HBCN: Step 7 - Supplements

Diane McLauchlan
Oct 28, 2020
3 min read

Initially, I was tempted to class this as Step 3 but I chose to put this nearly last as, if you are doing all the previous steps, these may not even be needed. I know many people focus heavily on supplements, looking to them as they would look to a doctor prescribing some magic pill to heal them. There is no magic pill. No quick fix. And supplements are

intended to be just what the name says ... a supplement. They are supposed to supplement

what we may not be able to get in sufficient quantities from our food. They are not a stand-alone treatment.

Think back to “let food by thy medicine”. Remember the strawberries and how they have the same exact cancer healing properties as many supplements? I recently decided to research the cancer healing properties of the fruit smoothie I often have for

breakfast. Would you believe my fruit smoothie is anti-estrogen, antioxidant, anti-angiogenesis, anti-inflammatory, induces apoptosis, supports a healthy immune system, inhibits cancerous cell growth and detoxes ... all without a single pill? Not one supplement required.

With that said, however, I realize that certain supplements provide the active healing ingredients of our foods in a more highly concentrated dosage and can simplify things. The best example is probably that of the supplement DIM, which has been said to be the equivalent to eating several pounds of broccoli. Yes, in that case, taking a pill is much easier. However, as an alternative, you could eat a cup of broccoli sprouts, which ends up having

the same nutritional benefit as eating 2-1/2 pounds of mature broccoli.

Vitamin D, is easily obtained by exposing our skin to sunshine. In fact, that is the best source. However, not everyone can spend 20-30 minutes outside each day, or live in an area where sufficient sunshine is available. For them, supplementing with Vitamin D often makes sense.

Iodine is very important for the proper functioning of our bodies and healing breast cancer. Fortunately, we can receive a high amount of iodine through the various seaweeds on the market. Dulse, wakame, nori, and others can be added to so many foods. Please note, however, that iodine should not be taken along with vitamin C, as the acid changes iodine to iodide which, while it can help our thyroid, does not help with breast cancer.

For guidance in selecting which supplements you wish to include in your healing protocol, please review my Supplement Spreadsheet. It lists several of the more common supplements, along with their anti-cancer properties. I also encourage you to please print out a copy of the blank Supplement Chart for your own personal use. On that, you can list each supplement you choose to take and check off which cancer healing properties each one has. This is the best way I know of to keep track of your supplements while making sure you are covering all the bases. You will be able to tell, at a glance, if there are any gaps in your supplement protocol. You’ll also be able to tell if you might be taking too many of any particular category.

Please also read the document on Supplement Questions & What to Avoid before purchasing any supplements. There are many ‘filler’ ingredients in some supplements that can actually interfere with your healing. One such common ingredient is magnesium stearate. It is used as an anti-clumping agent so the products flow easier through the machinery in the manufacturing process. Unfortunately, it has been found to suppress our natural killer T cells, the very ones we need to be active to help heal cancer. So, what good is it to take a supplement, which is meant to help you, if it contains an ingredient which suppresses your body’s ability to heal your cancer?

No matter which supplements you choose to take, please do your research. There are so many things to consider. Some supplements, such as the iodine and vitamin C I referenced above, cause reactions with each other. Some are water-soluble. Some need fats in order for our bodies to utilize. Turmeric requires pepper for better bioavailability. Some should be taken with or without food. Some supplements, such as vitamin C are better utilized by our

bodies in small, constant doses throughout the day rather than one large one such as with IV C.

The list of considerations goes on. If you choose to take supplements, it can become rather expensive and it’s important that you make sure you are not wasting your money. Another reason why the Supplement Chart is so important to use.