Using Natural Means to Prevent and Fight Cancer

As a forward note: This site does not intend to diagnose, treat or cure any medical diseases. :-)

Top 10:

1) Take Medicinal Mushrooms (especially turkey tail and cordyceps).

Turkey Tail: "A number of studies have shown that turkey tail mushrooms have immune boosting properties. For example, its extract may be useful in fighting certain types of cancer, according to one 2014 review. The researchers looked at studies of five types of mushroom, including turkey tail, as complementary cancer treatments. They conclude, 'The evidence base for using mushrooms in cancer treatment has greatly increased'” (Link).

Cordyceps: "In test-tube studies, Cordyceps have been shown to inhibit the growth of many types of human cancer cells, including lung, colon, skin and liver cancers. Studies in mice have also shown that Cordyceps have anti-tumor effects on lymphoma, melanoma and lung cancer" (Link).

2) Take Turmeric Laboratory studies on cancer cells have found curcumin slows down their growth and some animal studies have also shown it to slow the growth and spread of cancers" (Link).

"Herbs like turmeric and ginger contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that can help prevent cancer cells from growing" (Link)

3) Consider a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet

"In large prospective cohort studies vegetarian diets have been shown to be at least modestly cancer protective (10%–12% reduction in risk) in most, but not all recent studies. Results for specific cancers are less clear although there is some observational evidence that vegetarian diets may reduce risk of prostate, breast, colon, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, and cancers of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues. Choosing a vegetarian dietary pattern is an easy way to follow the expert recommendations to “eat mostly foods of plant origin” and “limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat” to reduce cancer risk." (LINK)

4) Take flax seed oil and eat flax seeds daily. "Preclinical studies suggest that flaxseed may inhibit growth and metastasis of human breast, prostate cancers and melanoma; and reduce radiation therapy-induced lung damage and improve survival. It was also shown to lower tumor biomarkers in patients with prostate and breast cancer" (Link).

"The results of these studies showed that treatment with flaxseed oil can inhibit the growth of cultured malignant cells including breast cancer cells, cervical cancer cells, leukemia cells, and melanoma cells in a dose-dependent manner" (Link).

Adding Flax Seeds to your green smoothies or oatmeal is a great way to get your daily flax seeds. I also take a daily flaxseed oil capsule. "Flaxseeds have been shown to stunt the growth of prostate tumors in men. A 2007 study led by Duke University Medical Center researchers showed that men who supplemented their diet with ground flaxseed (30 grams per day for an average of 30 days) slowed tumor growth compared to men who did not supplement with flaxseeds in the diet." (LINK)

5) Drink Green Smoothies. "As was mentioned in the film, Cancer Can Be Killed, by changing this one factor in Kerry’s life – creating an alkaline environment, her cancer never came back again. And what we found was that the daily smoothie was the easiest way to convert the body to alkaline." (LINK)

6) Eat Beta-Carotene Rich Foods such as Chlorella and Carrots. 

While taking a beta carotene supplement doesn't have much effect, beta-carotene rich foods like chlorella and carrots have powerful anti-cancer properties.

Note: I no longer recommend spirulina (read my bad experience here). "Chlorella is an excellent source of beta-carotene, meeting anywhere from 30–60 percent of the recommended daily intake" (Link).

A good way to consume carrots daily is by adding a handful to your morning green smoothie. Also, carrot juice or carrots with hummus make a great afternoon snack!


According to a book called Curing Cancer with Carrots, "In 2013, Ann Cameron cured Stage 4 colon cancer without chemotherapy or radiation, by drinking carrot juice. Since then, others with a variety of cancers have reported similar successes. Cameron wanted to find out why such an apparently simple cancer cure--just carrots--works" (LINK). Cameron drank about 5 cups of carrot juice per day.

7) Quit Drinking Alcohol or Drastically Reduce Consumption According to the Official Center for Disease Control website, "The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for cancer. Drinking alcohol raises your risk of getting six kinds of cancer—

Mouth and throat.
Voice box (larynx).
Esophagus.
Colon and rectum.
Liver.
Breast (in women).

All types of alcoholic drinks, including red and white wine, beer, cocktails, and liquor, are linked with cancer. The more you drink, the higher your cancer risk." (LINK).

8) Drink Green Tea Daily. In laboratory studies, green tea has been shown to slow or completely prevent cancer development in colon, liver, breast and prostate cells. Other studies involving green tea have shown similar protective effects in tissues of the lung, skin and digestive tract (Link).

"For green tea, the summary RR indicated a borderline significant association between highest green tea consumption and reduced risk of lung cancer. Furthermore, an increase in green tea consumption of two cups/day was associated with an 18% decreased risk of developing lung cancer." (Link)

9) Take Astaxanthin or Chlorella (natural source of astaxanthin). "The treatment of DU145 cells with astaxanthin decreased the cloning ability, increased the apoptosis percentage and weakened the abilities of migration and invasion of the cells. Furthermore, astaxanthin reduced the expression of STAT3 at protein and mRNA levels" (Link).

10) Take Bromelain

More Tips Below!

1) Eat Raw Garlic Daily. 

• One large study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that, "A high frequency of garlic consumption was significantly and inversely related to all cancer sites, except again for breast and prostate. These latter cancers are mainly associated with hormonal and reproductive factors, whereas their relation with dietary factors is inconsistent and still open to discussion" (Link).

• "Results of the study showed that participants who consumed raw garlic on a regular basis as a part of their diet (two or more times a week), had a 44% decreased risk of developing lung cancer" (LINK).

• "A population-based study conducted in the San Francisco Bay area found that pancreatic cancer risk was 54 percent lower in people who ate larger amounts of garlic and onions compared with those who ate lower amounts. The study also showed that increasing the overall intake of vegetables and fruits may protect against developing pancreatic cancer." (LINK)

• One tip is to chop up 2-3 cloves of raw garlic and drink with water just before bed. This way the smell should be gone by the morning. For maximum potency, make sure the garlic is in its raw form.

2) Eat More Beans. Data compiled from 41 countries revealed that countries with the greatest consumption of beans had the lowest mortality rates due to colon cancer. (Correa, 1981) (LINK),

3) Intermittent Fasting: From Dr. Axe's website: "Another study in 2015 found that a longer duration of nighttime fasting was associated with a decrease in markers of inflammation" (Link)

According to one large peer review study, there is "evidence that nightly fasting for more than 13 hours supports a lower risk of cancer recurrence" (Link).

4) Take Wormwood (3 weeks on, 1 week off). "As the pair reports in the 16 November issue of Life Sciences, almost all the cancer cells exposed to holotransferrin and artemesinin [wormwood] died within 16 hours. The compounds killed only a few of the normal cells. Lai believes that because a breast cancer cell contains five to 15 more receptors than normal, it absorbs iron more readily and hence is more susceptible to artemesinin's attack." (LINK) Wormwood should not be taken continually in most cases

5) Try an occasional Coffee Enema (with the help of a professional practitioner). "Coffee enemas are known to help flush out bacteria, heavy metals, fungus and yeast (like those responsible for candida symptoms, for example) from the digestive tract, including the liver and colon, while also lowering inflammation — therefore helping people restore bowel function, increase their energy levels and heal from disorders that have caused them trouble for years." (LINK).

6) Create a Lower Stress Schedule! "Reducing stress in your everyday life is vital for maintaining your overall health, as it can improve your mood, boost immune function, promote longevity and allow you to be more productive." (LINK)

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One amazing story comes from the Huffington Post. This lady has survived cancer for ten years, and is still fighting it successfully. In her article, she talks about finding the best medical doctors, but also about going vegan. In her own words:

"[Being diagnosed with cancer] was the catalyst I needed to find a compassionate way of eating and living. In a nutshell, my food philosophy is as follows: Embrace gorgeous greens, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, sea veggies, fruits and vegetables galore. Crowd out inflammatory, hormone-filled animal products (even when organic) by filling your plate with plant-strong whole foods. And while you’re at it, pull back on the processed white stuff, especially sugar" (Link).

"5 Keys for Beating Cancer"

1) Eliminating toxins – by far the primary root cause of cancer − from your body and environment

2) Making your body as inhospitable to cancer as possible

3) Eating and living as healthy of an anti-cancer diet and lifestyle as possible

4) Building and maintaining a healthy immune system − your natural first line of defense against cancer and other illness

5) Taking strong anti-cancer and immune boosting herbs and other supplements...

Eat a mostly raw, mostly vegetable diet, and be sure to include lots of cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage." (Link).

•  Jay Kordich, "the Father of Juicing," says he beat a tumor in his bladder through juicing.

• At age26, Christina Pirello was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. By the time her illness was identified, the cancer had already advanced to an acute stage. Her doctors gave her little reason to have hope for the effectiveness of conventional medical therapies and told her she had only months to live. Initially, she was discouraged and uncertain. Then a co-worker introduced her to Robert Pirello, a whole foods advocate who helped her adapt her lifestyle and diet based on whole, unprocessed food. With love, dedication and death-defying discipline, Christina overcame the odds, and in the process developed an expertise in cooking with whole, vegan foods. After just two months of eating beans, grains and vegetables, her doctors noticed a significant improvement in her condition. In fourteen months, her cancer was gone. Today, almost 27 years later, Christina is a glowing example and inspiration on the power that our food choices have on our overall health and well being (Link).

• Dr. Axe's mother went through chemo, but the cancer came back with a vengeance 9 years later. She talks about how, the 2nd time around, she beat cancer without chemo or radiation.

 "Around nine years after her first diagnosis [and chemotherapy], a terrible thing happened: She was diagnosed with cancer again. At that point, I had experience working in the natural health field, so when I flew home, we prayed together and talked about the best healthcare strategy.  She decided to pursue natural cancer treatments by focusing on diet and lifestyle changes.My mom started following an all-natural plan that included vegetable juicing, probiotic foods, immune-boosting supplements, stress reducing techniques and prayer...

After only four months, the tumors on her lungs had shrunk significantly and one year after that, she was again diagnosed as being “cancer-free” and healthy. It’s now been 10 years and my mom recently turned 60 years old — and she is in the best shape of her life, regularly water skiing, running and still going strong." (Link).

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• Chris Wark had surgery for his colon cancer and was recommended chemo and radiation, which he refused, opting for lifestyle and diet changes instead. Today he's cancer free.

Ruth Heidrich, PhD - Plant-Fueled Triathlete and Cancer Survivor

• This woman drank 8 cups of raw carrot juice a day and claims it aided in curing her cancer.

• Dr. McDougall believes a whole foods, starch based vegan diet can help delay the effects of cancer.

• Alice shares how she beat ovarian cancer.

• This girl was diagnosed with an incurable brain cancer at a young age. However, she went on a raw vegan diet and today is cancer free.

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Amazing Success Stories from Long Term Vegans and Vegetarians

"In 1991 Mike was aged 69. “I contracted a cancer which the Cleveland Clinic said would kill me in 3 months unless operated upon. I said no, I was going on a diet! The tumor had metastasized into my lymphatic system and would have required efforts to treat the metastases with radiation and/or chemotherapy (with questionable results in those earlier days). In 2 and a quarter years the tumor began to bleed, I was operated upon.”

“The surgeon looked for metastasis in 35 places and found zero. In other words my Macrobiotic Diet, becoming a Vegan Diet, becoming a whole-Foods Plant-Based Diet, killed the metastases! The results of the diet have been perfect and it has been since that diet that all my world records have come about as well as such distinction in the U.S.” (LINK) (LINK)

Dr. Ellsworth Wareham is 98 years old, and has been a vegan for 50 years now. He takes a B12 supplement.

Jay Kordich is 89 and has been a vegan (eating about 75% raw foods) for the past 65 years. Kordich had bladder cancer in his 20's and says he cured his cancer by eating raw fruits and vegetables. Kordich promotes juicing and eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. In his book titled "Power of Juicing" he says, "I consider myself a fruitarian when I eat and a vegetarian when I juice. Vegetables are the body builders; fruits are the energizers and cleansers" (p. 219). On his blog, Kordich states, "Eating a diet rich in vegetarian foods/vegan foods is KEY to staying vitally healthy.  If you cannot give up dairy, please know that cheese is loaded with saturated fats that hurt our arteries. Cheese especially has casein in it that is basically glue.  If you must eat dairy products, butter, cheese and milk are the worst culprits. Yoghurt and fermented milk products would be the only dairy products acceptable, but even then, only 5% of our diet should consist of these products. The other 95% should be: fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes and vegetables." (Link) Kordich promotes getting vitamins D from sunlight (or a supplement if necessary) and B12 from nutritional yeast or tempeh (Link). 

"Happy birthday to Loreen Dinwiddie, who has an awesome name and just turned 108 years young! She credits her vegan diet, which she started in 1922 with her husband, for her longevity. Loreen, a Seventh-Day Adventist, says she draws her diet from biblical teachings” (Link). A 7th Day Adventist diet is vegetarian and also may include occasional eggs, dairy and honey (Link).


Victoria Moran has been a vegan for 30 years (in 2013). She went from obese and depressed to healthy and happy. She gives a vegan diet much credit for this:

Karen Calabrese is 65 years old and she has been a vegan for 40 years. She has been a raw vegan for 30 years. In her book, "Soak Your Nuts", she says she gets most of her B12 from fermented foods such as raw sauerkraut, rejuvelac and kombucha. Yet for most people, she encourages taking supplementation of vitamin B12, vitamin D, flax seed oil, probiotics and digestive enzymes. 


Markus Rothkranz was sick and dying at 30 years old when he switched his diet. He has been a raw, whole foods vegan for ever since, and is now a thriving at 50 years old (in 2013). Rothkranz eats "green smoothies" for most meals (half fruits, half vegetables). He also promotes taking a B12 supplement.
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John Kohler was on his death bed when he discovered the raw, whole foods vegan diet. He claims that this diet has healed him. Kohler recommends that vegans take a B12 supplement.


Reverend George Malkmus is 78 years old in 2012. When he was 42 years old, his doctor discovered a life-threatening, baseball sized tumor in his colon. At that point, George decided to start eating a raw vegan diet. According to his report, the tumor disappeared within one year! Malkmus has been a raw vegan ever since. On his website, George recommends taking a B12 supplement, flax seed oil, alfalfa, vitamin D and daily carrot juice (Link).


At 6:42 in the following video, 71 year-old Barry Koral talks about his raw vegan lifestyle. Koral looks much younger than his age, and he has been a 100% raw vegan since the year 2000!
At age 26, Christina Pirello was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. By the time her illness was identified, the cancer had already advanced to an acute stage. Her doctors gave her little reason to have hope for the effectiveness of conventional medical therapies and told her she had only months to live. Initially, she was discouraged and uncertain. Then a co-worker introduced her to Robert Pirello, a whole foods advocate who helped her adapt her lifestyle and diet based on whole, unprocessed food. With love, dedication and death-defying discipline, Christina overcame the odds, and in the process developed an expertise in cooking with whole, vegan foods. After just two months of eating beans, grains and vegetables, her doctors noticed a significant improvement in her condition. In fourteen months, her cancer was gone. From that time, she was utterly convinced of the close relationship between diet and health. She knew her life’s calling was to help others discover the importance of this relationship in their own lives. To that end, she studied and became an expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, acupuncture and earned a Masters Degree in Nutrition. Today, almost 27 years later, Christina is a glowing example and inspiration on the power that our food choices have on our overall health and well being (Link).

Gabriel Cousens is a Medical Doctor who is 69 years old (in 2012). He has been a raw vegan for 28 years. Cousens encourages supplementation in B12, vitamin D and Omega 3, vitamin C, vitamin A, carnosine and vitamin K. He promotes this supplementation both for vegans and for meat eaters.


Bernando LaPallo is 111 years old in 2012, as he was born in 1901 (link). He eats mainly raw fruits, raw vegetables and fresh juices. LaPallo also eats wild caught fish about 3 times per week. LaPallo is the world's oldest blogger.


As of 2012, Dr. Stanley Bass is a 91 year old raw foodist. His diet mainly consists of raw vegetables, a smaller amount of fresh fruit, and 1-2 raw egg yolks every day for vitamin B12, Omega 3, vitamin D, etc. He also occasionally eats chicken liver for extra B12.


Dr. Robert Lockhart is 68 years old. He's been vegan for 45 years and eaten only raw foods for 30 years. Though he used to be a "fruitarian", Dr. Lockhart eventually learned that greens are an essential part of a diet. Lockhart eats green smoothies almost on a daily basis. His smoothies include about half fruit and half leafy green vegetables. He also eats lots of fresh fruit.



Jack Lalanne invented the "Jumping Jack"and is known as the "Godfather of Fitness". He recently passed away at the age of 96. He promoted a high raw diet of 10 raw vegetables and 5 raw fruits a day. He also included fish in his diet.



Lou Corona is 60 years old and he's been a raw vegan for 40 years:


Dr. Aris LaTham has been a vegan since 1970 and a raw vegan since 1976.


Mimi Kirk is 72 years old and has been a vegetarian for over 40 years. She has been a raw vegan for a few years as well.



Joel Brody - Raw Vegetarian for over 40 Years.

High Raw Diet

Many studies over the past 25 years have detailed the benefits of eating mostly uncooked, plant-based foods. However, some people find that 100% raw vegan foods does not work for them. But is there a more practical way to eating raw foods than "Fully Raw 100% of the time. No exceptions"?

Jay Kordich - The Father Of Juicing

From the FAQ section of his website, 88 year old Jay Kordich details how he follows the high raw diet:

You speak about the 75/25 principle. What does that mean?

"It basically means that most of our foods should be living, raw, unadulterated, sunbaked foods. Then the other 25% can be in either soups, sprouted grains, legumes or steamed vegetables. In our book, "Live Foods - Live Bodies" we have an instructional diagram of these food groups that's easy to follow. Also, we eat more cooked foods in the fall and wintertime. Unless you live in a very warm area, where the temperature does not fall below 45 degrees throughout the year, you should be consuming warmer foods in the fall and winter, then more living foods in the spring and summer." LINK

Are canned foods the same as fresh foods? In the following video, Dr. Eric Bakker talks about the differences between canned and fresh foods.



Kevin Gianni - High Raw Diet

In his book titled, "High Raw", nutrition specialist Kevin Gianni defines a high raw diet:

"The concept of High Raw is hardly new. A High Raw food diet includes 75%–95% raw foods.
(1) Eat 75%–95% whole, raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
(2) Eat 0–20% cooked vegetables, steamed vegetables, cooked legumes and cooked grains.
(3) Use the remaining 5% for FUN! You decide what fun means to you. Whether it means more raw food, animal protein or dessert, this is your time to play and enjoy yourself."

 Gianni continues: "Here’s the simplest approach: in order to eliminate a lot of confusion around nutrition and science, the basis of your entire diet should be whole foods. Not super foods, not supplements, not anything else but whole foods — ripe, raw, uncooked, whole foods."



Paul Nison discusses the High-Raw Diet



Philip McCluskey - From 100% Raw to High Raw

Philip McCluskey lost over 200 lbs. on a raw food vegan diet. Yet after living for over 4 years as a raw food vegan, McCluskey added some cooked foods back into his diet. Why? To gain muscle mass. Basically he encourages personal experimentation with possibly adding healthy, unprocessed cooked foods to an already high raw diet: LINK



"Raw Til' Dinner"

If you are looking for a practical way to begin a "High Raw Diet" or even just add more raw foods to your diet, I think you will find great advice in my other post, "Raw Til Dinner".

100% Raw Diet = High Failure Rate

Author Tom Billings from "Beyond Veg" details some common issues that many of these people run into. "Readers should be aware that 100% raw vegan diets have a dismal record of failure in the long-term. Surprisingly, mixed diets (i.e., raw plus cooked) have a better record of success, in the long-term, than do 100% raw diets." He then encourages "a DIVERSE diet that includes raw vegetables, fruits, sprouts, nuts, avocados, seeds, and if you are open to the possibility, other foods as well (e.g., cooked foods, raw dairy, raw honey, and even animal foods if you have no objections)...Diversity in diet is an important part of the solution to the calorie paradox, and food phobias or food obsessions (common problems in raw) are to be avoided." LINK