Philip E. Binzel, Jr., M.D.:
ALIVE AND WELL
One Doctor's Experience with
Nutrition in the Treatment of
Cancer Patients
Pages 98-106, Chapter 11
(excerpt)There are three parts to this program:
VITAMINS AND ENZYMES
- Multiple vitamins (multi-vitamins) - 1 twice daily
- Vitamin C, 1 gram (1000 mg) - 1 twice daily
- Vitamin E 400 units - 1 twice daily
- Megazyme Forte (trypsin, chymotrypsin, bromelain, zinc) - 2 three times daily
- Pangamic acid (Vitamin B15), 100 mg - 1 three times daily
- Pro-A-Mulsion (25,000 I.U. emulsified vitamin A per drop) - 5 drops daily
Since vitamins are food, they should be taken with meals or immediately thereafter. It is never a good idea to take any vitamin on an empty stomach.
NITRILOSIDES
In order to supply the necessary nitrilosides, I use Amygdalin (Laetrile). Laetrile is available in 500 mg tablets and in vials (10 cc - 3 g) for intravenous use. I use both forms. The dosage, that I use, is as follows:
The intravenous Laetrile is given 3 times weekly for 3 weeks with at least 1 day between injections (Mon-Wed-Fri). The Laetrile is not diluted and is given by straight I.V. push over a period of 1-2 minutes depending on the amount given.
The dosage for the intravenous Laetrile is:
1. dose: 1 vial (10 cc - 3 g)
2. dose: 2 vials (20 cc - 6 g)
3. dose: 2 vials (20 cc - 6 g)
4.-9. doses: 3 vials (30 cc - 9 g)Following these first 3 weeks of I.V. injections the patient then has 1 injection of 1 vial (10 cc - 3 g) once weekly for 3 months. If the patient notices a considerable difference in the way, he feels, when the injections are reduced to once weekly, the injections are increased to 2 or 3 times a week for 3 weeks. The dose is then reduced again to once weekly. This is repeated as often, as necessary, until the patient notices no difference with the reduced dosage.
The oral Laetrile is given in a dosage of 1 gram (two 500 mg tablets) daily on the days, on which the patients do not receive intravenous Laetrile. I have them take both tablets at the same time at bedtime on an empty stomach with water. The water is important, because there are some enzymes in the fruits, vegetables and in their juices, which will destroy part of the potency of the Laetrile tablets, while they are in the stomach. Once the stomach has emptied, this is no problem.
It should be noted that I do not start my patients on their Laetrile, either I.V. or orally, until the patients have been on their vitamins, enzymes and diet for a period of 10 days to 2 weeks. I find that Laetrile seems to have little or no effect, until a sufficient quantity of other vitamins and minerals are in the body. Zinc, for example, is the transportation mechanism for the Laetrile. In the absence of sufficient quantities of zinc the Laetrile does not get into the tissues. The body will not rebuild any tissue without sufficient quantities of vitamin C, etc.
When I start the intravenous and oral dosages of Laetrile, I also begin to increase the amount of vitamin C. I have my patients increase their vitamin C by 1 gram every third day, until they reach a level of at least 6 grams. In some patients I use more. I find that there are some patients, who develop irritation of the stomach or diarrhea with the larger doses of vitamin C. I find by increasing this by 1 gram every third day, that if these symptoms develop, I can reduce the vitamin C to a level that causes no problem. I find that most of my patients tolerate the higher doses of vitamin C very well.
On the days, that my patients receive intravenous Laetrile, I ask them not to take their vitamin A. There have been some studies indicating that vitamin A may interfere with the body's ability to metabolize intravenous Laetrile. This has not been fully proven, but I choose to have my patients not take their vitamin A drops on the days, on which they receive their intravenous Laetrile. Also, I tell my patients not to take the Laetrile tablets on the days, that they receive their intravenous Laetrile, because they have received intravenously as much Laetrile, as the body can handle for that period of time. There are no ill effects from taking the tablets on those days, but the effect of the tablets is wasted.
The level of nitrilosides in the body can be monitored. When the body metabolizes nitrilosides, the by-product is thiocyanate. Thiocyanate levels in the blood can be measured. I find in general, that the patients, who do best, are those, in whom the thiocyanate level is between 1.2 and 2.5 mg/dl. This level can be raised or lowered by increasing or decreasing the dosage of the Laetrile tablets.
I do not want to leave the impression that Laetrile is the only source of nitrilosides. As stated in chapter 2, there are some 1500 foods that contain nitrilosides. These include apricot kernels, peach kernels, grape seeds, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, bean sprouts, lima beans and macadamia nuts. The advantage of using Laetrile in the cancer patient is that Laetrile is a concentrated form of nitrilosides. It can raise the nitriloside level in the body (and thus re-establish the body's second line of defense against cancer) much more rapidly, than can be done by diet alone.
DIET
The diet, that I use on my patients, can be summarized as follows: "If it is animal or if it comes from animal, you cannot have it. (As one patient said, "If it moves, I can't eat it.") If it is not animal or does not come from animal, you can have it, but you cannot cook it." I take away from my patients all meat, all poultry, all fish, all eggs, cheese, cottage cheese and milk.
The reason for such a diet goes back to chapter 2. Remember, I said that Dr. Krebs et al. had found that the cancer cell had a protein lining (or covering) and that if the body dissolves that protein lining, it would kill the cancer cell. The dissolving of that protein lining, they said, is done by the enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin, which are secreted by the pancreas. It is important to understand that it takes large quantities of trypsin and chymotrypsin to digest animal protein. Thus the cancer patient, who is eating animal protein, may be using up all or almost all of his trypsin and chymotrypsin for digestive purposes. This leaves none of these enzymes available to the rest of the body.
The patient would be on this diet for a minimum of 4 months. In that period of time I was attempting to free the trypsin and the chymotrypsin from being used up for digestive purposes and to put these enzymes back into the body, in order to restore the body's first line of defense against cancer.
The reason for the fresh fruits and fresh vegetables is again because of enzymes. There are some enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables, which are tremendously important in good nutrition. Any temperature over 130 degrees Fahrenheit will destroy the enzymes in the fruits and vegetables. For this reason the fruits and vegetables may not be cooked, canned or bottled. Frozen foods from the grocery store are also prohibited, because most of these frozen foods have been processed in some manner. They have either been blanched, pasteurized or sterilized, so that the enzymes have been destroyed. Those, who do their own home freezing, are permitted to do so as long, as they do not blanch the foods, before they are frozen.
This means a diet that is high in salads. Salad dressings are permitted as long, as the salad dressings do not contain anything, which the patient may not have. Salad dressings, which contain egg or sugar, are not permitted. I find that many of my patients soon begin to make their own salad dressings. This is fine as long, as they start with a pure vegetable oil and use no refined sugar. I do not attempt to severely limit the salt intake of my patients, unless they have a medical problem, which requires it. I tell them that salt may be used in moderation, but any salt, that is used, should be sea salt. The mineral content of sea salt is far superior to the mineral content of the salt, we normally use. Iodized sea salt is fine, if they need it. I encourage them to use a variety of other herbs and spices, in order to vary the salad dressings, so they are not eating the same thing over and over again.
The patients are not permitted anything, which contains white flour or white sugar. Whole wheat flour can be used instead of white flour. In place of sugar they can use either honey, or molasses. Foods containing preservatives are kept to an absolute minimum.
The patients are encouraged to have as wide a variety of vegetables, as possible. I realize that all vegetables are somewhat similar, but each vegetable in its own way supplies something nutritionwise that no other vegetable has. My patients are encouraged to have within any 2-week period of time at least some of every vegetable available at that season.
My patients are encouraged to have as wide a variety of fruits, as possible, except for the citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons, grapefruit and tomatoes (yes, tomatoes are a citrus fruit) are not to be more, than 10 percent of their fruit intake. Other fruits, such as apples, peaches and pears contain far more nutrition, than do the citrus fruits. My patients are also told that, except for the citrus fruits, they should eat the seeds of their fruits. Apple seeds, grape seeds, apricot kernels, peach kernels, etc. have a high nitriloside content.
With the combined fruits and vegetables I like for my patients to have about 60 percent vegetables and about 40 percent fruits. I do not require that they weigh and measure their fruits and vegetables, but ask only that they keep the vegetable intake a little higher, than the fruit intake.
Protein in the diet is, of course, very necessary. However, rather, than using animal protein, I use vegetable protein. Vegetable protein requires nothing in the way of the enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin for digestion. The things, that they use for their protein content, can be cooked. You do not alter or harm a vegetable protein by cooking it. The things, I recommended for protein, are as follows:
Whole Grains
It is important that the patients read the ingredients on the labels of everything, they buy. Everything labeled "Whole Wheat Bread" is not necessarily whole grain. Many of these breads contain only a small amount of whole grain and contain a large amount of white flour, white sugar and preservatives.
Whole grain cereals are permissible as long, as they do not contain sugar. Most of these do contain some preservatives, but the amount is usually quite small. I do allow my patients to use some low-fat milk or skim milk on their cereal. Whole-wheat macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, etc. are also readily available and are good sources of protein.
Corn
This is an excellent source of protein. My patients are permitted to have corn-on-the-cob (which may be cooked), pop corn and corn meal in any form. Corn meal mush, grits and corn bread are permitted. It is necessary, in order to make corn bread, to use some egg and some milk. This is not a problem, because the amounts of the egg and milk are quite small.
Buckwheat
This is high in protein. Buckwheat pancakes and pure maple syrup are excellent. Again, in order to make the buckwheat pancakes, you must use a little egg and milk. This is not a sufficient amount to cause a problem.
Butter
Butter in small amounts is permitted. Any butter, that is used, should be real butter rather, than any margarine. Vegetable oil hardened into a solid is detrimental to good nutrition.
Nuts
These are an excellent source of protein. This includes all nuts, except the peanut. Roasted peanuts are not permitted because of an acid that is formed in the roasting. This is not true of any other nuts. Raw peanuts are permitted, but not roasted peanuts.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits, such as dates, raisins and figs are excellent nutrition and provide protein.
Beans
Some vegetables, such as those in the bean family and in the brown rice family, cannot be eaten raw. Soup beans, lentils, split pea, navy beans and kidney beans are an excellent source of protein and should be an important part of this diet. Of course, they have to be cooked. Meals, like bean soup and corn bread, provide a complete protein, as would a meal of beans and brown rice.
Let me emphasize again the necessity of eating raw fruits and raw vegetables! Everything, that can be eaten raw, should be eaten raw. So many of the things we cook can be eaten raw. For example, broccoli, spinach, turnips, potatoes, and green beans can all be eaten raw.
Beverages
No milk other, than that used on cereal and in cooking, is permitted. This means no coffee, no Sanka, no decaf, etc. Natural coffee substitutes are permitted along with any of the herb teas.
I keep my patients on this type of program for at least 4 months. It is my opinion in 20 years of work in this field, that it takes that long to get this defense mechanism to function normally. If at the end of the first 4 months the patient is not doing as well, as I would like, I continue the strict diet for as long, as necessary.
At the end of the 4 months if the patient is doing well, I then liberalize the diet. I will then allow the patient to add chicken, turkey and fish to this diet. 90 percent of the diet at that time consists of the original strict diet plus the chicken, turkey and fish. The other 10 percent of the diet may include red meats, cooked vegetables and dairy products. I caution my patients, though, that within any 2 weeks' period of time the red meats, cooked vegetables and dairy products should never exceed more, than 10 percent of their total diet.
The patients are told that they also must stay on their vitamins, enzymes and Laetrile until the age of 130. They are instructed to call me on their 130th birthday (although I am not sure, what my area code will be at that time) and we will discuss the possibility of reducing the dosage of some of these. This is simply my way of emphasizing to the patient the fact that you don't cure cancer. You can control it as long, as the defense mechanisms continue to function normally. If a patient goes back to his old eating habits, he will soon be back in trouble again.