"Enough Biopsies! I Took On Prostate Cancer with Research"

"STEPPING UP MY OWN RESEARCH" by: James Hunt

I want to tell my story so that I can help others diagnosed with prostate cancer. This all started with a routine physical with blood work. My primary care physician called to say everything looks good except a slightly elevated PSA and suggested I make an appointment to see a urologist. After spending months on antibiotics to treat a possible infection of the prostate due to bike riding, my urologist suggested a biopsy. The biopsy was one of the worst things I’ve ever experienced in my life. The biopsy results showed a Gleason 6 cancer in one of the 12 tissue samples taken from me.

The urologist suggested active surveillance where we would monitor the cancer with blood tests, MRI’s and biopsies. He mentioned that I would eventually need surgery- probably within a year or two. I reached out to one of my chiropractor friends for some advice (Dr. Mark Jones of Wading River) who is quite knowledgeable in Holistic medicine and he suggested; Pomi-T a dietary supplement that was used in a study (in prison) that was proven to slow the growth of prostate cancer. He also told me about Chaga Tea - brewed from the Chaga mushroom that grows on birch trees in Canada. I connected with Debbie Falborn from Chaga Island who told me "we will beat this". They helped me put together a plan that consisted of drinking 24oz of chaga tea a day along with daily supplements of Glutathione, Vitamin B complex and Magnesium powder (Calm).

I also spoke to another friend, Dr. Keith Gutzmann whose practice, The Howard Beach Comprehensive Health Care Center is tailored towards Holistic Health and Wellness. Dr. Gutzmann suggested a number of nutritional supplements. Curcumin, Boswellia (Indian Frankincense), Ginger, Fish Oil, and Vitamin D3 for their anti-inflammatory effects. Indole-3-carbinol, Vitex, and Saw Palmetto for their hormone modulating effects. There were a number of other supplements he suggested that I found to be echoed later by other sources as I continued my research. Dr. Gutzmann then strongly suggested a Ketogenic dietary strategy (low carbohydrates and sugar) with concomitant periods of Intermittent fasting. Lastly, he suggested I look into getting a DVD of a film by Peter Starr called "Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery, Drugs or Radiation". I found this on Dr. Mercola’s website. One Friday night at 8pm my urologist called me to tell me that a second part of my biopsy reveled a more aggressive cancer and that I really need to consider surgery sooner rather than later. I had just started to feel right mentally and now this. My surviving prostate cancer DVD came and I watched it. The first thing Peter Starr said is that "you have time... you are not going to die tomorrow". He also explained how these doctors will attempt to scare you into doing some sort of treatment right away.

I learned from the video a few other key supplements that are proven to slow the growth of cancer Vitamin k2, Vitamin D3, pumpkin seed oil, Vitamin C, Flax Seed Oil, Coenzyme Q10, Neprinal AFD and Lycopene. I also learned about gut health and the need to take Probiotics (Syntol AMD). The film taught me a lot how sugar feeds cancer. I also learned of an ultrasound machine called a 3D color Doppler which Peter Starr explained is a noninvasive way of checking cancer growth without having to go through biopsy and long MRI’s.

I went online to try to find this machine and all I could come up with was the prostate cancer research institute in California. I felt that wasn’t an option for me at the time and took another suggestion of Peter Starr’s and to get a second opinion. I made an appointment with another urologist that came highly recommended. He read my reports and test results and was surprised that the first urologist was pushing for surgery. He said we will do active surveillance with blood work, MRI’s and biopsy’s. Here I was again hearing the word "biopsy". I had done plenty of research on the internet and all I kept reading is that there is a chance of spreading the cancer with biopsy’s. The second urologist said I’ll see you in six months your prostate needs to heal from the biopsy before we can do the MRI.

In the six months I completely changed my diet starting with giving up all processed foods. I started a meal plan that consisted of wild caught fish, chicken and bison that were antibiotic and hormone free, organic vegetables and foods containing healthy fats avocado, cashews and macadamia nuts. I cut all sugars from my diet including those from fruits. My fruit intake was limited to berries occasionally. Getting close to my MRI appointment and thinking this was going to be my only option.

After much research and a referral from my wife's fundraising circle, I came across Dr. Robert Bard a seasoned radiologist in midtown Manhattan that has written books on prostate cancer and has a 3D color Doppler! I made an appointment and went in for the ultrasound. My experience with Dr Bard was excellent the procedure took all of maybe ten minutes. After the procedure I sat with Dr. bard to go over the results, he found a small spot which he said did not look like active cancer cells maybe a scar left from the biopsy. Dr. Bard said we would do active surveillance and watch it that I had nothing to worry about. Dr. Bard has done extensive research on prostate cancer and has come up with his own supplements that he formulated for prostate cancer. A lot of the ingredients in his pills are what I’ve been taking. I’m starting his supplements right away and finishing up what I have. As of right now I have no active cancer and happy I got a second opinion.

My message to everyone battling cancer is to stay smart and realistic. Do your own research and listen to the right people and follow your gut for what makes the most sense. The resources are all around us and thanks to the world wide web, we have some of the best information available to win this. Perhaps it was the research that made me push for a second (and even a third) opinion and I'm glad I did- because if I would have caved to the panic-stricken voice of my first doctor, things may have turned out very differently- or worse.

References & Available Links:
Dr. Mark Jones, Wading River, NY (chiropractor)
Dr. Keith Gutzmann, The Howard Beach Comprehensive Health Care Center- (www.holisticnyc.org)
Pomi-T (www.pomi-t.com)
Debbie Falborn / Chaga Island (www.chagaisland.com)
Peter Starr: "(www.survivingprostatecancer.org)
Dr. Joseph Mercola (www.mercola.com)
Dr. Robert L. Bard (www.bardcancerdiagnostics.com)

Special Thanks:
Jennifer Hunt & "Fight Cancer Like a Girl" Team
LI2Day Walk (www.li2daywalk.org)

Awareness for a Cure:
Co-Editor: Laurel Muckey / Integrative Medicine of NY
Production / Editor - IntermediaWorx inc.
Technical Advisor: Annie Brandt / Best Answer for Cancer (bestanswerforcancer.org)