The Body Is the Best Doctor: How to Harness Your Natural Ability to Heal Yourself

Exercise can help to improve the elasticity of the lungs, making them more efficient at exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. (Martinan/iStock)

The average person who finds out they have cancer is faced with a frightening number of decisions. Those of us who have stood on this precipice know that’s scary and mind-numbing.

But don’t let the fear paralyze you. Take a deep breath. Understand that you’re likely in a state of shock. Recognize that while you won’t want to put off treatment indefinitely, you do have time to learn about your options. Cancer is something that often takes years to develop, and it’s not likely to kill you next week.

I recently interviewed Dr. Michael Karlfeldt, a brilliant naturopath who has successfully treated thousands of patients and guided them through the process of healing. He uses the analogy of a firefighter who’s dealing with a burning building.

What’s Causing the Building to Burn?

A naturopath such as Dr. Karlfeldt will look for the fires first. What’s causing the building to burn, that is, what’s driving the cancer? There are often many answers to this question. Are you exposed to a parasite, pathogen, or other toxin? Are certain foods that you’re eating negatively impacting your immune system? What are the causes of the inflammatory markers, and what are the numbers they show?

In other words, what’s the root cause of your disease? Cancer didn’t just happen in a vacuum; there’s always an underlying cause.

What Tests Does a Naturopath Perform?

It depends on the individual. Do you live in an old house that currently has mold? What kind of diet do you have? What other health issues do you have? What is your emotional state? Tests might include:

• An antibody test with three different panels for food, heavy metals, and pathogens such as Lyme, mold, viruses, and bacteria.
• A urine test (chronic inflammation test) to determine the level of inflammation we’re dealing with.
• Nutritional or mineral tests to determine deficiencies or excess overload (lead, copper, fluoride, and so forth).

Rebuilding the Body

Much like firefighters, a naturopath will assist you in using the body’s natural ability to clear the cause. Then he’ll bring in the construction crew to rebuild the body with basics such as nutrition, vitamins, and supplements.

She’ll also utilize some of the most cutting-edge treatments available today. Some of the treatments that Dr. Karlfeldt recommends include:

Photodynamic Therapy: This therapy is a treatment that uses the power of light to destroy cancer cells. It involves using light-sensitive medicine and a light source to destroy abnormal cells and utilizes a photosensitizer that can be injected into or around the therapy location to pull light to itself as a stronger concentration. By matching the frequency of a laser with the photosensitizer so that it triggers oxidation within the cancer cells, it kills them in a very targeted manner. Research suggests that this treatment is less effective against deep tumors.

Oxygen Therapies: These types of therapies are designed to create an oxygen-rich environment within the tumors. Research such as a study by the University of Georgia shows that “low oxygen levels in cells may be a primary cause of uncontrollable tumor growth in some cancers.” Oxygen therapies are highly effective when combined with other therapies. For example, a lot of time chemotherapy isn’t effective because it isn’t combined with oxygen therapy.

Other Therapies: High-dose vitamin C IV, mistletoe IV, and other therapies can also be highly effective in treating cancer. Dr. Karlfeldt’s recommended therapies also include the innovative platelet-derived nanoparticle delivery system of substances.

Putting the Fire Out

Research finds that people who feel in control of their own health experience better health and enjoy a better quality of life while dealing with diseases such as cancer, perhaps because they’re also more willing to take action in support of their own health.

Being in charge of your own journey isn’t only your right, but it’s to your advantage. When you’re dealing with something as important as cancer, a can-do attitude is paramount. Choosing a health coach or a team of professionals you trust is critical to your success in many ways. Working with someone you trust and are comfortable with helps to reduce your stress, a very important factor in fighting any disease. Just having someone in your corner can confirm the success you’re making and put to rest any doubts you have.

Resources

University of Georgia, “Low oxygen levels could drive cancer growth, research suggests,” Science Daily (May 3, 2012).

“Study Links Mental Health Treatment to Improved Cancer Survival,” National Cancer Institute (July 10, 2020). https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/lung-cancer-treating-mental-health-longer-survival