Beating Cancer Nature's Way Please read

[Guest guest]

Frank <califpacific wrote:

alternative_medicine_forum From: Frank Sun, 18 Jul 2004 04:03:37 -0700 (PDT) Beating Cancer Nature's Wayhttp://www.thenhf.com/newsflash_20.htmBeating Cancer Nature's WayJanuary 4, 2004Provided by the Alliance for Natural HealthIn a week that's seen the deaths of Bob Monkhouse,Alan Bates and Dinsdale Landen, all victims of cancer,here is a story of one man's successful - ifunorthodox - struggle against the disease.By Tony JacksonThe dull ache in my groin and the appearance of asmall amount of blood should have sent me rushing tothe doctor. But it didn't. I hoped it would go away.The mind, that master of self-deception, invented anendless list of ridiculous possibilities.Diverticulitis, irritable

bowel, ulcerative colitis,haemorrhoids, washing-up scourer. Anything but cancer.That happened to other people.Eventually, cornered by unimaginable pain, I draggedmyself to my GP who referred me for tests. Following acolonoscopy, I was informed that a tumour blocking mycolon was so advanced it had prevented passage of thecamer a. My blood had also tested positive forhepatitis C. I was a mess. The doctors explained thatan appointment had been made to arrange for urgentsurgical intervention during which any further spreadwould be assessed.'You mean that you want to take out half of my colonwithout knowing the full extent of my condition,' Igasped, visions of colostomy bags filling my mind'seye. The pressure to conform was intense. I wanted sixweeks to think about it, I told the doctors. 'Youprobably don't have that long to live,' they said.'Immediate surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy is theonly cure.

Everything else is snake-oil quackery.'One in two people in the West will be afflicted withcancer at some point despite the trillions of dollarsspent on decades of research. I wanted better oddsthan those. I took my six weeks. In fact, in the end,I took three months.Returning home, I decided to take time to go deep intomyself mentally in order to make what was probabl ythe most crucial decision of my life. Sitting back, Itook a breath and let go.When I'd left behind the chatter of a restless mind,something remarkable happened. I felt as though I wasembraced by a vibrant stillness, a feeling that wouldstay with me for the next 20 months. In that verymoment, I knew I had reached the heart of listeningthat lies at the core of the healing process and thatwhatever happened it was going to be OK.A lifelong interest in holistic therapies meant that Icould make informed choices. I'd read a book by a

DrMax Gerson about his successful use of nutrition inthe cure of chronic metabolic diseases and advancedcancers. He recommends the use of copious, freshlymade organic vegetable juices, detoxing coffee enemasand intense supplementation designed to helpregenerate a compromised metabolism.Accordingly, I put myself under the guidance of aholistic physician who favoured a modified model ofthe Gerson therapy that took into account theincreased toxicity of contemporary life. He includedcutting-edge, high-dose supplements and enzymesuniquely geared to fighting cancer, a sweepingdetoxification programme and a total revision of dietand lifestyle.The key was to boost and nurture the immune system sothat the conditions of cells are transformed, nolonger providing a toxic ground for cancer toflourish. Although case histories show it to beeffective in the treatment of even late-stage cancers,it should be

understood that pursuing such a course isrigorous, lengthy and expensive, requiring thediscipline of a monk.After three months of this therapy combined with asix-week fast, during which I sustained myself onorganic vegetable juice, my immune system was boostedto help protect my cells against metastasis duringsurgery.Sue Rose, my partner, and I were lucky enough to finda surgeon, who although she didn't profess tounderstand my methods, was sympathetic, agreeing to remove the minimum amount of malignant tissue, for Ineeded as much of my colon as possible for the enemas.Her major concern was that given the amount of time Ihad left it there was a real danger of the cancerhaving spread into the liver, in which case it wouldbe inoperable. A CT scan showed that it hadn't. Forthis I thank my regime.After surgery, the biopsy showed the cancer had spreadinto the lymph, hardly surprising given the amount

oftime I had been in denial. This didn't concern theholistic physician I was under, who was completelyconfident of being able to deal with it. Not wishingto have chemotherapy, I was discharged.I was deeply moved by the devotion of nurses anddoctors working to save lives within an overwhelmedNational Health Service and grateful for theirunderstanding which allowed me to combine conventionaland holistic treatment. In my view, if holistic,nutritional medicine, instead of being so unfairly andshort-sightedly vilified, got t he smallest crumb ofresearch funding, compared to the astronomical sumsallotted to pharmaceutical cartels, many patientswould benefit.My day would begin around 6am when I drank the morningmid-stream of my own urine (urea helps to protect theliver), took my first juice, followed by the first ofthree daily coffee enemas. I grew my own wheatgrass,which formed part of a daily requirement

of 10 freshlyprepared juices. Three times a day I ate a porridgebowl full of pills and capsules, knocked back with awitch's brew of liquid supplements administered underthe guidance of the physician, who understood theimportance of not disturbing the balance ofelectrolytes when using high-dose supplements.Every moment was taken up with preparing the nextfresh juice, washing equipment, preparing and takingenemas, pills and potions along with daily saunas andhyperthermic baths which help the process ofdetoxification. Sacks of organic vegetables and fruitwere organised in industrial quantities. A waterpurifier was installed. Supplements were ordered fromaround the world.Friends came and went, filling the place with freshflowers, making sure I wanted for nothing. 'If anyonecan do it, you can,' they enthused. Often, theyarrived at enema time, which with the help of ablanket and a half-open bathroom door I

was able toperform discreetly while holding court, much to theiramusement. But in the face of death, trivialities suchas modesty are hardly a serious consideration.One of the demands of a diagnosis of cancer is thateverything must change. All activities inessential tosurvival stopped. Some days, overwhelmed, I crawledaround the floor sobbing. At the same time, my monthlyblood tests showed a steady improvement, as my cancermarkers dropped.One night, nauseated by a blinding headache, theprocess reached a crisis. Becoming progressivelyweaker, I lay down like a dying animal. Gaunt andhollow-eyed, I lost muscle m ass rapidly. Physicalanguish penetrated deep into my bones with everyattempted movement, preventing me from sleeping, eventhough I was exhausted.For the first time, I acknowledged the possibility ofdeath. Yet deep down, I understood this heavy torporto be nature's way of imposing the long

healing restthat was needed. In the end, I surrendered, trustingthe process.By December 2002, my legs had swollen and my bellygrotesquely bloated with fluid pressed painfully upunder my diaphragm, making it hard to breath. Myhaemoglobin count had halved. Catching myself naked inthe mirror I gasped in horror at the pestilentialimage that stared back, unrecognisable with its bigbelly, protruding ribs and skeletal limbs. Friends sataround, whispering in hushed tones.Just when it seemed as if death had me checkmated, amiracle turned the tables and I began to recover.Before Christmas, I went to hospital, and a barrage ofpainful, scary, intrusive cameras, needle s and probesexplored every orifice. Then we waited for theresults. No gift could have been more wonderful thanthe morning of Christmas Eve when the doctorstelephoned to tell me that there was not a sign ofcancer anywhere.In January, the

liver doctors diagnosed advancedcirrhosis due to long-term hepatitis C. Thinking ofMuhammad Ali on the ropes during 'the rumble in thejungle', I continued with my regime. Sue Rose dideverything. Carried sacks of carrots and apples up thestairs, prepared the juices, attended to every need.In many ways, it was harder for her than it was forme. She could only watch and help as best she couldand while she put on a brave face in my company shespent much time crying when she was on her own.Nevertheless, she had complete faith in me, and onlyin rare moments did she doubt that I would make it.There is no evidence to date of the return of cancerand my liver tests are normal. Happier than I havebeen for years, I cycle around London while friendstell me I look 10 years younger than I did before allthis started. When it was obvious that I really was onthe mend, Sue Rose collapsed, having held thingstogether for so

long.There are other equally important factors in theprocess. I spend hours tending my garden, running myfingers through the soil. Watching its transformationhas become a metaphor for my own recovery. Sittingdown to play music, I soar with inspiration as myfingers run over the piano keys, the Bach Fugue, myearly morning prayer of gratitude. I'm thankful forevery God-given moment. Life is exhilarating andprecious.There is an irony in my recovery, however. Last year,in spite of opposition from 200 MPs and amillion-strong petition, the Government passed theEuropean Union Food Supplement Directive into UK law.This will effectively remove some 5,000 vitamin andmineral products from this country's health-storeshelves from August 2005. Jeremy Corbyn, the LabourMP, sa ys he 'sees the hand of the pharmaceuticalindustry at work'. For millions of us who choose totake supplements to maintain our health in the

face ofchemically drenched food crops, this is catastrophic.For myself, having survived cancer through nutritionalmethods, it is a life-threatening disaster.· Tony Jackson lives in London where he works as ajazz musician and craniosacral practitioner. Email:tjaxon Further reading:Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Cancer by W.John Diamond MD, published by Alternativemedicine.comBooks, £20.64The Gerson Therapy by Charlotte Gerson and MortonWalker (HarperCollins 14.99)Living Proof: A Medical Mutiny by Michael Gearin-Tosh(Scribner£ 7.99)