The Future of Cancer Therapy: Naturopathic Oncology

Jo didn’t realize she was holding her breath as the elevator ascended to the fourth floor. The “ding” roused her from a worried trance and she hastily exhaled before walking into the reception room. The sign read “Believe BIG” and a warm smile greeted her as the receptionist welcomed her to the clinic.

“Please make yourself comfortable.” she said, and motioned to the chairs. There weren’t typical newsstand magazines or a television blaring alarming world news to occupy her mind. Instead, soft, melodic music played in the background while the walls and end tables were tastefully decorated with framed inspiration quotes and cards of thanks from previous patients. 

Before long, a naturopathic oncologist who introduced herself as Dr. Summers invited Jo to an intake room. “Our team has been reviewing your case this morning. We have several questions for you before we talk about your options for healing. First, how was your trip in and how are you feeling today?”

Jo was delighted with the thoughtful inquiry, and they spent the next several minutes going over her concerns and general wellbeing before Dr. Summers turned to her computer. “You should know that we’ve taken great care to make this the utmost healing environment. All of our computer systems are hardwired and there are no wireless signals entering the clinic from outside. That’s why your cellphone doesn’t work. This building has been designed and built with the oversight of a team of building biologists who’ve selected all nontoxic materials. We also have medical-grade HEPA filtration air purification systems and hydrogen-enriched water purification throughout the campus.”

Jo’s relief grew by the minute as a deep truth sank in. This clinic left no stone unturned and stood as a paragon of a healthy working environment. The doctor added, “We believe healing begins within, but it also needs all the help it can get from the outside. We also practice everything we preach. Every provider here is also a patient, as we are all students of nature and the body’s terrain.”

After reviewing Jo’s labs and medical history, leaving plenty of time for questions, Dr. Summers asked, “Are you ready to talk about solutions?” By this point, Jo’s interest was piqued. This was not the average medical encounter given she had already been talking with the doctor for 40 minutes and they had yet to review treatment. Following the diagnosis of Jo’s colon cancer, this wasn’t her first opinion, yet it certainly was the most pleasant.

“Do I need to choose between an integrative approach and the conventional standard of care?” asked Jo.

“Not at all,” responded Dr. Summers. “We are here to support you with whatever path you take. The most important thing to us is that you feel empowered to make the right decision for yourself. We have many options ranging from acute treatment to preventative care after you are in remission. The good news is that your cancer was detected quite early, and with no evidence of metastasis, I’m quite sure you will respond well to a number of options. Shall we review what our team recommends?”

Jo was comforted by this therapeutic sea change. While chemotherapy was the standard of care for her particular type of cancer—and an effective one at that—she was concerned about the side effects of nausea and neuropathy. She knew she had time to try a more holistic approach and monitor her condition over the next few years. She owed her body that much. Her oncologist agreed to being on standby while she healed the terrain of her body and built resilience. Who knows, maybe it would be enough to achieve remission?

“First off, we need to make sure you have a healing mindset from this point forward,” Dr. Summers began. “Over your two-week stay here, you will meet with a mindset coach every other day to talk about your relationship to stress and give you strategies to address any traumas that may hinder your body’s ability to heal. Stresses and traumas can insidiously, and often subconsciously, deplete our life force, so we need to address that right away.”

“For treatment, we will begin daily intravenous therapy of mistletoe, curcumin, vitamin C, and pancreatic enzymes prepared for your specific cancer cell type. We have the results of your genetic and microbiome testing, so we also know what nutrients and herbs you will need to supplement with to optimize your immune and detoxification systems. In your case, we are going to focus on certain medical mushrooms and B vitamins.”

“While you are under our care, you will also have access to our full-spectrum infrared sauna. We’ll figure out the best rhythm to gently detoxify your body. You’ll also learn about long-term depuration strategies given the results of your toxicology report. We’ve documented elevated mercury levels, so that will need to be addressed.”

“Finally, we will teach you how to access all the support you need when you return home, so everyday you will meet with a different health coach. They will instruct you on how to shop and prepare foods for your particular metabolic type and help you discover what your power foods are. Beyond diet, you will also learn to decipher truly nontoxic body care products from ones with hidden carcinogens. An environmental medicine specialist will also give you guidance on how to test your environment for mold, radon, and non-native electromagnetic radiation. We’ll also include a list of professionals in your area to consult should you detect something that requires mitigation.”

“That seems like a lot to take in, but I’m grateful for the holistic approach you offer,” said Jo. For the first time since she heard the word “cancer” she was not feeling overwhelmed. Suddenly, healing seemed possible with a roadmap of consulting with a healthcare model that was as invested in her health as her disease.

Jo decided to rest in the meditation room with a cup of herbal tea before her first appointment with the mindset specialist. Yes, this would be a great two weeks, and she was already excited about becoming a stronger, healthier, more empowered person with each passing day.