I’m on a constant quest for healing alternatives. Sure, I see my Western medicine doctors and trust their treatment plans. But I don’t stop there. It’s why I started this blog – to share my findings. It started with the Nutribullet®. I’ve written about learning how to say no, planning to die, and dealing with a cancer diagnosis. This post is long. But it’s about an incredible doctor who opened my eyes to the power of healing. When I reflect on my journey with cancer, Dr. Carriere is one of the most influential doctors I’ve encountered.
In 2015, I lost 30 pounds. For those of you who know me, you know I didn’t really have 30 pounds to lose. I was flirting with the double digits – numbers I hadn’t seen on the scale since junior high. My trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) kicked my butt. By the time I was on the second arm and taking two pills every morning, I had completely lost my appetite, something I’d never experienced before. I tried force feeding myself. I tried gummies. Nothing stimulated my appetite. I had also developed a dairy intolerance. I was running out of options and my clothes were hanging off me like a little girl playing dress up in her mom’s closet.
During a college reunion trip to MN that summer, my dear friend made dairy-free french toast for her twin daughters. It actually sounded and smelled good to me, so I asked if I could have some. They were delish. Feeling satiated was foreign to me. I was in heaven. Then I lived on french toast for the next several weeks.
“You can’t just eat french toast,” my husband Nick urged.
“Well, it’s that or I don’t eat!” I replied.
I later learned from market research of more than one cancer patient that french toast is evidently a universal meal for those with lost appetites. Who knew?
This whole post goes to show the journey cancer patients are on. I had known I needed to do something for a while, but when you’re flying to New York City every month for your “drug deal,” you really don’t have the bandwidth to explore more than the flights you are booking. When I got booted from the trial at MSK, I finally had the headspace to dive in to something beyond travel logistics.
My appetite also came back with a vengeance, and I was thrilled to be able to eat anything again, including dairy. I became the envy(ish) of all my friends. I was on a mission to gain weight. It was GLORIOUS. I lived on donuts and milkshakes daily. I knew deep down that I wasn’t doing my body any favors, but I decided to enjoy it while I could. And my friends weren’t that jealous. My care-free calorie consumption came with a price.
After my successful liver embolization procedure by the amazing Dr. Charles Nutting, I met with him in his office for a follow up visit. I explained to him that I was struggling with my diet. I knew I needed to be making healthier choices, but my willpower was non-existent when it came to food.
Few doctors throughout my treatment have discussed food with me. NONE have brought it up before I had the chance. Several have dismissed my inquiry saying, “Continue to eat whatever you want. You don’t need to worry about food.” Perhaps they were under the false assumption that I ate healthy because I was petite? Boy were they wrong!
Dr. Nutting listened and suggested I meet with a peer of his, Dr. Ed Carriere, based in the Denver Tech Center. Dr. Carriere combines Eastern and Western Medicine. He made me promise I’d go see him.
Word to the wise, if a doctor you trust makes you promise to do something or see someone, do it.
The last time a doctor made me promise to see someone, it was my gynecologist recommending a therapist who changed my life. I trusted Dr. Nutting with my life (no seriously, he saved my life), so this was a promise I wasn’t going to break either.
My dad is an internist as many of you know; I refer to him as my agent. When I’d bring up food to him, he was in the same boat of the other doctors, “Continue to eat whatever you want. You don’t need to worry about food.”
My appointment with Dr. Carriere was booked for the Monday morning after Christmas. That afternoon, I had a follow up appointment from my latest scan with Dr. Gonzalez at University. My dad wanted to go to the appointment with me.
I thought, He’ll spend Sunday night at my sister’s house, and I can pick him up later in the morning.
“Kate, why don’t I just stay with you?” he suggested.
“Uhhhhh, yeah, sure,” I hesitated.
He sensed my reluctance. I explained that I had an “appointment” in the morning.
“What’s your appointment?”
Here goes. “Well, dad, Dr. Nutting suggested I talk to this doctor who combines Eastern and Western medicine about my diet.”
“Interesting! I’d really like to go to that!” he replied enthusiastically.
Then, we had a total role-reversal as I told him, “This is really important to me, and I do not want to hear a peep out of you. No sighs, no eye-rolls, understand?”
He obliged. Nick suggested later that I go easy on him because that wasn’t the last time I gave him that speech.
Nick, dad and I went to see Dr. Carriere the following morning.
Dr. Carriere’s Background
Dr. Carriere was traditionally trained as an internist and a hospitalist for about 18 years. What he found over the course of time was that he would keep seeing the same people over and over again. He began to feel like he wasn’t really helping people. Then, six years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer and an autoimmune condition. He started to wonder, as we all do, “Why did I get sick? What am I doing wrong?”
So in his early 50s, he went back to school for an Integrative Medicine Fellowship Program with two years of study at the University of Arizona School of Medicine under Dr. Andrew Weil. It was here he realized that diet and lifestyle have a huge impact both on acute and chronic disease processes. Dr. Carriere believes it’s all about inflammation and immune function. He realized that probably 95% of chronic conditions, including cancer, have a huge dietary and inflammatory component.
Of course, throughout his learnings, he was comparing to the Western medicine he knows so well. Western physicians tend to want to kill, burn, or cut whatever the cancer is. In his new studies, he was realizing if we grew this cancer in our bodies, why can’t we heal it versus cutting it out?
Dr. Carriere started to shift his perspective and teach his patients that fear, nutrition and antioxidant function, mental visualization, supplements, exercise, hydration, and so much more have a huge impact on our ability to heal. He believes stress is a major impact factor. You cannot simultaneously be stressed and heal. Our bodies are not designed that way.
Dr. Carriere works to get his patients to realize that the way they are living is killing them – stress, diet, lack of physical activity, bad attitude, pyscho-social-emotional stress they are keeping and not letting go of. Auto-immune diseases are skyrocketing and chronic diseases are overcoming our healthcare system. When he does a lecture series, one of his first slides is a picture of his children, and he tells people, “My children are the first generation in history to have a shorter life expectancy than I do.”
The Fear Factor
During our first meeting, Dr. Carriere explained, “We are designed that we have a fight or flight mechanism and two different healing mechanisms. One is called an innate immune response, where we see a problem and we attack it. The other is called learned immunity or B-cell function where we are exposed to something and our body learns to create antibodies to it. Those two systems get shut down in the setting of acute stress. If a tiger is chasing you, your body doesn’t care about that virus or that bacteria or that infection, it has to get away from the tiger. You can’t simultaneously be under stress and heal.”
Well that’s all fine and dandy. But cancer causes stress (just a little, I don’t want to seem dramatic), so don’t we end up in a vicious cycle?
Yup. Dr. Carriere validates that the fear of the cancer causes more stress. The first thing he tells people is when you go to most physicians and they tell you have cancer, you’re given statistics or probabilities. He explains that statistics are for populations, not for individuals.
Statistics are based on that type of cancer with a kind of traditional therapy. Statistics do not take into account individual physiology and all the things an individual is doing to help heal the cancer with diet, lifestyle modification, exercise, stress reduction, increasing antioxidant function, and revving up the detoxification process.
“Stats are shit.” That’s my classy take on statistics, coming from a girl who was told there was a less than 2% chance of metastatic disease. But now, I’m on the other side, against the odds in a positive way. So really, when newly diagnosed cancer patients start talking numbers and probabilities with me, I tell them what I learned from Dr. Carriere. There is so much more we can be doing to improve our chances.
Dr. Carriere works with patients to decrease their fear. Something creates our cancer – it could be something we’re doing to our bodies or being exposed to or an emotional trauma. For me, I believe emotional trauma has played a key piece in my cancer diagnosis, along with many other things! Adults who experienced emotional trauma as a child have a significantly higher risk of developing cancer. Emotional traumas are stored as memories which is why people have emotional responses to massage therapy or guided imagery sessions. They are releasing these memories. Dr. Carriere feels one of the most important things in healing is trying to identify emotional traumas and working through them through whatever means possible. It’s why I go to therapy and do energy healing. More on that in another post. Dr. Carriere believes cancer is your body’s way of saying “You need to do something. Wake up. Change.” No doubt my body was SCREAMING that to me when I got my diagnosis.
Dr. Carriere approaches cancer from a healing process versus a destroy it/cut it out process. He acknowledges each one has their place but believes our bodies are designed to heal. I loved to hear him say this, “Every cancer out there, someone has survived and healed and gone through – be in pancreatic cancer, be it brain cancer.”
I remember meeting a 5-year pancreatic cancer survivor in the elevator at MSK when I was first diagnosed. My mom died of pancreatic cancer 21 years ago. I know she had a hand in delivering that message of hope to me.
Visualization / Guided Imagery
One of the exercises Dr. Carriere had me do during my first visit was visualization. He asked what one of my dreams was. My dream, at the time, was to one day stand on the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland with my love, Nick. He asked me to picture myself 10 years out, doing this exact thing, daily. In 2016, I realized this dream.
Dr. Carriere never believed in guided imagery until, as part of his fellowship program, he participated in a guided imagery session by Dr. Belleruth, who designed a whole guided imagery for PTSD for war veterans. As he sat through the session, about ten minutes in, he thought, “I’m going to cry.” At fifteen minutes, he was bawling uncontrollably and had to get up and leave.
He returned to the session and when it ended asked the question, “What if you’ve never been to war, never been abused that you know about?” Dr. Belleruth responded that it’s perfectly natural. Responses like that may be caused by one thing or maybe 1000 little things in your system. Dr. Carriere realized, “It’s not important what it was. It’s important that you had this catharsis that releases that starts the healing process.” He thinks it’s very important and recommends guided imagery for many things. You may notice a significant response, you may not. But it’s all a process of healing. There are free podcasts online.
Dr. Carriere has taught me to picture myself doing something I love with the people I love 10, 20 and 30 years from now. My visualization now includes standing in front of a crowd telling my story. In addition to that, I visualize drinking a beer with my nephews and niece on their 21st birthdays, seeing them graduate, and dancing with each of them at their weddings. I see my hubby and me, with our gray hair, being babus (something only he would understand).
Dr. Carriere says what we know about neuroplasticity and the way our brain works is that the more we think about something, the bigger those pathways become in our brains.
Our minds control everything. If you’re always looking for the bad things, then the bad things will come out. But the more you think about the good things and see yourself, your body learns and those neuropathways become stronger and stronger. And you become more resilient. And that’s the key with fighting anything or healing from something – to become more resilient.
Nutrition
In my first meeting with Dr. Carriere, he gave me homework. He talked about a book called The China Study. I was to read it before our next visit. The book supports a plant-based diet. When we got into my car after that first meeting, my dad asked, “What was the title of that book again?”
Two weeks later, I received an email. My dad, for the record, is a life-long learner. I was in no way surprised that he picked up the book. “About half way done with The China Study. Very compelling. I’m afraid I’m too old to change my ways, but I sure think more about what I eat!”
The China Study is a landmark book in Dr. Carriere’s opinion. He recommends others that I listed at the end of this post. He explains that the amount of processed foods that we’re ingesting are significantly promoting inflammation in our bodies. Our society is eating a high percentage of commercially raised and processed beef that is grilled, charred, and burnt at high temperatures, all of which creates HCA (heterocyclic amines) and PACs (poly aeromatic hydrocarbons), which are carcinogenic. Don’t know what that means? It means having the potential to cause cancer. Everything we know about “red” meat applies to chicken, pork, and what you’re buying at the deli. Dr. Carriere explains that it may not be the actual animal that’s bad for you, it’s how we’re raising it. We are feeding them corn, antibiotics, hormones, all of which make it pro-inflammatory.
The average commercially raised beef product has a 6:3 ratio of about 20:1. The 6:3 ratio refers to omega 6s and omega 3s. Dr. Carriere says an ideal ratio is about 5:1. That’s 5 omega 6s to every 1 omega 3. Animal product such as wild game and grassfed beef ratios are about 3:1, which are not so bad. I learned in Ireland during my visit a year ago that a farmer would literally do jail time if he or she raised meat the way some Americans do. Think about that. Dr. Carriere stressed that we are ultimately lacking whole foods that are high in antioxidants, specifically fruits, berries, and cruciferous vegetables. If he would have tested my 6:3 ratio when he first met me…oh boy.
Dr. Carriere urges his patients to eat local and seasonal. This is hugely important. In addition to getting his patients to understand the value of how the animals are grown, he educates on environmental toxins, chemical cleaners from the house, pesticides, herbicides, grilling things. It goes on and on.
Another thing Dr. Carriere does with his patients is look at the types of fat in their body to try to adjust that ratio as it’s directly proportionate to inflammation. We don’t know that inflammation causes cancer, but Dr. Carriere believes it definitely propagates it. It also causes pain. There is a clinical study now linking these fat ratios with propagation of breast cancer and prostate cancer. And he believes that eventually we’ll see other cancers come in line as well.
For me, The China Study finally gave me the willpower to overcome my temptations. We all know what’s good and bad for us. The trick is getting to the store frequently to buy fresh produce. It’s pulling that celery out of the fridge to juice when pouring a glass of wine is so much easier and tastier. I’m far from perfect. And The China Study was a little more scientific than my mind works, but it helped me tremendously to remember why it’s better for my body to make the healthier choices. If you’re struggling to opt for the apple when bacon is present, give this book a go. Bottom line though, if you don’t want to be tempted by it, DON’T buy it at the store! And if it’s processed, think twice about getting it.
Supplements
Dr. Carriere supplies his patients with objective data. He looks at autoimmune panels and micronutrient profiles to explain where the patient is and where they need to begin. An example he gives to explain essential nutrients is that the nutritional value of the orange today is not what it was twenty years ago. You have to eat eight oranges now to get the same vitamins you got eight years ago. For every day your plant is off the vine or out of the ground, you start losing minerals and anti-oxidant functions. By eight days out, you may just be getting the fiber.
For me and most of his patients, Dr. Carriere recommends supplements based on deficiencies in the blood work. There are multiple reasons he finds supplements beneficial. The nutritional value of even organic vegetables is not what it used to be. Objectively, there is clinical data that shows that even people who think they are eating healthy, have significant deficiencies that need to be addressed.
Then there’s the toxic load we are exposed to through radiation (ultraviolet radiation, electromagnetic radiation), endocrine disrupting chemicals in our environment (pesticides, herbicides, plasticizers) and other environmental stressors. Our immune system and ability to detoxify is getting maxed out, some people more than others. Dr. Carriere doesn’t think we have the innate capability to keep a balance. Supplements help us do that.
One of the problems with supplements is that half the stuff out there is crap and, according to Dr. Carriere, a sub-portion of that crap is actually harmful. Unfortunately, the supplement industry is unregulated. He trusts labs that have a third-party analysis. Per his recommendation, I’ve been buying primarily Pure Encapsulations supplements for the past three years. I don’t trust supplements from Walgreens, Target, etc. Be sure to check the ingredients label to see what fillers are included.
Here are other things that Dr. Carriere recommends:
- Buy a water filter. Drink filtered water out of a stainless-steel glass and eliminate as much plastic as possible.
- Eliminate commercial cleaners in your house. I use Young Living Thieves
- If you’re going to use the microwave, heat your stuff up in glass.
- “Live dirty, eat clean.” Don’t over sanitize yourself. You don’t need to shower every day. Play in the dirt. Live outside, ground yourself. Walk barefoot. There is data supporting natural rhythms and the earths electromagnetism that you can lower your cortisol by walking barefoot thirty minutes per day. Maybe that’s just the walking? Regardless, stay outside as long as possible.
- Find your tribe. Support groups, family dynamic and tribe mentality provide so much benefit for decreasing cortisol and giving your body the ability to deal with stress. Surround yourself with people you love. People are the most important things out there. That’s what we’re here for.
Dr. Carriere credits his wife Tracy for “pushing, pulling and dragging him out of his closed minded pharmaceutical driven allopathic training into the light of ‘everything else out there.’” He believes everything happens for a reason, as do I. Some might call that ignorance. I see it as a way to stay positive. Think of all the anger I’d experience if I questioned my cancer daily. Instead, I learn from it. I see the silver linings it provides. Dr. Carriere agrees. He’s not sure he’d be practicing the way he is if not for his diagnosis. And he’s thankful for that.
“My cancer changed my life, and I am eternally grateful as it has put me in a unique position to challenge conventional wisdom and dogma, and to continually educate myself and my clients as to the personal nature of disease. The power we have over everything in our life, the power to heal, the power of love, and the power of gratitude and positivity,” he said as we ended our time together.
My favorite thing Dr. Carriere said when I interviewed him was the importance of celebrating.
Celebrate. Celebrate life. Celebrate the fact that you are overcoming whatever it is you are trying to fight. If it’s cancer, if it’s diabetes, if it’s whatever, that you’re doing it. Reinforce that.
So I celebrate. I celebrate big. I live dirty and eat clean. I take my supplements. And I visualize. I visualize the life I want to live and that way I want to feel.
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If you’re based in Colorado and battling any chronic health issues, especially advanced stage cancer, I highly recommend a visit with Dr. Carriere. We both believe every person we encounter is meant to teach us something, we just have to be open and listening. I’m grateful to the amazing Dr. Nutting for introducing me to Dr. Carriere. He’s a true gem. He’s helped me shift my perspective and see the power I have to heal my body.
Edward W. Carriere M.D.
Chair Department of Medicine @ SkyRidge Medical Center
Integrative Medical Consultants
Denver Tech Center Office
99 Inverness Drive East, Suite #100
Englewood, CO 80112
Phone: 303-577-1900
Here are books recommended by Dr. Carriere, some available on Audible:
- The China Study, T. Colin Campbell
- Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds, Kelly A. Turner (If you’re advanced stage, this is a must read, IMO.)
- How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease, Michael Greger
- The Microbiome Solution: A Radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out, Robynne Chutkan M.D.
- Eat Dirt: Why Leaky Gut May Be the Root Cause of Your Health Problems and 5 Surprising Steps to Cure It, Dr. Josh Axe
- The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting, Dr. Jason Fung
- Tripping over the Truth: How the Metabolic Theory of Cancer Is Overturning One of Medicine’s Most Entrenched Paradigms, Travis Christofferson
- The Biology of Belief 10th Anniversary Edition: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles, Bruce H. Lipton
- Anticancer: A New Way of Life, David Servan-Schreiber MD PhD
- Cancer Is Not a Disease – It’s a Healing Mechanism, Andreas Moritz
- Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself, Lissa Rankin