CLL and Whey

A close friend of mine was just diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), a cancer of the blood, and the second most common type of leukemia.

It is caused by the overproduction of immature blood cells in the marrow (the spongy inner mass of bone). These immature cells crowd out healthy cells needed to fight infection and deliver oxygen to the body. CLL progresses slowly, and it may take years for symptoms to appear or for treatment to be needed.

I had never heard of it, and his doctor said that they don’t know exactly how you get it. It seems to happen if you are middle-aged or older, male, or white, or have a family history of CLL or cancer of the lymph system. His is at Stage Zero, which means that they just wait and see what happens.

Usually CLL does not cause any symptoms and is found during a routine blood test. Sometimes symptoms occur that may be caused by CLL or by other conditions. See a doctor if any of the following problems occur:
Painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin.
Tiredness that does not go away.
Pain or fullness below the ribs.
Fever and infection.
Weight loss (unexplained).

What I thought was interesting was he went on the A.P. Johns Institute for Cancer Research and found a diet that can help fight cancers. One supplement they recommended was Whey Enhanced Protein. It discussed Phosphorus being a nutrient that cancer cells must use in order to grow and reproduce.

So if you opt for including this into your diet as a way to ward off cancer, choose a brand of whey protein that is very low in phosphorous and contains no additional vitamins, so when using approximately 10 – 12 grams of protein per 150 lb. person, it helps to protect normal cells, maintain a normal appetite, and helps fight edema. (Edema is the swelling or water build up in the legs or other sites in the body)

Whey protein is included in the daily menu of all advanced or metastatic cancer patients. When treating cancers that are stable or have regressed in size, patients then have the option of including other protein foods at their breakfast meals such as cottage cheese, yogurt, or soy foods. Eggs are allowed in the diets of patients with lymphoma and brain cancers.
Whey protein is a mixture of some of the proteins naturally found in milk. The major proteins found in whey protein include beta-lactoglobulin and alpha-lactalbumin and is more rapidly digested than other proteins, such as casein (another milk protein).

The bottom line is … he is going to work harder to control his amino acids, carbs, and sugars. He’ll include Whey for breakfast along with a glass of fresh orange juice, some Grits (with butter, cinnamon ), and a cup of Green Tea.