As good as it may taste, sugar is NOT your friend. It may “feel” like your friend when it comforts you (due to the beta-endorphin rush in your brain), but sugar is really your ENEMY. Truth be told, regular consumption of sugary foods/drink is one of the worst things that you can do for your health. Modern scientific research has shown us, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that sugar in your food (in all its myriad forms) is taking a devastating toll on your health.
Take a look at the sugar consumption trends over the past 300 years:
In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year.
In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.
In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.
In 2012, more than 50% of all Americans consume 1/2 pound of sugar per day — translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year!
Daily consumption of 1 can soda with 45 grams of sugar is equivalent of 36.5 pounds of sugar per year. See math: (45g x 365 days) / 454 (1 lb=454 gram) = 36.2 lb
In 1890, only 3 people out of 100,000 had diabetes. In 2012, almost 8,000 out of every 100,000 people was diagnosed with diabetes!
The “sugar rush” has been targeted at our children. American children are consuming about 10 times as much sugar as they were in 1900, especially in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is the average American’s greatest source of calories! Highly addictive HFCS contains fructose and glucose, but they are NOT bound together (as they are in table sugar) so the body doesn’t need to break it down. Therefore, the fructose is absorbed immediately, going straight to the liver, which turns it into fat (VLDL and triglycerides).
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola:
“Fructose also tricks the body into gaining weight by fooling your metabolism (it turns off the appetite-control system). Fructose does not appropriately stimulate insulin, which in turn does not suppress ghrelin (the “hunger hormone”) and doesn’t stimulate leptin (the “satiety hormone”), which together result in your eating more and developing insulin resistance.” This process also suppresses the immune system.
But just because you avoid HFCS doesn’t mean that you’re in the clear. Excess intake of ALL processed sugars results in compromised immune function (decreasing the white blood cells’ ability to destroy bacteria), obesity, and diabetes.
And if that’s not enough, keep in mind that sugar is HIGHLY addictive! That’s right! Dr. Serge Ahmed of Bordeaux, France, has been working with rats and giving them the choice between cocaine and sugar. Guess which one wins, time and again?
That’s right … sugar!
It turns out that the sweet taste of sugar is more rewarding than the high of cocaine.
You see, sugar produces dopamine – a happy, feel-good chemical – in the brain. People get addicted to eating sugar, whereby they need it to feel “normal” and they undergo “withdrawal” if they cut sugar from their diets. If they go “cold turkey” for a few days, their brain will begin to produce dopamine on its own, but the discomfort of the withdrawal process keeps many “sugar addicts” trapped in their addiction.
What is The Sugar Cancer Connection?
Due to the anaerobic respiratory mechanism exhibited by ALL cancer cell, sugar is cancer’s favorite food! And since half of the white sugar in the USA comes from sugar beets, you should remember that most beets are now genetically modified. This is another reason to stay away from the “White Death” isn’t it?
I personally recommend that you avoid white sugar, brown sugar, agave, and all artificial sweeteners such as aspartame/AminoSweet, sucralose, and saccharin. If you have a sweet tooth, it’s best to stick with 100% pure stevia, xylitol, raw honey, pure maple syrup, molasses, and coconut sugar. The bottom line: if you want to be and stay healthy, you MUST take control of your sugar intake so that it doesn’t take control over you.
Ending the Sugar Confusion
It is easy to become confused by the various sugars and sweeteners, so here is a basic overview:
Saccharide = sugar
Glucose (aka “dextrose” or “grape sugar”), galactose (“milk sugar”), and fructose (“fruit sugar”) are all “monosaccharides” (i.e. single sugar molecules), known as “simple sugars.” The primary difference between them is the way your body metabolizes them.
Glucose is the form of energy you were designed to run on. Every cell in your body uses glucose for energy.
High amounts of fructose are very damaging to the body if it isn’t burned immediately for energy because it travels directly to the liver where it’s converted to triglycerides (fats). Excess triglycerides increase insulin resistance (and insulin production), thus contributing to diabetes in a “back door” fashion.
The simple sugars can combine to form more complex sugars, like sucrose (“table sugar”) which is a “disaccharide” comprised of 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
“Refined” white sugar (pure sucrose) is washed with a syrup solution, then with hot water, clarified (usually chemically) to remove impurities, decolorized, concentrated, evaporated, re-boiled until crystals form, centrifuged again to separate, then dried. By this point, any remnants of “natural goodness” and “nutritional value” have completely disappeared! Quite frankly, white sugar should be considered an “industrial product” rather than “food.”
“Brown sugar” is white sugar mixed with molasses.
“Raw” sugar is not really raw—it has been cooked, and most of the minerals and vitamins are gone. But it’s probably a little better than refined white sugar because it has a little of the molasses remaining.
Aspartame or AminoSweet is a neurotoxic rat poison … need I say more?
Splenda (sucralose) is NOT a sugar, despite its deceptive marketing slogan, “made from sugar.” It’s a chlorinated artificial sweetener in line with aspartame, though not quite as harmful.
Honey is approximately 50% fructose, but in natural (raw and unpasteurized) form contains many health benefits. Buying honey that is local and unpasteurized is best.
Stevia is an extremely sweet herb derived from the leaf of the South American stevia plant, which is completely safe (in its natural form.) Green stevia is the whole plant, while white stevia is processed and can often contain other ingredients like natural flavors or dextrose – a form of sugar. 100% green stevia in its natural state is what you want.
Agave nectar is made from the agave plant, which is a cactus. Sounds natural, right? Like maple syrup from a tree, or honey from a beehive. Only it isn’t. Agave is HIGHLY processed while the end product does not even remotely resemble the original agave plant. Furthermore, agave is approximately 80% fructose (much higher than honey and maple syrup).
HFCS – high fructose corn syrup – is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. It is mostly genetically modified. Stay away!
Rapadura is the pure juice extracted from the sugar cane (using a press), which is then evaporated over low heat, whilst being stirred with paddles, then sieve ground to produce a grainy sugar. It has not been cooked at high heats or spun to change it into crystals, and the molasses is maintained in the sugar. “Sucanat” is the USA trade name for Rapadura.
Coconut sugar is made from the sweet watery sap that drips from the cut flower buds of the coconut palm. It has a low glycemic index (GI) and is rich in amino acids. It is typically less than 10% fructose, with sucrose being the primary component.
Xylitol is a sweetener known as a “sugar alcohol” (or polyol). Sugar alcohols are neither sugars nor alcohols – they are carbohydrates (with structures that happen to resemble sugar and alcohol). Xylitol is extracted from birch cellulose. Unlike sugar, Xylitol is slowly absorbed, does not cause a rapid blood sugar increase, and does not require an immediate insulin response from the body to be metabolized. Moreover, many studies have shown that it actually helps prevent dental cavities, ear infections and some evidence suggests that it helps prevent gum disease because Xylitol is an anti-bacterial.
Video Transcript: Medical Doctor Reveals the First Thing to Do When Given a Cancer Diagnosis
Ty Bollinger: If you were diagnosed with cancer, what direction would you head?
Dr. Murray Susser: I think it would depend on the cancer. But I would certainly do the basic stuff and really clean up my act.
Ty Bollinger: And no sugar, no sugar, no sugar.
Dr. Murray Susser:No sugar, no sugar, no sugar.
Ty Bollinger: I like it.
Dr. Murray Susser: And I would get into a lot of good green vegetables like arugula and watercress. I do that now anyway to some extent but I could do better.
Ty Bollinger: So a good cancer treatment is a good cancer prevention then.
Dr. Murray Susser: Absolutely! And that’s one of the things that’s true about healthcare in general. When you’re doing natural things, the cure is also the maintenance and prevention. Whereas in conventional medicine with drugs and surgery the cure – if you get a cure it’s not the natural thing to do continuously.
Ty Bollinger: Right. Absolutely.
7 Things Every Mother Needs to Tell Her Daughter About Breast Cancer Prevention
Benjamin Franklin’s old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is never more appropriate than when it comes to breast cancer prevention. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, at least 33 percent of breast cancer is preventable. Many natural health practitioners suspect that percentage is actually much higher. By simply adopting healthy lifestyle practices, it is estimated that you can bring that breast cancer prevention figure closer to 50 percent.
It is crucial to learn the things that can put women at higher risk for breast cancer. Not only do you want to avoid these risk factors, but also teach your daughters (and sisters and friends) about them. As a breast cancer coach, I always discuss these important breast cancer prevention tips with my clients.
7 Tips for Breast Cancer Prevention
Better Nutrition Comes from Whole Foods and Organic Foods
A healthy diet that provides good nutrition is the foundation of having good health. It is critical to teach our children how to eat wholesome nutritious foods and avoid packaged, processed foods. The goal is to avoid or minimize sugar, and to get back to the basics of wonderfully prepared natural and organic whole foods including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and high quality free-range animal foods. Our bodies were designed to operate optimally on a whole foods diet (not a processed foods diet) and certainly not on chicken nuggets, soft drinks, and French fries.
The need for everyone to eat organic produce is at an all-time high due to our fruits and vegetables being so highly sprayed with cancer-causing pesticides. Many foods are genetically modified and it is becoming increasingly clear that GMOs are not safe for us to consume. In addition, soil depletion is occurring, which yields crops that are lower in nutrients than what was being produced just a few decades ago.
Organically grown animal foods are also a much better choice because conventionally raised animals are being pumped full of hormones and antibiotics that are increasing the incidence of breast cancer. These factory farmed animals also eat a diet that is unnaturally high in foods (corn and soy) that promote inflammation (high in omega-6 fats) when we consume them. Choosing organic produce and animal foods (preferably pasture-raised because these animals are, for the most part, eating what nature intended them to eat and will be much lower in omega-6 fats) not only decreases your cancer risk, it is also much better for the planet.
Avoid Toxic Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
Toxic chemicals are now present in just about everything we use in our homes and on our bodies, from dish washing liquid to eye shadow. These chemicals (and there are about 70,000 of them) are known hormone disrupters.
In addition to being toxic and carcinogenic, these substances can increase the estrogen load in the body over time and are difficult to detoxify through the liver. Called “xenoestrogens” (foreign estrogens), they mimic our body’s own estrogen and can alter hormone activity. Growing evidence implicates xenoestrogens in a wide range of human health problems, including breast cancer.
The easy solution is to use non-toxic or organic personal care products and cosmetics. It is important to know that the word “natural” on the label means almost nothing because the product can still contain toxic chemicals. It is best to look for organic certification on the label and to know what ingredients to watch out for. What goes on your skin gets in your bloodstream so it’s important to be proactive about this and to minimize toxic chemicals. What’s in your bloodstream can easily circulate throughout your body and into cells that create your hormones and organs.
Personally, I scrutinize every single thing I put on my body and I suggest you do as well. From nail polish (don’t use it) to hair spray to mascara. A good source of information to determine the relative safety (or dangers) of ingredients in personal care products and cosmetics is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database.
Move Your Body
The American Cancer Society estimates that half of all cancer deaths could be avoided by practicing healthy lifestyle habits such as simple exercise. Recent research tells us that obesity, especially in the middle-adult years, increases the risk of breast cancer.
It is important to teach your daughter an active lifestyle and it is best to lead by example. Take her hiking, skating, for long walks in parks, have her participate in sports, ballet, dancing. Whatever gets her moving and enjoying physical activity! Also, tell her why it is so important.
Keep Your Cell Phone Away from Your Body and Out of Your Bra
Studies have determined that heavy use of cell phones increases the chance for brain tumors. Children are more vulnerable to electromagnetic frequencies because they have thinner skull bones and smaller heads.Their brain tissue also has a higher conductivity and this puts them at a higher risk.
Although there does not at present appear to be any studies which link breast cancer risk with cell phone use, I have seen too many women use their bras to hold their cell phones. As a cancer coach, I know of several women who tucked their cell phones into their bras and later developed breast cancer in that breast.
A doctor at an alternative cancer clinic being interviewed stated that three women under his care at that time for breast cancer had very often placed their cell phones either under the bra strap or in their bra and developed a tumor in that exact location! We may not know for sure that cell phones cause breast cancer, but it is relatively simple to put your cell phone elsewhere, away from your body.
Use Meditation or Other Relaxation Techniques
It has long been known that prolonged periods of unmanaged stress can lead to diseases such as cancer. Nearly every one of my coaching clients tells me that they were under an extraordinary load of stress in the lead-up to their breast cancer diagnosis. Doctors tend to refute this, but science is starting to catch up and understand how cortisol, the main hormone that is released during periods of stress, can lead to disease such as breast cancer.
One of the best things you can teach your daughter is meditation. Children who learn how to meditate and relax deal more effectively with stress. They also learn how to live in the moment more often, how to distance themselves from stress and anxiety, and how to settle their minds, thus reducing cortisol levels and so much more. Again, this is about you leading by example because if your daughter still lives at home with you, she may be less likely to do this if she doesn’t see you doing it. If you don’t know how, perhaps you can learn and meditate together.
Don’t Smoke and Don’t Drink Alcohol (or Keep it to a Minimum)
You’ve heard this before and it’s so important that it bears repeating. Both smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol puts you at a higher risk for breast cancer, other cancers, and heart disease. Smoking has been linked with increased cancer risk, especially if someone smokes regularly before their first child. If you or your daughter smokes and has trouble quitting, switch to American Spirit additive-free cigarettes. Even better and cheaper is to roll your own with non-toxic paper using organic tobacco. Even getting away from commercial cigarette brands is a huge step in the right direction.
Studies on alcohol have shown that compared with non-drinkers, people that have one alcoholic drink per day have a small increase in risk. However those who have two to five drinks daily increase their breast cancer risk by one-and-a-half times over those who do not drink alcohol.
Avoid Birth Control Pills
Most doctors, after writing a prescription for birth control pills, likely don’t tell their patients, “you are increasing your risk of cancer”. Oral contraceptives increase a woman’s risk of certain cancers. In particular, cancers of the breast, cervix, and liver, says the National Cancer Institute’s own website. A recent study done with African American women revealed that oral contraceptive use increased the risk of estrogen-receptor positive, estrogen-receptor negative, and triple negative breast cancers. The risk declined after a woman stopped using oral contraceptives, but was still a causative factor for estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer forup to 15-19 years after stopping, and even longer for estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer.
Teaching Breast Cancer Prevention by Example
Simply understanding the factors that puts women at a higher risk for breast cancer is not enough. It’s critical for you to live by example and if you don’t know, then learn these things for yourself and teach them to your daughter. Encourage your daughter to be proactive with her health and not expect her doctor to take care of her because they either can’t or won’t.
Each one of us has our own responsibility to be properly informed about breast cancer prevention and websites such as The Truth About Cancer will give you trustworthy and accurate information you can follow. It’s now up to you to take the necessary steps… both for your sake and for the women you love.
Want to stay abreast of new ways to stay healthy? Be notified each week when cutting-edge articles are added by clicking here for our free weekly email digest. You’ll be glad you did.
One thing that is most important is to not wear that tourniquet around your chest. The bra does not allow muscle movement which gets the lymph moving out toxins and poisons. If your job requires a bra you should not have a tight fitting one and wear it only when necessary. http://articles.mercola.com/.../Can-Wearing-Your-Bra...
Video Transcript: The Best Way to Detoxify Your Body and Stop Bloating
Dr. Darrell Wolfe: The other thing is remember I told you that the core is really important? So what you put into your mouth, just ask yourself this one thing, because there is no such thing as a neutral food. “Will this food give me life? Does it breathe life or will this bring in toxins?” That’s all you need to ask yourself. The more man touches it the less I want to eat it. The closer it is to nature—when I replug myself in, I will be healthy and I will be vibrant. That is that. Now as far as the core, which is everything. What we do is we have our patients focus on the core.
You know as well as I do, you’ve exercised before, if your core is not strong nothing else can ever be strong. This is your digestive tract, your liver, your everything that’s important functions in here. So if you can strengthen your muscles on the external and you have a flat tummy and you’ve got tone then you’ve got health. Not 100 percent of the time, but very close. Okay. So what we have our patients do is we have them do things like rebounding. Rebounding (* using fitness trampoline) is one of the best exercises against cancer and every other disease because it moves your lymph system better than anything else and moving your lymph is the most important thing against cancer and disease.
Ty: That’s fascinating Dr. Wolfe. Tell me why, tell us why, why is rebounding so important?
Dr. Darrell Wolfe: Well, remember what I said. I always want you to question people. I want all my patients. I say you question me and you question everyone else. If they’re not speaking logic, if one and one don’t make two or if you go there and you go I’m confused, or if you feel fear from something I said chances are I’m lying or I don’t know I’m lying.
Okay. So rebounding, think about it. When your children were young and they couldn’t walk and they were like little babies and they were crying, what did you do for them Ty? Do you remember? You bounced them on your knee or you rocked them on your shoulder. Why’d you do that?
Because you aren’t totally brainwashed. You still have some instinct left. So you rock the baby, right? And you rock the baby because the only way that the lymph system can move is by up and down motion. And your lymph system, okay, you’ve got eight pints of blood but you’ve got 12 quarts of lymph. Don’t you forget that.
And when you find that you’re getting all puffy and swollen that’s your lymph system and you’re in big trouble. So you know when people they swell up like a puff ball? Well, that’s because they’re retaining water because they’re so bloody toxic and they’ve been backing up waste for years.
So when you start cleansing out the colon and you rebound you’re moving that stuff. If you move the circulation it’s like if the water doesn’t move you better not drink it because it’s going to kill you because it has to circulate. So rebounding also exercises every cell individually, toning it.
Back in the 1960s when I was born, coconut oil was believed to be the “Devil incarnate” (in liquid form) with more saturated fat than lard or butter, rendering it a “cholesterol-raising” … “heart-attack-causing” … “artery-clogging” nightmare. But is this truth or fiction?
We’ve all heard the rhetoric about coconut oil being unhealthy due to the fact that it contains so much of the scary scary “saturated” fat. But according to Thomas Brenna (Cornell University professor) who has extensively reviewed the literature on coconut oil, a considerable part of its stigma can be traced to one major factor: “Most of the studies involving coconut oil were done with partially hydrogenated coconut oil … Virgin coconut oil, which has not been chemically treated, is a different thing in terms of a health risk perspective….” The studies did not show that saturated fat (in coconut oil) is harmful, but they indicated that*hydrogenated* coconut oil is harmful. The fact of the matter is that all hydrogenated oils are bad, since they have been chemically altered. So, keep in mind that I’m referring specifically to virgin coconut oil, NOT hydrogenated coconut oil.
In the 1950s, Ancel Keys observed that heart disease appeared to be related to hydrogenated oils (“trans-fats”), but the vegetable oil industry then tried to redirect the negative publicity by vilifying “saturated” fats (like coconut oil). Coconut oil continued to be demonized by the vegetable oil industry throughout the ensuing decades. Adding insult to injury, the soybean industry began to condemn the use of tropical oils, particularly coconut oil. Science and good health took a back seat to profits, as they have on more than one occasion…
In 1981, researchers studied populations of two Polynesian atolls, with coconut being was the chief source of caloric energy in both groups. The results (published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) demonstrated that both populations exhibited positive vascular health. There was zero evidence that the high saturated fat intake had a harmful effect in these populations. Despite the propaganda, the truth is this that UN*saturated fats and “trans-fats” are two primary culprits in heart disease, not saturated fats. If you want proof of this, just do a search for the “French paradox.”
Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin (the compound found in breast milk that strengthens a baby’s immunity). A great deal of research has established the fact that lauric acid is used by humans to destroy viruses, and various pathogenic bacteria and microbes such as yeasts, fungi, bacteria, parasites, and molds.
Coconut oil contains zero trans-fats and about 2/3 of the saturated fat in coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA’s), which put strain on the pancreas and the liver, are chiefly stored in the body as fat, and harden the arteries with cholesterol. The MCFA’s in coconut oil have antimicrobial properties, are beneficial to the immune system and are easily digested for quick energy.
Over 50% of Americans are overweight. One of the principal benefits of coconut oil lies in its ability to stimulate your metabolism. Back in the 1930’s, Dr. Weston Price (a dentist) traveled throughout the South Pacific, examining traditional diets and their effect on dental and overall health. He found that those eating diets high in coconut products were healthy and trim, despite the high fat concentration in their diet. Then in the 1940’s, farmers found out (by accident) that when they tried using inexpensive coconut oil to fatten their livestock, it didn’t work! Instead, coconut oil made the animals lean!
How does coconut oil help you lose weight? Apart from human breast milk, coconut oil is the only other food that contains such a high level of MCFA’s. With respect to the thyroid gland, these fatty acids ensure that this gland functions optimally by balancing its activity. One of the main “jobs” of the thyroid gland is to control metabolism. In a hypothyroid state, the thyroid gland is underactive and this causes a sluggish metabolism. Over time, this can lead to a variety of symptoms and conditions and one of them is weight gain. Coconut oil effectively speeds up a sluggish metabolism, thus promoting weight loss.
For 50 years or more, we have been “programmed” to believe that avoiding saturated fat was the “healthy” thing to do and would help us avoid cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. However, folks are becoming more aware of how coconut oil actually benefits health and longevity. Coconut oil is making a real comeback because people are beginning to understand that it’s not the “villain” of bad health. The truth is that coconut oil benefits the body in extraordinary ways and is an extremely heart-healthy choice. Many consider it a miracle food and medicine because it cleanses, heals damaged cells, promotes weight loss, and increases cardiovascular function. According to Dr. Bruce Fife, “coconut oil is the healthiest oil on earth.”
Why Essiac Tea Should be Part of Your Cancer Fighting Program
Cancer is the second leading cause of death (behind heart disease) in the United States according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The western world spends trillions of dollars each year on conventional cancer treatments with limited results. Natural and inexpensive herbs and botanicals such as Essiac tea have great promise to help many who are suffering from cancer and other chronic diseases.
Powerful and effective natural cancer treatments that aid the body in healing have been discovered and utilized for years. Unfortunately, many of these natural strategies have been opposed by public health agencies and the medical mainstream. One natural approach that has been used successfully with cancer is Essiac tea.
The History of Essiac Tea
Essiac tea is said to have been an ancient recipe made by the Ojibwe tribes of Native Americans who populate areas of Canada and the northern United States. It was referred to as the “Ojibwa Tea of Life.” A Canadian nurse, Rene Caisse, was the first to use it to help her patients who were recovering from various forms of cancer. (Essiac is “Caisse” spelled backwards.)
Caisse began to see remarkable results with her patients and wanted to make this elixir available for widespread usage. In the 1920s she began working with Dr. Charles Brusch to formulate an herbal mixture similar to the original drink that could be studied in a laboratory setting.1,2
Caisse and Dr. Brusch began promoting the use of Essiac tea as an effective and affordable alternative cancer treatment. This caught the attention of the mainstream medical industry who went about spreading rumors about health risks associated with consuming Essiac tea. Due to this pressure, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved Essiac tea for use as a cancer treatment.3 Currently, the FDA lists Essiac tea as a new drug that is not generally recognized as safe.4
In spite of the negative attention they got from the public health agencies, Caisse and Dr. Brusch saw numerous patient testimonial stories using Essiac tea to overcome various forms of cancer. In 1938 (long before the internet), Caisse had over 55,000 people sign a petition to allow her to continue to treat cancer patients after she was accused of practicing medicine without a license. Thousands of patient testimonials lead to the popularity of Essiac tea far beyond Caisse, who passed away in 1978 at the age of 90. This herbal remedy can now be found in health stores all over the US and Canada and is a popular product sold in online markets.3,5
The Essiac Tea Recipe
There are four primary herbs that make Essiac tea so effective.1,5 These herbs help to destroy overgrowth of bad bacteria, viruses and parasites, and detoxify the colon, liver and kidneys.6,7
These major herbs include:
Burdock Root
The inner bark of slippery elm
Sheep sorrel
Indian rhubarb root
A newer recipe named Flor Essence contains this original recipe and includes the addition of 4 more herbs:1
Watercress
Blessed thistle
Red clover
Kelp
Essiac Tea Enhances Immune Function
Conventional cancer treatments increase the body’s toxic load and they destroy the individual’s immune system. Essiac tea, on the other hand, has shown the ability to strengthen the immune system and improve its ability to respond to infection. It also helps the body to eliminate toxins and provides pain relief which is welcome to anyone suffering from a chronic disease.2,6,8
Some of the companies that make Essiac tea recommend that the tea should not be used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatments. This is based off the idea that the immune system gets so damaged through conventional treatments that Essiac is unable to resuscitate the body’s immune response.
Many others believe that all cancer patients or immunocompromised individuals will benefit from the use of Essiac tea due to its powerful immune supportive nutrients.8 Clinical data remains limited, however, due to lack of research-based funding for the elixir.
A Concentrated Source of Antioxidants
Oxidative stress is a condition characterized by free radical damage within the body that causes cellular instability and chronic inflammation. This state of high oxidative stress is a major player in the formation of cancer cells and other chronic disease states. Anti-oxidant compounds neutralize free radicals and quench oxidative stress and are therefore key components in a cancer prevention strategy.
Essiac tea is rich in phytonutrient antioxidant flavones, anthraquinones, and tannins. It is also rich in immune supportive polysaccharides such as beta-sitosterol that feed and strengthen immune cells.5 Studies have shown that varying concentrations of Essiac tea reduce free radical development by up to 84 percent.9
Pharmaceutical drugs make cancer drugs from these same antioxidant sources. Adriamycin, a chemotherapeutic drug approved by the FDA to treat 13 forms of cancer contains these same anthraquinones.5,10
The anti-oxidant cocktail within Essiac tea is also a potent defense against superoxide free radicals. Superoxide radicals activate other free radicals and create a nightmarish storm of oxidative stress within the body.9Immune supportive beta-sitosterol help to neutralize the dangerous superoxide radicals.5,11
Essiac May Reduce Cell Mutations
Burdock root is the major ingredient in Essiac tea and it is rich in the anti-oxidant anthraquinone which has been shown to reduce cell mutations and prevent tumor growth. Several case studies have been written up that have reported claims that Essiac tea helped see a regression of tumor size and severity of symptoms. These patients suffered from different forms of cancer including uterus, prostate, and bowel cancer as well as growths on the skin’s surface.2,5,6
Several animal studies have shown that Essiac tea usage decreases the ability of tumor cells to multiply. The researchers did note a decrease in growth of normal cells in these cases but the herbal extract was effective at preventing the proliferation of cancerous cells at a higher rate.8
Using Essiac Tea Safely
The use of Essiac tea has been a very effective strategy for thousands of people over the last century. The herbs are safe and typically well-tolerated by the body. Using Essiac tea may be a great therapeutic tool for you in your cancer prevention and immune supportive health plan.
The typical dosage that is recommended is 1 fluid ounce (30ml) once daily, diluted with 2 fluid ounces of hot water. This should be sipped slowly like a hot tea and should be done preferably before bedtime and at least two hours after eating. Food should be avoided within at least an hour after drinking the tea.
It is always advisable to consult with your physician and holistic practitioner before starting any sort of new treatment. Essiac tea is not recommended for brain cancer patients as it may induce swelling, which could be life-threatening if it creates too much pressure in the cerebral cavity.|
Around 20 years ago, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was crazy for my family at the time because my mom was a gym teacher, swim instructor and was always considered to be “healthy”.
After her diagnosis, she took the advice of her oncologists at the Cleveland Clinic and underwent a mastectomy and went through many rounds of chemotherapy. I can still remember to this day seeing my mom’s hair fall out and thinking she had aged 10 years in a few weeks after chemo.
Praise God after all of her treatments she was then diagnosed as being “cancer free” and healthy. But, for the next many years after chemotherapy she was sicker than she had ever been in her life and struggled with constipation, candida, depression and chronic fatigue.
Then, around 9 years after her first diagnosis, a terrible thing happened, she was diagnosed with cancer again. At this point I had been working in the natural health field and I flew home, we prayed together, and talked about the best strategy. She decided to take an all-natural approach with diet and lifestyle changes.
My mom started following a natural treatment plan that included vegetable juicing, probiotic foods, immune boosting supplements, stress reducing techniques and prayer. And after four months the tumors on her lungs had shrunk significantly and one year after that she was diagnosed as being cancer free and healthy. It’s now been 10 years, my mom recently turned 60 and she is in the best shape of her life: water skiing, running and still going strong.
I want to be clear that I am not claiming that what we did with my mother is a cancer cure. But I believe these natural therapies used by themselves or in conjunction with conventional medical treatments may support the body in the healing process.
I am often asked, “what exactly did your mom do?” Below are some of the natural strategies my mom followed in healing her body.
Most Effective Natural Cancer Treatments
1. Gerson Therapy and Juicing
“…I see in him one of the most eminent geniuses in the history of medicine. Many of his basic ideas have been adopted without having his name connected with them. Yet, he has achieved more than seemed possible under adverse conditions. He leaves a legacy which commands attention and which will assure him his due place. Those whom he has cured will now attest to the truth of his ideas.”
~ Albert Schweitzer M.D. (Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 1952)
Who was Albert Schweitzer talking about?
He was referring to Dr. Max Gerson, the German born American medical doctor who developed one of the most effective natural cancer treatments over 90 years ago. Coined the “Gerson Therapy,” Dr. Gerson helped hundreds of cancer patients activate their body’s extraordinary ability to heal itself by recommending:
Organic, plant-based foods
Raw juices
Coffee enemas
Beef liver
Natural supplements
In the words of the Gerson Institute,
“With its whole-body approach to healing, the Gerson Therapy naturally reactivates your body’s magnificent ability to heal itself – with no damaging side effects. This a powerful, natural treatment boosts the body’s own immune system to heal cancer, arthritis, heart disease, allergies, and many other degenerative diseases.”
How the Gerson Therapy Works
By maximizing the nutritional benefits of 15-20 pounds of organically grown fruits and vegetables each day, the Gerson Therapy targets the most significant metabolic requirements in your body.
The Gerson Diet – Consisting of eating only organic fruits, vegetables and sprouted ancient grains, the Gerson Diet is exceptionally rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and is especially low in fats, proteins and sodium. The meal plan advises cancer patients to drink 13 glasses of freshly prepared juice, eat three plant-based meals, and only snack on fresh fruits throughout the day. Also, in the traditional Gerson Therapy consuming raw beef liver was recommended since it is the most nutrient dense food on the planet and extremely high in vitamin B12.
Juicing – According to the Gerson Institute, “Fresh pressed juice from raw foods provides the easiest and most effective way of providing high quality nutrition.” The cancer-fighting protocol calls for patients drinking fresh vegetables including: raw carrot/apple and green-leaf juice each day. To preserve the nutritional content, it is recommended that they be prepared hourly using a two-step juicer or a masticating juicer used with a separate hydraulic press. This helps prevent denaturation – when vitamins, minerals, and enzymes are literally destroyed – as most commercial juicers spin so fast that they heat up juice so much that they are basically pasteurized!
By following the Gerson juicing protocol, cancer patients can benefit from the nutritional healing of nearly 15 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
Detoxification – The Gerson Therapy utilizes coffee enemas as the primary method of detoxing the body. It works by increasing the parasympathetic nervous system. For cancer patients, this may take up to five enemas each day. The importance of keeping the body free of toxins is stressed by Dr. Gerson’s daughter Charlotte:
“The moment a patient is put on the full therapy, the combined effect of the food, the juices and the medication causes the immune system to attack and kill tumor tissue, besides working to flush out accumulated toxins from the body tissues. This great clearing-out procedure carries the risk of overburdening and poisoning the liver—the all-important organ of detoxification, which, in a cancer patient, is bound to be already damaged and debilitated.”
Supplements – Classified as “biologicals,” the therapeutic medications of organic origin that the Gerson Therapy recommends are:
Lugol’s solution
Pancreatic enzymes
Potassium compound
Thyroid hormone
Vitamin B-12
2. The Budwig Protocol
“Over the years I have been given a lot of different advice as well, so when I heard about Dr Budwig’s protocol I too was very sceptical, until I tried it. Numerous, independent clinical cancer studies published in major medical journals world-wide confirm Dr. Budwig’s findings. Over 40 years ago Dr. Budwig presented clear and convincing evidence, which has been confirmed by hundreds of other related scientific research papers since, that the essential fatty acids were at the core of the answer to the cancer problem.”
~ Dr Willner, M.D., Ph.D. (The Cancer Solution)
In 1952, Dr. Johanna Budwig was the German Government’s Senior Expert on lipids and pharmacology and was considered one of the leading global authorities on fats and oils. During her research, she discovered that many of the conventional processed fats and hydrogenated oils were destroying the membranes of our cells and this caused diseased cells and toxicity.
Developing a specific diet to counteract this cancer-causing process, Dr.Budwig claimed to have had over a 90% success rate with her protocol over a 50 year period!
How the Budwig Protocol Works
When people replace deadly processed fats and oils with life-giving unsaturated/saturated fatty acids, their cells rebuild and are rejuvenated. Dr. Budwig found that consuming a mixture of cottage cheese, flaxseeds, and flaxseed oil had the best results.
When cottage cheese (which is rich in sulfur protein and saturated fats) and flax (which is high in electron-rich unsaturated fatty acids) are combined this way, your body is able to absorb and assimilate these vital nutrients easier and quicker.
My “Beyond Budwig” Recipe
Because of the changes in agriculture, I suggest an updated 21st century version of the Budwig Protocol, which included the following:
6 oz. of Cultured Dairy (cottage cheese, goat’s milk kefir or amasai)
4 Tbsp of sprouted and ground Chia or Flax
1 Tbsp Flaxseed Oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
Mix all the ingredients together in bowl or blender and consume 1x daily.
For more details, check out the recent article and video I posted on the Budwig Diet for cancer, which includes my addition of turmeric to maximize the healing benefits of this amazing protocol!
3. Proteolytic Enzyme Therapy
In 1906, John Beard first proposed that pancreatic proteolytic enzymes represent the body’s main defense against cancer. Beard focused on high dose porcine-based pancreatic enzyme therapy and eating a holistic diet to create an internal environment in which the body can more thoroughly heal itself.
Relatively left unresearched for most of the 20th century, a few scientists picked up the concept in the 60s, but it wasn’t until Nicholas J. Gonzalez, MD started to evaluate the concept at Cornell University Medical College in 1981 that people started to seriously consider this natural approach.
The Pancreatic Proteolytic Enzyme Approach
The autonomic nervous system is comprised of the sympathetic (“fight” or “flight”) nervous system and autonomic (“rest” and “digest”) nervous system. Basing his protocol off of Dr. Francis Pottenger’s research during the 1920s and 1930s, Gonzalez’s work centers on balancing these two systems as they are suspected to be at least one of the major causes of cancer.
He discovered that a vegetarian diet suppresses sympathetic function, whereas the opposite is true with a high-meat diet. So, after dividing patients into different categories based of their metabolic differences, genetic and physical make-up:
People with epithelial tumors like lung, pancreas, colon, prostate, uterus cancers are prescribed a largely plant-based diet with minimal to no animal protein.
People with blood or immune based tumors like leukemia, myleloma or lymphoma are put on a high-animal protein, high-fat diet with minimal-to-moderate plant foods.
In addition, these physicians recommend taking 5 grams of proteolytic enzymes 3x daily on an empty stomach between meals to reduce inflammation.
According to Dr. Josef Beuth, the research behind this protocol is pretty airtight.
“These studies demonstrated that systemic enzyme therapy significantly decreased tumor-induced and therapy-induced side effects and complaints such as nausea, gastrointestinal complaints, fatigue, weight loss, and restlessness and obviously stabilized the quality of life.”
4. Vitamin C Chelation
Chelation therapy uses chemicals or natural compounds to remove toxic metals from the body. The word, “chelate”, means to grab onto something, which describe chelating agents’ ability to grab onto toxins.
Generally, holistic doctors and naturopaths use chelation therapy because it is not an officially “approved therapy” for most conditions in medicine today. When it is employed in the medical system, however, it is most commonly used to remove calcium deposits from the arteries.
In a study published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine, vitamin C chelation therapy was found to be highly pro-oxidant after just one hour of treatment. This benefit lasted more than 16 treatments in the absence of nutrient supplementation, in addition to providing “beneficial long-term antioxidant effects.”
Pro-oxidation, isn’t always good but in this case it is.
It was discovered that, “Pro-oxidant effects appear to be responsible for destroying tumor cells. These pro-oxidant effects may also induce endogenous antioxidant systems in normal tissues that offer protection against carcinogenic insult!”
Recommended by Dr. Budwig (especially when it comes to fighting brain tumors) frankincense essential oil is an unbelievably effective cancer killer, and research trials are filling medical journals proving this. Specifically, Indian Frankincense (Boswellia serrata) has been shown clinically to being a vital treatment for:
Brain cancer
Breast cancer
Colon cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Prostate cancer
Stomach cancer
According to researchers out of Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, thecancer killing effects of frankincense are due in part to its ability to regulate cellular epigenetic function, which highlights its function in influencing genes to promote healing. Baylor cancer scientists emphasize that this potency makes Boswellia serrata a viable candidate for both cancer prevention and treatment!
How to use frankincense oil to fight cancer:
Rub frankincense essential oil on your body (neck area) 3x daily and take 3 drops internally in 8 ounces of water 3x daily.
6. Probiotic Foods and Supplements
Best known as “Good Bacteria”, probiotics are microorganisms that promote a natural balance in your intestinal microflora. The best way to include probiotics in your diet is in their most natural state, which includes raw milk products such as cheese, kefir and yogurt.
Since 80% of your immune system is housed in your gut, it makes perfect sense that research has confirmed probiotic supplementation can stop tumor growth. In addition to supporting your immunity to disease, research has also shown that probiotics can improve digestive function and mineral absorption as well as aid in healing leaky gut, which all contribute to cancer prevention!
7. Sunshine and Vitamin D3
Science continues to support the fact that high levels of heart healthy, fat-soluble vitamins and minerals are key to keeping your body free of cancer. Recently, there has been considerable progress regarding the role that fat-soluble vitamin D3 plays in cancer prevention.
Research studies are mounting and include almost 300 epidemiological studies, 2,500 laboratory studies and a 2007 randomized placebo controlled double blind clinical trial confirming it all!
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is truly groundbreaking as it evaluated nearly 1,200 postmenopausal women for four years and tracked how 1400-1500 mg supplement of calcium fared up to a calcium supplement plus 1,100 IU vitamin D3 in preventing cancer.
The results are amazing. It was discovered that after just one year of vitamin D3-added supplementation, the risk of developing all cancer types was decreased by an astounding 77%! Compared to the 0% improvement in the placebo and calcium supplement only groups, this is truly remarkable!
Best Way to Get Vitamin D
To best prevent cancer, research suggests that you should supplement so that your vitamin D3 levels are at least 40-60 ng/ml and up to 80 ng/ml for breast cancer.
Since the sweet spot that you’re shooting for is 50 to 70 ng/ml:
Optimize vitamin D3 through 20 minutes of sun exposure everyday. This is best done between 10 am and 2 pm with 40% of your entire body exposed to the sun.
Take an oral supplement containing around 5,000 to 10,000 IU’s of D3 every day. Because they are fat-soluble, make sure that you take them with some healthy “fatty” foods containing coconut oil or some probiotic-rich drink like kefir.
Because it can be challenging to find a pure supplement on the market, I recommend you find a combination formula of astaxanthin, omega-3 fish oils with vitamin D3.
8. Turmeric and Curcumin
Of all the various topics scientists have tackled in regards to the curcumin and disease reversal, cancer (of various types) is one of the most thoroughly researched topics.
A number of laboratory studies on cancer cells have shown that curcumin does have anticancer effects. It seems to be able to kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing. It has the best effects on breast cancer, bowel cancer, stomach cancer andskin cancer cells.
A 2007 American study that combined curcumin with chemotherapy to treat bowel cancer cells in a laboratory showed that the combined treatment killed more cancer cells than the chemotherapy alone.
Laboratory studies have also shown that curcumin interferes with cancer development, growth, and spread. Researchers have reported that curcumin blocked the formation of cancer-causing enzymes in rodents.
Recently, curcumin has received a great deal of focus because of it’s ability to reduce tumor size and kill cancer cells.
Bottom line: Turmeric works incredibly well to help stop cancer in its tracks and is especially effective at treating breast cancer, colon cancer and skin cancer.
9. Oxygen Therapy and Hyperbaric Chamber
“All normal cells have an absolute requirement for oxygen, but cancer cells can live without oxygen – a rule without exception. “Deprive a cell 35% of its oxygen for 48 hours and it may become cancerous.”
Dr. Otto Warburg has made it clear that the root cause of cancer is oxygen deficiency, which creates an acidic state in the human body. Dr. Warburg also discovered that cancer cells are anaerobic (do not breathe oxygen) and cannot survive in the presence of high levels of oxygen, as found in an alkaline state.
We’ve all heard that antioxidants kill free radicals in the body and reverse oxidative stress-causing chronic disease. This is one of the reasons why I just love them in my morning Blueberry Superfood shake! But, is eating blueberries enough to cure cancer?
Probably not. That’s why supplementing with oxygen therapy and utilizing a hyperbaric chamber is highly beneficial for people on a natural cancer treatment regimen!
Because the air pressure inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is about 2.5 times greater than the normal pressure in the atmosphere, your blood carries more oxygen to organs and tissues in your body. Known to heal everything from infected wounds to radiation injuries, many people claim that it has cured them of cancer. Not quite mainstream, a growing numbers of hospitals have even purchased some units to help their patients.
10. Prayer and Building Peace
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
~ Proverbs 17:22
In addition to the many research studies that have been conducted on the healing benefits of intercessory prayer, maintaining mental peace and a positive outlook are absolutely critical to cancer prevention and treatment.
Some people utilize Eastern techniques like Tai Chi or having an attitude of gratitude, and these are highly effective in their own right. My favorite forms of meditation, however, are prayer, gratitude and reading the Bible.
To be cancer-free, whatever your preference may be, make sure that your focus is living a stress-free lifestyle filled with peace and joy!
Bonus Therapy: Immune Boosting Mushrooms
Mushrooms have been used in Chinese medicine for over 4,000 years, and research regarding the cordycep and reishi species and cancer therapy has been pretty straightforward. They can:
Increase survival
Shrink tumors
Boost your immune system
And even reduce radiotherapy and chemotherapy side effects like nausea and hair loss
Of course, these results all depend on which extracts you choose and how concentrated they are. Some sources even suggest that supplementing with a complementary dose of vitamin C is also necessary.
