Laetrile/Apricot seed treatment
How It Works
Laetrile (i.e. amygdalin or Vitamin B17) therapy is one of the most popular and best known alternative cancer treatments. It is very simple to use and is very effective if used in high enough doses and if the product is of high quality and if it is combined with an effective cancer diet and key supplements (in other words, you need to do your homework to maximize its benefits).
Laetrile works by killing cancer cells and building the immune system to fend off future outbreaks of cancer. It uses two different methods for killing cancer cells. It involves a strict diet (as do all cancer treatments) and several supplements.
How to Obtain Laetrile or Vitamin B17
The FDA has made the purchase of laetrile supplements effectively impossible, even though it is a perfectly natural and safe supplement. In order for a doctor to use laetrile supplements, they or their patient must "confess" to the FDA that the doctor is using laetrile in their practice. In other words, laetrile supplements are effectively illegal because no doctor wants to admit they are using laetrile. Thus, if you illegally buy laetrile supplements, how do you insure you are buying it from a highly trusted source? This seems like an oxymoron.
Having said that, there are sources of laetrile pills. However, most people take laetrile in the form of apricot kernels. In the middle of a peach or apricot is a hard shell. If you break open the hard shell with a "nut cracker," pliers or hammer, you will find a small seed/kernel in the middle that looks like an almond. However, it is much softer than an almond and certainly does not taste like an almond. It is this seed that is rich in natural laetrile.
If you search for "apricot kernels" (use the quotes) on Google you will be able to find a lot of vendors of apricot kernels. Be advised, however, that apricot kernel sites cannot legally make any claims about laetrile being used to treat cancer.
Most experts will recommend a daily dose of apricot kernels from between 24 kernels a day up to 40 kernels a day, spread throughout the day. For a person in remission, 16 apricot kernals a day should be used as a minimum.
Because I do not like any form of dehydration, especially if artificial heat is applied (it can affect the bioavailability of the laetrile molecule), I like apricot kernels sold still in the shell. Yes, it is extra work to break open the shell for each kernel, but you KNOW the kernel has not been dehydrated. The vendor "Our Father's Farm" will, on special request, sell apricot kernels still in the shell (see the link below).
Other things rich in laetrile are millet grain and buckwheat grain. Breads made with these grains, however, generally do not contain a high percentage of millet or buckwheat or else they would be too hard.
Also, the seeds of berry plants, such as red raspberries and black raspberries are rich in laetrile. Red raspberries also have a second cancer killer in their seeds: Ellagic Acid, a phenolic. About four dozen foods have Ellagic Acid, but Red Raspberries have the highest concentration. Strawberries also have Ellagic Acid.
This means that when you buy berry jelly, make sure you buy preserves that have the seeds. Basically, the seeds of any fruit, except citrus fruits, have laetrile. My wife eats apples from the bottom up, meaning she eats the seeds and always has. This is a good habit to get into - I picked up the habit years ago.
Of course, apricot kernels are the best source of laetrile. Those who do not yet have cancer might want to plant a few apricot or peach trees in their back yard for a long term source of laetrile. The kernels can be frozen while still in the shell.
The Dr. Philip Binzel list of foods that contain laetrile include: apricot kernels, peach kernels, grape seeds, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, bean sprouts, lima beans and macadamia nuts (to name but a few).
If you live outside of the U.S. and are able to obtain laetrile pills, it is important to take them with natural water on an empty stomach and to not eat or drink anything for one hour after taking the pills.
The FDA claims that laetrile is toxic. This is an absolute lie. Read the first chapter of Alive and Well (which is online and is linked to below) to see how absurd the FDA claim is.
The Theory
When the laetrile compound molecule comes across a cancer cell, it is broken down into 2 molecules of glucose, 1 molecule of hydrogen cyanide and 1 molecule of benzaldehyde. In the early days of laetrile research it was assumed that the hydrogen cyanide molecule was the major cancer cell killing molecule, but now it is known that it is the benzaldehyde molecule that is by far the major reason the cancer cell is killed.
The reason laetrile therapy takes so long to work, in spite of the marvelous design of the laetrile molecule, is because if the laetrile molecule happens to chemically react with the enzyme of a non-cancerous cell (i.e. rhodanese), before it reacts with the enzyme of a cancerous cell (beta-glucosidase), the rhodanese will break apart the laetrile molecule in such a way that it can no longer kill a cancer cell. Thus you have to take enough laetrile molecules, over a long enough time, that enough laetrile molecules coincidently (as far as we know) hits all of the cancer cells first.
The second way that laetrile therapy works is because of the laetrile diet. Like the metabolic diet, it is designed to build up the trypsin and chymotrypsin in the body, and let them work on the cancer cells. What they do is break down the enzymes surrounding the cancer cell so the white blood cells can kill the cancer cell. More will be said about the cancer diet below.
One of the good side-effects of laetrile therapy is that more Vitamin B12 is made in the body. With this in mind, make sure you supplement laetrile therapy with Vitamin C. Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 are, by themselves, a treatment for cancer.
The Basic Treatment Plan
The specific therapy that I discuss comes from the Binzel book: Alive and Well. There are other sources of a laetrile diet, but I would compare any other diet with the Binzel diet if you want to use another diet.
As with any cancer treatment, the place to start is with the "diet," meaning the foods you can and cannot eat. The Binzel diet is very similar to the Raw Food diet. This is interesting because he was taught by Dr. Krebs himself, thus the laetrile diet probably dates back over 60 years.
It would probably be better to simply go on a Raw Food diet rather than a modified Raw Food diet (i.e. the Binzel diet). The reason is that the Binzel diet does not take into account many discoveries made about the cancer killing nutrients in vegetables and fruits. In other words, the Binzel diet does not discriminate between the best cancer killing fruits and vegetables versus the far less effective (for treating cancer) vegetables and fruits. Thus, the base diet of the Binzel plan should be the Raw Food diet.
The Raw Food Diet
The question then becomes, how do we enhance the Raw Food diet to take into account laetrile. There are several ways. First, give preference in the Raw Food diet to those fruits (i.e. seeds), grains and nuts (e.g. almonds and macadamia) that are rich in laetrile. Mix these items with the Raw Food diet items.
Second, make sure you get the nutrients that are necessary in order for laetrile to work:
1) zinc (which is the transport mechanism for laetrile),
2) Vitamin C (build up to 6 grams a day),
3) manganese,
4) magnesium,
5) selenium,
6) Vitamins B6, B9 and B12,
7) Vitamin A,
8) Vitamin E (at least 2,000 I.U.)
If you are already taking a multi-vitamin (e.g. you are on the Bill Henderson Protocol), compare its ingredients with the above list and take extra supplements to make up any deficiency.
If you are not already taking a multivitamin, the recommended way to get all of these nutrients is the Essense Health Blend. It has all of the above items (plus the critical iodine). However, it does not have enough Vitamin C or Vitamin E (which you will have to supplement separately):
Essense Health Blend
Binzel also adds "Megazyme Forte" for its trypsin, chymotrypsin, bromalin and zinc nutrients - 2 pills three times a day. Other pancreatic enzymes (also known as proteolytic enzymes) are: Vitalzym, 10Zymes (also from Essense of Life), and Wobenzym N.
IT IS CRITICAL to take the pancreatic or proteolytic enzymes during the laetrile therapy!!
However, note that they are blood thinners and should be taken within the vendor's recommended maximum dosage (on the bottle). These are critical for the laetrile molecules to work at peak efficiency.
Note that zinc is also one of the most critical parts of this therapy:
"Zinc is the transportation mechanism for laetrile and nitrilosides in the body. Biochemists and researchers have found that you can give Laetrile to a patient until its coming out of the ears of the patient, but, if that patient did not have sufficient level of Zinc, none of the laetrile would get into the tissues of the body. They also found that nothing heals within the body without sufficient vitamin C. They also found that magnesium; selenium, vitamin A, and B all played an important part in maintaining the body's defense mechanism. This is way its important to understand that cancer is best treated with a total nutritional program consisting of diet, vitamins, minerals, laetrile and pancreatic enzymes."
http://www.thefountainoflife.ws/cancer/zinc.htm
He also adds Pangamic acid (B15) 100 mg. - 1 pill three times daily. This is not in the Essense Health Blend, so it needs to be added.
Binzel recognizes the need for vegetable protein, and thus allows grains, nuts, beans, etc. that provide that protein, even if they have to be cooked.
Binzel does not allow cottage cheese (it comes from an animal, thus it is forbidden), however, if you are taking the two key elements in the Budwig diet, taking cottage cheese is obviously OK. Doing this, however, makes the proteolytic enzymes that much more important.
Warning #1 - Laetrile May Cause Low Blood Pressure
This is an important message I received by email: "Laetrile ingestion may occasionally cause a temporary low blood pressure reaction due to formation of thiocyanate, a powerful blood pressure lowering agent. In metabolism, nitriloside is hydrolyzed to free hydrogen cyanide, benzaldehyde or acetone and sugar. This occurs largely through the enzyme beta-glucosidase produced by intestinal bacteria as well as by the body. The released HCN [hydrocyanide] is detoxified by the enzyme rhodanese to the relatively non-toxic thiocyanate molecule."
Normally, lowering blood pressure is not an issue, however, for those who are already taking blood pressure medications, or have heart issues which would be made worse by a drop in blood pressure, be advised that laetrile can lower blood pressure.
Warning #2 - Proteolytic Enzymes are Blood Thinners
Because many people on the laetrile protocol also use proteolytic enzymes (i.e. pancreatic enzymes), it is important to know that proteolytic enzymes are blood thinners. Proteolytic enzymes, such as Vitalzym, should NOT be used in conjunction with prescription blood thinners.
Also, high doses of proteolytic enzymes should not be taken, just as too high of a dose of any blood thinner should never be taken. See the bottle for maximum doses.
Warning #3 - Do Not Take Laetrile With Probiotics
From an email: "It was our experience that taking laetrile with high strength probiotics may also increase the amount of free hydrogen cyanide and thus could create adverse side effects."
Warning #4 - Using Laetrile With the Bob Beck Protocol
If you plan on using the Bob Beck Protocol (an electromedicine treatment) and laetrile at the same time, do NOT take any laetrile until you are finished with both of the Bob Beck Protocol electromedicine devices (e.g. the blood purifier and magnetic pulser) for the day. In other word, when you are finished using the Bob Beck Protocol for the day, take your laetrile. This gives the laetrile plenty of time to be absorbed by the body before starting the Bob Beck Protocol on the next day.
If you are taken apricot kernels, take no more than one-third of the daily number of kernels before the Bob Beck Protocol is finished for the day.
Warning #5 - Combining Laetrile With Other Alternative Cancer Treatments
Whenever a person combines two or more alternative cancer treatments together, it is critical to do your homework. For example, Vitamin C should be taken with laetrile, however, Vitamin C should not be taken with Protocel, graviola (e.g. Amazon Factor Protocol), hydrazine sulfate, etc.
In other words, if you are taking a second or third alternative cancer treatment with laetrile, or if laetrile is being used to supplement another treatment, be careful to watch the warnings on each treatment.
Supercharging This Treatment
Unless you are using high doses of a quality source of laetrile, you should not DEPEND on laetrile as the core treatment in a cancer treatment program. Treat this as a supplemental treatment or a remission treatment.
Amygdalin (vitamin B17) is found in very different quantities from apricot kernel to apricot kernel. The choice of apricot kernel used by an individual is critical in the success one experiences. There are so many apricot kernels available on the market now, many of which are sweeter varieties that contain very little amygdalin. They may be mildly bitter, which classes them as a "bitter" apricot kernel, but the concentrations of amygdalin don't begin to approach therapeutic values. One would have to consume very large quantities in order to experience benefit, which is simply not practical, nor healthy. Apricot kernels contain a high level of fat, which becomes detrimental in itself at high doses. Therefore, amygdalin concentrations in the chosen kernel must be exceptional and potent. These are the kernels referenced in the available literature of note. Sadly, most sellers of apricot kernels are taking advantage of the ignorance that prevails, or they're simply not educated about the product themselves. Poor quality apricot kernels are being imported from poor countries, such as Pakistan and India for little more than $1.00 per kilo. These kernels are then being packaged and marketed with fanciful tales and sold at great profit to the benefit of the vendor - not to the user.
My advice is that people purchase from, at least, two different sources. Try to buy from a reputable source where others have already confirmed that the kernels being offered are fresh, healthy and amygdalin-rich. Don't be lured by "Hunza" apricot kernels, as these are nothing more than Indian and Pakistani kernels of greatly inferior quality. Most of the varieties of apricot grown in these regions are sweeter varieties. You'll find this to be true if you do some research. Try to purchase local kernels if possible, or import personal quantities from a country offering very bitter kernels. Apricot kernels imported enmasse are treated, either chemically or with radiation, but personal quantities won't receive such treatment.
Read this blog post for further information - http://apricot-kernels.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/apricot-kernels-which-should-be-used.html
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