Three Factors Linked to Decreased Cancer Growth

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⬇️ What To Expect from First Touch 011⬇️

• ☀️Three Factors Linked to Reduced Cancer Growth

• 🦋 Tips to Optimize Sleep and Hormones

• 🤍 Resources for Lab Testing

I always like to recommend the most accessible tools for cancer prevention. After treating cancer for 30+ years, I know that a strong, well-nourished system simply does not provide the conditions for cancer. So, everything we do for our health should focus on optimizing a healthy internal environment. 

Preventing and healing cancer doesn't have to be complicated or prohibitively expensive. A lot can be done simply by supporting the body's natural processes. And while modern medicine often focuses on aggressive interventions, there are many effective ways to support health that are gentle and accessible. 

So, what are a few simple ways to create a healthy internal environment?:

Natural Sleep Patters: 🌙

Studies show that disrupted sleep patterns significantly elevate cancer risk. Night shift workers, who are awake throughout the night, have been shown to have higher rates of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers, a fact so well-established that the WHO has classified night shift work as a probable carcinogen.

Circadian rhythms are internal biological clocks that regulate sleep-wake cycles, metabolism, and hormone release. When these rhythms are consistently disrupted (too much blue light at night, irregular sleep patterns, staying awake too late, etc.) the body perceives it as stress. This can throw off the balance of hormones like cortisol, melatonin, insulin, and even reproductive hormones. Over time, this can impair metabolism, increase inflammation, and raise the risk of cancer. 

Circadian rhythms are synchronized by environmental cues, primarily natural sunlight and darkness. So, the most effective way to support a healthy circadian rhythm is to reconnect with nature: hikes, walks on the beach, lying out in the sun, watching the sunrise and sunset, getting fresh air whenever possible. Our bodies evolved to function in sync with the sun, so spending time under it is one of the best ways to reestablish this connection. 

Some signs of a healthy circadian rhythm:

• Regular sleep and wake times aligned with daylight hours

• Getting 7-9 hours per night

• Sleeping through a single time block at night 

How can we optimize sleep? 

• Get uninterrupted morning sunlight exposure (no glasses or sunscreen)

• Use incandescent light bulbs and candles at night 

• Limit artificial blue light in the evening – blue light blocking glasses are helpful. I love RA Optics (use code CONNEALY for a discount)

• Use topical magnesium (I like it on the arms, legs, feet, chest, etc.)

• Sleep in a dark, cool environment

• Valerian root can be helpful for sleepless nights

• Turn off WIFI or put phones in airplane mode at night 

• Use bioidentical progesterone cream 

• Spend as much time in nature as possible 

• Throw yourself fully into the day (like children do): move, create, connect, and use your energy with purpose. When you live deeply and intentionally, sleep usually comes easily. 

Warm Body Temperatures: ☀️

Warm body temperatures are a sign of robust metabolic health–strong thyroid function and efficient energy metabolism. Our energy is everything. When cells have enough energy, they can repair themselves, regulate growth, and take care of harmful stressors like toxins. On the other hand, lower body temperatures often mean cells aren't generating energy effectively, making them more susceptible to damage, inflammation, and uncontrolled growth. 

A consistently warm body temperature (around 98.6°F or 37°C) is a clear sign of healthy thyroid function. Thyroid hormones affect nearly every cell in the body, so I think supporting the thyroid is one of the most important things we can do to prevent cancer (In my last newsletter, I shared some information on how to test thyroid levels).

Cancer cells thrive in environments with poor energy production (colder body temperatures). They are especially vulnerable to heat. Unlike healthy cells, which can adapt to temperature changes and activate protective mechanisms, cancer cells often lack the metabolic flexibility to cope. As a result, heat can trigger cell damage. This is why hyperthermia therapies, raising body temperature artificially, have been effectively used alongside other treatments to directly kill cancer cells. 

Interestingly, people living in warmer climates have lower overall rates of cancer as well. I think there’s a reason the sun on our skin feels so good–it's healthy for us! 

How to warm the body? 

• Spend time in the sun 

• Take warm baths

• Optimize thyroid function. This post has some information on how to support the thyroid! I like Raena’s natural desiccated thyroid.

• Sauna

• Exercise to sweat everyday

• Red light therapy  

Balanced Hormones: 🧠

Hormones control everything: metabolism, sleep, immune responses, cell growth, nearly every function in the body. While they naturally fluctuate throughout the day or month, chronic imbalances can increase the risk of cancer.

There are a lot of controversial opinions about hormones going around today. Regardless of new trends in hormone therapy or perspectives on social media, biology is objective. When we understand the mechanisms of each hormone, we can make better decisions about how to use them.

• Estrogen promotes cell growth, while progesterone supports cell differentiation. This is why it’s important to keep estrogen balanced with progesterone. When estrogen is unopposed, cells grow without differentiating, which can lead to cancer; progesterone stops this growth.

• Thyroid hormones shift the body away from “cancer metabolism” by promoting efficient glucose oxidation. Keeping thyroid levels optimal helps maintain a higher metabolic rate, better energy production, and a lower risk of cancer.

• DHEA helps buffer the effects of cortisol. High cortisol levels can inhibit metabolic function, suppress the immune system, break down muscle tissue, and increase inflammation, all of which drive the development of cancer. Supporting DHEA levels can prevent the harmful actions of cortisol.

Some signs of hormonal imbalances:

• Irregular or painful menstrual cycles

• Persistent fatigue or low energy

• Mood swings, anxiety, or depression

• Difficulty losing or unexplained weight gain

• Cold hands and feet, or consistently low body temperature

• Hair loss or brittle nails

• Sleep disturbances or insomnia

• Low libido or sexual dysfunction

• Skin issues, such as acne or dryness

• Chronic inflammation or frequent illnesses

Balancing hormones can seem like an difficult, elusive task, but there are actually some really simple things we can do:

• Keep blood sugar stable – no excessive fasting, eating every 3-4 hours

• Spend time in the sun 

• Eat simply: red meat, milk, shellfish, fruits, honey, and vegetables 

• Use sea salt to lower cortisol 

• Support progesterone levels (it has natural anti-estrogen and anti-cancer properties)

• Avoid environmental estrogens (plastics, pesticides, and endocrine disruptors) 

• Supplement with pregnenolone and DHEA

• Supplement with thyroid 

• Address your emotional health 

In my clinical experience, there’s rarely a single cause behind cancer; it’s the result of many small imbalances over time. Just like a healthy cell needs the right environment to thrive, so does a cancer cell.

From the first cell to a detectable tumor can take nearly a decade. During that time, they are constantly responding to the signals we send them—what we eat, our connection to nature, how we sleep, the light we get, how we manage stress. These daily inputs shape our metabolism, hormone balance, immune function, and more.

The simple, consistent interventions make all the difference. It’s all about the terrain of the body!

Resources:

Test your hormones with Raena

Optimize sleep and more with Superpower 

Talk soon ❤️,

Dr. C