AND WHEY PROTEIN: For the Calories You Need
Conventional cancer treatment muffles the appetite center of the brain and damages the cells of the gut. As a result, cancer patients may not feel like eating and may absorb fewer calories from the foods they do eat. That can cause severe weight loss.

To make sure his cancer patients get enough calories to maintain their weights, Dr. Rountree prescribes a highly absorbable, high-calorie oil containing a fat called medium chain triglycerides (MCT). His favorite source of MCT is a product called Thin Oil, which comes in butter, olive oil, and garlic flavors. He advises his patients to take 1 to 3 tablespoons a day of Thin Oil, depending on their appetites, their daily calorie intakes, and their rates of weight loss. Thin Oil is available through your health care professional.
He also advocates whey protein, a product that works particularly well for people who have absorption problems. "Whey protein has lots of calories, is easily absorbed, and also boosts the immune system, helping defeat cancer," says Dr. Rountree. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

GLUTAMINE: To Protect Your Intestinal Tract
Chemotherapy and radiation attack all of the rapidly multiplying cells in your body, not just cancer cells. To protect the cells lining your intestinal tract, Dr. Rountree recommends 5,000 to 15,000 milligrams a day of glutamine, an amino acid that fuels the intestinal cells. "Glutamine is the best remedy for shielding the intestine from the damage of chemotherapy and radiation," he says.

ASTRAGALUS: To Shield Your Immune System

This Chinese herb strengthens the immune system, which is weakened by chemotherapy. Dr. Rountree prescribes 1,500 milligrams a day for his cancer patients.

SIBERIAN GINSENG: For More Energy and Stamina
Siberian ginseng can help prevent fatigue brought on by radiation or chemotherapy, says Dr. Rountree. It also works well with astragalus to protect the immune system. He recommends 200 milligrams three to six times a day for his cancer patients.
Unfortunately, many products advertised as Siberian ginseng don't contain any of the energy-giving ingredients of the herb, so Dr. Rountree says to look for a product standardized for eleutherosides, the primary active ingredient.

UMEBOSHI TEA: To Prevent Nausea and Vomiting
Umeboshi is a Japanese word for salt plum paste, which is one of the ingredients of this tea, along with the root of the kudzu plant and the herb ginger.
"It's the best remedy for the nausea and vomiting caused by conventional cancer treatments," Dr. Rountree says. Here's how to make it. Buy umeboshi paste, kudzu powder (loose or in capsules), and freshly grated or powdered ginger. Put ½ teaspoon of the kudzu powder in a bowl and combine it with enough cold water to make a paste. Mash the paste, then pour 1 cup of hot water over it to dissolve it. Add % teaspoon of umeboshi and % teaspoon of ginger, pour the water into a small pot, and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture before drinking. Have it twice a day, including one cup before breakfast. "It is very settling to the stomach of a cancer patient to have this tea first thing in the morning," says Dr. Rountree.

GREEN TEA: Another Nausea Stopper
"Green tea makes people on chemotherapy feel much better and also has anti-cancer properties," says Dr. Rountree. He advises his patients to drink several cups a day or take 500 milligrams of the herb each day in capsule form. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label. the paste, then pour 1 cup of hot water over it to dissolve it. Add ½ teaspoon of umeboshi and % teaspoon of ginger, pour the water into a small pot, and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture before drinking. Have it twice a day, including one cup before breakfast. "It is very settling to the stomach of a cancer patient to have this tea first thing in the morning," says Dr. Rountree.

GREEN TEA: Another Nausea Stopper
"Green tea makes people on chemotherapy feel much better and also has anti-cancer properties," says Dr. Rountree. He advises his patients to drink several cups a day or take 500 milligrams of the herb each day in capsule form. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

The Anti Oxidant Debate.
Cancer specialists are taught in medical school that antioxidant vitamins and minerals negate the cancer-killing power of chemotherapy and radiation, says Charles Simone, M.D., director of the Simone Protective Cancer Center in Lawrenceville, New jersey. Since those treatments work by generating cell-destroying free radicals, and antioxidants neutralize free radicals, it would seem logical to avoid antioxidants.

Not so, Dr. Simone says. In fact, he believes that nutritional support not only decreases the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation but also increases the "killing capacity" of the treatments.
The bottom line: According to Dr. Simone, people who take vitamin and mineral supplements along with conventional treatments recover faster from cancer and live longer than those who don't take them.