World Cancer Day feat. Veronica Villanueva

The “c word” is a scary one. And I’m not talking about Covid-19, which is also scary, but about a disease that has been claiming many lives around the world. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for it, and in many cases, no treatment. And that “c word” is cancer.

As someone who has been directly affected by it, not by having it, but by losing my dad because of it, I know how important is to take your health into your own hands and start taking care of yourself ASAP.  “Mejor prevenir que curar”.

On World Cancer Day we spoke with a cancer survivor and learned how she is devoting her life to help others to heal as well – Veronica Villanueva, the author of The Grace of Cancer: Lessons in Humility and Greatness and Co-Founder of Alive Well Thrive.

Tell us about when you were first diagnosed with cancer – what was the Western medical approach from your doctor and why didn’t that help you?

“Western medicine doctors diagnosed me with an “incurable” metastatic stage IV lung cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy were not an option because the cancer had already spread, and according to my Western oncologist, the cancer’s next target would be my beautiful brain. My doctors told me that stage IV patients could usually expect to live six months. I heard the death sentence they gave me, but all I could think was, these doctors do not know who they’re talking to or what I am capable of achieving!

The statistics meant nothing to me — they were only numbers. I knew my own strength, and I believed that by taking responsibility for myself, I could beat the cancer. I had done the damage to my body that had caused the disease, and that gave me hope for one simple reason: it meant I also had the power to heal and reverse it.

I chose not to react to my prognosis as a victim by blaming myself, or asking questions like “Why did this happen to me?” or “What did I do wrong to deserve being punished with cancer?” Instead, I chose to take responsibility for my actions and health, which helped me feel empowered to change my circumstances. ”

When did you decide to look for alternative treatments?

I had reached a dead-end with Western medicine. As far as the doctors were concerned, there was nothing they could do for me. It was just a matter of time before I died!

Naturally, I started educating myself, looking for hope wherever I could find it. Discovering Integrative Medicine changed my life. I began asking the right questions to help me better understand the cancer in my body. I uncovered the root cause of the disease by exploring all the modalities to heal my body. For the first time, I was given hope. Nobody was telling me I was going to die anymore.

How did you hear about cannabis and its potential healing properties?

I was introduced to a friend, Karen, who was incredibly generous with her time and advice regarding what I needed to do to jumpstart my healing using cannabis. She told me that I had to take Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), a lot of it! Everything Karen told me was said with so much conviction, so much passion, so much positive energy, and with so much certainty that it was hard to not do everything she told me to do. After all, what was there to lose? I had already been told that the type of cancer in my body is “incurable”, so I was open to trying anything.

I went into research mode after meeting Karen.  I learned all the potential benefits of cannabis:  pain relief, anti-cancer/anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, sleep aid, anti-anxiety, appetite stimulant… the list goes on. Research has shown that cannabis is a useful adjunctive treatment, using a combination of CBD and THC.

How was that journey?

Was I scared to try cannabis? No. I knew this was the beginning of a long healing journey, and to succeed, I had to step out of my comfort zone. The crazier the goal, the crazier the process would be.

For the first time in my life, I did not care what anyone thought about me, my decisions, or my treatments. I prioritized taking care of myself; that meant no stress and no drama. I learned to accept who I was at any given moment. At times, I would be stoned, weak, and always late for everything.

At one point, I confided in my friend Emily that I could not continue to go through my life “high” on cannabis. I needed to find a way to take the oil but get less stoned. One morning, I woke up and remembered my dream of making suppositories with Rick Simpson Oil. I did some research and used my chef skills in the kitchen to make my own RSO suppositories. This was a game changer – it significantly reduced feeling stoned, since it bypasses the stomach!

After I cleaned my body of toxins and tumors, I began to scrutinize every ingredient that entered my body. Today I know how crucial high-quality (high-vibrational) ingredients are to keeping me cancer-free.

What I also realized, when I healed myself of cancer, is it became a moral responsibility to turn around and help other people on their cancer journey. I started my own cannabis for healing company called Alive Well Thrive and I have become the guinea pig for all our products, which means that quality, potency, efficacy, and consistency must be prioritized.

We are an education first company, committed to sharing experienced-based information to empower cancer warriors, as well as other people struggling with other illnesses and stress. Our products are designed to care for you and celebrate you throughout your whole healing journey — from diagnosis, to choosing to be alive, to exploration of other treatment protocols that will lead you to feeling well, to thrive in this beautiful life.

I turned to education to reduce my anxiety, but there is nothing more inspiring than learning from someone who is alive despite the six-month death sentence that the doctors gave. I am here to walk the path with you, to be the person — the thriving, cancer warrior — that I wish I had met at the time of my diagnosis.

In your experience, what are some of the things that can cause cancer?

We all have cancer cells in our body. The dangerous part is when those cells get triggered and create a disease. According to my research and doctors like Dr. Jason Fung, who wrote the book The Cancer Code, today, cancer is caused less by genetics and more because of the use of tobacco and bad diets, especially ones that include a lot of carbohydrates and sugar. Sugar is known to feed cancer cells. Carbohydrates, when broken down in the body, are processed as simple sugars and absorbed into the bloodstream. This “dysregulation of insulin” could be the pathway to cancer according to Dr. Fung.

In which ways we can protect ourselves from autoimmune diseases?

I believe most of our modern medical issues can be resolved by practicing self-care and self- love. When you love yourself, you prioritize your well-being – mentally, physically, and spiritually. Feeding the mind positivity, eating a nutrient dense food, surrounding ourselves with supportive people, and having empowering habits and behaviors are the ingredients to a clean and healthy life that is free of disease.

Cannabis is a controversial topic. How can you use it as a medicine as opposed to a recreational drug?

Trying cannabis was an important part of staying open minded about anything that would help me live. When I decided to live, it not only meant creating a limitless attitude, but most importantly, it meant managing my fear about trying different things that could potentially help get rid of the tumors in my upper body. Cannabis has medicinal benefits and Alive Well Thrive is here to show people the power and efficacy of this plant in its purest form — specifically to help heal cancer.

In my case, I used cannabis as a medicinal treatment because a high dose on a regular basis is thought to dissolve tumors. When I heard this, I went full force. In retrospect, I am convinced that using cannabis is how I stayed calm, somewhat pain free, and got plenty of sleep! Is there anything else you know of that gives you all of these benefits without causing harm to your body? Cannabis is a plant, and taking it was a win-win.

For progress to be possible, change is inevitable. If we do not change the way we perceive cannabis, we will not see it as a “potential” treatment for ailments and diseases. We need to see it not only for its recreational use but for its main role in this planet – to heal!

Medicinal cannabis is part of an immense change we are seeing today. Medicinal cannabis would not be possible if recreational cannabis did not pave the way for this plant to be recognized for its healing properties. I am an advocate of this miracle plant to be used for healing.

The last thing I would like to say is whether you are fighting cancer or you are unhappy and not thriving in life, I have one piece of advice – love yourself, and take care of your mind and body. You only have one body and one life, so do everything in your power to honor and respect it!