We usually perceive the diagnosis of "cancer" as a verdict. But even in very difficult situations, it is possible to fight cancer and win it. David Servan-Schreiber learned the hard way how to control cancer.
The world bestseller "Anti-Trauma. A New Style of Life ”would not have arisen if its author had not fallen ill withcancer . Prof. Servan-Schreiber shows in his book how to stimulate the body's defenses to fight cancer.
In the introduction to the book, you wrote: “Cancer is in each of us. It depends on us whether we can defend ourselves against it. " Do you believe that anyone can win against cancer?
Prof. David Servan - Schreiber: No. I have not found a panacea for cancer - neither in the form of an ideal treatment, nor adiet . I am a doctor and scientist, but I didn't protect myself againstcanceranyway. But it did help me learn about the mechanisms that contribute to the disease, and the ways to fight it or keep it in check. I want to emphasize that there is no alternative cure for cancer. Treatment attempts without the use of conventional medicine - surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and in the future also molecular genetics - fail. This does not mean, however, that we should not, apart from the technical possibilities of medicine, also use our natural defense mechanisms. Either to prevent disease or to increase the effectiveness of therapy.
So we can influence not only the quality, but also the life expectancy with cancer?
D. S.-S .: After undergoing standard therapy, we can do a lot to extend your life and strengthen your he alth. My story documents this well. But there is also other evidence of the effectiveness of such a procedure. In November 2008, the results of a study showing the survival time of women with breast cancer were published. All the ladies underwent standard treatment. Half of them have not changed their lives after surgery or have undergone other treatments. The second group was informed about the methods of supporting he alth. These women were taught a different diet, encouraged to exercise daily, and shown how to deal with stress through proper breathing and simple methods of concentration. Observationslasted 12 years. In the group that did nothing for themselves, the death toll was high. Among the women who changed a lot in their lifestyle, the death rate fell by 68%. compared with the first group. This is a reason to make changes to your life.
You present a new view on the mechanism of neoplastic disease formation.
D.S.-S .: My concept refers to the basic but still little known principles of the immune system, the discovery of inflammatory processes influencing the development of tumors, the possibility of blocking their growth and spreading by cutting them off from food. Anything that doesn't get food doesn't thrive.
So what should we do for ourselves?
D.S.-S .: Anyone can encourage the body and mind to act against cancer. First, we should know how to protect ourselves from the negative effects of the environment. Second, how to change your diet to limit your intake of cancer-promoting substances and maximize the amount of phytochemicals that actively fight cancer. Third, we must learn to heal the psychological wounds that, if not healed, contribute to disease. The fourth principle is to understand your own body, make contact with it by stimulating the immune system and reducing inflammatory processes.
However, in your book you do not give recommendations that we should stick to. You set the course of action.
D.S.-S .: I am a doctor, so I am interested in practical solutions that help people and alleviate suffering. I am a patient myself too. So in the book I included only those things that I checked on myself. Each advice meets two requirements - it is scientifically based and does not complicate everyday life, and it fits in with the universal pursuit of happiness. The purpose of life cannot be to focus on avoiding cancer. You should look for what will make everyday life richer and more pleasant. Man doesn't like orders. He must feel free to choose, even in a terminal illness. Every day I do what I write about in the book, and I don't feel that I am being forced to do anything. On the contrary, I believe my life has gotten richer.
The book shows that you have changed not only your attitude towards the way you eat, but also towards your surroundings, patients and loved ones.
D.S.-S .: Disease, especially as dangerous as cancer, always changes us. It is not easy to think positively then. But after difficult times, good ones come. Even though I was not an attractive object to the fair sex at the time, I realized that I could be loved and loved. It changed me. At the same time, I began to enjoy the daily medical experiencework. I have changed my attitude towards patients. I understood that therapy is also about holding a hand, a moment of talking about unimportant things, but also easing the fear of death. The pleasure that communicated with patients gave me was also a motivation to fight for my life. Thanks to my patients, I also understood that I can still give a lot to other people. Such a discovery encourages life, but it is not always enough. I made it.
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