From Fear to Understanding: The New Perspective on Cancer as a Survival Mechanism

For more than a century, cancer has been framed as the enemy — an invader to be attacked and destroyed. Yet a growing body of research reveals that the process of cancer formation may also reflect the body’s adaptive attempt to survive under chronic stress. When cells are exposed to persistent toxins, inflammation, hypoxia, or poor diet and nutritional imbalance, they can undergo profound metabolic and structural shifts — not purely random mutations, but contextual responses to hostile conditions created through poor lifestyle habits.

Reframing Cancer as an Immune SYSTEM Response

While this perspective is still emerging, it aligns with several well-established biological principles. Cancer often arises in sites of chronic cellular inflammation, where immune cells and signaling molecules attempt to repair ongoing tissue damage. Over time, this inflammatory environment can paradoxically drive uncontrolled cell growth. As pathologist Harold Dvorak observed, “tumors are wounds that do not heal,” borrowing the body’s own regenerative machinery for pathological ends.

Modern immunology has expanded this view through the concept of immunoediting — the idea that the immune system simultaneously suppresses and sculpts tumor evolution. Some cells evade detection by adapting to survive the body’s stress responses. In this sense, cancer reflects both biological ingenuity and imbalance — a breakdown in the dialogue between repair and regulation.

Recent updates to the Hallmarks of Cancer framework emphasize chronic inflammation, immune evasion, and tissue microenvironmental stress as central features of tumor biology. Recognizing this interplay doesn’t glorify cancer; it simply reframes it as a distorted survival mechanism — one that may arise when the body’s healing intelligence is persistently overwhelmed and compromised.

The Role of Toxicity and Cellular Malnutrition in Cancer Development

Modern lifestyles often expose individuals to a myriad of toxins found in everyday products, such as household cleaners, cosmetics, clothing, and processed foods (not everything, but almost everything that comes in a bag, a box, or a can). While genetics play a role in cancer risk, the far greater influence lies in the epigenetic/environmental signals the body receives from diet, environment, and stress. These inputs collectively shape how genes are expressed [are turned on and off]—either supporting cellular repair or promoting degeneration and often act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with hormonal balance and promoting an environment where cells can become damaged and mutate. Heavy metals like lead and mercury, found in various environmental sources, food products, bottled water, plastic containers, and cleaners, can accumulate in the body and disrupt cellular processes, further increasing the risk of cancer development. (Jaishankar et al., 2014).

Heavy Metals and Chemical Toxicity

Toxic metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as known or probable human carcinogens. They disrupt mitochondrial function, generate oxidative stress, and interfere with DNA repair—all pathways implicated in carcinogenesis . Chronic exposure, even at low doses, can accumulate in tissues over decades, silently impairing immune surveillance and metabolic balance.

Pesticides, endocrine disruptors, and industrial chemicals compound this burden. Studies show that persistent organic pollutants and xenoestrogens [estrogen like/mimicking synthetic chemicals] can mimic hormones, altering cell-signaling pathways and promoting hormone-dependent cancers such as breast and prostate cancer.

The Role of Processed Foods and Nutrient Deficiency

Cancer risk is not determined by toxins alone—it is equally influenced by what’s missing. Highly processed foods, refined sugars, and synthetic additives displace the nutrient-dense, phytochemical-rich foods that support antioxidant defense and detoxification pathways. Large-scale analyses by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) demonstrate a clear correlation between ultra-processed food consumption and the increased incidence of colorectal and overall cancer.

But what are ultra-processed foods?

Ultra-processed foods are not truly food — they are “food-like products” engineered in factories to imitate the taste, texture, and appearance of real food but add no nutrients to the body. In short, devoid of any nutrition, the consumer of these products is eating empty calories - that fill the stomach but starve the body leading to the collapse of one’s health. Made primarily from refined petroleum-derived chemicals, starches, cheap, toxic seed oils, added sugars, and synthetic additives, they are designed for shelf life and profit rather than providing nourishment or biological harmony.

Furthermore, the overconsumption of refined carbohydrates and sugary beverages drives insulin resistance and chronic hyperglycemia—creating an internal environment where cancer cells, which preferentially rely on glucose (the “Warburg effect”), can thrive. Conversely, diets abundant in minerals, fiber, and plant polyphenols have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and suppress pro-cancer signaling.

But it isn’t just that processed foods lack nutrients — it’s that many of their additives, particularly high-fructose corn syrup and processed sugars hidden in processed foods, that actively disrupt how our cells create energy. When the mitochondria — the powerhouses of our cells — can no longer generate clean energy from glucose, the entire metabolic rhythm of the body begins to collapse ultimately leading to cancer.

How High-Fructose Corn syrup & Processed sugars Block Cellular Energy and Set the Stage for Cancer

Dr. Robert Lustig and others have shown that fructose & especially high fructose corn syrup intake directly inhibits three key mitochondrial enzymes — aconitase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) — effectively jamming the machinery that converts food into usable energy (ATP). When these enzymes are blocked, the mitochondria can no longer efficiently oxidize glucose or fatty acids, forcing the cell to rely on anaerobic glycolysis for energy production.

This shift mimics the Warburg Effect, in which cells ferment glucose into lactate even in the presence of oxygen. The result is an acidic, low-oxygen, energy-deficient state — the perfect terrain for cancer to take hold. As mitochondria stall, pyruvate is converted into lactate, tissue pH drops, and the body experiences what’s known as pseudo-hypoxia — a biochemical illusion of oxygen deprivation that activates genes for inflammation, angiogenesis, and survival rather than repair.

At the same time, fructose metabolism in the liver bypasses normal regulatory checkpoints, flooding the system with fat-producing intermediates and uric acid, which further suppress mitochondrial respiration and nitric oxide signaling. Over time, this combination of metabolic gridlock, oxidative stress, and cellular acidification creates precisely the internal environment cancer cells thrive in — one marked by inflammation, nutrient imbalance, and disrupted communication between the mitochondria and the nucleus.

Reconnecting Nutrition with Cellular Integrity

Viewed through this lens, cancer may not arise solely from genetic mutations, but from a progressive breakdown in cellular communication and nourishment. When the body’s detoxification systems are overburdened and nutrient reserves depleted [via the Standard American Diet, which is 64% processed foods], cells adapt to survive in toxic, hypoxic, and acidic environments—conditions that can eventually tip the balance toward malignancy.

What Cancer Thrives On: An Acidic, Low-Oxygen Environment

Healthy human cells thrive in an oxygen-rich, slightly alkaline environment where mitochondria efficiently generate energy through aerobic respiration. Cancer cells, however, adapt to survive in oxygen-poor (hypoxic), acidic microenvironments, often created by chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, or impaired circulation. This adaptive shift in metabolism, mentioned earlier—known as the Warburg Effect—describes how cancer cells rely heavily on glucose fermentation even when oxygen is available.

The Warburg Effect and Cellular Survival

Otto Warburg first observed that cancer cells produce lactic acid despite sufficient oxygen, suggesting a fundamental metabolic reprogramming. Rather than being a defect, recent research interprets this shift as an adaptive survival strategy—allowing malignant cells to thrive when oxidative metabolism is compromised.
By favoring glycolysis - the cellular process of metabolizing glucose/sugar, cancer cells generate energy rapidly and create an acidic microenvironment that suppresses immune activity, degrades extracellular matrix, and promotes metastasis.

This acidic, low-oxygen state also inhibits the activity of cytotoxic T-cells and natural killer cells, enabling tumor cells to evade immune detection. In effect, the cancer microenvironment becomes self-reinforcing: sugar consumption and the subsequent acidity it creates, perpetuates inflammation and immune suppression, while hypoxia - low oxygen - drives genetic instability and angiogenesis (new blood-vessel growth).

Restoring Cellular Oxygenation and pH Balance

While the concept of “alkalizing the body” is often oversimplified, research confirms that systemic metabolic health, balanced CO₂/O₂ exchange, and regular physical activity can improve tissue oxygenation and reduce the inflammatory conditions cancer thrives in. Exercise, deep breathing, cold plunges, and nutrient-dense diets rich in antioxidants have been shown to enhance mitochondrial efficiency and oxygen delivery while lowering chronic acidosis markers.

Therapeutic strategies that target tumor acidity—such as bicarbonate (baking soda) buffering or inhibition of acid transporters—are being actively studied in oncology. Preclinical research indicates that buffering/alkalizing the tumor microenvironment can inhibit metastasis and improve responsiveness to immunotherapy. These findings support the idea that a nutrient dense diet, oxygenating tissues and maintaining pH balance are not alternative concepts but essential components of restoring the body’s natural regulatory capacity.

Treating Cancer Affordably: What Cancer Does Not Like: Alkalization, Oxygenation, and Reducing Sugar Intake

The human body is remarkably intelligent — it was designed to repair, regenerate, and maintain balance when given the right internal environment. Cancer, viewed through this lens, can be seen as the body’s desperate attempt to survive under sustained oxidative stress, toxicity, and nutrient deprivation. Supporting recovery means working with the body’s chemistry — restoring oxygenation, reducing acidity, and replenishing nutrients that reawaken cellular communication.

Restoring Cellular Oxygenation

Oxygen is life’s fundamental nutrient. When tissues become hypoxic — deprived of oxygen — metabolism shifts toward fermentation, the same process that drives tumor cell survival. Exercise, deep breathing, and exposure to fresh outdoor air help re-oxygenate tissues, but scientists have also studied targeted oxygenation approaches within oncology. Clinical trials using intratumoral hydrogen peroxide injections (the KORTUC protocol) have shown promise as radiation sensitizers, enhancing oxygen delivery within tumors and improving therapeutic response.

While this research applies only to localized, clinical settings, it underscores an important truth: oxygen-rich environments promote healing, while stagnation and hypoxia invite disease.

Rebalancing pH and Cellular Microenvironments

Cancer cells alter their surroundings by producing lactic acid, creating an acidic microenvironment that fosters invasion and suppresses immune response. Laboratory research has demonstrated that buffering tumor acidity with sodium bicarbonate can inhibit metastasis and improve immune recognition.

Its medicinal properties, which I have written about in my article, THE MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND APPLICATIONS OF BAKING SODA - No One Told You About, are attributed to bicarbonate, the active ingredient, which is also produced naturally by the body in the stomach, pancreas, and kidneys. These organs use bicarbonate to help maintain the body's pH balance by neutralizing acids.

This doesn’t mean people should “alkalize” their blood — which is tightly regulated by the body — but rather that diet and lifestyle profoundly affect systemic acid load. Diets rich in vegetables, minerals, and clean water support the body’s innate buffering systems, easing the burden on kidneys and lungs. In contrast, diets high in processed foods, refined sugars, and soft drinks increase acid-forming waste and systemic stress.

Supporting these natural buffering mechanisms — through mineral balance, hydration, and regular movement — helps restore a terrain where healthy cells thrive.

Hydrogen Peroxide: The Body’s Built-In Antimicrobial and Signaling Molecule

Long before it was ever used in clinics, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) existed in every human cell. Produced naturally by white blood cells, it serves as both a defensive weapon and signaling molecule, used to neutralize pathogens and regulate oxidation-reduction balance.

Experimental studies have explored medical applications of diluted H₂O₂ — including as a localized cancer adjunct (the KORTUC method) and in oxidative therapies designed to stimulate detoxification and immune activity.

Though more human trials are needed, the evidence suggests that redox signaling — not eradication — is the deeper lesson: when oxidative and antioxidant systems regain balance, the terrain becomes inhospitable to chronic inflammation and abnormal growth.

Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO): Cellular Protection and Detoxification Support

DMSO, a naturally occurring sulfur compound derived from wood pulp, has attracted scientific interest since the 1960s for its unique ability to penetrate biological membranes, scavenge free radicals, and reduce inflammation.

In laboratory studies, DMSO has been shown to induce differentiation of leukemia cells — essentially prompting malignant cells to resume normal maturation pathways . It’s also being explored as a carrier for targeted therapies due to its solvent and membrane-transport properties.

Clinically, DMSO is approved for bladder inflammation and used in regenerative medicine as a cryoprotectant — but its broader systemic effects remain under study. Within a natural framework, it represents another example of how simple, nature-derived compounds can modulate oxidative stress and support the body’s detoxification capacity.

Integrating the Science of Balance

None of these natural compounds — oxygen, bicarbonate, hydrogen peroxide, or DMSO — are “magic bullets.” They are tools that reflect a deeper principle: the restoration of physiological harmony.

Healing begins not with aggressive intervention, but with creating conditions where the body’s innate intelligence can resume its work — oxygenating tissues, neutralizing acidity, and cleansing the intercellular environment.

Barbara O'Neill's Cancer-Conquering Diet and Approach:

Barbara O’Neill emphasizes a comprehensive approach to cancer prevention and management that includes diet, detoxification, and lifestyle changes. Her cancer-conquering diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods that help alkalize and oxygenate the body, support detoxification, and provide essential nutrients for cellular health. Here are the key components of her dietary recommendations, with specific examples:

1. Leafy Greens and Cruciferous Vegetables
Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support detoxification and provide essential nutrients for cellular health. These vegetables are high in chlorophyll, which helps cleanse the blood, and sulforaphane, a compound known for its cancer-fighting properties.

• Examples of Leafy Greens: Kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, and arugula. These greens are loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and iron, which are crucial for maintaining healthy cells and supporting the body's detoxification processes.

• Examples of Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and bok choy. These vegetables contain glucosinolates, which are sulfur-containing compounds that help activate detoxification enzymes in the liver and support the body's natural defense mechanisms against cancer.

2. Berries, Nuts, and Seeds
Berries, nuts, and seeds are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fats that reduce inflammation, provide energy, and help maintain stable blood sugar levels without causing glucose spikes. These foods support overall health and provide specific nutrients that protect cells from oxidative stress and damage.

• Examples of Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries. These berries are rich in anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol, which are potent antioxidants known to reduce oxidative stress, lower inflammation, and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

• Examples of Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, Macadamia nuts, and pecans. Almonds are high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage. Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory effects. Brazil & Macadamia nuts are an excellent source of selenium, a mineral that plays a key role in antioxidant defense and may help reduce cancer risk.

• Examples of Seeds: Flaxseeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Flaxseeds and chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, which have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Pumpkin seeds provide zinc, magnesium, and antioxidants, which support immune function and cellular health.

3. Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are essential for maintaining cellular membranes, supporting brain function, and reducing inflammation throughout the body. These fats help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and provide a stable source of energy without raising blood sugar levels.

• Examples of Healthy Fats: Extra virgin olive oil, avocados, coconut oil, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Avocados provide monounsaturated fats, fiber, and potassium, which are beneficial for heart health and overall cellular function. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that can be quickly metabolized for energy and have been shown to have anti-microbial and anti-cancer effects. Fatty fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation and have been linked to lower cancer risk.

By incorporating these nutrient-dense foods into the diet, Barbara O’Neill’s approach aims to support the body's natural detoxification processes, enhance immune function, and create an environment less favorable for cancer development and progression.

Supporting Evidence: A review in Antioxidants & Redox Signaling discusses the benefits of a diet high in antioxidants and phytochemicals in cancer prevention and treatment, supporting the use of whole, unprocessed foods to boost the immune system and reduce cancer risk (Mousavi et al., 2009).

Why Conventional Treatments Often Fail: The Problem with Chemotherapy and Radiation

Modern medicine has made remarkable advances in diagnostic imaging, surgical precision, and drug development. Yet despite trillions spent globally, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide — and recurrence rates for many forms of cancer remain stubbornly high. The reason may lie not in the sophistication of our interventions, but in the philosophy that guides them.

Conventional oncology largely views cancer as an external enemy to be eradicated. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery focus on destroying malignant cells — an understandable goal, yet one that ignores the very environment that produced them. It’s a very myopic approach. If that internal terrain remains acidic, inflamed, or nutrient-deficient, new abnormal cells may simply arise from the same biological stress that birthed the first. Remember this: “Within the cause lies the cure.”

Conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, are designed to target rapidly dividing cells. However, these treatments do not differentiate between cancerous and healthy cells, leading to significant collateral damage. This damage can result in necrosis (oxygen deprived demise/death) of surrounding tissues, which then become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, potentially fostering a new environment for cancer to recur.

Integrating the Terrain Perspective

Some holistic models suggest that when chemotherapy or radiation destroy tumor tissue, the necrotic by-products left behind can burden the body’s detoxification systems. These treatments are designed to target rapidly dividing cancer cells, yet they also damage healthy cells in the surrounding tissues, disrupting normal cellular communication, lymphatic drainage, and immune coordination. In this weakened state, the body may struggle to efficiently clear cellular debris, leading to persistent inflammation and microbial imbalance.

While claims that bacteria or fungi directly “feed on necrotic tissue” to recreate cancer are not supported by clinical research, studies confirm that unresolved inflammation, oxidative stress, and microbiome disruption following treatment can influence recovery and increase recurrence risk. This highlights a fundamental truth within terrain medicine: true remission requires more than eliminating visible tumors — it requires restoring biological harmony and balance to a system out of balance by cleansing residual toxins, repairing damaged tissue, re-oxygenating cells, and rebuilding the body’s innate immune intelligence.

The Terrain vs. the Tumor

Every tumor exists within a microenvironment — a neighborhood of immune cells, connective tissue, and chemical messengers that collectively determine how that tumor behaves. Chronic inflammation, hypoxia, and toxic accumulation can transform this once-protective terrain into one that supports malignant growth.

Research has shown that the tumor microenvironment actively shapes therapy resistance by releasing cytokines, recruiting immunosuppressive cells [impairing the immune response], and triggering protective metabolic pathways. This dynamic makes certain cancers resilient to radiation and chemotherapy, especially when the immune system is already weakened by stress, diet, or environmental toxins.

When viewed through this lens, the failure of conventional therapy is not a failure of approach itself, because radiation and chemotherapy “do” kill cancer cells — it’s a failure of context. Destroying the visible tumor without addressing the underlying biological terrain is like cutting weeds without enriching the soil.

Beyond Eradication: Supporting the Healing Terrain

True healing and remediation of cancer involves changing the conditions that allowed cancer to form. Nutrient repletion (nutrient-dense, organic, whole foods), detoxification - no processed food products, avoiding sugar - that feeds cancer, deep restorative sleep, oxygenation with exercise, and stress reduction work synergistically to create an internal environment where malignant cells can no longer thrive. Studies increasingly show that patients who integrate evidence-based lifestyle changes — anti-inflammatory nutrition, regular exercise, and mind-body practices — experience better quality of life, reduced recurrence risk, and significantly improved treatment outcomes.

This holistic model doesn’t reject outright modern medicine; it completes it. It recognizes that the body is not merely a battleground but an ecosystem — one that, when brought back into balance, possesses an extraordinary capacity to heal.

The Need for a Holistic Approach

When we look at the scientific literature through a wider lens, a clear theme emerges: the terrain matters. Cancer is not an isolated event but the outcome of years of accumulated imbalance — nutritional, environmental, emotional, and energetic. Addressing those layers restores the body’s natural intelligence and often rekindles vitality in ways conventional treatment alone cannot explain.

Integrative oncology is steadily validating what nature has long shown us — that movement, mindfulness, nourishment, and connection all influence recovery. A meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that patients who engaged in lifestyle-based, integrative care reported fewer side effects, greater quality of life, and improved immune function. Other clinical programs, including those led by Dean Ornish and colleagues, have demonstrated measurable changes in gene expression, reduced tumor-promoting pathways, and even slowed disease progression through comprehensive lifestyle transformation.

These findings confirm what many have sensed intuitively: the body’s chemistry responds directly to our choices, our thoughts, and our environment.

Healing is not about fighting disease — it’s

about restoring coherence.

The Path Forward

The future of medicine will not be found in a pill, but in a partnership between science and nature - restoring the body’s balance, equilibrium, and homeostasis - something modern medicine doesn’t do. Only we as individuals can do that with the choices we make each and every day. Our health is the cumulative sum of everything we stick in and on our bodies. Each breath of clean air, each step taken in sunlight, and each meal composed of living, unprocessed food communicates safety to the body — a signal that it can stop defending and start repairing.

The entire Shift Ethos philosophy invites us to step out of fear and into understanding: that disease is not a punishment, but information urging us to pay attention to something. It’s the body’s way of whispering that something needs to change — and that within every cell lies the wisdom to do so once balance is restored.

By removing what harms, replenishing what heals, and realigning our lives with nature’s intelligence, we create the conditions where health is no longer an uphill battle — it becomes our natural state.

I would love to hear from you and have you share your thoughts and/or questions in the comment section below. I look forward to hearing your perspectives.

An Invitation to Holistic Transformation

True wellness thrives at the intersection of MIND, BODY, and our PLANET / ENVIRONMENT. The SHIFT ETHOS WELLNESS PATHWAYS PROCESS is a comprehensive, structured journey that guides you through every dimension of health:

• Mind: Cultivate mindfulness, discover emotional / stress resilience techniques, and enhance mental fitness with meditation, breathwork, and brain-rewiring techniques.

• Body: Optimize physical health - and prevent chronic disease with dietary & nutritional meal plans, build strength with a scalable fitness regimen, unlock consistent deep restorative sleep, and learn how to effectively manage stress.

• Planet: Acknowledge that your outer environment shapes your inner health—detox your home of toxic cleaners, petroleum-based detergents, cosmetics, and other biotoxins to create a chemical-free sanctuary that supports both body and mind.

Imagine waking each day with a clear mind, energized body, and the confidence that your environment supports—not sabotages—your health.

I’d love to invite you to explore the SHIFT ETHOS WELLNESS PATHWAYS PROCESS. Discover a truly integrated approach to vibrant living.

When you’re ready to see how this all-in-one program can support your unique goals, schedule a free consult by pressing the blue button at the bottom of the WELLNESS PATHWAYS page.

Let’s embark on this journey together. 

Love & Light to You in your continued Journey of Self-Discovery! 

David 

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Disclaimer:

I am not a medical doctor or a medical practitioner. I am not legally permitted to claim I treat, cure, or heal disease. I can, however, provide educational content with respect to building/restoring and maintaining optimal health through nutrition, diet, sleep support, and exercise, which can reverse health conditions.

Any information provided on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this web site.

This website summarizes information on the role of nutrition, diet, and exercise in health, disease and wellness. Readers should be aware that knowledge of nutrition and medicine is constantly evolving. They are encouraged to frequently check the most current information available on preventive and therapeutic measures. It is your designated clinician’s responsibility, relying on their experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine the best course of action in providing care and your choice to follow it or not.

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