Radiation esophagitis is one of the most painful toxicities for patients undergoing treatment for cancers in the spine (cervical and thoracic), central chest and upper abdomen. Whenever possible, your radiation oncologist will minimize the dose to this sensitive organ using sophisticated treatment planning avoidance techniques, as long as the target they are treating is not an esophageal tumor. Unfortunately, there will be instances when they are unable to keep the dose low enough to completely prevent esophagitis from developing. In most cases, this can be predicted by your radiation oncologist ahead of time, and they will let you know that this may occur.
Ingredients
In a recent post, I described my favorite DIY radiation skin protection spray. The 3-ingredients in this spray are evidence-informed, and also serve as a foundation for my DIY radiation esophagitis elixir. See the radiation protection data supporting these 3 plant compounds, here:
- Beta-sitosterol study
- Boswellia study
- EGCG study
In that post, I recommended that these ingredients are mixed together in a water base and sprayed on the radiated area of skin throughout the treatment course (4-times/day) and for a few weeks afterwards.
For the esophagus, however, I recommend adding 3 additional ingredients for Dr. Lawenda’s DIY radiation esophagitis elixir. Each of these have evidence-informed support for radiation protection and/or pain reducing properties in sensitive mucosal tissues, such as the throat and esophagus. The 2 additional ingredients include:
How You Use It:
Mix together:
- 2 capsules (60 mg each) of Beta-sitosterol
- 2 capsules (350 mg each) of Boswellia
- 2 capsules (250 mg each) of Green tea extract (EGCG)
- 10 grams of L-glutamine powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons aloe vera juice
- 8 ounces of water
Take sips of the elixir throughout the day. Shake well before each use. Try to consume 2-3 batches of the above elixir each day.
Dr. Lawenda’s Recommendations
If you are interested in Dr. Lawenda’s recommendations on his favorite high quality ingredients to use in your DIY elixir, send an email request (to: admin@ioeprogram.com) and he will send you the list. When you create a free account with Wellevate, you get a 10% discount on any supplements purchased.
