Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I hope someone can help me with this question. I am a 44 year old (young) woman who was diagnosed 6 months ago with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. This leukemia is usually found in older people, but it looks like incidence in younger people is on the rise. My WBC is checked every 3 months for increases, and they tell me a bone marrow transplant is in my future...far or near, no one can say.

When I received the diagnosis in December, I immediately moved into a vegan diet, stopped all coffee consumption, drank loads of green tea, etc. My diet was mostly raw, with about 20% cooked quinoa or veggies as well.

After a month on the raw vegan diet I felt great. After three months, I was exhausted. My WBC had held steady, which was amazing, but I was starting to feel wiped out.

Research led me to the paleo/primal diet. I eat high fat, moderate protein and low to no carbs. My energy boost was almost instant. I feel absolutely amazing. I have lost 25 pounds and am now at a perfect weight. I still eat tons of greens, and juice greens one time a day.

Here is my dilemma. I have recently added coffee back into my diet. It gives me a boost, brightens my day, things seem MORE possible when I drink coffee :) I have been adding a healthy splash of pasture raised organic heavy cream in it too. Talk about an amazingly delicious breakfast!

But today I started thinking. What are the implications for growth factor and leukemia. What does one do when one HAS cancer, and is not just trying to prevent it? If anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it. I can give up the heavy cream if it means a better risk profile for advancing my leukemia. I just don't want to give it up if it isn't necessary.

Thank you so much in advance!

flag	asked Jun 22 2012 at 22:02 Gemma 131●3

See if you can source some raw goat's milk from a local farm that doesn't keep the goats pregnant all the time. – Dragonfly Jun 22 2012 at 22:42

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Hm, try full fat coconut milk? I don't know the answer to your question, but good luck kicking your leukemia's ass, Gemma! – Marcy Jun 22 2012 at 23:07

I don't have an answer, I simply want to wish you the best. – Chinaeskimo Jun 22 2012 at 23:35

Thank you Dragonfly, could you tell me what the benefit would be of goats milk over cows milk? Thank you Chinaeskimo and Marcy! I plan on kicking its ass :) I am healthier now than I have ever been in my life, thanks to a paleo lifestyle. And I do use full fat coconut milk every day Marcy, I just don't love-love it in my coffee like I do heavy cream :) – Gemma Jun 27 at 16:50

Mscott · Answer 1 · 2012-06-22 22:57:10Z UTC

In my opinion I don't think the cream is something you should worry too much about.

From what I've seen, the effect of dairy on IGF-1 is largely due to the proteins, particularly whey. These proteins are of course largely absent from cream. I'd say the bigger risk is excess calcium, which can inhibit the formation of the active and protective form of vitamin D. Again, not much calcium in cream.

What pastured cream does have is conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA. There's been a lot of study on the potentially anti-carcinogenic effects of CLA, which are interesting. This study was ex vivo, so take it with a grain of salt, but it found CLA has anti-proliferative effects on leukemia cells. CLA might also lower IGF-1 levels.

I'll also say that I think avoidance of linoleic acid is really important when dealing with cancer. I've written about it on this site before. To connect that back, cream is quite low in linoleic acid.

So my presumption is to say the cream is fine (assuming it doesn't have any suspicious additives), but hesitantly. The subject of cancer and diet is complicated. Be aware that much of the current evidence has limitations.

Best of luck to you.

Kris · Answer 2 · 2012-06-22 22:27:13Z UTC

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Hi Gemma,

I am not sure specifically about the dairy- though I do know that dairy contains hormones naturally, whether organic or not- I do know that cream is full of dioxins (they are stored mostly in the fat) and dioxins are carcinogenic, so that could be of concern.

With the coffee- I would be concerned- coffee is extremely acidic (cancer thrives in an acidic environment so you want to be focusing on alkalizing your system- as you said you do with green juices). Overall coffee is shown to irritate the gut. The caffeine in one cup of coffee (not sure if you are drinking decaf or not) is enough to negatively impact your adrenals for the entire day.

My advice would be a diet that is filled with green vegetables, green juice, wheat grass, and pastured meats and healthy fats, which is sounds like you are doing. I think alkalizing your system is the best defense, based on what people I know who have overcome cancer have done. Also just focusing on doing what you enjoy, and so maybe if the coffee/cream really lightens up your day, it may be for beneficial than harmful!

~Best of luck on your healing journey~

answered Jun 22 2012 at 22:27

Kris
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Thanks so much for your reply Kris. When I was first diagnosed, I alkalized my body big time. But then in doing oodles of research...found that leukemia is a bit different than other cancers and possibly alkalizing to the extent I was, wasn't a good thing. With leukemia, there is no solid tumor to effect, its the B-cells in my blood. Ideally, I want all those suckers to commit apoptosis :) Finding the right balance is difficult. Especially since there is not much experimental evidence with chronic leukemia. I am willing to give up the coffee, and may do just that. – Gemma Jun 22 2012 at 22:33

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Alkalizing is a myth, Ladies. Our bodies need to stay in a very narrow pH range or we would not be alive. sciencebasedpharmacy.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/… – Dragonfly Jun 23 2012 at 1:07

Dragonfly- I have read both sides from reputable sources. All I know is that I personally know 5 people who had cancer and were given the diagnosis of death by conventional doctors who recovered completely by going to the Hippocrates Institute- where the focus is on alkalizing. Gemma- I have no experience with Leukemia, so I suppose it wasn't really my place to comment- watching my sister struggle with illness however showed me how being an advocate for yourself and persevering are so important so keep experimenting! Sending healing thoughts. – Kris Jun 26 at 18:35

Thank you Kris and Dragonfly for the conversation. I am a medical student, and like Dragonfly, learned in classes that it is a myth. However, like you Kris, I have seen peoples lives saved by juicing raw veg and drinking alkalized water. The science just isn't out there at the moment, may never be, on the alkaline issue. My thought is this. We do need to stay in a VERY narrow range of acid/base balance for homeostasis. That being said, if the range is so narrow, we can probably effect it to the positive by eating foods that tend to push us that way. – Gemma Jun 27 at 16:53

Alan Schachter · Answer 3 · 2012-06-22 22:56:28Z UTC

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Also check out:

-vitamin d - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21048153 -curcumin - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22664111 -LDN - http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/ldn_and_cancer.htmA

answered Jun 22 2012 at 22:56

Alan Schachter
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Thank you Alan. I am looking into the low dose naltrexone. I really want to hear more success stories! I am all over the vitamin D too. Living in the NW, I wasn't getting much sun. Had my oncologist check my level and I was borderline low. They have me on 4000 a day now. I spend time in the sun every chance I get. – Gemma Jun 27 at 16:54

Andrew · Answer 4 · 2012-08-19 09:15:08Z UTC

*Dairy is not good for cancer, but goats milk seems to e alright, it is a much older species. Also I had turmeric, vitamin D, and Bicarbonate of Soda, half a teaspoonful in water three times a day to alter my PH balance. Interestingly goats milk also alters your PH balance.*

IGF-1, Pasture Raised Organic Heavy Cream, and Leukemia…whats a girl to do?

4 Answers