Mark Flanigan,
B.HSc (Nutrition), B.HSc (Herbal Medicine),
Advanced Diploma (Naturopathy).       

Cancer Information

Mark is a Naturopath and formerly consulted for The Fountain of Life - an Alternative Cancer Treatment Clinic on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
                                 
What  Causes  Cancer?
                                 
Cells' DNA is exposed to potential damage as it unravels and copies itself in order for cell division, which is a normal process. Methylation is one of the most important process that helps prevent damage to the DNA whilst in this process of cell replication. Every day millions of cells are dividing, and are in fact being damaged in the process, so increasing methylation is one of the most important steps we can take in an attempt to protect ourselves against DNA damage. A product called Tri Methyl Glycine, or TMG, can be very beneficial in this respect. Tri methyl means that it has 3 methyl groups, which can be used in the process of methylation. In addition to reducing the risk of cancer, the methylation process has other very important functions wthin the body. One of these is to reduce homocysteine, high levels of which have been strongly associated with Cardiovascular Disease, and also Depression.
                                      
With regards to the development of cancer, damage to the DNA is the first step to carcinogenicity. So with millions of cells dividing each day why don't we all have tumours? In fact, we all do. However, in most healthy people there are a couple of important check points that prevent these cancerous cells from replicating themselves and growing into tumours. The first of these processes is something called apoptosis, which is literally programmed cell death. A gene within the cell, called p53 recognises when the cell has 'misbehaved', and initiates a cascade of chemical reactions that causes the destruction of that cell.
                          
Sometimes, the p53 gene (that initiates apoptosis) is itself damaged, and so it cannot recognise when the cell's DNA has been damaged, and the cell has mutated. So it doesn't initiate the destruction of that cell. That's where the immune system comes in to attack and destroy the abnormal cancerous cells, which are now dividing and replicating rapidly.

Furthermore, alkalinity within the body promotes normal cell division, whereas acidity promotes proliferation (or cell division) and inhibits the identification of abnormal cells.

In my experience, in addition to the important role that the biochemical environment plays in the development of cancer, I have also seen that emotions, particularly those that have been repressed and stored away within the body under lock and key, also play an extremely important role in the pathogenesis of the condition.