Show notes
Learn about the Healing Power of Prolonged Fasting: HEREWhat if the next step after cancer surgery wasn't more treatment, but something different entirely?Dr. Katie Deming welcomes Merlin Hagan. After his prostate was removed, Merlin's doctors checked his PSA, a blood marker used to monitor prostate cancer activity. It should have dropped to undetectable levels.But it didn't. His PSA kept climbing, and doctors recommended radiation and hormone therapy next. Merlin wasn't ready for that, so he went looking for another option.PSA Prostate-Specific Antigen, a protein made by the prostate. Rising PSA levels may signal changes in the prostate, including inflammation, enlargement, or possible prostate cancer activity.He had never fasted before in his life, yet he committed to a 21-day water fast under medical supervision. What happened next surprised not just him, but his doctors too.Chapters:00:06:02 - PSA Still Rising00:06:47 - Finding the Fast00:08:01 - The Hardest Part of Fasting00:09:05 - Dealing with Food Cravings 00:11:00 - The Diet Shift Before Fasting00:13:26 - Relearning How to Eat00:16:41 - Eight Weeks After the Fast00:17:33 - The Unexpected Weight Loss00:18:26 - Blood Pressure Changes00:19:41 - Prostate Surgery Complication00:20:38 - The First Sign of Healing00:22:21 - The PSA Results00:24:54 - Hormone Therapy DecisionMerlin walks through the entire experience: the prep week, the difficult first few days, and the mental shift that carried him through the fast. He also shares how a major complication from his surgery unexpectedly started improving near the end of the fast.But the moment that changed everything came at his follow-up appointment. Merlin walked in with new PSA results.Press play to hear what happened when his numbers finally started moving.Join Dr. Katie's 3-Day Guided Fast, for expert support, daily live calls, and a community to fast alongside: Sign-Up Follow Dr. Katie Deming on InstagramWatch on YoutubeDISCLAIMER: The Born to Heal Podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for seeking professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual medical histories are unique; therefore, this episode should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease without consulting your healthcare provider.A thought-provoking podcast explores cancer through the lens of holistic medicine and functional medicine, discussing causes of cancer, metabolic health, and unconventional approaches like water fasting, fasting and autophagy, and detox, while weighing fasting benefits against chemo side effects and radiation side effects, sharing stories of a cancer survivor navigating chemotherapy, natural medicine, holistic healing, and even spiritual healing on the path toward cancer remission and holistic health.