CANCER AND AFTER

Beata Bishop's autobiographical book A Time to Heal is one of the most important records in the annals of cancer narratives. It tells the story of her own experience with cancer and its recurrence, which she eventually cured through a combination of Gerson diet and psychotherapy - that was 35 years ago, when she was given six months to live. She will celebrate her 90th birthday in the summer. This short but essential book is about how to avoid a recurrence and is based not only on her own experience but that of others who are told to resume life as normal without any changes in lifestyle or knowledge about the mind-body connection. This advice she regards as 'catastrophically insufficient' and in her own case meant going back to 25 cigarettes a day, a demanding job, a chaotic diet and unresolved personal problems.

In the 1930s, cancer rates were 1 in 14. They are now 1 in 3 and in the process of rising to 1 in 2. This alone should give us pause for thought about the adequacy of our understanding of cancer. Beata sees it as a breakdown of law and order on the cellular level brought about by an overload on the immune system, which is under constant siege with our modern lifestyle both on a physical and emotional level. She explains the agricultural and dietary aspects of our situation, including the destructive role of the big food and pharmaceutical companies. She draws on the philosophies of Drs Max Bircher-Benner and Max Gerson, which have been so central in her own case. This leads her to argue that we need to establish a new relationship with our bodies and pay attention to their messages.

The next chapter summarises the importance of the mind-body relationship, as demonstrated in psycho-neuro-immunology and through the placebo and nocebo effects. The diagnosis of cancer itself can precipitate a serious nocebo effect, adding to an already stressful situation. Beata gives readers guidance on the physical side, including posture, breathing and treating tension in the neck. On the mental side she discusses the importance of visualisation, citing the case of a 60-year-old ex-hospital sister who was told that she had perhaps six months to live and responded that she therefore had six months to get well. Feelings are also important, and their repression can be dangerous.

Avoiding a recurrence involves a change of direction, and Beata invites the reader to conduct some interactive exercises. We can get rid of junk, both inner and outer; we can revisit childhood patterns and release painful memories; we can check if we lack self-esteem and tend to give priority to everyone else's needs at the expense of our own. Some central events can be revisited so that we can establish our own role. We can even write life-changing letters and benefit from putting our feelings into words. We can also reassess the quality of our relationships and the kind of conflicts we encounter. All this amounts to a major inner overhaul to accompany the lifestyle changes recommended in the previous chapter. More importantly, it represents vital advice for cancer sufferers who really want to listen to the message of their illness and undertake a necessary reorientation. Incidentally, the general reader could also benefit enormously from following this guidance before they receive an alarm call from the body.