just a post to say that my lymphoeytes witch were increasing by i-2% at each 3 mth visit to my blood work up has decreased for the first time last visit. I can only put the change down to the use of the veg/fruit mixing device the nutr-bullet to witch we put one carrot one apple few strawberries and a few hand fulls of baby spinach. This is blended into a drink"dark brown to look at" and taken in two glasses each day.
May have nothing to do in the drop but it;s food for thought.
Dear Brad,
Congratulations on your great blood work results. I have been talking about the benefits of a healthy "smoothie" ever since I found this wonderful website. (I think we should share what works for us so we can help others.) Try beets and kale in your smoothie and other berries too. Avacado, celery, brocolli, are all super hero's in terms of super nutrition and the more variety and "colors" you add in your blender the better. Make your smoothie fresh to preserve the goodness. A banana does a great job of making everything taste good. I'm so happy for you.
Kathy
Good to hear your lymphocytes decreased for the first time recently, Brad. 
I hope it continues that way (though sometimes we get natural "ups and downs" in lymphocyte counts, that are not always of great significance).
Your post, and Kathy's experience, has made me think more about the science behind "smoothies".
Mixed veg/fruit drinks and "smoothies" probably help us increase our fruit and veg intake - they make it easier to get our "five a day". They're probably specially good for people who might not be getting enough fruit and veg in their usual diet.
But I'm not sure that blended smoothies are really any better for us, than eating the same amount of fruit and veg in other forms. There is something about the physical action of chewing, that helps the digestive process. If we had everything blended, we'd miss out on this. On the other hand, if people have digestive system problems, it might help to have their fruit and veg mushed up for them in advance.
I'd be interested to know more of the science behind this.. Does anyone know the pros and cons of drinking smoothies as opposed to eating the same things as parts of meals?
Paula
Hi Brad8 and thanks! I've been juicing and drinking smoothies as well and feel good from them, my stomach is loving it as is my skin, hair and nails. The last few months for various reasons (well one really, I've been too busy working and being stressed about work to focus properly on my juicing and smoothie-ing!) I've not been as good as I had been and I've had a jump in my lymphocyte levels, which had remained more or less stable in the 9 or so months I had been increasing my fruit and veg intake. Possibly not connected, but maybe it is?
Paula, I can't remember the science but for some reason I recall that the point behind juicing AND smoothies (as opposed to one or the other) is that they each have different benefits in terms of digestion.
Possibly the benefits are the same if you eat more fruit and veg, I can't be sure; for me, drinking fruit and veg is a quick and easy way of getting lots more in than I would if only eating them.
Firefly x
so true..my daughter just told me the other day that my skin has more glow less wrinkles. we get more of the vitamins from the juices, its not like we don't ever eat food.
Up to starting treatment my husband had a smoothie every morning and was convinced he was feeling more energetic and healthier. Since starting FCR he hasn't been able to due to not being able to have fresh fruit apart from oranges and bananas etc, or uncooked veg. Not being able to have salad too is making it hard to make sure he gets his five a day!
I juice too. I seen a raise in what was low and a drop in the test that were high. I do beets because they have what the bone marrow needs to make strong healthy red blood cells, carrots -vit A helps in many ways, celery because it flushes the body of toxins and apples there just so good for you. Pineapple and pom/grape, they both are very good for cleaning the body. I also add a powder called super greens, to help alkize the body. than add what ever is in the house. I am in stage1 only learned that I have CLL 5 months ago. My doc says my blood work was good enough that I don't have to come back for 6 months. Which suprised him. He don't belive in the way Im treating myself, but he did say keep doing what your doing, cuz it dose seem to be helping
check out how red beets help build healthy blood, and celery flushes your system.. My juice always has beets, carrots, apples and celery. I add whatever is handy after that. Pomegrante, pineapple, super green powder, coconut water and ginger...I enjoy kiwi and strawberries too. Grapes....
Thank all of you, I have felt very alone in my fight here on this site...I did not get support, only advice to accept my fate...some depressing dancing with the bear story...and stop wasting your money on vit / suppelements.
Goneblender, do you want support for what you already believe, (in particular your strongly held belief in natural foods and supplements), when you have only just started on your CLL journey? Or are you open to learning new insights from the collective wisdom of everyone on this community, many of whom have survived far, far longer than they were lead to expect?
I've no doubt that there are natural substances that can slow CLL progression and others that escalate it. Trying to determine which does what requires proper studies, which requires an investment of time and money. Unfortunately with CLL being a chronic condition, it is very hard to determine any influence, especially when the active ingredient in a natural food/supplement is in low concentration.
There is a CLL forum dedicated to alternative treatments which I follow and there might be a couple of messages per month. Interestingly, there was some activity yesterday, responding to a member asking about taking a mushroom extract. Several members advised not to take it because they found that it increased their lymphocyte count. Now perhaps that may have been due to the extract acting like BTK inhibitors which flush CLL out of our nodes. We'll never know without CT scans, but I suspect it was probably due to the extract stimulating the CLL cells to divide, because we know that there's a preponderance of CLL clones specific to fungal antigens.
From my perspective, you have become an active member initiating and contributing to interesting discussions.
I don't recall anyone telling you to accept your fate and I try to read every submission. Members join for support and advice on how to better live with CLL. WWW has adopted a metaphor of 'dancing with the bear' for his life with CLL and he has been doing it successfully for a long time, including trying supplements. You are welcome to develop your own metaphor but please ask yourself the question of what would be best in terms of giving you extra time to do so, the support you want, or the support you need? Do you want to continue with your preferred path, only accepting advice that reinforces that, or are you prepared to listen to both assenting and dissenting feedback and then work out your own unique path? Realistically, you won't be able to work out what works best for you if you try everything at once and with CLL, you generally have the time to explore a range of options.
Please rethink whether what support you want and what support you need are the same or different and which would be best for you long term...
Neil
Do you mind sharing the CLL forum dedicated to alternative treatments? Great advice btw
The 'signal to noise ratio' is very low, i.e. interesting info is buried in lots of irrelevant text, but if you remind me via PM in a few days when I'm out of hospital, I'll see if I can point you to the forum archives, so you can make your own assessment.
Neil
Ty, so sorry for your hospital stay, hoping for your quick return home
Hi Goneblonder, I was very sad to hear you say you didn't get support on this site... We can be supporting each other, even if we have different views on some things...
wishing you well.
Paula
thank you, a few people with nice words have turned around how I feel about this site....at least its starting too... I agree with you. We all have to do what we feel is best for ourselfs...
Neil You protest to loudly , If you see my post I said " It may have nothing to do with it" This is a belief i Still hold. It was just a notation regarding a drop in levels at the same time i changed my diet. Both my sons ar doctors One in cancer research directly in luekemia research. I would be the last person to hold a strong belief in alternative medicine
Hi Brad,
I was responding to Goneblonder's reply, not your post 
Incidentally, you could argue a good case that many medical practices start off as alternative and when proven to work, become mainstream and no longer alternative....
Im not here to argue anything....just fighting to stay strong and as healthy as I can..
I don't think there's any wish from any member to squabble goneblonder. We all do what we can to keep ourselves as healthy as possible and eating nutitional food is never a bad idea. Certain supplements have to be considered with due caution because there's too many unknowns.
I have to confess that nothing I've eaten or drank has made any difference to my levels but it has improved my overall health and that sets me up nicely for the fight ahead!
What does help is positivity, friendship, harmony and staying strong together with a united purpose and I hope this site always remains strong in that pursuit. And I hope you remain part of that too.
Newdawn
I was replying to Neil.. I hear what your saying... and if everything Im doing just dose that , keeps me as healthy as I can be for what lays ahead it will be worth it.
Hi. I've new & have been lurking. 
Constant skin rashes 
Doc said time to start Ibrutinib 
Ibrutinib and Hematomas
Watch and Wonder, but Do-no matter what stage!!!
