In this episode of “Coast To Coast AM” Dr. Lorraine Day discusses her perspectives on various health issues. Based in Palm Springs, California, Dr. Day shares her disillusionment with the government’s handling of AIDS, a topic she has extensively written about and testified to Congress. She argues that despite new treatments, the fundamental issues remain unaddressed, emphasizing that such treatments often harm the immune system, which she believes is the only defense against diseases like AIDS and cancer.
Dr. Day then shares her personal experience with cancer, describing the rapid growth of a tumor on her chest, attributing its aggressiveness to her compromised immune system. Despite recommendations for conventional treatments like radiation and chemotherapy, she chose not to undergo them, fearing further damage to her immune system. Instead, she focused on boosting her immune health.
Her background is notable, having served as an associate professor and vice chairman of the orthopedic surgery department at the University of California, San Francisco Medical School and chief of orthopedic surgery at San Francisco General Hospital. Trained in orthodox medicine and board-certified in orthopedic surgery, Dr. Day’s career in mainstream medicine took a turn when she began speaking out about the AIDS epidemic, leading to discoveries she felt were not being widely disclosed.
Dr. Lorraine Day recounts her surprise at discovering the alleged cover-ups in cancer treatments, having initially been skeptical due to her established position in academic medicine. Her journey to explore alternative cures for cancer led her to meet people who had recovered through natural methods, challenging her orthodox medical training.
Dr. Day emphasizes the role of the immune system in combating diseases, dismissing the idea of spontaneous remission without any treatment plan. She shares her experience of having a portion of a tumor surgically removed, but still dealing with widespread cancer in her body. Her recovery took about eight months without resorting to conventional treatments like chemotherapy.
She challenges the common medical perception that genetics play a significant role in diseases like cancer, suggesting that lifestyle and environmental factors are more influential. Dr. Day criticizes the medical community’s focus on genetics, arguing that it removes personal responsibility and promotes a fatalistic attitude towards health.
Despite her cancer diagnosis, Dr. Day remained active, confronting stress from her professional and personal life. She highlights the destructive nature of repressed anger, considering it a major cause of disease and death in society.
Dr. Lorraine Day discusses the impact of stress and diet on health. She explains how stress releases hormones that weaken the immune system, emphasizing that no one is immune to the harmful effects of chronic stress. Reflecting on her own experience, she admits that she underestimated the impact of stress on her health until she faced serious illness.
Dr. Day stresses the importance of diet in rebuilding the immune system, drawing an analogy to fueling a luxury car with the best gasoline. She criticizes the modern diet, which involves heavily processing natural foods, stripping them of nutrition. Contrary to popular belief, she argues that Americans are not living longer, healthier lives due to these dietary and lifestyle choices.
She shares her struggles in finding a doctor willing to treat her cancer without insisting on chemotherapy and radiation, highlighting the lack of patient autonomy in cancer treatment. In California, she notes, doctors can refuse to treat cancer patients who do not comply with their recommended treatment plans. This experience led her to seek a surgeon who would respect her choice to avoid conventional cancer treatments.
Dr. Lorraine Day describes the pain as stemming directly from the tumor, rather than from the size of the tumor or her lymph system. Despite taking strong narcotics like Demerol, she found little relief and faced extreme difficulty during this period. Dr. Day remained convinced, however, that natural methods would eventually aid her recovery.
Dr. Day emphasizes the health benefits of natural elements like sunlight. She explains that sunlight not only reduces the size of internal cancerous tumors but also lowers cholesterol and anxiety. Challenging the common warnings against sun exposure, she cites a study demonstrating that a nutritious diet can protect against skin cancer even under UV exposure.
Highlighting the importance of hydration, Dr. Day discusses the detrimental effects of caffeine and the necessity of water for bodily functions. She explains that every cell, especially in the brain and nervous system, requires water to function correctly. Insufficient hydration can lead to serious diseases like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s.
She stresses the harmful effects of the standard American diet, which includes excessive sugar and chemical additives. She believes that such dietary choices lead to malnutrition, immune system impairment, and overall health deterioration. Dr. Day encourages a return to natural, nutritious foods and adequate hydration as keys to maintaining health.
Dr. Lorraine Day explains how she incorporated large amounts of carrot juice and green leafy vegetable juices into her diet, emphasizing the importance of natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in cleansing the body of toxins. Dr. Day elaborates on the detrimental effects of consuming meat, explaining how it putrefies in the body due to the long digestive process, releasing toxins.
She discusses her complete avoidance of animal products, including meat and dairy, explaining the reasoning behind it. Dr. Day challenges the conventional wisdom on osteoporosis, asserting that it’s not a lack of calcium but rather an excess of animal protein in the diet that leads to the condition. She stresses the importance of a balanced diet with adequate protein and the dangers of consuming too much animal protein.
Describing her recovery journey, Dr. Day provides a timeline: It took ten months from the time the photographs of her large tumor were taken to her being clear of cancer. She highlights the intense struggle during this period, including a night she nearly died and her refusal to seek emergency medical treatment for fear of being forced into chemotherapy and radiation.
Dr. Day’s transformation from a conventional physician to an advocate of natural healing methods stemmed from her personal experience and observations in her medical practice. She notes that many physicians are aware of the limited effectiveness and potential harm of conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.
Dr. Lorraine Day strongly criticizes conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, asserting that these treatments, originating from World War II chemical agents, often do more harm than good by destroying the immune system. She emphasizes the body’s inherent ability to heal itself and the limited role of drugs in this process. According to her, medications often mask symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of diseases.
Dr. Day underscores the importance of the immune system in fighting diseases and criticizes the overreliance on pharmaceuticals in medical treatment. She challenges the medical establishment’s approach to disease, which often focuses on treating symptoms with drugs rather than addressing underlying causes.
Despite her unconventional stance, which she believes might attract criticism from the medical community, Dr. Day stands by her experience and the apparent success of her natural healing methods. She mentions that her recovery and current health are a testament to the effectiveness of her approach.
Dr. Day also addresses the skepticism and resistance to change that she encounters, noting that many people prefer to adhere to familiar habits and beliefs, even when faced with health crises. She shares a personal anecdote about a friend who, after initially improving on a natural diet, reverted to his old habits and suffered the consequences.
With cancer being a multi-billion-dollar industry heavily influenced by pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Day believes that the focus on drug treatments overshadows the potential of natural healing methods. She recounts a conversation with a friend who chose familiar comforts over changing his diet and lifestyle, illustrating the challenge of altering long-held habits even in the face of serious illness. This friend ultimately passed away, emphasizing the potentially life-and-death nature of these choices.
Dr. Day explains that her approach to healing from cancer wasn’t solely based on diet; it involved a comprehensive lifestyle change, including stress management, hydration, and nutrition. She mentions her website, which provides resources and details about her journey and the methods she used.
Responding to a caller’s inquiry about Dr. Richard Schultz, who also promotes natural healing methods, Dr. Day acknowledges the value of herbs but insists they alone are not sufficient to rebuild the immune system. She emphasizes the need for a holistic approach that includes diet, water, and lifestyle changes.
Dr. Day shares the backstory of her transition to natural healing. Before her cancer diagnosis, she hosted a radio show where she interviewed alternative practitioners, providing her with initial exposure to these methods. However, she admits to initially stumbling through various alternative treatments before realizing the importance of addressing stress and adhering to a diet of fruits, grains, and vegetables.
The conversation then shifts to AIDS, with Dr. Day agreeing with Dr. Peter Duesberg’s assertion that AIDS is an environmental disease. She argues that the lifestyles of the most heavily affected groups, such as drug addicts and homosexuals, contribute to a weakened immune system, which is crucial in combating the disease.
One caller, Nancy from Wisconsin, asks about hydrazine sulfate, a controversial treatment. Dr. Day acknowledges its usefulness for buying time to change diet and lifestyle but emphasizes that it’s not a standalone cure for serious cancer. She also confirms the death of Kathy, who was associated with this treatment.
Another caller, Jim from Michigan, shares a personal story about his grandfather, who recovered from paralysis through diet changes but later succumbed to illness due to not fully committing to a healthier lifestyle. This reinforces Dr. Day’s message about the importance of diet and lifestyle choices.
Debbie from Denver calls in, inspired by Dr. Day’s story, and mentions her own plans to change her diet. She references authors like John Robbins and Stanley Burroughs, whose work focuses on diet and health. Dr. Day responds by stressing the simplicity of her approach, which is to eat as close to nature as possible, emphasizing fruits, grains, and vegetables.
The conversation also touches on the difficulties of changing one’s diet and lifestyle. Dr. Day acknowledges the challenge of withdrawal symptoms when eliminating meat, coffee, and other staples from one’s diet, especially for those without a life-threatening condition. She explains that when toxins are mobilized from the body during a dietary change, it can lead to a “healing crisis,” where one might initially feel worse before getting better.
One caller, a young man from Indiana undergoing chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease, expresses his struggles with the treatment despite having followed a meat and dairy-free diet for years. Dr. Day emphasizes the importance of rebuilding the immune system, especially after chemotherapy, as it can be severely compromised by the treatment.
She also shares a personal story about her 85-year-old mother, who was diagnosed with a severe autoimmune disease. By following Dr. Day’s plan, her mother experienced significant health improvements, including the ability to stop taking high blood pressure medication, a reduction in cholesterol and triglycerides, and overall recovery.
Addressing a common complaint about increased bathroom visits due to high water intake, Dr. Day explains that the body gradually adapts, becoming more efficient at handling increased hydration. She also touches on the historical improvements in American health during World War II due to shortages of sugar and meat, leading people to consume more garden-grown foods.
Dr. Day discusses the alarming increase in non-smoking related cancers among men since World War II and the rise in childhood cancers. She attributes these trends to changes in diet and lifestyle, particularly the introduction of fast food. She stresses the need for a radical shift in our approach to health, diet, and lifestyle to combat these increasing health issues.
Dr. Lorraine Day concludes her discussion by addressing the importance of finding peace and managing stress as key components of her healing journey. She initially sought peace through meditation and visualization but ultimately found it through Bible study and prayer. This spiritual path, combined with lifestyle changes, played a crucial role in her recovery.
Responding to a caller’s question about managing stress in a toxic world, Dr. Day emphasizes that stress can negatively affect the body’s ability to assimilate good nutrition. She shares that prayer, Bible study, and the support of her husband were instrumental in reducing her stress. Her husband’s constant care, including preparing her juices and meals, was a significant factor in her healing process.
Dr. Day advocates for an attitude of gratitude and benevolence, even in the face of illness. She believes that focusing on others and maintaining a positive outlook can contribute to healing. She also mentions the role of hydration in treating conditions like asthma, explaining that the body produces histamines to conserve water, which can constrict the bronchioles in the lungs.
She concludes by discussing her videotapes, “Cancer Doesn’t Scare Me Anymore” and “You Can’t Improve on God,” which detail her approach to healing and critique conventional cancer treatments.