I thought I would finally explain in detail why I do HBOT. Also, I have some more good news. My white blood cells are up! Yay.
So, I’ve been taking a cancer med called Ribociclib since my diagnosis. I take it for 21 days straight, followed by seven days off. During that break, my body gets a chance to recoup, and a doctor at the Cancer Clinic reviews my blood work. If my liver function and white blood cell (WBC) counts are in the clear, they renew my Ribociclib prescription. Since I began taking Ribociclib last February, it has consistently lowered my WBC count. This is normal and to be expected; luckily, it has never been big enough of an issue to prevent me from continuing the med. So, the other day, I looked at my latest lab results and was pleasantly surprised to find that everything fell within the “Normal Range.”
Among the various types of white blood cells, the ones we closely watch are the neutrophils. Now, I’ll admit that bloodwork can be a bit up and down, as most graphs are, but for the first time since starting cancer meds, my white blood cells, especially my neutrophils, are looking great! I’m within the normal range. To clarify, these norms are based on data from non-cancer patients.
To me, this is a “wow” moment. When I glance at the graph of my WBC count, I can clearly see an upward trend that coincides with when I started this Metabolic Press/Pulse protocol including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. I have been on an upward trend for four months and finally broke into the “Normal Range.” I believe the HBOT is boosting my immune system – as is expected with HBOT. It’s pretty cool when you witness science in action right before your eyes. What’s not cool is knowing that this aspect of cancer therapy is largely ignored by, well, let’s say, “all of Health Canada, every provincial health ministry below it, every licensing body for all health practitioners, and most, if not all, oncologists.” Health Canada only indicates Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for 14 conditions, but Cancer isn’t one of them. I will post a separate HBOT post, our lack of access to it, politics and those 14 approved indications later. You will be horrified!
Now, here’s a bit of a deep dive into my WBC and HBOT for those who love the nitty-gritty details (feel free to skip this part if you were looking for a quick update):
Neutrophils, which I now have more of, are fascinating because they specialize in digesting microorganisms like bacteria and fungi (but they are less effective against viral infections). When the body detects pathogens, neutrophils rush to the infection site and gobble up the invaders. Neutrophils also produce something called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). ROS are highly reactive molecules that help kill and break down the microorganisms they’ve engulfed. If you’re interested, you can check out a great 4-minute video on ROS by Dr. Eric Berg, who, interestingly, is a chiropractor but makes excellent educational content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUUsTbeu4LE
Even more intriguing is that ROS plays a pivotal role in cancer therapies. For instance, radiation and certain chemo drugs increase ROS levels within cancer cells, leading to cell death. This is known as oxidative stress therapy, capitalizing on cancer cells’ greater vulnerability to ROS-induced damage than normal cells. Healthy cells are shielded from excessive ROS by metabolizing lipids and ketone bodies. Yep, what a coincidence…Ketones help protect healthy cells from excess ROS. Do you know anyone in a state of Ketosis?! 🙂
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can also ramp up ROS production within the body. This characteristic (overwhelming the antioxidant capacity of cancer cells and causing their demise) is also called oxidative stress therapy. And that’s why HBOT is part of this protocol in the first place.
To sum it all up, my goal is to harness the benefits of oxidative stress, similar to what you get with Radiation and Chemo, but without any of the destructive toxicity and carcinogens. HBOT also boosts your immune system (as evidenced by my stellar WBC count). Then, my body employs its ketones to shield against an overload of ROS. Ketosis is intended to do much more than protect from an overabundance of ROS, but it is nice to see the relationship. The primary goal of Ketosis is to lower the dietary impact of glucose and fuel my body in a way that can’t fuel Cancer.
It’s like a beautifully interconnected puzzle. I want to thank Dr. Thomas Seyfried and his team, Dr. Dom D’Agostino and his team, for their unwavering dedication to studying the effects of Keto and HBOT on Cancer management. These remarkable researchers are paving the way to better cancer treatment options.