L-Theanine, Topotecan and Turkey Trot

Synchronistic things seem to happen to me - by chance or for a reason - almost every day.
For instance yesterday, my step-mother said that she'd had very a good response to a new supplement called L-theanine.  She too, suffers from sleeplessness and is always on the lookout for something natural that works.  She, like me, has been through the whole gambit of potions and lotions largely without success until now.  She said - do your research - look it up and see if it is suitable for you.

I Googled L-theanine and what was the first thing to appear?  "L-Theanine Chemotherapy and Side-Effects".  A publication known as Cancer Letters and Toxicology Letters reported that l-theanine enhances the effects of doxorubicin - which is a common chemotherapeudic used in ovarian cancer treatment and other cancers.  It appears to increase the amount of drug getting into the cancer cells without harming healthy ones.  L-theanine is an amino acid derived from green tea - which, we know, has a multitude of other health benefits.
Several human studies have been performed using name-brand l-theanine products with positive results.  Dr. Daniel Armstrong, Professor of Chemistry at Iowa State Universtity said that " the only material that proved to be pure L-theanine was the Suntheanine® brand, produced via biofermentation, which had more than 99.95 per cent L-theanine, our current detection limit."

Read more at Suite101: GABA, Insomnia, and L-Theanine: An Amino Acid Aids Sleep Without Side Effects or Next Day Fatigue | Suite101.com  and  http://laura-owens.suite101.com/ltheanine-improves-sleep-and-a65390#ixzz1eXOQjp40
So ladies - a two for one!  Sleep and chemo enhancer.

Speaking of chemo, my latest foray is into the world of Topotecan.  It's a brand new chemo drug for me with an onerous delivery schedule - 5 days of a 1/2 hour infusion followed by two weeks off.  Today is day 3 of the first of the 5 day cycles and I can report to you that I know that I've had chemo - meaning that when you have experienced side effects in the past,  you have a heightened sense of awareness of what to look for.  I have nothing overt to comment on thus far...I'm just mildly "aware".  The metronomic schedule is meant to be less toxic and have the drug remain in your system longer.

And finally - I bet you thought I'd forget - Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Sunflower Sisters south of the border!  Our very own webmaster is participating in the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving Day along with her husband and my brother-in-law.  My southern sister and her daughter will be ambling along in either the 5K Turkey Trot, or the Mashed Potato Mile and Gravy Gallop!  I kind of like the name of that last event and only hope that their noses don't land in it afterwards (family joke)!!  Good luck to all!  
N.B. our readership needs pictures!!