I received an email yesterday that I decided to answer on the blog. Here it is: "My wife found your blog and I find it very inspirational and resourceful. I've been diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer just like yours, but unlike your tumor, mine is located in the lower part of the rectal area. I have visited the oncologists and surgeons, they said the best way is to go through Chemo and Radiation in order to shrink the tumor size small enough to remove it during surgery. I will begin my treatment next week, the Chemo I'll be taking is the pill that I'll have to consume twice a day for 6 weeks with radiation. The doctors said I will be required to go through another chemo therapy after surgery, which would be different chemo treatment (through IV). That's where my wife feel most uncomfortable and began researching different options such as alternative therapy. And she found your blog with some insightful information. I changed my diet to raw organic vegetables the day I was informed that I had cancer. It was a life changing moment and left me a little confused what's on the horizon for me. Instead I began to eat more raw organic food and exercise than I have done before (I have been eating organic food and exercising moderately for years). While I have read through some of your blogs and stories, I know you mentioned that you had surgery to remove part of the large intestine and forego chemo and radiation with alternative therapy. I am still confused about the part when you had surgery...Did you have any treatment before your surgery? I understand your blog and stories mostly mention after surgery treatment but maybe I overlooked somewhere that says anything about before surgery? I am curious to know because my age is slightly older than your age right now and I have two young daughters, too. I just do hope that everything posted on your website is true. I am not doubting anything but I do praise your recovery and living cancer free. That's my goal too." Regards, Tris Continue reading for my answer and a surprising study about the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

In 2004 I was resarching alternative cancer therapies and heard about Dr. Stanley Burzynski in Houston, Texas. I was told that he had developed a non-toxic "alternative" therapy that was more effective than chemo or radiation on even the most aggressive cancers.  So yeah, he was on my short list of doctors to see if I my natural approach didn't work. "Burzynski The Movie: Cancer Is Serious Business" documents the amazing cancer treatment discovered by Dr. Burzynski called Antineoplastons and how the FDA and the National Cancer Institute tried to shut down his clinic, prove his therapy didn't work, and put him in jail while the U.S. Government tried to steal his patent. Really! Micah and I just watched this and it is so freaking awesome I almost exploded.

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing natural medicine expert Judy Seeger N.D. She's seen it all and had some really good info to share: -Tips to prevent cancer -Scary new regulations in Europe that could be coming our way -Her favorite herbs and enzymes -And some of the most effective natural cancer therapies she has seen in her 30+ years of experience. This is a must read!

Newsflash: Seeds and nuts are super healthy and most of us aren't eating enough of them. They are a great natural source of vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and fiber. I've been eating a ton of seeds and nuts as part of my anti-cancer diet since 2004, with one exception...

Although most folks think of corn as a vegetable, it's actually a high starch grain. And you may be surprised to know that it has very little health benefit compared to other produce, which is why we don't really eat much of it anymore in our house. King Corn is a independent documentary film about the corn industry in America. Here's are some notes from the film mixed in with my research and comments:

Another key component in my cancer fight was drinking copious amounts of herbal teas. Specifically the ones with high anti-oxidant and immune boosting properties. Most days I would have a hot cup in the morning, iced herbal tea with meals, and a hot cup before bed. I highly recommend you get these super healthy teas into your body, pronto!

I am not a doctor or a scientist.  I am a self-educated chemo-free cancer survivor and I often have people contact me who want to know more. In this post I explain in the simplest terms what I have come to understand and believe to be true about chemotherapy and why I did not do it.

In January of 2004, one month after my surgery, my wife Micah and I went to the cancer clinic for the first time. It didn't go so well. I had already decided against chemotherapy after researching successful alternative therapies. To my dismay, my decision was not well received by my wife, family and friends. After many heartfelt and well-meaning "interventions", I reluctantly agreed to go meet with an oncologist to hear what he had to say.

In the video below Tawkon introduces their new app, which monitors radiation levels emitted by cell phones. They show that the iPhone 4 isn’t the only smartphone with reduced signal if held improperly. As an Apple fan I’m glad to …

  These four cancer-fighting spices have powerful health benefits and were part of my daily regimen to beat cancer without chemo.  They are common, but not commonly found in American cuisine, so I had to be very deliberate about adding …