First Do No Harm
Here is a story that defies logic. Its about patents and grants, reputations and graft but mostly it is about human dignity taking a second place to profit. It’s not a new story, not really, as it goes back 40 years and to find out more all you have to do is follow the money!
We are taking about Dr. Stanislaw R. Burzynski and you can read about some of the patients stories lower right log in by clicking on this link.
Dr. Burzynksi is a cancer specialist in Texas that specializes in alternative therapies vs Chemotherapy. One could say that despite his success, the traditional medical industry is less than thrilled with his approach. You can watch a full length documentary about it below which I highly recommend.
The gist of it is that long term success of traditional remedies such as Chemotherapy and Radiation have long term success of about 9% while Dr. Burzynski’s success rate is closer to 25%. Yet, because he holds the patents to his discovery of an array of Antineoplastons the worlds drug companies will not put there weight behind them because they do not control the profit. Instead they have been trying to duplicate Dr. Burzynski’s discoveries and to date have been unsuccessful. A number of failed alternative patents have been filed by a number of them, including Pfizer.
The contrarians put a good deal of weight behind the argument of unwanted side affects of the new treatment but one should also recognize that any affects are minor compared to typical and traditional Chemotherapy and Radiation treatments. Watch this Documentary Movie embedded in this link (Limited Time Free).
Burzynski: Cancer Is Serious Business from BurzynskiMovie on Vimeo.
The full story of this bizarre case may never be satisfactorily explained but there are things we can do regardless of the pros and cons of treatment for cancer and regardless of the source of that treatment. After all, 70% of all known cancers are avoidable and related to lifestyle.
Prevention magazine recently published the following rules to minimize risk:
1/ Filter your tap water:
Tests show this is safer than bottled water. See the Presidents Cancer Panel for details.
Top picks by Consumer Report for faucet mounted filters: Culligan, Pur Vertical and Brita OPFF-100
Water should be stored in stainless steel or glass containers.
2/ Gas Tank – do not top it off. Gasoline contains cancer causing benzene. Not only is touching the fuel harmful but so are the vapors.
3/ BBQ Time? – Charred, processed and well-done meats prepared on the BBQ can contain cancer causing “heterocyclic amines” and “Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons“. There is quite a bit of scientific evidence that backs this up.
If you do BBQ then you should add rosemary and thyme to a favorite marinade then soak meat for at least one hour before cooking. This can cut HCA’s by up to 87%.
4/ Coffee lovers rejoice! Studies show that by drinking 5 or more cups of coffee per day reduce Brain, Pharynx and Mouth Cancer risk by as much as 40%. The key ingredient is the Caffeine.Tea does not work as well and Decaf not at all.
5/ Plenty of fluids reduces the risk of Bladder Cancer. This is because it tends to dilute cancer causing agents in the bladder. The ideal amount is 8 cups a day.
6/ The Darkest Greens: Best for reducing Colon cancer in women. The key ingredient here is magnesium which keeps healthy cells from doing the unexpected.You need about 375 mg of magnesium per day and a 1/2 cup of spinach is one fifth of the daily minimum.
7/ Nuts: Particularly Brazil nuts provide a good source of Selenium an antioxidant that lowers the risk of Bladder cancer in women and lowers the risk of lung and Colorectal cancer in all others. Selenium is thought to protect cells from free radicals, enhance the immune function and suppress the formation of blood vessels that nourish tumors.
8/ Walking: Walking just 2 hours a week cuts the risk of breast cancer by 18%. More exercise than that will help burn off fat that when left to its own devices creates its own estrogen that is a known contributor to cancers in general.
9/ Women check with your doctor: Breast density readings of more than 75% have a chance risk four to five times higher than those with lower density readings. Estrogen is the culprit.
10/ Dry Cleaning: The solvent used in traditional dry cleaning is called “Perchloroethylene” and can cause all kinds of grief. The EPA in the USA has found that it contributes to Liver, Kidney and Leukemia cancers. Studies as recent as 2010 support this claim.
11/ Cell Phones: Controversial data exist that suggest that cell phone radio frequencies increase the risk of brain cancers. To minimize any risk you should text instead of phone and keep calls short. Better yet, use a hands free device that keeps the phone away from your head.
12/ Sunscreen: Start with the color of your clothes. Spanish scientists suggest that wearing Blue or Red clothes reduces the risk of skin cancer. Also hats are back in vogue and should have a broad rim. Studies show that people with melanomas on the scalp and neck die twice as fast as people with the cancer on other parts of their bodies.
13/ Avoid Antibiotics and Hormones: Not just cancers but also endocrine problems are linked to there use. When buying produce look for the pesticide free section and always wash your fruit and vegetables. The most vulnerable foods that contain pesticides are: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples and blueberries) at least 40 known carcinogens are found in pesticides.
14/ Minimize Stress: Easier said than done especially knowing all the challenges to good health. Exercise, have a hobby and get plenty of fresh air. If you find you do not have time then you should put it into your daily schedule and it is the last thing that is “bumped”.
UPDATE:
The Texas Medical Board is attempting to stop Dr. Stanislaw R. Burzynski from using his innovative personalized combination gene targeted therapy on advanced cancer patients. The hearing before a Texas state administrative law judge is set for April 2012.
The YouTube link below details two things:
1) Dr. Burzynski’s novel personalized gene targeted therapy for cancer patients
2) Provides compelling evidence that the Texas Medical Board’s charges are wrong and frivolous
This 20 minute video is produced by Eric Merola, the director of the documentary “Burzynski – Cancer Is Serious Business,” and contains interviews with Rick Jaffe, Dr. Burzynski’s attorney, some of Dr. Burzynski’s patients who have received personalized gene targeted therapy, and for the first time ever, the patient’s very own hometown conventional physicians giving their account of these difficult cases and support for the treatment provided by Dr. Burzynski. Dr. Burzynski is the only physician in the country using this personalized combination gene targeted therapy approach, based on sophisticated molecular testing.
If the Texas Medical Board prevails, many desperate cancer patients will have nowhere else to turn. Please watch this important video and learn how you can help stop the Texas Medical Board.
Evidence that the Texas Medical Board’s charges are wrong and frivolous – Click here
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E. & O. E.
Mark A Schneider cfp clu cfsb
Chartered Financial Consultant
