Cancer Heals
Good Fit
- Readers diagnosed with cancer, or with a loved one affected, seeking scientifically grounded information on dietary/herbal supplements alongside conventional treatment
- Readers wanting to reassess their diet for cancer prevention
- Readers curious about the scientific history of phytotherapy and the "functional food" concept
- Readers who value a lengthy reference book backed by over 1,800 citations
Not a Fit
- Readers seeking an "alternative" to replace conventional treatment (chemotherapy, surgery) — the book explicitly rejects this framing and positions itself as complementary
- Readers wanting a short, concrete list of recommendations — the book runs over 500 pages with detailed scientific explanation for each plant/food
- Readers who want to critically weigh medical literature and may be uncomfortable with recommendations grounded in the author's personal clinical experience rather than formal clinical trials
The Introduction opens with Hippocrates' saying "Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food" — the author argues this is more than a figure of speech, citing modern cell and animal studies showing certain foods inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. The central thesis: the body has natural defenses against cancer, such as DNA repair (returning cancerous cells to normal) and, failing that, a powerful immune system that triggers "cell suicide" (apoptosis) — defenses that can be strengthened through diet and herbal supplements.
Chapter 1 lists the seven core principles of "naturopathic medicine": first, do no harm; trust in nature's healing power; treat the cause; treat the whole person; the physician as teacher; prevention is the best cure; and restore health and wellness.
The history of phytotherapy is traced back to the ancient Greek physician Asclepius's dictum "first the word, then the herb, then the knife," through Avicenna's works "The Canon of Medicine" and "The Book of Healing," used as textbooks in European medical schools into the 17th century, and Galen's writings, translated into Arabic. The term "phytotherapy" itself was first coined in 1939 by French physician Henry Leclerc.
The chapter continues with an important caveat: the assumption that "herbal equals harmless" is false — Socrates' execution by the poison hemlock is cited as an example. Paracelsus's 16th-century dictum is quoted: "the dose makes the poison." The example of strychnine (used by indigenous peoples as arrow poison, yet used medicinally at low doses) makes the principle concrete.
The chapter also recalls the 1950s-60s thalidomide disaster — a German-made drug approved by the FDA as a "safe sedative" for pregnant women that caused mass births of limbless infants, becoming a symbol in medical history of the violation of the "first, do no harm" principle — the author uses this to reinforce the warning that natural remedies, too, can have side effects.
- Extensive bibliographic grounding backed by over 1,800 scientific references
- A style that blends the author's clinical experience as a pathologist with a personal, warm narrative voice
- A structure that links the historical roots of naturopathic medicine (Hippocrates, Avicenna, Galen) to modern scientific terminology ("functional food")
- An honest tone that explicitly includes critical, responsible caveats such as "herbal does not mean harmless"
A similar philosophy of strengthening the body's own defenses through diet and lifestyle alongside conventional treatment
Covers cancer's medical history from a more academic, conventional-oncology perspective
Another heavily citation-based book in the same "nutrition science + disease prevention" format
While the Introduction and Chapter 1 lay out only the philosophical framework, the book's remaining 7 chapters are quite concrete: the biological basis of cancer prevention (DNA repair, apoptosis, immunotherapy) and the foods that support it; the most effective herbal (Astragalus, reishi mushroom, turmeric, etc.) and animal-derived (bee pollen, propolis) supplements; "cancer-fighting" spices and produce found in the kitchen; the relationship between sugar and cancer; the specific compatibility of herbal supplements with chemotherapy/radiotherapy (which herb pairs with which treatment); psychological factors (sleep, breathing, relationships); and finally concrete recipes for cancer patients (elixirs, soups, teas).
The book follows a recurring pattern — for each herb or food, the scientific mechanism is explained, followed by its compatibility or risk with conventional treatment — making it a useful reference for healthcare workers too, even as the author stresses at every step that physician supervision is essential.
If you see a problem, write to us. Publisher, author, rights holder, or just a reader — it doesn't matter. If there's something problematic about copyright in this review, if the review's author has broken the site's rules, or if you simply have a suggestion or complaint, hey@kitabdanevar.com. We'd rather resolve this between ourselves than go to court: we review requests within 48 hours and, if needed, correct or fully remove the review.
