Why It’s Critical to Detox After Chemotherapy Treatment

Hey loves!

I have been receiving a few inquiries about detoxing during & after chemotherapy treatment & how to take the natural route & alternative to healing.

Perhaps you’ve been told that chemotherapy was successful in treating your cancer & that you are now released to live your life. But what happens when the chemotherapy side effects remain with you? Chemotherapy drugs are highly toxic, even at normal therapeutic doses. Brain fog, muscle weakness, neuropathy, loss of energy, malabsorption of nutrients, mood swings, & lack of appetite are only a few common chemotherapy side effects which remain for years or even a lifetime following chemotherapy.

The chemical soup in these cancer drug treatments often causes greater physical, psychological, & emotional struggles than the original tumor itself. Detoxifying the body from the toxic accumulation of chemicals it has been burdened with during chemo is essential to recovery.

Cancer Chemotherapy: Treating Disease with Chemicals

Understanding what chemotherapy does to the body will help you understand why detox is critical. Chemotherapy prevents all cells, malignant & normal, from further proliferating. This means that the healthy cells in the body are destroyed, leading to adverse chemotherapy side effects such as loss of hair, nausea, reduced immunity, male & female sterility, & mouth sores.

More serious and life threatening effects may include renal and liver failure, heart disease, & blood clots. According to the American Cancer Society, it is a combination of these damaging consequences to the body which often leads to the occurrence of a secondary cancer.

Whatever the dose of chemotherapy drugs may be, any dose is too high. Chemotherapy drugs create a broad array of health problems. Unfortunately, the modern treatment for each symptom is another dose of drugs − each with more side effects to be treated.

Take a look at a few drugs, their side effects, & the treatments prescribed:

Nitrogen Mustard:

The injection site is most susceptible to pain and areas of blood clotting due to this metal-binding chemo compound.

Cis-platinum:

Known to cause nausea & vomiting starting two hours following treatment. Cis platinum also hinders urination, compromising the removal of toxins. This drug leads to renal (kidney) toxicity.

Doxorubicin:

This chemo agent leads to heart damage including cardiomyopathy (diseased heart) & is a primary trigger for hair loss.

Methotrexate:

Known to cause serious, life-threatening side effects such as damage to the lungs, liver, & kidneys. Methotrexate can lower blood cell counts, decreasing the ability to fight infections & interferes with normal blood clotting.

Acyclovir:

Prescribed to treat herpes, which is common in patients receiving cytotoxic therapies for cancer. This drug can trigger nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, & decreased urination, which may interfere with the effective removal of toxins. In rare cases acyclovir can cause life-threatening damage to the kidneys, resulting in renal failure.

Vincristine:

Common effects are bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal disorder, & neurotoxicity & can lead to renal failure. Infections which typically arise from loss of white blood cells are treated with antibiotics.

Bleomycin:

Significantly associated with toxic accumulation in the lungs. Pulmonary toxicity can be life-threatening & progress to lung fibrosis, making it difficult for the lungs to work properly.

Phenothiazines:

Relieves symptoms of nausea & vomiting, but causes drowsiness, restlessness, & involuntary movement. These symptoms are then treated with drugs like Benadryl & Cogentin, an anti-tremor medication used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Metoclopramide:

Blocks the centers of the brain known as the medulla oblongata to treat nausea. This drug is given to help relieve GI contracts & improve blockage of chemicals from intestines. This drug can cause irreversible movement disorders.

Corticosteroids:

Synthetic steroids which causes an imbalance in hormones & leads to drowsiness. Generally taken before the start of chemotherapy.

Nabilone:

Prescribed for GI complications. Leads to disorientation, low blood pressure, & drowsiness. These symptoms are treated with repetitive rounds of multiple drugs causing mood swings, muscle weakness, easy bruising, & much more.

Reduce Chemotherapy Side Effects with Detox Strategies

Becoming aware of the harm chemotherapy does to your body should lead you to rush to detoxify these pollutants immediately. Alternative medicine & healing strategies can improve the quality of your life & lower the chances that you will be diagnosed with a secondary cancer.

Using the following therapeutic strategies will aid in removing all chemo drugs in your body, improve your lymphatic system, improve your digestion, & restore your body’s ability to regulate hormones.

Juicing

Juicing is the first thing a patient should do when they receive a cancer diagnosis. It allows for maximum absorption of a vast amount of nutrients. Following chemotherapy, juicing is an excellent way to supply nutrients to the body for absorption & to begin the healing process. The benefits of juicing range from alkalizing the body to cleansing the colon. Depending on your symptoms, sipping on different anti-inflammatory & chemoprotective tonics throughout the day can treat digestive dysfunction & ease an upset stomach.

Combine the following foods to make nutrient-dense juices:

Upset Stomach Relief

Turmeric
Ginger
Cranberry
Lemon
Pepper

Kidney Cleanse

Cranberries, fresh & organic
Whole Lemons, organic
Cayenne pepper
Water, preferably alkaline
Hydrate with Water

Try drinking alkalizing lemon water upon waking up & throughout the day. Lemon water stimulates the body to secrete toxins, hydrates cells, & boosts lymphatic circulation. Avoid bottled & unfiltered water sources. Consuming pure & alkaline water with zero added contaminants is critical in the recovery from chemo.

Practice Stress Reduction Techniques

Researchers suggest that relaxation techniques including deep breathing, meditation, & positive imagery may benefit patients. Relieving anxiety increases the body’s natural ability to defend against real threats such as malignant cells & tissue as well as infection.

Soaking in epsom salt baths is an excellent way to pull toxins out through the skin. It also helps the body absorb oxygenating nutrients such as magnesium & sulfates into the muscles & nerves for improved circulation.

Supplementation with Nutritional Powders

Nutritional powders should be supplemented into every person’s diet to combat cancer & disease, but should be a priority for recovering chemotherapy patients. Nutritional powders help to balance hormones, regulate metabolism, repair damage to the blood, & rejuvenate the body. Consider powders high in minerals & vitamins such as natural plant-based source of calcium, magnesium, & vitamin K.

Look for a powder sourced from raw, organic ingredients. Nutrients with cell rebuilding properties to include into your diet are:

Spirulina
Chlorella
Astragalus
Wheat Grass
Purple Dulse Seaweed
Beet Root
Spinach Leaf
Alfalfa

Make Lifestyle Changes After Cancer Treatment

Lifestyle changes following chemotherapy are critical to improve quality of life & reduce the risk of another cancer diagnosis.

As an individual begins to flush toxins from the body, the digestive tract may begin to function again. Consuming whole foods rich in organic, fresh leafy greens & organic produce is an excellent way to supplement a continued juicing detox plan. All foods should be free of GMOs, artificial coloring or preservatives, & trans-fats. They should be stored in glass containers. Eating out should be avoided.

Implementing anti-cancer lifestyle changes will limit the accumulation of contaminants in the body & will increase the effectiveness of detoxification.

Please share this information with friends and family. It could save someone’s life!