If Not Chemo, What?

In my last post I lamented the shortcomings of chemotherapy, but I didn't offer any alternative solutions, so I'll address that now.

Chemo, radiation, and drugs treat the symptoms of cancer without addressing the causes of cancer.  They are trying to kill cancer cells without addressing the conditions that are allowing the cancer cells to thrive in the first place.  If that isn't bad enough, chemo and radiation further compound the problem by actually creating more cancer cells.  But what are the alternatives?

I believe the most important step that must be taken when fighting cancer is to change the environment of the body which is allowing the cancer to thrive and proliferate. 

The human body is designed to kill and eliminate harmful cells like cancer cells.  Virtually every human being alive has had cancer cells in the body, but not everyone has cancer.  Why not?  Because the immune system did its job and neutralized the threat before it could take over.  If the immune system is weakened or overrun and unable to do its job, a host of problems can result, including cancer.  It seems obvious that one of the best ways to prevent or fight cancer is to restore the immune system to its highest level, so that it can function the way it's designed.  Chemotherapy, however, is highly counterproductive to this endeavor.  Chemo indiscriminately targets ALL cells of the body, decimating the immune system in the process, and leaving patients in danger of being unable to fight off even common viruses with which healthy people don't usually struggle.  It's not uncommon for cancer patients to die of pneumonia, for instance.  Cancer cannot be defeated without a strong, effective immune system.

Anywhere from 70-90% of the immune system is located in the gut, so if the gut is unhealthy, the immune system is unhealthy.  And what affects the gut more than anything else?  WHAT YOU EAT AND DRINK.  Nutrition is paramount in maintaining a strong immune system, and thus, in preventing and fighting cancer.  The standard American diet is full of highly processed, refined, sugary, chemical-laden "foods" and beverages that contribute to a highly inflammatory, acidic environment in the body.  The immune system's resources can be depleted by constantly trying to counteract the harmful effects of this type of diet, leaving the body vulnerable to any number of health conditions and diseases. 

This is exactly why the very first thing I did after being diagnosed with cancer was to change my diet.  I eliminated grains and processed, refined, sugary foods and started eating only living, real food:  mostly raw, fresh vegetables and fruits, raw organic dairy from healthy cows, and eggs and meat only from pastured healthy animals.  I also focused on foods, herbs, spices, and supplements which contain nutrients that are known to fight or kill cancer cells.

The body is constantly exposed to and bombarded by a vast array of toxins, chemicals, and carcinogens that are in everything from the air we breathe to the health and beauty products we use, medicines, our clothing, building materials, furniture fabrics, flooring, the plastics and metals in which we cook and store our food, food itself, and the water we drink.  It is impossible to avoid exposure to harmful toxins in our modern, civilized society, so the best alternative is to mitigate toxin exposure when we can and provide our bodies with the best environment we can, so it can do its job efficiently and effectively.  This is why I did some detoxing as well as changing my diet.  The human body is designed with its own detoxification systems, too, but again, when those systems are overwhelmed, they can't function properly.  There are countless methods for detoxing and cleansing the body, but not all are equal or harmless, so do your research and seek a professional's advice.

The body is designed to neutralize and eliminate harmful substances and cells.  What we eat and drink provides the fuel for the body.  Just like putting the wrong fuel into an engine can cause malfunction, putting the wrong fuel into the body causes malfunction.  Proper nutrition is fundamental to a healthy body.  Yet most doctors have little to no training in nutrition!  Instead, they are trained to prescribe medications or procedures that address symptoms, but DO NOT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE.  This is equivalent to repairing or replacing damaged parts in an engine without addressing the fact that the damage is being caused by using the wrong fuel.  And this is precisely why chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation are not curing cancer.

Death by Chemo Strikes Again

The stories are heartbreaking and maddening, and they occur all-too-frequently.  Every week I hear or read about another cancer patient who died even though they went through all the chemotherapy treatments handed out to them.  There were two more this week, and my circles aren't very big.  One was a very young man, one an elderly woman, but the results were the same.  Both died--of cancer, or, more likely, of the cancer treatments that ravaged their bodies. 

It makes me want to simultaneously cry and scream.  Cry due to the suffering and loss of another precious life, and scream, "You didn't have to suffer like that!"  Fellow cancer patients, I beg you to start advocating for yourself, doing your homework, and stop believing that surgery, chemo, radiation, and drugs are your best and/or only options!

CHEMO CAUSES MORE CANCER.  RADIATION CAUSES MORE CANCER.  These are not opinions, they are facts.  Both treatments, although able to kill existing cancer cells, cause mutations in healthy cells which turn those healthy cells into cancer cells.  I personally know and have heard--and I know you have, too--of countless cancer patients who go through the prescribed radiation and chemo treatments and achieve a state of "no evidence of cancer" for a period of time (too often only a matter of months), but inevitably the cancer returns, it has spread, and it is stronger.  Next step:  more chemo--stronger and more toxic.  And the cycle repeats.  But there are also so many cases in which the cancer never goes into remission at all--it keeps growing and spreading, and the only alternatives are different, stronger, more toxic chemo medicines.  Eventually, when there are no more chemotherapies left to try, the patient (whose body has been ravaged and has little to no strength left to fight) is told that death is inevitable.  This cycle is a direct result of the chemotherapy that is supposed to "cure" the cancer.  The problem is that the medical industry has no other options to offer. 

Incidences of cancer and cancer deaths are not going down, they are going up.  If chemo and radiation are so effective against cancer, why do people keep dying?   I want to offer you HOPE:  there are alternatives that are more effective against cancer while actually promoting overall health instead of destroying it.  You don't have to settle for the failed status quo!

The Benefits of Bone Broth

Another food that I didn't think much about before cancer, but now consume regularly due to its incredible nutrition benefits is bone broth.  Just like its name states, bone broth is broth or stock made from meat bones (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, lamb, etc.).  Bone broth is very light on the pocketbook and heavy in nutrients, because it is made from animal bones/carcasses that normally get thrown away, but are actually loaded with important nutrients!


I buy beef soup bones from my local farm store, and I use the carcasses from whole chickens/turkeys that I roast.  The entire carcass from a bird can be used including the "yucky" stuff that you normally toss like the skin, fat, wings, joints, bones, and even the head and feet if available.  Throw all the "parts" into a pot full of water, add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (which really helps draw out the nutrients), and bring to a boil.  Then let it simmer on the stove or in a crock pot for anywhere from 24-48 hours.  You can add vegetables while it's simmering, too, like onions, celery, garlic, etc.  Any meat left attached to the bones will eventually fall right off.  When it's done, just strain out the bones, etc., that you don't want to eat.  While you can skim off the foam that forms when it's being boiled, don't throw away the "skin" that may form on the top while simmering, or the gelatin-like substance that forms on the top of the broth when it's cooling--those are both nutrient-dense substances, so just mix them back in.  The bone broth can be used immediately in soups or stews, drunk as a warm beverage, or frozen for later use.


As with most foods, although benefit can be obtained from using conventional ingredients, the health benefits are superior when using superior ingredients such as meat from healthy, free-range or grass-fed animals uncontaminated by hormones and antibiotics; organic vegetables; purified water.


Why should you consume bone broth?  Well, your mom or grandma were more right than you know when they told you that you need chicken soup when you're sick.  As for me, I've said it in previous posts, and I'll say it again:  one of the most important things you need to fight or prevent cancer is a strong, healthy immune system, the majority of which is found in the gut.  Bone broth not only contributes to gut and immune health, but so much more!  Some of the benefits of consuming bone broth include:

• Boosts the immune system
• Heals leaky gut syndrome and the health problems associated with it
• Heals allergies, asthma, and arthritis
• Fights inflammation
• Inhibits infections from cold/flu viruses, etc.
• Works as a detoxifier
• Improves joint health
• Promotes strong, healthy bones, healthy hair and nail growth, and even inhibits cellulite

Let's talk about some of the nutrients in bone broth which are all easily digested and absorbed:
Collagen is the protein found abundantly in the connective tissues of bone, marrow, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.  Gelatin is formed by the breakdown of collagen in simmering bone broth.  Collagen protects and soothes the intestinal tract lining, which can aid in healing conditions associated with a compromised or unhealthy gut.

• Gelatin can help people with food allergies/sensitivities, including cow milk and gluten, by encouraging the growth and balance of probiotics.
• Gelatin helps break down proteins, making the nutrients in bone broth easily absorbable.
• Collagen and gelatin provide bone-building minerals.
• Gelatin promotes healthy hair and nail growth.
• Collagen increases connective tissues, leading to tighter, smoother skin, and decreased cellulite.

Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, and other trace minerals are all easily absorbed in bone broth.


Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates reduce inflammation, joint pain, and arthritis.  These nutrients can be purchased in supplement form for a pretty penny, but are inexpensively and readily available from bone broth.
The conditionally essential amino acids arginine, proline, glycine, and glutamine are all effective as anti-inflammatories.  "Conditional essential" amino acids are categorized as non-essential--essential only in certain circumstances.  However, due to most people consuming a very unhealthy Western diet, these amino acids could be considered "chronically essential."

• Arginine is necessary for proper immune system function, wound healing, the production and release of growth hormone, and sperm production; it also helps regenerate damaged liver cells.
• Glycine prevents the breakdown of protein tissue like muscle, is used in the production of bile salts and glutathione, helps in detoxification, is an antioxidant, and is a neurotransmitter which improves sleep, memory, and performance.
• Proline helps heal joints and regenerate cartilage, reduces cellulite and improves skin, and helps repair a leaky gut.

Bone broth is another fantastic super-food that is well worth the minimum effort required to make it.  So save those carcasses!  :)