Part 1: When you contract cancer, what you can do

In the past 10 months, nine of my friends contracted cancer in many of its various forms: kidney, stomach, breast, prostate, colorectal, bladder, Hodgkin’s, liver, ovarian and skin cancers. All of them struggle for their lives as you read this column.

Last year, my long time friend Mike discovered his kidney cancer in November and died in February. Twenty years ago, my sister suffered from melanoma cancer, which doctors cut from her body. Eighteen years ago, doctors cut a cancerous growth out of me. My sister and I enjoy our lives every single day.

I don’t mind telling you that cancer scared the living hell out of me and it sobered me to the daunting enormity of its presence within our society.

The American Cancer Society estimates the numbers of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality and survival based on incidence data from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. A total of 1,638,910 new cancer cases and 577,190 deaths from cancer were projected to occur in the United States in 2012.

An estimated 12.7 million cancer cases occurred around the world in 2008. The number is expected to rise to 21 million by 2030.

When cancer hits, you cannot believe it would happen to you. At first, I felt dumbfounded. When the doctor cut into me, I felt all alone. Why me? I feared the outcome. He told me about a 10 percent chance that my cancer would return.

That did it! I decided to take my life into my own hands and make sure I prevented a return of any cancer in my body. In the ensuing months and years, I continue my vigilance for the care of my body. I never take a day for granted and I never give cancer a second chance.

Another friend struck with bladder cancer shared this: “Within 20 seconds of the beginning of the procedure, Dr. May said, “Okay, here’s our guy—bladder cancer.” Just like that. Your life starts to move in slow motion, just going through the motions. A kind of mental numbness seeps into your brain. I robotically engage in conversation to mask the shock, not consciously, it just happened. I get a good look at the little tumor that threatens to take my life. Beautiful really, but deadly.”

My actions may help you or a friend. But I know one thing: you may avoid cancer and you may beat cancer’s attack on your body by following some excellent nutritional protocol. As most of you know, I became a vegetarian 43 years ago. I exercise with enthusiasm six days a week by swimming, cycling, running and lifting weights. I avoid plopping down in front of the television 29 hours a week, which continues as the norm for American males. A mere 24 hours a week for American females! I cannot understand why so many people waste their lives in front of the boob tube. I let my body know that I care about it and make sure that every muscle knows that I need it by using it. I complete 100 sit-ups every morning.

But more than that, it’s what I put into my mouth that makes all the difference in the world.

First of all, my wife Sandi and I eat everything organic. We eat all natural foods. We avoid genetically modified foods of any kind. We drink filtered water and lots of it to keep our systems clean and flushed. We moved away from the city to insure cleaner air for breathing into our lungs.

Second, we consume twice a day—fish oil tablets, flax seed, Omega 3s and krill oil to increase the power of our bodies to combat cancer cells from establishing themselves in our bodies.

Third, we eat greens, greens and more greens. We eat kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, celery, green beans, spinach and all other dark green plants to create an “alkaline PH” in our bodies that makes it extremely difficult for aberrant cancer cells to form and reproduce in such a “toxic” alkaline environment. This point three really needs to be followed.

Fourth, we avoid virtually all canned and packaged foods. We never, ever eat fast food of any kind. We avoid dairy products like milk, cheese, ice cream, butter and yogurt.

Fifth, we avoid refined sugars found in candy bars, table sugar, cookies, ice cream or any product that contains refined sugars. We learned that refined sugars feed cancer cells. They thrive on sugar.

Sixth, we avoid sodas of any kind. We avoid aspartame-loaded soda pop and yogurts and other “sugar free” products.

Seventh, we eat raw fruits and vegetables every day. In fact, I blend 10 organic fresh fruits with aloe vera and flaxseed every day for my energy drink which I sip all day. That drink contains incredible anti-oxidants that protect my cellular tissue.

Eight, we avoid any and all “artificially colored” products with all those dyes in them.

Ninth, when we go out to eat, we pick restaurants that care about our health as much as they care about their own.

Tenth, we make sure we are happy and peaceful every day. We work at a job that we choose to enjoy. We maintain friends that support us with joy, spiritual blessings and grace. We are thankful every day to the Infinite Intelligence, God, the Great Spirit and the Grand Mastermind of the universe. However you perceive the Creator in your life makes for great appreciation.

Eleventh, obesity overruns our civilization in over half our citizens. Nothing about obesity can help your body. Take a hard look at yourself and move toward lean, clean and healthy. Any number of effective plans await you at www.weightwatchers.com ; www.sensa.com ; www.jennycraig.com .

Twelfth, we read everything about maintaining a cancer free body. One of the best books on avoiding cancer: Cancer Free: your guide to gentle non-toxic healing by Bill Henderson and Carlos Garcia. You may find many other books on preventing breast, prostate and other cancers by going to Amazon.com.

What else can you do? I think we as a civilization need to move away from fossil fuel burning cars, boats, trains, planes and all combustion engines that pollute our air that we breathe. We need to change from coal to alternative clean energies such as solar, wind and wave. We need to stop spraying and injecting our air, land and water with 80,000 chemicals that humanity created and inserts into our biosphere 24/7. When you think about our total disregard for our planet home and all the other living creatures that share it with us, it’s all returning to haunt us.

The price we pay grows greater by the day as we add 1 billion humans every 12 years, net gain to this finite planet. Something has got to give at some point. We destabilize our atmosphere with all our pollutants and carbon footprint. We contaminate our land and water at breakneck speed. We show no regard for our soils with the injecting and spraying them with billions of tons of insecticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. We need to change our actions as a civilization if we hope to live rich, abundant and healthy lives. What are you doing to make change for the betterment of your children and future generations?

Part 2: personal story of cancer, feelings and moving toward health