After dealing with metastatic oestrogen and progesterone receptive breast cancer for coming up to 7 years and now being healthier than ever, it seems, I feel like I need to share about the NORI protocol, a strict vegan diet with neutraceuticals.
So many people are touched by cancer and, if I can share some inspiration and hope, as well as an example of cancer wellness for our subconscious minds to take in with another way to navigate through it, I am glad to.
I’ve tried many other ways. I did the Keto diet in 2018 but that is not good for breast cancer, I found out by the way. It’s because, as I read in How to Starve Cancer, breast cancer is stimulated by protein and fat, basically. I tried to do the How To Starve Cancer diet also, but couldn’t get the off label drugs I needed easily and it felt too complicated. I also was trying to get off pharmaceuticals and that’s one of the reasons I did NORI.
Though NORI is a complementary treatment done with conventional treatment mostly. That was just my personal intention. Of course I must add that I am not a doctor or even a health practitioner, I’m just sharing my experience. That’s all this is.
What is the NORI protocol?
It’s a low protein vegan diet that I found through the YouTube channel and site Chris Beat Cancer. It used to be more of a fruit only diet but now it’s developed and there’s more to it. It’s not only a diet. It also involves taking a lot of different supplements (neutraceuticals) and you need to do it through a practitioner for that reason. In Perth Edward Enever was the naturopath I saw. I just googled NORI protocol Perth and found him. You can also find centres in the USA that will work with you online.
How does it work?
It’s mimicking the effects of fasting by being a low methionine diet. Methionine is an amino acid found in protein, especially chicken and fish but also many other foods, like corn, spinach, beans, rice, chocolate and olives. You do NORI for 4 months and during this time you eat low-methionine for ten days and then you can have vegan protein (and the other stuff like nuts, chocolate and olives) as well for four days. This two-week cycle repeats for the whole of the four months. Also, there’s no drinking alcohol.
What do you eat?
Vegetables that are low methionine, which is most of them except for broccoli, spinach and corn, and fruit. I ate a lot of fruit, sweeteners, salads with roast potato for lunch and well, smoothies and soups. But no beans or pulses except on the four methionine days of the cycle. I had a vegan cheese too that was made of potato starch and coconut oil. I also ate fries and potato chips when I wanted ‘something’. Oh and black coffee!
Was it hard?
For the first couple of months it was not so hard but, two and a half months in, it got a bit boring and it was Christmas. I started craving salty food and eating Vegemite on the vegan cheese for breakfast after the fruit. Also, giving up alcohol. I was not a big drinker before but I didn’t want to give up totally, even when I read that it increased the chance of metastasis by a lot to have more than one drink a week.
At that time, three years ago, I was in my stage of just eating what I wanted but that didn’t work out well. I told myself I’d give up drinking for six months and now it’s been six months and I don’t really miss it. I’ve had the occasional drink since the diet ended and that’s been ok but I really do want to stick to the one a week – if anything.
Challenging things were also being prepared with food and supplements wherever I went but if not, I’d eat chips. For the twice daily supplements I had a schedule and also I’d set a reminder on my phone to prepare them each Sunday evening for the week and set them out for each day then so I was organised and didn’t have to think about it too much.
I also had to cut down on exercise and now that I’m not on it anymore, I feel a lot more energetic, even though I didn’t feel lethargic then. My mum thought I was getting angrier than usual and yes it was a lot to deal with, but also I was practising feeling and expressing myself, a la When The Body says No by Dr Gabor Mate. I think that also played a key role in my wellness. It is also about making authentic decisions.
What else did you do?
I also found out about my energy system in Human Design and as a result, and because I was already feeling the drain it was on my energy, quit teaching English for good. Plus, kept life as simple as possible for those four months. And went away at the end to celebrate and reward myself. I finished on January 8th 2020!
What made it easier?
I eat pretty simply at home anyway. I made a few things I loved, like roast potatoes with salad and a dijon olive oil dressing, and repeated them. Also, when it comes to diet, my advice is to focus on what you can have rather than what you can’t. That’s what I do. I found some excellent vegan cheese (have I mentioned it?) and got excited about that. Also, Kombucha or iced sparkling water with rose water, dried fruit and iced-tea icy poles. Plus, I reminded myself that I used to want to be this health freak and based my recent trip on healthy activities I find very fun, like yoga and walking. It’s actually really great to always wake up clear-headed as well.
What were the results?
Well, I don’t want to talk too soon about that but am writing my next book about this journey so I look forward to telling all then. But, I can say that my monthly blood tests and scans showed excellent results through out it and since! I also lost 5kg during the 4 months, which is good health-wise too because excess hormones are stored in fat. But I also wonder if the weight I lost was muscle or what. Still, it did feel good.
What will you do now?
I’ll keep eating vegan and not drinking mostly, doing weights, meditation and yoga and walking and keep making authentic decisions and feeling and expressing my true feelings. And having blood tests and scans every few months.
That’s it my dear, hopefully this provides you or someone you know with some useful info and inspiration. Please do post or share this and join my community here for more and also let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
I’ll be sharing more of my travels and wellness journey on Instagram too. Till then..
Wishing you a wonderful week!
Lots of love,
Mireille xx
