How do you choose your treatment? Conventional? Alternative? A combination of both (integrative)? Listen in as Tina and Leah discuss some do’s and don’ts of decision making that you need to know. A film called The Cancer Conflict juxtaposed two newly diagnosed patients and followed each one as they went…
Y'all love to hear about supplements, and we love to talk about them! Curcumin is what makes turmeric orange. It is also a very popular supplement. What does it do exactly? How should it be taken? How is it used in integrative oncology? Can you take it with chemo? Listen…
Are mushrooms safe to take during cancer treatment? Mushrooms are both a valuable food and medicine, but which ones are best? Do they really affect immune function? The use of mushrooms dates back thousands of years. As a food, mushrooms add nutrients like vitamin D and B vitamins to your diet.
Have you heard of L-glutamine? L-glutamine is a "conditionally essential" amino acid. What does that even mean? Tina & Leah discuss generalities and then delve into specifics, particularly for those who have (or had!) cancer. Glutamine is one of those supplements that many people take…. willy-nilly. That’s a bad idea.…
Hair changes from treatment for cancer are common. Listen as Tina & Leah discuss what to expect, including which drugs lead to hair loss, how to reduce your risk, nutrients involved in hair regrowth, and ways to support hair recovery after treatment.
Skin & nail changes can happen with chemotherapy, radiation, oral drugs, and immune-directed therapies for cancer. If left untreated, skin changes may be severe enough to prompt modifications in your treatment plan. There are ways to lower your risk with natural agents and simple measures. Tune in to hear two…
Nerve damage from chemotherapy is one of those side effects that can linger long after treatment is over. There are prescription medications that lessen pain and numbness, but did you know the goal of integrative therapies is to support nerve regrowth? Listen in while Tina & Leah discuss how to…
Did someone try to get you to take a natural remedy that would cure your cancer "better" than chemotherapy or radiation? This "cure-all" tea is a popular recommendation from well-meaning friends and family, but can anything really be a “cure-all?” What a concept! There are things this 100-year-old herbal formula…
The terms “antioxidants” and “free radicals”- what do they mean exactly? Are antioxidants safe to take as a supplement? Tina & Leah tell you the truth, even if it is inconvenient. (Don’t blame the messengers!) Antioxidants only do good, right? The theory is that antioxidants preventcancerby limiting damage in and…
Ketogenic diets are all the rage these days, but what does it mean to be in a state of ketosis? Is there any anti-cancer benefit to the ketogenic diet? And more importantly, is it even safe? There are a lot of theories around why a ketogenic diet could be useful…
Vitamin C is so simple and necessary, but what is it used for exactly? And what does deficiency look like? Is vitamin C deficiency linked to cancer incidence? Recurrence? Are there times when it should not be taken? Tina & Leah answer all of these questions and more!
What exactly is collagen? Does it really support skin and joints? And, most pressing: IS IT SAFE to take (in general? if you've had cancer?) Tina and Leah answer all of this and more as they discuss one of the most popular functional foods available today. Did you know there…
Vitamin D may be the most pivotal nutrient in all of cancer care. Tina and Leah talk about this hormone masquerading as a “vitamin.” How much is ideal? Do you need to take it? Can you get what you need from the sun? Is it even safe to take? There…
Personal accounts of cancer can be inspiring, and this documentary about renowned film critic Roger Ebert is no exception. Tina and Leah discuss the man, his career, his cancer, and how he lived life to its fullest, right until the end. FYI: You don't need to have seen the movie…
Sharon Jones was the electrifying front-woman for the NYC band, The Dap-Kings. She captivated audiences with her raw energy and talent. A diagnosis of cancer derailed her career but didn't deter her. Tina & Leah talk about the film and the shared challenges of those who see their world upended…
Tina and Leah are Back at The Movies! This time they are reviewing cancer-related documentaries. They talk about them, what they like, what they didn't like, and what parts of the films resonated with them. In this episode, they review TIG, a 2015 documentary directed by Kristina Goolsby and Ashley…
Do you find yourself running to the bathroom several times a day? In this episode of Side Eff@¢ks, Tina and Leah talk about poo that just won’t quit—diarrhea. No matter what the cause, this episode offers tips and advice about what you can do to normalize your bowel function. Nearly…
Do you have issues with constipation? If so, we got you! This podcast is all about the hard business of stuck bowels. In our first episode of The Return of Side Eff@¢ks , we covered the basics of bowel function and touched on possible bowel issues encountered during treatment. In…
Cancer treatments can be rough on the gut. The symptoms during and after treatment are no laughing matter (although well-timed potty humor can certainly be therapeutic, don't you think?). In this episode, Tina and Leah talk poop, that is, about the fundamentals of bowel function with an emphasis on the…
Do you remember how shocking this movie was when it first came out? The third installment of the At the Movies pod is Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me. In this 2004 shockumentary, Morgan eats nothing but McDonald’s three times a day for 30 days and assesses the effects it has on…
It’s a new episode of The Cancer Pod podcast and we’re still at the movies. This week we discuss In Defense of Food, a 2015 documentary that tries to answer the question, what can I eat to eat healthy? The documentary is based on a 2008 book by Michael Pollan,…
Want to learn all about bone health? Then this is the episode for you! How does bone degrade? Who should be most concerned? How can you build bone? Are there certain nutritional supplements that can help? Fracture risk increases with age as our bones thin, but throw some cancer treatment…
To vegan or not to vegan? The 2017 movie What the Health? presents its case for adopting an animal-free diet, but does the science the filmmakers cite support their claims? In the latest pod, Tina and Leah go to the movies and review the first of three food-related films, separating…
Doctors' appointments can be overwhelming, especially after a cancer diagnosis. There are so many questions to ask even before walking into the office, and then once a treatment plan is presented there are even more questions. On the latest episode of The Cancer Pod, Tina and Leah review some of…
