Is Your Colon Making You Sick ?

[Written by David Dressler and Barrie Carlsen]

The Function of the Colon
The colon, or large intestine, is the longest portion of the digestive tract (about five feet in length in the adult), arranged in loops inside the abdomen. The colon has two main functions :

* To absorb fluids and various unassimilated food substances,

* To move solid wastes onward to final elimination from the body.

Just as in household plumbing, the flow through the colon, our 'internal plumbing', should be unrestricted from one end to the other, or problems resulting in disease can occur.

When wastes build up in the colon, toxins are released into the body and absorbed, gradually making the person sick. These wastes must be eliminated. If one never flushed the toilet, you can imagine the results. In fact, it is exactly because of modern hygiene-regular washing, underground sewage systems, etc.-that there has been a mass reduction in certain diseases during the last hundred years. Why should it be any different with the sewage system closer to home-in our own bodies? Good colon hygiene means good health too.

How do we know if our colon is eliminating properly ? Many people believe that one bowel movement a day-or even one per week-is adequate. For many, constipation is an accepted way of life. But this is not a healthy condition. If your toilet were full, you would flush it right away, not once a day or once a week. Passing a firm, painless stool two to three times a day, is the natural and healthy way.

Even if one eliminates regularly two or three times a day, one can still have a toxic colon. Waste matter can accumulate in the angled or flexed regions of the colon, just as sludge accumulates in the J-shaped joint of the pipe below the sink drain. Accumulated waste matter in colon flexures continuously release poisons back into the body. Another way the colon becomes toxic is from poor choice of foods. Even though these foods may be moving smoothly through the colon and eliminated regularly and are not forming 'sludge' in colon flexures, certain foods or additives may be toxic to the body, releasing those toxins into the colon where they are absorbed instead of eliminated. Rather than nourishing the cells, muscles, nerves and glands in the body, they are slowly being poisoned. Disease is the inevitable outcome.

With our modern lifestyle, it is not uncommon for an adult to accumulate 10-20 pounds of old fecal matter and up to 65 pounds has been reported ! Compare the picture of a normal digestive system to one with several commonly known bowel and colon diseases.

The second task of the colon is the absorption of liquids and essential nutrients. Even if the colon is eliminating regularly and no "sludge" is building up in its coils, there can be poor absorption of nutrients. If we eat processed, fried, over-cooked or devitalized foods or excessive sugar and salt, the body will be deprived of essential nutrients. These toxic 'non-foods' starve the body instead of sustaining it. Again, the outcome of sustained nutritional deficiency is illness.

Good health begins in the colon
The statement, 'you are what you eat' is only partly true. You are what you assimilate. You can eat all the best food and finest vitamins and supplements, but if your colon is not assimilating them, you are literally flushing them-and your money-down the toilet! If what you eat is nutritious and assimilated, you will be healthy. If what you eat is nutritionally deficient and poorly assimilated, you will not be healthy.

Symptoms of a Toxic Colon
Do you presently have any of the following ?

- Bad breathe;
- Body odour;
- Brittle hair, ot nails;
- Circles under your eyes;
- Eczema;
- Cold hands, or feet;
- Thyroid problems;
- Gas;
- Digestive problems;
- Abdominal pain;
- Ulcers;
- Constipation, or diarrhea;
- Obesity;
- Pot-belly;
- Severe weight loss;
- Menstrual irregularities;
- Prostate problems;
- 'Brain fog';
- Poor memory;
- Depression;
- Low energy;
- Food cravings;
- Insomnia;
- Headaches;
- High, or low blood pressure;
- Neck-shoulder pain;
- Low back pain;
- Migrating aches and pains;
- Varicose veins;

If you have some of these symptoms, you may have a toxic colon and you should seek diagnosis by a health professional.

Gastroenterologist Dr. Anthony Basser states : "Every physician should realize that the intestinal toxemias (poisons) are the most important primary and contributing causes of many disorders and diseases of the human body."

In his book Colon Health, The Key to a Vibrant Life, Normal Walker, D.Sc., Ph.D. writes : "Few of us realize that failure to effectively eliminate waste products from the body causes so much fermentation and putrefaction (rotting of waste matter) in the colon that the neglected accumulation of waste can, and frequently does, result in a lingering demise! Infirmity and sickness are the result of allowing the intestines to remain loaded with waste matter."

Colon toxicity can lead to : adhesions, colitis and ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, liver disease, pancreatic disorders, allergies and immune system dysfunctions. Without going into detail on each of these conditions, it is enough to say they are all painful, sometimes severely disabling, and at times actually life-threatening (as in diverticulitis, when a festering sac of feces in the colon balloons, ruptures and spills poisons into the abdominal cavity). When advanced, these conditions often require surgical intervention, which is not always successful. It is important to note that these unfortunate consequences can be prevented or minimized by maintaining a healthy colon.

Maintaining a Healthy Colon
Before knowing how to keep the colon healthy, it is necessary to understand what makes the colon toxic or unhealthy. Major causes of colon toxicity are :

* Lack of fibre in the diet
* Lack of lactic bateria
* Fried, processed, over-cooked, devitalized starches, refined sugar,
excessive salt and excess saturated fat in the diet
* Chronic anxiety (stress)

Dietary Fibre
The perspective on dietary fibre expressed in the following sections is that of the American Dietetic Association. According to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (1997, vol. 97, pp. 1157-1159), while not considered an essential nutrient, adequate daily consumption of dietary fibre is essential to long-term good health. Dietary fibre has demonstrated benefits for health maintenance, disease prevention and as a component of nutrition therapy.

What is Dietary Fibre ?
Dietary fibre is primarily storage cell and cell wall polysaccharides (complex sugars) of plants that cannot be digested by the non-microbial enzymes of the human digestive tract. Fibre consists of a variety of substances, most of which are complex carbohydrates. These substances can be divided into two general categories: soluble fibre and insoluble fibre. This distinction is important because the two types of fibre have different effects on the human digestive system.

Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre is that part of the total fibre that is suspended in water during laboratory analysis. Soluble fibre can represent 15%-50% of the total fibre, depending on the method of analysis being employed. About 25%-33% of the dietary fibre present in typical mixed-food diets is water-soluble. Soluble fibres form a gel-like consistency in water and include gums, mucilages, some pectins and some hemicelluloses. Foods that contain substantial portions of soluble fibre include beans, corn, oats, barley, peas, lentils, dates, blackberries, cranberries, seeds, apples, bananas, citrus fruits and certain vegetables such as white potatoes and sweet potatoes. Most other grains, fruits and vegetables contain smaller proportions of soluble fibre. The enzymes produced by bacteria in the large intestine can break down (ferment) most soluble fibres and do not promote elimination. Two noted exceptions are oats, which contain up to 50% soluble fibre, and psyllium seed husks, which are considered soluble fibres. Both of these fibre sources promote intestinal activity and defecation. Some soluble fibres slow the rise of glucose levels in the blood. For a soluble fibre to be effective, it must also be viscous. Viscosity slows transit time of the liquified food in the upper gastrointestinal tract, resulting in slower absorption rates, lower blood concentrations of nutrients and altered hormonal responses to these absorbed nutrients. Viscosity also appears to be a requirement for fibre if it is to lower blood cholesterol concentrations.

Insoluble Fibre
Insoluble fibres include lignin, cellulose and some hemicelluloses and pectins. Insoluble fibre makes up approximately 66%-75% of the dietary fibre in a mixed-food diet. Foods particularly rich in insoluble fibre include bran (the outer covering of corn, oat, rice, wheat), whole grains (corn, barley, rice, wheat, oat), cereals, edible skins of fruits and vegetables, and some whole vegetables. Insoluble fibres are resistant to enzymatic breakdown in the colon. They act to speed transit time, increase stool weight and promote laxation (defecation).

Recommended Daily Fibre Intake
Recommendation for adult dietary fibre intake is 25-30g/day or 12-50g/1,000 kcal. The average American diet provides barely half of this amount, or 10-15g/day. Increasing the consumption of complex carbohydrates is the best way to increase fibre intake. Following are some suggestions to increase fibre intake :

* Choose fresh fruit or vegetables rather than juice
* Eat the skin and membranes of cleaned fruits and vegetables
* Choose bran and whole grain breads and cereals daily
* An increase in fibre should be accompanied by and increase in water
* Eat fewer processed foods and more fresh ones
* Fibre from fresh foods is preferable to fibre supplements

Therapeutic Uses of Fibre
a) Adequate daily fibre intake may be protective against colon and rectal cancer. It is estimated that the risk of colorectal cancer in the US population could be reduced by about 31% if fibre intake from food sources were increased by an average of 13g/day.

b) High fibre intake has been associated with a reduction in breast cancer rates. International comparisons show an inverse correlation between breast cancer death rates and the consumption of fibre rich foods.

High fibre foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains may also protect against prostate cancer
a) High fibre diets may reduce the risk of diabetes. Fibre has a role in the treatment of diabetes because it regulates blood sugar by slowing the absorption of glucose from the small intestine. Fibre does this by coating the gut's lining and delaying stomach emptying; thus, sugar absorption after a meal is slowed, reducing the amount of insulin needed.

b) Dietary fibre has a role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease due to its cholesterol lowering ability. Viscous, soluble fibre can lower blood cholesterol levels by 5% or more due to its interference in the absorption of bile acids. By causing more cholesterol to be used for bile acid production, soluble fibre helps take cholesterol out of circulation in the intestines and the bloodstream. Fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarctions have been inversely associated with total fibre intake in some studies.

c) Adequate daily fibre intake promotes laxation (defecation) and helps prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. The gastrointestinal tract is remarkably sensitive to dietary fibre. A high fibre diet may prevent irritation of diverticulitis, thus reducing the long-term risk of developing bowel disease.

d) Soluble fibre known as cellulose and hemicellulose expand in the stomach, causing a sensation of fullness, thus discouraging excessive food intake and thereby helping weight control.

Normal Bowel Habits
It is normal for a healthy person to have two or three soft yet firm, well formed, easily passed bowel movements a day. It is not normal to miss even one bowel movement per day. If your bowels move daily, but with difficulty or straining, or if your stool is dry or hard, or if you do not move your bowels at least 1-2 times per day, you need to adjust your diet for the right amount of fibre and water intake.

Normal Physiology
When there is adequate fibre and water in the diet, fibre particles attract water, forming tiny beads that mix with the stool. These fibre-water beads give the stool size, shape and moisture, allowing the colon to move the stool easily. To facilitate this process, the colon manufactures mucous to lubricate the passage. If the colon is dry because of too little mucous or too little water, the stool becomes dry and will stick to the colon, requiring one to strain in order to eliminate. This condition is known as constipation. As stated, chronic constipation can lead to hemorrhoids and actual bowel disease.

Lactic Bateria
Lactic bacteria include Acidophilus, which exists from the upper part of the small intestine to the lower part of the small intestine, and Bifidobacterium, which exists from the lower part of the small intestine to the large intestine. These microorganisms have the specific property of transforming sugars almost exclusively into lactic acid and acetic acid, which decrease the pH (increasing the acidity) of the intestines and to produce substances that suppress harmful bacteria. They are abundant in nature and are essential for human and animal survival. They are normally present in the skin, the digestive system and in the vaginal mucosa where they fulfill numerous functions and assure the protection of the tissues against the action of harmful microbes. These functions are so important that we designate lactic bacteria as 'Probiotic', or agents that protect life.

Many factors can modify the desirable harmony of the intestinal flora. Disease, stress, an excess of food proteins, a lack of sufficient dietary fibre, the consumption of contaminated food, and the taking of antibiotics can favour the implantation and development of putrefactive and infectious microorganisms to the detriment of 'friendly' bacteria.

A proper diet favours the presence of lactic bacteria in normal quantities in the digestive tract. In the case of gastro-intestinal problems, vaginal infection and the use of antibiotics, it is necessary to have recourse to a reliable supply of lactic bacteria. Human strains of lactic bacteria are preferred over dairy sources. Daily consumption of Greens Rx. will provide an optimum supply of these 'friendly bacteria'.

Natural Foods
If you are what you eat and assimilate, then it is obvious that if you want to be healthy you have to eat healthy food. Fast food, while convenient, was never intended for our million-year old intestinal tract. Processed, devitalized foods hardly qualify to be called 'food', and indeed, they are often aptly called "junk food". A recent study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture revealed that, over the past several decades, 'fresh' fruits and vegetables have lost more than 50% of their nutrient value, except for vitamin A which, for unknown reasons, is off the chart in abundance in carrots. It is thought that this generalized nutrient depletion is due to the ruined condition of the soil. So-called fresh produce is also waxed, sprayed, artificially colored, and in some cases genetically altered. Meat is even more heavily processed: caged beasts raised in misery, solely to be slaughtered for human consumption, are shot full of growth hormone, antibiotics, fed genetically altered grain, made to eat cement and newspaper to add to their weight and therefore profitability. The cut meat may be injected with food coloring, preservatives, taste enhancers, tenderizers and other toxic substances. If you eat this tortured meat fried in any fast-food restaurant, you are consuming an additional load of dangerous fatty breakdown products known to be carcinogenic and contributors to heart disease. If we are what we eat and what we assimilate, is it any wonder that millions of Canadians and Americans are chronically sick and obese? And immigrants who come to 'the land of plenty' often become ill with our North American diseases as they adopt the North American 'junk-food' diet ?

What should we eat to be healthy ? Without endorsing any particular diet, it is fair to say that most authorities writing about nutrition over the past two or three decades would agree that we need to eat predominately natural foods, that is, foods as close as possible to what nature intended.

i) Eat vegetables and fruits as fresh as possible, which means in season and grown close to home if not in the family garden. Produce should be 'organic', that is, certified unsprayed and grown on composted soil not subjected to chemical fertilizers.

ii) All white bread and processed grains should be eliminated completely from the diet. Processed grains have had the vitamins and minerals milled out of them and a few artificial vitamins injected back into them so that they can be called 'vitamin enriched'. So-called 'enriched' grains are actually 'depleted' in nutrient value. Whole, unprocessed, often organic grains are available in bulk at many health food stores and some supermarkets.

iii) Processed (white) sugar should be eliminated. Even honey or maple syrup should be eaten in moderation, especially if you have blood sugar problems. Salt in the supermarket is no longer 'salt' (pure sodium chloride). Read the label: it contains sugar, potassium chloride, possibly even sand or silicon dioxide, along with other chemicals. Don't eat it. Buy sea salt, but again read the label because some sea salt has been laced with sugar also. Sea salt naturally contains associated minerals, including iodine. If you have thyroid problems (high or low), check with your doctor before consuming salt containing iodine. Salt from any source should not be eaten in large quantities, especially if you have high blood pressure or water retention.

iv) Avoid saturated fats because they contribute to cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and premature aging. Use only unsaturated oils such as olive oil, perilla oil, fish liver oils, mixed or 'balanced' oils. Do not cook with oil or burn oil because it forms carcinogens. The best way to cook is to steam.

v) Eggs should be 'free range', which means the chickens are allowed to scratch for their own food instead of being fed artificial food on a schedule. Chickens fed unsprayed, naturally nutritious food produce 'Organic' eggs.

vi) Many nutrition authorities warn people away from milk, meat and even fish. The reasons are many, depending upon the orientation of the author, but most would agree that these foods are now no longer safe to eat due to poisonous food additives, preservatives, drugs, heavy metals, radioactivity, etc. Some would allow that the benefits of eating deep-sea fish still outweigh the threat of contamination caused by mercury and pesticides. Others suggest that animals fed organic, unsprayed grains, and not subjected to a pharmacy full of drugs, are safe enough to consume; however, such meat is difficult to find. Vegetarian authors, of course, warn that meat and even fish are unsuitable for human consumption even when not contaminated.

vii) We should drink only filtered water. Some commercial mineral water has been tested and found to contain nothing more than city tap water. The best water filtering process is reverse osmosis, but it is expensive. Less costly filters using advanced charcoal filters are available. Usually one gets what one pays for. Drinking mineral, distilled or deionized water from plastic bottles can be toxic because the plastic gradually dissolves into the water, adding chemicals that resemble the female hormone, estrogen. Some authorities believe the amount of estrogen-like substances entering our bodies is causing hormone imbalances including breast development in very young female children and possible sterility in men.

viii) In this era of food, water and air pollution, of devitalized, contaminated, over-processed and genetically altered food, we need to supplement our diet with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients if we are to protect ourselves and be healthy. The amount of vitamins and minerals we take has to exceed the RDA (minimum daily allowances) once thought to be adequate before the food supply was proven to be up to 50% deficient in essential nutrients, and before the world became such a polluted, stressful place. Besides, most health-conscious individuals want more than 'minimum' health, they want optimum health and well-being. This requires giving oneself the 'optimum' supply of essential nutrients every day, along with the healthiest food and water possible. One way to insure an optimum supply of all of the essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes is to regularly take a supplement such as the SONA from Enerex

Stress
We live in what is called 'the age of anxiety', which might be termed chronic stress. Outwardly and inwardly, most of us are in turmoil-over economic concerns, overcrowding, crime, pollution of our food, water, air and the earth itself, disasters both natural and man-made, as well as illness and emotional challenges. These stressors affect our health physically, emotionally, psychologically and even spiritually. In ages past, our world was a much simpler place and our organism was amply equipped by nature to survive the stress of the time. Our innate 'fight or flight' response was usually adequate to the challenges we faced. If it was not, we died on the spot or limped away to die of our wounds a short time later, or we succumbed to the viruses of the day. It is unlikely we huddled in the dark and fretted about the sabre-tooth tiger we anticipated confronting the next day, or worried about having enough rabbits to feed our offspring nine months from now. Doubtless, we did not visit the Paleolithic equivalent of the psychiatrist. We certainly did not 'eat ourselves up' with worry the way we do today.

Stress is medically acknowledged to be one of the major causes of illness and chronic pain. Stress is a loss of balance physiologically, emotionally, psychologically or spiritually, and most of us would have to admit to being stressed to one degree or another. Stress affects our entire system-musculoskeletal, nervous, hormonal, circulatory, cardiorespiratory, genitourinary and gastrointestinal. Basically, modern stressors stimulate our million-year-old 'fight or flight' responses, but as we do not have an immediate and satisfying fulfillment for our primitive urges: we usually cannot beat the boss over the head or run screaming out of our living room when our partner pushes our buttons! Instead, all of those raging stress hormones pumping through our systems, all of those contracting muscles ready to strike or run, the accelerated heartbeat and respiration and those contractions in the gut, and all of those primal emotions-have no satisfying outlet. Instead, these impulses are largely repressed from our conscious awareness and are held in check within our bodies, and we act civilly.

Bottled up energy and emotion affect our gut in what doctors call a 'psychosomatic' way. For example, chronic anxiety may cause diarrhea and play a part in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 'Uptight' or emotionally repressed people may literally be uptight, that is, suffer from constipation. We have discussed how proper elimination and absorption is essential for health. It is clear that unrelieved stress can lead to illness affecting the function of the colon.

What can we do to relieve stress in our modern world ? The medical and pharmaceutical answers involve drugs such as tranquilizers, anti-depressants and hormones, all of which have side effects, and in some cases worsen the condition for which they were prescribed. Natural methods of coping with stress include sound nutrition, cleansing, vitamins and minerals including anti-oxidants, natural anti-inflammatories, nutritional supplements, herbs, homeopathy, purified water, clean air and natural light. Food and herbal substances have fewer side effects than most pharmaceuticals and usually cost less. Medical research has recently shown that certain supplements and herbs actually work as well as, or better than, drugs used for the same purposes, and with few if any side effects.

If we are serious about being well and having a healthy colon, we must reduce stress. Eating properly (including taking vitamins and nutritional supplements), exercising, meditating, getting enough rest and recreation, are all methods of reducing stress. Millions of people also relieve stress with massage therapy, craniosacral, reflexology, shiatsu, acupuncture, aromatherapy, infrared sauna and herbal wraps. When we reduce emotional stress from the colon, we are making a major step toward improving its function and thereby our health.

Ways to Restore Colon Health
There are two main methods of restoring colon health :

a) Colonics

b) Herbal-dietary cleanse

Colonics
Colonics involves inserting a tube into the rectum, irrigating the colon with water or herbs, and draining the water containing waste matter through the tube. Trained colon therapists or naturopaths perform this process under hygienic conditions. A person may have to take a colonic on several occasions in order to adequately cleanse the colon. As we know, cleansing alone is not enough. The right kind of diet, rich in fibre, is also necessary in order to maintain colon health, even after colonics.

Colonics must be used with caution and there are contraindications (conditions of the recipient in which colonics should not be used). For such reasons of safety, only trained personnel should administer colon therapy. Because colon therapy requires a visit to someone with specialized training, the cost of colon therapy is likely to be higher than for most self-administered herbal-dietary cleanses.

Herbal Dietary Cleanse
Extreme cases may require colonic therapy, but or most individuals, a herbal-dietary cleanse is sufficient to restore colon health. Most herbal dietary cleansing programms involve fasting from solid food for a period of time while consuming large quantities of fruit or vegetable juices and possibly various herbs. In recent years, certain 'superfoods' have been developed which contain a mixture of powdered, concentrated greens, grains, roots, blue-green algae and potent herbs. The best programs also contain the important soluble and insoluble fibre discussed earlier. And, of course, good cleansing programs recommend returning to and maintaining a healthy diet of organic foods.

Your Commitment to Health
Good health is a lifelong commitment-one that is rewarded on a daily basis with radiant vitality and well-being. In the final analysis, health is our most valuable asset and is the foundation of our very existence. As we have learned, good health begins with a healthy colon.

Cancer (Self - Treatment)

[Extracted from AlkalizeforHealth.Net]

The information on this web site is provided for educational purposes only.
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"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."
- Thomas Edison

"The ideal task of cancer therapy is to restore the function of the oxidizing systems in the entire organism." - Max Gerson, M.D.

Virtually all vegetables contain phytochemicals that help to prevent cancers. You will get maximum protection from cancer by eating large amounts of fruits and vegetables, rather than spending extra money to supplement an unhealthy diet with pills. - www.drmirkin.com

"Cancer is not a single cellular problem; it is an accumulation of numerous damaging factors combined in deteriorating the whole metabolism..." - Dr. Max Gerson

"Only the cancer victim himself can properly treat his own cancer."
- Dr. William Kelley
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Whether or not you submit to the standard treatments for cancer (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy), there are things you can do for yourself. Some patients undergoing the standard treatments become too weak to complete their treatment. The program you will find on this page and elsewhere in this website may help you build your strength to finish the treatment while helping to minimize side effects.

If you are working with an alternative medical practitioner, you will want to learn what you can do for yourself to complement the treatments you receive from your alternative physician. The cancer self-treatment program on this page is intended to complement and supplement the care you receive from your alternative physician.

Some parts of the 08 step program presented here have been advocated as alternative treatments for cancer, yet we find that they can also be components of a healthy lifestyle, worthy to be followed whether you have cancer or not. This is how the information on this page can be used by you to PREVENT CANCER and to prevent the recurrence of cancer.

If you already have cancer and want to know some things you can do for yourself, the information here is designed to give you an initial orientation and fast start, which you can supplement by reading some of the many books available.

Cancer and Oxygen
Dr. Otto Warburg received the Nobel prize in 1931 for the discovery that unlike all other cells in the human body, cancer cells do not breathe oxygen. Cancer cells are anaerobic, which means that they derive their energy without needing oxygen. For more information regarding cancer metabolism, please see our oxygen page. It turns out that cancer cells cannot survive in the presence of high levels of oxygen and this has given rise to a variety of successful treatments based on oxygenating the tissues, such as intravenous hydrogen peroxide, hyperbaric oxygen tank, and blood ozonation. EWOT (Exercise With Oxygen Therapy) is doing light exercise, such as on a treadmill or stationary bicycle, while breathing pure oxygen. EWOT produces the benefits of intravenous hydrogen peroxide therapy and you can do it at home.

Dietary supplementation with DMG (Dimethylglycine) increases oxygen utilization in hypoxic tissues, helping to prevent cancer and many other problems.

"The great advantage of knowing the prime cause of a disease is that it can then be attacked logically and over a broad front. This is particularly important in the case of cancer, with its numerous secondary and remote causes, and because it is often stated that in man alone there are over one hundred well-known and quite different kinds of cancer, usually with the implication that therefore we will have to find one or several hundred bases for prevention and treatment, and usually without any realization that this need not necessarily be the case now that we know that all cancers studied have a characteristic metabolism in common, a prime cause." - Dr. Otto Warburg, two time Nobel prize winner.

As a preventive and self-treatment, breathing exercises (such as pranayama) and an abundance of fresh air provide a starting point. Most people do not breathe deeply, so they lose the benefit of much of their lung capacity. Most indoor air is ten times more polluted than outdoor air, yet we spend up to 90% of our time indoors. Indoor air in every room needs to be constantly refreshed from the outside. Need we mention the importance of non-smoking ? Aerobic exercise is useful to both oxygenate the tissues and move the lymph around.

Lymph is a colorless fluid that bathes every cell in the body. The body has two circulatory systems, one for blood and the other for lymph. Blood is circulated by the heart, whereas the lymph is circulated by physical exercise. Many tissues depend on the lymph to provide nutrients (including oxygen) and carry off wastes. If the lymph does not circulate then the tissues suffocate while stewing in their own acidic waste products (uric acid, lactic acid, etc).

Cancer and pH
To understand why some tissues in the body are deficient in oxygen and therefore prone to cancer, it is helpful to understand the nature of acidity and alkalinity. Cancerous tissues are acidic, whereas healthy tissues are alkaline. Water (H2O) decomposes into H+ and OH-. When a solution contains more H+ than OH- then it is said to be acid. When it contains more OH- than H+ then it is said to be alkaline.

When oxygen enters an acid solution it can combine with H+ ions to form water. Oxygen helps to neutralize the acid, while at the same time the acid prevents oxygen from reaching the tissues that need it. Acidic tissues are devoid of free oxygen.

An alkaline solution is just the reverse. Two hydroxyl ions (OH-) can combine to produce one water molecule and one oxygen atom. In other words, an alkaline solution can provide oxygen to the tissues.

The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7 is acid, and above 7 is alkaline. The blood, lymph and cerebral spinal fluid in the human body are designed to be slightly alkaline at a pH of 7.4.

At a pH slightly above 7.4 cancer cells become dormant and at pH 8.5 cancer cells will die while healthy cells will live. This has given rise to a variety of treatments based on increasing the alkalinity of the tissues such as vegetarian diet, the drinking of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, and dietary supplementation with alkaline minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, cesium and rubidium.

In Holland, the vegetarian diet promoted by Dr. Moerman has been recognized by the government as a legitimate treatment for cancer. Results indicate that Dr. Moerman’s diet is more effective than standard cancer treatments (Jochems, 1990).

Based on the pH of saliva, here is a daily supplement program recommended by one physician, in order to help restore alkalinity to the body :

Recommended Minimum Daily Supplement Program

Saliva pH -- Calcium -- Magnesium -- Vitamin D -- Vitamin A

6.5 to 7.4 -- 1,200 mg -- 690 mg -- 2,400 IU -- 30,000 IU

6.0 to 6.5 -- 2,400 mg -- 1,390 mg -- 4,800 IU -- 60,000 IU

4.5 to 6.0 -- 3,600 mg -- 2,070 mg -- 7,200 IU -- 90,000 IU

These supplements are commonly available in health food stores and pharmacies. Calcium is better absorbed when taken with meals. Calcium in the form of calcium ascorbate, calcium citrate, calcium gluconate, calcium hydroxyapatite, calcium malate, calcium bis-glycinate, and calcium orotate is more easily absorbed than calcium carbonate. Flavoured chewable calcium / magnesium / vitamin D tablets are pleasant to eat. If you take vitamin C with your calcium, the ascorbic acid helps to dissolve the calcium. Vitamin A is considered non-toxic in amounts below 100,000 I.U. (Merck Manual, 1987). Vitamin A is included in the above table because it is found in cod liver oil that was being used as a source of vitamin D. However, vitamin A now turns out to have significant value for leukemia. Which is the best form of calcium to take ? World famous cancer physician Dr. Hans Nieper became an advocate of calcium orotate for many health problems including bone cancer, osteoporosis, and damaged cartilage.

Rather than using calcium, Dr. Gerson gave his patients a 10% potassium solution. Potassium salt (KCl) is readily available in grocery stores as a substitute for ordinary table salt which is sodium chloride (NaCl). Potassium bicarbonate can be used as a levening agent for baking, substituting for sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Potassium citrate is particularly effective to increase the body's zeta potential. Potassium chloride, potassium bicarbonate, potassium citrate and potassium iodide are available on the Internet.

Certain alkaline minerals have been found by Dr. Brewer to be particularly effective in fighting cancer. It may be possible to dissolve tumors quickly by using salts of cesium, rubidium and potassium.

"A mass spectrographic analysis of cancer cells showed that the cell membrane readily attached cesium, rubidium and potassium, and transmitted these elements with their associated molecules into the cancer cell. In contrast cancer membranes did not transmit sodium, magnesium, and calcium into the cell : the amount of calcium within a cancer cell is only about 1% of that for normal cells. Potassium transports glucose into the cell. Calcium and magnesium transport oxygen into the cell. As a consequence of the above, oxygen cannot enter cancer cells so the glucose which is normally burned to carbon dioxide and water undergoes fermentation to form lactic acid within the cell. This anaerobic condition was pointed out by Warburg, as early as 1924.

Potassium, and especially rubidium and cesium are the most basic of the elements. When they are taken up by the cancer cells they will thus raise the pH of the cells. Since they are very strong bases as compared to the weak lactic acid it is possible that the pH will be raised to values in the 8.5 to 9 range. In this range the life of the cancer cell is short, being a matter of days at the most. The dead cancer cells are then absorbed by the body fluids and eventually eliminated from the system." - Dr. Brewer, High pH Cancer Therapy With Cesium

There is research indicating that cancer grows slowly in a highly acid environment (because the acids cause it to partially destroy itself) and may actually grow more quickly as your body becomes more alkaline prior to reaching the healthy pH slightly above 7.4 where the cancer becomes dormant. Therefore, you will want to get your pH above 7.4 as quickly as possible by every means available. Plus, you will want to be attacking the cancer from every direction (the entire 8 step program plus other complementary treatments) simultaneously so that any lack of alkalinity is compensated for. Once you have achieved a pH above 7.4, it is useful to monitor your saliva pH regularly to ensure that your body remains sufficiently alkaline.

Acidity and Free Radicals
Much has been written about free radicals and cancer. A harmful free radical is an ion that has a positive electrical charge. An electron has a negative electrical charge. Due to its positive charge, the free radical attracts electrons from other molecules, thereby damaging them. Sources of free radicals include farm chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), many prescription drugs, processed foods, cigarette smoke, environmental pollution, alcohol, electromagnetic radiation, and stress.

Comparison of cancer tissue with healthy tissue from the same person shows that the cancer tissue has a much higher concentration of toxic chemicals, pesticides, etc. These substances not only build up in the body, but certain areas of the body seem to serve as a dumping ground.

Free radicals can damage any part of the cell, including the DNA. Free radical damage to the DNA is thought to be one of the causes of cancer. In the absence of oxygen, the DNA self-repair mechanism does not function (Diamond, page 1038), so it is no surprise that the DNA of cancerous tissue shows extensive free radical damage.

To help prevent the damage, it is useful to take antioxidants such as Maharishi Amrit Kalash (MAK). MAK is an ancient formula of many herbs harvested and prepared in an exacting manner. Research indicates that MAK is the most potent herbal antioxidant known, a thousand times more powerful than other antioxidants working separately. MAK helps the body deal with toxic chemicals and is becoming popular for reducing the side effects of chemotherapy. Maharishi Amrit Kalash is available from Maharishi Ayurveda Products International.

Antioxidants include selenium, glutathione, iodine/iodide, resveratrol, vitamins A, C and E, bioflavonoids, carotenoids, and coenzyme Q10. Selenium is found in brazil nuts and oatmeal. Many foods, particularly those of the cabbage family, are found to increase glutathione levels in the body. Selenium and glutathione work together to protect fatty tissues such as breast, liver and prostate. Glutathione protects and regulates the p53 tumor suppression gene that could potentially prevent half of all cancers. Vitamin C maintains the effectiveness of vitamin E as an antioxidant. Daily consumption of 300 to 400mg of coenzyme Q10 has been shown to produce a partial or complete regression of breast tumors. Bioflavonoids are provided by green/blue/purple colored foods (fruits, vegetables, berries, beans, spices, etc.). Carotenoids come from yellow/orange/red colored foods. Many individual bioflavonoids and carotenoids have been shown to inhibit cancer growth, and when you eat a variety of foods containing bioflavonoids and carotenoids, they work together to produce a very powerful effect on cancer.

Other antioxidants and antioxidant sources include resveratrol (found in grape skins), propolis, zinc, green tea, turmeric, L-carnosine, and organic germanium. Prunes contain a very high concentration of antioxidants. Oxy-Powder contains organic germanium as one of its ingredients.

Oxidized (rancid) vegetable oils (corn oil, soy oil, etc) look the same as non-oxidized vegetable oils, but the oxidized oils produce masses of free radicals in your body. This is one reason why we recommend replacing all vegetable oils in your cooking with coconut oil. For good health, be sure to eat at least 3 or 4 tablespoons of coconut oil every day. Start with teaspoon amounts and work up. Coconut oil is very easy to digest and provides an ideal source of energy for sick people and healthy people.

For DNA repair, it is also useful for your diet to include foods containing abundant nucleotides that are the building blocks from which your body builds DNA and RNA. Foods providing nucleotides include breast milk, sardines, brewer's yeast, anchovies, mackerel, lentils, most beans, animal liver, oysters, chlorella algae and spirulina algae.

Plus, it is necessary to remove excess acidity from the system so that the tissues become aerobic and the DNA self-repair mechanism can function.

Purification Techniques
1). Many doctors feel that "death begins in the colon". Colon problems primarily affect "westernized" people and, surprisingly, these colon problems turn out to be mostly due to faulty toilet design. Two thirds of the population of the world use squat toilets. Squatting provides the optimal position for complete evacuation of the colon. Complete evacuation of the colon is simply not possible using the western toilet, and results in a filthy internal condition similar to a sewage backup in a home. Your body cannot be healthy so long as this condition continues. Fortunately, there is now an economical device called "Nature's Platform" that adapts the western toilet to comfortably allow the squatting position.

2). Restricting the quantity of food consumed gives the system an opportunity to cleanse itself. It is not always necessary to eat. The digestive system requires a rest periodically, even if just one day each week. The consumption of fresh juices made from organically grown fruits and vegetables during this time of reduced food consumption provides alkalinity to neutralize the acid wastes released from the tissues. The multi-day Sambu cleanse is excellent. It is important to understand that the doctors are not recommending "fasting" in the sense that you consume nothing but water. Rather they are recommending a liquid diet of fresh juices for a brief period.

3). Drink more fluids. Most people are chronically dehydrated. As a result, the kidneys are overworked. This may seem counter-intuitive. You might think that the more fluid you drink the more the kidneys must work to remove it. However, removing fluid is easy for the kidneys, it is waste removal that is difficult. The reason for this is the "concentration gradient". If you drink half as much fluid, then wastes in the urine are twice as concentrated. It is concentrating the wastes that is difficult for the kidneys, because the kidneys need to overcome osmotic pressure that wants to equalize concentrations on both sides of the membrane. Healthy kidneys can achieve a concentration gradient of about 3:1. If you drink twice as much fluid then the wastes are diluted by half, allowing the kidneys to remove twice as much waste. So drink more fluids and help the kidneys do their job.

4). Increase your zeta potential. Zeta potential is a measure of the electrical force that exists between atoms, molecules, particles, cells, etc., in a fluid. Zeta potential's strength determines the amount of material (nutrients, wastes) that fluids such as your blood and lymph can carry. Increasing the electrical force in the solution, allows the fluid to dissolve and hold more material. In this way, more nutrients can be carried throughout your body and accumulated deposits of waste can be removed. An alkaline condition in the body increases zeta potential. Aluminum (from food additives, cooking utensils, antiperspirants, municipal drinking water, vaccines, drugs, etc.) destroys zeta potential. Malic acid (found in apple cider vinegar) removes aluminum from the body.

5). It is necessary to remove excess acidity and toxic chemicals from the body before health can be restored. To remove excess acidity from the tissues it is necessary to build up a reserve of alkalinity through an alkaline (vegetarian) diet, supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetable juices and alkaline minerals. Then this alkalinity must be moved around the body by any technique that works, such as exercise, massage, yoga asanas, Surya Namaskara (sun salutations), manual lymph drainage, etc. Vigorous exercise such as on the rebound mini-trampoline is reported to increase lymph flow by 15 to 30 times.

6). Bile is a liquid produced by the liver. Bile is stored in the gallbladder until you eat a meal, and then it flows into the small intestine where it digests fats. Bile is an important avenue for detoxification of the body. Toxic chemicals removed from the blood by the liver flow out of the body via the bile and digestive tract. When your body produces more bile, your digestion improves and more toxins can be excreted via the bile. Inadequate bile flow allows toxins to build up in the body and results in liver disease, immune responses (allergies), skin problems, damaged arteries, arterial plaque, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, arthritis, edema (fluid buildup), and cancer.

An acid condition in the body causes bile to thicken, eventually resulting in gallstones. An alkaline condition in the body results in bile that flows. Foods that help increase bile production and flow include beets, artichoke, lecithin, turmeric, and the herb milk thistle.

Adequate bile is also needed for the body to digest and absorb fat soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.

7). Fever is associated with increased circulation, oxygenation and stimulation of the immune system. Hyperthermia (swedena, sauna, Schlenz-bath, steam bath, sweat lodge, herbs to induce fever) is very helpful to purify the body through excessive sweating which removes toxic chemicals, and also because cancer cells die at temperatures between 104°F to 105.8°F (Diamond, page 996), whereas healthy cells survive. Also, cancer cells weakened by hyperthermia are much more easily killed by other means (Griffin, page 93).

The Schlenz-bath is particularly interesting because you can do this at home in your bath tub. The only equipment needed is a thermometer to monitor the water temperature.

You can purchase or build your own home sauna. By regularly enjoying a prolonged (45 to 90 minute) low temperature (about 108°F / 42°C) sauna, copious quantities of waste are removed from the body in the sweat. The result is a cleaner body and much softer, healthier skin. A home sauna is a very worthwhile investment. For more information read the articles in our Library and do a search of the Internet.

Since hyperthermia is the safest, most efficacious and economical way of removing heavy metals and toxic chemicals from the body, we regard some means to accomplish this (sauna / hot tub / bath tub) as a household necessity.

Enzymes to Dissolve Cancers
Dissolving cancerous tissue requires enzymes. Dietary supplements containing the ten or more pancreatic enzymes are helpful, with the most important enzymes being trypsin, chymotrypsin and amylase. These enzymes dissolve the protein and sugar coating of the cancer cell making it vulnerable to the attack of white blood cells. This has been known since 1905. The coating on the cancer cell is made of mucus and fibrin. Mucus is a glycoprotein (sugar and protein). Fibrin is a protein floating in the blood that allows blood to clot. This camouflage of mucus and fibrin prevents the white blood cells of the immune system from recognizing the cancer cell. Too much protein in the diet and refined foods such as white sugar and white flour deplete pancreatic enzymes, helping to open the way for cancer.

You should be able to obtain a good enzyme supplement at your local health food store or pharmacy. Pineapple and papaya are good sources of enzymes. "Pancreatic enzymes and vegetable enzymes are part of the supportive theory. You have the papaya melons as the source of the enzyme Papain and pineapple as a source of the enzyme Bromelain. The demasking effect of these enzymes against the pericellular layer of the malignant cell is something very concrete in the immunology of cancer. Now I prefer, rather than advising the use of bromelain or papaya tablets that the individual seeking these enzymes get them directly from the fresh ripe pineapple and papaya fruit. As much as half a pineapple a day should be ingested...You have nothing to lose by eating fresh pineapple and papaya melons." - Dr. Krebs, Jr.

The Japanese fermented food "natto" is a rich source of the enzyme nattokinase that dissolves clots and fibrin deposits in various parts of the body. This makes natto a useful treatment for many problems associated with fibrin and impaired circulation (hyper-coagulation of the blood, circulatory problems, angina, heart attacks, strokes, senility, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis) The Japanese people eat an average of 4.5 pounds (2.2 kg) of natto annually. - Dr. David Williams Alternatives newsletter November 2002.

Dietary sources of all kinds of enzymes are good, and the consumption of at least 70% fresh foods vs. 30% cooked foods helps ensure a supply of enzymes for the body (cooking at temperatures above 116°F destroys enzymes in the food). Fresh foods generally contain all the enzymes required for their own digestion, easing the burden on the digestive system. However, certain foods are more easily digested when cooked because heat breaks down starch (potatoes, for example). Cooking softens cellulose making foods easier to chew which, in turn, makes nutrients more available. However, juicing also breaks down cellulose and frees the nutrients while retaining the enzymes that would be destroyed by cooking.

Unsprouted seeds contain enzyme inhibitors which can be neutralized by cooking, however soaking or sprouting the seeds also removes the enzyme inhibitors and sprouts have a high concentration of vegetable enzymes and other nutrients. Therefore, it is a good idea to soak your grains and beans in water for a minimum of 12 hours before eating them. Soaked grains and beans are called "pre-sprouts" and are much more digestible because the enzyme inhibitors have been deactivated. Allowing the seeds to sprout for three days allows the synthesis of new proteins, plus there is a dramatic increase in the vitamins and essential fatty acids within the sprouts.

Cooking food thoroughly kills bacteria and viruses, which is why with raw foods cleanliness becomes very important. The temperature of food and beverages also makes a difference to digestion. Warm food relaxes the stomach and aids digestion. Cold food and beverage contracts the muscles of the stomach, hindering digestion. It is not good to have cold foods or beverages with meals. Lightly steaming vegetables warms and softens them while retaining most of their nutrients.

Generally as people age the digestive system becomes less powerful, producing less hydrochloric acid, less bile and less enzymes. Therefore, supplementary betaine hydrochloride, digestive enzymes and bile with each meal are often recommended. This not only helps digest the food, but provides a dual benefit of improving nutrition in the body and freeing up pancreatic enzymes for other purposes, such as digesting cancer. As a treatment for cancer, additional enzymes can be taken when the stomach is empty - between meals and in the middle of the night. For more information refer to Dr. Kelley's book Cancer : Curing the Incurable Without Surgery, Chemotherapy, or Radiation.

About 27% of gelatin is the amino acid glycine which stimulates the secretion of stomach acids. - J Clin Invest 76;58:623-631.

In addition to enzymes, medicinal mushrooms can assist the body's white blood cells to penetrate cancer's defenses.

Vitamins and other Nutrients to Fight Cancer
Vitamin B17 The Hunza people eat a lot of apricots and always crack open the kernel and eat the seed. The apricot seed contains Vitamin B17. Vitamin B17 is the anticancer vitamin. Some researchers have found that cancer and sickle cell anemia are caused by a deficiency of vitamin B17, just as scurvy is caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, pernicious anemia is due to a deficiency of vitamin B12 and folic acid, and pellagra is caused by a deficiency of vitamin B3. Vitamin B17 kills cancer cells without harming normal cells, making it nature's chemotherapy. If vitamin B17 was patentable cancer would not be the problem it is today.

First discovered in 1830, this vitamin has never been recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and so it is not in any of the popular vitamin tablets. Vitamin B17 is associated with the bitter taste and most people avoid bitter foods. This is unfortunate. Ayurveda recommends that we enjoy all six tastes at every meal.

Vegetarians are often warned to ensure that they consume sufficient vitamin B12 because vitamin B12 is not found in plant tissue. However, animal metabolism including the human body can produce its own vitamin B12 from vitamin B17.

Foods rich in vitamin B17 include : barley, bitter almonds (not the sweet almonds commonly available), native (bitter) cassava, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), grass (wheat grass and many other grasses), lentils, flaxseed, maize, millet, sorghum, and the seeds of various fruits (apple, apricot, blackthorn, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum). Most of these foods have been deleted from the modern menu. About 1,200 edible plants contain vitamin B17 and many natural remedies for cancer may be rich in this nutrient. To prevent cancer, a maintenance dose of vitamin B17 can be provided by eating several bitter almonds or apricot seeds daily.

The difference between sweet almonds and bitter almonds is the vitamin B17 that the bitter almonds contain. If you are using the 500 mg tablets of vitamin B17, the effect is magnified if you eat 5 - 7 sweet almonds with it because the enzymes in the almonds complement the vitamin.

However, without sufficient zinc in the body, vitamin B17 cannot function. Also, results are better if the vitamin B17 is taken together with nutrients such as vitamin C, the other B vitamins, vitamin A, manganese, magnesium, and selenium. Doctors prescribing vitamin B17 will generally use it as part of a total nutritional program consisting of diet, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and essential fatty acids. Soy foods are not recommended because they have the effect of inhibiting the body's ability to absorb certain minerals including calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc.

The full story of vitamin B17 is to be found in the book World Without Cancer by G. Edward Griffin, American Media, 1997. This popular book is in its 13th printing and is highly recommended. Griffin also made a video tape entitled 'World Without Cancer', summarizing the contents of the book. Alternative names for vitamin B17 are nitrilosides, amygdalin and laetrile. Regardless of what you have read in newspapers about laetrile, withhold your judgment until you have read the book and watched the video. Vitamin B17 is a standard part of alternative cancer therapy world-wide.

Vitamin F Another vitamin critical to the prevention of cancer that has never been recognized by the FDA (do we see a pattern here ?) is omega-3 fatty acid or vitamin F. Vitamin F is the essential fatty acids, with "essential" meaning that the body cannot manufacture it from other nutrients. Vitamin F is required for the production of hemoglobin which is used by red blood cells to transport oxygen. Dr. Johanna Budwig spent her life investigating fatty acids and found that without exception, the blood of unhealthy people always has very low levels of essential fatty acids. This directly impacts the ability of blood to carry oxygen to tissues. Essential fatty acid deficiency is probably more common than any other nutrient deficiency, and is aggravated by the consumption of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils that actively interfere with the metabolism of healthy fatty acids in the body. Preservatives in prepared foods generally interfere with the oxidation of fats, and become respiratory poisons when consumed.

Fats quickly become rancid when exposed to light, heat or air. Good sources of essential fatty acids include flaxseed, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and the germ of wheat and corn. (Fish oils are also good, providing they have not been heated to get rid of the fishy taste and extend the shelf life). The whole seeds can be eaten fresh or sprouted. They can also be cooked without damaging the oil providing the temperature remains relatively low. Cooking with water ensures that the temperature does not exceed the boiling point of the water, which is not high enough to damage the oil. (Also, potatoes and cereals cooked at high temperatures are found to contain a cancer causing chemical called "acrylamide". This chemical is created by the high temperatures of frying, oven-baking, and deep-frying. Boiling or steaming with water cooks foods at a lower temperature and does not create acrylamide.) Health food stores may have non-rancid flaxseed oil in refrigerated dark glass bottles (use the empty bottle to keep your home-made colloidal silver, which also requires a dark bottle). The flaxseed oil can be mixed into salad dressings and other foods.

Dr. Szent-Gyorgy won the Nobel prize in 1937 for discovering that essential fatty acids combined with sulphur-rich proteins (such as those found in diary products) increases oxygenation of the body. Dr. Budwig applied this discovery in clinical trials by feeding cancer patients a mixture of 3-6 Tbsps. flaxseed oil and 4 oz. (1/2 cup) low-fat cottage cheese daily. The mixture is most effective if the flaxseed oil and low-fat cottage are thoroughly mixed or blended. You can add pineapple or other fruit to improve the taste. After about three months improvements could be seen in the blood of the cancer patients, and the malignant tumors began to shrink. When cancer-free, the maintenance dose is 1 Tbsp. flaxseed oil daily per hundred pounds of body weight, plus a diary product or tofu. (We recommend dairy, unless you are allergic to it. Tofu and other soy products are a highly controversial subject for cancer patients. For more information see the article "Be Careful With Soy Products" on our "Early Menarchy" page).

Balanced Diet Is Best
The body makes saturated fat from carbohydrates, but not all carbohydrates are the same. The carbohydrates that cause the body to make the most fat are the refined carbohydrates that are digested too quickly. By replacing refined carbohydrates and starches with vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruit, the carbohydrates will take much longer to digest and the energy they provide will be burned by the body as fuel rather than stored as fat.

Nearly all "whole" foods contain protein. It is difficult to eat a diet of vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruit and not get enough protein. The digestibility of whole grains and legumes is improved when they are sprouted. In fact, sprouted grains and legumes can be eaten raw.

It is a good idea to eat some fats with each meal, because they make you feel "sated" or "full" and help transport fat-soluble nutrients into the body. (Fiber also makes you feel "full". High fiber foods include whole grains and legumes, fruits and vegetables.) Healthy saturated fats include coconut oil and organic butter (or ghee made from organic butter.) We emphasize "organic" because many pesticides are fat soluble and become concentrated in butter and cheese.

Coconut oil is the healthiest oil for cooking. Most cooking oils become rancid when they are heated. In general, it is better to cook longer at lower temperatures so that oils used in cooking are not damaged. Butter and ghee are also good for cooking.

Moderation is a virtue. The overall idea with fat is not so much to eat a "low fat" diet, but rather to replace the bad fats with good fats, and to eat about equal quantities of omega 3 and omega 6 oils.

Good fats include coconut oil, butter, extra virgin olive oil (omega 6), and flaxseed oil (omega 3). Flaxseed oil is highly unstable, must be kept refrigerated and in darkness. Flaxseed oil is consumed as a dietary supplement and/or in salad dressing (we use half flax oil and half olive oil in our salad dressing, together with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, water and herbs). Other healthy oils include fish oils, palm kernel and sesame oils.

Coconut oil contains fewer calories than other oils, and is easier to digest. The medium chain fatty acids of coconut oil can be digested by the saliva enzyme called "lingual lipase", and are so easy to digest that they are incorporated into infant formulas and used in hospital IV feeding. Digested medium chain fatty acids tend to be used by the body for energy and do not get stored as body fat. In fact, the increased thermogenesis (metabolic rate) resulting from eating coconut oil is usually more than is needed to burn off the calories contained in the oil. We recommend that coconut oil be the main oil used for cooking. Plus, a little butter or ghee is OK when needed for taste.

Bad fats are the modern refined vegetable oils (soy, corn, safflower, cottonseed, canola), hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, and all fats that have been heated to high temperatures. The fat that clogs arteries is called trans fat. For more information on fat, see our page on healthy fats and oils.

From a cancer prevention point of view, the fat you really need to avoid is excess body fat due to the estrogen that these fat cells produce. Eating a balanced nutrient-dense diet including an abundance of raw foods, exercising regularly, plus unplugging your TV should help you control your body fat. Good weight loss books include Eat Yourself Slim by the French researcher Michel Montignac, and Eat To Live : The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss by Joel Furman, M.D.

Vitamin C "It has long been known that the degree of lymphocytic infiltration, the number of aggressive lymphocytes congregating in and around a tumor (as can readily be seen on a microscope slide) bears a close relation to the outlook." - Dr. Ewan Cameron and Dr. Linus Pauling.

A higher consumption of vitamin C results in a higher rate of lymphocyte formation (10 grams of vitamin C daily causes the rate to triple).

Many immune cells such as T-lymphocytes and macrophages are self-propelled by amoebic action. These cells contain molecules identical to those in muscle tissue. All cells in the body become stronger in response to the increased G force during rebounding, and this cellular exercise results in the self-propelled immune cells being up to 5 times more active.

As we saw above, enzymes strip cancer cells of their outer camouflage of mucus and fibrin (a protein in blood) so that the lymphocytes (white blood cells) can recognize the cancer cells as foreign. These enzymes work better in an alkaline, highly oxygenated environment.

So we can see that vitamin C is an important team player in this comprehensive program to dissolve cancer. The more abundant immune cells due to the vitamin C, are more active and effective due to rebound exercise, more enzymes, and a highly alkaline/oxygenated condition in the body.

Vegetarians already have significantly less cancer, particularly cancer associated with various parts of the digestive system. Armed with the information on this web site regarding alkalinity (use the saliva pH test), fresh juices, enzymes, vitamin B17, vitamin F, and vitamin C vegetarians should be able to achieve much lower rates of cancer simply by eating different foods.

Glyconutrients
Glyconutrients are at the cutting edge of nutritional science today. The glyconutrients are eight monosaccharides (simple sugars) that combine with proteins (glycoproteins) and fats (glycolipids) to form a code that is the basis for the body's internal communication system. These special molecules are found on the surface of every cell and allow the immune system to distinguish between self and non-self. In the fight against cancer, distinguishing self from non-self is an important first step. Supplementing the diet with all 8 simple sugars helps restore the body's internal communication system and promote healing. For more information see glyconutrients.

Other vitamins that are helpful in the fight against cancer include vitamin B complex for stress, vitamin E an antioxidant, and vitamins A and D for calcium metabolism. Helpful minerals include iodine for thyroid function (the thyroid gland produces calcitonin, a hormone that helps regulate calcium metabolism) and selenium as an antioxidant. Co-enzyme Q10 (sesame oil is a good source) has also been found to be helpful. For dosages of the various nutrients see Dr. Brodie’s 3-week Intensive Supplement Program (Diamond page 76-82), the Metabolic Therapy information in Philip Day's book Cancer - Why We're Still Dying To Know The Truth, and the simple supplement program of Dr. Abram Hoffer that is found to significantly extend the life of cancer patients. It is necessary to correct all nutrient deficiencies, attaining and maintaining a state of nutrient saturation in the body, which is why the nutritional supplements we recommend contain all the nutrients. We call this the "nutrient dense diet" - rich in all nutrients and devoid of junk food.

"The necessity of eating foods rich in all the vitamins and minerals - particularly vitamin B17 - and of minimizing prolonged damage or stress to the body is all that he (the person with cancer) really needs to know".

Cancer and Meditation
Individuals who practice Transcendental Meditation (TM) have about 55% less cancer. Why ?

By measuring heart rate, breath rate and other indicators of the level of activity in the body, scientists have found that TM provides the body with a level of rest averaging twice as deep as the deepest rest experienced during sleep. This intensely deep rest helps the body to cope with any extraordinary demands being made on it. The word "averaging" is important. There can be times during TM meditation when the rest is much deeper, breathing stops and a state of "transcendence" is experienced. The word "transcend" means "go beyond". In this case the mind and body "transcend" or go beyond activity and achieve a state of rest, suspension, stillness, silence, peace. Scientists call this state "restful alertness" because the mind is wide awake while the body is experiencing a deeper rest than sleep.

Everyone has heard of the "fight or flight" response when the body's resources are mobilized to deal with an emergency. TM produces a situation in the body that is the exact opposite of the "fight or flight" response, a kind of "rest and repair" response during which the body can heal itself. Many people are like a car with the gas pedal stuck down. Meditation is pulling back on the gas pedal. The body relaxes into its basic idling, resting rhythms. Whatever imbalance exists in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, release of stress in the nervous system through regular practice of TM should restore flexibility and normal functioning.

Transcendental Meditation is popularly considered to be an "antidote" to stress. All the various "causes" of cancer can be seen as forms of stress.

It is interesting that B vitamins are used by the body to deal with stress. It is possible that by neutralizing stress, TM reduces the body’s requirement for B vitamins, including vitamin B17. Less wear and tear in the more relaxed physiology and psychology may reduce demands for other nutrients as well.

Stress is mentioned by Dr. Sharma is one of the causes of free radicals in the body.
Stress is insidious because it affects us 24 hours each day. Stress can be mental, emotional and physical. Chronic stress exhausts the body. During the deep rest of TM stress dissolves. Stress causes the heart to beat too fast, the muscles to be too tense, the entire metabolism to be too fast. Metabolic waste products are acids (lactic acid, uric acid, etc.), which is a reason why dissolving stress may increase the alkalinity of the body. Get rid of your stress and you can begin to enjoy the benefits of laughter.

Chronic tension in muscles must inevitably obstruct the flow of lymph. Comparisons between TM and other relaxation techniques show that TM is far more effective to relax the body than the other techniques studied. The removal of obstructions to the flow of lymph is absolutely necessary if all parts of the physiology are to be oxygenated, nourished, and cleansed of metabolic wastes.

The deep rest during meditation combined with a more efficient (less stressed) metabolism following meditation will help conserve the body's supply of respiratory enzymes. Plus, cells functioning at lower metabolic rate will be easier to keep saturated with oxygen. Respiratory enzymes and oxygen saturation are key to cancer prevention.

Natural killer cells detect and destroy cancer cells. People with less stress have more natural killer cells.

Stress causes the body to produce adrenaline which in turn raises blood sugar as part of the "fight or flight" response. The sugar is meant to provide energy for the muscles, but in our modern world stress rarely results in muscular exertion so the sugar remains in the blood. High blood sugar feeds cancer.

Cortisol is a hormone released in response to stress. Cancer patients with more cortisol die sooner. Cancer patients with normal cortisol live longer.

There may be many good reasons why individuals practicing TM have 55% less cancer, and much lower rates of other diseases as well, including 87% less heart disease. Furthermore, several studies that monitored the health care costs of TM meditators over many years found that individuals with the worst health prior to beginning the practice show the greatest improvement in health (and reduction in health care costs) following learning to meditate. Health care costs for TM meditators over age 55 are reduced substantially, and this could potentially be of great significance as the "baby boom" generation enters retirement. Therefore, we highly recommend TM to cancer patients and all others who wish to prevent disease and improve health.

Conclusion
You now understand the importance of 1) more oxygen, 2) more alkalinity, 3) less free radicals, 4) more exercise, 5) hyperthermia, 6) more enzymes, 7) a nutrient-dense diet with special attention to vitamins B17, F, C, D & glyconutrients and 8) Transcendental Meditation. These are our 8 Step Program to prevent and remove cancer. All of these you can do in the privacy of your own home. If you want to prepare an "anti-cancer lunch" what will you serve? If you are designing the ventilation system for a home how will you do it? If you have to choose between a hot tub and a sauna for your home, which will you pick ? If you are to choose between a stationary bicycle and a rebounder for your home exercise machine, which would you want ? Do you begin to see how to build an anti-cancer diet and lifestyle that will cancer-proof your family ?

If you are using this page to prevent cancer then you are all set. If you already have cancer then you will want to work closely with an allopathic, Ayurvedic, homeopathic or naturopathic physician who understands what you are doing and can help.

We do encourage the consumption of dairy products, particularly organic dairy products. The section on Vitamin F above requires the consumption of cottage cheese. Therefore, the diet we are recommending would be called "lacto-vegetarian". The diet of the long-lived Hunza people is mostly lacto-vegetarian, as they eat very little meat and only when it is available. However, "moderation in all things, including moderation". Dr. Gerson allowed a little meat in the diets of his cancer patients.

The transition to a mostly vegetarian diet need not be sudden. There is a learning curve everyone climbs as they change to a meatless diet. You will learn how to pack more nutrition onto your dinner plate by preparing whole, fresh foods. A good starting point is to remember the traditional diets around the world. Prior to the invention of refrigeration the main foods were those that did not decompose rapidly, such as grains, seeds, legumes (peas, beans), nuts, fruits, vegetables, and berries. Meat, when it was available, was generally added in small quantity to other foods such as "pork and beans", shepherd's pie, cabbage rolls, perogies, "chicken fried rice", etc. The meat was more of a condiment than a food, being added for texture and flavor. By using meat in this manner, the quantity of meat consumed can be greatly reduced without anyone feeling deprived. Slowly the percentage of actual meatless meals can be increased. In this manner the family's diet can move in a meatless direction gradually and comfortably. You will experiment with new foods and food combinations, discovering new favorite dishes and meals that are consciously designed by you to promote the health of your family.

The tendency toward a vegetarian diet has three main advantages to your health :
1) this diet is more alkaline,
2) the food is more nutritious, and
3) you get off the top of the food chain where pesticides and other toxic chemicals tend to concentrate.

Groups following a vegetarian diet, such as Seventh Day Adventists, have significantly less cancer. A largely vegetarian diet contributes to healthier children and a more harmonious family life.

"There are hundreds of millions of vegetarians in this world. This would include the people of the non-meat eating religions such as the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains plus many others who respect and honor animal life...In India a young girl is not considered a woman until she masters the art of cooking rice at least fifteen different ways. Indian women pride themselves on being able to create a tasty and well-balanced vegetarian menu." - Flavors of India cookbook, Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, 101 Productions, San Francisco, 1972.

The "cancer self-treatment" information presented here is intended to provide a starting point for you to begin the process of regaining your health. It is your body and your health. You are in charge ! What are you going to do about it ? Generally, once the body has succumbed to cancer there are multiple exhaustions and deficiencies that must be corrected simultaneously if the body is to recover. The entire population would benefit from a "cancer preventing" diet and lifestyle. Cancer can be thought of as a learning experience, a required course in healthy living for those who need it. Unfortunately, once cancer has taken hold, the body seems to remain susceptible and so constant vigilance is required for the remainder of one’s lifetime. However, given a well-informed and determined response, there is a good chance that most of the people who are diagnosed with cancer will live to a ripe old age.

The ideal task of cancer therapy is to restore the function of the oxidizing systems in the entire organism. This, of course, is difficult to accomplish. It involves the following :
1) detoxification of the whole body,
2) providing the essential mineral contents of the potassium group,
3) adding oxidizing enzymes continuously as long as they are not reactivated and built in the body.

This will create a near normal condition of the oxidizing system in the body, to which malignant cells with the fermentation system cannot adapt. - Dr. Max Gerson

Off to a Fast Start
You now understand the importance of :

1) more oxygen,
2) more alkalinity,
3) less free radicals,
4) more exercise,
5) hyperthermia,
6) more enzymes,
7) a nutrient dense diet with special attention to vitamins B17, F, C, D & glyconutrients and
8) Transcendental Meditation.

All of these you can do in the privacy of your own home. If you have not read our page on the saliva pH test and alkalinity please read it now. If you have read it then let's move on to a discussion of the critical importance of aerobic metabolism and oxygen.

What causes Cancer Pain ?

Learn what causes cancer pain and how you can work with your doctor to ensure your cancer pain is controlled.

Timothy Moynihan, M.D. [Extracted from MayoClinic.Com]
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Not everyone with cancer experiences cancer pain, but one of out three people undergoing cancer treatment does. If you have advanced cancer — cancer that has spread or recurred — your chance of experiencing cancer pain is even higher.

Cancer pain occurs in many ways. Your pain may be dull, aching or sharp. It could be constant, intermittent, mild, moderate or severe. Timothy Moynihan, M.D., a cancer specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., offers some insight into cancer pain, reasons why people might not get the pain treatment they need and what they can do about it.

What causes cancer pain ?

Cancer pain can result from the cancer itself. Cancer can cause pain by growing into or destroying tissue anywhere near the cancer. Cancer pain can come from the primary cancer itself — where the cancer started — or from other areas in the body where the cancer has spread (metastases). As a tumor grows, it may put pressure on nerves, bones or other organs, causing pain.

Recent research has shown that cancer pain may not just be from the physical effect of the cancer on a region of the body, but also due to chemicals that the cancer may secrete in the region of the tumor. Treatment of the cancer can help the pain in these situations.

Cancer treatments — such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery — are another potential source of cancer pain. Surgery can be painful, and it may take time to recover. Radiation may leave behind a burning sensation or painful scars. And chemotherapy can cause many potentially painful side effects, including mouth sores, diarrhea and nerve damage.

How do you treat cancer pain ?

There are many different ways to treat cancer pain. The ideal way is to remove the source of the pain, for example, through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or some other form of treatment. If that cannot be done, pain medications can usually control the pain. These medications include :

Analgesics, such as aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others)

Weak opioid (derived from opium) medications, such as codeine
Strong opioid medications, such as morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl or methadone

These drugs can often be taken orally, so they're easy to use. Medications may come in tablet form, or they may be made to dissolve quickly in your mouth. However, it you're unable to take medications orally, they may also be taken intravenously, rectally or through the skin using a patch.

Specialized treatment, such as nerve blocks, also may be applicable. Nerve blocks are a local anesthetic that is injected around or into a nerve, which prevents pain messages traveling along that nerve pathway from reaching the brain. Other therapies, such as acupuncture, acupressure, massage, physical therapy, relaxation, meditation and humor, may help.

In your experience, what are some reasons for not receiving adequate treatment for cancer pain ?

Unfortunately cancer pain is often undertreated. There are many factors behind that, some of which include :

Physician knowledge
One factor has to do with a doctor's knowledge and ability to treat and recognize pain. Some doctors and other health care professionals may not specifically ask about pain, which should be a normal part of every cancer patient's visit. Cancer patients should be asked if they are having any pain. If they are, the doctor should stop there and deal with the issue. Some doctors don't know enough about proper pain treatment. If this is the case, your doctor might refer you to a pain specialist. Other doctors may be concerned about prescribing pain medications because these drugs can be abused. However, people in pain are very unlikely to abuse pain medications.

Patient reluctance
A second factor might be a patient's own reluctance. Some people might not want to "bother" their doctors with the information, or they may fear that the pain means that their cancer is getting worse. Some are reluctant to report it or report it as thoroughly as they should because they're worried about what doctors or other people might think of them if they complain. They might feel that because they have cancer, they're supposed to have pain and be able to deal with it. That simply isn't true.
Fear of addiction. Another factor might be a person's fear of becoming addicted to the pain medications. This is something that we know doesn't typically happen if you take medications for pain. If you take them when you're not in pain or to get high, then, yes, you can get addicted. But the risk of addiction for people who take pain medications in an appropriate fashion — for pain — is very low, so this shouldn't be a concern.

Fear of side effects
Some people fear the side effects of pain medications. Many are afraid of being sleepy, unable to communicate with family and friends, acting strangely, or being seen as dependent on medications. People are also sometimes afraid that taking morphine may shorten their life. There is no evidence of any of these happening if the medication is dosed appropriately. And although strong pain medications can cause drowsiness when you first take them, that side effect usually goes away with steady dosing.

What side effects can you expect from cancer pain treatment, and what can you do about them ?

Each pain treatment may be accompanied by its own unique side effects. For example, radiation treatments may cause redness and a burning sensation of the skin. And, depending on what part of the body the radiation is applied to, the radiation may cause diarrhea, mouth sores or other problems, such as fatigue. Chemotherapy certainly can cause side effects, such as nausea, fatigue, infection and hair loss, but it can be effective in relieving pain if it shrinks the tumor. There are medications to help with nausea. Relaxation techniques also may help.

Pain medications each have their own unique side effects that should be reviewed with your doctor before taking them. One of the common side effects of the stronger pain medicines is constipation — common to opioids. It can be treated with appropriate bowel regimens as prescribed by your doctor, such as adding a stool softener and something to stimulate the bowels. Preventing constipation is much easier than treating it, so anyone who takes these strong pain medications should automatically begin a regimen to keep their bowels moving. Some of the other side effects of the strong pain medications include confusion, lethargy and sleepiness. The severity of these effects varies from person to person and commonly occurs with the first several doses. But once a steady amount of the medicine stays in your body, the side effects usually resolve. Hallucinations and behavior changes are uncommon.

The less potent pain medications actually may have more side effects, which also should be discussed with your doctor before taking them. For instance, anti-inflammatory drugs might damage your kidneys, cause ulcers or increase your blood pressure. Aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can cause liver damage if you take too much.

When should you discuss cancer pain with your doctor, and what points should you bring up ?

Report any bothersome pain to your doctor. If there is a minor pain that goes away, don't worry about it. But if the pain interferes with your life or is persistent, it needs to be reported and should be treated. Although no one can guarantee that all pain can be completely eliminated, most pain can be lessened to the point where you can be comfortable.

It may help to keep track of your pain by noting how strong it is, where it's located, what makes it worse, what brings it on, what makes it better and anything else that happens when you have the pain. A pain-rating scale from 0 to 10 — with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you can imagine — may be helpful in reporting pain to your doctor. In addition, pay attention to what happens when you attempt to relieve your pain. If you take medicine, do you feel any ill effects from it? If it's a massage, hot or cold packs, or something physical that relieves the pain, those are important to report, too. Also note any ill effects of any pain medications.

What steps can you take to make sure you're receiving adequate cancer pain treatment ?

First, you need to talk to your doctor or health care provider if you're having pain. Second, you and your doctor should set a goal for pain management and monitor the success of the treatment against that goal. Your doctor should track the pain with a pain scale, assessing how strong it is. The goal should be to keep the pain at a level with which you're comfortable. If you aren't achieving that goal, talk to your doctor. If you're not getting the answers you need, request a referral to a facility more skilled in the care of pain, particularly a major cancer center. All major cancer centers have pain management programs. For the most part, the medications and treatment for pain are covered by standard insurance.