How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine [Hardcover]

Michael T. Murray (Author), Tim Birdsall (Author), Joseph E. Pizzorno (Author), Paul Reilly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2002

From a team of prestigious American doctors comes a comprehensive, practical approach to combating and preventing cancer. Readers can asses their risk of cancer through a unique screening questionnaire, learn to change their internal environment to prevent cancer, and discover the science that supports the significant roles that emotions and attitudes play in prevention and treatment. The authors offer precise combinations of food, vitamins, herbs, minerals, and supplements to help with:

* Prevention by lowering your risk of getting cancer
* Treatment by using the body's natural healing power to stop the growth and spread of disease
* Coping with fatigue, weight loss, hair loss, and other side effects of chemotherapy and radiation

This invaluable book provides proven methods of natural healing intended to complement conventional cancer treatments. With special recommendations for breast, prostate, lung, skin, and colon cancers, this is one of the most important health books anyone will ever read.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This encyclopedic compendium of "natural" medicinal strategies offers encouragement and much sound advice to cancer patients and those seeking to ward off the disease. The authors, doctors of naturopathy, advocate complementing, not replacing, standard therapies with alternative therapies to prevent cancer, slow its progress and cope with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Their emphasis is on nutrition and diet, including vitamin and mineral supplements rich in antioxidants and heavy doses of herbal teas and fish oil, but they also cover acupuncture, hydrotherapy and massage. Their sober approach cites numerous medical studies, including those with conflicting results, to back up their claims, and warns readers when natural medicines are contraindicated or might interfere with standard medications. The sometimes bewildering amount of information is clearly summarized in bullet-pointed regimens tailored to specific kinds of cancer and treatment protocols, and accompanied with sample menus and recipes to make a low-fat, low-sodium, hot-dog-free (studies link the consumption of cured meats to childhood cancers such as leukemia) diet more palatable. While the scientific jury is still out on the efficacy of some of the authors' recommendations, their basic program-stop smoking and drinking, exercise, eat lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables-is uncontroversial.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

More than 35 books on alternative or complementary treatments for cancer have been published in the last ten years, not including those on specific cancers, but this title stands out. Besides being exceptionally well written and researched, it is also very reader-friendly. Authored by four naturopathic physicians and endorsed by the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, the book begins with a discussion of how to prevent cancer with natural medicine and diet. A somewhat complicated cancer-risk self-assessment survey appears here. The second section covers responding to a cancer diagnosis and key questions to ask. A chapter on cancer-fighting natural products explores what the authors call "the super eight" and includes dosages of these compounds for specific cancers. The mind-body connection is also explored at length. The third section, which is the most useful in the book, addresses the use of natural medicines to help combat the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. The extensive appendixes include daily plans for preventing and beating cancer and recipes. Recommended for consumer health collections not already possessing a recent work on the topic. Valeria Long, Grand Valley State Univ. Lib. at the Van Andel Inst., Grand Rapids, MI
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 415 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (September 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573222224
• ISBN-13: 978-1573222228
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #884,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prevention and Treatment of Cancer et al. by Michael Murray, August 1, 2003

By 

Joseph S. Maresca "Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,... (Bronxville, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine (Hardcover)

The author provides very detailed protocols for treating cancer
with natural substances. For instance, he recommends 100 mg. of polyerga for treating colon, breast and certain carcinomas.
Citrus pectin is cited for metastasis of breast, lung and melanomas. Protective fibers may be emulated by utilizing
Ip6 and Inositol. At least 6 factors are cited for a successful
diet protocol for cancer; namely, fruits/veggies, detox
formulas, minimizing pesticide exposure, omega 3 -fish oils,reduction of junk food intake and low salts. Various compounds
are helpful in dealing with cancer; namely curcomin at 200-400 mg and proteolytic enzymes. Maitake mushrooms may be used
for colon, lung, stomach, liver/bladder and brain cancers.
These are just a few of the cited protocols. There are many more.
This book provides a wealth of information directed to the
alternative medicinal protocols which supplant or complement
the conventional approaches. Some of the dietary protocols may be useful in post-chemotherapy nutrition plans. The Burzynski Clinic of Houston, Texas is cited as an important
alternative medicine resource for cancer patients.
This book is a worthy addition to any personal library.

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A common sense approach for the most part, April 9, 2006

By 

Amalfi Coast Girl (Mid-Atlantic, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine (Paperback)

After having two close family members diagnosed with cancer I became very concerned about the nutritional and environmental links to the disease. When someone you love has kidney cancer and the doctors tell you that they don't know why it happened you have a tendency to panic. I set out to learn everything that I could about cancer and possible causes and/or techniques for prevention.

Being a hospital administrator with just under two decades I have tended to look at complementary medicine with a jaundiced eye. In my case traditional allopathic medicine didn't seem to have the answer, so I decided to look into all the available alternatives.

The book advocates a number of "natural supplements" that I have not introduced into our family. As someone that tries not to take medications due to their toxicity I choose to forgo these products. My particular medication phobia comes from having a good friend that is a pharmacist. If you don't have this particular phobia there is a lot of information about supplementation contained in the book.

The book does contain dietary suggestions that make a lot of sense. The general dietary guidelines are as follows: (increase your consumption of fish, whole grains, legumes, cabbage, vegetables, nuts, and fruits and; decrease your consumption of meats, dairy, total fat, saturated fats, refined sugar, total calories and alcohol.) It is difficult to argue with this advice. It just makes good sense for all of us.

There is an entire chapter in the book dedicated to making your body a hostile environment for the development of cancer. The principles that they outline would be healthy additions to most American's lifestyle. The gist is that if your body is properly nourished and hydrated your own immune system will be able to fight off the DNA mutations as they occur.

There is another chapter dedicated to lifestyle and dietary changes to prevent particular types of cancer. This would be helpful if a specific cancer seems to run in your family.

In summation, I thought the book was well organized and researched. The book contains 33 pages of endnotes should you choose to do any additional research on your own. If you know anyone with cancer I would recommend this book. At the very least the book will give the patient a sense of empowerment and optimism about their future.

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the most important cancer book ever written!, December 16, 2002

By 

Michael Lyon (Vancouver Island, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine (Hardcover)

As a physician striving to keep pace with the rapidly growing science behind natural medicine, I have always found Dr. Murray's writing to be highly trustworthy, practical and just really great reading. This book is an excellent resource for anyone struggling with cancer. I am recommending it to all of my cancer patients and I have begun to incorporate many of the books recommendations into my practice. Thanks Dr. Murray for a fantastic book!