| Question: | | | | vegetables only for up to l5 days to detoxify the |
| My son, who is 32, has been diagnosed with | | | | body through the liver. Fresh organic juices such as |
| Hodgkin's disease and is currently undergoing | | | | carrot, apple and ginger, watermelon and mint (see |
| chemotherapy. He has been told to eat as normal. | | | | recipe, above right) and wheatgrass are good; as is |
| What is your opinion? | | | | cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables, including |
| Answer: | | | | broccoli, sea kale and brussels sprouts. Colonic |
| My experience at the Integrated Medical Centre | | | | hydrotherapy can also be beneficial during this detox |
| shows that patients who eat the best diet, practise | | | | phase. |
| relaxation and yoga and have massage therapy go | | | | However, the body also needs building up. As soon |
| through chemo- and radiotherapy with greater | | | | as the liver throws out the toxins - you will know this |
| comfort than others, and suffer fewer side effects | | | | because the tongue will be clear and bruising will |
| such as fatigue and nausea Many also regain their hair | | | | lessen - switch to a nourishing diet (as above), with |
| quickly, which is an indication that the body has not | | | | lots of fruit vegetables and fresh juices. |
| been badly damaged.( Do not, however, massage | | | | I also recommend doing yoga, practising relaxation |
| any cancerous areas on the skin, or in the glands or | | | | techniques such as meditation and breathing |
| lymph nodes.) | | | | exercises, being with nature and having hands-on |
| There are a few basic guidelines regarding diet: | | | | healing. |
| * eat only fresh organic food; | | | | ON THE NAIL |
| * avoid all canned or preserved food; | | | | Weak flaking nails are often linked to digestive |
| * eliminate alcohol, coffee and cigarette/cigar/pipe | | | | problems. Irritable bowels cause malabsorption of |
| smoking; | | | | calcium which is essential for strong nails. Make sure |
| * avoid products containing fungi, including yeast, | | | | you are not constipated by eating papayas, prunes, |
| bread, cheese, vinegar and mushrooms; | | | | spinach, and lots of organic fruit and vegetables in |
| * avoid citrus fruits and juices. | | | | general. If you get diarrhoea, however, eat bananas, |
| In between chemotherapy sessions, I suggest that | | | | eggs and fish, and avoid vegetables except for |
| patients go on a raw fruit and vegetable diet for a | | | | mashed potatoes. In addition, take Vega aloe vera |
| couple of days, followed by a nourishing diet based | | | | capsules: one twice daily for two to three months. |
| on 60 per cent carbohydrates, 25 per cent | | | | BODY-BOOSTINRGE RECIPES |
| unsaturated ‘good' fats, ten to 15 per cent | | | | ALMOND AND MARROWBONE SOUP |
| protein and plenty of still water - at least six to eight | | | | Boil one or two marrowbones of organic lamb, with a |
| glasses daily. In particular, I recommend soft-boiled | | | | little chopped fresh ginger and salt for two hours. |
| eggs, lots of oily fish (salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, | | | | Skim any fat off the stock. Soak a handful of fresh |
| sardines, pilchards), and almond and marrowbone | | | | almonds in their skins for 24 hours, skin them, grind |
| soup (see recipe, right). We also give infusions of | | | | finely and add to the soup. Season to taste. Just |
| vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and selenium, which | | | | before serving, add chopped fresh herbs, ribbons of |
| must be administered by a qualified doctor or nurse | | | | spinach or any green leaf. |
| (for more information, write to Dr Wendy Denning at | | | | WATERMELON AND MINT JUICE |
| the Integrated Medical Centre, address below right). | | | | Cube the flesh of one quarter of a fresh organic |
| This regime ensures quicker elimination of the toxic | | | | watermelon, put in the blender and whiz up with a |
| chemicals and boosts the immune system. | | | | handful of mint leaves. Drink immediately. |
| After chemotherapy, patients should eat fruit and | | | | |