Among those who have tried alternative protocols include actors, presidents, and technology geniuses. As with any cancer treatment – conventional or alternative – there are no guarantees, but it does raise the interesting question of why. Why, with advances in conventional medical technology, would those with the most exceptional healthcare access choose to look outside the box?

What's interesting is how this may or may not have influenced conventional medicine to begin rethinking how they view the treatment of cancer. For instance, an industry that used to destroy the immune system with chemotherapy now recognizes that building the immune system and overall health aids in the efficacy of conventional treatments.

In more recent years, it's come to replace the old methods, as was the case with President Jimmy Carter. His melanoma was treated exclusively with immunotherapy-, an approach holistic medicine has been touting for years. 

Olivia Newton-John

Diagnosis: breast cancer
Treatment: conventional and alternative medicine
Outcome: 30-year survivor

The co-star opposite John Travolta in the musical Grease has been battling breast cancer for nearly 30 years. During those three decades, she's learned not to rely solely on the advice and treatments of conventional medicine. 

Diagnosed in 1992, Newton-John had the entire arsenal of cancer assault mechanisms known to conventional medicine – mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. Her cancer returned twice since, and she has decided against chemotherapy. And while Newton-John has incorporated radiation into her regimen, she's also emphasized a more holistic approach to what is now Stage IV cancer. By integrating holistic medicine practices, she's helped strengthen immunity, fight pain, and, she hopes, kill cancer.

These alternative treatments include extracts from cannabis and certain mushrooms, Vitamin B17, Vitamin D, and high doses of Vitamin C.

Newton-John has since opened the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Heidelberg, Australia. Patients receive an integrative approach to cancer treatment that incorporates conventional treatment with holistic practices.

Fran Drescher

The Jewish-American actress with the distinctive voice is famous twice: first for her semi-autobiographical show The Nanny and then for her resolute response to a cancer diagnosis.

During her final season of The Nanny in 1999, Drescher was beginning a new season of life and starting a new journey with her health.  

Eventually recognized by doctors as uterine cancer, her condition was addressed as peri-menopausal. This misdiagnosis delayed the treatment she needed while subjecting her body to treatments she did not need.

When she finally emerged from this long dark period of her life – which included a radical hysterectomy – Drescher found herself with a story to tell and a movement to lead. Her experience led to writing a book, Cancer Schmancer, and launching a foundation by the same name.  

Her celebrity became her platform not to raise money for foundations or institutions but rather to encourage reform in the way American's treated their health. She's using her platform to help people battle cancer before it begins by addressing lifestyle changes – diet, exercise, stress level, etc.

She supports a holistic view of medical care, strengthening the body to fight for itself rather than relying solely on what she calls the American “sick care system.”

Suzanne Somers

Following Suzanne Somers' breast cancer diagnosis in 2001, she addressed it the way most women do – surgery to remove tumors and radiation to zap the remaining cancer cells. But she decided against chemotherapy.

Instead of decimating her immune system, she decided to strengthen her body's natural defenses. The approach allowed her to weaken and kill cancer cells lurking in the shadows. She turned to a little-known drug called Iscador, a mistletoe extract that's shown in studies to kill cancer and bolster immunities. 

Through the years since her diagnosis, the Three's Company star has interviewed dozens of patients and doctors about cancer prevention through diet, detox, and natural cancer treatment protocols. She details her findings in the book Knock Out.

Ronald Reagan

The 40th President of the United States was famously diagnosed with bouts of skin cancer, which he had surgically removed. And then, amid The Cold War tensions between the United States and Russia, President Reagan faced a threat from the inside. Inside his colon. Doctors identified and removed a cancerous polyp to prevent spread.  

So just weeks into his second term, surgeons resected two feet of The Gipper's large intestine. What isn't as widely known about the POTUS is that he decided against chemotherapy or radiation. 

There are reports that Reagan received intravenous treatments of laetrile, a compound also known as Amygdalin found in the seeds of apricots and other fruits. Reagan also may have received oxygen therapy. 

Jimmy Carter

In 2015 Jimmy Carter sought treatment for metastatic melanoma using immune mechanisms that the natural cancer treatment community has highlighted for decades.

Utilizing the immunotherapy drug Keytruda, doctors made Carter's natural immune defenses “smarter” and more precise in attacking the abnormal cell growth in his brain and liver. Only a handful of years ago, conventional medicine would have performed a widespread annihilation of Carter's immune system while trying to wipe out cancer with chemical warfare and radiation. 

At 91 years old, Carter likely would not have even survived conventional cancer treatment – let alone cancer he was trying to treat. Now the mainstream medical community is developing and patenting drugs to strengthen and enhance the immune system. These modalities allow the body to fight without chemicals and procedures that would weaken its natural defenses.

Natural formulations like Beta 1 3D Beta Glucan and other natural immune-enhancing supplements have worked effectively by similarly helping the immune system target foreign bodies, including abnormal cell growth.

Immunotherapy in modern oncology is an encouraging development that affirms at least some practices of holistic medicine. The approach signals a turning point for conventional methods that historically have been governed more by industrial modalities than by health-focused innovation.

Tommy Chong

The Chong half of the 1970s comedy duo Cheech & Chong, Tommy Chong, says prison gave him prostate cancer, and his reason for jail time, in part, provided what he has called the cure. In 2003 he served 9 months for selling pot pipes and says he can trace his slow-growing prostate cancer to his time in prison. 

“I was totally healthy when I went in jail … and then while I was in jail, I was clean as a whistle, and I started having problems with my prostate,” he said in an interview with CNN. “So, yeah, I think I got [cancer] there.”

When he was diagnosed with the disease several years later, the then 74-year-old said he had given up smoking marijuana. But then he started using the plant in the form of suppositories to “treat” his cancer. 

Whatever Chong's motive in utilizing cannabis during his battle with cancer, the actor might have benefited himself in the fight. Some studies have shown that cannabinoids, chemicals found in cannabis, might program specific prostate cancer cells to stop growing and multiplying.   

Steve Jobs

The illustrious mind behind Apple Inc. is perhaps viewed with the most medical suspicion among the many celebrities to address their cancer diagnosis with unconventional treatments.

Jobs undoubtedly is among the best known of these celebrities, in part because of the lengthy Walter Isaacson biography that detailed Jobs' diagnosis, subsequent treatment plans, and final years of life. And because of his illness, he also very visibly stepped down from his responsibilities as CEO of the most innovative tech company in history. 

So why would this technological genius eschew the medical technology available at the time to treat him? As he did with most areas of his life, Steve Jobs approached his diet and health in somewhat quirky ways. While working at Atari, for instance, he reportedly denounced daily showers and deodorant, believing that his diet would keep him from needing those conventional hygiene regimens.

So in 2003, when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while being scanned for kidney stones, he followed the path he'd followed most of his life: the road less traveled. Instead of pursuing the conventional route of surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, Jobs attacked his diagnosis by strengthening his body's ability to fight cancer. But this was not a haphazard decision. After all, the rare form of pancreatic cancer – islet cell carcinoma – was slow-growing and highly treatable.

He consulted with some of the best medical minds available. Still, he concluded that he would aggressively change his lifestyle instead of being cut open or zapped. About a recommended surgical procedure, he told one confidante: “I really didn't want them to open up my body.” 

It's easy to suggest that Jobs was just stubborn in his initial refusal of conventional medical treatments. His stubbornness and individuality branched into every decision he made. He also weighed the detriment of gambling with chemicals and surgery and the limits they might place on his ability to perform at optimal levels for whatever years he had left. 

There are few details available about exactly what Jobs did during the months that he treated his cancer. He was a relatively private man, but a few things are clear.

The lifelong adherent to a mostly plant-based diet became even more restrictive in his veganism and added to this discipline a regular intake of herbs, botanicals, and juices. He visited acupuncturists and also explored the spiritual side of physical healing.

Nine months into this treatment, a scan revealed his tumor had grown and had likely moved outside the pancreas. Perhaps he was disappointed, but he wasn't defeated. He finally went in for the recommended surgery to have the tumor removed. Then he turned his attention and vast resources to pursuing cutting edge, experimental treatments through MIT and Harvard. Among the testing was genetic sequencing of the tumor to treat it at the molecular level.   

“I'm either going to be one of the first to be able to outrun a cancer like this, or I'm going to be one of the last to die from it,” Jobs told Isaacson in early 2011. “Either among the first to make it to share or the last to get dumped.”

Coretta Scott King

After fighting alongside husband Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the struggle for civil rights, Coretta Scott King faced a battle with ovarian cancer in 2005. The diagnosis came while recovering from a stroke.

Doctors in the United States gave her very little hope for successful treatment through conventional medicine. So, she traveled to a clinic in Mexico, hoping alternative medical options might provide more promise. 

Sadly, Mrs. King was unable to make it to the treatment given the advanced stage of her diagnosis and other health issues. She passed away at the clinic in 2005.

Steve McQueen

After making his film debut in 1953, Hollywood Legend Steve McQueen would go on to star in dozens of successful films and television shows. For more than two decades, McQueen made a name for himself as a rugged, tough guy on screen and in the Hollywood hills.

In 1979, doctors detected a cancerous mass on his lungs. McQueen's military career exposed him to asbestos, and a reported two-pack-per-day cigarette habit contributed to the mesothelioma that set up in his lungs.

McQueen and his medical team determined no conventional medical intervention could treat his cancer. He sought the opinion of alternative medicine practitioners, including a clinic in Juarez, Mexico. 

At the clinic, he was on a regimen of organic foods, high doses of vitamins, and intramuscular injection of animal cells. These increased the production of interferon, a protein that enables the body's natural defenses to ward off viruses and, presumably, fight cancer. 

Already weak from aggressive cancer, McQueen was recovering after surgery to remove a cancerous mass pressing on his lungs. He suffered an embolism that took his life less than one year after diagnosis.

Farrah Fawcett

In 2006 the Charlie's Angels star was diagnosed with Anal Cancer, a form of cancer caused by an anal infection of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Fawcett's cancer went into remission following conventional treatment. But then cancer returned, so she turned to alternative therapies available in Germany.

Trying to avoid surgery that would require the use of a colostomy bag, she made six trips to Germany for treatments. Unfortunately, the disease spread to her liver during this time, and treatments became ineffective. She died of cancer in 2009.

Sharyn Wynters

Diagnosis: cancer and other health issues
Treatment: aggressive holistic diet and removal of toxins
Outcome: cancer survivor of more than 30 years

More than 30 years ago, Sharyn Wynters' life took a sharp turn after receiving some dire news about her health. She'd been Miss Pennsylvania, played a role in the original Batman television series, and was a successful fashion model. But then, in her 20s and with her career on the rise, she became a cancer patient.

Doctors painted a grim portrait of her future as they described the disease. Wynters, however, did not take this news with resignation. Instead, the career detour became a destination.

Instead of taking the absolute word of conventional medicine, Wynters was empowered to take control of the diagnosis. She began removing toxins from her household, cosmetics, clothing, foods, and even from the fillings in her teeth. Through whole-food and toxin-free living, Wynters saw her health slowly improve as she held cancer at bay.

During the course of recovery, she was immersed in the study of complementary medicine and became a practitioner herself, empowering others to take control of their health.

Lourdes Reynolds

Diagnosis: Hodgkin's lymphoma 2010
Treatment: vegan diet, aggressive lifestyle changes, complementary medicine
Outcome: survivor of more than a decade

At the height of her career, actress Lourdes Reynolds already had appeared in multiple television series and had recently landed an acting role on the CBS series Without a Trace. But in 2010, she also was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

She was given two options by her doctors: A) do nothing and let the cancer run its course or B) submit to conventional treatments that could include chemotherapy or radiation. Reynolds decided to pursue her own option: C) strengthen her own body’s ability to fight back by changing her lifestyle and her diet.

But instead of battling cancer behind the scenes and behind closed doors, Reynolds and her husband decided this battle was important to show the world, documenting step by step along the way of her treatment and recovery. The documentaries Create Option C and Option C chronicle Reynolds' life before cancer and the bold decision to forego conventional medicine.

She armed herself with knowledge about gene expressions, the mechanisms by which cancer “turns on.” She discovered research about the relationship between environment, diet, and lifestyle and the activation of certain gene expressions that produce abnormal cell growth. Through her vegan diet and a number of other radical changes in her day to day living, Reynolds has been successful in warding off what was once a death sentence.

Don Imus

Diagnosis: prostate cancer
Treatment: holistic medicine and dietary modifications
Outcome: lived for 10 years after diagnosis

A popular radio talkshow host of more than four decades, Don Imus was no stranger to controversy. And when diagnosed with Stage II prostate cancer in 2009, he embraced the controversy of a treatment regimen that veered away from conventional radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery in favor of a holistic approach.

Imus had struggled with alcoholism and had, in his final years, also suffered from emphysema. He had adopted a vegetarian diet in the early 1990s. Following his cancer diagnosis, he added such dietary items as habanero peppers and Japanese soy supplements.

For more than a decade Imus and his wife had hosted children with cancer at their New Mexico ranch, where these kids did manual labor and ultimately competed in a rodeo. Perhaps he decided that he’d rather fight cancer on his own terms – the way one might tame a horse, an animal Imus had both cherished and been injured by through the years. After 10 years, though, Imus succumbed to cancer in combination with other health issues.

Angie Lima

Diagnosis: breast cancer
Treatment: both conventional and complementary
Outcome: cancer survivor

When Angie Lima was diagnosed at 33 with breast cancer, she recalled stories of the grandfather she never met. He died of lung cancer before Angie was born. The chemotherapy and radiation he underwent ravaged and weakened his body; she vowed never to subject herself to these types of toxic treatment regimens.

As an avid and health-conscious athlete, Angie faced her diagnosis the way she faced any competitive challenge – with full attention and vigor. She pursued every possible holistic treatment possibility. This, of course, included a strict whole-food diet and incorporating essential oils, herbs, and other non-conventional treatments.

Eventually, though, she did use a number of other therapies including hypnotherapy, chemotherapy, IV therapy, immunotherapy, light therapy, and ultimately a mastectomy. She also maintains a strong faith in God as the ultimate healer of any disease.

Her cancer journey is chronicled in the documentary Hope for Breast Cancer.

The post Celebrities who sought natural cancer treatments appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

In a time of need, are you prepared to care for a family member or friend?

There are many types of caregivers. The needs of each are unique. But at the heart of caregiving is compassion for a fellow human being.

As we will layout, there is no one way to be a caregiver. We will address four key topics – what a caregiver is, communication, caregiving self-care, and resources – and explain the importance of mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

Now, you may be wondering, “How hard can it be?” Extremely. Bathing, dressing, using the restroom, diet, nutrition, and finances – all of these are essential to everyday life. For someone in need of care, these can be life-and-death decisions.

A caregiver generally is not a medical professional. We will offer tips on how to communicate with a healthcare team. (And do not be afraid to ask questions!)

During your time as a caregiver, it’s important to remember your feelings, your emotions, your life. Being a caregiver can be an emotional roller coaster, making it difficult to balance caregiver duties with your other life responsibilities.

But you can do this! Throughout this guide, keep in mind that we don’t have all the answers. Each caregiver situation is unique, but our experts do offer a broad overview of the process.

Communication is key. If you feel trapped with no one to talk to, know there is help. Take advantage of the resources in this guide. Remember: You’re always one of only four kinds of people in the world.

Caregiver 101

This article is a reference, not necessarily something you need to read top to bottom, though, you could! Its aim is to help caregivers navigate their role as efficiently and practically as possible while also giving them the support they need to be the best caregivers they can be.

Topics include:

What is a caregiver?
This section provides information on who a caregiver is/can be and what their role is in the patient's cancer journey including assisting with the patients’ physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs.

Communication
We cover how to effectively communicate with patients who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, and treatment choices. It also covers how to be a patient's advocate in communication with their medical team to be sure the patient's wishes are being heard. Lastly, it covers how to speak with other family and friends in sharing the patient's cancer journey and balancing the needs of the patient with the needs and desires of friends and family.

Caregiving Self-care
You'll need to take care of yourself, too! Caring for a loved one with cancer can be confusing and exhausting mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We share tips you can use to keep yourself as healthy as possible so that you can put your best foot forward for the patient through their cancer journey.

Caregiving Resources
Offering online resources and support for caregivers and provides tools for finding local support and resources.

This article is intended to equip caregivers with helpful information and practical tools to fulfill the needs of both the patient and themselves, including:

• a better understanding of what your loved one is experiencing;
• practical ways to support your loved one; 
• ways to communicate with the patient, medical teams, and other family and friends;
• keeping your needs in sight;  
• resources for getting support in your caregiving efforts.

Cancer Tutor encourages caregivers to take control of the situation, to not allow circumstances to dictate your physical and emotional well-being. Empowering yourself begins now.

• Download .pdf: Support Team | Caregiver Plan

Understanding your role as a caregiver

“The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else.”
― Carson McCullers, The Square Root of Wonderful

A caregiver is a person who provides practical, physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual support to a cancer patient. People who fill this role can range from spouses to family members, friends, or members of the community. Care levels can range from regular visits and check-ups with the patient, to providing 24-hour care. 

What does a caregiver do?

Dee Braun, who is in the natural health field, has experience being a caregiver for cancer patients. She shares her experience:

“If the cancer patient is doing well, obviously it wouldn't need to be a 24-hour job. But, they are the person who sees and hears the most about what the patient is going through. They are the one who is – for those of us who are parents, it is very similar to parenting. Take your medicine, yes you need to eat. Listening to thoughts and questions, and regrets and everything that a cancer patient may not want to talk about.

“It can be physical like carry oxygen tanks, helping the patient in and out of chairs, in and out of bed, help them bathe, help them in the shower. Helping with wheelchairs and walkers.”

Responsibilities can include daily tasks such as dressing, giving medication, meal preparation, accompanying a patient to a medical appointment, or offering emotional support when a patient needs it. 

Caregiver responsibilities can include some, or all, of the following:

Physical health

Physical care will depend on the needs of the patient. Some ways in which a caregiver can help with the patient's physical needs include:

Medical interventions and medications 

A patient may need a nurse to manage wound care, medical equipment or other medical interventions. Learn about the medications and procedures the patient is currently receiving and ask questions to the medical care team to learn what they are and what they do. The patient may also be taking medication for other chronic ailments like high blood pressure or diabetes. The more you know, the easier it will be for you to understand what is happening on a daily basis for the patient, and, the easier you will be able to perform your caregiving goals. 

A list of medical topics that are helpful for you to know include:

• specific diagnosis and staging
• medications
• any side effects the patient may experience and how to manage them 
• length of any treatments
• any risks and benefits of a specific treatment 
• other treatments that may be available to the patient
• where you can receive more information
• a medical team contact if you have any questions

Comfort 

Depending on how mobile your patient is, physical care may include helping the patient move around in bed, offering gentle massage, assisting with getting dressed, or getting a blanket or pillows. Help with pain management may also play a role. Learn what helps, and when pain medications or other treatments are necessary.

Nutrition 

A healthy diet can give a cancer patient a running start through, and beyond, treatment. Make nutritionally dense, whole foods regularly available to your patient. Certain treatments can cause a patient to feel nausea making it difficult for them to eat. Do your best to offer them simple, easy on the stomach food choices. In some cases, food is being used as a means of treating cancer. If this is the case for your patient, learn all you can about their chosen diet so you can help them fulfill the diet requirements.

Exercise 

Depending on your patient's physical abilities, you will want to keep them as active as they can be throughout treatment. Short walks, chair exercises, light hand weights, and even yoga may all be appropriate.

Sleep 

Healing from cancer takes a lot of energy. Cancer patients need their sleep. Sometimes, it will seem they sleep a lot. This isn't surprising for someone who is on a healing journey. Encourage your patients to get regular sleep and all the naps they need to feel well-rested.

Mental health

Keeping a clear mind can be very difficult for a cancer patient. Helping them stay organized and helping with reminders for medications, doctors appointments, and other things can relieve a huge burden for the patient, so they can put that energy toward healing.

To add to the pressure of some cancer patients, they may experience what is known as, “chemo brain”. The Mayo Clinic describes the chemo brain as, “a common term used by cancer survivors to describe thinking and memory problems that can occur during and after cancer treatment. Chemo brain can also be called chemo fog, cancer-related cognitive impairment or cognitive dysfunction.”

This can be incredibly frustrating and debilitating to the patient, and caregivers need to keep their condition top of mind when communicating with the patient. If a patient is dealing with chemo brain it is important to keep track of any symptoms they may be having in order to report them to their healthcare team.

Emotional health

It is important to be aware of the state of your patient's mental health. Experiencing an emotional low can be expected in newly diagnosed cancer patients. However, sometimes, it can be more than just a situational low. Do they seem angry? Anxious? Depressed? If so, follow up with encouraging them to get professional help. Taking care of mental health issues as early as possible will go a long way in the patient managing treatment and recovery effectively.

Spiritual health

Today, there is a large body of research that supports the idea that spiritual well being can contribute directly to healing. Prayer, meditation, mindfulness, and other tools, along with having a strong spiritual support community has been proven to directly affect health in a positive way.

Helping with treatment decisions

More often than not, a patient can be so overwhelmed with information and emotional and mental distractions that they will need help making decisions. Remember, you are part of a team. Get all the facts straight and present them to the patient in as clear a manner as possible.

In the end, it is the cancer patient who must make the final decisions in relation to their treatments. Making these decisions can mean giving the patient a feeling that they are being proactive and can help them feel more in control of their situation. It is important to be supportive of their decisions.

Making a caregiver plan

There are several things to think about when creating a caregiver plan for your patient. This guide supplies a Caregiver Plan Worksheet below that you can use to keep track of some of the caregiving responsibilities, help you document important information, stay organized, and make the job of caregiving more manageable.

Communication strategies

“As your care recipient’s advocate, be involved, don’t accept the status quo, and don’t be afraid to voice your concerns.”
― Nancy L. Kriseman, Mindful Caregiver: Finding Ease in the Caregiving Journey

Talking with the cancer patient

A cancer diagnosis can stir many different feelings in a patient and their family. Feelings of fear, sadness, anger, and helplessness are extremely common. Honest, productive communication can help temper some of these feelings. Having a caregiver provide practical support along with a comforting presence can be invaluable for a patient. 

Cancer and natural integrative treatments

Understand that the ultimate health care decisions are to be made by the patient. As a caregiver, it can be difficult when you believe a different treatment than what they’ve chosen is better, especially when it comes to unconventional treatments.

Natural health advocate Dee Braun explores how to approach this topic with the patient:

“Well, first of all, do your own research and have the information, take notes, bookmark websites and let them know what you found. You are not talking them into anything. You are providing information and present it to them and then realize that that is all you can do. You cannot make up their minds for them. You cannot talk them into taking the natural route. You cannot change them into staying away from chemo by saying it's poison. You cannot resent it if that's what they chose. Your role and the role of all family and friends are to present solid information and support their choices because it is their life, not yours.”

Some ways you can provide open, effective communication include:

Allowing the patient to guide conversations 

Let them decide what they'd like to talk about. Don't pressure the patient to talk about something they aren't ready or willing to discuss. Let them set the pace of their own openness.

Choosing your words carefully 

Expressing acknowledgment of how difficult the experience is for the patient can go a long way. This can include saying something as simple as, “That must be really hard,” instead of, “I know how you feel.”

Honesty 

Honesty opens the way for better communication, though, it is important not to dwell too much on your own struggles. Be brief and then make space for moving the conversation on. If you are at a loss for words, tell them that instead of avoiding them. Sometimes sharing silence is the best approach.

Indirect communication 

What you don't say can be just as important as what you do say. While offering verbal support to the patient is a start, it is also important to show them that the line of communication is open. Simple gestures like eye contact, facial expressions, and even just having a physical presence can convey your support.

Listening 

Sometimes a patient just needs an ear. This can also be helpful for you as the caregiver. Listening allows you to connect with the patient's experience. Give your full attention and don't worry about how to respond. Just listen.

More to life 

Encourage talking about topics you know the patient enjoys, or topics about ‘regular' life. This can give them a sense of normalcy and continuity.

Encouraging life involvement 

Help the patient keep engaged in life, in whatever capacity they are able. Promote active participation in household chores, errands, appointments, school, pets, and community functions. This can help a patient feel like they are still participating in life, despite their diagnosis and treatment.

Talking with the healthcare team

Effective communication between caregivers and patients and the medical team can be critical to the best outcomes, both physically and emotionally, for the patient. Keep an open dialog going with the medical team so they can better understand the patient’s wants, needs, and feelings. A caregiver can be an effective advocate for a patient by:

Being Present

Being present at appointments or during other times when the patient interacts with their healthcare team offers both support to the patient, as well as a second set of ears to sort through the medical details.

Identifying yourself as a caregiver 

When the medical team recognizes you as a caregiver you are providing them with a communication point that extends beyond the patient. With the patient’s permission, they will be able to share medical details with you to help you give the best care you can give.

Listening 

Listening carefully to what the medical team says is important in understanding the medical care choices of the team. Taking notes can be helpful, here, as sometimes it's hard to remember or understand what they say. This will give you the opportunity to do any research you would like to do so you can best understand the care they are giving the patient. It is also helpful so you are able to better explain to the patient what is happening as, sometimes, the patient is overwhelmed and doesn't have much mental room for details.

Ask questions 

Don't be afraid to ask questions if you or the patient are confused or don't understand something. Ask questions the patient has shared with you if they are unable, as well as any questions you may have, yourself. Again, two heads are better than one and more ground can be covered so you have a broader, more accurate perspective and understanding of the situation.

Medical team contact 

Be sure to document contact information for medical care team members in case you have any questions or concerns that need to be quickly addressed.

Talking with family and friends

As the patient's caregiver, you may be the liaison between the patient and the rest of their family and friends. In this capacity, a caregiver may need to convey important information about the patient to others. Effective ways to communicate with other family members and friends in a caregiver capacity may include:

Giving medical updates 

This is where keeping notes come in handy. Giving family members regular updates can keep curiosity and concern satisfied and help family and friends process the situation, as needed.

Take the lead in communication

Some family and friends may avoid communication with the patient as they are unsure of what to say or how to help. Allowing them the space to talk about it can be therapeutic for them. It can also open the door for more natural discussion beyond cancer.

Let them help you 

If other family members or friends offer to help you, accept their help. There are many opportunities where they can help alleviate some of your responsibilities including running errands, helping with household chores, preparing meals, and even providing some respite so you can take some necessary time for yourself and the rest of your family. Just say yes!

Speaking with children 

Even without being told, children are surprisingly sensitive to what goes on around them. You may want to protect a child from a situation, but talking about it openly is almost always the best way to move forward. Communication with children need not be complicated. Simply explaining the basic situation and what is happening to their loved one can open the way for children to express their thoughts and feelings. It shows them you are open to listening to them and answering any questions they may have.

Caring for the caregiver 

“Many caregivers share that they often feel alone, isolated, and unappreciated. Mindfulness can offer renewed hope for finding support and value for your role as a caregiver.”
― Nancy L. Kriseman, Mindful Caregiver: Finding Easecb: Finding Ease in the Caregiving Journey

Importance of self-care

Don't forget about you! If you are not taking care of yourself first, it will be almost impossible to care for anyone else. Giving yourself the things you need is critical to being there for your cancer patient for the long haul. 

You need to consider several areas for self-care including physical care, mental care, emotional care, and spiritual care.

Physical health

Nutrition

Eating well can go a long way in giving your body the nutrients it needs to offer the best in both physical and mental care. Choosing nutrient-dense foods like vegetables and fruits often will help supply you with the energy and nutrients you need to keep physically healthy. Choosing a variety of vegetables and fruits daily can help you fulfill the nutritional requirements of many different vitamins and minerals so you can think less about what you're eating, and more about caregiving. Choosing more whole foods can also make it easier as they don't require much effort to prepare. Ways you can eat better include planning meals ahead of time, preparing a variety of fruits and vegetables, consume ‘good' fats, limit alcohol, salt, and sugar, avoid skipping meals.

Exercising

Take regular breaks to keep your body moving. Regular walks can go a long way in getting the circulation going, moving muscles, and even clearing your mind. Yoga can also be extremely helpful. If you find it difficult to take enough time away from the patient, try chair exercises. You can find instructions online.

Dee Braun shares her experience on fitting exercise in, as a caregiver:

“Actually, I would highly suggest that you talk the patient into getting a rebounder if they don't already, and you bounce on it too. It is low impact, it is good for you. It burns more calories than jogging without harming your joints. It's fun, and you can put on music or headphones for 5 minutes and dance around there like an idiot and it is amazing how much stress that relieves. Going for a walk, as I mentioned before. Put on a TV show that you both like, preferably a comedy, and laugh. Laugh. Some of my best memories with Ray are watching really dumb shows that I don't even like, you know, but they were funny and they gave us a brief break from all of this seriousness and the darkness.”

Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week. Work up to it, if you need to start slowly.

Sleep

Just like a cancer patient, the caregiver needs to get enough sleep to offer their best to the patient. Get your eight hours a night, and, don't be afraid to take cat naps if you feel they are necessary. Trust and listen to your body.

Mental health – stress and burnout 

Stress is an inevitable part of being a caregiver. Most people can handle minimal levels of stress, but filling a caregiver role can turn it up a notch. Fear and uncertainty, feeling overwhelmed with tasks, and financial pressures can all contribute to your level of stress. Unhealthy stress levels can lead to physical, mental, and emotional burnout. It can sneak up on you, especially when you are feeling overwhelmed, helpless, or depressed. 

Ways to avoid, or manage stress can include:

Recognize the signs 

Knowing what to look for is key to the effective management of stress. Symptoms may include headaches, weight fluctuation, fatigue, muscle tension, sleeping problems, and a lowered immune function.

Just say no 

Keep ‘no' in your vocabulary. When other family members request your energy or attention and you either can't give it, or don't want to give it, say no. This will avoid miscommunication, guilt, and resentment while not contributing to your stress levels. Be honest. Most times, family and friends will understand.

Me time 

Take time for yourself. Fill it with whatever you want to do, whether it's visiting someone, going for a walk, watching a movie, reading, being with animals, shopping, or even doing absolutely nothing. 

Counselor Jessica Drake, MAPPC states, “Self-care is really important so, anything the person enjoyed doing before they were a caregiver – taking time to engage in what they enjoyed so they can kind of have a period of de-stressing and releasing all the tension and turmoil of being a caregiver. That can depend on the person, so that can be many different things.”

Take care of yourself 

Nutrition, fluids, exercise, and sleep can help to ward off burnout.

Relaxation and mindfulness 

Meditation, calming music, and deep breathing have all been shown to help lower stress levels.

Emotional health

Being a caregiver for a care patient can put you on an emotional roller coaster ride. There will be ups and downs that you will have to adjust to while helping the patient make the best decisions for their health and well being. Having a support system in place for yourself is critical in managing the emotional ups and downs you will feel. 

In her experience, Dee Braun shares her emotional struggles.

“You feel protectiveness, hopelessness, anger, annoyance. Of course, you try to hold your tongue because this person is battling a life-threatening illness and that can lead to resentment, shortened temper, you feel alone, nobody else understands, you feel you can't express yourself because you can't put anything else on the cancer patient – they've got enough to deal with. You're physically exhausted. You're mentally exhausted. You're emotionally exhausted and then that's just dealing with the patient. That doesn't include dealing with their family and their friends. So, and that also doesn't include dealing with the medical profession so you really – it's like a war zone sometimes, on several fronts and it just – is it's very difficult to describe to someone who hasn't been in that position. You really feel like you're the lifeline for the cancer patient and the cancer patient typically has a team – they have a family, they have a team of doctors, they have you, and you have no one. So you feel you're an island that has no support, and that nobody understands.”

Counselor Jessica Eisenbarth, MAPPC shares why caregivers tend not to reach out, and what they should:

“Reaching out to the community and looking for that support – sometimes you have to look for it – it won't generally just show up on your doorstep – you have to be willing to ask for help, and sometimes with caregivers – they tend to not want to reach out and ask for help from somebody else, but that's one of the things that they have to do. We have to lean on others, and especially when we are the primary caregiver for someone who is very, very ill, that's a prime time where we need somebody who we can lean on, at least emotionally, and be able to talk, at the very least because if we don't' we just become so repressed and that emotion and that trauma that we're going through have to come out in some way or somehow, and it can come out in unhealthy ways and it can cause us to become sick or ill or repressed. And so, I think reaching out is something that we can try to do as caregivers even though – the caregiver – that role, a lot of people in that role don't want to reach out because they don't want to be a burden and I think it's just something we have to change that paradigm of what a caregiver needs, or what our view is of it. I think reaching out is definitely needed.”

Some ways a caregiver can help themselves cope with their emotional well being include:

Caregiver support groups 

There are many reasons it is a good idea to join a support group. Support groups for caregivers allow people to share their experiences and feelings. Sometimes there are things that are difficult to share with family and friends which can create a sense of loneliness. Having a support group you can share with can give a caregiver a sense of belonging and help them feel like they are being understood. This can help relieve stress and help you cope in a healthy way. Find a group that resonates with your particular situation, your experiences, and how you are feeling. The more comfortable you are sharing, the better support you will receive from your peers.

List of caregiver support groups and resources

https://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/ – CancerSupportCommunity.org – Attend support groups, educational sessions, health, and wellness programs as well as find support, hope, and community. Our programs are free of charge to anyone affected by cancer, including patients, caregivers, loved ones and children.

http://www.4thangel.org/ – 4thAngel.org / 1-866-520-3197 – Mentoring program service matches both patients and caregivers with volunteer mentors who have been through similar situations.

https://www.inspire.com/ – Inspire / 1-800-945-0381 – Online caregiver community.

https://lotsahelpinghands.com/ – Lotsa Helping Hands – Resource to help caregivers organize and coordinate meals and help for family and friends.

https://news.cancerconnect.com/ – Cancer Connect – Message board for patients, advocates, caregivers, and professionals

https://www.cancercare.org/support_groups – CancerCare / 1-800-813-4673 and https://www.helpforcancercaregivers.org/ – Help for Cancer Caregivers – More support lists including online, telephone, and face-to-face support.

Seeking professional therapy 

Sometimes it is necessary to seek out professional care when stepping into the caregiver role. As Felipe in Hope for Breast Cancer says, reach out. Don't hesitate to take the step getting the professional help you may need to manage the many stresses and pressures associated with being a cancer patient caregiver.

Spiritual health

As with patients, spiritual well being can be a cornerstone in a caregiver's health and ability to cope. Some ways of creating spiritual well being include:

Attending church or a spiritual community 

Allowing yourself time to attend church or your spiritual community activities can help you stay connected with your beliefs and your spiritual community. It can also be a source for community support.

Prayer and/or meditation 

Studies show that prayer and/or meditation can affect physical change – quite literally. Take time daily for prayer and/or meditation practice.

Finding support (for you!)

“Caregiving often calls us to lean into love we didn’t know possible.”
― Tia Walker, from The Inspired Caregiver: Finding Joy While Caring for Those You Love

The earlier you ask for help, the better. Getting other family members and friends involved early can go far in allowing you to plan your time as effectively as possible.

Know your limitations. Asking others for help. 

Some ways a caregiver can recruit assistance in the patient's care include:

Making a list of friends and family 

Sit with the patient and make a list of friends and family who may be able to offer assistance. Don’t forget people in different areas of the patient's life including people at work, school, church, or other areas of the community in which they are active.

Reach out

Ask family and friends where they may be able to assist. Even if you don't use their help, it is good to know they are there. In most cases, people do want to help!

Be specific 

Be sure to be as specific as possible when requesting help. Do you need them to prepare a meal? Run an errand? Be at an appointment? Help with transportation? Help with paperwork? Spend time with the patient? Help with research? The more specific you are about your needs, the better chance you have of someone stepping in to help out.

Other responsibilities

Sometimes, it can be difficult to balance your caregiver duties with your other life responsibilities. Being a caregiver can take up a lot of time and can break up your day in ways that can disrupt your regular schedule. This can lead to feelings of distraction, anxiety, and being overwhelmed. These feelings can spread through all areas of your life.

Work

Balancing work and caregiving can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Some ways you may be able to better deal with both roles include:

Scheduling patient appointments during lunchtimes or breaks 

Doing this can help you keep your regular work hours, but it can also contribute to feeling overwhelmed as it takes away time you may need for yourself, so be careful.

Trade shifts with coworkers 

When it makes sense, switching shifts with flexible coworkers can go a long way in organizing and balancing your time.

Discuss your work options with management 

Can you work from home sometimes? Do they offer flex-time? Can you work at different hours, if necessary? Many companies are more than happy to help you make it work as it's easier to do this than to find someone else to fill your shift.

Caregiver medical leave 

See if your company offers medical leave for caregivers. In the U.S., this falls under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Family Responsibilities

Once your family members know you have taken on the role of cancer patient-caregiver they will know that your time and energy will be split between family responsibilities and your caregiving role. One way to manage the balance is to see your current family life responsibilities as a team effort. Delegating home and family responsibilities between family members can go along way in alleviating the pressure a caregiver can feel trying to be all things to all people.

Online Resources

• Cancer Support Community
• NCI Support for Caregivers of Cancer Patients
• American Cancer Society Caregivers and Family
• ACS: When Someone You Know Has Cancer
• Cancer.net: Supporting a Friend Who Has Cancer
• Cancer Research UK: How to support someone with cancer
• Caregiver's Library
• Caregiver Action Network
• Savor Health: Nutritional Support for Cancer Patients

The post Caregiver Empowerment: How to Support Your Loved One appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

Cancer Tutor actively supports HealingStrong, which connects, supports, and educates individuals facing cancer and other diseases with holistic, evidence-based, non-toxic therapies through empowering community groups.

At its core, HealingStrong seeks to create community, encourage education, and explore holistic methods for healing and staying strong. It is a faith-based community and offers solutions that help individuals heal body, soul, and spirit.

HealingStrong groups are free to the public. The groups are led by individuals who volunteer their own personal time and talents to share information about nourishing foods, nutrients, supplementation, detoxification, emotional and spiritual health.

Learn more about HealingStrong

The post Step 7: Community appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

“As we follow the seven key principles, the non-toxic cancer therapies, oxygenation, detoxification, strengthening the immune system, the emotional spiritual,” says Dr. Antonio Jimenez, “let's not forget about nutrition and of course, the microbiome. The infamous microbiome that starts in the gut but in reality, our body is a microbiome.

“It's an environment where we have to control our healthy and pathogenic viruses, bacteria and live in what's called a symbiosis or a state of health and regulation.

“I've seen tens of thousands of patients not only in Mexico but around the world, and I truly believe that only through these seven key principles can we give the patient the best opportunity of having a favorable outcome.”

You can learn more in Dr. Tony's new book, Hope for Cancer: 7 Principles to Remove Fear and Empower Your Healing Journey:

• Practical ways to fight cancer while maintaining your health.
• The latest non-toxic therapies that are having remarkable results.
• Patients who have overcome the odds using the methods in this book.
• The emotional and spiritual aspects of cancer and how it can unlock your healing journey.

Consider this your guidebook for removing the fear so often associated with a cancer diagnosis, and become empowered with knowledge!

Learn more about Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers.

The post ‘Hope for Cancer:’ How 7 Principles apply to microbiome appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

The culmination of Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers’ Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Antonio “Tony” Jimenez’s 30+ years of clinical experience with advanced-stage cancer patients, Hope for Cancer offers scientific insight and emotional empowerment to anyone suffering from the disease.

Based on Hope4Cancer’s unique healing program, The 7 Key Principles of Cancer Therapy, Hope for Cancer puts the exact method used to successfully treat thousands of cancer patients from all walks of life inside their two international clinics right into the reader’s hands. This groundbreaking, full-color manual breaks down complex therapies and clarifies ambiguous concepts with vivid imagery, easy-to-understand graphics, and practical action steps.

For anyone who understands the importance of creating and sustaining a healthy life physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, Hope for Cancer is a must-read — the ultimate guide for cancer prevention and treatment.

You can learn more in Dr. Tony's new book, Hope for Cancer: 7 Principles to Remove Fear and Empower Your Healing Journey:

• Practical ways to fight cancer while maintaining your health.
• The latest non-toxic therapies that are having remarkable results.
• Patients who have overcome the odds using the methods in this book.
• The emotional and spiritual aspects of cancer and how it can unlock your healing journey.

Consider this your guidebook for removing the fear so often associated with a cancer diagnosis, and become empowered with knowledge!

Learn more about Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers.

The post Hope4Cancer’s integrative approach to treatment appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

In his new book, Hope for Cancer: 7 Principles to Remove Fear and Empower Your Healing Journey, Dr. Tony offers the guiding principles of his Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers:

NON-TOXIC CANCER THERAPIES

• Treatment plans designed to substitute traditional methods with non-toxic therapies

IMMUNOMODULATION

• Biological vaccines to strengthen and stimulate the immune system, restoring its natural ability

FULL SPECTRUM NUTRITION

• A personalized meal plan developed by our in-house nutritionist, assuring balanced caloric intake

DETOXIFICATION

• Therapies to complement your personal treatment plan, removing harmful metals and minerals, and enhancing your overall recovery

OXYGENATION

• To simultaneously support the healing of healthy cells and prevent toxic buildup

RESTORE MICROBIOME

• Ensure bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa ecosystem is healthy and balanced

EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALING

• Therapies focusing on healing both the mind and spirit play an integral part in every Hope4Cancer treatment plan

Dr. Tony's 7 Principles of cancer therapy is the culmination of 25 years of real clinical experience with advanced-stage cancer patients from all over the world. Learn how treating cancer is not just about treating the symptoms of cancer, but going deeper into the core characteristics of all cancer and addressing the root cause of the disease.

The post Doctor’s ‘Hope for Cancer’ details personal quest appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

Dr. Antonio Jimenez explains that Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers “treat the person with cancer — not cancer in the person.

“Simply speaking is that we want to take a holistic approach to that disease process. Of course, that includes the physical, the emotional-spiritual, and the mental.

“That's when you truly are going to have sustaining, long-term benefits instead of just addressing the tumor in the person and not taking into account the person's emotional, spiritual, personality, thought processes, social environment and so forth.”

Dr. Tony's new book, Hope for Cancer: 7 Principles to Remove Fear and Empower Your Healing Journey, offers:

• Practical ways to fight cancer while maintaining your health.
• The latest non-toxic therapies that are having remarkable results.
• Patients who have overcome the odds using the methods in this book.
• The emotional and spiritual aspects of cancer and how it can unlock your healing journey.

Consider this your guidebook for removing the fear so often associated with a cancer diagnosis, and become empowered with knowledge!

Learn more about Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers.

The post Hope4Cancer’s individual treatment approach appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

Dr. Antonio Jimenez has written a book, Hope for Cancer: 7 Principles to Remove Fear and Empower Your Healing Journey.

These seven principles are the guiding philosophy to the treatments that Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers adhere to while they personalize regimens for patients.

Dr. Tony notes, “You have the right to choose. Once you know your options, you know what's out there, you know other possibilities of treatment.

“If you're with a doctor that says, ‘This is all I can give you,' or a doctor that says, ‘That's it. I gave you everything. There's nothing more,' — absolutely not. There are always tools in the toolbox.”

In Hope for Cancer you'll find:

• Practical ways to fight cancer while maintaining your health.
• The latest non-toxic therapies that are having remarkable results.
• Patients who have overcome the odds using the methods in this book.
• The emotional and spiritual aspects of cancer and how it can unlock your healing journey.

Consider this your guidebook for removing the fear so often associated with a cancer diagnosis, and become empowered with knowledge!

Learn more about Hope4Cancer Treatment Centers.

The post Dr. Antonio Jimenez offers ‘Hope for Cancer’ appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

The moment remains raw for Bailey O'Brien: “So there was that hopeless moment where I thought I was going to die.”

“My head was spinning. I didn't know what to think. I was very uneducated about cancer. I wondered, ‘Will I need chemotherapy? Will I need surgery? Am I going to die?'

Bailey admits she basically knew nothing about cancer.

“I was young and I was an athlete so I was pretty healthy overall,” she says. “I went back to school with a clean bill of health.”

Two years later, the fear and angst returned. “The spot behind my jaw was a malignancy.”

While waiting for that surgery, another tumor grew behind her ear and was pressing against an earlobe. The night before surgery, she felt a lump in her clavicle area. Then Bailey remembers another surgeon calling: “Oh, on this PET scan there was another spot in your adenoids.”

Four different areas. But even that wasn't the end of the story.

This Cancer Tutor Original features cancer thriver Bailey O'Brien. We know you will be inspired by her story of overcoming the odds time and time again.

“There are so many doubters. People who don't believe that it's possible to heal, especially naturally,” she says. “It worked for me and it's worked for a lot of other people. … When I went seeking them out I found them to be real and true. I experienced it to be true.”

The post Cancer Survivor Bailey O’Brien: ‘Am I going to die?’ appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

Robert Carrillo is the executive director of clinics for Cancer Tutor. Robert and his wife, Pamela, have met cancer patients at many clinics in different parts of the world. They have heard the patients' stories — the cancer thrivers and also those who have died.

However, one question sticks with Robert: Why is this individual excelling?

Robert has a developed a “personal cancer policy,” which focuses on finding benefits that cancer patients can apply to their life.

To begin with, Robert says one of the earmarks of cancer patients' commitment to treatment is the acceptance of the cancer diagnosis. The patient is not denying cancer; they meet it head-on and accept it spiritually.

The patient commits to excel through their cancer. They go all-out to do the very best they can for their minds, their bodies, and their spirit — and they do not compromise.

Robert also has learned that cancer thrivers embrace a willingness that's significant to change. They changed a lot about their lives — including how they love. Cancer thrivers take inventory of all the things in their life. They are grateful for and to exercise affection. The patients also laugh. They try to find the humor in life, even with cancer.

People who are thriving have learned to constructively express what is going on inside of them to the people they care about.

Cancer thrivers also have an enormous amount of courage. Many people who do not have the courage to find out what ails them. They're afraid.

But you can make a difference — in your life and others — by developing and sharing a personal cancer policy.

• A firm commitment.
• Willingness to change.
• Exercise courage.

If you haven't applied those things in your cancer journey, and you haven't visited a clinic yet, evaluate those three aspects of your life. Bottom line: There are certain things for which we must take responsibility.

The post Robert Carrillo: A ‘personal cancer policy’ focuses on finding benefits that cancer patients can apply to their life appeared first on Cancer Tutor.