Death to Cancer: What to Do After Diagnosis

If you are reading this, chances are that you (or someone close to you) have been diagnosed with cancer.

When we first hear the terrible diagnosis, the natural reaction is shock and often denial. Sometimes we will literally shake with fear for days afterwards. This fear is usually accompanied with sadness and/or anger for a life that we feel is being denied us, and for the impending loss of loved ones and their loss of us. These are understandable reactions as most people unfortunately regard a cancer diagnosis as a death-sentence.

"Why me?" This is one question that everyone diagnosed with cancer asks themselves. But, 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 2018 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.

So, what is a person supposed to do after receiving such a devastating diagnosis? We realize how traumatic all of this is, so, we've tried to put together some information to help you.

DON'T PANIC: The first step after being diagnosed with cancer is: Don't Panic!
We realize it is difficult to not to panic, but, cancer is not a death sentence -- some people are cured every day. 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 learn 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 that affects the "whole body". Consequently, 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.

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 metastasized or spread; orthodox or conventional treatment success rates; alternative treatment success rates; complementary treatment effectiveness; your other health issues and medications you may be taking; and dietary, lifestyle and psychological changes we are prepared to make. Get the program combination right for you, and you maximize 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.

Note: If you're not 100% certain about your diagnosis, get a second opinion.

SUPPORT: The second step is begin to put together a support team.
You can't do this alone. If you are married or have a partner, make sure to include them -- don't shut them out. Recruit relatives and friends who will be supportive and honest with you -- avoid the negative people.

Join a local support group and /or join an online support group. It will ease your mind when you see that there are thousands of other people who have successfully beat their cancer.

COLLECT & EDUCATE: The third step is to collect as much information as possible and educate yourself.
While you're putting together your support team, begin your research, collecting information and educating yourself about cancer, nutrition, etc. In fact, you may want to begin educating yourself before you set up your support team, because your support team members will probably have questions.

Because of the emotions associated with being diagnosed with cancer or any disease for that matter, we believe that recruiting your support team for emotional support may be more crucial than collecting information. But, we'll leave that up to you -- do what is more comfortable to you -- these are just guidelines to get you going.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you are likely to have already spoken to an orthodox or conventional 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 color 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 or conventional 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 campaign!

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 or conventional 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 misled 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 or conventional 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 because it destroys both the immune system (our natural protection against future cancers) and only weaker cancer cells in the body (leaving the more hardy and virulent ones to bounce back another day, which is why remissions after orthodox treatment are so common and deadly).

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 playing.

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 some time, I researched and collected a lot of information so that I could set up this blog with information that can get you started and moving in the right direction. This information is not meant to prescribe a specific diagnosis, because that would be impossible even if we focused on just one form of cancer.

Hopefully, this information does not upset you -- that is not my intent. My intent is to give you some time to collect your thoughts and figure out what is the best strategy for you, given your specific and unique circumstances.

Don't try to do this by yourself. Ask your partner or a friend to help with some of the research. Try to find a naturopathic doctor or someone in the alternative medicine field that you can trust. Try to find someone preferably via a referral from a healthcare professional, a friend from work or church, or a relative or friend.

I must admit that this can be overwhelming and difficult trying to figure out which information is the right information for you. I had this problem years ago when I was struggling with my diabetes and other health issues after almost dying from a diabetic coma. Luckily for me, I had a lot of support from my mother, daughter and sister. While they took care of the household, I was able to focus on research and collecting information about diabetes, nutrition and various alternative treatment strategies.

My mother and daughter also provided emotional support; and, my mother and one of my brothers provided spiritual support. My job provided financial support and my managers ran the organization in my absence. As a result, I was able to strictly focus on my diabetes and how to get well.

Unfortunately, not everyone has a good support system, so, do the best you can and make sure that you don't shut out people who may be able to help you. There is a lot of good research information on the internet and in libraries about cancer, nutrition and many different alternative treatment strategies.

However, the problem with research information on alternative cancer treatments is that there is legislation, such as the Cancer Act 1939, that prevent those outside of the medical establishment from being able to disseminate information on alternative treatments. What the legislation does is effectively censor a lot of the cancer information on alternative treatments, and so you have to dig a little deeper to find helpful information.

Hopefully, this blog will help you with your research and collecting your information.

p.s. In the near future, we will providing Skype online training along with a cancer ebook that can be used in conjunction with my Death to Diabetes book.

Books About Cancer
Books are a great resource of information. Go to Amazon.com and do a search on cancer books and read some of the reviews to help you decide which books to purchase. In the meantime, here are a few books that may be helpful:

Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients — Russel Blaylock
Whether you choose to undergo conventional, alternative or integrative medicine, this book is a fantastic resource and will guide you to make the best of your choice, advice that is backed up by clinical research. This book also gives important dietary advice. (ISBN 0758202210)

Anticancer: A New Way of Life — David Servan-Schreiber
Servan-Schreiber is himself a medical doctor who got cancer and this book came out of the research that he did to find a way to heal himself. It recommends simple alterations in diet, lifestyle and attitude. (ISBN 0718156846)

The Cancer Breakthrough — Steve Hickey and Hilary Roberts
These two academics have summarized the best cancer healing strategies such as high Vitamin C and low sugar diets. Definitely worth a read. (ISBN 1430323000.)

Cancer the full menu — Rolf Gordon
This books informs you of the 'full menu' so that you will be aware of your real options, including complementary and alternative options. (Available online at Dulwich Health.)

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)

Winning the War on Cancer — Mark Sircus.
This is a 900-page E-book that covers a very wide range of information on the best of the world of allpathic and alternative medicine. You can get it for $40 here.

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 good understanding of cancer from the point of view of what works best for your health and survival, and not what necessarily maximizes 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.

GET WELL PLAN: Your next step is to put together a Get-Well Strategy.
In general, there are four options to select from for your particular condition:

1. Take the orthodox or conventional treatment with nothing else.

2. Take the orthodox (conventional) treatment along with complementary extras — an integrative approach.

3. Opt for a completely alternative treatment program.

4. Choose to do absolutely nothing and keep going as you are.

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, and prefer to defer choices to "the experts". Generally speaking, if you are this type, go to the orthodox medical profession and follow their treatment programs and advice, for you will not have the motivation or focus to take a complimentary or alternative path.

If you are in this category, as the majority seem to be, then this guide is not for you. But please really question your doctor about each aspect of the treatment program that he or she proposes. Question, question, question. But you can still do a few things to minimize the side-effects. For example, eat a very healthy diet during treatment, take regular exercise as far as possible, cut out alcohol and sugar, and take a strong probiotic supplement (as chemo kills gut bacteria). This will undoubtedly reduce side-effects and speed recovery. As will taking antioxidants such as Vitamin C before and after treatment. Some doctors even advise that a patient find out what chemotherapy they are going to be having and take a homeopathic dose of 30c during and after treatment. And a coffee enema after chemo can also minimize adverse effects.

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 treatment to give the body more time by rapidly reducing the number of cancer cells. 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.

Integrative approaches have shown a lot of promise and are more accepted by the orthodox medical profession because they do not dismiss orthodox treatments. If you are in this group, please consider some of the supplementary practices outlined in Option 1 as this will minimize the side-effects of the conventional treatment component. [Please note that a few leading conventional cancer experts are starting to use low-dose (5% of normal chemo amount) intermittent chemo first priming the body with insulin to increase the uptake by cancer cells. This is called Insulin Potentiation Therapy (IPT) is much less destructive on healthy cells, but it will unfortunately take a while for this practice to become standard.]

Option 3 is generally for those who really do take full responsibility for their health. These types of people often have done the research on conventional treatment success rates and have decided to take other options. That said, a portion of those in this category choose it because they like the idea of taking the alternative route but lack the real focus and gumption needed to follow it through. Such individuals should not follow this option themselves but should really be under the supervision of an alternative practitioner.

Option 4 is generally for those who are either in complete denial, have a very slow developing cancer (often associated with cancers in older people), are option 1 type people with a cancer that is untreatable by orthodox means, or are too old or frail to go through the often long and draining conventional healing process. Even if you choose this option you should really consider basic lifestyle changes to increase general health, well-being and longevity.

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 so you must feel out what you are most comfortable with).

As a general rule, according to Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, an orthodox cancer treatment like chemotherapy is only worth trying for Hodgkin's disease (70%-80% of cases cured although secondary tumors 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 metastatic cancers such as breast, colon and pancreas can't be cured by chemo, despite the billions of dollars spent on chemo research in these areas.

Indeed, there is evidence that chemo can encourage cancer cell proliferation. And an article recently appeared (25 Oct 2012) in the New England Journal of Medicine proclaiming that chemotherapy does more harm than good. So we would be wise to really look at the benefits of the type of chemotherapy we are considering, if that is the choice that we are making.

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, almost all oncologists will not have the scope to be able to recommend anything outside of orthodox treatments that, quite frankly, do more harm than good in the majority of cases.

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 a 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 example, two of the largest UK supermarkets were taken to court by Trading Standards a few years ago for illegally promoting cancer treatments under the 1939 Cancer Act. (For more info on the Cancer Act see: www.energygrid.com/health/2012/04ap-canceract.html)

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 (and ridiculed by orthodox doctors and journalists and TV producers influenced by the massive pharmaceutical PR machine).

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 (but not all) 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 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, and of course for those who are too afraid to try anything remotely unconventional.

There is, however, a major downside of taking the alternative cancer route: it will involve you having to make extensive dietary and lifestyle changes. You have to learn how to eat healthy foods every day, 4 to 5 times a day probably for the rest of your 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 an "all-in" mentality -- a 100% commitment for life!

Remember that whatever treatment option you select, ask your doctor or alternative health practitioner for 5-year survival statistics with and without the treatment being advised. And be very wary about "relative risk" statistics.

For example, you doctor might tell you that chemotherapy for your breast cancer can reduce your risk of breast cancer by 50% — but that impressive-sounding figure might hide a absolute reduction of only 2%, (the chemotherapy might only be reducing the risk of getting breast cancer from 4% to 2% in the study). Now that absolute figure does not sound so impressive, which is why orthodox oncologists almost invariably sell their treatment programs to their patients on the back of relative risk statistics. (Which is understandable: if they quoted absolute risk statistics, which are more meaningful to the patient, they would soon find themselves out of a job because no patient in his or her right mind would go through so much for so little benefit.)

Note: If you select Option 1, then, in most cases, your chances of survival will diminish greatly. At a minimum, you must include some kind of diet program to help fight your cancer and help to nourish and repair your body.

Note: For more details, refer to the blog post about developing a get-well or wellness plan.

Resources
Here are some of the best information sources that we have found for alternative and complementary cancer therapies and treatment protocols:

www.thenewmedicine.info — Patrick Kingsley is a highly respected English retired medical doctor who, in his last 25 years of practice, did not prescribe a single pharmaceutical drug.

To the Cancer Patient: Natural Cures vs. Traditional — This article by Dr. O'Shea is highly recommended and gives very useful advice to cancer patients.

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 with links to specific products and vendors who are actively involved in helping people with cancer.

www.cancercontrolsociety.com — The Cancer Control Society is a Californian organization 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.)

www.preventcancer.com — The Cancer Prevention Coalition (CPC) is a US coalition of leading independent experts on cancer prevention and public health.

www.canceroptions.co.uk— More of a cancer consultancy but certainly one of the best. It was founded by ex-nurse Patricia Peat.

Managing Emotions
People with cancer and their family members are under a great deal of pressure to cope effectively with the treatments, side effects, and anxieties that accompany a diagnosis of cancer. Every single patient, at every stage of disease, regardless of the type of treatment, deals with issues that cause some level of distress, ranging from common feelings of vulnerability, sadness, and fear of recurrence or death, to problems that are more disabling, such as clinical depression, intense anxiety, or panic.

Emotional distress can affect your ability to carry out daily activities and to participate actively in your treatment. It can also make physical symptoms more severe, or even impact the treatment outcome. It takes time to accept the diagnosis of cancer and to understand what it will mean for both patient and family. People’s reactions will differ and will probably vary over time. But please know that you are not alone.

The Stages of Emotional Distress
Pre -Treatment - you may feel that “no one understands” what you are going through. It is important at this time to gather as much information as possible and to find someone to talk to who has been through treatment.

Mid-Treatment - you may feel overwhelmed, even unable to manage daily responsibilities. This is a normal reaction and often reflects the strain on your physical and emotional energy as you manage treatment and cope with your situation. Many people find a support group to be very helpful at this time as you can learn from others about what helps them at this time.

Post-Treatment - you may feel “abandoned” by your healthcare team or other supportive people that were so involved during treatment, or you may feel anxious about the cancer returning. Throughout this time, you and your caregivers may find that a support group can be beneficial in making the transition from being ill to living well after cancer.

Anger is also a normal and healthy response to having cancer. Expressing anger in a productive and thoughtful manner can prevent emotions from building up and potentially leading to more serious emotional problems such as hostility, responsibility and inconsiderate impulses.

What To Do to Manage Emotional Distress
Here are some ways to manage your emotional distress:
    Talk with your family, friends, doctor, nurse, and/or social worker about what you are feeling.
    Talk to other people who have been through your type of treatment.
    Join a local and/or online cancer support group.
    Seek professional help from a therapist experienced in working with cancer patients.
    Try stress-relieving activities such as meditation, yoga, or Tai Chi.
    Use humor — find something to laugh about every day.
    Use prayer (to talk to God). But, also, use meditation to listen to God (for answers to better health).
    Exercise as much as possible, given your physical limitations.
    Use the Internet wisely for chat rooms, support groups, and other information.
    Be aware that not all information on the Internet is accurate or helpful to your situation.
    Keep a journal to record and track your progress and to release your feelings.

The Challenge of a Positive Outlook and Hope
Looking for and implementing dietary and lifestyle changes that fight your cancer and improve your health will give you real hope and a positive outlook on your life.

Reinforce your positive outlook by continuing to look for and implementing healthy solutions to fight and defeat your cancer. Having a positive outlook with a commitment to seek knowledge will fuel your drive and hope and will give you energy to get well. On then other hand, if you are in denial or if you fake being hopeful without any commitment to get well, then, sadly, this will lead you down a path of deteriorating health.

Of course, a feeling of optimism during the cancer experience should not exclude sadness, anger, sorrow, grief and hurt, but studies underscore the importance of optimism in relation to quality of life. In research studies, patients who were more optimistic were less depressed and more likely to make the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes to effectively fight their cancer.

A hopeful person can experience a wide range of negative and positive emotions; yet through all of the difficulties, will try to move forward in life. Hope is something that you gain by acquiring the right knowledge, implementing healthy changes and getting support from others.

Please Note: Most people with a disease tend to have low serotonin levels and high cortisol levels, which can lead to feeling depressed. Do not fall into the trap of taking a drug for your depression. There are many creative ways to raise your serotonin levels and fight your depression, e.g. food, exercise, socializing, joining a support group, confiding in a friend, helping someone else, yoga, etc.

FYI: Serotonin is the feel good hormone while cortisol is known as the stress hormone.

More Website References
Cancer diagnosis? Advice for dealing with what comes next - Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-diagnosis/art-20046527

Cancer diagnosis: 11 tips for coping - Mayo Clinic