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PeopleBeatingCancer

Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission

Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.

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Natural Treatment for Multiple Myeloma

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Researchers stress that as (multiple myeloma) treatment becomes more precise and customized, psychological treatment (mind-body therapy) also has the opportunity to become more effective if targeted specifically.

To say that my diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM) “caused significant emotional burden on me and my family” is an understatement. Natural treatment for multiple myeloma never occurred to me.

Approaching my MM diagnosis with mind-body therapy never occurred to me or my oncologist- at least until I became end-stage. When I came across the article linked and excerpted below recently, I thought the authors were talking about me.

While the article below is written about “cancer” in general, it really should be about multiple myeloma specifically. You see, MM is an incurable cancer as far as conventional oncology is concerned. If a newly diagnosed MM patient follows only conventional therapies, he/she is virtually guaranteed to die.

The vast majority of the more than 1.6 million cancer diagnoses annually in the United States are diagnosed at an early stage. And, according to research, 90% of early stage cancers are curable.

So when the article below talks about the mindset of cancer as a catastrophe, it is talking about incurable cancer, not curable or treatable cancer.

During my first four years of my MM experiences, I fell into the “cancer is a catastrophe” mindset. I was all about fighting my cancer. War analogies are popular with most cancer patients and caregivers.

Once my oncologist told me that I had “failed” all forms of conventional therapies and that I was end-stage, I had a choice. I could change my mindset, my approach to treating my cancer or I could accept what my oncologist was telling me. So I decided that my incurable cancer was now manageable.

Over the next 5-6 years I found myself finding purpose, becoming more spiritual, getting help from a psychologist, in short, changing my mindset to relying on my own mind-body therapy. Or my mind as therapy rather than looking for conventional therapies like chemo, radiation and surgery for the answer to treating multiple myeloma.

Have you been diagnosed with multiple myeloma? To learn more about natural treatment for multiple myeloma scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply to you ASAP.

Hang in there,

David Emerson

  • MM Survivor
  • MM Coach
  • Director PeopleBeatingCancer

Recommended Reading:

Empowering cancer patients to shift their mindsets could improve care, researchers argue

“A diagnosis of cancer can cause significant emotional burden for patients and their families. The turmoil may persist throughout treatment and even years into survivorship. As a result, depression and anxiety are two to three times more common in cancer patients than the general population. In a perspective paper published September 23 in the journal Trends in Cancer, experts propose that targeting cancer patients’ mindsets could have an impact on their health, functioning, and well-being, and they call for more research in this field…

Mindsets are core assumptions individuals hold about the world. When facing the same situation, such as a cancer diagnosis, people may have very different mindsets about what it means for their life. Mindsets are not necessarily true or false, but they affect what people think and how they behave. Therefore, mindsets can influence individuals’ mental and physical health.

After advances in neuroscience and psychology in the past decades, the link between mind-body has gained wider recognition. However, which specific mindsets have the greatest impact on the health and well-being of patients with cancer and how they do so are just starting to be investigated.

Researchers stress that as cancer treatment becomes more precise and customized, psychological treatment also has the opportunity to become more effective if targeted specifically.

The article presents two pairs of specific mindsets that could impact cancer patients’ health: regarding cancer as either a catastrophe or an opportunity and seeing the body as either a friend or a foe.

Researchers argue that empowering patients to shift their mindsets could completely alter their cancer experience. Instead of catastrophic thinking, viewing cancer as manageable and recognizing the body as capable and resilient may motivate patients to participate in activities and initiate lifestyle changes like eating heathier and getting exercise. Patients may become less afraid of side effects from treatment and cancer recurrence afterward.

“We are not talking about positive thinking here,” Crum says. “Having the mindset such as cancer is manageable or even an opportunity does not mean that cancer is a good thing or you should be happy about it. However, the mindset that ‘cancer is manageable’ can lead to more productive ways of engaging with cancer than the mindset that ‘cancer is a catastrophe.’ What we hope for patients is to inspire them to think about the impact of their mindsets and give them skills to adopt more useful mindsets themselves.”

In the current standard of care for cancer patients, although support groups and other resources are available to help with patients’ overall psychological health, mindsets tend to be overlooked…

Researchers propose that “wise interventions,” which are timely and context-sensitive interventions that targeted individuals’ mindsets, could be used to help cancer patients. Although this approach has been shown to be useful in other domains, such as helping disadvantaged students do better in school and helping people manage stress more effectively, it has not been explored in the field of oncology.

The team is currently conducting experiments, including randomized-controlled trials with cancer patients, to obtain robust data on how mindsets can affect cancer treatment outcome and patients’ physiological health and what types of interventions can be most supportive.

These interventions don’t necessarily require in-person clinic visits, says first author Sean Zion, a doctoral student at Stanford University. “There have been so many advancements in digital health platforms in recent years. We think that one way to push this forward is by creating scalable mindset interventions that can be widely distributed to patients, the type that they can do at home on their own time, where they are comfortable taking in new information.”

“This research is still in its infancy,” says Crum. “But we are working hard to uncover the specific mindsets that may interfere with patients’ ability to be resilient in the midst of cancer, and more importantly, which specific mindsets can be cultivated that can really improve their well-being. We are devoting blood, sweat, and tears to these questions because we believe that cancer patients deserve the most sophisticated psychological care.”

Journal Reference:

  1. Zion et al. Targeting Mindsets, Not Just Tumors. Trends in Cancer, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2019.08.001

Leave a Comment:

38 comments
BETH GRABER says 9 months ago

Hi,

My husband was recently diagnosed with stage 2 MM. He can barely walk with a walker, he has 3 back compression fractures, he lost around 30 pounds and he is in great pain. We start treatment in March at Sylvester Cancer Treatment Center. What should he do until the
treatment begins? What is the best treatment?

Reply
BETH GRABER says 9 months ago

My husband was recently diagnosed with stage 2 MM. He can barely walk with a walker, he has 3 back compression fractures, he lost around 30 pounds and he is in great pain. We start treatment in March at Sylvester Cancer Treatment Center. What should he do until the
treatment begins? What is the best treatment?

Reply
    David Emerson says 9 months ago

    Hi Beth,

    I am sorry to read of your husband’s compression fractures. While his standard MM therapy plan (induction, ASCT, maintenance therapy) should reduce the lesions in his spine, this therapy will take time. I would think that your oncologist would be offering info about a procedure called kyphoplasty. See the link below.

    Please ask your oncologist about local radiation (to kill the lesions in your husband’s spine) followed by kyphplasty.

    Good luck,

    David Emerson

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30808868/

    Reply
Margaret Aispuro says 10 months ago

On July 3, 2019 I found out I had multiple my Loma and I was in the second stage since then I’ve gone through some treatments. I’ve done a bone marrow transplant within a year and 11 months I was back out of remission my son does not want me to do another bone marrow transplant. Please help me know what I need to do to help myself diet mind medicines I just need help so I can figure out what I need to do to keep me going. Thank you. God bless.

Reply
    David Emerson says 10 months ago

    Hi Margaret-

    I replied to you via email. If you don’t find my email in you inbox please check your spam folder.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Ruth says last year

Thank you for this hope. My brother and I both have this disease. He is in remission. I was diagnosed this May. I am a certified health coach and have been eating very healthy for many years. I think the stress from taking care of my Mom caused this to happen now. Maybe I have bad genes? I am doing conventional treatments as that is all I can afford. I have been able to get free drugs. I hate putting these chemicals in my body. I am doing better, but seemed to have stalled at an M spike of 2. I am feeling very discouraged and don’t have insurance as yet to do the bone marrow transplant nor do I think I want to do that. Any insights you can give would be most appreciated. I have several siblings who could be at risk if this is genetic.

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Ruth-

    I replied to you via email. Let me know if you have any other questions.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Steven Bray says last year

I’ve completed stem t plant 8 months
Looking for ways to work naturally on MM

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Steven-

    I replied to you directly via email.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Shannon says last year

My husband was just diagnosed with MM with 70% in bone marrow but no outward symptoms or irregular levels on other testing….The doctor kept using the word “surprising’ ….We do not want to proceed with chemotherapy but do not know how to get other sound advice….We immediately began some nutrition protocols but I see from some answers here that I would even need much more guidance for these protocols…What would be the best way to proceed in this case?

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Shannon-

    I replied to your post directly via your email.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Sheryl Swiontek says last year

My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma in Feb 2022. She has completed induction chemo, including revlamid, velcade, dexamethasone and darzalex. She also has had SCT 2 weeks ago with Melphalon chemo. So far she is doing well and Drs at Froedtert in Milwaukee WI are happy with results. She is home, I am seeking information on lifestyle and mindest changes she can make to enhance her life with this disease. Thank you!

Reply
Monica Holm says last year

My husband 59 yo was diagnosed with MM yesterday
10% and neuropathy to feet. He rides a bicycle for up to 2 hours. He is 6 feet tall and weighs 158. He used to weigh 174. I am looking for naturopathic treatment to build his immune system. His Hematologist wants to send him to Dana Farber fir clinical trials/observation. Please Advise, Monica

Reply
Jared says last year

My Dad was recently diagnosed with MM. I want to help in any way I can. I have him taking some supplements every day but would love any recommendations if you have any? Thank you so much.

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Jared-

    Please be careful as to which supplements you give your dad. For example, if his blood calcium is above average, he should not supplement with more calcium. If he is undergoing Velcade/bortezomib, he should not undergo either green tea extract or vitamin C.

    In the area of anti-mm nutrition, there are specific foods that have been shown to cause apoptosis aka kill mm cells. In general, these foods are called anti-angiogenic.

    Further, there are a number of evidence-based, non-conventional lifestyle therapies from moderate exercise (bone strengthening) to sauna (detoxifying).

    How old is your dad? What was his stage at diagnosis (I,II, or III)? What symptoms if any? Vitamin D3 supplementation may alleviate nerve pain.

    What therapies has your dad undergone, if any? An ASCT may or may not be the right therapy for your dad at this point depending on the info above.

    Let me know. Hang in there.

    David Emerson

    Reply
    Kim Laundy says last year

    My dad has stage 3 myeloma
    Any natural remedies that will help him I would be eternally grateful

    Reply
      David Emerson says last year

      Hi Kim-

      I replied to you via email.

      David Emerson

      Reply
Dianne says last year

I was tested today & in a couple days, everything as I know it may change. I am searching for alternative treatments now while I am not super stressed just in case.

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Dianne-

    I am sorry to read of your possible MM diagnosis. There are many complementary, integrative and alternative mm therapies though the key for you is to get a formal diagnosis in order to develop a therapy plan. Early stage mm is treated differently than advanced stage for example.

    I encourage you to contact me again once you know your diagnostic testing specifics such as your m-spike, freelight chains, bone marrow biopsy results, etc.

    In the meantime, hang in there.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Patricia Jackson says last year

Me again. Can you give me the names of Multiple Myeloma specialist in either the Midwest or Florida. I really can’t go to CA to see Dr. Berenson. 😔. Thank you.

Reply
    Cheryl says last year

    I am looking for Multiple Myeloma specialists in Florida, as well. Thank you.

    Reply
      David Emerson says last year

      Hi Cheryl-

      There are mm specialists in both northern Florida as well as Miami aka southern Florida. Can you tell me what urban area you are closest to?

      thank you,

      David Emerson

      Reply
Patricia Jackson says last year

Hi David,
I have had MM for almost 6 years. I am on my 4th treatment. I am seeking natural ways to improve my chances of getting in remission and staying there for many years. You mentioned supplements. Could you share with me the supplements you take, the dosages, and the brands? I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Patricia-

    I will reply to you directly via email.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Maria says last year

Hi David,

My father has multiple myeloma. We are going through treatment and being told that stem cell therapy is the only route for sustained remission. However, he will need to remain on a chemo pill after the procedure so I am not understanding whether that is in fact an effective solution. I’d appreciate any advice. Thank you in advance!

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Maria-

    I replied to you directly via your email address.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Corey says last year

My best friend has had Myeloma cancer for about 10 years. She goes to UAMS in Arkansas every 6 months for a bone marrow biopsy. The cancer is coming back. Is there anything youd recommend that i could show her to use along with what her doctors are telling her?
Thank you

Reply
    David Emerson says last year

    Hi Corey-

    If you are saying that your friend was diagnosed with MM at least 10 years ago and has been in remission all this time, your friend has experienced a long progression-free survival aka PFS aka remission. While their practices are pretty aggressive, UAMS is a top-notch MM center.

    There are several chemotherapy regimens that your friend can take to achieve remission once again. My guess is that he/she has not yet taken a chemo called Darzelex aka Daratumumab.

    To answer your question, yes, there are many evidence-based but non-conventional therapies shown to kill MM. Specifically anti-angiogenic nutrition, any-MM supplementation as well as anti-mm lifestyle therapies such as exercise, whole body hyperthermia, etc.

    I will send several MM CC course guides to your email inbox. Please consider the MM CC course for your friend both to lengthen and deepen remissions as well as boost your friends immune health in between bouts of chemotherapy.

    Good luck Corey.

    David Emerson

    Reply
      Skenti says last year

      Hi David. My situation is similar to Corey’s friend. I am interested in the response.

      Reply
        David Emerson says last year

        Hi Scent-

        What is the question? What is your situation? I can’t see Corey’s question.

        David Emerson

        Reply
Tom Krymkowski says last year

ANYONE EVER HEAR OF “Multiple Myeloma’s Natural Calcium Cure”? Please email me at krymkowskithomas777@gmail.com if you have. I have some questions. Thanks. Tom.

Reply
Brenda says a couple of years ago

My sister has been told she has this Cancer, can you help with a natural approach. Thank You

Reply
    David Emerson says a couple of years ago

    Hi Brenda-

    I am sorry to learn of your sister’s cancer diagnosis. In order for me to suggest evidence-based, non-toxic therapies, I need to know her type of cancer (breast, leukemia, lung, etc.) and stage and any symptoms she is experiencing. ‘

    Hang in there, thanks.

    David Emerson

    Reply
Michael says a couple of years ago

Hi David,
Just learned this evening that my dad was diagnosed with MM. this was done with x ray and specific urine test for certain levels of something I’m not sure what it is.

The general doctor claims he is stage 0.25 so if that’s true that’s a good sign. He is going for consultation in a few days, Any tips on starting out with this in terms of finding the best doctor, nutrition, etc.?
Thank you.

Reply
    David Emerson says a couple of years ago

    Hi Michael-

    I replied to you via email.

    David

    Reply
Gemma says a couple of years ago

My Mother In Law has just recently been diagnosed with Myeloma.
She hasn’t started treatment yet, but I was wondering if you could provide some insight in to what some other options would be for her treatment?
Thank you

Reply
    David Emerson says a couple of years ago

    Hi Gemma-

    I am sorry to learn of your mom’s MM diagnosis. The therapy suggestions I can make depend largely on her diagnostic testing specifics. In other words, her age, stage (pre,I,II,III), bone or kidney involvement, co-morbidities (other health issues), for example, all enter into her treatment plan.

    At the very least, I would encourage your mom to “pre-habilitate.” Meaning eat cleanly (I follow a Mediterranean diet myself), lots of anti-angiogenic fruits and veggies, exercise (a brisk walk every morning or moderate exercise).

    More basics- are you seeing an oncologist who specializes in multiple myeloma? Studies show MM specialists offer much better guidance. Even if you meet with a specialist once or twice to determine your approach.

    I don’t mean to complicate your mom’s life as a newly diagnosed MM patient. A few basic rules will help her live a better, longer life as a patient.

    Let me know if you have any questions.

    Hang in there,

    David Emerson

    Reply
Florence D'Orazio says 3 years ago

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your knowledge your sharing with other mm patients. I to believe in a holistic approach along with conventional medicine. Any natural health tips you could give would be greatly appreciated,and God Bless You! David Emerson

Reply
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