Tick, Tock, Curcumin O'Clock

'Treatments based on the phytochemical curcumin have much potential for use in cancer treatments because of their effects on a wide variety of biological pathways, including those regulating the cell division cycle and circadian clocks. Cancer incidence and progression are influenced by circadian clock cells in multiple organs and tissue types. 

'According to chronotherapeutic studies aimed at optimizing cancer treatments based on the circadian cycle it is known that circadian clocks modify the effectiveness of cancer treatments. Thus, it is important to determine whether curcumin and similar chemotherapeutic treatments being tested against cancer in clinical trials are influenced by the circadian clock. Similarly, it is important to determine whether curcumin alters the timing activity of circadian clock cells. To understand how curcumin treatments and combinatorial therapies using curcumin with standard therapies can be made more effective, we characterized the impact of the circadian clock on the timing of cell death and cell division in curcumin-treated C6 glioma cells.'


http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/75/15_Supplement/1772.abstract

Cancer cells adapting to use ketone bodies for fuel?

A response to an interesting study:

The bad news is: 

Cancer is very good at adapting in order to proliferate in challenging environments so this study throws up interesting talking points. 

The good news is: 

1. It will always be effective for all types of epilepsy. - including brain tumour related epilepsy (and related symptoms)

2. There are many different approaches within metabolic therapy that are effective. Central Nervous System cancers are unique in many ways. 

3. We are not rodents and other animals with more spontaneous tumours are continuing to display very encouraging long term results. 

4. Human cancer cells injected into mice have had to adapt to foreign conditions anyway so I would presume this may also be a factor to consider. 

5. The quality and type of ketogenic diet is vitally important and continues to be ignored in rodent studies (and the few human clinical trials out there). Quality of fats used is generally poor in these studies. Some even use vegetable fats!!

The study is very interesting and needs to be researched further but we need to further expand our horizons to get truly relevant data. 

Researchers often have a very narrow focus, these rodents typically aren't even monitored for seizure activity which is a very important consideration. 

I have been asked? Would be interesting to seperate the unique ketosis benefits from the normoglycemia?

Certainly, but we must remember that they are interrelated they and that it remains a fact that if quality fats are included we see that in and around malignant brain tissue we continue to see very low amounts of DHA (which is also cytotoxic to brain cancer cells). Ensuring that quality fats, particularly DHA (which makes up at least 20% of healthy brain tissue, still appears to make perfect sense when we devise an appropriate ketogenic diet. 

Personally I get frustrated at times with these ketogenic diet studies using poor quality ingredients. Im my humble opinion it should be no dairy, less omega 6, more omega 3- especially DHA. This is perhaps even more important than the ketones. I know individuals who have utilised a metabolic approach that is not strict keto and have achieved remission simply following these 'rules' so in a way I agree with the study that it isn't all about ketones. 

If the ketones are powerful metabolic tools long term, which I still believe they can be, we must consider this fact...

All ketones are not created equal. Lifestyle factors are also important and this plays a bigger role in humans, especially vitamin D status.

I've written this in about 2 minutes but when I have time after Christmas I will add all my research to back up the individual points made. It's a great study for discussion and I'm glad it's been brought to my attention. I like to question everything and I am continually adapting my methods to suit new research. 

I'm also really looking forward to Christmas Day so...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Preparations for hyperbaric oxygen therapy!

Preparation for HBOT. No exogenous ketones required. Ketones need to be high and blood glucose low during treatment. 90% fat, 10% protein to have the most benefit in order to obliterate any microscopic cancer cells that might be left. I don't always maintain this kind of reading but I have learned to time it for when I need to. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cancer management requires this kind of restriction, I definitely won't want to maintain this after for long even though I feel good at the moment.

Professor Thomas Seyfried has informed me that: 

'It will be very important that your GKI is 1.0 or below when you receive HBOT (our GKI paper is attached).  Our preclinical data on GBM show that oxygen therapy can increase tumor growth except when ketones are high and glucose is low.  Use HBOT only at the time of day when your blood ketone levels are highest and you glucose is lowest.  You will need to determine time this for yourself. I think this will be the most important consideration.' 

Here is the paper... 

http://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-015-0009-2

Interestingly he also gave insight into some of my burning questions regarding exogenous ketones, DHA, and curcumin. He has stated...

'Your liver will produce D-b-hydroxybutyrate from the fats in the KD.  If you take exogenous ketones, it is best if they also contain D-b-hydroxybutyrate.  Some exogenous ketone preparations contain both the D- and the L- forms of b-hydroxybutyrate.  According to Richard Veech, The L- form will not be as therapeutic as the D- form.  However, exogenous ketones can help lower blood glucose that is important.  I have not yet evaluated the effects of exogenous ketones in or preclinical model of GBM.  The therapeutic effect of treatments can sometimes be different in the brain environment than outside the brain.

I am not sure what to say about combining DHA with HBOT while under the calorie restricted KD.  We are actually doing these experiments now in our preclinical model of GBM.  We think this combination will be effective, but we need to examine the data first before I can make any firm recommendations.  There are dosage and timing issues that need to be evaluated.  I think a low dosage of DHA while in ketoses might be helpful when under HBOT.  I am not sure what to say about curcumin, as we have not tested this.

We are also working on a new drug/KD combination that might be the most effective therapy yet for managing GBM.  Unfortunately, progress is slow due to limited funding.  I am convinced that long-term non-toxic management of GBM will be better when using metabolic therapies that when using current standards of care.  However, we are still at an early stage of development in this new frontier of GBM therapy.  You are one of the pioneers.'

I learned a lot from this and I hope he doesn't mind me sharing his wisdom. I greatly appreciate his work and admire his compassion.

Here is my food diary today, I made a few changes. The coconut flour is a different brand but nutritionally this isn't far off what today has been like so far: 

For breakfast I had ghee in a big bottle of hot water, sipping this over 1 hour. 

After this I had breakfast which was actually mackerel in olive oil but nutritionally all I could find that was similar is tinned sardines in oil (I did check though, the nutritional info would be almost exactly the same!) 

Then early afternoon I had 2 eggs with 50g ghee mixed with coconut flour in the oven for 10 minutes. I added coconut flour back in recently as well as the olive oil because these ingredients no longer give me headaches as my brain has healed. 

Here is the now infamous article on a combination of the ketogenic diet, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and ketone esters as a potent synergistic protocol to manage metastatic cancer in rodents. 

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0065522

And here is a dog with cancer following a ketogenic diet at the Ketopet Sanctuary being treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. He seems happy. 

Ketopet diet:

This brilliant work is being put into practice by Quest Nutrition who are getting very encouraging results. The main problem when we try to translate this strict approach to humans is compliance. I am trying to lead the simple life of a dog and moving forward this includes sleep regulation and less exposure to artificial light. 

HBOT and keto

I will be having hyperbaric oxygen therapy on January 4th to compliment my ketogenic diet. There are also plans to open up a ketogenic cafe at the centre. The owner is very interested in my story and approach. I'm aiming to set up a fundraising page to ensure that more brain cancer patients have access to this while on ketogenic diets. 

I will give daily updates of my progress and details of the protocol once I start. These are very exciting times. 

It's all coming together nicely...

I'm finally going to start having hyperbaric oxygen therapy and I will be combining this with a few other metabolic strategies to attempt to get my brain looking and feeling as healthy as possible. I'm very excited about the potential of this protocol and I will be documting the progress of other patients that I am monitoring doing similar things. I feel this will make for compelling reading. It's very exciting. I will be taking lots of pictures when I'm there. 

Special days for seriously ill young adults- Willow

I have written a piece for Willow Foundation which will likely be in the Arsenal match day programme for the Manchester City game on the 21st. My interview about my special day will also be appearing on the big screen before the match but this isn't about me at all now. If I felt that I would seriously need a personality transplant. I feel incredibly fortunate at this moment despite continued uncertainty. The least I can do is express what a fantastic charity this is for so many. 

They work tirelessly to provide individuals with life limiting illnesses special days with their loved ones. I have had friends with the same type of cancer as me pass away recently but the small consolation is that their families have special memories with them from special days provided by Willow. The positive impact of these days is immeasurable for these people. Its a wonderful distraction in dark times where you can smile through uncertain times. If you know anyone in this situation or if you can support the charity in any way why not check them out?


https://www.willowfoundation.org.uk/about-willow-0

A long overdue post on Magnesium

I could not stress enough how magnesium supplementation is an ESSENTIAL part of my approach to manage my epilepsy. Control of my horrible, terrifying and debilitating seizures I had suffered in the past has been tremendously liberating and magnesium supplementation has certainly played a crucial role in that success.

Magnesium is an abundant mineral in the body serving many biochemical functions and it is an essential electrolyte for all living organisms. It plays an important physiological role particularly in the brain, heart, and skeletal muscles. Normal dietary magnesium intake is estimated to be 300–350 mg per day for adults.

Magnesium supplementation has been shown to be beneficial in treatment of, among others, preeclampsia, migraine, depression, coronary artery disease, and asthma. http://physrev.physiology.org/content/95/1/1.abstract

In regards to epilepsy specifically it is worth noting this…

‘The concentrations of copper, magnesium, and zinc were all significantly altered in patients with epilepsy who received antiepileptic drugs compared with untreated patients with epilepsy. Designing treatments to selectively restore zinc levels may be a strategy for treating patients with epilepsy. It is still unclear whether these ions are causal to, or a cofactor in, the development of epilepsy. Knowledge of the effects of various antiepileptic drugs on trace element homeostasis could potentially be used to effectively guide appropriate therapeutic strategies in the future.’ http://nutritionreviews.oxfordjournals.org/content/73/11/760.abstract

I take magnesium chloride as a critical part of my seizure management approach. I take this orally mixed with water- 10 sprays at least 3-4 times a day. Each dose of 10 sprays = 150mg of Magnesium. I also have other natural treatment components complimenting this supplement nicely.

I choose magnesium chloride because for me personally it is the best form I have tried to control my seizure activity (which it does quite remarkably!), and it is convenient. I believe that the benefits of magnesium chloride are described quite nicely in the brilliant book 'The Magnesium Miracle' by Carolyn Dean M.D., N.D.

On magnesium chloride... 'Some say it may be the best magnesium for ingestion. That's because minerals need to be dissolved in gastric acid to go into solution. And, magnesium chloride has extra chloride molecules to produce hydrochloric acid in the stomach to enhance its absorption.'- personally I find that you have to build up to the dose I use to prevent any discomfort. 

It is also worth noting that our water supply in many countries is lacking in the magnesium it once had. There is a lot of calcium, but little magnesium in this water so I feel I benefit from adding additional magnesium to my filtered water. 

I have also recently tried magnesium citrate which I tolerate very well but it actually lowers my seizure threshold for some reason. This brand is excellent for general use. It can also be helpful if you have constipation, which some people experience on ketogenic diets. Find out which type of magnesium works for you and which one you tolerate best as an individual. I won't be having this any more but you may like it. 

It is interesting how magnesium citrate doesn't help at all with my seizure activity (and can even trigger seizures-possibly due to poor absorption) but magnesium chloride is brilliant and controls it completely. Potassium citrate helps with alkalising my urine and doesn't interfere with my epilepsy but I need to make sure potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium ratios are right for me. I'm sure it should be the same for others but they wouldn't get instant feedback that someone with reflex epilepsy would get. Reflex epilepsy is when seizures only occur as triggers rather than being seemingly spontaneous or from a cause that cannot be changed. I found this useful but not sure how accurate the claims are:

I feel it is important to state that I eat a variety of insects that are reasonable sources of magnesium (particularly the exoskeleton), and occasionally I do eat macadamia nuts. Initially I struggle to tolerate nuts however since I have had significant healing of my scar tissue and I have improved my omega 3 to 6 ratio in my blood I find them much easier to tolerate. 

The same is true with foods containing salicylates which I find very interesting. I also consume a fair amount of oily fish and I can now add olive oil to it which is a nice feeling. I have read that olive oil can help to activate AMPK but perhaps not at the amounts we can consume without feeling nauseous. I do have other ways of managing this so I am not overly concerned at present in that respect. I can also tolerate avocados again and enjoy as an occasional snack. 

Magnesium supplementation is essential for most people these days and moreso for those with any type of epilepsy, a compromised blood brain barrier, or acquired brain injury.

We know that… ‘Magnesium is required for over 300 enzyme systems and is critical for many cellular functions including oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, DNA transcription and protein synthesis. Studies suggest that the modern Western diet and lifestyle may lead to magnesium deficiency, and this appears to be associated with a wide range of medical conditions. Magnesium deficiency decreases seizure thresholds in animal models of epilepsy and indeed low magnesium concentration in the perfusate is a common method of generating spontaneous epileptiform discharges from rat hippocampal slices.’

Magnesium is a potential modulator of seizure activity because of its ability to antagonize excitation through the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092012111200040X

Some studies have shown that people with epilepsy have lower magnesium than people without epilepsy. 

-         

-        There are case reports of seizures being controlled with magnesium supplementation in people with specific conditions, and recently in an open randomized trial, children with infantile spasms responded better to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) plus magnesium than to ACTH alone. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092012111200040X

-        Oral Mg supplementation may prove to be a worthwhile adjunctive medication in treating drug intractable epilepsy. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22547512

Seizures are clearly associated with ionic changes in the brain. I am rushed to write this post as I have a great deal on at the moment, but I will detail the main points with supportive research to explain the rationale behind my approach. Magnesium chloride replaces standard medication for me and I have found it to be incredibly effective alongside a strict ketogenic diet. Here are just some of the reasons why.

-         Magnesium is a CNS depressant, with numerous functions intracellularly and extracellularly.

-          Oral magnesium can act as a natural statin and reduce plasma blood glucose levels http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1262363615000580

-          Magnesium supplementation has been shown to raise seizure threshold in animal and human studies. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcph.626/abstract;jsessionid=96A16B1C52CB56D9E7C67CEEC60C561F.f04t03?userIsAuthenticated=false&deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=

-        Similar to the ketogenic diet, magnesium has had nearly a century of clinical use to treat epilepsy. It been used as prophylaxis and treatment of seizures associated with eclampsia however because of the availability of well studied anticonvulsant drugs it has not been tested widely in the treatment of epileptic seizures. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9341631&fileId=S0317167100013457

-          Eclampsia is defined as de novo seizure in a woman with the hypertensive complication of pregnancy known as preeclampsia (PE), and is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/336/

-        The pathogenesis of eclampsia during PE likely involves breakdown of the BBB and subsequent neuroinflammation, resulting in a state of greater seizure susceptibility that is ameliorated by MgSO4 treatment. This situation of a compromised blood brain barrier could be translated to brain cancer patients where more magnesium is required to combat likely deficiency. Brain cancer patients can have a ‘leaky brain’, particularly if they have had radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

-        Magnesium sulfate is an evidence-based anticonvulsant drug used to prevent and control eclampsia. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jog.12697/abstract?userIsAuthenticated=false&deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=

-        Although magnesium sulfate is one of the most commonly used agents for seizure prophylaxis in preeclampsia, its efficacy relative to other anticonvulsants is incompletely investigated. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0002937894900221

-        Hypomagnesaemia is a recognized cause of generalized seizures. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090379815001798

-        Patients with hypomagnesemia suffer from a wide range of symptoms including muscle cramps, cardiac arrhythmias and epilepsy. http://www.jle.com/fr/revues/mrh/e-docs/the_art_of_magnesium_transport_305521/article.phtml

As we can see, magnesium sulphate is the most studied form of magnesium for the management of epilepsy:

-        Magnesium sulfate infusions can be safely used in pediatric refractory status epilepticus. Magnesium sulfate can be considered in the management of children with febrile illness-related epilepsy syndrome. http://cno.sagepub.com/content/2/1/2329048X14550067.short

Compared to anti epileptic medication (AEDs)…

-        Magnesium sulfate is a significantly more effective prophylactic agent than phenytoin for N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced seizures. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0002937894900221

The British Library- beautiful

I'm going to book a tour of The British Library. It's marvellous and there is free membership for students. Normally it costs a lot to be a member. The tour itself is £8.00 for students. It's a beautiful building and there are numerous free exhibitions. I adore this library and it's such a privilege to have access to it. 

On the campaign trail...

Today was a very insightful first day of campaigning. I learned a great deal through engaging with a variety of students. I have received some useful feedback on my manifesto and will be sharing their views anonymously on the university radio station. 

This is obviously a democratic process so I will take in all views and try my best to take appropriate action. It is not a popularity contest for me and I find it a privilege to represent a diverse range of students, some of which have truly remarkable stories. 

It is difficult to represent a group of students who fall into the ambiguous category of 'disabled', but I will try my best to do the position justice if elected.

Ketogenic snack to take away

I often do this for simplicity and it doesn't require any cleaning up. All it requires is: 

1 egg

40g ghee

A small container (ideally not glass or plastic although in this example that's what I use)

1 Saucepan

Salt and pepper optional of course

http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=JQnitJEi8wg&u=/watch%3Fv%3Dab5xjr5WvzQ%26feature%3Dem-upload_owner

Here's a breakdown of the macros:

I just like having snacks that I don't have to think about preparing, it's simple and easy. 

Keto kidneys, Satya Project, manifestos, and New Scientist magazine

It's safe to say it's been a busy week for me but I've thoroughly enjoyed it! 

I thought I would take time to update my blog while I prepare what I like to call these 'keto kidneys'- just look at the huge lumps of fat that surround them! 

I'm not a great fan of kidney (they can taste of urine- yuck!! So I will wash them thoroughly and I'm going to cook them in the oven with some herbs for 15 minutes, hoping that they don't explode. I am eating this for the nutritional benefits and so that my kidneys can remain healthy. I believe that if you eat healthy kidneys you will be provided with the nutrients required to ensure optimal health of your own kidneys. The fat is actually delicious!! These are lamb kidneys. 

Grass fed kidney fat- I chopped up the fat to be mixed with the kidneys and meat juice below. All I did was to have this in the oven at 180 for 12 minutes. It's very ketogenic, nutritious, and there is no need to add extra fat. 

I didn't add mixed herbs in the end and mixed 1 chopped up kidney with the fat and natural meat juice from the cooking process. Still an 'acquired taste' but the fatty bits and cooking method make it more palatable. It's doing me good in terms of my health so I'm happy and I enjoy the fatty bits added with sea salt. This meal cost me £1.85 and will be my only meal of the day. 

On Wednesday I had a meeting with Joye Marie Leventhal, founder of Satya Project. 

Satya Project is:

'An international biotechnology company focusing on discovery and development of advanced therapeutics for chronic illnesses and pain.'

http://www.satyaproject.org/

I met Joye at the medical cannabis talk at my university and her work is truly admirable. We had a long chat about my approach to my disease and how I have been controlling my epilepsy. I have started a society at university called 'The Progressive Medicine Society' and I am delighted that she has accepted my invitation to present as an external speaker. 

Soon I will be campaigning for the role of Disability Officer at my university. I am passionate about creating an environment that enables disabled students to thrive in all aspects of university life and I'm really looking forward to the role. 

Finally I am looking forward to being interviewed for New Scientist magazine on Monday. I will be detailing the metabolic strategy I have utilised to manage my disease and control my epilepsy without medication. My oncologist will also be getting involved, as will researchers from Imperial College London. I will discuss the practicalities of this approach as well as discussing what is happening at the cellular level as a response to this novel treatment approach. I will go on to discuss the tweaks and adaptations I have made. 

I've been a fan of New Scientist for years so it's kind of surreal doing this but I just want the message out there. New Scientist love brain stuff and rightly so because it's fascinating and our brains are what make us who we are. It is simply remarkable and we may never be able to fathom it's complexities and adaptability... or at least perhaps not in my lifetime and I plan on living a long time yet! 

New Scientist magazine and future opportunities

Very enjoyable evening with New Scientist Live hosted by Imperial College London. It gave me great insight into my chosen career path and I made connections with Hal Hodson who is a journalist at New Scientist. We will be meeting up soon to talk about my story and ketogenic diets for cancer management and my future work with my oncologist to devise clinical trials using well planned and structured metabolic approaches. 

New Scientist is one of my favourite magazines and it means a lot to me to have the opportunity to talk to them about this metabolic approach to neurological disease. The last thing I want is for people to think of this as an anecdote so when we look at what is happening at the cellular level and when we can see how active I am at university and with the neurological team at Charing Cross Hospital it can only help me to achieve what I hope. I thank Imperial College Lobdon for getting involved in this research and for hosting such useful, interesting events. I will be looking forward to attending more!...

I also got a free goodie bag and a geeky New Scientist t-shirt. ;)

Jamie Oliver and sugar- excellent campaign but more education is needed

I believe that Jamie Oliver must be very careful to not unconsciously drive people towards the zero sugar versions of these drinks as they can contain neurotoxins. Education is key, this is just one step in the right direction. Jamie's campaign is however making people think, which is a good thing.

Medical cannabis

Enjoyed the lecture on medical cannabis with Dr. Geoffrey Guy this evening. Delighted that my university is getting involved with this research and I hope to contribute. 

Losing good friends and reflecting on life

The worst thing about knowing others with brain cancer is that I keep losing good friends to it with alarming regularity. 

My friend Tom Attwater passed away recently after suffering with the disease while selflessly helping his daughter by raising money for treatment for her neuroblastoma brain tumour. 

His story is a remarkable one and it is well worth taking the time to read more about this extraordinarily kind, reflective family man before he succumbed to this cruel disease. I admired him very much and my thoughts are with his family at this incredibly difficult time. 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/terminally-ill-dad-who-raised-6546049

My 'zero carb' Ketogenic cricket flour bread recipe

I made a (pretty amateurish!) video detailing the recipe for my Ketogenic cricket flour bread recipe. The beef dripping/tallow must be warm to mix well and it's a good idea to add the egg after the fat and cricket flour has been mixed a little to bind together into a nice mixture. I use duck egg because the yolk is bigger and it gives the bread a richer taste. 

The bread has no sugar, soy, wheat, gluten, dairy, or flavourings. 

I hope you enjoy it. 

http://youtu.be/zX0u1Ob_DAg

I even had some for lunch today :)

http://youtu.be/0lrE0lWmZZs

Xeroderma Pigmentosum variant biopsy

I had my biopsy for the Xeroderma Pigmentosum C variant today- the astrocytoma brain tumour risk one. Results likely December/January. If positive my tumour  (in the lab, I have no active disease on scans) will have to be tested for XP genes. Nothing to worry about whatever the results are because I feel I have everything under control right now but rather interesting in a strange way. The DNA blood samples weren't too bad but my bum is a bit sore from the biopsy... Too much info maybe.

A good vitamin D supplement?

I prefer this kind of vitamin D supplement. D3 + vitamin K2, MCT oil, mixed tocopherols, AND NOTHING ELSE!

Link: 

http://m.iherb.com/Thorne-Research-Vitamin-D-K2-1-fl-oz-30-ml/23517

Melatonin and cancer

Hmm... 

'Melatonin prevents and delays chemical carcinogenisis and cancer growth in vivo in the mouse and rat. Blind people have robust, albeit mostly free-running melatonin circadian rhythms and they are at lower risk for the development of many, if not all, cancers. Women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer have diminished nighttime melatonin secretion.'

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-59512-7_27

"Sugar feeds cancer" is far too simplistic and doesn't at all give you the full story.

Glutamine. Everyone forgets about glutamine...

'... in many cancer cells, glutamine is the primary mitochondrial substrate and is required to maintain mitochondrial membrane potential and integrity as well as support of the NADPH production needed for redox control and macromolecular synthesis.'  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917518/

This is why a restricted ketogenic diet for cancer management must restrict protein. Therapeutic fasts can also be  potentially very useful. 

Can't wait to be back at uni!

Next month will be very special for me. After 2 and a half years of recovery both mentally and physically from my brain haemorrhage that led to my cancer diagnosis and the subsequent problems associated with that I am finally ready to go back to my studies. It's a huge thing for me and a big step as I still have invisible disabilities that affect me on a day to day basis despite my vast improvements I have made symptomatically and through positive scan results. 

I have made the decision to study Human and Medical Science full time at the University of Westminster where my studies were cruelly cut short by this disease. Going back will feel quite surreal as I honestly never thought it would be possibly and I was unsure of my short term future but here I am! I still don't look too far into the future but I am realistically optimistic. 

I feel as though I can make a real difference with my studies and hope to push through with my own research through my personal experiences and my understanding of epigenetics. I have already decided to focus my degree on neurological disease management and will approach cancer as a metabolic disease as I have done with my own treatment since I voluntarily chose to stop my ineffective chemotherapy a year and a half ago. 

I'm incredibly excited about this opportunity and I can't wait to start. I see this as being the best avenue for me in order to be a proactive patient advocate. 

Embarrasing for Heart Research UK...

Why?

'Unlike skeletal muscle, heart muscle functions almost exclusively aerobically, as evidenced by the density of mitochondria in heart muscle. Moreover, the heart has virtually no glycogen reserves. Fatty acids are the heart's main source of fuel, although ketone bodies as well as lactate can serve as fuel for heart muscle. In fact, heart muscle consumes acetoacetate in preference to glucose.'- Biochemistry. 5th edition. 2002

Yes. Yes it can...

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092012111200040X

Why?

Why do we do so many diet studies on mice when they appear to be so biologically different to humans in this study?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22838969/


and...

Why don't more ketogenic diet studies acknowledge the importance of omega 3 fatty acids like this one?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18447912/

Everything you need to know about metabolic therapy for glioblastoma

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4405891/#!po=16.6667

Waxworms on a ketogenic diet.

Postprandial blood glucose and blood ketones after consuming 75g of waxworms. Rather interesting! 

This evening's blood tests

Omega 3, 6, blood glucose and blood ketones.