Hello everyone. I’ve just found out I have metastatic breast cancer. I’m a bit premature as I’m still waiting to speak to an oncologist (I had a CT in a&e as I had severe pain in ribs) so they couldn’t tell me too much. I want to be proactive in my healing so I’m just looking for as much information as possible.
Wondering if anyone has tried or going to try holistic healing as opposed or alongside conventional treatments. I have been listening to a lot of podcasts, read a few books and articles on this and I’m willing to try anything especially after the amount of success stories I’ve heard. Juicing, water fasts, ketogenic diets, spiritual healing, medicinal mushrooms, bee propolis, apple cider vinegar, everything to boost your immune system and [removed by moderator].
I’ll be happy to post my resources if anyone’s interested but wanted to see what people’s thoughts were on this subject.
Thank you
Hi there,
Since my diagnosis I’ve read several books, the most inspiring being Dr Nina Winter’s book ‘The Integrated metabolic approach to cancer’ and Jane Mclelland’s ‘How to starve Cancer’.
As a result I am on a therapeutic ketogenic diet, with no carbs, processed food, sugar or alcohol. I am taking a ton of supplements and also off label drugs Metformin, statins and Menbendazole to help prevent recurrence. I meditate, exercise daily, have had acupuncture and am looking into high dose IV vitamin C. I know this approach isn’t for everyone, but it’s helped me feel like I have grabbed a little control back, plus physically I I feel good.
Initially, I thought I would just go through treatment, get rid of the cancer and resume normal life. Then a lightbulb moment made me realise how stupid that would be…the cancer developed for a reason…so now I am trying to figure that out the long term lifestyle and dietary changes I need to make, to give myself the best chance of avoiding recurrence.
And yes I would definitely give healing a go! (Last week, in a forrest on a dog walk, I stopped to look up at the trees and sky, closed my eyes for a mindful moment to try to connect with nature…my partner thought I’d gone crazy and my dog started barking nervously lol).
After the last few months I’m like, I’ll give anything a go…! Xxx
I also fast during weekdays, dinner no later than 8pm, coffee in the morning then and don’t eat until 3pm. It’s supposed to be really good for you. Have you read Jane McLelland’s book? Very inspiring re stage 4 recovery, as is her Facebook group x
Hello @lilly-daa44
My heart goes out to you. What @morion24 says resonates with me too. I once heard “You aren’t sick because you have cancer, you have cancer because you are sick”
I had primary breast cancer which was triple negative. When I was diagnosed I googled Allan Taylor of Middlesbrough, he survived terminal cancer for over 10 years with an alkaline diet. I just knew then that there were things I could do to help myself rather than just rely on the system. Here’s some info
This is where I started:
I also read a book called Breaking The Cancer Code by Geronimo Rubio and Carolyn Gross which taught me a lot. If there is only one book you are able to buy make it this one.
After I had been told I had had a full pathological response to the chemo and was clear I came across Chris Wark, Square One plan. His strategy is often shared for free, sign up to his Facebook page and pop in your email address you will then get notification when it’s coming up for free.
Also on Facebook is Melissa Merchant cancer coach.
I added these to my daily diet:
Bio Curcumin from pharmanord
Selenium from pharmanord
Liposomal vitamin c from Amazon
Pau Darco. Tea From Amazon
Apricot kernels. From health shop(supposed to be to make face mask) they won’t sell to eat them but people do including the shop staff
Matcha . From OMG
Jasmine Pearls from Teapigs
Spirulina Naturya
I invested in a nutribullet and make an anti cancer smoothie most days
Kale, blueberries, raspberries, banana, dates, lemon, almonds, flaxseed
I binned all my toiletries that had petrochemicals in, list of chemicals to avoid can be found on Goop
I cut out sugar and processed foods and gave up alcohol
I walk as much as I can, try to get minimum of 30minutes a day of blood pumping exercise and walking fast does this for me. It also helps when down our local beck to get sunshine, mindfulness, seeing hearing and being in nature is so calming. It clears the mind and sets me up for the day.
Yoga keeps me strong and flexible
Going to bed listening to a meditation helps me get to sleep and have a good sleep. I like on YouTube. The mindful movement. And also Vagus Nerve Meditation for stress relief by Chiba Okereke.
Colour healing was my thing - orange for healing, turned all my lights orange and when doing lions breath, breathed in orange and out the bad black.
Breathing through the nose helps stimulate the vagus nerve which puts the body into rest and digest state. I tape my mouth for bed and have a nose ring to help open my airways. It has made a difference my energy levels and calmness.
I go to reiki and have massages which help keep my mindset calm too.
I do hope there will be something within this that can help you.
Sending lots of love and positive thoughts 
OMG doesn’t the lady on the Mindful Movement meditations have THEE most soothing voice?!
Oh yeah
I invite you to make yourself comfortable 
Then fall asleep within minutes
I haven’t heard any of them all the way through, that’s how good she is 
Wow you ladies are amazing! I’ve read and heard about a lot of these things, but so many new things for me to try and to read too! I thought I was going a bit crazy listening to all these things and not hearing of anyone actually doing it here (they all seem to be American 
)
Funny to think I was on top of Kilimanjaro 3 months ago and now I can hardly get out of bed 
there’s so much to see in this world there’s no way I’m on my way out already!
Thanks for the inspiration and I really hope you are both healing well 
Lots of love
I LOVE her…!!! Lol
I actually climbed Kilimanjaro 20 years ago…for breast cancer! (thinking at the time there’s no way I’m ever going to get breast cancer now, having raised so much money!!!).
Lilly-daa44, do whatever feels right for you. Another great book is Kelly Turner’s ‘Radical Remission’ which is full of amazing stories of surviving cancer against the odds. Read, research and make positive recovery steps every day. Close your eyes and see Stella Point…! Believe in your next adventure. Sending huge positive thoughts and a virtual hug xx
I completely understand you wanting to do as much as you can but there are no diets that are proven to help. The majority of the information is anecdotal and there have been no clinical trials to substantiate any of the claims of some of these diets . They can also be expensive . Please look up Liz O’ Riordan who was a breast cancer surgeon who has had breast cancer with 2 recurrences now on X or instagram . She talks a lot about nutrition.
Take care
There is lots of very promising info out there for using off label drugs to treat breast cancer. Google your BC cancer type + PubMeds
PubMed® is the National Library of Medicine’s® (NLM) free, searchable bibliographic database supporting scientific and medical research.
I I listened to liz o riordan on the breast cancer now podcast and I was quite shocked with what she saying about nutrition.
I have an auto immune disorder which I cured by going carnivore for a couple of months. I wish I had stuck to it and I might not have ended up here. The arthritic flare ups stopped but going back to eating gluten/carbs/sugar/alcohol obviously compromised my immune system so it couldn’t fight off the cancer. I’m now back on a keto diet raw veg, superfood juices and organic steak. Only good can come from a pure diet.
If a cancer keeps returning maybe diet needs to be seriously looked at as with the anecdotes they seem to cure it with extreme lifestyle changes
Wow just read Allan Taylor’s story! I’ll be stocking up on apricot kernels tomorrow!! Absolutely fascinating thank you!
I hear you re Liz O’Riordan and nutrition…I honestly think that we eat ‘to harm or heal’…how many times have you heard the saying ‘you are what you eat?’. Of course there’s no dietary magic wand to heal cancer, but it’s not rocket science to realise it has to be incredibly important, post diagnosis, what we consume in our quest to heal our bodies of inflammation and ultimately of cancer.
I will forever be grateful to the NHS for the incredible care I have received. HOWEVER, my surgeon (a brilliant professor, one of the best in the UK who teaches in several London hospitals), was not interested in the slightest when I asked her what she thought could have caused my cancer (apart from mentioning gene testing). She had nothing of interest to offer on diet or lifestyle changes to help prevent risk of recurrence. Shockingly, (and very worryingly), what I have learnt on my cancer journey, is the medics deal only with the dividing cells, the tumours, what scans can ‘see’… they use conventional treatment to get rid of the cancer and then, job done. Patients are sent on their merry way!
Let me be clear. I am all for conventional treatment - I did everything my team recommended - BUT ignoring the cancer stem cells left behind after treatment can, and often is, ultimately disastrous. We all have them. This is why so make of us experience recurrence many years later. Of course there are no easy answers. But I have done enough reading of PubMed literature to know that going forward, diet, supplements, exercise and some off label drugs and alternative therapies e.g. Mistletoe/ high dose vit C IV infusions and lifestyle changes have the potential to SIGNIFICANTLY reduce the dreaded risk of recurrence. And if does come back, they will help you battle once more.
Sorry for the rant everyone. I know this approach is not for everyone…but I feel very strongly that anyone saying diet/lifestyle changes etc make no difference is simply WRONG. .
I completely agree. We should absolutely discuss a holistic approach to health and this should complement—not replace—traditional cancer treatments. It’s concerning to see some people on social media discouraging chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonotherapy… which, for many, can be a lifesaving option. As patients, we are in a vulnerable position, and I really wish doctors would engage more with the science of nutrition and integrative care so that we don’t have to turn to social media for guidance
Wow. It is so good to read all these posts and it is a breath of fresh air to converse with like minded people. I’m going to look up some of these books/people too. I find there’s never too much knowledge to have and a lot of what I have read corroborates each other.
I was triple negative and found I had the faulty BRCA2 gene. I feel I got cancer through too much alcohol too much cake and a diet of processed food.
How different I am now. I’m happy, positive and love life
Take care lovely people:two_hearts:
( dear @lilly-daa44 im with you all the way here. Yes do please post your resources. I recommend the book called Radical Remission. I think complementary treatments alongside convential stuff is the way to go. Its called integrated oncology. Well practised by other nations but uk is a bit behind. X
I feel my cancer developed as a result of a combination of too much processed food (M&S ready meals, anyone?!), too much white bread, white pasta, cake, alcohol, HRT, stressful job, toxic relationship, and possible PCOS. Yes I ate vegetables, fruits and exercised but obviously not enough to ultimately tip the balance.
Lessons have been learned! X
Totally agree with all your replies! A topic that’s always on our minds I know.
As it’s Christmas it’s really hard as we have so much food around us! -??
I don’t have dairy and eat brown pasta and rice. I’m a foodie but know even those 2 things should be kept to a min. Does anything do intermittent fasting? Or follow quite every so often a raw diet/keto?