Finding Your Cancer Cure
A basic guide to surviving cancer
Compiled by Jenny Marsh — (Updated 12 Feb 08)

This regularly updated guide is a first-step for those who have been diagnosed with cancer, helping to point individuals in directions that could help maximize survival chances. It also provides guidance of life-style, supplementation and dietary measures.

"Why me?"

This is one question that everyone diagnosed with cancer asks themselves, and one that has only one answer… "Why not me?" Today, cancer has overtaken heart disease as the number one killer in the Western world, with one in three of us being diagnosed with this condition at some point in our lives (by 2010 it is estimated that this figure will be closer to one in two). Cancer today has become pandemic throughout the world, and whatever the conventional therapy propaganda machines keep telling us, the "war on cancer" being waged by the medical establishment and the pharmaceutical companies is unquestionably being lost.

The first step on being diagnosed with cancer is "Don't Panic".

Cancer is NOT a death sentence; people ARE cured. Even if your oncologist tells you that you only have a short time to live, he or she is only making this judgment based on expertise in and experience using ineffective treatment methods (and as you will see later on, cancer research is unequivocal in showing that conventional treatments are relatively ineffective for most cancers).

The problem with cancer is that no single therapy is likely to cure it, and indeed, no single combination therapy is likely to be successful with all sufferers. Cancer is a systemic disease — an umbrella label given to an array of diseases that have uncontrolled cellular proliferation in common — and as a systemic disease only "whole body" treatment programs such as dietary and lifestyle changes, psychological programs and nutritional supplementation are likely to be effective (however, conventional treatments such as surgery can be effective in some situations and should not be dismissed).

When you are diagnosed with cancer, you need to construct a specific treatment program tailored to your unique biological and psychological profile. And as we are each unique individuals, this treatment program is also likely to be unique, although our biological and psychological similarities will mean that all treatment programs will have certain foundation factors in common (more about these later on). Factors unique to your particular situation which you need to take into consideration include: the type of cancer diagnosed; how early it is detected; whether it has metastasised or spread; orthodox treatment success rates; alternative treatment success rates; complementary treatment effectiveness; and dietary, lifestyle and psychological changes we are prepared to make. Get the program combination right for you, and you maximise your chance of a complete cure.

So a cancer diagnosis is actually a call for you to become a private investigator so that you can uncover an effective treatment program for you, and perhaps the right health practitioner to help supervise aspects of that treatment program. But as long as you are in panic mode, you will be making reactionary choices out of fear rather than from a place of responsibility. (This is how and why the majority of newly diagnosed cancer sufferers unquestioningly opt for the treatment program offered to them by their oncologist, even though just a little investigation would reveal that this choice not statistically in their best interest — their reactionary choice is an irrational one, except in a small percentage of cases.) So it is important to try to reduce panic as much as possible so that you can make responsible choices.

The second step is to collect as much information as possible.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you are likely to have already spoken to an orthodox medical cancer expert or oncologist. As the average length of time an oncologist spends with a newly diagnosed cancer patient is just 6 minutes, he or she is unlikely to have given you much information on the proposed treatment, and what little you have been given will probably be colour it in as positive light as possible. So you need to be very blunt with your doctor and insist that he or she tell you the long-term survival statistics for the combination of your particular condition and the treatment he or she is offering you. This could be because the survival data is not yet available; they have not researched data that is available; or, as is mostly likely, because they are hiding the embarrassing truth that orthodox treatment does not actually "treat" very well.

As Professor Hardin Jones, a prominent cancer researcher at Berkeley, has stated: "Patients are as well, or better off, untreated…" (which does not necessarily mean that no treatment is the best treatment, only that conventional treatment may be the worst option). The problem with conventional cancer treatment is that its ineffectiveness does not seem to stop doctors and oncologists promoting it. The reason for this is that pharmaceutical companies know the huge financial benefit of maintaining the medical establishment's loyalty and so give such huge gifts and funding — bribes — to medical doctors and to medical schools, and bankroll large amounts of "independent" drug research. It is estimated, for example, that in the UK alone this industry spends £10,000 per doctor promoting drug solutions — no wonder the average oncologist has fallen for this intense propaganda!

Without this knowledge of survival statistics, you will have no basis, apart from an emotional one, on which to decide whether to have the orthodox treatment on offer. So you must insist your doctor get you the long-term survival rates for others who have had your particular condition and who have undergone the same orthodox treatment that is being offered. And don't be fobbed off with 5-year survival statistics that give the false impression of a "cure" – you want to know long-term AND quality of life. After all, is it really a success to live an extra year if during that year you are in constant physical agony and mental turmoil? If your doctor is not forthcoming with survival-rate information, then switch to a more open doctor or find the information that you need on the internet.

If your particular cancer is very late stage and very aggressive, you may have to go with the orthodox treatment being offered due to time constraints: orthodox treatment attacks cancer like a blunderbuss – it is good for killing cancer cells quickly but generally gives a poor long-term prognosis (there are a few types of cancer that do respond relatively well to orthodox treatment, so you must do your homework). But when you are very late stage and your cancer is very aggressive, you often don't have a lot to lose and you need to "de-bulk" (kill large numbers of cancer cells) as quickly as possible to take the pressure off your system, even if there is a significant chance that this will cause your demise further down the road. In a crisis situation, this gamble may be worth it.

Most of us, however, do have a little time to explore the bigger picture – you only need a couple of weeks to find out most of the information that will be helpful to you. Fortunately, there is a lot of good information out there, it is just a question of identifying it and reading what is necessary. To save you the time, this article presents information that EVERYONE diagnosed with cancer should read… EVERYONE. This information will set the cancer scene for you and help you to have the best chance of not just becoming just another cancer fatality among the 6.2 million worldwide that die from this disease every year (700,000 alone in the United states).

The first thing that everyone diagnosed with cancer should do is read (or skim through) the following six books, which will give the information needed to make an informed treatment choice (alphabetically by author):

1. Chemotherapy Heals Cancer And The World Is Flat — Lothar Hirneise. A ground-breaking book by one of the leading alternative treatment therapists in Germany. Hirneise is founder of People Against Cancer in Germany and has been instrumental for promoting awareness of the limitations of conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and the importance of lifestyle changes to recovery. This book might be a bit too long to read for some people. (ISBN 3981050207)
2. Healing Cancer — Simon Kelly, Enrida Kelly. The Kelly's have written a great introduction to the top 12 non-toxic cancer treatments. The great thing about this book is that it doesn't just list alternative therapies, but gives the reader some idea of how to put together the best treatment program. (ISBN 0954463684)
3. Cancer Is Not A Disease — Andreas Mortiz. This is an extraordinary little book that will completely reframe your views on cancer from that of a malicious and deadly disease to an altruistic survival mechanism by cells that find themselves in a toxic environment. The author of this book is an inspiration to the cancer community, and should be mandatory reading by every cancer sufferer and cancer doctor. (ISBN 097679442X)
4. Alternatives in Cancer Therapy: The Complete Guide to Non-Traditional Treatments — Ross Pelton and Lee Overholser. A comprehensive and well-written guide to alternative treatments for cancer. (ISBN 0671796232)
5. The Metabolic Typing Diet — William Wolcott and Trish Fahey. Eating the correct diet for your particular type of metabolism is an important consideration for those with cancer. (ISBN 0767905644)
6. Everything You Need To Know To Help You Beat Cancer — Chris Woolams. The title says it all for this UK bestseller that is now in its third edition. This invaluable guide covers both cancer prevention and cancer treatment programs, and presents the information in a practical and easy-to-read manner. (ISBN 095429680X)

Reading these books will give you a real understanding of cancer from the point of view of what works best for your health and survival, and not what necessarily maximises pharmaceutical industry and orthodox healthcare profits! The authors will give you the clarity and foresight you will need in order to made decisions which will be in your best interest, and your best interest alone.

The other invaluable source of information is the internet where you can find a wealth of information, much of it relatively accurate, although don't fall for any "quick cure" or "magic bullet" promotions. (Cancer generally takes many years to form in the body and so a particular health supplement is unlikely to cure it overnight!) If you are going to try to get information from the internet, generally speaking it is better to visit established and comprehensive alternative cancer sites for three reasons:

1. They tend to give a more honest and rounded picture of all treatments including orthodox treatments because they are more likely to have been put together by individuals with the primary intention of saving lives rather than maximising profits. (Remember that the trillion dollar profit pharmaceutical industry is an industry — it answers to first and foremost to its shareholders and not to the good of humankind.)
2. They cover more options than conventional cancer sites which tend to narrow-mindedly promote only conventional treatments and to present them in a way that implies that they are successful. This could not be further from the truth: cancer researcher, Ralph Moss, has done meta-studies of orthodox cancer research findings which show that orthodox treatment success in this area is almost non-existent. Indeed, the main drug prescribed by orthodox doctors for cancer — chemotherapy — is completely unsuccessful in more than 93% of cases, and even most of the 7% who do respond to it still have a dismal long-term prognosis. (What a doctor means by "effective" is actually short-term tumour shrinkage and not a cure.) [A newer 2004 study by two oncologists in Australia, published in Clinical Oncology 2004 16:549-60 revealed that chemo improves survival by 2.3% in Australia and 2.1% in the USA. The methodology of this study was criticised however by a leading oncologist who said that the actual figure was as high as 5 or 6%!]
3. The most effective treatment programs for cancer generally involve lifestyle changes which the orthodox medical community is largely ignorant about and which the pharmaceutical industry could never make any profits on. So life-style changes tend to be played down on conventional cancer sites. The same applies to food supplements that are not patentable by the pharmaceutical industry (although in this area alternative practitioners and information sites often do make some profit by selling them — but the conflict of interest is still orders of magnitude greater for conventional cancer sites.)

Here are some of the best information sources that we have found for alternative cancer therapies and regimes:

• www.peopleagainstcancer.net — People Against Cancer (PAC) is one of the best places to go for an alternative assessment.
• www.dr-gonzalez.com — Nicholas Gonzalez is doing some of the most important research on effective nutritional cancer treatments.
• www.energygrid.com/health/2005/08tt- hirneise.html — Lothar Hirneise, founder of the German People Against Cancer, has researched cancer treatment in depth. This is an important article to read if you are considering chemotherapy.
• www.self-helpcancer.org — This self-help cancer solutions site was put together by writer, John Davidson, and gives a great introduction to the alternative cancer treatment scene.
• www.cancerdecisions.com — The Moss Reports are Ralph Moss's excellent cancer reports that give you the low-down on both conventional and alternative cancer treatments. Also look out for his fantastic book: Questioning Chemotherapy.
• www.canceractive.com — Cancer Active is run as a charity in the UK and provides excellent information for treating cancer naturally, alternatively and effectively. Here you will also find the book mentioned above: Everything You Need To Know To Help You Beat Cancer (Third Edition).
• www.cancertutor.com — Cancer Tutor contains a great deal of information both on alternative cancer treatments and the politics of cancer. You can find some great information here but the layout is a little chaotic.
• www.cancercontrolsociety.com — The Cancer Control Society is a Californian organisation that arranges weekend alternative cancer conventions, inviting some of the leading lights in alternative cancer therapy. This is a good site to visit if you are look for an alternatively minded medical doctor.
• www.cancerbackup.org.uk — Great information resource for those undergoing conventional cancer treatments. (As with many conventional sites, alternative treatments are only covered in a superficial and condescending manner.)

The third step is to make a decision on what treatment program to follow.

Once you have the information you need, you have to make a choice as to which one of the follow four options will be best for your particular condition:

1. Take the orthodox treatment on offer with nothing else.

2. Take the orthodox treatment on offer along with complementary extras.

3. Opt for a completely alternative treatment program.

4. Choose to do absolutely nothing.

The option that you choose will depend on your condition, your temperament, your belief systems and your social support structure.

Option 1 is generally for those who prefer to transfer responsibility for their health to a doctor. These type of people generally do little in way of living healthily and regard doctors as "body mechanics" to go to when things go wrong. Generally speaking, if someone is of this mental disposition, it is better to leave them to the medical profession as they will never be happy doing anything complimentary or alternative.

Option 2 is generally for those who either want the best of both the orthodox or alternative worlds (they hedge their bets) or have a very aggressively developing cancer that needs the orthodox blunderbuss to give the patient more time. These types of people may or may not take responsibility for their health — often they will give up responsibility to both the doctor and the alternative practitioner.

Option 3 is generally for those who really do take responsibility for their health as one is unlikely to shun doctors unless one has confidence that there is a better way. These types of people often have done the research on conventional treatment success rates and have decided to take their chances with other approaches.

Option 4 is generally for those who are either in complete denial, have a very slow developing cancer, are option 1 type people with a cancer that is untreatable by orthodox means, or are too old or frail to go through the sometimes long and draining healing process.

Overall, choosing either option 2 or 3 gives the best chance for survival (although some alternative practitioners like Andreas Moritz believe that option 4 gives a person better survival chances than 1 or 2). As to which option — 2 or 3 — is the best one for you, that depends on what you have uncovered with your research into survival rates and which you believe will be most effective (the mind plays a huge role in survival). As a general rule, according to Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, an orthodox cancer treatment like chemotherapy is only worth trying for Hodgkin's desease (70%-80% of cases cured although secondary tumours return years later), testicular cancer, childhood acute lymphocytic leukaemia, some adult lymphomas, and choriocarcinomas. All other types of cancer do not respond well, if at all — the common sold metastatic cancers such as breast, colon and pancreas can't be cured by chemo, despite the billions of dollars spent on chemo research.

Ideally, if you really want to make the very best decision you are advised to have NMR metabolomic analysis to determine your particular gene expression which will give some indication of which type of treatment is most beneficial for you, and whether or not chemotherapy is even worth considering. Metabolomic analysis also provides a means by which the efficacy of different drugs, diets and/or health supplements can be assessed. Unfortunately, it is not yet very easy to find doctors or clinics that even know about NMR metabolomic tests. Those that do do them get urine and/or blood samples analysed at special labs. (The leading lab is in Germany — more info on this shortly.)

Whether or not you can get metabolomic analysis, it is always extremely beneficial to have the counsel of a medical doctor open and knowledgeable with regards to alternative approaches, and therefore able to advise you on many different options you can take. (There are relatively few of these but you can find them on the internet or by visiting some of the sites mentioned above.) You are strongly advised against making any decision based solely upon information given to you by an orthodox medical oncologist — ALWAYS consider alternative approaches and perspectives, even if you end up not following them. Remember, when all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail, and so almost all oncologists will not have the scope to be able to recommend anything outside of a narrow orthodox treatment type that, quite frankly, does more harm than good in the majority of cases. (Again, not all.)

You always have to dig a bit to find the viable alternatives. This is because the law will be working against you on this one because it is illegal for anyone other than an medically trained oncologist to promote the treatment or cure for cancer. In the UK, for example, there is the 1939 Cancer Act which is still being used today to suppress life-saving information. For instance, two of the largest UK supermarkets were taken to court by Trading Standards last year for illegally promoting cancer treatments under the 1939 Cancer Act. What they had done is to state on some of their labels that increasing fruit and vegetable intake can help reduce the risk of cancer, something that is patently true (even the government officially stated this a few years earlier). But such promotion of the truth is illegal — the medical monopoly in the UK (and in every other developed nation including the US) has been conspiring for decades to keep you ignorant of alternative and complementary cancer treatments, and this is unfortunately firmly encoded in the our legal systems. This is the main reason why most people are ignorant of the alternatives available to them: they are being systematically suppressed by laws that were passed decades ago that ensure the medical monopoly.

It is also important to bear in mind that with cancer treatment it is not a question of the more treatments you have the better – option 2 may include the same alternative treatments as in option 3, except chemotherapy or radiotherapy is added as well, but this does not mean it is a better treatment because chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be a negative factor in the equation for many patients. (Most cancer sufferers today die as a result of conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy rather than from the disease itself.) This is why some alternative cancer practitioners report far higher success rates with their treatment programs when the patient comes to them before trying conventional treatment. (The late William D. Kelley even claimed a 93% success rate with cancer patients, provided they had not previously had conventional treatment. Dr. Gonzalez who over a five year period examined Kelley's work over a five year period found that, overall, he had an 80% success rate, which is phenomenal when you consider that the average conventional treatment success rate at best is below 7%!) That said, there is sometimes a place for conventional treatment, especially in very aggressive cancers and those cancers mentioned above.

There is, however, a major downside of taking the alternative cancer rout: it will inevitably involve having to make extensive and consistent lifestyle changes. This is in complete contrast to allopathic treatments like chemotherapy which basically happen to you, before you go back (or try to go back) to your usual life. Therefore, compliance is the major stumbling block for most alternative treatment regimes. If you are someone who finds it difficult to change your lifestyle because you feel it defines you, then the alternative cancer route might not be the one for you and you might have to take your chances with allopathic programs (1) or doing nothing (4). Lifestyle changes are not something you can just dabble with — you have to throw yourself into them with 100% commitment, often for life! (There are some alternative treatments that involve minimal disruption to your life because they are more of a "treatment" than a lifestyle change — such as the Phenergan treatment mentioned below — but generally speaking alternative treatments are more systemic and therefore require consistent lifestyle changes.)

Whatever treatment regime you choose, the following section outlines the fundamental lifestyle changes that you need to make to maximise your chances for a cancer cure.

Foundations of a Cancer Cure

Contrary to what we have been conditioned to believe by the medical establishment (that may be losing its war against cancer but which remains steadfast in its support for ineffective but profitable "treatments"), the presence of cancer in the body is actually a symptom of metabolic imbalances caused by:

• toxicity from our diets and the environment
• low oxygen levels in the body
• lack of optimum levels of nutrients in the modern diet for our particular metabolism
• the high level of sugar, animal protein and long-chain saturated fats in the modern diet
• lack of exercise
• physical and psychological stress
• psychological conflicts
• exposure to harmful radiation
• weak immunity

These factors together create an environment inside our bodies that is toxic, sluggish, acid and anaerobic (low-oxygen). And because this unhealthy internal environment is extremely detrimental to our health, the body in its wisdom starts to convert normal cells to cancer cells because the latter can function more efficiently in such a toxic environment. Moritz describes cancer cells as sewer workers, and without these sewer workers we would not survive very long. As Hirneise points out in his interview in Ode magazine, "A tumour is an incredibly ingenious solution on the part of the body… Cancer is not a problem. Cancer is a solution."

So the focus of anybody with cancer should be on becoming healthy and not on the destruction of the symptoms of that ill-health — the cancer (unless the tumour is growing so aggressively that it is posing a direct and imminent threat to life, which usually isn't the case with newly diagnosed individuals).

Primary Rule: Focus on becoming healthy, not on destroying the cancer.

How do we become healthy? By making the following changes:

1. Make permanent dietary changes so that it becomes largely vegetarian, fresh, nutritious and organic. CUT OUT SUGAR!
2. Detoxifying your body both by reducing toxin input and increasing toxin elimination.
3. Increase oxygenation to your cells by breathing exercises, supplements and dietary changes.
4. Alkalise the body so that cancer cells do not have an acidic environment to thrive in.
5. Undertake a strict food supplement regime to put nutritional components back into the body and in quantities that are therapeutic.
6. Restrict mobile phone use and throw out your microwave oven. Avoid x-rays.
7. Resolve psychological conflicts and let go of old hurt and grudges. Go on regular holidays and actively practice relaxation and meditation to reduce stress levels.
8. Women should stop taking the contraceptive pill or HRT as these can cause cancer.
9. Start making future plans and goals so that you have something to live for.
10. Touch what is divine for you, so that your life becomes part of something bigger.

Now let us look at each of these in depth as they form the foundation of any potential cancer cure.

1. Dietary changes

Dietary changes are of paramount importance to cancer sufferers. The modern diet has become dangerously devoid of nutrients, and so it is important to choose the healthiest and most nutritious food that you can find (organic or biodynamic fit the bill). Even so, you will still need to supplement your diet with health supplements as even organic foods' nutrients are on the decline.

Dr. Gonzalez who has treated thousands of cancer patients has also noticed that they tend to do better if they are placed on the right diet for their particular type of metabolism. You can find out what is likely to be your metabolism-type from the book The Metabolic Typing Diet. The diets outlined in this book can be very strict, but it is important that you keep to them if you want to experience the full benefit. In other words, no cheating.

For those who prefer the ease of one-healthy-diet-fits-all advice, the following might be useful: Your diet should become largely vegetarian, fresh and organic. Remember: the proverbial "well-balanced" diet is a myth and does NOT promote optimum health. This is a very very important point to keep in mind. Do not trust any doctor or dietician who peddles you the "well balanced diet" myth. To do so would not be in your interest.

• Most importantly, cut out all sugar and other simple carbohydrates. This is based on research by Otto Warburg who wrote: "The prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar." In other words, a high sugar or high GI diet not only inhibits the recovery from cancer but may have caused it in the first place. As a general rule, following an anti-candida diet, even if you do not think you have candida, could well be very beneficial to you if you have cancer. (There is evidence that cancer cells are merely a symptom of fungal infestation.) Sugar puts huge stress on the body's metabolism, acidifying the system and promoting an environment in which fungal infestations and cancer cells thrive. It is also the life-blood of cancer cells which rely entirely on inefficient glycolysis for its energy production (beta-oxidation is switched off), whereas a normal cell can also run on both efficient glycolysis and beta-oxidation. Some believe you should cut out carbohydrates altogether to put the body into a state of ketosis which starves cancer cells (following the Atkins Diet should do this) whereas, for other this is too extreme and they recommend a low-GI diet (wholegrains etc.) that give a slower release of sugar. But whatever you do, CUT OUT SUGAR and simple carbohydrates like white bread and pasta etc.

• Avoid all dairy products – these contain growth hormones that encourage cancer-cell proliferation. In particular they contain the hormone, IGF-1. This hormone is found naturally in cow's milk to stimulate the growth of calves, but in the human body it stops apoptosis, the self-destruction that cancer cells are programmed to do. They are also a high source of saturated animal fat and can contain traces of antibiotics and oestrogenic hormones, which may also stimulate cancer growth. (And remember, the jury is out on whether soya milk is good for you, so unless it is fermented soya in the case of natto or tempeh which activates the protective components of soya, use oat milk as a substitute.) If you do have them, make sure they are organic to avoid some of these problems.

• Considerably increase the amount of fresh vegetables and fruits that you eat (preferably choosing organic to avoid chemical pesticide residues and avoiding excess amounts of high-starch foods like potatoes and bananas). If you are unable to obtain organic vegetables or fruit, soak for 15 minutes to remove surface pesticides and mix with a tablespoon of vinegar. Green leafy and cruciferous vegetables are particularly recommended as they contain nutrients that fight cancer. But also opt for colourful vegetables as they contain many different phytonutrients which are high in antioxidants and have a cancer-protective effect. Vegetables to emphasise are – the Brassica vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts) as they help stimulate detoxification enzymes in the liver and mop up excess oestrogens. Plus, other antioxidant-rich vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, berries, papaya & watermelon and liver-protective vegetables such as garlic and onions, watercress, beetroots, asparagus, avocado and the spice turmeric. Antioxidants mop up free radicals which are cancer-causing and lower inflammation. You should aim to have 8-10 portions per day with at least 6 portions of vegetables and 2 of fruit.

• When cooking vegetables, using steam methods that minimise nutrient loss. Boiling destroys nutrients and frying creates harmful free-radicals. If you must fry, use a little extra virgin olive oil; never fry with sunflower oil as it becomes toxic when heated. Eating raw vegetables at the start of the meal (ie a salad or crudities) more vitamins and minerals are absorbed.

• Consider increasing your intake of vegetables via vegetable juices which are very cleansing to the system, again provided that they are not too sweet. Juice from sprouts is one of the best options. Although they can be time-consuming to grow, sprouted seeds, vegetables and grains are extremely nutrients dense and should be incorporated into the diet, where possible. They can also be bought from specialist growers.

• Reduce your fat intake generally as it increases oestrogen levels in the body. Trans fats found in margarine, processed foods, crisps, biscuits, cakes and chips are source of free-radicals and should be eliminated. Saturated fats found in red meat and dairy should be kept to a minimum. Fat is a good solvent and animal fat accumulates more toxins. However, do ensure you are eating the essential fats in the way of oily fish (Omega 3) or supplement fish oils from a reputable source which is toxin-free and consume small quantities of nuts and seeds (Omega 6).

• Reduce animal protein to no more than 2-3 times a week, and opt for vegetable protein in the form of cooked and sprouted pulses and lentils. They are a good source of soluble fibre needed to help excrete toxins and excess hormones.

• Select phyto-oestrogen rich foods as they block both excess oestrogens and oestrogen-like compounds (PCBs, dioxins, pesticides) from the cell receptors. These include beans such as chickpeas, lentils, nuts, seeds- especially flax and pumpkin.

• Avoid smoked and salt cured foods, barbequed, char-grilled or burnt foods.

• Eat slowly, chewing carefully and avoid heavy meals. Instead have smaller more frequent meals and avoid eating late at night as it increases the liver's work during the healing hours of sleep. Try and eat a wide variety of different vegetables, fruit, grains (such as oats, rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth and barley) pulses, nuts and seeds to provide plenty of different nutrients and not to get into a dietary rut.

• Eat in a relaxed environment and try to relish every mouthful- this will enhance digestion.

• Reduce anti-nutrients in the diet — food stuffs that actually have a net nutritional depletion effect in the body. As well as sugar, eliminate caffeine, artificial sweeteners and E-numbers, alcohol and table salt and instead season with herbs, spices, lemon and lime, tomato paste, tamari sauce, garlic, ginger, dried mushrooms. Green tea contains beneficial antioxidants but opt for caffeine-free if possible.

• Finally, with regards to metabolic typing, Dr. Gonzalez has noted that there seems to be a link between type of tumour and the type of diet that is best suited for dealing with that tumour. He has found that those with a traditional sold tumour — such a a tumour of the breast, pancreas, colon, lung, prostate or uterus — seem to do best on a vegetarian diet, whilst those with immunological and blood element tumours — such as leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma — might do better on a diet that includes red meat. (However, if you follow metabolic typing then you have to be very strict with your diet. Read the book recommended above.)

Another diet that is very popular and again very effective for some people is the Gerson Diet which involves drinking large quantities of vegetable juice (can be physically demanding with all the washing of vegetables and juicing so should be done with a helper). You can read more about this approach at www.gerson.org. The Gerson diet is also able to strongly detoxify the body, which as we will see in the next section, is a vital component in recovery.

2. Detoxify the body

Cleaning up your diet in the ways outlined above will significantly reduce the amount of toxins entering your body, which is essential for ALL cancer patients as more than three quarters of cancers are directly due to toxicity of some kind. Most of us have spent a lifetime building up toxins, toxins that have suppressed normal metabolic function, and so detoxification is perhaps THE most important aspect of ANY cancer cure, and explains why it forms the backbone of just about all successful alternative/complementary treatment programs.

Toxins enter the body via our diet, the air we breath, the water we drink (or other liquids) and the medications we take. They include mercury from amalgam fillings, vaccines and fish; lead from car exhaust fumes and paint; aluminium from cooking pots and soya; pesticides and herbicides from fruit and vegetables; fluoride from tap water and toothpaste; dioxins from the air we breath; chemicals created by microwave ovens in normal food; and many other toxins and chemicals. Toxins can also enter the body from medication (only take what is really necessary). In fact, it is estimated that there are now 100,000 different artificial chemicals that have been made by man, many of which are carcinogenic or cancer-causing.

Some toxins are also made in the body from normal metabolism, by parasites that we have picked up (most people have them) and from radiation entering the body via mobile phones and leaky microwave ovens. Stree hormones are also a source of toxicity to the liver. Toxins exit the body through the urine, bowel motion, skin and the breath. For most people, toxic elimination lags behind toxic build-up, and so as a person goes through life their bodies slowly become a toxic waste dump. This increasing toxic load is a major factor in the gradual deterioration of health as we age.

However, a word of caution. Research indicates that the radiation from mobile phones, wireless computers (Wi-Fi), microwave ovens, TETRA masts and power lines can effectively shut down our cellular membrane transport system. The result is that those chronically exposed to these sorts of radiation find it very difficult to detoxify as their cells are unable to release the toxins, whilst nutrients are also less able to be absorbed. So there is little point detoxifying unless you also CUT DOWN YOUR EXPOSURE TO HIGH-FREQUENCY RADIOWAVES. This means minimizing mobile use (choosing one with a low SAR rating and/or using an air-tube headset), getting rid of the microwave (the food cooked in it is unhealthy anyway), using wired phone and computer systems and keeping as far away as possible from TETRA masts. This is essential not only if you want to detoxify, but if you want the nutrients that you take to be efficiently absorbed and utilized by the body.

To detoxify, we need to cut down on the toxins entering our body, and increase the elimination of toxins that are already in our body. In this way, we can reverse the toxic build-up, freeing our bodies from having to cope with these poisons, many of which, over a period of time, can not only trigger cancer but maintain an environment that supports cancer cells.

The diet given above will reduce the amount of toxins entering our body, especially if the foods selected are organically grown. Toxins produced by parasites can be reduced by taking anti-parasite herbal formulas to kill the parasites (tinctures of black walnut, wormwood and clove).

To rid the body of toxins already in the body requires us to first drink plenty of pure water (NOT tap water which has chemicals in it). Reverse-osmosis is generally recommended as it has a low solute concentration and is much purer than tap or even bottled water. You will probably have to get a special filter plumbed into the kitchen sink for this, which can be quite expensive, although it is definitely worth it. Make sure you drink about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day (up to 1.5 to 2 litres), preferably between meals as you don't want to dilute the digestive juices in the stomach during and after meals.

Once water is flowing through you from adequate hydration, this becomes a good path for the elimination of toxins. And in much the same way it is important to make sure you diet is high in fibre so that waste products in the intestines are quickly eliminated before they produce toxins which can affect the body. (Meat products are known to increase the risk of bowel cancer.) This can be aided by colonics, which are great for bowel detox.

One of the most efficient and safest ways to rid the body of toxicity, especially metal poisons (such as mercury, aluminium and lead), and radioactive heavy metals is to take a liquid zeolite supplement (highly micronized powdered zeolite is also be very beneficial but more difficult to get hold of). You will need to take 2 or 3 drops every hour with water. At the moment there are only two brands of liquid zeolite on the market, but you can be sure that, as this supplement is so phenomenal, many more will emerge over the next few years. Liquid zeolite is a MUST for detox. (See the liquid zeolite information site at www.liquidzeolite.org.) If for any reason you are unable to get hold of this supplement, then you could try an EDTA chelation suppository such as Medicardium. However, unlike liquid zeolite, this can remove healthy metal ions from the body so you will need to replenish minerals each time after use.

The other way to detoxify is to have a very high chlorophyll diet. Wheat grass juice is extremely healthy for the body and detoxifying, as are algae supplements such as Klamath blue green algae. High chlorophyll food should be regularly included in the diet and taken on an empty stomach.

The other path way of elimination, one that is invariably overlooked, is that of the lungs. It is very important to practice deep abdominal breathing as this is not only an important avenue of the elimination of toxins (mostly volatile compounds) but also because movement of the diaphragm is the main "pump" for the lymphatic system, which is a central component of the immune system (a sluggish lymphatic system is often seen in those that develop cancer). Deep and regular abdominal breathing is also important for increasing oxygen levels in the body, something that makes metabolism more efficient and helps to oxidise toxins. (Cancer cells are known to thrive in anaerobic, low-oxygen environments.)

The other method of getting oxygen levels up and circulation moving in the body is regular exercise. This is also very beneficial psychologically and can help relax the body in day-to-day living. However, it is important not to undertake too strenuous exercise as this can push the body into a stress response and increase free-radical and cortisol production to unhealthy levels.

The main organ of detoxification in the body is the liver. As toxins are the primary cause of cancer, making sure that the liver is working efficiently is of primary importance. To ensure this, it is essential to do something called a "liver cleanse" or "liver flush". As you will may want to rest the day after, Saturdays are usually a good day for this.

Eat a completely fat-free breakfast and lunch on a particular Saturday, making sure that you cut out all supplements and medication that are not essential. This allows the bile pressure to build up in the gall bladder. After 2pm don't eat any food. Then mix 4 tbs of Epsom salts in 3 cups of water and put the mixture in a jar in the refrigerator ready for 6pm when you drink one ¾ cup of the mixture. At 8pm repeat this. Then at 9.45pm put ½ a cup of olive oil in a pint jar and add to it ½ cup of FRESHLY squeezed pink grapefruit juice and shake up. Go to the bathroom one more time and then at 10pm drink the mixture down within 5 minutes and immediately lie down. (You can also take 4 ornithine amino acid capsules to help you sleep if you want.) Next morning, have another ¾ cup of Epsom salts upon waking (after 6am is best) and then 2 hours later take the fourth and last ¾ cup of the Epsom salts. You can then start eating 2 hours after that, but nothing heavy at first. You will get diarrhoea after all this and possibly see gall stones and tiny white crystals that have been blocking the liver floating in the toilet bowl.

It is best to do the liver flush after a parasite cleanse outlined above with the herbal tinctures. A kidney cleanse is also recommended before the liver flush. You can find more information on these by visiting www.curezone.com/cleanse/liver/huldas_recipe.asp for the liver flush and for a kidney cleanse visit www.curezone.com/cleanse/kidney/default.asp.

Another method of detoxifying the body and stimulating the liver to break down toxins is to take daily coffee enemas. This regime is usually integrated with the Gerson diet. The active niacin in the roasted coffee beans causes a "niacin flush" which dilates the bile ducts, helping to remove toxins from the liver and facilitating toxic transport from the blood through the colon wall. For more information, visit www.alternative-doctor.com/cancer/coffee.htm. (Please note: you cannot get the same effect drinking quantities of coffee — in fact, coffee taken orally this way is not good for someone with cancer.)

After a few weeks of detoxification, everybody starts to feel lighter and more healthier, even people who thought they were healthy to begin with. Detoxification is not a once-off program but an important life-long regime or discipline that anybody seeking optimum health must follow. One good life practice (it won't suit everyone but is worth considering) is to have one day a week when we only drink vegetable juices and water.

3. Increase oxygenation to cells

If you take a cell culture and put it in a low-oxygen environment, those cells will turn cancerous. This is because, for a cell to survive in a low-oxygen or anaerobic environment, it has to turn cancerous or it will die. Cancer, therefore, is an adaptive physiological survival mechanism. So to cure cancer, it is foolish to attack the cancer cells (unless they are causing problems by their physical bulk) as they are just a symptom of a deeper problem, that of a low-oxygen cellular environment that encourages fermentation. The solution therefore is to change the inner environment by increasing cellular oxygen levels and decreasing the dietary sugars that encourage the fermentation.

The dietary aspect has been covered above, so here we will focus on methods to increase cellular oxygen levels, and obviously the primary way to do this is via our breath. Most people shallow breathe, their chest and abdomen barely moving during the respiration cycle. This is caused by long periods slumped in chairs and on sofas, the stress of modern life and emotional issues. Most of the blood in our lungs is actually at the base of the lung (due to gravity) and so if we can learn to breath into the bottom of our lungs by taking deeper breaths, we will increase the oxygenation in our body manifold. This can easily be done by learning to belly-breathe, making sure the stomach balloons out at the in-breath and flattens during the out-breath. Learning to breathe more efficiently may sound a trite remedy for cancer, but it is actually as important as cutting out sugar. (It is only number 3 here as this guide would lose a lot of credibility, in some people's eyes, if it were any higher on the list.

One of the leading authors to have written about the effects of breathing on health is Dr. Gay Hendricks, who has written several books on the importance of breathing and techniques/exercises on how to breathe more efficiently. Alternatively, there are many Eastern healing methods such as Pranayama (yoga of breath) and Chi Kung. But what they all have in common is that they will help you to increase the oxygen levels in your body, and as a by-product will also centre your mind and help relieve the stress of having cancer.

Other important ways to increase cellular oxygen are to take oxygen health supplements (such as hydrogen peroxide) or undergo ozone therapy. Also, sure that you do not have excess protein, which some naturopaths believe inhibits the ability of red blood cells to oxygenate our general body cells.

4. Alkalize the body

Cancer cells thrive in low-oxygen, acidic environments. We have already dealt with the low oxygen levels in the body so now it is time to look at the pH levels. Lowering the acidity levels in the body (increasing pH) is very much dependant upon dietary changes and deeper breathing, both of which have been mentioned above (deep breathing reduces our carbonic acid levels). However, this aspect to cancer recovery is so important that we will focus on it independently.

The sort of diet that produces large quantities of acid in the body is on that contains a high proportion of meat (including fish), grains (especially refined white flour products), hard cheeses, sugar (even honey and especially soft drinks) and alcohol, and a diet that is low in fruits and vegetables. This actually describes the typical Western diet which is why most of us have acidic internal environments. Ideally, we should aim for 80% alkaline-forming foods (most fruits and vegetables) and only 20% acid-forming foods (that said, it might be wise to avoid meat and dairy products altogether because of the growth hormones they usually contain, as well as their acidifying effect).

One way to test body pH is to test the saliva with litmus paper that can be bought at any chemist. Ideally, the saliva pH should be around 7.4. The acid-alkaline scale runs from 0 to 14 with anything under 7 being acid (with lower numbers being more acidic) and anything above 7 being alkaline (with higher numbers denoting higher alkalinity). 7.0 is neutral — neither acid nor alkaline. So you can see that a saliva pH of around 7.4 is slightly alkaline, which is what is should be. However, because most of us have a diet very high in acid-forming foods and drinks, over half of us have saliva pHs under 6.5 — in other words, it is acidic. (Children tend to have quite a high alkaline pH until they start eating very acid sugary foods.)

As the body struggles with an acid environment, it will often "borrow" alkalising minerals like calcium from the bones to buffer or reduce acid levels, and this calcium leakage for acid buffering is actually one of the main reasons why osteoporosis and arthritis are so rampant in the general population. So having an alkalising diet not only can help you in your recovery from cancer, but helps prevent other serious chronic conditions in the process.

One of the very best ways to reduce acid in the body is to daily drink vegetable juices, especially green ones. Strong powdered green foods such as Klamath blue green algae and barley grass can also be extremely effective. Over time, with the right diet, you will find your saliva pH rising to alkaline levels. If you want to use a sweetener, you could try xylitol which is alkalising to the body unlike natural sugars and even honey, which are acidifying.

There are, however, certain tools that can be used specifically to reduce acid levels in the body, the most important of which is sodium bicarbonate. This is an inexpensive mineral salt used in cooking which can easily be found in any supermarket. Sodium bicarbonate is very good at neutralizing acid — the acid combines with it to give off salt, water and carbon dioxide.

Taking a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water on a completely empty stomach (you don't want it merely neutralizing digestive juices) can be helpful for those wanting to alkalise. However, those who have cancer and need to alkalise as quickly and powerfully as possible will often take up to 200g in a litre of water a day. That is a lot of sodium bicarbonate! But once again, you must only take it on a completely empty stomach. There are some reports that those who have taken these sorts of quantities on a regular basis have had major turn-arounds in their health.

5a. Nutritional supplements

Supplements are essential to cancer patients to give the body the nutritional components it needs to function optimally. Also, certain supplements can significantly boost the immune system, an essential consideration for those with cancer. This is because it is our immune systems that not only kill cancer cells (or residue cancer cells in the case of conventionally treated patients) but restore the body to health after more intense treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Many nutrients also have direct anti-cancer properties quite apart from their ability to stimulate immune function.

A suggested food supplement regime for adults is as follows (for children you need to cut the quantities, and children under 20 should not take CoQ10). Please remember to check your supplement list with your healthcare practitioner to make sure that none of these are contraindicated with any medication.

• Vitamin C - 1000mg 3 times daily: Choose ascorbates such as magnesium ascorbate as they are healthier to take in large quantities than the normal ascorbic acid. If you overdose on Vitamin C, you get diarrhoea, so just cut back a little.
• Enzymes - it can be important to take high-dose protease enzymes 2 or 3 times a day away from meals to help break down extraneous proteins in the body. Some cancer specialists recommend taking oral pancreatic proteolytic enzymes every 4 hours. One professional brand is wobenzime.
• Vitamin B complex - 50mg of all the B Vitamins except B1. These vitamins are essential for energy production and for helping the body cope with stress. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) should not be taken, however, as it can encourage cell division.
• Multi-Vitamin and Mineral - A strong and comprehensive multi-vitamin and mineral is important to take daily to make sure there are no nutritional holes in our diet.
• Omega 3 / Fish Oil capsules - 1000mg a day. Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid that is a natural anti-inflammatory and helps with nervous system function.
• Vitamin D3 - 1000IU per day - Vitamin D3 lowers the risk of developing breast, ovarian and colon cancer, and can also slow down or stop cancer cells multiplying. It has also been shown to be particularly effective with brain cancers.
• Beta-Carotene - 6mg 3 times a day - There is a direct correlation between low Vitamin A and cancer. Beta-carotene supplies the raw ingredients for the body to make its own Vitamin A, but it may also be beneficial to supplement Vitamin A directly. (Other carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin can be very helpful in reducing cancer risk.)
• Vitamin E - 400 - 1000 IU per day - important antioxidant that has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and boost immune function.
• Zinc - 15mg 1 to 3 times a day - important for fast healing and helping the action of Vitamin C and E. Zinc is also essential for a healthy prostate.
• Selenium - 200mcg per day - It is a fact that the less selenium a nation has naturally in its diet, the higher the cancer rate. Selenium works with Vit E to protect cell walls, and helps remove toxins.
• CoQ10 - 30mg per day (not if you are under 20): this powerful antioxidant not only protects cell membranes but give the immune system the energy to fight cancer cells.
• Lycopene - 15 - 25mg per day - powerful anti-oxidant from tomatoes that has powerful anti-cancer properties.
• Curcumin Complex - 500mg 2 times daily - Curcumin is a fantastically powerful antioxidant that also has anti-cancer properties.
• Biobran - 3000mg a day for 2 months and then 1000mg thereafter - Although expensive, this food supplement is one of the best for optimising immune function. Also reduces the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiation. For a less expensive alternative, try beta-glucans or mushroom extract supplements.
• IP6 (inositol hexaphosphate) - supplementing with this sugar phosphate has been shown to be extremely beneficial for some cancer patients.
• Green superfood - such as klamath blue green algae, spirulina, chlorella and/or wheat grass juice. Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, is a powerful detoxifier and immunity booster.
• Haelan 951 Immun Plus - this fermented soy liquid supplement is horrendously expensive as you need to have a whole 118ml bottle a day for the first 3 or 4 months. It provides a rich complex of anti-cancer nutrients such as soy isoflavone fermentation metabolites which can turn around even the most hopeless cases.

Depending on your type of cancer, your practitioner might recommend specific supplements for your condition.

5b. Useful herbal supplements

Certain herbs can also be extremely beneficial because of their anti-cancer effect and their support for a strong immune system. Again, check with your healthcare practitioner to make sure that none of these are contraindicated with any medication.

• Wormwood, Walnut Hull, Clove Bud - tinctures of these herbs have been recommended by Dr. Clark to rid the body of parasites, a major cause, in her opinion, of cancer.
• Pau d'Arco - this herb from the bark of a South American tree is anti-cancer, anti-fungal, antiviral, antibacterial and antimicrobial.
• Astragalus - widely used herb in Chinese medicine that can boost energy and the immune system. Can help in the recovery from chemo and radio.
• Carctol - blend of 8 Indian herbs by Dr Tiwar. This herbal combination can be taken either as a treatment in itself or to help reduce the effects of conventional treatments. Those taking it must also follow a strict veg diet with low salt and sugar.
• Prostasol - herbal formula developed by the Dr Pfeifer at the Aeskulap Clinic in Switzerland which can be very useful for two thirds of those with prostate cancer.
• PC-Spes - chinese herbal formula developed in China for the treatment of prostate cancer. A few years ago some ingredients were found to be contaminated so it was withdrawn, but it is back.
• Indole-3-Carbinol - this is an extract from the broccoli family that has been used successfully with breast and prostate cancers. Need to take 400 to 600mg a day.
• Graviola - this herb from the Amazon has some very compelling research behind it that indicates it is cytotoxic to cancer cells and kills parasites.
• Black Cumin - shown to inhibit tumour growth and has a slight anti-angiogenesis effect (staves the blood supply of tumours)
• Essiac Tea - drunken regularly through the day, this tea is purported to have powerful anti-cancer properties.
• Green Tea - green tea can significantly reduce cancer risk and is a potent anti-oxidant.
• Mistletoe - this herb has been used quite successfully in Germany. It has been shown to boost immunity, starve and kill cancer cells. (Misletoe is most effective injected by a doctor.)

5c. Other supplements

• Melatonin - this is a hormone produced by the brain that is best known for regulating sleeping patterns. However, there are many studies that show that melatonin levels are severely decreased in cancer patients and that supplementation may be helpful in cases of breast cancer.
• Natural angiogenesis inhibitors - there is growing evidence for the important role of angiogenesis inhibitors in the future of cancer treatment and prevention. Tumours need a good blood supply in order to grow, which is why they are able to trigger the formation of new blood vessels into the tumour mass — something called angiogenesis. Block it and you prevent the tumour from growing. Artificial angiogenesis inhibitors have strong side-effects, and so you are recommended to go for natural ones. The best known are shark cartilage (which is unpleasant taste-wise to take in the quantities needed to have an effect - 1g/kg of body weight) and the herb Convolvulus Arvensis (Bindweed) which some research indicates is more effective, gram for gram, and certainly easier to take than cartilage.
• Amygdalin / Laetrile / Vitamin B17 - this compound is found in rich abundance (2 - 3%) in apricot kernels and is able to selectively kill cancer cells with its cyanide component. Amygdalin has been the subject of a pharmaceutical witch-hunt, making it sometimes quite difficult to get hold of.
• Zeolite supplements - mentioned earlier, this mineral supplement (it is not nutritional) can bring enormous benefits to the body in terms not only of detoxification but also increasing immunity and balancing the health of our digestive systems. Liquid seems better at detox than the micronized powder, although the powder tends to excel at immune system stimulation. If you can afford to, take both.
• DCA (dicholoacetate) - this simple chemical compound has shown a lot of promise as an anti-cancer drug, able to kick start the Krebs cycle, stopping cancer cells multiplying. Whilst clinical evidence for the benefits of DCA is scant because it is not a patentable compound and therefore there is relatively little money to be made developing it, initial reports are positive. DCA can be effective for lymphomas and especially for glioblastoma (brain cancer), but is ineffective for sarcomas (cancers of supportive tissue such as bone, muscle and fat). Recently, the FDA has tried to stop DCA being sold.

Do I need to take ALL of these?

It is certainly a good idea to take most of the nutritional ones (never leaving out the pancreatic proteolytic enzymes) and maybe pick one or two of the herbal ones, again, provided your healthcare practitioner does not believe that any will specifically do you any harm. (A closed-minded doctor may believe you are wasting your money by taking them, but you can live with that.)

A normal healthy person can get away with a good multivitamin and mineral, extra Vitamin C, flaxseed/fish oil, acidophilus and possibly a green superfood like algae. Someone with cancer, however, needs much more to help rectify a crisis situation in the body. Health supplements, therefore, have to not only be more extensive but also taken in therapeutic doses. This can put some strain on the liver, which is why it is vital to do regular liver cleanses and detoxification.

As mentioned before, having an NMR metabolomic analysis can determine which supplements or supplement regimes are most effective for the individual. In fact, with the right nutrients program, such tests can show the DNA repair that the right dietary nutrients can instigate.

6. Reduce harmful radiation

Ionising radiation like x-rays are extremely harmful to the body, which is why everybody should avoid x-rays as much as possible. Even preventative x-ray use such as mammograms are questionable because they can themselves cause cancer. (A safe and effective alternative to mammograms is breast thermography.) High-altitude plane flights also expose us to unhealthy levels of cosmic rays and should therefore be reduced as much as possible.

One of the very worst sources of damaging radiation are CT scans. These types of x-ray give pictures with detail up to 20x that of normal x-rays, but it comes at a terrible cost because they also subject the body to terribly dangerous levels of ionising radiation. In fact, leading radiologist David Brenner at Columbia University estimates that a standard course of two or three CT scans is equivalent to the radiation levels at Hiroshima or Nagasaki. He also estimates that CT scans could be responsible for as much as 2% of all cancers in the US (which amounts to 29,000 new cancer cases every year). Extrapolate this up to CT scan levels around the world and you are talking about 100,000 cases of cancer being caused by these machines. Stay well clear!

Non-ionising radiation — the radiation emitted by mobile phones, power cables, microwave ovens, televisions, Wi-Fi devices such as wireless computer networks, and mobile phone masts and domestic electrical leads and sockets — is considered relatively safe in comparison with x-rays. But this is a lie, often put out by those with a vested interest in technologies that produce this type of radiation, or those afraid of the legal consequences of admitting danger. Whilst non-ionising radiation is certainly safer than ionising radiation, there is no doubt that chronic exposure to it can also be extremely dangerous.

As mentioned previously, non-ionizing radiation is believed to shut down our cellular membrane transport system, trapping toxins in our cells and preventing nutrients from being absorbed. As a result, detoxification methods will not be efficient and the nutrients we take will not be fully utlized by the body. Therefore, especially if we have cancer and need to detoxify and supplement, reducing radiation exposure is very important.

Mobiles should only be used for essential calls (many alternative practitioners would recommend throwing your mobile out altogether) and when you do use them make sure you have an air-tube headset (works like a stethoscope with plastic tubes), NOT a blue tooth or wired headset. Earpieces often offer little advantage as they channels the radiation to the head, and wireless ear devices give off their own radiation, although it is lower than the mobile's. (One brand of air-tube headset is the RF3 Airtube.) Also be careful of Wi-Fi and especially WiMax. These have never been adequately tested on biological systems. It is much safer to use wired alternatives — sure they are less convenient, but then, bearing in mind the inconvenience of developing cancer, you soon learn to appreciate good old-fashioned wired systems!

With regards to telephone masts (TETRA masts), these are not safe and you should even consider moving your home if you are unfortunate enough to be located anywhere near one. The same applies to electricity pylons, which have been linked to cancer. Even around the home it is important to keep electricity sockets that are not being used switched off and make sure all beds and chairs are not located beside electrical mains wires or plugs.

The other source of radiation (and toxins) are microwave ovens. Just about all of them have some leakage and so you should not stand anywhere near them when they are switched on. More worryingly, however, is the effect of microwaves on food. By heating food in an unnatural way, microwaves not only destroy much of the nutrition in food but can also chemically alter it so that it becomes toxic to the body. In fact, there is research around that shows that animal generations fed microwaved food die off. And yet, the microwave is now almost as ubiquitous as the television set (another source of radiation). Our advise is to throw out your microwave — now.

7. Reduce stress and emotional conflict

We say actively because unless you really do something to reduce stress, in this frenetic world it just doesn't seem to happen on its own, unless you are lucky enough to be able to spend a few months in the middle of nowhere.

Stress reduction is something, therefore, that you really need to work on (but don't get stressed about it!). Working on stress might involve making the time to go through a particular relaxation exercise or a meditation technique twice a day. Regular massage is also a great support. There are some effective stress reduction audio CDs on the market that allow you to enter deep states of relaxation relatively easily. (Saying you have "no time" for any of these is absolutely no excuse when health is on the line.) A cancer patient might also consider seeing a counselor to help him or her to release old grudges, regrets and other psychological conflicts — an essential requirement for peace of mind.

Psychological stress actually damages the body in many ways. Nutrients are not absorbed as well and the body is in constant flight-flight mode and so there is little cellular repair and regeneration taking place, and the immune system is significantly reduced. As a result, stressed people invariably become sick people. There are many cases of terminal cancer patients who have hopelessly resigned themselves to their fate, gone on a long and relaxing holiday, only to find that their condition is in remission because the reduction of stress has taken the brakes off their body's immune response. Stress management, therefore, should never be underestimated by those with cancer.

One of the key factors in psychological stress is emotional conflict. In fact, there are successful cancer treatments that only focus on emotional resolution, such as the work of Dr. Hamer (who was thrown into prison for successfully treating patients). Visit his website at www.newmedicine.ca to find out more about his important work. Emotional resolution should be a part of everybody's cancer treatment.

8. Stop taking contraceptive pill and HRT

Women with cancer, especially a hormone related cancer, should stop taking the contraceptive pill and HRT, if they are on these. The reason for this is that there is evidence that these actually cause cancer. If you are worried about these, consult an alternatively minded healthcare practitioner. (In the case of HRT, read Martin Walker's HRT e-book which you can find at www.slingshotpublications.com/hrt.htm.)

9. Make future plans and goals

As cancer is often regarded as a death sentence, most cancer patients allow their disease to consume their lives, with little hope for a normal future. As a result, future plans and goals are dismissed or put on the back burner so that the disease can be concentrated upon.

However, the effect of the emotion of hope on our health and disease recovery should not be under-estimated. Hope for a future is vital if you are going to have the strength of will and focus to get through cancer, and one of the very best ways of cultivating hope is to make future plans and goals. Don't let a disease that has has been given a name stop you.

10. Touch what is divine for you

It is important for our lives to have meaning and the best way of doing this is to feel that we are a part of something greater. This is the true definition of the divine. This is similar to the previous step but involves certain beliefs and outlooks that not everybody shares (which is why it is listed last).

One might consider spiritual healing or prayer as these can make a huge difference to some people. (Check out Brazilian healer John of God at www.johnofgod.com.) Just the confidence knowing that you are an integral part of Creation and that you are loved by the Universe can make an enormous difference. From this divine perspective cancer sometimes becomes an opportunity for inner growth, a challenge that can change us quite profoundly.

Ultimately, a divine outlook helps many to drop their fear of death, and in so doing a deep relaxation takes place in which the outcome of our cancer becomes less important as the individual faces the infinite. This is NOT for everybody but only those with a spiritual temperament, and for such people this step should not be omitted, for it can actually be the most important factor in the cancer-cure equation.

What about proper treatments?

This question only arises because many do not understand that cancer is largely a systemic disease that arises from poor lifestyle choices and toxicity. It is not a disease that has a single cure. Because of this, many of the individuals who have made the above lifestyle changes — detoxified their bodies and have taken therapeutic doses of some of the nutritional supplements — have had to do little else. The above has been successful for them, and indeed forms the foundation of most alternative treatments.

However, sometimes the above is not enough — the cancer might be too aggressive, not responding or you may just be psychologically unhappy not getting a "proper treatment" of some kind. If this is the case, there are many treatment options available to you.

Remember, however, that any cancer treatment should always integrate the basic lifestyle changes described above, as these will give any "proper treatment" its best chance of working. Treatments undertaken in isolation of the above have a good chance of failing, and this applies to BOTH orthodox and alternative therapies. (Most alternative and complementary treatments are multi-faceted anyway and include many of these lifestyle changes.)

"Proper treatments" are invariably the realm of the professional doctor or practitioner, and so your best option is to find a practitioner who is successful with your particular type of cancer, and then decide whether the treatment regime offered is right for you and whether you feel confident with the practitioner (an important consideration). Ideally, find one who is qualified to advise you on both alternative and orthodox treatment programs, and/or combination programs. This way you have much more choice and can put together a program that is right for you, one that gives you the best chance of success.

One inexpensive self-medicating treatment that can work along-side most other treatments is Dr. Robert Jones' Promethazine (Phenergan) Cancer Treatment. This is, however, contraindicated for prostatic cancer, melanoma and mesothelioma. For more information visit: www.energygrid.com/health/phenergan-cancer/

Another treatment, along the same lines which interferes with cancer cells' metabolism and therefore selectively triggers cancer cell death, is Professor Geoffrey Pilkington's use of clomipramine, a well known antidepressant drug that has been on the market for over 40 years. This drug seems to wok particularly well with malignant brain tumours, killing cancer cells in a dose dependent manner. The only side effects are tiredness and dryness of the mouth, both of which can get better over time. Clomipramine also increases the chance of seizures, so its use should be carefully monitored. It is contraindicated with MAO-inhibitors. Pilkington has about 250 cases so far and a study is soon underway. For more info visit: www.canceractive.com/page.php?n=1096

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Following these steps WILL make a difference to your situation. And if you get the details right, you will find your cure for your cancer. But it may take some fine tuning and detective work to discover what works for you. Just remember, nothing is written in stone and people have got well despite the most dire of prognoses.