My Dad has Stage 4 Renal Cancer, Can alternative therapies help him?

Have you tried the use of the natural herb Marijuana.

Originally posted by HarryJohnson
Have you tried the use of the natural herb Marijuana.

The mods aren’t gonna like that.

They think the poor innocent little leaf is a criminal.

I'm glad to see that this thread has travelled as it has, since cancer seems ubiquitous, as do alternative and complementary therapies that are said to be able to fight it. I'm a firm believer in hard science, but I also recognise that much new knowledge works its way in from the fringes. Since being recently diagnosed myself, I've decided to investigate alternative therapies and utilise the ones that seem to resonate...if not to give my body an enhanced ablilty to fight the cancer, then to help ameliorate the effects of conventional poison/slash/burn therapy.

I could simply not agree with any poster who recommends refusing conventional treatment...I know a naturopathic healer undergoing chemo for breast cancer right now...advanced, cuz she let it go too long. Standard therapies do often work, but also often at a great cost. I intend to give my alternative therapies a reasonable time to take affect, if they do, before more drastic treatment, and my doctors will have to work with that.

That being said, I'd like to comment on a couple of posts here...
To the OP. SEEWHATIDO, cancertutor.com seems to discuss a pretty reasonable range of alternative therapies.
Essiac is something I've been aware of for some time and always figured I'd use if I ever needed it, so I started drinking the tea within days of my diagnosis. Info is all over the net, I use an agressive dose of the 4-herb combo, which I purchased from a local grower that I trust.
The Budwig protocol...flaxseed oil and cottage cheese...works on a cellular level, dealing with fats and proteins. It's one I think I'll adopt for myself. cancertutor.com...
It may be a matter of locking the barn door after the horse has bolted, but green teas, fruit juices such as blueberry, pomegranate, cranberry...all figure more strongly now in my diet.

To FredT, a 'candida cleanse' is a protocol that cleanses you of candida...yeasts...by denying them the same foods that also seem to feed cancers.

To Sherfey, whose father's oncologist states that essiac will overwork his kidneys...I'm no doctor, but I'll tell you, the only downside I have heard of with Essiac is that it needs to be taken on an empty stomach to avoid indigestion. Nobody has noted any toxicity in the mixture...though I have read reference to causing distubances to skin and bowel movements, which in other contexts I read as indications that the body is purging itself of toxins. I've been on an aggressive dose for two weeks with no ill effects, I think an improvement is noted in one regard, and I'm looking forward to further tests. Finally...chemo is already kicking the crap outta his kidneys...I really feel that Essiac will help to ride it out. Ask a naturopath about this. Essiac is gentle...effective? We'll see.

Shortywarn, see the above note about the flax and cottage cheese protocol, and I've read that essiac has been known to work for animals

Finally, everybody has an answer. Go with your gut, then you'll be confident you contributed what you could towards your father's welfare.
Good luck to y'all.

[edit on 1-1-2008 by JohnnyCanuck]

Well as someone who recently lost a relative before xmas to Liver cancer my thoughts are with you as you head down that dark tunnel looking for the light.

As everyone has pointed out that you can Google various cancer phrases and get a whole host of websites claiming this and that. If you want some guidance and this is only from my own research if you do find any sites that make these claims. You need to see whether what they offer has gone through any sort of clinical trials. Very often they won't and it's down to your own judgment if it's worth the risk. Be also aware that you can overdose on these alternative remedies, so take care with them.

Have you researched what cancer is, so you know what your up against? I'd recommend the American Cancer Society or just Google "What is Cancer" Some people misunderstand what cancer is and try to treat it as an illness, when in fact it very often starts due to damaged DNA.

As for chemo, which is very often thought of as taking a sledge hammer to crack a Walnut. I think one day we'll look back at Chemo in the same way we do now when watching the Victorians operating with out general anesthetic.

To the OP,


A lot of people have said so far about how they know what you are going through. I tend to disagree as you, your father and family are the only ones who really know what you are going through as every incident in life can be perceived differently.

A lot of theories have been posted which I’m sure has some documented recoveries or evidence of its usefulness.

From your post I can see that you are desperate to keep your father from passing. I just want you to make sure that what ever path you choose in regards to therapy that you, your father and family think it through carefully and understand that some “therapies” can be very expensive or even dangerous and that there are people who are low enough to take advantage of people in your situation.

A lot of people have been giving advice for your dad (as you requested) but often in similar incidences the individual who is sick is not the only one who is hurting. Make sure you are aware of you own feelings and your family’s feeling in case somebody might need to speak to someone about your family’s situation.

Hope and positive thoughts as other people have stated are important but so is acceptance of the possible outcomes, what ever they may be.

I wish all the best to you, your father and your family and I hope everything works out positively for all.

Cheers

Try this link it looks worth a try, and not too expensive or difficult to do.

www.surfingtheapocalypse.net...

If you do find anything that works please let everyone know.

I hope you succeed.

SEEWHATUDO,

So much of what has been posted here is great advice. ipsedixit has some
particularly excellent advice as well. Laughter, avoiding stress and surrounding
the patient with love are all good for the healing process.

Having an advanced stage of cancer is a toss up, but I believe he has a chance
of beating this.

My recommendations:

A - No white sugar, flour, salt, refined or processed foods. No caffeine,
red meats or dairy products. Cook all his meals with garlic and onions...
the more the better because it purifies the blood.

B - (Pure) vitamins and supplements - not all are created equal. Vitamark
Corp uses the most pure supplements, prepared under strict guidelines with
no additives. See links below.

C - At least 20 minutes of sunshine EVERY day, and as much walking as he can enjoy.
Watching children play would be very healing for him. Try and do this at the same time each day.

D - Soothing, gentle, uplifting music daily. No news, TV or anything
disturbing around him.

E - Does he play chess or another game? Have someone play his favorite game daily
with him at the same time. It gives him something to look forward to and keeps the mind alert.

F - Read something inspirational or spiritual to him daily. Nothing long, just
a few minutes to nurture and uplift his soul.

G - Have him drink water throughout the day - 6 to 8 glasses.


SUPPLEMENTS:

1 - LimuPLus (Vitamark Corp)
Improves blood, digestion and cellular growth. Because this is in liquid
form, benefits are almost immediate.
www.LimuPlus.com...

2 - Cell Rich (Vitamark Corp)
Chemo, radiation and drugs kill the good cells with the bad. As an alternative,
I think cell rejuvenation is vital to your father's recovery and anyone striving for clean,
healthy cells to fight the attack of free radicals. Cells need antioxidants. This product
provides A, C, E, Bioflavinoids, Tumeric, Grape Seed Extract, Bromelain and other key ingredients.
www.Vitamark.com... (go to >Shopping >Products >Nutrition)

3 - Vitamin E with Selenium (Vitamark Corp)
Vitamin E defends cell membranes from damage to support the entire body.
Selenium fights free radical damage and boosts the immune function.

4 - Garlic Super Potency (Vitamark Corp)
Garlic is nature's antibiotic. Garlic impacts circulation, immune system,
respiratory and parasitic activity. Garlic purifies the blood so disease
is held at bay.

5 - Probiotic - Intestinal Enzymes (Vitamark Corp)
Synthesizes beneficial enzymes in the GI tract. Enhances absorption of
nutrients, synthesizes various vitamins, stabilizes the colon.

6 - Super Vigest - Digestive Enzymes (Vitamark Corp)
Even eating a perfect diet of the right foods does not guarantee a
healthy digestion and absorption of the nutrients and supplements we
so desperately need for healthy living. Super Vigest works to insure
the body gets the digestive support it needs.

7 - Revitalgen - Circulatory Enzymes (Vitamark Corp)
Good blood flow is critical to healthy living. Revitalgen contains
highly active immunomodulatory enzymes for acid, neutral, alkaline,
exo/eno protection.

8 - Vita-Che (Vitamark Corp)
This is a broad spectrum nutritional supplement that supports
circulatory health. It contains all the basic vitamins in high doses.

I saw a program on Veria TV veria.com of a 4th stage renal patient who
was positively treated by Dr. James Forsythe who uses homeopathic and
integrative therapies to treat cancer patients. If you can afford it,
I think he would be worth a try at this point. www.drforsythe.com...

I'm available to talk about this with you.

Wishing you all the best,

Marion Young
[email protected]

Thank you all so much!!
I am slowly but steadily going thru all of this wonderful information, it will take me a while but I am determined. I am so grateful to you all and your human kindness shines a bright light on a very dismal day.
I think ATS members could collectively put together a VERY good book on alternative therapies that would save lives.
Holistic professionals are hard to come by where I live so I have to rely on my fellow internet friends for guidance.
At the very least we should have a sticky thread with common alternative/holistic therapies for common medical conditiond and first aid.
I am sending all of your wonderful thoughts to my dad, I will be back with more questions.

There are few natural healers who are hard core enough to take on cancer at this stage. Probably 99% of the so called natural health stuff out there is next to useless and will kill your dad as surely as the allopathy is doing.

I can recommend one source to start with and if that doesn't bring your dad back to health then there are others, but they are more hard core and require a level of commitment most aren't able to bring to the table.

Here is the source:

herbdoc.com...

Get your dad on the incurables program right away and crank up the intensity as much as possible. He is going to need support in order to do what it takes, and he will need to stop the medical treatments which are destroying his immune system which needs to be boosted.

I have personally used everyone of Schulze's routines (save the vaginal implants) on myself and they work. Friends and family have also used them and self cured several 'incurable' conditions including cancer.

All the best

Sorry to read about your Dad.

I have nothing special to offer you but have read all the posts and it seems that there is an abundance of knowledge grown from the personal experiences of others.

Glean what you can from these posts.

I think that there IS a place for alternative medicines...

My thoughts for your Dad, you and your family during this confronting time.

take care
res

reply to post by SEEWHATUDO

I'm sorry to hear about your father and I extend my thoughts to your whole family as the impact of the disease affects everyone close.

I'm not a doctor although I do work as a manager in cancer services in the UK and so would like to offer what I trust will be helpful advice.

I appreciate the great emotional depths that one can go to in resolving llife threatening conditions (Deepak Chopra has written extensively on the mind-body link and I recommend him for the quality of his writing).

However in as much that everyone responds differently to medical treatment, they also respond differently to non-conventional treatment and support. So I would prefer in this instance to take a pragmatic stance and suggest this:

Learn about chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is used to attack cells at the main stages of cell growth and division. It cannot discriminate between healthy and cancerous cells thus it is toxic towards all cells. It is given in frequent cycles over several months as cells are dividing all the time. With every cycle of chemo, the level of health diminishes, even after the between-cycle recovery time. Thus supportive treatment can help the body to deal with the side effects of chemo. This can include physical needs - massage for muscular pain and tension relief, acupuncture for improved wellbeing, homeopathic and herbal remedies for dealing with side effects (their is a product based on mistletoe called Iscador that is used in the UK and comes from Germany). The side effects of chemo can lead to depression and this can be expected although I do not feel in a position to comment further.

Manage your own expectations! And with all the positive will to help your father, learn and know what his needs actually are. I know that may sound harsh but thrusting a complex arrangements of supplements, foods (that he may not like) and tinctures may not be as helpful as you have intended.

All my best wishes.

My thoughts and prayers are with both you and your father.

My mother passed away last February after battling renal cancer for 6 years. We attribute her longevity to being on the drug Nexavar. It was a trial drug while she was on it. She was on it for 3 years until we decided to end the treatment. The side effects, especially loss of appetite, were worse that being on it. I'm wondering if you physician has mentioned this drug?

a documentary that details the successful treatment of individuals with advanced cancer. Max Gerson treatment, which has been surpressed

wms17.streamhoster.com...

Also worth looking into Iodine, or Lugols solution, in relation to cancer treatment. Harry Hoxsey's treatments are worth looking into

If fruit juices become a large part of your fathers diet, make sure you use a press-juicer, as the usual household centrifugal juicers are no good for extracting the enzymes. Press-juicers are expensive, but no doubt you will feel it is worth the few extra dollars.

"Edgar Cayce" may be able to help your Dad. I would encourage you to spend the next few days just reading about Cayce.
www.edgarcayce.org...

reply to post by SEEWHATUDO


I could say that it is often heard that mixing alternative treatment and orthodox treatments are the best way, but that isn't correct either, because any orthodox treatments will involve the use of toxic drugs, while natural treatments involve removing toxins from the body.

I sent you a u2u with a useful link that has alot of information regarding cancer treatments (and treating other ailments) and is worth reading.

It is also probably more important for your father to study this information than for you to study it and then simply tell him, he will have alot more confidence in following a proven successful alternative treatment if he has read about it himself. Using alternative treatment a patient really needs to cure himself as it takes a certain amount of discipline, change of lifestyle, changing lifelong eating and drinking habits etc. An individual really does need to be commited to it.

I hope the clip I posted is useful

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your father. I've researched health and cancer issues for about 1 yr now. I am a scientist but not an MD. I only have 4000 characters so...

If it were me with the cancer, I would:
1. Get advice from 2 or 3 respected naturopathic experts.
2. Introduce the healthiest possible diet. Whole foods. Organic is better. Raw is often better. Although I'm a vegetarian, high quality organic meat shouldn't hurt and may assist in some cases. Jerry Brunetti's "Food as Medicine" video is excellent and well worth a look - esp check out his technique using raw cows milk from a specially prepared cow (ref 'jaamaan's earlier post). Alkaline diets combat cancer. Absolutely avoid processed foods (even packaged foods if possible). Reduce flour consumption. Eliminate all foods with added sugar or salt, but don't be afraid to use a little pure unadulterated sea salt (from health food stores). Eat lots of green leafy vegies.
3. Ensure the body is exposed to a healthy dose (15-30 mins) of sunlight per day at least.
4. Regular exercise.
4. Remove potential toxin sources from the immediate environment. Think carpets, chemicals, solvents, plastics (esp food containers). Move to the country if possible.
5. Go on a course of pancreatic enzymes, bloodroot and other nutritional supplements. (See 'tumorx' link below). Bloodroot has attracted controversy (mostly from big pharma) but I have taken the product myself and can testify that it certainly did not kill me or cause any problems. Being a potent herb, you MUST stick to the proper dosages.
6. If point 5 doesn't show results after a 1-3 weeks, try something else.
7. Meditation, relaxation, exercise - anything that will assist in keeping a positive and constructive mental attitude.


I would *not*:
* Do detoxes - these are dangerous if the immune system is compromised.
* Do chemotherapy. It seriously compromises the very immune system you need to fight the cancer.

If you're father is stage 4 and he's starting to get weak, it often indicates that the cancer is starting to consume so much energy from the food he eats that the rest of his body is being deprived - that is, Cachexia. This is very serious and, honestly, it can be hard to come back from there. But I've read some good science about ATP, and other nutritional supplements to reverse Cachexia. The people at this site can provide it and, from my research and talking at length with them, I've found them to have solid science behind their products. See tumorx.org... (note: I have no affiliation with this organisation whatsoever).

If Cachexia is indeed setting in already, the cancer is growing so rapidly that the immune system is completely overrun and time is of the essence.

In my research I have also found evidence supporting essiac tea, B17, Graviola, flax, meditation, Emotional Freedom Technique, as others have mentioned above.

I agree with other posters that every cancer case is different, thus the importance of consulting naturopathic experts.

Wishing your father the very best of outcomes.

[edit on 3-1-2008 by idontbelieveit]

reply to post by SEEWHATUDO


I would be lying if i said i knew a lot about these things but i know something that might intrest you.
I saw this guy on tv who claimed to cure many diseases using ayurveda and yoga.
Being an indian myself i do know that certain ayurvedic remidies seriously work but i do not know if they will cure cancer.
here is a link
www.lifepositive.com...

and you can email him at [email protected]

I do not know if the treatment works but it is worth a shot if you are looking for alternative treatments.
good luck

First of all, never, never, never give up. There is hope. There is comfort. There is healing.

Let’s talk about healing of dogs first. Dogs aren't influenced by placebos. Then we'll get to the healing of humans, like your father.

I have a friend, Maggie, who raises & shows Irish Setters. She has had several National Grand Champions. One of her dog’s mouth had cancer that looked like cauliflower. The dog was given one week to live. After parasite and nutrition treatments, the dog was healed in 30 days.

Maggie knows an oncologist that did his residency at M.D. Anderson and studied 10,000 slides of various cancer tissue and found that all had parasites.

At the time, there was a Dr. Hulda Clark there achieving an 87% cure (not remission) rate for cancer. She was fired. She has a PhD in Cell Physiology from the Univ of Minnesota.

Dr. Clark discovered ALL CANCER PATIENTS had a human intestinal fluke/parasite in their liver. This parasite “broadcasts” at very low yet very specific and detectable radio frequencies.

Long story short, Dr. Clark built a simple electronic device that emits a 9 volt signal at a frequency that will kill a wide range of parasites by activating the white blood cells that in turn "eat" the parasites. She called the device The Zapper. Having a MSEE degree, I was intrigued. I did my research and bought my Zapper at www.bestzapper.com for about $160.

Dr. Clark does not sell these devices. In fact in her book "The Cure for Advanced Cancer", she gives you a parts list for Radio Shack and tells you how you can build these simple electronic devices yourself!! Since 1990 Dr. Clark has THOUSANDS of testimonials of people healed from a wide variety of cancers.

So if this works so well, why hasn’t millions of dollars been spent on researching this method? Good question and here is my theory. Docs going through pre-med and med school are well versed in organic chemistry, biology and cell physiology, but when it comes to electronics, they are WAY OUT of their comfort zone. If I am a traditional cancer researcher and I have EVEN A SLIGHT HUNCH on a cancer cure, I can get a grant for $3 million to do research. If it doesn’t work out, I can get more money to try another hunch. But now we have an independent researcher, with a 17 year track record of demonstrable success in curing cancer, and instead of giving her millions for research, she is put in jail in the U.S. and now has to practice in Mexico! Two reasons: 1) docs threatened by the use of electronics in non-traditional treatment methods; and 2) there’s no profit motive for the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Clark says the other cause for disease is the toxins we put into our bodies She recommends both Liver and Kidney cleanses to work in conjunction with the electronic Zapper to achieve health. One note: once the parasites are gone from your body, there is still a recovery process. You can kill a mosquito that bit you, but that doesn't make the red whelp on you skin instantly disappear.

The most important healer: Jesus. I was raised in a Christian church. The Bible said that Jesus healed people today like he did 2000 years ago. The only problem was that I never saw anyone miraculously healed. I was taught that pain, suffering and tragedy were sent by God to either make us stronger or to teach us something. Where were the miracles that the Bible talked about? So I began a 17 year search through Eastern Religions, Paranormal/Psychic, Transcendental Meditation, Biofeedback, Rolfing, Gestalt Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Acupressure, Be Here Now, Carlos Castenada, etc. Came to the end of my rope. Found the Jesus that both saves AND heals…today. My wife and two sons each healed miraculously of life-threatening diseases. Find a church that believes in healing today. Read the book of John (4th book of NT). Pray, talk to God. He listens. He wants to heal you. The devil wants to destroy you.

Originally posted by SEEWHATUDO
Thank you! I did purchase some B17 in the form of Apricot Kernels

Another food high in B17 is Millet grain, you should get it in a health food store, if you find it difficult to eat at first try mixing it half-half with brown rice until you get used to it.

Juices should play an important part, but juice from a press juicer, that is very important for if taking juices for Cancers.

Originally posted by golddragnet
a documentary that details the successful treatment of individuals with advanced cancer. Max Gerson treatment, which has been surpressed

wms17.streamhoster.com...

Also worth looking into Iodine, or Lugols solution, in relation to cancer treatment. Harry Hoxsey's treatments are worth looking into

If fruit juices become a large part of your fathers diet, make sure you use a press-juicer, as the usual household centrifugal juicers are no good for extracting the enzymes. Press-juicers are expensive, but no doubt you will feel it is worth the few extra dollars.

Good info here, however, a lot of the 'modern' versions of herbal products are simply watered down junk. Make sure you are getting authentic stuff. Basically, if it's in your local GNC or Holland & Barret, it's probably junk.

Press juicers are better and worth the money for sure, but if budget is a concern, and I see by your other posts OP that they may be, then a Champion Juicer at around $300 is all you will need.