Cancer represents one of the greatest challenges to health and wellness in the world today. We invited the expert team of specialists in cancer treatment from Miskawaan Health Group (MHG) to present the issues and offer their solutions. Following is their report.
The challenge of cancer in the world today
Cancer is the second leading cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality, after cardiovascular diseases. At the global level, cancer prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates are increasing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there will be 20 million new cases of cancer by 2025. Worldwide, 31 people are diagnosed with cancer every second. Nearly half of all new cancers estimated in 2018 were in Asia, where 60 percent of the world's population lives. When faced with cancer, your immune system is suppressed, inactive or totally collapsed.
"Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'," Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
Cancer risk factors that are preventable to an extent include biological agents (infections), exposure to synthetic chemicals through work or consumer products, and lifestyle factors such as poor diet, being overweight, tobacco use, and consumption of alcohol. These risk factors are reported to collectively contribute to the development of 70 to 95 percent of all cancers. Other factors include biofilms or nagalase, which are produced by cancers and most pathogens. Biofilms cover cancer cells which makes it difficult to impossible for immune cells to detect and destroy them. Therapies such as GcMAF help to remove biofilms, increase macrophages (white blood cells) to destroy cancer cells, and prevent the spread of cancer. GcMAF is a vitamin D-binding protein that, in addition to the storage and transport of vitamin D, has an important physiological function to activate the macrophages (white blood cells) to destroy cancer cells. Specific nutrients can be used to remove biofilms, including garlic, fermented food, turmeric, oregano, and lemon water. Unresolved emotional conflict and dental issues such as infected root canals can also negatively affect the immune system.
Functional medicine cancer treatment involves a multi-faceted approach to support the immune system and body by using individualised healthy diet, lifestyle modification, mind-body therapy, and adjunct treatments to support the healing process. The reason nutrition is of paramount importance is because over 40 percent of cancer patients die of malnutrition.
Our healthcare team uses nutrition to support the immune system and as biological response modifiers. The foods will be low glycemic and abundant in phytonutrients which are highly anti-cancer. Cancer cells demonstrate a three to five-fold increase in glucose uptake when compared to healthy cells. Phytonutrients contain protective, disease-preventing compounds that interact with other plant nutrients to produce a synergy that can help fight many diseases. Limonene is a phytonutrient in citrus fruits which stimulate hepatic (liver) phase I & II detox of carcinogens and has strong anti-tumor activity. The dietary plan and supplementation will support the microbiome of the gut, which is 70 percent of the immune system. If the gut is not healthy, then nothing else can heal.
"The microbe (germ) is nothing. The terrain is everything," Louis Pasteur
A proper diet will help the body become alkaline and give full spectrum nutrition of needed vitamins, healthy fats, amino acids, and minerals. In a landmark 2009 study, it was shown that oral sodium bicarbonate (alkalising) inhibits both the growth of tumours and the formation of spontaneous metastases in mouse studies of metastatic breast cancer. Chlorophyll from vegetables supports alkalising and is a well-known agent for its antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and blood-building benefits. "Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is strongly associated with reduced risk of developing cancer. Fruits and vegetables phytochemical extracts exhibit strong antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities and that the major part of total antioxidant activity is from the combination of phytochemicals." Certain minerals, such as selenium and zinc, support the immune system. Zinc also helps to reduce copper which can promote cancer growth.
"You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency," Linus Pauling
"NATURE alone cures," Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing (1900)
Anti-cancer dietary benefits
- Suppression of cancer cell proliferation
- Induce apoptosis (cell death of cancer cells)
- Inhibit nuclear factor activation pathways (inflammation)
- Inhibit growth factor-signalling pathways
- Inhibit angiogenesis (stop cancer from spreading)
- Inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 (inflammation)
- Suppress expression of anti-apoptotic proteins
"Optimum nutrition will be the medicine of the future," Linus Pauling
Detoxification is becoming increasingly important to support people with cancer and to prevent cancer. What is different today is the vastly increased number of toxins, their level of toxicity, and the frequency of exposure combined with poor nutritional and lifestyle choices that contribute to the accumulation of a larger number of toxins in higher concentrations in our bodies. Unfortunately, we are exposed to toxins in the air, water, and in the food. These toxins can negatively affect our body by weakening the immune system and creating cancer.
Our experienced doctors use advanced testing to determine the toxic burden of your body. Toxins can be safely removed by therapies, including Lymphatic massage therapy, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy, Physical therapy, Colon Hydrotherapy, Infrared Sauna, Chelation, pure water, healthy diet, and targeted supplementation.
Stress reduction and resolving emotional conflicts becomes extremely important with cancer. Chronic stress can increase pro-inflammatory cytokines, lower antioxidant levels, reduce natural killer cells (white blood cells), negatively affect insulin sensitivity (blood sugar balance), and adversely impact genetic expression. Cancer patients are twice as likely as people without cancer to experience insomnia. An article in the journal Cancer Medicine estimated that 75 percent of cancer patients and cancer survivors are affected by sleep disorders. Insomnia in cancer patients often occurs in combination with stress, depression, or anxiety. Sleep disturbances are also linked to the hormones, cortisol (stress hormone) and melatonin. When those hormone levels are abnormal, they may suppress the immune system and limit the body's ability to fight cancer.
There are many ways we can reduce stress, support sleep, and resolve emotional conflicts. These methods include acupuncture, personal training, yoga, infrared saunas, meditation, therapeutic massage, and mind-body wellness therapy. It is important to manage stress and depression during and after treatment. It can help you have the best chance of recovery.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at a time of challenge and controversy," Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you," Viktor E. Frankl
What are the alternatives to Chemotherapy?
Vitamin C
Intravenous (IV) vitamin C can have an anti-cancer and pro-oxidant effect on the body. Chemotherapy and vitamin C at levels of 50 grams or more are both pro-oxidant treatments. At this level, vitamin C converts from an anti-oxidant to a pro-oxidant therapy. However, there are minimal to no side effects. Cancer researchers from the University of Iowa have shown how Vitamin C breaks down to generate hydrogen peroxidein the cells. The new study shows that tumour cells are damaged or destroyed by hydrogen peroxide when exposed to high doses of vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce pain. Vitamin C also plays a role in preventing, shortening, and alleviating many different infections.
Amygdalin
(B-17, also referred to as Laetrile)
The pits of apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums contain a kernel rich in a substance called amygdalin. Research has shown amygdalin to have excellent anti-cancer properties. When used as an IV, it can form B-17, which can be very effective as an anti-cancer therapy. It is particularly useful in cancer metastasis or primary bone cancer to reduce bone pain.
Dendritic Cell (DC) Vaccine Therapy
The goal of DC vaccination is to "educate" the patient's own immune system to kill tumour cells by the generation of functional antigen-specific T-cells (white blood cells). Immuno-surveillance signifies the crucial role of the immune system in the detection and elimination of both pathogens and cancer cells. DC vaccines are a particularly attractive option for immunotherapy, due to their low toxicity, non-invasive procedure, and the potential to induce long-term effects through immunological memory.
NK Cells Therapy
NK cells are a type of white blood cell and a component of the innate immune system. NK cells are very proficient at destroying cancer cells and clearing them from the bloodstream. NK Cell Therapy can be used together with surgery or chemotherapy to destroy the cancer cells that are left in the body, reduce cancer recurrence, and shorten the duration for recurrence compared to other therapies. NK cells can also strengthen the immune system in the body.
Our functional medicine works to correct the underlying root cause of cancer which speeds up the healing time. If the root cause is not corrected the cancer is much more likely to return even if one is in remission. According to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, cancer misdiagnoses occurs as much as 28 percent of the time, and up to 44 percent for some types of cancer. The cancers leading the list of most misdiagnosed cancer conditions are lymphoma, breast cancer, sarcomas, and melanoma. The reasons for misdiagnosis include fragmented or missing information, inadequate time for patient evaluation, and incomplete medical history.
To avoid misdiagnosis, our highly experienced doctors take at least an hour to do their assessment and use innovative testing such as the metavectan blood test. This test is from Germany and is very accurate to determine if a patient has cancer or cancer free. Getting a thorough, proper assessment and using mostly natural therapies is how our functional medicine has great success in helping those with cancer.
"Human potential at its best is to transform a tragedy into a personal triumph, to turn one's predicament into a human achievement," Viktor Frankl
"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better," Albert Einstein
Author: Miskawaan Health Group. Contact: contact@miskawaanhealth.com for further information.
Series Editor: Christopher F. Bruton, Executive Director, Dataconsult Ltd, chris@dataconsult.co.th. Dataconsult's Thailand Regional Forum provides seminars and extensive documentation to update business on future trends in Thailand and in the Mekong Region.
