On top of that, you’ve been exposed to chemicals your entire life, probably at a much higher rate than your parents or grandparents were, simply because of the increase in chemicals present in today’s environment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have conducted numerous studies on the issue, and have found that Americans have PBDEs (chemicals used to make materials fire resistant), BPA (chemicals used to manufacture plastics), PFCs (used to make heat-resistant products), and more in their blood and urine.

Learning to Reduce Your Toxic Exposure

You may not want to think about all this while going through cancer treaments, but I bring it up in chapter 3 of my book (When Cancer Hits) because it’s during cancer treatments that you’re at your most fragile, which means you need to start being more conscious about the chemicals that could be affecting your health. In addition, you may find yourself more sensitive than ever before to products with chemicals. For example, have you walked down the laundry aisle lately? Find yourself covering your nose?

After my father and I both had cancer, we had a few “aha” moments where we realized some of the stresses we had unwittingly put on our bodies. You may be sensing the same thing, particularly because we tend to be more attuned to the environments around us when we’re not feeling well. Your body needs your help to regain strength and vitality. One thing you can do immediately is start cutting down on the number of toxins it has to process.

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to:

1. Read labels on personal care products. I’ll tell you what to watch out for and how to tell the truth about the products you’re using on your body.
2. Avoid certain ingredients. There are several common ones out there that a lot of manufacturers are using that have shown in studies to be potentially carcinogenic, potentially harmful to your health, or toxic to your skin and hair.
3. Buy organic produce. You may not think it’s worth the bother—I’ll explain why it is!
4. Safeguard your home. I’ll list several potentially harmful products that are probably in your home right now, and what you need to do to ensure your safety.
5. Clean carefully. Some of the products that are most toxic to us we use to clean our homes. I’ll tell you which ones are particularly bad for fragile bodies and how you can find better replacements.

It doesn’t take much to make a few changes in your life and your home to safeguard your health. While battling cancer, you’re more susceptible to infections, rashes, allergic reactions, and toxic buildup than ever before. You need all your strength to get well. Chapter 3 will show you how to keep everything in your personal space as safe and nourishing as possible.

(To buy a copy of When Cancer Hits, click here!)

Do you find yourself more sensitive to chemicals since you started cancer treatments? Have you tried some of the tips in my book? Let me know what you think!

The good news is that how you change is completely up to you.

This is such a fundamental part of the cancer experience that I devoted the first chapter of my book, When Cancer Hits, to this topic. I got some great thoughts from other cancer survivors out there, including Donald Wilhelm, who said, “You’re never going to be the same person you were before. But you can choose who you are, today. And you can choose who you will become, tomorrow.”

Who is This “New” Person in the Mirror?

One of the things cancer does is change your appearance. You may lose your hair, end up with extremely dry skin, gain or lose weight, experience cracked and broken nails, and get dark circles under your eyes. You may look in the mirror and not even recognize that person.

In Chapter 1, I explain that all this is very natural and normal. We all go through it. In fact, in today’s visual society, cancer’s effects on our appearance can be extremely traumatic. I give you an “Appearance Meter Quiz” to help you figure out what your appearance really means to you, and then give you ways to cope with the changes.

What Cancer Treatments Do to the Body

Though I go into more detail in later chapters, here I give you a general introduction about what cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery can do to your body, so you can better understand all the changes you may go through. Then I show you how you can help maintain control of your appearance—even though right now you may feel completely out of control!

Who Am I Now?

All these changes can cause a true identity crisis in many people. After all, if you look different in the mirror, you feel different in your body, and your whole life is different than it used to be, than who are you now? I guide you through some interactive exercises that help you bring yourself back…to yourself.

What is Your Personal Chemical Exposure?

Realizing that everything is changing, I ask you to check your current routine and personal care products to evaluate your daily chemical exposure. Later in the book I help you make some changes that will be better for your fragile skin and body, but in this first chapter I help you take stock of what your current routine may be doing to your health.

I hope, after reading Chapter 1, that you feel a new sense of empowerment. Cancer can make you feel like a fish out of water—like you just don’t have any control anymore over your life. Chapter 1 acknowledges that yes, things have changed, but you still have control over how you are going to handle it!

(When Cancer Hits is available now—click here.)

Were you overwhelmed by the changes cancer brought to your life? Please share your story.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer, or if you are caring for a loved one who has, you’ll want to get your hands on this book. I’ve loaded it with all the information my father and I needed when we went through cancer. Truly, this is the book we wish we could have had back then!

All the things the doctors don’t tell you about are in these pages, along with remedies and techniques that will help you cope. Inside, you’ll discover how to:

• Implement proven solutions for mouth sores, nausea, radiation burns, fatigue, dry skin, neuropathy, and more.
• Create your own personal hair-loss plan, and find the solution that fits your style.
• Manage stress, anxiety, worry, and despair.
• Complement your treatment with the proven benefits of acupuncture, reflexology, massage and meditation.
• Protect yourself from personal care and housecleaning products that contain potentially carcinogenic ingredients—and learn what products are safe to use.
• Treat and conceal redness, rashes, swelling, scars, and skin discoloration.

If you’ve been looking for someone who to help you through this journey, I hope you’ll consider letting me be that person. I can help you navigate the changes you’ll experience between the doctor’s office and everyday living, and show you how to sustain positive energy during treatment and beyond. Plus you’ll read real-life stories from other survivors, and glean advice from doctors and experienced health experts.

Here’s what some other nice people are saying about the book:

“Battling cancer is a Herculean task that requires courage, fortitude and many, many decisions. There are lots of experts in the field, but advice from one who went through it herself is invaluable. I wish this book had existed during my own battle.”

—Fran Drescher, Actress, Cancer Survivor, President of Cancer Schmancer

“This is the book I wish I had for every patient diagnosed with cancer. It fills the void between the diagnosis and the journey onward. A great blueprint for how to cope with the journey from choosing safe personal care products to addressing all the changes that your skin and body will go through to managing side effects.”

—Dr. Madeline Krauss, M.D.

You can pre-order now on Amazon—just click here. Then feel free to comment on this post with what you think!

Thank you all for your ongoing support![youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svJOPelE1C8[/youtube]

1. Cancer treatments affect your whole body. Most of us worry about losing our hair, or feeling sick to our stomachs, but trust me, cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can affect your whole body. Your appetite, your skin, your energy levels, and even your emotions can all be thrown off kilter. Get help early—even with the grocery shopping—and learning to be gentle with yourself.

2. Put yourself first. Many of us have work, family, and community commitments. When you’re diagnosed with cancer, you absolutely must put yourself first. Your medical care, home care, and emotional care must become your priorities, so you can get well.

3. Skin care is extremely important. Use lukewarm, not hot, water, and wash gently, patting dry. Moisturize moisturize moisturize every chance you get, and protect from the sun with hats, gloves, and long sleeves. Especially if you have scars, like I did, extra care is important!

4. Most personal care products are too harsh! Don’t be surprised if your regular soap, body wash, shave gel, makeup, and other products suddenly start to irritate and burn your skin. Many contain harsh chemicals and even potentially carcinogenic ingredients. When caring for my father during his battle with cancer, I bought him an expensive face cream that burned his skin. I wish I would have known! Now I read labels and buy only safe products.

5. Chemo rashes are not the same as acne. Many chemotherapy drugs can cause an acne-like rash, but this is not the same as regular acne. If you use harsh acne medications, you could make the situation worse, possibly even permanently scarring your skin. Try more natural remedies like soothing chamomile and water, an oatmeal paste on your face for 10 minutes, or an organic clay facial. Above all, be gentle!

6. Shop for a wig before you lose your hair. This is the best way to match your natural hair to your wig. If you wait until after your hair is gone, it will be harder to make it look the same.

7. You can relieve side effects. My father experienced hand and foot syndrome, and I found him one day just sitting in bed with his hands up, suffering. Please don’t ever do that! There are always things that can help. Ask your doctor and check online. (I have some great tips on my blog and in my book!) Pain only delays your recovery.

8. Choose the right kind of massage therapist. Massage can be a huge blessing during treatment. It eases stress and can help reduce side effects. If you go to someone who doesn’t know what he or she is doing, however, you could increase your risk of developing lymphedema. There are new oncology estheticians out there who are specifically trained to work with cancer patients. Ask for credentials, then lay back and enjoy.

9. Cold helps reduce hair loss and nail damage. Recent research has shown that applying cold to your fingers and head can help reduce hair loss and nail damage. The cold slows the blood flow to these areas, which means less of the chemotherapy drug can affect them. Studies show it really works! Try the “Elasto-Gel” flexible glove (available on Amazon), and the “DigniCap” made by Dignitana of Lund in Sweden.

10. Acupuncture improves post-chemotherapy fatigue. If you’ve gone through chemo, you know how draining it is. Studies have shown that acupuncture can help reduce that bone-deep fatigue by 30 percent! I really could have used that extra help!

11. Just because treatments are over doesn’t mean it’s “over.” One of the most difficult transitions in my life was going from cancer patient to cancer survivor.  Everyone around me thought I should be fine, but I wasn’t! I wish I had known that those feelings are completely normal. It takes time to process it all—get help, and be patient with yourself.

12. Helping others helps you. As you work to recover after your cancer treatments are over, try to find a way to help others. Share your story, talk to the newly diagnosed, or volunteer somehow in your community. Giving back helps you redefine your purpose, and get back to living.

Have you learned things from your cancer journey you’d like to share? Please tell us!

Photo courtesy the Nelly Guaman via Flickr.com.

For many people—women especially—hair loss as a result of chemotherapy can be particularly traumatic. Women have fewer bald role models than men, and can suffer difficult feelings of self-consciousness low self-esteem in response to losing their hair. Susan Beausang, an expert on the issue and founder of 4women.com, puts it well when she writes, “For a woman, a bald head is an announcement to the world—’I'm different,’ or ‘I’m sick.’” No one wants to feel that way. I remember the experience well—above all, I wanted to feel normal, and losing my hair made me feel anything but.

The good news is that there are people out there trying to make this part of treatment just a little bit better. Wake Forest Baptist University Medical Center and the University of California at San Francisco have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a device called the “DigniCap” made by a company called Dignitana of Lund in Sweden. It’s a silicone cap that you wear on your head, with an outer neoprene cap that insulates the inner one. The cap is connected to a cooling unit that delivers consistent cooling to all areas of the scalp. The idea is the cool temperatures make the hair roots and follicles contract, reducing the amount of toxins that affect them—which slows or completely halts hair loss.

There are some side effects to using it. It’s cold, after all, and some patients experience headaches, but so far, it looks like these are the only side effects reported—well worth it for most people who want to keep their hair on their heads. The company has taken precautions to make sure temperatures are carefully controlled—the unit is connected to a computer with a touch-screen and simple symbols. If something goes wrong, an alarm goes off.

What’s promising is that clinics in Canada, Europe, and Japan are already using this cap, and the Dignitana website says that more than 80 percent of patients have kept their hair during chemotherapy. Can you imagine? In addition, Susan Melin, M.D. and lead investigator for the study, says that data from several international studies show that the device is safe to use and does prevent hair loss.¹

As far as I know, there’s no way to get ahold of a DigniCap here in the U.S. at this time (although I’m not positive on that—you could contact the company directly from their site). There are other similar devices, but it seems they’re all made out of country. One is called a “Paxman Cooler,” looks very similar to the DigniCap, and is used throughout the U.K. There’s another one made in Israel called the SCS II—Scalp Cooling System. So I think it’s safe to say that this idea is catching on.

Ask the cancer centers near you if they have anything like this. If not, you may consider other ways to keep your head cool, such as frozen veggies or cold cloths dipped in ice water. They aren’t likely to work as well as the temperature won’t be consistent across the scalp, but it may be worth a try.

Have you tried any cooling methods to deter hair loss? Please share your story.

Source

1. “Scalp Cooling Study Starts in U.S.” Breast Cancer World News March 9, 2011. http://breastcancerworldnews.com/?p=188.

Photo courtesy Dignitana via dignitana.com.

When you’re going through cancer treatments, cleaning the house is the last thing you want to do. Not only do you lack the energy, but the fumes from common household cleansers may make you nauseated, say nothing of the potential harm from some of the toxic ingredients. One study showed that women who used typical cleaning products were up to 110 more likely to develop breast cancer than those who rarely used them!

On the other hand, having a clean house while you’re going through treatments is critical. After all, your immune system is down and you’ve probably never been more at risk from germs.

Friends and family may be willing to help, but most likely they’ll want to clean their way, which may mean using products you’re not comfortable with. What’s the solution?

Well, you could ask them to use non-toxic cleansers and they might oblige, but if you live in New Jersey, you may have a better option—an organization called CanswerLink that provides free monthly non-toxic house cleaning to all cancer patients.

Doesn’t matter if you’re a man, woman, or child, or if you are going through chemotherapy, radiation, recovering from surgery, or coming home for hospice due to cancer, CanswerLink will come in and take care of the cleaning. “When a patient is diagnosed with cancer and the priorities shift,” says their website, “housecleaning can often be the last thing on the mind. We believe that a clean home has an emotional affect that lifts the patient’s spirits and renews the patient’s mental health, crucial steps in total mind and body recovery.”

Founded by Vici Prodromitis and Donna Sandvig—both of whom have had people close to them hit by cancer—CanswerLink currently operates in several counties in New Jersey, including Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Mercer, Union, Morris, Middlesex, Monmouth, Essex, Sussex, and Bergen. The vision is for the organization to continue to expand until its services are available in every state in the nation, and the invitation is out for other cleaning organizations and even individuals to start CanswerLink chapters in their hometowns.

I was so excited to hear about this organization. It’s such a great idea, and can be of such help to so many individuals and their families. What’s extra fantastic is that they believe in using non-toxic cleaning products, to avoid introducing any additional damaging chemicals into the home environments of people who are especially susceptible to them.

“CanswerLink believes that only non-toxic cleaning products should be used in everyone’s homes,” says their website. “By using only non-toxic products we can help to protect other family members from being exposed to toxins that may contribute to the development of certain cancers.”

If you believe like I do that an organization like this deserves your support, please take a moment right now to make a donation to their cause. If you want to go further and start a chapter in your area, you’ll find instructions at the same link. And if you know someone in the Jersey area that could use their help, don’t hesitate to contact them!

Have you had an experience with CanswerLink? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy CanswerLink.org.

A clinical trial examined the effects on nails from “docetaxel,” a particular type of chemotherapy drug that is known to cause nails to become brittle or discolored in about 40 percent of patients, and to become infected in about 3 percent. Researchers gave over 40 cancer patients an “Elasto-Gel” flexible glove (made by Southwest Technologies, Inc.) to wear while they were getting treated, to see if it would have any effect on their nails. The glove contained glycerin to retain the cold, like a hand-shaped ice pack. Patients wore the glove on one hand for 90 minutes, before, during, and after intravenous infusion of docetaxel. Halfway through, the gloves were swapped for new ones to be sure they stayed cold enough. The other hand was left unprotected.

Here’s the exciting news: two-thirds of the gloved hands were free of skin problems! I’m not talking just nails here, but other common side effects too, like hand/foot syndrome and dry, oozing skin. Yet minor problems occurred in over 40 percent of the unprotected hands. Ann O’Mara of the National Cancer Institute’s Community Clinical Oncology Program said the results were “striking,” and over 80 percent of the patients said they were satisfied with the treatment.

I know your next question—can I get ahold of one of these gloves? The answer is yes. You can get one as easily as ordering it from Amazon. The bad news? It will cost you about $100. You can try the ice and frozen veggies instead, and they may work just as well—we just don’t know because there are no studies behind those methods. My guess is that what really matters is keeping your hands cold enough during the entire infusion. Ice melts, and veggies thaw. The researchers even swapped out gloves to keep the study participants’ hands cold enough.

If you want to protect your skin during treatment—and why wouldn’t you?—try this method, however you decide to do it. Have someone go with you and help you to keep replacing your ice, veggies, or gloves, so you keep them cool enough. It’s a small price to pay to escape the suffering caused by dark and infected nails, dry skin, and open sores on your hands.

Have you tried something like this to escape side effects on your hands? Please share your story.

Sources

1. Florian Scotté, et al. “Multicenter Study of a Frozen Glove to Prevent Docetaxel-Induced Onycholysis and Cutaneous Toxicity of the Hand.” Journal of Clinical Oncology 23 (19): 4424-4429 (July 1, 2005).

Photo courtesy eldercarelinkCare via Flickr.com.

Isn’t it great to see the sun shining more often? Summer is definitely on it’s way, which reminds me to warn everybody to protect themselves from skin cancer. Wear your safe sunscreens rain or shine (zinc oxide is best), and protect yourself from direct sunlight with hats, sleeves, and gloves. This year I also want to deliver an additional warning: If you’ve ever had a suppressed immune system in your life—from cancer, cancer treatments or other illnesses—you must be doubly careful, as your risk of skin cancer is even higher than the rest of the general population.

Here’s why this is such a concern:

• A study of over 700 renal-transplant recipients found that the overall incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma was 250 times that in the general population.¹
• Skin cancer that occurs in transplant recipients seems to be uncommonly aggressive, recurrent, and sometimes fatal.²
• HIV/AIDS patients are at seven times higher risk than the population at large for skin cancer.
• Patients who had undergone stem cell transplants showed a higher risk of skin cancer within 2-26 months following treatment.³
• All cases of cancer greatly increase risk, because the cancer itself depresses the immune system, as do the chemotherapy treatments. Lymphocytic leukemia has a particularly devastating effect on the immune system.
• People who have had radiation treatment have a higher risk of getting skin cancer in the area that was treated.
• Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosis, and other autoimmune diseases also increase risk of skin cancer.

Why does this happen? Science isn’t really sure yet, but there are a couple theories. One is that the period of time when the immune system was suppressed reduces the body’s vigilance against cancer cells and thus makes it more prone to cancer development. Another is that the medications used in treatments that suppress the immune system could sensitize DNA to ultraviolet radiation, making it more susceptible to cancerous changes. A third is that all treatments that involve immunosuppression can damage the skin’s own immune system, leaving it less able to fight off cancerous changes when exposed to UV light.

Regardless of what causes the change, the important thing is to realize that you are at increased risk, and to take the appropriate precautions. Don’t stop with just applying sunscreen. Get used to wearing a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Avoid the sun during peak hours, and wear protective clothing on your arms and legs. Don’t forget to move your visor when you’re driving, as many us get most of our sun exposure on one side of the face. All of us like to enjoy a little sun on our skin, but it’s just not worth having to go through a difficult disease like skin cancer—especially when it seems to be even more dangerous to people who are at higher risk.

Are you at a higher risk of skin cancer? Have any tips for our readers?

Sources

1. Hartevelt MM, Bavinck JN, Kootte AM, Vermeer BJ, Vandenbroucke JP. Incidence of skin cancer after renal transplantation in The Netherlands. Transplantation 1990;49:506-509.
2. Gerlini G, Romagnoli P, Pimpinelli N. Skin cancer and immunosuppression. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol Oct; 56 (1): 127-35 (2005).
3. M Cavalier, et al., Skin cancer after nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplantation 37: 1103-1108 (2006).

Photo courtesy Evan Romine via Flickr.com.

Estheticians at Tranquility Spa, from left to right: Christy Nop, Edwina Rathbone-Little, Nikki Stefanick and owner Beverly Miller. Lucy Croft is not pictured.

Research has shown that massage, facials, reflexology, and other spa treatments can all help reduce stress, nurture the skin, slow the appearance of aging, and even reduce side effects from cancer therapies and medications.

Because so many people are now turning to spa treatments for health reasons, today’s therapists need to know a lot more than just how to make you feel good. I was fortunate enough to meet one spa owner and esthetician who is taking her responsibilities very seriously. Beverly Miller owns and operates Tranquility Spa & Wellness in St. Charles, Illinois. We attended a training course together on oncology esthetics (given by Morag Currin, pioneer of the Clinical Oncology Esthetics (COE) certification for licensed estheticians), and I was so impressed that she paid for most of her staff to take the course with her. They’re all committed to making a difference in the lives of cancer patients and wanted to gain certification before promoting themselves as a spa that works with fighters and survivors.

“We have five estheticians working at the spa,” Beverly said, “and I wanted all of us to have this knowledge. We’re very involved in a center in Geneva called the Living Well Cancer Resource Center, and we would like to be able to donate our services there.”

Beverly says that her personal experience with cancer made her want to do more: “Over the last several years, I’ve had many of my clients come in and say, ‘I’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer,’ or ‘I just found out I have ovarian cancer.’ I’ve seen friends and clients go through chemotherapy and radiation and I’ve seen what it does to their skin. The treatments, medications, and surgeries create unique situations that you have to know how to deal with so you don’t cause any injuries.”

When talking with Beverly about the need for additional education, she pointed out that there have been a lot of changes in the industry that require it. “Back when I started, spa treatments were mainly a ‘fluff and puff’ sort of thing you did to pamper yourself on a special occasion,” she says. “Since then, science has learned a lot more about the skin and body, and we now have more beneficial ingredients in our skin care products like antioxidants and peptides. More likely than not, one of us will detect a suspicious mole or dark spot on the skin before anyone else does, making us the first line of defense against skin cancer. And our spas aren’t just about looking pretty anymore—we’re catering to people’s health and well being with things like acupuncture, reflexology, and yoga classes, in addition to the standard massage and facial treatments. So we have to be a lot more educated to fulfill that role.”

After the course was finished, Beverly said the most important thing she learned was to be extra careful with people who’ve had lymph nodes removed. “It’s very important to know how not to massage, because you could cause lymphedema [long-term swelling],” she said. “I want to create a safe haven for my clients. No matter what they’re going through, I want them to feel comfortable in my spa, and know that they’re putting their bodies in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing.”

When asked what advice she would give people living with cancer when looking for the right esthetician, Beverly said, “Call the spa or wellness center. Check their certifications. They should have their basic training, plus additional training from the International Dermal Institute (for estheticians), or from a course like this one. When you go in, observe how they react. Do they have you fill out an extensive questionnaire? They need to know if your blood count is low, for example, so that they’re extra cautious about risk of infection. Finally, if I were going through cancer, I would call and say, ‘Do your estheticians know how to treat someone going through cancer?’ And I would make sure to tell them everything about my condition.”

Today, armed with her new knowledge, Beverly is excited about expanding her services. “A spa treatment is soothing, relaxing, and truly healing. It can definitely help you deal with the side effects so you feel more confident and refreshed.”

Have you found the perfect esthetician or massage therapist to help you during your treatment? Please share your story.

“These dark circles make me look so tired,” writes one fighter. “Can you please tell me some remedy for this problem?”

I’ve had several people ask me about this. You may think that it’s all because of lack of sleep or stress, but actually dark circles are more closely related to bruising—and that’s why they tend to happen during chemotherapy.

According to darkcircles.net, dark circles under the eyes are caused by leaky capillaries. Blood leaks out into the surrounding skin, and as your body works to mop it up, you see the dark, purplish or blue-black discoloration. It’s much like when you injure yourself and see a bruise a few hours later. This process may happen elsewhere in the body and you wouldn’t even notice, but the skin under the eyes is so thin and delicate and the capillaries so close to the surface that the change in color becomes very visible.

Chemotherapy can cause excess bruising and bleeding, as I mentioned in a former post, so it’s no wonder some of that excess bruising can show up under your eyes.

There are some products out there that claim to help diminish dark circles, but unfortunately many of them contain parabens, ureas, and ingredients that are potentially toxic and best to avoid during treatment. Below I’ve given you five at-home tips to help battle dark undereye circles. Give them a try, and let me know if they help!

1. Tea bags. It’s one of those old tried-and-true remedies and it really does help. The caffeine in the tea diminishes water in the tissues to reduce puffiness, and the tea itself contains beneficial antioxidants. Squeeze out a cooled, used teabag and leave one on (or under) each eye for about 10 minutes. Since chamomile is a natural anti-inflammatory, chamomile tea bags may be extra helpful.

2. Cucumber slices. They feel cool and soothing on your eyes, and are known to help liven up the skin around the eyes.

3. Try some homemade mixtures. An old natural remedy recommends mixing a teaspoon of tomato juice, a half teaspoon lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder and a pinch of flour into a paste, applying under the eyes, and leaving for 10 minutes. At night, try mixing half almond oil and half honey and applying under the eyes before bed.

4. Puree a potato. Place an uncooked potato into a blender or liquidizer and puree, then place a little under each eye, lay down, and wait for up to 30 minutes.

5. Apply a cream with vitamin K. Vitamin K has shown in some studies to help diminish bruising. Try to find a non-toxic undereye cream with vitamin K. One possibility: CSI Recovery Eye Cream with Vitamin K & Arnica.

Have you tried any of these remedies? Do you have other suggestions?

Photo courtesy juliejigsaw via Flickr.com.

Strictly defined, an antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing what’s called the “oxidation” of other molecules. You can think of them as cell protectors, for that’s what they typically do in the body—protect cells from damage, including damage that can lead to cancer.

Antioxidants come in many different forms. Some of the most well known are the vitamins C, E, and A, all of which are now proven antioxidants. Others, naturally present in foods like fruits and vegetables, come in the form of “phytonutrients”—things like resveratrol, beta-carotene, and lycopene. Still others are present in minerals like selenium, which has antioxidant enzymes.

I have some friends who swore that antioxidants helped them during treatment, yet most doctors want you to stay away from them—in supplement form, at least. That means no vitamins A, C, or E, and no supplemental lycopene, resveratrol, quercetin, etc. Check the ingredient lists on your skin care products as well, as skin can absorb antioxidants, particularly those used in moisturizers.

The fear is that supplemental antioxidants will protect your cancer cells as vigorously as they do your healthy cells, making your treatment less effective. Some studies, for example, have found that cancer cells seem to soak up antioxidants like vitamin C, leading researchers to question whether or not the cancer cells might then use the vitamin to shield themselves against radiation and chemotherapy.¹ Some chemotherapy drugs work in part by creating free radicals that destroy cancer cells, and one study highlighted the concern that antioxidants may interfere with that, since they typically neutralize free radicals.² One animal study found that mice receiving antioxidant-depleted diets experienced reduction in their brain tumors, compared to mice receiving extra vitamins E and A.³ Another found that using antioxidants decreased radiation therapy side effects, but may have decreased the effectiveness of the treatment as well.⁴

Many other studies, however, have found antioxidants to be helpful during treatment. Women in China who took vitamin E and C during the first six months after they were diagnosed with breast cancer, for example, had a reduced risk of death and recurrence of their cancer.⁵ Another recent study found that antioxidant drugs, such as those used to treat malaria and diabetes, could help treat cancer, with researchers suggesting that we reconsider using antioxidants as anti-cancer agents.⁶ There are many more studies like these, showing that antioxidants can help kill tumors and reduce side effects during treatment.

One of the latest scientific reviews of the evidence, however, concludes that antioxidants still have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of treatment, so they discourage people to take them during chemotherapy or radiation.⁷ The whole thing is pretty complex, with things like type of antioxidants used, dosage, and type of treatment all affecting the outcome, so it will probably be awhile before science can give us any definite answers. Meanwhile, the best advice is to eat a healthy diet (which can include antioxidant-rich foods), and if you’re considering taking antioxidant supplements, always check with your doctor beforehand to be sure you won’t be affecting your treatment.

Have you talked to your doctor about antioxidants? Please share your story.

Sources

1. “Cancer Tumors Shown to Consume Large Amounts of Vitamin C. Researchers are Cautious About Cancer Patients Taking Vitamin C Supplements,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1999. http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/1166.cfm.
2. Labriola D, Livingston R. Possible interactions between dietary antioxidants and chemotherapy. Oncology. 1999;13:1003-1012.
3. Williamson D, “Study: Avoiding Vitamins A, E Might Improve Cancer Therapy,” University of North Carolina News Services, December 13, 1999, www.unc.edu/news/newsserv/research/dec99/salganik121399.htm.
4. Bairati I, Meyer F, Gelinas M, et al. A randomized trial of antioxidant vitamins to prevent acute adverse effects of radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients. J Clin Oncol. 2005 Jul 18. [Epub ahead of print]
5. “Vitamin Supplement Use During Breast Cancer Treatment and Survival: A Prospective Cohort Study,” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 20: 262-271 (February 2011).
6. Trimmer, Casey, et al., “Caveolin-1 and Mitochondrial SOD2 (MnSOD) Function as Tumor Suppressors in the Stromal Microenvironment: A New Genetically Tractable Model for Human Cancer Associated Fibroblasts,” Cancer Biology & Therapy, 11 (4): February 15, 2011.
7. Lawenda BD, Kelly KM, Ladas EJ, et al. Should supplemental antioxidants administration be avoided during chemotherapy and radiation therapy? J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008 May 27.

Photo courtesy the Try2Success via Flickr.com.

This happens in all sorts of skin conditions, from eczema to psoriasis to dermatitis to rosacea, and is also a factor in skin that’s been damaged by chemotherapy and radiation treatments, or by medications.

What I want to warn you about is this: If you have compromised skin of any sort, you are more at risk from exposure to toxic chemicals—not only because they can further irritate and damage your skin, but because they can more easily penetrate skin’s malfunctioning outer layer and get inside your body.

Several studies have confirmed this. For example, researchers found that skin damaged by chemicals in the workplace was more likely to absorb those chemicals. “[T]here are several lines of evidence that reduced integrity of the skin barrier may increase dermal absorption of chemicals in the occupational setting,” the researchers wrote. “[S]ome individuals have an intrinsically affected skin barrier which will facilitate entrance of chemicals into and through the skin making these persons more susceptible for local as well as systemic toxicity.”

Read that again. It says “…more susceptible for local as well as systemic toxicity.” What that means is that not only will your skin suffer from the exposure to the chemicals, but the rest of your body may as well.

I’ve posted several times on this blog about how chemicals in our personal care products can damage our bodies. I’ve talked about how studies have found traces of synthetic fragrances, parabens, and phthalates in the blood samples of teenage girls. I told you about the two environmental advocates who did an experiment on themselves and found that daily exposure to personal care products increased their blood and urine levels of chemicals like BPA, triclosan, and phthalates. I alerted you to the fact that even newborn babies are born with chemical contaminants in their blood.

If all that hasn’t convinced you to start shopping for safer products, I want to add this fact—if you have compromised skin, it’s more likely that whatever chemicals you apply to your body will end up inside you.

That means if you have dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, inflammation, or even just plain old dry, itchy skin, you’re at an increased risk for toxic exposure. It’s just the way it works.

Your skin is built to protect you, but some days it’s fighting an uphill battle. Even if you don’t have a skin condition, you’re exposed to several chemicals a day that can contribute to barrier breakdown. Even just cleaning the house with your bare hands using chemical cleaners can disrupt the condition of your skin, and make it less likely to protect you from the chemicals you’re exposing it to.

If you have compromised skin, please take the following precautions. (Of course if I were you, I’d take these precautions regardless!)

1. Do not expose your skin to harsh chemicals. Wear gloves when you’re housecleaning or gardening or anytime you’re working with toxic substances. Better yet, buy cleaning and gardening products with fewer chemicals and more non-toxic ingredients.
2. Shop for your skin-care items from reputable manufacturers that use safe ingredients in their products. Checkout my list of where to find safer products here.
3. Use gentler, non-toxic body washes, shampoos, detergents, everything—and definitely buy fragrance-free or look for products naturally scented with essential oils or natural extracts.
4. Keep your skin continually moisturized. Compromised skin cannot hold onto moisture as well as healthy skin, yet moisture helps in healing and increases barrier effectiveness, so get used to applying 3-4 times a day. If you need to, wear cotton socks and gloves overnight after you’ve put on lotion or cream.

Do you have compromised skin? Are you more careful with chemical exposure?

Photo courtesy the KarmaLady via Flickr.com.

Many things can cause compromised skin, including conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. Medical treatments and medications can also disrupt skin’s normal function, as can allergens, other health issues like diabetes, and overexposure to chemical irritants. Many of these skin conditions have no known cure.

The good news is that by taking a little more care in how we treat our skin, what we use on it, and what we expose it to, we can alleviate symptoms, help improve the condition of skin, and even restore its health and vitality.

What can we do about it? As to the solutions for compromised skin, there are many, and I’ll be talking more about these in more detail in future posts. The main thing is to remember that your skin is sensitive and fragile, and requires a tender touch. Here are a few tips to get you started. Watch for more in the upcoming weeks!

• Stay away from products full of chemicals. Look for fragrance-free, gentle formulas that contain natural ingredients like aloe, shea butter, honey, and essential oils.
• Wash your skin gently with a gentle cleanser, then pat dry—never rub. If you’re suffering from dry skin, using lukewarm, not hot, water.
• Always, always protect your skin from the sun. Wear clothing and use a safe sunscreen like zinc oxide.
• Don’t limit your product exploration to only skin-care items. Take into account as well your shampoos, conditioners, body washes, deodorants, shave gels, and makeup. Any and all of these could contribute to skin irritation.
• Take note as well of things like your detergents, household cleaners, candles, and air fresheners. Any of these products can trigger flareups if they contain harsh chemicals. Get used to shopping for gentle, non-toxic options.
• If your skin condition is connected to allergies, keep a journal for a couple weeks to try to identify what you’re allergic to. Note when you experience a skin flare-up, how long it lasts, and what activities you participated in that day (including any suspect materials you may have come into contact with).
• Some skin conditions flare up during periods of stress. Look for stress-relief options that work for you like regular exercise, meditation, daily journaling, yoga, time with friends, or art therapy, and work these activities into your schedule on a regular basis.
• Consider buying a shower filter. People with compromised skin can be sensitive to chemicals like chlorine, which some cities use to purify water. A shower filter will remove these types of chemicals.
• Moisturize moisturize moisturize. Sensitive and compromised skin often needs more moisture than normal skin. Get used to carrying small bottles of moisturizer in your purse and in your car, and store some in your desk at your office.
• Wear plastic or rubber gloves when washing dishes or cleaning. Always protect yourself from exposure to harsh detergents and chemicals.

Are you suffering from compromised skin? Do you have tips for our readers?

Photo courtesy shutterstock.

When I first started my work with people living with cancer, I focused on helping them to deal with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Over the last year, however, I realized that I talk a lot about compromised skin. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments are notorious for causing skin problems, and even after treatment is over, skin can continue to be dry, itchy, and flaky, making this one of the most common and frustrating long-term side effects.

The more people asked me about various skin conditions and the more I talked about it, the more I realized that this problem is widespread, and hits all kinds of people—not just those affected by cancer. People across the nation suffer from a variety of skin problems, from rosacea to psoriasis to eczema to inflammation to just plain dry, itchy skin. In fact, according to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 37.9 million visits were made to an office-based dermatologist for skin conditions in the U.S. in 2001, and 12.1 million visits were made to the physician’s office for skin rashes. So the big question becomes: Just what is compromised skin, and what can we do about it?

What is compromised skin? Simply put, compromised skin no longer has the ability to protect and maintain itself. Something has impaired that ability, leaving it vulnerable to problems.

More specifically, when we’re talking about compromised skin, we’re usually referring to damage in the outer layer. This is the part of the skin we can see—the part that gives skin its color and that usually works like a protective blanket for our bodies.

We can think of skin as having three layers:

1. the outer, protective layer (epidermis),
2. the middle layer (dermis), which contains small blood cells, hair follicles, nerve cells, sweat glands, collagen and elastin, and
3. the lower layer (subcutaneous), which contains layers of lipids or fats and connective tissues, and attaches the skin to everything underneath.

In compromised skin, the outer layer (epidermis) has been damaged. You can think of it like a blanket that’s frayed and thin with several small holes and tears. This causes two problems: 1) the skin can no longer hold onto moisture as well, causing dryness, flaking, itching, and redness; and 2) the skin can’t protect itself as well, making it more vulnerable to environmental toxins, harmful UV rays, bacteria, allergens, and harsh chemical ingredients in personal care products.

What causes compromised skin? Many different things can damage the outer layer of skin. Researchers recently discovered, for example, that malfunctions in certain genes that direct the formation of the outer layer can lead to psoriasis. Other skin problems like dermatitis and eczema also involve a compromised outer layer, though what causes that barrier to break down scientists aren’t sure. There does appear to be a connection in people who suffer from asthma, hay fever, and allergies, and again, there appears to be a genetic link, as these problems often occur in families.

Other health issues such as cancer (and cancer treatments), AIDS, and diabetes can also affect the skin. For people with diabetes, for example, high blood-sugar levels can cause skin conditions that:

• thicken skin on the back of the neck and upper back,
• create patches of discolored skin on the chest and abdomen,
• darken and thicken skin in various areas of the body,
• and several other potential issues.

Medications and medical treatments can also be a source of skin problems. Radiation and chemotherapy, for example, can cause burning, dry skin, flaking, redness and itching. Birth control can cause melasma, a condition where women develop dark patches on their faces. Cholesterol-lowering drugs can cause dry skin, as can diuretics, and the list doesn’t stop there.

Chemical irritants like soaps and hair dyes can also trigger skin inflammation, which can again damage the outer layer. In fact, when we start looking into it, we can see that the skin is vulnerable to assault from all kinds of things, which is why so many people from many different walks of life suffer from skin conditions. This is also why these conditions can be difficult to treat. If you’re not sure of the exact cause, for example, it’s tough to find a solution, which is why for many skin conditions there often is no permanent cure.

Don’t give up hope, however. There are several ways to alleviate painful and irritating symptoms and help improve the condition of the skin. We’ll talk about these in future posts, so be sure to come back for more information!

Are you suffering from compromised skin? Do you have tips for our readers?

Graviola fruit—sometimes called “soursop”—apparently tastes like a combination of other citrus fruits with the creamy flavor of banana or coconut. Since it’s rather difficult to eat by itself, the pulp is often used to prepare juice, ice cream, sorbets, and candies. Rich in carbohydates, B and C vitamins, calcium, and fiber, it’s believed to have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties which help in fighting infections. Other parts of the tree, as well, including the bark, leaves, and roots have been used for centuries by natives as natural remedies for infections, fever, digestive problems, and high blood pressure.

But could this little plant really be more effective than chemotherapy? According to “Graviola.com,” this green wonder is a “miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than chemo,” particularly, one particular chemo drug called Adriamycin. The site goes on to say that components of graviola attack various types of cancer cells including colon, breast, prostate, lung, and pancreatic, and do so without nausea, weight loss and hair loss. Meanwhile, graviola supposedly protects the immune system, boosts energy, and protects healthy cells. Could all this be true?

Researching this plant was a little difficult, as there is already so much hype surrounding it. I think, however, that I managed to narrow it down, and what I found is the same thing I find with so many of these “natural cancer cures.” Yes, there have been a few small laboratory (test-tube) studies that have shown graviola to have anti-cancer properties, but this isn’t all that unusual on its own. Several plants and fruits have shown cancer-fighting properties in the lab. The thing that seems to be creating the buzz around this fruit is that “10,000 times stronger” claim.

Apparently the National Cancer Institute did a study on graviola way back in 1976, but I couldn’t find this study. Word is it was never released to the public. The Health Sciences Institute (HIS), an independent organization in Maryland, says a study in the Journal of Natural Products found that one chemical from the plant killed colon cancer cells. I couldn’t find this particular study, but I did find others published in the same journal, including a 2010 study that showed anti-cancer activity in vitro, and a 2008 study that showed graviola extract is a potent anti-viral, anti-tumor, and anti-microbial product. One 1998 study (in a different journal) even found anti-depressant effects from the plant.

The thing that’s most exciting about graviola is that it can distinguish cancer cells from healthy cells, and selectively slow the growth of only the cancer cells. The other exciting thing is the 10,000 number—this according to a recent study from South Korea. Unlike chemo, graviola had no negative activity on healthy cells, and was even effective against cancer cells that were resistant to chemo drugs.

Still, we’re talking here about a handful of studies, all of them in vitro­—in a test tube. The FDA has so far approved graviola only for use to support immune function. According to canceractive.com, the National Cancer Institute is supporting new research, but in the meantime, I say approach this new “cure” with caution. We have yet to see how it works in clinical trials. We also don’t know what the effects may be of taking graviola for a long time. The Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, for example, warns that graviola “may cause movement disorders and myeloneuropathy with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.” Discovery Health warns that if taken for a prolonged period, graviola may deplete the friendly bacteria required for healthy digestion. Health guru Andrew Weil warns that the in vitro tests are “…a long way from clinical trials to determine the safety and efficacy of these compounds in people with cancer.” He goes on to say that there’s “…no way to tell whether commercially available graviola contains any of the compounds studied….” and recommends that people do not take graviola or its extracts as a dietary supplement.

Even if you were to ignore all these concerns, there are other questions: What is the best dosage? How often should you take it and for how long? What about other health risks?

There’s no doubt that early studies on this plant are very exciting. Until we know more, however, please be really careful. If you do decide to try it, buy from a reputable manufacturer, monitor yourself carefully, and use an easily digestible form like a tincture.

Have you had questions about graviola? Have you talked to a healthcare professional or herbalist about it? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy F. Lima via Flickr.com.

The first one: BPA may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy by protecting cancer cells. In other words, if you’re going through chemotherapy and you have BPA in your system (leached into ood from aluminum can linings and plastics), it may be making it more difficult for the chemo to do its job.

The second one: In case you were wondering if you have BPA in your system, a recent report found that more than 90 percent of Canadians have detectable levels of BPA in urine and blood samples. If this is true of Canadians, it’s most likely true of Americans as well. In fact, the most recent report on BPA by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms “widespread exposure to BPA in the U.S. population.”

Scientists at the University of Cincinnati subjected human breast cancer cells to low levels of BPA—consistent with levels found in the blood of human adults. The BPA acted on the cancer cells just like estrogen does—it induced proteins that protected the cells from chemotherapy agents.

“It’s actually acting by protecting existing cancer cells from dying in response to anti-cancer drugs,” said Nira Ben-Jonathan, Ph.D. and lead author of the study, “making chemotherapy significantly less effective.”

If you’re finding that your cancer isn’t responding to chemo, talk to your doctor about this study. Estrogen has been linked to chemo resistance in the past, but some patients have been resistant even with low levels of estrogen, which so far has left doctors baffled. This new study suggests one possible answer to the problem.

Of course the bottom line here is that this study is just one more in a pile that link BPA to health problems in humans. The National Toxicology Program admits concern with BPA’s effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children. The FDA has acknowledged concern about BPA negatively affecting children, and is conducting further research. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has prioritized BPA research to “fill in many of the research gaps in this area so informed personal and public health decisions can be made.” The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists BPA among it’s “chemicals of concern” and has also embarked on a plan of action to investigate it further because of its possible harmful effects on the environment. (More than 1 million pounds are released into the environment each year.)

Where does all this BPA come from? We’ve posted about exposure from plastic water bottles and aluminum food cans. However, it’s also present in consumer electronics like computers, cell phones, and video game consoles.

Again, let me remind you of the ways to avoid BPA in your life.

• Don’t microwave in plastic containers, especially older ones that have been exposed to high temperatures numerous times.
• Avoid plastic containers with the #7 on the bottom.
• Don’t wash plastic containers in the dishwasher with harsh detergents. High temperatures and detergents break down the chemical components, making it more likely that BPA will leach out into food.
• Reduce your use of canned foods—use frozen and boxed instead.
• Use glass, porcelain, or stainless steel containers whenever possible, especially for hot food and liquids.
• Replace your plastic bottles with stainless steel refillable ones.
• Use infant formula bottles that are BPA-free and look for toys labeled BPA-free.
• Keep your hands away from your eyes and mouth and wash after using computers and other electronics. Always wash before eating.
• Be cautious of food packaging when shopping for groceries—a recent study found that BPA leached into the food from many types of food packaging (canned and plastic, including containers for children’s formula and food)—search for BPA-free containers, check the company website, and look for fresh and boxed packaging. Consider as well using green grocery bags, as plastic bags can also be a source of BPA.
• Handle receipts as little as possible—new research has found BPA in cash register receipts from ATMs, gas stations, and supermarkets.

Have I convinced you to pay more attention to BPA? Please share your thoughts.

Photo courtesy clarita via morguefile.com.

“The link between oral health and overall health is now well documented,” he says. “Establishing optimum oral health is important for anyone at any age. After cancer treatment, it is imperative.”

Chemotherapy affects all fast-growing cells in the body, which includes those in the mouth. That’s why we get mouth sores during treatment. You are also more prone to an infection in the lining of your mouth, as your white blood cell count is down and your immune system is not as able to fight off bacteria and viruses. A common side effect is a fungal infection called “thrush” that appears as white patches over the mouth and tongue. If you suffer from this side effect, be sure to check with your doctor. He/she will have anti-fungal medicines you can use.

Chemotherapy can cause dry mouth as well, which can rob your mouth of the protective effect of saliva, and may lead to bleeding gums. Of course, all this sounds really unpleasant. Is there anything we can do to increase our odds of going through treatment with a healthy mouth?

Try these tips. There’s no guarantee you won’t still get some of the irritating mouth side effects, but you’ll be more likely to avoid them or at least lessen their severity a little.

• See your dentist before you start chemotherapy to make sure your mouth starts out as healthy as possible.
• Avoid mouthwashes with alcohol. Use non-alcohol brands like Oasis (made specifically for dry mouth), and PerioBrite.
• Avoid sodium laureth sulfate and use toothpastes with safer ingredients like Tom’s of Maine or Burt’s Bees.
• Even if your mouth is sore, don’t avoid cleaning your teeth. Your teeth are more susceptible to decay during chemotherapy so it’s important to protect them. If a brush feels too harsh, use a softer-bristle type, or ask your dentist for a foam brush. Replace your brush frequently to avoid germs. On your worst days, at least use your non-alcoholic mouthwash or warm water with a little salt.
• Check with your doctor before flossing. You are more at risk for bleeding, and if your blood platelets are low, you could make gums bleed even with gentle flossing. Floss when you can, and try a waterpik at a low setting with warm water when you can’t.
• Keep your lips moist with a non-toxic lip balm. Apply often. Dry lips make it easier for germs to get inside your mouth. Try Badger, Soft Lips Organic, or EOS Organic.
• Avoid things that will irritate your mouth or make it hard to clean. These include spices, garlic, onion, salty foods, crunchy foods, and sticky foods like caramel and other sugars.
• Drink water whenever you can. Avoid acidic drinks like orange and grapefruit juice. Try soothing teas instead.
• Suck on ice chips before eating to help numb the mouth.
• As soon as treatment is over, get to your dentist for a checkup. Together you can arrest any decay or gum damage that may have started from chemotherapy.

Do you have other advice for mouth care during chemotherapy? Please let us know.

Photo courtesy saralonde via Flickr.com.

“I noticed that when neighbors stopped in…I would forget I was naked on top and start conversing,” says survivor Michele Corey. “It wouldn’t be until I saw their eyes talking to my forehead that I remembered I was bald and wanted to run in and get something to cover myself.”

Baldness can be one of the most emotionally difficult cancer-treatment side effects to deal with. According to research published in Patient Education and Counseling (Issue 3), “Chemotherapy-induced alopecia is one of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy.”

“It can be painful to look in the mirror and see someone you’re not,” says “About” writer Dave Alexander. “The baldness is a constant reminder of the disease, so it can be a real hurdle to overcome.”

You can cover it up. There are wigs, scarves, and hats. And of course, the promise that the hair will grow back. For most people, it does. According to chemocare.com, “In almost all cases of chemotherapy-induced hair loss, your hair will resume growth after treatments.”

Meanwhile, how do you cope? Men may have more role models to look up to—Vin Diesel, Chris Daughtry, and several other powerful, successful guys who choose to go hairless. Still, being bald has its challenges for men.

“I guess I had forgotten or maybe never realized just how important hair is to a lot of women,” says a troubled divorcee. “One woman told me that I have everything she’s looking for in a man except hair. I was stunned.”

For women, the challenge can be even tougher. “I could have been having a perfectly lovely day feeling utterly healthy,” says survivor Jane Read Martin, “and then, oops! I’d catch a glimpse of my bald head and be reminded that, Oh yeah, I have cancer!”

There are all the standard recommendations—join a support group, talk to a good friend, see a counselor, remember it’s not your fault, and remind yourself that it’s not forever. But when it comes right down to it, coping with your baldness means coming face-to-face with your own self image, and finding that it may need some attention.

“So much of a woman’s identity is tied to how she looks,” says Kim Lynch, R.N., breast health care coordinator at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, Main. “It’s important to acknowledge your hurt and pain [about the changes in your appearance]. It’s real. But once you’ve accepted it, you can move on. Through this process, many women…realize what’s really important and reorder their priorities. Women discover their beauty from the inside out.”

In fact, a study in Cancer Nursing found that most cancer patients felt that physical characteristics became less important as measures of worth, while living itself became more important. “How do you reconcile the newly reassembled view of yourself?” write authors Sheri Magee and Kathy Salzo in Picking Up the Pieces. “As a survivor you must re-own your body—both how you see it and how you imagine others perceive it. Though the process may be fraught with self-doubt and avoidance, with frustration and discomfort, it remains an inevitable and important part of recovery. You are left with this home for your soul: learning to accept it, move into it, and get comfortable with it again are important steps in how you will progress.”

Did you experience changes to your self image as a result of hair loss? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy baldproducts via Flickr.com.

We posted earlier about how aromatherapy can help with many side effects. Peppermint and ginger ease nausea. Lavender and aloe can soothe radiation burns. Cedarwood can help you sleep. Grapefruit and juniper boost energy. All these are tremendously beneficial in the battle against cancer. However, just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s inactive. In fact, essential oils can be very powerful—which is why sometimes, they require a little caution.

For example, according to integrative-healthcare.com, peppermint should be avoided by cancer patients on the chemo drug 5FU, as it increases absorption 4-fold. Ginger can reduce clotting time, so though it helps ease nausea, patients need to be cautious when using it in case of excess bleeding.

Other oils can actually cause skin sensitivity to light, so aromatherapists recommend patients about to undergo radiation therapy avoid applying oils like lemon and other citrus oils, bergamot, tagete, verbena, and angelica to the skin. Other oils that can irritate tender skin with or without light exposure include cinnamon, fig leaf, caraway, dill seed, peppermint, and ylang ylang. Skin cancer patients want to be extra cautious when applying oils.

If you’re already tired and want to up your energy, avoid oils that can make you drowsy like hops, marjoram, geranium, valerian, nutmeg, and sandalwood. Oils that have a higher risk of toxicity include bitter almond, sweet birch, arnica, camphor, cassia, bitter fennel, and mustard—don’t apply these to the skin, and use caution when enjoying them in other ways.

Essential oils are proving in studies to truly help relieve cancer side effects like anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and stress. Most oils and applications are safe enough for patients to use. All it takes is a little education, caution, and advice from your doctor and aromatherapist. A general rule? Keep concentrations of oils low—2 drops per ounce of carrier oil or lotion. And make sure you purchase your oils from a reputable company that produces quality products.

Have you learned how to use aromatherapy during cancer treatments? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy atyourfeetllc via Flickr.com.

The liver works as an efficient processor of toxins in your blood; a “purifier,” so to speak, that sends clean blood back into your system, and toxins out through bile or urine. Unfortunately, some chemotherapy drugs—because they are, in essence, toxins that the liver struggles to get rid of—can overly stress the liver and cause damage (called “hepatoxicity”). In other words, toxins accumulate in the body faster than the liver can process them, and it breaks down—forcing patients to delay or stop their chemotherapy treatments.

A recent study showed, however, that children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who had evidence of liver inflammation, reduced that inflammation with milk thistle. Not only did this benefit the liver, but it enabled more patients to continue their chemo treatments without delay.

“Milk thistle needs to be studied further to see how effective it is for a longer course of treatment,” said co-researcher Kara Kelly, MD, “and whether it works well in reducing liver inflammation in other types of cancers and with other types of chemotherapy.”

Milk thistle—a member of the daisy family—grows in Europe, North American, South America, and Australia. The herbal remedy is made from the seed (actually the fruit of the plant), which contains antioxidants. It has a reputation thousands of years old for helping to restore the liver, and was recommended to treat malaria, the plague, and other illnesses. It was also thought to help reduce the effects of toxins like poisonous mushrooms and alcohol on the liver. Only recently, however, have scientists started looking at its ability to help treat illnesses, although the German Commission E (regulatory agency for herbs) has already approved it as a treatment for toxic liver disease.

This study on children with ALL is only one of several that have used “silymarin”—an antioxidant from the milk thistle seed. According to The American Cancer Society (ACS), lab tests show improvement in liver function, and early studies in test tubes and lab animals show that silymarin may help with cancer prevention and treatment. However, more research needs to be done.

If you want to try milk thistle, or silymarin, check with your doctor. According to the ACS, it’s considered safe, but has the potential to block some of the cancer-killing effects of chemotherapy and radiation. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 280-450 mg per day, or 100-200 mg of silymarin-phosphatidycholine complex two times per day. (The latter is thought to absorb better.) If you experience symptoms like jaundice, fever, abdominal pain, severe fatigue or nausea, bleeding that doesn’t stop after a few minutes, or any unusual swelling in the feet and legs, check with your doctor, as these could be symptoms of liver damage.

Have you gone through liver changes as a result of chemotherapy treatments? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy Luigi FDV via Flickr.com.