The natural cancer-fighters
The main difference between chemotherapy and vitamin or herbal supplements is that most chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells directly, while most supplements are designed to strengthen the immune system so that it can remove cancer cells on its own, as it was designed to do. In general, radical remission survivors take supplements for one of three reasons.
First, they may want to boost their immune system and overall health (i.e., add something to the body that it is lacking, such as vitamin D or melatonin). Second, they may wish to detoxify their body of something that should not be there, such as parasites, heavy metals, harmful bacteria or toxins.
Finally, they may take supplements to help them digest their food better, such as prebiotics, probiotics or digestive enzymes (see box, page 63).
Integrative oncology physician Keith Block, MD, believes strongly in the importance of an anticancer diet complemented by targeted nutraceuticals (i.e., supplements). His supplement recommendations are based on the results of a patient’s microenvironment, terrain and molecular laboratory testing, the specific type of cancer they’re facing, and their conventional treatment regimens, which he routinely gives using time-sensitive protocols.
These supplement recommendations are then modified as the patient progresses through treatment. Dr Block favors supplements based on food concentrates and whole-herb extracts. For example, his with reishi and chaga mushrooms and an organic green drink supplement, both made in the US and laboratory tested for purity.
