Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer strategist, speaker and the former Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and well-being. Elyn has been featured on CNN Money, Talk About Health, and Breast Cancer Answers, is a Contributing Editor for The Truth About Cancer.
Also Elyn has written for the Pink Paper, Breast Cancer Wellness, Integrative Oncology Essentials, Surviving Beautifully, Body Local and more; she authored the Options for Life column for the Natural Healing-Natural Wellness Magazine. Elyn was creator and host of the Survive and Live Well Radio Show on the Cancer Support Network. She is on the Medical Advisory Board for BeatCancer.Org and is on the Advisory Board to the Radical Remission Project. Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two boys. https://elynjacobs.com/about/
Elyn’s story began in 2007 when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. At that time, Elyn’s own mother was losing her battle with breast cancer and conventional treatment and Elyn was relieved they were not trying to push those treatments on her. She knew there was more to cancer than burning and poisoning cancer. She choose mastectomy, sought out an integrative oncologist and began doing immense research. That oncologist told her something very important, that something had happened to her before she was five that was driving her cancer. She thought that meant forgiveness, but that all changed in 2014 when the cancer returned. She had missed something. She began working with healers who uncovered the traumas and helped her to release them.
While my cancer surely seemed to be an emotionally driven one, I still needed a protocol that would target cancer cells and help prevent the spread of this cancer. I still need to up the ante nutritionally. Working with my oncologist, Dr. Mitch Gaynor, and my alternative doctor,
Dr. Michael Schachter, I devised a protocol of weekly Intravenous Vitamin C treatments in addition to tweaking my targeted supplements. I also worked with Dr. George Wong, and diligently drank his teas daily.
While I was already a healthy eater, I ramped it up by juicing as well as eating sprouts in huge quantities (especially broccoli, watercress, kale and basil), and by consuming fresh herbs every day. Herbs such sage, rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano contain potent anti-cancer compounds and support the production of progesterone (needed to offset estrogen) and ultimately activate the P53 gene, known to cause cell reproduction to cease and cancer cells to die (apoptosis). Unopposed estrogen turns on the BCL2 gene, which is actually what causes cancer cells to grow rapidly and not die. (Vitamin C also boosts the production of progesterone, supporting the P53 gene and thus blocking BCL2).
I also started using Frankincense (Boswellia). At first I was taking this in supplement form, and then in June, began using Sacred Frankincense essential oil in my armpit and on the soles of my feet. What we know about frankincense is that that it boosts the immune system and kills cancer cells—quite effectively. Research shows that frankincense is extremely effective for brain, breast, colon, pancreatic, ovarian, stomach and likely many other cancers.
I also targeted cancer stem cells (CSCs). I know
that cancer stem cells are still to be dealt with. Trapped emotions can also stimulate cancer stem cells to regroup, which is yet another reason emotional stress is undoubtedly the major cause of cancer and it recurrence, and is why I paid heed to addressing them. Cancer stem cells are the only cancer cells that can metastasize (chemo and radiation are not effective on CSCs and actually make them more powerful). While I was already doing much to target these cells, I added modified citrus pectin, red raspberry seed powder, and ate even more broccoli sprouts–and again, dealt with those trapped emotions of mine.
I had no intention of taking of taking tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor—there are far better ways to manage estrogen than the use of toxic drugs. Tamoxifen is considered by many to be an anti-estrogen as it binds to estrogen receptor sites on cancer cells thus blocking estrogen from entering, interfering with cell growth and eventually leading to cell death. Soy and flaxseed are also anti-estrogens and can do the very same thing, as the damage of a toxic drug (and they contain other compounds that have been shown to reduce the growth and spread of cancer cells). Rosemary (extract or from the garden) blocks estrogen production and inactivates excess estrogen by stimulating liver enzymes to better metabolize estrogen.Vitamin D also enters cancer cells and triggers that very same cell death process—and researchers believe vitamin D may be just as powerful as the anti-estrogen drug.
I continued to eat scoops and scoops of freshly ground flaxseed (even more than before) and ate a lot of soy (tofu is fine, but fermented soy such as tempeh is far better). I consumed large amounts of rosemary (and other herbs) several times a day. I upped my intake of vitamin D3, which may in fact have been a big part of my healing as my October lab test came in at 95! And of course, I worked hard to raise my progesterone level as its vital to balancing estrogen.
While I don’t often advocate avoiding entire food groups, I did give up one thing–gluten.
Dr Schachter strongly encouraged me to give up gluten. At first I was reluctant, but after more suspicious nodes were found in January, I went cold turkey. Later I was to hear from one of my healers that my body cannot handle gluten. Not all people experience uncomfortable reactions to gluten, but the inflammation within is silently doing its damage.
I juiced like crazy until June, when my herb garden blossomed. I replaced my smoothies and juices with seed crusted ‘pizzas’ loaded with sprouts and copious amounts of fresh herbs. Sometimes we get ‘Food Fatigue’ and we need to change things up so we don’t get bored and quit eating or quit eating healthy.
Here is a recap of some of the things I did to beat cancer (understand that this was in ADDITION to what I was already doing, or in some cases, I just upped the dose from what
I was doing–and I take far more supplements than could be listed here).
Salvestrols and many other cancer-targeting, immune-boosting supplements such as
black cumin seed, graviola, cat’s claw, and medicinal mushrooms
Magnesium and vitamin E to boost progesterone and balance hormones
IVC and Liposomal C for its cancer killing pro-oxidant and progesterone building efforts
Rain Soul, a blend of organic seed oils; anti-inflammatory, immune booster, powerful antioxidant, loaded with essential fatty acids (you can order this via their website)
Red raspberry seed powder, black raspberry powder, modified citrus pectin and other supplements that target cancer stem cells: For more natural compounds that target CSC’s. . Read: Cancer Stem Cells—Could They Be the Key to Metastasis?
Daily juicing (leafy greens, carrots, fennel, celery and herbs)
Chinese Herbal Medicine (tea) with Dr George Wong
Copious amounts of sprouts and microgreens: broccoli, watercress, kale, basil, arugula
and added fresh herbs to every meal.
Plenty of D3!! Vitamin D decreases the expression of cancer causing genes and offers many other amazing anti-cancer actions, including the boosting of progesterone levels
Changed my water source, reducing exposure to BPA and tap water toxins (I now use mostly Mountain Valley Spring Water, but if you can install an in-home filter, all the better)
Boosted estrogen metabolism with DIM, milk thistle (and other supplements that support the liver, whose job it is to metabolize estrogen—for more information, please visit my Shop page.
Boosted progesterone production to offset estrogen (this is huge, and you can do it with food, supplements and stress reduction!)
Iodine therapy (and its co-partner Celtic sea salt)
Frankincense
Consumed large amounts of flaxseed and pumpkin seeds, which lower aromatase and offer multiple benefits. It’s been an interesting journey, an educational experience and one that has made me a better and happier person. Nothing happens by chance; perhaps it was all meant to be.
It’s been an interesting journey, an educational experience and one that has made me a better and happier person. Nothing happens by chance; perhaps it was all meant to be.
I figured if cancer could happen to me again with all that I had been doing, I must indeed have missed something and that there was more to do. I encourage you to look deeply within for the root cause of your cancer as I did.
I credit my healing to all of the changes I made. I will never know what, out of all what I did, made the difference, but I truly believe that if I had not healed the mind, I would not have healed the body and would surely see more cancer—and that my ‘recovery’ would be yet another Bandaid.
But I also believe that aside from my emotional healing, my high vitamin D3 consumption, my addition of frankincense and my huge consumption of flaxseed and progesterone boosting, anti-cancer herbs put me right over the edge of healing.
Do I regret my decision for surgery? Absolutely—perhaps I doubted my ability to heal, or perhaps I was just too busy with family issues to think I could manage that much healing. But after the initial node removal in 2014, I declined further surgery for the new affected nodes found in January, 2015. My sonogram October 13 th , 2015 showed the nodes to be clear and that I was NED. I now stick to the lessons I learned throughout my stint with cancer and remain cancer free.
I don’t have my head in the clouds—I know I must continue to nourish mind, body and soul and again, always, always have a plan B.
Remember, something works for someone, but everything does not work for everyone….
I share with you my story to give you confidence that there are many ways to heal from cancer. Bottom line: ~~If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any.~~
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