Many people with cancer choose to also include complementary and alternative medicine in their fight against cancer. They reach out and employ a wide range of therapies including naturopathic medicine, meditation, prayer, acupuncture, herbal, botanical, nutritional, homeopathic, dietary and other holistic practices seeking benefit.

As a naturopathic doctors, we are trained in an accredited naturopathic medical school in modern scientific nature cure. We are trained in both modern science and natural medicine. We have emerged from this training well versed in the use of intravenous therapies (IV), botanical medicine, homeopathy, diet, fasting, nutritional supplementation, orthomolecular medicine, psycho-immunology and other complementary and alternative medical techniques.  We can serve as a capable guide for patients interested in exploring alternative medicine.

We have chosen to focus a portion of our practice in naturopathic adjunctive cancer treatment where we understand both the standard treatments employed by medical oncologists and how best to work with them in a collaborative model of cancer co-treatment.  We are well aware of the multitude of ‘alternative therapies’ promoted to cure cancer and can help patients understand which might be useful and why.

People with cancer often get excited about what they have read about IV vitamin C, Iscador (mistletoe), green tea, resveratrol, fish oil or curcumin. They read websites promoting a wide range of diets that range from Dr. Budwig’s cottage cheese flax oil regime to lists of alkaline and acid foods. Their friends and family, hearing they have cancer, offer to sell them the latest multi-level-marketed products such as mangosteen juice, graviola, or Ambrotose, believing these have anticancer properties and promising miracles. Naturopathic doctors can guide patients through this confusing marketplace.

Naturopathic doctors can help patients choose which of these various supplements or dietary concepts will be of help.  We understand the science that explains why some supplements may make chemotherapy, radiation and other medical treatments more cytotoxic, killing cancer cells more effectively, and which supplements may prevent treatments from working.  We seek out therapies that trigger apoptosis in cancer cells, that is trigger the cancer cells to commit suicide, destroying the tumor.

Our treatment goal is:

  • To use scientifically grounded, evidence-informed natural cancer care, to strengthen the body’s ability to heal itself and to sustain wellness during aggressive cancer therapies (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery)
  • To have open communication and collaboration with allied health professionals and oncologists and radiation oncologists
  • To use evidence-based therapies at doses and times that will not negatively impact on conventional therapy but support the body’s own inherent healing ability and help patients cope with therapy associated toxicity and side effects.

We have provided adjunctive treatments for the following cancer types:

  • Breast
  • Prostate
  • Colon
  • Pancreatic
  • Lung
  • Liver
  • Gallbladder
  • Ovary
  • Cervix
  • Esophagus
  • Stomach
  • Skin
  • Lymphoma
  • Brain
  • Mouth
  • Tongue
  • Throat

The goal of naturopathic medicine is to create a healthy environment both inside and outside the body. This is especially significant for people with cancer. Naturopathic medicine takes a holistic, or whole- person, approach to cancer care. It makes use of time-tested, scientifically grounded, natural methods to strengthen the body’s ability to heal itself.  Cancer treatment includes:

  • Support normal metabolism during treatment
  • Decrease side effects of cancer treatment
  • Support the body’s immune system
  • Provide strategies for long term cancer prevention and health maintenance
  • Improve energy, well-being and overall quality of life

Here are some ways we can help with our adjunctive therapies:

Cancer Support
Chemotherapy Support
Radiation Support
Surgery Support
Post-cancer Prevention

Cancer Support

In cases where a tumour is inoperable, you have exhausted all the treatment options presented by your oncologists or you simply do not wish to undergo chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. There are many anti-cancer treatments to choose from and you cannot do them all at the same time.  We will help you choose the treatments that are right for you.  A plan will be tailored to the patient based on the cancer type, treatments undergone, health status (energy, appetite, lean muscle mass lost, sleep), existing non-cancer health conditions, current medications, current supplements, allergies, and many other factors.  You may be a candidate for IV vitamins, such as Cancer Vitamin C IV or Cancer Cachexia IV, mistletoe therapy, melatonin, supplements, herbs or other treatments.  Each case will be personalized.

Chemotherapy Support

As a patient undergoes chemotherapy, there will be some debate with your oncologist and most likely some compromise with respect to the inclusion of antioxidants in your treatment plan.  We will focus on building up your nutrient reserves pre-chemotherapy and then replenishing them post-chemotherapy.  We will give you a treatment plan of supplements that can be taken along with chemotherapy and will be acceptable to your oncologist (an open communication is best here).  Nutrient treatments, usually in the form of IV therapy, can be administered on off-days away from your chemotherapy (usually 5 times the half life of the chemotherapy drug or for example, 1 week chemo followed by week IV nutrients or Monday chemo followed by Friday IV nutrients).  The Cancer Vitamin C IV or Cancer Cachexia IV may be used, or even the Standard Nutrient (Myer’s cocktail) IV may also be used along with mistletoe therapy and oral supplementation.

The supplements suggested and treatment plan developed will be designed to avoid any adverse drug reactions with your chemotherapy drugs and help minimize treatment side effects, such as nausea, neuropathy, diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, mouth ulcers, weight loss and cachexia.  We are well suited to assess a safe combination of drugs and natural products.

Radiation Support

When it comes to radiation, your radiation oncologist may not want you to use antioxidants.  However, each case varies.  Oral supplements will be provided to minimize some of the side effects of radiation.  Prior to radiation treatment, we will focus on building your nutrient reserves, these will likely be depleted if you are moving to radiation post-chemotherapy.  After radiation, we will focus on repairing your body and managing side effects if any.

The Cancer Vitamin C IV or Cancer Cachexia IV may be used, or even the Standard Nutrient (Myer’s cocktail) IV may also be used along with mistletoe therapy and oral supplementation of vitamins, minerals, herbs and other treatments.

Surgery Support

Prior to surgery, we will focus on building your nutrient reserves.  We will help you to remove any supplements that may adversely impact your surgery, for example removal of all natural blood thinners.  We’ll help you with natural products to take for pre-surgery anxiety or claustrophobia (MRI tube).  After surgery, we will focus on building up your nutrient reserve, preventing infection and supporting collagen formation so that your body heals and repairs quicker.  In some cases, we have visited patients at the hospital after surgery.

The Surgery support may include the Protein IV or the Standard Nutrient (Myer’s cocktail) IV along with oral supplementation of vitamins, herbs, minerals, acupuncture and other treatments.

Post-Cancer Support

This is the “watch-and-wait” time.  A difficult time for many patients as it is challenging to filter what you should do and not do.  There are many anti-cancer treatments to choose from and you cannot do them all.  We will help you choose the treatments that are right for you and are tailored to your cancer type, health status, current medication, post-cancer side effects (if any) and many other factors.  This could include IV therapies 1/month along with oral supplementation, mistletoe therapy and others.

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