Fighting prostate cancer naturally

It was standing room only at the Eunice Gibson Polyclinic recently when the Men’s Health Group held their monthly education session.

The audience which was made up of men and women, spilled over to the car park as they gathered for a discussion on the topic: How men are enjoying better health the natural way.

Of particular interest was the testimony of Earl Cumberbatch, who was diagnosed with Peyronie’s Disease, and later, prostate cancer. With Peyronie’s Disease, he explained, “after a while you find that the circumference of the penis starts to decrease. And what Peyronie’s disease does is that sometimes it causes the penis to bend up, or to the left or to the right, or down. Some men get pain, and sexual intercourse becomes almost impossible, or it causes pain to the female because it starts to bend… and sometimes you find yourself not being able to get an erection.

“All of that started to happen to me… now you know as a man how I felt, cannot have an erection, cannot satisfy the wife. I felt real bad.”

Cumberbatch sought medical attention; one doctor suggested surgery to remove the plaque but warned that it could return. Another recommended that he take Vitamin E, and he should see results within six months. He opted for the Vitamin E treatment, but that was unsuccessful.

“Just around that time, a lady from overseas called me and introduced me to a substance called Pro Arginine Plus. I started to use the Pro Arginine Plus and in a little while, after I bathed I recognised the [plaque] started to dissolve. And then after a while the bend started to come out, so I started to get excited. And then the erection started to come back,” Cumberbatch told the audience.

After overcoming that health hurdle, Cumberbatch was faced with another scare after he discovered last year that his PSA test, his first in two years, had a reading of 21.3. A biopsy revealed prostate cancer in two areas.

“In two years, all of that happened. I used to go every year and in two years that happened. So those persons who ain’t went in five or six years you better run quick and get one done.

His doctor gave him a choice of removing the prostate or radiation treatment. After weighing his options and praying with his wife over the matter,  Cumberbatch decided that the operation was too risky and radiation treatment would be too expensive, so he chose to pursue the natural path to healing.

“I went completely natural. I went completely vegan, cut out all animal products, cheese, butter, fried foods, cut out the meat. And I also increased the Pro Arginine Plus… and along with some medication from the doctor. I went back [to the doctor] within a week of when I had to get the [radiation] treatment done and the reading went down to ‘one point something’.”

He then decided to stop the doctor’s medication to test the success of his natural diet regime. “And the first month the reading was 2.5., the second month the reading was 2.5 again. And now when I go and get my test done it is about 4.5 and going stable.”

Cumberbatch continues to get regular prostate checks and is a strong advocate for natural healthy eating and regular prostate checks.

PAHO Health Hero, Dr Elliot Douglin told the gathering that prostate cancer is the number one cancer killer in Barbados among men, and has been increasing over the last four years.

He also stressed the importance of a healthy, balanced diet to maintain good health. (MCW)