Severe Calorie Restriction: Helpful with Cancer Treatments?

by Mila McManus, MD

Severe calorie restriction may support cancer treatment by enhancing T-cell populations that target tumor cells.

A recent clinical trial suggests that short-term, severe calorie restriction (called a fasting-mimicking diet) results in biological effects that may be helpful in cancer treatment. Cancer Discovery, the American Association for Cancer Research journal, published the report.

Severe, short-term calorie restriction activates the immune response and is also safe and inexpensive. Combined with standard anti-cancer therapies, the biological impacts included a decrease in blood glucose, insulin, and growth factor. In addition, there was a reduction in peripheral blood immunosuppressive cells and enhanced T-cell populations, which can identify and target tumor cells. The severe calorie restriction generated a metabolic “shock” that activated immune cells, boosting other cancer treatments’ antitumor activity.

The fasting-mimicking diet consisted of a five-day severe calorie restriction. The diet was a low-carbohydrate, low-protein, plant-derived diet. Patients were given up to 600 calories on the first day, and up to 300 calories were given on days 2, 3, 4, and 5. The total calories consumed over the five days was up to 1800. Patients repeated the cycle every three or four weeks for up to eight weeks. Between fasting cycles, there was a refeeding period of 16-23 days, during which patients were not restricted but guided to adhere to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

One of the most valuable findings for the severe calorie restriction diet was that patients did not experience progressive weight loss common to cancer patients. Rather, the patients were able to maintain weight. Additionally, the diet is tolerated by the majority of patients, with fatigue being the most common side effect.

We do not recommend severe calorie restriction or fasting-mimicking diets without consulting your medical provider first. This may not be the best protocol for every situation, and you should ask your medical provider if it is right for you.

Be well.

References:

http://worldhealth.net/news/fasting-mimicking-diet-helpful-to-cancer-patients/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=worldhealth

By Mila McManus MD|2024-10-23T09:12:54-06:00October 24th, 2024|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

Aflatoxin is a mold identified as a human carcinogen and is one of many harmful mycotoxins that can enter the human body and cause illness.

Aflatoxin is identified as a human carcinogen and found in human tissues. It is one of many harmful mycotoxins that can enter the body and cause illness. Two species of mold, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, produce aflatoxin. Once ingested, the body turns it into by-products with high carcinogenic potential.

People burdened with aflatoxin experience symptoms such as food allergies, developmental delay, growth impairment, damage to the gut, liver, and kidneys, inflammation affecting the heart, and increased risk for liver cancer, viral hepatitis, and parasite infestation. Research has shown that consuming aflatoxin through the food supply is one of the main causes of liver disease.

Aflatoxin develops in commonly eaten foods that are grown in wet, warm environments. This includes peanuts, peanut butter, corn, nuts, and other grains. While people in third-world countries are more likely to be impacted by aflatoxin poisoning, it is also common in developed nations where corn and peanut products are predominant in the food supply. Even a tiny amount of aflatoxin in the food supply can spread and cause problems. The severity of the impact will depend on factors such as current state of health, level and duration of exposure, strength of immune and digestive systems, and overall diet quality.

Here are some of the best ways to avoid aflatoxin:

Limit or avoid consuming peanuts, corn, and processed foods made with them.
Ideally, store grains and nuts at home for a short period in cool, dry areas to prevent mold growth. Freezing can prolong freshness.
Buy peanuts, corn, grains, and nuts as fresh as possible, grown close to your location rather than in another country and shipped overseas. Small, organic farmers are more likely to harvest at the right time and store it correctly.
Soak, sprout, and ferment grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds to reduce mold content.
Some evidence suggests that eating antioxidant-rich, detoxifying vegetables such as carrots and celery can help clean the liver and reduce the carcinogenic effects of aflatoxin.

As we investigate the root causes of our patients’ symptoms, testing for mycotoxins is often necessary to create an effective treatment plan. Call (281) 298-6742 to inquire about the available testing options.

Be well!

Resources:

Levy, Jillian (April 18, 2024). Aflatoxin: How to avoid this common Food Carcinogen. Draxe.com, nutrition articles.

By Mila McManus MD|2024-09-12T07:00:48-06:00September 12th, 2024|Articles, General|

by Mila McManus, MD

Findings show a glaring uptick in unusual, aggressive, late-stage, and multiple cancers since the COVID pandemic began.

Several cancer institutions and early national data are showing a glaring uptick in unusual, aggressive, late-stage, and multiple cancers since the COVID-19 pandemic began. While some experts have mostly dismissed the trend, many oncology specialists have refused to stop trying to understand if the coronavirus could somehow be igniting cancer. This topic has been circulating around for a while now in the functional medicine world, and since this information recently appeared in my inbox from mainstream media (Washington Post), I thought it would be a good time to share it.

The exact biological mechanism of action is not clear. Although, as the science on the COVID virus has evolved, studies show widespread inflammation following infection. As a result, there is marked impact on the vascular system and infection in multiple organs that are vulnerable to cancer stem cell development. For Afshin Beheshti, president of the COVID-19 International Research Team and a cancer biology specialist, this has been a nagging paradigm igniting his passion to work with other interested oncology researchers to launch more studies to piece together the puzzle of coronavirus infection, long covid, and cancer. Striking findings point to the importance of the immune system in activating dormant cells, making sense to the idea that influenza or COVID could trigger inflammation, changing the immune microenvironment, and reawakening cancer cells.

Dr. Elroy Vojdani, a functional medicine physician and founder of Immunosciences Lab, has a different hypothesis. He conservatively estimates that since 1999, autoimmune disease in the US has been increasing by 8-10% every year. Vojdani attributes increased cases of cancer and auto-immunity to a massive dysregulation of our immune function. He proposed that, over time, immune insults have dramatically increased: increased rates of C-sections, less breastfeeding, early use of antibiotics, gut-busting drugs such as acid blockers, anti-inflammatories, and steroids, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, and the depletion of our microbiome from glyphosate and other toxic exposure. As a result, when the COVID pandemic arrived, many Americans had lost the immune resilience to cope with the virus, leading to long-term increases in unusual cancers and autoimmune diseases.

The T-regulatory cell is an important immune cell in the human body. The largest population of them is in the intestinal gut lining. If your gut is compromised, so is your immune system. Treatment of all diseases by focusing on gut health, diet, and lifestyle is fundamental to restoring immune resiliency [the ability to bounce back from inflammatory attacks]. Specifically, a healthy gut is protective against the cascade of inflammation that leads to cancer, autoimmunity, long-covid, and chronic infections from parasites, molds, viruses, and harmful bacteria.

Whether or not the coronavirus is directly responsible for an increase in unusual cancers is unclear. It is clear that a resilient immune system is your best defense against disease, and this begins in the gut.

Restore the gut. Restore immunity. Be well.

Resources:

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/06/06/covid-cancer-increase-link/

The Root Causes of Inflammation & What You Can Do To Stop it. August 19, 2024, Episode 937, drhyman.com, The Doctor’s Farmacy podcast.

By Mila McManus MD|2024-08-28T09:17:10-06:00August 29th, 2024|Articles, General|

Provided by: Physicians Preference Pharmacy

Methylene blue is currently used in Emergency departments to reverse the blood condition known as methemoglobinemia, it has also been used for its anti-malarial benefits.

While many dyes are known to have negative effects (i.e. Red #3 & 40, Yellow #5 & 6), many are also known to be beneficial. One of those is methylene blue. Currently used in Emergency departments to reverse the blood condition known as methemoglobinemia, it has also been used for its anti-malarial benefits. Originally, it was used in the textile industry. Methylene blue was originally coined with the term “magic bullet”.

What makes methylene blue a “magic bullet”? It supports the functions of the electron transport chain to maximize mitochondrial respiration as well as ATP cellular energy production. You may recall the mitochondria are the workhorse energy producers for every cell in your body. When your mitochondria are fully energized and functioning well, then you have energy and are functioning much better too. Methylene blue selectively reduces the effects of nitric oxide toxicity and deficits in mitochondrial function, providing antioxidant benefits for the brain and body. It may be used to correct conditions characterized by excess nitric oxide levels and inadequate mitochondrial function, such as:

Alzheimer’s disease
Dementia
Cancer
Viruses, bacteria, fungi infectivity
Autism
Depression
Pain

Compounded as methylene blue, it is dosed as an oral capsule in 15mg, 25mg, 35mg, and 50mg dosages depending on the patient needs. It is now available for our providers to prescribe to patients who may benefit. Ask your provider if Methylene Blue is right for you.

This article has been provided by Physicians Preference Pharmacy.

By Mila McManus MD|2023-03-01T09:45:01-06:00March 2nd, 2023|Articles, General|

By Mila McManus, M.D.

Recently, several of my staff members and I participated in a five day educational summit about the health crisis that is emerging as a result of electropollution and the magnitude of the 5G implementation around the world.

Electropollution, also known as electromagnetic radiation, or EMF, has increased exponentially over the years and includes these sources:

Wireless Devices – cell phones, iPads, laptops, baby monitors, cell towers, smart watches
High Frequency Voltage Transients (HFVT’s) – electrical appliances and equipment of every kind (e.g. microwaves and refrigerators), fluorescent light bulbs, AC/DC power mode converters, rectangular black boxes on power cords, televisions, computers, printer/copier/fax machines, dimmer switches, SMART Meters, and cordless phone base stations.

Magda Havas, PhD, explains that all of our neurological and chemical transactions in the body are electrically charged on every cell membrane. We are, in effect, electromagnetically sensitive beings, responsive (to a certain degree) to anything in the environment with a charge. Most of us use a lot of energy to maintain homeostasis but when we are no longer able, we begin to have symptoms. Electromagnetic radiation causes significant oxidative stress and disables the mitochondria, the powerhouses in our cells. Our bodies need and require extremely low frequencies (0.1 to 32000 Hertz, or HZ) to thrive. These frequencies are recharged when we are in direct contact with nature, walking in the woods or on a beach. They can also be restored and brought to homeostasis using PEMF therapies in these frequency ranges, which describes the ONDAMED energy therapy we have available at our facility.

There are several concerns with the dramatic increase in electromagnetic exposure. First of all, this radiation is a form of man-made energy, unnatural to the earth and living things. Man has captured energy, and altered the natural wave pattern of energy into a pulsing pattern with an extraordinarily high frequency. Like processed food and man-made chemicals, this is an artificial form of the real thing.

Secondly, with the implementation of 5G, these frequencies will be brought much closer to our homes and work spaces. These incredibly powerful 600-700 megahertz frequencies, according to Trevor Marshall, MD, appear to produce about 100 times more radiation than exposure from 4G cell towers. Dr. Marshall believes that the chronic impact of the pulsing waves will lead to a host of issues, mainly autoimmune, chronic fatigue, and other conditions that are idiopathic in nature. For some who are more sensitive, they will experience symptoms from these frequencies instantaneously, while others will develop chronic issues over 10 to 20 years. There continues to be a growing and significant body of published scientific and anecdotal evidence that supports a correlation between these higher levels of electromagnetic radiation and various negative biological health effects, including cancer, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, ADD/ADHD, autism, and a number of neurological disorders.

Despite the fact that government and corporate entities have been informed of these health concerns, they appear to be highly motivated to move forward. Given that 1 out of every 2 Americans already has a chronic disease, we should all be concerned about our future. [1]

Because we have become accustomed to the conveniences and benefits of technology, and also because we are exposed from so many sources, we may feel powerless; however, there are many things you can do to make a difference to protect and defend yourself and your family. Much like exercise, any effort is better than no effort at all. Here is a list. Pick one and start practicing it, and then swing back and tackle another. Our health, and the health of our children, depends on a defensive strategy.

Here Are Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Family [3]

Consider regular treatment with healing energy waves that balance and strengthen your own cellular ability to cope with higher frequencies. Our office offers this Energy Medicine therapy.
Put your phone in airplane mode when you are carrying it or sleeping near it.
Distance yourself from your technology whenever possible. Exposure drops exponentially with distance.
Avoid using your phone when the signal is weak, as this actually increases EMF exposure by orders of magnitude.
When using your cell phone, use the speaker phone and hold the phone away from you (at least 3 feet is ideal when feasible).
Consider a Faraday bag for your cell phone. faradaybag.com
Look into Swiss Shield fabric for walls, beds, and clothing as well as EMF blocking paint for walls.
Decrease your time on or near the cell phone as much as possible.
Explore the use of VoIP software phones that can be used while connected to the internet via a wired connection.
Connect your desktop/laptop to the internet via a wired Ethernet connection and keep it in airplane mode as much as possible.
Avoid using wireless keyboards, trackballs, mice, game systems, printers, and portable house phones, opting for wired versions.
If you must use Wi-Fi, shut if off when not in use, especially at night when sleeping. Ideally work toward hardwiring your house so you can eliminate Wi-Fi all together. There are USB Ethernet adapters for notebooks that allow connection to the internet with a wired connection.
Shut off electricity to the bedroom at night. This reduces electrical fields from the wires in your walls unless there is an adjoining room next to it. In this case, a meter will help determine the severity of the electrical fields and if you need to shut off electricity in both rooms.
Instead of using alarm on phone, use a battery powered alarm clock, ideally one without any light. Talking clocks for the visually impaired work well.
Replace your microwave oven with a steam convection oven, which will heat your food quickly and far more safely.
Avoid “smart” appliances and thermostats that depend on wireless signaling. This includes “smart” televisions. Consider replacing the TV with a large computer monitor instead, as this will not emit Wi-Fi signals.
Refuse smart meters as long as you can or add a shield to an existing smart meter.
Consider moving your baby’s bed into your room instead of using a wireless baby monitor. Alternatively, used a hard-wired monitor.
Replace CFL and LED bulbs with incandescent bulbs. Ideally remove all fluorescent lights from the house. Fluorescent lighting emits unhealthy light and transfers a current to the body just being close to them.
Do not use light bulbs you can control from your cell phone as they emit radio frequency just like a Wi-Fi router.
There is a liquid supplement made with rosemary, propolis and coriander that allegedly protects the body from EMF. It is promoted by Dr. Klinghardt, a well known and respected functional MD. Visit https://kiscience.com/product/ray-wave/.
Consider blue-blockers to protect your eyes. See https://www.nourishmeorganics or com.au/products/mitohq-mito-shades.
If you feel you are EMF sensitive, Dr. Klinghardt recommends https://www.littletreegroup.com/ as a good resource for protection.

Here are some additional resources:

https://www.emf-harmony.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions-answers

http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/summary-and-audio/

www.blushield-us.com

https://emfields-solutions.com/

Book: How To Break Up With Your Cell Phone, By Catherine Price

References:

[1] https://www.drbenlynch.com/chronic-disease/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DrBenLynch+%28Dr+Ben+Lynch%29

[3] https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/11/14/heart-tumors-from-cellphone-radiation.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&ut

Havas, M., PhD. (2020, June 15). 5G Concerns and Harm. Speech presented at 5G Crisis – Awareness & Accountability. On Line Video Summit

Klinghardt, D., MD. (2020, June 14). Best Protection from EMF’s and 5G,Speech presented at 5G Crisis- Awareness & Accountability. On Line Video Summit

By Mila McManus MD|2023-02-09T14:46:18-06:00July 8th, 2020|Articles, General|

By Mila McManus MD

Integrative (i.e., Alternative, Complementary, and Supportive) Cancer Therapies — *Photo courtesy Medical News Today*

According to cancer.gov website, 38.4% of people will have a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives. That’s over 1 of every 3 people. Fear is a natural tendency. The saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” always brings to mind cancer first. If you do get (or have) a diagnosis of cancer, you should know that there are a lot of integrative (i.e., alternative, complementary, and supportive) therapies to consider exploring.

Some of what I’m presenting in this article are therapies I have had some experience with and/or offer at TWIHW. Others I’ve learned from colleagues, research, conferences, and patients. I make NO claims about the effectiveness of any of these therapies, and this list is, by no means, exhaustive. Furthermore, you can assume that most, if not all, of the items listed below are not formally FDA-approved. Also, I want to point out that “unproven” is not synonymous with “ineffective”. Medical school focuses heavily of teaching us how to manage diseases with FDA-approved pharmaceutical drugs. We aren’t trained on using nutrition, for example, to manage disease or treat illness. Training us to use diet, vitamins, and other natural substances is a conflict of interest to Big Pharma’s bottom line.

I never encourage patients to choose conventional over alternative therapies or vice versa. It is important TWIHW patients know their available options. TWIHW will support patients’ decisions whichever treatments they choose. Most of the time, my patients will choose some form of conventional treatments–surgery, chemo, and/or radiation. We aim to support their healing and mitigate their side effects using complementary therapies like these:

Mega doses of intravenous vitamin C
- In 2019, I attended the IV C Academy at the Riordan Clinic in Kansas. Dr. Hugh Riordan received a patent in 1997 for the treatment of cancer with IV Vitamin C. You can read more about the benefits of mega dose vitamin C here.
- To learn more about how vitamin C fights other diseases, I highly recommend Dr. Thomas Levy’s book Curing the Incurable.

Essiac tea is a blend of herbs that supports detoxification pathways and supports immune function.

Fucoidan is a component of seaweed that has demonstrated the potential for anti-cancer effects, immune modulation, inflammation control, cardiovascular support, and stem cell activation.

Protocel is a non-toxic liquid formula that interferes with the metabolism (energy production) and cell membrane integrity of cancer cells, without harming normal, non-cancerous cells in the body.

Ketogenic diet, a very low carb diet thought to help treat cancer, by drastically reducing glucose in the body to ‘starve’ cancer cells to death. Reducing glucose is very important, because cancer uses glucose for energy rather than oxygen. Dr. Mercola wrote a great article about this in 2013 and you can read it here.

ONDAMED (biofeedback with PEMF) is an energy medicine device. It applies frequencies (‘signals’) to the body that jump start healing processes.

Emotional healing (a necessary part of healing from any chronic disease)
- Various forms of talk therapy
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- The Healing Code
- Tai chi, prayer, meditation, yoga

CBD/Hemp oil

InfraRed Sauna

Ozone therapy

Exercise -many studies show that an exercise program may help cancer patients live longer and have a better quality of life.

Essential Oils –in particular, frankincense, peppermint, and lavender for possible cancer benefit

CC cream -I very recently learned about this from a colleague. Information on this website is quite intriguing.

Melatonin -This is a link to a one-hour video presentation by Dr. Shallenberger discussing all the many ways that melatonin fights cancer.

Therapeutic Peptides –particularly thymosin alpha-1 (known as “Immune” in the linked article)

Low dose naltrexone (aka LDN)

RGCC lab in Greece, offers cutting edge testing and integrative therapies for all types of cancer and has facilities globally.
- RGCC lab testing includes a vast blood panel that:
  - 1) detects the number of circulating tumor cells
  - 2) tests cancer cells for sensitivity/resistance to natural substances (e.g. turmeric, vitamin C) and conventional chemotherapeutic agents
  - 3) monitors a known cancer
  - 4) screens for cancer
- Simply having a clear scan and normal tumor markers does NOT mean you don’t have cancer stem cells in your body waiting to wreak havoc.
- The lab can make cancer vaccines and a therapy called SOT (supportive oligonucleotide therapy).
  - Cancer Vaccines, aka ATA (autologous tumor antigen), are made up of antigens used by the body’s immune cells to determine what cells should be attacked or left alone.
    - Specific antigens are found on cancer cells in the patient’s blood, administered back to the patient intravenously or subcutaneously (under the skin).
      - This stimulates the immune system to attack the specific cancer cells in the body without harming the body’s normal cells.
    - ATA is administered over 9 weeks, i.e. once a week for 3 weeks, then off for 3 weeks, and then once a week for another 3 weeks.
    - If needed, the protocol can be repeated 3 months after the last injection.
  - SOT treatment effectively silences the genes within cancer cells that are allowing the cancer cells to live. Your chromosomes contain genes which are strings of nucleotides. These nucleotides are ‘read’ by RNA. The RNA is then translated into proteins and this is how genes are expressed.
    - SOT is called ‘anti-sense’ which means it creates a string of nucleotides which bind to the RNA, rendering it ineffective, and therefore it cannot be translated into proteins. This will cause cell death (aka apoptosis) of circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells in primary and metastatic tumors.
    - Bcause it causes massive tumor cell destruction which can cause a potentially life-threatening condition called “tumor lysis syndrome”, there are some restrictions for using this treatment.
    - For example, if a patient has wide spread cancer, or a large tumor burden, in highly vascular areas such as liver or lungs, that person may not be a candidate for SOT until the tumor burden can be reduced by, e.g., the vaccine treatment, other alternative therapies, or conventional chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiation.
    - SOT is administered intravenously as a one-time dose, every 4 to 6 months.
    - The SOT remains active in the body for 24-28 weeks. Maximum dose is 3 full doses (or 6 half doses) for every 12 months.
    - And even if a patient is unable to get his or her cancer cell count to zero, SOT can be used for years to control cancer.

Other nutrients, herbs, and options to explore include mistletoe, turmeric, vitamin D, hyperbaric oxygen, acupuncture, quercetin, and proteolytic enzymes.

And the list goes on…

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, it is my professional opinion to have an Oncologist and a Functional Medicine Specialist to partner with on the cancer fighting journey.

As you can see, there is a lot of information out there and it can be time-consuming, confusing, and overwhelming. Remember, nothing is going to help 100% of people, 100% of the time. If you’d like more information, call our office at 281-298-6742 to schedule an appointment.

References:

Cancer.gov

RGCC lab

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-treatment/art-20047246

The Metabolic Approach to Cancer by Dr. Nasha Winters

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer by Dr. John Lee.

Knockout by Suzanne Somers

By Mila McManus MD|2023-03-22T16:52:33-06:00March 4th, 2020|Articles, General, Recommended Reading|

Severe Calorie Restriction: Helpful with Cancer Treatments?

by Mila McManus, MD

Aflatoxin: A Common Problem

by Mila McManus, MD

Unusual Cancers: Can COVID Be Blamed?

by Mila McManus, MD

Methylene Blue: A Magic Bullet for Your Cells?

Provided by: Physicians Preference Pharmacy

Can you Avoid this Invisible Danger?

By Mila McManus, M.D.

Integrative (i.e., Alternative, Complementary, and Supportive) Cancer Therapies

By Mila McManus MD