Medicine is extremely slow to move from a mechanistic and physical philosophy to a more energetic model, like Gaian paradigm that values all life forms as connected. A philosophy of medicine that is over-reliant on logic and limited mainly to drugs and surgery is fundamental flawed. Acts of logic always rely on analysis, that is breaking down a 'whole' into its constituent parts, and examining each minutely. Reductionist approaches fail to see connectivity and relatedness of all things. As a result this philosophy is offering us 'cures' to cancer that are often as dangerous and destructive as disease itself.

Nobel prize-winner Carlo Rubbia maintains that only a billionth of world is actually made of matter and rest is made of energy. The new sciences are challenging way we perceive world and as a result way we relate to our bodies. Dr. K. Scott-Mumby is author of Virtual Medicine and an allergy specialist in UK writes:

Science is proving that we exist as regulated and informed energy. Disease can now be redefined as a disruption, cessation or distortion in information and energy fields. Its time for medical practitioners to join party.

Classical science has reached end of what it can explain in reductionist terms. Issues such as whether light is a particle or a wave, or whether or not water has a memory (an issue central to 'proof' of homeopathy), are moving modern science to a quantum level that deals with fields of energy. Medical science is still stuck in a very physical universe, where objective is to 'excise lump' almost regardless of where it came from and individual conditions of patient and their experiences.

New sciences such as chaos theories point a way forward into handling complexities of whole systems that work together, in synergy. Unfortunately our medical systems and practises are still too often based on philosophy formulated in medieval times.

1. Diagnosis A qualified doctor should always be first point of contact for serious disease as they have a good chance of getting you a correct diagnosis. Self-diagnosis is not a good idea except for very minor ailments. If you can, always get a second opinion on any diagnosis. In UK you are urged to start orthodox cancer treatments within a month of diagnosis.

Diagnosis for cancer uses careful clinical assessment and advanced investigative techniques such as:

endoscopy: an endoscope is a tube-like viewing instrument with lenses and lights or video cameras that is inserted into a body orifice for investigating and treating disorders. If gives doctors ability to see inside body and even remove small pieces of tissue for examination (biopsy).

imaging: This process allows doctors to produce images of structures within body that are otherwise difficult to see. For example short-wave, electromagnetic waves such as X-rays are passed through body. Some are absorbed and others pass through tissues to produce a shadow image that is projected onto a film or screen. In x-ray images bones show up clearly, making it an excellent tool for seeing problems associated with bones or hard objects within body.

In 1920's radiologists discovered that certain substances are opaque to radiation and they began to use them as 'contrast media'. When these media are introduced into body they create an outline shape of cavities they fill, which helps to identify problem areas.