When my friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer, all of her loved ones were shocked. She never smoked, never drank, and lived an active, healthy lifestyle– but fate decided to throw her an unexpected obstacle. The prognosis was extremely grim: by the time the cancer was detected, it had already reached four organs and her lymphatic system. Doctors said that the condition was untreatable, but her friends and family were desperate to halt the disease in its tracks. They ultimately resorted to a multi-faceted holistic approach that used human breastmilk, in addition to herbal compounds and a specialized diet, to combat the advanced disease.
Because breastmilk’s role in cancer treatment is not fully understood, most oncologists dismiss the therapeutic use of breastmilk in adult cancer patients. Without large-scale breast milk donations, extended clinical trials, and repeated in-vitro studies, we can’t be certain of breast milk’s ability to fight cancer. However, all preliminary research indicates that a protein found in breast milk may hold the secret to curing this rampant disease once and for all.
Scientists have known for decades that breastfed infants are less likely to develop cancer than formula-fed infants, but studies have only recently demonstrated similar a similar effect in adults. In 1999, immunologist Catharina Svanbor and a team of Swedish researchers discovered that a component in human milk destroys cancer cells on contact. The protein killed every type of cancer cell tested while actively strengthening surrounding healthy tissue. While these in vitro studies were extremely encouraging, there have been few follow-up studies confirming these encouraging results.
Nevertheless, my friend’s dedicated team of friends, health care workers, and family members were determined to find a way to battle her cancer, even if it meant resorting to unconventional means. A group of five women began expressing breastmilk for my friend every day, and she drank it in smoothies and nutrition shakes. Even when her illness prevented her from swallowing or digesting any other food, this love-infused elixir helped to soothe her pain and heal her body.
I would love to say that my friend’s cancer went away as soon as she started on the breastmilk diet, but, to date– one month into her regimen– she still have stage IV cancer. Nevertheless, the growth of the cancer has seemingly stopped or slowed, and the breastmilk seems to benefit her tremendously. Perhaps the apparent healing effects are nothing more than a placebo-effect– the result of the warm reassurance that her friends are using their own bodies to provide a healing potion. I cling to the hope that she might recover fully, despite her staggeringly grim prognosis.
Cancer treatment should never be taken lightly. Working in holistic nutrition, I have seen many cancer victims resort to unusual techniques to battle their illnesses, and the results have been mixed. Many “terminally ill” cancer victims have bounced back using only “unproven” holistic remedies, and many people with relatively mild cases of cancer have died after choosing quack healing instead of proven medicine. I am haunted by the story of Hulda Clark, who died of cancer decades after publishing her popular book The Cure for All Cancers, which undoubtedly resulted in thousands of deaths because of bizarre claim that all cancer is caused by a worm.
Breastmilk might be an effective complementary treatment for cancer– and it may even be a cure in and of itself– however, until further research has examined its effectiveness, it should not be relied on as a primary method of treatment. If you are considering using breastmilk to treat cancer, examine all of your options thoroughly and discuss your decisions with a qualified medical expert.
