My Wife's Breast Cancer Recovery

[Guest guest]

My Wife's Breast Cancer Recovery:An Interview With Dr. Michael HatrakBy Dr. Patricia WhisnantReprinted from American Grass Fed Beef Newsletter

http://chetday.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?beefThis month we are very blessed to provide our readers withan interview featuring Dr. Michael Hatrak. Dr. Hatrak is anationally known chiropractor and one of the three founders

of Synergy Release Therapy.His trademarked technique focuses on opening energyblockages and realigning the body. Synergy Release Therapyhas helped patients with prostate problems, sleep apnea,

hypothyroid conditions, low energy and sports performanceenhancement.Dr. Hatrak trains chiropractors, massage therapists, sportstherapists, nutritionists and other health professionals.His clients include professional athletes with the San

Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons and evenOlympic Athletes.We are pleased to have such a distinguished customer takethe time to share his professional knowledge and personalexperience with our readers.

Dr. Whisnant: What sparked your interest in combiningchiropractic care with nutritional care?Dr. Hatrak: My interest in nutrition began at the age of 15when I used to read Adelle Davis books. In Chiropractic

school, I received many hours of training in nutrition.Currently, I have a nutritionist Pam Eberle M.S. and aRegistered Dietician working in my office who specializesin functional medicine.When my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, my interest

became extremely focused as we were now dealing withcritical life and death issues.Dr. Whisnant: When your wife was diagnosed with breastcancer, how did you decide to treat her condition?Dr. Hatrak: We decided to go the standard medical route for

a lumpectomy but forgo chemotherapy or radiation inpreference to building her immune system through diet andsupplements.Dr. Whisnant: What did Joan's medical doctor think of thisdecision?Dr. Hatrak: The physician felt Joan was being foolish by

deciding not to include chemo, radiation and Tamoxifen inher breast cancer treatment because he believed the outcomeis usually grim without this regime. However, Joan was morefrightened of the damaging effects of these therapies than

of the cancer.Dr. Whisnant: It must have been difficult for you to go thealternative route with such a grave prognosis from herphysician.Dr. Hatrak: Yes. However, I had developed a network of

alternative physicians over the past 28 years. We juststarted to make our contacts and put together an initialrecovery plan, which was very comprehensive. We tweaked theplan many times over the past six years as Joan's health

improved and her nutritional requirements evolved.We decided that the very best diet initially for Joan wouldbe a 100% raw food vegan diet, including a lot of freshgreen vegetable juices.Dr. Whisnant: Why did you decide that Joan would do best on

this extreme diet as her breast cancer treatment?Dr. Hatrak: A raw food diet would deliver a food sourcethat requires very little energy for digestion. Her bodywould be free to focus energy on healing.

In other words, raw foods have an abundance of enzymes.Enzymes are required for healing, digestion, energy and allfunctions of the body.Enzyme-rich food is considered clean fuel for the body. Our

goal was to clean the body then feed the body.Dr. Whisnant: Are you still a proponent of raw food diets?Dr. Hatrak: We believe that raw foods should comprise 60-70percent of your diet.Dr. Whisnant: When did you and she decide to add grass fed

beef, fish and free range chicken back into her diet?Dr. Hatrak: I think it was about one year. Joan startedfeeling the need for more protein in her diet and shestarted craving meat. Also, as she grew healthier, she

started working out with weights and her demand for proteinwas greater as well.Dr. Whisnant: Why is it that so many critically illpatients initially thrive on a strict raw food vegetariandiet and green juicing?

Dr. Hatrak: A raw food diet gives the digestive system timeto heal and repair. It cleans the liver and is a greatdetox. A raw food diet jump starts healing.After the healing has begun, the second part of the

equation is to feed the body. This can only be done withcomplete proteins, amino acids, essential vitamins andminerals that can only be obtained with animal proteinsthat deliver iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium as well as

riboflavin and B-12.Dr. Whisnant: How would someone know it was time to startintroducing beef, fish and eggs back into their diet whenthey have been on a strict raw food vegetarian diet?Dr. Hatrak: Like Joan, most people will naturally start

craving meat after several months on a strict vegetariandiet. Also, there are several tests one could do to monitorthe progress and see when it is time.For example, blood levels of minerals and vitamins plus

muscle density tests like the BIA (Bio-impedance analysis)will give you muscle to fat ratio and levels of hydration.These are the easiest tests.I would, also, throw in an essential fatty acid test to see

how your body is metabolizing fats.Dr. Whisnant: You are a Christian. What do you think aboutthe claim that our bodies were designed before the fall inthe Garden of Eden to be vegetarian and we need to return

to a vegetarian diet for complete health?Dr. Hatrak: Not a true claim... these people have turnedvegetarianism into a religion, which has nothing to do withChristianity and the true gospel. Enough said!

Dr. Whisnant: Could you substitute fish and chicken for thebenefits you get from grass fed beef?Dr. Hatrak: No . . . fish, chicken and even standardorganic grain fed beef does not have the complete synergy

of nutrition provided by grass fed beef as a source ofanimal protein. Also, grass fed beef will give you moreomega fats than regular USDA grain fed beef and no mercurythat all fish on the planet have. Grass fed beef is a safe

source of protein for rebuilding.Dr. Whisnant: What are the symptoms of deficiencies thatyou have seen in your practice caused by lack of meat instrict vegan diets?Dr. Hatrak: Anemia, fatigue, hypothyroid, bone loss and

muscle spasms are very obviously observed. The mostdangerous deficiency is an essential fatty acid deficiencywhich could emerge without any symptoms until it's toolate. This deficiency can result in damage to the heart and

key organs.Dr. Whisnant: I have heard of several strict raw foodvegans who have had major health problems including rapidaging, muscle loss, high blood pressure . . . some evensuffer strokes after years on the diet. How could people

who are eating only a live food organic vegetarian regimecomplete with high enzyme juicing have high blood pressureand strokes . . . it seems totally impossible?Dr. Hatrak: Our bodies need a specific full complement of

amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitaminsthat only come from beef. As I stated before, if you don'tprovide your body with the nutrition from all the foodsources it needs, you risk heart and many other severe

problems with the key organs in your body.Supplements will never compensate for these deficiencies.Dr. Whisnant: One of your specialties is optimizing theperformance of professional athletes, including many top

NFL, NBA and MLB players. Plus you have helped Olympicathletes and body builders. Are any of these patientsvegetarian?Dr. Hatrak: None of my patients who are professionalathletes are strict vegans or vegetarian. These athletes

could not maintain peak performance on a vegetarian diet.Dr. Whisnant: How would you determine the best diet forsomeone?Dr. Hatrak: In our practice, we look at many factors suchas heritage, blood type (to a certain degree), metabolism,

lifestyle and patient history. Plus we factor in the foodswhich a specific patient likes and dislikes to develop acomprehensive plan, along with functional tests. In myopinion, humans were designed to be omnivores . . .

enjoying a wide spectrum of foods from all food groups.Dr. Whisnant: How is Joan's health now?Dr. Hatrak: It will be six years this May since she wasdiagnosed with cancer. As of her last battery of tests, she

is cancer free. We need to stress that the kind of testingwe perform is both traditional and functional, which istruly comprehensive.Dr. Michael Hatrak can be reached at:Total Life1495 Alpharetta Hwy

Alpharetta, GA 30004Phone: (770) 740-9200This article was reprinted with permission from AmericanGrass Fed Beef Newsletter, a free eZine published by Dr.Patricia Whisnant. You can to Dr. Whisnant's

newsletter by visiting her website athttp://chetday.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?beef

-- Diana Gonzalez Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

-Unknown