Wellness News June 2009 by Cancer Support WA

wellness news

Vol. 24 No. 3.

JUNE 2009

online magazine of the Cancer Support Association

environment, wellness and healing

mescasnacges of

WHEN GOOD IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

THE DALAI LAMA: ECOLOGY OF THE HEART

IS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS READY FOR WINTER? YOU CAN HEAL ANYTHING!

WARMING WINTER SALAD RECIPES

TOP 10 FOODS TO EAT ORGANIC

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD, IT IS NEVER TO LATE, YOU ARE NEVER TOO UNWELL...

Cancer Support Association of Western Australia Inc. Patron – His Excellency Dr. Ken Michael AC, Governor of Western Australia

www.cancersupportwa.org.au

editorial wellness news monthly online magazine of the Cancer Support Association of Western Australia Inc.

Wellness News e-magazine is published online and distributed free to members of the Cancer Support Association and subscribers. Wellness News magazine is dedicated entirely to environment, wellness and healing. The magazine is for people with cancer or serious health issues; for people who are well and want to maintain their good health naturally; and for complementary, alternative and integrative health professionals. Please enjoy your Wellness experience!

news team... Editor .................................... Mandy BeckerKnox editor.wellness@yahoo.com.au

Dear friends, Welcome to the first online edition of Wellness News e-magazine. I hope you enjoy our new colourful and vibrant magazine format and the online reading experience. Most of our members will be aware that CSA has responded to the economic crisis by making some strategic changes. One of these changes was to shift from a print magazine to an online magazine. While it might take a while to get used to reading the magazine onscreen, we are confident that you will enjoy the flexibile page-turning software we have used to create a user-friendly, visually appealing online magazine. And remember you can print if you want to!

Editorial Consultant .................... Dr. Peter Daale

CSA has always endeavoured to be as enviornmentally friendly as possible, and reducing our paper useabe and printed products is a step towards minimising our carbon footprint.

Contributors: ............................... Deanne Walker, Don Benjamin, Christine Robbins

This edition of Wellness News contains some great content to help you through the winter ahead! ✦ Love and peace, Mandy

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in this edition

features YOU CAN HEAL ANYTHING YOU 6 ARE THE NEW MEDICINE Dr Joel E. Brame looks at how the history of medicine and healing has informed the development of a new medicine which centres on self healing, creativity and self empowerment

CANCER PATIENTS TURN TO COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE TO INCREASE WELLNESS

“When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow which is now giving you joy” ~ Kahlil Gibran

regular 2 EDITORIAL PUZZLE 3 Wellness Word Match

PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING WITH PSA OF LITTLE OR NO BENEFIT Cancer Researcher Don Benjamin analyses the ﬁndings of a recent study which reveals that prostate cancer screening can do more harm than good

WHY CANCER COMES BACK FOLLOWING CHEMOTHERAPY Mike Adams looks at the reasons for cancer recurrence and provides some strategies for a cancer cure

NEVER TOO OLD; IT’S NEVER 15 YOU’RE TOO LATE An inspirational poem to

IN THE NEWS Fish good oil in cancer; Mathematical model could help decide brain tumour treatment; Decrease in breast cancer rates because women stop HRT

CANCER SPOTLIGHT Cottonseed Nutrient Halts Growth of Brain Cancer Tumours

ECOLOGY AND THE HUMAN HEART In 18 this excerpt from the book ‘My Tibet’ The Dalai Lama explores human nature and the role of kindness and compassion in establishing peace of mind

MESSAGES OF CANCER Even in serious OF LIFE HOSPICE SERVICE 12 diseases 19 WHEEL such as cancer our body is never Christine Robbins from CSA recently trying to harm us, but more likely sending us messages in ways which will get out attention and bring about a change towards wholeness

attended a Training Program for Pastoral Care at The Hayagriva Buddhist Centre in WA and writes about the program

inspire you to get back on track

word m

1. Fruit sugar ________ 2. The most important person in the world __ 3. ___________ involves inserting small needles into various points in the body to stimulate nerve impulses. 4. ___ and yang are the concepts from Chinese medicine to describe opposite forces in nature 5. Dangerous free radicals can be counteracted with ________________ in our diet 6. When we ________ we quieten & focus the mind 7. The ________ approach to health explores the interconnection between the mind, body, and spirit 8. ___________ are the vitamins minerals and enzymes we add to the diet in tablet, powder or liquid form 9. A __________ diet contains no meat

CSA COMMUNITY NOTICES 26 Keeping our community connected

ACROSS

10. To make healthy, whole and restore to health ____ 11. An _____ a day keeps the doctor away 12. Thermography detects thermal ____ in the breast tissue which may indicate cancer 13. Abbreviation for Genetically Modiﬁed Organism ___ 14. Foods which are pesticide and chemical free ________ 15. Broccoli _______ have many anti-cancer properties 16. ___ water contains ﬂuoride and other chemicals 17. If the PH of water is below 7.5 it is said to be ______ 18. _________ is the art of giving thanks. 19. _____ 3 is the healthy fatty acid 20. Trans ____ are unhealthy fats altered through processing

part of a healing program; Now What? Handbook – a resource for children who’s parent or sibling has cancer

IS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM READY FOR WINTER? Eat your way to a strong, healthy immune system

FOOD & NUTRITION The Best Foods to Eat Organic

BOOKS & MEDIA REVIEW Eating 24 for Recovery – How to use food as

IS GOOD GOOD ENOUGH? CSA member Kim Varvell shares his cancer story and provides some tips on communicating with concerned friends and family

wellnaetschs

DOWN

R E C I P E S War ming winter salads

A 4 14

5 & 11

M 20

7 & 12

V solution on page 27

of 10 you are wasting your money!” “If you you take take vitamin vitamin and and mineral mineral “If supplements,there’s there’s 99 chances chances out out supplements, of 10 10 you you are are wasting wasting your your money!” money!” of Scientists agree that the most effective way to neutralise your body’s acidity is by drinking alkaline water.

“Of all the methods to reduce acids in our body, drinking alkaline water is the cleanest, easiest and most-effective.” Sang Whang. Author ‘Reverse Aging”.

This is the most advanced wateragree alkaliser in the world. Scientists that the most effective way to neutralise your

Ian Hamilton, MD and Founder, Ionlife. Every year in Australia we spend over half a billion dollars on vitamin and mineral supplements - twice as much as we spend on pharmaceutical drugs. What isn’t generally understood, however, is that 9 out of every Ian Hamilton, 10 of us cannotIan assimilate these expensive supplements effectively MDHamilton, and Founder, Ionlife. because our bodies are Founder, too acidic. MD and Ionlife. The inability of the human body to absorb essential vitamins and Every yearwhen in Australia we spend half ainbillion on is minerals its pH level is not over balanced favourdollars of alkaline Every year in Australia we spend over half a billion dollars on vitamin and mineral supplements twice as much as we spend a well-known scientific fact. vitamin and mineral drugs. supplements - twice as much as we spend on pharmaceutical maintain a balanced onTopharmaceutical drugs. pH level, research scientists such as What isn’t generally understood, however, is that out of alkaline/ every Dr Robert Young, PhD, recommend we follow an980-20 What isn’t generally understood, however, is that 9 out of every 10 of us cannot assimilate these expensive supplements effectively acid diet. Unfortunately the average Australian diet is 90% acidic. 10 of us cannot assimilate these expensive supplements effectively because our bodies are too acidic. “My foundation theory is that there is only one sickness because our bodies are too acidic. The inability of the human body to absorb essential vitamins and and one disease and that’s the over-acidification of the minerals when its pH levelbody is nottobalanced in favour of alkaline is The inability of the human absorb blood then tissues” . Dr Robert Young.essential vitamins and a well-known fact. minerals when scientific its pH level is not balanced in favour of alkaline is deaths from fact. so-called natural causes are merely aTo“All well-known maintain ascientific balanced pH level, research scientists such as the end point of progressive acid saturation.” Drmaintain Robert Young, PhD, recommend we follow an 80-20 To balanced pH level, scientists such alkaline/ as Dr Georgea Crile, the “Father of research physiologic surgery. acid diet.Young, Unfortunately the average is 90% acidic. Dr Robert PhD, recommend weAustralian follow andiet 80-20 alkaline/ acid diet. Unfortunately the average Australian diet is 90% acidic. “My foundation theory is that there is only one sickness

and foundation one diseasetheory and that’s thethere over-acidiﬁcation of the “My is that is only one sickness blood then tissues” . Drthat’s Robertthe Young. and one disease and over-acidiﬁcation of the blood then tissues” . Dr Robertnatural Young. causes are merely “All deaths from so-called the deaths end point of so-called progressive acid saturation.” “All from natural causes are merely Dr George Crile, the “Father of physiologic surgery. the end point of progressive acid saturation.” Dr George Crile, the “Father of physiologic surgery.

Scientists agree that the most alkaline effective way to neutralise your body’s by drinking It’s notacidity a wateris filter. It is a highly- water. body’s acidity is by drinking alkaline water. intelligent health supporting device. acids in our body, “Of all the methods to reduce “Of all the methods to reduce acids in our body, The water it produces not only drinking alkaline water is alkalises the cleanest, easiest and drinking alkaline water is the cleanest, easiest and your body, it also actively removes excess most-effective.” Sang Whang. Author ‘Reverse Aging”. most-effective.” Whang. Author ‘Reverse Aging”. acids. Not only that,Sang it is ionised This ispowerful the most through electro-advanced This is the mostintensely advanced magnets, producing water alkaliser in the world. oxygenated alkaline water water alkaliser in teeming the world. It’swith notanti-oxidants. a water filter.ItItconnects is a highlyIt’s not a water filter. It is a highlyintelligent supporting device. easily to health your existing kitchen tap. intelligent supporting device. The waterhealth it produces not only alkalises The not removes only alkalises yourwater body,it itproduces also actively excess your body, alsothat, actively removes excess acids. Notitonly it is ionised acids. Not only that,electroit is ionised through powerful through powerful electromagnets, producing intensely magnets, producing oxygenated alkaline intensely water teeming oxygenated alkaline Itwater teeming with anti-oxidants. connects with anti-oxidants. It connects easily to your existing kitchen tap. easily to your existing kitchen tap.

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Acid Alkaline Food Chart

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A2 gloss chart is a wonderful resource for anyone trying to manage the transition to an alkaline based diet. An ideal fridge mounted reference.

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in the news Slight drop in breast cancer because so many women stopped using dangerous HRT drugs The drop in popularity of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the treatment of menopause symptoms has led to an equally large drop in breast cancer rates, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. “It confirms that stopping hormones really does reduce cancer,’’ said researcher Marcia Stefanick of Stanford University. Researchers conducted a follow-up analysis on 15,000 women who had previously participated in the landmark 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study, which concluded that use of Wyeth’s drug PremPro, which combines estrogen and progestin, increases women’s risk of breast cancer by 27 percent. All participants in that study were advised to cease using the drug, and the popularity of HRT dropped dramatically across the world. In the United States, prescriptions fell by two-thirds -- from 60 million in 2001 to 20 million in 2005. “It was a big seller -- a very big seller. Then there was an enormous change,’’ said Cindy Pearson, executive director of the National Women’s Health Network in Washington D.C. “It was one of the biggest changes in prescribing habits for a drug commonly used by millions of healthy people.’’ The researchers compared breast cancer rates among the 15,000 WHI participants and 41,449 other HRT patients who had not taken part in the study. Approximately half of the latter had chosen to discontinue the therapy after the WHI study, while the others continued using it. They study found that the cancer risk among women who continued using HRT was even higher than previously thought, doubling every year among women who used it for five years of more. In contrast, the risk of breast cancer dropped dramatically among women who stopped using the therapy. Likewise, breast cancer rates have significantly declined since 2002, roughly on par with the drop in HRT use. “I would encourage women to try and make it through menopause without starting hormone treatment,’’ Stefanick said. “If you do start, go for the lowest dosage and the shortest duration.” ✦

From: www.naturalnews.com, 30th March 2009. Source: www.mercurynews.com

“Wellness is a connection of paths: Knowledge and Action”

Mathematical model could help decide brain tumour treatment Practical mathematical models are becoming an accepted part of most medical and scientific disciplines. They cover an ever expanding spectrum of topics. In research presented at the Royal Society’s Bakerian lecture at the University of Oxford, given by the winner of the annual Physical Sciences prize, Professor James Murray found that high-grade brain tumours are much more predictable than is generally thought. The prognosis for patients with high grade brain tumours is often grim and the various treatment protocols such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy cannot usually effect a cure. A simple model using patient data and brain scans quantifies the spatio-temporal growth of brain tumours. Analysis of the model shows how difficult it is to decide on the tumour volume to be treated and shows why such treatments can have little success. Using two MRI scans taken before a patient undergoes treatment, Prof Murray found that patients would often be better off avoiding surgical removal of the tumour, and could predict the patient’s approximate survival time. ✦

From: West Australian, January 2009.

Fish good oil on cancer Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil could become a powerful weapon in the fight against cancer, after researchers found it could kill cancer cells while balancing out the toxic side-effects of chemotherapy. Its anti-cancer effect, so far proved in a study of rates, adds to the apparent heart, brain and eye benefits. Results published in the journal Cell Division show that the omega-3 docosahexanoic acid, or DHA, reduced breast tumours in rats and limited the side effect of cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug that damages kidneys. The scientists from Masoura Unviersity, in Egypt, said fish oil seemed to reduce harmful free radicals and inflammation in the body. ✦

From: West Australian, January 2009.

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To book phone CSA 9384 3544

You Can

WELLNESS

June 2009

Heal Anything You are

New Medicine the

By Dr Joel E. Brame

For eons now, mankind has searched for ways to heal the many ailments that continue to plague millions of people in all parts of the world. The advances in both conventional and original forms of medicine, although contradictory for the most part, have unintentionally brought us to the birthing of an entirely new system of medicine. The emerging New Medicine system will eradicate disease, frailty and aging as we know it.

www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment â&#x20AC;˘ wellness â&#x20AC;˘ healing

June 2009

The Origin Of Healing Systems

WELLNESS

The division of medicine into traditional/conventional and alternative/complementary did not occur by accident. Mankind as a whole needed to experience both of them before it was ready for a system of medicine whose purpose would be of a higher nature than is currently available. The new medicine, although it is so unlike the conventional and alternative models, is being birthed by both of them. Other than the Lemurian and Atlantean approaches to healing, it is clear that the `medicine of nature` has been the most influential in recorded history. Nobody created this form of medicine; it was simply there to be re-cognized or discovered by those who had direct access to the language of nature called Veda, which means knowledge or science. The first written records of nature`s medicine appeared about 6,000 years ago. They were channeled messages written down by Vedic sages in direct response to the first occurrences of illness on the planet. This system, which kept illness and suffering at bay for hundreds of years, became known as Ayurveda, or `Science of Life`. Although Ayurveda only survived the passage of time in India and some in areas of Brazil and China, it remains a universal form of medicine. Today it stands revived to some of its original form. It greatly contrasts with the western approach to modern medicine in that it seeks to address the underlying imbalance responsible for the symptoms of illness rather than trying to alleviate or remove the effects of the imbalance.

“At ﬁrst, that deep feeling of energy only comes in brief moments, sometimes at the

Outsmarting The Violation Of The Laws Of Nature

most unexpected of times.

Before Ayurveda became a textbook science of healing, people knew how to live in harmony with the laws of nature. As a result, sickness, pain and poverty weren’t part of life. But as time progressed, we began to replace some of the laws of nature with our own laws; in other words, we violated natural law. To try to address the consequences of this transgression from natural living, a system of healing (Ayurveda) was developed to treat the physical and mental effects resulting from the deviations from natural law. A new set of natural laws needed to be employed to undo the damage that was caused by the violation of the original laws of nature. When you dam a stream of water and it flows over its banks, the flooding caused by this action requires a different approach than just letting the stream flow in its own course. We needed to employ new laws and insights to help us deal with the damage once done. The first violations of the laws of nature on Earth created the need for a natural system of healing, one that would give us access to those secondary laws that would reduce the damage caused by violation of the primary laws. This system would show us how to release the obstruction that hinders the flow of the stream in its natural direction. Without anyone violating the primary laws of nature, such healing systems would otherwise be unnecessary.

But eventually it resonates for longer periods, and begins to deeply uplift and transform our life, until we yearn to feel that resonance each and every day.” Joel Brame

Hippocrates was perhaps the most enlightened father of nature`s medicine in the more recent history of our species. He understood that the need for healing (applying secondary laws) resulted from the loss of alignment with one`s inner wisdom and intuition. The more humans distanced themselves from their own inner wisdom and the rules of the natural world, the harsher were the corrective measures needed to be taken by the force of nature. So killer diseases such as the plague began to decimate the population, which then generated the urge for a new kind of medicine, which would combat disease-causing germs and stop each new one dead before it became an epidemic. This approach is what has become known as the conventional system of modern medicine. Of course, all of this was part of the master plan - to throw much of humanity into the other end of the spectrum of duality for the purposes of greater learning and growth in consciousness. Continued on next page...

A weekly group held every Tuesday at CSA from 10am – 12noon. Anyone who’s life has been aﬀected by cancer or other life threatening illnesses is welcome to attend. of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

WELLNESS

June 2009

...from previous page

Breeding Illness Just like Ayurvedic medicine, modern medicine, too, was unable to prevent the escalation of disease on the planet. Modern medicine was so concerned with the effects or symptoms of disease that it lost sight of the reasons why people fell sick, most of which weren’t even physical causes. The discovery of the first antibiotic medicine (penicillin) caused euphoria among the medical circles and general population. Years later, the enthusiasm of developing an effective drug for almost every infectious disease became dampened by the fact that the side effects generated by the poisons contained in the drugs were so severe that they often outweighed their benefits. In fact, they actually contributed to the emergence of an entirely new class of diseases now known as chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis. At the beginning of the twentieth century only 10% of all diseases fell into this category. The rest were acute problems, including fractures, infections, burns, etc. By around 1980, over 90% of all diseases had reached a chronic stage, meaning they couldn’t be cured by modern medicine. They also became known as the killer diseases of the modern era. Since our genes haven’t changed a bit over the past hundreds or thousands of years, genetic errors cannot be held responsible for such a sudden and dramatic escalation of diseases, especially when most of them occur only in the modernized world. What`s more, having defective genes doesn’t mean an affected person is going to get ill. Research on the blood disease thalassaemia, for example, has shown that patients who have exactly the same defect in the gene may be extremely sick, mildly ill, or completely healthy. This applies to most other `genetic` illnesses, too. There may be just as many people with healthy genes who suffer from diabetes or asthma as there are those who have defective genes. The symptom-oriented approach of modern medicine became synonymous with the revival of the old epidemics that so scared and scarred humanity less than a hundred years ago. The wide use of antibiotics and steroids have forced the targeted microbes, blamed for causing infectious disease, to resist the drugs` action and mutate into what is termed `antibiotic resistant organisms.` The germs, following their natural survival instincts, are now outsmarting one drug after another, which means that there are now very few effective `treatments` left for diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. Millions more people each year are dying from these `new` infectious diseases than ever before and the current trends suggest it will get worse. Unless medicine takes a complete u-turn in its approach, or healing is practiced in a different fashion, mankind will be greatly decimated once again. It is highly unlikely, though, that modern medicine is going to save humanity from self-destruction. The side-effects of drugs and

r e c n ca t r o p sup

E N I ONL

treatments are breeding so many different diseases and causing so many deaths every minute of the day that it is virtually impossible to even remotely win the battle against disease as long as people believe they depend on any form of medicine, even an alternative one. Since the current medical system is primarily controlled by financiers who have a vested interest in keeping it going and even expanding it further, it is not in the investors` interest to find a real cure for the most common illnesses, for this would mean the end of medicine. Modern medicine is not designed to make people healthy; it is designed to make and keep people sick. Many voices among doctors, patients and alternative practitioners denounce the exploitation of `innocent` people. However, they have not yet realized that the same medical system that is misleading and enslaving mankind and robbing millions of people of their sense of sovereignty and self-empowerment is also instrumental in birthing a new medicine, one that will make everyone their own best healer. The government, health care agencies, medical associations, insurance carriers, and drug companies are unaware that they are key players in the cosmic game of transformation. They have helped a major portion of mankind to feel helpless and powerless against microbes and other disease-causing factors. The extreme denial of the infinite power of healing and rejuvenation that lies inherent in everyone is forcing the pendulum of time to swing back and allow the masses to gain complete and unrestricted access to this power within. Without the hazards of the old medicine, the new medicine could not come about. The perfection of all this lies in the fact that no person can fall ill, regardless of whether it is through a microbe or a medical drug or treatment, without having (unconsciously) agreed to this. The Universal Law of Non-interference makes certain there are no victims and no victimizers. Each person`s Higher Self knows exactly what lessons are needed to move on and evolve toward greater wisdom, love, compassion and self-empowerment, however hard and painful the learning process may appear to be. The final lesson of each individual is to discover and produce the New Medicine, the medicine of one`s Higher Self.

The New Medicine The return of old diseases and the emergence of chronic illness divided mankind into two camps: One that continues to uphold the trust and confidence in modern medicine, and one that takes recourse to natural methods of healing. Although alternative (complementary) medicine is still battling to make its approaches available to the masses, in some countries of the world such as Australia, Germany, England, New Zealand and now also in the United States, it is becoming more and more common sense to try the natural route, either along with or without conventional medicine. Now both approaches are well

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www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

June 2009 represented in the overall scheme of things and can be accessed by almost anyone. Medical doctors still risk prosecution and loss of their license to practice medicine if they dare speak out in favour of alternative health modalities or even apply these in their practice. But before long we will find that both approaches of medicine will intermix or merge together. Indications for merger are already subtly there; when it happens in a more obvious way, a New Medicine will be born, one that will be entirely different from that which existed before. It will work according to the principle, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.”

WELLNESS

The New Medicine will be less concerned about what is wrong with the body or mind; it won`t need to be. Instead, it will focus on unleashing the creative power of the individual as the principle source of health and youthfulness. The New Medicine will recognize that disease is ultimately the result of disconnection from our Source intelligence and Source energy. It will give health care back to the people. Miracles will take place as frequently as operations take place today. Reconnecting with our spirit Source will be the most important thing that can be done to improve one`s health. It`s like switching on the light that dispels darkness. Mankind as a whole will realize that trying to find out everything about the symptoms of disease is like trying to investigate all the possible problems that darkness could cause to a person who has no light to see the path along which he is walking. Although switching on the light is a very simple act, it can solve some of the most complex problems arising from being in the dark. Imagine if there was no light. What could you possibly do in your life except sit, think and worry? Fixing diseases is similar to fixing darkness; there is no end to the fixing. Both the alternative/complementary and conventional systems of medicine are incapable of eliminating disease on this planet. Both of these systems are expressions of duality; therefore, their scope of influence remains very limited and incomplete. They each have their value in upholding their particular expression of duality; some of it is effective, and some of it is not. To find the eternal fountain of youth and healing, however, we must return to the origin of both these streams, that is, human consciousness. Now is the time to move collectively into the Divine moment where the consciousness of spirit and the physical matter of the body meet, and are recognized as one. It is in the gap of the moment where the two spirals of duality find their common origin. Of the two approaches neither is better or more important than the other. Both are capable of taking us to the desired place of wholeness. Here in this gap of simple existence we activate our creative intelligence, the intention of desire that becomes instant manifestation. The power surge emanating from the Divine moment of being within our own awareness creates the instant and automatic healing of that which is without.

According to Japanese research studies, spontaneous remission and complete cure of cancer occurs when those aﬄicted with the disease move into the

In The Gap Of Non-Judgment Healing does not need to take long. In fact, if it does it is likely to be incomplete. According to Japanese research studies, spontaneous remission and complete cure of cancer occurs when those afflicted with the disease move into the gap of non-judgment or non-duality, i.e., when they relinquish all needs or desires to have it one way or the other. This cannot be accomplished by will or by use of the rational mind. It may occur when someone faces death and, oddly, loses all hope for survival. Giving into death may take someone into the gap of their eternal spirit self, provided this is in the person`s highest interest. Thus, consciously losing the fear of dying and stepping into one`s essence may instantly stimulate the body`s immune system into a powerful response that can dismantle egg-sized malignant tumours in the brain, bladder, intestines, etc., within less than 24 hours, in some instances within as little as 15 seconds. There are thousands of documented cases like these.

gap of non-judgment or non-duality, i.e., when they relinquish all needs or desires to have it one way or the other.

What is most interesting in these cases of spontaneous remission is that the healing merely (if that is not enough) consisted of gaining freedom from judgment, of accepting one`s situation at that moment. Fighting for life doesn’t get you to this magical place of the Divine moment, for effort and struggle are born out of fear. Giving up one`s desire to live, on the other hand, is born out of resignation, frustration and merely represents the other end of duality awareness. However, accepting death without trying to avoid or enforce it moves you into the Divine moment where miracles take place. Of course, we don’t all have to face death, either our own or someone else`s, in order to find the opening to slip into the Divine moment. Life provides us with plenty of other opportunities that can serve in the same way. All we need to do is to keep our eyes, ears and hearts open to receive and accept these opportunities, many of which may show up in the disguise of problems and misfortunes. In due time, our polarized duality consciousness becomes anchored in the singularity of Self. The body simply follows suit. Once we lose our polarity thinking, that is, our mode of reference to what we believe is right and wrong or good and bad, the DNA of our body begins to lose its polarity mode as well. As soon as we are able to accept whatever is, which means all our strong and weak sides, our successes and failures, fears, anger, and guilt, etc., our body will move, automatically and spontaneously, out of its polarity mode. Continued on next page...

of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

WELLNESS

June 2009

Cancer patients turn to complementary medicine to increase wellness By David Gutierrez

he majority of cancer patients use so-called “complementary methods” in addition to traditional treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy, according to a study conducted by researchers from the American Cancer Society and published in the journal Cancer. “We receive thousands of phone calls each year about complementary methods at the American Cancer Society national cancer information centre, and our Web pages on complementary methods are among the most popular on our Web site,” lead author Ted Gansler said. The researchers surveyed 4,139 adults who had been diagnosed with cancer within the previous 10 to 24 months about their use of complementary methods to improve their health and reduce the side effects of cancer treatments. Prayer or other spiritual practices was the most common complementary method, used by 61 percent of patients. The use of nutritional supplements or vitamins was reported by 40 percent of respondents, as were relaxation techniques and faith or spiritual healing methods. Massage, meditation, religious counselling and support groups were less popular, and were each used by only 10 to 15 percent of patients. Gansler said that more research is needed on which methods are the most effective. “Learning more about which complementary methods help cancer survivors with pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, overall psychological adjustment, and overall physical functioning is very feasible,” he said. “That information could increase attention and resources for providing complementary methods that are helpful and reducing the time and money spent on ones that are not.” Gansler noted that while recent studies have backed up the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving the symptoms of cancer and the side effects of conventional therapies, only 1.2 percent of respondents reported using it. In contrast, 40 percent of respondents used vitamin therapy even though research has not supported its effectiveness and it can actually be risky in high doses. Use of complementary methods was more common among women, whites, the young and those with higher income and education levels. From: wwwnaturalnews.com, 14th February 2009. Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com

B E Y O N D ...from previous page

You Can Make Your Body Do Anything When you are under the strong emotional influences of fear, anger, or even excessive joy, your body is out of balance, too. The stress of sudden joy can cause a heart attack just as easily as the stress of sudden rage. Being `good` is no antidote to disease. We need to remember here that being or expressing one quality also means that its opposite is not far away; in fact, it lurks in the invisible shadow part of our consciousness known as the subconscious mind. True healing begins when we can be both qualities and have no judgment about which one is better or worse. Shadow and light serve each other well and co-exist all the time. The reason we have `weak` spots in our attitudes and behaviour is to bring out and develop their opposite, `strong` counterparts. Accepting both creates oneness or balance, and balance is the key to healing. Preferring one quality to another generates discord in the body and mind. For example, even if we choose happiness over sadness, it counts as an imbalance. Consequently, the body has no other choice but to develop a physical imbalance, too. Everything in life is valuable, and once we see that we then become graced with the perception of oneness. Since the body does nothing of its own accord but simply follows instructions, the new perception of oneness and acceptance of whatever is becomes the new blueprint reference for DNA. The genetic codes in your body`s DNA adjust to the `new you` and copy that information into a new RNA which subsequently alters the functioning of your body, making complete rejuvenation not just possible but unavoidable. When the adjustment is complete, the DNA structure will go off like a time bomb in order to accommodate the light of oneness. The time for genetic detonation is now. Our body is nothing but soft clay, shaped and molded on a minute-by-minute and day-by-day basis. If you tell your body that something is good for you, it believes you. It has no other choice but to serve one master, you. If you tell your body it cannot heal itself and requires help from outside it will believe this too and you will find yourself in need of a doctor, a drug or surgery. On the other hand, your body can walk on fire if you can convince it that it can. You can even pierce your body with knives and needles and suffer no injuries if you can make it believe that this won’t hurt it. If you persuade your body that it can live without air for several days while being buried under the earth, then it can even do that for you. Levitating in mid air or walking on water are other so called impossible feats the body can accomplish if it trusts its instructor enough. Sri Chin Moi, the well-known peacemaker and musician from India living in the United States, repeatedly lifts 1,000 pounds of weights in front of camera crews. He claims that the power is coming from his mind. Numerous `miracle performers` have been scientifically studied and show that the above abilities have actually nothing to do with the body but come from the power of the mind. Likewise, your body can remove a tumour that has metastasized (spread) everywhere. But for this to happen you need to step outside the awareness of the body (duality) and move into the awareness of the spirit (oneness). ✦ Dr. Joel E Brame is an expert in coaching and motivating others to achieve their health and energy goals. Trained as a physician, counsellor, and life coach, Dr. Brame helps energyseeking clients rediscover their passion and purpose, identify and overcome energy and weight loss obstacles, and create a stronger body with renewed confidence and power. He has personally experienced the radical transformations that come with an energized and healthy lifestyle, overcoming several chronic ailments through lifestyle changes alone. Joel’s messages of creating positive energy and precise action extend through his seminars, books, articles, and personal weight loss coaching. He serves as a professor in biological sciences, psychology, and nutrition at local colleges. Joel has contributed articles to many local and online publications and has given award-winning radio interviews. He is also a sought-after speaker on holistic approaches to energy, weight loss, and cancer prevention. For more information visit: joelbrame.com

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Groups & activities at CSA...

A weekly group held every Tuesday at CSA from 10am – 12noon. Anyone who’s life has been aﬀected by cancer or other life threatening illnesses is welcome to attend.

Meditation Made Easy weekly meditation classes with Bavali Hill Every Monday at CSA from 10am to 11.30am. Newcomers welcome. Cost: Free for CSA Members, $5 for non-members. No booking necessary.

in the Sun Room at CSA A gentle, holistic, relaxing class with Sydel Weinstein Tuesdays 9.30 – 10.30am. Suitable for beginners.

Grief and Loss Support Group at CSA Last Wednesday of each month. 1-3pm. Coming 2008 Dates: 24th June & 29th July This open support group is for anyone experiencing grief as a result of losing a loved one to cancer. Join us for an opportunity to share these feelings with others in a safe and compassionate space.

FREE FOR MEMBERS. $10 NON-MEMBERS.

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HE WHO LAUGHS LASTS!

with Kimmy O’Meara At the CSA every Wednesday morning 11.45am to 12.45pm. Cost: CSA Members $3; Others $5. For enquiries phone CSA on 9384 3544.

Messages of Cancer WELLNESS

June 2009

By Dr. Joel E Brame

According to Marshall McLuhan, “the medium is the message.” If so, then what is cancer trying to say? One of the fundamental principles of natural health is that the body is never trying to harm or kill us, although we might interpret illness as such. Instead, it is just trying to send us messages in whatever ways will get our attention. For example, lung cancer is the ultimate message for smokers. The message threatens, “Stop smoking or else.” Once smokers acknowledge the message and take effective action, their chances of long-term survival significantly improve. They feel better on all levels once the smoking stops, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. In these cases one hears the person exclaim, “Cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Holistic cancer specialists that reside in distant countries such as Switzerland, Canada, and China, with different educational backgrounds all seem to say the same thing: an individualized holistic support program for each person improves long-term cancer survival. From my perspective, supportive cancer programs must address the unique messages sent by cancer. Therefore, this article will discuss three common messages of cancer...

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June 2009

WELLNESS

Before this discussion, one must trust in three underlying principles of health. a) the importance of seeking the cause of illness rather than just managing symptoms; b) emotions are at the core most chronic illnesses; c) cancer is a process. The last principle means that the tumour is not the cancer; cancer is the long-term underlying process (including DNA damage, hormone imbalances, and environmental carcinogen exposures) that culminates in the tumour. If you are in agreement with these principles, you will find the following messages to be powerful guideposts indeed.

The first message of cancer involves nutrition. A naturopath in China has seen that an improvement in nutrition habits is critical to cancer survivorship. These improvements include increasing intake of nutritious whole foods and reducing intake of synthetic, processed foods. Regardless of the cancer treatment chosen (conventional or alternative), long-term nutritional changes are part of this message of cancer. In this case, the body screams, “I need real fuel and I need it now, otherwise I can’t do my job of keeping you protected from renegade cancer cells any more.” A medical doctor in Mexico pointed out that good quality nutrition during and after treatment really makes a difference. People with cancer need to choose foods that are easy to absorb, alkalinizing, and energizing. Why? Forty percent of cancer-related deaths actually come from malnutrition (called “cachexia”). Cancer cells gobble up nutrients faster than body cells, especially sugar. By choosing foods that preferentially feed normal cells, one is heeding the nutritional message of cancer.

The psychology. According to physicians and psychologists in Canada, Switzerland, and USA, cancer bears a message on the emotional and spiritual realm. To see cancer only on the physical realm is to miss a tremendous opportunity for growth and possibly survival. One physician in Vancouver, Canada has seen patients go into remission by “heeding the message” of love and forgiveness that cancer often presents. A Swiss medical doctor who sees hundreds of cancer patients each week at his clinic applies anthroposophical and Chinese medicine, along with his other conventional and natural approaches. Because he takes a holistic approach, he sees that cancer messages frequently involve a disturbance in the person’s core identity. The individual’s mission or purpose is taken away or disrupted, such as the young mother losing a child, or the woman sacrificing her own ambitions to serve her husband’s desires. Another common scenario is the senior executive who gets promoted to a permanent position he dislikes and is diagnosed with colon cancer one year later. Not every person who has an experience like this develops cancer, but most cancer patients have had a disruptive experience one or two years before the cancer diagnosis. The cancer emerges to encourage them to examine how they have dealt with this experience. Once they work through this process, and they “hear the message” of the cancer, the cancer is no longer “needed” – remission can occur more freely and permanently.

Health is a precious gift. Insure your good health by eating lightly, breathing deeply, living moderately, cultivating cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.” William Londen

The third message warns the patient of underlying damaging processes that lead to cancer. Cancer thrives within a body that is oxygen- and nutrient-deprived, and full of sugar, inflammatory reactions, and altered immunity. In a recent Las Vegas conference, an American nutritionist lectured on his experiences with cancer. He said that if he were to summarize all his knowledge and experience of cancer into one facet, it would be this: Cancer is an opportunistic illness that grows amidst a toxic body environment. In other words, cancer gives a message that the body is toxic and improperly regulated. It says, “For the last time, clean yourself up!” These three messages of cancer act as undeniable guides. One should take the time to discover them. How? Perhaps sit quietly and still, then ask the cancer what it may be saying. If the answer does not come easily, daily or weekly journaling can help – try writing using the non-dominant hand to move beyond the mind and into the heart. For those artistically-inclined, drawing the scenario on paper sometimes brings out additional insights. For faster results, work with a holistic practitioner who can help you uncover the hidden messages. ✦

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WELLNESScancer comes back Why

June 2009

(following chemotherapy, radiation or surgery) By Mike Adams

One of the most common problems in cancer patients who choose

to undergo conventional cancer therapy is recurrence. They might think they have beaten their cancer with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, only to find a few years later that tumours have spread into other tissues – usually the lungs, brain, or even the reproductive organs. Conventional medicine has not yet caught on to what’s happening here, but the reason why this phenomenon occurs is quite simple: Conventional cancer treatments only treat the symptoms of cancer (tumours or growths) and do not actually do anything to help the patient regain a level of health necessary to keep cancer in check.

A tumour is not technically a disease. It is a symptom of an underlying imbalance in the patient. Unless you treat and reverse the underlying imbalances, you will never eliminate the underlying cause of the cancer. You will continue to see more tumours and complications, even if you are able to treat the first tumours. Think of it like this: suppose you have a dam holding up a body of water such as a lake. One day, due to poor maintenance, the dam begins to crack and water starts leaking through. In the world of conventional cancer treatment, they would say the problem is the water, and they would begin treating the water. They would try to evaporate the water or eliminate the water from flooding the valley below. But the problem isn’t the water leaking through the dam; the problem is the integrity of the dam itself. Unless you diagnose the problem with the dam and repair it, then you will never stop the leaking water. The same is true with cancer. Unless you address the underlying integrity of the immune system and the body’s self-repairing technology, all you’re doing is chasing symptoms. You can treat all the cancer tumours in the world and still do nothing to actually help the cancer patient solve his or her underlying problem.

The cancer industry remains ignorant of useful treatments Amazingly, after decades of research, and billions of dollars spent on cancer research, the conventional cancer industry remains oblivious to this simple truth about cancer. They don’t teach cancer prevention, and they don’t believe in cancer cures even though many exist. They are still treating the water rather than the dam by treating the tumours rather than the underlying problem. Conventional cancer treatments actually harm the patient and the

patient’s immune system, making it even more difficult to overcome cancer in the future. Chemotherapy harms the immune system and impairs organs such as the brain, liver, and the heart. It’s sort of like using TNT to blow out the water leaking through the dam. You destroy the dam at the same time. It leaves the patient unable to stop the progression of the cancer. The real answers to cancer prevention and cure are found in nutrition, exercise, reduction of stress, and avoidance of environmental chemicals and toxins. Chemotherapy is not a cure for cancer, nor is radiation, because both of those treatments can actually cause cancer. When you poison the immune system and irradiate tissues, you create physical imbalances which in turn can create cancer. This is the simple reason why so many people who subject themselves to conventional cancer treatments find themselves battling recurring cancer years later.

Where to start with curing cancer If you want to really cure cancer, you’ve got to focus on detoxification and healing from the inside out. Nearly all cases of cancer are caused in part by a burden of toxic, synthetic chemicals lodged in the liver, heart and digestive tract. Eliminating those is the first step towards a real cure, and cleansing the liver is probably the single most important thing to do when seeking to cure cancer (or to have a “permanent remission” as conventional oncologists might call it, since they don’t believe there is such a thing as a cure for cancer). So, how do you cleanse your liver? I could write an entire article just on that, but here’s something to get you started on what to investigate: The best modalities for liver cleansing are, in my opinion, Traditional Chinese Medicine and rainforest herbs (Amazon herbs). In my opinion, there is no such thing as a cancer recovery without a healthy, functioning liver. So start with supporting the liver. Isn’t it interesting to note that chemotherapy -- which is still somehow accepted as the mainstream treatment for cancer – is extremely toxic to the liver? In fact, chemotherapy compromises the body’s ability to cure itself of cancer in the future, thereby ensuring continued entrapment in the pharmacological medical system. The reason conventional medicine is so incredibly profitable is that the chemical products they use harm patients just enough to make sure they need to keep coming back for more treatments. ✦ From: www.naturalnews.com. Mike Adams is a health researcher who has written over 1500 articles and reports. His website is an invaluable wellness resource.

www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

you’re never too old it’s never too late... UP ON THE MOUNTAIN I look down and sigh Remembering the climb How it all looked so high But I climbed and I climbed Quit I would not Quitters are losers Quitters get hot And as they say If you can’t stand the heat Get out of the kitchen Go follow old Pete Pete was a man Who gave up on the climb Gave up way too early Hearing only the chime The chime of the clock Going tick tick tick tock Telling him he’s old Telling him to stop And so Pete did stop He did climb no more Waiting and watching Like a gull on the shore Waiting for that Which the clock said was coming Death and old age Senile and humming And so old Pete waited Like a man doing time Started the waiting While still in his prime The young ones passed him During their trek up the hill Some his age or older While he swilled down a pill

And so he just sat there Bemoaning his lot Choosing to give up Choosing to say “I have not “Have not the courage And have not the strength Have not the desire And have not the length “Have not the length Of time that it takes To climb and to dream And swim the Great Lakes” “So I’d rather give up now Than say that I failed I’d rather give up And say that I bailed “From a life that to me Was too hard and too high A life that for me Was one long big lie “I did work that I hated I wore clothes that were tight I had friends who didn’t like me And try as I might “I couldn’t break free From the shackles I chose So I just sat down And lost my will I suppose “They say to keep going ‘It’s never too late’ Maybe it’s not Maybe it’s fate “Maybe those people Who passed me today Maybe they were meant to Show me the way

“I could I guess Find me some rope “Hey old man,” they shouted. Find me one last shred Of faith and of hope “It’s never too late, Your goal is so close “I am really so tired You choose your fate! But I think I’ll take the hand Of the next person who passes “It’s never too late And offers to help me stand To follow your dreams To follow your path “One foot in front of the other As hard as it seems.” One day at a time Maybe I can do this But Pete had forgotten Yes just maybe I’ll be fine.” Forgotten how to live Forgotten how to love - Dana Nrkch And forgotten how to give

June 2009

WELLNESS

Cottonseed Nutrient Halts Growth of Brain Cancer Tumours Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most dreaded, and most hopeless,

diagnoses a doctor can give a patient. It’s not only the most malignant form of brain tumour, but it grows rapidly and is usually quickly fatal. Subjecting patients to chemo, radiation and brain surgery typically only prolongs life for a matter of months. This form of brain cancer is so deadly and considered so hopeless that M. D. Anderson Cancer Centre researcher Eric Holland, writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, referred to it by the insensitive but accurate nickname “the terminator”. Now, however, there could finally be a glimmer of hope for those diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme. It’s not stronger radiation or a new surgery technique but a treatment derived from nature -- cottonseed. An experimental therapy derived from cottonseed is showing remarkable promise in treating multiforme, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). John Fiveash, M.D., an associate professor in the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology and the lead researcher on the new study, presented his research team’s findings on May 30 during the poster discussion of central nervous system tumours at the American Society for Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. The UAB study was a phase II clinical trial of AT-101, a pill made from a potent compound found in cottonseed that appears to overcome the outof-control growth patterns of malignant cells. So far in the clinical tests, AT-101 stopped the usually lethal brain cancer’s progression in many of the 56 patients treated, Dr. Fiveash said at the meeting. Before the trial began, patients in the study had already undergone standard treatments including brain surgery and chemotherapy. But their aggressive brain tumours had started growing again. The cancer research subjects were then given a treatment consisting only of AT-101 daily for three out of four weeks. “After getting this drug some of these patients went many months without any new growth in their tumours,” Dr. Fiveash said in a statement to the media. “We are able to do that with a well-tolerated oral medication, and that is a major benefit.” Dr. Fiveash said the nature-derived drug might be able to boost the cancerfighting properties of current treatments, too. In addition, he pointed out that research is needed to learn which patients are most likely to benefit from AT-101. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), glioblastoma multiforme tumours account for more than half of the more than 18,000 primary malignant brain tumours diagnosed each year in the US and they are the second-most common cause of cancer deaths in the 15 to 44 age group. Considering the ability of glioblastoma multiforme tumours to grow and spread remarkably quickly, the UAB findings that a cottonseed derivative could stop the malignancy growth are nothing short of remarkable. Research into cottonseed over the past decade has shown it to have numerous health-promoting qualities. For example, previous animal research at the University of Michigan concluded that a therapy made from cottonseed oil could boost the effectiveness of treatment for prostate cancer and possibly other common cancers, as well. Another study from Texas Medical Centre researchers found that consuming cottonseed oil may help fight heart disease because it is rich in vitamin E and lowers cholesterol naturally. ✦

From: www.naturalnews.comm June 5, 2009, By S. L. Baker.

of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

WELLNESS

June 2009

what is estion in terms of qu ch ea e in m xa what is “E ly right, as well as al ic et th es d an ethically t when it ent. A thing is righ di pe ex ly al ic om d beauty econ grity, stability, an te in e th ve er es tends to pr n it tends y. It is wrong whe it un m m co ic ot bi of the ldo Leopold otherwise.” ~ A

A new report published on 26 March 2009 in the New England

Journal of Medicine has found that prostate cancer screening with PSA testing, like breast cancer screening using mammograms, does more harm than good.

The report in the New York Times on the results of two recently published randomised controlled clinical trials states that “…the PSA blood test, used to screen for prostate cancer, saves few lives and leads to risky and unnecessary treatments for large numbers of men…”. What the study did not point out is that in neither of the studies were there any lives saved. Yet thousands of men experienced serious side effects from the post screening treatment. In both trials, participants were randomly assigned to be screened — or not — with the PSA test, whose initials stand for prostate-specific antigen. In each study, the two groups were followed for more than a decade while researchers counted deaths from prostate cancer, asking whether screening made a difference.

The American Study The American study1, run by the US National Cancer Institute, involved nearly 77,000 men aged from 55-74 at 10 medical centres in the United States. After 10 years follow-up there were 92 deaths from prostate cancer among the 38,343 in the screened group compared with 82 deaths among the 38,350 men in the matched control group (who were not offered screening) – an increase of 11%.

Prostate Cancer Screening with PSA of Little if Any Benefit By Don Benjamin

For reasons not explained, the authors excluded the deaths from lung and colorectal cancer from the total deaths in both groups. Presumably this is because the trial was part of a larger PLCO (Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer) trial in which the same men were also screened for lung and colorectal cancer, so deaths from these cancers would not be attributable to prostate cancer treatment but to treatment for lung and colorectal cancer. If deaths from all causes are considered, the difference between the two groups (3,953 in the screened group and 4,058 in the control group) was not statistically significant. This is the most important measure of efficacy because there is little benefit if deaths from prostate cancer go down and deaths from other causes go up by the same amount as a result of harm from post-screening treatment. As mentioned above these figures do not include deaths from prostate, lung and colorectal cancer.

The European Study In the European Study2 involving seven European countries there were 72,890 men in the screened group aged 50-74 and 89,353 in the control group. After 9 years follow-up there were 214 deaths from prostate cancer out of 72,890 in the screened group (2.94 per 1000) and 326 in the larger control group of 89,353 (3.65 per 1000) giving a difference of 0.71 per 1000 – a reduction of ~20%. Unlike the American study, the details of deaths from other causes were not provided. However the deaths from other causes must have been higher in the screened group because the deaths from all causes, as in the American study, were essentially the same in the screened and control groups. Again the most likely explanation for increased deaths from other causes is the harm done by the post-screening treatment.

As to deaths from other causes among men with prostate cancer, there were 312 deaths in the screened group compared with 225 in the control group – an increase of 39%. One explanation for this is the harm caused by the post screening treatment: radical surgery, radiotherapy, hormone blocking therapy and chemotherapy, all of which would have been increased among the screened men; there were 16% more men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the screened group compared with the control group not offered screening. The authors attributed this excess of deaths among the screened group to “over-diagnosis”.

The authors concluded that 1,410 men would have to be screened and 48 men told they had prostate cancer and needlessly treated for it for every man whose death was prevented within a decade after having had a PSA test. They estimated that over-diagnosis of prostate cancer in the screened group was 50%.

So deaths from prostate cancer and from other causes among men with prostate cancer were 404 in the screened group and 307 in the control group, ie about 100 more in the screened group.

As mentioned above it is not valid to claim that any deaths had been prevented by the screening because the total deaths from all causes were essentially the same in the screened and unscreened group.

www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

June 2009

WELLNESS

From these results it was also estimated by an epidemiologist that if a man has a PSA test that leads to a biopsy that reveals he has prostate cancer, there is a 98% chance that he will be treated unnecessarily for a cancer that was never a threat to his life. Yet prostate cancer treatment can result in impotence and incontinence when surgery is used to destroy the prostate, and, at times, painful defecation or chronic diarrhoea when the treatment is radiation. So there is plenty of harm caused by prostate cancer screening and no proven benefits whatsoever. Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth who studies cancer screening, also welcomed the new data. “We’ve been waiting years for this,” he said. “It’s a shame we didn’t have it 20 years ago.” Gilbert Welch is one of the few researchers who has claimed all along that no form of cancer screening has been proven to increase survival or reduce mortality.3 The two trials have not been widely reported in the media and where they have been, eg ABC Radio’s Health Report, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review, all of the scientists interviewed focused on the lives save in the European trial. None of them mentioned the fact there was no difference in overall mortality. (So no lives could have been saved) - thus perpetuating the misleading claims from the past decades. Many men who have undergone the test and have undergone a prostatectomy are very angry that these trial results have been published. They have been convinced by their surgeon that they are only alive today because their prostate cancer was found early via the PSA test and removed. They are worried that many men will die unnecessarily once they hear about these new findings that early detection causes more harm than good. It is very similar to the many women who have undergone a mastectomy and believe it has saved their lives despite the results of six randomised controlled clinical trials that have shown that early intervention results in more harm than good with no lives saved. These attitudes result from a misinformation provided to men by their doctors over the years. For example Phillip Stricker, Director of the St Vincent’s Prostate Cancer Centre in Sydney, has been claiming for years that he can cure prostate cancer if it is found early enough. And such surgeons have claimed that men are likely to die sooner if they do not undergo surgery or possibly radiotherapy, a claim now disproved by the recent randomised controlled trials. So such men actually believe that they are only alive because they had a prostatectomy. ✦

Understand your options

References 1. Andriole, GL et al. Mortality Results from a Randomized Prostate-Cancer Screening Trial. N Engl J Med. (March 26) 2009;360(13):1310-9. 2. Schröder, FH et al. Screening and Prostate-Cancer Mortality in a Randomized European Study, N Engl J Med March 26, 2009; 360(13):1320-8. 3. Black W, Haggerstrom D and Welch HG. All-cause Mortality in Randomized Trials of Cancer Screening. J Natl Cancer Inst, 6 Feb 2002; 94(3):167-73.

Don Benjamin is the Convenor of the Cancer Information & Support Society NSW (CISS). He is editor of ‘New Beginnings’ the CISS newsletter. For more information about CISS see: www.ciss.org.au.

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WELLNESS

Ecology and the June 2009

Human Heart

from the wisdom of the Dalai Lama According to Buddhist teaching, there is a very close interdependence

between the natural environment and the sentient beings living in it. Some of my friends have told me that basic human nature is somewhat violent, but I told them I disagree. If we examine different animals, for examples, those whose very survival depends on taking others lives, such as tigers or lions, we learnt that their basic nature provides them with sharp fangs and claws. Peaceful animals, such as deer, which are completely vegetarian, are gentler and have smaller teeth and no claws. From that viewpoint we human beings have a non-violent nature. As to the question of human survival, human beings are social animals. In order to survive we need companions. Without other human beings there is simply no possibility of surviving; that is a law of nature. Since I deeply believe that human beings are basically gentle by nature, I feel that we should not only maintain gentle, peaceful relations with our fellow human beings but also that is very important to extend the same kind of attitude toward the natural environment. Morally speaking, we should be concerned for our whole environment. Then there is another viewpoint, not just a question of ethics but a question of our own survival. The environment is very important not only for this generation but also for future generations. If we exploit the environment in extreme ways, even though we may get some money or other benefit from it now, in the long run we ourselves will suffer and future generations will suffer. When the environment changes, climatic conditions also change. When they change dramatically, the economy and many other things change as well. Even our physical health will be greatly affected. So this is not merely a moral question but also a question of our own survival.

Therefore, in order to succeed in the protection and conservation of the natural environment, I think it is important first of all to bring about an internal balance within human beings themselves. The abuse of the environment, which has resulted in such harm to the human community, arose out of ignorance of the importance of the environment. I think it is essential to help people to understand this. We need to teach people that the environment has a direct bearing on our own benefit. I am always talking about the importance of compassionate thought. As I said earlier, even from your own selfish viewpoint, you need other people. So, if you develop concern for other people’s welfare, share other people’s suffering, and help them, ultimately you will benefit. If you think. only of yourself and forget about others, ultimately you will lose. That is also something like a law of nature. It is quite simple: if you do not smile at people, but frown at them, they respond similarly, don’t they? If you deal with other people in a very sincere, open way, they behave similarly. Every body wants to have friends and does not want enemies. The proper way to create friends is to have a warm heart, not simply money or power. The friend of power and the friend of money are something different: These are not true friends. True friends should be real friends of heart, shouldn’t they? I am always telling people that those friends who come around when you have money and power are not truly your friends, but friends of money and power, because as soon as the money and power disappear, those friends are also ready to leave. They are not reliable. Genuine, human friends stand by whether you are successful or unlucky and always share your sorrow and burdens. The way to make

www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

June 2009

such friends is not by being angry, nor by having good education or intelligence, but by having a good heart. To think more deeply, if you must be selfish, then be wisely selfish, not narrow-mindedly selfish. The key thing is the sense of universal. responsibility; that is the real source of strength, the real source of happiness. If our generation exploits everything available - the trees, the water, and the minerals - without any care for the coming generations or the future, then we are at fault, aren’t we? But if we have a genuine sense of universal responsibility as our central motivation, then our relations with our neighbours, both domestic and international. Another important question is: What is consciousness, what is the mind? In Western world during the last one or two centuries there has been great emphasis on science and technology, which mainly deal with matter. Today some nuclear physicists and neurologists say that when you investigate particles in a very detailed way, there is some kind of influence from the side of the observer, the knower. What is this knower? A simple answer is; A human being, the scientist. How does the scientist know? With the brain, Western scientists have identified only a few hundred so far. Now, whether you call it mind, brain, or consciousness, there is a relationship between brain and mind and also mind and matter. I think this is important. I feel it is possible to hold some sort of dialogue between Eastern Philosophy and Western science on the basis of this relationship.

WELLNESS

In any case, these days we human beings are very much involved in the external world, while we neglect the internal world. We do need scientific development and material development in order to survive and to increase the general benefit and prosperity, but equally as much we need mental peace. Yet no doctor can give you an injection of mental peace, and no market can sell it to you. If you go to a supermarket with millions and millions of dollars, you can buy anything, but if you go there and ask for peace of mind, people will laugh. And if you ask a doctor for genuine peace of mind, not the mere sedation you get from taking some kind of pill or injection, the doctor cannot help you. Even to day’s sophisticated computers cannot provide you with mental peace. Mental peace must come from the mind. Everyone wants happiness and pleasure, but if we compare physical pleasure and physical pain with mental pleasure and mental pain, we find that the mind is more effective, predominant, and superior. Thus it is worthwhile adopting certain methods to increase mental peace, and in order to do that it is important to know more about the mind. When we talk about preservation of the environment, it is related to many other things. The key point is to have genuine sense of universal responsibility, based on love and compassion, and clear awareness. ✦ Excerpt from My Tibet (Text by H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama: Photographs and Introduction by Galen Rowell) Thames and Hudson Ltd., London, 1990 (p 53-54)

feature Service Wheel of Life Hospice By Christine Robbins

“Real care of the sick does not begin with costly procedures, but with the simple gift of affection and love. People respond to kindness even when medicine is ineffective and in turn cultivating a kind heart is a cause of our own good health.” His Holiness the Dalai Lama With the above words in mind The Hayagriva Buddhist Centre in

Kensington recently oﬀered their 2009 Training Program for Pastoral Care Visitors as part of their Wheel of Life Hospice Service. The Service is dedicated to giving support and care, based on the principles of compassion, love, respect and responsibility. The main aim is to oﬀer pastoral care to those individuals and their families who are facing life-threatening illness, to the dying, to those who have died and to those who are grieving. They are committed to serving all people equally, without bias and with deep respect for each individual’s social, cultural and religious beliefs. I was very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to take part in this Program which was held on 6 Saturdays over a period of twelve weeks. Along with 40 other interested individuals a safe space was created in which to explore various aspects of death, dying, grief, loss, and end of life care, both for ourselves personally, and also as would be volunteers. The course was very well planned, and well delivered, with plenty of information, individual and group sharing, and fantastic vegetarian shared lunches. Hospice visits have been part of my work with CSA members over the past few years, and this course has given me further insights and

resources to draw on. The Wheel of Life Hospice Service oﬀers the following to the community at large, including our CSA members. • • • • • • • • • •

Companionship Emotional support Meditation and related practices Spiritual support if requested. A resource lending library Lectures for schools and community groups on issues related to death and dying Prayers fort those who have recently died Study group on issues related to preparing, whilst we are well, for sickness and death Memorial services Training program for pastoral care visitors.

Venerable Chodron, the Coordinator of Wheel of Life states: “Helping ourselves and others through compassion to live well and die well; creating public awareness and interest in the beneﬁts that are experienced by investigating life and death; giving death the attention it deserves in order to deepen our understanding of life” If you would like more information please check out their website on www.hayagriva.org.au or telephone 9367 4817. If I can be of any help in this regard please ring 9384 3544 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

WELLNESS

d o o is g nough e ? d o go June 2009

By Kim Varvell

When asked by my family, friends and acquaintances about my

blood picture taken every week. This has its benefits. Only over the past 3 months have I been able to once again do some light chores around the house and for my family. The treatment has given me back some energy to the extent that my wife and I managed a holiday last year.

First some background to understand where I am coming from and the context of my story. Over the past 5 years, my wife, three children and their partners who are between 28 and 34 have been deeply affected by people very close to them with cancer. Firstly, my wife was successfully treated for an aggressive breast cancer; I was diagnosed with cutaneous T-cell non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (CTCL) after a long time and many doctor’s appointments, where at one stage prior to the diagnosis and treatment people felt I may not last the year. During this time, my father in law was diagnosed with stomach cancer and passed within 4 months. Lastly, my son has recently been treated for a level 1 melanoma.

My family especially my wife and children, and my friends give me great support and are very caring. When asked ‘How are you doing?’ I generally answer “I’m good”, even when I’m not feeling the best. The question then becomes one of “Am I giving them the appropriate, relevant and timely information to ease their anxieties and fears?” and put them in the best position to support and care for me. This matter was brought up at our CSA Tuesday group and after some lively discussion I decided the answer was ‘no’, in fact an emphatic ‘no’.

cancer and the progress of my treatment, just saying “I’m good” may not be good enough. How do I go about telling people meaningfully how I feel, my progress and impact of my cancer treatment. This is my story.

Over the past 5 years, the CTCL has blocked my lymph system leading to swelling mainly in my legs and has affected my skin in that it leaves me with a presentation like dermatitis. Even slight exercise or heat related sweat drives me mad with an itch. Further to this, I have been hospitalised on 3 occasions with serious septic arthritis in the right shoulder that has left me with restricted movement and weak bones in the shoulder. When diagnosed, the haematologist first treated me with CHOP14, this had some relief, then fludarabine. This had limited effect and he considered that treatment with a new trial drug Depsipeptide was the best course at this stage because it had shown some benefit for people with T-cell non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and was the least invasive. The trial is for three years and I am about half way through. I have the drug infused Wednesdays over 4 hours, then feel not so good on Thursday getting better again late Friday. I have the drug for 3 weeks out of 4 and have CT scans and other tests every two months to record the progress of the treatment. I also have a full

There are a number of reasons that I thought ‘no’, such as: • I look well, but only my wife understands what I go through. Not everyone knows or understands what CTCL is, the side effects of my treatment, the impact of the infections and skin presentation. • My children talk with each other and to my wife to reduce their anxiety and concerns. This may lead them to having doubts as to how well I really am, shifts the load onto my wife to explain how I am and ease any fears my family and friends may have. The internet can also provide them with information that may confuse and further compound their fears. • I am not being true to my self. I may say I’m good simply to remain positive in my outlook. • Do people need to be protected from what I am going through? I don’t know, mostly I like to tell people when I am asked because unless people are directly involved with others who have a similar problem they have little understanding of Leukaemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma, let alone CTCL. For me its an

Use your CSA VILLAGE CARD online for great rewards Log on to the CSA Village at www.csavillage.nml.com.au Remember every time you use your Village Card a donation is made directly to CSA

www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

June 2009

WELLNESS

education process and helps in promoting the relevant organisations particularly the CSA. I may also receive feedback from others they know who have a similar condition. • Ad hoc communication with the family and friends may be incomplete or tend to nagging due telling one person several times when I thought I hadn’t, or forgetting to tell them. • People need information at different levels. Some people ask just to be courteous, and others need information at a more detailed level. In my case, all my family and friends are genuinely interested, but still need information at different levels. For example: My eldest daughter has seen me many times at my worst and telling her anything but the truth would be unreasonable. The middle daughter is in her last year studying medicine at UWA and has undertaken rotations in oncology and palliative care. It is unfair to ask her to unravel the mysteries of my diagnosis even though she is very interested because without the full information she cannot form or give opinions. However, she is interested in the best detail I can give her to support me and help her with some case study work.

???

My son cares, but just needs to know I am well, unless there is significant change. His wife, my son-in-law and my parents all need to know how well I am too. Friends and acquaintances have different needs generally across the range suggested above. Based on the different needs of people just saying ‘good’ to many of my family, friends and acquaintances is simply not good enough. How did I fix this? So for my family and other interested people I have decided to provide a brief bi-monthly newsletter following my two monthly tests outlining how I am going, where I am at, where I am going, and sometimes my mood. The hardest matter to deal with is the emotions at the time. My emotional state is generally only transitory and probably has changed by the time the people read the email. This newsletter has shown to have benefits including: • People only need to read what they want. • It puts everyone on the same song sheet and allows me to correct any jargon or misunderstandings people may have. • It opens up discussion. • The email can be forwarded quickly to others such as the family’s friends who may be interested.

“This communicating of a man’s self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joy, and cutteth griefs in half” ~ Francis Bacon • It allows me to honestly communicate with friends who are anxious about talking to me face to face about my cancer. However, similar to never finding a one-handed economist who always seems to have on one hand this opinion, and on the other hand that opinion, sometimes just saying good, well or fine is all that is needed. It generally depends upon who I am talking to at the time, my mood and their interest in me perceived or real. So is good, good enough, I don’t know, it all depends on some of the issues I have found on my journey outline above. I liken my journey to taking a trip on a train, the train was slowly pulling into a station where we were to stay awhile then off into a dark, gloomy place. Before reaching the station, however, the line was switched and the train is now on a rough and bumpy line into a bright, open space full of hope. For me it is nice to be able write a note or postcard home from the train to the people I love from time to time as my journey continues. I am more than curious as to where this will take me. Good luck with how you deal with talking to your loved ones about your situation. If you would like to talk to me about any matter in my story please email me at fuzzie@y7mail.com or phone me on 9457 4213. ✦ Cheers and Keep Well!

of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

WELLNESS

June 2009

i w n t g e n r i m r a w

s d ! a l a s

Warm Chick Pea and Broccoli Salad

While winter is a time for comfort eating and baking, there may be a day when you’re longing for something a little lighter. A warm salad is the perfect compromise. You don’t have to sideline salads until the first green shoots of spring. And they don’t need to be cool, calm and crisp. Get adventurous with full-flavoured recipes Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the fresh crunch and crisp snap of a green salad leaf. You can turn green leaves into winter comfort food by tossing in all sorts of cooked additions, providing a contrast of cold and hot and an exciting mix of textures and colours. Use the finest seasonal ingredients to make yourself something special from those winter salad leaves...

“Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food.”

Serve this comforting salad as a main dish or as a side. The chick peas contribute a considerable amount of protein, manganese and folate to the dish. Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side..

Ingredients 1 heaped cup dried chick peas, soaked for 6 hours or overnight in water Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste 1/2 kilo broccoli crowns, broken into florets 1/2 small red onion, sliced (optional) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or a combination of parsley and dill Shaved Parmesan For the dressing: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 small garlic clove, minced or put through a press Salt, preferably kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or 4 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons buttermilk or plain low-fat or nonfat yoghurt

Method 1. Place the chick peas and their soaking liquid in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer until the chick peas are tender, 30 minutes to an hour. Remove the bay leaf. 2. Meanwhile, place the red onions in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak 5 minutes, then drain and rinse. Dry on paper towels. 3. Make the dressing. Mix together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil (or the oil and buttermilk or yogurt). Set aside. 4. When the beans are tender, add the broccoli. Turn up the heat, cover and simmer or steam (depending on how much water is left in the pan) 5 minutes, until the broccoli is tender but still bright. Drain the beans and broccoli and toss with the dressing. Add the herbs and the Parmesan, toss again, and serve warm.

Recipe By Martha Rose Shulman. From: New York Times, February 2009

Email your healing recipes and food news to the Wellness News editor: editor.wellness@yahoo.com.au www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

Hippocrates

June 2009

WELLNESS

Top Foods to Eat Organically Some conventionally grown foods are treated with more pesticides than others. Some retain more of the pesticides. Here is a list of the top foods containing the most pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C.

Warm Fennel & Pumpkin Salad A warming and delicious winter recipe. Serve it with mash and roaast chicken.

Ingredients 3 tbsp canola oil 750g butternut pumpkin (peeled and thinly sliced) 1 bunch watercress sprigs 1 bulb fennel (thinly sliced) 2 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar 1 tbsp orange juice, 1 tsp honey 1 pinch cayenne pepper sea salt

Method Heat canola oil over high heat in a large heavy-based pan. Cook butternut pumpkin (peeled and thinly sliced) for 3-5 minutes, turning once. Place 1 watercress sprigs on a platter and top with pumpkin slices. Top pumpkin with fennel (thinly sliced). Toast 2 tbsp sesame seeds in a frying pan over low heat until golden. Place 1 tbsp canola oil, 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar, 1 tbsp orange juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 pinch cayenne pepper and sea salt to taste in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth, then drizzle dressing over salad and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Recipe By Lynne Mullins. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, June 2005. This recipe is featured in the book, Whip it Up which is available now in all good bookstores RRP $24.95.

You can sidestep harm and still eat vitamin-rich foods. If you cannot find these foods organically, here are some great alternatives that contain the same valuable vitamins and minerals.

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD STRAWBERRIES Main nutrient: Vitamin C

Healthy alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, tangerines, oranges, grapefruit

Healthy alternatives: Blueberries, raspberries, oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, watermelon

Main nutrient: Carotenoids

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: BELL PEPPERS

Healthy alternatives: Carrots, broccoli, radishes, romaine lettuce

Main nutrient: Vitamin C

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: CELERY

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: APPLES

Healthy alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, romaine, lettuce

Main nutrient: Vitamin C

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: SPINACH

Healthy alternatives: Watermelon, nectarines, bananas, tangerines

Main nutrient: Vitamins A and C

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: APRICOTS

Healthy alternatives: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus

Main nutrient: Vitamins A an C and potassium

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: CHERRIES

Healthy alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, oranges, tangerines

Main nutrient: Vitamin C Healthy alternatives: Oranges, blueberries, raspberries, kiwifruit, blackberries, grapefruit

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: PEACHES Main nutrient: Vitamins A and C

HIGH-PESTICIDE FOOD: GREEN BEANS Main nutrient: Potassium Healthy alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, asparagus

Excerpted from Your Organic Kitchen, by Jesse Ziff Cool.

of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

WELLNESS

June 2009

books & media

review

the books reviewed on these pages are available for loan from the CSA Library. If you are a CSA member you can also borrow all titles from our library catalogue online: www.cancersupportwa.org.au

Eating for Recovery: how to use food as part of a healing program F

ood can make a huge difference in terms of outcomes in cancer treatment, but the relationship between nutrition and cancer is contentious with some experts claiming what you eat makes all the difference while other specialists will tell you it doesn’t. In this lecture, Ian clarifies the discrepancy and provides a guideline for eating for cancer recovery based on the Four Principles of the Gawler Healing Diet.

‘Eating for Recovery: how to use your food as a part of a healing program’ CD by Ian Gawler. Insight Health Services. An audio lecture outlining the principles of Ian Gawler’s cancer healing diet.

Cancer is a lifestyle related disease and there is a large body of research to indicate that more than a third of cancers are linked to diet. Ian’s personal experience and work with thousands of cancer patients has shown that a healing diet can have a significant impact on recurrence of disease. Used in conjunction with Ian Gawler’s book ‘You Can Conquer Cancer’ this CD gives the listener clarity on how to go about changing to a health supporting nutritional program. There are obvious benefits to switching to a good diet which helps to increase your chances of recovering from disease and leading a long healthy life. Ian Gawler explains how to make this change and also the importance of belief and conviction, if you really believe in the healing power of your diet and make a wholehearted effort it will work for you. This belief is at the heart of the mind/body principle of healing. Here is an outline of the principles of the healing diet discussed on the CD.

1. Detoxification Detoxification frees us of impurities which have built up over time. It is a process of purification to help the body function better and become more receptive to the healing foods you introduce. In cancer the ‘mono’ diet where only one particular food is eaten for a short period of time, works best to help detoxify.

2. Good nutritional base An ongoing maintenance diet should satisfy all the nutritional and healing requirements of the body. It should emphasise fresh, vital fruit, vegetables and grains with a modest level of protein and avoid saturated fats, salt, sugar and refined foods. The maintenance diet provides a good base for designing a specific healing diet for people with active cancer.

3. Anti-cancer foods More than 1000 chemicals have been identified with anti-cancer properties. Foods containing these chemicals should be included in the diet to actively combat cancer. Some examples of foods to include are: raw raspberries and pomegranates which prevent cancer cells from dividing; turmeric which can be used widely in cooking; tomatoes which prevent and help treat prostate cancer; broccoli sprouts and cabbage which both have powerful anti-cancer agents. There are many other anti-cancer foods which Ian discusses.

4. Cancer unfriendly environment The metabolic setup of the body can be changed to make it difficult for cancer to grow in the first place and to make the body strong enough to eliminate cancer. Exercise, particularly yoga and chi kung, introduces more oxygen into the system and can help bring about such a change. The acid/alkaline balance of the body also has an effect and can be changed through diet and meditation. Another consideration is protein levels in the diet. High protein contributes to cancer growth which is why a vegetarian diet is the most beneficial. Ian also talks about supplements and juices and gives recommendations on how to integrate them into a healing regime.

The Eating for Recovery CD is conversational and friendly with loads of nutritional information presented in a logical and interesting way. This CD is an ideal resource for people new to the concept of nutrition and mind/body healing as a cancer therapy. ✦

Reviewed by Mandy BeckerKnox.

www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

June 2009

WELLNESS

Now What? handbook

The news that a loved one has cancer is of course a terrible shock for anyone. However for young children and teenagers this fact can is all the more difficult to deal with. Especially when the person diagnosed is a close relative and primary care-giver. Now What? was created by CanTeen with these children in mid. It contains useful information presented on brightly coloured page to help young people through the tough journey ahead.

The book is divided into five useful sections offering different kinds of advice. Designed with children in mind the sections are brief with a lot of illustrations and charts. It’s quick, easy and simple to read, which are three things a child dealing with the reality of cancer will appreciate.

Head stuff This section opens with a page called “Take a Breathe” which helps put things into perspective and provides the reader with comfort that they may otherwise not receive. In addition to providing much need information about cancer, it also advises the reader on what questions to ask the doctor and also encourages them to seek further information about the illness from qualified sources, rather that relying of hearsay from classmates. This section takes cancer off its pedestal and makes it seem a lot less scary and overwhelming.

Heart stuff This section covers the emotional aspect of dealing with a cancer diagnosis and provides important information for the reader on a few different topics. It helps the reader deal with the often dramatic changes they will face as a result of their loved one’s diagnosis with a particular focus on changes in family roles, relationships with friends and family members. It also covers emotions that in any other situation may seem quite negative and depending on the age of the child may even be completely new and unrecognisable. Communication is also a key topic in this section and it provides ways for the reader to communicate difficult emotions and to love and value themselves. It also gets into some heavy topic such as illnesses that the reader themselves could develop as a result of their loved one’s diagnosis including depression and self harm.

Practical stuff This section provides information on how to deal with things like schooling and studies as well as a job. It also mentions the worsened financial situation the reader might find their family in.. One part that I particular love about this section is the fact that it encourages the reader to take care of them physically by providing information and resources about food and cooking because as we all know ‘we are what we eat’ and physical health is always important.

Medical stuff This section is very important. This is where the reader can get all the medical information the need on the different types of cancer, the treatments that are available and even a description of all the medical staff that will be attending to their loved one throughout their treatment. It is quite in depth but still easy to understand and also includes an easy reference glossary!

Handy stuff This section is particularly unique tear-out section! It is actually a section that helps friends of the reader support them and understand what they are going though. We all know how difficult it can be to find the right words or actions to comfort a friend in need and this helps communicate what is appropriate and required. The reader can share these tear-out pages with friends to help them be the best friends they can possibly be.

Now What? handbook. Published by CanTeen The Australian Organisation For Young People Living With Cancer A resource booklet to help children and young adults with a parent or sibling with cancer.

Website In addition to all the great information provided in this handy little booklet, the website provides a list of helpful resources the reader can look at. For tech-savvy kids who rarely pick up a book, the website provides similar information and resources plus links to other great sites. The Now What? Handbook is a wonderful resource and one that should be present on the coffee table of every family home in which a parent or sibling has been diagnosed with cancer. It takes a lot of overwhelming and confusing information and presents it in an interesting easy-to-understand way! One of the best things about this book is the fact that it also helps to reshape the reader’s knowledge of cancer by laying it out clearly and simply. The word cancer is everywhere these days and it’s a real virtue for this book to explain and demystify it. ✦

Reviewed by Deanne Walker. To view the resource or order the book go to www.nowwhat.org.au, call 1800 669 942 or SMS 0420 363 189. Copies also available from CSA.

of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

WELLNESS

June 2009

Help to heal others and yourself by contributing to a new research project

CSA

community would like to post notices somethingIf you on the Bulletin Board email your notice to the Editor: csa_wellnessnews@yahoo.com.au

COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH ASSESSMENT SCREENINGS. REDUCED PRICE FOR MEMBERS Paul Alexander, one of Australia’s leading natural health practitioners, is offering a very comprehensive Health Assessment Screening at a reduced price for CSA members. Contact Paul at the Tara Centre, or discuss this option with Dr. Peter Daale at CSA.

volunteer for appointments A CSA member, Trish would like a volunteer to accompany her to oncology appointments at Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital, to provide her with moral support and to help with any questions she may need to ask. She would also like this person to debrief with her after the appointment for a short while.

enjoy learning REIKI Roger Weston is oﬀering CSA members the opportunity to learn Reiki for $100 which is half price. Contact Roger for more information on 9384 2344. Put Healing in Your Hands!

I am doing Research into non-stressful and stressful (positive and negative) events effect on the body and I am looking for stories that follow what occurred prior to your illness till the resultant diagnosis. Stories of all illnesses, especially Cancer are very welcome. All stories are worthwhile including remembered childhood illnesses. I am omitting those illnesses caused by viral or bacterial means except of course cervical cancer (associated to Human papilloma virus (HPV)) which needs to be included. To my knowledge this Research has not been done before. It is hoped a cure for several illnesses will develop from the research and by extending the work undertaken in “Mind, Fantasy and Healing: One women’s Journey from Conflict and Illness to Wholeness and Health“ by Alice Hooper Epstein (1989). Alice use’s meditation, Simonton’s Visualisation and Psychosynthesis (a form of psychology) to cure herself of Lung Cancer.. Real names will be kept confidential and stories will mostly be grouped for analysis of patterns for comparison of illnesses and of illness areas. Please include (when known) the side of the body and the location in the body or organ the disease occurred, if possible. Eg. Left, Right, upper, lower, inner, outer etc. as this will help in understanding any patterns that occur. Any analysed resultant patterns will be published as a complementary therapy for Cancer to be trialled in the respective Cancer Centres undertaking this research. Send to: Dennis H Pitman. PO Box 741, Kwinana, WA 6966 or email dennis.pitman@bigpond.com (please place is the subject line “Stories”) Any questions please contact me at one of the above addresses. Thank you very much, Dennis Pitman 10

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If you are attending CSA and would like assistance parking your car, please stop in the drive at the front of the building and ask reception.

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solution for puzzle on page 3

www.cancersupportwa.org.au environment • wellness • healing

June 2009

Eat your way to a strong immune system Snuffling and sneezing your way through winter? If you spend the colder months miserably lurching from one illness to another, some lifestyle changes – especially changes to your diet – might help. Boost your body’s defences with food, says nutritionist Angela Dowden.

nsurprisingly, fruit and vegetables are vital in keeping the immune system fighting fit. In particular, fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin C, which can be found in high quantities in citrus fruits, kiwi fruits, berries, peppers and sweet potatoes. To offset some of the decline in immune function that occurs as we age, it pays to include plant foods that are a good source of vitamin E. Sunflower seeds and oil are two of the very best, but you’ll also get significant amounts from other seeds and nuts and avocados, and more moderate amounts from mangoes, blackberries, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Studies at the Human Nutrition Research Centre On Ageing at Tufts University, in Boston, USA, found that high doses of vitamin E administered to healthy individuals aged over 65 improved several measures of immune responsiveness; in some cases restoring the immune response of a 70-year-old to that expected in a 40-year-old. Selenium, another immune-boosting antioxidant, works with vitamin E, so eat a handful of Brazil nuts (the best source of selenium) daily. It’s also a good idea to add garlic to your food, as it contains sulphur-based compounds that have natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. You don’t need to eat whole raw garlic, however, just crush some in a little olive oil to make a dressing, or add it to a pasta sauce or soup. During the season of winter sniffles, you also need to ensure you eat enough protein, which is vital for maintaining the linings in your airways and stopping bacteria and viruses taking hold. Two portions of meat, fish, chicken, eggs, nuts or pulses a day fit the bill. Keeping mucus secretions in the respiratory passages healthy is another important way to keep infection at bay. Mucus provides a slippery surface that makes it harder for bacteria and viruses to infect our cells, but evidence shows that a deficiency of vitamin A can affect mucus production. Though the body can make vitamin A from beta-carotene found in orange-red vegetables (beta-carotene is found in large quantities in carrots, which makes them an important immune enhancer) it pays to have a separate supply of the ready-formed vitamin, which you can get by eating oily fish, liver, cheese, eggs and butter. Don’t forget to drink plenty, too. If you’re dehydrated, your respiratory and nasal passages can dry out, making infection more likely. Ironically, some bacteria can actually help prevent infection. Probiotics – available as yogurt-based drinks – are packed with ‘friendly’ bacteria that colonise the colon wall and act as a barrier to invading germs. As for what not to eat, there is evidence suggesting that large quantities of sugar could be an enemy of the immune system, interfering with the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria. Prolonged stress can also weaken immunity. Being sedentary is another bad idea – moderate daily exercise boosts the immune system although arduous exercise, such as marathon running, can actually make respiratory infections more likely. After every effort, if you still fall prey to infections, upping your vitamin C at the first sign of a sniff or scratchy throat may help. Though the vitamin can’t stop you getting a cold, research shows that high doses can minimise symptoms and shorten the duration by about a day. In this situation, food sources alone are not enough, so pop a 1,000mg supplement each day until symptoms have subsided.

WELLNESS

In fond memory of those who have shared part of their journey with us... Allan Day Malcom Gangell Jim Colreavy Gareth Jones Brian Webb Graham Canning Melva Cattanach Robyn Bates Della Grimshaw Dezso Benko Elva Harper Judy Glamuzina Ian Brazenor

Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there. I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain...

Thankyou... Thankyou to everyone who has donated to the Cancer Support Association this year. We particularly thank the following generous donors: Stan Perron Jean Dance Colin Evans Christmas Island Charities Association CAF Australia

More importantly, get some rest, and treat yourself to a little of your favourite comfort food. Because when you’re ill, more than at any other time, a little bit of what you fancy really does do you good.

From: www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk

of the Cancer Support Association of WA September 2008 Cancer SupportMagazine Association www.cancersupportwa.org.au

About the Cancer Support Association of WA Inc The Cancer Support Association of Western Australia Inc is a nonproﬁt charitable organisation which was established in 1984. CSA’s key intention is to help people become informed, empowered and supported on their cancer and wellness journeys. CSA encourages an integrative, well-informed understanding of health and treatment options and strategies, and is committed to supporting all people, regardless of their treatment choices. CSA supports individuals who are living with cancer, their families, carers and the wider community through the services we provide, as well as through our widely distributed publications and unique cancer information website. CSA’s workshops, courses, groups, and complementary therapies are advertised throughout this publication and are held at CSA’s premises in Cottesloe unless otherwise stated.

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Meditation Made Easy .................................................................................10.00 – 11.30am Ongoing Lessons with Bavali Hill. FREE FOR MEMBERS (non-members $5) No bookings necessary.

TUESDAY Yoga with Sydel Weinstein ($10 / $5 members) ...................................... 9.30 – 10.30am Wellness and Healing Open Support Group ............................... 10.00 – 12.00noon with Dr. Angela Ebert and Christine Robbins Carer’s Wellness and Healing .............................................................. 10.00 – 12.00noon Open Support Group (1st and 3rd Tues) with Christine Robbins Reiki Clinic .....................................................................................................12.15pm – 1.30pm

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THURSDAY Carers’ Support Group .........................................................................10.00am -12.00noon Counselling with Dr. Peter Daale (by appointment) ............................. 1.00pm – 5.00pm

FRIDAY Meeting the Challenge 1 Day Seminar ................................................9.30am – 4.30pm 1ST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH with Dr. Peter Daale (and others).

DAILY Wellness Counselling and Information Sessions with Dr. Peter Daale ........................................................................................... by appointment

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General Counselling with Dr. Angela Ebert ......................................................................................................................by appointment Phone direct on 0414 916 724 or 9450 6724 or email a.ebert@murdoch.edu.au

Please phone CSA on 9384 3544 or check our website for further information. We can help you with information packs, course prices, confirm course times and make bookings. The CSA is totally self-supporting and services are greatly subsidised in order to be affordable for all. However, if you are having difficulty making fee payments, please speak with reception.

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Wellness News magazine is published by the Cancer Support Association of WA Inc (CSA). Wellness magazine contains a diverse selection of articles and information on subjects related to cancer, wellness and healing. The contents of this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the CSA and should be not be construed as medical advice. CSA encourages readers to be discerning with information presented and when making treatment, dietary and lifestyle choices. © Copyright of all articles and images remains with individual contributors.