I was going to write about heart disease until yesterday, when I read in one of Dr. Mercola's columns called "The Coming Cancer Explosion", that cancer will probably surpass heart disease to become the Number One Killer of people, worldwide, in 2010. Also that ALL types of cancer are growing very rapidly, every day, every week, every month, every year. There are roughly 7.6 million people who will die of cancer, completely unnecessarily (my strong opinion), this year alone. And Dr. Mercola also pointed out that the 7.6 million number of people is expected to DOUBLE by 2020 - - - eleven years from now.

That article made me think a whole bunch about what I have been writing about, and then the next day, I read the e-column "HSI e-Alert - Poison Control". It had the opening caption boldly printed "Oncology Has a Dirty Little Secret".

But first let's go back in time a bit, before I drop a little bombshell on you today. First however is the disclaimer that I realize many doctors are not unethical, other than their dogma to continue treatments using only FDA - approved treatments.

Let's pretend I was your crotchety old teacher way back in high school, and you remember me mostly because of me nagging you with words like, "Now boys and girls, here are some really important things to remember, even if you don't graduate. So pay close attention now, and don't forget!"

The History Lesson: It was only a few decades ago, that all cancer was considered largely a problem of the westernized, wealthy, and industrialized countries. It was mostly only the "rich folks" who seemed susceptible to this virtually unknown and dreaded disease that they were calling "cancer".

There was also a time in very recent history (circa 1950's or so), in which only the "wealthy" could afford refined sugar, unlimited sources of all alcoholic beverages (full of sugar), unlimited sources of red meat,, as well as those new-fangled types of frozen and processed foods - - - foods that today contain aspartame in over 4000 different products, found in most supermarkets. Did I forget to mention diet colas and diet soft drinks)? (see Aspartame article, Natural Triad, April 2008) Or how about the unparalled amounts of white refined sugar, corn syrups, and high fructose syrups, that are found in large quantities in nearly ALL breakfast cereals and packaged bread products (see Sugar is Sweet article, Natural Triad, November, 2008).

I also should mention again about the use of fluoride, originally used as rat poison, and how ironic it is that a rat poison is now advertised on the front of every box and every tube of toothpaste, and included in roughly ninety nine (99) percent of ALL toothpastes sold in America, not to mention public water supplies. (see Fluoride article, Natural Triad, March , 2008).

Also I hope you recall our discussions on the unregulated and untested "chemicals" in nearly all processed and fast foods, along with the alarming numbers of canned soups, salad dressings, catsups, and canned vegetables that have copious amounts of migraine or asthma-causing MSG (monosodium glutamate). MSG is now found in literally hundreds of grocery store items that we consume daily. (see MSG article, Natural Triad, November , 2007,)

The point of all this is say that it was only fifty or sixty years ago that only the "rich folks" could afford to eat the special cuts of red meat, followed by the ever-sweet and ever-rich desserts, made with that new product called refined sugar. They could also easily afford and even indulge regularly in the nicer, imported vodkas, rums, and gins. And pretty soon they had figured out how to make all those fancy Kentucky and Tennessee whiskeys - - - - all of which are quickly becoming known as cancer-causing contributors. .

Nowadays it could be true that majority of food products sold in a traditional supermarket fits into the cancer causing categories mention mentioned in the previous paragraphs.... especially since the food industry began selling us on the benefits of time-saving ways to cook, to preserve, and to pre-package food, mainly so it would not spoil or rot as quickly. That is now referred to as the Processed Food Industry.

I certainly suggest that everyone reading this column begin looking at and closely reading all labels, particularly all the little and sometimes-very-hard-to-see labels of ingredients on packaging as you choose from 90 percent of the items in your local supermarket. Be sure to have your magnifying glasses handy.

Now for today's promised bombshell and the reason for the article captioned "One of Oncology's Dirty Little Secrets": Doctors can (and do) make a profit on cancer treatment and useless chemotherapy.

After reading the article about the soon-coming cancer tsunami, I then read in the freebie e-letter, "HSI e-Alert - Poison Control" (dated December 22, 2008), which I will paraphrase as follows:

Imagine you're an oncologist (cancer doctor), and you have determined one of your long-time patients has a month or so to live. You have even solemnly explained to your dying client, and to his soon-to-be widow and his children, that this type of cancer just didn't respond to chemotherapy, despite using the very latest, most expensive version in FDA-approved, chemotherapy technology. Nevertheless you remain faced with the imminent death of your patient, and up until now you had received a substantial source of your year's income as a result of his fully-insured treatments. You are now faced with two options.

Option A: Regretfully inform both your client, and his soon-to-be-fatherless-family that there is nothing further you can do and refer him to hospice.

Option B: Prescribe another round of chemotherapy on the "chance it might do something". Doctors are able to purchase chemotherapy treatments directly from the pharmaceutical company at roughly ten cents on the dollar and by administering chemotherapy "in house", you stand to make one last good chunk of money from this patient's care, compliments of an insurance policy, the VA, or Medicare. What to do, what to do?
Unfortunately, and very sadly for the health of the American citizen, our medical delivery system has decayed to the point that Option B is sometimes taken instead of Option A. My dad always said "if it starts smelling fishy, just follow the smell of the money".