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Page 8
| How I Work |
| When someone comes to see me for the first time, I treat that person as a unique individual. I take the client's case by listening closely and jotting down some notes as I learn about any physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual problems. Here and there, I might prod with gentle questioning if I feel that important information is missing. I might order specific blood work, for example, to check the thyroid function or DHEA level in a woman with breast cancer, or to check for high platelet or fibrinogen levels that are cause for concern because they may indicate blood clots and tumor invasion. I review all medical reports from the client's conventional physicians. |
| Diet is an area that requires special consideration. A high-energy type-A person has different dietary needs than a calm, laid-back type-B individual. A highly trained athlete has different needs than a person with a sedentary lifestyle. A person living in a cold climate has different needs than a person in a tropical climate. There are as many variables as there are individuals. Some patients do better with more cooked food than raw; some need a moderate intake of dairy and meat, while others require a strict vegetarian diet for optimum well-being. Dietary needs change when individuals are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy and then change again when these therapies are completed. For me, it is also important that people are happy with their diets. What good is a healthy diet if it becomes a source of conflict to the individual? Enjoying food and the process of nourishing oneself should be a very natural and fulfilling part of daily life. Unfortunately, for too many people, choosing healthy foods has become just another depressing chore fraught with anxiety and guilt. This is the challenge I face that makes what I do both difficult and fulfilling and why, in general, I give guidelines with some flexibility. |
| To successfully support and facilitate the healing of a person with cancer, I adapt my herbal and nutritional protocol to the following: |
| Type of cancer |
| Types of conventional treatment being received, if any |
| Individual typology (temperament, organ problems, hereditary weaknesses, symptoms) |
| Metabolic typing (based on a patient's endocrine system and whether the individual is a fast or slow oxidizer) |
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