Karina Almanza, CSUN Dietetic Intern 2017-2018

Preceptor David X Alvarez, R.D. and Elaine Stuart

Nicole Del Guercio, R.D.

Summary: Turkey Tail and Akba Supplementation Research

Observing Registered Dietitian, Nicole Del Guercio in the Oncology Department of Kaiser

Permanente, Woodland Hills, it became evident that several patients come into the facility with

preconceived notions of what is healthy for them. A consistent finding was that individuals in believe that

different types of supplementation will help cure, prevent or alleviate their prognosis or further

development of cancer. I have been very fortunate to have been able to work with R.D., Nicole Del

Guercio, who generally knew about the different types of uncommon supplementations that patients seek

during their diagnosis. There was one patient that I was able to observe consultation of that discussed

using supplementation that neither Nicole or myself have heard of. Utilizing my resources as a graduate

student at CSUN, I offered Nicole my own personal research and investigations into the two unknown

supplementations: Turkey Tail and Akba. My findings of the “magical” mushroom and flower are found

in the actual document but in summary draw inconclusive information with little to no research having

been conducted on whether or not either supplement help prevent cancer development or future prognosis.