Welcome to The Superhumanize Podcast. I'm your host, Ariane Sommer, and today we're diving into one of the most paradigm-shifting conversations in modern medicine: the metabolic theory of cancer.

For decades, we've been told that cancer is primarily a genetic disease, a matter of unlucky mutations that require aggressive pharmaceutical interventions. But what if that's only part of the story? What if cancer is fundamentally a metabolic disease, a disorder of cellular energy production that we can address through diet, lifestyle, and targeted metabolic therapies?

This isn't fringe science.

And it's giving patients new hope, and new options, beyond the standard cut, poison, and burn model. Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Donese Worden to the show. Dr. Worden is a board-certified Naturopathic Medical Doctor, researcher, and global health educator who has dedicated her career to bridging conventional and alternative cancer care. She's collaborated with Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, served as CEO of Care Oncology, and works directly with Dr. Seyfried on metabolic cancer research. She's also the creator of the 7 Pillars of Health framework, a comprehensive approach to resilience that addresses everything from sleep and gut health to spiritual wellbeing.

Dr. Worden's motto is 'Educate, Empower, Enlighten,' and that's exactly what we're going to do today. We'll explore the metabolic theory of cancer, discuss both prevention and treatment strategies, and give you a roadmap for building resilience at every level.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Welcome + why the “metabolic theory of cancer” matters

02:00 Genetics vs. metabolism: why only ~5% is strictly genetic (and gene expression is modifiable)

03:45 Warburg’s mitochondrial lens; PET scans lighting up because cancer voraciously consumes sugar

06:45 How we veered away historically; incentives that kept oncology gene-centric

09:00 What damages mitochondria today: toxins, antibiotics (without mitigation), chronic stress

10:30 Stress as a metabolic driver; why it keeps glucose high even on a “good” diet

12:30 Ketogenic therapy for cancer: high fat, lower protein (individualized), carbs mainly from veggies

15:00 Measuring correctly: Keto-Mojo, GKI (Glucose-Ketone Index); skip urine strips for accuracy

17:00 Fast stress relief protocols: music-guided entrainment, breath work, active meditation, journaling

20:15 Somatic breath work in practice; rapid emotional release

21:00 Best fats and how Dr. W screens with food-sensitivity testing first

23:15 Keto cycles for prevention: 6-week blocks a couple times per year

24:15 Exercise as mitochondrial medicine: HIIT + resistance for biogenesis and cancer risk reduction

26:00 The KetoPet model: ketogenic diet + HBOT + interval training; lessons for humans

28:15 Starting movement in late-stage cases; meeting people exactly where they are

30:15 “Press–Pulse” strategy: what stays constant vs. what’s pulsed to outsmart tumor adaptation

32:00 Repurposed meds (e.g., metformin, doxycycline) and why many oncologists can’t step outside SOC

33:00 Bridging care: when surgery/chemo/radiation have a role; aiming at cancer stem cells

37:15 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT): driving O₂ into cells; why it’s pulsed and protocol-specific

39:30 Outcomes Dr. W sees most consistently: better quality of life, often longer survival

41:00 The psychology of prognosis; belief, stress, and manifestation

43:00 The “placebo” as your body’s own pharmacy (parasympathetic healing state)

44:15 Targeting glutamine along with glucose; where evidence stands now (e.g., berberine, exercise, stress)

46:45 The Seven Pillars of Health overview (self-audit)

48:30 Pillar 1 — Sleep: deep/REM, how you feel on waking

49:15 Pillar 2 — Body: strength, composition, loving the skin you’re in

50:00 Pillar 3 — Bowel movements: what healthy actually looks like

51:00 Pillar 4 — Energy: steady all day without relying on stimulants

52:15 Pillar 5 — Mental state: clarity, creativity, recall

53:00 Pillar 6 — Relationships & intimacy: your supportive tribe and embodied connection

53:45 Pillar 7 — Spiritual health: gratitude, serenity, releasing fear of outcomes

58:30 How to connect and learn more from Dr. W

Resources

Dr. Donese Worden — website & newsletter: https://drworden.com/

Otto Warburg — Nobel facts: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1931/warburg/facts/

Book — Cancer as a Metabolic Disease (Thomas N. Seyfried): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781118310311

Book — Tripping Over the Truth (Travis Christofferson): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/800908/tripping-over-the-truth-by-travis-christofferson/

Keto-Mojo — GKI calculator & how-to: https://keto-mojo.com/glucose-ketone-index-gki/

Biosense — breath ketone meter: https://mybiosense.com/order.html

Care Oncology — COC Protocol (metabolic oncology): https://careoncology.com/

KetoPet Sanctuary — canine metabolic therapy model: https://ketopet.org/

Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society — HBOT overview: https://www.uhms.org/

HBOT scientific overview (open-access): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8465921/

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Outro

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