Stress, Cancer & How to Heal
Summary of Key Findings within Book: Radical Remission – Surviving Cancer Against All Odds – by Kelly A. Turner Ph.D.
Note, whilst the intention behind this report is to collate key takeaways into a digestible format, making them easier to implement, this is no substitute for reading the book itself. Above all, for 1 fundamental reason – hope. The book shares endless real-life stories of radical remission – those who defy medical prognoses against all odds. And, if you or someone you love is currently experiencing cancer, the intent is that you/they trust they can too.
Key Takeaways
A key insight from the book is that, of the nine factors identified, only two are physical (diet/supplements and exercise). The remaining factors are mental, emotional, and spiritual, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach to healing. Those 9 key factors are below:
1. Radically Change Your Diet
Food becomes the building blocks of our cells, directly affecting inflammation, tissues, and overall health.
Core changes:
Reduce or eliminate sugar, meat, dairy, and refined foods. Cancer cells consume sugar at a higher rate, so removing refined sugar may help “starve” them. Dairy and red meat may suppress the immune system.
Increase plant-based foods, especially organic fruits and vegetables, and drink filtered water. Replace calcium and protein with leafy greens and beans. “Eat the rainbow.”
Limit meat to around 10% of intake (e.g. once daily), avoiding red meat and choosing organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free options.
Remove refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta, flour) and replace with wholegrains like brown rice, quinoa, oats, and barley. Avoid canned foods and prioritise fresh, natural foods.
Additional practices include fasting (to support detoxification and enhance treatment effects), drinking around eight glasses of filtered water daily, and gradually transitioning habits. Alkalising foods (raw/lightly steamed vegetables) may reduce inflammation.
A key principle is taking active responsibility for healing, despite external or internal resistance.
2. Increase Love, Reduce Stress, Increase Oxygen
Healing is supported by cultivating love, reducing stress, and improving oxygen flow.
Send unconditional love to the body, viewing illness as something to nurture rather than fight.
Practices such as breathwork (increases oxygen which aids cell repair), meditation, and energy activation supports energetic flow.
Sound (e.g. humming, music) and meditation may help open and balance the body.
Healing is not one-size-fits-all—question, explore, and choose what feels right, ideally with support or accountability.
3. Follow Your Intuition (which may be contrary to medical advice/that of medical professionals)
The body has innate wisdom and can signal both the cause of illness and the path to healing. Illness may act as a messenger of misalignment.
Reflect on:
What is out of alignment (diet, work, relationships, joy)?
What do your body, mind, and spirit need to heal?
What conditions are allowing illness to persist?
Strengthen intuition by quieting the mind and tuning into the body through meditation, journaling, and work on the mind e.g. during a dream state.
Energy-based practices (e.g. acupuncture, kinesiology, Traditional Chinese Medicine, chakra work) aim to identify and release blocked energy, which requires a sense of safety in the body.
4. Herbs and Supplements (Individualised)
Supplements can support healing but must be tailored to the individual and guided by specialist professionals. Diet and lifestyle remain foundational.
Common supports:
Immune boosters: green tea, vitamin C, turmeric, medicinal mushrooms (e.g. turkey tail, shiitake, maitake, lion’s mane), aloe vera
Digestive support: digestive enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics
Detoxification: antifungals (e.g. garlic), antiparasitic, antibacterial, antiviral support, and liver detoxifiers (milk thistle, dandelion root)
Key nutrients: B12, vitamin D, magnesium, melatonin
Supportive habits include fermented foods, reducing sugar and processed carbs, 8 hours sleep in darkness, morning sunlight, and reducing exposure to toxins (chemicals, plastics, EMFs).
Breathwork, meditation, EFT, and visualisation are also referenced as supportive practices.
5. Release Suppressed Emotions
Unprocessed emotions can contribute to physical imbalance. Illness is viewed as a form of blockage (physical, emotional, or spiritual).
Chronic stress weakens the immune system, which is responsible for detecting and removing abnormal cells (such as cancer cells) and therefore strengthening the immune system increases the body’s ability to heal.
Suppressing emotions may damage mitochondria, which regulate energy production (via oxygen) and programmed cell death. In cancer, cells feed on glucose (as opposed to oxygen) and fail to die as they should - both linked to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Emotional suppression, stress, and trauma may contribute to this dysfunction, highlighting the need for emotional release/expression.
Fear (e.g. fear of death) keeps the body in fight-or-flight, preventing healing. Releasing fear (and returning the nervous system to a state of calm) allows the body to enter rest-and-repair, increasing oxygenation and immune function.
(Note: Breathwork, particularly deep nasal breathing also increases oxygenation & so would therefore be particularly beneficial for this reason).
Practices for emotional release include journaling, forgiveness, therapy, hypnosis, EMDR.
Fundamentally, allowing all emotions (not just “positive” ones) to be fully felt and released is key.
6. Increase Positive Emotions
Releasing negative emotions does not automatically create positive ones—these must be actively cultivated.
Positive emotions (love, joy, happiness):
Lower cortisol
Improve circulation and oxygenation
Enhance digestion and nutrient absorption
Increase white/red blood cells and immune function
Reduce inflammation
The body cannot be in fight-or-flight and heal simultaneously, so activating joy supports healing by helping shift it out of fight or flight and into rest & digest (where we feel calm, safe & social).
Practices to try to implement:
Treat happiness as a daily habit
Create moments of joy (music, comedy, play, creativity)
Spend time with uplifting people
Practice gratitude daily
Allow all emotions without adding guilt or shame
Simple actions - like laughter, play, or a “happy moment” each day can significantly support the immune system.
7. Embrace Social Support
Connection is essential for healing. Social support has been shown to be more impactful than diet, exercise, or avoiding smoking/drinking.
Receiving love reduces stress and supports immune function
Loneliness increases cortisol and weakens the body’s ability to remove cancer cells
Physical touch and connection (people or pets) boost immunity
Support can include friends, family, groups, prayer, or shared activities. Clearly communicate what help you need (e.g. meals, errands, emotional support).
8. Connect to Spiritual Energy
A third type of love—unconditional, universal love—is available through spiritual connection.
The spiritual body requires as much consideration as the physical
Practices such as meditation, prayer, yoga, breathwork, and time in nature (even a daily walk, or gardening if you enjoy it) help quiet the mind and connect to the self
Benefits of regular practice:
Improved sleep (via increased melatonin)
Reduced stress and anxiety
Increased empathy and memory
Enhanced immune response (more virus antibodies)
Potential influence on gene expression (epigenetics)
Consistency is key - daily practices built over time. The most important factor is choosing what resonates personally.
9. Core Confidence and Will to Live
Healing is supported by a deep desire to live and a strong sense of purpose.
The mind influences the body - belief systems matter
A strong reason for living calms the nervous system (more effective than a “fight” mentality)
Hope and belief can positively impact outcomes
Key reflections:
What gives your life meaning, joy, and purpose?
What would you add to your life to make it more fulfilling?
Practical steps:
Define the age you want to live to
Identify your reasons for living
Reconnect with joy, creativity, and meaningful goals
Clarify your deeper calling (e.g. through guided reflection exercises)
Conclusion
There is no single cure - healing comes from combining multiple approaches. Most individuals experiencing radical remission engaged in many (often 8 or 9) of these factors, addressing the body, mind, and spirit together.
Radical remission has been reported across all cancer types, reinforcing the body’s capacity to heal when supported holistically.
Next Steps
Visit www.radicalremission.com to explore real-life remission stories (searchable by diagnosis) as a source of inspiration.
Lastly, this is no substitute for medical advice but rather provided with love. I have not added my views to this report, but it does correlate with my education and experience of how we heal the mind-body.
Feel free to share this with anyone who may find this helpful.
Love always,
Gemma Donnelly
Ways to Work With Me
If you would like to explore working together, you can book your free consultation below. Alternatively if you have a question, email me at gemma@coachingwithgemma.co.uk
