Someone recently asked me for recommendations on books that would help them with their cancer healing. I read dozens of books and hundreds of research papers and blogs after my diagnosis – some offered tools that are still part of my lifestyle, some gave me ideas that I tried and discarded, a scant few seemed designed to offer only false, quacking hope.
Below is an overview of the books that were most impactful to my healing.
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Tripping over the Truth
Tripping over the Truth: How the Metabolic Theory of Cancer Is Overturning One of Medicine’s Most Entrenched Paradigms
by Travis Christofferson, 2019
This isn’t just my favorite “cancer book;” it may be my favorite book, period. It may have less actionable information than some of the others on this list but provides the best, most readable overview of cancer as a metabolic disease. Author Travis Christofferson founded the nonprofit US arm of Care Oncology Clinic to help realize some of the treatments he reports on in this book. It was shortly after I discovered Care Oncology and adopted their protocol that I was declared No Evidence of Disease.
The Metabolic Approach to Cancer
The Metabolic Approach to Cancer: Integrating Deep Nutrition, the Ketogenic Diet, and Nontoxic Bio-Individualized Therapies
by Dr. Nasha Winters and Jess Higgins Kelley, 2017
Author Nasha Winters overcame stage 4 ovarian cancer as a young woman. This book provides actionable information on the lifestyle or “terrain” aspects of her healing both from experience and her training and a naturopathic physician.
Co-author Jess Higgins Kelley is an oncology nutrition consultant and founder of the Oncology Nutrition Institute.
The deeper I get into my healing, the more my experience aligns with what these women teach.
Keto for Cancer
Keto for Cancer: Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy as a Targeted Nutritional Strategy
by Miriam Kalamian, 2017
Miriam Kalamian significantly prolonged the life of her son by utilizing a keto diet. Here she shares her expert knowledge on the science behind a therapeutic ketogenic diet for cancer. This book provides step-by-step instructions for implementing a keto diet for cancer therapy in addition to recipes and simple meal plan outlines.
Note the forward by another one of my cancer science heros, Dr. Thomas Seyfried.
Radical Remission
Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds
by Dr. Kelly Turner, 2015
I read this the weekend after I was diagnosed and it gave me so much hope. Turner interviewed hundreds of cancer survivors and healers to compile this list of the nine most common factors in “radical remissions.”
Although I initially rolled my eyes at some of the later factors, looking back a year later all of them played a role in my healing. I had only dreamed of someday going on this list but, whatever my final outcome, my remission was against the odds and I’m so grateful for every extra day it gives me.
How to Starve Cancer
How to Starve Cancer …without starving yourself: The Discovery of a Metabolic Cocktail That Could Transform the Lives of Millions
by Jane Mclelland, 2018
What amazes me most about Jane isn’t even that she discovered the metabolic pathways of cancer on her own – it’s that she did it before the internet!
The information she compiles in this book around the various ways cancer can fuel itself and available therapies to block those metabolic pathways is absolutely priceless. It was through this book that I discovered the Care Oncology Clinic and finally was able to get my own hands on the metabolic protocol that I believe tipped me into remission.
If you’ve blown through those and are looking for a few more for fun or to deepen your knowledge, I’d recommend moving on to the following
Beating Cancer with Nutrition
Beating Cancer with Nutrition: Optimal Nutrition Can Improve Outcome in Medically-Treated Cancer Patients
by Dr. Patrick Quillin
While I feel that The Metabolic Approach to Cancer and Keto for Cancer covered more helpful and healing cancer nutrition information, Dr. Quillin’s perspective was still very useful to me in developing my diet.
Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips
Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips
by Kris Carr
This was the very first book I read after my diagnosis. It’s a light and breezy read that set the hopeful tone I needed for the battle to come.
Kris planted the seed for my first fast which started just a few days later after I finished Radical Remissions.
The Complete Guide to Fasting
The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting
by Dr. Jason Fung, 2016
I’m a huge fan of Dr. Fung and, while I don’t think anyone really needs a whole book on how to fast (hint: just don’t eat), this offers a good survey of the landscape for those who are interested.
I especially enjoyed this book as an activity to pass the time while I wasn’t eating – and remind me of the good I was doing my body!
