Cancer
Nutrition

Introduction

Foreword: Cancer is a serious business requiring a serious response.  We recommend that you obtain opinions from both conventional and natural medicine sources before making any decisions.  You do not have to choose one path over another.  Both can work together well, with natural medicine enhancing the effects of chemotherapy and reducing its side effects. 

If you have arrived here, there is a good chance that you or someone you love has had the horrible diagnosis of cancer.

• “Why me?”
• “How could this happen to me?”
• “What do I do?”
• “Should I follow the conventional approach or the alternative approach?”
• “What exactly is available for me?”
• “Where do I go to find the information I need to make the right decision?”

These are all good questions. Hopefully all of them will be answered here or in the references.

First some facts:

• The so-called urgency in starting chemo, radiation and surgery may not be so urgent. With the exception of a few fast growing cancers, most have been silently growing for in excess of 10 years.
• You have time to research and make an informed decision, though you may be told otherwise.
• Many substances used to fight cancer cause new cancers. The most common drug used to fight breast cancer is classified as a carcinogen (cancer causing agent).
• One half of all cancers are medically induced by drugs and radiation.
• One study revealed that 90% of physicians working in oncology would not prescribe the drugs they prescribed to their patients, to their wives or children.
• Another study revealed that 97.5% of people who underwent chemo were dead in 5 years.
• If you have surgery, chemo and/or radiation and die in 5 years and one day, you are part of the successful treatment statistics.
• Stem cells are the key in cancer, yet chemo has limited effect on stem cells. It does kill daughter cells, so the cancer shrinks, but then returns, often more vigorously.
• One overseas cancer doctor was jailed for 45 years for prescribing chemo drugs to people who did not need them or had ceased to need them; because of the commission oncologists receive for prescribing chemo drugs.
• In some places it is against the law to prescribe integrated medicine over conventional treatment, in others, medical councils hound doctors that do, labeling them as quacks.
• Cancer is a business and there is a vested interest in maintaining a monopoly and destroying competition, i.e. alternative medicine.

(Note:  the above data was taken from “The Truth About Cancer”, a documentary series.  The series were challenged by the Federal Drug Administration.  All the facts stated were verifiable. by scientific studies, statistics, existing laws and documented proof.  You may wish to visit The Truth About Cancer.  The first two episodes are free and will give you some shocking information.

Question
So, how do you go about making an informed decision on what may be the most important decision of your life?

Answer
As difficult as it will be, put aside the emotion and make the decision just as you would with any other life decision:

• What are your goals?
• What are the relevant factors impacting on the decision?
• Get information from all sources: conventional as well as natural.
• What are the available courses of action?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each course of action?
• What is the preferred course of action?
• What is the plan to achieve the preferred course of action?

If you were building a house, would you do it all yourself or would you shop around for an architect that fitted your style and a builder that you felt you could trust…..same thing with cancer. Talk to an oncologist and see what s/he can offer you. Talk to an integrated practitioner to see what s/he can offer you. See the list of questions provided here that will assist you to get the required information. Then very carefully listen to your little voice. Everyone has one. We just silence it. The best answer will be there.

This may be the most important decision of your life and the lives for those who are dependant on you. Do not let anyone else make it for you or bully you into it. Do not take the easy path and follow blindly. Take the hard path and realise your destiny.

What are natural therapies?

Now this is a good question that deserves a good answer. There is no one answer so let me give you mine.

Some people lose faith in natural therapies because there is no clear definition of what they are. I believe that is their strength. You are an individual, as different as one star is from another. You deserve an individual solution to an individual problem, not an off the shelf generic kill, slash and burn solution, but one that is grounded in science, logic and reason, and then matched to your individuality.

Some natural therapists tend to lean towards feelings and esoteric stuff, others are grounded in science. They all work with the body naturally, bringing it from a place of imbalance to a place of balance. Some may use supplements, others herbs, or manipulation, or energy points, or essences. All are aimed at activating healing in the body. You need to find a modality or combination of modalities that suits you.  This combination may well include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Me, I like a foot in all camps. Take the best of everything, to get the best of everything, to tailor an individual response appropriate for your body.

May I suggest that we start with what causes cancer and then see where that takes us?

What causes cancer?

Ah ha! Now here is a question. What is it that has happened to cause the cancer in your body? Why is it important? Well, because if you do not nail the answer then it may come back.

I believe, with much scientific support, that many cancers are the results of genetic predispositions. These fancy words mean that you are born with genes that lend themselves to particular sorts of cancer. Now, just because you have these genes doesn’t mean that you will get cancer. You have to do something to turn bad genes on and good genes off. Usually this is some environmental insult. It is usually a combination of some of the following:

• Emotional stress/trauma.
• Lack of key nutrients.
• An over acid body.
• Inadequate nutrition.
• Insufficient sleep.
• Radiation/electro magnetic fields/geopathic stress.
• Toxic load: pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, heavy metals, etc.
• Insufficient water.
• Under oxygenated (exercise, cell health, etc.).
• Gut imbalance (dysbiosis, leaky gut, etc.).
• Chronic infection (EB Virus, Lymes disease).
• Disturbed cell membrane electromagnetic charge.
• Poor messengers (hormones and/or neurotransmitter imbalance).
• Acid/alkaline imbalance (allergies, stress, etc.).
• Injuries or structural insults such as surgery.

It is easy to blame cancer on genes. The fact is that a genetic predisposition is only a very small part of the plot. The major causes lie in the environmental insults.  The genes load the gun.  Environmental factors pull the trigger.

There is more to it than that. You have this amazing thing called an immune system whose job it is to protect you from cancer. You need to think about why your immune system failed you, when it will have defeated cancer in your body so many times before. Yes, we all get cancer on a regular basis, but the immune system just gets on and deals with it. We don’t even know it was there. When the cancer gets a foothold, it is usually a case of your immune system being run down, or beings so busy fighting something else that the cancer snuck through.

In summary, cancer is usually a combination of factors: a genetic predisposition, environmental insults that result in inflammation, toxicity and/or a lack of key nutrients, and a tired immune system. It is important to find the reasons in your case. They are different for everyone. Your return to wellness and maintaining that wellness will depend on identifying your reasons and addressing them. This is where testing comes in.

Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery have a place, but they do not address causes. They address the symptom, which is cancer. To successful beat and keep the cancer at bay, in my view, demands a response aimed at killing not just daughter cancer cells, but stem cells; enhancing the immune system; starving the cancer; uncloaking the cancer so that the immune system can identify it; and so much more.

What does a natural therapy response look like?

There are many different natural therapies and as such, many different responses. Here is just one, combining the best of natural and conventional medicine.

We start from the basis that everyone is different and every body needs a different response appropriate for that body. So how do we determine what is the best response for you? Well, we test. We test to make sure.

We start with a comprehensive questionnaire, which you fill out. After analysing the questionnaire we plan the first consultation and what tests would be appropriate for you. The consultation plan, together with costing is sent to you for your approval. If you wish to proceed, we get you into the clinic and perform a barrage of relevant tests to see exactly how your body is performing.

Basically we want to find out exactly what is going on in your body. How are your various systems working? Are you digesting and absorbing your food? What deficiencies do you have? What are your hydrations levels? What is your microorganism load? Do you have allergies? What is your toxic load? Do you have heavy metal toxicity? Are electro magnetic fields pulling you down?  Are your hormones being manipulated by environmental chemicals?… And so much more.

If you do not already have them, we will direct you to have standard and not so standard blood tests and non invasive scans, with your medical practitioner or international medical institutions, specialising in specific cancer related tests .  We need as much information as we can get.

It is really like taking your car to one of those computer diagnostic places. You get a report on exactly what is going on in your car. A dent here and a tear there….hmmm…not important. But, brake pads wearing down, tyre treads down, engine about to blow up, gear box on its last legs. Now, that is important.

In the same way, we need to find out exactly what is going on in our body. What is driving this insidious disease? Forget about off the shelf solutions for just a moment. If you accept that you are an individual human being, then you need look for an individual human being solution.

Your body is a lot smarter than you may think. If something is not right, it will tell you. That upset stomach, that headache, those irregular periods, having to go wees too often, that underactive thyroid, those funny poos (or no poos), waking at night, those tight shoulders, those restless legs, that cream coated tongue…. All of these and so much more will be your body’s way of telling you that things are not right. We investigate them all.

In this modern world, we tend not to listen to our bodies. First, we do not understand the language and second, we are so busy being busy that even if we did, we often choose to ignore it.

Your body is constantly talking to you. First it whispers, then it talks and if you still do not listen, it will shout. Think of cancer as shouting. Think of cancer as your body telling you that you have ignored too much and the time to listen is now, because it needs help if you are to continue on this journey.

You may wonder why “so called” healthy people get cancer. Sorry to burst your bubble, but in my view, healthy people do not get cancer, they cannot. So if you have cancer, then something is not right. Is it an unknown food allergy? Is it an unknown exposure to chemicals? Is it an emotional issue? The only way to find out is to test and be sure.

A natural response to cancer, either alone or in combination with conventional treatment, is not easy. You have allowed your body to get into this horrible position. Now you need to help your body dig itself out. It cannot do it on its own.

A natural therapy response does not have to be exclusive.  We seek to work with your doctor, oncologist and/or radiologist.  Natural therapies have been shown to enhance the effects of chemotherapy and radiation, while reducing their side effects and enhance recuperation after surgery.  Like anything, natural therapies have limitations.  People are sometimes shocked when we recommend chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery, after they have already excluded these options.  The end game is to keep you alive and well.  Working with your body naturally takes time.  Sometimes we just do not have that time.

For another perspective on natural vs. conventional therapies, visit The Truth About Cancer.

The first two episodes are free and provide useful information.

What sort of tests do you do?

We do whatever it takes. We are not bound by conventional medicine inhibitions, government budget restrictions, drug company kickbacks and closed mindedness. We focus entirely on your goals and whatever it takes to get you there.

Many of tests that we perform are in-clinic tests. We are trying to be a one-stop shop solution, but our medical system impositions do not allow us to do some testing and some tests are just not available in New Zealand.  We utilise labs in New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Greece and the United States for specialised testing.  Some tests are provided free of charge, while specialised testing for genes associated with cancer can cost as much as $4,000.

We currently offer in excess of one hundred tests. They are all focused on clarifying exactly what is going on in your body and what we need to do to fix it. Additional tests monitor the progress of the cancer.

The Testing section lists just some of the tests that we offer, some of which may be relevant for you.

What does a natural treatment program look like?

Fighting cancer naturally is not cheap. There are no government subsidies. Okay, anyone who gives you an off the cuff answer to this question, should in my view, be poked in the eye with a big stick and you should run away.

There is no one size fits all natural treatment program. How can there be? Here is what one program could look like. This program is about peeling off the onion rings, one by one, and getting your body functioning, as it should be.

• Education program.
• Diet modification.
• Removal of allergens.
• Optimisation of digestion and absorption.
• Hydration.
• Provision of deficient nutrients.
• Enzyme therapy.
• Support for the immune system.
• Uncloaking the cancer.
• Reduction of inflammation.
• Reduction of oxidative stress.
• Cleansing of the colon.
• Support for liver.
• Support for kidneys.
• Support for lymph.
• Toxin/chemical cleanse.
• Bacterial cleanse.
• Parasite cleanse.
• Fungal cleanse.
• EMF cleanse.
• Environmental cleansing.
• Emotional conflict resolution.
• Heavy metal cleanse.
• Optimization of key systems: Hormones, thyroids, adrenals, musculoskeletal, neurological, neurotransmitters.
• Specific therapies: hyperthermia, oxygen therapy, pulsed electro magnetic therapy, iMRS, energy resonance therapy, 5D Scan therapy, acupuncture, homoeopathy, meditation, chakra balancing, auricular therapy, reflexology, kinesiology, aroma therapy, enemas, enzyme therapy, Budwig protocol, Protocel, Cesium pH therapy, Poly-MVA therapy, HeartMath therapy, Bach flowers, and so many more…..

Each of the above steps would look different for different people. A toxic cleanse that suits one person may be entirely unsuitable for another.

The “specific therapies” listed above work in a variety of ways including: lowering the energy of cancer cells to the point where the cancer cell collapses; uncloaking the cancer cells so that your immune system can recognise and attack them; alkalising cancer cells to the point where they die, tricking the cancer cells into ingesting substances that will kill them, cutting off food supplies for the cancer cells, and in many other ways. Again, the protocol has to be right for you and your cancer.

As you will have gathered it is not a case of one size fits all.  Where people are using a combined approach, we have to match the natural response to the conventional approach.  There are literally thousands of studies showing which natural substances support conventional treatments.

Costs

If your body has got to this stage then it needs help to bring it back to where it should be.

Many people are driven by cost, but this is your life and you may only get one shot at saving it. It is easier to take government funded options, but will they get you to your goals?

Sort out what it is that you really want (refer previous pages). Focus your resources on what matters, what really matters. We could get embroiled in a discussion about why some seemingly insignificant tests/therapies are government funded and other critical tests are not. I have been fighting this for a long time.

At the end of the day it is about achieving your goals and that does take resources. Companies do not perform tests for free, good quality nutrients are expensive and even good-hearted naturopaths have overheads that must be met.

Decide where you want to put your resources so that you get the biggest bang for your buck. A good practitioner will help you with this.

Depending on your type of cancer and its drivers, the initial testing could cost anywhere from $700 to $1500 and a program could cost anywhere between $100 and $300 per week. Additional testing to gauge progress may be required along the way. Our costs section has a more detailed breakdown of pricing for various tests and therapies.

What are the biggest pitfalls?

The following pitfalls are drawn from my experience. However well intentioned, they can detract from your goals:

Trying everything together
Doctor Google can be informative, but also confusing. There are so many alleged cancer cures, but which ones are right for you and what will work for you. Some therapies when taken together are counter-productive. One may be trying to work one way and the other may be working in the exact opposite way. The result is that you get a nil result or even worse, a negative result.

Doing it on your own
This is your life and you decide what is best for you, but let me pose the question: “If you had a Ferrari and there was a problem with the computer, would you fix it yourself?” Well your body is a whole lot more complex that a Ferrari.

Looking for the silver bullet
Many people hop from one product/therapy to the next, to the next, looking for the silver bullet cure. In my view there is not one. Your body has developed cancer as a result of a number of factors. You need to work with your body to support it so that it can do what it does best. This will involve a range of interventions. Remember, you are an individual. What is good for one cancer client may actually be harmful to another.

Having too many practitioner advisers
In this case, more is not good. Sure, you should listen to everyone, but then decide on a core team whom you trust. People you can relate to, people who will take you to your goals.

Not doing enough
This is the main event. It has got to this because the body has not been able to cope. Yes, everything you do will have a positive impact, but in my experience, those people who treat their recovery with religious zeal, are the ones who are the survivors.

Cost cutting
It is human nature to go for the best deal. We all want a bargain. With some things it is easy to make a decision about saving money. With others, it is a bit harder. Consider this. You go to a budget store: you find a dress/suit: it is the wrong colour; it doesn’t fit well; there is a hole in the material; it smells funny and the material makes you itch. Would you buy it, even if it were a magic price? If your answer is yes, then I have really wasted your time in bringing you this far. If the answer is “no”, then I suspect the “no” is based on what you know and can see, smell, feel, and think. It is not that simple with cancer. You cannot just see, smell, feel and think what is the best therapy, nutrient, test, etc. You need to be guided by what your body needs, as revealed by testing.

Not exploring all the options
This may be the most important time of your life, deciding what to do.  Look at al the options and decide which one or combination of ones is right for you.  You do not have to decide between a conventional and a natural approach.  You can do both.  Within these options there are so many sub options.  For example, Many international cancer clinics are offering “off label” drugs in combination with natural therapies.  This is a promising area and we are working with medical practitioners to provide this option.

Certainly, conventional medicine has much to offer.  In my view, a “one size fits” all approach is not optimum and you need to focus on both the cancer and the causes of the cancer.

Take a moment to look at the statistics, the real statistics, to inform your decision.

Focusing on others
There is a good chance that what got you in this mess, in the first place, was focusing on others to the detriment to your own well being. This is a time for you. Listen to your body, listen to your practitioners and achieve your goals.

You may well be the hub of the wheel. Without the hub, the wheel falls apart. If you want to serve the people who are important in your life, then you may need to focus on you.

FAQs

Will I live?
No one can tell you if you will get through this. Statistics are a little help, but not much. One thing is certain. The more you can do to support your body to balance, heal and destroy the cancer, the more chance you will have of living.

In my experience, you only die because you have given up. Your body will keep fighting, long after you have had enough. This can be the difference between life and death. In the words of Winston Churchill “Never, never, never ever give up”.

What therapies work best for my type of cancer?
At the end of the day, it is about you, the type of cancer, the reasons that it appeared, the condition of your body, what your body needs and so much more. When we know this, we can make a more informed decision. Testing gives the required information.

Should I go the natural way or the conventional way?
Tough question to ask a naturopath. You need to talk to skilled people from all disciplines: ask how they work, what are their success rates with your sort of cancer; what is there detailed plan for you, how will they check if their therapy is working and what is their contingency plan if it is not working.

What are the down sides of chemo, radiation and surgery?
First the up side.  Chemo, radiation and surgery have been shown to be effective.  Their success rate varies with different types of cancer.  Many natural therapists are violently opposed to their use.  We are not.  We believe that they have a place.  They do come with a downside, but like everything the downside needs to balanced with the upside.

Chemo kills indiscriminately, both good and bad cells. In the process of trying to kill the cancer cells, a lot of the immune system is destroyed. The immune system is your body’s protection mechanism. In addition, chemo only kills the daughter cancer cells, not the mama stem cancer cells. In our view, the idea is to shrink the cancer to a point where the body can kill what is left of the cancer.  It may need support to do this. Some chemo agents are listed in the schedule as carcinogens (cancer causing).

Exposure to radiation is listed as one of the causes of cancer and there are many documented cases where radiation exposure has given rise to increased rate of cancer. Radiation therapy is more targeted than chemo, but it can cause burns to other parts of the body and other side effects

Surgery may be necessary if the tumour is pressing on a vital part of the body, but surgery has the potential to rupture contained cancer cells allowing them to move to other parts of the body and grow there.

I think that the most important point being missed with conventional approaches is “What caused the cancer to form in the first place?” You have to start and end there, else history may repeat itself.

Can I do both?
Yes you can, of course you can. Natural therapies can support chemo and radiation and assist recovery after surgery. Is it the best option? Again it depends on the type of cancer. You decide after listening to your advisor(s).

I have heard of many successful cancer therapies that are not available in New Zealand.  Why?

New Zealand is a small country.  We have a limited health budget.  Our oncologists are very conservative.  Most ongoing training for medical practitioners is provided by drug companies, who only have an interest in their own products.

• Insulin potentiated chemotherapy has been shown to be more effective than chemotherapy on its own.  It is being practiced effectively in Europe and the USA, but not in this country.
• Testing tumors in the lab to see which chemo drug they respond best to is widely practiced overseas, but seldom seen here.
• The use of “off label” drugs is proving to be extremely successful and while practiced in many international cancer centres is rarely seen in this country
• ….and so many more

What are some questions that I should ask a practitioner?
This website outlines some key questions to ask your oncologist and how to evaluate the answers. I would suggest that they are appropriate for any practitioner that you are considering working with.

Do not be shy. This is your life.

If the natural way is so good, how come my body has not healed itself already?
Your body has been five million years in the development. Do you think for one minute that your body does not know what works and what does not? You got into this mess because you went against the laws of nature. If your body had everything it needed, it would have beaten the cancer. This is not about blame. We have been conditioned to eat, drink and live counter to the laws of nature. Now is the time to live as you were supposed to live and heal the way you were supposed to heal.

Where do I go for help and support?
There is no one place to go for help and support. There are a lot of hidden agendas. I recommend finding a small group of qualified, skilled and experienced cancer practitioners who you trust  and believe in. This is like finding a racing support team for your Ferrari, knowing that they will keep your baby ticking over perfectly. This practitioner will guide you towards looking at all the available options, both conventional and natural, to allow you to decide what is best for you.

How can I find out more about cancer, various therapies and success rates?
First, ask your practitioners.

In our cancer program we ask people to set aside one hour per day to learn about cancer, their cancer, the various therapies, success rates and what can be. We direct people to manly functional and integrative medicine sites.

A friend of a friend beat cancer, why can’t I just follow her regime?
An interesting statistic is that each man and woman is capable of creating 42 billion possible differences in an offspring. Having regard to this, consider the differences there are between human beings. You may be born with a genetic pattern that means you need more of something, while someone else can be the opposite. A good example is a simple nutrient like folic acid. Some people need a great deal, while to others too much folic acid can have a negative effect. Some people have food intolerances, while others do not.

What works well for one person, may actually be detrimental for another. You need to address the drivers of your cancer.

If we beat the cancer, how will we check to make sure that it does not come back?
This is a biggie for cancer clients. There is always the dread that the cancer will come back. This worry is counter productive to well being.

All cancers are different and require different forms of testing. We design a bank of simple, relatively inexpensive tests to monitor you on an on going basis. This gives you peace of mind.

I am not sure I have what it takes to do this
Actually you do. It is innate. It is all there. You just have to activate it.

Next steps

Contact us to make an appointment with Clive to discuss your current health status and your health history. We’ll ask that you complete a pre-consult, cancer questionnaire to give us the background information to make your consultation the most effective that we can. During your consult, we’ll discuss testing and treatment options and formulate a plan together on the path forward.