Forget the Kitchen Sink: Why It’s Essential to Prioritize Core Treatments
The Medical System may focus on minor treatments. Seek out the treatments that will have a major impact!
I have this briefcase—practically a treasure chest—filled with books on alternative medical treatments. Between that, and my shelves, I have 20 years of research on this topic.
What took me on this journey?
It all started around 1990. My oldest son, at 16, went into a grand mal seizure out of the blue. I was away on business, and my capable wife called an ambulance. After a few minutes, the seizure subsides, and he is whisked off to the hospital.
They quiz him about drug use (none, of course) and send him home. An MRI finds nothing. However, a few months later, another seizure hits. He is put on anti-seizure meds, but the doctors are stumped. "We have no idea what's causing it," they say, shrugging their white-coated shoulders. The word they used was “idiopathic,” which is a fancy medical way of saying that they didn’t have a clue.
When my son turned 20, improved MRI imaging finally spotted the culprit—a ping-pong ball-sized brain tumor. It was resected a month after his first child was born. At the time, it was deemed benign. Fast forward 22 years, and multiple “benign” resections later, the doctors decide it's not so benign after all.
That’s when my deep dive into the world of cancer research really kicked off. I explored everything from coffee enemas to apricot pits, alkaline water to juicing. You name it, I’ve researched it. I even have a hefty book that tries to catalog every alternative cancer “cure” out there.
But here’s the thing: just because there are a lot of treatments for cancer, both traditional and “alternative,” it doesn’t mean you can just do everything at the same time. There are treatments that may help in a minor way, some that could make a major difference… and not all of them work well simultaneously. Mixing your pantry contents into the kitchen sink does not make for a delicious meal. Sorting out what is best as a cancer treatment is tough work. Luckily, there are tools available now that make things easier.
(For the record, in my estimation the best book for both consumers and physicians just hit the shelves—Cancer Care: The Role of Repurposed Drugs and Metabolic Intervention in Treating Cancer by Paul Marik. It’s a goldmine of well-researched information, picking up where traditional cancer therapies leave off. I have written a short review on another blog post.)
It brings to mind another example of the “kitchen sink” approach to medicine. Recently, a 69-year-old acquaintance asked me about non-alcoholic fatty liver. Being the research enthusiast I am, I quickly pulled up my favorite author’s blogs, podcasts, and suggestions. After years of sifting through the internet, I’ve become pretty good at separating the wheat from the chaff. As my friend described their regimen—curcumin, spices in chicken soup, liver supplements, maybe even a liver cleanse—I almost laughed. While there’s nothing wrong with those types of home remedies, they aren’t the most effective overall treatments. They are the peripheral changes that can help support true core treatments.
What might those be?
Studies show that 150-180 minutes of exercise per week can significantly reduce fatty liver.
Eliminating fructose
Cut sugar drinks and alcohol
Eliminate vegetable oils and linoleic acid. (By the way, those oils are NOT made from vegetables, no matter how many pictures of carrots and string beans are on the label.)
The study showed positive results in three months. Let’s do the math: Supplements might help 5%, but exercise and dietary changes promise 75% of the results. Which would you prioritize?
When there’s a problem, most people run to the physician, who in turn hands them over to a specialist. After a battery of tests, those specialists often prescribe a drug or surgery that is in their best interests to prescribe. Good physicians who want to help you with the root cause of your issues do exist, but many follow a set protocol that might not be designed to serve you. Remember, when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Back to my son. He was a stellar kid who loved God. His library, which I still have, is a treasure trove of works on theology and practical living. He left behind six children and a lot of friends and family. Reflecting on the well-meaning physicians, conference talks, and books that guided me, I realize how important good input is when dealing with serious illness.
I once took my son to a famous clinic to coordinate his many surgeries and medications. (He had six resections in total.) I presented a study from a German physician with success in treating brain tumors to his oncologist. She dismissed it out-of-hand, saying if it were legitimate “she would’ve heard about it”. Then she outlined a drug combo for him, which I had already researched.
“This drug combo may extend life, but half the participants couldn’t finish due to its toxicity,” I said.
“That’s right,” she responded.
“Why would we want him to do that?” I asked.
“Well, it may extend his life,” she replied.
Seriously? May extend life at the cost of quality?
We didn’t go for that concoction. (Interestingly, a Canadian study found that 80% of cancer researchers wouldn’t put their relatives in experimental trials.)
So take this as a word of caution: The medical system has protocols that might not be in your best interest. They may put you through a grueling ‘minor’ treatment that can have a major impact on your overall health and wellness.
COVID and its associated vaccines have proven one thing to us: many doctors will follow the system, regardless of the evidence, to keep the money flowing— no matter their personal misgivings.
My advice: don’t take anyone’s advice on a minor “cure” when a major one may be available. Stick to the major treatments first and then consider the minor ones. Think back to the previous example: if exercise and diet changes can improve your fatty liver, make them your priority. People may dislike exercise, but if they knew its value and the consequences of inactivity, they’d change their lifestyle. After all, why wait until you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiac challenges to get serious?
You are the one most interested in your health. You need people around who will advocate for you. So keep the majors and the minors in mind when choosing your personal physician!
Blessings, the Medical Maverick