Alternative Therapies

There are so many alternative an/or complementary treatments available for chronic illnesses and cancer.  However it may be confusing and daunting to find accurate information on these treatments.  Below is a list with some pertinent information to help in your search.  

Cancer Treatments and Supplements Breakdown

This list does not include all and every treatment and/or supplement but does give a good overview of some of the most popular ones used today.  Use caution when using any of these and I would recommend getting with a healthcare professional that is familiar with alternative/complementary therapies to help guide you.  

A-B | C-D | E-G | H-I | J-O | P-R | S-Z

Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ImmPower™)
Japanese immune enhancing supplement that has been the subject of more than 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals showing that it supports peak Natural Killer (NK) cell function and associated immune system activity (including enhanced cytokine production and optimal t-cell and macrophage activity.)  It has gained the endorsement of leading doctors and experts in natural and nutritional medicine because of its outstanding research.  The full text of many studies are available at the website, www.ahccresearch.com and by searching the websites of the National Library of Medicine at www.pubmed.gov using the search term: active hexose correlated compound. Product information can be found at www.theharmonycompany.com/immpower-dg.html.
 
Antineoplastons
Antineoplastons are peptide fractions derived from human blood and urine. (Peptides are short-chain amino acids). They have been developed by Stanislaw Burzynski, a Polish biochemist and M.D. who immigrated to the US in 1970 and worked as a researcher and assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine until 1977. It was here that he developed these peptides, and formulated his theory that they are important components of the body’s biochemical defense system which repairs mis-programmed cells rather than kill them. He feels that these peptides can be useful against all diseases caused by mis-programming, not just cancer. He does not claim to cure cancer, but feels that antineoplastons can help treat it. Studies at the federal level are now underway.
 
Apricot pits (a.k.a Laetrile & B-17)
B-17 is a controversial therapy that thousands of people worldwide for the last 50+ years have made use of.  Laetrile is a key ingredient in apricot pits, a form of organic cyanide, to fight cancer. The official position of the FDA is that doing this is contrary to their rulings and therefore subject to prosecution. And indeed they do prosecute people for selling apricot pits. The story of Jason Vale is one instance. (Do an Internet search for more info) The value of the active ingredient, called nitrilosides has been effectively discredited by the government and major drug manufacturers for decades; yet many people have given credit to this therapy for finally eliminating their cancers. Nitrilosides are also contained in over 1200 common fruits, nuts, grains and grasses. The trace of organic cyanide is suspected as effectively destroying cancer cells in early stages of the disease.

Anvirzel®
A new weapon against cancer and AIDS from Ozelle Pharmaceuticals.  This supplement is said to be an herbal extract which is nontoxic and causes no adverse side effects. Closed clinical trials are showing that the drug is especially effective against prostate and breast cancer. The materials of the company promoting Anvirzel. say that Dr. Ozel treated 494 cancer patients with the extract, resulting in a high rate of success. The company has organized phase I and II trials in Ireland and states that the trials confirmed the efficacy of the extract in cancer. They say that the patients had improvement in their quality of life as well as regression of cancer, while reporting no notable side effects. Best results were said to be in prostate, lung and brain cancers. Sarcomas showed stabilization. 
 
Arginine (1-arginine)
Arginine, an amino acid essential for life, has been found to consistently inhibit the growth of tumors. Research has indicated that giving Arginine in fairly large doses "led to virtually complete inhibition of the carcinogenic process." In 1980, National Cancer Institute scientist’s found that injections of arginine into tumor-bearing rats consistently inhibited the growth of tumors. Their reports stated, "within two weeks, tumor size was reduced to 80 percent of the initial size. Tumor-bearing animals showed no toxic effects from the Arginine." Even more research exists now to document the remarkable results gained from the use of Arginine in cancer care. Why this simple, inexpensive approach is not used by every conventional cancer treatment center after all these years is a mystery.
 
Artemisinin  (a.k.a. sweet wormwood)
A Chinese herb that in test tube studies, resulted in a 28% reduction of breast cancer cells treated only with artemisinin.  Also an amazing 98% decrease in breast cancer cells within 16 hours that were treated with artemisinin and an iron-enhancing molecule, transferrin. These treatments had no significant effect on normal human breast cells. This research pointed to the involvement of free iron in the toxic effect of artemisinin toward cancer cells, while basically sparing healthy cells. ("Selective toxicity of dihydroartemisinin and holotransferrin toward human breast cancer cells," Life Sciences 70 {2001) 49-56).

Avemar (Avé)
Avemar is a proprietary nutritional ingredient made by the fermentation of wheat germ through a patented process.  It is standardized on the compound DMBQ (di-methoxy-substituted benzoquinones), and has been the subject of close to 100 studies in cell lines resulting in more than 20 articles in peer reviewed medical journals.  Avemar helps regulate cell metabolism, inhibiting non-oxidative, while enhancing oxidative, glucose metabolism and supports many mechanisms of immune system regulation.  The full text of the myriad studies is available at the website, www.avemarresearch.com, and by searching the websites of the National Library of Medicine, www.pubmed.gov and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, www.asco.org with the search term, Avemar.  Product information can be found at www.theharmonycompany.com/ave-dg.html.  

Beta Glucans, 1, 3, 6
Beta glucans are biological defense modifiers (BDM) that nutritionally enhance, modify and balance the immune system. Glucans have been investigated for many years, particularly in light of their ability to activate macrophage immune cells and, in turn, the T-Cells, NK-Cells and B-Cells including selected cytokines and complement. The scientific literature is voluminous over many decades, including a considerable body of patent literature. Beta Glucan action nutritionally aids the body, particularly when the immune cell population is being reduced or limited by a disease condition, or such treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.
 
Bindweed extract
High molecular weight extracts of bindweed were shown to inhibit the growth of virulent tumors in mice. Extracts possess immune system boosting effects as evidenced by tumor infiltration by white blood cells in animals, plus increased lymphocytes. Further, they inhibit angiogenesis (the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors with a blood supply). 

Bovine Cartilage
Despite all of the media hype over Shark Cartilage, Bovine Cartilage has been studied regarding cancer care for many years. Harvard trained physician John F. Prudden has been using it to treat human cancer since the early 1970's. Dr. Prudden has published a 31 patient case series in which he records some remarkable remissions in a wide variety of intractable malignancies including Pancreatic Cancer, Metastatic Breast Cancer, and Glioblastoma Multiforme. Some of these patients had been followed for more than five years at the time the case series was published in 1985. According to the National Cancer Institute bovine Cartilage, a type of tough, flexible connective tissue, has been studied and shown to "have some value" in cancer therapy. Nevertheless, NCI's official public position remains that scientific evidence to date has not proven cartilage to be an effective treatment for cancer. Several formal human clinical trials at NCI are now underway. 
 
Budwig Flax Oil & Cottage Cheese diet
The Flax seed (Linseed) oil diet was originally proposed by Dr. Johanna Budwig, a German biochemist and expert on fats and oils in 1951. Her simple formula of two tablespoons of flaxseed oil to a quarter cup of low fat cottage cheese (or other foods containing sulfur) helps increase metabolism, boosts the immune system, reduces cholesterol levels, and helps inhibit cancer-cell growth. This unlikely but effective combination of products has been one of the most popular and successful alternative cancer therapies for decades. Dr. Budwig has various books on this subject.

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