Cancer – Conventional Treatments

In recent years, cancer has emerged as a significant health killer in Malaysia. The statistics from the Ministry of Health Malaysia showed that out of 100,000 people, 95 were reported to have cancer in 1978 and the incidence increased to 112 people in 2003 (Nanyang Siang Pau, 2 December 2006). In 2004, the National Cancer Registry report showed that there were 21,464 new cancer cases in Peninsular Malaysia alone, comprising 9,400 males (44%) and 12,064 females (56%). On average, a total of 59 persons are diagnosed to have cancer each day. The most common types of cancer among males are lung, nose, colon, blood, intestine and prostate cancers while for females are breast, uterus, colon and intestinal cancers.

All of us have cancer cells in our body. Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. Normal cells grow in the body and die in a controlled way. When cancer occurs, cells in the body that are not normal keep dividing and forming more cells without control.

Currently, it is the No. 3 health killer in the world, after heart disease and stroke. Most people are frightened when diagnosed with cancer because it could lead to death within a short period of time.

The fact is cancer is not formed overnight but it takes many years for the tumour to take shape. For 1 g of tumour to become 10 g, it may take a few years. 1 g of tumour is equivalent to 108 to 109 or 100,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 cancer cells. The formation of a 1 cm tumour may take as long as 15 years.

Once the tumour is formed, various symptoms appear and these include the following body conditions.
1. Appearance of unknown lump
2. Obvious changes on the appearance of moles
3. Abnormal increase in excretion of phlegm, ear wax and eye fluid
4. Abnormal increase in ‘bleeding’ during menstruation, nose bleeding, phlegm with blood
5. Abnormal and lasting ‘fever’
6. Abnormal continued pain such as stomach ache
7. Abrupt change in urinary and bowel habits, such as mild diarrhoea and reduced urine
8. Feeling something in the throat, no phlegm, sore throat and difficulty in swallowing
9. Loss of body weight
10. Fatigue
11. Difficulty in wound-healing

What are the major causes of cancer? Exposure to environmental factors that promote gene damage is by far the most important determinant of whether we develop cancer or not. These factors include food and nutrition, physical activity, body composition, tobacco use, infectious agents, radiation, industrial chemicals, pollution and medications (Utusan Konsumer Sept–Oct 2008). In a detailed 517-page report (2007) entitled Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), evidences were shown linking cancer to diet, physical activity and weight (cited in Utusan Konsumer Sept–Oct 2008).

How about genetic inheritance? While it’s true that DNA (genetic material) damage promotes cancer, only 5–10% of cancers are directly inherited, and someone with an inherited gene will not necessarily develop cancer but is at increased risk compared with the general population (EUFIC, cited in Utusan Konsumer Sept–Oct 2008).

The main western treatment for cancer includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of these. The doctor’s recommended treatment plan is normally based on the kind of cancer, the affected body part, the possible effect of cancer on the normal body functions and the general health of the patient.

Surgery usually removes the tumour or affected organ. In breast cancer, it involves the removal of one or both breasts, followed by other treatments.

Radiotherapy (also called x-ray therapy or irradiation) involves the use of a certain type of energy (called ionizing radiation) to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. Accordingly, radiation therapy injures or destroys cells in the area being treated (the ‘target tissue’) by damaging their genetic material. This would make it impossible for the cancer cells to grow and divide. However, this therapy damages both cancer cells and normal cells. Radiation therapy is used to treat solid tumour, including cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, larynx, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin, spine, stomach, uterus, leukaemia and lymphoma.

In chemotherapy, ‘anticancer’ drugs are applied to destroy cancer cells by stopping them from growing or multiplying. In the process, healthy cells are also destroyed. Again, in the process, harm to healthy cells may cause side effects. It is believed that these cells usually repair themselves after chemotherapy. In some cases, two or more drugs are often given at the same time to have maximum impact.

Chemotherapy can be used for the following purposes:
1. To cure the cancer. Cancer is considered cured when the patient remains free of evidence of cancer cells.
2. To control the cancer. This is done by keeping the cancer from spreading, slowing the cancer's growth and killing cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body from the original tumour.
3. To relieve symptoms (such as pain) that the cancer may cause to the patient.
Other than surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, other drug treatments such as biological therapy is also used. This is treatment with substances made in the laboratory that boost the body's own immune system against cancer. These substances are given to patients to destroy cancer cells or change the way the body reacts to a tumour. They may also help the body repair or make new cells destroyed by chemotherapy.

In some cases, chemotherapy is the only treatment a patient receives. It is now common to find a combination of treatments, i.e. surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or biological therapy. This is used for the following purposes.
1. To shrink a tumour before surgery or radiation therapy. This is called neo-adjuvant therapy.
2. To help destroy any cancer cells that may remain after surgery and/or radiation therapy. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy.
3. To make radiation therapy and biological therapy work better.
4. To help destroy cancer if it recurs or has spread to other parts of the body from the original tumour.

Western treatment for cancer is to ‘remove and kill’ the cancer cells. In the process, other than the cancer cells, healthy cells are destroyed resulting in various side effects such as mouth ulcers, chest pain, poor eye sight, stomach-ache, tooth drop and hair loss. More importantly, the use of drugs in treatment may cause other problems. In the case of breast cancer, Tamoxifen, a drug used to prevent cancer recurrence, could lead to liver and urinary cancer as revealed by Prof. Dr. Azimahtol Hawariah Lope Pihie (The Star, 1 February 2004).

Below is the case of a patient undergoing breast cancer treatment (Healthy Magazine, No. 14, 2003).

1998: Felt the existence of a lump on one breast. She was confirmed to have cancer after X-ray (Mammogram) test. She could not accept this reality of having breast cancer. Felt worried, scared and mentally tormented. She did not have peace of mind. Which treatment is best: modern, traditional Chinese or both? She sought the advice of a psychiatrist. She accepted the reality of having cancer, learned about it and faced it. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy. The third chemotherapy treatment brought side effects. She felt eye pain, she could not open the eyes and no tears flowed when she cried. She took Chinese herbal medicine and the eye condition returned to normal.

2003: She began to practise Quolin Qi Gong to fight cancer. She is of the opinion that it is important for cancer patients to learn Qi Gong to control the cancer cells. In her opinion, when western medication does not help, a cancer patient should never give up trying Chinese medication, hoping that may be, it could help. Other than medicinal treatment, the care and concern of her spouse and family members also helped her recover from cancer.

How long do cancer patients survive with conventional treatment? Since my father-in-law practices Quolin Qi Gong with a group of cancer patients, it was observed that most patients diagnosed with cancer died within five years. Of the total 33 cancer patients who passed away from 2003–2008, only 15% survived more than five years.

Why do cancer patients undergoing conventional treatments not live longer than they wish? The possible and yet often ignored reality is that cancer cells are very active and they keep dividing endlessly. When they divide, they will take in nutrients that are provided for the normal cells. Moreover, the cancer cells are resistant to chemicals. When you kill the cancer cells, you will not kill all. You will probably enjoy a few more years before the rest of remaining cancer cells recovered but when they become strong again, they may claim your life. However, after treatments, if you go on health food, the chance of reclaiming health is higher. The health food you take helps for the recovery of damaged cells in a soft and gentle way. Health food, which helps in detoxifying, assists in preventing the proliferation of cancer cells.

In short, if you are diagnosed with cancer, one of the first things to do is to switch to health food as soon as possible. This will increase your chance of lengthening your life and reduce the risk of bearing more suffering in conventional treatments. Make a wise choice, your life destiny can be changed. You are the decision maker.

Kidney Disease – You Need to Know More

Dear all Malaysians, kindly take note of the followings.

According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, among Malaysia’s 26-million population in 2005, the annual newly identified number of people with kidney disease is 2,500. For every one million Malaysians, 100 suffer from kidney problems and this is the highest in the world (The Star 30 May 2007). About 13,000 patients seek dialysis each year (New Straits Times, 12 November 2006).

Located in the back of the abdomen below the diaphragm, the main function of the kidneys is to remove nitrogen-containing wastes (mainly urea) from the blood and adjust the concentration of various salts. Kidneys act as filters of the blood. They produce urine and eliminate it through the urinary system.

According to the web site (www.kidney.org) of the National Kidney Foundation of America, chronic kidney disease (CKD) includes conditions that damage the kidneys. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can accumulate to high levels in the blood. A person having CKD may develop complications such as high blood pressure, anaemia (low blood count), weak bones and nerve damage. Kidney disease increases the risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. Chronic kidney disease is mainly caused by diabetes and high blood pressure, accounting for two-thirds of the cases. Other conditions affecting the kidney include diseases that cause inflammation and damage to the kidneys’ filtering units, inherited diseases, malformations as a baby develops in the mother’s womb, diseases that affect the body’s immune system, obstruction caused by problems such as kidney stones, tumour or an enlarged prostate gland in men and repeated urinary infections.

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of kidney disease. According to the US National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (kidney.niddk.nih.gov dated 9 November 2006), diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure, accounting for more than 45% of new cases. Even when diabetes is controlled, the disease can lead to nephropathy and kidney failure.

Analgesic use has been associated with two different forms of kidney damage. Over-the-counter analgesics (medicines bought without a prescription) include aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and others. These drugs present no danger for most people when taken in the recommended dosage. However, long-term use of these analgesics may affect proper functioning of kidneys. A second form of kidney damage, called analgesic nephropathy, can result from taking painkillers every day for many years.

Normally, the medicine prescribed prevents kidney weakening (ACE inhibitor), alleviates kidney swelling/inflammation (steroid), prevents artery blockage and kills germs (antibiotics).
If both kidneys stop functioning due to disease, patients are said to have end-stage renal disease (ESRD). At this stage, the body can no longer rid itself of certain toxins and cannot properly regulate blood pressure and critical nutrients. Patients with ESRD have to depend on artificial dialysis or kidney transplant to maintain life. In some cases, those experiencing kidney failures can die within days due to the build-up of toxins and fluid in their blood.

Dialysis is the modern method of treating kidney weakening. The purpose is to detoxify uric toxin out of the body. The method can only reduce the toxin but does not reclaim the normal function of the kidney. Undergoing dialysis over a long period of time leads to reduced kidney blood flow, decline in urine volume and kidney hardening. Consequently, the patients have to depend on dialysis for the rest of their lives. The issue is that dialysis cost is not cheap and certainly beyond the means of the poor and needy. In private clinics in Malaysia, the cost was around RM3,000 to RM5,000 a month in 2009. Long-term dialysis may result in other health problems and in some cases may cause death.

Kidney transplant is like changing a car’s spare parts. In reality, kidney patients face two basic problems in kidney transplant, i.e. finding a suitable kidney and the body responses after the transplant. A transplant is never the same as the natural body organ. Rejection may occur thus threatening the life of kidney patients. In order to sustain the transplant in the human body, the patients have to take medicines to prevent these negative responses. This takes time and the medicines are not cheap. Some patients could afford to finance the transplant but paying the medicine cost for a long period of time is beyond their means.

Many people are of the opinion that kidney transplant would enable them to live a normal life. Is that the case? In 2007, a 45-year-old female kidney patient explains her situation as follows.

“After kidney transplant, a patient cannot expect to live a normal life like others. In reality, it is a different way of life compared to a normal person. In order to take care of the transplanted kidney, I have to monitor my body weight, urine quantity and body temperature from time to time. Besides this, I have to self-examine the extent of pain, the size of the transplant and its extent of hardness. I have to be very careful with the food taken each day. The body could be painful at times. It is not true that transplant solves kidney failure. Transplant is not the same as your own kidneys. After kidney transplant, I have to take various medicines to prevent rejection by the transplant and this cost RM1,000 a month in 2005. Taking medicines for a long time brings side effects. These negative effects could lead to diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I also avoid going to public places as I may catch fever and running nose. I worry day and night and I do not know how long the transplant could last. My economic resource is limited. I may die any time. Take care of your kidneys before it is too late.”

Diabetes and Treatment History of A Petient

Diabetes is another world health killer after cardiovascular disease and cancer. It is estimated that 50% of the diabetics have no symptoms and is thus also a silent killer. It was reported that in 2006 about 2.1 million Malaysians now have diabetes (New Straits Times, 7 April 2006) compared with 1.2 million in 2005 (The Star, 20 November 2005). The number is alarming.

The Minister of Health (Malaysia) also revealed that the prevalence of diabetes among adults has increased from less than 1% in 1960 to 8.3% in the 1990s (Nanyang Siang Pau, 2 December 2006). Diabetes is a threat to Malaysians. The government is facing an uphill task to keep the number of diabetics down, particularly for those in their prime. In the meantime, more and more young people have diabetes. Findings from a national health and morbidity study showed that the number of diabetic patients in their 30s rose from 6.3% (1986) to 8.3% (1996). If the Malaysians do not change their lifestyle, including daily diet, it is projected that by 2015, about 12% of the national population will have diabetes (New Straits Times, 12 November 2006).

Diabetes refers to too much sugar in the blood. The typical symptoms of diabetes are feeling thirsty, easily hungry, physically weak, weight loss, tiredness, poor eye sight, skin itchiness, hand and foot numbness, slow wound recovery, poor urination and erectus dyfunctioning. If it is not properly managed, it could result in a variety of complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy), eye disease (diabetic retinopathy), nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy) and damage to blood vessels and impotence.

There are three types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce insulin or produces it only in very small quantities. It accounts for about 10% of all diabetes cases. Normally occurs among individuals below 20 years of age, this type of diabetes is related to the build-up of glucose in the blood. Since the body cannot convert glucose into energy, it begins to break down, stored as fat for fuel. The result is the increasing amounts of acidic compounds in the blood called ketone bodies.

Type 2 diabetes is imbalance in the body’s insulin production and the ability of cells to use insulin. About 90% of all diabetes cases in developed nations are Type 2. There is a strong relationship between obesity and Type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that about 80% of diabetics with this form of the disease are significantly overweight. Diabetic patients usually also have high rates of cholesterol and triglyceride abnormalities, obesity and high blood pressure. All these could lead to cardiovascular diseases.

The third type of diabetes is called gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced diabetes. It is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. This type of diabetes normally goes away after giving birth.

To know whether a person has diabetes, the method used is Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). This test is primarily used to measure how well the body can use or metabolize glucose, the main form of sugar in the body. The test involves two steps. The patient needs to fast for 8 to 10 hours the night before the test. He or she is then given a solution of glucose (75 g) to drink. Blood samples are taken between 0 to 120 minutes to confirm the occurrence of diabetes. During these two points of time, if the OGTT results is more than 7.0 mmol/L and 11.1 mmol/L respectively, diabetes is confirmed.

To treat diabetes, insulin dosage is normally prescribed by the doctor. In some serious cases, injection of insulin is necessary. The diabetics have to depend on modern drugs to control the sugar in the blood. The experience of a friend (a 57-year-old male in 2009) reveals diabetes treatment in our modern society.

1980s: Confirmed to have hypertension and was given a drug to control blood pressure. He believed that hypertension is inherited as other siblings also face the same problem.

1995: Confirmed to have diabetes and began to take medicine prescribed by doctors. While working part-time as a general worker in the United States of America, he drank 4 to 5 litres of soft drinks a day and took fast food during lunch and dinner.

1998/9: Continued to take medicines as hypertension and diabetes remained. He ate a lot of chocolates and potato fries to fight the cold weather in the United Kingdom, after moving from the US. Felt very thirsty and tired after taking such food.

2004-5: Everyday, he had to take medicine called Glibenclamide tablet BP 5 mg to control diabetes. Medicine for hypertension was consumed when necessary as the blood pressure dropped to 140/85 mm HG in 2004. He also consumed food supplements purchased by his daughters. He felt that modern medicines are able to control the diabetes and high blood pressure. This could partly be due to the eating of salad, drinking of water and daily exercise. Despite all these, he occasionally felt waist and back pain.

2006: In early 2006, he was a given stronger dose by the doctor. Metformin (one and half tablets each time, thrice a day) and gliclazide (2 tablets each time, twice a day) are taken to control sugar level. Perindopril (half a tablet, before food, once a day) is for hypertension. Simvastatin (1 tablet, before sleep) is taken to control cholesterol. He fasted for a few days to reduce body weight and improve health condition. It did not help much as he was not willing to give up the nice and tasty foods. By the end of the year, he was told by the doctor that he had to take care of his health because of high blood, diabetes and high cholesterol. More importantly, there is symptom that his kidneys are showing signs of weakness.

2007-2009: Other than medicines for his hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol, he was prescribed an additional anti-coagulant medicine.
a) Blood pressure–Perindopril, 4 mg, PO Tab/Cap, once daily, 6 months.
b) Sugar level–(a) Metformin, 750 mg, PO/Tab, 3 times daily after meal, 6 months, and (b) Gliclazide, 160 mg, PO/Tab, 2 times daily before meals, 6 months.
c) Cholesterol–Simvastatin, 20 mg, PO/Tab, at night, 6 months.
d) Anti-coagulant–Aspirin, 75 mg, PO/Tab, once daily, 6 months.

In the meantime, his kidneys continued to show signs of weakness.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) and the Story of A Patient

According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is the world’s third health killer, which could bring to other critical diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. It is another slow health killer. It was reported that one out of three Malaysians (33%) aged 30 and above suffers from hypertension. You need to learn more about this disease because only six out of every 100 Malaysians with hypertension have their blood pressure under control (New Straits Times, 7 April 2006). Some people have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. Hence, hypertension is also another ‘silent killer’.

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the wall of arteries. The heart pumps blood around our body through a network of arteries. The blood needs some pressure to carry the nutrients and oxygen to various parts of the human body and also to carry away waste. When it pumps, it forces blood through the arteries into smaller blood vessels known as capillaries. The force that the heart produces in arteries when it pumps is the blood pressure. If these vessels are narrow, it's harder for the blood to flow through them and the pressure inside them increases. When a person’s blood pressure is higher than the normal level, hypertension occurs.

High blood pressure measurement
Ideal: <120 mm Hg (lower) and <80 mmHg (higher).
Normal: <130 mm Hg (lower) and <85 mmHg (higher).
Marginal: <130–139 mm Hg (lower) and < 85–89 mmHg (higher).
1st stage hypertension: <140–159 mm Hg (lower) and < 90–99 mmHg (higher).
2nd stage hypertension: <160–179 mm Hg (lower) and < 100–109 mmHg (higher).
3rd stage hypertension: <180–209 mm Hg (lower) and < 110–119 mmHg (higher).

When high blood pressure occurs, the heart becomes strained and blood vessels may become damaged. Changes in the vessels that supply blood to the kidneys and brain may cause these organs to be affected. Hypertension damages body organs such as the heart, blood vessels, kidneys and eyes. It makes the heart work too hard and this contributes to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), increases the risk of heart disease and stroke and brings about other health problems such as congestive heart failure and blindness.

Information from the websites on health shows that 90 to 95% of high blood pressure cases are of unknown cause. When the cause is unknown, it is called essential or primary hypertension. Scientists have identified some factors that contribute to high blood pressure. These are arteriosclerosis (or hardening of the arteries), thickening or hypertrophy of the artery wall and excess contraction of the arterioles (small arteries).

Even though the cause of high blood pressure is unknown, certain associations have been recognized in people with essential hypertension. For example, essential hypertension develops only in groups or societies that have a fairly high intake of salt, exceeding 5.8 grams daily. Thus, excess salt may be involved in the hypertension that is associated with advancing age, obesity, hereditary (genetic) susceptibility and kidney failure (renal insufficiency).

Factors that may lead to high blood pressure in the remaining 5–10% of cases, which are known as secondary hypertension, include (a) kidney abnormality, (b) a structural abnormality of the aorta (large blood vessel leaving the heart) existing since birth and (c) narrowing of certain arteries.

Doctors normally use medicines to control the high blood pressure. When one type of medicine does not bring the desired effect or brings side effects, another medicine is prescribed. The following case of one of my relatives (a 60-year-old married female in 2006) is an example of how high blood pressure could lead to other problems.

1970-1990s: Had headache from time to time. Practised self-medication with ‘Panadol’ and ‘Dusil’ tablets purchased from sundry shops. She liked to eat salty food. Much salt was added to fish, vegetable and soup prepared for lunch and dinner.

1999: Confirmed to have high blood pressure and began to take medicine prescribed by doctors. She sought medical treatment in hospitals and specialist centres in Kuantan and Kuala Lumpur. She also believed to have bad luck when high blood occurred and hence sought traditional religious treatment from Chinese mediums.

2000–2003: Felt physically weak and dizzy from time to time. Besides visiting the doctors, she continued to obtain traditional medicine from Chinese medium. Also took food supplements to enhance body immune system. She fainted a few times. Following my advice, she began to drink a glass of fruit juice a day. She followed the doctor’s advice that she is ‘free to eat anything she likes’ and did not want to change to health food.

2004: Stroke occurred and she was warded in the government hospital for a week. She took medicine, namely Enalapril Maleate 5 mg/tablet and Glibenclamide 5 mg/tablet to reduce hypertension and diabetes. She also took food supplements. She felt that death may be nearer than thought. She had to be careful to walk slowly.

2005: To reduce hypertension and diabetes, she is now on three treatments, namely (a) Western medication – Enalapril 5 mg/tablet and 28 Filmtabletten 80/12, 5 mg/tablet, (b) 3 types of Chinese herbal tablets and (c) Chinese acupuncture treatment from a Chinese physician in Kuala Lumpur. As her life is now threatened, she said that she did not mind spending money as long as there is a way to recover from stroke.

2006-2008: She began to reduce meat consumption. By January 2007, she can walk firmly without the care of her husband. She believes that her slight health improvement is the result of acupuncture treatment.

2009: She had another minor stroke and almost fell to the ground. Despite of this, she continues to enjoy the nice and tasty food.

Medically, the main cause of high blood pressure is not known. It is however associated with excessive salt intake. The disease is linked to eye disease, blood vessel damage, coronary artery disease, kidney failure, stroke, dementia, erectile dysfunction.

In the case of the high blood pressure patient above, the association to excessive salt intake is true. She likes to consume salted food, from vegetable, egg to fish. High blood pressure has resulted in her stroke. If she does not adjust her diet for healthy living, she may be suffering more at the last stage of her life.

Understanding Stroke

In 2000, stroke patients are not common in Malaysia. By 2009, it is common to find stroke patients around us, in both urban and rural areas. If you were to carefully observe these patients, you find that they hardly smile. Stroke has taken away all their smiles and they are living in the world of their own. They have to learn to walk carefully and slowly as a fall may eventually take away their lives.

Stroke is another type of disease related to blood vessels. It is the brain equivalent of a heart attack. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked, either by blood clots or narrow blood vessels or when there is bleeding in the brain. When this happens, the brain nerve cells are deprived of nutrients and they begin to die within a few minutes.

The main causes of stroke are blood clot or blockage in artery, blood vessel rupture, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Stroke is linked to diabetes and high blood pressure.

There are two types of strokes. The first is Ischemic stroke caused by a blood clot or blockages in the arteries. It is normally preceded by a TIA or mini stroke, a kind of Ischemic stroke when symptoms last the most a few hours and then disappear. The second type is haemorrhagic stroke which occurs when blood vessels rupture. Serious stroke may later lead to death.

Before a stroke occurs, the patient normally shows symptoms such as poor eye sight, numbing of arm, leg and face muscle, poor speech, difficulty in understanding others, headache, neck hardening, dizziness and loss of body control. This is normally followed by a mini stroke, a result of blood circulation problem in the brain, thus bringing about deficiency in oxygen and poor functioning of the brain.

Patients suffered from stroke show a number of symptoms: partial paralysis, difficulty in walking, easily falling down and broken bone, sensory and vision loss, problems with talking, difficulty in taking food, outflow of saliva, losing control of urine and stools, and feeling numbness. Stroke patients also normally show declining brain function, are low in spirit and have low levels of confidence. It was estimated that about 30% of the patients have to lie in bed.

The modern medicine prescribed by doctors for stroke patients is normally Ramipril. It helps to reduce high blood pressure, the chance of stroke recurrence and death.

Heart Disease and Treatment Underwent By A Friend

According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, heart disease has been the number 1 health killer since 1970.

Heart diseases are diseases of the heart and blood vessel system within the heart. The three most common heart diseases are (a) coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease (CAD), (b) heart failure (occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood through the body as well as it should) and (c) arrhythmia (irregular heart beat).

The main causes of heart disease are blood clot or blockage in artery, cholesterol and triglyceride. Heart disease is linked to diabetes and high blood pressure.

CAD, the most common form of heart disease, affects the blood vessels of the heart. Medical professionals attribute its cause to atherosclerosis, i.e. the gradual build-up of plaques in blood vessels that feed our heart (our coronary arteries). CAD causes angina or chest pain due to poor blood circulation to the heart. This is because the coronary arteries cannot supply sufficient blood to meet the heart’s oxygen demand. It also causes heart attack where part of the heart muscle dies. Heart attacks happen when an artery to your heart muscle becomes completely blocked and part of the heart muscle fed by that artery dies. It is usually a result of blood clot or other blockage in the already narrowed coronary artery. The symptoms of coronary heart disease include feeling chest pain while walking, going up the staircase, after taking a meal and feeling tired easily.

What does a doctor check for when a person has CAD? The following experience of a male friend (aged 62 in 2006) could be regarded a typical case of conventional treatment.

1986: Experienced chest pain at the age of 52. Doctor confirmed that there was too much water in the lungs. He underwent Scope check to examine internal chest condition. The 30-minute Scope check was a painful and unforgettable experience. Medicine was consumed to stop chest pain.

January 1987: Faced difficulty in breathing and was given medicine to reduce the problem. Underwent Stress test and was confirmed to have coronary heart disease.

June 1987: Underwent further checking at a private hospital. He continued to take medicine to reduce the heart disease. He spent a total of RM2,700 for the medical check-up and medicine.

1987–1999: Took three types of medicines a day, namely GTN, ‘Bitolok’& Cardyprint to reduce heart pain, smoothen blood circulation and clean the blood. He had frequent serious headache to the extent of wanting to remove his hair. He experienced nose bleed occasionally.

December 1999: Underwent second Stress test and continued to take medicines. He realized the reality of the need to take medicines for the rest of his life to survive.

June 2000: Warded in a government hospital to undergo Angiogram. Confirmed one large vein and two smaller veins were blocked. The 45-minute Angiogram examination was a painful process.

June 2000: Before the surgery, he was asked to sign a letter to permit the doctor to conduct the surgery. He was also shocked when the nurse asked him where his body would be buried in case the surgery did not succeed. He was allowed to have a final interaction with family members. The by-pass surgery took 20 hours. From a total of three patients who underwent surgery on the same day, he was one of the two survivors while the other passed away. He rested in the hospital for a month. The medical bill totalled RM38,000.

June 2000 (after surgery): Each day, the patient had to take 14 tablets of 7 types of medicines, i.e. Simvastatin (Zocor), Iisosorbide Dinitrate, Amlodipine (Norvasc), Ticlopidine (Ticlid), Metoprolol (Denex), Ranitide (Vesyca) and Trimetazidine (Vastarel). The patient has to paste the chest with Nitroglycerine twice a day to reduce chest pain. When the medicines were taken accordingly, the body and mental conditions were good. However, if these medicines were not consumed, the body became weak and he could not focus on whatever he did.

November 2004: Medical check-up showed that there was new vessel blockage. It was confirmed the patient had another disease, diabetes. He had to consume another medicine, Proscar.

April 2005–2006: Vessel blockage remained. There was no need to undergo another operation. He continued to take medicine. Having experienced all these sufferings, he truly realized that “health is more important than wealth”.

2007: The medicines prescribed by the doctor were 7 types:
a) Control cholesterol and purify blood—Simvastatin, 20 mg (Zocor), 1 tablet once a day
b) Strengthen heart—Isosorbide Mononitrate, 60 mg CR Tab (Imdex), 1 tablet once a day
c) Control heart bit—Amlodipine 10 mg Tab (Norvasc), 1 tablet once a day
d) Purify blood—Iosartan potassium 50 mg (Cozaar), half a tablet once a day
e) Control high blood—Ticlopidine 258 mg (Ticlid), 1 tablet once a day
f) Metoprolol 100 mg, (Denex), half a tablet once a day
g) Control high blood—Trimetazidine, 20 mg Tab (Vasteral), 1 tablet thrice a day.

2008: He was prescribed additional medicine to ensure good blood circulation. In October, he fell after attending an evening prayer. He complained that his eye sight was getting worse and he had to temporarily stop driving. He attributed the deteriorating health condition to taking too many types of medicines over the years.

2009: His health problem deteriorated. He has poorer eye sight compared to last year and only drives occasionally when necessary. He has little choice but continues with the medicines prescribed.

Normally, a patient who had undergone by-pass surgery has to continue taking medicine. The first type of medicine is to prevent blockage in the replaced blood vessel. The second type of medicine is anti-cholesterol. It prevents the occurrence of hypertension which may further lead to vessel blockage. If the patient has hypertension, he/she is also prescribed medicine to control the blood pressure. The bypass surgery does not mean the end to heart disease. About 50% of the patients are likely to experience recurrence of vessel blockage 10 years after the surgery.

Take care of your health. Do not be a victim of heart disease. The health history of my friend above is not meant to frighten you but serves as a caution to all of us. Take necessary steps to avoid and reduce chances of heart disease occurrence in the future.

Understanding Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of deaths worldwide, causing more than 17 million deaths each year, accounting for 30% of global death. In Malaysia, cardiovascular diseases ranked third among the causes of death in 1950. These diseases are the No. 1 Killer in Malaysia since 1980s and they account for 30% of all medically-certified deaths (Utusan Konsumer Jan–Feb 2006).

Cardiovascular diseases are diseases of the heart and diseases of the blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries). “Cardio” refers to the heart while “vascular”, the blood vessel system. Arteries are blood vessels that flow from the heart and are divided into small branches called capillaries. Capillaries gradually assemble to form veins. The blood in the veins flows back to the heart.

The cardiovascular system includes the heart, blood vessels and blood. Their functions are closely related, that is to circulate the blood to all parts of the body. All human cells are submerged within the blood. If the cardiovascular system does not function well, it will lead to impairment in other parts of the body or cause diseases and illnesses. Hence, cardiovascular diseases are diseases of the circulatory system. These include conditions affecting the heart, heart valves, blood and vasculature of the body.

Common cardiovascular diseases are (a) atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries), (b) stroke (lack of blood flow to the brain from a blood clot, or bleeding in the brain from a broken blood vessel) and (c) hypertension (high blood pressure). A common feature of this category of diseases is the thickening of the blood vessel wall, caused by too much cholesterol and triglyceride (i.e. fats and oils). Cholesterol is a non-polar, very sticky and extremely hard fatty substance that melts

It is necessary to understand the below functions of the cardiovascular system.
(a) Heart: Continuously pumps blood to different parts of the body to enable normal functioning.
(b) Blood vessels: Channels of blood circulation, including artery, capillary and vein. Arteries carry blood with oxygen and food to all parts of the body. From the arteries the oxygen and food are carried to the cells via capillaries. The capillaries also send the waste in the cells to the blood. The waste is carried by the vein to the heart.
(c) Blood: Carries oxygen and the food we eat to all the tiny cells in our bodies to keep them working properly. Carries waste in the cells to other parts of the body.


The most serious case of cardiovascular disease is heart attack, a common cause of death. It has been estimated that for every three patients identified to be suffering from a heart attack, one would die within a year. Moreover, the chance of a heart attack survivor to experience recurrence is 15 times higher than normal individual. No wonder heart attack is the world’s number one health killer.

The heart is responsible for pumping blood all around our body. It is located right in the middle of our chests, just a little bit to the left, between our lungs. The heart is about the size of our fists. Arteries carry blood with oxygen and food to all parts of the body. Veins carry blood with carbon dioxide and waste such as uric acid and ammonia back to the heart. Normal arteries are flexible to ensure smooth circulation of blood. However, when the inner walls of the arteries harden, the blood vessels accumulate lots of cholesterol, plaques and fats. Consequently, narrowing of the arteries results in the slowing down of blood circulation. If this situation takes place in the heart, heart attack occurs; in the brain, stroke happens, in the kidney, it is kidney weakening and in other parts of the body it could lead to cancer. Hardening of the arteries is thus a very serious matter and one cannot afford to view it lightly.

Obesity – A Serious Problem

Obesity is recognized by some experts as a “chronic inflammatory state”. Chronic inflammation can promote cancer development.

This is the disease of most urbanites in the developing and developed countries. In Malaysia, obesity had become a growing problem among the population. A study showed that of a total population of 26 million in 2006 in Malaysia, more than 3.8 million adults were deemed overweight in 2006 compared with 2.3 million in 1996 (The Star, 4 April 2006). This places Malaysians as the most overweight and obese people in Asia, with about 25% of the people being so (New Straits Times, 7 April 2006).

Another survey showed that 54% of adult Malaysian population is either overweight or obese compared with only 24% 10 years ago. By contrast, about 24% of men and 48% of women in Singapore are fat while only 8% of men and 13% women in France are fat (New Straits Times, 29 September 2006). In 2008, the current Health Minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, confirmed that almost half of the 13 million Malaysian adults are over-weight (Lee 2008).

The problem of obesity appears to be more serious in the urban areas. A study in Subang Jaya, an urban area in Malaysia, by Universiti Malaya and the Malaysian Society of Andrology and the Study of the Ageing Male (MSASAM) showed the following results among 1,050 men above 40 (The Star, 31 August 2006).
a) 77% fall into the Body Mass Index categories of overweight, obese and morbidly obese, using Asia-Pacific criteria.
b) More than half of them have large stomachs, a waistline of more than 90 cm.
c) Almost 30% of the men were found to have diabetes and pre-diabetes meaning that one in three men has high blood glucose and is at risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney ailment and nerve and eye problem.
d) About 28% suffer from moderately–severe prostate problems.
e) 60% experience erectile dysfunction.
f) More than 80% have to take cholesterol-lowering medication.

The main cause of obesity among Malaysians is linked to unhealthy lifestyle or more specifically eating too much, especially fast food and carbonated drinks and having little or no exercise. It was pointed out that excess triglyceride fats (in obese people) correlate with high blood, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Most obese people take medicine, food supplements and exercise to lose weight. Yet, in general obesity remains. We need to take care of our body weight as findings show that absolute body size is negatively related to longevity and life expectancy but positively related to mortality.

We should not view the problem of obesity lightly. Simply, it can cause further health complication. It is linked to other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, lipid disorder, stroke, kidney ailments, respiratory disease, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis, hormonal abnormalities, nerve & eye problem.

Cancer Part 11 – The Peaceful Departure

In the long run, it seems that cancer is irreversible. There is probably no cure for cancer, we can only temporarily kill some of the cancer cells with drugs or control it with health food. My father-in-law underwent a back bone operation in mid-2007. According to the orthopaedist, his cancer cells were active again (his PSA reached 3,350 μg/l before the operation), causing pain to the back bone. His PSA fell to 1,950 μg/l after the operation and he was regarded a terminal cancer patient. The urologist advised radiotherapy and drugs to prolong his life, probably for another three to six months. After weighing the pros and cons, my father-in-law decided not to go for radiotherapy and also declined the suggestion to take anti-cancer drugs. He felt that health food is the best medicine, without any side effects. Our principle was to seek peaceful co-existence with cancer cells instead of fighting them. By taking health food, we hoped the cancer cells would not multiply too rapidly. He survived the test of time in 2007.

In 2008, his health condition deteriorated. In July 2008, he underwent an operation to enable smooth urination. By then, his PSA rose to more than 4,000 μg/l). In October 2008, he had problem urinating again and was warded in a government hospital. He was weak. We knew and accepted that his days were numbered. We were helping him to live a happy and peaceful life, before he moved on to the next life. We shared with him the words a cancer patient before passing away that “Death is but the beginning of something else…is just a change of energy phase”.

The final moment of his life finally came. My father-in-law passed away peacefully on 1 January 2009. You may wish to know what happened on his last day.
7.50 a.m.: He ate half a slice of bread, having not taken any solid food the day before.
9.00 a.m.: Feeling hungry, he took some oat milk.
9.00 a.m.–2 p.m. He drank one spoon of water every half an hour. He complained that his back was hot. The family helped him to turn side ways, fanned him for a few seconds and stopped as pain was unbearable.
2.30 p.m.: He could no longer eat or drink. He was quiet most of the time. His eyes were closed.
4.30 p.m.: We agreed that no one was to cry in front of him to ensure a peaceful departure for him. The family members began to recite religious verses. In the process, each of the family members (his wife, two of his three sons, his daughter, his elder daughter-in-law, four of his seven grandchildren and me) took turns to bid goodbye and thanked him for all the good deeds, advice and guidance. I expressed my gratitude for the chance to meet his family and later became his son-in-law. He has given me the most valuable gift in life—allowing her daughter to befriend and marry me even though she is 10 years younger. In the meantime, we assured him that his youngest son was rushing back to meet him. We told him to hang on so that he could fulfil his wish to meet his youngest son for the last time. In this way, his journey in this life would be complete.
6.15 p.m.: His youngest son arrived. He glanced at his son for a moment before closing his eyes again. He shed a few drops of tears which were wiped away by his son. I then told him that it was alright to go.
6.30 p.m.: Amidst religious recitation, his breath slowed down and he departed peacefully—no fear, no screaming, no struggle, no pain, no clinging. His wishes to meet his youngest son and to die at home were fulfilled.
6.30 p.m.–3.00 a.m.: Family members took turn to continue recite religious verses for him before he was placed into the coffin. At 9.35 p.m., his mouth closed. From that time onwards, a grey moth was seen flying in his bedroom most of the time. It also flew to other bedrooms. It left after 1.00 a.m. and did not appear again.

It was a peaceful ending for him. He was a hero. He had trodden the path least travelled by cancer patients and an area little known to medical science. He sought treatment through the unconventional way, i.e. through health food, complemented by emotional and spiritual support. He survived prostate cancer for 13 years, without radiotherapy and chemotherapy, much longer than the time predicted by the urologist in 1996. His life story is worth sharing, especially with those facing cancer.

Our decision to switch to health food has brought wonderful changes in our lives. For me, the joy of life is beyond words as we walk the healthy path. I realise that we have to take care of our health to lead a quality life. This quality life has enriched my personal life. I hardly face any serious illness these days and do not have to take medicine as well as medical leave since 1997. As a result, I have more energy to perform better in my work.

Managing cancer the natural way has been a very challenging process. We not only need to take care of the food intake, but equally important are the emotional and spiritual aspects of the patient. Those taking care of the patient have to be emotionally stable too to handle the changing moods of the sensitive patient. It has to be done with great love and great compassion.

All in all, I am grateful to all the people and things in life. I have little or no complaints. To me, we are all inter-related in one way or another, directly or indirectly. My existence is because of your existence. You are part of my life. It is my social responsibility to share this knowledge and experience with you via this blog.

We appreciate if you could help disseminating the health information to those you loved and care. The updated information in this blog (http://drlimhinfui.blogspot.com) is for FREE reading. Should you or they need to own a hard copy, you have to purchase it at a reasonable price by just sending me an email at samarata2007@gmail.com

Best health to all in your families!

Best health to all in the universe!

Cancer Part 10 – How Long Will Cancer Patients Live?

How long will a cancer patient live?

This is the frequently asked question when one is diagnosed with cancer. Family members want their loved ones to live longer. They find all ways and means searching for the right treatment, the most effective medicines and the best food supplements.

By adopting a healthy diet, my father-in-law survived 13 years instead of 3. According to the medical doctor, he should have passed away in 1999 under normal circumstances. But he managed to live till 2009. How did earn the extra 10 years? The interesting news is he did not undergo any chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Doctors did not understand why he refused modern medical treatment. He did not take any food supplement. Neither did we search days and nights for the right treatment for him. He practised the pure holistic concept of health in totality – body, mind and spiritual development. He lived longer with our strong and committed family support.

What happened to other cancer patients seeking conventional treatment? Unfortunately, many of them do not live long. With the assistance of my parents-in-law, I kept a record of their cancer patient friends who had passed away. Of the 13 male cancer patients who passed away between 2003 and 2008, three (23%) lived between 6 and 12 years before they passed away. The rest (77%) died within five years after they were diagnosed with cancer. For the 25 female cancer patients who died between 2003 and 2009, only three (12%) survived the popular “5-year” period test.

Would they be able to live longer if they had made a switch to health food besides undergoing various treatments? The medical researchers may like to undertake a research on these.

If your loved ones are diagnosed with cancer, would you wait for the results of the medical research to show that they could live longer if they were to switch to health food? The cancer patients cannot afford to wait that long. It may be good to consider switching to health food. I have met at least 5 persons who or their loved ones have survived cancer for more 20 years as they decided to take care of their daily food.

Give it a good thought.

Cancer Part 9: Daily Food of My Father-in-Law

You may wish to know what my father-in-law ate to achieve health that had assisted in lenghtening his life from 3 to 13 years without any chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The food therapy is rather simple and can be practised by any one. When we changed our food in 1996, we continued to buy food from the normal wet market and supermarkets. Over the years, as we gradually learnt more about food, the major portion of the food materials is now derived from organic shops. The process and how we let go and switched to health food is elaborated later. In any case, the food consumed by my father-in-law is listed below.

Breakfast: Mixed drink of wheat germ, brewer’s yeast and soy lecithin + whole meal bread or oat porridge or noodles

Lunch:
1. Brown rice or porridge with sweet potato + 2 fried vegetables + 2 types of salad
2. Brown rice + green vegetables + beans + green vegetable soup
3. Soup noodle

Afternoon drink (either or in combination)
1. Mung bean soup
2. Red bean soup
3. Sweet potato soup
4. Whole meal bread
5. Biscuits
6. Dumpling

Dinner:
1. Brown rice, 2 fried vegetables, tou-fu, 2-3 types of salad, 1 miso vegetable soup or mixed vegetable soup or herbal soup
2. Fried brown rice, 1 fried vegetable, 2-3 types of salad, bean soup or sugar cane water or sweet potato soup or barley water
3. Fried noodles or bee-hun, 1 fried vegetable, 2-3 types of salad, bean soup or sugar cane water.
Spaghetti, 2-3 types of salad, bean soup or barley water.


You may like to know if he took any food supplements in the daily diet. NO. He rather spent the money purchasing organic vegetables than buying food supplement. This was his choice.

Cancer Part 8: Learning Quolin Qi Gong

Among the Chinese in the world, learning gi gong to fight cancer is now a norm. Among the qi gong, Quolin Qi Gong is most popular as the exercise is known to be effective in controlling cancer cells. This exercise has lengthened the life span of many cancer patients. In Malaysia, it is common to find cancer patients practising the “inhale, inhale, exhale” body movements in the early morning.

Beginning September 2002, my parents-in-law joined the Quolin Qi Gong Kepong branch members in practising this breathing and body movement art that specializes in tackling various types of cancer. The members meet and practise Qi Gong every morning at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia, my work place. Qi Gong helps cancer patients as they need a lot of oxygen. We came to learn that cancer cells would not survive in an oxygenated environment. They need an anaerobic (without oxygen) environment and not an aerobic (with oxygen) environment. This is directly linked to the oxidation–reductive pathway of all living organism. If we address this, we will keep most diseases at bay.

To my father-in law, learning Quolin Qi Gong has enriched his personal life in many ways. The inhaling of more oxygen apparently helped to improve his health. They practise for two to three hours each day, practically throughout the year. More importantly, he gets acquainted with fellow cancer patients, young and old. The Qi Gong session provides an excellent opportunity for them to interact after the exercises. This form of social interaction is much needed as cancer patients are known to be very shy and sensitive. They can release their tension by sharing personal feelings with fellow members. Such sharing session opens the minds and hearts of cancer patients. It assisted in reducing inferiority complex, fear, negative feelings, sadness, bad emotion and helplessness.

After practicing Quolin Qi Gong, my father-in-law felt less lonely. Cancer patients support and encourage each other. The path to fight cancer is not a lonely one. During weekdays, about less than 20 members practise Qi Gong together. In weekends, the number increases to as high as 40 people in 2006. How did my father-in-law feel with all these changes in early 2007?

“After practising Guolin Qi Gong, I no longer live in a small world of my own. Before this, I always thought of many things, wondering when would be my doom day. All these have become history. After each Qi Gong session, the cancer patients exchange views, encourage one another and enhance one another’s confidence in Qi Gong. There are those who recommended various types of useful herbal plants. For those interested, I encourage them to understand how health food can help detoxify the toxin in human body.

Cancer patients’ experiences in various conventional surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have enabled me to understand their inner feelings. Whenever one cancer friend is going for the next treatment, he or she would have the moral support from other cancer patients. We told him or her to fight till the end and never thought of giving up. This form of moral support and encouragement is much needed by the patient concerned. After each chemotherapy treatment, we encourage the patient to continue practicing Qi Gong as soon as possible.

After each radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatment, they have to face the side effects. These side effects include vomiting, difficulty in consuming food, fever, anaemia, hair and teeth loss, stomach discomfort, constipation, lack of appetite, muscle stress, tiredness, ulcers in the throat and mouth.

Among the cancer patients in the Qi Gong group, I am the exception as I did not undergo radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Some of the cancer patients are also doubtful that I do not have to take any medicine and food supplement and yet could survive for more than 10 years. For me, vegetarian food therapy provides the most convenient and an effective way to control cancer cells. I do not have to search for the right medicine as vegetarian food therapy is best for me.

Many cancer patients feel that without meat, a cancer patient would not have enough strength and energy to fight cancer. It is not my intention to argue or convince anyone on the effectiveness of organic vegetables, fruits and brown rice. I seldom talk about it unless consulted. The majority of the cancer patients believe that cancer patients could eat anything they like. Some are even trying to convince me to consume meat, dairy products and eggs again. Why should I? I live healthily now with little health complaints. Health food and Guolin Qi Gong have extended my life. I will live this lifestyle until the last breath, with only appreciation but no regret.”


Undoubtedly, practising Quolin Qi Gong had enriched the lives of my parents. It is rather unfortunate that some cancer patients have too much hope that this qi gong together with radiotherapy and chemotherapy would bring wonder even though they do not have to change their diet for health food. Some even encourage new comers to “eat every things” thus blocking the opportunity to learn that the qi gong and health food could bring better results.

Cancer Part 7 - Health Food Works

Two months after the operation, my father-in-law went back to the clinic for a blood test to check his PSA level. We were also anxious, as we were not sure of the impact of natural food. After three days, the doctor informed that the patient’s PSA had dropped to 18.9 μg/l. What a relief! It was joyful news for us. It simply meant, that switching to natural health food, had an impact on cancer. 26 July 1996, was a historical day. We found health food, as a solution to overcome cancer. We realized, that it was the unhealthy food caused cancer, and healthy food, that reclaimed health. To switch over to health food, is the most important thing, one needs to do, to be healthy.

Unhealthy food: Meat, egg & dairy products, white rice, fragrant rice, white bread, white sugar, white salt, mono sodium glutamate, ordinary soy sauce, ordinary oil

Health food:Vegetables and fruits, brown rice, whole grain cereals, whole meal (wheat) bread, grain-based sweeteners, sea salt, miso, organic soy sauce, olive oil for cold vegetable, walnut oil for hot dishes

Later, we learned that miso, to be explained in Chapter 5, is an excellent alternative to Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG), which makes our dishes tasty and healthy. The use of miso transformed our food culture. It is used for making soup and enhancing taste of all forms of vegetables. Miso was initiated by the Chinese in the past; it was further developed into a health food in Japan. It is now part of the Japanese food culture. I never missed the miso soup, during my three visits to Japan, between 1993 and 2003.

Will a vegetarian diet lead to inadequate protein intake? Are you sure, you do not need to take food supplements? These are the frequently asked questions. Some of our relatives, even tried to persuade us to switch back to the ordinary food, as they felt that a vegetarian diet, was not suitable for growing children. To them, children cannot grow healthily, without consuming dairy products, egg and meat. My wife faced the most pressure, during her second pregnancy in 2000 and 2001. She continued with her vegetarian diet. Even during maternity leave, this health food remained. It did not matter, what others thought of us. The reality is, all of us in the family, are healthier than before. Is there a reason, for us to switch back to the normal diet, which is tasty but unhealthy? No.

I strongly believe, that the path to healthy living, involves consuming vegetarian food and raw food, as well as fasting. Switching to a vegetarian diet, has given my family, the fullest confidence. In the process, we faced various challenges and social pressures from the elders. Despite all these, we are not retreating from the way to good health. Simply, modern and traditional medicines, are not part of our family life. Since my wife, two children and I are healthy, we need no medicines.

Traditional perception of food and new perception on health food often stand at opposite ends. Most of our friends and relatives, are sceptical of our choice of natural, health food. How could a vegetarian diet, help to reclaim health, when even modern surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy cannot cure cancer? It was simply unacceptable to them. The doctors are regarded as the best persons, to prescribe medicines. All patients must listen to the doctors’ advice on cancer treatment. Yet, we took a totally different path. Would this alternative path, work in the long run?

29 October, 1996 was the time for my father-in-law to have a blood test again. We were hopeful. When the result was known three days later, his dropped further to 10.63 μg/l. Such a result, was not the achievement of natural vegetarian diet alone. In the last few months, the patient had practised “Tai-Chi 18 strokes”, a type of Qi Gong. He learned that, in China, patients practising Qi Gong, did not lose their hair or their appetite, after they underwent chemotherapy. The reason behind this, is that Qi Gong raises one’s energy level, and assists a person to change from a diseased state to a healthy one. My father-in-law believed that one has to practise Qi Gong, to reclaim health.

Walking the natural vegetarian diet path enabled us to learn more about food. What particularly needs mentioning is the potassium and sodium content in food in cancer treatment. If one’s normal meals contain more sodium than potassium, it may lead to many diseases and illnesses, including cancer in the later part of one’s life. Most processed food in the market contains salt, preservatives and colourings which are high in sodium. Avoiding these foods could prevent diseases in future.

By early 1997, our persistence in practising the vegetarian diet began to bring more encouraging result. On 3 March 1997, my father-in-law went for the fourth blood test and his PSA was 3.3 μg/l. It meant that his PSA has returned to the level of a normal person. His cancer cells were under control. The process of recovery took nine months.

The doctor was surprised by the cancer patient’s declining PSA and reversion of cancer cells to normal cells without taking his medicine. For one who is trained in western medicine, it was rather incredible. For those who understand food, its functions and impacts, reclaiming health is not merely a dream but can become a reality. What one needs is to understand more about food and change one’s diet gradually for health improvement.

We told the urologist that we had adopted the vegetarian diet approach in tackling cancer cells. He did understand that there is a possibility that other methods could assist in controlling cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body. From then on, he did not advise my father-in-law to take western drugs to control cancer cells. The subsequent blood tests on 13 May and 12 August 1997 further confirmed the cancer cells were under control. My father-in-law’s PSA was 3.1 μg/l on both occasions. He was a normal healthy person by this blood test results. However, this did not mean that he could revert to his previous diet pattern, which was rich in sodium. He realized that a vegetarian diet is the only method to control cancer cells if he did not wish to take medicines. To continue living, he had to continue walking the vegetarian diet path with us.

Cancer Part 6: The First Step in Consuming Health Food

Is it easy to consume health food? Our tongues are so used to the normal tasty food. While health food today can also be tasty, it was not so in 1996. Let’s share my family’s experience in this matter as the concern was to save my father-in-law diagnosed with prostate cancer.

I remember vividly, how the first health food lunch was served. On the dining table, were three dishes of vegetables, to be eaten with brown rice. The dishes were tasteless: no oil or salt was used. It was the most difficult lunch in our life. It was definitely hard to swallow the tasteless, meatless food. As a meat lover, my father-in-law immediately complained, that the dishes were for the cows, not human beings. But the family supporting him, had little complaints, although we also felt the same. My father-in-law remarked, that he had difficulty, swallowing the tasteless vegetables. We told him, that changing food habit took time, and this was the only way we could take for cancer recovery. We were firm, in our decision to carry on. So was he.

Before 1996, we were meat eaters, and enjoyed all forms of processed food, in the markets and restaurants. Switching completely from a normal diet, to the extreme of a vegetarian diet, was by no means easy. We were determined. We supported and encouraged one another. We looked for more information on healthy vegetarian diet to enhance. Dinner-time provided the opportunity, for us to share views, feelings and new information about health food. We tried to enjoy the original taste of vegetarian food. Such mutual support, often ended up with empty dishes and hearts filled with love and hope.

Switching to natural health food posed another challenge. The public in general, think that one who does not consume meat, would have inadequate nutrition, to grow or fight illnesses. Such belief has been deeply rooted in the mind of human society, rich or poor. To avoid complication and social pressure, our change to natural health food, was kept at a very low profile. We did not want to spend our time and energy explaining, which might end up souring relationship with relatives. Only immediate family members, were informed of our decision.

In 1996, there was limited information about organic food, and purchase the food, was even more difficult. To purchase brown rice, we had to make an order from a resident in Petaling Jaya, who sourced the rice from Thailand. Organic vegetables were equally difficult to obtain. Hence, most of our vegetables came from the normal wet markets, in the vicinity of our residence in Kepong. We also did not have much knowledge, of how to cook the vegetables. The general guideline, was keeping cooking simple, with little tasty ingredients. Our food was either lightly boiled in water, or steamed. Vegetables were soaked in hot water for a minute, and immediately served. We were not aware, of the use of organic sea salt and miso.

Consuming natural health food is a learning process. We searched for more published materials on organic food, and diversified the dishes. To ensure maximum nutrition from various vegetables, some were consumed raw. These include cucumber, tomatoes and long beans. Since vegetables from the market contain chemical toxins, we were selective in buying those, that believed, had used little or no chemicals in cultivation. The next thing we did was to cultivate some vegetables in the vacant land, just behind our house compound. We thus, have occasional supply of cucumber, long beans, mustard and ladies fingers. We followed the organic farming method, including making our own compose fertilizer. Neither chemical fertilizer nor insecticide was applied.

The vegetables planted, were safe, and provided a very good source of chlorophyll for the body. They were tasty, and we began to love eating them. This change in the main meals, brought other changes to our daily food. Gradually, we gave up eating the “nice” food, such as cakes, candies, eggs, junk food, and food containing artificial colouring, preservatives and additives. Simple eating and living, has become our way of life. When we came to know, that aluminium adds toxin in the process of cooking, we immediately replaced the existing aluminium wok, with an iron.

Life is a learning process. Let’s learn more about health food to attain good health.

Cancer Part 5: Searching for a Life-Saving Path

Once dignosed with cancer, it is normal for relatives and friends to provide all kinds of advice. One will be confused after listening to them. We took a different appoach. Instead of telling everyone of the cancer of my father-in-law, we kept a low profile

We began talking to trusted friends about cancer treatment. One morning, a colleague of mine, showed me a small booklet, on cancer and its treatment. Things began to change, as the contents of the booklet gave us the much-needed ray of new hope. The treatments were not conventional surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. I was attracted by such a new source of knowledge. We hardly heard of cancer patients undergoing non-conventional treatment and survived. How could that happen? Dr. Lai Chui-Nan (1995) wrote:

“In my research, I have shown that if cancer cells are grown in a high-potassium medium, they revert to normal cells. Cancer is reversible”.

As I continued to read Dr. Lai’s writing, I soon realized that cancer is more than just a tumour in a human body. To overcome it, one has to adjust and change one’s whole life. To start with, one needs to change one’s dietary habit. I began to gather more information on food, especially how food could bring illnesses and diseases. I soon realized, that accumulation of lots of toxins in the body, could bring about diseases. Inability to detoxify, and accumulation of toxins, may result in cancer and other diseases. Cancerous cells are not formed within days, but over a period of 10 to 20 years, or even more. Hence, one of the best ways of overcoming diseases, is to detoxify the accumulated toxins in our body.

Access to such useful information, is like a thirsty man, finding some water in the desert. The explanation makes sense. In the meantime, I also read of cases where tumours disappeared after a change in diet (Bieler 1965). I presented the case to my parents-in-laws, their eldest son and daughter, who is my wife. The impact of conventional treatment, and the change in diet, were examined and discussed. It was not easy to suggest to others, a change in their diet. I have not changed my food habit yet. We did not have a clear understanding, of the causal relationship, between diet and cancer. In any case, the conclusion was that, we should give ourselves a chance, to test the power of natural diet, for a short period of time. I was glad, they decided to do so, as it was a turning point in our lives.

A week after the operation, my father-in-law told the doctor, that he needed a few weeks, to decide on the proposed western medicine. The treatment cost of RM400 a month, was not a small amount, and could be a burden to the family. The doctor’s advice, was not to delay too long, as the cancerous cells had spread to other parts of the body. Any delay, could be at the expense of his three years’ life-span. We did not inform the doctor of our actual plan, to avoid complications.

I strongly believe that if something is right, we have to do it right now. The journey of changing our daily diet, began immediately. On our advice, the first thing my father-in-law did, was to resign from working in the Chinese association in Taiping. He had to cut off all forms of social pressure, arising from his various association activities. This was crucial, if he wished to have the peace of mind, in order to concentrate fully on a vegetarian-based diet, to overcome cancer. The next decision, was to leave Taiping, and continue to stay in Kuala Lumpur. My mother-in-law, my wife and I, offered to walk the new path together with him. This form of support was also important, as he did not have to walk the natural diet path alone. We realized, that it was not easy for a meat lover, to turn drastically into a non-meat eater.

How did we start? We read of the following Macrobiotic diet approach (Table 2.1) popularised by Kushi (1993). The Macrobiotic diet “advocates the use of traditional foods such as whole grains, beans and locally grown vegetables as primary sources of food energy and nutrition. In addition, the diet includes nutritious soyfoods…and mineral-rich foods from the oceans…sea salt and natural-grained sweeteners, such as rice syrup and barley malt, replace the refined salt and sugar that currently play a major role in modern fare” (Blauer in Kushi 1993).

The approach sounds good and attractive but we did not know much about macrobiotic diet. Our concern was the need to eat more vegetables and fruits, while reducing meat consumption, as soon as possible. Therefore, the diet adopted is more suitable to be called vegetarian diet and not Macrobiotic diet.

Table 2.1: Macrobiotic diet
Whole cereal grains 40-60%
Vegetables (when possible, organically grown) 20 to 30%
Beans and sea vegetables 5-10%
Miso soup 5-10%
Source: Kushi (1993), Kushi & Jack (2003)

Cancer Part 4: Check-Up & Surgery

My father-in-law did not have a good night’s sleep, before visiting the urologist, at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur, on 23 May 1996. Putting on his gloves, the doctor initially checked the prostate by inserting his finger into the rectum, which was close to the prostate. The urologist sensed that the patient’s prostate appeared to be harder than normal. Immediately, a blood sample was taken for further analysis. Even though the PSA result was to be made known the day after, the doctor indicated, it was likely to be prostate cancer. No one would hope it would be true.

The next day, the urologist revealed to the patient and his family members that, as expected, the blood test result showed that it was cancer. His PSA reached as high as 613.8 μg/l compared to the normal level of 4 μg/l, more than 100 times higher. The patient and his family members were shocked. The family was devastated.

He was going to die in the near future. His immediate family members, also did not have peace of mind.

My father-in-law was 62 years old in 1996. Never in his life, did he expect cancer would come into his life. He was not prepared for it. Neither were we. He was in fact horrified, helpless and lost his direction in life. It was difficult to accept the prediction, that his days were numbered, because of a disease called cancer. “Why did cancer target me?” “What have I done wrong?” “Why did heaven treat me in this manner?” “Of all the people, why did cancer choose me?” All these unanswered questions troubled him, day and night. He had no answer. He could not sleep well. He no longer had peace of mind. He worried, that he might die earlier than expected.

In the meantime, the doctor advised, that the patient needed to undergo a surgery immediately, to remove the hard portion in the prostate. Such an advice also indicated the seriousness of his prostate disease. We had heard of cancer patients suffering physically and mentally, after surgery and medical treatment. Would that happen to him?

The night before the surgery, we decided to tell the patient, the seriousness of his health problem. He was still unable to face the reality. It was difficult for him. He did not have any bad habits such as consuming alcohol and smoking. He had good health and a harmonious family. All his four children had grown up and engaged in various occupations. Why was cancer targeting him? Why was he the unlucky one? He felt as though the end of the world was not far away. He was going to die. The doctor had declared his doom day. He became a cancer patient and he had to face it, accept it and find a way to overcome it.

We later came to know that the surgical procedure employed, is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for treating BPH. The procedure, done under anaesthesia, involves inserting an instrument called resectoscope through the penis to allow the urologist to see and remove any tissue blocking the uretha and bladder. Fluid is passed through the instrument to flush the bladder clean. In addition, since the cancerous cells had spread to the scrotum, it was also removed during the operation.

After the surgery, the doctor told him that the tumour was removed but it did not mean he had fully recovered. On the contrary, the cancerous cells had spread to other parts of the body. He had to consume western medicine, to check the spread of the cancerous cells. The medical cost of RM400 per month could help lengthen his life for a maximum period of three years. The doctor’s explanation was clear. Cancer could not be cured.

My father-in-law became aimless, after leaving the clinic. His family members were equally worried. He had only a maximum of three years to live. Was this predestined? Could we not do something about it? Did he have to wait for death to come? Some friends suggested, it was best to take both western medicine and Chinese medicine to fight cancer. We heard of cases, where cancer patients survived a few more years, by trying various types of medicines. Others passed away sooner. The cancer patients’ families, have to face the struggle between life and death of their afflicted ones.

The fight began, after we advised my father-in-law, to temporarily, take unpaid leave from the association in Taiping, and to stay with us in Kuala Lumpur. After some hesitation, realizing that his life could be at stake, he agreed. He needed the moral and family support, to fight cancer, and our home appeared to be the most suitable place. While staying with us, both my parents-in-law could help take care of our daughter, while we were at work. The patient and his wife, had been living separately for almost a year. It was time for us to compensate them, for their sacrifice in taking care of our new- born daughter. We had to find ways and means to save him.

Cancer Part 3: How Doctor Checks Postate

Prostate is a male sex gland (made up of muscles, glands and fibrous tissues) about the size of a langsat (Lansium domesticum), located below the urinary bladder. Urine, produced by the kidneys, is stored in the bladder. The prostate encircles the uretha, a tube, thus carries urine from the bladder through the penis. In the productive system, the prostate’s role is to produce part of the fluid for semen, the milky-white substance that nourishes, lubricates and transports the sperm during ejaculation. The prostate weighs only a few grams at birth. During puberty, the release of the male sex hormone, testosterone, causes it to grow. When a man reaches the age of 20, his prostate grows to a weight of about 20 grams. At about the age of 45, the prostate begins to grow again. As the prostate enlarges, it squeezes the uretha thus restricting the flow of urine from the bladder. This gives rise to prostate disease. The three main types of prostate diseases are prostatitis (infection), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer.

BPH, the most common prostate disease, is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. It makes urination difficult. It is commonly diagnosed by means of a digital rectal examination (DRE). The doctor inserts a lubricated gloved finger into the rectum. Since the prostate is located in front of the rectum, the doctor can feel its size, shape and consistency. If the prostate is enlarged but soft and palpable, it is likely that the patient has BPH. However, if the prostate is hard or nodular, further testing is necessary. The most common test employed is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. PSA is a protein produced only by the prostate tissue. Moderate levels of PSA indicate either BPH or cancer, while very high levels indicate prostate cancer. The PSA test, is the simplest way, to test for early stages of prostate cancer.

Cancer Part 2: Deteriorating Health of My Father-in-Law

My father-in-law’s health condition was generally fine at the time of retiring as a government school teacher in 1990.

In 1993, he served as a clerk in a Chinese association in Taiping (Perak). He had to attend many functions organized by the association and other local Chinese associations. In all these functions, all kinds of nice foods were served. Serious health problems began in mid 1995. Initially, he found that he had to wake up a few times after mid-night to urinate. Members of the association were of the opinion that it was normal for those approaching 60 years of age to face such urinary problem. They highlighted the cases of those having the same problem for 7 or 8 years but continue to live a normal life. It never crossed his mind that such a problem could lead to prostate cancer. He did not disclose the urinary problem to his wife, who was then staying with us in Kuala Lumpur. She had volunteered to look after our new-born daughter, Shin Jing.

Workload in the association increased. Chinese New Year was approaching. This was to be followed by the annual general meeting. April was the month for spring prayer and the prize- giving ceremony for students who excelled in their studies would take place in May. Other activities would follow after that. As the workload increased, so did the pressure. He is a man who would keep his feelings to himself rather than sharing them with others. My mother-in-law was not around, to at least listen to him. Even though they telephoned each other weekly, both of them were not aware, that a serious health problem was approaching.

He began to have less appetite for food. Loss of body-weight became obvious to others. Those meeting him, also commented that he did not have much energy, and pale compared to the past. Yet, he did not realize that cancer was forming in his body. Taking it rather lightly, he just visited the local clinics to get some medicines, when needed.

His physical health began to affect his mental health. He kept all the work and social pressure for too long. Small matters suddenly became big issues to him. He got angry easily and was full of complaints. The working environment at the association was depleting his energy reserves. There was no one around to listen to his grouses and feelings. Working in the association was by no means easy. As a clerk, he was expected to handle practically everything. These activities included internal administration, communication with other associations, arranging meetings, attending dinners, weddings and funerals, and visiting members at the hospitals. These activities required a lot of energy. His physical condition no longer enabled him to perform those tasks effectively.

As days passed, his health condition deteriorated. Walking from the office to a nearby bank, 200 meters away, became a problem. He had to stop and rest a few times, before reaching the destination. He spent double the usual amount of time, to complete the task, compared not long ago.

In the meantime, his urinary problem worsened. Each time, he had to spend 15 to 20 minutes waiting for a few drops of urine to come out. After coming back from the toilet, it was not too long before he wanted to urinate again. This was abnormal. He had urinary problem at night, in the recent past, but now dripping problem occurred during the day. During the night, the frequency of visiting the toilet increased. Every one to two hours, he woke up and visited the toilet, just waiting for a few drops of urine. The nights became a nightmare. So did the days. Urinating became a big hindrance. It was disturbing, physically and mentally, day and night. Such suffering, was difficult to be understood by others. Having no one to talk to, he endured all the suffering arising from the following.

Frequent urination, especially at night.
Hesitation before beginning to urinate.
Terminal dribbling.
An urgent need to urinate.
Weak urinary stream.
A feeling that the bladder is still full after urinating.

When he could no longer bear the suffering resulting from his deteriorating physical and mental health, he broke the news to his wife over the telephone. After persuasive insistence from his wife, he visited the local clinic for further check-ups and treatment. He was informed that it was normal for a man after 50 years of age, to have urinary problem. When one is ageing, such problems are normal. It was assumed that the bothersome urinary problem he experiencing, was simply a part of growing old. He was given medicines to improve his urinary system.

During this period, he had to bear the urinary problem, for the next month. Urinating took a longer time, and sometimes pain was present. Other than western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and supplement, recommended by friends, were also consumed. His health condition did not improve, but the contrary. It lasted six months. Like most men with bothersome urinary problems, he suffered psychologically. He had to plan his daily activities around the availability of toilet facilities, at home or at work. The need to urinate frequently, made it impossible for him to get a good night’s sleep. He was also afraid of any possible surgery, if he were to seek medical treatment. By May 1996, he decided to visit the urologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the urinary tract, would check his prostate and provide him with an answer.

Interview by The Sun (28 May 2009)

Eating right to stay healthy
Environmental Sociologist Dr Lim Hin Fui walks his talk on healthy living. He tells Karen Arukesamy how his family eats well and lives well with rare visits to the doctor.
By: The SUN (May 28, 2009)

Question 1: WHAT has been keeping you busy lately?
Nutrition and health care have been keeping me on my toes besides my full-time profession. I did not have any interest in food (therapy) until 1996 when my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. Today I talk at public forums on food and health care.

Question 2: What do you do full time?
I am an environmental sociologist by profession. I conduct studies on the impact of forest development on local activities and how it can help local communities and also how traditional knowledge helps indigenous people. I also do forest auditing.

Question 3: How did you get involved with food and health care?
My father-in-law was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was given three years to live. He was active and involved in many social activities and my wife and I wondered how he could have cancer.
Looking back, we realised he had been enjoying "rich" foods (ie high in cholesterol and calories) since his 20s and it was killing him slowly. There is evidence that food consumption has very strong linkage with cancer, apart from smoking and alcohol. Despite being sad for my father-in-law, we did not give up; we sought ways to help him.
The doctor advised immediate surgery to remove the hard portion of the prostate but we had heard from cancer patients, how they suffered physically and mentally after the surgery and medical treatment. After the surgery, the tumour was removed but it did not mean he had fully recovered.
We spoke to friends about cancer treatments and a colleague showed me a booklet on cancer and its treatment (Cancer is not deadly: Public talk in Malaysia by Dr Lai Chui-Nan). The booklet did not talk about conventional treatment and surgery.
That caught my attention because we had not heard of cancer patients going through non-conventional treatment and surviving.
After reading the book, I began gathering more information on food and how it could cause diseases and I found that the accumulation of toxins in the body can cause diseases and the inability to detoxify may result in diseases.
Not all cancer specialists advise their patients to take the natural approach. They always encourage the conventional treatment.
We met a lot of cancer patients to understand the disease. When my father-in-law switched to a vegetarian diet, my mother-in-law, my wife and I decided to adopt the same diet to provide moral support for my father-in-law. It wasn’t easy but we managed it. Physical fitness is essential for cancer patients. Not many talk about it, so I thought the public should know and I wrote a book, Eating for Good Health, which has received good support and is in its second edition. My father-in-law surpassed the doctor’s projected three years and lived an extra 10 years before he passed away in January. Most cancer patients go through much pain in their final stages but he died peacefully without any pain.

Question 4: Tell us more about this diet?
We read about the macrobiotic diet approach popularised by Michio Kushi (1993), which advocates the use of traditional food such as whole grains, beans, soyfoods and locally-grown vegetables as primary sources of food energy and nutrition. It also includes mineral-rich foods, sea salt and natural sweeteners like rice syrup and barley malt to replace refined salt and sugar and miso to replace monosodium glutamate (MSG).
The approach sounded interesting but we did not know much about the macrobiotic diet and our concern was to consume more vegetables and reduce meat. The diet we adopted was more vegetarian than macrobiotic.
I remember the first vegetarian lunch – three dishes of vegetables with brown rice – we had. It was tasteless, with no oil or salt. Being a meat lover, my father-in-law complained it was for cows and not humans. But we were firm in our decision to change and so was he. By early 1997, the vegetarian diet began to show encouraging results. After about 10 months of being diagnosed, my father-in-law went for his fourth blood test and his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) dropped to 3.3ug/l (microgram per litre) from 613.8ug/l when he was first diagnosed. It meant that his PSA had returned to normal and the cancer cells were under control. The doctor was surprised by the declining PSA and reversion of cancer cells to normal cells without medicine.

Question 5: There is a saying "You are what you eat". How true is this?
It is relevant for all those who want to be healthy and it is very important for those who are fighting with sickness.

Question 6: How do we stay healthy and still eat the food we love?
Change of mindset is vital. You can choose to enjoy life and be mentally prepared to accept whatever that comes your way like diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, etc. Or you can learn about nutrition and change your diet but that doesn’t mean you cannot eat your favourite dishes. But ensure that your regular food intake is healthy.
Once you are above 40 or 50, you should consider giving up gradually "rich" food.

Question 7: How can food help prevent diseases like cancer?
The word cancer is a term many do not want to hear. Simply, cancer patients normally do not live long and in some cases, patients die within months as cancer cells can spread to various parts of the body in a short time. Others survive for a few years. The question is whether one has to die earlier because of cancer. No. There is a Chinese saying "Sickness comes through the mouth". Food consumption has a strong linkage with cancer, apart from smoking and alcohol. Studies say we should only consume 20% acidic food and 80% alkaline food. I would propose that everyone follow this formula. You need to understand what they are. Reduce meat consumption because all meat is acidic and dairy products and eggs as well. Eat more vegetables, fruits and grains.

Question 8: What is healthy living?
My family and I believe that an important path to good health is via healthy eating habits. We also believe consuming vegetarian or organic food and fasting are some ways for healthy living because we can see the difference in our lives. We are healthy and have not taken medicine since 2004. My eight-year-old son has to date only gone to a clinic once; when he was one-year-old.
A healthy body makes a healthy mind because it helps prevent physical and mental stress.
You have to respect life. If you are a cancer patient and you want to live longer, you have to respect life without your favourite foods. In fact, it is not for cancer alone but for all diseases.
People should remember that changes take place gradually and it is very important to start now. Don’t wait till it’s too late because change doesn’t take place overnight. Change your menu to suit your pace and food preference.
Research has shown that over 60% of those above 40 have at least one chronic medical problem that requires treatment and by 60, at least 60% are on regular medication. It is not about long life; it is about healthy life.

Question 9: But organic food is not cheap. What do you reckon the government should do?
I think the government should help organic farmers through the organic farming scheme under the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry. Then people will feel more encouraged to consume organic food. It will also encourage more organic farming. Mass production will bring prices down.

Question 10: Does detoxification help?
Yes, it does. Toxic substances are everywhere – in the food, water and air. Our body and bacteria in the intestines also produce toxins. Alkaline food helps to detoxify the body. Fasting facilitates detoxification to achieve physical and mental health. Occasional fasting is effective in staying healthy and reducing weight.
In the late 1970s, I used to have anus itchiness and for over 20 years I took medicine for it. After I changed my diet, the itchiness disappeared within three months. It was amazing.

Question 11: Is conventional medicine necessary if food can prevent diseases?
I am not saying it is unnecessary but you can avoid it whenever possible. Medical expenses are always a burden and the bills are escalating. Due to financial difficulties, some do not even go to the clinic for a check up. They instead rely on pain killers, self-medication or home remedies.
People hardly think about changing their diet to prevent sickness and stay fit. The government and many health-care organisations have been promoting healthy lifestyle but how many take heed. Investing in health food to prevent diseases or sickness is worthwhile. We should regard health as No.1 on the scale of importance. It is natural to think money is more important as it meets our material needs but with age, we gradually realise that money is not everything. While money can pay for medical treatment and services, it does not guarantee good health. In any case, we should give ourselves a chance to test the power of natural diet.

Cancer Part 1: The Case of My Father-in Law

Cancer Part 1: The Case of My Father-in Law

The word ‘cancer’ is an alarming term to those diagnosed of having it. It brings much fear and worry to the patient and family members. Simply, cancer patients normally do not live long. In some cases, patients pass away within months as cancer cells can spread to various parts of the body within a short period of time. Others survive after a number of years.

Cancer should also be your concern. According to Health Minister of Malaysia, every year about 40,000 Malaysians are diagnosed with cancer but there are only 39 oncologists (cancer specialist doctors) to treat them. With the current 26 million people, Malaysia needs about 200 oncologists (Yeow 2008).The question is whether one has to die earlier as most cancer patients die within 5 years. Is the conventional treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy the only way of extending a cancer patient’s life? I am sharing with you how my family handles the situation of a cancer patient, my father-in-law, without going through any radiotherapy or chemotherapy. He survived cancer for 13 years (1996-2009) and passed away in peace.

Why Cancer?
My father-in-law, the late Mr. Soong Kwang Chuan, was a primary school teacher before retiring in 1990. His family had been staying in the school quarters at Padang Rengas New Village, Kuala Kangsar, Perak since 1957. Well-known for his kindness and helpfulness, he had contributed much to local development and was active in the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a component political party of the ruling Barisan Nasional government in Malaysia. His involvement in social organizations and MCA was part of his personal efforts to assist in promoting ethnic harmony and development of the Chinese community in the area. In politics, as secretary of the local MCA branch, he represented the party to attend functions and meetings at divisional, state and national levels. He was also a part-time news correspondent for Nanyang Siang Pau, a major Chinese daily in Malaysia. For those who had interacted with him, he was a nice man and never nor hardly said ‘No’ to any requests. He helped in organizing various local activities, ranging from weddings to funerals. In recognition of his contribution, he was conferred Pingat Pangkuan Negara (PPN) by Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, the King of Malaysia in 1984.

Why did such a kind-hearted man have cancer? Looking back, we realised that it was quite natural for him to have cancer. Being involved in various social, political and cultural functions since his early 20s, he had enjoyed all the ‘nice’ foods. As Chinese say, enjoying good food is part of our daily life. The Chinese saying “Sickness comes through the mouth” and the Spanish grandmother’s saying, “Per la bocca, muere el pes” (the fish dies because of its mouth) are equally true. The nice food was killing him slowly and silently. Increasing evidence has shown that “aside from alcohol and smoking, food and cancer have the strongest link” (Lai 1993).