I was a recent guest on the Radical Remission Podcast. The episode is now live. Hope you enjoy.
ARTICLE: 43 Life-Changing Lessons Since My Cancer Diagnosis
I’ve learned a few things over the 30 years since being diagnosed with cancer. These personal lessons, combined with what I’ve gleaned from 19 years as a cancer coach, greatly shapes my ever-growing understanding of cancer—and its prevention and control.
Twenty-five years ago, my doctors had no cure for my cancer. So I went on a quest to find my own treatment. This is my story. A story that defies the odds …
In 1991, I was a 28-year-old newlywed diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) – a disease doctors called “uniformly fatal.” Treatments could buy me some time and eventually ease my discomfort, but there was no conventional cure.
My prognosis was clear: I was going to die. While my wife Linda and I continued to consult with doctors, cancer specialists, and top oncologists, I made a monumental decision: I would become my own health advocate. While I continued to “watch and wait,” I would figure out how to stay alive.
No one could predict when a large-scale clinical trial would discover a cure for CLL, so I began my own medically-monitored and carefully researched lifestyle changes. I would conduct my own, single patient clinical trial.
I would become an “n of 1.”
At that time, I had nowhere to turn. I simply didn’t have the guidance of someone who’d been there, who had walked in my shoes.
Sure, I had my academic oncology team, an incredible wife, and supportive family and friends — all critical and essential pieces were in place. And sadly, yes, I know not everyone has that kind of cheering squad.
But there was no one to whom I could immediately turn for answers to all the questions I had. Questions like:
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How do I access the highest quality experts and most accurate information about my specific diagnosis?
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How do I take control of the management of the underlying disease and become an expert on my own health creation through lifestyle and integrative approaches?
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How do I identify the most qualified integrative oncology providers and natural interventions—and which ones should I choose?
That stark reality led to three decades of soul-searching, reading, exploring, and engaging the leading medical and healing minds across the field.
From being an active partner with my conventional oncology care team and driving the decision-making progress based on hard data and published literature, to separating fact from fantasy for all things alternative and integrative cancer care — I was thrust into a challenging situation.
The timing really sucked, too. My journey began in 1991, pre-Internet days. Remember those? Integrative oncology and functional medicine were a dozen years from becoming an organized set of principles and guidelines. I had to figure it all out the best I could.
Along the way, I had some remarkable clinical success. January 2022 marked 10 years of no evidence of disease. I am healed, grateful, and honored to be involved in various initiatives and projects which support the advancement of wellness and high quality of life for those living with cancer.
Today, I am not only alive, but a 2012 biopsy at Harvard confirmed that my bone marrow contains no leukemic cells. My case is now part of the medical literature.
MY BOOK:
In n of 1, I take readers along my remarkable journey with ‘incurable’ cancer, where I discovered…
- No two cancers are exactly alike. Our bodies, minds, and diseases are unique, and need to be treated as such.
- Knowledge and empowerment are your best allies against a life-limiting diagnosis.
- Lifestyle changes are a powerful way to help prevent, manage, and reduce the recurrence of disease — and to improve your quality of life.
- A strong support system and a clear mind may significantly improve your health.
An inspiring story about challenging medical dogma and activating the body’s innate capacity to heal, a rallying cry for patients, their caregivers, and their loved ones to seek knowledge and self-empowerment.
ORDER YOUR COPY
One-on-One Cancer Coaching
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, or you are experiencing a relapse and you don’t know how to access the most advanced, comprehensive and individualized care, I can help.
If you are at a place in your own cancer journey where you have questions about …
- Your lifestyle choices
- Your integrative medicine approach
- Your oncology team
- Advanced testing and decision-making with precision oncology, using next generation sequencing, artificial intelligence platforms, and tumor sensitivity options
- Taking better overall control of various aspects of your life to achieve your healthiest best self
… you may benefit from a 75 minute comprehensive cancer coaching consultation with me.
An advocate of evidence-based, integrative oncology — treating the whole person, not just his or her tumors — I coach both self-referred individuals and those referred by physicians.
I am available for one-on-one phone or Zoom sessions to discuss how an empowered mind can help access your body’s innate healing ability. My comprehensive approach includes integrative methods and conventional Western medicine.
Ultimately, your body, your life, and your cancer are all unique, and you need to approach your care plan as an “n of 1.”LEARN MORE
I’ve created a list covering 13 core attributes across vital areas, to consider when selecting an integrative cancer coach. This highly-informative article provides important guidance when considering a coach to help navigate your journey.
ACCESS THE LIST
ARTICLE: How to Weigh Integrative Cancer ‘Treatment’ Options
Every day I am asked about various natural and less invasive forms of cancer treatment. The clients I coach, and others, want to know how effective these solo or combination therapies are—typically to augment standard of care treatment, and not necessarily to replace that treatment with ‘alternative’ therapies.
To be clear, I am not talking about interventions that are known to be effective ‘supportive cancer care’ approaches, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and psychotherapy.
Those are often quite useful to help mitigate the often-deleterious side effects of conventional therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery—essentially used for symptom control for things like pain, nausea, fatigue, and depression. The published literature is quite clear in this regard.
In addition to single agent dietary supplements such as green tea, fish oil, vitamin D, and many other natural agents for oral consumption, the interventions I am asked most about include:
High-dose intravenous vitamin C
It is not the purpose of this article to weigh in on any of the above therapies. My goal is to offer an appropriate and meaningful lens through which you might consider navigating what can be a confusing process.
ARTICLE: Not All Plant-Based Diets Reduce Cancer Burden
Prospective epidemiological studies to date have not compared those eating a higher quality, more nutritious plant-based diet, to diets chiefly packed with processed-ladened ingredients. It was either plant-based or carnivore, without nuance.
Critically, a new large study following over 100,000 individuals was handled much differently. I am excited to share it with you.
ARTICLE: Personalized Medicine and Integrative Oncology as One
Unfortunately, those individuals living with advanced, intractable malignancies still rely on ‘population level medicine’ (averages) to dictate treatment regimens for third, fourth, and subsequent lines of treatment. They deserve a treatment program which recognizes the unique tumor challenge and host environment that comprises their uniquely human n of 1 status.
The future of cancer treatment is a highly personalized model of care, specific to each unique individual and each unique tumor a person is hosting. And the future I speak of is not that far away…
Enjoying this article? Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. We’ll also send an excerpt from Glenn’s book, n of 1.
What the oncology leaders say about Glenn
I have witnessed an extraordinary patient who has achieved a clinical response through non-conventional treatment approaches.
Lee M. Nadler MD
Dean for Clinical and Translational Research
Harvard Medical School
Glenn understands the importance of the mind and body in reducing stress and improving overall clinical outcomes in cancer.
David Rosenthal MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Past President, American Cancer Society
Glenn has a personal and unique understanding of clinical care, business aspects, and policy matters surrounding evidence-based integrative medicine.
Lorenzo Cohen, PhD
Director, Integrative Medicine
University of Texas MD Anderson Center
ACCEPTS VIRTUAL CLIENTS
glennsabin.com
[email protected]
Washington, DC
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