“The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.”-Thomas Edison
Cancer is the 2nd most common cause of death in the US, with heart disease coming in 1st place.
In 2021, the cancer drug market reached over $176,000,000,000 (Billion) in sales, increasing at nearly 10% annually since 2015. With this kind of revenue, you would expect that the treatment outcomes would be high, correct? Let’s take a quick look!
The 5-year total average improvement rate on survival rate using chemotherapy according to a study that looked at 22 major adult malignancies, studying over 72,000 cancer patients in Australia and more than150,000 cancer patients in the USA, was 2.3% in Australia, and 2.1% in the USA (1). Of which, 9 forms of cancer came in at 0% improvement using chemotherapy! Some of the 9 cancers include: prostate cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and uterine cancer.
While this information may be unsettling, there is hope! There are many paths to healing and healing is not a linear journey. In addition, there are simple and proven foundations, that so long as you build upon, everything else that can be beneficial to your healing path will be supported by them.
One often difficult truth that we must all come to terms with is that one day, we’re all going to die. I know it’s not a topic many like to talk about, but it is the truth and something we all need to accept, especially if we truly want to live! Not sure what I mean? We humans have a tendency to think we are invincible. We live each day just trying to survive, but we don’t typically take into account the decisions we make and the implications they will have on our future-especially in terms of health. To truly live means to enjoy life, to have energy, to have vitality, to be essentially pain free, and so much more!
So, if you are ready to transform your life, improve your health, and start living, keep reading and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next part of this series!
Perhaps you are someone who has already had a cancer diagnosis or has been diagnosed with another dis-ease of the body. Perhaps you are someone who just wants to learn how support your body in a healthier way as to reduce your risk of developing a dis-ease. Perhaps you have tried the conventional medicine path for treatment, with little to no success, and are ready to try an alternative, integrative approach. If any of these are you (or maybe a loved one), then what I am about to provide you with is exactly what will help you on your journey to rebalance your body!
The Basic Foundation
There are some basic foundational principals that you will need to start with.
Take Back Your Power:
It is important to realize that you have power over your state of health and well-being. Too often we hand over our power to others. This can be power over our thoughts, feelings, choices, and our health.
As a society, we tend to give a lot of authority to those with white lab coats because society has conditioned many to believe they are “the experts”, and they have all the answers.
Taking back your power also means recognizing that your body is capable of its own healing and is perfectly designed. Whether you believe in a higher power or not, there’s no question as to whether or not out body is one of the most incredible, dynamic, intrinsic things our world has to offer.
Be Patient
While the concept is simple, actually being patient is not always easy. An important aspect to remember is that cancer and disease takes time to develop and usually even longer for the symptoms to be exposed. This is why often times cancer is not caught until stage 3 or beyond. So, was the cancer or other disease being patient? One could absolutely say, yes!
It is more than possible to live with cancer and other dis-ease of the body for years before you know that it is there. The most prevalent factor for this? The environment in which the cancer lives. While genetics can play a small role in our health, the environment has far more impact. The wonderful thing about genetics is that while we may be predisposed to certain conditions, we can turn off those genes!
What often happens when we receive news of a cancer diagnosis or that we have a disease, our response is often a state of fear or panic. This can be further exasperated if a doctor tells you that you must do surgery, chemo, and/or radiation immediately, or that you only have a set number of months to live and may try to sway you from seeking another opinion or using an alternative approach. This is one area where conventional medicine fails us. Instead of instilling hope into their patients, they stoke the fear and panic flame which in turn only causes more dis-ease (lack of comfort) of the body.
This leads me back to step 1, when you allow this response to occur and you take the doctors word at face value, you are handing over your power. Thus, it is important to be patient. Healing takes time, just as the cancer or disease took time to develop. The good news is that although it may have taken years for the disease to develop and for symptoms to appear and progress, the disease can often times be quickly slowed, and full recovery is often possible.
Don’t Give Up
At times you will face obstacles, and as I previously stated, healing take time. It is important to stay committed, stay focused, and never give up. This doesn’t mean that is something isn’t working that you don’t re-assess and change the approach. The opposite is true. If you find that something isn’t working, or you aren’t seeing progress after 3 to 4 months of consistent habit, then you may need to change something.
If after 3 to 4 months, you see any improvement (pain, symptom relief, slowing of the spread, or reduction in tumor size), then that is a big result! By not giving up, you have the opportunity to keep progressing, to keep growing as a person on a mental, emotional and maybe even spiritual level. Keeping a journal during this process can also be very beneficial. Track how you feel on a day-to-day basis, write down a gratitude list, monitor how different foods may make you feel, etc. If you only commit for a few months, then go back to your lifestyle that caused cancer in the first place, you are highly unlikely to get the results you’re wanting.
So, when we take back control of our health, we acknowledge that our bodies are fully capable of healing itself given the correct environment. While having a support team during the process of healing (family, integrative health practitioner, and functional or naturopathic medicine doctor, and perhaps a specialist), can be exponentially beneficial in your healing journey, you must first acknowledge your power, know that patience is needed, and that perseverance is key!
Now that you know the key 3 basic principles of the foundation you need to create, I want you to grab a piece of paper and write down the following:
I am in control of and responsible for my own health.
I am patient. I know that healing takes time and requires action.
I will not give up! I will overcome and persevere in my healing journey.
Repeat each one 3 times. Once you have done that, I want you to find a place to tape the piece of paper where you will have to look at it daily (like the bathroom mirror) and repeat it to yourself twice a day. These are great affirmations to start with on your healing journey. Trying to create new healthy habits in our lives can be challenging. Change takes time just like healing.
Next…
Next up, we will cover mechanisms in our body that are vital to support on our healing journey and how to do so.
In the meantime, you can learn more about how an Integrative Health Practitioner can help you on your healing journey, here: Balanced Vitality . If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
To view the other parts of this series, please visit: Ashley Ann | Substack.
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