Originally published in Issue 1 2006 icon
"I don’t want my colon cancer to come back"
Q:
"My name is James, I’m 71 and I have, or rather had, colon cancer. After my symptoms were diagnosed, I had an operation in October 2004 and then a course of chemotherapy. The actual tumour was small. The key issue for me is simply anxiety. I’ve been told everything is fine and that’s it. All clear. But I’ve received no more information at all. I just want to make sure it doesn’t come back!"
Personal Prescription (a short version)
A:
You haven’t provided a lot of information but anyway we are not going to give you advice on your medical treatment. What we are going to tell you is there is stacks of research on how to prevent colon cancer returning.
First, we are surprised that you were not offered any regular screening. We suggest you ask about this. Next, the causes of colon cancer are well researched and include too much alcohol, salt and red meat / animal fats. Look here as a good place to start for colon cancer causes. Another conclusion from research is the increasing link to the presence of yeasts and/or microbial or even parasitical infection.
Diet: The Boston Nurses study, amongst others, suggests no benefit in vast quantities of vegetable fibre. However there was a significant reduced risk with increasing garlic intake - a finding that has been repeated in Japanese and Chinese studies. Garlic (and it needs to be fresh) may well work in one or two ways:
1»
it kills microbes/yeasts (caprylic acid, Pau d’Arco and acidophilus would help).
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a number of studies show that garlic, ginger, long-chain omega 3 and salicylin (aspirin) help prevent inflammation in the colon. Inflammation is the precursor to polyps, and these are usually the precursor to colon cancer. Certainly the re-emergence of colon cancer is likely to be preceded by polyps. All of these natural compounds are known to reduce inflammation and even inhibit a ’problem enzyme’ that can ’cause’ colon cancer. (Some studies suggest daily aspirin as a benefit but if you don’t want to take aspirin - try aloe vera instead, which contains six or so different anti-inflammatories. But sip it, don’t ’swig’ it).
Salt, is extremely damaging for colon cancer, in particular, but all cancers in general. Japanese research shows that clearly. Cut salt, soy sauce, packaged, processed foods, canned foods, crisps, salted peanuts, sausages, bacon and cooked meats and increase your intake of potassium and magnesium foods (bananas, jacket potatoes, green vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, whole brown rice etc. - see ’The Tree of Life’ for further recommendations).
Folic acid has been shown by several research studies to be lacking in colon cancer cases. Keep up a good intake through wholegrain breads, green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils - see here for more information.
Eating your ’greens’ will also give you vitamin K, shown in US and Japanese research to limit the spread of cancer to the liver and to even stop it, if it gets there.
Other research has shown the benefit of going on an antiyeast diet (no alcohol, no sugar, no dairy, no yeasts like mushrooms and marmite) to support the garlic.
A good homeopath with a Vega machine will be able to confirm the presence of yeasts or, worse, parasitic action. Either way there are clear action steps you can take for eradication and experts we can pass you on to (including one of our regular contributors - Gerald Green in Sussex).
A liver flush would be no bad thing to clean your liver after the chemotherapy and the cancer. Cancer patients invariably have fatty livers, and gallstones. (You can read about this here).
You mention in your report about poor sleeping habits - it may be irrelevant but Birmingham University have found that colon cancer is linked to localised oestrogen. Poorer sleep as your age will result in lowered melatonin levels and melatonin is known to balance oestrogen. Maybe a supplement might be beneficial. 3-6 mgs is the usual prescribed dose; more than 10mgs can cause hallucinations!