Wednesday, January 29, 2003

An alternative approach to cancer treatment

Hearing those words, "You have cancer," can be shocking, devastating, and overwhelming. However, with all the advances in medical treatment as well as encouraging research and results in the alternative health care industry, those words need not be as frightening.

Thousands of people chose to pursue a less radical and invasive approach to getting well. Others chose to continue their medical treatments and balance off the negative side effects with gentle remedies and a more Wholistic approach.

Whatever choices you make, be informed. Ask questions. Educate yourself about your health and body.

Much of what you read in this article may be new information for you. You would probably expect your primary care physician to be aware of these approaches, but that's probably not the case. Until the 1990s, no conventional medical school discussed alternative and nutritional approaches to illness.

While I could review the technical details of immunologh and oncology, let's discuss it in simple terms. First, what is cancer? What are the causes? What are the Alternative approaches?

What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease process in which healthy cells stop functioning and maturing properly. For many reasons, a mutation occurs in the DNA or genetic blueprint of the cell. If not detected at an early stage, the unhealthy mutated cells begin multiplying uncontrollably. This uncontrolled cell growth causes chaos in the body, invades weakened tissue, and literally sucks the nutrients and life out of the body.

What are the causes?

While women's bodies tend to be more complex due to the nature of the hormonal cycles, there are still some basic underlying causes that have been determined by clinical studies and research.

1. Electo-magnetic Exposure. According to R. Becker, MD, chronic exposure to electro-magnetic fields may be injurious to humans since the fields provoke genetic abnormalities when cells divide. Where do we get electro-magnetic exposure? Electrical wiring in our homes and offices, TV, computers, microwaves in our homes, electrical poles, microwave, cell phone and radio towers.

2. Pesticide and herbicide residues. More than one billion pounds of pesticides were dumped on America's lands in 1995. Over 35,000 banned chemical formulations are used in third world countries for agriculture. The produce and the coffee are then imported to the U.S. Pesticides and herbicides leech into private and public water supplies.

3. Industrial toxins. Highly toxic chemicals and heavy metals are released into the environment and alarming rates. These toxins eventually find their way into human tissue via the food chain. Heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, nickel may accumulate in fatty tissues, nerve tissues, and organs. These metals block enzyme reactions and choke out oxygen and nutrients.

4. Chlorinated and fluoridated water. While we are thankful that chlorine protects us from disease causing bacteria, chlorine can form cancer causing compounds. Toxic and carcinogenic compounds are formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water. Chloroform and trichloroethylene.

Fluoride is a poison second in toxicity to arsenic. Fluoride can produce cancer at a concentration of 1 part per million. Fourteen European countries, as well as Egypt and India, have outlawed the use of fluoride since it was found to be too toxic for public health.

5. Tobacco. Tobacco smoke is the top carcinogen according to numerous doctors and research studies.

6. Hormone and drug therapies. Drugs given to alter natural hormone cycles have been implicated in cancer. Also, a recent study involving certain tranquilizers anti-depressants showed that the drugs could produce higher risks and rates of ovarian cancer. Another study at the University of Tennessee demonstrated that there was a 72 percent higher rate if cancer with patients who used blood pressure drugs.

7. Mercury toxicity. The so-called "silver" fillings that so many people have in their teeth contain 50 percent mercury, a known carcinogen. Our bodies do not process heavy metals, especially when they are in our mouth, and we are exposed to them 24 hours a day. Mercury is transformed to the gas methyl mercury by bacteria in our body and is 100 times more toxic in that organic form. This forms free radicals which block the detoxification processes.

8. Nerve interference fields. Dysfunctions and imbalances in the Autonomic Nerve System can contribute to the cancer process. Imbalances can be caused by surgical and traumatic skin scars that bind the fascia and organs, poisoned nerve bundles from toxic accumulations and general physical trauma.

9. Diet and nutritional deficiencies. What we do eat and what we don't eat can contribute to the initiation of cancer. Too many of us are digging our graves with our forks. Food can make or break our health. According to the National Academy of Sciences, 60 percent of all cancers in women may be due to dietary and nutritional factors. Excessive intake of polluted meat, contaminated fish, excessive fat intake, refined carbohydrates and sugar, and excessive alcohol and caffeine may contribute to cancer development.

10. Chronic stress and toxic emotions. Chronic stress directly affects the immune system. Special hormones are released by the brain and the adrenal glands when we are under chronic stress. These hormones inhibit activities of the white blood cells and thymus.

A study conducted at John Hopkins School of Medicine, concluded that those who suppress their emotions were 16 times more likely to develop cancer than those who expressed their feelings.

There are innumerable other factors such as genetic predisposition, irradiated foods, depressed thyroid function, parasites and viruses, etc., that may accelerate cancer growth. For simplicity and space, only the above ten points were discussed. For more information, see "Definitive Guide to Cancer" by Diamond, Cowden and Goldberg.

Dr. Veronique Desaulniers