Treatment of Cancer with a Mind Body Approach

GERSON THERAPY

Learn from Dr. Baylac, at Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center, how to detoxify the body from the harmful effects of drugs and chemicals, and then rebuild it with foods rich in nutrients.
Also read about what to do, what steps to take if you have cancer.

TREATMENT OF CANCER WITH A MIND BODY APPROACH
By Dr. Maya Nicole Baylac, N.D.

A Case of Prostate Cancer

JP is a 55 year old male who came to my clinic for the first time in October of 2005 with a diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma, Gleason’s score 6 (grade 3+3), and a PSA of 5.3. The usual conventional treatment options had been presented to JP and he declined them, being concerned by their undesirable side effects. JP’s wife died in 2001 of complications from chemotherapy treatment for a recurring cancer. JP was very determined to choose another path.

His research led him to a nutritional program designed in the early 20th century by Dr. Gerson. The Gerson Therapy is a very involved regimen of fresh juices, meals, supplements and coffee enemas, which requires a strong commitment. JP was ready to make that commitment but not ready at all to even think about giving up the pharmaceutical and recreational drugs he had been addicted to for the last 25 years.

JP had a history of epileptic seizures and he was on a 100 mg daily dose of Phenobarbital and marijuana since 1982. JP’s hands were shaking when his arms were extended and his voice and eyes were expressing a subtle level of anxiety and anger. His last seizure happened in 1990.

After discussing the deleterious effects of Phenobarbital on the liver and the possible interaction with prolactin and testosterone, I helped JP to release his fears and he agreed to wean back slowly. JP is a yoga teacher and a meditation adept, so I decided to use these already developed skills to control the next eventual seizure. He was supposed to identify the signs preceding the seizure, stop what he was doing, breathe and be the watcher within. As JP was getting more confident in his ability to control his eventual seizures, he was cutting back on the medication at his own pace, under my supervision.

It took about 6 months to eliminate the drug completely. He reported having a small seizure 1 week after he stopped, and short moments of absence for the following 2 weeks. Overall, JP was feeling better and better, his shakiness was decreasing considerably, and he felt confident enough to drive a vehicle.

The next challenge consisted in eliminating marijuana. JP had strong resistances all along, arguing that the herb had great benefits on his health and was actually recently prescribed by a doctor. As his PSA kept climbing and as I kept working with him on his dependence on the drug, we finally compromised on the vaporizer for some time, and eventually he quit.

One month after the beginning of the therapy JP’s PSA decreased slightly, but then after it kept going up slowly – until it reached 7.2 in December of 2006. JP was worried, and on the 1st of December we decided to do a CAT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, which showed no evidence of cancer. Two months later in February of 2007, the PSA dropped by 2 points to 5.3, and 4.0 at this date, (August 17,07) to the joy of JP, who continues the therapy with the encouragement of his successes. He has been free from seizure, the shakiness and anxiety is now gone, he feels better and better and is proud to be in control of his mental and physical health.

Another important psycho-emotional issue that JP had been working on is a long history of grief. He lost his mother when he was 1 year old, his governess and surrogate mother was fired by his father when he was 12. At the age of 12, he also witnessed the death of his father in a motorcycle accident after he saw him going through 3 heart attacks. In his adulthood he divorced a loving wife of 12 years and separated from his 5 and 9 year old daughters. And finally, he lost his second wife to cancer. As JP was getting in touch with his feelings of guilt and anger, he became more outspoken and channeled some of that energy in his determination to heal.

This case illustrates how the psychological factors are intertwined with the physical recovery process.

• First, at the beginning of the therapy, the mental and emotional states were assessed and taken into account during the whole duration of the therapy.
• Second, counseling, education and meditation were used in the process of recovery from drug dependence.

It took perseverance, support and continuous positive feedback over the course of 18 months to modify JP’s behavior. He had a CBC, a complete metabolic panel and a PSA check-up regularly, first once a month, and then every 2 months. The test reviews play an important role in his decision to continue the therapy and in the process of becoming free from drugs. Third, JP has a strong will to live and total confidence in the process he elected. This attitude creates a strong positive thought form of good health, which tends to materialize.

I created an in-patient clinic for my practice to facilitate a close relationship with my patients, and use that relationship to support their lifestyle changes. I chose a setting conducive to introspection and relaxation to help patients get in touch with their deep self. Most of those who come to me need to go through some profound transformation at a deep level if they want to survive. I use whatever positive belief system patients already have, including prayer, positive thinking, talking, chanting, meditation and rational thinking, in order for the magic of healing to take place.

I find that psychological support in the form of talks during the daily visits, or the more involved breath work, allows my patients to face the deep psycho-emotional issues that underlie their medical condition and give them the incentive to experiment with new behaviors. Support that patients get from each other in the form of informal talks, circles and co-counseling, is very motivating. I also prepare them the best that I can for their exit from the clinic. They read, visualize educational material and experiment in the kitchen.

Dr. Maya Nicole Baylac, N.D.

Dr. Maya Nicole Baylac is a naturopathic physician with over 25 years of psychotherapy experience. She is a fasting certified member of the International Association of Hygienic Physicians (IAHP), and is a trained Gerson therapist. Dr. Baylac currently practices privately, as director of Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center on The Big Island Hawaii, which specializes in therapeutic fasting, the Gerson Therapy and mind body medicine.