Looking for at-home salad bar ideas? Have a big family or having friends over? Here are a few set-ups that will make your gathering a lot easier and more fun!

Have you ever thought it was funny how blog posts nowadays seem like they are written by a computer? Well, it’s because they probably are! This is really me though, Cortney, the author of this blog since 2011. But lately bloggers are using AI to write their blogs because it can create perfectly formulaic posts that grab the search engine’s attention.

Anyways, enough of that. I just though it was interesting (and scary?) to share. Since this is the first brand new blog post I’ve written in a while, it’s just what is on my mind while I am writing. Algorithms and AI is also why you may see the key word “salad bar ideas” all over this post. The more I say it, the more Google picks up on this post and bumps it up in the search results! Did you learn something other than salad bar ideas? HAHA, mentioned it again.

I think ya’ll will find this blog post (on salad bar ideas)  so helpful. Having a family salad bar night is truly an excellent way to make everyone happy and meet everyone’s different dietary needs and preferences.

And if you want more content like this SUBSCRIBE to my weekly, sometimes monthly email list so you won’t miss it!

Salad Bar Ideas for the Whole Family

For all of these recipes I use my food processor to chop all of my vegetables which makes the salad bar process so much faster! I cook and prepare three meals a day for a family of 8, so this is essential and majorly cuts down on time!

As always on this blog, I recommend organic, wild-caught or healthy-raised ingredients, but do your best and give God the rest. Misfits Market is my favorite way to order affordable organic produce shipped to your door with FREE shipping on orders over $100. I’ve used them for over 5 years! You can check them out HERE.

For displaying my salad bar, I lay out all of my ingredients on a stainless steel baking tray covered in parchment paper like these.

The display is part of the fun, so don’t skip a pretty display, but you don’t need all of the clean-up from using different bowls for each ingredient!

Let’s dig into these salad bar ideas for families.

#1 Anti-Cancer Salad Bar

• chopped kale
• broccoli sprouts
• sunflower sprouts
• chopped green or purple cabbage
• sliced peppers
• sliced onion or leeks
• chopped broccoli
• chopped cauliflower
• blueberries
• chopped strawberries
• pumpkin seeds
• chopped walnuts
• sprouted mung beans
• sprouted lentils
• cooked and seasoned black beans
• nutritional yeast
• (For an animal protein) Alaskan sockeye salmon
  

  Dressing: Anti-Cancer Vinaigrette

Add to a jar with lid and shake:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I use Costco’s organic brand)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• dash of Pink Himalayan sea salt
• nutritional yeast
• Optional: 3 drops of liquid stevia

(Inspired by @Chris Beat Cancer’s “Beat Cancer Kitchen” vinaigrette!)

#2 Cobb Salad Bar

• romaine lettuce
• diced tomato
• chopped boiled eggs
• sliced onion
• diced avocado
• feta cheese
• chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• cheddar cheese
• healthy-raised, non-nitrate pork bacon or turkey bacon
• chopped deli turkey
• candied pecan slivers

Dressing: Ranch

For this one, I prefer a plant-based Ranch dressing like Annie’s or Tessemae’s or you can try making your own with a recipe like this one.

#3 Asian-Thai Salad Bar

• • mixed greens or chopped romaine
  • shredded purple cabbage
  • sliced mushrooms
  • roasted cashews
  • water chestnuts
  • sliced red pepper
  • sliced onion
  • chopped green apple
  • snow peas
  • sliced carrots
  • shredded chicken (easy rotisserie or instant pot)
  • chopped peanuts
  • less-processed vegan protein options
    

    Dressing: Thai-Peanut

    Add to a jar with lid and shake:

  • 4 Tbsp natural peanut butter
  • 4 Tbsp tamari
  • 4 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
  • 2 minced cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup or 5 drops liquid stevia

#4 BBQ Chicken Salad Bar

• chopped romaine or mixed greens
• chopped parsley
• corn kernels
• black beans, drained and washed
• halved cherry tomatoes
• chopped cucumbers
• chopped onions
• sunflower seeds
• candied walnuts
• cheddar jack cheese
• chopped bacon or turkey bacon
• BBQ chicken (I put frozen chicken breasts + 1 cup water in the Instant Pot for 20 minutes, open it up, drain the water and shred it. Then add some organic BBQ sauce. Our favorite sauce is Kinder’s organic!

Dressing: BBQ Sauce or Ranch

Top with BBQ sauce or a Ranch dressing (see Cobb salad dressing above)

#5 Summer Strawberry Salad Bar

• chopped spinach
• chopped strawberries
• chopped peaches
• blueberries
• cranberries
• chopped onion
• chopped green cabbage
• chopped cucumbers
• mandarins (fresh or from a jar, drained)
• feta cheese
• cooked quinoa
• cut-up chicken nuggets (my kids love this)
• sliced chicken
• sliced turkey
• sunflower seeds

Dressing: Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Blend everything except poppy seeds in a blender until smooth. Add poppy seeds in and pulse a few times. Serve!

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup or 15-20 drops liquid stevia
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds

#6 Mexican Salad Bar

• arugula
• chopped onion
• salsa
• avocado, diced
• chopped cilantro
• diced tomato
• crunched tortilla chips
• sliced and sauted peppers and onion
• corn kernels
• black beans, washed and rinsed
• slivered almonds
• shredded mexican cheese
• ground turkey or grass-fed beef
• grilled chicken

Dressing: Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

Add all ingredients into blender and blend. Enjoy!

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 5-10 drops liquid stevia or a teaspoon sugar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water

What about you? Any ideas I can add to this post? Let me know and I’ll update it and add your ideas and give you a shout out!

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The post 6 Salad Bar Ideas for the Whole Family (Healthy, Fun, Stay-at-Home) appeared first on Anti-Cancer Mom.

I know that many of you may already be making kale chips, but this is the recipe that I have found easiest and most delicious. In fact, last week my daughter ate that entire tray you see her holding….by HERSELF. I actually had to bribe her with the kale chips to take bites of the other part of her dinner.

They are crunchy, have a tiny buttery factor from the olive oil, and are topped off with salty deliciousness. And this is without mentioning their amazing cancer-fighting abilities. Read on for the recipe!

Updated: May 17, 2023, originally published 2012

Easy and Tasty Kale Chips

Does anyone else get annoyed at the lengthy recipes on Pinterest or Google? The reason the creators have to talk about their recipe for PARAGRAPHS before you actually get to them is #1- Google will rank their recipe higher, and #2- So you have to scroll through their ads on their website.

Not here though. Here’s the recipe!

Easy and Tasty Kale Chips

1 head organic green kale

Olive Oil to taste

Sea Salt or Herbamare

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Wash kale and dry (or sometimes as long as it’s organic I just tear it without washing. Sorry if this grosses you out…but you bake it anyways!) It is important not to use soaking wet kale. Tear kale into potato chip-sized pieces avoiding the large stems. Lay casually on a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. (Having an oil/ salad dressing dispenser with nozzle helps a lot in dispersing the oil evenly.) Sprinkle with sea salt or Herbamare.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove chips from oven and move kale chips around with tongs. Bake another 8-10 minutes depending on your oven until all chips are crunchy but not burned. (Note: soggy kale chips do NOT have the same awesome effect on my daughter!)

ENJOY!

If you would like to see a video of my making this recipe, visit my Instagram page

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I have been wanting to write about Essiac Tea and its role in healing cancer for practically forever. This post is a long time coming and I’m excited to share this easy Essiac tea recipe with you! For history, how to make, and instructions, see below

BUY ESSIAC HERE (Use coupon code ACM10 for 10% off!)

Nurse Rene Caisse

The History of Essiac Tea:

Essiac tea is named for Canadian nurse, Rene Caisse (pronounced “Reen Case”,) who developed the formula for her Essiac tea recipe from an ancient remedy used by Canadian first nation tribes, (possibly Ojibwa.) It literally means “Tea of Life.”

“Essiac” is Rene’s last name spelled backwards. She learned of the Essiac tea herbs from one of her patients who had recovered from advanced breast cancer 30 years prior (this was in the 1920’s.)  This patient had learned of the herbs from a native medicine man and recovered from her cancer while only drinking the tea from the herbs.

Rene began using the Essiac tea blend on some of her cancer patients who were deemed “lost causes” (starting with her own aunt) and had great and surprising success. She opened and ran her own clinic for over 30 years (which was eventually forced to close by authorities.) Read Rene Caisse’s own words about this HERE. She helped thousands of patients heal using her Essiac tea recipe and became known as “Canada’s Cancer Nurse.”

How It Works:

The traditional Essiac tea recipe used by Rene Caisse is made from 4 herbs:

Burdock Root: Reduces mucus, helps maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract, stimulates a healthy immune response, used for weak digestion, as a diuretic for waste retention and to sweat out toxins through the skin. It has vitamin A and selenium to help reduce free radicals and its chromium content helps maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Slippery Elm (inner bark): Helps dissolve mucus deposits in tissue, glands and nerve channels. The inner bark, rich in calcium, magnesium and vitamins(A,B,C,K) helps to nourish and soothe organs, tissues and mucus membranes and is helpful to the lungs. It also helps neutralize acids from indigestion.

Sheep Sorrel Root: Used in traditional folk herbalism to cool the body, creates sweating and detoxification through the skin: as a diuretic useful in maintaining healthy kidney and urinary functions. It is rich in vitamins and trace minerals (ascorbic acid, mineral oxides, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and silicon. It is thought to nourish the glandular system.

Indian Rhubarb Root: Used traditionally in small amounts, this herb acts as a gently laxative and helps purge the liver of toxic buildup and waste. It helps neutralize acids due to indigestion. Its malic acid also carries oxygen to all parts of the body, aiding in healing and promoting a positive and balancing effect upon the whole digestive system.

(Thank you to www.essiacinfo.org for this!)

***Any Essiac tea recipe can be made with a 4-herb or 8-herb blend, but the 8-herb blend is believed to be even more effective than the original 4-herb. Later in life, Nurse Caisse preferred the 8-herb after studying its effects alongside Dr. Charles Brusch. The additional herbs in the 8-herb formula are not diluting the original 4-herbs but are ADDING to the amount of total herbs. Because of this, you will see below that you actually take MORE liquid with the 8-herb version and it is more bitter and potent.

The additional herbs in the 8-herb formula are: watercress, blessed thistle, kelp, and red clover.

My Essiac Story for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma:

Essiac is an EXCELLENT natural therapy for lymphomas since it helps release and flush toxins from the lymph system, altering the environment that encouraged circulating cancer cell activity in the first place. (See above herb descriptions.)

My experience with Essiac was pretty incredible. I added Essiac into my daily natural cancer protocol about 6 weeks after I started my anti-cancer diet. Its results were noticeable within 2 weeks.

I had a walnut-sized lymph node in my neck that began shrinking quite rapidly to the touch within days after beginning Essiac. I was grateful it was palpable from the surface and we could gauge my progress from its behavior.

Two months after beginning my natural cancer treatment (and about 3 weeks after starting Essiac,) I went to a local living foods center to receive detox therapies and was asked ONLY to consume the foods and juices there for my 12 days there. So, in keeping with the instructions I stopped consuming two parts of my protocol: the Budwig mixture and Essiac.

After my 12 days there I actually noticed an obvious INCREASE in the size of my lymph node. It was coming back! I immediately began Budwig and Essiac again and never turned back. My cancer has been in remission since 2009 and that lymph node has NEVER increased in size again.

 Who Should NOT Use Essiac:

• People receiving chemotherapy should consult with an experienced naturopath or herbalist to address interactions and detoxification during or after chemotherapy. However, I have read testimonies of Essiac users going through chemo and it actually made them feel BETTER, so consider this case by case. The official Genuine Essiac page says that there are no known drug interactions with Essiac
• Pregnant and nursing women should use caution with any Essiac tea recipe. The main concern is that the herbs will cause toxins to be released into the mother’s bloodstream which could pass into baby. With this said, I have heard of women using Essiac during pregnancy and nursing. I also think about the fact that oncologists easily prescribe chemotherapy to pregnant women, and there’s no way that Essiac could cause more harm than that!  If I were faced with cancer during pregnancy again, I would consider Essiac, ramping up slowly to the full dose.
• People with major kidney and liver problems should consult their doctor before using Essiac.

My Favorite EASY Essiac Tea Recipe:

Genuine Essiac is the brand I recommend, as it is the most affordable and closest to the original recipe and work of Nurse Rene Caisse. You can read their entire story on their website. (Make sure to use promo code ACM10 for 10% off!)

When I drank Essiac during my cancer season, I didn’t feel confident enough to make my own and ended up buying REALLY expensive (but awesome) pre-made Essiac (see bottom of post.)

Nowadays I definitely feel better about making my own, homemade Essiac tea. It turns out it wasn’t really that hard to make in the first place!

After much research, my favorite version of pre-blended dry Essiac is from Genuine Essiac.

You can purchase a 1 lbs bag HERE and the 3 lbs bag HERE. My favorite are the individual 4 ounce bags that equal one gallon of Essiac tea HERE. That way you don’t need to measure anything, just pour out the bag into the water!

How to Make:

To make 1 gallon of Essiac tea: This will easily cover 2 weeks of twice to three times a day of Essiac consumption.

Step 1: Around bedtime, use a large pot with lid and bring 1 gallon + 3/4 cup of filtered water to a boil.

Step 2: Stir in 4 ounces Essiac Tea blend, stir in, and boil on medium for 10 minutes (set your timer.)

Step 3: Turn off heat and let cool and brew overnight for 12 hours. (Lid is optional but I always fear a bug will get in so I put a lid on.)

Step 4: After 12 hours, stir tea and pour into a one gallon glass pitcher or store in separate containers with lid. I prefer to use stainless steel or glass. There is no need to put in amber glass bottles (like I’ve suggested in the past) since your homemade Essiac will be stored in a dark refrigerator.

If you have old Essiac bottles, you could still use them to store your homemade Essiac, but I prefer the simpler method of using a glass 1 gallon pitcher.

Step 5: Drink your Essiac batch within 2-3 weeks. Before each pour from the container or bottle, give your Essiac a stir to mix the herbs up. Unlike past recipes I’ve shared, this Essiac recipe is the closest to Nurse Caisse’s method and she had her patients drink the gritty herbs along with the liquid for extra benefit.

To Drink Essiac Tea:

• Measure out 3 ounces of the Essiac tea, making sure you stir before pouring. For years I used to add enough hot water to warm up the tea and drink warm, but I have since been advised that Nurse Caisse actually served the tea room temperature or COLD.
• Optimally, make sure to wait 60 minutes to eat after drinking Essiac and try to take Essiac two hours AFTER eating. Consume 3 times per day if healing from cancer.
•  If you don’t like the flavor or texture, you’ll get used to it! It did and I love it now. It tastes like….LIFE! If you need a little help, you can  add stevia drops.

Sample schedule for an Essiac Routine:

7am: Essiac

8am: Breakfast

10:30 Snack

11:30 Essiac

12:30 Lunch

3pm Snack

6:00pm Dinner

8:30: Essiac

9:30 Snack if needed

Pre-Made Essiac Tea:

When I was going through treatment I was overwhelmed by the idea of making my own Essiac tea. I felt like I was prepping food in my kitchen 24/7! So my husband and I spent a fortune buying 1-2 bottles of Flor-essence brand Essiac tea a week at almost $60 a bottle!

If that’s you, and you have the money, you can find the pre-made Flor-essence brand I used HERE.

But making your own Essiac tea is as simple as boiling water and dumping in the bag now. With this new method I have learned, Essiac is simpler than making Kool-Aid! Remember to buy the pre-measured bags if you are getting started!

For Essiac Tea Community, other Essiac tea recipe ideas, and to hear MANY successful testimonies and share your own, see the Essiac Tea Users Facebook page.

Connect with AntiCancerMom on Facebook or Instagram.

See more posts on anti-cancer lifestyle and diet and alternative cancer treatments HERE.

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Sources and References:

http://www.essiacinfo.org/caisse.html

http://www.healthfreedom.info/Cancer%20Essiac.htm

The post Essiac Tea Recipe + How I Used It To Heal From Cancer appeared first on Anti-Cancer Mom.

Elderberry syrup is an essential I keep in my family’s natural remedy-based medicine cabinet, especially during the winter months. Unfortunately store-bought elderberry syrup can be incredibly expensive for how much you get and also mixed with some yucky ingredients and sugars. If you haven’t learned how to make homemade elderberry syrup yet, you are in the right place. This guide is quick, easy, and fool proof.

EASY Homemade Elderberry Syrup

Last year my entire family got the flu over Christmas and this recipe was by far a saving grace for us. Not only is it potent and we could feel the difference after taking it, but it was easy for my kids to take since it tasted so good! I hope you find it just as helpful.

Medicinal Benefits and Studies of Elderberry Syrup

Unlike getting a flu shot, elderberry syrup has potent antiviral and antibacterial compounds that work WITH your immune system naturally.

Elderberry syrup has been made for centuries and has been praised for its immune boosting and flu fighting abilities. It is high in Vitamin C and also contains excellent amounts of Vitamin A, and B6. The levels of anthocyanins in elderberry boost our production of cytokines which increase the effectiveness of our immune response.

Elderberries also contain antiviral components and their high potency of bioflavonoids are believed to deactivate viruses.

A 1995 study in Panama published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that elderberry extract cut the length and severity of Influenza B in HALF compared the placebo group.

A 2004 study published in The Journal of International Medical Research found that elderly influenza patients receiving elderberry syrup, were relieved of their symptoms 4 times earlier than patients receiving the placebo:

Sixty patients (aged 18-54 years) suffering from influenza-like symptoms for 48 h or less were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study during the influenza season of 1999-2000 in Norway. Patients received 15 ml of elderberry or placebo syrup four times a day for 5 days, and recorded their symptoms using a visual analogue scale. Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo. Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment for influenza. These findings need to be confirmed in a larger study.”

EASY Homemade Elderberry Syrup (with Instant Pot option)

2/3 cup dried elderberries (find some HERE at Amazon)

3 1/4 cups water

3/4  cup honey (raw, local is best)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ground ginger powder

Stove Top Directions:

1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan, add in elderberries and reduce to simmer.
2. Simmer for 45-60 minutes or until liquid has reduced by about half.
3. Let cool to warm and then strain through a sieve, cheesecloth, or muslin.
4. Add in honey and stir.
5. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.

Keeps in refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Instant Pot Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except for honey in your instant pot or electric pressure cooker.
2. Cook on normal high pressure for 10 minutes. Release pressure manually or allow to release naturally if time (I like to let my berries simmer a bit longer while the pressure releases.)
3. Remove pot insert and let cool to warm.
4. Strain through sieve, cheesecloth or muslin.
5. Add honey and stir.
6. Store in sealed jar in refrigerator.

Keeps in refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Dosage:

Preventative: 1 Tbsp/daily for adults, 1 tsp/daily for children over 1 year.

Illness Remedy: 1 Tbsp/2-3 hours for adults, 1-2 tsp/2-3 hours for children over 1 year.

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I was ECSTATIC when I tried this healthy hot chocolate recipe out a few years ago and it ended up actually being delicious! It meant that I could enjoy hot chocolate again for the first time since my cancer diagnosis in 2008. The bonus is that chocolate in its less-adulterated form of CACAO is actually GOOD for us. After some tweaking over the years, I finally got it exactly the way my family loves it, but there are also some options for changing it up for your individual dietary needs.

This frothy recipe with minuscule guilt-factor is extremely scrumptious and makes it hard to resist another cup. I think you’ll love it!

Homemade, Healthy Hot Chocolate Recipe

Updated: December, 2018

So how much chocolate should we be eating exactly? First of all, it is important to note that the benefits of chocolate are best-received when it is made from 72% or more cacao, or the raw chocolate plant. This is ground into COCOA, the powdered form of raw cacao. Most of the studies I read that cited health benefits used chocolate containing 70% or more cacao.  And of course, ORGANIC is best so you don’t have to worry about pesky GMO-chocolate or pesticides.

Also, check the sugar content. You want to find chocolate with the lowest sugar content possible. I found 72% cacao chocolate bars at both Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s with under 6 grams of sugar per ounce. If you can only find chocolate with a higher sugar content, you’ll need to reduce the amount of stevia or sweetener you add.

Now if you’re fighting cancer currently, I would suggest frequent GREEN TEA consumption rather than this recipe. I don’t think it would be immediately hurtful, I just don’t think it would be proactive in fighting cancer since healing with diet/ alternative protocols takes LASER focus.

However, I did happen to find evidence linking chocolate to tumor-reducing activity in lymphoma cells. You can also read about the many studies that have been done regarding chocolate’s health benefits HERE and then make your own call to whether you feel it would be beneficial in your case.

Other benefits of dark chocolate made up of 72% or more CACOA are:

• it lowers the risk of alzheimer’s disease
• its anti-inflammatory properties to promote quicker healing and less likelihood of most degenerative disease (cancer) and allergies
• it protects against high blood pressure and gestational diabetes in pregnant women
• it can lower blood pressure
• it can increase overall cardiovascular health

Homemade, Healthy Hot Chocolate

• 8 oz organic unsweetened almond milk (or any milk you prefer)
• a 2 x 1.5 inch piece of 70% or higher cacao dark chocolate bar (this is ~3 x 5 cm)
• 9-12 drops of liquid stevia or ~1 Tbsp of honey or maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan add chocolate and melt over medium heat.
2. Add milk and vanilla (optional) to the stovetop and with a fork mix melted chocolate with the milk and bring heat to desired temperature.
3. Add 10-12 drops stevia or other sweetener.
4. Pour into mugs. ENJOY!

Double or triple the recipe and make some for friends and family! My daughters love this recipe. While you’re sipping, why not share some of the chocolate health benefits you learned about in this post. (;

*Some other options: If you do not have dark chocolate you can substitute 1 Tbsp of organic cocoa powder per 8 ounces of milk.

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The Budwig Protocol is the common name for the diet and lifestyle developed by Dr. Johanna Budwig in the 1950’s to help restore otherwise hopeless, advanced cancer patients back to health.

 Note: “The Budwig Protocol for Cancer” was originally published on January 26, 2011 and has been updated in 2024.

The Budwig Protocol For Cancer

Dr. Johanna Budwig has been referred to as a top European cancer research scientist, biochemist, blood specialist, German pharmacologist, and physicist. She is known and highly respected around the world, even still today as Germany’s premier biochemist.

In the 1940’s, she discovered a new process of analyzing the composition of fats using chromatography paper. She used this to distinguish unsaturated fats from saturated fats which led to her further study of polyunsaturated fats and eventually her discovery of the danger of trans-fats. (I’ll get more into this below.)

Her discovery of the effect of fats in the overall health of the body led Dr. Budwig to become interested in understanding anything that could interfere with the natural process of cellular oxygen uptake in healthy cells and eventually cancer cells.

Dr. Otto H. Warburg

Dr. Warburg and the Metabolic Cancer Theory

Following the work of Dr. Otto Warburg (himself a Nobel Prize winner,) Dr. Budwig studied how cancer cells are anaerobic- this means that they thrive in a low-oxygen environment. Instead, they rely primarily on GLUCOSE (sugar) to survive.

This is the reason that people with cancer should avoid processed sugar as much as absolutely possible – because isolated sugar fuels cancer cell replication through aerobic glycolysis, or sugar fermented into lactic acid.

Even though Dr. Warburg discovered this and studied it further, he passed away before he was able to find a way to restore the anaerobic cancer cell to its original aerobic, healthy function and metabolism. This is where Dr. Budwig came in.

Dr. Budwig developed her “Oil-Protein Diet” to combat cancer in the 1950’s in post-war Germany when the use of chemotherapy for cancer was in its infancy. Picking up where Dr. Warburg left off, Dr. Budwig believed she discovered the reason why our healthy cells become anaerobic in the first place.

According to her, it is quite simple:

In order for our bodies’ cells to process oxygen as fuel, they need certain enzymes to be present in the fat content of the foods we eat.  However, because so much of the Standard American Diet (SAD diet) consists of chemically-treated, processed, sugar-laden, denatured foods, the necessary enzymes our bodies require for cellular respiration have been destroyed and in some cases even replaced by manufactured fats (i.e. trans fats) which are completely useless to the body.

Over time, this sets up a whole host of problems from heart disease, to skin and lung problems, to brain and liver problems, to diabetes and immune deficiency syndromes, to cancer. Simply put, to remain HEALTHY, our cells NEED to be able to process oxygen and use it efficiently, and the Budwig diet provides this.

The “Oil Protein Diet” and Cancer

Dr. Budwig discovered that when she combined sulfur-rich proteins like quark (common in Europe) or cottage cheese (U.S. equivalent) with highly unsaturated essential fatty acids, like those rich in omega-3’s found in flaxseed oil, the unsaturated fatty acids bonded molecularly with the sulphuric proteins.

This bond made the flaxseed oil water-soluble, enabling it to be absorbed instantly and effortlessly through the cellular membrane.  In turn, the instant flood of vital nutrients, energy-rich electrons, and essential enzymes to all cells (remember, the enzymes were what was missing in the first place) acted as a spark that re-ignited their ability to burn oxygen, thus encouraging restoration of ALL cells to a healthy aerobic state.

Skepticism

Skeptical of this, in 1990, Dr. Budwig’s findings were re-examined by Dr. Dan C. Roehm M.D. FACP (oncologist and former cardiologist).  After his own testing, Dr. Roehm concluded:

“This diet is far and away the most successful anti-cancer diet in the world. What she (Dr. Johanna Budwig) has demonstrated to my initial disbelief but lately, to my complete satisfaction in my practice is: CANCER IS EASILY CURABLE, the treatment is dietary/ lifestyle, the response is immediate; the cancer cell is weak and vulnerable; the precise biochemical breakdown point was identified by her in 1951 and is specifically correctable, in vitro (test-tube) as well as in vivo (real)…” _Dr. Dan C. Roehm M.D. FACP, oncologist & former cardiologist, in “Townsend Letter for Doctors”, July 1990

Dr. Roehm added: “I only wish that all my patients had a PhD in Biochemistry and Quantum Physics to enable them to see how with such consummate skill this diet was put together. It is a wonder.”

As Dr. Roehm mentions, it is important to note that even though the cottage cheese-flaxseed oil mixture is the cornerstone of the Budwig’s diet, it is NOT the entirety of her lifestyle protocol.  Dr. Budwig also emphasized the importance of raw foods, a vegetarian diet, low stress levels, and healthy amounts of sun exposure. More detailed information on the science behind CCFO as well as how to implement Dr. Budwig’s full protocol can be found in her two books: Flax Oil As a True Aid Against Arthritis, Heart Infarction, Cancer and Other Diseases, and The Oil-Protein Diet Cookbook.

Full Budwig Protocol Schedule

(From Dr. Budwig’s Cookbook)

Pre-Breakfast:

Drink 8 ounce glass of sauerkraut juice

Breakfast: 

Budwig Linomel-Muesli

• using a coffee grinder, grind 2 Tbsp flax seeds, set aside
• Combine 1 tsp honey,  3 Tbsp milk, and 3 Tbsp of flaxseed oil and blend with immersion blender.
• Gradually add in 3.5 ounces (100g) of cottage cheese or quark and blend some more. A little more milk can be added.
• You can flavor this mixture differently each day with nuts, berries, banana, fruit juice, shredded coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, etc.
• Always eat the oil-protein mixture within 20-25 minutes of making it

Mid-Morning Snack:

Drink 8 ounces freshly juiced carrot, celery, beet, or apple juice (or a combination).

Lunch:

Raw salad with Oil-Protein mixture on top

• To make oil-protein mixture, blend 2 Tbsp flaxseed oil, 2 Tbsp milk and 2 Tbsp cottage cheese or quark. Once blended, combine with mustard, Celtic sea salt, choice of herbs, or salsa.

(You can see all of my cancer fighting salad recipes HERE or in my Anti-Cancer Lifestyle Guide with over 25 recipes and 5 days of meal plans HERE.)

Afternoon Snack:

Drink 8 ounces of pure vegetable-fruit juice combo with 1-2 Tbsp of ground flaxseed oil.

Dinner:

Should be light and early, around 6pm.

• Cooked rice, buckwheat, or oats paired with vegetable soup and Oleolox (read more about how to prepare in Dr. Budwig’s cookbook. I haven’t personally eaten it.)

My Thoughts: 15 Years After Cancer

It has been 13 years since I originally wrote this post, and I have learned a lot about Dr. Budwig’s findings since then. Most importantly (and kind of surprising,) was that once I really dug into her cookbooks, I realized that the cottage cheese-flaxseed oil recipe I had been following from Bill Henderson’s book for many years was not at all what Dr. Budwig had her patients doing.

Whereas Bill Henderson’s “mixture” was a full dose of cottage cheese (2/3 cup) and flaxseed oil (6 Tbsp) once a day WITHOUT the ground flaxseeds, Dr. Budwig instructed her patients to eat a smaller dose (3.5 ounces of cottage cheese + 3 Tbsp flaxseed oil then add 2 Tbsp freshly ground flaxseeds) several times a day along with fruits, vegetables and their juices.

Even with Bill Henderson’s deviation from Dr. Budwig’s ratio, I ate his version of the Budwig mixture below for seven years and my cancer was in remission after six months and has been in remission since.

Here’s the recipe I used:

Simple Budwig Mixture Recipe: (from Bill Henderson’s “Cancer Free” book)

• 2/3 cup organic cottage cheese (I like Nancy’s brand since it does not have carrageenan or other additives.)
• 6 tbsp flaxseed oil
• optional: add berries, bananas, or nuts to taste and also stevia

Directions: Mix by hand first and then blend it with an immersion hand blender until the oil is completely mixed with the cottage cheese. A large coffee cup or soup bowl (see picture above) has worked best to mix it in. Then add other ingredients if you would like. A great video demonstrating this can be found here. Note: It is very important to mix just the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil FIRST! Wait 5 minutes after blending, then add the other ingredients and consume mixture within 25-30 minutes of making it. It cannot be stored for later as it loses its potency.

You can also try the Chocolate Budwig Pudding, Strawberry Budwig Smoothie, and Vanilla-Cinnamon Budwig Smoothie.

Frequently Asked Questions

Since 2008, I have also had some really challenging and well-informed questions from you guys, so I’m going to go over some of those here as well:

How long do you need to stay on the Budwig protocol?

I ate the Budwig mixture (from Bill Henderson’s book Cancer-Free: Your Guide to Gentle, Nontoxic Healing) along with my mostly raw vegan, organic diet for SEVEN straight years with VERY little deviation. I remember reading many years ago that Dr. Budwig recommended staying on her diet for at least FIVE years after remission, so I felt like seven years was sufficient, especially because I was still laser-focused on staying away from processed sugar, striving for gut health, and eating a mostly plant-based diet.

Now at the 10 year mark, I feel confident with my decision to transition off of the Budwig mixture at the seven year mark and it probably could have happened sooner, but no sooner than 5 years.

Do I need to add ground flax seeds to the mixture and do they need to be freshly ground?

Over the years I have learned that I never was actually on Dr. Budwig’s Protocol, something readers clued me into over the years with questions, mainly about whether I used ground flaxseed on my cottage cheese-flaxseed oil mixture. (I didn’t.)

The late Bill Henderson (whose book and protocol I used to heal), in his quest to simplify an anti-cancer healing protocol that anyone could afford and complete at home, simplified Dr. Budwig’s protocol down to a mixture that could be eaten everyday. For me, I had no problem eating the full amount in one sitting (2/3 cup cottage cheese with 6 Tbsp flaxseed oil)- something Dr. Budwig spread throughout the day into 2 or 3 servings.

If I were to do it all over again- YES- I would add in the ground flax seeds. Would it have been more work? YES. I would have had to have freshly ground my flax seeds with a coffee grinder each morning before work (you can already see in my daily anti-cancer routine– I was jam packed.) I don’t love the additional work and dishes, but it IS part of Dr. Budwig’s original recommendations.

Can I eat the Budwig mixture in two portions or do I have to eat it all at once? Can I store it for later?

For the first 7 years of eating the Budwig mixture, I had no problem eating the Bill Henderson recommended dose of 2/3 cup cottage cheese + 6 Tbsp flaxseed oil, but every now and then I would get a reader message about it being too filling or in some making them nauseous.

I always recommended for them to split the mixture in two (which is actually more in line with Dr. Budwig’s dosing. The only downside to this is it takes double the time and dishes. I also noticed it is more difficult to blend since there is less food for the blender to blend, so more splattering takes place.

Just use 1/3 cup cottage cheese and 3 Tbsp flax seed oil and blend with an immersion blender.

You can not store the mixture for later as it loses its potency.

Even after splitting the Budwig mixture in two, I still don’t feel well after eating it. What should I do?

I sympathized with this after I had my third baby, because for some reason (I blame the lack of sleep, stress, overwhelm, and lack of self-care,) my body began rejecting the mixture and it made me sick! After careful consideration, I began transitioning to a mostly plant-based, still low sugar diet due to some postpartum problems with my gallbladder and digestion.

So I know it happens.

Perhaps it is the sudden change in oil or the dairy or emotional stuff. Who knows. You need to listen to your body. Try it for a little while and try the smaller dosing and if you still don’t feel right about, consider another protocol and work with your holistic practitioner.

I am vegan, lactose intolerant, and allergic to dairy. Are their alternatives?

Dr. Budwig wrote about hundreds of people who claimed to have had a dairy intolerance that did well on her protocol. She believed that the chemical properties of the quark or cottage cheese changed when bound with the electron-rich flaxseed oil.

If you are deathly allergic to dairy, I wouldn’t try it. If you are not, then I’d give the Budwig mixture a try in the smaller dose first over the course of a few weeks. Then add in the second dose or full morning dose.

And regarding the vegan alternative: if dairy products are a moral or biological limitation for you, Dr. Budwig’s approach is probably not the right fit for you. The Gerson Protocol or a variation on that would probably be a better fit seeing that it is plant-based and well-researched and studied as well.

To alter the Budwig mixture would be to stray from what Dr. Budwig confirmed in her research and experience. I might add too that although many vegan alternatives (nuts, coconut yogurt, etc) have been discussed, the sulfuric protein in quark or cottage cheese and the Omega 6 – Omega 3 ratio it maintains with the flax seed oil is the only option that Dr. Budwig herself recommended.

Conclusion:

It’s crazy how much can change in ten years. In revising this article, I realized how much I have learned over a decade and how much scientifically has changed in the acceptance of the metabolic cancer theory. Here are just a few studies still looking into Dr. Warburg’s research and Dr. Budwig’s writings:

Current Published Discussions About Dr. Warburg’s Metabolic Cancer Theory:

2010 Manuscript: The Warburg Effect: How Does it Benefit Cancer Cells?

2010 Manuscript: Understanding the Warburg Effect: The Metabolic Requirements of Cell Proliferation

2006 Study: Induction of oxidative metabolism by mitochondrial frataxin inhibits cancer growth: Otto Warburg revisited

Interviews/ Writings of Dr. Budwig:

Excerpt from: “Cancer- The Problem and the Solution”

Fats as True Aids- Three Lectures By Dr. Budwig

The Budwig Foundation (many primary resources and writings here translated from German!)

Dr. Budwig’s stated that healing must take place in the “body, mind, and soul!” She was firm about healing not just being from her diet, but from all aspects of our lifestyle. (You can read more about the Budwig mixture, and all aspects of an anti-cancer lifestyle in my  Anti-Cancer Lifestyle Guide!)

With that said, I believe that even though I did not use Dr. Budwig’s exact protocol, the amount of oxygen and electron rich flaxseed oil combined with the sulfuric protein in the cottage cheese made a HUGE difference in my recovery and ten year remission from NLP Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experience, too! Feel free to leave a comment below.

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The post The Budwig Protocol for Cancer + FAQ’s (and my experience 15 years later…) appeared first on Anti-Cancer Mom.

Hi Everyone! Lots to update you on and not enough time to blog about it, so until there’s more time I’m giving you this really delicious and versatile salad you can make in all different sizes by adjusting the recipe. It’s a healthy but not too-far-out-there statement for the next football tailgate or a healthy dish to bring to your next family gathering. It’s also anti-cancer legit enough to add to your recipe rotation if you’re healing from cancer naturally.

I hope you love it!

Mexican Cancer Fighting Salad:

2 cups of chopped romaine

1/2 cup of homemade or canned black beans

1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 onion

chopped cilantro

1/2 cup homemade cancer-fighting guacamole

2-3 cauliflower florets chopped

1/4- 1/2 cup sprouted pumpkin seeds (or regular raw)

1/8 tsp of cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Dash of cayenne pepper (very small!)

Lightly sprinkle with Herbamare and black pepper.

1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast optional (for a “cheezy” flair)

Optional: Add homemade or store bought organic salsa! (I used pineapple salsa….YUM.)

Directions: Toss salad to mix up spices. Then top with Cilantro-Avocado-Lime Dressing below.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing:

1/3 c. olive oil

2 Tbsp water

1 handful cilantro (about 1 cup leaves and stems, packed)

1/2 lime

2-3 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp honey

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a blender and serve. Keeps in the fridge for several days.

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Anyone who is living an anti-cancer lifestyle knows that the amount of food preparation can be daunting and our food choices can be confusing, especially when you’re a newbie. This cancer fighting salad is super easy, includes a colorful array of nutrition and can be put together in under six minutes!

Quick & Easy Cancer Fighting Salad

I know that as a busy mom of three little ones, there are days where I get everyone fed and then have a moment where my heart sinks as I realize I have to make something for MYSELF. A meal that is not only anti-cancer but also enough calories and nutrition and a huge bonus if it’s QUICK.

This salad does the trick and it really won’t take you long at all.

Note: A great tip when making this is to triple the recipe to make three salads instead of just one. I like these easy Pyrex container with lids to perfectly pack a salad into and seal up for the next few meals or days.

I also love these salad scissors for easier eating. I just feel a bit more…civilized when I’m not shoveling giant leaves into my mouth.

I would also consider adding some great cancer-fighting spices such as turmeric with black pepper and a dash of cayenne.

Anti-Cancer Benefits of this Recipe:

• Leafy greens like spinach: High in fiber, folate and carotenoids, leafy greens prevent healthy cells from mutating and keep the colon clean by sweeping out what doesn’t need to be there (parasites, decaying food, etc.)
• Onions contain multiple antioxidants and other nutrients that have a therapeutic impact on many types of cancer.
• Peppers are loaded with Vitamin C, carotenoids, and multiple antioxidants, all necessary for cancer prevention.
• Broccoli stalks and florets (and the entire cruciferous vegetable family) have MANY compounds within them that can be used therapeutically against cancer.
• Sunflower sprouts are harvested at the phase of plant life where they are packed with nutrients and essentially are a LIVE food loaded with life-giving enzymes used to revitalize the body when eaten.
• Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants like anthocyanins, flavonoids, quercetin, and ellagic acid which all serve to stop free radical damage to our cells (which can lead to cancer mutation.)
• Pumpkin seeds are high in antioxidants, zinc, and magnesium, all which contribute to a strong immune system.

Do you have any favorite salads or quick go-to lunches that are also anti-cancer? Share with us!

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Oh my gosh, how I LOVE a delish guacamole recipe. Back in the P.C.D. (pre-cancer days,) I could put down an entire bag of tortilla chips in one sitting if you gave me enough guacamole to pair it with.

Nowadays a bottomless basket of tortilla chips is a thing of the past, but I can still savor and cherish my guacamole! This recipe is naturally paired with two other anti-cancer powerhouses: peppers and carrots for scooping.

Anti-Cancer Benefits of This Recipe:

• Carotenoids in carrots, peppers, and avocados are anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory.
• The fat in avocados help carotenoid absorption making this recipe a perfect cancer-fighting combination.
• Onions and garlic are part of the cancer-fighting brassica family.
• Compounds in avocados have been found to combat leukemia stem cells.

The post Super Easy Anti-Cancer Guacamole appeared first on Anti-Cancer Mom.

I’ve been getting such great feedback from last week’s Vanilla Cinnamon Anti-Cancer Budwig Smoothie. Thank you for the sweet comments and messages. I know I am just so glad to have another tasty way to get such an awesomely cancer-fighting breakfast option down the hatch so it can do its thing!

This week I have another delicious anti-cancer smoothie for you. I actually “premiered” it at a HealingStrong Natural Healing Education and Support Group last Sunday here north of Atlanta and it was a hit!

The next day I got this message from the sweetest woman who was there with her husband who is healing naturally (after chemo) from a Stage 4 cancer. He was having a hard time with the Budwig mixture…until he tried the Strawberry Anti-Cancer Budwig Smoothie! This is what she wrote to me:

We tried it <Budwig mixture> with strawberries and it was a success! Someone is doing a happy dance!
We did mix the Budwig mixture first with the immersion blender and then added the milk, strawberry and stevia mixture by hand. A little more work but I’d rather play it safe. Thanks for this, you’re <my hubby’s> hero today.”

So ’nuff said. With that, I definitely think you should give it a try today!

Dr. Johanna Budwig:

For those of you not familiar with Dr. Budwig’s research on the relation between fats and cancer, here is a brief excerpt from a previous post I wrote explaining the science behind WHY this mixture is cancer fighting and healing all at the same time:

Dr. Budwig discovered the reason why our healthy cells become anaerobic in the first place.  According to her, it is quite simple:  Basically, in order for our bodies’ cells to process oxygen as fuel, they need certain enzymes to be present in the fat content of the foods we eat.  However, because so much of the Standard American Diet (SAD diet) consists of chemically-treated, processed, sugar-laden, denatured foods, the necessary enzymes our bodies require for cellular respiration have been destroyed and in some cases even replaced bymanufactured fats (i.e. trans fats) which are completely useless to the body.  Over time, this sets up a whole host of problems from heart disease, to skin and lung problems, to brain and liver problems, to diabetes and immune deficiency syndromes, to cancer and more!  Simply put, to remain HEALTHY, our cells NEED to be able to process oxygen, and the Budwig diet provides this!…but HOW?

[The paraphrased science continues!] Dr. Budwig discovered that when she combined sulfur-rich proteins like cottage cheese with highly unsaturated fatty acids (rich in omega-3’s) like those found in flaxseed oil, the unsaturated fatty acids bonded molecularly with the sulphuric proteins. This bond made the flaxseed oil water-soluble, enabling it to be absorbed instantly and effortlessly through the cellular membrane.  In turn, the instant flood of vital nutrients and essential enzymes to the cells (remember, the enzymes were what was missing in the first place) acted as a spark that re-ignited their ability to burn oxygen, thus restoring ALL cells to a healthy aerobic state – INCLUDING cancer cells!  In other words, Dr. Budwig discovered that this simple mixture, in effect, allowed cancer cells to ‘breathe’ again, returning them to their healthy, normal state, and thereby ridding the body of cancer!”

Addressing Concerns About Calories and Staying True to Dr. Budwig…

I heard some concerns from a few “Budwig gurus” regarding high speed blending of the Budwig mixture and maintaining its chemical integrity so I’ve altered a few of my steps from last week’s post to stay closer to Dr. Budwig’s original methodology.

Another concern that was expressed by some of you was the 900+ calories this smoothie packs in it. Most of that comes from the flaxseed oil which contains large amounts of essential fatty acids (Omega 3’s) and will actually HELP you burn fat. Our body does not produce these on its own. That said, eating a mostly raw, plant-based diet (with optional and minimal healthy meats) in addition to the Budwig mixture is recommended by Dr. Budwig herself and is optimal for healing from cancer and preventing it from occurring in the first place.

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