@cliffyzman Hi Cliff, I’d always been very healthy and active too. Having watched older relatives pass away from cancer I did everything I could during my adult life to mitigate my chances of developing cancer. Exercised religiously, avoided toxins, ate thoughtfully, no smoking, and I followed some TCM practices of Acupuncture, Tai Chi, Massage therapy but not extra supplementation.

But never did thoughts of a blood cancer enter my mind, until out of the blue at 65 when I was diagnosied with AML. I had, what I now know as obvious symptoms of aggressive AML for only three weeks prior to diagnosis. My doctor ignored the symptoms 3 weeks in a row until I was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

Where I’m going with this is I understand absolutely understand your desire to maintain a certain level of health and well-being during chemo. And from my understanding it’s ok to follow some of the traditional eastern theories for health while undergoing treatments at a conventional medical center. I was able to continue with Massage therapy which is highly beneficial during chemo! I was not able to have acupuncture because each needle is a potential point of entry for bacteria (no pun intended 😊). Acupressure is fine because it isn’t invasive. Exercise such as walking, yoga, light weights are incredibly helpful during chemo. I have photos the nurses took of me walking 4 miles a day while pushing my chemo IV cart around the bed tower. I was there a total of 8 weeks totaled up a lot of miles! LOL. While not being able to keep up that level during the BMT, I still walked as much as I could after my transplant at Mayo. There have been many articles citing the benefits of exercise for recovery.

The supplements can be an issue, as I mentioned previously. They are not regulated and can often contain dangerous compounds. Some can impact the metabolism of other meds, or interfere with medications and their expected outcomes. Simple supplements like turmeric and ginger, as an example, can be dangerous because they are blood thinners. If you’re going through chemo, blood cells are usually on the decline mid cycle anyway. So adding a blood thinner to already dangerously low platelets can be catastrophic.

There are naturopathic hematologists/oncologists who may subscribe to TCM during treatment. You might get a 2nd opinion. Also check in with your oncology/BMT team to see what they suggest. Both of my medical teams at my local health center and Mayo encouraged massage and acupressure, but no supplementation during treatment. They’re too unpredictable.
So my advice from having gone through all of this medical excitement is follow team advice, but certainly keep up a healthy diet and exercise as much as you can. We are what we eat! ☺️
How are you doing with the AZA?