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Cancer: A Natural Approach
By Mr. Steven Horne, RH (AHG) & Kimberly Balas, ND

Anyone who has ever had cancer, or had a loved one with cancer, knows the feelings of fear, anxiety, worry and often hopelessness that this very serious illness can bring. And little wonder, considering cancer is the second leading cause of death in civilized nations. Furthermore, conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are often dangerous in and of themselves. So, it's little wonder that cancer usually causes intense emotional distress in everyone involved. However, one must never believe that there is no hope, even when orthodox medicine does not offer any.

As long as the body has life, there is hope.

Of course, the subject of cancer is far too involved to adequately address in this short article, but we can, at least, acquaint you with some important information about cancer from a natural healing perspective. If you have cancer, however, this information is not adequate to develop an effective natural program to help with your cancer. It will give you some ideas about options you may not be familiar with. We strongly encourage you to seek professional help when dealing with cancer. You need competent health care professionals helping you with your program and monitoring your progress, but you should also do some study on your own and learn about things you can do for yourself.

What is Cancer?
Cancer is a disease involving cells that have undergone a genetic mutation so they are no longer responsive to messages from the body that regulate cell metabolism and growth. These mutations are believed to be due to free radical damage and cause the cancer cells to develop anaerobic metabolism. Normal cells have an aerobic metabolism, which means they produce energy by means of oxygen and oxidation. Anaerobic cells produce energy without oxygen via a process of fermentation.

This is important to know because if the body is highly oxygenated, the environment for cancer does not exist. In fact, in 1931, Dr. Otto Warburg won a Nobel Prize for proving that whenever any cell is denied 60% of its oxygen requirements, it can become cancerous. So, conditions which deprive cells of oxygen (such as chronic inflammation, build-up of toxins or problems with red blood cells or circulation) increase the risk of cancer. An overly acidic environment in the body is also a breeding ground for cancer.

Another important thing you should know is that cancer cells are forming in the body on a regular basis. Very likely, you have a few inside you right now. Do not worry, the immune system normally recognizes these deviant cells and destroys them.

To further elaborate, the cancer cell develops in a toxic environment in the body, which is created by the toxicity of modern society. Because this cell is not getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs to sustain normal function, it mutates to survive in its toxic environment. These mutations cause it to revert to embryonic functions where the cells multiply wildly. At the same time, more pollution is created and the cancer spreads. Eventually, if unchecked, it will consume and destroy the host environment.

Therefore, two factors must exist for you to develop cancer.
** First, your body has to have a toxic, low oxygen environment that encourages the development of anaerobic cancer cells.
** Second, your immune system must be weakened so that it is not able to recognize and destroy these cells.

So, while killing cancer cells (the goal of conventional cancer therapy) is an important part of treating cancer, it does not fix the underlying problems that created the cancer in the first place. This is the weakness of the standard medical approach to cancer. An effective protocol for cancer should do more than just destroy cancer cells-it should try to restore a normal, healthy environment in the body and rebuild the immune system.

So, even if one chooses to use orthodox cancer therapies to destroy the cancer cells, they would be wise to consider doing natural therapy both to restore the body's state of health and prevent the cancer from reoccurring.

CDC provides basic information and statistics about some of the most common cancers in the United States.

• Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.
• Cervical cancer is highly preventable in most Western countries because screening tests and a vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, which cause most cervical cancers, are available.
• Of cancers affecting both men and women, colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum) is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, but it doesn't have to be. If you are 50 years old or older, get screened now.
• To lower your risk for liver cancer, get tested for Hepatitis B, and for Hepatitis C, avoid drinking too much alcohol.
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and the second most common cancer among both men and women in the United States. The most important thing you can do to lower your lung cancer risk is to quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.
• Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. But when ovarian cancer is found in its early stages, treatment works best.
• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men. Most prostate cancers grow slowly, and don't cause any health problems in men who have them.
• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.
• Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the United States and the most commonly diagnosed gynecologic cancer.
• Vaginal and vulvar cancers are rare, but all women are at risk for these cancers.