In March 2012, Dr Ivan Misner, a world-renowned expert in the field of business networking and founder of Business Networking International (BNI), was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
At the time, he was a staunch devotee of standard American fare, with little regard for health food or alternative medicine, but he also had grave concerns about the side-effects of his doctor’s preferred options: surgery, radiation or chemotherapy (see WDDTY, November 2014). After witnessing his wife Beth’s success in healing hearing problems and migraines with naturopathic treatments, Ivan decided to turn to entirely alternative methods to heal his cancer.
The treatments worked – for four years his cancer remained in remission.
In 2016, when Ivan’s PSA level – a marker of prostate cancer growth – began to climb again, he traveled to the CIPAG clinic in Baja California, where he received a variety of alternative treatments and one temporary hormone blocker not available in the US. After 21 days, Ivan’s prostate cancer again went into remission, but soon after, Beth was diagnosed with breast cancer.
A genetic test revealed seven genetic mutations and a missing gene that affected her body’s ability to detox. Following Ivan’s path of alternative approaches, only four months after her diagnosis, Beth’s breast cancer has regressed from stage 2 to stage 1, with all evidence showing that the main tumor no longer has blood flow to it.
Their journey – and their cure – began in the kitchen. Here is the foundation of the Misner Plan, a full program and cookbook, which they used to heal their own cancers and have written to help others.
The Misner Plan
The Misner Plan has three phases:
Phase 1 – the 8-Day Detox
Phase 2 – Post Detox
Phase 3 – Happily Ever After
The beauty of the Misner Plan phases is that you will learn very quickly how and when to move between the phases as your health improves.
Phase 1
Based on a cleanse developed by Dr William Kellas of the Center for Advanced Medicine in Encinitas, California, Phase 1 is an eight-day detox focused on eating the foods that support and encourage the detox pathways to open and allow toxins of all types to be safely released by the body.
We strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor before and during Phase 1, especially if you have any health conditions you are currently being treated for. If you take medications, be sure to continue taking them, and consult your doctor about the detox before starting it. Your medications may need to be adjusted as your body chemistry changes during the 8-Day Detox.
Those people who should not attempt Phase 1 include women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those with type 1 diabetes, those with advanced cancer who are losing weight rapidly, and those taking a medication for preventing blood clots, heart arrhythmia
or convulsions. Anyone struggling with adrenal exhaustion will need to be supervised by a doctor.
In Phase 1, don’t let yourself get hungry, and do not try to fast. You need the plant nutrients, fiber and antioxidants included in the allowed ingredients for the entire process. There is a two-step process to the 8-Day Detox: specific low-carbohydrate veggies, healthy oils and herbs only the first four days, and then the same low-carbohydrate veggies, healthy oils and herbs, plus gluten-free, germinated or sprouted whole grains the last four days.
The shedding of toxic chemicals and heavy metals might leave you feeling tired or achy. But drink half your body’s weight (in pounds) in ounces of purified water during Phase 1 and into Phases 2 and 3 (e.g., if you weigh 120 pounds, drink 60 ounces of water).
There will be times during the first year and beyond when you will want to repeat Phase 1 in its entirety or simply do a mini detox. A four-day mini detox after long trips or vacations works well to fine-tune the body and maintain health.
Testing your urine’s pH level, or relative acidity or alkalinity, is important during Phase 1. It is a simple and relatively accurate way to monitor for possible fermentation of undigested foods in the gut and the resulting overall body toxicity. It may also help you learn what foods your body tolerates and how that changes as your health changes.
Optimally, first-morning urine pH should be between 5.8 and 6.2. A reading higher than 6.2 may indicate fermentation or a food allergy, and certain foods should be reduced or eliminated from your diet until your health, and therefore your digestion, improves.
If your urine pH is not yet in the optimal range, we would encourage you to remain in Phase 2 longer than the first 30 days until your pH is between 5.8 and 6.2. You can repeat the Phase 1/Phase 2 cycle up to three times safely, but do not try to do Phase 1 longer than eight days at
a time. Your body needs to rest between cleanses.
Test your urine daily for the eight-day period and then once per week to keep an accurate pH diary.
Phase 1 food list
* Especially good for people with active cancer cells.
Vegetables (organic) for days 1-8
Prepare steam fried, steamed, or raw. Occasionally brushing veggies with grapeseed or tea seed oil and grilling on an infrared gas grill is OK. Do not allow them to burn:
Artichoke
Asparagus
Broccoli* (including sprouts)
Brussels sprouts*
Cabbage* (including bok choy* and broccoli rabe*)
Cauliflower*
Celery, including celery root
Cilantro
Cucumber
Garlic*
Grape leaves
Green vegetables (leafy greens, green beans, zucchini, spinach, mustard greens and collard greens)
Kale*, including sea kale
Kohlrabi
Kombu
Nori
Okra
Olive (in water with sea salt only, no brine, vinegar or preservatives)
Onions* (yellow, white, purple, all onion family vegetables, including scallions [a.k.a. green onions], shallots and leeks)
Parsley, all types
Radish*
Rhubarb
Sprouts
Summer squash (yellow, Italian, Mexican gray)
Watercress*
Avoid at this time:
Avocados
Beans
Beets
Carrots
Corn
Eggplant
Jicama
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Peppers
Potatoes
Rutabagas
Soybeans
Tomatoes
Yams
Winter squash, such as acorn, butternut, or spaghetti
Fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut, kimchi or miso
Whole complex grains (organic) for days 5-8
Cooked until chewy, not crunchy or soggy:
Amaranth
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Millet
Quinoa
Teff
Pilaf (with garlic, onions)
Avoid:
White rice of any type, including risotto
Couscous or faro “rice”
Oats
Gluten grains (wheat, spelt, kamut and barley)
Wild rice (which is a seed, not a grain)
Seasonings and herbs (organic) for days 1-8
Cayenne and red pepper flakes
Cilantro, fresh or dry
Cinnamon
Dill
Garlic
Ginger (peeled and freshly grated)
Lemon juice, fresh squeezed
Mint
Oregano, fresh
Parsley, fresh
Rosemary, fresh
Sea salt
Stevia leaf, whole
Avoid:
Stevia extract
Sugars of any kind (including honey, syrup, molasses, sap, agave, raw, brown, sucrose, fructose, xylitol, beet and coconut)
Vinegars or foods containing, or having been marinated in, vinegar
Soy sauce or tamari
Legumes/pulses (organic):
None during Phase 1
Fruits (organic) for days 1-8
Lemon
Oils (organic) for days 1-8
All oils, except those indicated, should be used cold, added to foods after cooking:
Citrus oils (used by the drop for flavoring)
Flaxseed oil
Safflower oil
These oils may be used cold and for cooking:
Coconut oil (cooking at lower temperatures)
Ghee (cooking and baking)
Grapeseed oil (cooking, baking and roasting)
Olive oil, extra virgin (when fresh, use for cooking, baking and roasting)
Red palm fruit oil, extra virgin, cold-pressed organic (cooking, baking and roasting)
Tea seed oil (cooking, baking and roasting)
Avoid:
Canola oil
Peanut oil
Lard
Butter
Beverages for days 1-8
Clean, purified water
Green tea (1 cup per day)
Herbal teas: mint, raspberry leaf, chamomile and Pau D’Arco
Animal protein
None during Phase 1
Raw, sprouted nuts (organic)
None during Phase 1
Seeds/nibs (organic)
None during Phase 1
Milk alternatives (organic)
None during Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 2 begins with day nine, immediately after Phase 1, and goes to day 30. Eat all the same vegetables and grains you ate while doing the 8-Day Detox, but you can now add some animal protein sources.
Depending on how your body responds to Phase 1, you may wish to stay in Phase 2 for two to three months. It is a very effective phase for eliminating cravings, moving into full health for those who have major issues or who use multiple medications, and for those who have a lot of weight to shed.
Some indications that you may need to stay in Phase 2 longer include the following:
• A urine pH that is not in the ideal range after completing Phase 2 for the first time.
• A desire to continue shedding excess weight until your body reaches its ideal weight and percentage of body fat.
• You’re still dealing with other health issues that have not yet resolved themselves, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low energy and migraines.
< span style="font-size: 16px;">Phase 2
Foods to add to Phase 1 foods now:
Animal protein
Cheese, goat’s or sheep’s milk only with no mold inhibitors, such as natamycin, and only if you have no inflammatory conditions
Eggs, organic, pasture-raised when possible (1 yolk per 3 whites)
Poultry, antibiotic- and hormone-free, about once every 2 weeks
Chicken
Turkey
Seafood
(Should be wild caught and not farmed)
Cod
Flounder
Haddock
Lobster
Salmon
Scallops
Shrimp
Whitefish
Yogurt, plain, organic (goat’s or sheep’s milk when possible, and only if you have no inflammatory conditions)
Phase 2 supplement schedule
The ingredients of these whole-food supplements will continue to support building the immune system and removing everyday toxins.
With meals
2 Premier Digest
1 Premier Clay
1 Premier Probiotics
To maintain body detoxification during Phase 2, enjoy one Medi-Clay-FX and one Medi-Body Bath each week. Try to space your baths evenly; for example: Sunday, Medi-Clay-FX and Thursday, Medi-Body Bath.
Phase 3
At this point you will be able to enjoy some additions like gluten-free bread; homemade, gluten-free pancakes; some fruit-based desserts; the sweeter vegetables, such as beets, carrots, tomatoes and jicama; and antioxidant-rich fruit. You’re also now able to use natural sweeteners like raw honey, maguey sap, raw coconut nectar and raw agave nectar. Baking with a gluten-free flour mix and eating nut butters will be part of your routine. And you can add back some special treats, such as New Zealand lamb or a small portion of at least 80-percent cacao organic dark chocolate.
(For a complete list of Phase 3 foods, consult: MisnerPlan.com.)
Detox supplements
The following supporting supplements are designed to give you the nutritional support you need during cleansing, as well as to assist with escorting the toxins out of your body.
The brand we recommend is Premier Research Laboratories from Austin, Texas, available online (www.pureformulas.com):
Base Package:
Premier Cleanse
Suggested daily dose: 2 to start, but increase by 1 each day until you are taking 4 with each meal
Premier Digest
Suggested daily dose: 1 on waking and 1 capsule every waking hour
Premier Clay
Suggested daily dosage: 1/day
Premier Probiotics
Suggested daily dosage: 1/day
AloeMannan-FX
Suggested daily dosage: 1 after every meal
Optional
Enhancements:
Medi-Clay-FX
Suggested daily dosage: Alternate with one of the below for 2 baths/day
Medi-Soak Cleanse
Medi-Body Bath
Lemon and Artichoke “Pasta”
Serves: 2
This is a Phase 1 recipe. The lemons and artichokes are delicious together and add variety to a basic dish, making it something to look forward to.
Ingredients:
1 cup zucchini ribbons (see below)
1 cup yellow squash ribbons
Grapeseed or tea seed oil
3 Tbsp yellow onion, minced
1 clove garlic, diced
²⁄3 cup artichoke hearts, diced (using frozen is okay)
¹⁄³ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
¾ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1½ tsp lemon juice
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions:
1) Using a mandoline or food processor attachment, julienne the squash into linguine-size ribbons.
2) When you’re finished julienning, sprinkle salt over the ribbons and place them in a colander in the sink for about 20 minutes. Get rid of excess water; otherwise, when you sauté the ribbons, you’ll have a pan full of a watery mess. Squeeze them dry with paper towels.
3) Using a medium-size skillet, add enough grapeseed or tea seed oil to coat the bottom. Turn the burner to medium-high and heat the pan until the oil is shiny and shimmers.
4) Add onion and sauté until it starts to brown slightly.
5) Add garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.
6) Add squash ribbons, artichokes, salt, crushed red pepper, parsley, lemon juice and basil, and toss until heated through. Remove from heat. Serve immediately.
Tip: if you’re in a hurry and need a quick sauté, consider using a lemon and olive oil dressing as a substitute for the garlic, lemon juice and herbs.
When you prepare your meals
1) Use organically grown, carefully washed vegetables and fruits.
2) Fresh is always preferable, frozen is acceptable when you can’t get fresh.
3) Avoid genetically modified (GM) ingredients. (In the United States and now elsewhere, soy, canola, lecithin, or xanthan gum ingredients are all highly likely to be GM.) If the product is 100 percent certified organic, you can be confident the ingredients are not GM.
4) Whenever water
is called for in a recipe, use filtered or glass-bottled spring water if you do not have access to filtered tap water.
5) Avoid using yogurt and butter or ghee during Phases 2 and 3 if you have any type of inflammatory condition, including cancer, arthritis, an autoimmune disease, or the like. Otherwise, use small amounts of yogurt (preferably made from goat’s or sheep’s milk) and ghee made from organic butter from grass-fed cows.
6) Always use hormone-free, antibiotic-free, pasture-raised or free-range, grass-fed and grass-finished beef or bison, or wild-caught fish.
7) Use only the spices or spice mixes with phase-appropriate herbs during Phases 1 and 2, and use them liberally. They are packed with powerful phytonutrients and many antioxidants that have been found to contribute to healthy immune support.
8) Since cow dairy products are known to increase congestion and mucus production, they are eliminated in the Misner Plan, with the exception of cow’s milk yogurt, which may be used only if you cannot obtain goat’s or sheep’s milk yogurt. The occasional use of hard, dry aged cow’s milk cheeses, such as Asiago, Parmesan and Pecorino Romano (traditionally made from sheep’s milk in Italy, but made from cow’s milk in the United States), is permitted during Phase 3, but in very small quantities. If you can get sheep-milk hard cheese, by all means, go with that.
Excerpted from Healing Begins in the Kitchen:
Get Well and Stay There with the Misner Plan by Ivan and Beth Misner (Createspace). To get your copy, visit: MisnerPlan.com
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