Just got the results from my bi-monthly MRI, the brain tumor seems to continue to shrink. I was so excited after hearing the good news I couldn’t hold it all in. My doctor didn’t know exactly how to explain it, so I handed her the research study on men with prostate cancer who followed a vegan diet for a year and all had improved their cancer situations. After we talked a bit she said that I had “peaked her interest” so I recommend she read “The China Study”. (Interestingly, the author of “The China Study” did lab experiments with mice, the same mouse model used for most cancer treatments, which showed a diet of less than 10% of total calories from animal protein/fat reverses cancer at every stage, from prevention to progression.) One good MRI result could be a fluke, but two good MRI results makes a trend — a very positive, healthy trend. Yet the only things I’ve done to influence this positive trend is follow a 95% vegan diet (with green smoothies every other day) for the last two months.
I must be going through some kind of survivor’s guilt or something because I get seriously frustrated when I’m in grocery stores and hear “get tested early for cancer” or “diabetics can have everything in the store”; when I hear of recently diagnosed cancer patients confused over nutritional advice; when someone tells me I have to “get the word out”. The way I found out was through other cancer survivors who claimed that a vegan diet cured their cancer. Then I found the research and scientists who are out there “getting the word out” — I listened, I changed my diet, and I’m getting better. The big question is, why don’t doctors simply say “follow a vegan diet and you can improve your chances of surviving cancer at any level of the disease”? Perhaps it may be the same reason why many people don’t know that it has been scientifically proven that a vegan diet reverses cures heart disease. You can’t patent a vegan diet and sell it in a pill for thousands of dollars.
I guess it comes down to this: it is up to all of us to “get the word out”. If you are a cancer survivor: follow a vegan diet, drink green smoothies, and read “The China Study”. If you know someone who has been newly diagnosed with cancer: let them know that cancer doesn’t like a 100% vegan diet with green smoothies and ask them to read “The China Study”. Yes, I’ve over simplified the message, but if doctor’s aren’t doing it, then it is up to you and me to get the word out.
Links:
- my (plant-centered) anti-cancer vegan diet
- the research study I gave to my doctor
- Buy the book, “The China Study“, or take the class
Feedback 1 of 2:
Here is a coworker’s response to my good news – I completely appreciate his honesty:
… on hearing your initial good news – and perusing pretty much your entire blog – I shared your story with a few friends (no names of course.) Their reactions were identical: politely stated but nonetheless complete dismissal of the notion that diet was in any way related to your recovery. “Well, it’s funny how coincidences can lead to false conclusions”…”if that’s what he chooses to believe and it keeps him thinking positively I guess there’s no harm”…in a couple instances I responded by reiterating my belief that the correlation was at least within the realm of the possibility – this was met with more forceful dismissal, denial, even derision (“you’re not saying that you actually think that…”)…
I’m sure you have had enough similar encounters to fill a book…still, I wanted you to know that I experienced a brief glimpse into this and it blew me away. It reminded me of behavior religious fundamentalists might exhibit: blind commitment to a belief system, all evidence to the contrary be damned. Is this part of Western society’s core belief system? Blind faith in modern medicine at the expense of any alternative?
Feedback 2 of 2:
I found out this weekend(11/7) about an airplane mechanic that has been dealing with esophageal cancer who went on a vegan diet after a common friend told him about my story. It turns out his cancer is going away and his doctors can’t explain it. I freaked out (quietly) feeling both excitement for his improving health and astonishment at the short time it has taken him to start seeing results. I’ll dig a little bit to see if I can get the whole story for this blog; however, I feel the need to point out the disclaimer at the bottom of this blog. I’m not a doctor. Each person’s healing situation is unique so make sure you’ve partnered with a doctor who will listen to you and is fighting for your health. A vegan diet can be followed with most, if not all, traditional treatments for cancer — please talk to your doctor. Give yourself the best fighting chance possible!
Anti-cancer Living 
I believe your diet is related to your recovery. I base this on facts I have taken the time and effort to learn.
Demonstrated by years of empirical scientific studies ‘The China Study’ presents a compelling relationship between our meat-laden Western diet and the highest cancer rate, particularly breast cancer.
The meat and dairy industries lobby tirelessly and invest heavily to keep this information out of the mainstream media.
And, unfortunately, our culture has spawned many self-centered people who have been taught that you should be able to have whatever you want. My own sister, a cancer survivor, knows about the dangers of a meat/dairy diet – but she wants her meat and cheese and continues to enjoy them. Go figure. I am glad you listened. It is heartening to read your story.
God bless!
thank you so much for sharing your experience. my husband is currently stage iv metastatic melanoma (lung mets) and has been researching different ways to fight this beast with the food he eats! i will for sure give him your info regarding the vegan way and hopefully it can help him as well. God gave us all this nature-we just gotta figure out how to use it to our advantage!! keep up your fight and we will be praying for your continued success and tumor shrinkage!
I wish I had more exact advice to give, but I’m not a doctor. If I was in your husband’s shoes, I would want to start by turning off cancer’s growth by adopting a raw, organic, fresh, fruit/greens/vegetable 100% vegan diet with a tablespoon or two of flax seed oil each day. Then I’d focus on healing my digestion with proper food combining and eating “live” food that’s filled with probiotics(friendly bacteria). Then I’d focus on adopting some kind of green/carrot juicing regimen and I’d definitely look into Gerson’s Therapy. Also, before I’d agree to any experimental chemo drug trial or experimental radiation, I’d visit a few of the natural healing centers that promoted a vegan diet with juicing who has had a good track record with cancer survivors. Stage IV melanoma is a dangerous situation to be in, but please don’t panic. There are cancer survivors dealing with melanoma on the web, find them and learn what’s making them well.
I am the editor and associate publisher for a new online magazine aimed at men on the topic of breast cancer. I think your knowledge and experience would be very valuable to our readers. Would you be interested in contributing either to the magazine or to our blog? Please email me if so. Thanks.
Yes, I would – thanks.
In response to your posting about your skeptical coworkers I would say;
Remember when people thought the earth was flat?
People are so brainwashed!!!! Follow the money people!
Keep spreading the word. We can only hope that our children and their children will be smarter about this stuff than most of us are. 🙂
I’m starting with my immediate family. No one in my immediate circle of friends or family has gone vegan yet, even after the ‘good news’. What’s up with that? LOL
I like the fact people are skeptical. It so easy to grasp at straws and want to believe.
A question for the skeptics. Are all expensive/traditional medical treatments placebo controlled double blind studied? I have read many are not. What does it mean if they were not?
Some things work and the thesis put down for their success is correct or partially correct. I ma thinking in particular about chelation therapy which did not remove the arterial plaque but did remove heavy metals. heavy metals that ‘could’ have been preventing the body healing itself.
We also have aspects such as her2 cancers vs hormone driven breast cancers. before we could differentiate they could skew outcomes for some interventions.
Then we can look at Dean Ornish’s work on gene expression, diet lifestyle and prostate cancer.
Good science should ask questions and figure things out… not blindly scoff.
many vegetables spices,leaves and fruits have substances that are anti-cancer. It ‘could’ be that they work synergistically to halt growth, cause apoptosis and prevent angiogenesis.
Check medline for invitro and vivo studies.
egcg -green tea
curcumin tumeric
oleuropein olive oil/leaf
Resveratrol grapes
sulforaphane broccoli etc
delphinidin bluberries
etc etc
fantastic !
September 2010
I was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer at age 55 (in 1998). I have undergone proton beam radiation, cryosurgery, and finally hormone treatment. All of the treatments were effective and served to keep my PSA levels low.
Eighteen months ago my PSA began to rise again, but my doctors had no suggestions for further treatment.
Out of desperation I tried a strict diet of only plant foods — my PSA dropped immediately.
My PSA has remained level (on average) as I experiment with adding small amounts of animal food products. Just three “bad” meals in a 90 day period will make the PSA rise. 100% vegan foods cause it to fall.
It appears as though a vegan diet has given me another chance at life, but one must stick to it very strictly.
How “bad” are you: a) Vegetarian (eggs, cheese, butter, etc) or b) Meat-eating Omnivore?
Any (“bad”) — animal based foods will make my PSA rise about 20% in a 90 day period. 100% plant based foods make it drop about 20% over a 90 day period.
I am having a benign breast tumor removed in 13 days, any chance of mine shrinking by following your diet that fast? Mine needs to be removed b/c there is a time issue (I’m trying to get pregnant) so I don’t have months to experiment. They said the tumor will grow when pregnant b/c of the estrogen. Any thoughts?
Thank you so much!
What I’m promoting here are healthy “lifestyle” changes and not crash diets — sorry. On the other hand, being a parent is a great responsibility. If you adopt these healthy lifestyle changes now, your children will follow your example.