One of the most common questions I am asked as a breast cancer coach is “what is the best diet for preventing breast cancer recurrence?” The first thing that always comes to mind is Dr Johanna Budwig and her protocol for cancer.

I used parts of the Budwig protocol myself (along with many other things) when going through breast cancer and I believe there is sufficient evidence that it is an excellent option for decreasing the risk for developing breast cancer, and for supporting breast cancer recovery.

Dr Johanna Budwig was born in Germany in 1908. She passed away in 2003 at the ripe old age of 95. Dr Budwig was considered a top European cancer research scientist, biochemist, blood specialist, German pharmacologist, and physicist. Dr Budwig was nominated for the Nobel Prize seven times. For lots more information on this amazing woman, just Google “Dr Johanna Budwig”. 

In 1952, Dr Budwig was the German government’s senior expert on fats and pharmaceutical drugs. She was considered one of the world’s leading authorities on fats and oils, and her research illustrated the bad effects that commercially processed fats and oils have in destroying cell membranes and lowering the voltage in the cells of our bodies, which can then result in chronic and terminal disease.

Yes, I said voltage. Remember that our bodies are electric!

Dr Budwig did not believe in the use of growth-inhibiting treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation (*see important note below). Dr Budwig said “I flat declare that the usual hospital treatments today, in a case of tumorous growth, most certainly leads to worsening of the disease or a speedier death, and in healthy people, quickly causes cancer.“

I won’t go through the entirety of Dr Budwig’s research, but as you can see from the recipes below, the combination of flaxseed oil with cottage cheese is the foundation of Dr Budwig’s protocol, along with a diet rich in plant-based foods, fruits and vegetables and little to no meat. Thousands of cancer patients have found this diet very beneficial. Some had their lives saved because of it.

Why the Combination of Cottage Cheese and Flaxseed Oil?

Dr Budwig discovered that when she combined flaxseed oil, with its powerful electron-rich unsaturated fats, together with cottage cheese, rich in sulfur protein, the chemical reaction produced makes the flaxseed oil water-soluble and much more easily absorbed into cell membranes. This provides powerful nutrition to every cell of the body. It helps to fight inflammation (and cancer, as we know is an inflammatory process), it improves cellular function, it improves the function of nerves, and it helps to cleanse the colon. For more information and research on flaxseed benefits see my article – Fatigue in Breast Cancer Survivors Linked to Inflammation. That article provides 15 ways that flaxseed benefits breast cancer patients, as well as a bunch of ideas on how to include it in your daily diet.

Dr Budwig used her special protocol for her very ill patients and, providing they came to her soon enough and followed her protocol closely, she was able to assist them back to health quite rapidly.

As mentioned, the Budwig protocol consists of eating several daily servings of a combination of flaxseed oil and cottage cheese (see the three recipes I’ve included below), in addition to increasing intake of fruits, vegetables and fresh juices. In a nutshell, the protocol advises that you:

1. Take all highly processed fats like margarine and refined vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, corn and sunflower out of your diet.
2. Remove from your diet all sugar, white flour, non-organic meat, and any processed foods (they contain too many GMOs).
3. 2-3 times per day, use one of the following recipes.
4. Increase vegetable and fruit intake, and if you are eating meat be sure to only choose high-quality animal protein (free range organic chicken and eggs, wild-caught deep sea fish like sardines, salmon, trout, halibut and tuna, and organically raised beef). If very ill, avoid meat altogether.
5. Get some exercise daily and get a little sunshine on your skin (10-15 minutes per day if you can).

What About the Dairy Component?

My thrivers who follow my advice will have this question: “But I thought you told us not to have dairy products?” They would be right, I did say that.

But this is an exception. What we are discovering is that if the cottage cheese in the recipes is organic or taken from dairy cattle that are able to freely roam, are given no antibiotics or growth hormones, the combination of the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil and flax meal is incredibly healing.

The Budwig Center Clinic, located in Spain, has programs that are based on Dr Budwig’s protocol and many other natural cancer treatments. They treat patients with all sorts of medical issues by combining the Budwig diet along with other natural medicine treatments like hyperthermia, cannabidiol, bioenergetic restoration therapy, frequency generator sessions, photonic light therapy, bio mat energy therapy, kinesiology, emotional rebalancing, far infrared saunas, herbal remedies, homeopathic medicine, and more.

It’s important to understand that although the Budwig protocol can be used as an alternative to traditional treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, it is recommended that it be utilized along with other medical treatment approaches. Whether you choose natural therapies or conventional medical treatment is up to you but I don’t advise using the Budwig protocol as a stand-alone treatment.

I promised you some recipes, and here they are.

Healing Recipes Based on Budwig Protocol

Please note that the cottage cheese or quark in these recipes must be combined first, and combined well, with the flaxseed oil – when the two amalgamate, they create a catalyst for cellular healing. The sulphur contained in the cheese/quark connects with the oil molecules and a synergy occurs. This makes the flaxseed oil more water soluble so that our cells can easily take it up and digest it.

The Budwig Muesli Recipe 

1-2 tbsp freshly ground organic flaxseed
Fresh in-season organic fruit, sliced or diced (like apples, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, oranges, mango, plums etc.)
1/4 cup ground organic raw walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews or Brazil nuts

Cream topping:
1/2 cup organic cottage cheese or quark
1-2 tbsp organic flaxseed oil
Your choice of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon juice, or raw coconut for more flavor

Directions: In a deep bowl, layer in (1) the freshly ground flaxseed (best to grind it yourself using a coffee bean grinder for absolute freshness – the store-bought powder is generally rancid); (2) the fresh fruit; (3) the ground nuts. In a blender or using a hand-held stick blender, combine the ingredients for the cream topping and blend well. Take about one minute to do this – it should look like a thick, creamy yogurt, that means the mixture is completely homogenized. Spoon the cream topping mixture over the other ingredients in the bowl, for a rewarding and cancer-blasting breakfast or meal for any time of day.

Smoothie à la Budwig

2/3 cup organic cottage cheese
1/3 cup organic cold-pressed flaxseed oil
1/2-1 cup organic fruit of your choice
Optional ingredients:
1 tsp organic turmeric
1 tsp freshly chopped ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil in blender container (or use a stick blender or smoothie maker) – make sure the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil combine into a homogenous blend. Then remove the lid and add one-half to one cup organic fruit of your choice and blitz again. For extra cancer-blasting power, add any of the optional ingredients.

Salad Dressing à la Budwig

3 tbsp organic cottage cheese or quark
3 tbsp organic cold-pressed flaxseed oil
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small knob ginger or turmeric, minced
2 tsp raw honey
Fresh herbs of your choice

Combine the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil in blender container (or use a stick blender or smoothie maker) – make sure the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil combine into a homogenous blend. Then remove the lid and add the rest of the ingredients, blitz again. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before using. This recipe can be varied to suit individual tastes, but this is the basic recipe.

*Important note: I’m not recommending you give up chemotherapy or radiation if you’ve decided on this course of treatment.  I do believe that the recipes shared here should be included in anyone’s diet who has been fighting cancer or is anxious to keep it away.

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