After decades of undergoing chemotherapy and radiation with all the unpleasant side effects they bring, cancer sufferers in Thailand might be pleased to learn that they now have more options for a less traumatic form of therapy, a new holistic treatment that is now available in Bangkok.
The US-based company, Oasis International, claims its integrative cancer treatment program not only eliminates cancer but also restores optimal health. Thai PBS World recently conducted an online interview with Oasis’s founder, oncologist Dr. Thomas Lodi, to learn more about the program and why he chose to bring the treatment and approaches to Thailand, as well as to all of Southeast Asia in the not-too-distant future.
Q: How can we protect ourselves against cancer?
Lodi: In order to answer this question, we must understand what cancer is.
The first job for all cells is to produce energy so that they can remain viable and do their work. Without energy, the cells will die. All the cells in our bodies and in the bodies of all other animals including insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals contain little organelles that produce energy. These are called “mitochondria” and they use six molecules of oxygen and one molecule of glucose to produce 38 molecules of adenosine triphosphate or ATP, which is how energy is stored for later use.
However, when 40+% of the mitochondria are damaged, the cell has to make energy by fermentation, which is not efficient and requires 19 times more glucose (sugar) to make the same amount of energy. The end result is that the cell changes its genetic expression and gains different enzymes and loses some others, thus becoming a completely different type of cell. This is what we call “cancer”.
Many variables work together to damage the mitochondria, among them, poisons in food (non-organic) and drinks, like sugary sodas and alcohol; poisons in the air that come from the paint on the wall, carpets, exhaust fumes from cars, tobacco, etc; poisons from our clothing and hair products and make-up; and stress, not enough sleep, toxic personal and professional relationships, sedentary lifestyle, and more.
Q: Can you elaborate on diet and other aspects of our lifestyle?
It’s really very simple. All animals eat the food that nature provides them. No animal cooks or makes processed food or add chemicals to the food.
We all know that fire is damaging so we do not put our fingers in fire or our clothes or our money….we do not put anything important in the flames. Yet for some reason, we decided a long time ago to put the food that nature produced for us into the fire and this is called cooking.
Cooking transforms the chemicals the food started with….it is different. Some forms of cooking like grilling, frying, and baking produce poisonous chemicals called Maillard chemicals. Also, cooking food destroys the enzymes so the food is “dead”. The reason we eat is to obtain nutrients and energy but we cannot get much energy from something that is dead.
Rest is also important. Animals are either active during the night and sleep during the day or vice versa, and are called “nocturnal” or “diurnal” respectively. If humans lived a natural life, they would sleep when the sun sets and wake when the sun rises. When humans go to sleep late, they do not restore their cells to their natural, healthy state so they age faster and are prone to many types of illnesses. A natural life would also include moving around all day doing lots of activities, not sitting in a chair all day.
There are many other things about our modern, artificial lifestyles that contribute to cancer development.
Dr. Thomas Lodi, the founder of Oasis International.
Q: When did you arrive in Thailand? Do you already have patients in Thailand?
I moved to Thailand in 2012 and co-founded two integrative oncology centers in Bangkok. I trained their doctors and nurses and taught them my protocols and different programs. They are both successful clinics and have been consulted by many patients over the last 9 years.
Q: Why did you choose Thailand as your base in Southeast Asia?
For a number of reasons, firstly that I love Thailand and want to live here for the rest of my life.
Also, Thailand is the “heart of Asia” both geographically and culturally. In 2012, the World Health Organisation predicted that the number of new cases of cancer worldwide would increase by 70% annually by 2030 and the majority will be in underdeveloped countries. So I came to teach Thai medical people what I have learned and developed over the years so that we can take care of Thai people and be the best place to come for people all over the world who have cancer. Right now, there are 420,000 people in Thailand with cancer and 190,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.
Q: Is your way of healing and preventing cancer similar to those that already exist here?
Yes, some of the therapies we use are the same or very similar to traditional Thai medicine using different medicinal plants and herbs. Integrative oncology brings together the best of all of the healing disciplines including Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, naturopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, and conventional medical care that is available in hospitals. We know that none of these disciplines has all the answers, so we have chosen the best and most appropriate therapies from each discipline. And of course, we also guide and teach people how to change their lives so that they can stop making cancer. Because if they don’t, cancer will come back no matter how good the treatment.
Q: Are your treatment and care common in the US?
Yes, it is available and quite common but it is not covered by medical insurance. Some US states like Arizona and Nevada have more integrative centers than others, but most places do offer these types of treatments. That said, none of them puts it all together like our programs do and include teaching in how and what to eat, when to sleep, and how to exercise.
It should also be remembered that the physical aspect of cancerous tumors is like the fruit on the tree but the roots are psychospiritual, therefore, meditation and chanting are essential to ensuring that cancer does not come back.
