Data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that for conditions like stroke, influenza, and pneumonia death rates have dropped significantly in the last 60 years. For heart disease the number has been cut by two-thirds. But for cancer there has only been a 5 percent drop. Clearly the manner in which we are currently fighting cancer is not the answer.

Cancer is a disease that occurs when the entire body is out of balance, the immune system and normal protective measures are insufficient. Cancer develops over a long period of time and there can be little or no symptoms until the cancer is quite advanced. Common symptoms of cancer vary widely depending on the type and location. Personal awareness is critical here. Anytime a person experiences significant changes in their physical well-being cancer should always be a suspect especially when the condition becomes chronic and more severe.

To try to understand cancer we need to begin at the cellular level. We are made up of atoms and molecules that make up our living cells. When these atoms and molecules are exposed to things like stress and toxins they can become damaged and in turn become free radicals. Our bodies produce free radicals as a normal part of our physiological processes. When our bodies digest food or utilize oxygen from the air we breathe free radicals are produced. In fact our bodies need free radicals to some degree to carry out specific functions to maintain health. In general, atoms are made up of a nucleus and protons at the center and electrons which circle the outer ring in pairs. When an atom loses an electron in this outer ring, due to things such as stress, contact with heavy metals or carcinogens, it now has an unpaired electron and is therefore termed a free radical. This atom goes looking for another electron from another atom or molecule and steals it. This process is called oxidation. If this oxidative process goes unchecked and out of control it can cause damage to the DNA of healthy cells within our bodies. Once this happens the stage is set for chronic degenerative disease such as cancer. These now genetically changed cells begin to grow uncontrollably. A healthy body with a robust immune system will quickly recognize these altered cells and eliminate them. However, if the body cannot keep in check these abnormal cells they will continue to grow until a tumor appears.

A benign tumor is one that grows slowly and is walled off from the rest of the body and usually does not spread. A malignant tumor however is able to consume healthy tissue around it and if it spreads to other parts of the body via the blood stream and lymphatic vessels it has metastasized.

Anything that can aggravate the body and its tissues can contribute to cancer. A low fiber diet that does not promote elimination can lead to a build up of toxins in the colon and potential colon cancer. Highly processed foods and foods laden with chemicals, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides and especially trans-fats are known to contribute to free radicals. Not only do these foods weaken the body, they do nothing to nourish the body to defend itself. Mold and yeast contribute to cancer and sugar feeds them. Unfortunately this describes the standard diet in this country. It is now known that parasites, bacteria and viruses such as Epstein-Barr and Hepatitis can initiate cancerous cells. Our bodies are constantly under stress. Getting sunlight on our skin is extremely healthy but at the same time radiation from ultraviolet light produces free radicals. Allergies, candida, and the common cold all put stress on the body and can lead to the production of free radicals, not to mention some of the not so healthy things we do to ourselves knowingly and willingly.

A body that is properly nourished and functioning well can deal with certain levels of stress and maintain health. The more nourished and healthy the body the more it can deal with. Nourishing the body with unprocessed natural and organic foods (preferably raw) energizes the body. Foods rich in antioxidants attack cancer at its very core by neutralizing free radicals before they can do damage. Common food antioxidants are carotenoids, lycopene, and bioflavoniods from foods like carrots, berries, and green leafy vegetables.

The current medical approach to cancer is surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Surgery removes a tumor but it does not necessarily remove the cancer. The tumor is a byproduct of the cancer that is living in the body as a result of imbalances. Chemotherapy and radiation are highly toxic and essentially they promote more of the free radical damage that caused the cancer in the first place.

The primary focus for treating cancer should be through nutritional therapy and lifestyle changes, than surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation second or perhaps not at all. Fighting cancer with nutritional therapy and lifestyle changes makes a lot of sense but it doesn’t make a lot of dollars. And let’s face it the cancer industry is somewhere in the area of 200 billion dollars a year. There isn’t any money in teaching people about nutrition. Modern medicine is great at fixing broken bones and delivering babies but not very good at assisting and educating people to be their own best doctor.

A person diagnosed with cancer should be immediately instructed by the physician to reevaluate their entire diet and lifestyle routine. That which is currently in place that allowed the cancer in the first place needs to be completely destroyed and reinvented. The individual needs to move in a completely new direction. Regardless of whether the individual chooses alternative therapy or conventional surgery nad chemotherapy, nutritional therapy must be a part of the treatment. The focus must be on strengthening the body. The only way to do this is to remove the negatives and decrease the bodies overall burden and increase the positives and increase the body’s natural defenses.

Written by DMK of Seven Grains.