Dr. Mitchell L. Gaynor, a 59-year-old oncologist and author, was discovered dead at his property in Hillsdale, NY on Tuesday, September 15th. Investigators for the county sheriff ruled his death a suicide, although further information has yet to be released.

Dr. Gaynor lived a life rich in accomplishments. He was the founder and president of Gaynor Integrative Oncology and the director of medical oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College’s Center for Integrative Medicine. He is most known for his work exploring and integrating alternative health modalities into his cancer treatment protocols. His interests led him to author six books and record three albums (with jazz-pop pianist Jon Regen) that topped the Billboard magazine New Age charts after an appearance on the influential Dr. Oz show.

His Work

Dr. Gaynor’s interest in alternative medicine was sparked during his postdoctoral work at Rockefeller University when he came across research looking into nutrient-gene interactions and the immune system. He was inspired by the idea that what we eat and our environment play a role, if not the most significant role, in our health, an idea that many conventional doctors still have difficulty embracing. This research manifested in his practice through his focus on the immune system, nutritional supplementation, and a desire to find the root cause of diseases instead of merely treating the symptoms. Inspiration struck again in the early 1990s, when Dr. Gaynor treated a Tibetan monk who gifted him with a traditional Tibetan singing bowl. Dr. Gaynor viewed the inclusion of behavioral therapies like music, meditation, chanting, and breathing exercises to be an essential part of overall health and wellness, as they lower stress hormones and blood pressure and increase the function of the immune system. His first books, published in 1999, helped him build a successful practice and presence in the alternative and conventional medical fields.

The Alternative Health Field Grows More Intriguing Every Day

While it’s easy to dismiss the growing number of deaths in the alternative medical community as coincidence and those concerned as conspiracy theorists who need to put away their aluminum foil hat (if only for something more eco-friendly!), the fact remains that that death rate has either been unusually high since June or more people are actually paying attention to alternative health.

The death of autism research specialist Dr. Jeff Bradstreet was ruled a suicide after authorities found him floating in a North Carolina river with a gunshot wound to the chest. This in itself isn’t necessarily worthy of commentary, but over the next few weeks case reports of health practitioner suicides and murders rolled in, resulting in a total of 8 dead and 5 missing in the Southeastern United States over the course of late June and July. That strange micro trend left an uneasy feeling rippling through the alternative health community, but it was largely pushed aside until September when 29 people identified as naturopaths attending a seminar in Germany were hospitalized for symptoms such as hallucinations and breathing difficulties.

Is The Trend Continuing?

Dr. Mitchell Gaynor was not located in the Southeastern U.S. or Germany. He was, however, firmly entrenched in the alternative medical community, practicing what some detractors have labeled as pseudoscience. With the limited information currently available, it’s impossible to determine whether these incidents and deaths are coincidences or a disturbing pattern. Even without a sinister organization pulling the strings for these results, the trend of suicide in a community with potentially more than average resources to deal with it should be cause for alarm. Dr. Gaynor chose health through diet, meditation, and alternative therapies, and left a legacy for others seeking their own health.

Sources:

• Mitchell L. Gaynor, 59, Manhattan Oncologist and Advocate for Alternative Treatments, Dies – NY Times
• Controversial Autism Research Doctor Found Dead, Deputies Say Suicide by Gunshot to Chest – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• Psychedelic drug emergency at seminar near Hamburg – Deutsche Welle
• Another Florida Doctor Murdered, Bringing Total to 8 Dead & 5 Missing in Just the Last Month – The Free Thought Project