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1.
Believing the conventional medical system would rush to use
alternative treatments if they worked
Unfortunately
not so. Many forces within the conventional system are strongly
against alternative treatments for a variety of reasons. It's no
mystery that a bureaucratic tangle of politicians, government
agencies, lawyers and big business types dominate and control the
medical system - not doctors. MDs have virtually no say anymore in
the type of therapy they're allowed to use. The conventional drugs
and surgery cancer treatment system is a mega-billion dollar a
year industry worldwide creating millions of jobs and staggering
profits. Simple, inexpensive alternative therapies pose a direct
threat to the entire system. You must face this difficult reality.
2.
Believing medical doctors (MDs) and the conventional medical
system have all the answers.
No
question, almost all MDs are hard working, talented and sincere
people. Most people tend to think that because MDs do not know
about alternative therapies, those therapies must be worthless.
We've all been raised to not question a conventional doctor's
authority. It just isn't done. Television, advertising and
newspapers all continue to reinforce their "ultimate
authority" image. Because the public (not to mention the
medical profession) remains unaware of how many excellent
alternative options there are today, there is no pressure on the
conventional system to use them. There is simply no way busy
doctors can keep up with the flood of new information now
available thanks to the Internet. Do an Internet search using the
keywords "alternative cancer treatments." Expect to see
millions of websites.
3.
Thinking that using alternatives means you have to abandon
conventional doctors, hospitals and therapies
The
common either/or syndrome. Quite the contrary. Always work with
your doctors to advise you on your progress. And always tell them
about using alternatives. Most people don't. Treating cancer
with proven alternatives therapies is not a do-it-yourself
project. Happily, today there are more and more Chiropractors,
Naturopathic Doctors (NDs), Doctors of Osteopathy, oriental
medicine specialists and yes, even MDs, using alternatives as
state and federal laws allow.
4.
Thinking a friend or a relative with cancer will welcome
information on alternative treatments with open arms
This
can be a heartbreaking issue. A strong desire to beat cancer
coupled with an open mind on the part of the patient is essential
for any therapy to work. If you are searching for alternative
options to help a friend or relative with cancer, be prepared to
have your efforts completely rejected by him or her. There are
however, effective ways to gradually introduce this subject to
cancer patients. (They are covered in a chapter below.) Every good
therapist in the world knows that if a patient is against a
therapy of any kind, conventional or alternative, result are
almost always dismal.
5.
Allowing family and friends to enter the picture and influence the
decision making process
This
is an all-too-common and frequently difficult issue. Well meaning,
but sadly misinformed, family and friends will try to convince a
cancer patient that using an alternative therapy is a dangerous
mistake. Being totally unaware of the value of proven alternative
treatments, and rarely interested in doing any serious research,
all they have to offer is biases and opinions. Yet they pressure
the patient and immediate family members. Their influence on the
patient in a weakened condition can be considerable. The decision
whether or not to use an alternative treatment belongs to the
patient, spouse and his or her doctor. It is not something to be
put to a popular vote. The
fewer the people in the decision making process, the better.
6.
Searching for a single, magic bullet, take-a-pill therapy.
Abandon
this common mistake in thinking quickly. Yes, it's true, we live
in an oral society. Have a problem? Open mouth, take a pill.
Unfortunately there is no magic herb in pill form we can take for
three weeks, cure cancer and then go right back to doing the
things we've always done. Some changes in life style and life
habits will be necessary, as well as using all 6 therapies
mentioned below. This is a very important issue in alternative
cancer care. As is commonly quoted, some people want to keep on
doing the same old things and get different results.
And
sadly, the biggest mistake of all ...
7.
Waiting until all hope is gone with conventional therapies before
'trying' alternatives.
So
many people wait until it is obvious conventional treatments are
failing badly before considering alternatives out of desperation.
Unfortunately, by that time the patient is usually so sick and so
weak, not only from cancer but from the side effects of
conventional therapy, it is too late. In fact, many alternative
care hospitals, in Mexico for example, have had to develop special
therapies for undoing the damage done to patients by conventional
therapies. This is commonly the type of patient that arrives on
their doorstep.
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