#74 ND Julianna Giles: Integrative Oncology (Cancer Care) soup to nuts

Cancer is a tremendous topic. Dr Julianna Giles, ND, has focused her career on evidence-based approaches for this complex condition. Dr Giles now directs our Integrative Oncology program at Neuroveda Health in Seattle, Washington. In this podcast, she walks us through cancer, soup to nuts. This includes defining cancer, describing different types and stages of cancer, and the conventional treatments of surgery, radiation chemotherapy and now immunotherapy. Dr Giles then layers in integrative approaches including high-dose (aka ‘pro-oxidant’) IV vitamin C, other botanicals, metabolic approaches to treating cancer and the relationship between other immune dysfunction, like auto-immune disease or chronic viral infections, to cancer development. Next is a review of the core elements of our program, including specialty liquid biopsy testing, the timing necessary for balancing pro-oxidation (chemo) with anti-oxidant (recovery) targets, and the value we place on collaboration with conventional oncologists and treatments. We welcome patients to our program at all stages of cancer status including those with a family history seeking prevention, monitoring for early detection (we do pap/ HPV testing in clinic), treatment at all stages (early, middle, late), post-chemo/radiation recovery, prevention of recurrence and palliative care/ hospice as it’s needed. Listen in and please share widely with those who are being affected by cancer. This is a critical show for broadening ideas about treatment options and maintaining agency at a time when health stress can be overwhelming.

We discuss:

·     3:20 What is cancer?

·     6:36: How do we think and name different types of cancer?

·     9:09 Ayurvedic perspective of cancer

·     11:25 How does conventional care typically treat cancer? Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy

·     17:12 High dose IV (intravenous) vitamin C to make chemotherapy more tolerant to the body and prevent recurrences.

·     25:00 Fasting and chemotherapy treatment

·     28:35 Discussion about immunotherapy and metronomic (aka low dose) chemotherapy

·     32:12 Defining Integrative Oncology including the value of collaboration to help conventional treatments to work better

·     33:34 Looking at the foundations of health: asking and answering the ‘why’ and ‘why now’ questions

·     35:33 Molecular targets of botanicals, for example, p53 targeted by no drugs but impacted by curcumin;

·     36:55: Use of botanicals, diet and lifestyle as anti-inflammatory influences during pro-oxidant treatments like chemo- it’s all about timing!

·    42:33 Discussion of the Integrative Oncology program at Neuroveda Health

·     56:30 Liquid biopsies looking for cell free mutated DNA shedding from cancers in the body

·     1:03:33: Putting together integrative treatment plans including the metabolic approach to cancer treatment ( Care Oncology protocol out of the UK)

·     1:08: How cancer interacts with the rest of the immune system, including auto-immune disease

·     1:12:38 Recovery after cancer treatment

Bio: Julianna Giles is a Naturopathic Physician with a Masters in Ayurveda who specializes in integrative oncology, endocrinology, chronic infections, medical cannabis, entheogens and psychoneuroimmunology. After graduation from Bastyr University, she completed four years of residency training in integrative oncology. She is a core lecturer for the Academy of Cannabis Science and lead formulator for Polite and Lumna, both medical cannabis companies. While at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, she researched medicinal mushrooms and medical cannabis as adjunctive cancer therapies, as well as the neurological effects of mindfulness at the Wisconsin Institute for Sleep & Consciousness. Dr Giles is certified in Ayurveda Yoga therapy, Prana Flow and Kundalini Yoga. In her free time, she practices Yoga, is passionate about plant-based cooking, and loves exploring the wild Pacific Northwest.