Written by Heather Zubiate

he Hoxsey Diet is under attack by some victual marauders.
These subtle diet dictocrats kindly suggest recipes that exclude all meat based products and even give psuedo scientific reasons as  to why meat and dairy are cancer inducing food stuffs, all with dewy eyed good intentions.  But we all know where that glittery pyrite paved road leads -- don't we? 

Dear reader, when shopping for a means of curing my thyroid cancer, out of all the many cancer clinics, I chose the Hoxsey alternative cancer treatment for several reasons, but a major reason was the diet -- that it isn't vegetarian, or worse yet, vegan.  You heard me right, the Hoxsey Diet isn't vegetarian, much less vegan.  I think the Gerson clinic, correct me if I'm wrong, charges $40,000 for a one month's stay at their clinic in Mexico, where patients get to nibble on a limited palate of beautifully prepared limited fruits and vegetables.  Why so limited?-- as if veganism itself not sparse enough?  Eh...if I remember right, the reason that Gerson limits some fruits and veggies is due to sugar content, and other supposed cancer related botanical reasons.

But as always, science isn't stagnate, it's fluid, which means that recent data is always coming out disproving recent data. I have read some data sheets that say even lemons and berries have a substantial amount of sugar in them! -- you see, it's the acids in those fruits that mask their sugar content.  Sure, okay.  And speaking of "studies", as many vegans have parried me on the pages of Facebook regarding the benefits of raw dairy and free range eggs saying, "Well, any study can make you believe what they want you to believe." And to that I say, "Touche.  Oh dear, that plank in your eye must hurt!"  At any rate, forty thousand dollars is a LOT of lettuce! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy there are people who actually are cured via the Gerson therapy, which I think ends up being that much more of a miracle. Let me explain.

As diets go, related to human history, the vegan diet that bases the refusal of perfectly good food stuffs on pseudo science and emotional symbiosis is rather new, while the Vegetarian's refusal to eat meat products based on nothing more than religious beliefs isn't new, it may not be wise, but it's not new. However, the whole clean foods diet that accompanies the Hoxsey medicinal herbal tonic and supplements really only disallows four major foods that make the tonic ineffective, and denies the consumption of heavily processed S.A.D. foods.  It is not only healthy, but it is also an ancient concept; the eating of whole clean foods, including animal products.  And so it's relatively easy to maintain, sane and natural, and may I repeat?--not vegan.  Despite the wealth of ancient dietary wisdom that has proven an omnivorous diet is best for humans, there are those who insist on bringing their newfangled vegan philosophies (emotion based pseudo science) to the Hoxsey cure table despite the allowance of clean animal based foods, and the Vegan's self-righteous inclination to bash on these approved animal based foods is starting to leak out and contaminate an otherwise balanced approach to diet and health, which is causing all kinds of confusion and condemnation. I don't know about you, but I don't like contamination, confusion, and condemnation. 

And so that is why  I'm writing this article, to dispense some long overdue dietary outrage.  If you don't like outrage, or reading really long op-ed articles with little or no pictures, then you better just move along.  Okay, full disclosure here, to be honest, once upon a time, I did espoused a raw vegan diet. (gasp!) I know! BUT!--thankfully I fixed the error in my judgement before I completely ruined my health, and I have come to believe that raw veganism contributed to the loss of my mom's life via its slow but sure malnutrition.  So, even though I've "been there and done that" that doesn't mean I'm going to be nice, or respectful in my critique of this wicked practice (the vilifying of perfectly good foods).  And no, I'm not heartless -- eh, not entirely.  I just happen to believe that people should be held accountable for their choices, be they good or bad, and I'm not going to candy coat the facts, or my critique to make anyone feel good about their mistake.

My hope for this article is that it supports my fellow omnivores in their Hoxsey cancer cure journey toward eating a healthier diet for themselves and their families, to assure them that their clean omnivorous diet is not morally, physically, or spiritually "bad."  And I also hope (against hope) that this article flips the lights on in the vegan's malnourished mind, thus shedding upon it the glorious bright light of reality -- that they are needlessly participating in voluntary starvation. So, let's get to it--easy!- sane! - natural! - go team Hoxsey!

My claim of "ease" relating to the Hoxsey diet is of course relative to my experience, and subjective, because of my culinary skill.  Some patients may have never been on a restrictive diet, or they may not be very kitchen savvy, so of course, this diet will be "difficult." On several Facebook pages for the Hoxsey clinic, I have read many complaints about the diet; how limiting/strict it is, and how hard it is to follow.  (Lol! --ah, such endearing naivete.) I believe that there are several undercurrents that are fueling those dark swirling torrents of dietary doom and gloom, so let's consider them. 

Change!
No one likes change, unless it's returned to you after a purchase.  Since the way we have been living and eating has contributed to our illness, then logic dictates that our lifestyle and eating habits must change in order to bring healing.  I know, changing our way of life isn't fun. It's unstable, especially changing your diet, I mean, food is life!  Ever see a toddler balk at a change in routine, or diet? There you go.  But how should our diet change? -- by eliminating entire food groups that have historically and presently nourish millions, if not billions of people?  Or should our diets change by eliminating man-made nutrient poor Frankenfoods that have darn near eternal shelf life?  The later seems a far better and more logical thing to do, rather than eliminating natural food stuffs, especially if they are humanely and intelligently farmed.

Sugar Addiction!
Another possible undercurrent of dietary woe is the addiction to sugar. Oooo...just the sound of it...shhhuuugar!  If you're a careful label reader (as every Hoxsey patient tries to be), then you know that darn near every packaged food on the supermarket shelf has some form of sugar or sugar-like substance in it.  The average American snorts 11 lbs. of sugar a month (FYI, one bag of sugar at the store is five pounds).  And I hope that cocaine reference wasn't completely lost on you, because sugar is considered by some to be worthy of the addictive prowess of that imported white powdery narcotic. (Umm...you got some white stuff on your upper lip there...ugh, there, yeah, you got it)  And to give you a little reference, 11 pounds of sugar was consumed by one person per year back in the 1800's.  Does that signify a major addiction?  You tell me, but remember: denial is the first sign of an addiction.

Nutrition!
Nutrition should be the ipso facto goal for eating, but in our Western culture, it's not.   Clearly, there isn't a lack of calories in Western societies, but there is a significant lack of nutrition. Just take a look around you, there are many, ugh...let's call them "thick" individuals in America (upwards of 30%) that don't just carry extra pounds around with them, they carry a host of preventable diseases, too.  Dear reader, calories are not the same as nutrients. Fast foods, which are rich in calories (more like empty calories) are nutrient poor and they have replaced slower traditional foods (that are rich in nutrients) with dire health consequences.  Traditional foods, such as whole grains, are not villainous if they are prepared with time honored methods that help mitigate their bevy of anti-nutrients, while unlocking the nutrients that are otherwise unattainable for us; methods such as soaking, spouting, or souring. Need I remind you of Montezuma's revenge?  Niacin deficiency, manifested in the form of some pretty vengeful squirts, aptly named after the late great Aztec leader, is brought on when dried corn isn't soaked in a lye solution before consumption. "Lye?" --you gasp! "That's a dangerous and poisonous chemical!"  Yes, it is. That's why the food savvy natives don't drink the lye water.  They soak the corn in it, and then they rinse the lye off the corn, dry it, and then grind it into masa. No squirts, just muy bueno tacos!

Even so, I can empathize with those who feel the Hoxsey diet is hard, because I myself have been on diets that are not easy to maintain even after months and months of being on them, like that abysmal raw vegan diet.  Not only was the dietary change immediate, but it was also drastic!  The learning curve is steep.  It's so steep that even experienced vegans caution people from jumping off the cliff into the deep side of their murky dietary pool.  I  simply tired of the rigors of preparation of the sparse fare, and I mean sparse!  Not just the elimination of a few not so wholesome foods, or ingredients - no! I mean the forbiddance of nutrient dense whole food groups.  Even so, to be perfectly honest, when I first started the Hoxsey diet, yeah, it was tough -- even for me! 

Not because of the ban on processed foods, but because of the ban on tomatoes, vinegar, alcohol, and pork.  Those were major ingredients of my diet! In short, I sulked - a lot. And sometimes, I still do.  So, not surprisingly, the Hoxsey diet is really tough on those who depend on a lot of processed foods.  The hardest thing for many people to kick to the curb are those doggone processed foods, because of their undeniable payload of excitotoxins like: real and fake sugars, fake salts, caffeine, MSG, and other mad scientist flavor enhancers that addict you to them like an Intern to opiates. Not a pretty picture.   It's simple really, an addict wants their drug, and will do anything to get it. This fact has even been given tongue in cheek treatment in movies; when Mike Meyers' character, Stewart Mackenzie, was asked about his obsessive hatred for the Colonel --what was his passionate conspiratorial reply?

Ease is another bait that is offered to us in regard to highly processed foods, but that has never really been an issue for me (even when I worked a full time job outside my home).  However, it most certainly is an issue for others.  And I really can't blame them.  I mean, who really wants to be in the kitchen for hours and hours washing, drying, peeling, chopping, grating, mincing, juicing, frappeing, and blending food (other than a chef)?  Not many I know.  But that is exactly what I found myself doing on the raw vegan diet that I went on out of solidarity for my mom when she had breast cancer.  It was pure monotonous kitchen torture, even for a stay at home mom who likes to cook.  It wouldn't have been so bad if the food was actually hunger satisfying. It just fascinated me (and still does) how much fricken work it takes to be a raw vegan (it's exhausting!) only to be famished in thirty minutes! Which got me thinking.  What do you see when you look at an herbivore?  They are ALWAYS eating!  This is not a good thing for us, our stomachs are not designed to be constantly full.  Getting back on topic -- let's be honest, we all can get into dietary monotony where we just rotate five or so meals over and over.  So, sure, we could just eat salads just to abide by vegan ritual, but that won't last long, nor does that leafy meal offer a great deal of nutrition.  Remember, nutrition, and not calories, is the name of the healthy eating game, especially for cancer patients.

Laziness!
Continuing my tirade on processed foods, let's be honest, they came about to ease the work load of the cook, but they also happen to enrich the pockets of industry.   Anyone who has kept a garden, or has raised some animals knows that good nourishing food takes a lot of care and hard work. Then you have to take those whole foods and make something tasty out of them, or process them for later use.  When you have amazing ingredients, it isn't that hard to make a good meal out of them.  A good cook has acquired the knowledge and skill to do just that.  Back in the day, the ladies of the home did the picking, pickling, canning, milking, churning, curing, grain milling, and baking.  It takes a lot of skilled work to make good food and to preserve it, even so, things can go wrong and food can get spoiled and people can get sick and even die. 

So I can see the lure of ease and reduced liability offered by corporate canning and food prep operations.  But this is also where laziness robs us: When we give someone else complete control of our food, we are going to lose something in the end, and that major something is going to be nutrition.  Cutting corners to make a buck es no bueno, in my opinion.  I'm not against doable and effective shortcuts, or the use of small appliances to ease the work load.  What I am  against is when some corporate food conglomerate that has not only sucked the life giving nutrients and enzymes out of my food, but has also added disease inducing chemical agents to make them last longer, all for the love of profit. Greed is a door that swings both ways, for the producer, and also for the consumer.  Not only will the producer save money by making the food last longer, but so will the consumer.  Greed is very deceptive, no?  And why all of this greed?  Just so I can sit on my tuckus and stream Roku, or surf Facebook most of the day, or spend valuable time on any other colossal time wasters, like writing a blog no one reads. 

Truth be told, no matter what whole foods diet you follow, be it Paleo, Whole 30, Keto, Hoxsey (and yes, even a whole foods vegan diet), is going to be healthier than the "Standard American Diet", which is again, aptly acronymed as: S.A.D.  Any whole foods diet is going to require a good amount of planning and prep in order to get the soup on the dining table with the most available nutrition.  This is not a bad thing, as there is great virtue in learning to plan and be prepared in all facets of this life.  This is where the Dr. Weston A. Price Foundation, or any traditionally prepared food website, can come in handy. Wait-- did you hear that?  I think I heard a "hiss" from the vegan section when I mentioned the Weston A. Price Foundation. Ugh....there it is again! Either that's the unmistakable hiss of loathing, or their bums are emitting a slow gas leak.   Anyway, these types of websites are a wealth of nutritional information, and provide the knowledge, and even recipes, on how to properly prepare whole foods with some helpful short cuts, in order to get anyone started down the right path to health and healing. Yes, there is a proper way to prepare grains and legumes to neutralize their anti-nutrients.

Meanwhile, the industrial food giants have their own answer to the nutrient, time and energy management dilemma (and general laziness) faced by the Hoxsey cancer patient, or caregiver, which is the use of convenience health foods.   Health foods, just sounds so-- well, healthy.  But are they?  These packaged health foods that have hit the market shelves have even earned the vegan friendly stamp of approval, all thanks to the animal right's activists, and their anonymous private investors.  Which is nice, but at what cost?  All convenience foods, be they conventional, or "healthy," are up to three times more expensive than whole foods, thus proving once more that time is money.  The cost isn't just monetary though. Any food will lose nutrients in the processing, it's not just about a matter of time, but it's also about exposure to air, heat, pressure, and humidity all of which will zap away nutrients.  Allow me to point out the obvious, those "healthy" convenience foods are still processed, and exposed to those same rigorous nutrient stealing conditions that their non organic and GMO counterparts are subjected to. 

As far as the Hoxsey diet is concerned, anything coming out of a bag, bottle, box, can, carton, envelope, tin, tray, tub or tube, had better have approved ingredients and minimal processing.  Some Hoxsey diet zealots have even gone so far as to put a ban on certain packaging, like cans and plastic bottles and bags.  Well, that eliminates most, if not all, convenience foods right there.  Way to cut off your (lazy) nose in spite of your face.  Do you know what is kinda amazing and mesmerizing to watch?  The torturous act of food processing in a factory, but what we don't see is the slight of hand in how proteins and carbohydrates can turn into poisons via extreme heat and/or extrusion (pressure) processes, nor do we see the unwanted ingredients that end up in those sealed packages along with those convenience foods, such as animal and insect parts per million.

Ew...gross?  Oh yeah, it is!  Hear that militant vegans?  You're getting way more than you've bargained for in that box of vegan flakes!  Not a savory reality, but it's true.  Even so, despite these disturbing realities, the answer is always the same: "we do the best we can."  And I agree, we all must do the best we can.  Just know the risks associated with processed foods, mitigate them as best you can, but be prepared for the consequences of their use, which will be less nutrition at a higher cost. My solution is simple, learn to wisely manage your time and energy when it comes to preparing whole foods, and stop being lazy.

To Buy Organic, or Not To Buy Organic?
Ah...organics.  That is a whole other can of worms that I won't be opening entirely today, the subject is way too large to nosh on, but rather, I'll go by the maxim of "do the best you can."  Ideally, if you can shop local farmer's markets, then lucky you. Just make sure they are in compliance with organic certification.  Just by talking to your local farmer, you can get an idea if they are really selling organic produce.  But here's an overlooked tip, if your local farmer at the market has food stickers on their produce, then I can pretty much guarantee that they didn't grow the good and it isn't organic.  That dishonest resale tactic rarely happens here in America, but it can happen. However, there may be some farmers at the market that do not want to shell out a whole lotta green for the USDA organic certification, but still grow organically, so it is up to you to decide to buy, or not to buy from them. If you cannot afford to go all organic, then by all means take advantage of the ominous sounding produce list known as: The Dirty Dozen.  This list of the top pesticide contaminated fruits and veggies varies a little bit from year to year, but it basically stays the same. Just Google it, and take it from there.  If you can buy certified organics from this list, then great, keep up the good work.  If you still can't afford to buy organic fruits and veggies from this list, then try growing them yourself.  If that is not going to happen, then, you know...do the best you can!

While there are vegans who only buy organic produce and grains, there are other vegans that buy and consume the same conventional produce and grains that the regular Joe O'Minvore buys, which are sprayed with pesticides, fed chemical fertilizers, and are "safely" irradiated in order to protect the unwitting consumer from food borne illness due to poor growing and food handling practices. It seems that we can't avoid industrial irradiation in one way or another -- can we?  Don't worry, I'm sure that FDA approved process won't cause any Hulk like mutations, just like microwaves are safe, right?  And since vegans refuse to eat any animal products that are produced at factory farms, or even the more humane grass-fed operations (which are consumed by their spiritually and intellectually inferior omnivore cousins); for the sake of emotional, philosophical, and religious ideals, and a myriad of biased scientific studies, they are willfully refusing to eat some incredible nutritionally dense foods, namely meat and dairy.   Like Gandhi, they are going on a forced fast for their cause.  That is their well meaning (albeit misguided) choice, but it is not a mandatory prescription of the Hoxsey cancer treatment plan, and for good reason.

Again, I have been on some diets that villainize entire food groups, or severely limit them, because of bad science, or due to religious, or philosophical reasons, and these diets should be avoided. Not because I don't like the person who came up with the diet, or not because I don't agree with their ideology, but because it goes against logic and reason as related to our physiological needs.  It is in that respect that those diets are not sane. I mean, come on, The Grapefruit Diet, really? Our dietary requirements are determined by anatomical physiology, not by faith, or philosophy, and certainly not by bad science. Our anatomy states that we are omnivores, so no amount of flawed reasoning, emotional protesting, bad science, or penance will change that.  Vegans will actually argue this point. I don't know why, because physically speaking, we don't have a four chambered stomach, the rumen in particular, which is filled with cellulose digesting bacteria. Like those found in a goat.  Yes, that's right.  Not even the hardiest goat can digest all of their fibrous fodder without those little biome beasties chowing down on the cellulose.  And I have yet to see a vegan chew cud (may that never happen in my lifetime -- or ever!), and on that disturbing note, the digestive disorder G.E.R.D. , which is a problem even within the vegan commune--no, that doesn't count as cud chewing.

We don't eat cecal poop to obtain vitamin B12 like cute little bunnies do, thank God!  Say! How 'bout it vegans?  Are you up to the task of feasting on feces like your hippity hoppity leporidae spirit brethren?  I'm not sure I'd be surprised if a vegan would rather chew on rabbit cecal pellets than eat a piece of sushi.  Grossed out by it?-- oh yes!  We also don't have eyes on the sides of our heads to look for predators out in rural, suburban, or urban jungles.  Now of course, eye placement is not necessarily indicative of dietary classification, there are a few exceptions, but I would like to point out that there are only a few exceptions. We also sport canine teeth, okay, they aren't as impressive as strict carnivores, nevertheless, we do have them.  If you don't subscribe to Animal Planet, or Nat Geo Wild, then let me be the one to inform you that canine teeth are for ripping and tearing meat.

Herbivores? Nope! Not a fang in sight. Well, except for some deer.  That's weird, huh?  And we have a mid-sized small intestine, and a relatively small large intestine compared to the bigger herbivores: I mean, have you seen the size of a horse's large intestine?   I once saw an animal show where a vet wrestled a horse's large intestine during a colic surgery like it was a gigantic anaconda.  The horror!-- I can't unsee that.  You know, I would have no problem with vegans if they would just admit that they are omnivores in open rebellion against nature.  I have vegetarian friends who do admit this, and I find that beautiful, because it's the truth.  I have yet to meet a vegan that can be as honest.  Are they out there?  I hope so, but they do seem to be a rare breed.  So how does veganism stand up to the criteria of a sane diet?  Not very well, as it ticks all of the boxes for an unnatural diet.

History reveals that not one advanced civilization was built and maintained on the fragile spines of those who were solely fed from the green grocer's pantry. History also bears out that vegetarians, the soft and fuzzy precursor to the more hard core cellulose gobbling gremlins, base their diet on religion and philosophy, not physiology.   Jains (those who practice Jainism) are staunchly vegetarian, vegan, really.  While some Hindus, Buddhists, and Seventh Day Adventists are lacto/ovo vegetarians, and all of these faiths also have sects within their worshipful ranks that actually allow meat consumption -- Philistines!

The beliefs of reincarnation, enlightenment, and asceticism play large spiritual roles in the dietary practice of those non-Christian faiths, while incorrect biblical interpretation is the reason some Adventists refuse to eat meat products. But all of these religious devotees seem to believe that their dietary sacrifice makes them more spiritual and morally superior to those who do not deprive them selves of meat, or else -- why punish yourself?  It may come as a surprise for some people as to what perhaps the most famous spiritual leader of all time has to say about this subject.  No...not the Dalai Lama, or the Pope.  Jesus's words about food are contrary to these religious beliefs, and me thinks, Jesus is right!

So quite clearly, Jesus (a.k.a. God in the flesh) said food is not profitable in making a man holy, or spiritually good. Symbolically, it is the heart, and not the literal stomach that is responsible for propagating evil.  Food is merely for physically nourishing the body, and is then pooped out. The washing of the hands (hopefully after pooping) was the main reason for Jesus's teaching here.  But by destroying the Pharisee's vain spiritualization of their ritual of pre-meal hand washing, he also dispelled other spiritualized dietary nonsense.  Like vegetarianism, and veganism.  The Apostle Paul confirms Jesus's words here:

Once more, the Bible teaches that food choices do not make one more spiritual, or morally better than those who eat food merely for nutrition, which is its natural use.  Paul even had to quell debates about meat sold in temple markets that were offered to false gods.  His solution?  Pray over your meat and dedicate it to God at the table.  Done!   Now, please pass the bacon! Ugh...I mean, grass fed brisket, for us Hoxsey patients.  Furthermore, in Genesis 9:3 the LORD God says to Noah that he has given him and his children (that's us) everything that lives and moves on the face of the earth for food, just as he gave them every green plant. Well know, the good Lord makes our diet pretty cut and dried right there, but in case it wasn't obvious, I italicized, underlined, and put it in bold letters for you.  You're welcome.

Oh, and in 1 Timothy 4:4-5 Paul declares that everything that God created for food is good and nothing is to be rejected. But rather it is to be received with thanksgiving and consecrated by his word, and prayer. Now, prayer won't give a Duncan doughnut the nutritional value of liver (darn!), but prayer does help center the heart on the one who provides our ability to get, make, and eat food. Can we extrapolate that to mean packaged foods?  Lol...ah, people.  No. God didn't incorporate Somenoya®, Kraft Foods® LLC, or MorningStar® (nice try though).  And so, since food doesn't assist our spiritual health that means that gnawing feeling in the pit of the stomachs of the vegan faithful isn't godhood, or piety, it's hunger!  So where does that leave the vegetarian and vegan physically speaking? I'll tell you.  Malnourished!

Some vegans will exclaim that they are not religious.  I beg to differ.  Even the vegan diet is based on religion, mostly secular humanism and any militant totalitarian based idealism you can think of.  Admit it or not, humanism makes man into a god.  And don't let the word "humanism" fool you, either.  Vegans are not interested in the human rights of omnivores.  Well, really, vegans treat humans like animals and animals like humans.  Remember, humans are physiologically omnivores; have you seen the way vegans attack meat eating humans? It's kinda like when Bruce got a whiff of Dory's blood in Finding Nemo.  Veganism is Animal Farm in real life. Lord help us all, if vegans (wannabe herbivores that talk) are given control of our food supply, then omnivorous  human beings, once masters of the farm,  will be driven out of the farmhouse and into the barns and fields to live like farm animals, isn't that right, comrade? I find it kinda ironic.  They shed tears for cows headed for slaughter, but egg each other on to attack  human beings for their choice of food.

And look how they treat their pets, like they are their own flesh and blood vegan children.  I have seen cases  on T.V. where misguided vegans mistreat their animals both in the name of love for their ideology, and oh yeah, their pet. One vegan fed her cat, an undisputed carnivore, only rice and other vegan fare.  What happened?  The cat went blind and needed insulin shots. Where the h-e- double toothpick is PETA when you need them?  This is clearly a case of animal abuse.  "Oh, let's go bury our sweet Fluffy over there in the family plot: Here lies Fluffy. The much loved and only baby of Yuri and Ivana B' Vegan." Rest in peace, Fluffy.  And so, because they are so lost in their la la land of wilful dietary "ignorance is bliss", they don't even think about what physical repercussions that their meatless diet is wreaking upon them.  Anemia?  Diabetes?  Nerve damage? Osteoporosis? Tooth decay? (Yes, I put that list of ailments in alphabetical order.  So?)

As I mentioned before, we human beings are by nature, omnivores. The fact that vegetables have phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and (incomplete) proteins is not in dispute as far as I'm concerned, because they do have all of those nutrients, along with a host of anti-nutrients.  Not even "helpless" vegetation wants to be eaten.  The amounts of nutrients they contain will vary due to growing conditions such as soil health, weather, air and water quality.  But are their nutrients as dense as animal based foods?  Ha! Not even close!  Pound for pound, ounce for ounce, nothing beats organ and fatty muscle meat for nutrient density. So that is a good reason why the Hoxsey diet limits animal foods, because they are nutrient dense.  You don't need as much to get good nutrition, and that's a good thing, because the good stuff?-- the grass-fed and clean meant, and raw dairy is uber expensive!

You can eat 3 cups of kale if you want to (fffffffrrrr - excuse you), but I'd rather drink 1 cup of raw milk from a grass fed cow to get the same amount of calcium, and a host of other nutrients not available in kale.  Notice I said, "raw milk" and "grass fed cow"?  Well, those wee bits of info are important, because raw milk is ruined by the process of pasteurization, which turns this life giving nutritional liquid white gold into an allergy and disease inducing serum.  Pasteurization was partially invented by a scheming French scientist to answer the pathogen problem caused by lazy dairy farmers.  Instead of making the offenders clean up their act, they were given a free pass to be filthy and in return, the masses were given a G-man approved toxic food stuff.  As for feed?-- cows are naturally supposed to eat grass, not grain, or Purina Cow Chow.  Hay is grass that has been dried for the cows to munch on in the winter, but things get kinda dicey concerning silage and especially grains.  Surely, even the most staunch vegan wouldn't tuck into that kind of fibrous fare, right? And even a vet would agree that cows should not be fed a lot of grain, if any, so why do vegans claim cows are in competition with us for food?

Uh...oh, oh yeah.  Vegans think they are just like cows.  You see, it would be unnatural for a person to chow down on grass, hay, and silage, and unreasonable for a person to expect to get any nourishment from a cow's real diet, since they don't have the same digestive system.  However, like cows, vegans can and do indeed get fat, because of the enormous amount of carbs they munch on in order to satisfy their innate hunger for animal meat and fat that they willfully deny themselves. Human beings are not ruminant animals, our body knows this, so why in the world do vegans think they can eat only cellulose based foods and be well nourished?  What is their reward for all that cellulose chewing? Like the cow, vegans are prodigious gas producers (bthhhhhhft! - excuse you, again). 

Who knows, maybe one day the vegans might lobby the Olympic committee to make pooting a world class sport!  But not to worry, their gaseous post digestive emissions are more carbon dioxide than methane, unlike their bovine brethren.  Whew!  Dodged a greenhouse gas emissions bullet there. "Owe!"  What was that?  Oh... that was the carbon dioxide gas bullet. It ricocheted and shot them in their flagellating glutes. Yet, this kind of childish reasoning (correlation equals causation a.k.a bad science) is  the hallmark of vegan thought:  "Look how big and strong an elephant is, and he only eats vegetation! That means I will get the same results."  Um...no. I don't know about you, but I don't think having the girth of a Sumo wrestler is natural, nor is it healthy, even if it is advantageous in heaving a diapered opponent out of the ring for a sizable paycheck.

Many cancer patients have cancer due to malnourishment, and many cancer patients can't eat all that much due to digestion problems induced by injury from surgery or other caustic cancer treatments. So why are these tortured souls falling victim to the claim that vegetarian and vegan diets are the only way to cure cancer, and that all meat based foods are cancer causing and just all around B- A -D- BAD!?  It's simply a matter of propaganda.  The use of simplistic and emotional arguments is central to the effectiveness of propaganda, just ask any totalitarian dictator. Say a lie loud enough and long enough, and it will be believed.  But, guess what?! Vegans are not immune to cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, or propaganda.  Hey, I wonder -- if their diet is so healthy and natural, then why do they succumb to these ailments like their omnivorous counterparts?

I'm thinking that it must be because they are suffering from malnutrition just like S.A.D. omnivores, because both dieters eat poorly. Why?  Because there are a lot of people that are addicted to processed foods with their damaged proteins, carbohydrates, and putrid vegetable oils that some study (bad science funded by food processors) said was good for them.  Well, vegans are even more susceptible to deficiency, because they refuse to eat from two major nutrient dense food groups.  A so-called "carefully planned" vegan diet is challenging for even the most knowledgeable and dedicated to the cause, how much more so for the lazy vegan?  And as it turns out, some of their plant based dietary supplements are precursors (like beta carotene is a precursor to retinol, vitamin A), and not bio-available.  Some people are not genetically able to synthesize precursor vitamins into their viable form. Did you know that the vegan friendly B12 that comes from seaweed is called psuedoB12, because although it might look similar to B12 under a microscope, it doesn't act like B12 in the body?  Pssst...."pseudo" means fake.  I'm sure you can surmise what that means nutritionally.

The Spiritual and Mental Aspect of Healing
Naturally speaking, diet alone does not make one healthy, so any vegan studies (like the highly lauded "China Study") that do not take other detrimental lifestyle activities (such as smoking and alcohol consumption) and environmental conditions (industrial vs rural locations) into consideration, are heavily biased (eh-hem... read "The China Study" critique).  Also rarely considered in the entire health picture are the aspects of the spiritual health and mental health of a patient.  Independent scientific studies have shown that people who pray to a higher power survive illness better than those who report no prayer life.  So this spiritual component is an important consideration aside from food.

Even though God said that food doesn't make one spiritual, the lack of nutrients does play a huge role in the healthy of how the brain functions. Hunger headaches are only the tip of the mental iceberg, we all know people who get down right ornery when they are hungry. And not surprisingly, the militant vegan's mind (which deteriorates from starvation and borders on psychotic) is left in an unhealthy malnourished state and begins to think things like: "If I can't eat meat, then no one can!" - (insert peels of maniacal laughter).  If this erroneous all or nothing mental state is not cherished by the average vegan, then it is the generals of their malnourished armies that do have such a twisted campaign in mind, and they are fighting decayed tooth and chipped nail to carry it out. But, if you crunch some numbers like Bugs Bunny crunches carrots, such as the bioavailability of macro and micro nutrients per measure of weight; well, veggies will lose the nutrient density game every time.

These truths are inconvenient for the malnourished vegan zealot. So they are ignored, or they are weakly brushed aside with the quip that veganism resonates with "their truth" thanks to carefully crafted scientifically biased propaganda (hack , cough... "The China Study" critique, in case you missed the first opportunity). Or worse, a vehement charge of animal cruelty is thrown down, and accusations of the meat eater's willful destruction of the world via the waste of its precious resources are hurled out with great contempt and a lot of spittle.  Are these specimens of malnourishment just mad as rabid dogs, or are they actually salivating like a castaway cartoon character who imagines their fellow castaways are juicy steaks?  Anyway, I and other honest omnivores don't deny the obvious abuses in the animal farming industry.  It is ugly, it is cruel, and it needs to stop!  But is veganism the answer to these abusive practices and all of humanities resource woes? No! No! NO!

And as for our resources? -- last I looked, most of them are renewable, even oil.  Yes, that's right dear reader that black gold?- that Texas tea? - it somehow bubbles it's crude self back into wells that were abandoned when they were sucked dry.  "What?! How?!  No! This is environmental blasphemy!" (the vegan exclaims in outrage as they slam their emaciated/or chubby fists on the table -- crack! )Medic!  Uh oh...I think it's broken.  Probably a lack of bio-available calcium, heme iron, magnesium, B12, vitamin A, and D3, and K2...etc. etc. etc.  I'm sorry vegan zealot, I don't know how oil wells "recharge", and true to form, neither do the experts.  But, refill they do! Besides, what are resources for, if not for consumption?  Good management of resources is always hard to find, but not impossible to find.

You know, for all of the fantasies that vegans entertain themselves with, I'm kinda amazed that they don't understand the circle of life as presented in Disney's anthropomorphic masterpiece: The Lion King. I guess vegans don't have a very good attention span, hunger can do that, you know?-- make your mind wander. It's getting close to lunch time.... Where was I?  Oh yeah, the circle of life and death.  Well, in their defense, the movie was kinda long.  I'm also sure the fact that the only animal with enough wisdom to get Simba to do what was right (Rafiki) was an omnivore and flew right over their light heads!

One thing is for darn sure, their  famished minds and hair trigger emotions are easily fanned into destructive flames by the propaganda of greedy industrialists that would just as soon as abuse a cow as till under an entire rain forest to plant soya, if it would make them a faster and fatter return on their investment!  The nutritional value of the vegan's utopian food products like Beyond Meat® that these globalist tycoons invest in is not on their narcissistic minds; turning a profit is! That proprietary beat juice laden pea meal patty may fill your empty gullet (for 15 min. tops), but it sure won't nourish your body like a grass-fed Angus beef burger will. Yes, dear reader, when all of the evil abuses and mismanagement of our resources are no longer done, and animals are treated  humanely (according to their kind) whether they end up as pets in the home, livestock in the pasture, or food on the plate, then everyone will be happy.  Well, except for the bankrolling investors that lost their hemp shirts on vegan enterprises. But don't hold your breath, or invest in magic wands just yet.  The reality is that human beings are still selfish and greedy jerks.

Even though Relativism and Absolutism are both childish and dangerous points of view, unfortunately, they are regularly put into public policy by the inbred puppet masters pulling the voting masses emotional strings.  You want real change?-- good! Then invest your intellectual time in learning about the real small scale sustainable food production sciences from men like Joel Salitan, and Geoff Lawton, et al, and then roll up your sleeves and put them into practice! Rather than spending your time concocting vegetable matter into meat substitutes, spend it humanely raising and harvesting the real deal.  In other words: don't be a hypocrite!

In reality, we live in a world where black and white are childishly muddled together in various tints and shades of grey, by powerful people with all kinds of infantile and selfish agendas that also have the cunning and filthy lucre to make them happen.  But thankfully, there is still some wisps of black and white to be found on this world's messed up tonal palette, and they should be used by those who are sane and mature enough to draw lines where they need to be drawn, so that a clearer picture can be seen and enjoyed. Are you ready to draw those lines? I know I am! So, consider them drawn in regard to the Hoxsey diet, which is not vegetarian, nor is it vegan; it is omnivorous, and for good nutritional reason!

Well dear reader, I think I have briefly (you wish) covered all my criteria for why I believe that the Hoxsey omnivorous diet is easy, sane, and natural in its support of the herbal medicines to cure cancer.  Now it's time for you to do some thinking of your own. I know, it's hard, but the more you practice something the better you get at it. But first, may I suggest a bit of brain food, like some wild caught sockeye salmon with a nice pesto ailoi?  There! Didn't that hit the spot?!  I'll say it did!  Oooo...do you feel that?  That is what it feels like to be nourished!  Now you can ask yourself questions, like:

• Why didn't Harry Hoxsey mention a whole foods diet plan in his book, "You Don't Have To Die" as being part of his natural cure?
• If eating meat/dairy is so wrong for human physiology, then how did our ancestors physically thrive in cold climates (and still do) where fruits and vegetables are scarce most of the year? (I don't know about you, but I want to know  why T. Collin Campbell completely ignored the data he collected from the people of Tuoli county that ate a whopping 134 grams of animal protein per day and 45% of their diet as fat with no significant health issues like cancer, and heart disease.) "Blasphemy!" (Slam! -- crack!) Uh oh, there goes the other hand.  For the love of God, drink some grass-fed raw milk, will ya?
• If we are supposed to only eat vegetables, then why do we have omnivorous features?
• Is the earth really a good "greenhouse" model considering it is not enclosed in glass (unless you count cloud cover) and it is hot and cold on different sides of the world at the same time at all times?
• What is the real cause of "global warming," "global cooling," uh -- I mean "climate change"?  Could it be man made weather control as in cloud seeding (see JFK's 1961 address to the U.N. on YouTube for proof of a military weather control goal), jet emissions, industrial pollutants, methane gas, carbon dioxide, water vapor i.e. cloud cover, or a combination of all of these?
• What is really behind the vegan agenda?-- is it utopian health and prosperity for all, or  is it an Orwellian style monitory enrichment for a few conniving elitists?
  

Yes, I encourage all of us to ask these and many more probing questions, and then to get the answers by carefully listening to both sides of the subject at hand; don't stop until those answers satisfy your common sense of logic and reason, not your bias.  And then take the responsibility and accountability for eating the diet you choose, without forcing it on the rest of us.  But let me make it clear, again, that the Hoxsey diet is NOT VEGAN! 

All that is left for me to do today is to decide what's for dinner!  Maybe a slow cooked grass-fed rump roast served along side some brown rice slowly cooked in gelatinous chicken broth and a nice green mixed salad with raw milk ranch dressing.  Yeah, that sounds good and nourishing. Bon Appetite!

Written by Heather Zubiate

'm finally get around to writing about my last trip to Tijuana, to the Bio Medical Center.  Yes, I know that I have been very lax in my journalism, (sigh) anyway...here's the news...

According to my blood work, x-rays, and ultrasound, the cancer is not spreading, which is awesome news! Ha! Sorry if I scared ya, a girl has to have a little drama in her life. So yeah, it's really great news, especially when you consider that last time one of my lymph nodes in that area of my neck was showing signs of folly; it was starting to grow.  Some more good news is that one of my nodules has shrunk 25%, while the other has maintained.  So according to my doctor, very encouraging news, indeed! 

Physically speaking, I have simply been following the diet, except for the salt restriction, which I continue to feel is out dated.  The only caution about salt I can agree with is that you should throw away and never buy or use the chemically derived table salt on our supermarket shelves. Instead, use sea salt, either Himalayan, or Celtic.  Those salts are actually good for you, because they have other trace minerals, not just sodium and chloride.  Yes, they lack iodine, but you can get that nutrient in other ways, just be aware that you need it, and eat the foods high in iodine, or supplement it.  Easy peasy!

I firmly believe that diet alone isn't the only factor in our wellness. Medical science is learning that it appears that there are emotional issues that are associated with physical illness, just as they have learned that stress has a big influence on our physical health.  For instance, people with a thyroid issue tend to have a very "mean" inner voice.  Those of us with hypothyroid issues, not just cancer, are very degrading in our self-talk, well, I know that was very true in my case, it may not be so in everyone.  Well, that HAD to STOP!  And by the grace o God, it has.  There are other issues as well, such as feelings of not being heard, or thinking your voice doesn't matter.  That too, has to stop.  Finding friends or family that hear your feelings and beliefs is very supportive and healing in this area, and they need to be sought out in order to help nourish your sense of inner well being.  No matter what anyone says, we are NOT an island unto ourselves.  We NEED people to stay healthy.

Now, I'm not talking about surrounding yourself with brainless "yes" men.  I'm talking about finding people you trust who will LISTEN to your point of view and CONSIDER it in their mind and heart, and still love you even if they don't agree with it.  That is what being "heard" means to me.  This is why support groups are invaluable, in my opinion.  If you don't get this kind of emotional support in your family and friends, then seek a support group who will give it to you. God only knows, you may even find that friend that sticks closer than a brother, or you may find another soul that you each love like your own. How wonderful is that? Very!

It is also well known that the will to live is very powerful.  If you haven't read "You Don't Have To Die," by Harry Hoxsey, then I want to encourage you to read it.  In fact, I think that that book should be required reading when you decide to take this treatment.  Anyway, he as well as others who have helped those cure their cancer, have seen time and again how the will to live will virtually raise the dead back to life.  If you just give a person the hope, the change at being well, then there are those who will take it and run with it.  There are many stories of such people who were at death's door who miraculously regained their health simply because they were given a change at life where the other doctors took it away from them.  Yes, the placebo effect is strong, but when actual healing medicine is coupled with that belief, then all things are possible!  Conversely, he saw the health of people with a good prognosis deteriorate and then die.  Sometimes due to unforeseen collateral damage from prior conventional treatments, sometimes due to the person deciding they wanted to die, for whatever reason. Even though God ultimately decides who will live and die, I don't think people realize that our vote as to whether we will live or die does have some weight.  Which brings me to the spiritual side of health and well being.

It has been shown medically that people of faith fare much better health-wise than those who have no faith in a higher power.  Why is that?  Well, there are many theories, but I believe that is simply how God wired us.  The Bible says that God gave us all a measure of faith, that means we all have the capacity to believe in something or someone, but especially, we have the capacity to believe in an unseen God. If we use that faith to refuse to believe in him, then we are going against our programming.  That is not a good thing.  So, if you are at odds with God, then that needs to be addressed.  I myself have been on an amazing spiritual journey of discovery, and what a wonderful journey it has been!  I have learned so much about him, I can truly say, I know him!  I can't and won't force anyone to do the same.  All I can say for sure is that there is indeed only one God, and he desires to be known by his creation.  All I can do is encourage you to take your own journey in discovering your faith in God.  In my opinion, the only thing sadder than a person without faith in the one true God, is the person who is a hypocrite in their faith.  How very sad I was!

Well, I'm going to keep going.  I'm being as faithful as I can to the treatment I have chosen, meaning, I don't do any other cancer protocols, it's just the salt restriction I don't follow.  The doctor did make a few changes in my treatment, he added a few medicines and vitamins, and discontinued others.  Oh, I am also using caster oil on my thyroid, I can't see how that would interfere with anything.  It is medicinal in that it was used as a cure for internal parasites, that is if you could keep it down.  According to Barbra O'Neill, caster oil deeply penetrates the body, so she uses it as a poultice to break up bone spurs and the like.  I'm curious as to what it does with thyroid nodules. So I slather it onto my neck every morning, noon, and night.  At the very least, my skin will be really soft!

I also recently had an infected root canal removed; I do believe that has something to do with my cancer.  I got cancer on my left lobe of my thyroid the year after I had the root canal on my left molar done; it never did feel right.  I just babied it along, because I wanted to keep my tooth.  Oh well, it's gone now, and my cancerous nodule is 25% smaller.  Coincidence? Maybe, but a lot of the pain and soreness in my jaw and neck have gone away as well.  I also had my amalgam fillings removed.  I'm not sure that helped, but it seemed like a good think to do.  In any illness, especially cancer, you have to get rid of any pathogens to help your body regain homeostasis.   And that is what I am doing, getting rid of physical, mental, and spiritual pathogens. 

I will be going back in six months and I will be guarded just as I was this last time; I don't want to bet my hopes up too high, but I don't want to be a pessimist either.  So there it is, my latest up date on my condition.  If you are on this treatment plan, I hope it is going well for you.  If you, or a loved one is facing cancer, then I encourage you to research and pursue this proven cure for cancer.  It gives you hope for healing, where as conventional treatment gives you little hope for what they call: remission.   A term that means, you have five years before they expect the cancer to return, only more virulent, and metastatic. Like Harry Hoxsey's book says, "You don't have to die."

Written by Heather Zubiate

Dear reader, if you don't have this book by Sally Fallon
in your library, may I suggest you order it immediately?  This book, Nourishing Traditions,  has changed my life, it really has.  How I look at food and what constitutes real food, and how to get as many nutrients our of our food has been revolutionized in my mind and heart.  I thought the Hoxsey diet was great, but this takes Hoxsey's whole foods diet to a whole new level.  This is done by taking a few steps back in time; to revisit--to relearn, the way our ancestors prepared and ate their food.  This book just scratches the surface of what it means to be nourished, and how to really feed our bodies what they require to thrive.  Have I sold you on it yet? Surely I have piqued your interest?  I hope so! 

It should go without saying that there is great importance in good nutrition, even our white coated denizens of pharmaceutical prescriptions can agree on that. Without question, our bodies require certain nutrients to help us grow from infancy into adolescence, puberty, and finally into adulthood.  But how do we know what is really good to eat?  Fortunately for us in this modern day and age, we are furnished with the food pyramid by our government, that has been scientifically proven (their opinion) to provide us with good nutrition, and by default, good health.  I say this with tongue in cheek of course, because time has proven that this is not what happens. The American diet isn't called S.A.D. for nothing.  As rich in food as this country is, we have an awful lot of health problems. This fact has not escaped the F.D.A's notice, so they have had to change their pyramid's ratios over the years as new nutritional evidence trickles in; more likely due to corporate lobbyist influence rather than any unbiased scientific information regarding our health. And then there is the frightening world of scientific grants given to anyone who can write a good paper, requesting one.  Scientists with confirmation bias, that are then given huge grants are the people behind the construction of the food pyramid.  Not a good formula to use if you want the unvarnished truth. So who are we to believe regarding nutrition? Our government that is influenced by egotistical scientists and corporate greed, or the wisdom of the people who came before us?  My vote is our ancestors.

I understand that no one person or organization has all of the answers to our health questions, and so we must glean information from the best fields.  And what better field is there than the past?  History is a good teacher, if we care to listen. In our modern day and age, truly, for every 5 doctors or scientists that claim something is good for you, there will be 5 who claim the opposite, and all 10 have scientific studies to back their claims.  It can be rather confusing to say the least.  Facts are paramount to making a good decision, but what happens when facts are incomplete or skewed in favor of profit? And then there is the controversial topic of anecdotal evidence, which is frowned upon by the medical industry.  I find it rather ironic  that it's okay for them to use it when gathering information for their studies.  When someone asks, "How do you feel?" -- you have just entered the statistical world of anecdotal evidence. But when a natural remedy is used and a cure happens, then all of the sudden, anecdotal evidence is considered to be pure hooey, or the result of placebo.  Any physical evidence, such as before and after tests are dismissed or claimed to be the result of misdiagnosis, or spontaneous healing. What about studies on natural remedies?  Oh, I'm so sorry, but there isn't any corporate money to be had in studying them.  This is where history comes into play.  How did our ancestors live long enough to pass on their genes for generations?  They must have done some things right -- right?  Let us ask ourselves some questions, did they suffer from gluten, soy, and dairy sensitivities?  If not, then why not?  We have their genes inside us, why do we suffer these things?  What has changed? I think this book answers these and many other such questions. For those doctors that thumb their noses at Dr. Price's work, if they are honest then they will have to put themselves under the same scrutiny, and I have a feeling that they won't come out smelling like a rose. 

​I must have to say in all honesty that any "hole in one" approach to good health, including food, is automatically suspect, in my opinion.  However, my focus here is on the facet of diet, or more specifically, good nutrition. Even so, as good as certain foods like kale, acai berries, fish, olive and coconut oils are, I realize that they aren't the single answer to all of our health problems.  And philosophies for good health such as relying on a fist full of chemically derived supplements washed down with a diet soda pop or pot of decaffeinated coffee are flawed to say the least.  Or the idea that burning the candle at both ends is offset with a good diet and exercise, isn't a good idea either. Eventually you're going to crash regardless of the amount of kale you eat and how many sit-ups you do. It takes a concert of good habits to be in play to achieve good health such as: cleanliness, diet, emotional well being, exercise, hydration, sleep, and spiritual well being.  If any one of these sections are out of tune, then our health will be out of tune. But it is amazing to me just how much our diet effects not only our physiology, but our emotional and mental health as well, which to me, makes proper diet a much bigger slice of the proverbial whole health pie.  It is up to every individual seeking knowledge to use a dash of wisdom and a pinch of common sense to sift through all of the conflicting information out there to determine if a health claim is substantiated, conjecture, or fabrication.   It is my opinion that this book helps clarify what good nutrition is, and how to get it.

If you are on the Hoxsey protocol, the only thing to watch our for in the recipes found in Nourishing Traditions is of course, the four foods that neutralize the tonic, which are: alcohol, pork, tomatoes, and vinegar i.e. acetic acid.  Other recipes and ingredients may not suit those with allergies, sensitivities, or hormone issues related to dairy and other foods like soy.  The main thing I have taken away from this book is how to prepare foods to make them more nutritious.  Foods like grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds definitely need to be either soaked, sprouted, or soured to make the nutrients they contain more bio-available to our bodies.  Any recipes that have the "forbidden four" can be used by applying permitted substitutions.  For example, if a salad dressing calls for any type of vinegar, then simply substitute it with any fresh citrus juice.  The health information peppered through out the book is also very interesting.  I also highly recommend stopping by the official Weston A. Price Foundation website, www.westonaprice.org for even more up to date nutritional information, resources, recipes, and other related health topics. 

While I don't agree with every health claim in the book, e.g. the supreme role of enzymes play in our health, I do agree that our diet has gone too far toward being convenience oriented.  Most "fast food" isn't good for us, be they whole foods, or the pseudo-foods dished out in seconds by the denizens of fry cookery.  This book sheds some much needed light on at least one facet of good health by how to properly prepare foods based on the tried and true wisdom of our ancestors.  For example, the proper way to prepare grains for consumption.  Could improper preparation be the reason so many people are suffering from digestive issues?  I think that is a big piece to the indigestion puzzle. I have experienced it myself.  I would burp quite a bit after eating conventionally prepared bread.  But bread made from my sourdough starter doesn't give me a bad case of the burps or a tummy ache. Raw milk and cheeses don't bother me.  Brown rice that is pre-soaked and then cooked in saturated fat is more satisfying and delicious than following the package instructions.  And so, it is my hope that you will check this book out and put some, if not all of of the tried and true methods our ancestors used to obtain good nutrition and health from whole foods, into practice.

Written by Heather Zubiate

​few days ago, I was asked by a reader about my Hoxsey solution to pickle relish.  If you are not familiar with the Hoxsey diet for curing cancer, while on the tonic, we are not allowed to have vinegar.  That is a problem if you want pickles, because most commercial made pickles are made with vinegar - and salt -- lots of salt!  No wonder I LOVE them!  For the Hoxsey cure dieter, this is indeed quite a pickle -- ha ha!  The solution to this problem is in the brine. 

By using a fresh pickling method (a.k.a. refrigerator pickles) any sour citrus, such as lemon, lime, or even sour orange juice can be substituted for the offending vinegar! What about the salt? Because it is a fresh pickle, or a refrigerator pickle, not as much salt (even no salt) is needed as in a traditional vinegar hot processed, or even in a natural fermented pickle.  The salt is needed in those methods to preserve the veggies from bad bacteria.  In the case of a fresh citrus pickle, refrigeration is what keeps the bacterial nasties at bay.  The FDA recommends consuming these fresh pickles within three days of making them, because of the way these pickles are processed, low or no salt, and no heat.  This also works in our favor as this is not enough time to produce any trace amounts of carbonation, alcohol, or vinegar that would be produced in a traditional fermentation process, which are also on our list of "no-nos". This is indeed good news for the Hoxsey patient! 

You can pickle any of the traditional veggies from cukes, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and onions, to the not so traditional like whole cherry tomatoes.  Eh--we on the Hoxsey diet can't have tomatoes, so scratch that off the list, sorry folks.  The thing with fresh pickling is that the veggies must --well, be fresh, and have to be cut into smallish pieces or slices so the citrus juice can quickly pickle the veggies and remain fresh until consumption within the three day window allotted by the FDA for food safety.

If you have ever done any pickling, or you are a pickle connoisseur, then you will know what spices are used in traditional pickles.  Mustard and dill seed, red chili flakes, garlic, and peppercorns.  But don't let that dictate what you use in your fresh citrus pickle!  Any herb, seed, or spice can be used, which opens up the glass ceiling of flavors to new heights! Try different herbs and spices together to get different flavor profiles.  French flavors would include fennel or tarragon, rosemary, lavender, marjoram, thyme, and black pepper.  Italian flavors would include fennel, sage, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, hot pepper, etc. Experimentation is the spice of life, so get creative!

​As for having a sweet pickle, the Hoxsey diet does allow us to use certain sweeteners sparingly.  They can be used for those who like a sweet relish on their favorite organic beef or poultry based sausage, hot dog, or burger.  I prefer my veggie pickle to be savory -- salty, really.  I realize that the Hoxsey diet severely -- severely!! --limits salt, but I still use 1 Tbsp. of salt in my pickle.  I believe that salt is an important mineral, and medical evidence suggests that too little salt is just as bad as too much.  And each individual requires different amounts.  My husband rarely craves salt, while I crave it at certain times of the month -- like everyday.  The 1 Tbsp. of salt allows me to keep the fresh pickle longer than 3 days, but no longer than a week just to be safe. The veggies don't absorb all the salt (or else the brine would not remain salty), but I still use the veggie pickle sparingly, it's a condiment after all, and not a meal.  Even so, those who are better at limiting their salt intake than I am, the fresh pickle is a great way to get some much needed pucker power into your flavor repertoire without all the sodium of regular pickles and relishes -- or the vinegar.

tree in my garden, it is slightly less acidic than the Eureka lemon that is found in most grocery stores, because it is a hybrid ​between a lemon and a mandarin orange.  However, I have found that a newly ripened Meyer lemon is more tart than a mature fruit.  Either way, the juice is still pretty tart thanks to the citric acid, but not as tart as a lime or Eureka lemon.   I don't think grapefruit would make a good juice to pickle veggies, as it is quite bitter.  But if you want to try it, I suggest a very small test batch. 

There is a myriad of fresh citrus pickle recipes available at our finder tips thanks to the world wide web if you need help getting started creating a fresh citrus pickle!  I will give you my very basic recipe that I use to pickle onions, which I use on my favorite salad and to grace my occasional organic grass-fed beef hot dog.  Feel free to add your own herbs and spices!  Remember that you can use any vegetable (except potatoes, they don't seem to be a good veggie to pickle) as long as it is fresh, clean, and sliced thinly, or cut into small dice for relish to allow for quick pickling.  So this is one more condiment that is back on the menu! Bon Appetit!

Written by Heather Zubiate

Dear reader, are you on the Hoxsey diet to regain your health ?  No? I am. 
The Hoxsey diet is a whole foods diet that is used in conjunction with an herbal tonic to cure cancer naturally.  So naturally, it has some expected restrictions, such as: no refined white and fake sugars, white flour. No GMO: fruits, veggies, and grains, and no feed lot meats, especially pork. No hydrogenated oils, most vegetable oils, no highly processed foods with artificial flavors and colors.  And caffeine, alcohol,  etc. are of course -- not allowed.  Only organic, non-GMO: fruits, veggies and dairy; grass-fed meats, and wild game.  Wild caught fish and healthy fats.  And whole non GMO grains, nuts, and seeds, I would add, that are properly prepared. What is surprising is that there are two of the four tonic neutralizing food stuffs that are normally considered health foods, but are not allowed simply because they are believed to Hoxsey nullify the tonic's effectiveness (Es no bueno!). And those two illegal substances are vinegar, and tomatoes! I know -- that pretty much rules out most condiments from the diet, including BBQ sauce!  

Dear reader, summer is just a few calendar page flips away, not that I intend to sink my canines into some grass-fed meats and organic veggies that are laced with charbroiled carcinogens -- NO!  But I DO miss the smoky tang of BBQ sauce on baked beef ribs, and chicken.  Two years into the diet and treatment, and I refuse to be denied this culinary delight any longer, and so I have decided to formulate a Hoxsey diet friendly BBQ sauce!

A good BBQ sauce has to have a perfect balance of sweet and spicy, to sour and salty flavors. Did I mention that the Hoxsey diet is low salt, too?  The agony!  I personally take exception to this stipulation, I feel it is unnecessary unless you have high blood pressure. But that's my opinion.  Besides, the 1 tsp. in the recipe is spread out through the 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of sauce, is pretty piddly!  Since tomatoes usually make up the bulk of most BBQ sauces, and due to all of the Hoxsey restrictions, some culinary re-engineering is in order if I'm going to be able to enjoy some saucy tang this summer, and let's not forget that the sour role which is usually played by vinegar.  So let's consider the tomato replacement first; what fruit or veggie is similar to tomatoes?  Well, it seems to me that you can use beets, carrots, squash, strawberries, blueberries, plums, peaches/nectarines, or cherries.  I think I'll use cherries for my sauce!  I'd prefer the bright red sour cherries, but I'll just have to adjust the sugar to accommodate for the sweetness of the dark cherries that are available to me.

Now let's focus on the mouth puckering sour element, shall we?  Citrus is a natural stand in, either lemon or lime juice, even sour orange could be used if it is available to you.  Heck, if you have access to tamarind, then give that a try, but use it sparingly, I hear it has some pretty potent pucker power!  A word of caution, if you buy tamarind in a paste form, just check the label to make sure it doesn't have any offending ingredients!

​

​Now for the sweetness and spice!  I'm sure you've heard how sugar feeds cancer.  Well almost everything you eat is converted to simple sugars so your body can use it for fuel, so there you go.  Not only is there a concern of sugar feeding cancer, but there is the fact that highly processed sugars are empty calories, meaning they are empty of nutrition, and can depress  your immune system for hours. Despite the ominous cliche, we are allowed a sparing amount of natural sweeteners on the Hoxsey diet, and they are: raw honey, maple syrup, molasses, evaporated cane sugar, stevia, and well, anything that is organic and natural.  Since maple syrup is low-glycemic and you can't have BBQ sauce without molasses, they are my sweeteners of choice. 

​As for spices, there are a plethora to choose from.  For sure I have to have black pepper for heat and cumin to give the sauce that smokey flavor without the cancer causing smoke.  I bet you were thinking I would use smoked paprika, right?  Well, I would, except that the  dried pimentos are smoked over an oak fire -- that means carcinogens, which forces me to cross it off the list.  I'm not a big fan of super spicy hot foods, so I'm going to forego on the presence of any scoville alumni.  I think I will add a mustardy element to the sauce by way of turmeric and ground mustard seed.  I feel that the lemon juice will aid in pulling off the yellow condiment palette deception. I'm going to add ginger for a slight Asian kick, and coconut aminos to replace the umami of Worcestershire or soy sauce.  So far, the sauce is coming together nicely, don't you think?  

The supporting cast is made up of oils that deliver flavor and the aromatics, such as onions and garlic.  (Some people would include bell peppers, but not me.  They don't like me and the feeling is completely mutual!) If you have to substitute dried or granulated onion and garlic then be my guest, just keep in mind a little goes a long way.  I'm going to use fresh because it will add to the bulk of the sauce.  Getting back to the oil, I'm going to choose avocado oil because it's neutral in flavor, it has a high smoke point and as far as I know, it isn't in the forefront of a fraudulent purity scandal like extra virgin olive oil is. 

And now, the moment you've been waiting for.....the recipe!

COOKS  NOTES:

• Wear an apron! Cherry stains are not easy to get out of your favorite shirt!
• I used one and half 10 oz bags of frozen cherries and packed them into a Pyrex measure cup to get 2 cups, so really, you could say 15 oz. of cherries by weight.
• All ingredients are organic, and Non-GMO, when possible.
• Keep stirring the sauce and make sure it doesn't burn! I cooked it for 10 min.
• To make ketchup instead, I'd leave out the coconut aminos, molasses, and ginger. 

Just look at that dark rich color!  I did some tweaking to arrive at the final recipe, and I will still probably fuss with it later, but I'm pretty happy with the result, I mean, I can have BBQ sauce again -- How great is that?  I put it in a saved coconut oil jar and allowed it to cool to room temp. before putting it in the fridge.  Oh, use it within 2 weeks since there aren't any preservatives to keep it fresh.  I'm not sure how well it freezes, but if you wanna try it, let me know what happens. 

​Well, tell me what you think.  Now instead of envying our loved ones their freedom to eat tomato based BBQ sauce, now we too can welcome summer with a sticky saucy grin! I tried it on some grass-fed meatloaf, and it was delicious!  I'm SO happy!  As always, dear reader, I hope you enjoy this sauce and that I've inspired you to make your own.  And if you don't like cherries, well there are so many other veggies and fruits to try. If not due to the fact that some people may be allergic to some ingredients, then for the love of variety and experimentation, try the items that don't offend your unique physiology. The next BBQ concoction I will be tying is blueberry BBQ sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Written by Heather Zubiate

We are at the beginning of another year, and it is my desire that we, in the body of Christ, start buckling down and do what Jesus told us to do. He told us to WATCH!  Watch for what?  Several things, but let's consider the end of the year and how the world celebrates December 31st in its own way, with drinking, feasting, gift giving, masquerade balls, promiscuity, false hope by making vows that will be broken, and standing in frigid weather to watch a large ball of light fall to earth - - uh why?  I never got why that was so great. The only good thing about this annual ritual is that at the stroke of midnight, the new year is ushered in with a kiss. Mmmm boy! Not that I ever need a reason to plant a smooch on my hunky husband, but hey, I'll take one for the team.  Then there's that song -- you know -- that song that no one understands or knows the words to. However, as time marches on, things change, and so the current trend is to sing John Lennon's communist anthem; Imagine.  Again -- Why?? Because no one thinks.  No one questions. They just watch and follow the bouncing ball.

As for the real biblical Christians, those who are in the world and not of it, we know what Jesus said, that the night of this age is far spent, and because of that knowledge, we are to act differently.  And with every passing stroke of the time clock, and with every grain of sand that falls through the hourglass' slender neck, the long awaited day of our Lord's return fast approaches, giving us all the more reason to watch! Not only are we to watch as the world falls deeper and deeper into a loving embrace with depravity, we are also to watch for the glorious day that we have been promised.  The day when Jesus finally appears in the heavens with all of his resplendent glory, which will brilliantly light up the inky darkness; what a dramatic contrast his sun shaming appearance will be set against the diminished lights in the heavens!

​But alas, do any of us hear our Lord's lament spoken in Luke 18:8: "Will he even find faith on the earth?" Will he? Will he find a sleeping bride that is not watching for her husband's coming on that wonderful day? Will he find her ready and waiting for him, all dressed in white without spot or wrinkle? The state he finds us in upon his appointed return is up to us, dear reader.  So I have to ask you dear reader, will the state he finds you in be that you don't know the truth from lies?  Will you have fallen for ecumenism?  Will you have believed in the Pre-Trib Rapture?  Will you have accepted the Anti-Christ's mark? I hope not.  Is this ability that important?  You better believe it is! Our whole sense of reality and sanity depends on our ability to see, hear, and know the truth apart from lies.  This ability doesn't come naturally to some of us; there are those who need to be taught discernment.  Let's starts with a simiple question: Where does the truth and the lie come from?

Reality, apart from idealistic notions, is established and grounded by irrefutable facts, or the truth, and helps keep the word "civil" in civilization. Whereas lies are based on fabricated fictions, and are the intentional twisting of facts for deceptive purposes, and are always selfish in nature.  The truth and the lie are diametric opposites and they are personified by their exclusive authors.  They are not just any ol' authors, either.  They are best selling autobiographers with vast numbers of followers with varying degrees of devotion. The originator of truth is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, while the father of lies is, Satan, a fallen angel.  So, in order for us to really understand how to tell the truth from lies, we must get to know these two bearers of these principle hallmarks of moral and immoral states of being.

We learn about the Almighty in his book, the Holy Bible.  Through divine inspiration given to his holy pen men, God gives us glimpses of who he is and how he operates. According to that literary masterpiece, God not only always tells the truth, he also embodies it.  And if we want to be able to discern the truth from lies, then it is very important that we get to know him -- the real him.  God is Spirit.  Jesus reveals to us that true worshipers of God will do so in spirit and in truth.  No surprise there. 

The surprise comes when we see that there are a lot of well meaning people that worship the wrong God even though they read the Bible, well, at least they say they read it.  Some have even taken what is said about him in his own word and twisted it, and in that process they have made a false god.  Some have made for themselves a Sugar Daddy God, one that never disciplines his children with war, famine, sickness, or wild animals, but only wants to bless them with health and wealth.  Or some have shoehorned three separate co-equal, co-eternal persons into one God.  Others insist that God will save you by your works, or no matter what you do, once you say a sinners prayer, no matter how much you sin, you won't go to hell. Still others have taken the lie in Genesis 3 to heart, and they have the audacity to claim they can become like God himself, with God's approval!  Everyone of these ideals can't be right, because many of these beliefs refute one another.  If all of these beliefs supposedly came from the Bible, the word of truth, then how can they be wrong?  Simple.  Ever play that game "Telephone"?  That game shows that people are natural born exaggerators, i.e. liars.  So if it were not for our conscience, or the Spirit of God that regenerates the human spirit through the washing of Jesus' blood, and a God given desire to want the absolute truth found in his word, then no one would know biblical truth -- ever!  

So let us humble ourselves, and call upon the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, and ask him to reveal to us, to you dear reader, the knowledge of the truth in his word.  Here are some Scriptures that address God telling and being the embodiment of the truth.

As you can see, the Almighty does not lie.  Ever.  Love it, or hate it, every word that comes out of his righteous mouth is the absolute truth. Period. End of discussion. 

What does this fact tell us about him?  That he is just, and righteous, and that he can be trusted.  It also tells us that he can't be fooled by liars. Which is a good thing, because we are very susceptible to lies, especially the most subtle of lies.  We also learn through reading the Bible that those who love lies easily deceive themselves about who God is and how he operates, in order to satisfy their own desires.  This selfishness is the reason for the many factions of "Churchianity."  Another fact we glean from Scripture is that he delivers his truth out of love, be it through gentle or tough means.  I have found that God's delivery method of truth is entirely dependent upon our willingness and ability to hear it. For instance, if we are inclined to love truth and believe what God says, then the truth will be delivered to us in a loving and benign way -- as we see with faithful Abraham, and Mary and Joseph.

But if we are slow to hear, and love lies more than the truth, well, the Lord will have to get a little rough; like he did with King Saul, John the Baptist's father, and Saul of Tarsus.  Therefore, based on biblical precedent, may I suggest that we develop a deep and abiding love for, and ready willingness to hear, the truth no matter how painful it may be? I promise that that humble attitude will go over much better for us than outright refusal, or even worse, lukewarm indifference, which will spell out certain doom for the rebel without a clue. Pharaoh, and the majority of the Children of Israel are good examples of those unfortunate scenarios.

​Another sobering thought in regards to loving the truth with regards to any crime, if we do not report the crime to the authorities, then we will be found to be an accessory after the fact. In other words, according to Scripture, if we embrace a lie, then we will be found guilty of being a liar, because we believed the lies due to our hatred of the truth, or by extension, we are haters our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear reader, that carries a very heavy penalty-- eternal damnation!  Whoa Lord, that's harsh! Is this subject that important?  Yes! It most certainly is!

Yikes!  That verse from Proverbs should be very scary to evil doers, but scoffers don't even have the good sense to fear God. So, it is up to us to decided if we will hear the truth and accept it, dear reader.  The Bible informs us that in the last days, there will be deceptions so subtle, so cunning, that even the very elect might even be deceived. So, will we love the truth by learning to tune our ears to hear it and gear our hearts to embrace it, which will save our souls from eternal damnation, or will we love and embrace beautifully wrought lies that tell our itching ears what we want to hear and as a result, perish? Speaking of lies, lets now look at the diabolical author of falsehoods to find out his M.O.

Satan, a.k.a. the Devil, is rarely mentioned by name in the Good Book.  Why not? God doesn't seem to like giving him too much press.  We are, as always, on a need to know basis, even regarding evil, and the embodiment of it. So, when Satan is mentioned, it is always in a concise way to make it known to us how he operates.  Why?  Well, we need to know how our enemy plys his trade in order to resist his wiles.  How do we even know for sure that he is the author of lies?  Remember how God is well documented as being the author and embodiment of truth?  Well, then it stands to reason that when he tells us that Satan, or the Devil is the father of lies, then you can take that as gospel truth.  Besides that, there is documented proof of his wicked deeds, and lies.  Here is the first recorded encounter between "the serpent" and mankind.  Judging by the outcome, the encounter didn't go very well for mankind, or Satan, for that matter.

Here we have the first mention of our advisory, Satan, here described particularly in metaphor as "the" serpent. Not "a" serpent, but "the" serpent. He is secondly described as being "supbtil." It seems to be a relatively benign word until we look at its archaic meaning from the King James version, and it means: artful, clever, cunning, crafty, devious, ingenious, and wily.  Uh oh, that is a whole lot of negative connotation attached to one of the highest ranking angels that is being likened to a slithering, hissing, cold blooded animal of prey. Why a serpent? Well, the Bible likens many of the snake's attributes to Satan, even going so far to associate their hissing to the lies spoken by false prophets, which is what he was doing when he asked Eve that question he based on an intentional misquote.  And naturally speaking, serpents are masters of camouflage, and a snakes venom or coils kills their prey, but their death blow is not always instantaneous, it may be slow and painful.

This is what metaphors do for us in literature, they give us a word picture as a way of teaching us information. Don't we currently have the idiom of someone who speaks with a forked tongue, like that of a snake or other reptile, which means they are hypocrites, and duplicitous, or in short, a liar? Yes! That snake in the grass idiom is believed to come from the biblical metaphor found in Genesis 3.  What have we learned from this small sentence in Scripture about the sneaky serpent that is about to trick Eve into disobeying God? We have learned that Satan is very good at misrepresenting God, even to those who have personally spent face time with God, one on one. Wow, he is some kind of really good liar, huh?

On a side note, I don't believe that Eve was seduced to disobey God the very same day she was created.  Why?  Because, Satan is not omniscient, so he needed time to size up his prey. How long did that take? I don't know, he's very wise, so probably not long. 

Getting back on track: we can also gather from the serpent metaphor that Satan camouflaged his wicked intent, to tempt Adam through Eve to disobey God, with feigned concern for their physical, and spiritual well being.  He even lied by telling them that they would not die as God had said.  He wanted Eve to take his lie over God's truth. In order to pull off his heist of the turth, he may even have appeared to them as Lucifer, an angel of light, as Paul informs us he is capable of doing, in 2 Corinthians 11:14.  I simply have a very hard time believing that Eve would take a literal snake's word over God's.  But falling for the seemingly wise words of a beautiful angel of light all sparkling with jewels, that was there to maybe guard the tree, that's not so hard to believe.

We are further informed in other parts of Scripture that Satan is likened unto a dragon --a cold blooded destroyer in folklore.  We are told that he is a murderer and a thief.  These types of wicked activities are not carried out by lovers of truth.

Here in this verse, when Jesus called Satan "the devil," devil means false accuser, or slanderer. A slanderer ruins someone's good reputation with their lies.  Not something you want to be known as if you want to make it to the pearly gates.  And if anyone keeps this kind of company, it doesn't say much for them either.  It's a guilt by association kind of thing.  The diabolical traits of Satan are hidden at times by his alter ego, a light bearing angel, named Lucifer.  Very sneaky, because while he's in his shiny guise, he must not be taken at face value.  In fact, he is at his most dangerous while in this glittering gold disguise!  

​guy by their beguiled admirers.  "He's such a nice guy" often rolls off the tongues of his dupes, as they purr his praises, but they never suspect that the depraved person's agitated, and frazzle-nerved victim is really the nice one, or was, before the hypocrite got their fangs into them.  I believe that Scripture supports the metaphor of the snake being the shiny angel. Satan's beauty is only a mirage.  The Bible tells us that he is able to transform himself into an angel of light, just like this image here.  How could a being that looks so regal, and resplendent possibly be evil?  Very easily!  We would do well to be like our God.  He doesn't judge outer appearances, they are deceiving.  He judges the truer image of the inward being.  It has taken me quite some time, and personal experience to realize that Satan is this world's first narcissist.  Yes, I said a narcissist. Satan, like all narcissists, has a God complex.  He will never admit to being wrong.  He deals in lies.  He loves money and power.  He desires to be the center of attention, even to be worshiped.  He steals out of a sense of entitlement, and has no empathy for his victims -- at all. All of these evil traits and more are carefully hidden under a carefully crafted false self, that the narcissist will defend to the death, which is something they fear.  ​Do you see why we need to be well schooled in the art of being able to tell the difference between the truth and a lie?  But how, how do we learn this invaluable skill?

​The word of God, of Jesus, will train you in the way of truth, and it will set you free when we are discipled by it and abide in it.  What does that mean?   Quite simply, we must learn his word, hide it in our heart, and then do what it says.  Looking to Scripture and interpreting it according to God's perspective (not ours) is also a step in the right direction to reaching the prize, which is eternal life, through faith in Christ Jesus. We are told that God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.  The night is indeed far spent, dear reader, and now more than ever, we need the light of God's word to set us free and help us to see the truth from lies!  Amen.

Written by Heather Zubiate

Well dear reader, I didn't get good news on my last visit to the Hoxsey
clinic, and so naturally, I've been dragging my feet about writing this post.  Yes, to be honest, I feel a little defeated.  Instead of the tumor shrinking like it was supposed to, my tumor grew a bit, and so did my thyroid. What the?? I've been reassured by the doctor that sometimes this happens, the tumor grows a little and then the cancer starts shrinking again.  Okay, that is still hopeful news; as for why my thyroid grew? I'm at a loss, and so was my doctor, except to say that I may have to have the left lobe removed after all.  

​Not the news I wanted to hear, but that's life.  The doctor said we need to be a bit more aggressive, which involves changing my tonic to the non-iodine formula, as the iodine may be affecting my thyroid negatively.  Okay, I'll try it. And she added 500 mg of laetrile.  As for my diet?  I'm dragging my feet on changing my diet to be more vegetarian.  At least I'll lose more weight in the process, that's the only positive I can really think of right now.  I just don't buy into the idea that vegan diets cure cancer.  And to be honest, I'm just very lazy about my diet.  Meaning, I'd rather read all day, or do anything else, than make food for my special diet.  Frankly. it's a pain in the butt. Oh to have my own personal chef!  Back to reality... 

I made an appointment with my GP doctor to see about getting a PSA test for my thyroid, which the ultrasound tech in Mexico recommended -- why?  I do not really know. I was not looking forward to this appointment, but then I don't look forward to any doctor's appointments.  Especially since allopathic medicine frowns on alternative medicine; now I was going to have to explain why I needed this test when as far as they are concerned, I should just have my thyroid removed, and take radio active iodine and be done with it.  

After the usual exchange of pleasantries, we got down to brass tacks. I objected to the conventional treatment and told him that I've read many articles that reveal that Papillary thyroid cancer is over treated here in America, according to European doctors, and this common sense approach is even reaching the ears of some American doctors.
He listened and then got on his smart phone.  I was silent while he typed on his laptop and then surfed the net with his phone. He told me in a rather surprised tone that they do give PSA tests to thyroid patients these days, so he was more open to requesting it. Yay! He said the insurance company might still shoot down the request (and they did). Boo! I asked him if I could just have the enlarged and cancerous left lobe removed, and he looked incredulous at me and snorted, "You are going to have a hard time finding a surgeon who will do it, they will think you're crazy!" I smiled and said, "That's okay, I can live with that."

While I gave my doctor my reasons for not giving in to the treatment status quo, he appeared to be mildly amused with my insistence on not going the conventional route. Then after a little while, with a wry grin he said, "You're a fighter." I couldn't tell if he was making fun of me, or it he actually admired me a little.  Maybe both.  I thought about it for a few seconds and said defiantly, "Yes! I guess I am." He finally agreed that my type of thyroid cancer is not the aggressive life threatening kind, and that I'm justified in not wanting to go conventional. Wow! Finally some empathy. Then he gave me a referral list of endocrinologists and gave me the blood tests I wanted, and that was that.  Now I have to try and find a doctor on the list that will work with "crazy" me! So far, the search isn't going so great, just another medical hurdle to jump over.  I was never good at jumping over hurdles, by the way.  I guess I better start mastering that sport!

My darling husband is still worried, of course, and so he watches me like a hawk.  If I rub my neck, or scratch it, there's that look. He wants to know what to do if my growing thyroid threatens my wind pipe before we can find a surgeon that will only remove my diseased left lobe, then what?  What if I wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air?  I told him to tell the EMT's my condition, that the left lobe of my thyroid is enlarged, and to not let the emergency surgeon remove my entire gland, under pain of lawsuit.  He didn't look happy.  Then he asked me to write down what I wanted, so he could have it in his wallet.  I called for my eldest son who was in his room at the time.  I asked him if he know what to do.  He said, "Yes." That's my boy -- a steady rock of strength in the face of troubled waters!  Then he looked at his father and calmly added, "You better write it down for dad." 

Written by Heather Zubiate

One year ago to the day, I received a life changing phone call from my ENT, Dr. Klau. He reluctantly told me that I had papillary thyroid cancer.  That diagnosis was a complete shock, especially since I didn't have any symptoms of the disease, except for the almond sized lump in my neck that was presumed to be fatty tissue or a clogged lymph node. However, the biopsy results of the lump that he skillfully removed said otherwise.  On that awful night one year ago, in the intimate seclusion of our bedroom, my darling husband and I clung to each other in the dark and cried. Our future together looked very grim.

If you recall, I was going to go through with their prescribed treatment, which was a total thyroidectomy, and radioactive iodine to kill any remaining thyroid tissue in my body, and theoretically, the cancer.  What stopped me from going through with it was the life long after care I would need; if you can believe it, that is what scared the you know what out of me. You may not realize this, dear reader, but you will die without your thyroid's life giving hormones.  It is amazing just how many things that this little butterfly shaped endocrine gland regulates!  With the thyroid removed, you will need to take synthetic thyroid hormone for the rest of your life.  And I did enough research to understand that the synthetic hormone isn't for everyone and many endocrinologists are less than responsive to their patients needs.  When you read hundreds upon hundreds of people's stories wishing they were dead after their treatment, it tends to give you pause and make you wonder, is this the only way?  Thankfully, the answer is, "No, it's not!"

I was fortunate enough to give into watching a video series called The Truth About Cancer, produced by Ty Bollinger, and it ultimately changed my mind. I say "give into" because to be honest, I had been down that dicey holistic road with my mom, who lost her long and painful battle with breast cancer. I only watched the first two episodes on Facebook, at that time I didn't even know I had cancer. I figured this documentary was going to be about a bunch of quacks using Lord knows what to supposedly cure cancer, but for some reason, God knew why, I felt compelled to watch it.  
In the first two episodes of the 9 part series, I was introduced to actual medical doctors, and other well educated health professionals who offer real cures, many of them were cured of cancer using their own or other doctor's treatments. And when you really understand how Western cancer treatments came about, and how they just don't work on every cancer, that's when you begin to wonder why oncologists aren't sued and fired for malpractice, or indicted for premeditated murder.  

So, if you are facing a cancer diagnosis, may I highly recommend that you watch Ty Bollinger's documentary before you do start any chemo, or radiation treatments? Through that series I was given a lot of eye opening information that is not given by regular M.D.'s because they are married to their destructive "treatments." Even so, only now are things slowly starting to change, thanks in part to lightening fast social media that bypasses highly regulated media, and the quest for knowledge by people like Ty Bollinger, who are sick and tired of losing loved ones to this wretched disease and its inhumane barbaric treatments.  As proof of the slow change, I recently read a pamphlet put out by Blue Shield that a well known hospital is pioneering "new" cancer treatments using, get this, immunological therapies.  But it will take decades before they put the lucrative chemo, and radiation therapies completely out of business, if at all.

What that means is, that the medical industry, and it is an industry, is finally, sort of, admitting that killing the immune system with cancer causing agents like chemo, and radiation may not be a such a good idea after all.  Cancer is really an apoptosis, and immune system problem, and fixing the immune system and its response to cancer is the only logical means of curing cancer. Anyway, I was glad to see the change, but of course, this change comes at a cost.  People are still dying from the conventional treatment as well as the disease while they are exploring other treatment options that insurance will cover. They are even loosening their grip on test trials.  These days you may be able to choose a different experiential therapy trial, like cancer fighting virus injections, which are showing great promise, before you are maimed by surgery, burnt by radiation, or poisoned by chemo! Thank God for change, even if it is slow.  However, they still aren't going to embrace any treatment unless it is in the form of money making pharmaceuticals, which come with a whole host of side effects, which also can kill you.

After my diagnosis, I remembered watching only the first two episodes of The Truth About Cancer where I had heard about a Medical Clinic in nearby Tijuana, Mexico. I did my research on it, and the treatment they offer, and I even contacted a patient who is now cancer free.  She generously took the time to walk me through her cancer journey, and the Hoxsey treatment and diet.  After our conversation, where she didn't push the treatment, she just told her story, I was even more convinced that this was the way I should go.  Dear reader, I believe in Divine guidance, and I just knew the Lord wanted me to take this option.  I don't believe in coincidences.  I was supposed to watch at least the first two episodes of the series before my biopsy surgery, and I did, so the seed of hope was planted and it sprouted when I needed it. The hardest part was convincing my adoring husband to take the holistic approach with me.  Remember, he saw my mom slowly die of cancer while we tried many holistic treatments.

So I armed myself with as much information as I could, to help bring him up to speed and it paid off.  Well, that and the hellacious fit I threw may have helped a little.  I was so tired of no one listening to me. The doctors ignored me for decades, and one even implied I was a hypochondriac, until I was diagnosed with cancer, and even then they refused to hear my desire to keep as much of my thyroid as possible.  Now my husband was panicking and not listening to me.  I don't think so! After ten minutes of relieving years of pent up frustration and rage by walking around our home screaming my head off, he was ready to listen to me.  I gave him all of the information I had gathered, the good and the bad, and he read, and watched all of it.  He asked questions, and he listened to the answers. That is when he decided to support me in my decision to follow the holistic approach.  Had he chose not to support me, I still would have done it anyway.  I'm like that, stubborn. Besides, I knew my sisters would've supported me, they respect the fact that the ultimate decision was mine to make, whether they liked it or not.  If only everyone felt that way.  My Tio Daniel even gave me his support, as he too is going through his own journey with cancer.  He went conventional and is doing fine, and I hope he stays that way for a long time!

After one year of eating mostly fresh organic food along with the "infamous" Hoxsey tonic, a bunch of prescribed medicinal herbs, and some much needed enzymes, vitamins and mineral supplements, I'm FINALLY feeling, dare I say, normal?!  I dare, because it's true!  For decades I felt awful, and there were times when I didn't even want to get out of bed. No energy to do much, and to be honest, I felt like I was going crazy, even though I knew I wasn't.  Weird?  Thyroid disease sufferers will know what I'm talking about. But now, I have a lot more energy and I'm gardening again, for hours instead of minutes. Something as simple as cleaning the house, or making dinner doesn't wipe me out any more.  I sleep better, though sometimes I still wake up at 2 am.  My stomach doesn't ache all the time, especially after I eat. And I'm even losing weight; I've finally gotten below the 200lb. mark on the scale, yahoo! And the best part?  On my second visit to the Hoxsey clinic last February, I got the best news, the tumor on my thyroid shrank, yes I said, shrank, 1/2 a cm with no chemo or radiation! And there is no sign of metastasis, either. Praise God Almighty!

On a side note, say what you want, but herbs ARE medicine, God said so! And only a fool will mess with potent herbs without knowing what they are doing.  It takes many years of study to understand which herbs are used for what body part and in what dose for which disease and the size of person.  I also ran across an article in our local paper in the gardening section where the author, Josh Siskin, explained that as little as 70 years ago, many doctors grew their own herbs to give to their patients. That was one of the pieces I gave my husband to read.  Medical doctors growing and giving herbs to their patients? Yes!

Dear reader, is this not amazing news?!  I know I'm not officially out of the woods yet, but I'm looking forward to my next check up in July and expecting even better news. Apparently I'm a rare bird in that I came to Hoxsey unscathed by modern western medicine.  My body wasn't raped by surgery, chemo, or radiation therapies, but that doesn't mean there isn't hope for those who have undergone any of those procedures. The lady I talked to did go through a couple of those conventional treatments, and was even in remission, but it didn't last for more than two years.  So she hightailed it to the Hoxsey clinic before the doctor could kill her with the latest poisons and she is cancer free to this day!  The doctor actually told her that if she didn't take their deadly poison, then she would die! Does that make any sense??

​Like I told my husband, in my case, I had time to make a quality decision, the cancer I have is slow growing and not aggressive, so I didn't need to treat it with napalm,  but others aren't so fortunate.  Pressure from doctors and loved ones to go conventional can be tremendous when the prognosis is more grim, and many make a snap decision based on fear.  Who can blame them?  Not me.  The antidote to fear is information, so I spent time to educated myself and I made the best decision for me, and I can't hope for anything less for anyone else facing this death sentence. I want to encourage you to make your educated decision based on hope, not fear, and find someone, anyone, who is willing to support you no matter what treatment option you decide to take.  FYI, The Hoxsey clinic has a Facebook page where you need to request membership, but you don't have to be a patient of the clinic to apply. It is a tremendous wealth of support and information for people battling cancer.

Well that is my one year update.  I will be sure to post a follow up post after my July visit to the clinic, and of course I'm praying for the all clear, but I'll take what I get, even if the tumor only shrank another 1/2 cm.  Either way, it'll be a victory!

Written by Heather Zubate

he Hoxsey diet is basically a whole foods diet, and as cancer diets go, I have found it pretty easy to follow. Others who are on this diet may not agree, but for those of us who have been on any strict diet for various reasons know first hand just how hard it is to change the way you eat, but when it comes to saving your life, it's not too much to ask, really.

Unfortunately, there are two items* that render the Hoxsey tonic powerless and they are tomatoes (including tomatillos), and vinegar (i.e. acetic acid). Why?  I don't know, and the doctors at the Hoxsey clinic don't really know why either.  All the same, that doesn't seem too bad until you realize that these items, especially vinegar, are in a lot of products on grocery store shelves, and I happen to like eating tomatoes and vinegar-- a lot!  So, if you are on this diet, then you will have to become an avid and careful label reader, with a PhD in chemical names, if you aren't already, to make sure you won't consume any forbidden ingredients. But really, any processed foods, even those that are considered to be "healthy' should be severely limited as they are, well, commercially processed. Some organic soups, like chicken noodle for instance, have tomato in them! Even though it's next to the last ingredient on a very long list, it is STILL FORBIDDEN! 
UPDATE*There are actually two more food stuffs that render the tonic inert -- pork and alcohol. 

Again, as diets go, the Hoxsey diet is really easy to follow, and more importantly, easy to stick to compared to a raw vegan diet like the Gersson Therapy diet.  If you're addicted to drinking coffee ( instead of using it for enemas as on the Gersson therapy), the option for you is to use organic decaf, but it has to be decaffeinated without chemicals. So the starting forbidden food tally is no: coffee, alcohol, tomatoes, vinegar, pork products, highly processed and fried foods, salt and the most addictive thing of all, refined white flour and sugars. These food stuffs are NOT on the Hoxsey menu. Oh boy, I think I just listed the diet of the American South right there. Amazingly, as far as sugar goes, I can do without sugar for the most part, but salt? NEVER!

Unfortunately the Hoxsey diet restricts salt to is a minuscule 1/2 tsp. per day.  Per DAY! That's inhumane for a saltoholic!  A salt fiend!  A salt vampire!  And so, I've decided to toss that prescription out the proverbial window.  I personally feel that the severe salt restriction is as archaic and wrong as the claim that animal fats give you high cholesterol. But science backs me up on this, I've read many scientific articles that say too little salt is as bad as too much. I've always felt that I needed more salt than the average person. The only exception would be if I had high blood pressure, which I don't. Even so, I have limited my salt intake quite a bit from my usual consumption, which I assure you, was a lot! And because of that limitation, things are so much more salty to me. This is my one real cheat, and I think it's a justifiably better than cheating with refined sugars.  Speaking of cheating, eh hem...

Cheating? Moi?
Okay, okay, now and then I cheat with a few of the "sugar" fruits like pineapples and mangoes. And I indulge in the rare lick of the knife that cut a piece of chocolate cake for my boys, but that's it.  Okay, so I had a big spoonful of mac-n-cheese when no one was looking. In my defense, I've heard that some people on the diet cheated with a weekly doughnut, which I heard Dr. Guetierrez wasn't too thrilled about.

The reason I'm on the Hoxsey diet and tonic is that I was diagnosed with un-staged papillary thyroid cancer in May of 2016; un-staged due to certain factors regarding my age and what not.  I mean why were my doctors being so coy?  The cancer left my thyroid and was stopped by a lymph node in my neck.  Stage 3? Stage 4? Anyway, I've looked into other diets, but they seemed too drastic (and in my case, I'm not that bad off), or the diets  weren't balanced.  I feel that this diet and treatment suited me the best.  And I think the therapy is going well, except for digestive issues that are not related to the therapy, since I've had them off and on for decades. I have been on the Hoxsey diet and tonic for a little over 6 months and I have lost at least 25 lbs. I haven't really weighed myself since I started 6 months ago at 222 lbs., because I don't own a scale; my gauge has been my clothes, which fit a lot more loosely these days, thank you very much!  I was supposed to be journaling about my journey since that time, but --yeah--I didn't. Sorry.  

This diet can be challenging as you need to relearn how to cook.  I'm a good cook, if I do say so myself, but like I said, this diet is daunting with all it's restrictions, even more so for the semi-homemade cook, or the take out types. Fortunately, there's a really beautiful cookbook by the Sassy Chef, Alison Taafe, whose sister Laura, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, and again in 2010, and finally beat it with the Hoxsey tonic, and diet! You can read about their amazing journey toward health and healing here.  I have been meaning to order a copy of Taafe's book (called 'Eat For Your Life') for the last 6 months. And I could kick myself for not doing it, because it was a struggle for me in the beginning to figure out what to eat, it was kinda depressing.  So, I would highly recommend getting this book to save you from any anxiety, if you have cancer, and have been though the ringer, the less stress the better!  I think they even sell it at the clinic in Mexico.

The goal of detoxification is to open the routes of elimination in order to remove toxins from the body. This process is greatly facilitated by a wholesome diet with plenty of water along with the herbal and nutritional supplements prescribed. Your diet should be centered on whole low sugar fruits, vegetables (organic and GMO free as much as possible), fresh herbs, antibiotic and hormone free meats and dairy. No (highly) processed foods, refined white flours, or sugars, artificial flavoring, colors, or preservatives are to be consumed. These foods are void of good nutrition, contain toxins that burden your body by interfering with your treatment and prohibit healing, and are of course, cancer causing.  All microwave cooking or reheating is prohibited while on the Hoxsey Treatment! Also, non-stick type cookware should not be used, as it is known to contribute to cancer. No aluminum pots or pans as they can react with certain foods and cause toxicity.  Only stainless steel, cast iron, glass, or lead free ceramic pots and pans are deemed safe to use, as they do not impart any toxins, or cause any unsafe chemical reactions with food.

As for what is considered to be approved foods, and unapproved foods that are on the Hoxsey diet, here's the list:

​Beverages-Drink 2 quarts of liquids per day:
Freshly squeezed fruit (avoid if diabetic)
Veggie juices (except tomato)
                              Grape Juice (white, or dark grapes diluted with equal amount of water)
                               fresh is better. (Avoid if diabetic.)
Low Fat Milk- Cow or goat in glass bottle or a paper carton. (organic and raw if possible.)
Buttermilk – in a glass bottle or a paper carton. (organic and raw if possible.)
Filtered Water – avoid plastic bottles if possible.
Non-Caffeinated Herbal Teas (organic if possible.)
Decaf Coffee- natural water decaffeination process
Cereals -    Made without sugar, or preservatives, and organic, or at least non GMO      
Grains-      Amaranth, Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Corn (organic, non GMO air popped),
​                   Einkorn Wheat, Kamut, Oats, Rye, Spelt
Condiments-       Nama Shoyu Soy Sauce,
Cheeses*-   Only Fresh Unaged Cheeses: Chevre, Cottage cheese, Feta, Mascarpone,
                     Quark, Queso fresco, Ricotta, Yogurt Cheese (a.k.a. Kefir, & Labne)
                     *low sodium if possible, or no other salt for the day consumed
 
Eggs- 3 to 6 eggs per week (organic/free range/ no soy if possible)

​
Fats/Oils- Cold pressed oils: Almond, Flax Seed, Grape Seed, Olive, Sesame, walnut etc.
                  (avoid canola and other liquid or solid vegetable oils as they are highly processed)
                  Saturated fats: butter from grass fed beef (unsalted if possible), coconut,
                  duck fat from free organic range ducks, tallow from grass fed cows.
Fish* -   Fresh ocean caught: Anchovies, Butterfish, Catfish, Clam, Crab (Domestic),                          Croaker (Atlantic), Flounder, Haddock (Atlantic), Hake, Herring, Mackerel
               (N. Atlantic, Chub), Mullet, Oyster, Perch (Ocean), Plaice, Pollock, Salmon
               (Canned), Salmon (Fresh), Sardines, Scallops, Shad (American), Shrimp,
               Sole (Pacific), Squid (Calamari), Tilapia, Whitefish, Whiting (all the lowest
               Mercury level fish/seafood)
               Fresh water caught:  Bass, Catfish, Crawfish/Crayfish, Pike, Trout (Freshwater),
               Salmon, Walleye - *any fish consume 2 x per week
Fruits-  Low sugar fruits are preferable such as: Apples, Avocados, Berries, Citrus, and                   Figs, Guavas, Kiwis, Melons (like cantaloupe, and casaba), Nectarines, Papayas,
              Peaches, Plums, and Sour Cherries
              Organic, no sugar added dried fruits are permitted, but limit consumption
              as they are higher in sugar than fresh fruits (no sulfides).
Herbs- Fresh or Dried: Basil, Bay leaf (Laurel), Cayenne pepper, Chili powder, Chives,                          Cilantro, Curry, Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger root, Ground mustard, Lemon balm,
             Lemon verbena, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Paprika, Rosemary,
             Saffron, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme
Spices: Allspice, Caraway, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Cumin,
             Curry, Fennel, Fenugreek, Ginger (ground), Juniper, Kelp (salt replacement)*,
             Mace, Nutmeg, Pepper, Turmeric, Sea salt*, Star Anise  
             *only use sea salt or Kelp (only ½ tsp. daily) sprinkled directly on food to help                          with blandness.
Legumes-  Black beans, Garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Lima beans, Pinto
                   beans, Soy beans,
Meats-        Free range poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) - 1 x per week
                    Grass fed beef and lamb - 1x per week
                    Wild game: Buffalo, Caribou, Deer (Venison), Elk, Moose, Quail, Rabbit -
                     1x per week Instead of beef.
Nuts/         All unsalted nuts and nut butters (except peanuts/peanut butter).
Pastas-    Whole wheat (ancient varieties such as Einkorn),  or gluten free, and that
​                     don’t contain vinegar (acetic acid).
Seeds -       Chia, Flax, Hemp, Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower, Wild rice
Sugars-      Natural sugars: Honey, Molasses, Raw Sugar, Real Maple, Sucanat, Stevia,
​                      Syrup, Turbanado, Xylitol. (Exercise restraint)
Veggies      All fresh and organic. Root vegetables (exercise restraint if diabetic)

​Beverages*- Carbonated drinks with caffeine, refined sugars, and with artificial
                      sweeteners,  flavorings, and colors.
                      Sweet fruit juices such as pineapple and straight grape juices.
                      Caffeinated coffee and black teas.
                      No Tomato based veggie juices!
                      *I thought I read somewhere no alcoholic beverages either. 
Condiments- Anything with Tomato or Vinegar (acetic acid) is not allowed: Ketchup,
                      Mayonnaise, Mustard, Pickles and Relishes, Steak sauces, Vinegar (acetic                                      acid), Worcestershire 
Deep fried foods – Avoid All Deep Fried Foods!!!
Fats/Oils-  Liquid or Solid hydrogenated vegetable oils. They are highly processed, and
                   turn rancid quickly. Such as Shortening, Canola, Safflower, and Corn etc.
Fruits-        Any dried fruits with added sugar, or sulfides.
                    Fresh: Grapes, Mangos, Pineapples, Tomatoes, and Tomatillos
Grains-       White flours and rice, and GMO’s
Meats-       Deli meats (high in sodium and other chemicals)
                   Hormone or antibiotic fed animals.
                   Any and all pork
Salt water fish high in mercury such as the large predatory fish: Northern Pike, Orange Roughy, Mackerel, Marlin, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish, and many Tuna (the smaller skipjack is lower in mercury than the larger albacore.)
Farmed raised fish, either fresh water or ocean fish.
Nuts/Seeds-  Peanuts (prone to aflatoxins) and peanut butter
Sugars-      highly processed: agave nectar, corn syrups, brown sugar, and white sugar
                   artificial sweeteners: Equal, NutraSweet, Saccharine, Splenda, Sweet n low

Again, no foods with artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives! You'd be surprised by how many "health foods" contain that stuff!  Especially the dreaded MSG, which food manufactures try to pass off as innocent sounding additives such as "natural flavorings", "flavorings, "seasonings, or textured protein, citric acid, hydrolyzed protein, (get your chemistry dictionaries out) calcium caseinate, and sodium caseinate.

I'm going back for my 6 month check up in a week, and I'm hoping to hear good news, Lord willing, I will be cancer free! I've been feeling so much better lately, I have a lot more energy than I have had in years!  If I still have cancer, well then, I will give it another 6 months and get really strict on my diet, and I may even throw in some exercise!

Written by Heather Zubiate

ut of sheer necessity, I have recently learned A LOT about this little talked about essential trace element, which is not just vital to healthy thyroid function, but it is also vital to the proper function of many other organs and systems. If fact, like many essential things in this life, we would die without it.  Just take a look at how many things it does for us:

Who knew, eh?  I also found this article on Dr. Sircus' website about iodine, and here is a snipit of that article that will enlightened us about even more uses of iodine in the body:

Dr. Gabriel Cousens’ essay lists the important functions of iodine:
1)      Iodine helps synthesize thyroid hormones and prevents both hypo- and                              hyperthyroidism.
2)      Iodine sufficiency reverses hypo- and hyperthyroidism.
3)      Iodine supports apoptosis (cell death).
4)      Iodine activates hormone receptors and helps prevent certain forms of cancer.
5)      Iodine protects ATP function and enhances ATP production.
6)      Iodine prevents fibrocystic breast disease.
7)      Iodine decreases insulin needs in diabetics.
8)      Iodine helps support protein synthesis.
9)      Iodine deficiency is a global health threat.
10)     Iodine destroys pathogens, molds, fungi, parasites, and malaria.
11)     Iodine supports immune function.
12)     Iodine eliminates toxic halogens from the body (including radioactive I-131).
13)     Iodine regulates estrogen production in the ovaries.
14)     Iodine is anti-mucolytic (meaning it reduces mucus catarrh).
15)     Iodine neutralizes hydroxyl ions and hydrates the cells.
16)     Iodine makes us smarter.
17)     Iodine prevents heart disease.
18)    Iodine is needed with the use of cordless phones, cell phones and now smart                      meters to prevent hypothyroidism.
19)    Iodine supports pregnancy (as the fetus undergoes more apoptosis than any other            developmental stage). 
20)    High doses of iodine may be used to reverse certain diseases.
21)    High doses of iodine may be used for wounds, bedsores, inflammatory and                        traumatic pain, and restoration of hair growth when applied topically.
22)    Iodine helps in the diminishing of tissue scarring, cheloid formations, and                        Dupuytren’s and Peyronie’s contractures, which are hyper-scarring conditions.
23)    Iodine supports spiritual development.

That's quite a list dear reader.  I also learned that iodine deficiency may even be attributed to a myriad of mild to serious emotional and mental disorders, from panic attacks to ADD/ADHD. So before you allow your child to take Ritalin (or any other psychotropic drug), maybe it wouldn't hurt for you to have your doctor check your child (or even yourself if you've been diagnosed) for an iodine deficiency first. Well. That is if your physician even knows how to properly test for it.

He/she may even have a common ailment that has spread like wildfire in the medical community within the last 68 years.  It is known as: Iodophobia, and it started its insidious outbreak after 1948, thanks in no small part to Drs. Jan Wolff and Israel Lyon Chaikoff, who supposedly observed a reduction of thyroid hormone levels after ingesting a large amount of iodine. Their study involved rats, which may actually explain why so many doctors are infected by it, and readily accepted the Drs. findings without any critical review. That is until Dr. Guy E. Abraham got a hold of their biased findings.

Critical studies conducted by Dr. Guy Abraham et al, have revealed that these doctors may have crossed the honesty line in their research.  You can start your research about that here. It should be common knowledge that doctors falsify their research for what-ever reason (most likely monetary), and others will continue to do so, which is for the rest of us, unfortunate. That would include Dr. Abraham, so researcher beware, as always.
For example, there is a huge controversy still going on regarding the study done by Dr. Andrew Wakefield who supposedly linked MMR vaccination with autism. The medical community at large has pretty much proven that Dr. Wakefield is very wrong about his hypothesis, and has even retracted his papers from their medical journals - ouch!  But it's too little too late, as many feel that the damage has been done.  Many people are now convinced that his findings are true. I'm no stranger to conspiracy theories, but let's not lose sight of the truth, the man lied about his research, even if he meant well. (If you want to avoid autism, research shows how iodine protects children from it.)

And it's in this tradition, of debunking junk science, that Dr. Abraham has proven that Dr.s Wolff and Chaikoff were very wrong about their hypothesis regarding the overdose of iodine, which has lead to an epidemic of what Dr. Abraham has coined: Iodophobia, and as a result, billions of people have suffered needlessly, and are far more sick than they should be.

​There's also this saying that seems pertinent: "If it ain't broken, then don't fix it!"

The following is taken directly from a paper written by Dr. Guy Abraham and satirically (or more like sarcastically, maybe) describes Medical Iodophobia's symptoms and notes possible causes.  They are as follows:

• A) Split personality: resulting in iodophobia within the orthoiodosupplementation                                           previously used safely and successfully in medical practice and iodophylia for            

                megadoses of Iodide (up to 12 gm/day)

• B) Double standards: rendering physicians intolerant to the minor side effects of the

                inorganic forms and extremely tolerant to the severe side effects of the radioactive and                                         organic forms

• C) Amnesia: pertaining to the inorganic, nonradioactive forms of iodine when                                                making therapeutic decisions
• D) Confusion: attributing the severe side effects of organic iodine-containing

                 drugs to inorganic Iodine/Iodide

• E) Altered states of consciousness: allowing doublethink, doublespeak, and contradictory logic to               become acceptable.

Medical Iodophobia Diagnosis Notes and Observations
Dr. Abraham goes on to say:
​Although the factors involved in medical iodophobia are still unknown, decreased cognition seems involved. Since low iodine intake is associate with intellectual impairment, deficiency of this essential element cannot be ruled out, and if present, would create a self-perpetuating phenomenon.  Needless to say, medical iodophobia is contagious, and can be transmitted to patients and other physicians (iatrogenic iodophobia).  Medical iodophobia will remain a syndrome until the causes are discovered and effective therapy implemented.  It is very likely however, that medical iodophobia will eventually be classified as an iodine-deficiency disease. 

It seems quite evident, thanks to past generations of medical prescriptions written for iodine/iiodide, what the safe rage of consumption is and should continue to be.  Dr. J.G.A. Lugol came up with the much used iodine/iodide solution bearing his name, and determined that 12.5 mg is the bare minimum to keep ones health. Have things changed so much since then to change this fact?  If anything, we have been consuming less and less iodine, not more.   There are claims that iodine is in many of our food stuffs. Really?

How about getting enough Iodine in our diets?  I'm sure you've heard that iodine is found in milk, bread, and of course salt.

Therefore, if 13 mg of iodine is in fact too high, as determined by Drs. Wolff and Chaikoff, then obviously, most of the mainland Japanese should be very sick, or very dead by now, don't you think?  Why would that be true? Because of all the sea vegetables and creatures that are rich in iodine that they consume everyday!  ​

If a person suspects they are suffering from an iodine/iodide deficiency, or any deficiency, the best thing to do is to find out by ordering a test from a lab, or physician. Some labs won't give out the tests unless they are ordered by a physician, and some physicians won't order certain labs if they don't feel they are needed. Welcome to the catch 22 of our modern "health" system. Ideally, it would be nice to have a doctor that is willing to help their patient with any of their health problems, but in this day and age, a person is usually left to fend for themselves due to medical apathy. This is the oar-less boat I am in, wanna join me?  

The Optimox website has a great many articles that can help educate you on this subject. There is also a book called: Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It by David Brownstein. I'm currently reading in PDF.  So, if your a science type, and you can find a lab that will not require a doctor to order or read the lab, then you can take the DIY approach fairly confidently. The rest of us are left to wing it.

Iodine, though essential to our life and well being, is not a "magic bullet" to good health. We need to stop searching for a single or one size fits all solution to all of our health problems.  However, iodine deficiency should be ruled in or out before any serious medications are taken, or procedures are done. Well, that's it for now.  I will post more info when I have some to share. Until then, avoid all forms of iodophobia and be sure to get some iodine in  your diet!