Cancer treatent
Cancer treatment: Dr Chris recommends this honey to help patients survive chemotherapy
CANCER treatment usually comes in the form of chemotherapy, but this can bring down a patient’s white cell count - the cells of the immune system involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. Television doctor Dr Chris Steele recommended on This Morning a particular honey that could help keep chemotherapy patients' white cell count up.
Cancer treatment methods usually involve either, or a combination, of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is medication that works to kill off cancerous cells, but this form of treatment can also bring down a person’s white blood cell count.
White blood cells help fight infections by attacking bacteria, viruses, and germs that invade the body.
When the number of white cells drop as a result of chemotherapy, cancer specialists are usually forced to reduce the dose of chemotherapy or stop the treatment completely, meaning the tumour grows again.
LifeMel Honey is the only honey available that has had a clinical study done to determine effectiveness in decreasing side effects, including anaemia, severe neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia of patients involved in chemotherapy.
On the Life Mel site it states: “LifeMel Honey is the only honey available that has had a clinical study done to determine effectiveness in decreasing side effects, including anaemia, severe neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia of patients involved in chemotherapy.”
Dr Chris, who made it clear he was not endorsing the brand, explained the honey, which is made in Israel, comes from bees fed on a combination of medicinal herbs, including ginseng, echinacea and lemon balm.
It was developed by a microbiologist who noticed that beekeepers and their families stayed healthy during a cholera outbreak.
The honey is pricey, but Dr Chris said all that’s needed is one level teaspoon twice a day.
He recently advised a pancreatic patient of his to take LifeMel honey - a patient whose chemotherapy was particularly toxic.
Dr Chris said: “His white blood cells dropped a little, but generally there was no change.”
Starbucks and other coffee sellers in California were forced to put a cancer warning on coffee earlier this year. So should we be worried to drink takeaway coffee? Dr Chris Steele offered his recommendation on This Morning last month.
Straight away he said: “No I would’t be worried.”
While cancer warnings may be about to be stamped across takeaway coffee cups in California, Dr Chris reminded viewers that in the past, coffee has been found in studies to help slash the risk of cancer.
Drinking three to five cups of coffee a day has been found to reduce the risk of liver cancer.
A review of American and Italian research at the end of last year concluded that “moderate” consumption slashed the risk of liver cancer by 40 per cent compared with those who did not drink any coffee – with more cups giving more protection.
Dr Chris said he came to the conclusion that takeaway coffee is nothing to worry about after speaking with a cancer specialist.
Relaying what he was told, he said: “There are items in everything that enters your body that has potential carcinogens [substances that can lead to cancer].
“But he told me your own body is very good at combating these.”
“For me, I wouldn’t be worried at all.”
