My Cancer Journey Update
– And Newest Protocol –  

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

April 17, 2022

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Much has changed, and it’s time to share the latest update from my cancer journey. It’s been a wild ride, and I appreciate all your support along the way. It means the world to me.

There have been some recent developments I’d like to share with you, and they’ve led to an addition to my 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols, as you’ll read at the end of this Blog.

My newest protocol will come as a surprise. It did to me too! But hey, I don’t call my protocols “unconventional” for no reason!

Let’s start with a recap, beginning in June of 2021.

 

Recap from June 2021

I had a reemergence of multiple myeloma because the severe side effects from an immunotherapy injection on June 22, 2021. The side effects weakened my body and made me susceptible to the COVID virus. By the end of July 2021, I knew I had contracted COVID-19.

At that time, I discontinued the monthly immunotherapy injections, and began to recover from the COVID acute symptoms. My recovery was the result of my efforts to enhance my immune system via my Unconventional Cancer Protocols, which I started when I was diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer in 2018.

During my recovery time, my oncologist thought that my symptoms were predominately the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. So, I returned to the immunotherapy treatment on January 4, 2022, thinking it might still be effective for me. After that treatment, I received another injection on 2/1/22.

My oncologist and I were wrong! The reintroduction of the immunotherapy proved to be critically damaging for me.

After the immunotherapy treatment on 2/1/22, the intense side effects returned with a vengeance. Several weeks after the injection, I began to develop piercing sciatic pain in my left leg, sharp pain in my joints, and significant discomfort and weakness throughout my body. My oncologist scheduled me for a new PET Scan.

 

PET Scan Results: 2/28/22

The newest PET Scan on 2/28/22 showed a reemergence of multiple myeloma cells …

  • An accumulation of malignant plasma cells near my left eye orbit.
  • An accumulation of cancer cells in my sacral area affecting the sciatic nerve and other structures.

To determine the extent of the eye lesion, I had a Brain MRI on 3/10/22. The MRI showed a soft tissue mass approximately 2cm X 1cm X 1cm. It was invading an area around a posterior eye muscle of my left eye. But I didn’t have any symptoms, yet.

My oncologist scheduled me to see a radiation oncologist to evaluate the lesion near my left eye and the malignant plasma cells in the sacrum area. My leg pain was continuous and stabbing. It was not controllable even with narcotics.

In addition, my legs also were developing extensive edema. In just 6 weeks, I put on about 12 pounds of fluid weight. My oncologist thought there might be a blood clot, so he scheduled an ultrasound of my legs, which turned out to be negative. He then set up an appointment with a vascular surgeon to evaluate the acute leg edema.

 

Radiation Oncologist: 3/22/22

I didn’t want to go blind in my left eye, and I needed the pain in my legs to end. So, on 3/22/22, I saw the radiation oncologist, who immediately set up specific radiation therapy appointments.

The radiation oncologist explained the malignant cells near my left eye would eventually cause me to go blind in that eye and that the accumulation of the malignant plasma cells in the sacrum could be the culprit of the leg and sciatic pain as well as the edema accumulation.

Image guided radiation treatment would consist of a couple of appointments for measurements and then 10 days of consecutive radiation. The eye lesion and the sacral lesions would be treated concurrently. The entire process began on 3/23/22. But the actual radiation treatments didn’t begin until 4/4/22 and ended on 4/15/22.

However, by Monday, 4/11/22, the pain in my legs was gone! That was awesome!

 

Vascular Surgeon: 3/24/22

On 3/24/22, I was examined by the vascular surgeon, who scheduled a full vascular study of my legs. She showed me some photos of her patients who had SARS-CoV-2 virus and had serious visible lesions in their legs because the spike protein caused endothelial damage in the venous system. She suggested that my leg edema might be the result of long haulers COVID, which I believe was provoked by the Darzalex side effects and eventually caused my multiple myeloma to reactivate. My hope is that after the radiation treatment, the water retention will go down, and I will return to my “normal self” before all of this started in July 2021.

The full vascular study consisted of doppler evaluation of both of my legs. The results showed healthy arterial flow but compromised venous flow. To be proactive, I had an echocardiogram on 4/14/22 to assure my heart was not the culprit of the leg edema – and it was not.

Although the leg pain as of 4/11/22 had ended, I am still waiting for the water retention to go down. No doubt it will in time!

 

Oncology Visit on 4/8/22

I visited my oncologist on 4/8/22 for new blood work and exam. He discussed the results of the ongoing radiation treatment and the report from the vascular surgeon. It could take another month to determine the benefits of the isolated guided radiation treatment on the concentrated accumulation of the malignant cells. Most likely, I’ll have another PET Scan. I am optimistic about the outcome.

Then I discussed with him my new protocol, which I planned to start on 4/16/22. I was pleasantly surprised that he agreed with me and gave me his ‘Go Ahead”. He emphasized that he would not recommend this to any of his other cancer patients because of medical legal obstacles. But he will continue to monitor me every 4 weeks to determine its effects.

 

My Newest Protocol – Fenbendazole  

Caveat: Once again, I am describing my experiment of N=1. I am not recommending this as treatment for any disease or for anyone to try. And I don’t know if it will work for me or not.

That being said, I’m not jumping into this without doing my own research. I knew about this drug for a couple of years but didn’t consider it seriously at that time because it was a “drug”. However, with the resurgence of malignant plasma cells in isolated areas of my body, I have changed my mind to give it a try.

The drug is Fenbendazole. It is a dog dewormer. Yes, a dog dewormer!

Joe Tippens popularized this out-of-the-box protocol when he wrote about his own cancer journey that began in 2016. He set up a website to explain his story and current research.

Joe was told that there was nothing oncology or modern medicine could do for his incurable lung cancer. His doctors gave him only 3 months to live. Yet, after his veterinarian friend suggested that he try fenbendazole, Joe began his own experiment of N=1. Fenbendazole “cured” his lung cancer!

Here is a video interview of Joe Tippens in 2021, where he describes his amazing story:

 

 

My Research

During my research, I found 47 studies when I searched PubMed describing the effects of this drug on human cancers. I also used Fenbendazole.org as a source for valuable information. In addition, there are two private Facebook groups for discussions about fenbendazole:

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any research about this drug’s effects on multiple myeloma. So, as I said, I don’t know if it will help me or not.

Fenbendazole is a broad spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic originally used against gastrointestinal parasites in animals. Merck began experimenting with fenbendazole for animal use in 1961. It was used to treat rodent pinworm infections in dogs. But now it is fast becoming a repurposed drug to treat late-stage cancers in humans. Yet, fenbendazole is not FDA approved for human usage.

Fenbendazole is a dry, tasteless powder. Research shows it to significantly inhibit tumor growth when supplemented with vitamins A, D, E, K, and B. Incidentally, my animal-based diet adequately provides these essential vitamins in bioavailable forms. So, I will not take any synthetic or processed vitamin supplemental forms with fenbendazole.

Fenbendazole appears to kill cancer cells in three specific ways:

  • It destroys microtubules that sustain the structure of the cancer cell and its ability to divide and multiply rapidly.
  • It interrupts the cancer cells’ ability to process sugar to survive.
  • It boosts the production of a cancer-killing gene called p53, a gene that cancer patients may lack. When p53 becomes mutated or can’t keep cancer cells in check, cancer cells can proliferate.

Fenbendazole also works against parasites, which might be the origin of some cancers.

 

Side Effects

Some research suggests that those who are weak from chemotherapy may experience more side effects than those not receiving conventional cancer treatment. Some common side effects include elevated liver enzymes, mild diarrhea, and mild stomach discomfort. There has been a medical report that fenbendazole caused liver damage in a lung cancer patient, but the liver healed after the patient discontinued fenbendazole.

One concern I have that has not been reported to my knowledge is the potential damage to the gut microbiome. Another antiparasitic drug, Ivermectin, has been described to damage the gut microbiome causing gut dysbiosis. So, it could be possible that fenbendazole will also cause gut dysbiosis if not mitigated by proper gut support. And gut dysbiosis is a major source of most chronic diseases.

To that end, the methods I use to improve the diversity of a healthy gut microbiome and heal any damage resulting in a leaky gut are described in my 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

For example, I consume Molecular Hydrogen as a discriminate free-radical neutralizer and antioxidant as well as Bovine Colostrum, both of which improve gut health. I also consume spore-based probiotics to assist in replenishing and diversifying my gut microbiome.

While including fenbendazole in my protocols, I am not following the Joe Tippens Protocol because it includes manmade supplements. As I have said, my eating lifestyle and original cancer protocols provide the necessary elements in bioavailable forms to help my body in its healing process.

 

My Protocol for Fenbendazole

On April 16, 2022, I began taking Fenbendazole 222 mg (Panacur C) for 3 days, then taking 4 days off every week. This product is supplied in individual packets, each containing the proper dosage. I mix the powder from one packet in my Colostrum in the morning. Fenbendazole should be taken with or after a meal containing fat for better absorption.

I’ll follow this weekly protocol until I see an improvement in my PET Scan as well as in the SPEP (serum protein electrophoresis) with immunofixation blood tests. These blood tests identify dysfunctional antibodies resulting from multiple myeloma. If there is no improvement in my monthly blood work, I will increase the frequency of my dosing of fenbendazole to every day without interruption. If there are signs that fenbendazole is harmful in any way, I will stop the experiment.

All along my experiment with fenbendazole, my oncologist will be witness to the effects – good or bad. As I have mentioned, I have new blood work every 4 weeks.

Time will tell, but I am encouraged.

I know that my previous protocols have helped my body reboot and enhance my immune system. And now, this additional protocol should further my healing ability. My current 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols might be able to take my body’s ability to fight this multiple myeloma battle to a higher level than before.

While it’s been an extremely challenging 10 months, I’m not letting it hold me back. I’ve been working on a brand-new book that I can’t wait to share with you. And I really enjoy working one-on-one with my coaching clients and writing these weekly blogs. If you have any questions you’d like to see covered in an upcoming blog, send them my way!

 

Schedule a ”30-Minute Free Consult” with me to answer some of your questions and determine if we are a good fit for a coaching program! CLICK HERE.

 

If you don’t want to miss out on new posts, sign up for my Free “Belly Bites” Newsletter and receive your free copy of Dr Al’s “5 Things That Could Be Impacting Your Health Right Now” HERE.

 

My Roller Coaster Cancer Journey
– March 2022 Update –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

March 13, 2022

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Starting at the end of June 2021, life for me has been a roller coaster ride. My body has been challenged like at no other time – complications with my immunotherapy, fighting external viruses, dealing with body pain, and plummeting into depths of depression.

As a quick recap, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in September of 2018, following what I thought was an extremely healthy lifestyle the previous 6 years. My oncologist gave me 3-6 months to live if I did nothing. I rejected chemotherapy and used my medical background and research to develop what I now call my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

This approach was not without setbacks, as I found myself in Hospice for end-of-life care in 2019. However, as you know, that was NOT the end of my story. I adjusted my approach with my continued research, and I began thriving.

However, these last 9 months have been bordering on horrific. I always try to keep an upbeat tone when I share my findings with you, but I also believe it’s important to be transparent and real. I look forward to the day when I can say, “I’m thriving again!”.

Here’s what’s been going on behind the scenes:

 

My Strength

My first pillar of strength has been my astonishing wife. And once again, she has come through with flying colors. But I can tell you, “I don’t make it easy for her.” I’ve been known to be a pain in the ass.

In addition, my oncologist stands out as stellar in his own right.

He is the most empathetic and committed medical professional I know. He is a conventional, allopathic specialist who practices in a large oncology group where I live. I dare not tell you his name, because he must follow the standard of care for his cancer patients or else his practice and most likely the medical licensing board would end his career if he deviated. But he always is interested in my “out of the box” thinking and the research I have put into my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

After my diagnosis in 2018, I have been adhering to my protocols, which have served me well. But by the end of June 2021, my path became repeatedly choppy.

 

June – September 2021

A botched injection of my monthly immunotherapy on June 22, 2021, may have weakened my body’s defenses. I wrote all about it HERE.

At first, I thought I developed severe side effects from this monoclonal antibody called Darzalex. (Darzalex is a human-derived monoclonal antibody that attaches itself to a specific protein on the surface of malignant plasma cells. Then the body’s immune system can eat up these tagged malignant plasma cells.)

But what developed by the beginning of July was far worse and more complicated.

Early in July, I developed a sore throat and cough. I used my Bee Propolis Spray and Nebulized 0.1% Hydrogen Peroxide saline that took care of those symptoms. Then almost immediately after that I experienced extreme exhaustion, overall muscle and intense joint pain, and headaches which just got worse. And then there was diarrhea, which I don’t deal with very well.

I never had a fever, loss of taste, or loss of smell.

These “side effects” started deteriorating my body. My oncologist believed that the exaggerated symptoms were the compounding effects from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It made sense that my body was weakened from the recent immunotherapy injection, and I was more susceptible to contracting the virus.

But it is difficult to determine what is going on for some patients with multiple myeloma. Since multiple myeloma produces dysfunctional antibodies, my immunoglobulins are not functioning as those would be for someone without cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Shortly after developing all my symptoms, I had my monthly blood work drawn. My CBC showed lower than normal hemoglobin. I had a significant rise in my neutrophil count and a significant drop in my lymphocyte count. My blood chemistries showed increased serum calcium and elevated alkaline phosphatase. My immunofluorescent blood work showed a spike in my serum dysfunctional IgA antibodies. It was bizarre, but all these biomarkers were moving in the wrong direction after July 2021. This had not happened before.

 

October – November 2021

Again, I returned to my specialist’s office on 10/19/21 for a round of new blood work. At that time, he also scheduled me for a new PET Scan on 10/26/21.

The most compelling biomarker that suggested I had COVID was my NLR, which was skyrocketing when I had another CBC drawn on 11/2/21.

NLR is the Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio. It is a reliable blood marker for systemic inflammation and a most robust marker for COVID. A severely high NLR has been reported in various recent medical papers to be a hallmark of severe COVID-19.

A normal NLR is between 1:1 and 3:1. In this published study, the average NLR for hospitalized COVID patients was 6.15. When that ratio rose above 8.17 in the study, the risk of death increased. Strikingly, my NLR on 11/2/21 was 42.0 – a seriously disturbing level!

But I never had to be hospitalized. My efforts to support my immune system have played an important part in my body’s ability to heal – albeit slowly.

Another tool in the toolbox is the PET Scan. When I had my PET Scan on 10/26/21, it showed that my multiple myeloma had become slightly-to-moderately activated again and centralized in my colon area, lower spine, and pelvis.

Did all this start with a botched immunotherapy injection at the end of June? Was COVID causing havoc with my physical body, my bloodwork, as well as my multiple myeloma? The answers seem to be, “YES!”

I became very depressed.

I remember in September 2018 I was at the oncologist’s office for the very first time. My wife and adult children were at this appointment. The oncologist told me of my diagnosis and prognosis. After we discussed the options of chemo and other treatment, he said that eventually all meds eventually would prove ineffective. Then, I would succumb to the manifestations of multiple myeloma.

Was this the end? Was I going downhill for the last time? Good thoughts were replaced by dark, destructive, negative energies.

 

December 2021 – January 2022

Once again, my wife pulled me out of the abyss of depression by my bootstraps and set me straight. She has been my guiding light and pillar of strength since we married in 1969. And certainly, since my cancer diagnosis in 2018, she has been my partner in my cancer journey.

I continued with all my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols, but I added two new elements that I believe can assist in healing my body – colostrum and hydrogen-rich water.

I also began another round of my monthly immunotherapy (i.e., Darzalex FasPro) on 1/4/22 since I thought I was recovering well from the COVID symptoms.

 

Colostrum

I wrote about my experiment with eating Colostrum-6 every day. There is an abundance of research touting the health benefits of colostrum, especially with healing the gut. And you know how much emphasis I place on a healthy gut for overall health and immune support.

 

Hydrogen-Rich Water

I also wrote about another new pet research project of mine, molecular hydrogen. There are over 15 years of published medical articles about its ability to bring the body back into a state of balance or homeostasis. At high levels of concentration, molecular hydrogen dissolved in water may produce significant clinical benefits. This study describes the benefits for adults over the age of 70.

Two of the most interesting aspects of high-dose molecular hydrogen dissolved in drinking water (16PPM) is that it is a discriminating free-radical scavenger and an anti-inflammatory agent.

The emphasis is on discriminating. That means it does not destroy the good free radicals that the body creates for many biologically necessary functions. It only neutralizes the excessive free radicals and the most dangerous of them.

 

February – March 2022

Assuming that the immunotherapy would be OK, I had another injection on 2/1/22.

I was wrong!

I once again developed serious side effects. My joints and muscles became extremely painful, and I had difficulty raising my arms and walking. My shoulder joints became “frozen” (adhesive capsulitis).

I felt debilitated and incapacitated.

On 2/28/22, I had a new PET Scan. And on 3/1/22, I had new blood work and an appointment with my oncologist. He reviewed that day’s blood work and the results of the PET Scan from the previous day.

This was a crucial day in my Cancer Journey.

He told me that my Darzalex FasPro subcutaneous injections have exceeded the risk-benefit ratio. And my blood work and symptoms were reflecting this toxicity.

It now appeared that my symptoms beginning after my botched Darzalex injection on 6/22/21 and then reappearing after this last round of Darzalex on 2/1/22 were directly related to the severe and compounding side effects of Darzalex along with the underlying and lingering effects of COVID-19.

Both of which woke up my cancer, which was confirmed in my newest PET Scan taken on 2/28/22.

The Scan showed a continuation of the resurgence of multiple myeloma spreading to other areas. Through no fault of my own, but rather the fault of Darzalex’s side effects and the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the bone marrow cancer was rearing up its ugly head.

I had to consider my next steps and options.

 

Next Steps & Options

  • I could not be in denial.
  • I could not get depressed.
  • I had to maintain the proactive attitude that brought me to where I was before June 22, 2021, when all these problems started.
  • I knew I would no longer put Darzalex into my body.

My oncologist suggested chemo, but I once again declined. Here’s why …

At my diagnosis in 2018, I rejected chemo because my quality of life could have been significantly decreased with the chemo. And quality of life meant more to me than longevity with increasingly debilitating symptoms.

Chemo cocktails are a potentially damaging combination of chemicals which can disturb all biological functions as well as everything I have been doing to support my immune system.

I am not in agreement with other conventional specialists who have said that chemo is the only answer. The side effects, which are numerous, are testaments to the fact that the recommended chemotherapy drugs have produced serious complications for some patients. The response to my concerns from many allopathic oncologists is that there are always other meds to offset the side effects from chemotherapy.

However, I can’t rationalize that statement. I can’t make any sense of it in my head because my goal is to allow my immune system to do what it can do to heal my body. The last thing I want to do is disturb and short circuit my body’s biochemical functions.

So, I know that following my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols will assist my body in healing as best as possible – just as it did in the past. I have no expectation that my Protocols will take me into remission or cure this bone marrow cancer.

A greater power than I am able to comprehend has created the human machine I call “me”. This omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, cosmic energy source made “me” perfectly balanced and functional. Why would I hamper “me” from doing what it was designed to do by God? I have a strong spiritual belief that I am here on this Earth in this body to learn important lessons, and my cancer journey is a significant part of those lessons.

 

Naysayers Have Nothing on my Support System

Although my wife is there to encourage me, I don’t always get love from everyone.

For example, when I publish my cancer journey updates on some social media sites, some individuals leave their comments in capital letters like they’re screaming at me.  Recent comments have been …

  • “GET THE HELL OFF THIS SITE”
  • “YOU’RE KILLING PEOPLE BY TELLING THEM TO EAT RED MEAT”
  • “YOU’RE A FAKE AND A SCAM ARTIST”

Generally, the most vitriolic comments are coming from those who shout,

  • “BECOME A VEGAN IF YOU WANT TO CURE YOUR CANCER”

 

Where Am I Going?

I don’t know.

I do know where I want to go. And I have the motivation and attitude to get there.

By stopping the offending Darzalex and continuing with all my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols, I expect to get back to “my normal”.

I realize that multiple myeloma is real and spreading in my body. But I also realize that my body has the potential to assist the fight without any outside chemical side effects.

One of the excellent investigative journalists I regularly follow on an uncensored social media site says, “The virus is gonna virus”. I’ll take his insight one step further and say, “The cancer is gonna cancer”.

I continue to forge ahead and always am looking to tweak my Protocols with methods to enhance my existing immune system to become the best it can be under my current circumstances. I still am dealing with lingering bone pain. But I’m working on that.

And I am moving forward with great expectations and abundance of proof that what I have done in the past has worked and will produce excellent benefits for me as time moves on.

Again, I must emphasize that I do not have a cure for cancer, and what I am doing for myself is my own personal journey. My goal is to be transparent and candid about my experiences – both good and bad.

Of course, my awesome wife is always by my side, and my empathetic oncologist is rooting me on.

 

Schedule a ”30-Minute Free Consult” with me to answer some of your questions and determine if we are a good fit for a coaching program! CLICK HERE.

 

If you don’t want to miss out on new posts, sign up for my Free “Belly Bites” Newsletter and receive your free copy of Dr Al’s “5 Things That Could Be Impacting Your Health Right Now” HERE.

Molecular Hydrogen & Health
– My Experiment –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

January 30, 2022

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As you know, I’m always looking for ways to improve my health and reduce the likelihood of cancer cells attacking my body. So, when I spoke with several accredited molecular hydrogen researchers and learned about the potential benefits of drinking hydrogen water for cancer patients, I had to give it a try. I never shy away from being my own guinea pig, and I share all my results with you – both good and bad.

So, is hydrogen water a miracle cure for cancer patients? Read on, and I’ll tell you what I’ve found so far.

 

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. And hydrogen may be one of the most critical elements for maintaining health and wellness as well as healing from various diseases.

Earth’s atmosphere is composed of approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide as well as trace amounts of neon, helium, methane, krypton, ozone, and hydrogen. So, the amount of hydrogen gas in the air we breathe is extremely minute. However, hydrogen makes up about 9.5% of our body mass.

And this hydrogen has many biochemical functions. The H2 molecule is the smallest in the universe, which allows it to diffuse through all cell membranes, including the blood-brain barrier and subcellular compartments, and into the mitochondria.

 

Hydrogen and Free Radicals

This brings me to the reason for my newest N=1 experiment.

Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that have the potential to harm cells. They are created when an atom or a molecule either gains or loses an electron. Free radicals are formed naturally in the body and play an important role in many normal cellular processes. At high concentrations, however, free radicals can be hazardous to the body and damage all major components of cells, including DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. The damage to cells caused by free radicals, especially the damage to DNA, may play a role in the development of cancer as well as most other chronic diseases.

H2 is a potent selective antioxidant. The fact that it is selective is critical since many other antioxidants like vitamins C and E, are not selective. When antioxidant supplements are taken in excess, they can be counterproductive and even harmful to the body by neutralizing all free radicals – including the necessary ones. In contrast, high doses of molecular hydrogen consumed by drinking hydrogen-rich water only neutralize excessive and damaging free radical production. If these unhealthy free radicals were to go unchecked, they would be significant factors causing cancer as well as many other diseases.[1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6]

Here is an animation of how hydrogen gas is a superior and selective antioxidant compared to other indiscriminate antioxidant supplements:

 

 

In addition, drinking water infused with molecular hydrogen can suppress the growth of cancer cells. H2 also alleviates the side effects caused by conventional chemotherapeutics that are used in treating existing cancers.

 

My N=1 Experiment

My conversations with molecular hydrogen researchers have brought me to the design of my N=1 experiment. I’ll be drinking high doses of molecular hydrogen water twice a day on an empty stomach. This may be the ideal dose to offer the greatest benefits in reducing cancer and improving healing. In this 2021 peer-reviewed published paper, the authors explain the current thinking about hydrogen-rich water and cancer.

The product I am using is HRW Rejuvenation Tablets. These patented tablets contain magnesium. Chemically, when magnesium nanoparticles react with water, nano-sized bubbles of hydrogen gas are produced by the following chemical reaction; Mg + 2H2O → Mg (OH)2 + H2.

 

 

I started my N=1 experiment with hydrogen-rich water on Monday, 1/24/22.

My goal is to consume 16mg/L (16 PPM) of hydrogen per day. I’ll divide this into two doses of 500 ml in the AM and 500 ml in the afternoon on an empty stomach. To get to this dose, I’ll dissolve 2 tablets of HRW Rejuvenation Tablets in 500 ml of spring water each time.

When I’m ready to drink the hydrogen water, I’ll drop the tablets into room temperature spring water. The water must not be carbonated. The tablets will dissolve and make the water look very “cloudy”. The “cloudy look” is the nano-sized molecular hydrogen bubbles dispersed in the water. It is important to let the tablets completely dissolve and then drink the solution immediately all at once. If the “cloudiness” goes away, the hydrogen gas will be gone, and the benefit of the hydrogen-infused water will be lost.

I’ll be using room temperature Mountain Valley Spring water as my drinking water source. In the AM drink, I will also add 1 teaspoon of SOLE as I have been doing in the past.

A side benefit of using HRW Rejuvenation Tablets is that the magnesium used to create the molecular hydrogen will provide all the magnesium my body requires.

I’m anticipating results that I can identify subjectively and objectively. I don’t know how successful I will be since I’m just starting this N=1 experiment.

  • Subjectively, I am looking for a reduction in bone pain which I experience 24/7. Currently, my only medications for bone pain are over-the-counter ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
  • Objectively, I may be able to see clinical changes in my blood tests. I have blood work every four weeks when I visit my oncologist at the Cancer Clinic. My oncologist and I will be able to see if there are any changes in these labs (i.e., CBC – complete blood count, CMP – comprehensive metabolic panel, SPEP – serum protein electrophoresis, and Immunofixation)

 

Additional Benefits of Molecular Hydrogen

Molecular hydrogen has been studied extensively and has been shown to provide benefits other than my emphasis on cancer. This 2020 published medical article is an excellent summary of how hydrogen can assist in disease treatment. I’ve listed some of the specific benefits below …

  1. Hydrogen supports the body’s natural antioxidant system by enhancing the production of endogenous antioxidants like glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, but only when they are needed.[7],[8]
  2. Hydrogen gas has been shown to be anti-inflammatory and can reduce pain. This pain relief is due to the reduction in oxidative stress by hydrogen gas.[9],[10] However, its anti-inflammatory effects do not prevent the normal inflammatory processes of the immune system.
  3. Hydrogen water can prevent muscle wasting in mice that had muscular dystrophy.[11] These beneficial effects can assist athletes with their recovery after exercise and strenuous events. It can reduce muscle fatigue by reducing lactic acid buildup.[12]
  4. Hydrogen can help cells maintain homeostasis and healthy modulation.[13]
  5. Hydrogen can reduce damage to the brain that is seen in Parkinson’s disease.[14] Its general neuroprotective properties are due to its ability to fight oxidative stress.
  6. Hydrogen increases insulin sensitivity and decreases blood sugar as well as unhealthy blood cholesterol levels.[15] These effects make hydrogen a potential therapy for fighting obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
  7. Your mitochondria are the energy sources of your cells like the batteries in a flashlight. Hydrogen-rich water has been shown to improve mitochondrial function, which may be a significant factor in chronic disease prevention and treatment.[16]
  8. Hydrogen gas significantly protects DNA against radiation damage by scavenging hydroxyl radical formation.[17]
  9. It seems that hydrogen restores healthy processes throughout the body by bringing them back to a state of balance or homeostasis.[18]
  10. Hydrogen has been observed to generally protect the body and organ function.[19]
  11. Drinking hydrogen water improves the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiome[20] as well as normalizes stool consistency.[21]
  12. Drinking hydrogen water can improve oxygen levels and exercise capacity in COVID-19 patients.[22],[23]
  13. Hydrogen-rich water may protect the liver from toxicity when consuming high doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol).[24]
  14. Molecular hydrogen exhibits multiple advantages in the treatment of sepsis due to its unique physicochemical properties.[25]

 

Is Molecular Hydrogen a Miracle?

The answer to this question is, “Probably not.” But hydrogen provides many impressive benefits.[26]

Drinking hydrogen-rich water may not do very much for a healthy person whose body and biochemical pathways are not out of balance.[27] But if a person had any cellular dysfunction, then hydrogen could bring the body back into balance. It also seems that hydrogen does not interfere with necessary biological pathways. There appears to be no “lethal dose” of hydrogen in the body. The body just uses what it needs, and any excess hydrogen leaves the body unscathed.

 

My Future Success

So, my experiment of N=1 is just beginning. You can be sure that as the weeks roll by, I will be journaling how hydrogen-rich water affects my body and my bloodwork. From my research, effects should become evident starting about two weeks after beginning my trial. My goal would be to continue drinking hydrogen-rich water indefinitely if results are positive. My oncologist will help me interpret any changes in the monthly blood results.

Two interesting biomarkers I will follow are the ratios of several white blood cells that are reported in my monthly CBC. Specifically, they are the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and the Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio (LMR).[28]

These two ratios are systemic inflammatory markers. NLR is directly related and LMR is inversely related to systemic inflammation. My goal of monitoring these ratios is to determine the direction in which they are moving. A declining NLR and a rising LMR would suggest my systemic inflammation is improving. That would be a good thing.

I’ll keep you informed as time goes by.

 

[1] https://cdn.amegroups.cn/journals/pbpc/files/journals/3/articles/23326/public/23326-PB6-1799-R4.pdf

[2] https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/4/893/htm

[3] https://stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13287-019-1241-x

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6691140/

[5] http://www.nutroncol.com/magazine/2019-07-28/001-0044-Progress%20in%20the%20Use%20of%20Molecular%20Hydrogen%20for%20Cancer%20Treatment.pdf

[6] https://www.wjgnet.com/1948-5204/full/v14/i1/242.htm

[7] https://www.nature.com/articles/nm1577

[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26276082/

[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11510417/

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4062523/

[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26866650/

[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22520831/

[13] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21512236/

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4865993/

[15] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21293445/

[16] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22146674/

[17] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27438130/

[18] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19766097/

[19] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5731988/

[20] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30713665/

[21] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8374459/

[22] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ccr3.5039

[23] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.543718/full

[24] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394080/

[25] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567800/

[26] https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2020/8384742.pdf

[27] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-75492-w

[28] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00016357.2021.1969035

 

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My Greatest Fear
– Humpty Dumpty Had a Great Fall –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

December 19, 2021

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My greatest fear is that I may “get broken” beyond repair. And then I would lose my quality of life. I also might not be able to continue sharing and teaching all I have learned along my amazing Cancer Journey.

Yes, old dogs can learn new tricks! And at the age of almost 75, I am an “old dog” with lots of “new” tricks. But a broken dog can’t jump up and down any longer. And I like to show off.

Everything I’ve learned I want to share. I have not found anybody who has connected the medical dots as I have. But as Humpty Dumpty fell and shattered into pieces, my fragile and porous skeleton could do the same.

I don’t have a fear of death. And certainly, I am not in denial of my situation. I am realistic.

My greatest fear is suffering severe pathological fractures in the future that could incapacitate me and end the quality of life which I enjoy today.

 

My Dilemma

My dilemma is that my mind is working overtime, but my physical body has been challenging me recently.

A recent study showed that fully vaccinated patients with multiple myeloma have an increased rate of COVID-19 infection and have an increased risk of dying compared to vaccinated individuals without cancer.[1] And I’m not vaccinated for reasons I’ve discussed in previous Blogs.

My cancer journey has taken me through a lot. Most recently, the 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols I created have helped me through COVID and Long Haulers without meds and without hospitalization. I am impressed with the overall strength of my immune system because of these protocols. As I have repeated in the past, my oncologist is amazed!

Multiple myeloma is a bone marrow cancer. It weakens the immune system’s ability to create necessary antibodies, which are created by plasma cells in the bone marrow to fight invaders. Multiple myeloma also can create severe bone lesions throughout the skeleton making bones very fragile.

Initially, the symptoms in 2018 that brought me to my physician were pain in my right shoulder and sternum area. I had no idea that my problems were anything more than a torn ligament or a damaged muscle. At that time, I had no idea I had a crack in my pelvis, broken ribs, and a vertebral compression fracture causing bone and breathing pain.

Once the diagnosis of IgA Kappa Light Chain Multiple Myeloma was confirmed in September 2018 and I was given 3-6 months to live, the obvious became real to me. Most likely I would die from the complications of multiple myeloma. And I was prone to painful and life-threatening fractures even if I only twisted or bent my body in such a way that a weakened bone would snap.

My ultimate realization of my fragile body occurred in August 2019. That is when I was standing in my bathroom, twisted to the left to throw my used dental floss into the trashcan, and instantly my right femur snapped in half. I collapsed to the floor – breaking several ribs and splitting my right humerus in half. These severe fractures eventually put me in a Hospice Hospital to die.

Amazingly, I rebounded, revoked Hospice, and returned to my protocols. To the shock of most people around me, I was recovering. And when I saw my oncologist in October 2019, he was pleasantly surprised once again.

 

COVID

I continued with an excellent quality of life until 6/22/21, when I received a botched injection of my monthly immunotherapy (Darzalex[2]), which is not chemotherapy. Within a week after this injection, I began having various areas of bone and muscle pain. My oncologist and I thought these symptoms were a combination of side effects from the Darzalex injection. Yet, I never experienced bad side effects from this therapy in the past.

But then I experienced overall joint pain, total exhaustion, lack of energy, diarrhea, headaches, and a persistent cough. I finally recognized that the progressively worsening symptoms were the effects from the SARS-CoV-2 virus which took over my weakened body. The complications after the Darzalex injection in June 2021 set my body up to make me more susceptible to the virus.

 

COVID & NLR

My concerns were documented after my routine monthly CBC (Complete Blood Count) following the COVID infection and the peak of my symptoms.

The CBC looks at the components of the blood – red blood cells. white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, etc. A ratio of two specific white blood cells has recently been explored and documented in COVID patients. It is the ratio between the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes circulating in the blood. It is called the NLR (neutrophil lymphocyte ratio).

For a healthy individual, the NLR is usually between 1:1 to 3:1. However in severe COVID patients, the ratio is elevated along with the number of lymphocytes being significantly below normal. In a current study of hospitalized COVID patients, those with an NLR of 7.45 or higher were more likely to require a ventilator and had a higher risk of dying.

A significantly elevated NLR has become a “hallmark of severe COVID”. After my severe symptoms, my NLR was 42:1 – an extremely elevated ratio. This has never occurred before in my CBC results and concerned me.

My oncologist believes now that the increased activity of my malignant plasma cells as shown on my most recent PET Scan taken on 10/26/21 (after my severe symptoms were receding) is related to COVID’s effects on my bone marrow cells. Malignant plasma cells cannot produce healthy antibodies to the virus. So, millions of dysfunctional antibodies were produced in my bones that created more bone lesions as seen on this PET Scan.

And all those bone lesions make my skeleton more and more fragile. Like Humpty Dumpty, I’m prone to life-threatening pathological fractures.

And bone lesions cause bone pain.

 

Recovery

Bone pain is a symptom of progressing multiple myeloma. Fortunately, my bone pain in subsiding. And this bone pain just may be the final stage of “long-haulers COVID”. Whatever the cause of my bone pain, my ongoing efforts to improve my immune system should allow healing, and I’ll be fine in time. Just as I was before contracting COVID.

My most recent monthly blood work on 11/30/21 showed that my NLR dropped from 42:1 to 24:1. Still very high, but markedly better. I’m moving in the right direction!

Once again, I emphasize that the quality of life is most important to me – not longevity. But I want to live as long as possible if I can be productive for my family, friends, and myself.

Believe me, I am not a victim.

Don’t pity me.

I am a survivor.

But I am a realist.

Today, I am doing very well considering all that I have been through. I’m encouraged that I have returned to walking outside a little more than a mile most days of the week.

My attitude is positive as I deal with this challenge successfully. I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again with my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols. My wife is my pillar of strength and has taught me this lesson very well.

 

Concluding Thoughts & Inspiration

There are many unknowns.

What I do know is I have found a way to do the impossible: I’ve taken an incurable diagnosis and reclaimed my quality of life even without chemotherapy. I’ve also recovered successfully from COVID. I’ve researched and experimented to beat the odds and created a system that allows me to achieve the best health and healing potential possible in my situation.

Imagine what could happen if you incorporate these methods into your life before you get sick like I did. And if you have a serious diagnosis, there is always a way to improve your situation by looking at it from a different perspective and being proactive as I have.

I’m reminded of a study that was published in 2019 that showed that 88% of the US adults are metabolically unhealthy. And this leads to serious chronic diseases including cancers. Today, I am in the minority with healthy metabolic flexibility.

My greatest joy in life is my family. My second greatest joy is helping others, just like you. If you haven’t taken the time to book a consult with me, please do. I would love nothing more than to leave a legacy of improved health and wellness.

I’ve incorporated all the lessons and facts I’ve learned into my 12-Week Balanced Metabolic Coaching Program. It’s customized to your specific health goals and needs. If this is your first time working with me, you can book a complimentary 30 minute consult to ensure we’re the right fit to work together.

If my journey has taught you anything, I hope it’s to take control and be proactive with your health. Heal your body before it’s too late. I can help.

 

 

[1] https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/cancer-topics/multiple-myeloma/covid19-multiple-myeloma-patients-increased-risk-treatment-risk/?mpweb=1323-166044-7637569

[2] https://imf-d8-prod.s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/2020-10/U-DarzaFaspro_EN_2020_h4_web.pdf

 

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My Awesome Wife  

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

October 31, 2021

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My cancer journey began on September 19, 2018, when I was diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer. Since then, I’ve written many Blogs about what I have done to get to where I am today. But I have a much bigger and more important story to tell. It is the story of my awesome wife.

What can I say?

She has been my unwavering support who has given me tough love, has pulled me out of moments of depression, and never has complained about her personal medical issues.

Regrettably, I have not been equally reciprocal.

Certainly, I have supported her when she has needed me. But during my moments of frustration and withdrawal, I have made her cry. Unintentionally, I have saddened her at times when I have been self-absorbed and oblivious to her feelings. Yet, she always forgives me. She is always strong. She is always there for me.

She is awesome.

It would be impossible for me to travel the path I have followed without her. There are so many instances where she has proved herself to be superhuman. Here are some of those times when she has shined.

 

When I was Diagnosed …

My wife was with me at the oncologist’s office in September 2018 as we both learned of my diagnosis and dire prognosis. George, my oncologist, told us that this cancer was incurable, and I had 3-6 months to live. In that moment, my entire world seemed to collapse around me.

I looked at my wife, and she looked into my eyes. I saw hope in her eyes. But I also could see her eyes tear up while still being my pillar of strength.

She did not question my decision to reject chemotherapy and follow a program that had no guarantee. My goal was to maintain a quality of life for whatever time I had left. She knew that no one had done what I was planning. I was embarking into uncharted waters. But I knew she was my partner moving forward with my Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

She never hesitates to encourage me and to think outside of the box.

 

The Discussion of Death …

My wife and I discuss death openly, spiritually, and pragmatically.

The months before my dad died many years ago, I remember my mother never allowed my sister and me to discuss death with him. How sad it was for him! How sad it was for me! I never achieved “closure” with my dad. My dad was never able to talk about his life and impending death because my mom stopped the conversation.

I saw his eyes while he was on his death bed in the hospital. His eyes were piercing mine. They were glistening and trying to speak to me. Yet, he was stifled and could never verbalize what was on his mind. That evening, he passed away.

Death is part of life. It must be openly discussed.

My wife has encouraged me to speak about death with her and with our adult children. She has made “the end of life” a celebration rather than a curse.

But in the early months following my diagnosis, I knew she was crying quietly and secretively almost every morning. She forced herself to discuss a very real but uncomfortable and scary scenario.

She continues to be awesome!

 

When I Entered Hospice …

In August 2019, I had a severe setback. In one fall in my bathroom, I split my right femur and right humerus in half along with fracturing a couple of ribs. I was ready to die, and I wanted to die. I already had outlived my prognosis.

I was placed in a hospice hospital to die.

The strength and determination of my wife turned all this around.

She gave me tough love. She convinced me that I was a survivor and not a victim.

My wife arranged for a hospital bed to be delivered to our home and was able to get me transferred from the hospital to our home while still being under hospice care. Then, she hired an in-home physical therapist to help me.

The physical therapist got me out of the hospital bed, finally got my catheter out, and had me walking with a walker within a few weeks. My wife got me back on my Unconventional Cancer Protocols, and I began to recover. I revoked hospice and scheduled to see my oncologist in early October 2019. He was shocked that I still was alive.

I owe my recovery to my awesome wife.

 

When I Thought I had COVID …

In June 2021, I had an unusual and complex reaction to my monthly immunotherapy. The injection was supposed to be subcutaneous. However, the nurse botched it, entered a vein, and immediately created a hematoma that lasted 5 weeks!

About a week after this injection, I developed physical symptoms including severe muscle aches, joint pain, extreme exhaustion, diarrhea, and headaches. These symptoms are reported to be rare but significant side effects of the immunotherapy drug, Darzalex. The confluence of these side effects was reported to occur when the benefits from the therapy began to decrease, and the risks began to increase.

I returned to my oncologist about a month after the severe symptoms had slowly resolved. We discussed the possibility that my symptoms were not only side effects from Darzalex but were typical symptoms of the Delta Variant of COVID. However, I never lost taste or smell, and never had a fever. I did have a lingering cough that eventually went away.

Likely, I suffered bad side effects from the incorrect injection of the immunotherapy drug, which may have affected the strength of my immune system. The consequence may have allowed the COVID virus an opportunity to manifest.

Once again, my wife was helping me cope with all the tumult and another bout of depression from June’s setback. During those few weeks while my discomfort became incapacitating, I thought this event could be the turning point that would put me over the edge again. But my wife was there to convince me to work with my body as I had done in the past.

To be sure, I am a terrible patient. When I don’t feel well, I am a bear to live with. I was true to form while dealing with these symptoms for several weeks. Yet my wife never flinched. She was constantly there to pick me up from my state of depression with her positive attitude and encouraging remarks.

Of course, she was insistent and right. I already had recreated a robust immune system because of my Unconventional Cancer Protocols. It is my belief that my enhanced immune system prevented more severe COVID symptoms and complications from developing.

She was awesome.

 

Today

I am facing another roadblock that is challenging. My cancer may be moving into an active state once again, causing me concern. On the other hand, there is a possibility that I am dealing with Long Haulers COVID[1] symptoms and not a resurgence of multiple myeloma.

Whatever is going on, I will continue to fight the fight I started to fight over three years ago. My resolve is strong, and my attitude is positive. Once again, making memories with my loved ones and living a quality life for as long as possible are my driving forces.

 

Support

If you have a debilitating, incurable, or terminal disease, you still have choices. You can decide how you want to handle yourself moving forward. For me, my wife has been my support. Hopefully, you have a significant other to help you in your moments of weakness.

I am only human. I could not have done what I have done for myself without the unrelenting strength and perseverance from my wife.

Together, my wife and I make a dynamic duo! But she is the conductor of this reality show I call my Cancer Journey.

Take time to figure this out for yourself: In times of illness or struggle, it is important to pay attention to those who act as your pillars, giving you strength and support to go on, even when you don’t feel like it yourself. I’d love to hear about the people who inspire you. Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

 

[1] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid-long-haulers-long-term-effects-of-covid19

 

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Marsha’s Story & Dave’s Story

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

May 30, 2021

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Marsha’s Story

I heard a story the other day that brought tears to my eyes.

A young woman was given the prognosis of less than a year to live. And she was only 36 years old. Marsha had three little children and an endearing husband.

About 7 years ago, Marsha and Brian were married. They seemed to have a charmed life. He was a professor at a local college, and she was an artist with many masterpieces to her credit. They started a family and wound up with two beautiful girls and one mischievous little baby boy.

As fate would have it, Marsha began to have headaches. They were not usual for her, but she assumed they were the result of the stress of raising an active family and the strain of deadlines she put on herself for her paintings. Yet they became more frequent and intense.

Advil and Tylenol were not helping with the pain.

Once the headaches started to affect her ability to paint, she took them more seriously. Marsha made an appointment with her medical doctor.

Tests were run, specialists were consulted, and then more tests were run. Marsha was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme.

This type of brain cancer is vicious and indiscriminate. It grows and spreads rapidly. Usually, it is confined to the brain and does not spread to other parts of the body. It feeds on the vast supply of blood vessels in the brain. Some of the symptoms include headache, nausea, drowsiness, blurred vision, personality changes, and seizures. Conventional treatments today include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery.

Marsha and Brian were stopped in their tracks. It was as though a ton of bricks fell on their heads. They had to make decisions very quickly. Her oncologist recommended all three conventional therapies to be started ASAP. Marsh’s doctor did not suggest any other form of treatment. And Marsha and Brian did not know the other questions to ask.

Marsha scheduled to begin the treatment plan the next day.

The life expectancy for patients with glioblastoma is about a year. However, this monstrous and unforgiving cancer progressed rapidly for Marsha. She died only 4 months after her diagnosis and the start of her treatment.

Dave’s Story

Then I read about a patient who was treated at the Paleomedicina Clinic in Budapest, Hungary. The Clinic’s doctors treat serious chronic diseases and cancers. They publish some of their case reports. Here is a summary of this patient’s Case Report from 2019.

A male patient (whom I will call Dave) was 52-years old. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, and his conventional oncologist treated him with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. He went into remission for 7 months, only to have the disease reappear with a vengeance.

Although similar treatment was recommended again, Dave refused additional conventional therapy and went to the Paleomedicina Clinic to discuss his options. He wanted a more holistic and less invasive way around his malignancy if that were possible.

The doctors performed various tests and made their recommendations. Dave opted to incorporate the Paleolithic Ketogenic Diet (PKD) as a stand-alone therapy.

Following the implementation of the PKD in September 2016, the progression of the disease completely halted. The Clinic published Dave’s Case Report after the 38th month of treatment. The brain cancer had not progressed for over three years. And during that time, Dave was free of symptoms. He was not in remission, but he had no side-effects from the glioblastoma and enjoyed an excellent quality of life without the use of drugs or supplements.

PKD

The Paleolithic Ketogenic Diet is an animal-based diet. For Dave, the doctors put him on the strict version – no plant foods, no dairy, no supplements, and no pharmaceutical drugs. He ate when he was hungry and drank when he was thirsty. Dave’s food consisted of all animal parts from nose to tail. These included cattle and pork muscle meats, saturated fats, organs, and connective tissue and collagenous parts. The proportion of fat-to-protein was a ratio of approximately 2 grams of fat to 1 gram of protein.

This way of eating put Dave into physiologic ketosis where his body primarily was burning fat for fuel, and his liver was producing ketones. In addition, necessary glucose could be formed from the glycerol molecule that is released after lipolysis breaks down triglyceride into 3 fatty acids and 1 glycerol.

Although ketosis is an important component for healing from this animal-based diet, the medical staff claims the crucial factor is a healthy gut. Success is dependent on returning the gut microbiome to a healthy balance and reestablishing an intact gut epithelial barrier. In other words, Dave’s goals were to have no gut dysbiosis and no leaky gut.

In addition to Dave’s case report, the Paleomedicina Clinic also has documented various successes for severe chronic diseases among its 5,000-plus patient population over the last 10 years using the PKD exclusively. Their published case reports include:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Gilbert’s syndrome
  • Epilepsy
  • Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
  • Soft palate cancer
  • Rectal cancer

Is PKD the Answer?

Could this strict way of eating be the answer for severe chronic diseases and cancers? Based on the clinical outcomes of patients adhering to the PKD, this diet might offer hope. If this diet did not resolve the disease, it reduced the severity significantly.

I emphasize the elements of the PKD in my Better Belly Blueprint.

There is no way to know if an animal-based diet could have prevented Marsha’s brain cancer from progressing. In addition, there are many other alternative protocols that claim varying degrees of success for various types of cancer.

But the science that the Paleomedicina Clinic puts forth and the compelling results they report were the primary reasons that I incorporated this way of eating into my Unconventional Cancer Protocols as of 1/1/20. (As you probably know, I was diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer in 2018 and was given 3-6 months to live if I didn’t start chemotherapy right away. I rejected chemotherapy and began my Protocols.)

I am not in remission, but I am thriving today!

 

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Passion to Thrive
– My Spiritual Cancer Journey –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

May 23, 2021

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Most of my followers know that I have been on a personal cancer journey since September 2018. And most know that I was placed in a hospice hospital in late August 2019 to die. But most don’t know what happened to me during those hospice days of deep depression and preparing for death. And then how my spirituality lifted me up to where I am today.

 

Hospice

The severe pathological fractures of my right femur, right humerus, and 2 ribs (which occurred all at once) put me in hospice. During those few weeks, I felt I had lost any chance for a quality of life. I was ready to die and wanted to die. I gave up. I saw no path forward. And I was surrounded by dying patients.

But a change in the wind was coming. Eventually, it would ignite my passion to thrive.

As fate would have it, during the first week of September 2019, a fierce hurricane threatened the hospice hospital and forced an evacuation of all patients. The hospital staff did not know where to send me. So, my wife quickly arranged for a hospital bed to be sent to my home, and I was transported there.

At home, I remained heavily drugged, catheterized, and demoralized. I continued to be under hospice care. My bones were healing, but I was still ready to die and wanted to die.

After getting home, my wife gave me some tough love. She can be a very persuasive and stubborn person!

She literally pulled me up emotionally and rekindled my spirituality to change the course of my life. What a woman!

My spirituality had been the backbone of my ability to cope with cancer up to the event that caused me to enter hospice.

Within weeks of being home, I began to rally. I developed not only a desire to live but also a passion to thrive. I revoked hospice care and began the first day of the rest of my life. I realized that I had a purpose in life and that I could act on it positively.

 

My Spiritual Beliefs

I am not driven by a religious philosophy but rather by an intense spirituality. In the weeks following the hurricane, my wife helped me reconnect to my previous spiritual experiences.

I believe we all are on earth to learn lessons. I can trace my beliefs back to some of my early readings of Ian Stevenson[1] and Edgar Cayce[2], both of whom wrote extensively about reincarnation. These views also are influenced by my research about “out of body” experiences by Robert Monroe[3] and “near-death” experiences by Dr. Raymond Moody[4]. My spiritual feelings are confirmed by the in-depth research of Dr. Michael Newton[5], whose patients clearly revealed under hypnotic regression that our souls have an existence between incarnations. Dr. Newton coined the term, “Life-Between-Lives”.

Here are three interesting interviews – one with Robert Monroe, a short one with Dr. Ray Moody, and the last with Dr. Michael Newton:

26-minute video with Robert Monroe

2-minute video with Dr. Raymond Moody

43-minute video with Dr. Michael Newton

 

 

Spiritual Encounters

I had two spiritual encounters in the past that I now know related to my present diagnosis of cancer and subsequent cancer journey.

1992

Way back in 1992, I had the opportunity to attend a 6-day intense program at the Monroe Institute in Faber, VA. It was called “Gateway Voyage”.[6] In those days, the program was held live at the Institute and was limited to about 15 people. The participants experienced progressive states of altered consciousness through the guidance of recorded audio tapes while experiencing the brain enhancing frequencies called HemiSync[7].

Hemi-Sync (hemispheric synchronization) is an audio-guidance process using headphones. It works through the generation of complex, multilayered audio signals that are slightly different for the left ear and the right ear. Together, these frequencies create a resonance of brain waves in the left and right hemispheres which assists an individual in “balancing” both hemispheres and entering various states of altered consciousness. The process is like transcendental meditation, but much quicker. HemiSync gets you “there” almost immediately.

Each of the attendees had a private cubicle where we would lie down for each session, put on the headphones, and listen to the verbal guidance which had HemiSync frequencies embedded. The cubicles also were our “sleeping quarters” for the entire stay. Each day we had 4 separate audio sessions. After each session, the group leader would assemble all 15 participants to discuss our experiences.

In one session, I was guided to a level of altered consciousness and was able to visualize in my mind’s eye going up a mountain to open a door. The door was supposed to open to my future. But I couldn’t open the door. The door was blocked.

During the group discussion which immediately followed, the leader explained to me that there was a major event in my future that I was not supposed to know yet. In time, I would learn what that was. And he emphasized that it would be life changing.

2012

Fast forward twenty years …

I had been doing significant reading in all areas of past life regression and life-between-lives. My belief turned into a knowing. I was convinced we are here on earth for various incarnations to learn specific lessons so our soul could evolve.

In 2012, I saw a hypnotherapist who specialized in Life Between Lives Regression. She was trained by the Newton Institute.[8] This was an intense session that lasted 6 hours on a Friday evening and then another 4 hours the following Saturday morning. During this experience, I had significant breakthroughs. But again, I ran into a block.

During the hypnotic regression, I was not able to “open the door” to a future experience. My therapist explained that something very significant would be happening to me in the future, but now was not the time for my consciousness to uncover what my soul had planned for me.

This sounded familiar. In 1992 and again in 2012. What could it be that was so major in my life that my life-between-lives regression would not allow me to peek at that plan?

2018

Six years later, in September 2018, my most life-changing event occurred. I was diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer and was given 3-6 months to live. At that time, I viewed it as a death sentence. But it turned out to be the exact opposite. It was the opening of a door that completely changed the course of my life for the better.

2021

Today, I believe that the event of, and personal growth from, developing terminal cancer were blocked from my consciousness in 1992 and again in 2012.

I believe this blocked door was the gateway for me to learn this life’s purpose. The lesson I was to take away was that I could survive my prognosis, thrive, and begin helping others in similar situations.

 

We All Have a Journey

No matter where we are in our life’s journey, there is a purpose. In my belief system, my soul designed this current experience before incarnating in my physical body to learn a critical lesson. As time moves on, the soul will continually perfect itself as it becomes enlightened and approaches one with the almighty source.

When I was able to rediscover my spirituality, I was able to find strength and resolve to persevere. Everyone dealing with a life-threatening situation can find solace if they connect with their soul and discover their meaning of life.

For many people, they find comfort in religion and its doctrine. For me, I found meaning by knowing that my immortal soul is learning important lessons in my current mortal body.

My exciting journey is just beginning. Who knows what other doors I will encounter? I’m looking forward to a bright future and many meaningful years to come.

 

[1] https://www.carolbowman.com/dr-ian-stevenson

[2] https://www.edgarcayce.org/the-readings/reincarnation/

[3] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/products/monroe-robert-a-journeys-out-of-the-body

[4] https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Bestselling-Investigation-Experiences/dp/006242890X/

[5] https://www.newtoninstitute.org/books/

[6] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/pages/our-purpose

[7] https://www.monroeinstitute.org/blogs/blog/so-hemi-sync%C2%AE-works-but-how

[8] https://www.newtoninstitute.org/

 

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PAIN?
– My Solution –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

March 28, 2021

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Pain is very subjective. What is painful for one may be only slightly uncomfortable for another.

I live with pain all the time. But I now have a new solution that can help me deal with it.

I have bone pain from multiple myeloma as well as leftover pain from my pathological fractures of both my femurs, my right humerus, several ribs, and 2 vertebrae. Most of the time, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) Therapy (part of my Unconventional Cancer Protocols) has reduced this pain to tolerable levels. However, some pain gets to me, and I need something additional for relief.

Usually when I need pain medication, I go for ibuprofen 600mg as needed. I have tried CBD oil, but I have not had success with it. I do not take narcotics.

Now I found a new substance that works well for me – Boswellic Acids. It works better than ibuprofen with minimal side effects. And when I discussed it with my conventional oncologist, he was impressed and was interested in the medical journal reports I shared with him.

Also, since I need to take a small dose of dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) along with my monthly immunotherapy, Boswellic Acids may be a perfect substitute for that steroid. There is evidence that Boswellic Acids may replace this steroid while providing the same results with little to no side effects.

If I still were treating patients in my office, I would not hesitate to recommend this medicine as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever.

 

What are Boswellic Acids?

Boswellia, also known as Indian frankincense, is an herbal extract taken from the Boswellia serrata tree. It is a series of pentacyclic triterpene molecules. Boswellia resin made from boswellia extract has been used traditionally for thousands of years. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is one of the most prized medicinal herbs for the treatment of arthritis and inflammatory disorders. Today, research is discovering Boswellia’s efficacy in treating a number of health problems, which I list later in this post.

Boswellic Acids from the resin are responsible for the herb’s anti-inflammatory properties. These acids are reported to have expectorant, antiseptic, anxiolytic, anti-neurotic, analgesic, tranquilizing, and antibacterial effects. The strength of Boswellia products is generally rated on its concentration of Boswellic Acids in the product. I look for at least 65% Boswellic Acids in the capsule or softgel. These medicaments are available as a resin, pill, or cream.

Based on the research I have read and my personal experience, Boswellic Acids appear to be a healthier alternative to steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NASIDS) for pain and inflammation.

CAVEAT: If you have gastritis or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you may not be able to take Boswellia. If you are taking blood thinners or on prescription steroids, you must consult with your doctor before you try Boswellic Acids.

 

Problems with NSAIDS Like Ibuprofen[1],[2],[3]

NSAIDS are the go-to, over-the-counter drugs of choice for pain. However, ibuprofen and other NSAIDS can cause bleeding, increased blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and renal damage. They may be the culprit in heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation. NSAIDS can also damage the gut microbiome, decrease the diversity of species in the gut, and damage the gut epithelial barrier.

 

Problems with Steroids Like Dexamethasone[4],[5],[6]

Dexamethasone is a strong, anti-inflammatory, corticosteroid drug. It is used to treat conditions such as arthritis, blood and hormone disorders, allergic reactions, skin diseases, eye problems, breathing problems, bowel disorders, cancer, and immune system disorders. It relieves pain and inflammation.

Unfortunately, dexamethasone has significant adverse side effects such as water retention, weight gain and puffiness, suppression of the immune system, increase in blood sugar, weakness in arms and legs, insomnia, osteoporosis, and damage to the adrenal glands. Also, steroids damage the mucous layer in the gut.

However, this drug is widely used and considered a necessary evil in patient management for various diseases.

 

Dosage of Boswellic Acids[7],[8],[9]

One study has shown that the elimination half-life of Boswellic Acids is about six hours. This means that dosing every 6-8 hours orally may be important to maintain the proper blood level. Also, it took about thirty hours after the initial dose to reach a stable blood level. So, expected benefits may not be reached until the second day after the starting dose. In addition, absorption is better when taken with a meal that is high in fat. Since I eat a high-fat diet, I’m good to go!

Dosing guidelines are suggested by each of the product’s manufacturer. However, the general dosing guidelines suggest taking one capsule or softgel orally one to three times a day. Different medical conditions would require specific dosing concentrations of the active ingredients – Boswellic Acids.

 

Rare Side Effects from Boswellic Acids

In 2019, a double-blind study was reported where 48 patients with osteoarthritis were divided into 2 groups. Over the course of 4 continuous months, the control group took a placebo, and the experimental group took 87mg of Boswellic Acids in capsule form twice a day. The experimental group’s knee pain and function significantly improved. It is important to note over the course of 120 days, there were no statistically significant changes in the participants’ body weight, blood pressure, respiratory rate, or pulse rate. Also, there were no abnormal lab or diagnostic parameters recorded. In addition, Boswellic Acids significantly reduced the serum levels of high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein, a systemic inflammatory marker. And none of the individuals developed any serious side effects during the entire 4-month study.[10]

Although side effects are rare, you should be aware that Boswellic Acids …

  • May accelerate menstrual flow and may induce miscarriage in pregnant women
  • May increase bleeding
  • May cause nausea
  • May aggravate acid reflux
  • May cause diarrhea
  • May cause skin rashes
  • May interact with steroids, ibuprofen, aspirin, and other NSAIDs

 

Boswellic Acid Science[11],[12],[13],[14],[15]

Boswellic Acids have the ability to modulate multiple mediators involved in the pathogenesis of many diverse diseases. Currently, there are a number of research projects actively investigating the efficacy of using this medicine as a treatment modality. Here are a few of the chronic diseases that have been, and are being, studied:

  • Osteoarthritis (OA)
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
  • Asthma
  • Various Cancers
    • Breast Cancer
    • Bladder Cancer
    • Brain Cancer
    • Cervical Cancer
    • Colon Cancer
    • Leukemia
    • Liver Cancer
    • Lung Cancer
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Pancreatic Cancer
    • Melanoma
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Renal Intestinal Fibrosis
  • Diabetes
  • Central Nervous System Disorders like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Multiple Sclerosis
  • Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury (IRI)
  • Psoriasis

 

My Solution

I have read about, and experienced the benefits of, Boswellic Acids as a supplement in capsule or softgel form. There are many products on the market.

I selected a product that contains 65% Boswellic Acids in 500mg Boswellia Extract. Therefore, each softgel has 325mg of Boswellic Acids. The recommended dose is 1 softgel, 1-2 times per day. When needed, I take 1 softgel 3 times a day with food containing high fat.

For me, this is an excellent substitute for an anti-inflammatory pain medicine when I need it. It also might be considered as a promising alternative to corticosteroids in the treatment of diseases requiring steroids.

My oncologist has allowed me to experiment on myself. As you know, I don’t hesitate from being a study of N=1! But he will monitor me.

So, starting with my next monthly immunotherapy infusion, I will begin to replace my 3 declining doses of dexamethasone (4mg, 2mg, 1mg) with Boswellic Acids.

Even though I only take small doses of the steroid, I retain about 5 pounds of water weight as a result that lasts about one week. Also, this minimal dose of the steroid still gives me insomnia for about 5 days. I am looking forward to avoiding these steroid side effects if the Boswellic Acids work instead.

 

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4809680/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7426480/

[3] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apt.14451

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531462/

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402247/

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279156/

[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15643550/

[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15070181/

[9] https://accp1.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0091270011422811

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6681146/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7229515/

[12] http://www.koliskoinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Therapeutic-Advantages-of-AKBAv2.pdf

[13] https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/3041438

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6747466/

[15] https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2014/12/boswellia-new-studies-show-effective-pain-relief

 

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  My Personal 48-Hour Water Fast
– My Cancer Journey –  

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

March 21, 2021

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I wrote about my first 48-hour fast in 2017 – over a year before I was diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer. In that article, I discussed various methods of fasting and the benefits published in the medical literature. At that time, I did not do a strict “water fast”.

 

Now I am on my cancer journey. And fasting can play an important role along with my animal-based diet and my other Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

 

Just a couple of weeks ago, I finished my 48-hour water fast. Let me get into the details about fasting and then my personal experience this time around.

 

 

Caution

Always consult your doctor before attempting a 48-hour fast. Generally, there are those individuals who should not fast. They include:

  • Children
  • People with type 1 diabetes
  • People with low blood pressure
  • Those who are underweight or have a history of eating disorders
  • Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to conceive, or have a history of amenorrhea
  • Those taking certain medications such as insulin, blood pressure meds, blood thinners, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)

 

 

Basic Benefits of Fasting[1]

Hippocrates was probably one of the first advocates of fasting for medical purposes. He recommended those who were sick to fast.

 

Research suggests 9 basic benefits we can derive from fasting:

 

  1. Cellular health: Fasting can assist in cellular repair and delay tissue aging, both of which will support overall longevity. In addition, many studies indicate that 48-hour fasting can improve cellular repair and increase cellular strength more than other fasting methods.
  2. Reduced inflammation: Fasting for more than 24 hours will reduce oxidative stress, which will reduce overall inflammation.
  3. Strengthened immune system: When animals in the wild get sick, they stop eating and focus on resting. This is a primal instinct which reduces stress on their internal system and enhances their immune system to fight infection.
  4. Improved insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels: During a 24-hour fast, glycogen (the storage form of glucose) is depleted, and insulin levels are reduced. This allows your body to burn stored fat as fuel. Decreased insulin levels can improve insulin sensitivity and improve sugar control.
  5. Heart health: Several studies suggest that fasting may lower the risk of coronary heart disease and may help lower blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol levels.
  6. Enhanced brain function: Animal studies show that fasting could improve brain function, increase nerve cell synthesis and protect against neurodegenerative conditions (such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s).
  7. Increased hormone secretion: Fasting can increase levels of human growth hormone (HGH), which plays a role in growth, metabolism, weight loss and muscle strength.
  8. Better digestion: Fasting gives the digestive system a break, improves the balance of bacteria in the gut, and increases bacterial diversity.
  9. Weight loss: Fasting may increase metabolism, help preserve muscle mass, and reduce body weight and body fat. A 48-hour fast, once or twice per month, will reduce your calorie intake by up to 8,000 calories per month, which can promote weight loss.

 

 

Cancer Benefits of Fasting[2],[3]

There are specific cancer benefits from fasting. These are related to the prevention of cancer, the decreased growth of cancer cells, and the enhancement of conventional cancer therapy.

 

Fasting …

 

  • Has only mild side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and weakness
  • Leads to alterations in growth factors and in metabolite levels, creating an environment that will reduce the ability of cancer cells to adapt and survive
  • Decreases the level of critical nutrients thereby inhibiting cancer cells from proliferating at high rates
  • Sensitizes many types of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic medicines.
  • Forces healthy cells to enter a slow division and highly protected mode that protects them against the toxicity from anticancer drugs
  • Prevents detrimental and potentially life-threatening side effects and DNA damage from various cancer treatments

 

 

My Personal 48-Hour Water Fast

To summarize my way of eating: I am following a carnivore diet and stay in ketosis about 6 days a week. To know I am in ketosis, I measure my ketone levels with the Breath Ketone Monitor several times a day. After 6 days of ketosis, I cycle out of ketosis by consuming about 150 grams of carbs to stay metabolically flexible. My carbs generally consist of raw honey and various fruits. The day after my carb day, I return to eating my animal-based diet, which will include less than 20 grams of carbs per day.

 

I started my water fast on Monday, 3/8/21, at 7PM. That Monday was my “cycle day out of ketosis”.

 

The Table below shows the progression of my ketone levels starting from the time I started my fast at 7PM on Monday night until I broke my fast with dinner on Wednesday night at 7PM. I must tell you, I broke my fast with a delicious, juicy, medium-rare ribeye steak cooked to perfection in my Ninja Foodie Indoor Grill.

 

As you can see in the Table, my ketone levels were almost non-existent when I started my fast. They fell to 0.1 mmol/L by Tuesday morning at 8AM as my body was using the available glucose.

 

After my body digested the consumed carbs from Monday and used its glucose for fuel, my body began to mobilize glucose from the glycogen stores in the liver until they were depleted. The Table suggests that my liver glycogen was depleted around 4PM on Tuesday afternoon. That was when my ketone level rose to 0.5 mmol/L, which was about 21 hours after I started my fast.

 

Lipolysis in fat cells and ketone production by the liver then began in earnest. As I continued my water fast, my ketone levels increased to 2.0 mmol/L by the time I broke my fast on Wednesday night.

 

I easily could have gone another 24 hours. My hunger level was minimal, and my energy level was good.

 

All during the fast, I only drank mineral water or non-caffeinated herbal teas brewed in mineral water. I continued to drink my 8 ounces of SOLE water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. SOLE helps hydration and provides 84 trace minerals.

 

 

Here is a Table that identifies the different ketone levels and their significance:

 

Overall Experience

The outcome of my 48-hour water fast was nothing short of amazing.

 

Previous to the fast, I was experiencing slight stomach discomfort – almost like reflux but not to the extent of burning. It was just an “uneasy feeling” in my gut. All during the fast and thereafter, my stomach distress completely disappeared. It has not come back.

 

Also, I noticed stable and even increased energy.

 

The only “hunger” sensation was around noon on Tuesday – about 17 hours after I started the fast. To curb that feeling, I drank herbal tea, which took care of the “hunger” feeling. As Tuesday progressed and until I broke the fast, I did not have a strong desire to eat food.

 

Because of the health benefits I discussed in this writing as well as my overall feeling during the fast, I will continue to do a 48-hour water fast once a month. Maybe next time I will try a 3-day fast. I plan to start my monthly fasts following my “carb cycle day”.

 

[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fasting-benefits

[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41568-018-0061-0

[3] https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13046-019-1189-9

 

 

 

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My Cancer Journey
– High-Dose Vitamins D3 & K2 –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

February 7, 2021

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You know me. I’ve treated my body as a study of N=1.

When I learned of my dire cancer prognosis in September 2018, I knew that I could not wait 10 more years for the medical community to prove my Unconventional Cancer Protocols would heal (or even possibly cure) my cancer. You see, I didn’t have the luxury of a long-life expectancy. I was given only 3-6 months to live at that time.

Life is what it is.

So, right away I was motivated to investigate peer-reviewed methods to help heal my body and recreate a robust immune system. I was not looking for methodologies that only one investigator found successful. I wanted therapies that were successfully and repeatedly reported from various researchers throughout the world.

Let me be clear! I never developed a cure for cancer. But my independent research has uncovered concepts to improve my immune system. I even developed a set of 5 Tools to measure my success. And this has gotten me to a point today where I am thriving better than most healthy individuals.

After my diagnosis, my cancer journey followed unconventional paths with overall success but a few significant setbacks. I have written many Blogs updating my progress, concerns, and tweaks to my protocols. I have been open with my personal experiences.

Now, it’s time for another significant tweak. The reason comes from my continuing research. I’m a glutton for uncovering new and exciting aspects in medical science. My challenge comes from connecting the dots, but I do take “creative scientific license”.

My discovery: Supplementation of high-dose Vitamin D3 combined with high-dose Vitamin K2 could be positive for the treatment of cancers. Not proven, but possible!

 

The Research

Let’s look at the supporting science.

  • In 2017, Healthline summarized the metabolic benefits of combining Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2 supplementation.
  • A summary statement in this 2020 VITAL Trial noted: “Our findings, along with results from previous studies, support the ongoing evaluation of vitamin D supplementation for preventing metastatic cancer – a connection that is biologically plausible.”
  • Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in patients with multiple myeloma. Patients with this bone marrow cancer often complain of dull, persistent, generalized musculoskeletal aches and pains with fatigue or decrease in muscle strength. These symptoms may well be the result of Vitamin D deficiency. Here is a 2011 case report of a 63-year-old man with multiple myeloma who was taking chemotherapy. This individual presented with worsening generalized musculoskeletal pain, weakness, and multiple falls. His bone studies showed severe lytic lesions with a very low Vitamin D level of less than 8ng/mL. However, after he was treated with 3000 units of Vitamin D daily, his musculoskeletal pain decreased.
  • In a 2015 medical paper, 83 multiple myeloma patients had their 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D levels studied. Those with less than 10 ng/mL were associated with higher number of plasma cells in their bone marrow. When they took vitamin D3 supplementation, their hemoglobin, leukocytes, and erythrocytes increased, while their thrombocytes decreased.
  • In this 2017 study, osteoporosis, osteonecrosis and fracture were more prevalent in patients with multiple myeloma who had low blood levels of Vitamin D.
  • Another study in 2020 suggested that multiple myeloma patients with deficient 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D levels had a poorer life expectancy.
  • In regard to Vitamin K2, this 2015 article describes how Vitamin K2 can promote bone health.
  • And in this in vitro study of human myeloma cells, concentrations of Vitamin K2 inhibited the growth of the malignant cells and assisted in inducing self-suicide (or apoptosis).
  • This 2018 review of the literature clearly points out the Vitamin K2 can inhibit cancer cell growth.

However, high doses of Vitamin D3 can cause hypercalcemia and other toxic side effects. Because of these potential outcomes, it is necessary to include high doses of Vitamin K2 along with Vitamin D3 to improve calcium metabolism and avoid other side effects. Also, it is important to monitor various blood chemistries for possible signs of Vitamin D toxicity. As for Vitamin K2, there has never been a lethal dose detected.

 

My New Protocol

So, I have started a new experiment again using my body as the guinea pig. I definitely am NOT recommending any person try this protocol. I have no idea if this will work for me or even if it will be harmful. However, the medical papers I have read suggest this may be beneficial.

If you have followed my Unconventional Cancer Protocols, you are aware that I was taking 5000 IU of Vitamin D3 and 320 mcg of Vitamin K2 daily. The most recent result of my 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D blood test showed a level of 62 ng/mL. This blood level is higher than the recommended range for healthy individuals, which is 40 – 60 ng/mL.

I began my new protocol on 1/20/21 when I upped my daily doses. I started taking 20,000 IU of Vitamin D3 along with 450 mcg of Vitamin K2. My goal is to raise my 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D blood level to 100-125 ng/mL. At this new level, maybe my malignant plasma cells and dysfunctional IgA antibodies will decrease. I’ll give my body 2-3 more months on this regimen before retesting.

This is the only change I’m making to my Protocols. Obviously, I am not a controlled study. But by changing only one variable in my routine, I can come close to being a controlled medical trial of N=1.

 

Diagnostic Tests

To refresh your memory, my cancer diagnosis is IgA Kappa Light Chain Multiple Myeloma. My oncologist orders a new CBC (complete blood count) and CMP (complete metabolic panel) every 4 weeks. Every 2-3 months, I have a series of blood tests to evaluate my dysfunctional antibody production from malignant plasma cells. The test is called a Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) with Immunofixation.  He also orders a 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D blood test about every 3 months.

On my calendar, I have a Bone Scan scheduled for March 2021, which will evaluate my overall skeletal strength. And I have my 4th PET Scan scheduled in May 2021.

As time goes by, I will report the results from my various tests and scans as they reflect my new Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 dosing.

My CBC and CMP have been relatively within normal ranges since 1/1/20. However, the results of my current Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) with Immunofixation continue to be abnormally high. Yet they are lower with little fluctuation since starting my stand-alone immunotherapy of Darzalex in October 2019.

Here are two of my Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) with Immunofixation results as of 1/26/21:

  • Kappa Light Chain, Free: 1060.0 mg/L (normal = 3.3 – 19.4 mg/L)
  • IgA, quantitative: 591 mg/dL (normal = 61 – 437 mg/dL)

In May 2021, I expect to have new numbers and information to report.

 

Anecdotal Evidence

I am aware of an individual who has a similar diagnosis as I and has started this new dosing protocol of Vitamin D3 and K2 as I just started. After 30 days on this dosing, her IgA level significantly decreased from 634 mg/dL to 300 mg/dL. However, her Kappa Light Chain, which was not elevated at the start, showed minimal reduction. She also reported that her hemoglobin level improved.

I must note that this person was taking Ninlaro (a proteasome inhibitor) intermittently. Ninlaro is an oral medication that inhibits proteasomes. Proteasomes break down other proteins that cells no longer need, as well as proteins that are damaged. Ninlaro attaches to the proteasomes and stops them from working properly. This leads to a buildup of damaged and unneeded proteins in the myeloma cells (malignant plasma cells), which causes the myeloma cells to die. But I am sure that proteasomes in healthy cells also are affected by Ninlaro in such a way that healthy cells will no longer be able to rid themselves of damaged and harmful proteins resulting in potentially severe side effects.

 

My Bottom Line

Without a doubt, my goal continues to be to maintain a quality life for as long as possible. Longevity has never been (and will never be) a determining factor for me. Avoiding chemical interventions that could destroy my immune system makes absolute sense to me. Why would I want to destroy the natural biochemical pathways of my body, which are critical for my overall health and healing?

I am already compromised with bone marrow cancer. In my opinion, my path to wellness is to enhance my body’s ability to fight the fight. If I can crowd out the pathology and replace it with functional cells, I might win this battle.

Keep an eye out for my updates in the future. I am excited about reporting additional positive results. You can count on me to be transparent with my successes as well as my lack of successes and failures.

I believe I’m here on this planet to share my experiences with all who want to read, hear, and see what I am doing. If I can be a motivational source for you, I have succeeded.

If you feel you need to contact me, here is a link to ask your questions. Your email comes directly to me, and I will personally respond to you.

 

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