Donnie Yance is an internationally known master herbalist and nutritionist. He is the author of the book, "Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer" and "Adaptogens in Medical Herbalism"
“All cancers are alike but they are alike in a unique way.”― Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
Last September, I came across an excellent article written by George Lundberg, MD, a board-certified pathologist and former long-time editor of both the Journal of the American Medical Association and Medscape, a highly respected web resource for health professionals (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/809982).
As we move into 2014, I continue to reflect on the homily given by Pope Francis on Christmas, and I feel moved to share these thoughts with you. My intention is to convey my reflections, and is not in any way meant to offend those who are not of the Christian faith. I believe that there are many paths to God, and I am dedicated to the study of theology and the practice of living with devotion. My only desire is to move the world and myself to a higher place, where love, humility, and boundless compassion help us all progress in our spiritual renewal. In this way, we can rekindle hope, and actively involve ourselves in molding a positive future through our actions.
Last week, my wife Jen and I arrived home from 10 days in Israel. It was a wonderful and transformative journey on many levels, and we are still absorbing all that we experienced.
The opportunity to teach my approach—the Eclectic Triphasic Medical System (ETMS)— to the Integrative Medicine department at the largest and leading medical complex in Israel, the Rabin Medical Center (of Beilinson Hospital) was both a unique opportunity and a remarkable experience. The medical professionals were refreshingly welcoming and open to the ETMS approach to cancer and healing. At the invitation of Dr. Opher Caspi, Director of the Integrative Medicine unit at the hospital, I was fortunate to spend 5 full days with the staff, during which time I lectured and saw patients daily. I also presented to the Hematology/Oncology staff on the immense research on botanical medicines for cancer, and to the Dieticians, introducing them to immunonutrition, nutrigenomics, and nutraceuticals to address issues of cancer-related cachexia and malnutrition. At the end of the week, I was invited to give a short presentation to the research department at Bar-Ilan University’s Cancer, Aids, & Immunology Research Institute, directed by Professor Benjamin Sredni.
It’s well known that elevated fasting blood sugar is a precursor to diabetes. Less well known, but increasingly recognized, is that elevated fasting serum glucose and/or insulin levels are also risk factors for cancer, and the risk grows as fasting blood sugar and insulin levels rise. With the escalation of obesity and diabetes worldwide, it is important to recognize these diseases as causative factors for cancer development, especially for older individuals.
Continue reading “The Relationship of Insulin Resistance and Cancer: A Botanical Approach”
Conventional modern medicine has long separated itself from traditional healing systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and the Eclectic tradition. However, the inadequacies of conventional medicine and the growing interest of people in the wisdom of these ancient healing traditions has created a unique opportunity to rewrite medicine as we currently know it. I believe the time is now ripe for a truly wholistic medical approach to emerge—one that integrates the wisdom of ancient healing systems with the best of modern medicine, including both botanical and pharmaceutical toolboxes.
Continue reading “Healing vs. Curing: Contrasting Fundamental Aims in Medicine”
I believe that we are at a crossroads in oncology and our approach to cancer, where a total paradigm shift in philosophy, strategy, science, and medicine is needed to replace the prevailing “War on Cancer.” This war, declared by Congress in 1971, has yielded little real benefit, despite four decades of effort by conventional medicine and more than $100 billion tax dollars.