We believe that treatment of cancer should always be integrative, combining orthodox and complementary/nutritional therapies. We always seek to work with your oncologists

We regularly use nutrient supplementation ? especially high doses of vitamin C, but with other nutrients alongside ? as the core treatment, and we are happy to integrate further therapies as agreed between us.

There have been a number of suggestions that antioxidant therapies may work against chemotherapy if taken simultaneously, but a large systematic review in 2007 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17367938) found; ?None of the trials reported evidence of significant decreases in efficacy from anti-oxidant supplementation during chemotherapy. Many of the studies indicated that anti-oxidant supplementation resulted in either increased survival times, increased tumor responses, or both, as well as fewer toxicities than controls?? you would think that would settle it. But then, in October 2008, a new study on laboratory mice was publicised as showing that "If you take an oral dose? of vitamin C ?even as low as 100 milligrams a day" even "that could be harmful" during chemotherapy. Read what we have to say about this study: http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v04n12.shtml - ?we? being the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, on whose Editorial Review Board I serve. There you will also find a link to the original paper; form your own judgment.

Diet

Diet is crucial in treating cancer, and the results can be surprising. We advise that, unless there is a really good reason why not, you should start immediately on diagnosis on a diet that is:

Ultra-low in sugar and refined carbohydrates ? this is not only important in the context of Candida or yeast infections; there are many reasons why too much sugar (which is not very much at all) is bad for you.
Ultra-low in chemicals, pesticides etc ? in other words eat organic (as far as is practicable for you).
Free from processed foods ? to avoid the trans fats and other damaged molecules.
Rich in all nutrients ? vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, fibre; most of us don?t do a very good job on this.

Megadose vitamin C

Megadose intravenous vitamin C (ascorbic acid) therapy shows great promise in helping cancers (where we use laboratory testing to attempt to predict response) and chronic infections and immune impairment. There is no reliable published scientific evidence for this technique, so we make no claim for its efficacy, but we believe that it can be a valuable adjunct to more conventional therapies. We always use it with a list of other nutrients intended to augment its effectiveness and minimise the risk of adverse effects.

We have used intravenous infusions (drips) of vitamins and minerals for about 20 years, with no serious adverse effects on any occasion. A simple combination of such nutrients (derived from the ?Myers? Magic? formula used in the USA for many years) can help a range of complaints where allergies, inflammation or fatigue are important components.

For some years we thought that intravenous was the only route that would achieve high enough levels of vitamin C to have an impact on cancers. New research shows it?s not that simple; you can achieve the necessary levels with oral supplements, if you know what you?re doing. For now, we recommend a combination of the two.

Vitamin D

Dr Downing has long had a special interest in the health benefits of sunlight, and wrote one of the first books on this - Daylight Robbery, 1986. He continues to research and lecture on this and on Vitamin D.

?Vitamin D from sunlight is the missing link in many current epidemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. In the UK most people are deficient in vitamin D most of the time; correcting this can have a major impact on health.?

Mitochondria

These tiny structures (there are hundreds in every cell) are the batteries of cellular life, producing energy from oxygen and other nutrients to fuel, well, everything. Not surprising then that mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to fatigue, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson?s, schizophrenia - and on and on. The laboratory we use can now look at mitochondria, assess how they are functioning and whether there are chemicals interfering, and even identify (not always) what the chemicals are.

Genomics

To the above areas we have now added Genomic Medicine; the assessment of individual chemical abilities and variations to determine strengths and weaknesses in your ability to process food, detoxify chemicals, deal with stress and resist diseases such as cancer, allergies and heart disease. Over the coming years Genomics will revolutionise the way doctors treat almost everything. We still have so much to learn, but already Genomics is helping us to understand the origins of cancer and other diseases.

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