Supplements

I rarely took vitamins or supplements prior to my cancer diagnosis (which may have been a mistake) believing that I could get all the minerals and nutrients I needed from a well balanced diet. I have learned that supplements are helpful for those days you do not eat as healthy as you intended. In addition, produce grown in US soil is becoming less and less nutritious as we have used chemicals that have depleted the natural minerals in the soil over the last hundred years. I now believe I need to supplement my nutrition in order to maintain the proper vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. During my cancer diagnosis, I received recommendations to take the following supplements from my Oncologist, Dietitian, Acupuncturist and most appropriately my Naturopath which were beneficial and worth sharing. If you choose to purchase supplements, be sure to select quality as many supplements are manufactured in China and other parts of the world and as a result are not of the highest quality that your body deserves. One source I was told about is Lab Door which rates many supplements based on quality and value.

Surgery Protocol

Dr. Laura James at Red Cedar Wellness recommended that I take the following supplements to assist in my healing after surgery. I started meeting with Dr. James during chemotherapy so did not have this advice prior to my double mastectomy which is why I wanted to document this for others. She explained the following:

*When the following recommended supplements are taken, the rate of healing increases as well as scar and adhesion formation is minimized.
*Individuals who follow this program typically heal much faster than normal, with less pain and swelling and fewer complications.
*Begin treatment two weeks prior to surgery and continue for four weeks after surgery.
*STOP taking all of your regular supplements one week prior to surgery.
*Nutrients that promote healing include Vitamin C, Zinc, Copper, Vitamin A, and B-complex vitamins.
*Nutrients that reduce scar formation or adhesions include vitamin E and flavonoids.
*Take supplements with food.
*Eat a whole foods diet with protein on a regular basis throughout the day. Good protein sources include meat, fish, nuts, beans, cheese, eggs, yogurt and poultry.

It is always advisable to discuss with your doctor as supplements taken the days prior to your surgery and day of your surgery may be prohibited as they are concerned of blood thinning. For example, I was requested to not take Vitamin D for 48 hours prior to surgery.

Integrative Therapeutics First Intention:

High potency multiple vitamin-mineral formula with enzymes and bioflavonoids. Take two capsules daily before surgery and two capsules twice daily after surgery.

Arnica 30C:

Take three to four pellets, three to five times daily for one week post-op to prevent bruising and promote healing.

Probiotics:

Take one capsule daily after surgery if antibiotics were taken. I wish I would have known before my bilateral mastectomy as I would of not gotten an unneeded bladder infection when I still was unable to take a shower on my own or pull down my own pants.

Modified Citrus Pectin:

Take 5 grams two to three times daily for three to four weeks after surgery only.

The information contained on this website is educational in nature and is provided only as general information. None of the information or techniques represented on this website are intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I am not a medical doctor or dietitian, these views expressed merely represent my own personal experience.