Cancer is a dreaded diagnosis. It understandably elicits FEAR and a need for IMMEDIATE ACTION. In many cases, we are better off taking a step “backward” to give ourselves a chance to clear our racing minds before proceeding with ANY course of care. It also gives us a chance to reflect on our past ATTITUDE to determine if a NEW ATTITUDE is needed.
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If the diagnosis wasn’t bad enough, many in the medical field add to the anxiety by neglecting to inform their patients of the VARIOUS TREATMENT OPTIONS available. This leaves the vulnerable patient feeling they have no choice but to follow the traditional chemo and radiation protocols for cancer. Have you ever considered the typical remarks made by these patients who dutifully followed these treatments?
PATIENT STATEMENTS:
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“I was told the surgery likely “got it all.” “They told me I still needed to go through chemo and radiation anyway.”
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“Chemo is causing me severe nausea and weakness.”
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“Sometimes I question which is worse; the cancer or the cancer treatments?”
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“I couldn’t do chemo today because my treatments have made my white blood count too low. They were concerned an infection (without sufficient white blood cells) could be more dangerous and life threatening than skipping a chemo treatment.”
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“I couldn’t do chemo today because my platelets were too low as a result of my cancer treatments.”
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“I can’t walk very far or participate in many activities because I tire so easily. The pain often makes it difficult to even get out of bed.”
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“Hopefully, this week’s appointment with the pain management doctor will provide new possibilities to relieve the pain my cancer treatments have left me with.”
Chemotherapy and Radiation are toxic treatments that grossly weaken immune function often causing extensive collateral damage to many parts of the body. Even so, western medicine remains the most widely accepted approach to cancer treatment in the United States. It might be in the patient’s best interest, however, to recognize the TRUTH which reveals this treatment is ONE of several CREDIBLE OPTIONS available. This perspective would help the patient weigh the possible harmful outcomes of surgery, chemo and radiation against the possible healthful outcomes alternative approaches offer. Many of these alternative treatments provide a HUMANE approach to STRENGTHEN (rather than damage) the immune system on the path to recovery.
This, however, is NOT TO SAY alternative therapies always offer the best choices and best outcomes. It is likely that some combination of traditional and alternative therapies offer better solutions than either one by themselves.
There is no magic bullet. Natural approaches along with traditional approaches SUCCEED and FAIL. To believe, however, that poisoning the body (chemo and radiation) is the “only legitimate approach” to combating cancer is simply untrue.
When I was in practice, I saw countless patients undergoing conventional cancer treatments. The above short synopsis of typical statements patient’s shared with me was a common reality. It broke my heart knowing full well that good alternative options UNDISCLOSED by their oncologists were available. It is for this reason I am sharing a message from a REAL CANCER PATIENT SURVIVOR regarding her diagnosis and her thoughts on CANCER. I am humbled and honored to pass her message to you as it was shared with me:
“Hi Dr Colter, my journey for the past two years living and recovering from stage 4 cancer was and still a personal period in my life. I started the blog recently to mainly help myself express my inner turmoil. Very few of my family and friends knew of the severity of the diagnosis. I pretty much felt this battle is mine alone to be dealt with if I were to be able to win it. I did not need pity ,sympathy or interference . I needed total focus. I do feel now I owe others going through this possibly a little more hope, but did not want to provide every little detail of how and what I’ve done. Your blog is inspiring and motivational to many. If you feel sharing this experience with you would help motivate and encourage others to have hope and trust themselves to live with and not die of cancer, I will be honored to share. It will be my way to pay it forward.”
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All About Healthy Choices 
Tink is indeed a brave and compassionate woman, and just simply amazing. Thanks for sharing her inspiring blog with all your readers! 😊
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Couldn’t agree more!
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Exactly, we all going to die one day. We are lucky if we know of what and when, to prepare and accept, and live life fully each and every day.
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Your phrase, “live life fully each and every day” is experienced by so few. I wish people weren’t so distracted by our world of “noise” that drains their energy and leaves them feeling so empty.
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I found my breast lump, knew it was cancer and chose radical surgery … refused chemo, they had nothing to radiate … took their meds for ten months and gave them back … the side effects were horrendous but I knew I had choices. Should qualify that I lived in the Himalayas then so treatment was not available, returned to oz for confirmation and surgery. Climbing up and down steep slopes with groceries and water, etc meant I was very fit but my mainstay was meditation … i’ve done it for decades!
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You are another GREAT example of a person who CHOSE to be ACTIVELY involved in deciding what cancer treatment was appropriate based on YOUR NEEDS. There is greater consistency of positive outcomes in cases where patients CHOOSE their cancer treatments as well as LIVE a LIFESTYLE that supports a healthy MIND and BODY.
Those relying exclusively on their oncologist and their traditional methods, tend to experience significant “collateral damage” and a reduction in quality living.
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well said Dr J … empowering yourself, coz the system wont, to be actively engaged in the decision process must ensure a better outcome. Those who go along with blind trust in the health system will discover money is the motivation NOT your health!
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I am always sad when I hear people are starting “cancer treatment” because I believe the “treatment” to be so dangerous. But . . . at the same time I understand what you are saying to be true . . . it is scary and people are not told all the options. And many people believe that Western Medicine is the best so its treatment of cancer is the best. Cancer AND its treatment is a very scary thing . . .confusing and scary.
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The “pulpit” is ONLY AVAILABLE to traditional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry. People can only choose from choices they have access to. This is why I share these articles and the references so people can see the information is based on peer review science. It’s tough to make a CHOICE when only 1 option is made available. Hopefully, the internet will help expose people to viable alternative options that achieve quality outcomes without destroying the quality of one’s life in the process. Unfortunately, exclusively using traditional cancer treatments doesn’t typically provide this option.
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Well said Jonathan. There is a place for both conventional and alternative treatments with cancer. Patients should be educated on both.
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Agreed. Unfortunately most people do not consider educating themselves until the diagnosis is rendered. This emotionally devastating time is commonly too difficult to begin a “clear headed” search for the BEST viable options. With such a large percentage of people facing this future diagnosis, TODAY is the best time to start learning about the various approaches that effectively TREAT the BODY, NOT THE DISEASE! This approach is not only more effective, it mitigates the harm caused by conventional treatments.
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Thanks for sharing her inspiring blog
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She is quite a special person!
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Thanks for this excellent post, Jonathan. Cancer has touched my family as it has so many people. Really interesting. And thanks so much for sharing. Another great blog to follow.
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This is a very difficult and emotional topic to discuss. With so many people soon to be diagnosed with some form of this condition, people need to be better informed about the VARIOUS CREDIBLE OPTIONS of TREATMENT as well as the ROLE they must ACTIVELY play in restoring quality health to the body. Relying on traditional treatments alone has unfortunately been unsuccessful for a majority of patients. Discovering and utilizing combinations of alternative and conventional treatments produces better outcomes including better quality of life.
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Amen…
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Some of the best comments are stated in 1 word! Thank you.
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[…] THE CANCER DIAGNOSIS […]
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Brilliant post Jonathan, thank you!
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Thank you for reading!
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Wow, I just love this article. I am a survivor myself and underwent six cycles of chemo. It was not a walk in the park.
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When a person is diagnosed with cancer, it becomes difficult to “step back” and clearly view all options available to address this diagnosis. Most people simply ASSUME their physicians know what is in their best interest. Although health care is a BUSINESS, the ethical approach would be to share the VARIOUS credible options available so the patient can match the option that best suits his or her needs.
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Most of the time, the patients are not given those options so you just follow the doctor’s orders. Thanks doc.
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The patients must begin accepting greater personal responsibility by searching for CREDIBLE CHOICES available than the easy choice of simply following one person’s/doctor’s recommendation. Do we truly believe any ONE DOCTOR practicing from ONE PERSPECTIVE has all the best answers? People must begin to realize that doctors are as HUMAN as anyone else. Blind faith in one doctor’s recommendation can and does result in fatal outcomes!
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