Cancer Prevention: Immune Boosting

By Claire Bacon, ACN, CNC

At this point, everyone on Earth is “aware of” cancer.  However, not many people are aware of what CAUSES cancer, and even less know that it involves the immune system.  That’s right, because it is the responsibility of certain parts of the immune system to identify cancer cells that are not behaving as normal and eliminate them.  It’s part of our normal physiology – to eliminate cancer cells on a daily basis.  A strong immune system does this every day, whether we know it or not. Immune boosting is a key approach in cancer prevention.

We have already talked a lot about the prevalence of environmental chemicals causing cancer, and the importance of detoxification.  Today, we’ll go into greater detail about the involvement of the immune system, and specifically the potential impact of parasites. That’s right – parasites can sometimes be a root cause of cysts, nodules, and even tumors. Our goal is to detail what you can do to ensure a robust and effective response to any invader.

With cancer, we often need to remind ourselves that “every cancer case is a liver case, and is an immune case, too.”

A Closer Look at the White Blood Cells

Within the blood, you’ve got white blood cells (WBC – also called granulocytes), red blood cells (RBC), and platelets.  White blood cells (leukocytes) are the driving force behind a healthy immune system.  They are largely produced in the bone marrow, with the support of the spleen.  An infection stimulates more production of the WBC, upon which they circulate throughout the blood and lymphatic systems.

Your total WBC count is the sum of five different types of immune cells: the neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes.  Neutrophils make up the largest percentage of the WBC.  They are the immune system’s first responders – within minutes of an injury, trauma, or inflammation of tissue, neutrophils are drawn to the scene.  Even though they are microscopic, you’ve probably seen them, as they are the basis of pus!

Because your WBC play a vital role in immune function, low levels can leave you more susceptible to infection. It’s a representation that you have a very small army, which can easily get caught off guard. At the other end of the spectrum, a high WBC count would indicate you’re actively fighting an infection. 

A low WBC count on your bloodwork can concerning, especially if it prompts a quick Google search.  It might mean your army has been depleted over time, and production of new cells just can’t keep up.  (The conditions you find could range from mild to serious).  But don’t jump to conclusions just based on a single data point.  WBC values fluctuate daily, so you’ll want to track your markers over time, and work on finding the root cause if your values are trending out of range.

Potential Reasons for a Weakened Immune System (Low WBC)

You’ll want to explore a variety of underlying reasons for a low WBC count:

• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies – especially if you eat a Standard American Diet with processed and refined carbs, or if you frequently drink alcohol.
  • Check Vitamin B12, Folate, B6, Copper, and Zinc
  • Consider needs for Vitamin A, Selenium
• Chronic viral or bacterial infections – such as Hepatitis B & C, HIV, Tuberculosis, Epstein Barr, or others.
• Autoimmune diseases – most commonly, Rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s, Lupus, or others.
• Bone marrow cancers
• Recent chemotherapy or other medical treatments
• High frequency of intense exercise
• Symptoms of parasitic infection: chronic dry cough, acne, changes in energy around the full moon, and/or itchy anus.

If you have a clue that your immune system is weak, you’ll need to be very careful about potential exposures to infection (cuts, falls, uncooked foods, etc.). You’ll also need to get serious about foods and supplements that can build your WBC army back up to a normal level.

The Parasite Connection to Cancer

Intracellular parasites are microscopic parasites that are capable of growing and reproducing inside the cells of a host.  Intracellular parasites are capable of living and reproducing inside or outside of host cells. What else grows and reproduces in cells? Cancer. The correlation in the scientific literature is surprisingly widespread. This is why parasite cleansing is a worthwhile part of your health routine – whether or not a test (like a stool analysis) can confirm infection. It is very difficult to diagnose parasites – mainly because they can burrow and hide in any part of the body, not just the colon.

If you review the scientific literature, you’ll find that many diagnoses such as pancreatitis, appendicitis, IBS, Chrohn’s, MS, Lupus, Diverticulitis, cholecystitis (gall bladder) and more can sometimes be connected to parasites, as well as various bacterial and fungal infections. So, these possibilities should not be overlooked. A few studies you may like to review:

• CDC – DPDx – Free Living Amebic Infections
• CDC – Cysticercosis
• CDC – DPDx – Dioctophymiasis
• Hallmarks of Cancer: Where do Parasites fit in? – ECR Community (plos.org)
• Actinomycosis of the Common Bile Duct Diagnosed by Endoscopic Ultrasound Fine-Needle Aspiration – PMC (nih.gov)
• Scientists crack the code of a cancer-causing parasite (phys.org)
• Carcinogenic parasite – Wikipedia
• Parasites that Can Lead to Cancer | American Cancer Society | American Cancer Society

And there’s more!

• Urinary schistosomiasis and the associated bladder cancer: update – PubMed (nih.gov)
• Severe acute pancreatitis caused by parasites in the common bile duct – PubMed (nih.gov)
• CDC – Echinococcosis
• CDC – DPDx – Gnathostomiasis
• Parasite Infection, Carcinogenesis and Human Malignancy – PMC (nih.gov)

Herbs and Medications with Potential Benefits

There are some key herbs and medications that could be considered for people with overlapping symptoms of infections and chronic illness diagnoses. We have discussed our favorite herbs in a separate post. There are so many great options to explore!

If you know someone who is fighting cancer, share this research. Oncologists are busy, and may not be familiar with promising new studies. A few studies on pharmaceutical medications are listed below:

• Albendazole and Mebendazole as Anti-Parasitic and Anti-Cancer Agents: an Update – PMC (nih.gov)
• Anti-parasitic drug offers hope for pancreatic cancer | Healthing.ca
• Ivermectin, a potential anticancer drug derived from an antiparasitic drug – PubMed (nih.gov)
• Human patients are given fenbendazole as a therapy for cancer – Baltimore Post-Examiner (baltimorepostexaminer.com)
• Repositioning of Antiparasitic Drugs for Tumor Treatment – PMC (nih.gov)
• Fenbendazole as a potential anticancer drug – PubMed (nih.gov)

Nutrients to Support Immune and WBC Functioning

Of course, we want to be sure to get the majority of our nutrients from our foods.  That means you have to make the effort to seek out the most therapeutic foods!  We have a sampling of key foods right here:

Gerson Therapy to Prevent and Reverse Certain Cancers

If you have gone through deeper testing, and have determined there is some form of cancer your body is fighting, you may like to consider Gerson Therapy.  This is a specific, intensive natural therapy that is done under doctor’s supervision at one of the certified clinics in Tijuana, Mexico or Budapest, Hungary.  You can also hire a Gerson-Certified Home Setup Trainer to make this possible in your own home.

The protocol was developed in 1938 by Dr. Max Gerson, a German-American physician, and is continued to this day.  Dr. Gerson realized early on that the Gerson Therapy employed for reversing cancer works equally well as corrective treatment for many other acute and chronic degenerative diseases.

The conditions that have shown the best response to Gerson Therapy include:

Immune Boosting Benefits for Longevity

Evidence of the Gerson Therapy’s benefits for longevity can be seen in the beauty of Dr. Gerson’s youngest daughter, Charlotte, who supervised the establishment of the first clinic in Tijuana.  Her life’s mission has been to apply and teach the therapy to everyone interested in surviving life-threatening diseases.  At age 79, she was described as follows:

“By faithfully following the Gerson Therapy program for prevention, Charlotte never needed to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, has all of her own teeth, exhibits absolutely no liver spots (age spots), suffers from no arthritis or osteoporosis, and shows a smooth, unblemished complexion.  Because she refuses to use hair dye or any other kind of cosmetic, the hair on her head is white, her skin appears fair and alabaster, her body remains strong and well-proportioned, and her mind stays acutely sharp.”

Charlotte Gerson was a true reflection of her father’s medical philosophy.  She passed away peacefully one month away from her 97^th birthday, on February 10, 2019 at her home in Italy. 

Hear Charlotte Gerson’s philosophy in her own words by clicking here. It’s an inspiring 48 minutes to enhance your understanding of the lifestyle we’re naturally supposed to live. And check out their blogs for more info.

Key Points of the Gerson Therapy

The therapy is very intensive and must be followed hard-core and daily.  It is for this reason people need assistance from a physician in a controlled environment.  There is no room for occasional treats, conventional produce, or deviations from the diet. No, you can’t have “everything in moderation.”

Believing cancer to be a systemic rather than a localized disease, Dr. Gerson emphasized the rebalancing of a patient’s entire physiology.  The basic problem underlying all chronic disease is twofold:  deficiency and toxicity.  To address both of these problems, the program adheres to these points:

• Increasing Potassium
• Decreasing Sodium
• Calorie restriction and fasting
• Coffee Enemas up to 5 times a day to dilate bile ducts and cleanse the liver
• Drinking fresh vegetable juices 13 times a day, exclusively (no water)
• Promoting detoxification of the liver and kidneys
• Supporting red blood cell production with Vitamin B12
• Targeted supplementation (potassium, iodine, natural thyroid extract, enzymes, and others)
• Restricting excess animal protein
• Consume raw fruit, well-cooked vegetables, salads, the Hippocrates soup, oatmeal, and vegetable juices.

The Hippocrates Soup for Immune Boosting

You can have this nourishing soup at both lunch and dinner.  Its purpose is to cleanse the kidneys.  You should wash the following vegetables (not peel them), chop into cubes, cover with water, and cook for two hours.  Then put everything through a food mill; allow only fibers and peels to remain.  The result is a thick, creamy soup.  Allow the soup to cool before storing in a refrigerator.  Make only enough for about two days’ worth, as the excess will lose nutritional value over time.

• 1 medium celery knob (root) or can substitute 3-4 stalks of branch celery
• A small amount of fresh parsley
• 1-1/2 lbs organic tomatoes
• 2 medium onions
• 1 medium parsley root (omit if not available)
• 2 small leeks (or can substitute 2 additional medium onions)
• Several cloves of garlic (more to taste)
• 1 lb of organic potatoes

More Helpful Supplements

• Echinacea Premium – The tingly flavor lets you know the Echinacea is potent!  Just a little bit for a long period of time works best to build the immune system.
• Sesame Seed Oil – Contains Vitamin T, essential to build healthy bone marrow and boost white blood cell production.  It’s synergistic with Congaplex (containing calcium) to help build your WBC army!
• Prolamine Iodine Plus – contains a hefty dose iodine, which is the primary fuel for the thyroid, as well as a sanitizer for the blood. Iodine protects breast tissue and can also inhibit tumor growth.
• Ganoderma & Shiitake – Medicinal mushrooms with an anti-cancer immune-boosting effect.  Available in-office.

And don’t forget to review our detailed blog on anti-parasitic immune support. It’s a very extensive list!

A Total Body Approach for Immune Boosting

The main goal of the Gerson Therapy is to activate the patient’s immune system against multiple health problems. This happens after removal of all interferences, and elimination of deficiencies.  ALL the body systems will rejuvenate to full function, with application of the program.  This is a total metabolic approach, not a single treatment for the specific symptom of a disease.

It is the same approach as what we do with our Chiropractic adjustments and Nutritional Consultations.  We are always looking to support not only the site of your complaint, but all the potential root causes, too.  This is why it’s never “just one vitamin” and it’s why our Total Body Assessment is more complete and takes more time than what you may find with other Chiropractors and practitioners.

Let us know if you’d like more information, or to schedule a personalized consult for yourself!