Doug Prouty's Battle for Health

Friday, November 30th

Conventional vs Alternative

As I sit here in my reclining chair at the infusion center at Alta Bates for five hours, I can’t help to think about the differences between traditional medicine and alternative medicine. As we know, doctors and hospitals are tied to big pharmaceutical by the FDA. Unless it is an approved drug, it can’t be recommended or administered. So that leaves us with chemotherapy as our only option. Besides the side-effects, it has a terrible track record for “curing” or saving patients.

For me there is also a mental level. As I read books and articles almost daily with the focus on prolonging or saving my life from an early demise, I am finding many recommended alternatives that may help. This blog has documented many of the ones that I have tried. Now that I am on a chemo regiment with no real end in sight, I feel as if I have surrendered my body to traditions. Handed it over to the pharmaceutical companies. Since making this decision, my mind wants to slack as well. Battling cancer is a daily and sometimes hourly process. It is tiresome. It’s so easy to just go with the flow and let the doctors drive.

But when I read my books searching for answers, explore diets to make me healthy, discover supplements purported to help, and work to keep my attitude strong, I feel as if it is in my hands and I am handling the fight in a proactive way. When I put my life in the hands of American medicine, it is a passive process and I have lost control of the fight. It makes me lazy and takes me off my constant vigil.

If I am going to be true to myself, then I must fight my own battle with my own efforts and my research. I need to be an active participant in the battle for my life.

Doug on 11.30.07 @ 11:31 AM PST [link] [No Comments]

Tuesday, November 27th

Wheatgrass Juice

Have you been in a Jamba Juice or other health food store lately where you have seen the small patches of grass growing? That is wheatgrass, grown from wheatberries or wheat seeds. Wheatgrass is rich in chlorophyll and is also packed with oxygen. Chlorophyll acts as a carrier that brings oxygen to the plant’s cells. When juiced, the grass contains more than 100 vitamins and minerals. It also contains all eight amino acids, other essential nutrients and enzymes. It also contains more vitamin C than oranges and more iron than spinach.

Wheatgrass juice therapy was brought to the United States in the 60’s but it had been used in Europe for decades prior. Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg said that any cancer therapy must increase the amount of oxygen carried to body cells. That is exactly what drinking wheatgrass juice does for you. Research also shows that enzymes in the green grass rid the body of toxins and the ill effects of pollution. It also acts as an antimutagenic, decreasing abnormal cell mutations.

So next time you come across some wheatgrass, ask for a one or two ounce shot. They will take some scissors and trim off some grass, then stuff it into a juicer. Often it is served with a slice of orange that you can suck on after the shot to sweeten the aftertaste.

Doug on 11.27.07 @ 09:20 PM PST [link] [1 Comment]

Monday, November 26th

Thanksgiving

What a great holiday week–end! There was so much to be thankful for. I hope everyone else enjoyed time to themselves and time with family. For me, it was all about getting together with great friends and family. I get such a charge of love and energy from everyone. We are all so thankful to be here and (relatively) healthy.

I have to admit that most every day is Thanksgiving for me. Each morning when I open my eyes and put my feet on the floor, I am thankful. I have had my share of ups and downs and maybe that is why I have become so much more appreciative of the “good days.” I feel lucky to be mobile and able to carry on. I can still drive myself around, get out and see a concert (even dance with some oxygen help) and enjoy a party with friends.

It was my birthday this past week (number 48 if you are counting) and I was so thankful to be able to “feel the love.” Great to make another milestone and be around to lovemy wife and watch my children grow. Nick’s 13th birthday is this week and I am amazed at how big he has grown. He has really sprouted into his teenage years and I am so happy to be around for it.

There is always an option to be depressed about your health or situation. The beauty is that there is also the option to choose another attitude about it all. To be thankful for each day and each moment spent here on earth.

Doug on 11.26.07 @ 08:35 AM PST [link] [2 Comments]

Wednesday, November 21st

Juicing

I love my juicers. Since receiving a few bags of pomegranates, I have been figuring ways to make eating them easier. As a result, I went out and bought a Cuisinart Citrus Juicer. We have a hand one but I wanted an electric. Now, I cut the pomegranates in half and juice it like an orange. This machine works great. It has good power and alternates direction with each push. It also has a lid that when pushed down, spins fast and gets the last bit of juice out of the pulp. My favorite feature. Now, I drink the juice from a couple of pomegranates and oranges each day.

We also own a Breville vegetable juicer. This is also a little higher-end and allows us to juice all types of fruits and vegetables. We enjoy fresh apple juice from the tree as well as daily blasts of carrot and beet juice. Juicing is supposed to be the best way to absorb nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Juice is easily digested and utilized by the body. Juicing also counts as your needed vegetable and fruit intake.

Just about everything I read on health says we need to eat more fruits and vegetables. Have you ever looked at the minimum recommended vegetable intake? When you realize it is most beneficial when you eat vegetables raw, you are looking at a lot of chewing. Instead, you could juice up 4 carrots, ½ of a beet (with leaves), two celery stalks, and a cucumber in minutes and drink it down. This is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Add a little fruit to the mix and it can even taste good. My daughter loves it.

If you are interested, you might want to purchase a book like, “The Juice Lady's Guide to Juicing for Health.” Built on scientific research, she addresses all types of health issues. She also has a book of recipes. I have read a couple examples of where cancer patients claimed that they were cured by a pure juice diet. Certainly a health boost.

Doug on 11.21.07 @ 10:02 AM PST [link] [3 Comments]

Monday, November 19th

Vanity Unfair

I guess everyone has a vain vein in his or her body. It keeps us thinking good about ourselves. We can look at ourselves in the mirror and pick what we like. Unfortunately when you are battling cancer, much of our vanity has to be put on hold. I have watched my healthy, muscular and strong body deteriorate in one year, to one that looks like that of a POW (yes, that is my hand). My hair, though I still have it, has become a big cowlick. I have difficulty climbing a set of stairs when I used to climb Yosemite’s Half Dome with a 40-pound backpack. I’m tired all the time and spend much of my time lounging or napping. The only reason I turn heads these days is because I am out in public with a breathing tube strapped to my face.

I guess it is humbling and healthy to give up your vanity. Jeanette points out that women have to give up on such things much earlier than men. Men can be handsome with gray in their hair and a little extra weight around the waist. Whenever we watch the news together, she points out an anchorman who looks “aged” and says that they would never let a woman go on the air looking like that. So there is a reason that cosmetics is a multi-billion-dollar industry and that cosmetic surgery is so popular. Many women risk cancer for hormone replacement therapy. Most of us have trouble letting go of our looks and bodies. And if they do go, how do we handle it? Do we adjust our self-image or do we get depressed and let it all go? Can we be attractive with our whit, personality, conversation and charm instead?

These are the waters I am swimming in these days. I know I have other important things to concentrate on other than my vanity. However, unless we die young, it is a tough thing that we all have to deal with. And as long as I am out and about and functioning at a fairly high level, then I am thankful. No matter how ugly it gets.

Doug on 11.19.07 @ 10:10 AM PST [link] [4 Comments]

Thursday, November 15th

Phase II Trial for Metastasized Colorectal Cancer

On my last visit, my doctor asked to see me in an exam room to talk about possible options. There has been a new chemotherapy protocol that was developed by Dr. Saltz who is the guru for colon cancer chemo regiments. He has just finished a Phase II trial (early in the process) that gets away from the standard regiment that I am on.

Currently I am on the renowned regimen for metastasized colon cancer. That includes the drugs Irinotecan, 5FU, Leucavorin, and Avastin. They also throw in the steroid Decadron just for fun. Statistically, this combination has shown an increase in survival rate of five months. This is the type of depressing news that got me off chemo to begin with. My doctor tells me they have had some good results so far with this new trial that drops 5FU and Leucavorin and combines Avastin with Erbitux. Erbitux is usually given as a last-ditch effort but is not very effective on its own.

In February 2004, the Food and Drug Administration approved Avastin (bevacizumab) and Erbitux (cetuximab) to treat colorectal cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Both drugs are genetically engineered versions of antibodies produced by the immune system to fight foreign invaders.

Avastin is a new type of chemo drug called an antiangiogenic that works by preventing the growth of a tumor’s blood vessels. Side effects include feeling short of breath, feeling light-headed, fainting, flu symptoms, easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, stomach pain with vomiting, vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds and hair loss. Erbitux functions similarly but has not been shown to extend people's lives. It was however, shown to shrink tumors in some people and delay tumor growth, especially when used as a combination treatment. Erbitux is one of several drugs that blocks the epidermal growth factor (EGF), a key cancer mechanism found on a wide range of solid tumors. There was good success in mice but disappointing results with humans. Side effects include skin rashes and itching, a feeling of swelling in the tongue or throat, irritation of the nasal passages, wheezing, nausea, Diarrhoea, fever, sore eyes, a cough and breathlessness.

Dr. Leonard Saltz, one of the world’s leading colon cancer specialists states, “We're seeing very exciting progress, But is it good enough? No. It stinks."

I'm a little apprehensive.

Doug on 11.15.07 @ 08:55 AM PST [link]

Monday, November 12th

Inflammation and Longevity

I seem to be drawn to research and articles that address human longevity. The human body has gone from a life expectancy of 45 to one of 85 in a little over a generation. By the year 2000, we had over 50,000 people age 100 or older. Better health care? Better drugs? Research is starting to point to several factors. The one featured in the latest issue of Discover Magazine looks at inflammation.

Inflammation is a natural immunological body response to pathogens or foreign invaders. Often times it is the body’s knee-jerk reaction to a cut or virus. The problem is, it helps fight off the trouble in the short run but does the body damage in the long run. The more inflammation your body experiences in its lifetime, the shorter its lifetime. We seem to be living longer because we no longer suffer from early childhood diseases such as measles, typhoid, malaria, etc. “A high infectious burden in childhood results in a high inflammatory burden in adulthood, which results in a shorter, sicker life.”

Inflammation can be responsible for the production of free radicals. Oxidative stress and inflammation go hand in hand within the body. Inflammation can also be blamed for diabetes, Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis, and heart attacks. As it runs unchecked in the body, it can slowly damage organs. Some of us live with chronic inflammation such as, back pain and latent viruses such as the Epstein-Barr virus (laying dormant in almost all adults). This can slowly damage our bodies and shorten our lifespan.

So reduction of inflammation may be one of the keys to a long and healthy life. That aspirin a day that was suggested for heart health is also beneficial for inflammation reduction. Other natural anti-inflammatory solutions are Boswellia, Grape Seed, Devil’s Claw, and Willow Bark. Also, diet plays a part in inflammation. Foods that are inflammatory include red meat, peanuts, butter, corn or canola oil, safflower oil, trans fats, high sugar, deep fried foods, and farmed fish. Beneficial foods would be those high in Omega 3. Besides diet, stress, lack of sleep, poor water intake, no exercise, and shallow breathing can contribute to the body’s inflammation levels.

Doug on 11.12.07 @ 11:26 AM PST [link]

Monday, November 5th

A Time For Giving

As we head into the holidays, opportunities for giving surround us. I think every religion asks their followers to give to those that are less fortunate. It is a big part of the Catholic Church and also one of the five pillars of Islam. Thanksgiving presents the chance to give to food banks and Christmas brings Toys For Tots and other programs. Our favorite radio station, KFOG, has been producing a CD with live music for the past 14 years now. The proceeds have raised over $3 million dollars for local food banks. It sells out every year and just went on sale at Peet’s Coffee and online at www.kfog.com.

I have thought about how cancer victims ask that donations be made in their names to some cancer organization. Unfortunately, most of these organizations are part of the “system” that just perpetuates the cycle of drug use and profits for drug companies. The exception is the Independent Cancer Research Foundation, www.new-cancer-treatments.org. This is a non-profit that develops successful alternative cancer treatments.

Jeanette and I have discovered Heifer International, www.heifer.org. They have over 800 projects going on in 50 countries. Their mission is to, “To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth.” Instead of handing out food, they run an education program and give livestock and seeds. You can actually give a cow or pig to a village in Africa. If you click or receive their gift catalog, you can see that there are a variety of animals and price levels. From chicks to llamas, it is impressive what is possible.

I look around my life and realize that my material collection is substantial. And when I look at world statistics I realize that our family ranks in the top one or two percentile for wealth. So this is the season to share some of our good fortune with those who are less fortunate.

Doug on 11.05.07 @ 08:58 AM PST [link]

Saturday, November 3rd

"This is no time to eat healthy.”

It is strange to hear the words, “This is no time to eat healthy” coming form a doctor’s mouth. My oncologist and I were discussing my weight. I have been holding about 5 to 8 pounds above my lowest for several months. Thursday I weighed in a little light and told her I would work on it. That when she uttered the sentence. I had to laugh as she knows how much work I put into eating right. I had just done a pretty good job of resisting the temptations of Halloween. She continued to clarify for me stating that she didn’t want me to go crazy on sugar but don’t shy away from fats. She wants me to have cheese and crackers as well as nuts out in bowls so I grab a handful each time I pass by.

The American Institute for Cancer Research just collected and analyzed a huge sum of research and has released its Second Expert Report. In it they confirm the link between diet and cancer. What follows is their list of recommendations based on the research for the prevention of cancer. If you have been following this blog over the past couple of years, these recommendations will look familiar.

- 1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
- 2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
- 3. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods (particularly processed foods high in added sugar, or low in fiber, or high in fat).
- 4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
- 5. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
- 6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day.
- 7. Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
- 8. Don't use supplements to protect against cancer.

Special Population Recommendations
- 9. It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods.
- 10. After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.

And always remember – do not smoke or chew tobacco.

www.aicr.org

Not only is this a good list for cancer prevention but also for an overall healthier life. We all seem to live with various ailments. A good diet can help alleviate many troubles and help us all live a longer and healthier life. Oh, by the way, an hour later I saw my doctor walk by with a bowl of cottage cheese and
melon slices for lunch.

Doug on 11.03.07 @ 05:56 PM PST [link]

Thursday, November 1st

Watercolors

I heard through the grapevine that some friends at the office are downloading and printing the images of my paintings. As a true rookie in this sport, I am flattered. However, the pictures I posted to the blog were downsized for the Web. Consequently, they will not print with much quality.

So to further encourage the behavior and to put out a quality image, I made a quick web site so you can download a better image (if interested). I will continue to post images as I create them and deem them decent enough to be seen. In the meantime, I will wreck a few more pieces of paper.

Go to Watercolors by Doug

Doug on 11.01.07 @ 10:24 AM PST [link]

Past Posts

Doug's Battle for Health

Life's too good to leave it unfinished!