Cervical cancer...

[Bananna]

I'm going to go get checked out for this...have some symptoms and risk factors....my mom had it.

Any of you have it, had it, or have used raw food to help it?

I realize I am jumping the gun a bit...but now that it's in my mind, I can't seem to get it out. :(

[RawKnitster]

Have not had it, but I have to get regular checkups due to my high risk factor. I have battled for two decades with HPV, which can cause cervical cancer.

It's good that your listening to your body. Prevention is key. Don't put off your checkup. Make an appointment for your next checkup before you leave the doctor's office.

After you have done that, don't give it another thought.

:)

[JennaBoBenna]

I understand, I'm having the same scare with diabetes!

I think just stick to lots of veggie/green juicies. I've heard people have cured cancer from juicing

[Moretta]

Just wanted to wish you good luck, and I'm sure your in the right direction with eating RAW.

[Bananna]

Thanks :)
I did have HPV like nearing two decades ago, of which I did have precancerous cells that got lasered...many years of special checkups from a special doc in the big city, and I just gave up and declared myself healthy. I do get pap tests....but now I'm wondering how smart that was to give up the yearly video cam exam.

I figured it was gone and they were just going for the cash cow. You've been battling hpv for that long tells me that maybe it wasn't gone when I thought it was....which Totally sucks. So tac on yet another risk factor.

Sh**!

I will say that my health will become a lot more of a tangible issue to me than prior....I already am relating to those stories of people who have something like that happen, and cravings and social situations and all those things we worry over are just non-issues. There is no in-head discussion...

Ya, I'm just waiting for DH to come home, cuz I am not going to the clinic, for a likely pap, with 5 kids in tow....I have an apt next week already for something else, so I'm thinking if I go to the clinic now, I will have some results sent to him by then.

I'll keep you posted I guess...and anymore stories etc, keep em coming. Have you been scared into raw?

[Eva]

Ha! (but not in a funny way) -- what good motivation to be all raw!... since you've been sort of on the fence... and it is sometimes a tough transition...

Green smoothie police here again too! :eek: :p :o

[Bananna]

lol....you're funny Eva....funny, even worse, I did ask the universe once or twice to make this raw thing a lot easier. Like some big quantifiable health scare or something.

...guess I should've specified I didn't mean cancer. Gosh, I was thinking more like high cholesterol or something! Always the technicalities ;)

[Eva]

Bananna, do you know about Dr. Ruth Heidrich?? She had breast cancer and ran the iron man (decades ago) when she actually HAD cancer. She's a raw vegan and has run many, many marathons.

I've actually emailed with her before asking questions about being raw, and she's been SUCH an inspiration for me. I wouldn't have been so intrigued by her story if she didn't first have cancer. She's a survivor now. You can't take that away.

Cancer is not a death sentence. Not when you take your health into your own hands. YOU have the power to be as healthy as you choose, no matter what a doctor tells you. You have six kids that are probably fun little squirts and need their mom, so if you need to make some changes, they will be easy. :)

And if you don't "need" to but want to because you NEVER want to need to, that's cool too. And if you are happy with things as they are and it's not right for you, so be it. That's the beauty of being human and living the lives we choose: we choose our lives! I love that!

[Clare]

My mom had cervical cancer. Stage 4. She did Gerson Therapy very strictly, including first two weeks at the hospital so her first major flare-up/detox was there. That was 21 years ago. She is healthy and helping me every day with my kids now!

Cancer is serious business and needs serious immune system re-building. I would not try to do it with raw alone because many need the help of juices, detox, and restriction of proteins/fats.

Of course raw is plenty good enough to help all kinds of conditions and cancer for some. Certainly better than any drugs. I just would pull out all the stops, especially today in the world we live in and the lack of nutritional reserves most people have.

I would also choose surgery if I ever planned to stray from an organic raw plant-based diet, since the HPV (if it's involved) will remain dormant in the tissues and could certainly cause a recurrence years down the road. The body can eliminate tumor tissue but viruses are very sneaky - it's their job to perpetuate themselves. In times of stress (nutritional, lifestyle, etc) they come out and do damage and even if you are perfectly healthy they can pass themselves on to others.

[Bananna]

I do know about Ruth yes, I Love her story! ...she's fantastic.

Cancer is serious business...ironically part of my studying for exams today included the study of palliative care (caring for the dying) and I ended up crying because death became such a tangible concept.

The clinic turned me down for a pap, which I am not surprised, they told me they aren't set up for that and to go see my doc. I already have an appt next week, but I am going to try and get one for this week, but not likely.

I talked to my mom today about her cervical cancer. She said that it was precancer when they discovered it but by the time it got referred or whatever and looked at again and dealt with, it had already moved to cancer. She said, she had no signs, just felt something was 'off', and that I should trust my instincts....which ofcourse I am.

I've decided to eat extra well, hopefully all raw, because it could be a month or more before I get in for a physical....that's a double appt. I am banking on next week though, but if I have to wait another how many months for them to do something about ....well screw that.

....this is all hypothetical at this point. Hopefully it's just...all a bunch of nothings put together to seem like something....aaah, just going to have to wait and see I guess.

I was considering a fast next week after exams...now I am wondering if that would be ideal for this or make it worse...

[beckx]

i had a cervical cancer scare a year and a half or so ago; got a colpo, it ended up being ok and this pap i was negative for hpv... i can't be positive, but i really think eating raw couldn't have hurt and also i was taking red marine algae which has antiviral properties.

wishing you health and strength to make the best decisions to help your body deal with this before it gets to cancer. staying positive and not dwelling on the c word is important... if it comes to that you'll deal with it.

[Blazin'Jane]

Brenda cobb has a good book entitled The Living Foods Lifestyle. She had cancer, I think cervical, but I'm not sure, and she got herself better. She now runs some sort of healing clinic in Atlanta. The book is worth the read, even if you don't have cancer, which you may not. Do let us know! And good luck!

[souldanzer]

The China Study has a lot of information on how to control cancer through diet. Hope you're fine,

Souldanzer :)

[Ilse W.]

I read a statistic a few months ago: In the year 1900, one in every 500 people got cancer in their lifetime. Today it's one in every two. What changed? People went from eating a lot of vegetables and fruits from their own gardens or the farmers' market to eating mostly dead packaged foods with zero nutritional value. Don't be worried. Go to a library and check out T. Colin Campbell's book "The China Study". Or go to Amazon.com and read the reviews, you learn what you need to know from them. If you stay raw vegan, you have nothing to worry about. I had cancer in 2002, and I read all the books. I have Dr. Gerson's own book from the 1950s right here with many of his case studies and successes. Just don't make the mistake to fall into the Cancer Industry trap. Even if they were to find something, check out all the alternatives to the slash and burn methods of modern medicine.
I'll be in your cheering section!

[Jenifae]

What is Gerson Therapy?

I'm feeling like I better go get my pap and mamo soon.

[Gittel]

Big ((((((((HUGS)))))))) to you, Bananna. I'm sorry that this is weighing so heavily on your heart and mind. The unknown can be so scary. I truly hope that everything will be just fine.

Gittel

[Bananna]

Well I have an appt in two weeks. Next weeks she had to cancel on me and was adament that he only does so many paps a day or something....never thought I'd be annoyed by not being able to get a pap, lol.

....my friend thinks I should just go to emerg. hmmm.

Anyways, I will report back on this thread when I Know....all this hypothetical talk probably isn't helping....although I am having a very easy time being raw today, lol.

[RawKnitster]

You've been battling hpv for that long tells me that maybe it wasn't gone when I thought it was...

Bananna, maybe it hasn't affected you, but it can never be completely gone, it's just whether our immune system is keeping it in check. Some people handle it well, me, not so good. Here is my story. It has a happy ending. I've had over a dozen day surgeries and two major surgeries, laser at first, the past ten years it's been excisions. The doctor always does biopsies that test how deep it's gone. I'm fortunate that it has only been skin deep. I have a wonderful oncologist who makes me come in for a vinegar "bath" and a coloscopy (microscope vieiwng) every three months. If I go 2 years without any problems she puts me on a once a year schedule with instructions to come sooner if I think something might be going on. (I wrote a little about my last check-up on 6-24-08, entry titled "I'm Glowing".)

You have five children? Interestingly, after I gave birth to my only child I had a bad outbreak. I was broken up about it. The doctor told me to go home and bond with my little girl, and schedule the surgery for a couple months out. When I was nursing my girl I would get pinching pains in that area, had never felt pain from it before. Two months later when I went back to the doctor the area had completely cleared up. First and last time it has ever gone away without surgery. Apparently taking care of a baby can be a big boost to our immune systems.

I am in a study group which is trying to determine why the Human Papaloma Virus affects people so differently. Treatments have improved in the past 20 years. Best wishes to you. You will be fine.

Eating RAW is the best thing we can do to improve our immune systems.

[Bananna]

I was a Fool to think it was gone! ....aaargh!

...not really beating myself up...don't worry. No point in that at this point.

Thanks SO much for sharing your story!

[Sugar Snap Pea]

Hi Bananna, Just to save you a trip, ER probably won't do a pap smear for you as they don't consider it an emergency. You could check w clinics in your area, maybe you could get in there sooner. Good luck, and keep us posted! I bet you'll be just fine!!

[Sugar Snap Pea]

Oh, I just read back, saw that you had already tried the clinic. You could call your MD's office and ask to be called if there are any cancellations. That might work!?!

[Bananna]

Why that's a fantastic idea....and so obvious too. Will do and Thanks :) ....although I might try emerg...I'm in Canada, so maybe they would?

[Sugar Snap Pea]

Oh for sure!! Sure wish we had a health care system in this country like yours!!! You might call first, ask if they do paps in the ER, then go for it if they do!

[Bananna]

Well I am now waiting for pap results...7-10 days. And he's referring me to some specialist to do a double check, just in case, since paps have a margin of error with that....I love my doctor :)

[sweepea32]

Everything will be fine. If it is any CA and it probably is not-it is very treatable. Cervical problems are one of the most treatable.
Let us know how you are doing.
Thinking of you!!

Mary

[Clare]

Jenifae:

www.gerson.org