A recent report released by environmental working group, a consumer protection agency, has found that many popular sunscreens contain chemicals that are known carcinogens, which defeats their intention of preventing skin cancer.

The research shows that sunlight combined with certain sunscreen ingredients  can damage skin cells, which leads to the development of cancer cells.   Unfortunately, the United States FDA, has supposedly been aware of this critical research for the last decade, but has not acted to warn consumers about it.

According to a news story released by AOL news, approximately 50% of sunscreens tested contained vitamin a ingredients and derivatives like retinol and retinyl  palmitate, which studies conducted by the FDA have demonstrated its ability to cause cancer when exposed to sunlight.

Also, an older FDA study explains that sunscreens containing vitamin A ingredients cause  tumors and lesions to develop and spread almost 21% faster than sunscreens that do not contain vitamin A ingredients.

To be clear, vitamin A found in food and nutritional supplements is absolutely essential for good health.  Vitamin A added to sunscreens are chemically different, and their interactions with sun rays, in particular, ultraviolet rays actually create carcinogens in the scan.

According to Jane Houlihan, when questioned by AOL news about the issue, “The FDA continues to remain silent about the dangers of vitamin A and sunscreen, including its recent updated sunscreen guidelines that make no mention of them.

“There was enough evidence 10 years ago for the FDA to caution consumers against the use of vitamins A in sunscreens.  The FDA launched this one is study, completed their research, and now 10 years later, they say nothing about it, just silence.”

AOL news question the FDA about this matter, and a spokeswoman responded by claiming that the agency “thoroughly checked” its records and could not find any evidence of such a study.

However, a report issued in 2000 by the United States national toxicology program site the same FDA research which found that vitamin A derivatives are both phototoxic and photocarcinogenic.

The Environmental No Working Group tested numerous sunscreens and found that only 7.8% that were tested as part of its annual analysis turned out to be “Safe effect was a warning to the group’s safety standards.  The remaining 92.2%, which represented hundreds of sunscreens on the market currently, contain one or more ingredients known to be harmful to health, which is a very shocking number when considering how widespread their use is. .

Regarding safe sunscreens to use, the group recently released its fifth annual sunscreen guide, a database of more than 1700 sun products from 292 brands that are recognized as containing non-toxic and safe ingredients.

Ideally for health, however regular exposed to sunshine without the use of a sunscreen is necessary for obtaining and maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D.  The vast majority of sunscreens block the ultraviolet B sunrays that are responsible for stimulating the production of vitamin D in the skin.

The vitamin D Council, a nonprofit group dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of vitamin D for health, recommends that all individuals use the Sun as their primary source of gain vitamin D.  Depending on your skin type, meaning your level of pigmentation, you will need anywhere from 15 minutes to over a half an hour of daily sunlight exposure.  In order to achieve and maintain optimal vitamin D levels.

Source:

AOL news

www.vitamindcouncil.org

A green tea compound was recently found to have a powerful ability to increase the number of T cells that play a regulatory role, a key participant in the immune system function.

Emily Ho, of the Linus Pauling Institute, located at Oregon State University, says that this finding may be one of the reasons that green tea is beneficial in controlling inflammation, improving  immune system function and preventing cancer.

Drugs with a similar function, have be the source of great interest and research among pharmaceutical companies, but they have toxicity problems.

Dr. Ho notes, “This appears to be a natural, plant-derived compound that can affect the number of regulatory T cells, and in the process improve immune function.

“When fully understood, this could provide an easy and safe way to help control autoimmune problems and address various diseases.”

In this study, the researchers experimented with the green tea compound, EGCG, a powerful polyphenol, antioxidant with known health benefits.  EGCG is believed to be responsible for many of green tea’s beneficial properties. It possesses anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory characteristics.

The researchers found that EGCG caused a larger number of regulatory T cells to be produced.  While it’s effects weren’t as potent as drugs, but had fewer concerns about toxicity or long term use.

“EGCG may have health benefits through n epigenetic mechanism, meaning we aren’t changing the underlying DNA codes, but just influencing  what gets expressed, what cells get turned on, Dr. Ho says.

Laboratory studies done with mice, Ho said, showed that treatment with EGCG significantly increased the numbers and frequencies of regulatory T cells found in spleen and lymph notes, and in the process helped to control the immune response.

“Epigenetic regulation can be potentially exploited in generating suppressive regulatory T cells for therapeutic purposes, and is of significant clinical importance for the suppression of autoimmune diseases,” the researchers said in their study.

The research was done by scientists from OSU, the University of Connecticut, and Changwon National University in South Korea. The work was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

The study was published in Immunology Letters.

Source:

http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2011/jun/mechanism-discovered-health-benefit-green-tea-new-approach-autoimmune-disease

WASHINGTON — The FDA has issued a warning of an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer with the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart), currently approved to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy.

The agency announced Thursday that it has updated the Warnings and Precautions section of labels for the class of drugs — which includes branded products Propecia and Jalyn under which finasteride and dutasteride are marketed for other indications — to reflect the increased risk.

“This risk appears to be low, but healthcare professionals should be aware of this safety information, and weigh the known benefits against the potential risks when deciding to start or continue treatment with 5-ARIs in men,” the agency wrote in its safety announcement.

Avodart, Jalyn, and Proscar are approved to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Propecia, at a 1-mg dose, is approved to treat hair loss in men.

The announcement follows the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee’s vote of 17-0 in December that GlaxoSmithKline’s dutasteride and Merck’s finasteride should not be used to prevent prostate cancer because the drugs are linked to a higher incidence of high-grade tumors.

GlaxoSmithKline was seeking to expand dutasteride’s indication to include reducing the risk of prostate cancer in men who have had a prior negative biopsy and who have an elevated PSA.

Merck hadn’t been seeking an expanded indication, but the company wanted to update the label of finasteride to detail positive results of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT), which demonstrated the drug’s chemopreventive potential.

Although the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors were shown to prevent low-risk cancers better than placebo, two large clinical trials painted a disturbing link between both drugs and an increased incidence of higher-risk prostate cancers.

Taken together, data from the trials — the PCPT and the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) trial — showed the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors both provided a statistically significant reduction in the cumulative incidence of prostate cancer after four years (REDUCE) and seven years (PCPT) of treatment with dutasteride and finasteride, respectively.

But both trials also found an unexpected increase in the incidence of high-grade prostate cancers among men receiving the 5-alpha reductase inhibitors.

In the REDUCE trial, 29 high-grade tumors were found among patients being treated with dutasteride compared with 19 in the placebo group.

In the PCPT, there was a 26% decrease in all prostate cancers but an absolute increase of 1.3% in the incidence of high-grade tumors.

According to an FDA statistician who spoke at the December advisory committee meeting, if 200 men are treated with the drugs, it is expected that there will be one additional tumor with a Gleason score of 8 to 10.

How to handle low-grade prostate cancer is controversial in the urology community, in part because it is unknown if the low-grade tumors would ever develop into high-grade tumors, and also because the method used to originally detect prostate cancer — the PSA test — is inexact.

About five million men received a prescription for a 5-ARI between 2002 and 2009, according to the FDA.

Source:

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/ProstateCancer/26977

Cancer is one of the most frightening words in the world.  It strikes fear, panic and anxiety in the heart of the vast majority of people diagnosed with it, as well as their family and friends.

It doesn’t have to be a terrifying diagnosis. I know that sounds impossible but it’s true and here’s one of the reasons why.

In 1995 my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he asked me to help him find treatments beyond conventional medicine.

About a month after his diagnosis, I attended one of the first national professional conferences on alternative cancer treatments.

I heard a physician and scientist speak, which gave me great hope. He’d found a unique, non-toxic treatment for cancers, and had successfully treated hundreds of cancer patients with a variety of malignant tumors.  I knew I was in the presence of brilliance, he gave me hope, and that is a needed ingredient when helping a loved one live with this dreaded and feared disease.

I just received a notice this evening that a new documentary about his work is online and available for free until June 20^th. I hope you will take advantage and watch this film today.

Watch this film

Burzynski: Cancer Is Serious Business from BurzynskiMovie on Vimeo.

For More Information visit http://www.burzynskimovie.com.

If you want the details of Dr. Burzynski’s saga, please read this detailed article about his history of prosecution by the Texas Medical Board and FDA.

Last year, I shared with you the findings of several studies that determined a link between cell phone radiation exposure and malignant brain tumors in a 3 part series on cell phones and cancer:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Now, the Radiation World Health Organization asserts that radiation from cell phones can possibly cause cancer. The agency now lists mobile phone use in the same “carcinogenic hazard” category as engine exhaust, chloroform and lead.

Prior to this new announcement, the, WHO had assured consumers that there were no adverse health effects.

A team of 31 scientists from across the globe ( 14 countries, including the United States), made the determination after reviewing peer-reviewed studies on cell phone safety. They identified sufficient evidence to categorize personal exposure as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

In particular, they found some evidence of increase in glioma and acoustic neuroma brain cancer for mobile phone users, but at this time cannot make a connection between it and other forms of cancer.

The type of radiation emitted from a cell phone is called non-ionizing, and is similar to that emitted from  a very low-powered microwave oven.

Keith Black, MD, a well known neurosurgeon, chairman of neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles sums the risks of cell phone radiation very succinctly and  profoundly-”What microwave radiation does in most simplistic terms is similar to what happens to food in microwaves, essentially cooking the brain.

“So in addition to leading to a development of cancer and tumors, there could be a whole host of other effects like cognitive memory function, since the memory temporal lobes are where we hold our cell phones.

“The biggest problem we have is that we know most environmental factors take several decades of exposure before we really see the consequences.”

The European Environmental Agency has called for additional research.  The organization indicated that cell phones could be as big a public health risk as smoking, asbestos and leaded gasoline.  Interestingly,  a  prominent cancer-research institute director at the University of Pittsburgh sent a memo to all employees encouraging them to limit cell phone use because of a possible risk of cancer.

“When you look at cancer development — particularly brain cancer — it takes a long time to develop. I think it is a good idea to give the public some sort of warning that long-term exposure to radiation from your cell phone could possibly cause cancer,” said Dr. Henry Lai, research professor in bioengineering at University of Washington who has studied radiation for more than 30 years.

Results from the largest international study on cell phones and cancer was released in 2010. It showed participants in the study who used a cell phone for 10 years or more had doubled the rate of brain glioma, a type of tumor. To date, there have been no long-term studies on the effects of cell phone usage among children.

“Children’s skulls and scalps are thinner. So the radiation can penetrate deeper into the brain of children and young adults. Their cells are at a dividing faster rate, so the impact of radiation can be much larger.” said Black of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

In February, a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, revealed radiation emitted after just 50 minutes on a mobile phone increases the activity in brain cells. The effects of brain activity being artificially stimulated are still unknown.

Neurosurgeon and CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta says Tuesday’s announcement, “dealt a blow to those who have long said, ‘There is no possible mechanism for cell phones to cause cancer.’ By classifying cell phones as a possible carcinogen, they also seem to be tacitly admitting a mechanism could exist.”

Manufacturers of many popular cell phones already warn consumers to keep their device away from their body.

I think it is probably very prudent to significantly limit your use of cell phones to brief, occasional  (preferably urgent, emergency use).  And children, should not talk on cell phones. Period!

Sources:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/31/who_report_elevates_mobile_phone_cancer_risk/

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/

A study conducted at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that women receiving radiation therapy for treating their breast cancer, experienced unique benefits while practicing yoga, including reducing fatigue.

While simple stretching exercises improved fatigue, the women using yoga activities that included  yogic breathing, postures, meditation and relaxation techniques in to their treatment plan experienced enhanced physical functioning, improved general health and lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels. They were also more likely to find meaning in their experience of cancer.

The findings, to be presented next month in an oral session at the 47th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology by Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson.  This is the latest research of an ongoing effort to validate the age-old belief that mind-body interventions have a beneficial impact on the health of cancer patients. India’s largest yoga research institution, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana in Bangalore, India were collaborators.

This is the first time study has determined, yoga benefits to cancer patients by comparing their experience with patients in an active control group who integrated simple, generic stretching exercises into their lives (similar to yoga).  Dr. Cohen noted, “The combination of mind and body practices that are part of yoga clearly have tremendous potential to help patients manage the psychosocial and physical distress associated with treatment and life after cancer, beyond the benefits of simple stretching.” s

To conduct the study, 163 women with breast cancer (stage 0-3) averaging 52 years of age were randomized to one of three groups: 1) yoga; 2) simple stretching; or 3) no instruction in yoga or stretching. During their six weeks of radiation therapy, the participants in the yoga and stretching groups attended sessions specifically tailored to breast cancer patients for one hour three days a week.

Participants were asked to report on their quality of life, including daily physical functioning, benefit finding, fatigue, depression and spirituality. Saliva samples were collected and electrocardiogram tests were administered at the beginning, end of treatment, and at one, three and six months post-treatment.

After completing radiation treatment, only the women in the yoga and stretching groups reported a decline in fatigue. At one, three and six months after radiation therapy, the participants who practiced yoga during the treatment period reported greater benefits to physical functioning and general health. Also, compared to the other two groups, they were more likely to perceive positive life changes from their cancer experience.

Women who practiced yoga also experienced the largest decrease of their cortisol level throughout the day, indicating that yoga had the ability to regulate this stress hormone. This is particularly important because higher stress hormone levels throughout the day, known as a blunted circadian cortisol rhythm, have been linked to worse outcomes in breast cancer.

According to Cohen, developing a yoga practice also helps patients after completing cancer treatment. “The transition from active therapy back to everyday life can be very stressful as patients no longer receive the same level of medical care and attention. Teaching patients a mind-body technique like yoga as a coping skill can make the transition less difficult.”

This is the largest award ever for the study of yoga and cancer was provided by the National Cancer Institute.Cohen and his team will next conduct a Phase III clinical trial in women with breast cancer to further determine the mechanisms of yoga that lead to improvement in physical functioning, quality of life, and biological outcomes during and after radiation treatment. A secondary goal of the trial, but one of great significance, Cohen emphasized, is assessing cost efficiency analysis for the hospital, health care usage costs in general, and examining work productivity of patients.

MD Anderson recognizes the growing body of research indicating that relaxation-based interventions can contribute to the well-being of people with cancer. Through the Integrative Medicine Program, complementary therapies, such as yoga, are offered at MD Anderson’s Integrative Medicine Center, and are used in concert with mainstream care to manage symptoms, relieve stress, enhance quality of life, and improve outcomes for patients and their caregivers. MD Anderson’s Integrative Medicine faculty also conduct research in the biological and behavioral effects of mind-body based interventions; the anti-cancer potential of natural compounds; and, acupuncture to treat common cancer treatment-related side effects.

Sources:

University of Texas MD Anderson Integrative Medicine

www.sciencedaily.com

According to a new study published in Cancer Causes Control, supplementation with antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E is strongly associated with lower levels of colon cancer.  The researchers also found that folate, a B vitamin is associated with lower cancer risk as well.

Dr. Stephanie Smith-Warner, an associate professor of nutritional epidemiology at Harvard Medical School said, “Total intake of vitamins A, C, and E were associated with a 24 to 30% lower risk of colon cancer.  After adjusting for other colon cancer risks, the inverse associations for total intake of vitamin A, C, and E remained statistically significant.”

The new findings follow a report recently published that patients using multivitamins during and after treatment for colon cancer did not reduce the risk of cancer returning or the risk of mortality.  It should be noted that most multivitamins contain the minimum daily requirement for adults, not optimal disease fighting levels.

Other studies have previously found that vitamins A, C, E, and folate were linked to the reduction of colon cancer because of their high antioxidant power and potential anticancer properties.

Other studies have not found consistent substantiation that these vitamins lower colon cancer risk.

The mission of this new research was to evaluate the associations between vitamins A, C, and E and the risk of developing colon cancer, using information obtained from 13 previous studies involving over 650,000 participants.

Multivitamin use, especially in combination with individual vitamin supplements.  Was linked to a significant reduced risk of developing colon cancer, while increase folic acid (also known as folate) intake was also related to a lower risk.

The researchers went on to say, “After adjusting for folate intake, the inverse association between total vitamin a intake and risk of colon cancer… When no longer statistically significant, whereas the inverse associations between total intake of vitamin C and E and risk of colon cancer that that that remained statistically significant.”

The authors noted that there are biological mechanisms support team.  Their results, in furring that total vitamin C and vitamin E intakes may be associated with a lower risk of colon cancer due to their ability to break free radical chain reactions and act as electron donors to reduce reactive free radicals and iron.

But the researchers concluded that the reporting relationship between vitamin C and E consumption could be also due to the vitamins.  High relationship with folate intake which also has a similar relationship associated with lower colon cancer risk.

They concluded by saying, “we cannot rule out the possibility that the apparent protective effect of total vitamin C and E intakes and of multivitamin supplement use against colon cancer would do to their positive correlations with total folate intake or intakes of other vitamins present in multivitamin such as B6.”

Source: Cancer Causes Control

Researchers said the University of Texas in the Anderson Cancer Center, located in Houston, and Baylor College of medicine created a study to determine whether stress management improved the outcomes in men undergoing surgery for prostate cancer. A group of 169 man were assigned randomly to a two session pre-surgical stress management. Intervention, at two session port of attention group.

Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found that practicing stress management techniques before prostate cancer surgery can enhance the body’s immune response leading to quicker recovery, as well as aid in lowering mood disturbance.

This is the first study to evaluate the effects of stress management before surgery and its impact on the immune system in men with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy i.e. all of the prostate gland.

The study is published in the February/March edition of the Journal Psychosomatic Medicine. In an earlier study, the researchers reported significantly less mood disturbances and improve quality of life one year later in men see this training prior to surgery.

Stress May Help Cancer Cells Resist Treatment

Wake Forest University School of Medicine scientists are the first to report that the stress hormone epinephrine causes changes in prostate and breast cancer cells that may make them resistant to cell death.

“These data imply that emotional stress may contribute to the development of cancer and may also reduce the effectiveness of cancer treatments,” said George Kulik, D.V.M., Ph.D., an assistant professor of cancer biology and senior researcher on the project.

Levels of epinephrine, which is produced by the adrenal glands, are sharply increased in response to stressful situations and can remain continuously elevated during persistent stress and depression, according to previous research. The goal of the current study was to determine whether there is a direct link between stress hormones and changes in cancer cells.

While a link between stress and cancer has been suggested, studies in large groups of people have been mixed. “Population studies have had contradictory results,” said Kulik. “We asked the question, ‘If stress is linked to cancer, what is the cellular mechanism?’ There had been no evidence that stress directly changes cancer cells.”

Studying prostate and breast cancer cells in the laboratory, Kulik and colleagues found that a protein called BAD — which causes cell death — becomes inactive when cancer cells are exposed to epinephrine.

Kulik said that connection between stress and prostate cancer has been largely unexplored. However, recent studies suggest that these laboratory findings may apply to cancer patients.

“A study from Canada showed that men who took beta blockers for hypertension for at least four years had an 18 percent lower risk of prostate cancer,” said Kulik. “These drugs block the effects of epinephrine, which could explain the finding.

Another study of men after radical prostatectomy reported increased mood disturbances, which are often associated with elevated stress hormones. Although these studies do not directly address the role of stress hormones, they suggest that stress hormones may play an important role in prostate cancer.”

Kulik said the findings have several implications for patients and for researchers. “It may be important for patients who have increased responses to stress to learn to manage the effects,” said Kulik. “And, the results point to the possibility of developing an intervention to block the effects of epinephrine.”

He is now examining blood samples of prostate cancer patients to determine if there is a link between levels of stress hormones and severity of disease and has begun studying the effects of epinephrine in mice with prostate cancer.

The study results are reported on-line in the Journal of Biological Chemistry and will appear in a future print issue. Funding for the study came from the Defense Department’s prostate cancer research program, the Wake Forest University School of Medicine venture fund and the Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Co-researchers were Konduru Sastry, Ph.D., lead author, Yelena Karpova, B.S., Sergey Prokopovich, M.D., Ph.D., Adrienne Joy Smith, B.S., Brian Essau, Ph.D., Ph.D., Thomas Register, Ph.D., Yong Chen, Ph.D., and Raymond Penn, Ph.D., all with Wake Forest; and Avynash Gersappe, M.B.A., Jonathan Carson, Ph.D., and Michael Weber, Ph.D., from the University of Virginia.

“Men who face prostatectomy as treatment for prostate cancer often have high stress levels about the procedure and the potential effects on their quality of life,” said Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., the study’s senior author and professor in MD Anderson’s Departments of General Oncology and Behavioral Science. “Both the physical and psychological stress of surgery can be harmful to the immune system. Even brief pre-surgery sessions of stress management positively impact on the recovery process, both in terms of psychological and immunological outcomes,” he said.

Surgery is a very stressful experience and can trigger a powerful physiological and biochemical inflammatory response near the e surgery site and throughout the body, elevating certain cell-signaling proteins called cytokines that increase inflammation and suppress the immune response. Psychological stress interrupts cytokine function, reduces the function of natural killer cells and slows wound healing.

While the elevation of inflammatory cytokines may be harmful if sustained, short-term increases before and after surgery may signal an immune response that helps wounds heal and recover.

Participants received different levels of intervention. The participants were 159 men with early-stage prostate cancer who were scheduled for radical prostatectomy were randomized into three groups.

The men in the stress management group met twice with a psychologist one to two weeks before surgery to discuss concerns and were taught some
guided imagine and deep breathing techniques to help them cope with the potential effects of surgery. They were guided through visualization exercises to help prepare for surgery and hospitalization.

They also were given a stress management guide that built upon the sessions and audiotapes of techniques to practice on their own.

They had a short booster sessions with the psychologist on the morning of the surgery. Two days post operatively they had a brief session to reinforce relaxation and coping strategies.

The participants in the Supportive attention group, one or two weeks prior to surgey met with a psychologist. Sessions were supportive and included a semi-structured psychosocial and medical history in an interview format. In an encouraging environment they were provided empathy and the opportunity to share their concerns.

And two days before surgery they had a short session to discuss their pre-surgical experiences. Two days after their surgery had another short session to
discuss their experiences before surgery and during their hospital care.

While the standard care group did not meet with psychologists and received standard medical care.

Blood samples were collected from each patient about a month before surgery and 48 hours after surgery. Patient mood was measured about a month before surgery, a week before surgery (after the interventions) and the morning of the surgery.

Intevention Benefits Measured

Two days after surgery, the men in the stress management group had a better functioning immune system, compared to the men in the other group.

If you want to prepare for surgery or lower your stress in general, click here now and get our free healing meditation.

Yours in good health,

Elaine R. Ferguson, MD

How To Get Well Faster

Source:
www.sciencedailynews.com

Cancer patients, in particular those recently diagnosed, who use the Internet to obtain information about their condition, according to researchers have a more positive outlook and are more active participants in their treatment.  The study was conducted at Temple University and published in the Journal of Health Communication.

Dr. Sarah Bass the principal investigator and public health professor said, “this is the first study to look at the relationship between Internet use and patient behaviors.  We wanted to see if access to readily available information about their condition help patients cope with issues such as hair loss and other treatment side effects.”

For this study, the researchers recruited cancer patients who are called a government number at the National Cancer Institute, where trained specialists answered their questions about cancer and directed the callers to investigate cancer-related resources in their area.  The 442 participants were broken and to “direct user, in direct user and nine user” category space on their Internet usage patterns.

Dr. Beth says that the direct and indirect users were usually females between the ages of 50 and 60 who were graduates of college and made more than $60,000 a year.

Dr. Bass and her colleagues began to observe strong links between Internet use and the cancer patient’s feelings about their treatment.  Those that use the Internet and received information from family members or friends were more likely to view their relationship with their physicians as a partnership and were more comfortable asking questions and challenging treatment alternatives.

“They saw the Internet as a powerful tool that enhanced their decision-making ability,” Dr. Graff noted.

Also, Dr. Beth and her team were pleasantly surprised by the number of nonusers who, after eight weeks turned to the Internet for information.  When they were asked about the change, almost 75% said that either a family member or a friend, had encouraged them or the cancer diagnosis itself prompted them to research their condition on the Internet.

According to Dr. Beth these didn’t want to feel powerless or have to rely on the physicians to make all of the route decisions regarding their treatment.

Dr. Beth is concerned that as more and more funding is eliminated for telephone hot lines, is the time for doctors and other health care professionals to encourage patients to use the Internet as a research tool.

Source: www.templeuniversity.edu

My friend, we’ll call Luther (not his real name), was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He decided not against his recommended treatment of radiation and surgery. Instead he and his wife decided to try a holistic approach to treatment. They went to a well known holistic cancer care facility in Europe. He responded to the treatment and was in remission for several years.

Until…a few years later, his cancer returned with a vengeance. I saw him in the midst of his treatment, daily radiation treatments for several weeks, and I was afraid he wouldn’t survived. We’d previously discussed other holistic cancer care treatments, one in particular, that’s available only outside of the US, but due to our inability to contact the treatment facility, that wasn’t an option.

My friend didn’t appear to respond to his treatment. I’d mentioned to him, my recent research discoveries regarding the link between low vitamin d levels and cancer. Once again, he committed himself to a more holistic approach, and began to focus on his nutrition, stress reduction and other techniques.

I saw him a year later and he never looked better!

So how do you, as a cancer patient decide on whether or not to use
holistic cancer care available?

1. research your options
2. talk to other patients
3.find a credible holistic cancer treatment facility
4.diet
5. tend to your mind, body and spirit
6. find a support group
7. use mind/body techniques
8. Find inspiration

Download your copy of my free healing meditation today.

To Your good Health,
Elaine R. Ferguson, MD
www.howtogetwellfaster.com