Natural Factors Whey Protein

If you’ve read our earlier blogs or talked to Brandon you know that he loves his smoothies! They are the one thing, along with fresh fruits and veggies that he can tolerate to eat on his bad days. Because he is loosing a lot of weight, and because his body is under a lot of stress processing the interferon, it is important he eats good quality protein.  At least 3-5 times a week I make smoothies with whey protein for Brandon and I in the morning and sometimes to go along with dinner (I’ll post some recipes later). Good quality whey protein can get pricey though so I was happy when I recently found a website with really good prices: iHerb.com or if you go to Natural Factors website they’ll tell you where to find locally.

Whey Factors is the highest quality natural whey protein I could find (and I did a lot of research). This product is a pure source of high quality whey protein, with no added sugar that provides support for muscle development and repair as well as the immune system. It has been recommended for cancer patients. Here are some things that make it better than the other whey protein out there:
* No sugar added, No artificial sweeteners, GMO free * BSE & rBGH free! (From cows that have not been treated with growth hormones) * Non-denatured, which means it’s processed at much lower temperatures & put through a filtering process to maintain purity. *microfiltered pure whey * Low in lactose – only 1 g per serving  * High in protein-15 grams per serving * Rich in glutamic acid and branched chain-amino acids (BCAA) * Provides beneficial whey protein microfractions including; immunoglobulin and lactoferrin

Natural Ginger Ale for Nausea

One of the helpful items we found to help with Brandon’s nausea is ginger tea  or ginger ale made from this Ginger Honey Tonic. It’s made from organic ginger and honey. We add 2 teaspoons of the tonic to sparking water or hot water to help sooth his tummy. Unfortunately he doesn’t really like the taste of ginger but this was tolerable even for him. We also tried ginger pills by the same company but he didn’t notice too much of an improvement in his symptoms with the pills. You can find this many places online. We found it at our local Super Supplements store.

FRS Energy Chews

So, we heard about this energy product called FRS that is endorsed by Lance Armstrong and has good reviews from people experiencing problems with fatigue due to cancer treatment. So we tried it out. It is a bit pricey but it does help. I wouldn’t go as far to say that it is “healthy” energy, but it definately is much healthier than what is out there.
“The key ingredient in FRS is Quercetin which is a natural antioxidant found in the skins of apples, blueberries, and onions. It protects the adrenaline that your body naturally creates to give you energy for small daily tasks like staying awake at work and big events like running a marathon. Quercetin allows your body to use energy more efficiently so you feel more energy for a longer amount of time.”

Sun Guard Laundry UV Protection

After Brandon was diagnosed all of his Doctors told us his chances of a reocurrence is very high. They recommended wearing long sleeves, hats and covering up outdoors and if you have to wear short sleeves or shorts then use sun screen. Before our first summer camping trip we ordered some shirts and pants from REI that have added Sun Protection.

Brandon’s New Dermatologist recommended that we try Rit Sun Guard Laundry Aid. It is a powder you add to your laundry to add UPF protection of 30 to your clothing. One treatment is good for more than 20 additional washings. It’s much easier and affordable than having to put sunscreen under your clothing. I ordered some today. You can find it at the following sites: SunGuard – Amazon – RitDye

Psi Bands Drug-Free Wrist Bands for the Relief of Nausea

Brandon has had a lot of problems with nausea, especially during the Infusion Phase of his treatment. I found these Psi Bands which have good reviews from people who get nausea from chemo or pregnancy. He’s tried them a few times and they seem to work pretty good. You can find them at Drugstore.com or Amazon.

Quease Ease Aromatic Inhaler, Essential Oil Therapy

Here is another item I found to help Brandon’s Nausea. QueaseEase is a drug-free, all natural product consisting of a unique blend of Pure Essential Oils, that helps to calm the queasiness associated with morning sickness – motion/sea sickness – chemotherapy . Lavender Oil, Peppermint Oil, Ginger Oil, Spearmint Oil.  Brandon carries this in his backpack to help with the queasy stomach feeling which is pretty much an ongoing symptom with interferon treatment. You can find it for about $15 at Drugstore.com or for more info go to Soothing-Scents.