Stem Cell Transplant Blog How to raise you WBC

Ok Finally got some news. No admissions on weekends. It will be either Monday or Tuesday.

They said that there will be admissions on Monday and Tuesday. I will know Monday 10:30 AM.

Now at least I can enjoy my weekend by the Fireplace “Again”! 

Was –18 degrees Celsius this Morning, that’s about –3 F. ! Makes the Fireplace even more enjoyable!

So, I did get a question by email from another Cancer Fighter!

How to raise your WBC (White Blood Cells Count)!

One again I insist (CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR)!!!

So here is what I found on how to helps raise your WBC Naturally:

Ways To Increase Your WBC Count:

Have A Healthy Diet

There is nothing better than a healthy diet, to increase the count of white blood cells in your body and reward you with an efficient immune system. Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. The phytochemicals that lend fruits and vegetables their rich colors help the body build a strong immune system as well. So, start eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables on an everyday basis. In fact, you should cover two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and beans, and the rest with lean protein

Indulge In Regular Exercise

The importance of exercise can never ever be overemphasized in your life. Be it getting rid of the excess fat, keeping blood sugar levels under check or increasing the white blood cells in your body, indulging in a physical activity on a regular basis always comes as one of the most effective remedies. Exercising for at least 30 minutes in a day will provide you with a lot of benefit. It does not mean that you can only hit the gym or lift weights at home. Just be active for the said time, say by walking climbing stairs, cycling, etc..

Switch Over To Green Tea

Regular consumption of green tea can also go a long way in increasing your WBC count, by stimulating the production of white blood cells. All you have to do is replace 1-2 cups of tea/ coffee/ colas with decaffeinated green tea, on a daily basis. The tea comprises of catechin, a type of antioxidant that contains a specific catechin - epigallocatechin gallate or egcg (which gives it antigen-fighting abilities). Green tea catechins have been known to help perk up lymphocyte responses and even boast of anti-inflammatory effects. Want to know more about Catechins, just Google it! Plenty of info on Wiki! There are some types of Cancers where Green Tea is not recommended! Like mine!!!

Green Tea with Velcade

By now you have probably heard the warning ricocheting around the myeloma survivor community about NOT taking green tea or its derivatives with Velcade (bortezomib). It turns out that Green tea polyphenols block the anticancer effects of bortezomib and other boronic-acid based proteasome inhibitors. EGCG (Catechins and Polyphenols in Green Tea) was particularly effective at preventing cell death from Velcade, both in vitro and in real people.

So, if you are on Velcade or the trial drug Carfilzomib, you should stay away from green tea, right? And what about black tea, which contains similar polyphenols? Just don't drink tea?

A Naturopath, Dr HH, took it a step further and wrote to an author of the study published in Blood Journal , asking if there was a safe time period before and after a Velcade infusion for a person to enjoy a cup of tea. The author responded by email as follows: "Based on our observations, in combination with the known half lives of bortezomib and green tea products, we would recommend a "safety zone" of 24 hours before and 24 hours after bortezomib injection for the avoidance of green tea and green tea products."

So it appears that you can enjoy your cup of tea and maybe even your EGCG supplement, if you like, as long as you maintain that 24-hour "safety zone" of time.

Questions remain: Would green tea interfere with any other myeloma drugs? Would other supplements interfere with Velcade? There are plenty of studies showing the benefits of various supplements, but few of those have the supplement in combination with FDA-approved medicines like Revlimid, Thalidomide, or even dexamethasone.

Personally, I just avoid it period!

Some More Ways

• Consult a doctor and take a multivitamin specific to your age and gender. Do make sure that it includes a healthy amount of zinc.
• Include lots of lean protein sources in your diet. You should consume 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of your body weight.
• Try not to let your total fat intake go beyond 30 percent of your daily calories. At the same time, of the total fat intake, make sure that 5-10 percent comes from saturated fats.
• Increase your consumption of friendly bacteria; say in the form of yogurt or kefir drink. Such bacteria stimulate the immunity cells in your gastrointestinal tract. Unless you are under Chemo! Check with your doctor or Dietitian if there is one where you are followed for your Cancer! Because if your immune system is too low, there is a chance that those "Friendly Bacteria" might go through your intestines and enter your Blood Stream, Then you're in BIG trouble!

Hope this helps.

Thank you to Gabi for the kind comment about yesterday’s post!

Keep Fighting! And Enjoy your weekend!

Yvon