Sound nutrition should certainly be applied the minute a diagnosis of leukemia is made. Nevertheless letters from parents contain such phrases as: "Mary has not needed a transfusion for 18 months"; "Tom is full of pep and back in school"; "The doctors are completely baffled by this case"; "Everyone says it's a miracle," and a dozen similar remarks. Many of these children have now died, but their last months seem to me to have been less miserable than most; and in a few cases, parents have felt the improved nutrition gave them an extra year of life. If an adequate diet were started early enough and continued consistently, particularly during remissions, perhaps lives could be saved.

Rats lacking vitamin E develop too many white blood cells, which decrease when the vitamin is given; and vitamin E causes the blood platelet count, usually low in leukemia, to increase. Furthermore, a deficiency of vitamin E allows human bone marrow to become abnormal; and giving this vitamin to anemic infants has quickly improved the bone marrow. Supplements of this vitamin are rarely given to persons with leukemia, yet foods furnish only a fraction of the amount needed by healthy individuals.

Because folic acid has at times accelerated the development of leukemia, folic-acid antagonists are currently used as a treatment. These substances take the place of the vitamin in the cells, and cause a severe deficiency to be produced. Many physicians believe that the replacement of folic acid damages the normal tissues much more quickly than it does the cancer cells. Others have found that giving folic acid itself has not made leukemia worse, but that it has improved the general well being without affecting the disease.

A folic-acid deficiency prevents dozens of important physiological functions: it decreases appetite, interferes with the utilization of sugar and amino acids, stops all cell division and healing, and causes the hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes to fall out. Furthermore, the antagonist is so toxic that it usually produces vomiting, diarrhea, and at times such severe hemorrhaging as to be fatal. When it is used, all nutrients known to help prevent toxicity should be given in as large amounts as possible, and vitamins C, E, and the "bioflavonoids" increased the minute any bleeding is detected.

Every bite of food offered should build health and be served in any form or combination that is readily taken. Children two to five years old often get far more nourishment it allowed to drink milk and juices from a nursing bottle without ridicule. Regardless of the age of the child, I feel that the antistress formula should be given with fortified milk and 100 units of vitamin E six times daily; that a vitamin-B syrup should be given in addition to yeast and wheat germ; and, except for vitamin D, folic acid, and calories, that one should err by giving too many nutrients rather than too few. Though companies are no longer permitted to grow yeasts rich in folic acid or to add more than a tiny amount to any supplement, a physician must determine whether or not liver, the richest source, can be served.

Neither parents nor doctors need be fearful that improved nutrition will in any way harm the patient. Whether or not such a program can sustain life cannot be known until every nutrient is given daily from the onset.

About The Author
David Crawford is the CEO and owner of a sex enhancement pills for men company known as Male Enhancement Group which is dedicated to researching and comparing male enhancement products in order to determine which male enhancement product is safer and more effective than other products on the market. Copyright 2010 David Crawford of erectile dysfunction facts This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.