It was her second time being diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer and Keisha Harris was told she just had weeks to live. At the time, she was just 36-years- old. Unwilling to accept such a fate, Harris took the diagnosis in her own hands. After doing some research, she began adding herbs to her diet.
That was in 2013. Almost 5 years later, Harris is cancer-free and thriving. She says changing her diet played a key role in her survival—and now she is sharing the news with as many people as she can. Harris is now a motivational speaker who penned the book “Warrior 917: Lessons Before Living.”
You are what you eat
“I started my herbal and holistic healing with tea,” said Harris, who recently spoke about her cancer experience in Williamsburg. “Before starting the tea, I seemed to not be able to gain weight or have energy but within weeks I had gained twenty pounds and was up and out of bed.”
In addition to the teas, Harris incorporated juice and spices into her diet to help boost her immune system.
Harris says she used the herbs in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, and other medical treatments to battle her cancer.
“My focus was on making my body inhabitable for all disease,” Harris said. “Opposed to
focusing on my disease and fighting the disease, I focused on living and creating an environment where disease could not grow or multiply.”
Staying lean, eating smart, and being active
While diet alone may not be enough to treat cancer or other ailments, clean and healthy eating can greatly reduce the risk of disease, said Megan Cordova, a registered dietitian at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center.
“Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop said ‘Your choice of diet can influence your long-term health prospects more than any other action you might take,’” said Cordova. “As a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and breast cancer survivor, I believe these words are powerful. What we eat can greatly affect our health. While there is no magic pill or diet to prevent and treat cancer, there are several things we can do to reduce our risk of developing the disease.”
Cordova’s best advice for disease prevention is “staying lean, eating smart, and being active. Being overweight is a risk factor for both first-time and recurrent cancer.”
Cordova also recommends a plant-based diet with consumption of two and a half cups of darker colored fruits and vegetables per day. Processed foods should be avoided. Instead, Cordova advises choosing “superfoods,” nutrient-rich foods with many health benefits.
While Harris says altering her diet worked for her, she encourages others to find what resonates with them.
“I think the treatment you choose is a personal decision that you have to be prepared to live with,” Harris said. “Using herbs and natural remedies is the oldest form of medical treatment known to man. The side effects of using food as medicine are greatly reduced compared to drugs, which was what really got my attention and made me want to switch. While dietary treatment requires dedication to your new food regimen, it leaves you with little to no side effects. I highly recommend all people start taking steps to better health. Do not wait until you have been diagnosed with some scary word to make life changes. Change now and avoid the suffering later.”
