One of our greatest underlying fears is disease and death. And although the odds are stacked against us in many ways, due to our choices when it comes to diet and lifestyle, there is evidence to show that love, purpose, community and a positive mindset are an integral part of health and healing.
I recently had the honour of leading a ‘love and healing’ support group that was growing in overwhelming number and offered the recipient and his wife and young children the most incredible gift that truly made a difference in so many ways. They were part of a group that expressed love and gratitude for the man who was their loving husband and father.
In Dr Kelly Turner’s book, Radical Remission, she concludes these are 4 of the 9 factors when it comes to healing and survival.
Dr Turner conducted a study involving people with cancer who either had rejected conventional treatment (no chemo, radiation or surgery), or who had tried conventional treatment but had decided to stop, either because they were told nothing more could be done, or because side-effects were so unbearable.
During her research, she identified 76 different healing factors that patients used to help heal themselves. These were outside conventional cancer treatments. Of these, 9 stood out as common factors amongst all survivors.
“Many of these patients had healed without western medical treatment or, following its failure, they used other therapies to extend their survival”.
The Nine Factors
1) They all adopted radical dietary change. Many became vegans or vegetarians. All increased plant-based foods, and most abstained from alcohol and all ceased smoking. Almost all made the decision to omit meat, wheat, sweets and dairy. They all dramatically increased their intake of fresh vegetables and fruit.
2) They took more control of their health than ever before and became strong activists in their choices of food, treatments, and behaviours;
3) All followed their intuition more closely than ever.
All those studied said they had re-learned to trust themselves, and then take responsibility for the consequences of that trust and intuition; Intuition is the “tuition within”.
4) Almost all took some form of nutritional supplementation. This ranged from pro-and pre-biotics, vitamins, minerals, herbs, food extracts and various food concentrates like fresh raw juices and greens.
Each person had a unique approach which was most often guided by a health-care practitioner conversant with nutrition who was not an oncologist, doctor or hospital dietician. There was no one thing that was taken by all the group. Their supplements varied widely.
5) All gave attention to releasing suppressed emotions. They adopted the attitude it’s “free to be me” and worked at not suppressing any emotions. Again, the methods used varied widely. Some resorted to hypnotherapy, counselling, psycho-therapy, group meetings, workshops, courses and of course, reading relevant books;
6) Without exception they all made a conscious effort to increase positive emotions. This does not say these people had no negative emotions, on the contrary. However, they were all mindful that their responses to certain events or situations were their choice, and they consciously sought to increase positive emotions like love, laughter, warmth, forgiveness, joy, appreciation, gratitude and compassion;
7) Every radical remission was achieved in the context of much social support. From loved ones including immediate and extended family, to friends and colleagues, to support groups and professionals, social support was repeatedly stated to play a leading role in their recoveries. This was one of the most heavily emphasised points made by all interviewees.
8) Without fail, they all were engaged in deepening their spiritual connections. This also varied widely. Commonly it involved meditation and prayer. Often it involved a deeper connection to nature, and a greater and more deep appreciation of the natural world. Whether the person followed a conventional religion, or simply felt a resurgent connection to nature, it did not matter. All felt a connection to something more powerful than them. This connection to a greater force or energy was viewed as just as important as any other key factor engaged in;
9) Everyone had a strong reason to live. A purpose. This transcended just a personal desire to keep going. Again, reasons and purpose were uniquely individual.
Dr Viktor Frankl stated in his iconic book Man’s Search for Meaning, as a captive during WW2 that prisoners in Auschwitz concentration camp died quickly if they lost their meaning to live. It did not matter what that meaning was, but like him, they all had strong reasons to wake up each day.
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Dr Kelly called the recoveries radical remission, it is not instant or spontaneous but a process involving conscious change over time.
They all said it was hard work and not luck that made the difference.
In our love and healing group I believe what we all experienced had profound changes on us all and was healing in itself.
Much Love,
