When I was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma over 37 years ago, my world fell apart in ways I could never have imagined. Hearing the three dreaded words “You have cancer” that put it all in motion is something I can never forget. My journey back to health was filled with twists and turns, but I can say from my vantage point today that the devastating diagnosis I received back then was eventually transformed into a powerful story of resilience, hope, and triumph over adversity. If I can do it, then why can’t you? You just have to roll up your sleeves and get busy.

Thankfully, today I am not only healthy and cancer-free, but I am also passionately committed to sharing my journey and inspiring others to explore the many alternative options for cancer care. Through The Templeton Wellness Foundation, my aim is to offer hope and knowledge while leading people toward holistic approaches that foster healing and well-being. 

Skin cancer is a widespread and common form of cancer, with melanomas being one of its more dangerous forms. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, melanoma skin cancer is the 13th most common cancer in men and the 15th most common cancer in women. There were more than 150,000 new cases of melanoma of the skin in 2020.

Melanoma is cancer characterized by the uncontrollable growth of melanocytes—cells that produce melanin, the pigment responsible for coloring our skin, hair, and eyes—without control from their natural regulators (melanocytes). Although most commonly seen on areas exposed to sunlight, such as faces, necks, arms, or legs, it can also develop on the soles of feet, palms of hands, and under nails where minimal sunlight exposure exists. 

The ABCDE rule can be helpful in the early detection of melanomas:

All that said, it’s important to note that not all melanomas follow these guidelines. That’s why any suspicious or changing spot should be examined by a health care provider immediately. 

Melanoma progresses through various stages, each representing its growth and potential spread. These include:

Early diagnosis is key for treating melanoma at its early stages when it is more likely to be curable. 

Several risk factors increase an individual’s chances of developing melanoma. These may include:

Regular skin exams may detect early-stage cancers before symptoms arise, and preventative strategies could lower this risk even more effectively than ever before.

1. Avoid tanning beds: Artificial UV radiation increases the risk of melanomas.
2. Perform self-examinations: Conduct regular skin checks to detect changes, and report any suspicious moles or lesions to your health care provider immediately.
3. Eat a healthy diet: Avoid sugar, grains, dairy, processed foods, and unhealthy fats. Enjoy plenty of organically grown produce and learn which foods are ideal for fighting cancer in my article, “Fill Your Plate With These Cancer-Fighting Foods.”
4. Purify your water: Always be sure your drinking water is filtered and as pure as possible. Why? Researchers have concluded that water contamination is likely responsible for over 100,000 cases of cancer annually in the United States. Read more in this article.
5. Eat at home: Avoid eating out as much as you can to have total control over the things you eat. If you must dine out, check out The Templeton List, a resource for finding the healthiest restaurant options in your area.
6. Get tested for parasites: When I met with Dr. Hermann Bueno, a world-renowned Columbian parasitologist, I’ll never forget what he said to me. Learn more in this article: The Parasite-Cancer Connection.
7. Get enough vitamin C: Be sure to consume adequate amounts of vitamin C. Learn how vitamin C can stop cancer in its tracks.
8. Limit your exposure to dangerous toxins: Learn to detoxify your body.
9. Eradicate mold from your environment: I fought a battle with mold, and it’s something you don’t want to mess with. Here’s what I did: The Silent Menace of Mold and Its Related Cancer Risk.
10. Reduce your exposure to EMF radiation: This can be a hard one to fight, as EMF exposure is almost everywhere. But here are some steps you can take to mitigate your exposure to this deadly toxin. Read the article, “THIS Many Minutes on Your Smartphone Increases Your Risk of Cancer by a Whopping 60 Percent.”

These are but a few of the steps you can take to reduce your risk of skin cancer. You can read all about my journey back to health and the many things I did to dig my way out of stage 4 melanoma in my book, “I Used to Have Cancer.” I also included a section on what measures I would take if I had to do it all over again.

I won’t kid you. Melanoma is no joke. If you find yourself diagnosed with this deadly form of skin cancer, waste no time in exploring all your options. Please check out the wide expanse of information on The Templeton Wellness Foundation website. You’ll find a wealth of in-depth video interviews with many of the leading health care experts from around the world. It’s the next best thing to sitting face-to-face with these cancer experts and having all your questions answered.

And you’ll also find a rich cache of some of the most inspiring cancer survivor stories you’ll ever hear. These are people just like you who fought and won their fight against cancer. And if they can do it, you can, too!

Republished from TempletonWellness.com

Gandini, S., Sera, F., Cattaruzza, M. S., Pasquini, P., Abeni, D., Boyle, P., & Melchi, C. F. (2005). Meta-analysis of risk factors for cutaneous melanoma: II. Sun exposure. European Journal of Cancer, 41(1), 45-60.

Cust, A. E., Goumas, C., Vuong, K., Davies, J. R., Barrett, J. H., Holland, E. A., Schmid, H., Agha-Hamilton, C., Armstrong, B. K., Kefford, R. F., & Giles, G. G. (2011). MC1R Genotype as a Predictor of Early-Onset Melanoma, Compared With Self-Reported and Physician-Measured Traditional Risk Factors: An Australian Case–Control Family Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 174(10), 1012-1020. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwr208

Watts, C. G., Drummond, M., Goumas, C., Schmid, H., & Armstrong, B. K. (2017). Do Melanoma Risk Factors Vary by Anatomic Site? A Pooled Analysis of Three Case-Control Studies. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 26(3), 448-455. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0761