This February I was fortunate to be able to attend the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians’ (OncANP) 8th Annual Conference in San Diego. OncANP is a professional association of naturopathic doctors who work with people living with cancer. This was my second year in a row attending and it was great to learn about which treatments are continuing to make a difference in our patients’ lives and about new potential treatments. As a resident doctor, there always seems to be more than I can grasp in one long weekend but I was excited to see that we at Revolutions Naturopathic are using the same protocols and treatments as the leading naturopathic doctors in the country.
This year, we were updated on the benefits of intermittent fasting over a large but healthy breakfast. We were also reminded during several lectures of the importance of a patient’s state of mind before, during and after treatment and how we, as naturopathic doctors, can be better guides. I caught up with Dr. Standish, a medical director and research professor at Bastyr University. She reported on her latest research, which I am pleased to announce found that “whole person naturopathic oncology improves overall survival of patients with advanced lung and breast cancer.” However, I would have to say my favorite take away from the conference was a quote by one of the speakers’ 11yo son: “What makes a better heart is love, snuggles, a balanced day with exercise, learning, peace with yourself, doing good deeds and friendship. It’s not from a thousand vitamins, Mom!!!”
