Cooking...not one of my fave things to do!

I used to cook. I used to enjoy finding a recipe and making something new. Exploring foods from different cultures.

I still enjoy trying something new and trying foods from different cultures.

I don't have time to cook. I don't really enjoy it --- it's a time suck. You cook, you have a mess and then it's gone.

I suppose if there were more than two of us I might feel differently. Well, probably not. But cooking for just two, especially two who eat so differently, is a waste. Unless I'm making something often, cooking a lot, the ingredients I buy are going to go to waste.

I travel with my job (art shows), I travel for family things (often), so it's hit or miss when I'm home. My microwave gets a good workout.

Today is the exception. I have been eating a lot of oven-roasted veggies at my parents. They are good, but I like them cooked a bit more. I like crunchy. I like spices.

So, yesterday on the way home from my parents I stopped to pick up a bag of mixed broccoli and cauliflower with the idea I would roast them. Turns out that everyone else in the world must have decided they wanted to do the same as every single bag, all sizes, had vanished.

Being the focused person I am I went back over to the loose stuff...and found that I could buy a whole organic head of cauliflower, a bag of organic baby mixed color carrots, an onion, and broccoli heads for roughly the same price as the bag of broccoli and cauliflower.

Today I am roasting veggies. I ended up with four full cookie sheets of them. But they are soooo good! I am stuffed as I have to try each batch. Of course.

My "recipe":

1 large sweet onion, sliced into thin wedges that separate when mixed.
1 large head of cauliflower, cut up into small florets and pieces
About the same amount of broccoli heads, cut up into small florets and pieces
1 bag of mixed baby carrots cut up

I mixed them all with olive oil (just dumped a bunch so no measurements, although some of the recipes I saw said about 1/3 cup). I added salt and tossed.

Half of them simply had salt and olive oil.

I cooked that batch at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.

For the second half I added a zesty spice blend from Kroger and minced garlic. I also bumped the oven temp to 450 degrees so they'd get crispier faster. I like those brown edges. I still turned them over halfway through.

I like them both ways. I like them hot and I like them cold. I also like adding some balsamic vinegar over them in small batches. Now you know how I managed to write three blog posts today! I had plenty of writing time. Cooking is a time-suck.

Treating Alzheimer's Disease

Everything I've read in the mainstream is a mix of depressing currently and hopeful in the future. Generally, prevailing "wisdom" is that once you're diagnosed you're doomed. You are going to progress.

I happen to be of a mindset that there are ways to stop the progression and reverse it in many cases, but not all cases (see above for links to stories, books, doctors, etc.). However, I see case after case where even at the later stages people have calmed, have improved, using things other than current medications and/or in addition to current medications.

One story that stuck with me was about a military gentleman with diagnosed Alzheimer's Disease, was being treated via mainstream docs, who was always agitated, yelling, mad. His family started him on one of the prevailing "alternative" treatments (diet and supplements) and he calmed down, became a happy soul. It didn't change much of anything else, aside from better physical status, but he was in a better place mentally. That alone is worth the effort!

I believe that you don't stop trying, looking for the positive and working with doctors, but also using your own research and mind to build on doctor's prognosis and suggestions. In today's world of specialization, one specialized doctor may not be aware of what is going on in another aspect. Our bodies are miraculous machines that work synergistically.

Doctors are also notoriously prickly about "Google Doctors" as they call people like me. I walk a fine line and defer to their wisdom. But I still firmly believe that I have to double-check, do my own research.

(I guess that's another blog --- all my personal and friend's experiences with an incorrect diagnosis or being given a drug to treat something without ever being told how to fix it with diet or actions (ala Type 2 Diabetes and cholesterol). Personally, I use doctors to diagnose. Not that I have any problem with taking a prescribed medication if needed. We have amazing doctors, scientists, researchers and I'm blessed to live in a time where so much is available.)

When combatting cognitive issues you start early, you look at the entire body and lifestyle and then do the best you can to correct all the issues. Sadly, as I've said over and over, by the time we're willing to start addressing brain issues we're often well on the path. For some the issues start 20 years before 'symptoms" happen.

Someone close to me is a case in point. She is averse to getting help much of the time (and then sometimes she's fully on board), she has issues taking pills so supplements are difficult, if a drug has a side effect she doesn't like she flat out refuses to take it, she has so many real and imagined reasons for not moving or exercising it's extremely difficult to push, and so on.

Through it all she is still "there" most of the time. She can enjoy times with family. She knows what is going on and cries about the future. She has great days where she's going to fight this, where she will overcome and give God the glory, where she understands that using what God has provided via doctors and foods, etc., is a good thing. She knows when she is being treated like a child. She gets mad when treated like she doesn't know what's going on. Her main caretaker is great --- he involves her every step of the way.

Side note on current drug treatments for dementia: Most of the current drugs given for cognitive issues have some ugly side-effects. This individual won't take anything without reading the pamphlets. When I looked at all the drugs and saw the potential side-effects I thought "oh no, constipation..." that's all it will take...

OK, this is another blog post where I'll have to come back to it...am cooking some cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms so sliding over here in-between steps :-). So much on my mind after my last visit to see my parents...and every day the long list of alerts and news re: AD, cognition, dementia and health gets my little pea-brain zipping all over the place!!!

------------------
This one is interesting.
Scientists to test drug meant to stop or slow Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear
https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/feb/08/scientists-to-test-drug-meant-to-stop-or-slow-alzheimers-before-symptoms-appear/

My thoughts? Much of the current prevailing wisdom seems to be that the amyloid plaques are protective responses. I've heard them likened to ambulances and police that swarm to a wreck. Yes, they get tangled but they are there in response not as the cause. They seem, at least from what I'm reading, to be initially protective. Then if you don't correct the underlying issue they increase, get tangled, and start causing problems.

Clearing them up after they're tangled can be beneficial. It seems that it's short-lived though if the underlying reason for them isn't addressed. Which is why most of our mainstream drugs rarely work for long. They clear them out, there is a temporary improvement or a temporary "stay" in progression, then wham things are back and often worse than before the drug. Not always given that some find or correct the problem.

Also, they've found that many people have the plaques but never develop Alzheimer's Disease or any type of dementia. Just like many people are diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease who have other issues ranging from Lyme disease to mold toxin issues to...oh, shoot, the list is soooo long.

That's an interesting thing, too. When they first started diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease they (the wise ones of the day :-)) came up with a list of SUGGESTED criteria to consider. Somehow that became the definitive criteria. It was initially supposed to be a tool, a possibility, not a "they have it" list. Will have to see if I can find the various articles and podcasts where I heard that one...


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A few of the articles, research, and studies that caught my attention:

Is This Under-the-Radar Stock Set to Succeed in Alzheimer's Disease?
A promising new approach could potentially yield a new drug providing hope for millions of Alzheimer's patients worldwide.https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/02/07/is-this-under-the-radar-stock-set-to-succeed-in-al.aspx
In recent years, scientific evidence forged a link between P. gingivalis infection, more commonly known as gingivitis, and Alzheimer's disease. The scientific thesis for Cortexyme's approach focuses on the discovery that the P. gingivalis bacteria can enter the bloodstream and make its way to the brain, particularly in older individuals and those with a genetic predisposition. Once inside brain cells, also called neurons, the bacteria release a toxic substance called gingipains. The gingipains digest neuronal proteins leading to the death of the brain cell..

Loss of BIN1 protein in Alzheimer’s disease promotes synaptic accumulation of phosphorylated tau and disrupts tau release: Tau-directed effects of BIN1 loss in AD
https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/loss-of-bin1-protein-in-alzheimers-disease-promotes-synaptic-accumulation-of-phosphorylated-tau-and-disrupts-tau-release(c8017124-cc51-4c71-a39d-9f2a985aeec3).html
Polymorphisms associated with BIN1 confer the second greatest risk for developing late onset Alzheimer’s disease. The biological consequences of this genetic variation are not fully understood, however BIN1 is a binding partner for tau. Tau is normally a highly soluble cytoplasmic protein, but in Alzheimer’s disease tau is abnormally phosphorylated and accumulates at synapses to exert synaptotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to determine if alterations to BIN1 and tau in Alzheimer’s disease promote the damaging redistribution of tau to synapses, as a mechanism by which BIN1 polymorphisms may increase risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. We show that BIN1 is lost from the cytoplasmic fraction of Alzheimer’s disease cortex, and this is accompanied by the progressive mislocalization of phosphorylated tau to synapses. We confirmed proline 216 in tau as critical for tau interaction with the BIN1-SH3 domain and show that phosphorylation of tau disrupts this binding, suggesting that tau phosphorylation in Alzheimer’s disease disrupts tau-BIN1 associations...

Alzheimer's treatments: What's on the horizon?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/alzheimers-treatments/art-20047780

PET Tracer Detects Synapse Loss Across Alzheimer’s Brain
https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/pet-tracer-detects-synapse-loss-across-alzheimers-brain

Ramblin' about Alzheimer's Disease

Note: This is an older blog that I hadn't finished, hadn't posted. Posting now, late, some redundancy in ones I've posted since...but not gonna waste all these words :-). In addition to the articles that were current at the time I wrote this (at the bottom) I've added some that are more up-to-date.

For a variety of reasons, I've been reading a lot about Alzheimer's Disease. I have Google Alerts set up on a wide variety of related topics, am on the APOE4.info site with great info, read every study & article that pops up, have checked out or bought every book on the subject. I've become a believer that it is possible to prevent it in many cases and reverse it in some.

The caveat on reversing? It is tough. First, you have to identify the many potential contributing causes, which involves testing (blood tests mainly) that most insurance companies will not cover totally. Then, if you find that you have one or more "causes" (and it's always more than one from what I've found in my reading) you have to do a lot to correct the contributors. If someone is partially down the path --- for instance already at the point where they have issues swallowing pills or their mental abilities have deteriorated to the point where they can't adjust their diet --- it is extremely, extremely difficult.

Winding my way through all the data can be confusing! Learning the language requires a medical degree, which I do NOT have! However, I AM learning. I'm also comparing all the data that is popping up and looking for commonality.

I probably have a higher chance than many of developing some sort of dementia (aside from genetics, I am a crazy artist :-)). So, as I discover things that seem to make sense I'm incorporating them into my life.

Currently, I'm working on my sleep habits. Increasing my dives into deep sleep and extending the number of hours my little pea brain stays asleep are two areas I am focusing on.

From what I've discovered melatonin levels drop as one ages. Taking melatonin when we're younger has more of a placebo effect (per Matthew Walker). However, adding it to the nighttime routine if quality sleep is an issue when we're older can help. I just ordered some.

I've added a blue light blocker to my phone, tablet and laptop. Blue light triggers something in our brains that says "stay awake" (I can hear some of you groaning at that simple-ed down description). I can get all technical if you'd like? No? Yes? No. Try Bing or Google --- you'll find a ton of info out there.

I put in a sleep-promoting light in my bedside lamp. It allows me to read but doesn't cause my bod to think it needs to be running around cleaning the cave.

I am trying a white noise machine. It also has pink noise, which is supposedly just as good or better. It does help to even out the background noises. Last night I didn't use it and when the air conditioner kicked in I woke up a few times. Could be that if I hadn't gotten used to the noisemaker I wouldn't have noticed.

I got rid of or covered all lights in the room. I covered the windows with dark sheets (strange shaped windows so typical shades won't work)

The other things I'm doing? I've added some supplements, changed my exercise time to mornings and am more diligent, I've added and subtracted some foods from my diet, and I am doing 12-14 hour fast every day. I'll write more about each of those at another time.

Current new articles on APOE4, Alzheimer's Disease, etc.:

Plant flavonols significantly reduce Alzheimer’s risk
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200202/Plant-flavonols-significantly-reduce-Alzheimere28099s-risk.aspx
(I posted this one on APOE4.info and one person pointed out some flaws in the study.)

Biogen And Neurotrope: Why Numbers Cannot Overcome Alzheimer's Disease
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4320953-biogen-and-neurotrope-why-numbers-cannot-overcome-alzheimers-disease

Finding the cure for dementia | 60 Minutes Australia (YouTube Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEpTH70xRIs&feature=youtu.be

Predicting Alzheimer’s by Combining Blood Test With Genetic Screening
https://www.managedcaremag.com/news/20190806/predicting-alzheimer-s-combining-blood-test-genetic-screening

Dietary choline associated with reduced risk of dementia
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190806101530.htm

Dementia, Parkinson's Disease and our genes...

Two articles. The first I'm posting is much better. Given that I am APOE 3/4 plus have quite a few Parkinson's genes and all kinds of other contributing nasties like short-sleep, etc. I'm primed for a potentially ugly future genetically. However, I am not gonna let those nasties be my future.

One thing I've learned over the past 8 or 9 months of bombarding my brain with all the latest and greatest research, news, podcasts, theories while trying to help my mom is that prevention is possible. The scary thing is that the nasty genes can kick in 20 years or more before you start seeing "symptoms". Often by the time you start experiencing cognitive issues you're in a battle that main-stream science currently says you will lose. There is no cure. Currently. There is great promise for changing that though, just probably not in time to help my mother. Catching it early and/or prevention is critical.

Side note: My uncle has Parkinson's and my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother all have/had some form of dementia. My other aunt has a plethora of health issues, not sure what all of them are as there's not much communication. Not aware of any Parkinson's or dementia on the paternal side of the family, tons of cancer though. And yes, I have all kinds of cancer-related bad genes...

Also, have a ton of SNPs that say I'm primed for Type 2 Diabetes. My mom was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and told her cholesterol was too high a few years back (not sure exactly when) and they wanted to put her on meds. She changed her diet...lowered her cholesterol...blood tests currently show good on the diabetes front but she is a true sugar-holic & carb-holic (as am I)...however, she went way too far and lost way too much weight, didn't understand eating healthy vs starvation/extremely small portions! Been trying to increase her weight since last June, some success but it's a battle :-).

Anywaze, here are the two articles on Parkinson's, APOE, etc.:

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Gene ID’d as potential therapeutic target for dementia in Parkinson’s
Targeting gene linked to Alzheimer’s may reduce dementia risk in Parkinson’s
Dementia is one of the most debilitating consequences of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition characterized by tremors, stiffness, slow movement and impaired balance. Eighty percent of people with Parkinson’s develop dementia within 20 years of the diagnosis, and patients who carry a particular variant of the gene APOE are at especially high risk.

In new research, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a clue to the link between Parkinson’s, APOE and dementia.
https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/gene-idd-as-potential-therapeutic-target-for-dementia-in-parkinsons/

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Lab: Discovery could help stave off anguish of dementia in people battling Parkinson’s

PARKINSON’S disease can be especially cruel. Its slow but sure onset inflicts tremors, slows down movement and impairs balance. And perhaps the most bitter blow of all is that 80 percent of people newly diagnosed will go on to develop dementia within 20 years.

But there is hope for the future, after experts made a breakthrough that could lead to treatments capable of slowing down or stopping this mental decline.

https://www.metro.news/bbc-science-focus-discovery-could-help-stave-off-anguish-of-dementia-in-people-battling-parkinsons/1899963/
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Info at end of first article with study info I think:
Davis AA, Inman CE, Wargel ZM, Dube U, Freeberg BM, Galluppi A, Haines JN, Dhavale DD, Miller R, Choudhury FA, Sullivan PM, Cruchaga C, Perlmutter JS, Ulrich JD, Benitez BA, Kotzbauer PT, Holtzman DM. APOE Genotype Regulates Pathology and Disease Progression in Synucleinopathy. Science Translational Medicine. Feb. 5, 2020. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aay3069

One last Christmas --- asked, received but wish we hadn't...

In an earlier blog post, I talked about wanting one last Christmas with someone I loved dearly who was dying of cancer. I kinda sorta got my wish. She survived. But it was torture. She was in horrific pain as her pain receptors grew resistant to the pain meds (simplification). In fact, she hung in there until yesterday. But she wasn't really with us.

She was in hospice for a month and a day.

When she went in they gave her a few days to maybe a week. Because she was so young, just turned 23, her body fought long to stay on this earth.

Losing someone so young, so giving, so smart, so beautiful, so perfect...someone who probably never did anything worse than an occasional swear word...someone who wanted to be a nurse and managed to accomplish that goal, who graduated with honors, who had just taken a job, who was wonderful at helping others, who did all of that while undergoing treatment for cancer...makes one question everything about life.

I know life isn't fair. I know horrible things happen. But man, there were so many heartfelt prayers going up for this child. So many people praying, sending positive thoughts, so many doctors fighting for her. It's impossible to fathom a world where this could happen to someone with such a bright, awesome future.

To have her life end in such a torturous manner is beyond any kind of comprehension. If there had been even a tiny bit of hope, any way she could have been healed I could understand I suppose. But even if a miracle cure appeared it was so far past the point anything could happen there was NO point in just having her lay in a bed in pain for weeks.

Her family was there around the clock. Her parents had to watch her suffer and know there was nothing they could do to help their baby.

Why do we do this to people? I know there are many ethical issues, many reasons for not going the route of ending someone's life. But there has to be some balance, some way to stop this. Giving oxygen when her breathing became strained? Fluids to keep her hydrated? Why? I don't know if stopping any of that would be painful. I really don't know much about how our body reacts to the process of dying when fluids or oxygen is denied.

I guarantee you I am going to be doing some research. I am going to find out. I have a living will and a directive for do-not-resuscitate. Maybe I need a separate rider that says no life-giving nutrients to prolong inevitable death? You better believe I am going to figure it out, then pass on whatever I learn to the rest of the family.

I can't bear the fact that she suffered, and that her sister and parents suffered so mightily, as she exited our world. I am praying that she is happily frolicking in heaven right now. I know that this has forever scarred everyone and I know that beautiful soul would not have wanted anyone to suffer because of her. I know that she suffered more knowing her parents and sister and those of us who loved her suffered.

Nothing can ease the pain of losing her.

On the hunt... (Little Life Hacks post)

My mother is in the early stages of some sort of dementia, cognitive decline, or maybe Alzheimer's Disease. She hasn't been officially diagnosed although we've been to a neurologist. I'll save my thoughts on that visit for another blog on another day!

We have been following the Bredesen Protocol with some success. Given the fact that we didn't start until a few years after her memory issues began I'd say we've seen noticeable improvements, but not jump up and down results. Yet.

Part of the problem is that mom doesn't like taking pills...and there are a LOT of supplements that are suggested with the Protocol. If you're interested, here's a link to a post by Jacob on his website that gives a fairly simple overview and list: https://mybiohack.com/blog/dale-bredesen-protocol-recode-alzheimers-mend

Because Mom doesn't like taking the pills she sometimes skips taking them at all and always complains. So, I've been on the hunt for powder, liquid, chewable forms of as many as possible.

Trying to find a reasonably priced, quality supplement with those restrictions is hard enough. Toss in no sugars or bad oils and other things not on the "good for you" list and the number decreases to zero for most.

I was able to find a few. I found a chewable magnesium to replace the CALM she takes at night. The CALM is great, but it has to be mixed with water. Water means getting up in the middle of the night.

I found a liquid PQQ but it is four to five times the price of the pills she is taking. Not able to do that one right now.

I also ordered a chewable 5 HTP. by NOW. I ordered via Walmart, third party as they don't sell it. It's not on Amazon either. It will be 10 days before we get it. (Update --- it's OK, doesn't taste great but it is palatable)

She is already taking a chewable methyl B12 and multivitamin. I don't care for the multivitamin so will be working on replacing it with a better chewable.

Finding some form of easy-to-take choline, citicoline, Alpha GPC seems to be an impossible task.

I make her a brain tea with most of the herbs Bredesen recommends, plus some others not on his list that I've found help with cognition. I also make her a tea designed to address some of her other issues.

We're working on things, but truthfully we're probably only able to do maybe 50-75% of the Bredesen Protocol list. Finding organic and gluten-free foods when you live an hour from a half-decent grocery store is a challenge. Finding grass-fed meats, pastured eggs, and chicken? They exist but we're not really sure they're legit. Forget finding wild-caught Alaskan salmon! But, wild-caught salmon can be found at Walmart.

I always carry a large cooler of things with me when I go see them. I'm lucky to have Sprouts, Publix, Walmart, Aldi, Whole Foods and other stores super close. I try to go up once a week but there are a few other challenges in my life right now that are keeping me close to home. Soon I'll be back on track to get up there!

All of the supplements and food choices come at a high price. They took zero supplements and had one medication before all of this started. And...going from a dollar or so for a loaf of bread to $4-$6, for example, can really add up (although carbs are low on the "to eat" list so that's not necessarily the best example). My dad has always been frugal and they've lived a simple life. Now it's complicated. It's a complete change in every way possible for my parents. And it's hard. Everything is alien to their past way of life. Reading labels, avoiding all things sugar and gluten, learning to cook foods they've never heard of before...the list is long.

I'm lucky to have such a strong, resilient, loving Dad. He is getting it done despite all the crazy things being thrown in his direction these days! His Bible is getting a good workout though.

I love my parents dearly and will do everything I can to help my Mom beat this...and to help my Dad as he copes with cooking all the meals, helping her, and many things that he couldn't have envisioned when he said "for better or worse" many years ago.

Well...there I go rambling again. I was writing about hunting for supplements and ended up writing about my awesome parents.

I didn't say much about Mom. She is giving it her all. With her cognitive issues she gets sidetracked and comes up with some interesting takes on things at times but overall she is determined to fight. I also didn't mention the rest of my family...my sisters and brothers. They are all part of this journey and doing what they are able to make it work. I'm dang lucky to have my great family.

Chance Encounters...

While out shopping yesterday I had two great chance encounters. One was helpful to me, in the other I helped someone.

First -- the one that was helpful to me. I was in Costco and as any shopper there knows they are great about having people around handing out samples. The only one of interest to me was some guacamole in a bag. It was frozen. Surprisingly (to me), it tasted good. I happen to like chunky though and it was blended smooth.

I told the guy who was handing out samples and we got into a conversation. He took me to the area with all the guacs, showed me the chunky and then...told me I could freeze ANY of them! He then told me I could freeze avocados.

WHAT?!? No way. But yep, he said he'd been doing it for 20 years. He buys a bag of them and when they hit the ripening place he likes he tosses all but the one he wants to eat that day and the next into the freezer.

He said he thaws them overnight if they will be eaten "as is" but just peels the skin off if he's going to use them in guacamole or a smoothie. I'll put some links below for various ways to freeze.

Most said the texture when freezing the whole avocado was mushy, best to use in guacamole, not cut up to eat on a salad.

Oh, and you can also buy them frozen now at most grocery stores. I can't remember the brand but I bought a bag. I wasn't thrilled with them as they have a tangy taste due to the preservative they use.

Then, my next stop was at Walmart for a couple of last-minute stocking stuffers. I was looking at soaps (Dr. Bonner's) when I happened to overhear two girls talking about how expensive one of the soaps was. (Oh how I had a hard time ending that sentence with "was"...shades of my English teachers yelling in my head :-)).

Turned out one of them was getting their boyfriend the soap he liked and it was one of the "good' ones...clean. I interjected myself in their conversation and explained why it was so high, and then told them about an app I use called Think Dirty. You can scan the bar codes on products and it ranks them from 0 to 10 with 0 being super good. Most of the things I scan on the shelves these days are 8 or above.

I showed them a similar product that was twice the size, was the same price range, but had the same rating. They were so excited. They both popped the app onto their phones...and bought the cheaper version for the boyfriend. It was so cool knowing that they were interested in learning and wanted to start scanning products.

I got started on my health journey when I was a bit younger than they are but something similar sparked my interest and I've been happily getting healthier all my life. Or that's the hope! So many things that were "gospel" have been tossed out as actually being bad over the years so it's a continual learning experience.


https://springsbargains.com/2012/10/can-you-freeze-avocados/

https://wholenewmom.com/kitchen-tips/freezing-avocados/

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/garden-to-table/can-you-freeze-avocados 

Exploring Cancer Around the World

A number of people extremely close to me are battling cancer. One very young lady, a beautiful soul, will be leaving us any day now.

I am someone who is a self-titled health nut (although what's nutty about learning and taking care of yourself?). I read a lot, listen to a lot of podcasts, watch YouTube videos and am in a number of on-line groups relating to various topics.

Over the years I have seen comments, heard comments in those venues regarding our (USA) treatment of diseases: We treat symptoms, don't get to the root causes. We have high rates of diseases compared to other countries around the world. And, the one I'm focusing on today, other countries deal with cancer much better and more humanely than we do.

How do we stack up? Is there a better way to treat cancer than to use chemo, radiation, and the newest method immunotherapy. Probably as I delve into things I'll find that the newest isn't the newest. I haven't started my research journey yet.

First: How do we rank in the world? Per the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, the US is the 5th highest (standardized) when it comes to the rates of cancer. Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Hungary have higher rates, in that order. https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/cancer-trends/data-cancer-frequency-country

Pretty sad for a country that brags about its health care system. We are, according to my reading, known as the place to come for treatment when all hope is gone. We're not so great on prevention.

What's our survival rate? From Wikipedia: "In the United States there has been an increase in the 5-year relative survival rate between people diagnosed with cancer in 1975-1977 (48.9%) and people diagnosed with cancer in 2007-2013 (69.2%); these figures coincide with a 20% decrease in cancer mortality from 1950 to 2014." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_survival_rates

I'm not sure how they define "survival rate" only because I know of a number of people who are "surviving" but their lives are living hells. Pain, treatment, more treatments, pain, inability to breath after treatments, sitting in chairs and unable to leave their homes... Living decently for 3, 5, 7 years then finding out a cancer has been growing in another part of their body undetected and wham, they're back on the treatment roller coaster.

To be fair, I also know quite a few people who have survived cancers and are doing well. Mostly breast cancers caught early. I have a number of friends who weren't so lucky.

Per World Population Review the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have the highest survival rates. http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/cancer-survival-rates-by-country/

Breast and prostate cancers have the highest survival rates while those with stomach and lung cancer have fairly dismal chances (under 30% for stomach, under 20% for lung).

[When I dug a little deeper, while their article is dated 2019 the data is only through 2014, a much talked about report by CONCORD, a global program for world-wide surveillance of cancer survival, led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. You can find more info on the study here: https://csg.lshtm.ac.uk/research/themes/concord-programme/  ]

On a side note, I had a friend who beat lung cancer after a strong battle. The doofus went back to smoking and it reoccured. He wasn't so lucky the second time around. And...went to lunch with a friend and his wife, both heavy smokers. Great lunch, talking about working together, planning things for the future and two weeks later he was in the hospital with lung cancer, died within days.

If you're looking for overall survival rates, data on all causes of death I came across this excellent compilation dated April, 2019 (data is from 2015): https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/mortality-rates-u-s-compare-countries/#item-respiratory-diseases-mortality-rate-2015

OK --- finally I'm back to the subject I started with --- treatment types in other countries not available in the US or considered more humane, less painful or in some cases, lethal.

Mexico: This is a listing from the Gerson Hospital that offers these alternative and complementary types of treatment just outside Tijuana, Mexico: https://chipsahospital.org/11-powerful-cancer-treatments-that-are-use-in-other-countries-but-unavailable-in-the-usa/

I have read of people going there for treatment who have had great success. I would guess that money is an issue as I seriously doubt our insurance companies will touch covering treatments 1. outside the country and 2. not approved in the US :-). I love that they integrate diet and nutrition as the foundation. If I found out I had cancer that might be my first go-to after hearing what the US docs had to say.

Max Gerson was a German neurosurgeon. You'll read more if you click the link about the treatments above.


The Mayo Clinic popped up in my research with a list of alternative cancer treatments (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-treatment/art-20047246). I was kinda mildy shocked until I read what they offered. "Won't cure but may make treatment easier" (paraphrased). Ummm... sure. Deep breathing, massage, etc. Great list and it may help some, especially at the beginning, but when you're feeling like crap, itching, crawling out of your skin due to chemo or radiation the last thing you want is a massage. Even deep breathing can be painful.

Finland: Again, this is an advertisement from a hospital. They tout the CONCORD study showing that Finland has some of the best treatment survival rates. https://www.docrates.com/en/treatments/patient-satisfaction/finland-leading-country-in-cancer-care/

I skimmed their treatment options and nothing popped out as being radically different, but all I did was a quick skim. However, there is a reason Finland has the highest survival rate --- it have nothing to do with their treatments. It could be that they eat better, eat closer to the way we were meant to eat, and thus they fight off cancer better than the average person in countries who eat crappy diets (like we do in the USA).

Here is a great article from a UK author on treatment abroad: https://www.medic8.com/medical-tourism/cancer-treatment-abroad.html They go into treatments in Germany, France and Spain, and have tips for those wanting to travel abroad for cancer care. It is interesting that there's a statement basically saying you might get better care outside of the UK. Kinda sad. As you read you'll see many slams on healthcare in the UK. Striking them off my list (not that they were ever on it, even though I lived there and loved it many, many years ago).

Great article on alternative treatments. I have read a LOT about the Ketogenic diet (first on the list). That would be my first go-to as it also has a huge positive impact on any inflammatory issue. In fact, I am now on a Keto-flex type of diet combined with intermittent fasting as a prevention protocol. Unapproved but Effective Cancer Cures

An opposing, and sobering view on alternative treatments that specifically mentions treatment in Mexico: https://www.statnews.com/2017/08/29/cancer-treatment-alternative-medicine/

I am one who looks to alternative, "natural" treatments, especially diet and herbs --- but I certainly don't shun doctors and standard care. I just do my research. I rather like how he ended the article...doctors can alienate patients by demeaning alternative treatment, but there's no reason someone can't do both (again, I paraphrase).

Another article you may want to read: Cancer care in the U.S. versus Europe: Is more necessarily better?

NOTE: I put the links throughout the blog rather than posting at the end 'cause I figure you don't want to keep skipping to the end. Hope you found something of interest although I barely touched on the subject matter. I'm sure I'll be back with more at some point!

Asking for one last Christmas...

Someone I love dearly is going to depart this world sometime in the very near future. She has battled mightily, fought every step of the way despite the pain and misery... She has defied the doctor's predictions. Even now, knowing the end is inevitable our girl is still in control, making tough decisions and making war on the disease that is claiming her life.

I have been asking for one last Christmas together but am not sure that isn't a totally selfish request.

We all love her and don't want her to suffer. We all love her and don't want her to go.

I am one step removed and thus don't see her daily, continual suffering. Her immediate family are there to comfort, take care of her, suffer as they see her suffer.

I want to help but the best help I can give is to just listen and be there for her immediate family...but dang if I don't manage to say stupid things. I agonize over how to respond, what to say. When texting I write, erase, write, erase... I know that whatever I say or do it can be the wrong thing, can aggravate, irritate, make things worse, cause eye rolls 'cause they've heard it so many times from so many or I just don't know exactly how serious something is at the moment.

Christmas? Trying to move ahead, buy gifts, somewhat do the "normal things"...but she's always there on my mind, in my thoughts and I know I'm buying things she may never see...and that none of us are going to give a flying flip about gifts...but if she's there I want it to be as normal as possible. So I'm plodding ahead, probably spending more than I normally do, agonizing more over what to give than normal. If I can bring a few smiles it'll be worth it all.

Anger. I have a lot of anger. To know that a young girl, barely out of school, with a whole wonderful vibrant life ahead, will be taken, will not get that life is so wrong. And, if one more person says "it's in God's hands" or "God must want her to be with Him" or some other inane thing I may scream. Yes, I know...just like the things I say that are hurtful or wrong but said from a heart of love...they mean well. And I'm not saying it isn't true...it is just NOT what one wants to hear when a child is suffering. God does not want His children to suffer.

Prayer. So many across the world praying for our girl. Strong, strong believers. Sometimes I think a merciful God would have taken her earlier, spared her all the pain. Sometimes I think it's good that she had good times in the midst of it all, that all of her loved ones got to see a smile, to see her having a good time. Things like this make you wonder about the efficacy of prayer. Even if you don't believe in prayer most believe that all those thoughts and wishes and heartfelt prayers have an impact, that they can do something.

As usual, I'm rambling. There is something cathartic about writing down thoughts, putting the frustration into words...even if they don't flow, aren't English-school-teacher worthy :-)

Hopefully not the same ol', same ol'!

It has been over two years since I posted. Yikes. I think about posting on here a lot...have quite a bit to say (who doesn't) and share, but somehow I never manage to find the time. If I scanned back I'd see any number of "I'm going to do this regularly" type posts followed by maybe one or two posts then a loooonnnngggg time gap. Hopefully, this time will be the last??? See, I'm already questioning my ability to stick to it!

That's it for this post. I'm heading up to spend some time with my parents. So thankful to still have them in my life and I treasure every moment that I get to spend with them.

Ah, and then, I'm going to spend the day working with my son. I am more than thankful that I have such a wonderful son...still not sure how he turned out so well.

Here's what I'm going to do to try and make this time "the time" I stick to it --- I'm going to make the blog a tab on my browser so that it pops up every time I log on. It will be "in my face" and thus I'll have no excuses. Take that Facebook :-)

Back to back books to read!

I just finished two books that I liked so much I had to share. First, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.

It is not the kind of book I typically pick up. It was recommended by a friend...in fact, he went and got it for me at the library so I didn't have much of a choice. Not that I wanted a choice, he hasn't steered me wrong on suggestions thus far.

However, when I started the book I was a tad skeptical as I saw the title of the first chapter and started reading. A few hours later I was wishing the book didn't have to end, all the while trying to rush to the end.

It's a book that will stay with me. I wanted to live next to Ove. I wanted to know him. It reminded me of my grandfather. It had me looking at life a little differently. It may be one of the best books I have read in many years.

I'm not going to tell you anything more about the book. Or about Ove. I just want you to read it. I will tell you that I had tears in my eyes at the end and that's a rare, rare experience for me when reading a book.

The second book was an impulse grab that I picked up at the same time Ove was put in my hands. I always grab 7 or 8 books at the library, Before the Fall by Noah Hawley was on an end cap and I grabbed it without reading the insert. I just liked the title and cover and needed one more book to finish out my stack.

It was also happenstance that I read it right after A Man Called Ove. The two could not be any more unlike the other in tone, story line or characters. Yet it dovetailed perfectly with Ove. It made me think, it was an affirmation of life, it was another book that had me looking at life and maybe some of the people in my life a little differently.

Before the Fall is a book about a plane crash, the lives of the people on the plane and all those who are touched. It was an interesting look at the intersections of lives, coincidences, while showing some interesting aspects of our current world. At times I wanted the author to go more in depth but then I found myself liking the way he made ME travel down the paths, let me come to my own conclusions.

Not telling you any more about that one either. You have to read it.

Love to hear back from you if you either or both.

Different Perspectives

Yesterday I dialed a wrong number. A woman picked up the phone and, in disjointed, hard to understand English, said hello. I had a hard time hearing her due to all the noise in the background (children). I realized immediately I had not called a spray wash company.

I said "Oh, I'm sorry, wrong number." The woman's voice got a bit strident and she said "no, my number, not wrong".

I told her I had dialed the wrong number. She got even more heated, "no, no, right number".

I tried again telling her I meant to call someone else. Nope, I sure didn't. Or so she said.

Finally I just said, 'I'm sorry' again, and hung up.

It's the little things in life that sometimes stick in your head, ramble around, popping up at strange times (like when I first woke up this morning).

I don't have a clue which country in our great big ol' world that she came from. In my imagination that poor woman paced the floor worrying that someone was going to change her number, take it away or thought she was illegally using that phone number. I have concocted stories in my head off and on...she came from a communist controlled country...the children managed to get her out...she watches their little ones while they work to make it in America...

I wonder if that simple wrong number brought back bad memories for her?

She probably hung up the phone and said "stupid American woman, how can she think my number is wrong?" and then completely forgot about it.

A story with no ending because I will probably never know.