By Tim Gill, Guest Blogger

Earlier this year I visited my doctor about what I thought was a hemorrhoid. I assumed, as would most healthy adults in what is known as our prime, that my doctor would give me some over-the-counter remedy and I quickly would be back to my daily routine.  

I was in for a surprise!

After a month with no improvement, I went to a different doctor who recommended I see a specialist. This specialist did a rectal exam and immediately told me she was quite certain that what I thought was a hemorrhoid was, in fact, a tumor and that it probably was cancerous.  

A follow-up colonoscopy revealed a large tumor – almost 2 inches by 3 inches – and a biopsy confirmed it was, indeed, cancerous. In fact, it had advanced to Stage III (they go from zero to four). 

My first reaction was not “Why me?” It was: “OK, so, what is the solution here and what is the next step?” I think my being so matter of fact and solution-focused about the diagnosis may have startled my doctors somewhat. In fact, one of them later told me that 90 percent of cancer patients react to this type of news with a combination of incredulity and fear. “Why is this happening to me?” is usually the response of many patients.  

I simply refused to be fearful of this disease. I made the decision there and then that I would do all I could to help my mind, body and spirit work together as a team in order for my body to beat the cancer. If you read that sentence again, you will notice that I did not say “for me to beat my cancer.” For me, it is critical to always remind myself that it was my body that had cancer and not my mind and spirit.  

This is so important that it bears repeating: I said my body had rectal cancer. I didn’t say I had cancer. This way my mind and spirit had a realistic chance to fight to get my body healthy. “I” is all of me - mind, body and spirit. My body is only the physical aspect of my entire being. 

My Mind.

I am a firm believer in the adage that “knowledge is power,” so my first step was to empower myself with as much information as I could find on my body’s particular cancer as well as possible solutions for treating it. 

I very much agree with the philosophy that “contempt prior to investigation” is a major roadblock to learning new things. As a result, I researched Western, Eastern and alternative medicine approaches to cancer. And I did so without any preconceived notions as to which was “right” and which was “wrong.” 

To help me with this, I surrounded myself with a team of doctors and health practitioners from a variety of areas. These health practitioners included an oncologist, herbalist, acupuncturist and a blood expert as well as a doctor of Chinese medicine. I gave them all equal importance while I decided which courses of action were right for me. 

I learned about the role that nutrition, natural remedies and even hormones play in the cancer lifecycle and treatment. For example, it appears certain foods or nutrients may “feed” cancer and others may “starve” or inhibit its growth, spread or return. Armed with this information, I was ready to do what I felt – and continue to feel – made the most sense for me rather than blindly following the admittedly well-intentioned advice of various physicians.

I learned about the probable side effects of the chemotherapy and radiation treatment. My gastroenterologist advised me that a colostomy bag would be needed later since the standard treatment protocol for rectal cancer includes surgery after radiation and chemotherapy. I also learned that the tumors in only about 20 percent of rectal cancer patients disappear after radiation and chemotherapy. Since I planned on being part of that 20 percent, I did not agree to surgery and gave a major “no to the colostomy bag.”

To increase the odds of the tumor shrinking and disappearing, my doctor recommended treating my body’s Stage III cancer as if it were Stage IV. This meant a much more aggressive regimen of chemotherapy. Even though the side effects from this approach were anticipated to be more severe, I was confident in my decision and commitment to do all I could to help my body and forged ahead with the treatments. 

I knew from my research that my body’s cancer was affected, in the same way the rest of my body was (and still is), by what I ate. Yes, the notion that “we are what we eat” took on a much more personal and urgent meaning for me. I also knew that I wanted to make sure my body had what it needed to both stay healthy and beat the cancer.  

I happened upon a TED talk by Dr. William W. Li on “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer” and found much of what he said relevant to me. I purchased his book “Eat to Beat Disease” and specifically focused on foods that may kill cancer cells. Based on his and other research, I made various changes to my diet, which now includes curcumin (think of turmeric on steroids); and sencha and jasmine tea (which have been referred to as natural chemotherapy); and Chinese herbs. 

While adding these, I eliminated red meat from my diet since it may fuel cancer growth. I also started taking a combination of organic soy isoflavone composed of genistein and daidzein. This combination is typically used to help reduce the symptoms of menopause, but it also happens to have powerful anti-cancer properties. I complemented these with enzymes to help reduce systemic inflammation and scar tissue (which is similar to tumor tissue). Other than these dietary changes, I continued to eat all the foods I enjoy (Korean is a favorite), but I made sure they did not contain unnatural additives, added sugar or ultra-processed ingredients. 

One day prior to each chemo session I would get my blood work done at my oncologist’s office. This was part of the protocol to make sure I was healthy enough to do the chemo the next day. I received the blood work results back a couple of hours later. Then I emailed these results to my blood doctor and traditional Chinese medicine doctor to review. They let me know if I needed to make any adjustments to the supplements and Chinese herbs. I am happy to tell you that because of this combination of diet and supplements, my blood work was really good. I also had more energy than I had before as well as a hearty appetite, both of which are not common when your body is battling cancer. I gained weight, whereas most everyone on chemo loses weight along with their appetite.

Another part of keeping my body in the best shape possible to fight and beat the cancer was making sure I was getting enough resistance training (for strength) and cardio conditioning (for my cardiovascular system, including my lungs). I tried to walk 10k steps a day. I recently hired a personal trainer who comes to train me once a week. I train on my own another three days a week. I also do a lot of stretching. Of course, getting a good night’s rest is also a part of my regimen (even now that I have recovered).

My Spirit.