Fasting May Improve Chemo

[Guest guest]

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/author/themossreports/)

_Fasting May Improve Chemo_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/fasting-improves-chemo/)

_themossreports_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/author/themossreports/) | October 16,

2010 at 12:29 pm | Tags: _Cancer_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/tag/cancer/) , _chemo_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/tag/chemo/) , _chemotherapy_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/tag/chemotherapy/) , _fasting_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/tag/fasting/) ,

_side effects_ (http://themossreports.wordpress.com/tag/side-effects/) |

Categories: _Uncategorized_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/) | URL:

_http://wp.me/pD8Z2-F_ (http://wp.me/pD8Z2-F)

Fasting is prescribed in the Bible and is considered a path to physical

and spiritual purity. There are books, articles and Web sites that advocate

fasting, some of them even for cancer patients. But many oncologists

understandably become alarmed when their patients suggest fasting. After all,

cancer is a disease sometimes characterized by unintended weight loss

(cachexia). Doctors may feel that fasting will only worsen the situation. But

what

is the actual science of fasting and its relationship to cancer treatment?

Recently Dr. Valter D. Longo, M. Safdie and colleagues at the

University of Southern California (USC) Andrus Gerontology Center and

Department of Biological Sciences, have shown that a 48-hour fast protects

normal

cells and mice, but not cancer cells, against high-dose chemotherapy.

They also described 10 patients who voluntarily fasted prior to and/or

following chemotherapy. None of these reported side effects caused by fasting

other than lightheadedness and, of course, hunger. However, most patients

reported less fatigue, weakness or gastrointestinal side effects from

chemotherapy if they also fasted before and/or after receiving the drugs.

Nor did fasting decrease the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. These USC

scientists therefore suggest that fasting, in combination with chemo, is “

feasible, safe, and has the potential to ameliorate side effects.†They also

recommend consulting one’s physician before undertaking a fast, and I

totally agree. There are certainly individuals with cancer who should not fast.

But fasting should be feasible for other patients, is cost-free and, at

least in this preliminary report, effective at reducing the side effects of

chemotherapy.

Resource:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2815756/?tool=pubmed

_Add a comment to this post_

(http://themossreports.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/fasting-improves-chemo/#respond)

(http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/themossreports.wordpress.com/41/)

(http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/godelicious/themossreports.wordpress.com/41/)

(http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gofacebook/themossreports.wordpress.com/41/)

(http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gotwitter/themossreports.wordpress.com/41/)

(http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gostumble/themossreports.wordpress.com/41/)

(http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/godigg/themossreports.wordpress.com/41/)

(http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/goreddit/themossreports.wordpress.com/41/)

_WordPress.com_ (http://wordpress.com/) | Thanks for flying with

WordPress!

_Manage Subscriptions_

(http://subscribe.wordpress.com/?key=ab5e5cd9a45e77db57bdfc307ba399cb & email=heal\

thshelleyaol) | _Unsubscribe_

(http://subscribe.wordpress.com/?key=ab5e5cd9a45e77db57bdfc307ba399cb & email=heal\

thshelle

y@... & b=CfChJG=ZX[G44BX[bIRNVndylX83]=_hS]DJ.Z?S1) | _Reach out to

your own subscribers with WordPress.com._

(http://wordpress.com/signup/?ref=email)

Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser:

_http://subscribe.wordpress.com_ (http://subscribe.wordpress.com/)