It’s important to consider what cancer is when thinking about ways to treat it naturally. Cancer is the mutation of abnormal cells, which happens because the cells become threatened by harmful metabolic activity.
Cancer is a complex disease with no proven cure and numerous possible causes. However, there are several factors that we can avoid, as well as measures we can take, in order to fight the disease.
The top risk factors for cancer:
- smoking
- obesity
- red meat intake
- dairy consumption
- acidic diet
There are other risk factors as well, but these seem to cause the most problems because they contribute to abnormal cell, hormone and metabolic activity in the body. The natural options that can help treat cancer include lifestyle and dietary choices that work to heal the body on a cellular level.
Below are some of the most natural dietary treatments for cancer one should consider. Many of these have been shown to not only prevent, but also heal cancer in hundreds of individuals.
The Gerson Therapy
One treatment that has been used for almost a century is the Gerson Therapy. It involves a vegetarian diet, daily juicing, coffee enemas and natural supplements to detoxify the body on a cellular level — much deeper than a variety of other options.
Though there are many skeptics of this treatment, there have also been a number of individuals who have gone into remission through this diet. Patients go to the Gerson Therapy Institute where they are monitored for optimal health and care. Daily wellness activities are also administered and advised.
After the initial diet, patients are advised to remain on a simple, whole-foods, plant-based diet free of animal products and refined foods.
Charlotte Gerson founded the Gerson Therapy Institute. She is the daughter of Max Gerson, a German-born American physician who developed the Gerson Therapy in the 1920s.
This therapy is also used to treat those with diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, arthritis and more.
A whole-foods, plant-based diet
You’ve probably heard that a whole-foods, plant-based diet is a great way to improve health and prevent disease. However, it’s also one of the most profound and proven ways to prevent — and even treat — cancer.
What is a whole-foods, plant-based diet? It’s not about shopping at a particular well-known store if you’re wondering (though you certainly can!). It’s about eating natural, plant-based foods. These include beans, legumes, greens, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and gluten-free whole grains, along with pseudograins.
This reduces all intake of external cholesterol (which only animal foods contain) and gives the body prime nutrients from plant-based foods. It’s been shown to prevent and treat not just cancer, but also heart disease, diabetes, depression, and inflammatory bowel disease and syndrome (IBD and IBS).
Leaders in this movement include Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Esselstyn, and Dr. Neal Barnard.
An organic, whole-foods diet
Another option for those looking to reduce their intake of hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and chemicals — which have been linked to cancer — is to avoid all conventional foods and stick to whole, organic foods. This doesn’t include processed options like boxed mac-and-cheese, even if it is organic.
This means choosing all organic produce to ensure that no chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides were used on your foods. These chemicals have been linked to cancer along with brain disorders and multiple types of digestive and heart health issues.
When it comes to animal products, buying organic also reduces your intake of hormones (not counting those naturally occurring in animals) and antibiotics. It also ensures that you are not eating meat from animals that have been given genetically modified and pesticide-laden feed. This step alone is huge in terms of helping to reduce the toxin levels inside the body.
Many plant-based foods have been shown to kill cancer cells directly, but they are not effective when produced with chemicals. Fresh organic foods may not prevent cancer on their own, but eating a whole-food, organic diet is a massive step in the right direction.
Choosing whole foods over processed foods and looking for the USDA certified seal are two key steps to take if you’d like to explore this option.
Other options
Other options have been explored for their ability to treat cancer naturally, but they are not effective without a healthy diet. The level and type of cancer a person has — or is at risk of developing — will often determine which approach is best.
For instance, those who are at risk for developing colon or breast cancer are strongly advised to avoid red meat and dairy, along with all non-organic foods.
It is beneficial to adopt one of these diets when dealing with any type of cancer — or in preventing it. Although to date not one treatment has been linked to a proven prevention method or treatment for cancer, research into each of the options above has shown very promising results.
How might each of these benefit our health outside of cancer prevention and treatment? Reducing your chemical load through your food intake may help improve poor brain function, digestive function and low energy levels.
Juicing may help you sort through some digestive difficulties, and eating more plant-based foods in place of animal-based foods will help you lose weight and improve your digestion as well.
