NEW HIGH IN BREAST CANCERS
By Tom Parry

BREAST cancer cases have hit a record high.

Experts put the rise down to lifestyle changes and the start of national screening in the 80s.

Almost 40,000 women were diagnosed with the disease in 2004 - an 81 per cent increase on 1971.

Doctors say the trend is linked to woman having fewer children, starting their families later and only breast feeding for short periods.

Increasing body weight and some forms of HRT are also blamed.

But breast cancer deaths have fallen by a fifth to nearly 12,500 since 1989, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.

Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK said: "Luckily more woman are surviving breast cancer thanks to early detection through screening and better treatments."

Mirror.co.uk

Cancer survivor guidelines

For 9.5 million American cancer survivors, recommendations include physical activity to increase appetite and reduce constipation and fatigue, losing excess weight to decrease cancer recurrence and improve overall survival, and taking a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement.

In addition to improving life quality and survival, these guidelines may help to reduce the risk of new cancers and the development of diabetes, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Weight maintenance reduces risk for breast and colorectal cancer.

The recommendations for nutrition include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (fish and walnuts); fish, lean poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes for protein; whole grains, vegetables, legumes and fruit for fiber and carbohydrates; 5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily; exercise regimens.

Studies are in progress concerning cancer prevention with the use of flaxseed, garlic, and tea, as well as the anti-nausea effects of ginger.

Source: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians Sep/Oct 2003;53:268-291

My Wife's Breast Cancer Recovery:
An Interview With Dr Michael Hatrak

By Dr. Patricia Whisnant

This month we are very blessed to provide our readers with
an interview featuring Dr. Michael Hatrak. Dr. Hatrak is a
nationally known chiropractor and one of the three founders
of Synergy Release Therapy. His trademarked technique
focuses on opening energy blockages and realigning the
body. Synergy Release Therapy has helped patients with
prostate problems, sleep apnea, hypothyroid conditions, low
energy and sports performance enhancement.

Dr. Hatrak trains chiropractors, massage therapists,
sports therapists, nutritionists and other health
professionals. His clients include professional athletes
with the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta
Falcons and even Olympic Athletes. We are pleased to have
such a distinguished customer take the time to share his
professional knowledge and personal experience with our
readers.


Dr Whisnant: What sparked your interest in combining
chiropractic care with nutritional care?

Dr. Hatrak: My interest in nutrition began at the age of
15 when I used to read Adelle Davis books. In Chiropractic
school, I received many hours of training in nutrition.
Currently, I have a nutritionist Pam Eberle M.S. and a
Registered Dietician working in my office who specializes
in functional medicine.

When my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, my interest
became extremely focused as we were now dealing with
critical life and death issues.

Dr Whisnant: When your wife was diagnosed with breast
cancer, how did you decide to treat her condition?

Dr. Hatrak: We decided to go the standard medical route
for a lumpectomy but forgo chemotherapy or radiation in
preference to building her immune system through diet and
supplements.

Dr Whisnant: What did Joan's medical doctor think of this
decision?

Dr. Hatrak: The physician felt Joan was being foolish by
deciding not to include chemo, radiation and Tamoxifen in
her breast cancer treatment because he believed the outcome
is usually grim without this regime. However, Joan was more
frightened of the damaging effects of these therapies than
of the cancer.

Dr Whisnant: It must have been difficult for you to go the
alternative route with such a grave prognosis from her
physician.

Dr. Hatrak: Yes. However, I had developed a network of
alternative physicians over the past 28 years. We just
started to make our contacts and put together an initial
recovery plan, which was very comprehensive. We tweaked the
plan many times over the past six years as Joan's health
improved and her nutritional requirements evolved.

We decided that the very best diet initially for Joan
would be a 100% raw food vegan diet, including a lot of
fresh green vegetable juices.

Dr. Whisnant: Why did you decide that Joan would do best
on this extreme diet as her breast cancer treatment?

Dr. Hatrak: A raw food diet would deliver a food source
that requires very little energy for digestion. Her body
would be free to focus energy on healing.

In other words, raw foods have an abundance of enzymes.
Enzymes are required for healing, digestion, energy and all
functions of the body.

Enzyme-rich food is considered clean fuel for the body.
Our goal was to clean the body then feed the body.

Dr. Whisnant: Are you still a proponent of raw food diets?

Dr. Hatrak: We believe that raw foods should comprise 60-
70 percent of your diet.

Dr. Whisnant: When did you and she decide to add grass fed
beef, fish and free range chicken back into her diet?

Dr. Hatrak: I think it was about one year. Joan started
feeling the need for more protein in her diet and she
started craving meat. Also, as she grew healthier, she
started working out with weights and her demand for protein
was greater as well.

Dr. Whisnant: Why is it that so many critically ill
patients initially thrive on a strict raw food vegetarian
diet and green juicing?

Dr. Hatrak: A raw food diet gives the digestive system
time to heal and repair. It cleans the liver and is a great
detox. A raw food diet jump starts healing.

After the healing has begun, the second part of the
equation is to feed the body. This can only be done with
complete proteins, amino acids, essential vitamins and
minerals that can only be obtained with animal proteins
that deliver iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium as well as
riboflavin and B-12.

Dr. Whisnant: How would someone know it was time to start
introducing beef, fish and eggs back into their diet when
they have been on a strict raw food vegetarian diet?

Dr. Hatrak: Like Joan, most people will naturally start
craving meat after several months on a strict vegetarian
diet. Also, there are several tests one could do to monitor
the progress and see when it is time.

For example, blood levels of minerals and vitamins plus
muscle density tests like the BIA (Bio-impedance analysis)
will give you muscle to fat ratio and levels of hydration.
These are the easiest tests.

I would, also, throw in an essential fatty acid test to
see how your body is metabolizing fats.

Dr. Whisnant: Could you substitute fish and chicken for
the benefits you get from grass fed beef?

Dr. Hatrak: No . . . fish, chicken and even standard
organic grain fed beef does not have the complete synergy
of nutrition provided by grass fed beef as a source of
animal protein. Also, grass fed beef will give you more
omega fats than regular USDA grain fed beef and no mercury
that all fish on the planet have. Grass fed beef is a safe
source of protein for rebuilding.

Dr. Whisnant: What are the symptoms of deficiencies that
you have seen in your practice caused by lack of meat in
strict vegan diets?

Dr. Hatrak: Anemia, fatigue, hypothyroid, bone loss and
muscle spasms are very obviously observed. The most
dangerous deficiency is an essential fatty acid deficiency
which could emerge without any symptoms until it's too
late. This deficiency can result in damage to the heart and
key organs.

Dr. Whisnant: I have heard of several strict raw food
vegans who have had major health problems including rapid
aging, muscle loss, high blood pressure . . . some even
suffer strokes after years on the diet. How could people
who are eating only a live food organic vegetarian regime
complete with high enzyme juicing have high blood pressure
and strokes . . . it seems totally impossible?

Dr. Hatrak: Our bodies need a specific full complement of
amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins
that only come from beef. As I stated before, if you don't
provide your body with the nutrition from all the food
sources it needs, you risk heart and many other severe
problems with the key organs in your body.

Supplements will never compensate for these deficiencies.

Dr. Whisnant: One of your specialties is optimizing the
performance of professional athletes, including many top
NFL, NBA and MLB players. Plus you have helped Olympic
athletes and body builders. Are any of these patients
vegetarian?

Dr. Hatrak: NONE of my patients who are professional
athletes are strict vegans or vegetarian. These athletes
could not maintain peak performance on a vegetarian diet.

Dr. Whisnant: How would you determine the best diet for
someone?

Dr. Hatrak: In our practice, we look at many factors such
as heritage, blood type (to a certain degree), metabolism,
lifestyle and patient history. Plus we factor in the foods
which a specific patient likes and dislikes to develop a
comprehensive plan, along with functional tests. In my
opinion, humans were designed to be omnivores . . .
enjoying a wide spectrum of foods from all food groups.

Dr. Whisnant: How is Joan's health now?

Dr. Hatrak: It will be six years this May since she was
diagnosed with cancer. As of her last battery of tests, she
is cancer free. We need to stress that the kind of testing
we perform is both traditional and functional, which is
truly comprehensive.

Dr. Michael Hatrak can be reached at:

Total Life
1495 Alpharetta Hwy
Alpharetta, GA 30004