Tripping Over The Truth

If this were simply a book on the history of cancer it would be worth the read.  The fact that it reads like a murder mystery, eventually unmasking the truth about the killer along with clear actionable steps to prevent and eliminate cancer makes this one of the most important books of our time.  Period.  And Robb Wolf, Tim Ferriss, and Dr. Mercola agree.

This truth revealed is that cancer is a metabolic disease (metabolic meaning that it pertains to the energy production within the cell).  What is tragic is that we’ve known this.  Dr. Otto Warburg discovered in the early 1900’s that there are a few factors common amongst all types of cancer.  The most important of which is that cancer ferments glucose (sugar) in the presence of oxygen to produce energy.  This is known simply as the Warburg effect.  The book then goes on to demonstrate extraordinarily compelling evidence that the reason cancer converts to this ancient, low-oxygen adaptation of the cell is because of malfunctioning or damaged mitochondria (the cellular respiration system).   

Despite noting this anomaly, scientists and doctors have spent years attempting other means to cure cancer.  It began with an accidental poisoning of our own troops with mustard gas in WWII.  When doctors examined infected tissue samples of our soldiers, they noticed a stark depletion of white blood cells, the same cells that feverishly divide in lymphoma patients.  The idea for chemotherapy was born, and the first form of this treatment was mustard gas, the same biological warfare agent featured in the horror story that was the first World War. 

This set up the framework for the concept of the war on cancer.  Cancer is horrible on its own, but the chemotherapeutic treatment for cancer is so grotesque, calling it ‘war’ is the only thing that makes sense.  Kill everything and hope that only the good cells survive. 

With the mapping of the human genome came another wave of attempted cures.  It was hoped that by identifying certain genetic traits, targeted drugs could be used to eliminate cancer.  But unfortunately decades after the human genome was mapped, survival rates across the board are only moderately better than in the 1950’s.  We are losing the war on cancer.  

But what if instead of a war, we looked at why cancer cells abandoned normal cellular respiration?  What if we tried to restore the body rather than destroy it?  The book details the success and ultimate mismanagement of a few experimental drugs attempting to do this.  But ultimately it makes the case that maybe you don’t need these experimental drugs to restore yourself.  Based on the evidence at hand, and some key anecdotal successes they put forward what they call the press pulse strategy.  Using a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting principles, you starve the cells of glucose and provide energy through the production of ketones.  This puts pressure on the cancer.  Then as a pulse, you utilize metabolic boosters like hyperbaric oxygen, which floods the cells with additional oxygen.  While this method has yet to be proven, the evidence is mounting, and the theory appears sound.  What’s even better is that this method has shown efficacy even in conjunction with conventional treatments, making chemotherapy and radiation more effective.  

Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases of our epoch.  We have all known someone who has been touched by cancer.  Seeing my uncle courageously fight this disease to the bitter end instilled a deep-seated fear and hopelessness I rarely acknowledged.  To now understand the disease and have a plan that makes sense is a gift that came too late for my uncle, but one I personally will cherish.  I hope that in sharing this you will be able to receive this same gift and pass it on to those who need it.

To learn more check out the author’s blog at http://www.singlecausesinglecure.org/author/travisc/