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16 of BeLoved Chemo Care's general recommendations, available to anyone who visits this store.

Top Three Chemo Supports
You are doing an amazing job of supporting yourself during chemo. Below are refills of the Top Two chemotherapy supports from the Chemo Care Package. If you are receiving chemotherapy for a solid tumor, you should also consider ProThrivers Wellness Sleep - 2 caps nightly, a formula designed specifically with chemo support in mind. It contains melatonin 20mg, magnesium (commonly depleted by chemo) and magnolia to help with stress. If you are receiving chemotherapy for a blood/hematological cancer, please omit this. In a meta analysis of 8 RCTs in solid tumor cancers, 20mg melatonin nightly in conjunction with chemo or radiation significantly improved the complete & partial remission rate, decreased thrombocytopenia, neurotoxicity, and fatigue. [i] In a second meta analysis of 21 clinical trials in solid tumors, there was improved survival, improved tumor response, and significant reduction of asthenia, leucopenia, nausea and vomiting, hypotension, and thrombocytopenia  in patients combining melatonin with chemotherapy [ii] . [i] Wang et al. The efficacy and safety of melatonin in concurrent chemotherapy or radiotherapy  for solid tumors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. Jan 2012.   [ii] Seely et al. Melatonin as adjuvant cancer care with and without chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Integr Cancer Ther.2012 Dec;11(4):293-303.  
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Clearing HPV with Integrative Medicine
2 more items in Clearing HPV with Integrative Medicine
The resources below are for educational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Please consult your cancer care providers before adding anything to your treatment plan. The KNOWoncology provider network lists evidence-informed integrative oncology providers for best guidance. Persistent HPV 16 or 18 infection is an established risk factor for vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, rectal, and oropharyngeal cancer. It is also a signal that your immune system could use some extra support because it is having a hard time clearing the HPV virus. You can work to clear this virus from your system with options to monitor your HPV status that include; cervical HPV swab (asking for HPV testing from your gynecologist), oral HPV testing (OMNI HPV swab, OraRisk salivary HPV test, FidaLab salivary HPV screening), and for people with HPV+ tumors, NavDx circulating tumor cell test for active surveillance. The foundations of a healthy immune system include; Sleep : 8 or more hours of restorative sleep Exercise 3-5 x weekly (150 minutes or more weekly) A real foods diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables (avoidance of white sugar, white flour, ultra-processed foods) Stress management : stress hormones suppress immunity, especially if you are waking with high cortisol at 2-5am and can’t fall back asleep, or have high adrenaline levels causing rapid heartrate, anxiety, and easy startling Avoiding smoking & alcohol use Nutritional Screening for HPV Higher dietary zinc and vitamin C are associated with a reduced risk of HPV infections and persistence.  Dietary carotenoids (red and orange vegetables and fruits) are associated with improving persistent HPV infection Screen for low folic acid, B12 and high homocystein e which is more common in cervical dysplasia patients Plasma CoQ10 levels are lower in patients with CIN and cervical cancer vs controls Serum retinol/vitamin A – impacts antiviral immunity and supplementation helps clear HPV associated warts . Higher serum retinol/vit A is associated with less cervical dysplasia and HPV infection . Vitamin C & vitamin D – both impact anti-viral immunity Supplement considerations:  Note: You can purchase some or all of the recommended natural health products from this link . In order to access Dr Green’s care packages & protocols, you will need to create a free account with Fullscript.com, a trusted online natural health dispensary. A portion of proceeds goes to the non-profit KNOWoncology.org. Especially since amazon contains a large number of fraudulent supplements from third party sellers, it is safer to buy from Fullscript where you will also enjoy a great discount.  Probiotics (can be used as a lozenge or opened capsule for oral HPV or applied vaginally for cervical HPV).  In a Controlled T rial , women with HPV+ low-grade SIL who took a drink of L casei Shirota (Yakult) for 6 months had a twice as high chance of clearance of cytological abnormalities (60 vs. 31%, P=0.05). In an Randomized Controlled Trial/ RCT , men with HIV who has HPV+ anal dysplasia who used Visbiome probiotics for 6 months had higher rates of clearing HPV and of regressing anal dysplasia. In an RCT , women with high risk HPV who underwent vaginal transplantation with L. crispatus probiotic significantly reduced HPV viral load and had a 1.3-fold increase of HPV clearance rate. The billion CFU probiotic was used nightly for 14 days/first half of the menstrual cycle in the first three months. In the next fourth and fifth month, it was used every three days/five times a month. Vitamin D3 (aim for middle of the reference range, 40-80): In a RCT , women with CIN1 who received vitamin D3  supplementation (50,000IU every two weeks) for six months had improved CIN1 regression (84.6% vs. 53.8%). Lower serum vitamin D levels have been found in patients with HPV infection compared to controls ONE Multivitamin by Pure Encapsulations includes CoQ10 and zinc 25mg: Use of a multi-mineral and Q10 supplements lead to a 30% improvement in Pap smear test results (P < 0.001) and may reduce the risk of cervical cancer in women with abnormal Pap smear. In an observational study , women who took multivitamins had a lower HPV viral load and a significantly decreased frequency of CIN I /II/and III. Take once daily WITH food please in order to avoid nausea. Zinc is anti-viral, and in an RCT , zinc-sufficient women with positive HPV and abnormal cervical  cytology , who received oral high dose zinc tablets for three months had lower risk of persistent HPV infection  and lower risk of progression of cervical dysplasia. There is 25mg of zinc in both of the suggested multivitamin. You may need additional zinc if you are vegan/vegetarian or if serum levels are below 65. Boost immunity with Medicinal Mushrooms (contain beta glucans): Mushroom Complex SAP by NFH: 3-6 caps daily or Real Mushroom brand Five Defenders. In oral HPV 16 and 18+ people, use of Turkeytail/Coriolus + Reishi/Ganoderma for 2 months cleared HPV in 88% of people vs 5% in control . In people with HPV+ in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, Turkeytail mushroom alone (CIN1) or combined with surgery (CIN II/III) was effective.  I3C 200mg by Now Foods – 1 cap twice daily for CIN . This is an extract from the broccoli family that also has anti-cancer activity.
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Protein Powders & Greens for Chemotherapy Support
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These are a variety of protein powder options for chemotherapy or radiation support. If whey protein is tolerated, grass fed whey is the best protein powder because it helps maintain muscle mass during chemotherapy. In a placebo controlled trial , adding whey protein daily during chemotherapy improved nutritional status, digestive side effects, bone marrow suppression during chemotherapy, and rates of malnutrition. Vital Whey Protein has naturally occurring immune boosters. If whey is not tolerated, good alternatives are; - Collagen protein powder; Whole Body Collagen by Designs for Health or Grassfed Collagen by Garden of Life which is less costly. Whole Body Collagen protein is more expensive because it has 3 patented types of collagen for bones, skin/hair and joints.  - Vegan protein powder; Warrior Blend and Hemp protein powder. You could also make your own by blending hemp hearts and sprouted pumpkin seeds in the blended before adding smoothie liquid. If you want to “go the distance” and add an organic greens powder to smoothies; Easy Being Green by Ora tastes good or Organic Greens by Barleans is most cost effective
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Melatonin 20mg options
Here are two melatonin 20mg small capsule options for chemo-radiation support. The first by Protocol for Life is plain melatonin 20mg. The second is if you are doing a platinum chemotherapy alongside radiation and is a combination called ProThrivers Wellness Sleep that is 2 caps nightly because it has magnesium glycinate in it to help you sleep and because magnesium is depleted by platinum chemotherapy.
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Radiation Skin Supports
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Washing: Wash with plain water or with a mild soap daily to lower skin problems from radiation Pat your skin dry with a soft towel— do not rub Avoid fragranced soaps and soaps with added chemicals Two all natural options include Moon Valley Lavender Herbal Body Wash and Hyalogic Face & Body Bar soap with hyaluronic acid Moisturizing:  Apply a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer to the treated area at least once or twice daily after your daily radiation is complete (in the afternoon or evening), starting from the first day of radiation  Plain olive oil can be used in place of a commercial moisturizer Now Foods makes a Soothing Baby Oil Lavender that is wonderful Miaderm gel was developed by a radiation oncologist and contains Calendula , aloe vera and hyaluronic acid . They have an “L” version with lidocaine is pain relief is needed Avoid lotions containing paraben , acrylamide and perfluorooctanoic acid /PFOA/C-8 Hyaluronic acid .2% in a gel or cream helps reduce skin irritation and peeling during breast radiation by moisturizing the skin Do not apply steroid creams to open or broken skin unless told to do so by your provider. Protect Your Skin Wear loose, soft clothing over the treated area to avoid friction. Avoid direct sunlight on the treated skin. When you are outside, cover the area with clothing Avoid using adhesive bandages.  You may use deodorant or antiperspirant if you wish; they do not increase skin reactions Avoid hot tubs, saunas, and swimming pools during treatment Burn Treatment Many people do not burn with radiation. However, some radiation regimens are stronger and some people burn more easily  The most common time to get a radiation burn is towards the end of treatment and in the two weeks following treatment Areas that are most vulnerable for burning are areas where radiation is being concentrated eg. lymph nodes, or places where the skin rubs/creates friction eg. armpits, under the breast  Plain topical Aloe vera   gel (no menthol added) helps treat cancer radiation skin problems   Homemade topical spray with Chamomile and lavender : Make a concentrated tea with 3 bags of chamomile tea in 1 cup hot water, steep and remove tea bags. Fill a spray bottle and for every 50mL of chamomile tea, add 15-20 drops of lavender essential oil. Shake & spray over burn or whenever needed for extra stress & sleep support. Not only does lavender disinfect and help burns, in people with cancer, smelling lavender essential has also been shown to soothe anxiety, improve sleep and reduce pain .  In the unlikely event that your skin actually breaks open from a burn, use topical raw honey to speed recovery: a Cochrane systematic review concluded that honey heals partial thickness burns more quickly than conventional treatment. There was also lower risk of adverse events with honey compared to silver sulfadiazine. Note that silver sulfadiazine cream usually contains methylparabens which have been linked to cancer generally and breast cancer specifically 
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Dry Mouth Supports
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Dry mouth, also called xerostomia, is very common during & after treatment for head and neck cancer because treatment can damage saliva glands. Saliva helps with eating, speaking, removing food particles from your teeth, remineralizing teeth, preventing oral infections like candida/thrush and neutralizing acids produced by bacteria. Here are ways to manage dry mouth: Daily Care and Lifestyle Strategies During Treatment Carry a water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day and drink water when eating dry foods Suck on ice chips or chamomile-honey ice chips to moisten the mouth. Use a humidifier at night to add moisture to the air. Rinse with baking soda and saltwater to reduce acidity in the mouth. You can make a simple rinse at home by mixing 1 tsp of baking soda and 1 tsp of salt in 4 cups (1 liter) of water ( Canadian Cancer Society ). Brush your teeth, gums and tongue with a soft bristle brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Use a new toothbrush after a cold or mouth infection and every few months. Since cavities are more common with dry mouth, your dentist or oncology team may prescribe a higher fluoride toothpaste ( NCCN guidelines ). Hydroxyapatite provides the calcium that is normally found in saliva to remineralize teeth. Hydroxyapatite toothpaste is an evidence-based option for cavity prevention that is comparable to fluoride toothpaste ( Pawinska 2024 ). Note: Some prescription toothpastes like Carifree 5000 contain both higher fluoride and hydroxyapatite.  Aim to floss nightly before you rinse your mouth and then brush. If it is too painful to open your mouth that wide during treatment, use your baking soda saltwater rinse and wipe biofilm off of your teeth with a cloth to the best of your ability. If you wear dentures, keep them clean and remove them at night. Dentures may need to be adjusted after treatment if you lose weight. Use coconut oil 1 tsp-1 TBSP 3x daily to moisten your mouth and also add healthy calories ( Quimby 2020 ). Add raw honey liberally to your diet. Daily use of raw honey may help dry mouth, painful mouth and difficulty swallowing ( Gkantaifi 2020 , Münstedt 2019 , Charalambous 2017 ) Use lip balm to moisten lips. Avoid mouth rinses containing alcohol (they are drying ), chlorhexidine as well as tobacco, carbonated drinks, caffeine and alcohol ( American Cancer Society guideline ) Eat a healthy diet, avoiding sugary, spicy or highly acidic foods that can irritate your mouth or increase your risk of cavities ( American Cancer Society guideline ) Minimize or avoid medications that cause dry mouth such as anticholinergics, antidepressants, antihypertensives, and antihistamines. Herbs that can be drying include cannabis, rhodiola, bacopa and arjuna. Green tea can also be drying if you don’t add a moistening herb to it. Moistening herbs can be used as a chilled tea to assist with eating or made into small ice cubes. These include; slippery elm powder, marshmallow root powder , chamomile , calendula , plantain , aloe vera juice . Other natural approaches to dry mouth include propolis, and sea buckthorn pulp oil ( Nursing Guideline 2021 ) Acupuncture both during and after radiation for head and neck cancer may be useful for dry mouth ( ASCO/ISOO/MASCC guideline ) Lifestyle Strategies after Treatment Over the counter saliva substitute sprays and lubricant gels may be useful ( ASCO/MASCC guideline ). Note that many commercial products contain ingredients that are concerning such as dyes, parabens and sucralose. Safe ingredients that are moisturizing include sodium hyaluronate ( Rupe 2023 ), xylitol, sorbitol, glycerin, honey, and aloe vera. Commercial products with cleaner ingredients include; Oral B Dry Mouth Mouthwash (has hyaluronate), Dr. Jen’s Dry Mouth Gel with Nano Hydroxyapatite, Spry Moisturizing mouth gel, and OraCoat XyliGel ( Martin 2017 ).  Nasal mists with sodium hyaluronate to moisturize include Hylamist by Hyalogic and Nasogel spray by Neil Med Once your mouth can tolerate stronger flavors again, suck on xylitol candies or chew xylitol or sorbitol gum to help stimulate saliva. This can provide short-term relief and may help with mild symptoms ( ASCO/MASCC guideline ).  Commercially available products with zinc may help reduce bad breath eg. Dr John’s brandFresh Breath Drops xylitol candies and Vital Nutrient’s brand Hyperbiotics Pro-dental Probiotic chews
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Gentle Chemotherapy-friendly Personal Care Treats
14 more items in Gentle Chemotherapy-friendly Personal Care Treats
Gentle Chemo friendly Personal Care Treats: Below is a large selection of gentle personal care products that are well suited for chemotherapy (sensitive, dry skin) and free of any yucky ingredients. This list has excluded rose and geranium essential oil out of an overabundance of caution because these ever so slightly can increase estrogen in pre and peri-menopausal women (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28326753/). Post menopausal women and women taking tamoxifen (that blocks natural estrogen in breast tissue) don't need to avoid rose or geranium. Note that the small doses of antioxidants like vit E used to make creams and lotions stay fresh for longer are totally safe to use on your skin during chemotherapy. They occur in tiny doses and will not make it to your bloodstream. There's a large selection below so just pick and choose what you think you or your loved one would like best...
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Healing Teas for Chemotherapy
11 more items in Healing Teas for Chemotherapy
Here is an assortment of delightful organic teas to chose from that are safe to use during chemotherapy. Teas like chamomile, peppermint and lemonbalm are soothing to the digestive tract. While it's true that some herbs interact with chemotherapy at high doses, herb-drug interactions only become a concern when using higher doses of capsules or tinctures daily (the amount of each herb is extremely low in a teabag). Please consult with an integrative oncology provider before using any higher dose herbs or natural health products during chemotherapy. Some of these teas below contain turmeric which has been shown to be safe alongside chemotherapy at even very high doses [i] [ii] [iii] . Alongside chemotherapy, avoid St John's Wort 900mg or higher, grapefruit juice, Goldenseal 1300mg 3x daily, CBD 640mg/d, and Schizandra 9 caps daily. [i] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.7412 [ii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33099272/ [iii] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cts.13250 .
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Sleep & Anxiety Support for Cancer
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Sleep & Anxiety Support for Cancer: Sleep Hygiene: Discontinue all electronics including TV screens, phones, ipads for a half hour or more before bed. Sleep in a completely dark room without your phone (studies show decreased sleep quality when phones are charged in the bedroom). Some people find weighted blankets useful for calming the nervous system. Melatonin is a good first line for people struggling with sleep because it has so much anti-cancer activity, and is routinely recommended even in people who already sleep well. The weakness of melatonin though, is that stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can still cause you to wake in the middle of the night because for safety (like fleeing from a tiger), our bodies are designed to have stress hormones override pretty much everything else.  If you are in chemotherapy for a solid tumor (eg. breast, colon, lung, brain), melatonin 20 mg is an excellent sleep support option that also improves response rates to chemotherapy. Do not use melatonin if you have hematologic cancer (blood cancer) without speaking to your integrative provider. In a meta analysis of 8 RCTs in solid tumor cancers, 20mg melatonin nightly in conjunction with chemo or radiation significantly improved the complete & partial remission rate, decreased thrombocytopenia, neurotoxicity, and fatigue. [iv] In a second meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials in solid tumors, use of 20mg melatonin alongside chemotherapy improved survival,  tumor response, and significantly reduced weakness, leucopenia, nausea and vomiting, hypotension, and thrombocytopenia [v. The ProThrivers Wellness Sleep product included in the Fullscript link below is designed for chemotherapy support and 2 caps contain melatonin 20 mg, magnesium glycinate 200mg (depleted by platinum chemotherapy), and magnolia for calming cortisol stress hormone. You may also opt for plain Melatonin 20 mg by Pure Encapsulations or Protocol for Life Balance.  Lemonbalm is a gentle, chemotherapy safe herb that calms anxiety, settles your stomach and helps improve sleep. It can be taken as tea, alcohol-free tincture, tincture or capsule. (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/23/4199) Chamomile tea and extract reduces anxiety and improves sleep. Many other herbal teas also reduce stress, such as passionflower, tulsi/holy basil, lemonbalm and lavender. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19593179/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21939549/) The probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota helped maintain sleep quality during stress induced sleep disturbance. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28443383) Lavender nasal inhaler or a bath with 8-10 drops lavender essential oil or 5-8 drops lavender essential oil in a diffuser in the bedroom. In a randomized controlled trial, people going through chemotherapy who inhaled lavender essential oil had significantly less anxiety and better sleep[i]. In two randomized controlled trials, people who inhaled lavender essential oil before cancer surgery had significantly less anxiety[ii][iii]. Sleep Aide by Vital Nutrients is a favorite of Dr Green’s, but please consult your provider before using this to ensure th anyere won’t be interactions with your medications. The lavender essential oil it contains in it is safe for breast cancer and has multiple trials showing its effectiveness in reducing anxiety. Sometimes you do burp a lavender smell though 🙂. ( https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23808618/) Mind-Body Supports Guided Imagery harnesses the power of the mind to impact stress response, immune function and wellness. Visualizations/Guided Meditation for sleep: Dr Green’s Sleep Guided Imagery is on Spotify/apple/amazon music under “Dr Jen Green” or here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tOGsLKLdLlY?si=Cd_K1vptG6izE1sA https://healingworksfoundation.org/guided-imagery/a-guided-meditation-for-healthful-sleep/ https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/sleep Netflix host’s Headspace "Guide to Sleep" Medical Hypnosis : Dr Sebastian www.openhypnosis.org CES Ultra/Alpha Stim: These are two brands of electrical devices that clips on your ears and transmits alpha waves into your brain to alleviate fear and anxiety. It is an excellent tool for pre-surgical anxiety or stress management. It cannot be used with a pacemaker, but is safe to combine with any medications. More info: http://www.alpha-stim.com/alpha-stim-technology/anxiety/ Free Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program : Online MBSR/Mindfulness (Free) (palousemindfulness.com)   https://vibe.emindful.com/programs/32 Support Groups for Cancer : One on one phone support: www.zimmermanangels.org , Online cancer support groups: http://www.cancercare.org   Commonweal’s new sanctuary program: Commonweal Cancer Help Program - Commonweal [i] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29547610/ [ii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30660371/ [iii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27555173/ [iv] Wang et al. The efficacy and safety of melatonin in concurrent chemotherapy or radiotherapy  for solid tumors: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. Jan 2012.   [v] Seely et al. Melatonin as adjuvant cancer care with and without chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Integr Cancer Ther.2012 Dec;11(4):293-303.
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