Every now and again, I come across some great video or article that I want to incorporate, but it doesn’t fit into the current post I am writing. Chemo brain being what it is, I usually just forget about these tidbits of juicy knowledge, but once in a while I copy the link for later.
Now, because I am in a sharing mood, I present this recap of what you would have otherwise missed from my browsing history…
Ladies and gentlemen: the Clip Show, Cancer Edition!
Tom Brokaw’s stirring interview on NPR’s Fresh Air:
And there is also this video on Facebook of Holley Kitchen who is trying to educate about metastatic cancer. It takes a minute to hit its stride, but I appreciated where it went. I apologize for sending you to Facebook to watch it… Also, I’m not a huge fan of maudlin videos, and this video certainly does tread in that direction, but I still think her message is quite valid.
On another note, here is a video that addresses a different type of cancer: a cultural one. I urge you to please watch this with an open and thoughtful mind and expect that it will get you a little angry (which it should). What I also hope is that it will encourage you to fight your own complacency and, in many cases, your own complicity. Compliments of The Guardian:
The next video, which is a little snarky and otherwise impolite (it thinks it is funny, I suppose), does a fairly decent job of pointing out why the Gerson Therapy is complete nonsense. Unbelievably, this “therapy” is still touted even after being useless since the late 1920s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8axbL1tnLw
If nothing else, that video also highlights how nutty conspiracy theorists glom onto all sorts of silliness rather than face reason. The actual YouTube page for the video has a long list of resources (along with rather ridiculous comments from people who disagree with the video) and is worth visiting.
Supplements and Nutritional Support
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you probably realize that I don’t push people toward “supplements” of any sort. However, there are certainly going to be times when patients have vitamin deficiencies or otherwise need to take some pill or other to help their body get what it needs. For example, I do take a folic acid supplement almost every day, and often take a fish oil capsule or a multi-vitamin. I used to take Vitamin D, but the science supporting a need for it is sketchy at best and, since I get sunshine on my shoulders most days, I don’t feel compelled to take it that often. And every so often I get a shot of vitamin B-12, because it is supposed to strengthen my bones while they are being harassed by the cancer. Most importantly, though, my oncologist has been in on each and every vitamin or supplement in my repertoire. He put me on the folic acid and B-12 and approved the use of the others, though he did let me know that they were not medically necessary. Still, whether it is because of diet inadequacies or some cultural influence or just to “be on the safe side,” many people believe that they need supplements to be in better health. If that is the case, try to look for a place like the Reflections Boutique at UCLA’s Center for Integrative Oncology. This type of location will offer the supplements you desire without any pseudo-scientific promises or misinformation, but more importantly will offer safety with regard to how the supplements interact with and support the patient’s cancer treatments and ensure that no supplements that would prevent the treatments from working or react adversely are administered.