Jump David Jump

Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?

TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader.

In a recent presentation, William Li presents a new way to think about treating cancer and other diseases: anti-angiogenesis, preventing the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor. The crucial first (and best) step: Eating cancer-fighting foods that cut off the supply lines and beat cancer at its own game.

In my own fight against brain cancer, I have visited 6 highly-trained neurologists at 3 extremely prestigious medical facilities and asked each of them a simple question: "Does diet make a difference in a fight against cancer?"

Every single one of them said, 'No'.

You can look back to one of my previous posts about Metabolic Medicine where I discussed that my current treatment is not focused on fighting the symptoms of cancer (my brain tumor), but fighting the cause or origin of my cancer. And I firmly believe that cancer is halted and/or progressed by what we put in our stomach. I also believe there are a few other elements that you can read more about in the post linked above, but diet is the #1 way to fight cancer before it begins.

The good news for William Li is that he has an audience ready and willing to listen because each of them paid around $8,000 to sit in this audience. The bad news is that he has an uphill battle to fight against all of the institutions in place who will lose money if the public starts believing that what he is saying is true. And as we know, big business and modern medicine loves to put up a good fight...

The other bad news for William Li is that this idea is several thousand years old which makes a presentation at an 'emerging trends convention' kind of silly, but nonetheless someone needs to continue preaching this message. If you don't have time to watch the entire thing, William basically says that the best practices for fighting cancer before it begins, and/or reversing cancer if you are currently battling it, can all be picked up at your local grocery store.

Enjoy.

Metabolic Medicine 101

I am super-excited you are here to read this post! Sit down, put the phone on mute, order a venti-grande-jumbo whatever and let's do this thing...

Still with me? Cool. If for whatever reason, it's your first time to this blog and you have little to no idea why you are here, click here to read a general overview of the journey that brought me to this post. If you hate the internet, I have decided to copy>paste this post into a PDF that you can download and read at your leisure.  Download Metabolic Medicine 101

This explanation of how I am choosing to fight my brain cancer is a collection of reading books, research articles and personal cancer blogs. I have also critically considered a variety of documentaries (pros and cons) covering this issue. I am taking into account discussions with neurologists, oncologists, radiation specialists, cancer patients, cancer survivors and the remaining family members of those whose lives cancer has taken.

But know this most of all, the explanation of why I am choosing this path of treatment is that an number of people have joined me in praying that the Living God would give me wisdom in how to address and treat my cancer. I believe in a God who has individually created me, knows the number of days I have left on this earth and has mysteriously allowed / designed this cancer specifically for me. I can firmly say that this cancer, a circumstance that no one (including me) ever hopes for, has become a gift. I am not angry at God. This experience has become an entirely new way to view and understand Him.

Honestly, despite the fiery trials and doubt that continually press into me, I still consider it a joy to face this struggle because above all else, it teaches me to rejoice in the physical and social sufferings that were endured by Jesus Christ. And as the 1 Peter 4:13 says, one day His glory will be revealed and at that time those who suffered alongside Him will rejoice and be glad, because during those fiery trials, they were not concerned about wealth, comfort, social status or even personal survival, but glorifying God with their lives.

If you're about to quit reading because you think I'm crazy, finish this paragraph and then I bid you adieu. Please know there is a God who, even though it's hard if not impossible to understand, is bigger than the illness, natural disasters, injustice and suffering that any human encounters and somehow throughout these experiences... no, maybe even because of these experience, we somehow begin to understand and even experience peace, forgiveness, love, faith and hope. Personally, given the opportunity to return to my old life with my old understanding of God, I would not choose it. If that makes me crazy, so be it.

So my wife and I press forward in faith to live the lives that we would never have imagined (mainly because we never would have chosen this), but lives that God has specifically set us apart to live. Should my decisions end in life or death, I am not concerned. However, like the great stories of faith in the Bible, God says in the book of Hebrews that those who live and die lives of faith, that they desire and ache for a better place, a heavenly place and God says that He is preparing that place for them. And when they arrive God says 'He will not be ashamed to be called their God'. So we press forward in faith knowing that no matter the results of our time spent here, there is a better place for us with a God who says that He will be proud to welcome us home. That is what living this life is all about, even when it doesn't make sense.

Do you see what I'm getting at? Let's be honest... I've been given the opportunity to share my story by writing this post and briefly holding your attention because I have cancer and it's natural for humans to gather around other humans enduring suffering. But the real story is so much bigger than me or my story or suffering.

Please don't miss THAT story! If you miss that story, you've missed the point altogether and you'd be better off reading The Hardy Boys right now.

(Exit Soapbox)

God gives wisdom to those who ask for it. We have prayed for wisdom on how to approach this cancer treatment and feel that the Holy Spirit is guiding us to choose this path. We're cool with the fact that maybe you disagree with us or think there is a better option available. Your personal story may have started or ended very different than this so we can only speak for ourselves.

Diagnosis: Malignant Cancer of the Brain; Grade II - Oligoastrocytoma

Conventional Treatment Recommendation: Since the tumor is inoperable and resection is not possible, reduce the size of the symptomatic tumor through an ongoing combination of radiation and chemotherapy.

Chosen Alternative Treatment Recommendation: Considering the symptomatic tumor is the result of cancer causing activities happening throughout the body and overcoming the immune system, focus on returning the body to health by restoring it's natural self-regulating capabilities. (Kinda like training wheels until I get enough speed to continue on my own momentum...)

Treatment Length: Up to 18 months

Basic Treatment Steps of Metabolic Medicine:

1. Diet - Similar to my current diet. No canned or processed foods. Everything organic. Cooking with all stainless steel, no microwaves, all filtered water for drinking, cooking, showering, etc...
   
2. Detox - Coffee Enemas and Infrared Saunas. (Yes, you heard correctly. Coffee Enemas! That'll keep you reading!)
   
3. Supplementation - Bolstering body's natural pancreatic proteolytic enzymes through oral supplements. These enzymes focused on entering the bloodstream, locating the tumor and digesting the specific protein of the tumor mass without harming the body's healthy tissues.

If you are interested in reading more about this alternative treatment, please continue reading or return to the top to download and read later because I'm only gettin' warmed up...

2010 Starts.... Now.

It's so good to be home! I have a stack of mail on my desk, a laundry list of things to catch up on (including laundry) and two needy cats who are so cuddly because they think I'm probably going to walk right back out that door. Not to mention, we've got quite a bit of work ahead of us at Dot&Cross as we're prepping to launch the "Blessed Earth" series this April and film 4 new Francis Chan films in February. Busy, Busy.

I was trying to review my calendar, but I don't think I've spent more than about 10 days at home since about October. But it looks like I'll be here for a while so I'm finally starting to settle in. I still can't quite get over the jet lag which is causing strange things to happen right now - I get tired about 8 pm. Then I wake up around midnight... wide awake. Then I quietly whisper to ask if Amy's awake (she usually is) and lay in bed coming up with crazy new business ideas or trying to figure out what time it actually is in New Zealand. Considering I am slowly returning back to Eastern Standard Time, I must be slowly flipping backwards through the time zones as my body tries to find a time-home. But right now I'm pretty sure my body thinks I'm in Romania.

I'm a huge New Year's Fan. I love goals. I love to mark out what I want to accomplish, form new habits, etc... But this year is a little bit different. I'm not going to to get too worked up over what I want to accomplish. If anything, I discovered that our human plans are nice and all, but honestly, each day is a gift and I have to quit thinking 2-3 months down the road like I usually do. I just need to, in the words of Ray LaMontagne, 'Be here now'.

The 'Other' Days

Some days the writing comes easily so I write. This is why a quick review of my blogs displays a general overtone of faith and hope in my life. Because I write on the good days when everything makes sense. On those days I feel comfortable staring cancer in the face and saying, "bring it on".  But on the 'other' days, days like today, I want to throw expensive things out of windows.

I need to remind myself that these feelings are Okay. It seems half of the Psalms in the Bible are comprised of King David whining to God about how much life sucks and how God seems so far away or crying out for rescue because nothing makes any sense. Considering I feel a connection with the story of David in the Bible, it seems fair that I get to share in days similar to these. In fact, God said David was a man after His own heart, even though these days came. So I share these days with you because, well... it's life. So I write this, not out of anger, but out of blunt honesty that stings as I quickly type the words.

It just needs to be said that faith is always countered by it's opposition - doubt. I admit that I have faith in something that I cannot see and every once and while, my vision gets fuzzy and the doubt starts to creep it. And as much as I despise it, I can't argue that every day marked by hope and faith has a day of worry and loneliness lurking behind it.

So for all of you who wonder at my seemingly eternal positive demeanor, this one's for you. Here's a nibble of a 'full-disclosure' biscuit that tastes like crap.

The Operation 55 Zebra Diet (All Rights Reserved)

Sitting at the expert conference in San Francisco, about two days before my seizure, I met a gentlemen named Gary, who is an expert in how water benefits your health. Gary sells ionized or alkaline water machines. The general principle behind alkaline water machines is to raise the pH of the water we drink from 7.0 to 9.5.  So, the question is, why should we drink alkaline water over regular water? It's the same question that applies to what we eat because everything we consume is either alkaline or acidic. So what is the difference between the two?

Diseases cannot exist in alkaline environments and acidic environments are a breeding ground for illness. Increase the alkaline level of your pH and get rid of disease. It's (apparently) science.

If your body is made of 75% water, than 75% of your body is affected by this pH change. Some call this complete snake-oil and some call it a miracle. But to be honest, it didn't really matter to me.  At that point I was more interested in Gary's outrageous New York accent, not to mention I was a completely healthy young chap... for about 48 more hours. (Side-note: In addition, Gary kept buying me great glasses of pinot noir so he had my full attention.)

The main reason I like to tell the story about Gary is that he discovered alkaline water when his wife had Grade IV cancer. She drank the water, she got better and her cancer went into remission.  The doctors were all very pleased to see this until Gary mentioned his wife had stopped taking chemo as she was dying more and more each day. So she started chugging alkaline water as a last resort. He told me, in his thick NY accent, that he was embarrassed to tell the doctors that she stopped chemo and the only treatment that seemed to be working was drinking this water. Embarrassed? Rightly so! When he told them this, they laughed at him. (P.S. - She's still alive and surpassed her 'due date' which doctors have attributed to 'spontaneous remission'.)

Gary was also cured of his variety of diseases that I can't remember, but the funny thing about him is that New Yorkers don't always get the label of being 'gullible'. But he was so sold on this water, he started chugging 9.5 pH water daily. According to him, it took him a full year before he gathered the courage to start telling his friends that the water did the trick! All it took was raising the pH of his body to create an alkaline environment where disease can no longer exist. I asked about the results from alkaline food which he said was also very important but very difficult to pull off. Yet he thought the best combination was to create an alkaline environment in our bodies through both food and water.

Yes, the more alkaline your body is, the less disease can exist in your body. There are two natural ways to make your body alkaline; food and water. Considering that your body gets is main nutrition through food, it's very important that if I plan on beating cancer, I must move to an extremely heavy alkaline diet. I've considered buying a water ionizer but haven't done it yet. I want to try to accomplish this with food first. Not to mention, ionizers are expensive and you can use other elements to alkalize your water such as lemons. Yes, surprisingly, lemons are extremely alkaline, not acidic.

So with all that in mind, I am posting what my diet actually consists of these days. I call it 'The Operation 55 Zebra Diet'. Just be warned, my diet doesn't really make you feel great about yourself. It doesn't help you feel full, make your life more convenient, or save you money. It basically sucks. It takes tons of time, more money and basically strips away all of your joy and comfort previously found in food until you don't care about eating anymore...

Sounds great, doesn't it?! Let's get to it!

Boxed Water

Want to take this chance to congratulate Ben and his team on their new project.  After debuting last week, Boxed Water is exploding!  His product has already been picked up by some of the major product packaging sites. like thedieline.com and it's no surprise why.  On top of the great design, he's giving back 20% of the profits to water and tree reforestation projects.  This is truly a fantastic product and I suggest contacting your local grocery stores and get them to carry it.

This reminds me of a great quote by Buckminster Fuller. 

"When I am working on a problem I never think about Beauty. I only think about how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it's wrong."

I can vouch that Ben was probably pretty concerned about beauty while solving the problem but nonetheless...  I think Boxed Water is doing both. Helping solve a major problem in beautiful fashion.  Top notch.

To keep up with Ben and his online gang of misfits, stay tuned to The Brilliance.

My New 'Diet' Fad...

...isn't a fad at all.  This book, written by Alex Bugosky of Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, is great.  Why?

1. It's written from an advertising perspective, not a doctor, actor or talk-show host perspective.  He uses parallels from Mini Cooper or Ikea to get his point across.  i.e. Why on earth did IKEAS's serving platters sell so well in the US?  Because Americans thought they were plates...  And their flower vases?  Apparently we thought they were just perfect for drinking out of.  Go Team U.S.A.
2. Considering CP&B does all the advertisements for Burger King, the irony is entertaining.  It's kind of like hearing from a Tobacco Executive how bad cigarettes are for you.  But, respect nonetheless.  This wasn't a ploy for advertising, but an honest (and true) book.
3. Without saying it, it's a 'diet' book for guys.  You don't have to feel guilty reading it.  The only other 'diet' book I can imagine with this same affect was Atkins; 'Eat all the meat you want'.  Very guy friendly.
4. It's funny and there are swear words in it.  Just funny to read a diet book that swears.
5. Design-Friendly.  Lots of photos, sketches & overall design elements that make it a quick read and an interesting one.  About the time I got tired of hearing his one point (again), funny pictures appear.  Top notch.
6. Simple.  One concept.  Delivered concisely and well.  Get rid of your big plates and use 9-inch plates.
7.  Easy action step.  Instead of rushing to the store or throwing out all of my left over christmas cookies, I had a very simple action step.  Put big plates where I can't see them.  Put small 9-inch plates where I can see them.  However, I do recommend Alex's other idea of using big plates for skeet-shooting.  'The dishes are done, man.'
8. Am I a moron for buying this?  Yes.  the premise is simple.  However, I want to support this book because this is EXACTLY my problem with eating.  I eat pretty well, just always too much.
9. Can't think of number 9 yet, but I will later.