[Bernadette_Abraham]

@alexandralsall I’m glad to hear that your friend is close to remission. I’m not sure if you saw our announcement yesterday, but we just confirmed April’s guest expert call with Dr. Christian Gonzalez (aka Dr. G). He’s a naturopathic doctor and integrative oncologist, who now focuses on the psychosomatic and energetic component of cancer. This will be our topic of discussion on April 24th, since often times there is an underlying emotional root or trauma with cancer that needs to be addressed.

If this resonates with you and your friend, I highly recommend registering and attending the interview (or watch the recording the next day). Here’s Dr. G’s website if you’d like to browse through it as well.

And if he needs help cleaning up his environment/lifestyle, then yes, working with a functional medicine coach would be a good idea.

I searched through my school’s directory of certified functional medicine practitioners and can suggest reaching out to:

1. Kelly Lutman – virtual: https://pursuewellnessforyou.com/ttcbook/ (she mentions working with women dealing with cancer so not sure if it’s just a marketing thing, but worth checking if she works with men too)

2. Sybil Cooper – NY: https://sybilcooper.com/ (she earned her PhD in Immunology from University of Texas/MD Anderson Cancer Center)

2. Sharon Kinblom – Plattsburgh NY: https://sharonkinblomhc.com/ (she mentions having a success story working with a client dealing with cancer) 518-222-3061

Hope these are helpful leads.

drchristiangonzalez.com

Emotional Release Therapy - Dr. Christian Gonzalez

Dr Gonzalez is an expert at emotional release therapy teacher trainings and live events for those suffering from emotional trauma.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @LisaAKS – sorry to hear you’ve been suffering for so many years. Let’s help you get to the bottom of it…

I’m assuming Hiatal hernia has been ruled out?

While most people believe acid reflux is due to too much acid, it’s actually evidence of acid in the wrong place (the esophagus) usually due to LOW stomach acid. Food sits in the stomach longer, which causes gas to build-up, putting pressure on the cardiac sphincter (LES) which can allow some acid to splash up. Even just a little can burn A LOT!

And there are a number of reasons that can cause low stomach acid:

• Stress! Travel is stressful on the body, especially if there are time zone changes
• Antacids (which we know you took for many years – are you still taking them for relief?)
• Excess sugar, refined carbs (how’s your diet now?)
• Excess alcohol (do you drink? even moderate drinking in chronic cases can become a problem)
• Constant snacking (do you consume frequent snacks or 2-3 meals per day?)
• Chronic overeating (do you consume a lot of food at once?)
• Nutrient deficiencies: zinc, vitamin B1 and B6
• H Pylori overgrowth
• Hypothyroid function
• Food sensitivities

Next step is to determine which of these are relevant to your case. The last 3 (H Pylori, hypothyroid function, and food sensitivities) and stress are the most common factors, and can all be tested.

It’s a good idea to repeat H Pylori, and even though breath testing is considered gold standard, I’ve seen many false negatives which is why my preference is PCR stool testing with Diagnostic Solutions. Email support@bbettermembership.com requesting access to be able to order the kit through the lab directly if you’re interested. It’s $173 USD + shipping.

It’s also a good idea to get a basic set of labs done to rule out deficiencies & thyroid function:

• CBC with differentials
• CMP (includes liver panel w/ direct bilirubin, kidney function, electrolytes, fasting glucose, B12)
• RBC magnesium
• RBC zinc (if you can’t get RBC zinc, then avoid zinc supplements or meat a few days before testing)
• RBC copper
• Full thyroid panel (TSH, T4, T3, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, anti-TPO, anti-TG)

If your doctor won’t request all of these markers (which is highly likely), you can always choose to self-pay using a 3rd party testing site. In Canada, there’s https://bloodtestscanada.com/. In the US, there’s Rupa Health.

In the meantime, a food elimination challenge can help reveal food sensitivities. The most common ones are: gluten, dairy, corn (and its byproducts like corn syrup, corn starch, etc), yeast, nuts/seeds, eggs, soy, shellfish and nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers). Elimination challenges must be done 100% strictly for a period of time – no cheating with a bite here and there.

I’ll wait for your reply to my questions above and let’s keep the conversation going.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @ivona_n – great questions.

1. Yes, triclosan is an estrogen mimicking antibacterial chemical found in soaps, toothpaste and other personal care products, but the good news is that it’s been banned in antibacterial soaps in many countries, including the US and EU due to safety concerns. But it’s still important to read product labels because it might still be included in toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorants, cosmetics and hand sanitizers.

Dr. Bronner’s doesn’t have triclosan listed in the active ingredient so you’re good.

Anytime a product says “antibacterial or germ-fighting” though, read the ingredients to avoid triclosan or the chemical ingredient name: 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol.

And since you’re on the low-tox journey, also know that Bisphenols (ex. BPA, BPS, etc) from plastics, Glyphosate and other pesticides, and phthalates (anything with “fragrance” or long-wear like waterproof mascara) are all estrogen mimickers too. So do your best to avoid these too as much as possible.

2. Regarding arginine. Collagen powder is naturally high in arginine, and yes, can be a trigger for some people prone to cold sores. If you’d still like to take collagen, one option is to balance it with a lysine supplement (around 500–1,000 mg per day), especially during times of stress or when you’re actively using collagen. You can also look for collagen products that list their amino acid profile and choose one with lower arginine content if available.

You can also increase lysine-rich foods and decrease arginine-rich foods to help bring a better balance.

Highest in lysine (increase these foods):

• Eggs

• Beef, lamb, chicken, turkey

• Fish (especially cod, sardines, tuna, and salmon)

• Cheese (particularly Parmesan and cheddar)

• Yogurt and kefir

Highest in arginine (reduce these foods):

• Nuts (especially peanuts, almonds, walnuts)

• Seeds (especially sunflower and sesame)

• Chocolate

• Coconut

• And of course, gelatin/collagen (due to its natural amino acid profile)

Hope this helps!

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Inga-55 – our US members have access to Rupa Health and True Health Labs in Take Action>Lab Testing

You can find more information about ordering your own tests through Rupa Health here and about True Health Labs here for price comparison.

In Rupa Health, we have included 2 different genetic tests all the way at the bottom of the page that include MTHFR & COMT (and many others).

True Health Labs has an option for only MTHFR, but not for COMT, so you’ll need to get a full genetic profile to be able to measure COMT as well.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Inga-55 – any brand of baking soda will work. I personally use Bob’s Red Mill baking soda, but it’s baking POWDER that’s more of a concern since some brands add aluminum. Baking soda however is just sodium bicarbonate and any brand will do.

As for the other product images you shared, unfortunately, the majority contain potentially harmful ingredients. I will work on creating a cheat sheet that shares a basic list of toxic ingredients to avoid so you can easily spot them on your own.

Things like:

• Fragrance or parfum
• …quaternium
• PEG-…
• ….Laureth…
• Sodium laureth sulfate or anything ending with -sulfate
• FD&C #…
• Phenoxyethanol or anything ending with -nol
• EDTA (can also contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives)

Only the Eco Gang dental floss was semi-clean. They use nylon-6 material which is a synthetic polymer (plastic). This isn’t toxic, but it can release microplastics.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@iryna_klevetenko unfortunately, just one course of antibiotics disturbs the microbiome for more
than a year on average. And some, like clindamycin and triple antibiotic
therapy for H. pylori for example, can disrupt the commensal flora for up
to 2 to 4 years!

Shocking right? So probiotics and/or fermented foods which provide natural probiotics should be consumed for that length of time as well to help replenish and rebalance the microbiome.

In Take Action > Protocols, you’ll find 2 protocols that can help with this:

• Antibiotic Support for Kids (Before, During & After)
• B’s Go-To Immune Support for Her Kids (when getting sick)

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @MS91 – I appreciate your care and thoughtfulness in wanting to support your colleague through this challenging time. There are definitely ways to support the healthy cells and detoxification without interfering with chemotherapy.

Most cancer cases involve dysfunction in cellular metabolism and the immune and detoxification systems. Cancer cells are always present in the human body. Cancer only becomes a disease when those cells replicate out of control.

When someone has chosen conventional cancer treatment, it is important to strengthen overall functional balance to support the body’s ability to withstand the treatment, even while the cancer is being eradicated by its toxicity. In general, our greatest opportunities are often to:

Maximize nutrition

• Choose as much organic as possible – reduce toxins in food such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and anything artificial (e.g., colors, flavors, preservatives).
• Ensure enough protein, but when eating animal protein, choose only grass-fed, pasture-raised, and wild-caught. Many patients will be instructed to avoid red meat and/or minimize animal food, but getting enough protein is essential to avoid muscle loss, and the quality of that protein is paramount. It’s a delicate balance. Use plant proteins such as plant-based protein powders to make up for reductions in animal protein. For example, Nuzest’s Clean Lean Protein is a clean pea protein.
• Eat as many anti-inflammatory foods as possible, and reduce the intake of inflammatory foods such as sugar, processed grains, and highly processed omega-6 oils (e.g., corn, canola, and soybean oil).
• Antioxidants – in between chemo sessions (not during!). There is controversy around taking antioxidant supplements at the same time as undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation. Another option is to pursue an aggressive cellular support and detox regimen in between chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Supplements can be stopped a few days before and restarted several days after the days they are experiencing radiation or chemotherapy (in principle, giving the treatment a viable window of opportunity to work). Also, there is evidence that high-dose curcumin (curcumin is pro-oxidant at higher doses) can boost the effect of chemo and/or radiation. See these studies:
• • Curcumin, in combination with chemo
  • Curcumin enhances chemo and radiation therapy
  • Curcumin and radiation in pancreatic cancer
  • Nutrients supporting detoxification (in between treatments). Consider supplementing with methylated B vitamins and magnesium to help support methylation. Increase intake of cruciferous vegetables, alliums, and leafy greens.

Support immune function

• Assess and replete immune system nutrient levels:
• • Ensure Vitamin D is at least 50 ng/ml.
  • Ensure Zinc and Vitamins A and C are well into the upper half of the reference range.
  • Consider IV vitamin C with chemo – it’s well researched. She can discuss this with her oncologist.

• Support toxin reduction/clearance:
• Ensure adequate hydration (water with electrolyte minerals) and address any constipation.
• Remove as many chemicals from the diet and lifestyle as possible – laundry products, personal hygiene products, cleaning products, air, water, etc.
• Modified citrus pectin binder (Pectasol-C by EcoNugenics brand) has been researched significantly and shown to:

1. Inhibit cancer cell growth
2. Inhibit metastasis – MCP antagonizes galactin-3, which can allow tumor cells to stick together, develop blood supply, metastasize, and evade the immune system;
3. Encourage apoptosis of cancer cells – galactin-3 may prevent apoptosis of cancer cells and form a protective barrier around tumors to shield them from attack. By reducing galactin-3, MCP may promote apoptosis and reduce cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy.
4. MCP also supports detoxification due to its high binding affinity for lead and other heavy metals.

• Create an environment for healing:
• As with any chronic disease, reducing stress as much as possible and getting plenty of rest and sleep is a priority. This is a seemingly simple yet necessary area of essential practice for sustained healing. Getting support from friends and family (and cultivating comfort with asking for that help) is usually key here.
• Mind-body therapies such as yoga, music therapy, and meditation are considered even mainstream recommendations for supportive care during cancer treatment and to manage treatment-related side effects.

Between rounds of chemo, introduce daily green smoothies with ingredients like avocado, broccoli, kale, fresh lemon juice, cucumber, celery, and green apple. These will help boost antioxidant function for cellular healing and detoxification

Chemotherapy overtly contributes to enhanced intestinal permeability. After treatment, patients can benefit significantly from intestinal lining repair. Choosing something like Designs for Health’s GI Revive, which has L-Glutamine for intestinal epithelial cells and several mucilaginous herbs that help nourish and regenerate the mucosal lining of the intestines (chemotherapy is damaging to mucosal tissues) can be helpful for several months after treatment.

I hope your colleague regains better health soon!

FYI – I’ll be interviewing Dr. Christian Gonzales as our guest expert in April hopefully (date/time still to be confirmed) all about the psychosomatic and
energetic components of cancer. Very often, there are repressed emotions and undealt traumas that need to be addressed. You might want to ask her to join the session once we announce the details.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@AlFa Great question. I’ll be sure to ask that for you in case you can’t attend live.

From what I know, the best option would be device that allows offline tracking while you’re wearing it. Then when you want the data, you simply remove it to download the info.

But I haven’t done my research on these devices to be able to recommend a specific brand so let’s see what Nick says about those specific brands.

@Bahareh I know you did your research on these tracking devices and got the Oura ring, correct? Anything you can share with us?

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Kkol cholesterol is affected by so much so it’s really hard to say why your cholesterol increased. But keep in mind that stress alone can do that, and data is always 1 moment in time. How is stress? Have you ever tested cortisol? My preference is the DUTCH Adrenal test over ordinary salivary tests, since it gives not only the metabolized cortisol, but also the free levels, cortisone, and the cortisol pattern throughout the day, and cortisol awakening response.

Smoking is definitely a contributing factor that we know about. And we already established that something was going on with the liver since there was a suboptimal increase in the liver enzymes.

I’d also recommend you read the Symptom Dictionary handout on high cholesterol for other contributing factors. Thyroid is often at play too, and a full thyroid panel was not done. Only TSH and the free levels. A full panel should include that, the antibodies and reverse T3.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Bahareh Wow… I’m honestly at a loss for words. Reading this brought tears to my eyes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this beautiful message. It means more than you know.

It’s been such an honor to be able to support you on this journey – through the struggles, the healing, and the transformation. You’ve done such incredible work, and to see how far you’ve come fills me with so much pride and joy.

Thank you for trusting me and B Better, for showing up for yourself, and for being such a beautiful part of the B Better community. Your message is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. I’m so, so grateful for you.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Hasnaa unfortunately, other than confirming that hepatitis is negative, these markers were already measured previously and don’t provide additional information.

There is however even more evidence of a need for vitamin B6 and liver/gallbladder support given the high calcium oxalates in urine. B6 is a cofactor needed to convert oxalates into amino acid glycine (needed for glutathione synthesis). Since these can’t flow out of urine, they build up and can lead to kidney stones. And congested bile function or gallbladder removal can lead to oxalate absorption and develop calcium oxalate stones.

So to recap, here’s what we know so far so you can begin taking action:

-There is still suspicion of hypochlorhydria and possible H Pylori overgrowth. Have you tried the at-home baking soda challenge yet? If not, here’s the video (3 min mark) to watch and consider. Please report back once you do it so we can guide you on how to support stomach acid.

-As previously suggested, supporting liver health and liver detox using food, supplements and lifestyle therapies is a great proactive effort that can only benefit overall health. Given the likely need for vitamin B6, and now the suboptimal B12 from the latest result, a methylated B Complex can provide support with liver detox. My preference is Thorne’s Basic B Complex. When there’s suspicion of a strong need for B vitamins, it’s important to go “low and slow” beginning with 1 capsule (or less by opening up capsules and sprinkling a little over a meal) for a few days to see how the body reacts. If there’s no crazy detox symptoms (headaches, rash, nausea, feeling sick, etc), then slowly increasing the dosage to 2 and eventually 3 capsules per day, in split doses (1 with breakfast, 1 with lunch, 1 with dinner) is a good approach.

You can also find additional ways to support detoxification in this video. Please watch it. All of the supplements and tools mentioned in the video are linked below the video, and handouts such as how to do a castor oil pack are attached under the tab called “Materials” above the video from desktop view. Please let me know if you have any questions after watching the video. And finally, sweat daily (and hydrate)! Investing in a portable sauna is a great health investment if you don’t have the capacity to exercise and sweat properly. Use code BERN for 10% off.

-Vitamin D is also suboptimal. Ideally 50-70ng/ml is what’s generally recommended with autoimmunity. Here’s our vitamin D handout to help with dosage. It’s also important for the supplement to have Vitamin D3 and K2 to help with calcium absorption into bones like Seeking Health’s D3/K2 liquid for example.

-Given the high calcium oxalates found in urine, consuming lemon water twice daily can help prevent oxalate stone formation in the kidneys. So can any citrate supplement such as magnesium citrate which is always a good idea to take in conjunction with vitamin D supplementation to help with conversion to the active D form. Magnesium citrate also helps with rapid relief from constipation so if you take too much, you’ll know because you’ll end up with loose stools. I like the Pure Encapsulations brand of magnesium citrate.

-In addition to the above, don’t forget the foundations! Grounding outside on natural surface daily for minimum 30 minutes is a very powerful anti-inflammatory. Getting sunshine to help boost vitamin D production naturally is also foundational.

Additional recommended tests:

-Vitamin A (this is an important immune nutrient. If it’s low, it needs to be optimized)

-RBC zinc and RBC copper (zinc is also an important immune nutrient and zinc and copper dance together. If any of these are suboptimal they should be optimized for immune health, iron absorption, red blood cell production, etc)

If your doctor won’t order these for you, Valeo Health offers at-home blood testing. B Better members get a 15% discount as well on orders above 600 Dhs.

Hope the above is helpful and gives you a better direction of what needs to be prioritized and addressed.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK FYI – we just confirmed a discount code for B Better members with Tabchili. So the next time you want to purchase from them, you can use code Bbetter15 to redeem 15% off your order!

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK yes you can apply Clark’s rule! Well done!

As for the lemon water, enough that it’s therapeutic but not so much that it’s too sour to drink. Let his palate guide the dosage.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK same feedback for your daughter. Work on her gut microbiome with fermented foods first and foremost.

Have you looked at the brand Mary Ruth’s? They have nice vitamin C formulation for kids. And for B Complex, I really like the one by liquid one by Metabolics.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK just one course of antibiotics disturbs the microbiome for more than a year on average. And some, like clindamycin and triple antibiotic therapy for H. pylori for example, can disrupt the commensal flora for up to 2 to 4 years!

This often gives way to candida overgrowth. Candida overgrowth is often the main reason for higher oxalates which is explained in the circular diagram of the OAT test on p.2. Does that mean put him on an antifungal cleanse? Not necessarily. Often times, helping repopulate the gut with beneficial microbes from fermented foods and/or probiotic supplements can help bring a better balance naturally. And with kids who don’t really have symptoms, this is where I would start. Get them to consume a variety of fermented foods every other day; kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha (low sugar varieties), fermented pickles, and other vegetables, etc. We have tons of recipes if you’d like to make your own at home. Otherwise, Maher from Tabchili is selling starters and ready to consume fermented foods.

In the meantime, consuming lemon water and a supplement with citrate can help prevent oxalate stone formation.

Regarding #59. I didn’t say it causes blood sugar issues but rather blood sugar issues or metabolic dysfunction may be a contributing factor for elevated levels. Here’s the explanation from the OAT results as one of the possible reasons for this elevation:

#5. Onset of diabetes mellitus or excessive alcohol use.

When B vitamin levels are low and a person already consumes enough animal proteins, there are usually 3 mains reasons; 1) absorption issues or 2) higher need for B vitamins due to toxicity and higher methylation/glutathione production requirements and 3) genetic variants requiring more B vitamins.

If you do choose to supplement, I like the B Complex Liquid by Metabolics for kids. Really clean and good dosages.