The Good News about Radiation….. you can heal!

Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 9:32 am

This article is a guest post by Nova Sprick, an anal cancer survivor. It has been published here with her permission. She doesn’t have a website yet, and when she does I’ll include a link to her site.

Pelvic radiation therapy always involves the intestines and bladder receiving radiation. Because of this, there is often abdominal cramping and diaharrha. The more you can protect the small intestine the better. If you are able to hold a full bladder of urine, it is a good idea to drink as much water as possible 1/2 hour before your schedule treatment. This will help to move the small intestine up and out of the pelvis. Because the vaginal area is being radiated, intense dryness and narrowing can occur and some doctors recommend vinegar and water douches as well as vaginal lubricanants such as wheat germ oil. (see blog on how to open vagina after treatment)

If you are premenopausal, most women will become menopausal after treatment so it is important to have hormone levels checked immediately to mitage the effects of low hormone function such as modd swings and sleeplessnes.

Some doctors recommend a medicated suppository to be inserted in the anus to help with burning and pain. Sitz baths will also help along with creams such as lidocaine.

Damage to the bladder may manifest as inability to hold urine or weak stream, burning and urinary frequency. After treatment it is necessary to retone the muscles of the vagina, inner thighs and bladder itself. Doing Kegels several times throughout the day, mini sit ups, breath of fire (go to yoga journal website), squeezing a yoga block in between thighs and drawing it up toward pelvis, supta badda konasana with feet together and slowly bringing thighs together (yoga journal) will all help to retone these muscles. You might also want to limit water when not near a restroom and keep a change of clothes in car!

Food: You system is cold from the effects of being burnt. Do you ever remember getting a sunburn and how you end up shivering? Now is the time to build a small fire in your belly. Eat warming foods and take capsules or teas of spices such as fennel and cardomon. Sip warm water with lemon throughout day (never cold/ice water). Stock your kitchen with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardomon, tumeric, cumin, fennel and licorice and use them often. Supplements such as calcium are cold in nature and can upset your delicate system. Try to get more calcium from foods right now or buy Calcifood supplement. Now is the time to eat nourishing foods such as Kitchari (goggle this), well cooked stews and soups (buy a slow cooker)and include free range organic meats to rebuild your body but make sure they are well cooked. You need protein right now as your body has been deprived of nutrition.

Eliminate coffee, milk products and processed foods that are all inflamatory. And know that you most likely cannot have a glass of wine and coffee or tomatoes on the same day.

Warmth, moisture, good oils are what your body needs. And some salt. think of how we melt ice on the sidewalks! To heal your intestinal tract, an easy on the system form of vitamine C may be needed such as Amaliki which is an Ayuervedic. AT first while your intestines are healing you may produce mucos …this should disappear if you follow a healthy diet…it is not natural to have mucous in your stools. This means your digestive tract is continually trying to repair itself.

Add sea vegetables into your diet for iodine (for many of us our thyroids will be affected)and healing.

Good grains such as qunioa, millet, basamati brown rice and gluten free oatmeal with warm soy or almond or rice milk and spices … oh yes, add in a little bit of black pepper….are all super nourishing for you now.

Because your body has been deprived of nutrition, you may begin to make more cholestrol now to harden up those floppy arteries. This is “normal” and will begin to right itself over time. Be sure however to eat salmon or sardines for the healthy omega 3’s and begin to take COQ10 as this chemo is also hard on our hearts. Cut down on butter and all pastries and sweets (if you eat them) and replace it with first cold pressed olive oil and fatty avocado in the morning instead.

I hope you find this helpful and may we all live in good health! I’ll raise my glass of “Calm the Middle” tea to that!

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