Last July I interviewed Dr Carl O. Helvie on my radio show, Survive and Live Well. I also had the pleasure of meeting him at the Annie Appleseed Conference in March 2013.  Dr. Helvie holds an M.P.H. and Dr. P.H. from John Hopkins University and has 58 years’ experience as a nurse practitioner, educator and researcher. The author of seven books, he is host of the Holistic Health Show on BBS Radio. Thirty-eight years ago, he developed lung cancer and was given six months to live by a conventional physician. He is now among the longest living survivors of lung cancer. http://www.BeatLungCancer.net

His latest book is You Can Beat Lung Cancer: Using Alternative/Integrative Interventions 

The following is an interview Francine Silverman did with Carl.  Fran is the editor of Book Promotion Newsletter is an on-line publicist, compiler of 16 ebooks of talk radio shows and host of a weekly radio show, Fraternizing with Fran – where interesting people come to chat. http://www.talkradioadvocate.com and http://talkradioadvocate.blogpot.com.  Thank you Fran!

I hope you will find this information helpful as you heal from your cancer.

Q – How devastating is lung cancer in the United States?

 A  – Lung Cancer kills more people in the U.S. than any other type of cancer-more than breast, prostate and colon all together-the success rate for chemo and surgery for lung cancer is very low – around 2% survival for 5 years for stage 4.  So I wanted the public to know about alternative non-tonic ways to deal with it if needed

Q – Why did you write this book You Can Beat Lung Cancer Using Alternative/Integrative Interventions?  

 A – A search of the Internet showed most people surviving with lung cancer were excited with 10 to 12 years. One woman, Anne Gambles, said her grandfather died in 2010 after surviving lung cancer for 40 years, and another who was identified as the longest survivor died in England in 2010 after 38 years. A cancer survivor site asked who was the longest survivor and the longest was 20 years.

Q – Lung cancer has few symptoms before it becomes advanced and difficult to treat. Why did you seek medical attention? 

A – I had a dream that told me to go for a chest x-ray. I have learned to pay attention to my dreams and believe that is one-way God speaks with me—through dreams, intuition, and other people. But can you imagine asking your traditional doctor for a referral for an x-ray when you don’t have symptoms.

 My doctor called and said they found a spot on my lungs that had not been there on previous x-rays and they wanted to admit me to the hospital for further testing. After additional x-rays, lab and a biopsy they confirmed that it was lung cancer.

Q  – What happened after you saw the doctor?

 A  – My doctor gave me 6 months to live without surgery/chemo and I decided if I only had a short time to live I was going to be comfortable during that period. Alternative natural interventions offered me that opportunity. A friend made herself available at all times as a support and also told me of a physician who had successfully treated others with cancer in the northern part of the state where I live.

Q – How did your family and nursing/medical colleagues react to your decision?

 A – The response of my mother who I knew loved me very much was “Why don’t you do what the doctor wants and have surgery and then do the other things.” My colleagues avoided talking about my decision and often avoided me completely.

Q – What was your medical regime?

 A -The alternative doctor I visited had worked for the National Cancer Institute until the drug companies closed him down. He had had so much success with laetrile or vitamin B 17 that he continued using it under the table-so I had to sign forms that I would not disclose my treatment. He confirmed that it was lung cancer and in addition to laetrile, I used supplements, vitamins and minerals, enzymes including digestive and pancreatic, a special diet of 75% raw fruit and vegetables with some additional vegetables and fruit, grains, and nuts (except peanuts-a high source of protein. No protein, dairy or simple sugar was allowed.

In addition, I added prayer, church prayer lists, meditation, affirmations, visualization, continuing my service to others, walking and exercise and continued working as a University Professor. I also quit smoking, checked my house for radon and did other appropriate interventions. Eventually I added political action to my interventions because I believe holism requires attention to physical, mental, spiritual, relationships, the environment, and politics.

 Q – Were there side effects that interfered with your daily life?

 A – No, unlike chemo where there is nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, loss of appetite, hair loss and other side effects, I had no effects and continued all of my usual daily activities with no problems.

Q -What was the outcome of your interventions?

A  – There were two outcomes of my interventions 1) was the actual resolution of the lung cancer. I continued my interventions and saw my primary physician every three months but did not tell him I was doing anything. He thought we were in a wait and see mode. The alternative physician did not ask me to return and I did not. After 2 years my primary doctor told me the spot was gone and he thought he had made a wrong diagnoses. At that time, a physician friend who had taught at a large well known medical school in another state and who now was medical director of Blue Cross/Blue Shield in that state wanted to see the biopsy, x-rays and all other reports and confirmed that it had been lung cancer.

The second outcome of my interventions was good health for the next 36 years to age 80 as a result of continuing many of the same interventions, as appropriate, and adding to them as knowledge evolved. Although the average for a 75 year old is 3 chronic illnesses and 5 prescribed medications I am now 81 with no chronic illnesses and no prescribed medications.

Q – What are some outcomes of alternative interventions by medical contributors in your book?

A – Dr James Forsythe has researched Paw Paw and then Poly MVA with stage 4 cancer patients. He had 28% 3 year survival for the first group and 30% 6 year survival for the second group. Then he developed the Forsythe formula adding some homeopathic plant based substances and has had 46% 5 year survival for all cancers and 39%  5 year survival for lung cancer patients. This is compared to 2% to 5% survival for stage 4 cancer patients using contemporary cancer treatment. Dr Forsythe discusses his treatments in my book.

Dr Francisco Contreras used High Dose IV vitamin C (breaks down into H2O2 when interacting with liquid around cancer cells but now around normal cells. Also Ozone Therapy.  Selenium, Silymarin, Green Tea Extract, Melatonin, and others.  Uses Stage 4 patients. Dr Contreras survival percentages vs contemporary survival at 1 year:82% vs 20%; 2 years  50% vs 6$;  3 years 27% vs 3%l 4 years 23% vs 2%, and 4 years 9% vs 1.9%.

Q – If alternative/integrative interventions are so successful, why are they not used by mainstream conventional medicine?

A – Cancer treatment is a multimillion dollar industry in which drug companies make lots of money, hospitals have wings donated, the American Cancer Society stays in existence, there is lots of research money available, doctors make money and on and on. So there is not much incentive to disturb the status quo and find a cure.  Alternative doctors have offered successful treatments for over 80 years but when one practitioner gets too successful the anti quack law is pulled out and there are attempts to put them out of business. Many such cases are documented.

Q – You say more people are moving toward alternative/integrative treatments for cancer. Why is that?

A – Contemporary medicine has gotten too expensive, people are finding it is not very effective, many do not have access to health care, there are more naturopathic and homeopathic doctors than previously, more people are surviving using alternative treatments, more books and other educational resources about alternatives to contemporary cancer care are available, more research on natural alternative treatments is available, and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the federal government carries out research and offers legitimacy to the movement.

Q – You are 80 years old and have no chronic illnesses or prescribed medications. What have you done to prevent a recurrence of cancer and to maintain your good health?

A – I have continued much of my holistic approach used when I had cancer. I continue all of the mental and spiritual activities of prayer, meditation, affirmations, visualization, strengthening faith, patience and other spiritual activities, service to others, replacing all negative thoughts and feeling with positive ones and other similar activities. . I continue to walk and exercise daily, to eat primarily fruit and vegetables with a raw salad one meal a day. I have added chicken or seafood one meal daily and a protein drink or beans or cheese the others. I now mainly eat organic, or locally grown when I know the practices of the farmer.  I never eat beef and rarely eat pork. I drink filtered water and I take a variety of supplements that research shows keeps one healthy.

I avoid drugs prescribed by medicine and find natural ways to deal with minor problems that arise. I use all the resources that God provides including medical Intuitives and Psychics to maintain my health. I also talk with angels and others in other realms that offer guidance on staying well.

I also keep busy helping others.  My activities include working on my radio show on holistic health, marketing my latest book on lung cancer on television, radio, or magazine, acting as a resource to cancer patients who contact me, working on my Foundation for Holistic Cancer, writing a monthly newsletter, .and reviewing the latest research on natural interventions weekly. I am thankful to God for the opportunity to learn and serve my fellow man.

Replay my show with Carl:

http://hipcast.com/podcast/HZwM88Ts  Carl O. Helvie–You Can Beat Lung Cancer: Using Alternative/Integrative Interventions 

Elyn

             ~~If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any~~

Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer strategist, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and well-being. Elyn has been featured on CNN Money, Breast Cancer Answers, Courage and Grace, and Talk About Health, and has written for the Pink Paper, Breast Cancer Wellness, Integrative Oncology Essentials, Surviving Beautifully, Body Local and more, and writes the Options for Life column for the Natural Healing-Natural Wellness Newsletter.  Elyn hosts the Survive and Live Well Radio Show on the Cancer Support Network. She lives in New York with her husband and two young boys. https://elynjacobs.wordpress.com/about/

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