By Harry Chrissakis, Herbalist/Natural Medicine
Although one of the 4 leading cancers, Prostate Cancer does not have to be part of a man’s fate. Cancer is adversarial and opportunistic, but it is still law full. Because that is true, cause and effect is where we can look to help prevent it. Many of the things that will follow also apply to a number of our present day chronic diseases. A number of factors go into producing a state of health in a man.
Blood testing post 40. One of the main wings of prevention and treatment is blood testing. The blood stream is a great place to look for problems or developing problems. Tendencies show up first in the blood stream, expressing themselves as a constellation of excess and deficient test results. This needs to be a yearly event in a man’s life (and really a women’s as well). In the Tradition Chinese Medical model, a man’s constitutional energy and it reserves begin to dwindle after 35 years old. This is the primary reason TCM generally does not prescribe Ginseng before age 35.
Through comprehensive blood work, enough info can be gathered to see that someone is getting in trouble or if they are already in trouble which way that problem is headed. Through blood tests (and the law of connectedness in human physiology) a pattern is set up that is showing that the body is moving in a certain direction that can only produce a few variations. In prostate cancer you see many of the same marker results as you see in cardiovascular and neurological disorders. They can and do happen at the same time. To produce a good profile of a man’s health requires about 25-35 blood markers. These markers set up base line so that not only can a problem be seen if it is there, but can also be used for comparison after giving a protocol. First setting base line,then retesting to check the effectiveness of protocol on specific markers. This takes a lot more time, money, and energy than is generally given, but is well worth it. Natural Medicine is somewhat demanding in relation to both the patient and practitioner. A simple factory approach is not enough and the proof is in its result.
In the conceptual framework of how info is gathered, an important idea needs to be looked at first. That is that if a person has Cancer, that we study the Cancer and our body as 2 different life forms. Study the energy and physiology of the patient’s body and then do the same for the life of the Cancer living inside us. Although starting as our cells, Cancer has established itself as a separate life form and is making its own decisions based upon opportunity for growth and metastasis. This is why a lot of test results are necessary. We have to find out the general health of the patient and the nature of his particular Prostate Cancer. We are trying to get ahead of the trajectory of the cancer energy. Cancer has intent. Some of the effects we are looking for are the general impact of the cancer on the environment ( i.e thickened blood, high Lactic acid). We are trying to find to what degree the cancer has progressed through the manipulation of various systems in our body to further its’ ends. This along with this general status of a person’s health (i.e. Blood Pressure, Glucose levels, LDL size, LDH levels ect) can help create a clearer picture to work with.
General aspects that go into creating a Prostate Cancer environment
1. Declining anabolic reserve. When the body cannot rebuild itself sufficiently it cannot defend itself properly. As we age the our bodies tend to move in the direction of systemic inflammation and the breaking down of muscle mass and bone( catabolic) while moving away from maintaining and building tissue, which is where we want to be( anabolic). Lots goes into this happening over the decades. This process can be slowed down with proper care. Reducing inflammation, normalizing the Nervous System while feeding the Neuro Endocrine system are key principles.
2. Excessive free radicals. Our body produces 3 primary cellular antioxidants; Gluththione, Catalase, Super Oxide Dismutase. All three start to become depleted as we age. This combined with a lack of antioxidants in our diet (due to poor dietary choices) and lack of supplementation gives rise to oxidative damage. Insulin Resistance/Diabetes produces lots of free radicals and that is usually only part of a bigger inflammatory profile the body is struggling under daily. In many Cancers the gene sight P 53 is mutated. This gene sight gets damaged from free radical oxidation. P 53 is the guardian of the cell life. It acts as a tumor suppressor to protect the cells from mutation. If a cell mutates, P53 will order it to be repaired. If it cannot be repaired, P53 will down regulate the cell into apoptosis (programmed cell suicide). If P53 is damaged by oxidation it is then converted into an onco gene (cancer promoter) which now promotes cancer instead of inhibiting it. P53 is a damaged gene site in 50-75% of all cancers. One of the approaches of natural Medicine is to try to repair P 53 functionality. If the site cannot be repaired, a properly applied program will try to help push the cell into Apoptosis, in order to get rid of the damaged cell. Raising cellular antioxidants and increasing dietary antioxidants through food and supplementation is one wing of the approach to recovery and normalization.
3. Hormone Dysfunction. This occurs when Androgens, like Testosterone and DHEA, get converted into undesirable Estrogens. This happens in fat cells, where androgens are turned into estrogens (through the overproduction of the enzyme Aromatase) and occurs generally in overweight men. Under these conditions a man’s estrogen can exceed that of a premenopausal woman. Estrogen is a growth factor in Prostate Cancer ( Cancer in general). A second important area is the conversion of testosterone into dehydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is useful for a man in small amounts. When it becomes excessive it acts as a growth factor in BPH or Prostate Cancer. Losing testosterone these 2 ways will lower both total and free testosterone. Both low free and total testosterone are common findings in Prostate Cancer patients. There are multiple inhibitors of testosterone loss as well as plant that increase testosterone production in herbs and supplements.
4. Pathological stress response pushing immune dysfunction. Once stress response has developed certain undesirable habits, a positive feedback is created. That system stays on a hair trigger response without much reserve in the tank. This brings the immune system into a hyper functional place where a lot more pro-inflammatory communication molecules (cytokines, interleukins) are released into our blood streams. That level of pro inflammatory response pushes the body deeper into inflammaging and puts a big burden on the immune system through hyper facilitation (over amped) with time. This kind of internal environment is foundational to all our major Diseases. Plants that feed and calm the nervous system have been used for many centuries. Now we have the added advantage of high quality supplements and nutritional agents that can be put into the mix for a deeper and wider reach into the areas we are trying to help.
5. Excess weight and obesity. Two thirds of the U.S. are overweight or obese. Obesity is a risk factor for all cause mortality. The pattern at the basis of this common difficulty is Insulin Resistance/ Metabolic Syndrome. Both are considered part of the pre diabetic state. This profile is underrated for ifs long term harmful effects, which are multiple. The more our glucose and insulin levels rise and remain at sustained elevations the worst it is for us. In terms of producing a systemic inflammatory response Insulin Resistance/Metabolic Syndrome are at the top of the list. Easy and common to see in a blood test through evaluating CRP, Glucose and Insulin levels.
6. Lack of good quality sleep raises risk factors for many diseases including Prostate Cancer. Lots and lots of things happen at night in terms of detoxification and the rebuilding of tissue. Without enough proper sleep these life preserving functions get challenged. This is a common problem as many people do not sleep well.
7. Poor dietary choices. Too much of too much. This in itself could be an article.
8. Lack of exercise. I can generally get people to do supplement and herb programs, but exercise is tough. Exercise is good for lots and lots in terms of both prevention and treatment.
Harry Chrissakis
Herbalist, Natural medicine
HerbalistandHerbs.com
530-933-8244