Q: What is your relationship with Cancer? A: It’s Complicated.

Reducing Your Cancer Risk

(A Holistic Appraoch)

Author: Carl O. Helvie, R.N., Dr. P.H.

Publisher: BookLocker.com, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL, 2017

I am, at least to this point, a cancer survivor.  When they told me that for future preventative reasons, I needed to have a good portion of my colon removed, I refused. Instead, I decided to change my diet and my lifestyle.  And I left the rest to God and was even ready to meet Him.

This work by Carl O. Helvie helps to explain what exactly may have been happening in my world of cancer and why I was fortunate enough to survive. But the author also makes sure that each reader understands all the variables involved – you are not me or anyone else for that matter.  Neither do you live a life, or in an environment exactly the same as anyone else. He shows how timing is important – not only when one decides to prevent cancer to the extent possible, to reduce its impact, or to totally eliminate it from one’s life – but also how long one works at these goals, and furthermore, how far research in the field of cancer has advanced.

What Helvie has done in what he calls his “booklet” (152 pages including his index) is to take each aspect of prevention he and others could think of, and reviewed all the available research on it, then explained how to use that information to prevent cancer, and often included a link to an interview with an expert associated with that aspect.  All in all, most valuable. The problem arises, at least for me, in that there are way too many aspects to consider.

I do like his clear definitions on primary prevention (to stop the disease from occurring) vs. secondary prevention (or early intervention once individuals have ‘interacted’ with the disease) vs. tertiary preventive interventions (treatment to contain the disease or to prevent the problem from returning after it has been treated).

Also, of interest to me was Helvie’s identification of the various problems associated with research. Well worth knowing. His advice is that we need to review conflicting research results to our satisfaction before making decisions using various products based on research.

Another aspect of his writing that I find refreshing is his invitation to the reader to notify him if he/she finds glaring omissions in this overview of holistic cancer-causing factors.  He’ll do the research and make changes as necessary. We need more writers doing that.

The main portion of the book is divided into three parts:

In Part 1 – Environmental Factors (Reducing Environment/Agent Impact) – Helvie takes a close look at EMF Waves (extreme users of technology may not like what he has to say), toxic chemicals, toxic metals, and ultraviolet rays (UV).

In Part 2 – Individual Factors-Physical Aspects (Lifestyle Choices to Increase Your Resistance) – he looks at physical activity, fluids (water and milk), nutrition, supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbs), immune builders, sleep, smoking cessation, and sound (music).

In Part 3 – Individual Factors-Mental/Spiritual Aspects – the author covers affirmations, compassion, faith, forgiveness, gratitude, meditation, optimism/positive attitude-behavior, prayer, relaxation exercises, serving others, social support/isolation, stress reduction/management, visualization, and pre-cancer testing and lifestyle changes for prevention.

For these, in all three parts, he identifies the research and gives you the results, indicating conflicts. Then he makes recommendations in mini sections called “What to do”.  Very helpful.

Because there are so many topics covered, I found Helvie’s Index of great value. Using it allows the reader to look up a topic or aspect or concern and zero right in on the related research, the author’s thoughts, and some ideas as to “What to do”.

This is a great reference to have around for reassurance that your lifestyle and diet changes do matter or to verify what changes are required. His online references as well as his own websites as provided in the book are also valuable tools for future reference.

This is a book for the healthy as well as those that have had some early diagnosis of cancer. There are gems in it that could make a difference to how you live the rest of your life.  Well worth the price and the time and plus, all proceeds go towards a cancer foundation.

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·     Ken B. Godevenos, President, Accord Resolutions Services Inc., Toronto, Ontario, January 13, 2019, www.accordconsulting.com

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