By Chris Teo, Ph.D

Cancer is a serious illness. It is also a “misrepresented and misunderstood” illness. Patients go to their doctors hoping to be cured of their cancers. Often, they failed to find that elusive cure. My experience showed me that those patients who have cancer for the first time and who have no relatives or friends with cancer before, have the misconceived notion that medical science can cure cancer. They would say: “What is the problem, with my money and the best doctors, the best hospitals and the best chemo-drugs, the problem can be easily fixed.”

For more than twelve years now, I have been involved with terminally ill cancer patients who come to seek my help after medical science have failed them. It is very frustrating to know that patients are just naïve. They went to their doctors with total belief and expectation that their cancer can be cured. They do not seem to understand that the responsibility to get well and to maintain their own health is with them, not the doctors. They prefer to leave everything to the so-called “experts.” The story below is one example of what I often encounter.

In March 2007, I received a phone call from a long-lost friend. He wanted me to help his wife, Betty (not real name) who had just been diagnosed with brain cancer. As I went through his wife’s medical history, it turned out to be more than a “sudden” diagnosis of brain cancer.

In 2001, when Betty was forty-five years old, she underwent a total hysterectomy due to a 20 x 22 cm left ovarian tumour. The surgeon did not recommend any follow up treatment after the surgery. The impression Betty had was that: “Everything is taken out and it is all clean.”

Everything seemed to be alright for Betty after this surgery. She did not go further than that and like most people, she was satisfied that she was well taken of. The surgery was the “proven” answer to her problem.

In early 2004, Betty had difficulty moving her bowels. A big tumour was found in her colon and she underwent a surgery to remove it. The histopathology report dated 27 April 2004 indicated that her colon was distended up to the terminal ileum. The splenic flexure showed a tight stricture resulting in a blind loop gut. Betty was eventually diagnosed with a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the colon, stage B. Since no lymph nodes were involved, the surgeon did not see any need to give her any follow up treatment. Betty was again given the impression that everything was well taken of.

Three years later, in March 2007, Betty had headaches and lost her balance when walking. She also vomited. MRI of Betty’s brain on 26 March 2007, showed the presence of “an irregular 3.2 x 3.0 x 1.8 cm loculated enhancing lesion in the left cerebellum. There was associated surrounding edema with compression of the midline structures.” Doctors advised immediate surgery. The surgeon impressed upon the husband that without immediate surgery Betty’s cancer would spread like wild fire.

Betty’s husband came to seek my advice. I cautioned that resection of the tumour from the brain might not solve her problem. It could worsen the situation. Most probably the tumour would recur and often very soon too. In addition, a CT scan showed that there was a 3 x 3.8 cm mass at the base of Betty’s right lung. There was also a 5 mm hypodense nodule in segment 4 of her liver. Betty also had gallstone. So to say that the cancer can spread fast is ill founded – for the cancer had already spread to her lung and liver.

Based on the “fear” expounded by the doctors, Betty underwent surgery. Histopathology report dated 2 April 2007 confirmed “tubulovillous adenocarcinoma metastatic to the brain, consistent with primary in the colon.”

After surgery, Betty was asked to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Betty was told that if she did not go for chemotherapy she would have only six months to live. With chemotherapy and radiotherapy Betty could expect to live for another two to three years. She would need six to eight cycles of chemotherapy, at about RM 2,000 per cycle. Since Betty was told that her cancer could not be cured, she declined further medical treatment. Betty was started on herbs on 8 April 2007. After the surgery, she appeared normal and was able to eat well. However, her husband noticed the change of mood in her. She had bad temper, often had mood swings and did not want to socialize. She seemed to have memory loss. In short, Betty after surgery was not like the Betty before the surgery.

Barely two months later, Betty felt dizzy and nauseaous again – the very symptoms she had before being diagnosed with brain tumour. She would vomit even with the slightest smell of herbs. MRI of the brain on 11 June 2007, showed the presence of a “large irregular 3 x 4 cm mass in the left cerebellum. A similar 1.5 x 1.5 cm area was seen in the left temporal lobe. Surrounding edema was noted. The 4th ventricle was slightly compressed.” The radiologist concluded: “Left temporal and cerebellar metastasis.”

Betty remained at home under hospice care. She vomited everything that was put into her mouth. She felt dizzy with the slightest of movement and she was not able to move her bowels. Unfortunately, there was nothing much that could be done.

For more information about complementary cancer therapy visit: http://www.cacare.com, http://www.NaturalHealingForYou.com, http://www.BookOnCancer.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Teo,_Ph.D.

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Colon and rectal cancer is the third most common cancer for both men and women in the US. This year, nearly 150,000 people will be diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer and over 50,000 people will die from the disease. Some strides have been made in prevention, and fewer cases are being diagnosed each year.

In the past few years, colorectal cancer screening has been responsible for reducing the number of incidences and deaths from this disease. Colo-rectal screening allows doctors to find small polyps in the colon and rectum and remove them. Left in the colon, these polyps often turn into cancer.

Colo-rectal screening also helps doctors find cancer in earlier stages, when treatments are more likely to be successful. In addition, colo-rectal cancer treatments have improved, reducing the mortality rate from this form of cancer.

But, as with any serious illness, we are also consistently looking for ways to prevent colo-rectal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the most important steps you can take to prevent colo-rectal cancer are:

Get tested – In most cases, it is recommended that you get your first colo-rectal screening at age 50. However, if you have a family history of the disease, it may be recommended that you begin at an earlier age.

Eat right and exercise – The American Cancer society recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and limiting your intake of high fat foods. Some studies also suggest that folic acid and calcium supplements can lower your risk.

In addition to eating properly, it’s also important to get regular exercise. Thirty minutes of exercise a day 5 days a week can help lower your risk of many diseases, including colo-rectal cancer. Being overweight is a risk factor for colo-rectal cancer, so be sure that you maintain a normal weight.

Stop smoking – Smokers have a 30-40% greater likelihood of developing colo-rectal cancer than non-smokers. Most people know that smoking increases their risk of lung cancer, but many are unaware at how significantly smoking increases your colo-rectal cancer risks.

Are other lifestyle habits increasing my risk?

There have been questions about other habits and whether or not they can increase your risk of colo-rectal cancer. One of the most commonly questioned habits is drinking caffeine.

One study, reported by the UK Tea Council, attempted to answer this question. The study observed men and women beginning in the early 1980s, and continuing on until 1998. The study observed dietary habits, other factors, among them caffeine consumption through drinking coffee or tea. Throughout the course of the study, just over 1400 cases of colo-rectal cancer were observed.

The study noted no increase in the incidence of colo-rectal cancer in those people who drank tea or coffee over those who did not consume these caffeinated beverages. So, researchers concluded that drinking tea and coffee with caffeine is perfectly safe and does not increase your colo-rectal cancer risk.

However, one additional finding in the study is particularly interesting. While the study did not find that drinking caffeinated beverages increased your colo-rectal cancer risk, it did find that drinking decaffeinated coffee seemed to actually lower your risk of rectal cancer over those people who never drank decaffeinated coffee.

This finding is surprising, as little research has been performed on any health benefits associated with decaffeinated beverages. Why the decaffeinated coffee offered protection is unclear, as is whether this protection extends to other decaffeinated beverages, such as tea.

As with most research conclusions, more studies and conclusions are needed before we fully understand the ramifications of drinking coffee and tea, whether caffeinated or not. As years go on, we’ll have better direction on how to use such beverages to protect our health and reduce our risks.

In the meantime, it appears that drinking your favorite caffeinated beverages is safe. This is good news for coffee and tea drinkers, whose beverage consumption mostly consists of these two drinks.

And, there’s reason to believe that there might be health benefits associated with these beverages. Both coffee and tea are good sources of anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are important because they neutralize the free radicals created by our bodies during the digestion process.

Left unchecked, these free radicals cause disease and aging. But, with the proper dose of daily anti-oxidants, we can prevent the damage that free radicals can do.

If you’re interested in increasing your anti-oxidant intake, start by ensuring that your diet is loaded with fruits and vegetables. Some of the best fruit and vegetable sources are blueberries, artichokes, asparagus, tomatoes, strawberries and pomegranates.

But, the easiest way to get your daily anti-oxidants might just be to drink one of the world’s most popular beverages. That’s right, tea; particularly green tea, offers some of the best anti-oxidant protection you’ll ever find. Green tea’s most important anti-oxidant is EGCG, which has been linked with preventing, and even treating many forms of disease.

Green tea has been linked to preventing cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. It is also thought to naturally regulate blood sugar and help in weight management. It’s likely the world’s most perfect beverage – low in caffeine and rich in protection.

Preventing cancer is something all of us are concerned with. Even if you have a higher than average risk of developing colo-rectal cancer, it seems you’re safe drinking your coffee and tea. However, your best bet for beverages just might be decaffeinated coffee and green tea to prevent this and other forms of disease.

About the Author:

Marcus Stout is President of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, green tea and wu long tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

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