Our workshop on Cancer and Nutrition was just a few days ago, so my mind is spinning with all the information we received. We already know that the food we put in our mouths is vital for either the progression or regression of cancer, but Dr. Nasha Winters, ND, also talked about other lifestyle choices we can make to create an optimal terrain.
Just to review — there are two ways of dealing with cancer. One is to attack the tumor. The other is to create a terrain in the body that is not conducive to the growth of cancer. If one only attacks the tumor, and doesn’t do anything to change the terrain that promoted its growth, the chances of a recurrence are 70% (ACS statistic). Part of what contributes to that is the treatments used that are also cancer-producing. Radiation and chemotherapy are both causes of cancer. And it seems surgery often causes cancer to spread. If we are going to use these treatments, there are many things we can do to protect our bodies during treatment.
So, what are some of the lifestyle choices and practices we can employ to create that optimal terrain that doesn’t support the growth of cancer? This list of 10 is taken from the handouts for the workshop. (COPYRIGHT © 2017 OPTIMAL TERRAIN CONSULTING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)
- Eating organic, non-GMO, local whole foods that are seasonal, nutrient-dense and very low glycemic
- 9 cups of veggies/day — 3 cups leafy greens, 3 cups cruciferous vegetables, 3 cups colorful veggies
- Daily mindfulness/meditation/prayer practice (GPS for the Soul, HRV monitor, Headspace, MBSR)
- Time in nature daily, laying on the earth, walking barefoot on the dewy grass each morning, Forest Bathing
- Cultivating a nurturing support network
- Clean air, purified water
- Earthing, avoidance or moderation of EMFs
- Grow a garden and/or indoor plants
- In bed by 11 pm in complete darkness
- Run all body care products and household products through Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org)
In Chapter 2 of her book, The Metabolic Approach to Cancer, Dr. Winters offers a questionnaire to help readers identify and prioritize the potential drivers of their cancer process. The questionnaire is not intended to diagnose or treat, but rather simply to heighten our awareness. It certainly did that for me. It’s like looking under the hood to see where the imbalances might be. The headings of the Ten Terrain Assessments are:
- Genetics and Epigenetics
- Blood Sugar Balance
- Toxic Burden
- Microbiome and Digestive Function
- Immune Function
- Inflammation
- Blood Circulation and Angiogenesis
- Hormone Balance
- Stress and Biorhythms
- Mental and Emotional Health
Turns out, my highest score was in the Stress and Biorhythms section. I was surprised at some of the questions in there. I was not aware that some of my “bad habits” could be contributing to my cancer growth. Now it’s up to me to decide if I will do something about it. I’ve been a night owl for as long as I can remember, seldom going to bed before midnight.
I know I’m repeating myself, but again, I highly recommend The Metabolic Approach to Cancer, by Nasha Winters, ND, and Jess Higgins Kelley, MNT. It has opened my mind to so many possibilities and options that I can use to create a healthier terrain. I feel more empowered than ever to take charge of my own health.
As always, I welcome your comments; to reply please click here.
In the Spirit of Healing,
Jan Adrian, MSW
Founder and Executive Director
Hi Jan,
Thank you for your follow up letter. I’m so glad you shared your terrain issue. I have also always been a night owl. When working I would get only about six hours of sleep. Now that I am retired if I go to bed late I try to also sleep later. During chemo and surgeries (I am now five weeks post chemo), I keep trying to go to bed by 10:30 and be mindful of this but the time just some how gets away from me and it’s soon 12:30. Knowing others share this concern helps keep me motivated. I’ve been trying to go to bed 5-10 minutes earlier each night. I need a bit more disipline to just stop and go to bed.
Jan, glycemic index values have exceptions and to me, it may not be so useful on a ketogenic diet. One example is fructose, which has a very low glycemic index, but is a major reason why so many people are overweight and suffer from lifestyle diseases. Obviously high fructose corn syrup is harmful, but many people do not realize that agave syrup is even more harmful, as it contains even more fructose. The glycemic index doesn’t measure how food affects you over time, which is just as important, especially so with cancer patients. This is why I believe that counting net carbs is so much easier and accurate.
While there are several ways to exercise , I was disappointed that exercise was not integrated into the list of practices when dealing with cancer. There is much literature out there to support this option for cancer care. This was omitted from Radical Remission as well….I consider it a primary practice in dealing with two cancers for many years.
Mary,
I had the same concern and I asked Kelly Turner, author of Radical Remission, about it. She said she was just reporting what she learned in interviewing patients who experienced spontaneous remissions from cancer. She said most of them were too sick to exercise by the time they took charge of their health and started turning it around.
Thank you, Jan, for your notes and the good summary. I look forward to the DVD!
Hi Jan-
Thanks so much for summarizing the book/workshop by Dr Winters. I have one thought which relates to the “night owl” issue.
I & many other women naturally gravitate to this pattern. What I learned years ago, is that high melatonin levels create an environment unfriendly to cancer. Melatonin is only produced when the pituitary is shielded from light which enters through the pupils, even through eyelids.
My solution is to use a very good night mask, & get plenty of sleep. My night masks totally occlude light & when I get enough hours of sleep, it doesn’t matter what time of day it is, because the light doesn’t get through.
I would be interested in hearing what Dr Winters thinks of this solution.