Cancer Treatment FAQ
What are the most common cancers that you treat?
Since we focus on the underlying causes and imbalances that create cancer in someone’s body, we can treat various types of cancer. The most common ones that we treat are breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. But, we also treat a wide variety of other cancer types. Please contact our admissions department for more information.
I do not want any allopathic medication. I want an all natural approach. Can you accommodate this?
Yes! That is our first goal with every guest. From our point of view, the more natural and less invasive/toxic the approach, the better.
Do you use chemotherapy or radiation along with more natural treatments?
Sometimes we recommend combining the useful aspects of these conventional approaches with our more natural immunotherapy approach when it will serve your health goals. Please note that conventional treatments are always our last choice, rather than our first choice, and are only done when there is no other natural approach available to help the patient. Ultimately, these decisions will be made by you with the support of your health team. Our approach will support the optimal functioning of your own defenses, so even if exposed to these treatments, our supportive therapies will help you to deal with these therapies with fewer side effects.
What is the focus of your treatment plan?
Medical treatment is targeted against the cancer, to support and strengthen your immune system and to not interfere with the healthy functioning of the rest of your body. Other disciplines like Dental, Nutrition, Psychology, Chiropractic and Fitness come into play to ensure that we achieve these goals and bring balance back into your life. Our primary goal is to slow or stop the progression of the disease, while improving quality and length of life.
What is your success rate for treatment of Cancer?
Just like every human being is uniquely different from others, so is one cancer different from every other cancer. Sanoviv practices personalized medicine; each guest will likely have a very different course of treatment based on their genetic and environmental history, as well as the stage and manner in which the cancer manifests in their body. Our past guests who have been most successful in regaining their health are those who make the necessary medical, psychological, and nutritional changes in their lifestyle as early as possible, once diagnosed.
I have just finished my traditional Cancer treatment. Is there anything else you can offer me?
You might not be feeling optimal even though you have finished your traditional cancer treatment. We can offer to assess what underlying causes can be affecting this and support your optimal recovery from side effects of these conventional therapies. We can support your immune system, assess that biochemically you are in optimal condition. We can support your ability to have a successful recovery by strengthening your immune system and overall healthy function of your mind, body and spirit. We are very successful at supporting recovery and detoxification from chemotherapy.
How long do I have to stay?
Our core cancer treatment program is 3 weeks. This is the amount of time needed to complete our core assessment and treatment protocol. Occasionally additional treatments are recommended which could require additional time.
Why do I have to see a psychologist?
Most people have an immediate impact when they hear the word Cancer in regards to their health state. This can be manifested as fear, grief, sadness, anger or all of the above. Let’s face it: it’s stressful to be sick. Including Psychology in our team approach ensures that stress, unhealthy thoughts, and negative emotions are not blocking your healing, or otherwise contributing biochemically to your health issues. The field of Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology (PNIE) studies the impact that our thoughts and feelings have on our physiology, primarily on major communication centers of our body (nervous, immune and endocrine systems). If our thoughts, beliefs and emotions are not balanced, this can affect how our body communicates with itself and create health challenges.
What do you mean when you say you practice “Functional Medicine”?
Functional medicine is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. Sanoviv is the only hospital in the world to be certified in the Functional Medicine approach.
What is the importance of the integrative team approach?
The importance of this approach is that you are assessed and treated as a whole human being. Many of the health issues that we faced today are multi-faceted; there is no one definitive cause. When a whole team of health professionals come together and make sense of the information, it is easier to see what are the underlying factors that weave together to create your unique symptoms. Once we have this clarity, dealing with it effectively is much easier.
I just saw the dentist recently, why do I have to see one again at Sanoviv?
In our integrated approach the assessment by all the health professionals is very important. Even though all our professionals are certified and licensed by their specific profession’s Board, we go above and beyond what allopathic care practices. In regards to dental care, here we practice Biological Dentistry. This form of dentistry takes into consideration many things that traditional dentistry would not. These different paradigms and assessment tools are what sets us apart.
I have a wide range of issues apart from Cancer and feel overwhelmed, what can you offer me?
We will help you organize your health priorities in the order of what will have the most profound impact on getting you healthy again. We will properly assess and treat the underlying causes through the use of specialized tools and prioritize those areas where we can have the most impact. You will leave Sanoviv with a detailed plan on how to approach healing in a functional way. Think of it as your personal owner’s manual.
How soon will I feel better?
It all depends on the duration and severity of your health issues. What is possible is to determine the right path to wellness through an integrative assessment and treatment plan that will combine the best of treatments possible for you, using a natural approach whenever possible. We will work together to facilitate you being an active participant in your health and healing. With our support, you can be the hero of your healing journey.
Will I ever stop using medication if I follow your program?
The mechanism of action of medication is mostly to block chemical reactions in the body and most of the time won’t have an impact on treating the root factor that is causing the imbalance in the body but rather to artificially maintain balance. As an example, a lot of people will take a Tylenol when they get a headache but the headache is not caused by a deficiency of Tylenol. At Sanoviv, our approach would be to work together to find the root cause of the headache and treat it directly. When we start treating the causes of the disease, over time the body will find its balance again. For this reason, you might start seeing changes in laboratory values and the doctor might have to start reducing the medication and reduce dosage until you reach homeostasis. Some medications are valuable for certain conditions and will need to be continued after you return. Our goal is to reduce or eliminate unnecessary medications, but not discontinue necessary ones.
Can I bring someone to help me out at Sanoviv?
Yes, we encourage you to bring a companion to support you during your stay. Since our program is based on applying lifestyle changes to support your ongoing health, bringing a spouse, relative, or friend can be helpful as both of you can learn firsthand about these recommended changes. If your disease is advanced, or if you require support moving around or taking care of yourself, we will require that you bring a companion for support.
What type of IVs do you use?
We use different types of therapies at Sanoviv, depending on the type of health issues and the biochemical individuality of each guest. Some involve IVs, others are physical immunotherapies or other methodologies. When IV therapies are used, our primary objective is to provide vital nutrients to the guest, bypassing the digestive system to allow a greater absorption by the body.
What does a typical day at Sanoviv look like?
Even though we have a set of daily activities, each schedule is different from guest to guest. We really hand tailor your treatment to best accommodate what you need to be well. Usually our days start with an hour of relaxation practices, like meditation or yoga. Then a light stretching class after which you have breakfast. Beginning at 9:00 am, therapies and consultations take place as scheduled for you throughout the day. Usually there is some time for a snack break before lunch. After lunch we have some of our afternoon classes or more therapies and sessions until dinner. After dinner you can relax and prepare for the next day. Each evening at dinner, you will be given an individualized schedule with your appointments for the next day.
Do I need to comeback after the end of my treatments?
Usually it takes years of detrimental lifestyle choices and habits to start showing symptoms of imbalances in the body. Regaining your health is a process and we can not expect to reverse all imbalances within a couple of weeks. What we can do is help you get on the road to recovery. For many medical guests, they get a jump start at Sanoviv and they are able to continue to heal and improve following our recommendations at home. For others, it’s it’s ideal to come back after having applied all recommendations suggested by our team so we can reevaluate your current state of health and help you continue on the path to optimal health. Of course, depends on the individual. Even after achieving improved health, many choose to return each year for a physical to make sure they are on the right track.
Do you do surgeries at Sanoviv?
Yes. Even though our approach is based on finding the most natural and least invasive course of treatment, we know that sometimes surgery is unavoidable and is a necessary step in your recovery. We offer a wide range of surgeries that can be combined with our innovative therapies and treatments to speed your recovery. Surgeries will be performed at an off-site surgical facility. We do not currently do surgeries on site.
Am I going to be eating twigs and leaves all of my life?
The diet at Sanoviv is a whole-food, cleansing diet that eliminates many of the common food allergens along with processed foods, sugar and damaged oils. Although you eat many vegetables (both cooked and raw) here, your nutritionist will provide you with a diet to follow at home based on your health condition, your access to certain foods, your ancestral heritage, and your desire to make positive health changes. Our goal is to provide you with a diet that will nourish you and improve your health, but also one that is realistic and works with your lifestyle. You may not be eating “leaves and twigs” all your life, but you will have been introduced to many new and different foods during your stay here as well as how certain foods are used as medicine.
I have special dietary needs. Can Sanoviv accommodate these?
Yes, Sanoviv can accommodate a wide variety of special dietary needs, including food sensitivities; since proper diet and biochemical individuality is the foundation of our program. Our nutrition and kitchen staff can adapt our meals to meet your specific needs.
Programs
Each program focuses our assessment and treatment tools towards a specific health issue and your individual experience of these health issues, you can find more about our programs here.
Contact a Health Advisor
If you feel that your specific health issue or area of interest does not fit into any of these areas, please contact us to speak with a friendly admissions person. They will be happy to answer your questions and provide information.
Therapies & Classes
At Sanoviv, we are pleased to offer an extensive array of proven therapies from around the world, from therapies, detoxification treatments, nutrition lectures, fitness classes and more.
