My acupuncturist who is also a registered nurse and has trained in China with traditional Chinese medicine has recommended three supplements to me. I will ask my oncologist about them but all the info I have found shows they will not cause problems with my medications. Has anybody taken these: Cordyceps, Reishi, and Jiaogulan. The last is a tea which tastes so awful I can’t drink it. The Reishi capsules cause nausea and upset stomach so I stopped them. The Cordyceps is the only one I am actually taking. I’m not one to believe in all the hype about herbs but if they would eliminate some side effects and give me more energy I would be happy. Just wondering if any one has tried them. Also, I was told turmeric shouldn’t be taken with my meds. Anybody else been told that ?
Herbal supplements : My acupuncturist... - SHARE Metastatic ...
Herbal supplements
New Chapter sells a mushroom supplement that may help. I was drinking some mushroom concoctions from Four Square. They have a lot of mushroom teas and flavored drinks. I took Chaga elixir for a while and will probably go back to it.
I have heard of chaga before. The ones she recommended I haven’t heard of.
Turmeric and curcumin are fine with Ibrance and letrazole as I asked my oncologist about those ages ago and many ladies on here take it....why can’t oncologists get their act together and actually find out rather than just dismissing things which can be of benefit
I know nothing about the Chinese herbs but that tea sounds vile!!!
Your oncologist will probably say not to take them so maybe other ladies on here may have some information for you
Barb xx
Thanks. The tea is awful, even trying honey or maple syrup to sweeten it didn’t help lol. I wish we had a go to place of specialists that can tell us the truth without their own beliefs getting in the way.
the sugar would defeat any purpose of the tea. And honey when heated rids itself of all the benefits.. Cordyceps, which is mushroom, is harmless and it can give you some energy as well as possibly help. Reishi is great if you can find some formula you can tolerate
She told me the sugar was worth it to get the tea in me. The Reishi capsules made my stomach extremely upset so I stopped them.
Try sautéing mushrooms daily with onions and garlic. Please do not use canola oil, ever. Use avocado or coconut oil and put olive oil after cooking. Any mushrooms are good, some are better. If you can buy organic, and only organic, do that and mix if you prefer. Mitake are great for immune as well as trumpets but all are good if you combine with onions and garlic. You can add fresh ginger if you prefer. You may become addicted!! They are amazing. Shitake are also my favorite as well as morels but you can only get those wild and in the spring.
I am addicted to mushrooms too! My integrative doctor recommended eating them daily. I usually chop them up raw and add them to salads, but I also like to saute them with onion and garlic. I could eat garlic all day every day. I love it, especially when it's been cooked. I love how sweet and buttery it tastes!
Garlic I adore but not the mushrooms.
I would stick with the garlic then. I am currently reading a book about the cook and author Julia Child, and she mentioned a garlic soup she learned to make when she lived in France. It sounded intriguing. I'll have to look it up.
That does sound good. Let me know how it tastes
I haven't tried it, but it's called Aigo Bouido. I'll look it up.
I dislike all mushrooms 😞
I feel the same about fish and all other seafood. I feel sick to my stomach. Even making someone else a tuna sandwich is a struggle!! I don't see the point of eating food you hate just because it's good for you. It won't do much good if you then have to struggle to keep it down! 😨
My sentiments exactly
Hi Sophie, there are many foods that I was not able to eat when I was younger, just did not like it. But now I have a very diverse palate. However, I never did learn to like fish or seafood. I will eat tuna salad if it is made right, I used to work at a place that made it with apples and pecans and it was very very good. I also used to take care of pets a lot. There was one cat who loves tuna and another Who Loved shrimp. One day I brought a piece of shrimp to the tuna loving cat and he did not want anything to do with it. Then I brought tuna to the shrimp loving cat and he also did not want it at all. I was very surprised by those results, thought all cats would love fish or Seafood. Just wondering if it says something about the human palate. Maybe there is some sort of Gene like people who don't like cilantro and think it tastes like soap because they have some sort of gene. I happen to love cilantro. Anyway I think it's all quite interesting.
Hi,
Yes, that is interesting about the cats! My cat loves seafood, but his favourite food is beef and chicken in gravy cat food! I can't stomach any fish or seafood. It didn't help that my mum used to force feed it to me when I was a child. She just couldn't understand why I didn't like it. She probably thought I was being fussy.
I take turmeric too I ask graviola fruit supplements she laughed n said wouldn’t bother as she had never heard of itbut I’m still tempted
You can order graviola in tea leaves
I’ve heard of Cordyceps and Reishi. I think I might try the capsule from New Chapter. Four Square has instant coffee and hot chocolate powders but to me they’re just ok. I have a chaga elixir easy to take
The Cordyceps is the only one I tried that was ok. The Reishi made me nauseous 😞. I will ask her tomorrow about Chaga.
I mean Four Sigmatic
My pharmacist who advises me in drug interactions said there are not studies that prove or disprove turmeric to be good or bad. I had been taking turmeric for years.
I’ve been calling it Four Square. But you’re right, it’s Four Sigmatic. Instant coffees, they’re ok
Thank you for the info on the binder.
I am not sure about these specific herbs but my oncologist had told me at my first appointment to check on the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre site to see up to date information about herbal treatments. They have an app I have downloaded that provides easy searches to all herbs. It provides extensive information on all herbal treatments, side effects and herb/drug interactions. The app is updated regularly. You can also access the information from their website.
mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagn...
Thank you so much. This is really helpful.
I know I tried tumeric years ago just because I had read it's good for you and it upset my stomach. Ginger root powder is well tolerated and is actually good for the stomach and digestion system. I had read a warning about tumeric, that too much of it could be harmful but like I said it was years ago and I don't remember how much was too much. I have never heard of the other herbs you mentioned. Also, anyone who wants to take something and has a problem with the taste or swallowing, I know you can buy gel caps pretty cheap and you can make your own capsules and put the powder in yourself. I did it about 10 years ago and it's really easy if you have the kit. <3 ty for sharing!
i see an acupuncturist in FLA (LAc, board certified doctor of Oriental medicine) and CA (38th-generation doctor of Chinese medicine). both provide Chinese 'supplements,' in a myriad of forms, as per the needs of this body.
additionally, i take Host Defense Mushrrooms supplements; currently MyCommunity.
further, i take gaia Herbs Tumeric Extreme, as well as add organic Tumeric root to green juice, and organic Tumeric powder to food.
I have added a supplement with turmeric and other items. She said it was best as they work together so your body can absorb it. It isn’t even something she sells so I know it must be good lol.
My Chinese acupuncturist and herbalist says mushrooms are the best treatment after breast cancer, she makes a blend of tea for me that has mushrooms in which is vile . She also gave me a tea two years ago which dissolved 25 kidney stones , so I have complete faith in her . She isn’t very happy with high doses of turmeric and says it needs to be taken with black pepper for the best results.
The tea I have is awful lol. My practitioner suggested a supplement with turmeric and other items as they need each other to work.
Have you tried matcha?
I just got some but haven’t tried it yet.
I am a matcha snob. I do order mine from Japan and they have excellent customer service and shipping. It is far superior to any I have tried anywhere else. Hibiki-an.
Sorry to butt in, but I started drinking matcha green tea about a week ago. It cost £12 for 100g, which is a bit expensive, but I'm willing to give it a go.
I know a person that makes her own organic teas so she has decent prices for those things.
That's handy knowing someone who makes their own organic teas. I'm sure I could also consult someone locally for some advice.
It is. I always know I will get a basket of tea for a present. Makes shopping easier for my husband.
I bet! That sounds really handy.
Sophie x
TOTALLY agree!!! Where is your Chinese doc? Mine in Maryland and is astounding
I’m in Nova Scotia and mine is I’m Bedford. She was a Registered Nurse for several years before she went to China and trained.
I take turmeric curcumin with bioperine, organic hemp seeds, black chia seeds, and immunopower light (which is a vitamin supplement) none of which I’ve told my oncologist because she will probably tell me to stop. But this is my one life so I’m doing what I think will help me live a little longer. (This is in addition to Ibrance, faslodex, and Xgeva shots).
So far I’m doing great!
Oh and drink green tea!
Yup every thing helps hey x
I am extremely leery of herbal supplements. Consumer Reports and other orgs. have done studies that show that many of these supplements contain more of the active ingredient, less of the active ingredient or in many cases, none of the active ingredient. One has no idea what's in these supplements and some Chinese herbal stuff has dangerous ingredients. You have no idea where it came from or what's in it. I think standard American vitamin and mineral supplements - although not regulated - are more likely to be at least safe. My feeling is: if it's not something that exists in real food (vitamins and minerals), I don't take it.
All of the items she sells are made in Canada so I trust them where I wouldn’t if they came from somewhere else. I have my list to show my doctor and I am checking with my pharmacist to ensure there will be no interaction. I have stopped one as it upsets my stomach.
CACAO not cocoa
I spoke to my oncologist today and he doesn’t want me taking any of the fungus/mushrooms. He said that my liver is what deals with fungus/mushrooms and having cancer and taking toxic drugs that could also damage my liver is not worth the risk. Especially when there has been no clinical studies. He was ok wi the turmeric (he said, look at me, I’m Indian so of course I’m good with turmeric ) lol. He I was born in Canada but his parents weren’t. He has a refreshing sense of humour. He is ok with things that have been tested but does not like anything that is just a craze online. I agreed with him. Most of the people that say certain things cured them also had treatment. In fact, one man who has this whole story online of his magic protocol actually had surgery and his cancer was removed. He had radiation and chemo as a precaution. What he ingested did not do a thing.
It’s nice to hear that mine is not the only one that doesn’t approve. I trust my doctor completely.
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