Q: Hi there,
My mother recently underwent 10 radiation treatments after the removal of a cancerous brain tumor. They gave her 4 one week and 5 the next and 1 the next giving her the two weekend off. she is now not eating or drinking ..she has no apetite and i was hoping you had an idea of what would taste good for her. She has always been a strong person and the change could be from the medicine. My dad is at wits end..I'll be going to visit and stay for a few days this week and was hoping to have some ymmy ideas .. She presently can't stand the smell of grease and stuff that my dad has been trying to force her to eat ? He is 83 and she 81 ? Any good advice for me would sure be appreciated. Thanks in advance
A: My thoughts are with you and your family. Is there anything at all that she craves? Your mom has been through so much, physically and emotionally. I can only imagine what she may be going through. She needs to heal deep. I am sure she needs much beyond just food, but as you know nourishment is essential right now. When healing often we need simple foods - broths are top of the line for this for me. Defat the broth if fats are nauseating to her. Is nausea part of the issue? I prefer chicken bone broth, but if better for her to start a simple potassium rich vegetable broth may be good. I would also try some nourishing herbal infusions, are you familiar with them? - though not great amounts of the Red Clover blossom if she is on blood thinners. Please let me know how I can help further...
Blessings,
Karen Joy
[email protected]
www.wisewomanweb.com
Q: Thanks for your advice...
I was held up for the week and was unable to go see my parents but i phoned twice a day. After I got mad and sent them some lists with acidic foods and alkeline ..so they could stop feeding the cancer ? My dad realized they had to make decisions for her. She has improved since last Monday quite alot and the doctor apparently increased the steroid she has been given ? What effects will we have to watch for now ? I will make some vegetable soup this weekend for her. And I'm not sure what she has been craving but i'll find out. I know that she likes bacon but the smell makes her ill to her stomach.She eats it with eggs in the morning. They have always eaten alot of fats and whites ? Hard to let them know to stop it all ? Seafood and salmon are something they have quite alot of usually too. So I'll do my best when I go.
Nausea is definately part of the whole thing. But at least she's been up and about and not lying in bed waiting for the inevidable ?
She has previously undergone 2 lobe removals for cancer twice when she was in her 50' s and once in her 60's again they took one out on the other side..then she had a breast removed in around 1998 .. and then they found a tumor in between her lungs that they shrunk a few years ago and it remained unseen with tests until they found the tumor ? She is a strong lady at 81 and I'll make sure to let you know how things go. Thanks for your concern and answers.
A: This must be so hard to watch in someone you love. I am glad you will keep me updated. After 80 years of eating one way it is hard to change, and I certainly would not try to change it at this point. I have found for many, though, our own innate passion for health leads us to some seemingly odd cravings in times of trial. Most often I have seen these be a draw toward simplicity, the least processed and complex foods and flavors - broths and salads. I personally prefer chicken bone broth, but say the veggie broth as a second for vegetarians. You could make a bean soup with broth and some bacon to give that flavor, but diffuse the fat, good well cooked greens and even a little live sauerkraut in it - great for gut flora. And hey even a side of white bread for dipping :) Or shrimps and greens sauteed in a broth. In the end though you can't be there all the time. I imagine it would be hard to let go and let others make choices especially when they feel improper. I am glad to hear she is up and moving around. It is hard to say how she will respond to the steroid when there is so much else going on. I wonder why the choice for that and to increase it?
love and blessings,
Karen Joy
Q: Hi again,
I went to see them and I felt like I was in the way. I was wondering if you've ever heard of how THC works in the treatment of cancer patients who won't eat anything ? Living in canada it's very easy to get marijuana or the pills they give people to take. The steriods they had her on ran out three days back and mom fell back into a pit ? Then they took her to the doctors yesterday and got her back on them again? I know by your reaction they aren't that good? So maybe the THC deal could be something to try ? I have her doctor calling me sometime in the next day or two . Thanks again for all your help ..I did forward all the information about what to try etc. I'm not sure if they followed any advice or not ?
A: Susun speaks of using marijuana to help increase appetite for cancer patients in her book Breast Cancer? Breast Health! She says the prescription Marinol is not as effective as smoking the dried leaves and female flowers. Do you know what the doctors are hoping the steroids will do? What do you mean she fell into a pit?
Karen Joy
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