July 19th 2012 - Cancer - Find Hope and Healing Using an Integrative Approach
Destroying cancer cells with chemotherapy, surgery and/or radiation or even herbs, is only part of the solution to cancer. One also has to address what caused the cancer cells to develop in the first place. Toxicity, low oxygen levels, over acid pH, reduced immune responses and stress all contribute to the development of cancer. Learn how to address these other cancer factors for both prevention and cure inside.
An Integrated Approach to… SURVIVING CANCER
While death rates from heart disease have been declining over the past decade, death rates from cancer have been increasing. According to recent statistics, heart disease and cancer deaths are close to equal and it is likely that cancer will become the leading cause of death within the next five years.
Cancer is the leading cause of death during middle age (45-75), while heart disease is the leading cause of death in old age (after 75). Furthermore, cancer is also the second leading cause of death between the ages of 35 and 45 and again after age 75. In other words, if you're interested in a long and healthy life, you should be interested in preventing cancer.
In this issue of Sunshine Sharing, we're going to cover how lifestyle and diet can help decrease your risk of cancer and the odds of surviving it. Furthermore, since most people who get cancer choose to be treated by modern orthodox medicine, we're also going to focus on an integrated approach, discussing natural therapies that can be used in conjunction with surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy treatments for cancer.
Why Use an Integrated Approach?
Modern medical treatments for cancer have been improving over the years. Better surgical techniques, less toxic chemotherapy drugs and more targeted radiation treatments have improved a person's chances of surviving cancer with modern medical care. However, this method is still based on what natural healers call the "cut, burn and poison" approach, which is riddled with side effects because it always damages healthy tissue in addition to destroying cancer cells.
That's why it's important to learn about the herbs, supplements and natural therapies that can be used to minimize the side effects of medical cancer treatments. These methods focus on strengthening and supporting the body instead of just attacking the cancer. The only problem in following this approach may be in finding a medical doctor that will cooperate. Medical doctors who treat cancer often discourage their patients from utilizing alternative methods while undergoing therapy. If you chose to do so without your doctor's approval, you will have to do so at your own risk.
Secondly, and more importantly, we're going cover how the same dietary and lifestyle changes that can help to prevent cancer can also be used to help treat it. Cancer does not just "suddenly appear;" it has causes. Cancer was very rare just 150 years ago and its rapid increase is clearly linked to modern diets and lifestyles. Killing cancer cells doesn't change a person's diet or lifestyle and it doesn't fix the problems that allowed the cancer to develop in the first place. Unless a person makes the changes that lead them to better overall health, the cancer may return even if they are successful in destroying the cancer cells. So, adopting a cancer-prevention diet and lifestyle, even after someone has the disease, will not only improve the odds of recovery, it will reduce the risk of getting cancer again.
Cancer Treatment by Prevention
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation all have one goal-to remove or destroy cancer cells, but, as mentioned earlier, they don't do anything to deal with the underlying causes of cancer. The pioneer herbalist, Samuel Thomson, once said that the same thing that will prevent a disease will cure it. So, whether you're trying to avoid cancer or actively treating it, it makes sense to adopt a diet and lifestyle that discourages cancer.
To understand how to do this, we need to understand the factors that allow the disease we call cancer to develop in the first place. Cancer cells are mutated cells, meaning they have become "deviant" to the normal function of the body. They no longer respond to the body's signals that regulate cell metabolism and growth. They are greedy and reproduce out of control.
But, cancer cells didn't become deviant without a reason. They got that way because they were abused. Cancer cells are the victims of free radical damage and a low oxygen, high acid environment. These conditions are unfriendly to healthy cells, so they mutate in order to survive these conditions.
Antioxidants to the Rescue
Since free radical damage is involved in the formation of cancer cells, the number one dietary change that helps to prevent cancer (and overcome it) is to increase one's intake of antioxidants, particularly from natural food sources. Most nutritional experts agree that consuming 5-7 half-cup servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day is the best way to prevent cancer (and heart disease, too).
Research also suggests that the same antioxidants that prevent cancer will also help your body heal faster from surgery and protect healthy tissues against damage from chemotherapy and radiation. Raw fruits and vegetables, especially organically grown ones, are best for both cancer treatment and prevention.
Of course, antioxidant supplements can also be helpful. Thai-Go is an excellent choice, because it is made from natural fruits and herbs. High doses of vitamin C have also been used for natural cancer therapy. Supplements that enhance glutathione levels, like N-Acetyl Cysteine and Alpha Lipoic Acid, are also helpful in combating both toxins and the toxic effects of radiation and chemotherapy.
Increasing Oxygen and Balancing Ph
It is well documented that cancer cells thrive in a low oxygen, high acid environment. So increasing oxygen levels and reducing acid pH both inhibits the formation of cancer cells and aids in destroying them. Deep breathing exercises, practiced several times a day, will improve oxygen uptake in the lungs.
Supplements that enhance oxygen uptake include Liquid Chlorophyll, Chinese Lung Support and cordyceps. Chlorophyll enhances-the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and has antioxidant properties, too. Simply add it to water along with Thai-Go and drink it throughout the day. Chinese Lung Support and cordyceps enhance oxygen exchange in the lungs.
Eating more fruits and vegetables and less grain, sugar and meat will help to shift the body's pH to a more alkaline environment. Alkalizing foods like GreenZone and Nature's Harvest can be added to srnoothies made with raw fruits and vegetables to further alkalize and nourish the body. Since cancer cells produce large amounts of lactic acid from their fermentative metabolism, they also tend to spread the acid environment, encouraging more cancer growth. Drinking plenty of pure water helps flush this acid from the body.
Building the Immune System
Cancer isn't just about the formation of cancer cells. Some researchers believe that the body forms cancer cells quite regularly, but the immune system normally destroys them. When the immune system becomes too weak to destroy the abnormal cells, then a person will develop cancer. So, cancer is also a disease of immune deficiency.
Building (or rebuilding) the immune system is of critical importance in preventing and treating cancer. The irony is that surgery, chemotherapy and radiation all weaken immune function. Because of this, cancer patients are often given antibiotics to protect them from infection, which leaves them susceptible to yeast infections and further weakens their immune systems.
Trigger Immune is a great formula to rebuild a person's health and immune system when it has become run down from cancer and/or cancer treatments. Used in between chemotherapy and radiation treatments, it can help restore healthy immune function, improve digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and increase energy and general well-being.
Another great immune-enhancing supplement people have used while fighting cancer is Immune Stimulator. The medicinal mushrooms in this formula have a balancing effect on the immune system and can help to stimulate the body's immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Taking proteolytic enzymes, like High Potency Protease, between meals, also stimulates the immune system and increases the effectiveness of Immune Stimulator.
Una de Gato Combination is another formula that can strengthen a weakened immune system in cancer patients. It contains compounds that inhibit tumor growth in animals.
Detoxifying the Body
The human body is constantly bombarded with toxins, heavy metals, chlorine and thousands of other chemicals. As the world has become more polluted, cancer rates have dramatically increased, showing that these toxins are linked with cancer. So, avoiding toxic chemicals of all kinds is not only important for preventing cancer, it is vital to recovering from it. Whether you have cancer or not, avoid food additives, pesticides, heavy metals, toxic household
cleaning products and other chemicals as much as possible.
Counteracting Cancer Treatment Side Effects
As mentioned above, orthodox cancer treatments have many side effects. Adopting some of the preventative measures listed on page two will actually help to counteract many of these side effects and greatly enhance chances of recovery. In addition to these general principles, here are some specific natural remedies for specific side effects of cancer and cancer therapy.
Protecting the Body from Radiation and Chemotherapy
Radiation causes free radical damage and can actually turn healthy cells cancerous. Chemotherapy generally targets fast growing cells, which means it tends to damage healthy cells that are also fast growing. These include the cells lining the digestive tract and white blood or immune cells.
Antioxidants (mentioned on page two) can help protect healthy cells from both radiation and chemotherapy. Particularly helpful is an intracellular antioxidant called glutathione. N-Acetyl Cysteine and Alpha Lipoic Acid can enhance glutathione production, thus protecting healthy cells from damage. Super Trio could also be helpful by supplying antioxidants, basic vitamins and minerals and essential fatty acids.
Adaptogens are also helpful for improving the body's ability to resist chemicals and radiation. They also enhance the function of the immune system. Eleuthero, Chinese Mineral Chi Tonic or AdaptaMax would all be options. These are also helpful for rebuilding health and energy between treatments.
Digestive Upset
Chemotherapy and radiation can disrupt the function of the gastrointestinal tract by damaging the fast growing cells that line the digestive membranes and by killing off friendly bacteria in the gut. This can result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, weight loss, and loss of appetite.
Probiotic Eleven can be taken to replace friendly gut flora and support normal immune functions. Slippery elm and Whole Leaf Aloe Vera can be taken to reduce gastrointestinal irritation and ease diarrhea. If diarrhea is severe, an astringent like bayberry root bark or blackberry root may also be helpful. Hydrated Bentonite can also be used to gently detoxify the gastrointestinal tract and reduce irritation from chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Where nausea and vomiting are a problem, try using some ginger (especially in the form of ginger tea or an all-natural ginger beer) to settle the stomach. A drop of peppermint essential oil in a cup of warm water can be sipped slowly to ease nausea, too. Eat small, but frequent meals to avoid stressing the digestive tract.
If appetite is poor, take some Digestive Bitters or a little goldenseal prior to meals. Remove the goldenseal from the capsules and place it directly on the tongue for best results (or use a tincture). Spleen Activator may be helpful if there is weight loss or wasting. Also consider Food Enzymes to help the body break down food. Taken between meals, these same enzymes will help the body fight the cancer.
Immune Suppression
Cancer treatments tend to depress immune function, and since the immune system tends to be deficient in cancer in the first place, it is very important to build immune function. Trigger Immune is an excellent formula for enhancing the immune function in cancer patients. It should be taken in between rounds of chemotherapy or radiation to rebuild the body and improve overall health.
Antibiotics are often used to prevent infection in cancer patients. Both antibiotics and chemotherapy disrupt friendly gut bacteria, which can lead to yeast infections. Caprylimune or Yeast/Fungal Detox may be helpful along with probiotics to restore gut flora and immune health.
Supporting Detoxification
Toxins are part of the reason people get cancer in the first place and fighting cancer results in an increase of toxins, partly due to the drugs and partly to the die-off of cancer cells. It is very helpful to do detoxification therapy to help the body get rid of this waste. Start by drinking plenty of water (one-half ounce or more per pound of body weight daily). Blood purifiers like E-Tea or All Cell Detox are helpful, along with regular enemas or colonies. This can also help to ease pain in cancer.
Cancer die-off sometimes causes lymphatic congestion and swelling. This can be eased by using Kidney Drainage and Lymphatic Drainage together and drinking lots of water. Vari-Gone can also be helpful if there is lymphedema.
Additional Tips
Pain can be a problem in cancer. Remedies like kava kava or Relief Formula may be helpful. Eating a very clean diet with lots of fresh, raw, organic produce and drinking lots of water also eases pain. Echinacea is also helpful for easing pain in cancer, while boosting the immune system and aiding detoxification.
Taking PawPaw Cell Reg along with Immune Stimulator and High Potency Protease between meals can be helpful in killing cancer cells associated with tumors. The Paw Paw Cell Reg can help enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy, especially when tumors have become drug-resistant.
Detoxification has long been a critical part of natural cancer therapy and can be used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatment. Many cancer patients have found regular enemas helpful. E-Tea is a famous anticancer formula that helps the body eliminate toxins and improves lymphatic drainage, while stimulating the immune system. Another good detoxifying formula for cancer is All Cell Detox. It supports all the eliminative systems of the body and helps to neutralize acid waste.
Managing Stress
Eli Jones, an eclectic medical doctor who wrote about cancer in the early 1900s, considered it as primarily a disease of stress. A primary part of his cure was to use Epsom salt baths to help relax the body and relieve stress. Adding some lavender, chamomile or another relaxing essential oil to the Epsom salt bath is also helpful for reducing stress (and pain) whether you have cancer or not.
More recently, a German study showed that virtually all cancer patients experienced a severe emotional trauma shortly before the cancer developed. Since unresolved stress reduces immune function, grieving and emotional healing work is often essential to strengthen the immune system and restore the body to its precancerous condition.
Cancer patients often have a history of taking care of others, but not taking care of themselves. A good therapy for them is to make a list of ten experiences they find pleasurable and to do one of them every day. This pleasure counteracts stress and boosts immune responses. The Find Strength flower essence blend can help people suffering from cancer take better care of themselves. They may also benefit from taking adaptogens, such as Eleuthero or Mineral Chi Tonic, or formulas that support the nerves and adrenals, such as Nutri-Calm and Adrenal Support.
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HC Wellness Center & Spa
1308 E. Garrison Blvd
Gastonia, NC 28054
United States
Steven Horne