A story of courage and survival

WellBeing reader Kristine Matheson shares how, when diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2005, she conquered her death sentence using food as medicine and reframing her mindset.

It was Easter 2005 when I received the devastating news from my oncologist: I only had six months to live with a diagnosis of stage IV metastasised melanoma.

My head was spinning with disbelief. My family were in tears and in a state of shock. I found myself comforting everyone and not believing the diagnosis myself. How could I be dying? That was not in my plans at all.

Following the initial diagnosis, the next step was for me to go through more tests, which led to me feeling unbelievably traumatised.

I kept telling myself that “I needed to get a hold of myself”, so I would not succumb to this death sentence. I knew I had to get away from all the medical negativities. What was the point in all these tests and all the trauma if I was going to die in the eyes of those running these tests? It certainly would not save my life and did not make sense to me.

On the last day of the tests, I went home and decided I was not going to let this diagnosis come true. I first needed to use my mind to get rid of the subliminal message that I was going to die. I spent several hours writing affirmations and meditating to bring myself back into a state of empowerment.

Having believed in the power of “food as medicine” and the importance of gut health, I started a program that healed my body within five months. I was going to walk in wellness, not my sickness.

I remember reading a book written by William G Crook M.D. in the late 1980s about the importance of gut health and how yeast overgrowth affects the immune system, especially anyone diagnosed with cancer.

So, my first step was to increase and maintain my bacteria levels to eliminate any yeast infection and parasite infestation in my gut. This required me to eliminate foods and liquids that fed the yeast infection known as candida and take a parasite herbal remedy containing wormwood and black walnut.

At this time, all fruit, fruit juice, anything containing sugar, fungi such as mushrooms, fermented foods, processed foods, dairy products, bread, alcohol and many other foods that fed the candida were removed from my diet.

I included a list of allowable foods, a multi-strained dairy-free probiotic and a handful of other supplements to help support my digestion and immune system. It was essential to use only practitioner brands as I knew they were of high quality.

I made sure my intake of foods was of high organic quality and 80 per cent raw to increase my body’s alkalinity. It has been proven that sustaining a healthy balance of 80 per cent alkaline foods with 20 per cent acidic foods has a positive effect on the body as it is anti-inflammatory. In that state, the body can begin to heal. Plus eating plenty of raw organic food also kept my bowel free from constipation.

After I finished the candida/parasite protocols, I was now ready for a 28-day juicing and vegetable broth detoxification. Juicing allowed my body to rest and work on the beneficial effects of the nutrients I was now giving it to heal. Juicing rests the liver and floods the body with super-important phytonutrients that are a powerhouse for the healing process. They are anti-inflammatory and easily absorbed as liquid, making these nutrients more readily available to the body in much larger quantities than when eating a piece of fruit or a vegetable. Juicing assisted with maximum detoxification and strengthened my immune system.

I also included colonic irrigation on the several days I juiced. It was a necessary way for me to cleanse my bowel efficiently. Some people choose to do daily enemas. I like to go to an experienced colon care centre specialising in a closed-system method.

Organic eggs were the only animal protein I allowed in my body, with other protein sources coming from organic plant-based gluten-free foods such as grains, legumes, organic non-GMO soy products, nuts, seeds, vegetables, sea vegetables, sea extracts and herbs.

Towards the end of the juicing protocols, I went back to exercising. Having been a competition ballroom dancer and a person who loved brisk beach walks together with jogging, I needed to get myself fit again.

Exercise is so important as it boosts the immune system by improving circulation and helps to carry nutrients to all our organs and eliminates waste. Exercise promotes a good night’s sleep and is so important for the healing process.

Another crucial step I took was writing a list of all the things, events and people that needed forgiveness going back to my early childhood memories. Nurturing me back to health required me not only to take care of my dietary nutrition but also to correct my “emotional nutrition”. Forgiveness and dealing with grief are the first steps to health and wellbeing.

As a cancer survivor, my passion and mission over the past 20 years has been to educate our global community on the principles of prevention and survival from cancer and lifestyle-related chronic illnesses.

Editor note: These do not represent the views of WellBeing magazine. While we recommend maintaining a healthy lifestyle at every stage of life, we advise you do so under medical supervision or in consultation with your doctor.