In 1980 he and his family moved to Scotland and settled in Troon, where he set up a residential clinic. He also has clinics in Edinburgh, Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and London. He lectures throughout the world and is a regular broadcaster on BBC radio.

He graciously invited me to visit his place and be his guest for as long as I could stay. I gladly accepted and a couple of years later I flew with my wife to Scotland and went to his beautiful clinic. We stayed there for a whole week in the special guest suite and were royally treated.

I was really impressed with the numerous patients who arrived continually (by appointment only) to be treated for all kinds of problems; also at the happy atmosphere and the successful results the patients reported. His programmes, I could witness, were based exclusively on non-aggressive natural procedures, helped by wonderful psychological and spiritual advice, given in a completely natural and gifted way. I realised that I was watching the medical practice of a true physician, and I thanked God for that.

Now my dear friend has asked me to write the foreword to his latest book in the By Appointment Only series, dealing with cancer. Although I know I am not the most qualified person to do him justice, I gladly accepted his invitation.

I bet that many people, when they see the notice about the publication of this book, will make the usual comment: “Another book about cancer for the lay person? Are there not plenty of good books already?”

My answer is a straight no. There are not enough books about this controversial subject. Cancer is such a complex issue, with so many unsolved problems remaining in the areas of general management, success rates and prevention, that the reader will find this book to be an important source of knowledge greatly needed for the general public and even for open-minded health practitioners.

Fifty years of intense cancer research by the most qualified scientists all around the world, having at their disposal the most modern equipment, luxurious facilities and practically unlimited amounts of money, have not yielded the fruits so eagerly expected.

Early in 1970 the National Cancer Institute of the United States of America declared their “War against Cancer”, with the firm conviction that in ten years they would have the solution to the problem. However, early in 1980 they had to accept that only a few types of cancer had been conquered. They tried to maintain optimism through several publications during the next five years. But in May 1986 that optimism received a tremendous blow when Drs Bailar III and Smith, from the Public Health School of Harvard, published a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine about their research on the progress in cancer treatment during the last thirty-two years. According to their conclusions, present cancer treatments should be considered a “qualified failure”, because the fruits are very little in comparison with the time, effort and expenditure spent over so many years. “What has been wrong in the research?” they wondered. Then they urged the scientists to re-evaluate their programmes and seek out more realistic approaches, giving due attention to the preventive programmes which had been neglected for so long.

One of the many reasons why progress has been so desperately slow, is that throughout this century medical practice has been orientated towards strictly scientific grounds, to the point that modern oncologists affirm that cancer should be approached using only the Biomedical Model. This is obviously wrong. The human being is not just a biological subject. It is a trinity. To artificially separate the physical body from the soul and the spirit has been a great mistake. Modern science, being totally agnostic, has not proved itself to be the ultimate weapon with which to fight human illness. Medicine is, and always will, be a combination of art and science.

Jesus of Nazareth, the greatest physician of all times, treated his patients to make them whole again, that is, healing the body, the mind and the spirit simultaneously. Later on Hippocrates, Galen, Paracelsus and many others treated their patients in the same way.

In this century, especially during the last twenty-five years, many physicians have tried to go back to the original approach, being unhappy about the materialistic and excessively aggressive cancer treatments used by the highly scientifically trained oncologists. Those physicians have been attacked and even persecuted for their unorthodox views and called by the worst adjectives. But the results they are obtaining make perseverence worth while!

Not long ago, a doctor with great experience in cancer research and treatments reluctantly accepted the invitation of a mutual friend to visit my institution and learn the truth about my work. He came with the intention of making a very short, polite visit; but he stayed for almost two hours! It was the most exciting exchange of ideas I have ever had with a pure scientist and at the end he gave me the best illustration I have heard of what he believed the problem of conquering cancer to be.

He likened cancer to a giant puzzle with millions of small, bizarre pieces to accommodate in order to solve the problem. Scientific research, through the years, has been able to put together thousands of pieces starting from one side of the puzzle where the most difficult pieces should be put in place through the co-operation of all interested parties.

Dr Jan de Vries belongs to the group of visionary, non-conventional physicians who have been able to correctly accommodate many of the pieces in the puzzle, having started at the opposite side from where the pure scientists are working. He uses common sense, intuition, natural methods, psychology and spiritual help in a balanced way, in addition to drawing on his scientific background. His approach is both realistic and effective, combining medicines with positive thinking, hope, faith and love. Science and Art.

This is why I assure the reader that Dr Jan de Vries’ book is not just another commonplace publication about cancer or a mere compilation of what many others have written.

Jan is sharing with the world his own unique experience of many years of successful medical practice, which I am sure will be of great benefit for millions of potential patients who can learn how to prevent cancer. This book is a blessing to those who, unfortunately, are already victims of this terrible illness, bringing a new ray of hope to their shattered lives.

I was still very young when I first became aware of this most dreaded disease. My younger sister was born during the winter of 1944-45, which in the Netherlands, where I originate from, is commonly referred to as the “Hungerwinter”, for obvious reasons. How well I remember that wintry, grim morning with death and destruction all around us. My mother — a very brave woman — was conducting a meeting which was interrupted by sirens warning us of an air raid and when the all-clear sounded she asked one of her friends to take me with her. The local doctor was informed and also the mid wife.

Although still very young I realised that something unusual was going on when I was taken away by my mother’s friend. The subsequent birth of my little sister seemed like a ray of sunshine and hope in a world full of misery and danger. It was something that cheered us all and to the adults it acted temporarily as a diversion from their worries about the war.

A day later I was back home again, once arrangements enough had been made for the people in hiding from the Germans for whom my mother had accepted responsibility. It was then that a scaly patch was noticed on the back of my newly born baby sister and the local doctor was asked for his opinion. He was not too happy about it and favoured a second opinion. He told Mother that he suspected it to be a kind of skin cancer. This sounded serious and yet it seemed so unbelievable to discover this in such a young baby.

Nowadays I seem to come across such problems so much more frequently and I am staggered to see this complaint so much on the increase. The devastating effects of cancer strike at the basics of the human body, namely the cells. We see only too often that the regenerative cells come under attack, which could be possibly due to dietary causes or an enzyme deficiency or imbalance. Insufficient vitamins and minerals could also be a contributory factor in that these cells are not allowed to function properly. We must never overlook the fact, too, that stress has a detrimental effect on our health.

Bearing this in mind, it was not so strange to hear, as I once did, an old professor relate in a lecture that every day on waking up, he wishes his cells a “Good morning!”.

If I had my wish we would never see the stress of war repeated, and no doubt this goes for the majority of people who lived through those days. However, our present lives are by no means free of stress and to my thinking this could have a lot of bearing on the increasing incidence of cancer. But not only stress, also our dietary habits must pose the question of whether they influence our regenerative cells in a positive or negative manner. A balanced dietary pattern is an extremely important factor in the control of cancer and equally so in the ultimate prevention of cancer.

Although still rather young at the time of my sister’s birth, I nevertheless retain some vivid memories of that period. Our general practitioner had recommended a second opinion and therefore my sister would have to be examined by a specialist at the provincial hospital.

In those dark days of the war, travel was virtually impossible as there were few means of transport remaining for civilians. As our local doctor realised that speedy action was necessary, he pointed out that the best way of travelling between the hospital and our town would probably be by hearse. This vehicle was obviously in frequent use on that stretch of road in those days. It was therefore arranged that my mother and her little daughter would be taken to and from hospital by the hearse, where my sister would receive radium treatment.

In later years my sister has come to realise that she made medical history, because she was among the earliest patients to receive this kind of treatment. It was by no means a pleasant situation, but of course my mother would do anything in her power to influence my sister’s health favourably. My father had been deported by the Germans and as a result she had to tackle this problem virtually alone and she shouldered it courageously.

The treatment was effective, but we must remember that each cells grows, reproduces and then dies. Therefore a dead cell which has been removed must be replaced by a new cell, and here problems were encountered. As a result of the radium treatment many healthy cells were destroyed as well as cancerous cells and the specialist in charge of my sister’s treatment made a remark, later repeated to me by my mother, which showed a great deal of vision and insight for those days. He informed my mother that in his opinion the condition of her baby was the result of a one-sided food pattern — or to put it in better English, an imbalanced food pattern. According to the specialist my sister was a product of the war when so few foodstuffs were available.

Looking back, this remark must have been revolutionary, as orthodox medicine, especially in those days, unfortunately did not pay any attention to a possible connection between food and cancer.

Unbeknown to us at that time, this eminent specialist only lived a few minutes’ walk from us and I dare say that if it was not for this gentleman there might today be still more kidney problems experienced, because this specialist, Prof. Dr A. Kolf, was the inventor of the artificial kidney machine.

I was very pleased when, not long ago, I was able to watch a film shown to the staff of a hospital relating how Prof. Kolf had worked so hard during the war to establish this famous kidney machine. I only refer to this because that same eminent scientist in his time was one of the first to recognise or even consider a possible connection between cancer and food — a very revolutionary viewpoint for those days.

Although my sister was finally cured of her problem, a long list of minor illnesses plagued her right up to the age of seven, from which can be deduced that the disease and its treatment took its toll and drastically affected her immune system. Prof. Kolf had warned Mother of this possibility, but he had also told her that, with some luck, after the age of seven things could change for the better. In this statement he was also proved right. Many times I have heard my mother refer to this scientist with the greatest affection and admiration and, although in those days I was too young to appreciate it all, in my later studies I came to realise how ahead of his time he was in his theories.

During the war years the medical establishment was not ready for his insistence on a balanced food pattern. Furthermore, the means were then not available. Today, however, we realise more and more the probability of an interrelationship between diet and cancer and leukaemia, although unfortunately the incidence of these problems is still on the increase.

It is true that during the war years, particularly during the final months, there was little food to be had in terms of quantity, but it is also equally true that the available food was most likely of a better quality. Nowadays, although the required quantity is available, often the quality is found to be lacking. Food which has been interfered with through artificial fertilisers, artificial colourings, chemical additives and preservatives, could well carry a lot of the blame for an even bigger interference with the forming of healthy cells. If the natural immune mechanism of the body is not able to remove the invaders of healthy cells, cancer cells can take over.

Under normal circumstances all cellular action occurs in an orderly way; if a cell divides in order to form a new cell and no interference takes place, nothing untoward will happen. But if outside factors are allowed to intefere a tumour may develop, which could eventually turn malignant. Then other tissues may be invaded as cells travel to other parts of the body and start new growths there. Then the forming of normal cells is endangered.

Nobody yet really knows what causes this complex disease. Modern technology and science in many fields contribute to the advance in combating certain types of cancer, but whatever is discovered often seems to increase the doubt and mystery which surrounds cancer.

All discoveries concerning the possible causes of cancer are extremely useful, but it is much more essential that lessons be learned to assist us in the prevention of this illness. This is especially true in today’s society because of the pollution of air, food and water — the three forms of energy, vital to life.

Elimination and prevention is of the utmost importance and therefore we should concentrate on strengthening and rebuilding the immune system so that it is capable of withstanding attacks from outside interference.

As I have said, my sister’s treatment was successful. She was a sickly and ailing child up to the age of seven when a considerable improvement became apparent. When the war ended Mother set to and devised a well-thought-out and sensible diet as soon as the situation allowed. She spared no effort in encouraging my sister’s health to pick up and today my sister is well and healthy and she herself is the mother of two healthy sons. Occasionally when I look at her I find it hard to realise that she once suffered the after-effects of radium treatment.

In rebuilding her immune system she was given the chance to develop into a healthy person and she still follows the guidelines adhered to by our mother:

I often wonder if enough investigation in this direction is being carried out. Every time I come across civilisations where cancer or leukaemia are non-existent, I must admit that they lead less stressful lives and that they generally follow sensibly balanced dietary patterns. Then I again recognise the wisdom hidden in the phrase: “We are what we eat!”

Environmental influence could be a possible factor. It is true that specific cancers seem to be more prevalent in certain parts of the world than elsewhere — for example:

It is generally believed that cancer is a disease of modern times, but in fact this is not true. In ancient Greek writings we come across references to cancer and even in the Old Testament of the Bible diseases are referred to which could well be considered as a form of cancer. Skeletons from ancient times discovered in Egypt show signs of tumours having formed. It is, however, a fact that cancer is becoming more prevalent nowadays and if we are to find a solution to this problem we must leave no stone unturned in our investigations as to the cause of this illness and better still as to its prevention.

It is doubtful if so many allergies and viruses have been encountered ever before. There remains little doubt that viruses can be a contributory factor to cancer. When viruses are diagnosed and treated properly in their early stages, much can be done for the patient. Despite all the treatments now available in both orthodox medicine as well as alternative medicine, the ones which offer the most hope are those which call upon the body’s natural reserves and assist the healthy cells wherever possible to fight the abnormal cells.

I often remind patients that cancer is like warfare. It can be compared to two opposing armies: the army of degenerative cells in combat with the army of regenerative cells. If the former appears to be stronger, we have to provide the right materials and weapons for the army of regenerative cells to prop up their defences. A victory of the regenerative cells is then certainly not an impossibility.

There is a wide range of natural weapons we can use to make that army of regenerative cells stronger and in this book I will outline some of these.

Each type of cancer needs a different approach. A sarcoma — a cancer which begins in the connective tissue — will need different treatment than, for instance, a carcinoma — a cancerous growth made up of epithelial cells. A priority must be to decide on how a tumour should best be treated. It could well be the start of a neoplasm, which is an abnormal growth of tissue that can either be a benign swelling or turn out to be a malignant cancer. This malignant cancer could take the form of either a carcinoma, sarcoma or a leukaemia.

Leukaemia — cancer of the blood-forming organs and discussed in Chapter 2 — again needs a different approach. Each different form of cancer needs careful consideration and administration.

The basis of any approach to the different cancers mentioned has, however, to be decided on. First of all the life pattern of the patient should be scrutinised and that person should also be regarded as a complete human being, i.e. physically and mentally. Cancer actually points to the presence of a disharmony and therefore every function in the body should be taken into consideration.

It is a fact that in any case of cancer, the liver — that most efficient laboratory of the body — is always involved. The liver has some dire enemies, but thank goodness it also has a few extremely loyal friends.

Nowadays we are aware how necessary oxygen is to help the liver in the great task it performs. When the vital force in the human body is under attack, it can be aided with some of the wonderful products nature supplies to stimulate the cleansing oxygen to course through the blood. It is necessary to encourage good blood circulation in order that oxygen can be transported all through the body. How sad it is to see that so many people endanger this action by smoking and/or drinking. We only need to look at the rise in the incidence of lung cancer to realise this and one cannot get away with the statement that one’s grandfather, who lived to a ripe old age, smoked most of his life. That grandfather may have been lucky, but it does not necessarily mean that his offspring is going to be equally lucky. No risks should be taken with something as vitally important as one’s health.

A patient who only recently consulted me wondered why he was hit by cancer because he smoked and why it had not affected his grandfather who had lived till he was almost ninety years old and then died a peaceful death due to old age. One easily forgets that many factors play a role. I had to tell this person over and over again that his body was his own responsibility and therefore it was his duty to look after it. It is largely a question of common sense how one sets about looking for better health. To the encouragement of this gentleman, I was able to tell him that I have seen cancer which had reached even the last stage brought back to the first stage as a result of a sensible approach.

Despite being aware that he would not like it, I nevertheless advised him to give up smoking and drinking and follow my example and drink grape juice instead. I know that some people laugh at it, but an extremely effective remedy to restore the vital force is to eat daily a salad of freshly grated raw beetroot, carrot and apple. It is generally considered too simple to be effective, but please take this advice.